21 Apr 2013 by Kuwait Times

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SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

Iraq holds first polls since US pullout as attacks spike

Protests build in Delhi after child rape

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Bayern warm up for Barca with more records

Djokovic, Nadal set up dream Monte Carlo final

US seeks motive after bomb suspect nabbed Dzhokhar captured after huge manhunt, shootout

BOSTON: A police officer reacts to news of the arrest of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects on Friday. (Inset) This still frame from video shows suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev visible through an ambulance after he was captured in Watertown. — AP (See Page 10)

Saudi monarch replaces deputy defence minister RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has removed veteran deputy defence minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan from his post, state media reported yesterday, the latest move in a reshuﬄe among princes holding government jobs in the US-allied kingdom. Prince Khaled was head of the Saudi armed forces during the 1991 Gulf War but was passed over for the job of Defence Minister in 2011 after the death of his father, Crown Prince Prince Khaled Sultan, who had held the position for ﬁve decades. He has been replaced as deputy defence minister by Prince Fahd bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing a royal decree. Prince Fahd has been commander of Saudi naval forces since 2002. SPA did not give a reason for the switch. Continued on Page 13

Max 32º Min 21º High Tide 09:01 & 19:44 Low Tide 01:52 & 14:14

BOSTON: Police guarded Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in hospital yesterday as detectives searched for clues to how the Chechen teenager and his brother could have turned to terrorism. Tsarnaev was in “serious condition” in a hospital where some victims of Monday’s marathon bombing are also being treated, after he was found hiding in a boat at the end of a manhunt that paralyzed Boston. The 19-year-old was wounded in an earlier shootout in which his 26-year-old brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev - who has been linked to Islamist extremism through social media - was killed. Prosecutors were at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Cambridge, just outside Boston, developing formal charges, oﬃcials said. US authorities now face tough decisions over how to handle the investigation and any trial of Tsarnaev for the marathon bombs, which left three dead and about 180 injured, including several victims with severed limbs. A policeman was killed and another critically wounded during the hunt for the brothers, who are accused of the worst attack on the United States since the Sept 11, 2001 atrocities. Republican senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham have called for the teenager to be declared an “enemy combatant”, which would give him the same status as Guantanamo “War on Terror” detainees. Authorities did not immediately read Tsarnaev a warning usually given by police to criminal suspects in custody before they are interrogated so statements can be admissible in court. A Justice Department oﬃcial said the government is invoking the public safety exception to the warning, known as Miranda rights, in order to question the suspect extensively about other potential explosive devices or accomplices and to gain critical intelligence. The Russian-installed leader of Chechnya criticized police in Boston for killing an ethnic Chechen and blamed the violence on his upbringing in the United States. The Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, the biggest mosque in the area, said in a statement that it was shutting its doors until further notice. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed the Boston attacks yesterday because of the brothers’ origins in Russia’s volatile North Caucasus region. The two leaders agreed to step up Continued on Page 13

Boston suspects wanted to fit in BOSTON: They dressed like typical American teenagers, enjoyed playing sports and strived to ﬁt in after arriving in the United States with their family from the southern Russian province of Dagestan a decade ago. The schoolmates, teachers and neighbors of Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev said they saw little sign of radicalism - or anything extraordinary - to explain why the ethnic Chechen brothers would allegedly carry out the twin bombings that killed three people and wounded 176 at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Tamerlan, 26, who dreamed of Olympic boxing glory and appeared to have become a more observant Muslim in recent years, was killed in a shootout with police late on Thursday. Dzhokhar, 19, who was a high school wrestler, was captured by police Friday night after a manhunt that virtually shut down Boston. The physical journey of the pair from Russia to Cambridge, Massachusetts, is fairly well-document-

ed. But the psychological journey that might have led them to carry out the worst bomb attack on US soil since the plane hijackings on Sept 11, 2001, is largely an enigma. Four US government officials said they were unaware of any information in government databases that would have, before this week, flagged the Tsarnaev brothers as militants who might become involved in attacks. But late on Friday, the FBI said it interviewed the elder brother in 2011, acting at the request of an unidentified foreign government. The FBI’s dealings with Tamerlan did not produce any “derogatory” information, and the matter was put “to bed,” a US law enforcement source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The revelation was the first indication that the brothers were known to US security officials prior to Monday’s bombings, US authorities said. The Tsarnaev brothers, who have two sisters, are ethnic Chechen, from a Continued on Page 13

160 dead in strong China quake

YAíAN, China: A rescuer carries a child to safety after she was pulled out of her collapsed home after an earthquake hit this city in Lushan county in southwest China’s Sichuan province yesterday. — AFP

YA’AN, China: At least 160 people were killed and 5,700 injured when a strong earthquake hit a mountainous part of southwestern China yesterday, destroying thousands of homes and triggering landslides. The shallow earthquake struck Sichuan province on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau just after 8:00 am, prompting a major rescue operation in the same area where 87,000 people were reported dead or missing in a massive quake in 2008. Nearly 13 hours after the quake hit Lushan county in the city of Ya’an, the death toll stood at 160, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Ministry of Civil Affairs which said more than 5,700 had been injured. At least 10,000 homes were destroyed, the Sichuan government said as rescue workers searched through the rubble for survivors. Local seismologists registered the quake at magnitude 7.0 while the US Geological Survey gave it as 6.6. More than 260 aftershocks followed, the People’s Daily said on its website. The shaking was felt in the provincial capital Chengdu, which lies to the east, and even in the megacity of Chongqing several hundred kilometres away. Panicked residents fled into the streets, some of Continued on Page 13

This combination of undated photos shows Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, (left) and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. — AP

Bahraini crown prince admits ‘issues’ on F1 eve DUBAI: Bahrain’s crown prince admitted yesterday that there were “issues” affecting the kingdom on the eve of a Formula One Grand Prix that has been dogged by sometimes bloody clashes between police and democracy activists. But Prince Salman, who has long been regarded as a moderate voice within the Gulf state’s Sunni minority regime, said he was “optimistic” a settlement could be reached with the Shiiteled opposition. “I’m optimistic that a solution will be found here,” the prince told reporters at the desert Sakhir circuit, south of the capital Manama, as qualification for today’s race passed off without incident. Police were out in force for qualifying, with armoured vehicles deployed around the capital’s Pearl Square, epicentre of month-long pro-democracy

protests in early 2011 that were crushed with deadly force. Hundreds of Shiite demonstrators who attempted to gather in the square yesterday evening were forcibly dispersed, witnesses said. Police ﬁred tear gas and chased demonstrators into side streets. Some protesters retaliated with petrol bombs, the witnesses added. Hundreds had taken to the streets in Shiite villages outside Manama overnight, prompting clashes with police, but away from the circuit, witnesses said. “Your race is a crime,” chanted protesters armed with petrol bombs and stones. “No, no to blood Formula.” Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades. Prince Salman acknowledged that demonstrators protesting against the race had largely refrained from violence. Continued on Page 13

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

LOCAL

Nigeria state governor woos Kuwait investors Kuwait delegation to visit Northern Nigeria state By Chidi Emmanuel KUWAIT: As part of his eﬀorts to attract investors to the Northern Nigerian state, the governor of Kano state in Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso met with oﬃcials of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and some Kuwaiti investors over the weekend during his two-day visit to Kuwait. Among the issues that topped his agenda for talks were banking, education, sports and tourism. He said that some memoranda of understanding and other agreements will be signed when the Kuwaiti delegates visit Nigeria in July. “We discussed several issues of mutual interest and some agreements will be signed when the (Kuwait) delegation visits Kano in July this year,” he hinted. Speaking to the press, Governor Kwankwaso said his administration was pursuing robust policy measures to reinvigorate the critical sec-

KUWAIT: The governor of Kano state Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (right) pictured with the Nigerian ambassador in Kuwait Senator Garba Haruna (left) during a press conference on Thursday. tors of the state economy. “ The state government is working very hard to set up a sustainable economic system by providing infrastructure and qualiﬁed manpower aimed at boosting investments and empowering the people ﬁnancially.

Kano is partnering with investors in its micro-finance scheme. So far, 44 micro finance banks have been established in the state,” Dr Kwankwaso stressed, adding that efforts were being geared towards poverty alleviation through com-

merce, investments, infrastructural development and security. The governor noted that his administration has made signiﬁcant progress in the economic sphere in the last few years. He said that the state’s economic empowerment and development strategy has been designed to lay a solid foundation for sustainable poverty reduction, employment generation, wealth creation and value orientation. Governor Kwankwaso urged Kuwaitis, expatriates and members of the Nigerian Diaspora to invest in the most populous state in his country, especially in the areas of agriculture, tourism, banking, solid mineral and mining. On the issue of security relating to the extremist group Boko Haram, he outlined the government’s eﬀorts aimed at ending their attacks through reconciliation and healing, and cited President Jonathan’s determination to resolve security related problems.

NBK committed to attracting, developing nationals KUWAIT: Within its endeavors to strengthen cooperation with the diverse civil society institutions and initiatives, namely those concerning youth, the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recently sponsored the Youth Banking Conference hosted by Kuwait University with the aim of boosting bank ing awareness and establishing communication with the youth. NBK’s personal banking services manager, Mazen Al-Nahedh and the HR deputy manager, Emad Al-Ablani took part in the conference. Addressing students, AlNahedh highlighted the significance of the private sector and its role in developing youth skills. “It is the best venue to invest national cadres potentials”, he stressed pointing out that NBK was committed to attracting young national cadres and developing their skills. “NBK has become a role model in

KUWAIT: The governor of Kano state Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (center left) poses with the Nigerian diplomats and embassy officials.

Strict penalty for traffic offences KUWAIT: Traffic General Director Lt. General Abdul Fatteh Al-Ali said he has given instructions to deport any expat found driving a vehicle without possessing a proper driving license. Emphasizing that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud, and Undersecretary General Ghazi Al-Omar, have asked him to implement traffic laws strictly, Lt General Al-Ali said instructions laid special stress on seizing any vehicles whose owners commit grave violations. He said all these instructions will be adhered to and implemented by traffic directors across all governorates. He told reporters that statistics indicated that serious violations of traffic laws have been on

an increase, and are often been committed by expats. He said the issue will be studied and any expat committing such violations will be deported instantly. He expressed his displeasure with increasing recklessness on the road and said many garages were repairing cars without having obtained a permit for this trade. He said this too is a violation and will be dealt with very strictly. He emphasized that traﬃc situation will witness a tangible improvement after the completion of roads projects currently under way. Emphasizing on the importance of abiding by traﬃc laws, he said everyone should realize that a vehicle is a means of transport and not a means of killing others.

Amir’s visit to Turkey ‘milestone’ in ties

enabling youth and providing the needed training and development programs for them”, he added. “NBK recruited over 300 citi-

Storming of Al-Barrak diwan ‘something sad’ KUWAIT: Gatherings of citizens have continued for the fourth day in support of former MP Musallam AlBarrak, after he was sentenced to five years in jail for insulting the Amir during his speech, entitled “We Will Not Allow You”. Lawyer Jaser Al-Jadee said the storming of AlBarrak’s diwan by special forces is something sad and must be rejected, as the Kuwait people are not used to such actions. He said the goal behind the arrest was to break Musallam Al-Barrak, and warned against this dangerous situation, adding that he felt widespread rejection by people to such actions. He noted that there is very strong selectivity in implementing the law and wondered why the corrupt in the country were not dealt with in the same way Musallam Al-Barrak is being treated by the interior ministry? He said Musallam Al-Barrak said many times that he will give himself up if the original copy of the sentence is produced, which is his legal right, according to him. He said we, the free people, will continue protecting our people and constitution and we will continue fighting corruption, no matter what they do, and they should not think that prisons would scare us. Al-Jadee also announced that Musallam Al-Barrak will attend the appeals session on Monday to discuss the sentence against him. Meanwhile, those gathered at Al-Barrak’s diwan said they would not demonstrate and will only sit and sleep there.

zens last year and thus, comes in the lead of private sector establishments hiring national labor in addition to providing over 3,600 annual specialized training

opportunities in collaboration with most prestigious international universities and institutes such as Har vard and AUB”, explained Al-Nahedh.

Kuwait sixth worldwide in diabetes rate KUWAIT: Kuwait occupies the sixth place among nations with the highest rates of diabetes, said Minister of Health Dr Muhammad Al-Haifi yesterday. For that reason, Kuwait is dedicating enormous resources to spread awareness among the public as to the serious side effects of diabetes, some of which could adversely affect a patient’s eyes, kidneys, heart, or feet, Dr Al-Haifi said in a press statement on the sideline of inaugurating a conference today on diabetes undertaken by the diabetes unit at Amiri Hospital. He praised organizers of the conference,

saying that it dovetailed admirably with the overall policy of the ministry to face the challenges associated with treating patients with long-term diseases such as diabetes. He stressed that the ministry, through the work being done by the higher national committee for combatting non-communicative diseases, is keen on partnering with other government entities to implement UN and WHO policies regarding spreading awareness among the populace as to the dangers serious diseases pose to their health.— KUNA

ISTANBUL: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah’s planned visit to Turkey late April is expected to “signal a true milestone” in the deeply-rooted KuwaitiTurkish relations, said Head of the Economic Department at Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. “The visit reﬂects the Kuwaiti political leadership’s sincere desire to open up new horizons for cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the economic and commercial ﬁelds,” Sheikh Ali said yesterday. He expected HH the Amir’s visit to give true and huge momentum to the historic ties between the two nations. “A large and senior delegation will accompany HH the Amir during his visit to Turkey, to discuss all available opportunities for economic and trade cooperation,” Sheikh Ali said. He pointed out that the delegation will also explore joint investment opportunities, either through the private or public sectors of both countries. Sheikh Ali took part in the ninth Kuwaiti-Turkish Joint Economic Commission which concluded in

Istanbul Friday, resulting in a package of draft agreements aimed at boosting trade exchanges and bilateral investments. He noted that the meetings of the joint commission were held in preparation for the visit of HH the Amir to Turkey. “A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding are to be signed during the visit late this month, “ he said. Sheikh Ali said that the eventual cooperation agreements will add greatly to existing ones - 28 in number - “which cover almost every domain.” Describing these relations, he said they are “excellent” and that they have been undergoing a rapid growth in the recent years. The Turkish government has agreed to oﬀer several incentives and privileges to Kuwaiti investors, who hold a total of investments estimated at $4 billion. The value of Kuwaiti exports to Turkey in 2012 amounted to $234 million while Turkish exports going in the opposite direction reached $377 million. The two countries seek to take the value of their annual trade exchange to $1 billion a year. —KUNA

Khawarezmi competition for mathematics KUWAIT: Sabah Al-Ahmad Centre for I n n ov a t i o n , a s u b s i d i a r y o f Ku w a i t Foundation for Scientific Research and Advancement, has sponsored the sixth Khawarezmi competition for mathematics organized by the ministry of education at the Hawally Educational Area. The sponsorship is part of the centre’s continuing efforts to discover gifted stu-

dents, help them improve their innovative skills, provide them with access to modern technology, enable them to understand the principles of producing and programming technological equipment, and mentor them in all possible ways so they can excel in the fields of innovation and invention. The main objective behind such efforts is to devel-

op a new breed of skilled workforce that can lead the technological revolution in Kuwait. Al-Khawarezmi competition was held u n d e r t h e p a t ro n a g e o f H aw a l l y Educational Area director Abdullah AlHarbi and in the presence of General Inspector for Maths Ibrahim Al-Qattan, as well as a number of other inspectors.

D r. G h a z i A l - R a s h i d i f ro m Ku w a i t University and many other educational leaders also attended the event. A total of 72 students - both boys and girls from the 5th grade participated in the final competition and took the exam on Ipad. Valuable prizes were awarded to the top three scorers among boys as well as girls.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

LOCAL

Endangered animals ‘trade’ active in Kuwait despite ban Strict implementation of rules needed

Lawmakers reject proposed service fee increase

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Certain animals are banned from being exported from a country because of concerns about their decreasing numbers and that they may be facing extinction. To protect these rare animals, many countries have signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of World Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is an international agreement between governments, which aims to ensure that global trade in certain specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. On July 1, 1975, CITES entered into force. As many as 178 countries have joined the convention so far and Kuwait is one of them. It joined in 2002. Because Kuwait is a member now, local authorities secure its borders to prevent the export of certain animals and birds. Also, the customs department monitor all the air, land, and sea borders in order to prevent the smuggling or importing of illegal animals into Kuwait. Yet, some animals are brought into the country illegally. In some cases, this may even be dangerous for people living in the country. “People were seen walking in the park with a Cheetah, or having it seated in the front seat of their cars. This is not the

right environment for this wild animal. We also see people carrying lizards and dangerous poisonous snakes, which in many cases escape from their house. We also receive many calls from schools where such snakes are found, which may be dangerous for the students. So we try to help them and go to catch it. Sometimes we call the firefighters to do this rescuing job, and sometimes they call us back for help and we go,” a Kuwait Zoo employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Kuwait Times yesterday. The Kuwait Zoo is working under the umbrella of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR). “Such wild animals should be living in their natural environment, and people should not be allowed to bring in these animals. At each border point, there are quarantines for confiscated illegal animals. Some people bring allowed animals but without a certificate, so they may stay at the quarantine until the owner issues a certificate. And some people bring forbidden animals, such as lions, but with a certificate that we know is false. In such cases, the animal is kept at the quarantine till it is transferred to the one in the zoo, where it stays for two or three weeks. During that period, it is ensured that the animal is not suffering

from any diseases before they are sent to the zoo,” he explained. The same procedure is applied for animals that are found abundantly in Kuwait. The zoo does not accept dogs and cats, as there are other shelters where they can be kept. “Also some people try to take falcons with them for their hunting trips to Africa or other countries. The Customs Department then checks the passport of the falcon and the ring on its feet to make sure that it is legal. If any of these things is missing, they know the falcon was a hunter in the desert, and that makes the whole thing illegal,” explained the employee. There are certain criteria applied for certain species. “Some are banned from being imported or exported, while others are allowed up to certain numbers. If those numbers are exceeded, it is deemed that they are being exported or imported for commercial purposes, which then becomes illegal. People should be aware of what they are transporting, and they can visit the zoo to collect a certiﬁcate of permission for the animal they aim to import. That is, if it is legal to do so. In this way they can make sure it won’t be conﬁscated,” he concluded. CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-

export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the convention has to be authorized through a licensing system. Each party to the convention must designate one or more management authorities to implement the licensing system, and one or more scientific authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species. Annually, international wildlife trade is estimated to be worth billions of dollars. It involves hundreds of millions of plant and animal specimens. The trade is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to a vast array of wildlife products derived from them, including food products, exotic leather goods, wooden musical instruments, timber, tourist curios and medicines. Because the trade in wild animals and plants involves the crossing of national borders, the effort to regulate it and safeguard certain species from over-exploitation requires international cooperation. CITES was established to ensure such cooperation. Today, it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats or dried herbs. The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.

KUWAIT: A number of lawmakers have expressed their disapproval of the proposal to increase public service fees and stressed the need for alternative proposals that will not inconvenience the public. In this regard, MPs announced their intention to oppose any proposal that involved raising the current fees or imposing new fees on various public services provided by the government. “Any such attempt will be rejected in parliament,” they said. Therefore, MP Saad Al-Bouss rejected the government ’s bill on increa s ing pu blic s er v ices feeswithout referring to the parliament. “That the fees had not been increased in 18 years is just an excuse to cover up the failure of successive governments in developing these services over the years,” he stated, pointing out that the government should instead implement the privatization policy in order to provide improved public services. On the occasion, MP Bader Al-Bathali also rejected the government’s proposal to increase fees, noting that the government’s resorting to such an option reflected its failure to find other sources of national income besides oil. He also warned the government against issuing any related decisions without consulting the parliament. MP Khaled Al-Shulaimi also said the issue was non-negotiable, adding that he and his colleagues would use all possible constitutional tools to stop any attempt to pass such a bill. “Fees ought to be imposed on major companies executing the government’s tenders and projects,” he stated, pointing out that the government had not provided any worthwhile services for which the fees should to be increased. “We have promised our voters that we will stop any moves that might jeopardize their interests and we will not let them down now,” stressed MP Saad Al-Khanfour, while calling for diversifying national income sources without overburdening citizens. Officially, government sources explained that public service fee increases would be implemented in a way that would not affect those with limited income. They also said the fees would only be imposed after the services were improved. “Fee increases will not include everyone and will be related to the type of service provided,” stressed the sources.

Egyptian killed in accident By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 41-year-old Egyptian expat died on the spot while six other people, all of them expats, were injured in a car accident at the Jahra Express Road. The deceased suffered a head injury and died before aid could reach. Two women from the Philippines were injured in the left shoulder, with a 31-year-old suffering a fracture and the second, a 43-year-old, complaining of pain in the left shoulder. Four Egyptian expats, two of them aged 34, one aged 35, and another one aged 38 years, suffered multiple injuries, while a 40-year-old Pakistani expat was left with a fractured right knee apart from other injuries. All the injured were taken to the Jahra Hospital while the body of the deceased Egyptian was referred to the medical examiner. Buggy accident A buggy accident at Nowaiseeb resulted in a serious head injury and heart stoppage for a six-year-old Kuwaiti boy who was rushed to the Adan Hospital and admitted to its intensive care unit. • Two Kuwaiti youth, aged 17 and 18, died on the spot while three other people were injured in a car accident at Fahaheel Road, opposite Mina Abdullah. Both the youth

Gas leak report baseless KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Environment denied reports about hydrogen sulphide, a poisonous gas, leaking out in Southern areas of Kuwait. The authority, in a press release, said it surveyed the southern part of the state, starting from Ahmadi area up to Mina Abdullah area, to check out rumours about gas spreading in these areas but found no evidence or indication about such a leak. Rumours were around that some people smelt the gas in these areas. Also, air purity monitoring stations at Riqqa, Fahaheel and Umm Al-Haiman did not trace any increase in the gas component beyond acceptable levels as it was three parts per billion (ppb), eight ppb and seven ppb at the three stations, respectively. The internationally cceptable level for residential areas is 30 ppb.

were hit directly and suffered serious injuries, succumbing to them on the spot before aid could arrive. Their bodies were referred to the medical examiner. Among the injured was a 20-year-old GCC citizen who suffered a head injury, besides two Kuwaitis, including a 19-year-old man who suffered facial injuries and a fractured shoulder and a 25-year-old man who complained of pain in the back. Five ambulances were rushed to the site of the accident with ten medical technicians to render immediate assistance. • A 26-year-old Egyptian expat suffered multiple injuries when a scuffle broke out at Jleeb AlShoyoukh, near the National Bank of Kuwait. He was taken to the Farwaniya Hospital. • A 24-year-old Sri Lankan expat was taken to the Al-Jahra Hospital after he was stabbed during a scuffle that broke out in Jahra near a health clinic. • A car accident at Morrocco Street, opposite Al-Rawdha, resulted in a head injury for a 20-year-old Kuwaiti man who was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital. A 31-year-old Bengali expat, who complained of pain in the neck and back after the same accident, was taken to the Amiri Hospital. • A 24-year-old Bangladeshi was bitten by a scorpion in his left foot at Al-Mutlaa. He was taken to the AlJahra Hospital.

National Guards holds officers course opens KUWAIT: The National Guards inaugurated the oﬃcers’ course for the newly graduated oﬃcers to prepare them for the work environment at the National Guards. They were briefed about service laws, working regulations and military style punctuality in everything.

The commander of the National Guards schools, Brig. Nader Sheehan Hujail, congratulated the new graduates and thanked them for the eﬀorts they made during their study. He urged them to use the knowledge they acquired in improving their abilities and translate their ideas into reality in the units that

they belonged to, as they work alongside their colleagues in this great organization built on eﬃciency. He emphasized on the importance of abiding by instructions and to remain special in matters of training right from the beginning of the course and till its completion.

Behbahani thanks Bahrain for support KUWAIT: Chairman of the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) and Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) Ahmad Behbahani yesterday expressed deep gratitude to the Bahraini government for its unlimited support for the Gulf Press Union. In a statement to KUNA upon his return from Manama where he attended the fourth conference of the union, Behbahani thanked in particular Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa

Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and Minister of State for Media Aﬀairs Samira Ibrahim Bin Rajab for their strong support for the union and its activities. Behbahani, during the conference, was honored by the federation and Council of Gulf International Relation (COGIR) for being chosen as the Gulf media personality of 2013. Elaborating, he noted that the conferees elected uncontested Turki

Al-Sudairi as the chairman of the union and Nasser Al-Othman as its general secretary. They also agreed to increase number of members of the federation secretariat to 14; two from each member state. Moreover, chief editor of the Kuwaiti newspaper An-Nahar Imad Bou-Khamseen was chosen to represent Kuwait in the secretariat, in addition to the current member, Adnan Al-Rashed. Behbahani also

congratulated them on assuming the posts. Conferees had approved a request by Oman to hold the ﬁfth conference of the union in Muscat, another by An-Nahar to host the next meeting of the secretariat, a third by the Saudi newspaper Okaz to hold the meeting of Gulf junior journalists in Jeddah. They also endorsed a call to hold a seminar for electronic websites of the Gulf newspapers in Kuwait. —KUNA

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

Local Spotlight

A black cloud over horizon

Ban on nationals of six countries

By Waleed Ibrahim Al-Ahmad

il Minister Hani Abdulaziz Al-Tarkeet was not supposed to comfort us by saying that if current oil prices dropped, they would not affect the state’s public budget and would not cause a deficit that affects our economic situation, but he said that two days ago, with regret...! This talk will make the MPs (of the unbeautiful time) continue their free proposals to the people, because of this economic jump in oil prices, although the price has been reduced. That was possible due to the approval of the Parliamentary legislative committee to increase the allowances of civilians who work in the military sector, as well as the children and social allowances, and others, for citizens so that all will feel loyal to this land and love to vote for its MPs! There is a black (economic - political) cloud hanging over the horizon and still not seen by MPs with the naked eye or with a telescope, as long as it brings them popular gains, although the majority of people are not paying attention to them and do not follow their news. For the people who love money, because of the material method of consecutive governments that instilled the rule of a feed-policy of gifts and buying loyalties, we tell you if you want oil prices to rise, and not fall, you must pray to Allah that North Korea attacks (Mama) America! And that the economic embargo on Iran continues, and political relations between Middle East countries deteriorate! Yet, it seems that this advice is what the government will adopt, and promote it within its five year development plan during the coming period. We should recall that the oil experts expectations (seriously, not a joke) point to the reduction of oil prices to below $90 per barrel in the coming period, which is a stage, if we reach and begin going down gradually, we should prepare our boats to go looking for pearls at the bottom of the sea and our tents to live in the desert! — Alrai

kuwait digest

Rule of law Vs chaos! By Dr Shamlan Youssif Al-Essa

here were many political reactions to the recent verdict issued by the criminal court first instance to imprison former MP Musallam Al-Barrak, sentencing him to five years with labor. What matters here is whether we want to have a state working hard to move ahead on the correct path of democracy and enhance the concept of a state of law and law sovereignty on everybody, or have chaos and the law of the jungle to prevail. Let’s review different statements made by both government and opposition elements to identify who wishes to achieve stability and who wishes to turn the country upside down! Speaker of the House Ali Al-Rashed reacted as follows: “Kuwait is the land of freedom and democracy. It is the land of sovereign laws, and what happened is law enforcement. So, if we respect laws, we should respect court verdicts.” Minister of state for cabinet and municipal affairs, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak, said that the verdict was made by a court of law that all citizens value and respect. “We have always been talking about judicial independence and our respect of it...we should, therefore, avoid analyzing the verdict”, he said, noting that we all should respect the judiciary that has the final word in all legal disputes and litigations. “We have to choose whether we want to live in a state of law or go back to the time before laws”, he emphasised. On the other hand, views of the opposition majority were expressed by former MPs from the annulled parliament, such as Jam’an AL-Harbash, who called for rejecting the verdict, mobilizing people into the streets to take part in demonstrations and jeopardizing security. “We will mobilize people until Kuwait either falls or rises, and we will adapt no more peaceful marches”, he threatened. Former MP, Khaled Shokhair said: “We will repeat AlBarrak’s speech....there is no more room for talks...you’ll see deeds from now on”, he warned. “We’re losing the country. The verdict was politically driven. I swear by Allah that we will never give up Musallam Al-Barrak,

I intentionally mentioned what all sides said about the problem to leave the final decision to the Kuwaiti people to find out who is best for running this country. because if we do, we will all end up in jail”, said former MP Abdullah Barghash. Former MP Mohammed Al-Khalifa said that “imprisoning Al-Barrak is imprisonment of the whole nation that will beget things they will not like. Kuwait will be doomed if we remain silent because this verdict is an insult to the whole Kuwaiti people, who were defended by Al-Barrak.” Former MP Khaled Al-Tahous said that streets would be felled with citizens and all parties should shoulder their responsibilities. “The people are invited to reject disputes and to unite to silence some tongues”, said former MP Bader AlDahoum. “The verdict is void and represents oppression. The court did not grant Al-Barrak any guarantees ...this is scary and we will use all constitutional, as well as onthe-ground tools, to face it”, said former MP Faisal AlMislem, whereas former MP Waleed Al-Tabtabae said the majority bloc had signed a statement in which they fully seconded what Al-Barrak said during the seminar he conducted. I intentionally mentioned what all sides said about the problem to leave the final decision to the Kuwaiti people to find out who is best for running this country. What really scares me is that the statements rejecting the court ruling were made by former lawmakers who are supposed to have more sense about the law and the slightest level of national responsibility. However, one can only blame those who had voted for them in the first place......the people! — Al-Watan

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

kuwait digest

Israel will start next Gulf war By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed

n Tel Aviv, Israelis are calculating the costs of the attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities if they must go for this adventure alone. They said they received a commitment from the Americans to finance their air defense system, “The Iron Dome,” costing more than $ 200 million. Each Battery costs $ 50 million and each intercepting rocket cost $ 40,000. The Iron Dome is supposed to protect Israel from possible rocket assaults by Iran and others. What is more important than the procurement bill is the statement by the Israeli chief of staff who assured that Israel can strike any Iranian nuclear installation on its own. He meant to warn Iranians and Americans as well especially after the recent negotiations over Iranian nuclear program failed. Iran is still continuing its work on the nuclear project. We heard Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Iranian Shoura Council’s Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security, saying, “We won’t get tired from the negotiations. We are sure talks will end up with Westerners accepting Iran as a nuclear country.” Israel is warning the US that negotiations already took a long time for nothing. They are afraid it won’t take longer until the Iranians obtain a weapon of mass destruction, which will then make any military engagement with Iran impossible. The question is: Should we worry about any IranianIsraeli conflict? The answer is yes. Any attack on Iranian nuclear facilities will provoke Iranians to open their fire at anyone in between including the US bases in the Gulf and the Gulf states. We will only know about such a war through the TV. The Israelis will start a war that will last longer than what their Defense Ministry plans. It will be bigger than any war in the region. Of course, this was one probability. The other one is that Israel’s attack can be more than what the Iranians can handle and their nuclear project will be history. Although, this is the least probability, we cannot rely on this. All the wars that we knew had devastating complications. They lasted longer than what their starters estimated. The world cannot wake up with a nuclear Iran. We know very well Iranians won’t hesitate to threaten the Gulf states and the world. The problem is not in the nuclear weapon itself. In 1998, Pakistan did five nuclear explosions to prove its possession of nuclear weapons. But they never posed any threat to anyone. Their motivation for their weapons development was to achieve a balance of power against India. Iran, on the other hand, is like North Korea. Nobody can predict its behavior whether it will use the weapon

Iran is like North Korea. Nobody can predict its behavior whether it will use the weapon against Saudi Arabia, Israel or Europe. Even if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, doesn’t press the nuclear weapon button, Iran will keep blackmailing its neighbors. They will impose directives to other countries in the region starting from Bahrain. Countries of the region won’t be able to ask for foreign intervention in case Iran assaults using conventional weapons because the weapon of mass destruction is a deterrent. against Saudi Arabia, Israel or Europe. Even if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, doesn’t press the nuclear weapon button, Iran will keep blackmailing its neighbors. They will impose directives to other countries in the region starting from Bahrain. Countries of the region won’t be able to ask for foreign intervention in case Iran assaults using conventional weapons because the weapon of mass destruction is a deterrent. Israelis know their nuclear arsenal can destroy Iran in case the latter makes any nuclear assault. But is this kind of balance valid against states with rational leaderships. We can never predict Tehran’s behavior, because of its record of financing terrorism and fueling conflicts. Even presidential candidate Esfandyar Rahim Mashaei although he is preferred by the Gulf countries and Westerners more than the other politicians - is fanatic for the “Mahdi return” and believes in the sacrifice in order to ease his return. How can we trust a nuclear Iran then?

OP-ED

The state of law, or chaos? By Alsir Sidahmed

or about three or four years now, we have been following consecutive governments in Kuwait, the functioning of the parliament and the performance of various political powers, and all of them have displayed rather uneven performance when it comes to formulating policies and executing these. So much so that we have reached a sort of red line or a danger mark that was underlined in Al-Andalus, where law and order was violated with impunity and insults were heaped upon the institutions of the state. We saw ignorance about certain basic principles in public affairs, and a proclivity towards what may cause more harm than benefit. We overlooked violations and did not come up with any solutions that could bring people closer, until we reached this state of chaos and witnessed such violations of the law. What took place in Andalus cannot be called anything else but chaos, disorder and violence. What else could you call a situation if bullets were being fired and public property was being damaged? We seek to show how we enjoy freedoms in abundance, and some of us forget everything about rules and proper behaviour. Some of us ignore the fact that we own what many in

the world are trying to earn, and this is not something that one could have obtained with money. It is something far more important: our constitution, a state of law and our democratic system. All those great achievements cannot be protected without the rule of law. To this end, the law must be applicable to everyone, and respected by everyone. The law cannot be tailored for a few people who think they are above it. We all fall under the law. This is simplest of all democratic principles. The law has provision for a right to appeal against any rulings of course, and this right has been reiterated in a number of appeals. There is only one way to use the right of appeal, and that is in a court of law. Objecting to any law in the middle of the street is only a short cut to chaos, and we do not think anyone in Kuwait wants such a situation. While we warn against the volatile situation continuing any longer, whatever happened was primarily caused by our failure to follow the constitution. The constitution has clearly set out a secure path for the country and its people. It makes the law a sort of protective fence that keeps safe this path, protects the

country and ensures its development. The problem is not that the law is absent, the issue is that it was deliberately ignored. When any law is ignored, ever yone becomes hostage to lawlessness. The rules are torn asunder, and everyone thinks the law can be violated with impunity. We will not go into the guessing game, but will depend on facts when we confirm whether the constitution was respected or not. It was thanks to the constitution that we could come out unscathed from the Invasion and emerged even stronger, enjoying prosperity and a democratic system. This is the bounty that, we fear, some people will not appreciate till they end up losing it one day. It is a bounty that will not last unless it was taken care by a lawful state and citizens resolve to stick to it. The law lays down a boundary to which we all must stick. It seems every now and then that we enjoy taking leave of our responsibilities and lose no time in travelling the short distance from just having differences to turning it into enmity. We let our differences lead us towards fragmentation, forget that we all have equal rights to differ from each other, and this right is protected by law and guaranteed by the constitution. — Al-Qabas

agree with and support the decision by any country to set certain restrictions on newcomers, whether they are long term residents or their family members or short term contractors and workers. It is the right of any country. As far as Kuwait is concerned, the ban on people of several nationalities, I believe, has been there for a long time now but without achieving its purpose in any significant way. If the idea was to limit the number of expatriates in Kuwait, then we have to consider how many expats here were actually without any real jobs at all, or who continue to stay in the country without a valid visa. Such people have a tendency to become involved in crimes later, land up in jail and are then deported. How many such people do we have here in Kuwait and is Kuwait benefitting in any way from their presence? Now, we recently read that Kuwait has eased the ban on nationals from six countries, namely Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan and expats working in the public sector can invite their wives and children to join them. As for those working in the private sector, they can now bring their sons into the country if they are less than 15 years of age and their daughters if they are less than 18. But the regulations stipulate that the any expatriate’s wife must be living in Kuwait at the time of the application and the parents must have valid residence permits. The business people from these six nations can come to Kuwait if their companies are categorized as Grade A or as government establishments. An application needs to be submitted to the Ministry of Interior’s undersecretary to approve the visit. I guess such a move could work well except that I do not know why the MOI has to be a part of a system which is usually manual and takes so much time? Why don’t they simply have an IT-enabled system so that any staffer can check the security status of the applicant and simply approve or deny the permit? How hard could that be? Part of the success of such measures depends on the fact that the applicant’s request be dealt with in a transparent and justifiable manner, besides putting an end to the menace of wasta. In case of any complaint, it should be expeditiously checked if there was a genuine concern. I hope the National Assembly will take action in collaboration with the government to develop an advanced system of dealing with applicants’ requests for entry permits. As I mentioned earlier, every country is entitled to make rules to save and protect its residents and their rights. Anyone who transgresses these rules must be refused entry and deported. I hope those who still have problems on this score will write to me, giving their full name and contact details. I will surely want to address their issues and help, should they need it.

kuwait digest

Have mercy on fellow-citizens By Aziza Al-Mufarej

n view of the incidents tearing apart Syria, fellow writer Muabark Al-Hajery wrote an article urging the interior ministry to facilitate the entry of Syrians on dependant visas. He also demanded that they be provided decent living standards. Despite giving the minister of interior, in the very same article, the excuse to reject such proposals in order to maintain security, Al-Hajery withdraws such right from the ministry and demands the ministry show more mercy on the grounds that laws had been originally been created to improve people’s lives and organize them, rather than make them more difficult. Accordingly, he is asking the government to open wide for Syrians wishing to bring their children and first degree relatives to Kuwait without impediments. Dear Bo Shafi (Mubarak Al-Hajery), Kuwaiti laws and those in other countries have been set up primarily to serve citizens, rather than tend to other countries’ subjects. Why, then, should Kuwait alone prioritize others to its subjects and citizens and have Kuwaitis step back? Mercy and empathy are, indeed, important, but why should we deprive citizens of services while they need them most because they did not leave and go to other countries? We already have enough problems because of opening wide for expats from far and wide. Bo Shafi should have more mercy on his fellow-citizens who have been facing many difficulties that gave them chronic diseases, such as diabetes, BP and nervous colon syndrome. Moreover, we should know better, having realized that many expats bring their relatives over on dependant visas without being able to support them. That’s why many of their young go begging at traffic lights and mosques, while their women also go begging at cooperative societies, malls and banks. Kuwait has, in fact, allowed many Syrian families in and many of them dwell in Arabic-structured houses in Jleeb where they send their children to schools at the government’s expense. They are also receiving enough aid from benevolent people, yet what do we get in return? Our favors are returned with insults and curses to Kuwait and its people, blaming it for the tough living conditions these refugees lead. On the other hand, we should not neglect the remarkable increase in thefts lately, the most recent of which were break-ins and robberies of 11 vehicles in Jleeb, in addition to many robberies in other areas. One would be a fool if he does not link this high rate of robberies to the newcomers and opening the country wide to receive people from countries facing political, economic, religious or racial problems. Bo Shafi’s, as well as others’ requests, may lead to conditions under which we, citizens, will not feel safe at all. Therefore, it is completely rejected, particularly with the loose security grip our interior ministry has over the country. We have someone in a position and he has repeatedly proven incompetent to run the ministry properly. Do not over sympathize. Close the country to clean it before it’s too late! — Al-Watan

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait plays pivotal role in Gulf security Close cooperation with US KUWAIT: Kuwait was pivotal to two decades of efforts by the United States to end a strategic threat posed by Iraq because of its location, its role as a victim of Iraqi aggression in the past, and its close cooperation with the United States. Kuwait is a key to the United States’ ability to act militarily, if necessary, in the northern Gulf region, particularly now that all US forces have left Iraq. Kuwait’s relations with the post-Saddam government in Iraq have been hampered by longstanding territorial, economic, and political issues unresolved from the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, but those issues have been narrowed significantly since 2011. Kuwait is increasingly suspicious of Iranian intentions in the Gulf, and has thus aligned itself with the US efforts to contain Iranian power in the Gulf and prevent Iran from exerting undue influence in post-withdrawal Iraq. Still, Kuwait maintains relatively normal economic and political relations with Iran, so as not to provoke Tehran militarily or prompt it to try to empower pro-Iranian elements in Kuwait. Although Kuwait’s foreign policy fluctuates little, its political system has been in turmoil since 2006, and has deteriorated significantly since late 2012. Previously, political disputes in Kuwait were linked to opposition within the

elected National Assembly to the political dominance of the Al-Sabah family. These disputes aggravated - and were aggravated by - certain schisms within rival branches of the ruling Al Sabah family. Since 2006, the disputes led to the National Assembly’s dissolution no less than five times. The last such dissolution came on October 8, 2012, requiring new elections that were held on Dec 1, 2012. During 2011-2012, there were relatively small demonstrations in Kuwait by opposition groups over corruption in the government, brutality indulged in by security forces, eligibility for citizenship, and other issues. However, protests expanded significantly in late 2012 to challenge Sabah regime’s efforts to shape the Dec 1, 2012 elections to its advantage. Most oppositionists boycotted the Dec 1 elections, lowering the turnout but producing an Assembly that was overwhelmingly pro-government. Since the election, the opposition has continued its battle to reduce the power of the Sabah family through public protests, but the demonstrations were at times suspended after reaching compromise with the government. Even though the opposition to Sabah rule has grown, the opposition still largely confines its demands to limiting the Sabah power rather

than ending the family’s rule. Kuwait remains a relatively wealthy society where most citizens do not want to risk their economic well-being by trying to bring about the downfall of Al Sabah rule through violence. To try to contain the unrest, the government has used financial largesse - budgets loaded with subsidies and salary increases - as well as some repressive measures, including beatings and imprisonments. But, the many years of political paralysis have led to some economic stagnation as well because parliamentary approval for several major investment projects, such as development of major oil fields in northern Kuwait, has been held up due to the infighting. The lack of economic vibrancy led to strikes in several economic sectors in 2012. As for other regional issues, in part because of the turmoil within its leadership, Kuwait tends to defer to a position of consensus within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This deferential position is evident in Kuwait’s stances on the Israel-Palestinian dispute as well as on the uprisings in Yemen and Syria. Regarding the uprising in Bahrain in March 2011, Kuwait joined a Gulf Cooperation Council intervention on the side of the government, but unlike Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the country sent only naval forces, refraining from sending any ground troops.

GCC official stresses importance of health meeting RIYADH: A Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) official stressed here yesterday importance of the 78th Regular Meeting of Executive Board of GCC Health Ministers’ Council, which includes participation by Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health Affairs of Kuwait’s Ministry of Health. In his opening speech, Dr. Tawfik Khoja, Director General of the Executive Board of GCC Health Ministers’ Council, added that the executive board is to discuss a number of technical subjects during the three-day meeting, including control of non-communicable diseases, quality of health care, safety of patients, mental health, neurological disorders, control of

smoking, occupational health, organ transplants, school health, and adolescent and youth health. Dr. Khoja said that the meeting is to discuss the outcomes of the high-level meeting “Saving the lives of mothers and children: accelerating progress towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5 in the Region” which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 29 to 30, 2013, as well as discussing the subject and evaluation of Qatar’s Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital (ASPETAR) in Doha, request of accreditation of Rashid Centre for Diabetes and Research (RCDR) in Ajman as an accredited GCC center reference, oral and dental health, and the proposal to construct

Challenges Grand Gulf Institution, like the Canadian Institution. In addition, he noted that the meeting is to discuss expatriate workers, making the Arabian Peninsula a malaria-free, electronic linking between information centers in GCC states and the executive board, strengthen health information systems, smart card, technical committees stemming from the executive board and unified purchase. Moreover, it will address tenders of pharmaceutical products, supplies for equipping hospitals, supplies for industrial college, supplies for oral and dental care, supplies for medical laboratories, blood transfusion services, supplies for heart and vascular sur-

gery, interventional radiology, supplies for orthopedics and spine surgery, supplies for medical rehabilitation, pharmacological registration center, medicine pricing, and other administrative, financial, and organizational subjects. Furthermore, Dr. Khoja indicated that the meeting also includes discussion on preparations of holding the 75th regular meeting of GCC health ministers’ council in Geneva next month, which is being held on the sidelines of meetings of the General Assembly of World Health Organization (WHO), adding that discussions are to include deciding date and venue for holding the meeting, as well as approval of proposed agenda on ministers. — KUNA

Production increase at East Ras Qattara Concession

Mohammad Al-Howqal

KUWAIT: Kuwait Energy, one of the fastest growing independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the Middle East, announced a production increase at its East Ras Qattara (“ERQ”) Concession, Egypt, in which the company has a 49.5% interest. Following the completion of drilling of the Shahd-3 Development Well at the ERQ Concession, an initial [gross] production rate for the well of 4,300 bopd was recorded. This increased the [gross] field production for ERQ to 17,000 bopd.

Further to this, [gross] daily production rates are expected to exceed 20,000 bopd by the end of Q2 2013. Located in the Western Desert, Egypt, ERQ is the Company’s largest producing asset. The concession has 15 producing wells and three wells under development. Mohammad Al-Howqal, Chief Operations Officer of Kuwait Energy, said: “This positive result means that East Ras Qattara is now our largest producing oil asset. We look forward to more successes at this asset together with our partner Sipetrol.”

Viva sponsors Umrah pilgrimage KUWAIT: Viva, Kuwait’s fastest-growing telecom operator, has announced its sponsorship of the Kuwaiti Cancer and Anti-Smoking Society’s 2013 Umrah pilgrimage under the theme “Guests of the Merciful”. This year’s pilgrimage headed to the Holy Lands on 17 April, giving pilgrims the opportunity to perform their Umrah pilgrimage in an atmosphere of faith and spirituality. VIVA’s initiative is in line with its policy of supporting charitable activities which benefit the wellbeing and health of Kuwait’s society, VIVA’s representatives, including Abdulrazzaq Al-Essa, Public Relations Senior Manager, attended the official farewell ceremony, held on Sunday, April 14 at the headquarters of the Kuwaiti Cancer and Anti-Smoking Society. After wishing pilgrims that their Umrah pilgrimage be accepted and their good deeds be rewarded, Al- Essa said: “At VIVA, we are committed to extending a helping hand to all patients. We are pleased to play a key role in bringing happiness to their hearts and helping them to cope with the effects of their illness. Our social responsibility policies are the corner stone of our relations with society, and we believe in our responsibilities as one of Kuwait’s leading companies to help improve Kuwait society where we can.”

The sponsorship of the Kuwaiti Cancer and AntiSmoking Society’s Umrah pilgrimage is one of many charitable events and initiatives that VIVA supports. It confirms its belief in the importance of humanitarian and charitable work and can serve to help reduce the pain of others. VIVA seeks to involve all the people of Kuwait in charitable initiatives and instill a sense of giving within Kuwait’s society. Viva is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications ser vice provider in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling. VIVA is growing its share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions, a state of the art nationwide network, and world-class service. VIVA is able to offer internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to its investment in developing Kuwait’s most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network. This delivers superior coverage, performance and reliability.

KUWAIT: Abdulrazzaq Al-Essa, Public Relations Senior Manager receiving a trophy for VIVA’s sponsorship.

Advertising association officials meet minister KUWAIT: Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman AlSabah received at his Ministr y of Information office a delegation from the International Advertising Associationís Kuwait branch, led by its chairman, Waleed Kanafani, and deputy chairman, Iqbal AlHaddad, in the presence of the secretary general of Arab Media Forum, Madhi AlKhamaas. Both parties discussed possibilities of cooperation in future projects for the

development of the advertising industry in Kuwait. Waleed Kanafani spoke about the organisation and its future projects, emphasizing that the board of directors was working as a team and abiding by internationally approved professional ethics. The delegation expressed hope that the minister would help solve some of the problems and obstacles facing the advertising industry in Kuwait.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

LOCAL

Undercover agent hurt in shooting with arms traders Bedoon detained at Jahra stable KUWAIT: An undercover agent was injured during an exchange with an arms dealer, and his father and brother when he was being arrested after a deal a deal to buy a shotgun. The suspect and his brother were taken to the criminal detectives. Assistant undersecretary for criminal security affairs, Maj Gen Abdelhameed Al-Awadhi, and Director General of Criminal Detectives, Brig Mahmoud AlTabbakh, received a tip off about a man selling weapons from his house in Jahra area. Two undercover agents were sent and they evinced interest in buying a shotgun. The suspect showed them a weapon and after assuring themselves that he was indeed acting illegally, they attempted to arrest him. However, the suspect called his father and brother for help. This led to a fight with the detectives with one of them receiving a deep wound on the head. The suspect’s father was injured also. An officer

who arrived at the scene and saw what was happening ﬁred in the air with his pistol, bringing the scuﬄe to a close. The two men were arrested and charged for trading in arms, besides other related charges. Bedoon robbed A bedoon man accused two of his friends of kidnapping and detaining him at a stable in Jahra. He said he was robbed and the suspects threatened to kill him if he did not give them a gun he had in his house. The victim, a 23-year-old, told police that he went with one of his friends to Jahra stables where this friend along with another man who was detained, took away his wallet containing KD830. They also beat him up. A security source said he saw weapons and ammunition inside the stable where he was detained for four days. The two suspects asked him to give them a gun he had at home, and took him

there with his hands tied. While the young man was able to escape, the suspects fired few shots in the air but later they, too, escaped. Detectives are investigating. Drunk girl Southern roads patrol arrested a citizen and a minor girl, both of whom were drunk. Police found that the man was wanted in a financial case while the girl was reported as absconding by her family two months ago. A security source said a patrol suspected a car moving along the Chalets Road as its driver and his companion were behaving suspiciously. When it was intercepted, officers found the duo drunken. The two were arrested and sent to the criminal detectives for further action. Sulaibiya kidnap An Asian woman filed a case of kidnap and rape against two men

who, she said, kidnapped her from Sulaibiya area before raping her. The Asian woman told the Sulaibiya police that while she was throwing the garbage, two persons abducted her and took her to a remote open area where they took turns to rape her and then escaped. She was left behind. Detectives are investigating. Drug haul Hawally security director, Brig. Ghuloum Habib, referred a citizen to the Drugs Control Department after arresting him with two bags of drugs and currency notes rolled for use with drugs. A security source said that personnel at a police check point in Hawally stopped a citizen who was not carrying his driving license with him. While one of the oﬃcers was writing out the ticket, the driver’s brother intervened on behalf of his brother when drugs and a knife fell out of his pocket.

Kuwait to host Developing Creativity Conference KUWAIT: Kuwait will host today Developing Creativity conference, with participation of local and international experts, to discuss the issue globally and in the Arab world at individual and organizational levels. Head of Board of Directors for Gulf Innovation Company Tariq Al-Suwaidan said in a statement on Saturday the conference deals with the concept of innovation in the Arab world, considering importance of this science in developing performance of organizations and making a quantum leap in decision-mak-

ing. Al-Suwaidan said developing creativity combines all dimensions of developing this science and converging with aspirations of individuals and organizations and innovative ideas that combine theory and practice, thus paving the way for actual shift from a traditional economy to a knowledge-based economy. Adding, he said creativity on both individual and organizational levels is gaining great importance in developing the human being as an individual, as well as organizations and

companies, yet in order for this equation to be complete, two more factors must be added as how to learn and use creativity. For his part, General Manager of the company Ahmed Sharbaji said the conference would open horizons to build a new science in developing creativity in the near future. The conference of the creative industry, which will last for three days, will be attended by most important creative makers globally and regionally, led by Dr. John Kao, Dr. Saad AlBarrak and Dr. Tariq Al-Habib. — KUNA

Wataniya Telecom sponsors graduation ceremony KUWAIT: According to its corporate social responsibility program through which the company strives to support all sections of society in particular the educational sector, Wataniya Telecom sponsored the Kuwait University Faculty of Dentistry graduation ceremony for the class of 2006. This event was organized by the Kuwait Association forthe dentistry students at the Missoni Hotel on April 13. The Undersecretar y of the Ministry of Health for Dentistry Aﬀairs, Dr. Yousef Al Dowairi, the Dentistry Faculty Dean, Dr. JawadBehbehaniand the head of Kuwait Dental Students Society Fatima Al Kazimiwere present at the ceremony to congratulate the graduating students. Friends, parents and faculty from the University were also there to cheer the 28 male and female students who received this honor as well as Wataniya Public Relations representative, Rawiah Al Ateeqi. Wataniya is keen to support students in Kuwait and the education sector because the youth and their knowledge

serve as the base of our nation’s bright future. Providing sponsorships and promoting events that reinforce youth development is an essential part of Wataniya’s social responsibility agenda. Growth of education will deﬁnitely lead in improving professional skills, building competencies and creating opportunities that will positively impact the expansion of several industries in Kuwait and enrich the job market with more prospective candidates. Wor th mentioning that since its inception in the Kuwait market in 1999, Wataniya Telecom is heavily invested in upgrading its social responsibility programs. The primary aim is to achieve the advancement of the society by focusing on the youth in whom the company sees a promising future and believes that they will play a key role in the development of Kuwait. Wataniya will always remain in the forefront and support all causes that promote the development and growth of knowledge and education.

Two tons of sunken objects lifted from fish market harbor KUWAIT: Up to two tons of sunken objects and neglected fishing nets have been removed and lifted from bottom of AlShemlan harbobr opposite fish market in district of Sharq, Kuwait Dive Team of the Environmental Voluntary Foundation said yesterday. Efforts are ongoing to clear up Al-Shemlaan harbor, in coordination with government and private authorities, said Mahmoud Ashkenani, in charge of environmental projects of the foundation. Up to two tons of objects and materials have been lifted, he

said, indicating that the clean-up operation would proceed on weekly basis. Some of these dumped objects impede movement of the boats, he said, criticizing ﬁshermen who dumped damaged ﬁshing nets into the waters. The bottom of the harbor has been littered with various other things such as empty oil, fuel cans, bags and other used items. Posters have been distributed to the fishermen with brief information about environmental hazards caused by dumping such items into the sea waters. —KUNA

Celebrity chef Kunal inaugurates Lu & Lu food fiesta KUWAIT: The Food Fiesta - one of the biggest calendar events held every year by Lu & Lu Hypermarket was inaugurated on Thursday, by Starplus Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur. With his natural talent for cooking, Chef Kunal has influenced the popularity of Indian Cuisine and taken it to great heights. Chef Kunal follows many of the biggest names in the Indian culinary world who were hosted by the hypermarket such as Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef Noushad and Chef Laxmi Nayar to name a few, who graced previous Food Fiestas with their presence. Chef Kunal opened the ceremony with a bang to an enthusiastic audience. During a brief press conference, the chef spoke of his passion for food. “Food is something I love,” he said, “I experience a great sense of passion for cooking.” The Gourmet Guru went on to inaugurate the event by cutting and distributing a cake, as well as cutting of the biggest burger in Kuwait. After rounds through the hypermarket and mingling with excited fans, the master chef rolled up his sleeves to treat the audience to a live cooking demo of three simple, delicious recipes, followed by the judging of 30 dishes prepared by contestants for the ‘WOW The Master Chef Contest’. The food festival, witnessed a variety of exciting events each day, the highlight of which was a line-up of cooking competitions that was held throughout the promotion period. Competitions on different cuisines are being held throughout the fiesta period. Italian and continental dishes will be judged at Lu & Lu Hypermarket on April 21, followed by Arabic food on April 22, Filipino food on April 23, Chinese food on April 28, Indian food on April 29 and Desserts on April 30. Live cooking competitions are scheduled for April 24 and May 1. Everyone is invited to celebrate with Lu & Lu and avail of this unique opportunity.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

China troops camp in ‘Indian territory’

Deep-seated animosity trumps Palestinian calls for unity Page 8

BAGHDAD: Iraqi citizens leave after casting their votes at a polling center during the country’s provincial elections in Baghdad yesterday. —AP

Bombs, violence mar Iraq poll Sunni leadership sharply split over political future BAGHDAD: A dozen small bombs exploded and mortar rounds landed near polling centers in Iraq yesterday, wounding at least four people during voting in the country’s first provincial elections since the departure of US troops. Two mortar rounds injured three voters and a policeman at a school used as a voting centre in Latifiya, south of Baghdad, soon after the start of the ballot that will measure parties’ political strength before parliamentary elections in 2014. Attacks have surged since the start of the year with a local Al-Qaeda wing and Sunni Islamists stepping up their campaign to undermine the Shiite-led government and stoke confrontation among the country’s combustible sectarian and ethnic mix. Small bombs exploded in Tuz Khurmato, Tikrit and Samarra in the north and six more mortar rounds landed in a town near the southern city of Hilla, without causing any injuries, said police. Iraqi politics is deeply split along sectarian lines with Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s government mired in crisis over how to share power between majority Shiite Muslims, Sunnis and

Kurds who run their own autonomous enclave. For Maliki, a strong showing by his Shiite State of Law alliance may open the way for a shot at a third term in 2014 elections when he has hinted at plans to abandon Iraq’s unwieldy power-sharing deal to form a majority government. Sunni rivals, deeply divided over how to work with his government, and the premier’s Shiite rivals, anti-US cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr and the ISCI movement, will look to chip away at Maliki’s sway over provincial councils. Security was tight across Iraq with more than 8,000 hopefuls running for nearly 450 seats on provincial councils which select local governors. More than a dozen candidates, mostly Sunnis, were killed during campaigning. Early turnout at polling stations in Baghdad, and cities like Basra, Tikrit and Baquba appeared light, according to Reuters reporters. Many Iraqis are frustrated with insecurity, unemployment, rife corruption and the lack of basic services a decade after the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein and helped trigger sectarian bloodshed that killed tens of thousands in 2006-2007.

Qaeda gunmen kill Yemen intel officer SANAA: Suspected Al-Qaeda militants shot dead a Yemeni intelligence officer overnight in Mukalla, capital of the southeastern Hadramawt province, a security official said yesterday. “Al-Qaeda gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on the officer Ibrahim Bameshel as we was on his way back home, killing him immediately,” the official said, adding that the assailants had fled. Al-Qaeda militants were driven out of most of their strongholds in Yemen’s south last June in an all-out offensive by government forces aided by local “resistance committees”. But local sources say jihadists from the Al-Qaeda linked Ansar Al-Sharia group have started distributing posters and leaflets in several towns across the province threatening members of the security forces and urging jihad (holy war). Some of their posters showed pictures of masked gunmen on motorbikes. Police and army officers come under frequent attack, with authorities blaming Al-Qaeda for the assaults usually carried out by gunmen on unregistered motorbikes. In a bid to clamp down on the increasing number of such attacks, authorities earlier this year launched a campaign ordering unlicenced bikes off the streets. The militants took advantage of the weakness of Yemen’s central government during a 2011 uprising against now-ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh to seize large swathes of territory across the south, including most of Abyan province, which they controlled for a year. Yemeni forces continue to hunt Qaeda militants, aided by US drone attacks that target wanted members of the terror network hiding in the vast rugged terrain of the southern Arabian Peninsula country. — AFP

Attacks on a Sunni and a Shiite mosque on Friday killed at least eight. A suicide bomber killed 32 people in a blast at a popular cafe in a mostly Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad a day before. Since American troops left in December 2011, Iraqi politics has been paralyzed by infighting over powersharing agreements with Maliki’s rivals accusing the Shiite premier of consolidating power at the expense of Sunni and Kurdish partners. “I took part in past elections, but all those we elected did nothing for the people,” said Ali Hussein Sharqi, voting in the southern oil hub of Basra. “We want people who will offer jobs to the jobless.” SUNNI DISCONTENT Three provinces in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, run by ethnic Kurds since 1991, and the ethnically mixed, disputed city of Kirkuk, will not be voting yesterday. Washington weighed into the election process, asking the government not to alienate Sunni voters after the Cabinet postponed voting in two mostly Sunni provinces because local officials warned they could not provide security there. Since December, tens of thousands of Sunni Muslim protesters have taken to the streets each week to demonstrate against what they say is the marginalisation of their minority sect. Election authorities say suspended voting in Anbar and Nineweh provinces may go ahead in a month. But ten years after the invasion, many Iraqi Sunnis feel they have been sidelined by the country’s majority Shiite leadership and discriminated against by Iraqi security forces and tough antiterrorism laws. “Suspending elections was the coup de grace for the demonstrations. We’ve as lost everything,” said Maitham Jalal, a college student in Anbar province. “Elections are a legitimate right which was taken away by the government without any fear.” Sunni-backed Iraqiya block has struggled to stay united with its leadership split over how to manage relations with Maliki. Those divisions are likely to play out in the provincial election results. “Overall the elections are likely to see Iraq stumble further along the trajectory on which is has already been headed for some time: to stratified, sectarian politics,” Eurasia Group analyst Crispin Hawes wrote in a report. — Reuters

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Deep-seated animosity trumps Palestinian calls for unity RAMALLAH: After Prime Minister Salam Fayyad resigned, Palestinian politicians immediately called for elections and a national unity government to reconcile bitter rivals Fatah and Hamas. But entrenched animosity between the two sides, stretching beyond disagreement over Fayyad, suggested that any thaw in relations between Fatah and Hamas, which control the West Bank and the Gaza Strip respectively, would be slow. In Fayyad’s first weekly radio address after resigning, the now caretaker premier called for “a general election as the only way to rebuild our political system and achieve our national goals,” namely statehood, which would first require intra-Palestinian reconciliation. “Just as there is no state without Jerusalem as its eternal capital, there is no state without the Gaza Strip, a part that cannot be partitioned from it,” Fayyad said. Hamas leaders met Friday in Doha, the base of the Islamist movement’s exiled leader Khaled Meshaal, saying they would discuss “Palestinian reconciliation and developments in the Palestinian arena following Fayyad’s res-

ignation.” A senior member of president Mahmud Abbas’s secular Fatah party, meanwhile, called on his leader to “hold consultations with Palestinian movements to form a national unity government and set a date for elections.” Azzam Al-Ahmed said Fayyad’s resignation a week ago, after an announcement by the elections commission that it was ready to carry out elections should they be called, was “favourable to... forming a national unity government.” But Abbas’s Thursday pledge to launch talks “in the near future” on forming a new cabinet, despite what officials say is a two-week deadline to do so, avoided giving an exact date as the president prepared for a tour to Turkey and Europe. In Turkey for two days from Saturday, Abbas will meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is set to visit the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in May. Fatah has openly criticized the Erdogan trip as fostering intra-Palestinian divisions. “Any official, Arab, Muslim or foreign, who visits Gaza without reference to the legitimate Palestinian leadership is blessing

and consolidating the division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,” Ahmed said in a separate interview with official Voice of Palestine radio on Monday. And in a march in Gaza to mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on Wednesday, a speech by a Fatah-affiliated politician and an animated retort by a Hamas member underlined the root of the division between the movements. Palestinian People’s Party member Talaat al-Safadi called for Hamas’s Gaza premier Ismail Haniya to step down also, prompting Hamas member Ashraf Abu Zeida to seize Safadi’s microphone and shout “Fayyad was an impostor, Haniya was chosen by the people!” After Hamas won a landslide victory in a January 2006 Palestinian general election, the West mounted a boycott of the movement. Bickering with Fatah culminated in the formation of a unity government in 2007 but that collapsed in bloody street fighting in Gaza just months later. Hamas never recognized Fayyad’s authority as Palestinian premier, continuing instead to recognize Haniya. The

WEST BANK: An Israeli settler hurls a rock at Palestinian youth during clashes in the West Bank village of Deir Jarir, northeast of Ramallah. — AFP two movements signed a reconciliation deal in Cairo in 2011, pledging to set up an interim consensus government of independents that would pave the way for legislative and presidential elections within 12 months. But implementation

of the accord stalled over the make-up of the interim government, and a February 2012 deal signed by Abbas and Meshaal in Doha intended to overcome outstanding differences was opposed by Hamas members in Gaza.—AFP

Washington cites human rights problems in Russia, China, Egypt US government expresses concern on crackdowns

ISTANBUL: Turkish nationalist students step on a portrait of US Secretary of State John Kerry during a demonstration against his visit at the Friends of Syria meeting yesterday in front of the meeting area on Uskudar in Istanbul. — AFP

‘Friends of Syria’ under pressure to arm rebels ISTANBUL: The main international backers of Syria’s opposition gathered in Istanbul yesterday with the rebels hoping Western and Arab countries will step up their support, including with arms. The 11-nation core group of the “Friends of Syria”-including the United States, European nations and Arab countries-will hold talks with key figures in the opposition battling President Bashar Al-Assad. The group has so far struggled to come up with a united strategy to end the violence in Syria, despite fighting that has seen more than 70,000 killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes. The opposition is pressing demands for foreign allies to supply arms to the rebels, but analysts said it was unlikely the meeting will mark a major breakthrough. Speaking to US lawmakers this week, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the talks would be an effort to “get everybody on the same page” but also voiced caution about major new steps. “We’re trying to proceed carefully, to make sure that we’re not contributing to a worse mess, but that we’re actually finding a constructive path forward,” Kerry said. Washington has been gradually shifting its policy on providing assistance to the opposition, with Kerry announcing at the last Friends of Syria meeting in February that the US would start providing direct nonlethal aid to rebel fighters. US media reports have suggested Washington is preparing another shift to provide battlefield gear to the rebels such as body armor, vehicles and night-vision goggles, but not arms. Many in the West have raised concerns about arming the rebels, fearing weapons could fall into the hands of Islamist groups like the Al-Nusra Front, which this month pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda. Britain and France have been pushing for a European Union arms embargo to be allowed to expire by the end of May, but have appeared more wary since the Al-Qaeda pledge. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told European lawmakers this week

there is a “whole series of arguments” on both sides of the arms debate and that the issue would be discussed in Istanbul. Supporters of arms supplies have said the rise of Islamist groups like Al-Nusra is only a stronger argument for providing weapons to more moderate voices in the Syrian opposition. Among opposition figures expected to attend the talks are Ahmed Moaz Al-Khatib, the outgoing head of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition, and Ghassan Hitto, who last month was picked as prime minister of an opposition interim government. Analysts said expectations for the meeting were fairly low and that much of the talk would focus on getting the transitional government up and running in areas of Syria under rebel control, mainly in the north. Salman Shaikh, the director of the Brookings Doha Center, said the meeting was coming at a “crucial time” after Hitto’s election. He said he expected talks to focus on how to help the interim government build its capacity to rule and provide humanitarian aid. “The truth is they (the interim government) are not a factor on the ground and they won’t have any credibility until they are,” he said. “They’ve got a very long way to go.” Michael Stephens, a Qatarbased researcher for the RUSI think tank, said he doubted there would be any movement on meeting the rebels’ demands for arms. “That debate is still well and truly stuck in the mud.... We’re stuck in a merrygo-round,” he said. Many have accused the Friends of Syria of dithering while the country burns, with Shaikh dubbing the group “The Coalition of the Unwilling”. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia, which has been Assad’s strongest diplomatic backer, said this week the group was making a “negative contribution” by undermining efforts at political dialogue. But Stephens said the gatherings were still important in tackling Syria’s crisis. “These meetings have to keep happening in order for there to be any hope of anything other than endless war,” he said.—AFP

WASHINGTON: The US government has expressed concern about increasing crackdowns on civil liberties around the world, from Russia to Egypt and China, saying these and other countries were shrinking the space in which independent political and other activists can operate. In its annual survey of human rights around the world, the State Department singled out Myanmar for praise for the second year in a row, in recognition of political and economic reforms put in place since that country’s military stepped aside and a quasi-civilian government was installed in 2011. “Because of steps toward democratic reform and stronger human rights protections, a country that had been isolated for years is now making progress,” Secretary of State John Kerry said of Myanmar as the human rights report was released. The report’s long section on Russia noted that in the last year Moscow had approved new restrictions on nongovernmental organizations such as human rights groups - particularly those that get funding from abroad - as well as large increases in fines for unauthorized protests. Russian authorities selectively detained and prosecuted members of the political opposition, the report said, including one of President Vladimir Putin’s biggest critics, Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption whistleblower. Three criminal cases were opened against Navalny in 2012. This week, he went on trial in one of the cases in which he faces theft charges that could result in a 10-year prison sentence. Russian investigators then increased the pressure by opening yet another criminal probe against him on Thursday. The State Department report said procedural

irregularities and reports of vote fraud marred the election of Putin to his third term last year. It said Russia mostly did not punish officials who committed human rights abuses, “resulting in a climate of impunity.” It said the rule of law was “particularly deficient” in the north Caucasus which includes the Russian-ruled region of Chechnya - “where conflict among government forces, insurgents, Islamist militants, and criminal forces led to numerous human rights abuses, including killings, torture, physical abuse, and politically motivated abductions.” Uzra Zeya, the acting assistant secretary of state for human rights, declined to discuss whether the US manhunt on Friday for an ethnic Chechen suspected in the Boston Marathon bombings might change the way the State Department viewed the human rights situation in that region. The annual reports, which have been produced for nearly four decades, can upset smaller countries cited, while more powerful ones sometimes ignore the criticism or retort that Washington ignores its own problems at home. Zeya was asked about the continued detention without trial of dozens of prisoners captured in US counterterrorism operations abroad. She said President Barack Obama wanted to close the prison holding the suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but that Congress had not gone along with that. TENSE US TIES WITH PUTIN Disputes over human rights have been one element in increasingly tense US ties with Putin’s government. Last week the United States slapped visa bans on 18 people for alleged violations of human rights in Russia, most of them

Egypt Islamists and rivals clash in Cairo CAIRO: At least 82 people were hurt in clashes after opposition activists marched on thousands of Islamists rallying outside a central Cairo court demanding judicial reform, an official said. The fighting erupted near the iconic Tahrir Square, roughly 0.5 kilometers from where the Islamists had staged their rally, with each side throwing stones at the other. A few activists on the opposi-

tion side fired homemade guns loaded with birdshot at the Islamists, who had taken over a main bridge that crosses the Nile River. Five Islamist protesters wounded with birdshot were carried away by comrades, an AFP correspondent repor ted. The head of the Egyptian emergency services, Mohammed Sultan, told television at least 82 people had been hospitalized. Riot police on foot and in armoured vehicles

Jordan ‘forced’ into Syria deadly conflict AMMAN: Jordan is being dragged into Syria’s conflict as more and more US troops head to Amman, analysts say, amid a warning by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad the kingdom could be engulfed by his country’s war. “The escalation has become public. At the beginning of the crisis Jordan was trying to deal with it calmly, but now things are heading towards confrontation,” Labib Kamhawi, a writer and political analyst said. “We have been forced into the conflict,” he said, amid reports that rebels fighting Assad’s regime are being allowed to use Jordanian soil as a springboard for attacks on his troops. Kamhawi said Jordan’s deteriorating economic conditions “have been used to pressure the kingdom to play a more active role in the conflict.” The kingdom is a major beneficiary of US military and economic aid. US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed on Wednesday that some 150 US military specialists have been deployed in Jordan since last year and that he had

ordered a US Army headquarters team to bolster the mission, bringing the total American presence to more than 200 troops. “These personnel will continue to work alongside Jordanian Armed Forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios,” Hagel said. The US troops were deployed to Jordan to help secure chemical weapons if necessary and prepare for a possible spillover from Syria, where Assad’s regime has been battling rebels trying to oust him since March 2011. Jordanian Information Minister Mohammad Momani said the US deployment was “to boost the Jordanian armed forces in light of the deteriorating situation in Syria.” Political analyst Oraib Rintawi, of the Al-Quds Centre for Political Studies, warned that Jordan “is getting closer and closer to the Syrian fire.” “Jordan is denying media reports that it is allowing rebels into Syria, but clearly Amman has shifted its position, which sparked an angry threatening reaction from Syria,” Rintawi said.—AFP

related to the 2009 death in prison of a whistleblower, Sergei Magnitsky. Russia retaliated by blacklisting 18 Americans, including two that had been in charge of the Guantanamo prison. David Kramer of Freedom House, a US-based nongovernmental organization, said that 2012 was a “downright ugly year” for human rights in Russia. “When you add it all up, the report reflects the worst human rights situation in Russia since the collapse of the USSR,” said Kramer, a former assistant secretary of state for human rights. The State Department report said that in China, “repression and coercion, particularly against organizations and individuals involved in rights advocacy and public interest issues, were routine.” “There was severe official repression of the freedoms of speech, religion, association, and harsh restrictions on the movement of ethnic Uighurs in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and of ethnic Tibetans in the Tibet Autonomous Region ( TAR) and other Tibetan areas,” it said. The report noted that the Egyptian government took action against nongovernmental groups at the end of 2011, with police raids against a number of groups including the Washington-based National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute. The Egyptian government charged both citizens and foreign personnel with “running unlicensed organizations” and “receiving foreign funds without permission.” Americans who worked for the groups were allowed to leave the country after a couple of months, but the State Department said 43 others remained on trial throughout 2012.— Reuters

CAIRO: A protester holds a burning cloth during clashes with the Egyptian riot police after clashes between the Muslim Brotherhood movement’s opponents and supporters in central Cairo. — AFP

had by nightfall succeeded in creating a cordon between the two sides, but ended up clashing with the opposition activists. A riot police vehicle on a side street came under fire from birdshot rifles as Islamists ducked for cover behind the armored vehicle. A police officer fired back what appeared to be birdshot from a rifle as Islamist protesters cheered, but an interior ministry official later insisted to AFP that police had been armed with only tear gas and blanks. “The people demand the toppling of the regime,” the opposition protesters chanted-the signature slogan of the early 2011 uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak and eventually brought Islamists into power. “Morsi! Morsi!” the Islamists chanted back, referring to President Mohamed Morsi, a former Muslim Brotherhood leader. An interior ministry statement said police had arrested 19 suspects in Cairo’s clashes, including three young men suspected of torching a bus that had transported the Islamists to their rally. Islamists and their opponents also clashed in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, where four people were wounded, the health ministry said in a statement. The statement added that one protester had been injured in smaller clashes in the Nile Delta province of Dakahaliya. Prime Minister Hisham Qandil issued a statement warning that “demonstrations accompanied by violence completely harm the security and economy of the country and hamper plans for reform.” Morsi’s presidency has been plagued by deadly clashes between protesters and police, a revolt in Suez Canal cities, sectarian violence and a devastating economic crisis, which many fear is bringing Egypt to the brink of chaos. Since Morsi’s election in June, the Islamist leader has sought to face down an increas-

ingly vocal opposition that accuses him of betraying the goals of the 2011 uprising. He has even had to confront unprecedented strikes by the police. In Friday’s clashes, police had initially withdrawn after their first attempt to separate the protesters. They thought the Islamists would use them as shields, the police lieutenant colonel who ordered his conscripts to retreat said. They later massed again when the Islamist protesters agreed to hang back. The Islamists rallying on Friday were demanding an overhaul of the judiciary, which they believe is hostile to Morsi. Last month, a cour t overturned a controversial decree by Morsi to sack state prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmud, appointed by Mubarak, and replace him with Talaat Abdallah. The court believed Morsi had overstepped his powers in sacking Mahmud, who has been blamed for bungling the trials of former regime officials, including Mubarak himself, after the 2011 uprising. The Islamist-controlled Senate is currently preparing to debate legislation that would lower the retirement age for judges from 70 to 60. Many judges see this as a manoeuvre to get rid of suspected anti-Morsi figures. A court had also overturned Morsi’s calling of parliamentary polls for this month, ruling that he had ratified a new electoral law without consulting the constitutional court. Friday’s violence came days after a negotiating team from the International Monetary Fund left Egypt after talks over a key $4.8 billion loan that Morsi’s government hopes will revive the badly hit economy. But any IMF loan would require considerable reforms, and progress in the talks has been hampered in part by the inability of the government to build a political consensus around the program.—AFP

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Spain vows to tighten abortion law despite criticism MADRID: Spain’s centre-right government, under pressure from the Catholic Church and its ultraconservative wing, has vowed to “promptly” tighten the nation’s abortion laws, angering the opposition Socialist Party which had eased access to the procedure. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy promised during the 2011 election campaign that swept his Popular Party to power to reform the abortion law but the changes to the legislation have been repeatedly put off, prompting a rebuke from the Spanish Church. Justice Minister Alberto Alberto Ruiz Gallardon said Monday his government would “promptly” reform the abortion law passed by the previous Socialist government, adding that life is “an inalienable right”. “The risk to physical and mental

health can not be considered as a pretext to not protect the life of a newborn,” he added at a conference in Barcelona organized by the conservative daily newspaper La Razon. The minister already sparked controversy last year when he said the promised reform of the country’s abortion laws would make the procedure illegal in cases where the foetus is deformed. Under a law introduced by the Socialist government in 2010 women were given the right to abortion on demand for up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. The 2010 law also allowed women the legal right to abort up to the 22nd week of pregnancy in cases where the mother’s health is at risk or the foetus shows serious deformities. The minister’s announcement came just hours after the head of Spain’s Catholic Church,

Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, called for an “urgent reform” of the 2010 law, which he said had “led to a rise in the number of abortions to terrifying levels”. He was speaking at a news conference held at the same time as Rajoy was meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, making him the first European leader to hold talks with the new pontiff. But the plan to tighten the abortion law has angered the Socialist Party, which decriminalized abortion in Spain in 1985 in the cases of a malformed foetus, rape or potential mental or physical damage to the mother and then broadened access to the procedure with the 2010 legislation. During a debate in parliament on Wednesday, Soclialist lawmaker told Gallardon that concern for the risk to a woman’s health “has never been a pretext”

for an abortion but was instead a sound legal reason that was backed by Spain’s Constitutional Council, the nation’s highest constitutional authority. “What you and Rouco Varela don’t know is what such a decision means to a woman,” she added. Socialist deputy secretary-general Elena Valenciano accused Spain’s Church hierarchy of seeking to rule. “We will not accept that Rouco Varela govern us,” she said Tuesday during an interview with radio Onda Cero. “And women, that is to say mothers, don’t they have a word in this? Ministers, judges, bishops, scientists are going to decide what we should do with our motherhood. They know. We obey and shut up. Amen,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday. The secretary-general of the Socialist Party’s youth wing, Nino

Torres, joined in the criticism of the planned reform, saying Tuesday that it “only pleases ultraconservatives without solving the real problem of undesired conceptions.” The vast majority of Spaniards, 81 percent, are against banning abortion in cases where a foetus is malformed, according to a poll published in July 2012 in leftwing newspaper El Pais. The proposed reform was rejected by 65 percent of those who said they voted for the Popular Party in the 2011 general election as well as by 64 percent of those who define themselves as practicing Catholics. The 2010 abortion law was one of a series of liberal socials reforms, including same-sex marriage and fast-track divorce, which angered Catholic Church authorities. — AFP

Italy sinking deeper into political chaos Italy Centre-left leader Bersani resigns

ABIDJAN: Amelie Manoua, a candidate for the municipal elections, parade on a horse as part of the campaign in Abidjan, a day ahead of the vote. — AFP

Ivory Coast holds local elections amid threats ABIDJAN: Ivorians vote today in local elections seen as a trial run for a presidential poll in 2015, but tension is high as the party of ousted president Laurent Gbagbo boycotts the poll. Ivory Coast is still recovering from years of unrest which came to a head when Gbagbo refused to admit defeat in the 2010 presidential election. Around 3,000 people died in the ensuing conflict before he was captured. President Alassane Ouattara’s government is hoping this weekend’s vote will set the foundations for a fresh political start. However, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), which backed Gbagbo during his 10-year rule (2000-2010) and after his arrest in April 2011, has dismissed the poll as a sham. It has refused to take part, just as it boycotted parliamentary polls at the end of 2011, though a few breakaway activists are running as independents. The FPI has demanded a reform of the electoral commission and an amnesty for crimes committed during the violent electoral crisis of 2010-2011. It has also called for the release of its jailed leaders, beginning with Gbagbo himself. He is detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, facing trial for crimes against humanity. The two parties in power, Ouattara’s Rally of Republicans (RDR) and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) of former president Henri Konan Bedie, already have an absolute majority in the National Assembly. They are guaranteed the lion’s share of the regional votes. But they are also competing against each other in some places; and are up against deeply entrenched independent

candidates in others. The final days of the campaign, which ended on Friday, were marred by physical clashes and invective. The Ivorian Movement of Human Rights (MIDH) earlier this week warned about the rising political temperature. Harsh language and hate speeches, with “calls for verbal and physical violence”, have raised the “spectre of electoral violence” as in 2010, it said. It appealed to candidates to accept the results-or failing that, to challenge them through the proper legal channels. A senior government official however played down the recent tension in comments to AFP. And Inza Diomande, a spokesman for the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), said things would calm down once the Ivorian army had deployed, backed by the UN mission in Ivory Coast, UNOCI. One UN observers however was less optimistic. He said there had already been clashes at Seguela in the northwest and the economic capital Abidjan, as well as in towns in the west, an unstable region prone to violence. These local elections are the last before the 2015 presidential election, when Ouattara is expected to run for a second term. About 5.7 million voters, out of a total population of some 21 million, are eligible to cast their ballots in the vote in regional elections for 84 lists of candidates; and in municipal elections with a choice of 659 candidates. Voting will take place between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm (0700 to 1700 GMT) today. The poll is the first of its kind in more than a decade in west Africa’s leading economic power. — AFP

Midwestern river cities brace for floodwaters ST LOUIS: Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. After days of torrential rains, Midwesterners find themselves watching rivers and tributaries rise a sharp contrast to the region’s drought that months earlier had sucked the Mississippi so dry that barge traffic was threatened. Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin all had flooding, as dozens of Midwestern rivers were well over their banks after rains that began Wednesday dumped up to 6 inches of new water on already saturated soil. The trouble appeared to be especially pronounced in Quincy, Ill., where the Mississippi rose a “pretty amazing” nearly 10 feet in 36 hours, National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Fuchs said. One of two bridges there was shut down Friday, and the sewage plant was threatened. “It’s just been skyrocketing,” Fuchs added of the Mississippi’s swift rise. Downriver from Quincy, a bridge at Louisiana, Mo, was to close at noon Saturday. Smaller rivers in Illinois seemed to be causing the worst of the flooding. In suburban Chicago, which got up to 7 inches of rain in a 24-hour period ending Thursday, record levels of water were moving through the Des Plaines River past heavily populated western suburbs and into the Illinois River to the south. As many as 1,500 residents of the northern Illinois city of Marseilles were evacuated Thursday night when fears of a levee breach were heightened as seven barges broke free from a towing vessel and came to rest against a dam on the Illinois River. In the central Illinois town of

London Mills, the Spoon River topped a levee and forced the evacuations of half of the 500 residents. In central Indiana, the National Weather Service said the Wabash River in Tippecanoe County could crest Saturday at 25.5 feet - its highest level in more than a half-century. Mississippi River flooding wasn’t as pronounced. Its water level varies greatly but is typically highest in the spring, so minor flooding is not uncommon. “Flood stage” is a somewhat arbitrary term that the weather service defines as the point when “water surface level begins to create a hazard to lives, property or commerce.” When river levels exceed flood stage by several feet, serious problems can occur. Forecasters now expect it to climb up to 12 feet above flood stage at some spots in Missouri and Illinois. After the devastating Mississippi River floods of 1993, the government bought out thousands of homes, tore them down and banned development there. New and larger levees have been built, and flood walls reinforced. Yet communities like Missouri’s quaint Clarksville remain at the river’s mercy. The community of 442 has no flood wall or levee - a barrier that was opted against because of the cost and the fact residents like the river view. In 2008, the town bought a flood-protection system that allows for a makeshift levee to be built, but the waters have risen too quickly to install it this time. Volunteers scrambled Friday to use gravel, plastic overlay and sandbags to protect the business district and are layering sandbags around threatened homes. Also unprotected is Grafton, Ill, a tourist town northeast of St Louis that sits at the convergence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. — AP

ROME: Italy’s divided parliament made a fifth attempt to elect a president yesterday after a split over candidates flung the main centre-left alliance into disarray and forced its leader to resign, plunging the country into deeper political chaos. Pier Luigi Bersani said late on Friday he would quit as Democratic Party (PD) leader as soon as a new head of state was elected, after party rebels sabotaged two separate candidates he had proposed. The PD’s president, Rosy Bindi, also resigned. A new president to succeed President Giorgio Napolitano, whose term ends on May 15, is needed to help broker a solution to political deadlock that has dragged on since an inconclusive February election. But chaos and disunity in the largest party in parliament heightened uncertainty over how a government could eventually be formed. “The leadership of the Democratic Party is tumbling down,” wrote political commentator Massimo Franco in an editorial in Corriere della Sera. “This is the end of an era.” Reflecting the general sense of chaos, Bersani and centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi both went to see Napolitano in the president’s palace yesterday. Italian media speculated that they wanted to ask him to serve a second term even though the 87-year-old president has insisted on several occasions that he would not do so. As the fifth ballot got underway yesterday, it already seemed certain to produce no new president. PD electors had not declared how they would vote after a fifth of their ranks rebelled and failed to back Bersani’s candidate on Friday. A previous candidate had also failed to pass in the secret ballot. LEADERSHIP BATTLE A candidate must gain 504 votes to win, out of a total of 1,007 electors made up of Italy’s two houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives. Two rounds of voting are held each day. The centre-left’s junior coalition partner, Left Ecology Freedom (SEL), said it would back left-wing academic Stefano Rodota, the candidate backed by the anti-establishment 5Star Movement who won 213 votes in the fourth round. Caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti, leader of the centrist Civic Choice that commands 70 votes, said his party would back interior minister Anna Maria Cancellieri, while the centre-right alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi said they would not use their 270 votes. Abstentions do not reduce the required majority. The transformation in the fortunes of Bersani, who three months ago seemed the likely next prime minister, underlined the uncertainty over how a deeply divided political class can implement much-needed reforms to tackle an economy that has stagnated for the last 20 years. There will now be a leadership battle in the PD, founded to unite a range of smaller leftist and centrist parties in 2007. Bersani’s departure could make way for his arch-rival the 38-year old mayor of Florence Matteo Renzi, who has wide public support but is viewed with suspicion by the old PD hierarchy. As electors entered parliament to cast their vote, they were heckled by protesters supporting the 5Star Movement, who shouted in support of Rodota. The dramatic success of 5-Star, which ballooned to command over a quarter of votes in its first national election, reflected the anger of Italians enraged by economic hardship and political corruption. — Reuters

ROME: Democratic Party (PD) general secretary Pier Luigi Bersani leaves the voting booth to vote for the election of Italy’s President yesterday at the Italian parliament in Rome. — AFP

In Gabon, fear of ritual crime sparks social media campaign LIBREVILLE: The discovery of a young girl’s body on a Libreville beach last month shocked the city and reignited the debate over ritual killings in Gabon, sparking outrage on social media sites and forcing President Ali Bongo Ondimba to react. The young girl disappeared after going swimming. Her battered body was discovered the next day, several hundred meters away. Her body was badly mutilated, and while there’s no proof she was the victim of a ritual killing, the fear of such crimes here has led to her case being widely publicized. Ritual crimes are practiced by secret sects involved in witchcraft.

They usually involve taking a victim’s blood and certain parts of their body-eyes, eyelashes, ears, genitalia, tongue, lips, pieces of skin, the brainwhich are supposed to bring health, riches, success and power. “It’s getting worse. We’ve already counted 19 cases since the start of the year”, including 10 children, says Jean-Elvis Ebang Ondo, the president and founder of the Association against Ritual Crime (ALCR). His own 12-yearold son was kidnapped, killed and mutilated in 2005. ALCR’s most recent report, which covers four provinces, found 34 cases in 2010 and 62 in 2011. The majority were children-the most sought-after vic-

tims in this kind of crime. The police don’t recognize these statistics, however, considering that some of these deaths are not related to ritual crime. Despite the fact that without an autopsy it is impossible to prove whether or not they are ritual killings, grisly murders regularly make the front page of the papers. The reports stir up anger at what people see as the authorities’ failure to act. The situation was further inflamed recently when a planned protest march was banned. Soon afterwards, hackers claiming to be from Anonymous published a video containing shocking images of mutilated bodies and organs, a cam-

LIBREVILLE: The President and founder of the Association Against Ritual Crimes (ALCR) Jean-Elvis Ebang Ondo (left) listens as Emmanuel Mba Bekale speaks about the ‘mysterious death’ of his daughter, LadouceRosalie Nsure-Mba in Libreville during the unveiling of a ‘general report’ deploring a resurgence of ritual style killings in Gabon. — AFP

paign-christened Operation Gabonspread across Twitter with followers using the hastags #OpGabon and #SOSGabon to denounce ritual crime. Activist site Avaaz.org started a petition, “Stop ritual crime in Gabon”. The unprecedented level of attention embarrassed the Gabonese government and pushed President Bongo to react. In a statement, he spoke of the presidency’s “preoccupation” with the “ignoble phenomenon of crime”, although the phrase “ritual crime” did not appear at any point. For their part, the ALCR says that those who order and commit these crimes operate with impunity. “People are distracted with show trials, but nobody has ever actually been sentenced”, says Ebang Ondo. According to him, numerous politicians and grandees are involved in ritual crime as they believe it will increase their power. “The state doesn’t want us to talk about it, because it’s very important people who keep these practices alive, who feed on this”, he said. In October, Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders denounced the “increase in pressure on journalists” from Gabon who were investigating ritual crime and its links to the political milieu. One recent move, however, appeared to be in the right direction, when a senator accused of having ordered a ritual crime had his parliamentary immunity revoked, meaning that it is now possible for him to be questioned over the murder of a 12-year-old girl in 2009. “We’re still waiting, “said ALCR chief Ebang Ondo. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

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

In Boston manhunt, online detectives flourish SEATTLE: The hunt for the bombers behind the deadly Boston Marathon attacks didn’t take place only on the streets with professional police officers and SWAT teams. In an era of digital interactivity, it also unfolded around the country from the desks of ordinary people. Fueled by Twitter, online forums like Reddit and 4Chan, smartphones and relays of police scanners, thousands of people played armchair detective as police searched for men who turned out to be suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, ethnic Chechen brothers who had immigrated from southern Russia years ago. But as amateur online sleuths began identifying possible culprits, people were wrongly accused or placed under suspicion by crowdsourcing. It showed the damage that digital investigators can cause and posed a question: In the social-media generation, what does law enforcement unleash when, by implication, it deputizes the public for help? “The FBI kind of opened the door,” said Hanson R Hosein, director of the University of Washington Master of Communication in Digital Media program. “It was almost like it was put up as challenge to them, and they rose to it. ... They can be either really helpful or mob rule.” The bombings have been the highest-profile case in which the public has joined an active investigation, using ever-evolving crowd-sourcing tools, showing the pitfalls and benefits of new technology. It’s certainly not vigilantism, but it’s not standard policing, either. It’s perhaps something new - the lawenforcement equivalent of citizen journalism.

Reddit users began piecing together clues in the pictures and videos. They pointed out men who were wearing backpacks standing in the crowd. They looked at the straps of backpacks to compare with the one thought to have carried the bomb. They analyzed the bombs’ blasts and people’s gazes. In one particular photo thread, posted on imgur.com shortly after the bombing, a user attempted to pinpoint exactly where the bomb was placed. Eventually, efforts and pictures posted in the sub-section dubbed “r/findbostonbombers” and elsewhere on Reddit were picked up by news organizations, giving it greater exposure. Another wave of detective work happened after the FBI released pictures and videos of the Tsarnaev brothers and as initial reports of a shooting at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Thursday night. While listening to the police scanner, Reddit and Twitter users thought they had heard the name of a Brown University student missing since March, and one user posted a news story about his disappearance. That assumption proved wrong - and there was a cost. The missing student’s family, besieged with ugly comments, temporarily took down a Facebook page asking for help finding him. A few hours later, the online detectives said sorry - in the words of one moderator, for “any part we may have had in relaying what has turned out to be faulty information.” Several Reddit users who posted on r/findbostonbombers did not immediately return messages seeking comment. President Barack Obama seemed to acknowledge this Friday night, speaking after the second suspect was captured.

“In this age of instant reporting, tweets and blogs, there’s a temptation to latch on to any bit of information, sometimes to jump to conclusions,” Obama said. “But when a tragedy like this happens, with public safety at risk and the stakes so high, it’s important we do this right.” The rush to informal sleuthing began Monday soon after the smoke clear as pictures and videos from the marathon began to circulate on the Internet. Salah Eddin Barhoum, a 17-year-old track star who was a spectator at Monday’s race, had his picture posted all over the Internet and ended up on the cover of the New York Post. He told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is now afraid to leave his house. Some of the amateur police work didn’t sit well with the professionals. Boston’s police department, for example, has a very active Twitter account with more than 220,000 followers, but the onslaught of misinformation proved to be too much. At one point, Boston police asked people to stop tweeting information from their scanner traffic. While Reddit and 4Chan have been around for several years, their prominence has grown of late. More and more news organizations have learned to use them to mine information. For Hosein, sub-sections on Reddit have become something like local newspapers, except it’s the users providing the content. “Citizens think they almost have an obligation to rise up to do the work,” he said. Hosein says that the FBI’s call for help was no different than a “Wanted: Dead or Alive” poster from the 1800’s albeit with much more amplification and distribution. But he feels that after this

This updated wanted poster was released by the FBI shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the suspect the FBI originally called suspect number 2 in the bombings at the Boston Marathon. — AP week’s saga, people will eventually learn to exercise caution. “There’s a sense that we’re learning collectively quickly, that we actually have to take on some of the sourcing rules that journalists have had

in the past,” Hosein said. “I’ve seen more restraint like, ‘Wait guys, hold on, there’s gotta be more confirmation.’ I know we’re learning. I don’t think it’s going to be repeated.” — AP

Macabre tweet from US terror suspect: ‘stay safe’ WASHINGTON: Just hours after Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings, one of the brothers accused of staging the attack urged his followers on Twitter to “stay safe people.” As the authorities hunted for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, attention focused on the 19-year-old’s social media accounts for clues about his life and potential motivation for allegedly setting bombs that killed three people and wounded more than 180. Tsarnaev was captured in the Boston suburb of Watertown late Friday, less than 24 hours after his 26-year-old brother and alleged accomplice Tamerlan was killed in a gunbattle with police. Friends of Tsarnaev confirmed he was an active Twitter user, firing off messages under the handle @J_tsar. “Ain’t no love in the heart of the city, stay safe people,” he tweeted at 8:04 pm on Monday, just hours after Boston was rocked by twin explosions that police say he set with his brother. It was one of a dozen messages he posted on the microblogging site in the hours and days after the tragedy. A tweet one week prior to the blasts may have offered cryptic hints at what was to come: “If you have the knowledge and

the inspiration all that’s left is to take action,” @J_tsar tweeted on April 8. “Tat my name on you girl so i know it’s real oh and make sure to spell it right, its spelled Dzhokhar,” he posted on May 5. His followers soared to more than 58,000 in the hours after he was named a prime suspect. His Twitter page is adorned with the emblem of the FC Anzhi Makhachkala soccer team, in the southern Russian region of Dagestan where, according to his uncle, Dzhokhar was born. A perusal of the 1,099 tweets posted by @J_tsar portray an everyday kid with a wide variety of interests: sports, hip-hop lyrics, girls, Islam, TV shows like “Breaking Bad” and cars. “I need me a tall beautiful woman, but just beautiful works too,” he wrote last April. On January 23, he sounded down on college life. “Back to terrible food, hot pockets and school bs.” Some friends who say they went to high school with him have posted their disbelief at how their classmate could be responsible for the worst terror attack on US soil since the September 11, 2001 suicide plane strikes. — AFP

Trail of blood led to marathon bomber BOSTON: A police officer and a woman react to news of the arrest of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects in Boston. — AP

Tsarnaevs - Boston Marathon bombers ‘Somebody radicalized them’

BOSTON: Boston bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are Muslims of Chechen origin who came to the United States a decade ago but remained attached to their war-torn homeland. Dzhokhar, a baby-faced 19-year-old who was captured late Friday, was an all-star high school wrestler and a student at the University of Massachusetts whose Twitter feed @J_tsar resembles that of an average American teenager. Neighbors and friends interviewed by US television networks described him as hard-working and kind, expressing shock at his alleged involvement in Monday’s bombings that killed three people and wounded over 180. “He was a lovely, lovely

kid,” Larry Aaronson, a neighbor, told CNN when asked about Dzhokhar. “You get people that say, ‘Oh, I know him. He’s not capable of this.’ That’s what I’m saying to you. I am just one of those people.” While Dzhokhar was active on Twitter, firing off hundreds of messages about his life and thoughts, less is known about Tamerlan, his elder brother who was killed in a shootout with police. A 26-year-old engineering student who loved boxing, Tamerlan also apparently attracted the attention of the US authorities on a previous occasion. The FBI said its agents had interviewed him in 2011 at the request of a foreign government, an investigation that found “no

TOKMOK: A house where Tsarnaev brothers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings lived in before leaving for Dagestan, in a small Kyrgyz city Tokmok east of the country’s capital of Bishkek. — AP

derogatory information,” according to an official from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI official declined to identify the country involved or the nature of the probe. A page on the VKontakte social media website, Russia’s equivalent to Facebook, says Dzhokhar went to elementary school in the Dagestani city of Makhachkala in southern Russia from 1999-2001. Dagestan borders the North Caucasus region of Chechnya, which has been ravaged by two back-toback wars since 1994 between Russia’s army and increasingly Islamist-leaning separatist rebels. The Tsarnaev family appears to have left the volatile Caucasus region, which still sees occasional fighting, during the wars and subsequently spent time in Central Asia. “We’re Muslims, we’re Chechens, we’re ethnic Chechens,” Ruslan Tsarni, an uncle of the suspects, told US media. “Somebody radicalized them,” he said of his nephews. “It’s not my brother.” Tsarni said his nephews arrived in the United States from Kyrgyzstan in 2003 and were given asylum, but he called them “losers” who could not integrate into American life. Asked why they might have turned to terrorism, he said: “Hatred to those who were able to settle themselves. These are the only reasons I can imagine.” An online photo essay by Boston University student Johannes Hirn featuring Tamerlan entitled “Will Box for Passport” seems to suggest that he did have some trouble adapting to the United States. “I don’t have a single American friend, I don’t under-

stand them,” Tamerlan is quoted as saying under one of several pictures of him boxing at the Wai Kru Mixed Martial Arts Center. The website says Tamerlan, who was studying engineering at Bunker Hill Community College, had taken a year off to train for the National Golden Gloves competition in Salt Lake City, Utah. On the website, Tamerlan is quoted as saying he aspires to be an Olympic boxer, but would rather compete for the United States than for Russia in the absence of an independent Chechnya. He is quoted as describing himself as “very religious” and saying, “God said no alcohol.” “There are no values anymore,” he is quoted as saying. “People can’t control themselves.” But another caption says his favorite movie is “Borat,” and one picture shows him with a blonde woman whom he describes as his half-Italian, half-Portuguese girlfriend, saying she converted to Islam. “She’s beautiful, man!” he says. A YouTube account in his name created on August 17, 2012 linked to videos of a radical Australian preacher, Feiz Mohammad, and had a playlist entitled “terrorists,” according to the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group. SITE said the videos in the playlist had been removed, but a saved page indicates they were related to Dagestan militants. Dzhokhar’s VKontakte page says he graduated in 2011 from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, a public high school, identified “Islam” as his world view, and “career and money” as his main goals in life. — AFP

WATERTOWN: A trail of blood led to accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as he hid inside a boat after eluding one of the biggest manhunts ever staged in the United States. Exhausted and wounded, the 19-year-old, whose brother was killed earlier Friday, staged a final gun battle with his pursuers before he gave in to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) negotiators. Tsarnaev was in “serious condition” at Beth Israel Deaconess hospital in Boston as the city celebrated his capture with street parties. Those festivities could so easily have been a new night of anguish for the Boston region, facing growing tension after the bombs left at the marathon finish line on Monday killed three people and injured about 180. Boston investigators had just held a press conference at which they virtually admitted that Tsarnaev had escaped when the lucky break came. Tsarnaev had already been wounded overnight in a gun battle with police in which his elder brother Tamerlan was killed. “We know he didn’t go straight to the boat,” which was outside a security zone that had been painstakingly searched by thousands of heavily-armed officers, said Boston police chief Ed Davis. “We found blood in the car that he abandoned, we found blood inside the house behind the

perimeter,” he added. “We had no indication that he had gotten outside of the perimeter. It was very chaotic.” “A man had gone out of his house after being inside the house all day” because of a lockdown ordered by authorities, Davis explained to reporters after the dramatic capture. “He saw blood on a boat in the backyard. He then opened the tarp on the top of the boat and he looked in and saw a man covered with blood.” The man telephoned police and at the same time, a police helicopter used infra-red equipment to determine there was a human in the boat. “We exchanged gunfire with the suspect who was inside the boat, and ultimately, the hostage rescue team of the FBI made an entry into the boat and removed the suspect who was still alive,” Davis told a press conference. The negotiation team had tried to make Tsarnaev give himself up. Police teams also fired flash grenades in a bid to stun the suspect into surrender. Tsarnaev was given first aid on the lawn next to the boat before being taken away in an ambulance. The boat had not been searched before because it was outside of the police perimeter set up as the hunt intensified. Noisy celebrations erupted on Franklin Street, where the standoff unfolded, and beyond after the arrest. — AFP

BOSTON: People pour onto Hemingway Street in the Fenway neighborhood to celebrate after the announcement earlier of the capture of the second Boston Martathon bombing suspect. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

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

Indian woman ditches corporate world for dirt-poor village SODA: Chhavi Rajawat, an MBA graduate and one-woman whirlwind, is seeking to drag her impoverished ancestral village in the desert state of Rajasthan into the 21st Century. Rajawat, who spent her family holidays in sun-scorched Soda, became its sarpanch or elected village head three years ago after villagers implored her to take charge with dozens turning up at her home in state capital Jaipur to persuade her. “The villagers broke all caste, gender and religious barriers to elect me,” said Rajawat, a glamorous 33-year-old whose 10,000 constituents are mostly farmers and laborers largely untouched by India’s economic boom. She ditched her corporate career with one of India’s biggest telecom firms to become sarpanch and has been working ever since to bring better water, solar power, paved roads, toilets and a bank to her ancestral village. Soda is a byword for backwardness in this remote corner of Rajasthan where the houses are made of mud, electricity supplies are erratic, literacy levels are below 50 percent and the fear of drought is never far away. The villagers said there had been no progress since Rajawat’s brigadier grandfather, now in his 90s, had served as sarpanch two decades ago and they wanted someone else in the family to take on the role. “I didn’t have a choice,” said a smiling Rajawat, who represented India at a recent UN poverty summit. Her story reveals the potential of

good grassroots leadership in making a difference in a country plagued by corruption and inefficiency. It also shows the limitations. INDIA MUST GO FASTER Swarmed by villagers as she walks down the road, Rajawat greets them by name as they share family news and pepper her with questions about progress on various projects. “Nobody has been able to do what she has done-no other sarpanch has done as much,” said 30year-old farmer Jai Singh. Rajawat was visiting a computer centre in a no-frills stone structure that she set up with the help of a corporate sponsor. The spartan interior doesn’t bother the youngsters who tap away eagerly on keyboards on long trestle tables. “It’s a huge opportunity for them to get some skills-there was nothing before,” said teacher Mohammed Sadeek, 25. But Rajawat, who now divides her time between Soda and Jaipur, chafes impatiently at the sluggish pace of change. “India can’t keep advancing at the same slow rate-it must go faster. Otherwise we won’t be able to give people the schools, the electricity, the water and the jobs they need,” she said. She was also checking on the progress of a scheme equipping primitive homes with toilets, which have made a big difference to locals who earlier had to relieve themselves outside-and the women only after darkness set in.

BUREAUCRATIC INERTIA There are many women sarpanchs in India because a number of these posts are reserved for them. But what sets Rajawat apart-aside from her iPhone, bigrimmed sunglasses, blue jeans and youth-is her education. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Indian Institute of Modern Management in Pune, rated one of the nation’s top 10 business schools, which she says helps her draft funding plans and proposals. “She’s unique. We need her kind of people, they are a breath of fresh air, they have vision,” said government district collector Muktanand Agarwal. Among the achievements is her arrangement for medical checks of villagers by doctors from the state capital Jaipur, a bone-jolting two-hour drive away. She also organized the opening of the first bank in Soda-a branch of the state-run State Bank of India-a significant success as 90 percent of India’s 600,000 villages have no banks. But all that change doesn’t come without raising some local hackles. When she constructed a drinking water reservoir that has created a shimmering blue lake in the middle of the village, she got her first taste of the bureaucratic hurdles that have repeatedly thwarted her. “I was told we could not use government machinery to clean up reservoirs. Finally, they (the government) told me to do it on my own,” she said. And that’s what she did-raising

RAJASTHAN: Headwoman Chhavi Rajawat interacts with villagers in Soda, a remote village in India’s Rajasthan state. Indian MBA graduate Chhavi Rajawat is a one-woman whirlwind as she seeks to catapult her impoverished ancestral village in the desert state of Rajasthan into the 21st century. — AFP money from friends, family and compa- ment’s new drive to make lists of services nies to fund many of her projects. Baskar and funds available on the Internet. “If Petshali, secretary of a local welfare chari- everything is online, people will start table trust, say her problems stem from demanding accountability from their the fact “she’s a clean politician” who politicians,” she said. She has not decided refuses to give bribes to get jobs done. A whether she will continue in developsenior state government official, speaking ment work once her five-year terms ends, on condition of anonymity, called but she is hoping her example will inspire Rajawat’s initiatives “praiseworthy” but other educated young people to take added she “wants do things very quickly- time out to serve their communities. “Your she treads on toes and upsets vested roots are your foundation. You have to interests”. Rajawat is hopeful better lead- start at the bottom to make a differenceership will come with the Indian govern- and there is so much left to do.” — AFP

China troops camp in ‘Indian territory’ Border tension between two Asian giants

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani paramilitary soldiers stand guard outside the residence of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf after a court has declared Musharraf’s house a sub-jail in Islamabad yesterday. — AFP

Scuffles as Pakistan’s court extends Musharraf custody ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court remanded former president Pervez Musharraf in custody for two weeks yesterday as judges pushed ahead with plans to put the former army chief on trial for a crackdown on the judiciar y during his time in office. Hundreds of lawyers jeered at Musharraf and scuffled with his supporters as he appeared at the Islamabad court a day after police arrested him at his home-a breach with an unwritten rule in Pakistan that ex-generals are above the law. The judge ruled that he be detained until his next court appearance on May 4. Musharraf ’s spokesman said authorities had decided that he would be placed under house arrest at his farmhouse residence on the edge of Islamabad. “The government has declared Musharraf’s farmhouse as the jail, and he will be moved there from police headquar ters,” said spokesman Mohammad Amjad. Musharraf’s appearance sparked chaotic scenes in the court complex as police formed a human chain to prevent protesting lawyers - who chanted “Down with Musharraf”-from getting closer to the former president. Musharraf left the court after his brief appearance and returned to police headquarters, where he has been detained in a police guest house. Musharraf is facing allegations that he

overstepped his powers in a showdown with the judiciary in 2007 when he sacked the chief justice and placed judges under house arrest. Musharraf’s moves against the judiciary earned him widespread scorn among an increasingly activist cadre of lawyers and judges, who have themselves been accused of overstepping the normal limits of judicial authority in their confrontations with the civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari. Musharraf’s office issued a statement late on Friday saying the allegations were baseless and politically motivated. Signaling the seriousness with which they view the case, judges have ruled that Musharraf must face trial in an anti-terrorism court, since detaining judges could be considered an attack on the state. Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999, resigned in 2008 and went into self-imposed exile in London and Dubai. He returned to Pakistan last month to try to stage a return to public life by running for a National Assembly seat in a May 11 parliamentary election, but election officers disqualified him. Instead of triggering a hoped-for groundswell of popular support, Musharraf became the first former army chief to be arrested in Pakistan when police took him into custody at their headquarters on Friday. — Reuters

SRINAGAR: Several dozen Chinese soldiers have set up a remote camp some 10 km inside territory claimed by India in the high altitude Himalayan desert of Ladakh, Indian police sources said, in a possible return to border tension between the Asian giants. An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said the two countries were in touch with each other to resolve the row. The ill-defined border has fuelled 50 years of mistrust despite blossoming economic ties. The Indian army set up its own temporary camp just 500 meters from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers after the incident on April 15, a senior police official stationed close to the border told Reuters. “The PLA pitched tents inside Indian territory and established temporary posts there”, the official said, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. He said two helicopters gave support to the Chinese as they set up the camp on the Indian side of the disputed border. “On April 17, 5th Battalion of Ladakh Scouts was sent to the sector to take on the PLA challenge and they are also camping there now,” the official said. Another police officer in Srinagar, the capital of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state, confirmed his colleague’s version of the incident. Responding to the reports of a Chinese incursion in Ladakh, the Indian foreign ministry acknowledged both sides were in touch through diplomatic channels established to diffuse border flare-ups. “We are confident that the current incident will also be peacefully resolved on this basis,” spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said. He didn’t give details. India lost a short but bloody war with China in 1962, fought in Ladakh and the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Today India controls Arunachal Pradesh, while China administers a large area adjacent to Ladakh called Aksai Chin. Neither side is comfortable with the arrangement. Small incursions are common across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border that runs some 4,000 km across the Himalayas, but it is rare for either country to set up camp so deep within disputed territory. The two countries have increased their military presence on each side of the border in recent years as their fast-growing economies permit more spending on defense of

Kosovo Serbs feel betrayed KOSOVSKA MITROVICA: Some are furious, others resigned, but most Serbs in northern Kosovo feel betrayed by a historic deal reached by Belgrade and Pristina to normalize ties in a step to heal the festering enmity in the Balkans’ last trouble-spot. “Belgrade betrayed and cheated us,” Marko Dimitrijevic, a 32-yearold pharmacist, said bitterly while sipping a coffee in a cafe in the northern Kosovan city of Kosovska Mitrovica. The agreement, struck on Friday, provides autonomy for the some 40,000 Serbs in northern Kosovo who steadfastly refuse to recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. The deal-whose details have not been made public by the EU-sought to help solve the last major dispute remaining of the bloody 1990s conflict that split the Balkans. But it has sent ripples through this ethnically divided town, animating conversation. Dimitrijevic angrily called on Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his aides “to come here and tell us if they are ashamed” for having reached the accord. His words echoed the fury of Kosovo Serbs in the wake of Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart, Hashim Thaci, signing the agreement in Brussels following rounds of talks hosted by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Quite a few of the 80,000 other Kosovo Serbs scattered in enclaves through the rest of Kosovo were also resigned to coming under Pristina’s authority. “Belgrade has abandoned the north of Kosovo, just as it already abandoned us when the (ethnic) Albanians declared their independence,” said Nikola Stosovic, a retiree in the enclave of Gracanica near Pristina. “We have to resign ourselves to the idea that Serbia is far away,” said Darinka Stojkovic, a nearby newspaper vendor. Serbia lost control over its then southern province in 1999 when NATO halted a crackdown by late strongman Slobodan Milosevic on the pro-independence ethnic Albanian

majority and ousted his armed forces out of the territory. Today, the territory’s population of 1.8 million people is around 90 percent ethnic Albanian. Belgrade had long insisted that Kosovo remains part of Serbia, vowing never to recognize its independence. However, more than 90 countries, including the United States and most EU member-states, have done so. Most Serbs, both in Belgrade and Kosovo, now believe that the Serbian government gave up its anti-independence vow. By reaching the accord “they recognized Kosovo as an independent state and are pushing us under Albanian authority,” Gordana Petkovic, a 57-year old clerk said in Kosovska Mitrovica. “We will not accept it. I will never take Kosovo’s documents,” she vowed angrily. Serbia’s goal, though, in normalizing ties is to overcome the biggest obstacle to one day joining the European Union. Belgrade is vying for a desperately hoped-for date to begin EU accession talks. Petkovic said that, even though she was in favour of a EU membership “so at least my kids could live normally, I do not support that you sell a part of your state for a date.” Media in Pristina, which is predominantly ethnic Albanian, hailed the normalization deal as “new confirmation that Kosovo is independent, sovereign and free,” as the daily Express wrote. But in Belgrade, headlines reflected division within Serbian society over the sensitive issue, “Black day - Kosovo is not ours any more! Serbia’s Capitulation in Brussels!” the tabloid Nase Novine exclaimed indignantly. The influential pro-government Politika coldly noted only that “Belgrade and Pristina reached an accord.” Kosovo Serb leaders want Serbia to hold a referendum on whether to accept the EU-sponsored deal. They called on fellow Kosovo Serbs to gather in Kosovska Mitrovica on Monday to show their discontent and to figure out further steps. — AFP

HYDERABAD: Indian students of Akhila Bharatiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP) burn a Chinese flag during a protest at Osmania University in Hyderabad yesterday. ABVP demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops who entered Indian territory in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in eastern Ladakh and erected a tented post, setting the stage for a face-off with Indian troops. — AFP remote regions. They hold frequent meetings to diffuse tensions, but high-level talks to resolve the dispute have not produced results. LANDING STRIP The latest incident took place at Daulat Beg, where India established a landing strip during the 1962 war. At 5,100 meters, the strip is one of the world’s highest. It was reopened in 2008. When asked, Rajesh Kalia, the spokesman for the Indian army’s Northern Command, did not confirm or deny the incident. “Due to the difference in perception of the LAC a few face offs take place in the eastern Ladakh sector. These are resolved amicably through existing mechanisms,” he said. China’s foreign and defense ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Another senior Indian army officer, who asked not to be identified, confirmed there had been a standoff with the Chinese army in the

Daulat Beg sector of Ladakh, but said that it had been resolved. However, the police official stationed in the area said the two sides were still manning the temporary posts, despite a meeting this week between local Chinese and Indian commanders to seek a solution. “The Indian army asked for flag meeting with the PLA to sort out the intrusion, and on April 18, it was held in Chushul,” the police official said. The official said he was not present at the meeting but came to know about it from the army. “The Indian army commander raised the issue of the intrusion with their Chinese counterpart. The Chinese Army commander reportedly told his Indian counterpart that it is their own territory where they are camping. The meeting ended in deadlock,” the official said. Kashmir police sent a detailed report on the situation to the Home Ministr y in Delhi on Friday, the official in Srinagar said. — Reuters

police nab rape suspect amid protests NEW DELHI: Hundreds of angry protesters gathered outside the headquarters of Delhi police yesterday after a five year-old girl was allegedly raped and tortured, reviving memories of a brutal December assault on a woman that shook the country. Police arrested a man they accuse of the attack from the eastern state of Bihar, and he was being brought to Delhi for interrogation. Doctors say the girl suffered severe injuries and bruising all over her body including her neck and genitalia. Protests that began on Friday grew more intense after video footage showed a policeman slapping a woman protester, and following reports investigators offered the victim’s family 2,000 rupees not to file a case. The assault on the girl revived memories of the gang rape by five adult men and a teenaged boy of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus on Dec 16 in New Delhi. That woman died of her injuries in a Singapore hospital. The case caused an outpouring of anger in Delhi. While statistically India does not have the world’s highest incidence of rape, the frequency and apparent increase in brutal crimes has become a major political issue in the nation of 1.2 billion a year before elections. Yesterday, a group of men and women kicked and pushed yellow metal barricades at the gates of the police station in an attempt to break through. The girl was “conscious and alert” and her condition stable, but her injuries are infected and so severe she may need corrective surgery, an official of the state-run All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital told reporters. Police identified the accused as a 22-yearold called Manoj, arrested late on Friday in Bihar where he had fled after leaving the girl for dead in an apartment in the same Delhi building the family lives in. The girl was kept in captivity for 40 hours, police said. The accused was a temporary worker in garment factories and lived with his father, a juice seller, police said. He was hiding at his in-laws’ house when he was captured. In a televised news conference, a deputy commissioner said police will seek to establish if more people were involved in the alleged rape after the

accused is questioned. Interior minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said the government was conducting an inquiry into allegations of police negligence. The girl, whose parents work as laborers and live in a slum in the outskirts of Delhi, went missing from home on April 15, according to Manish Sisodia, an official of the Aam Aadmi Party which organized a protest on Friday. —Reuters

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

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

Americans fear random violence more than foreign terrorism NEW YORK: Most Americans see the biggest threat to public safety coming from random acts of violence committed by other Americans, rather than foreign terrorism, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken in the two days since the Boston Marathon bombing. The poll suggested that Americans have been left on edge following a string of attacks, at a Colorado movie theater, at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, at a Connecticut elementary school and now at the Boston Marathon,

all since July. Asked which events pose the biggest threat to the safety of average Americans, 56 percent of respondents said random acts of violence, such as mass shootings, committed by Americans; 32 percent said foreign terrorism committed by nonAmericans; and 13 percent said politically or religiously motivated domestic terrorism committed by Americans. Nearly twothirds of respondents said they believed an incident like the Boston Marathon

attack could happen in their area. A minority of respondents, 42 percent, said the Boston incident had left them more fearful for the safety of themselves and their families. Two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday in the worst attack on US soil since Sept 11, 2001. The attack killed three people, injured 176 others and left 10 people with amputated limbs. The incident followed three mass shootings that have shaken

the country. In July, a gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado; the next month, a gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin; and in December, a man forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School where he shot and killed 20 children and six adults. If Americans are fearful of another attack on US soil, they are also overwhelmingly positive about the response of their elected officials. In the aftermath of the

Boston attack, more than two-thirds of poll respondents approve of President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s handling of the crisis. At the same time, more than half voiced concern that events like the Boston bombing would lead to infringements into their rights as American citizens. The poll was conducted online between April 16 and 17. There were 520 respondents. The precision of this poll is measured using a credibility interval and is accurate to within 4.9 percent. —Reuters

US intel treads careful in assessing N Korea nukes Washington in dilemma WASHINGTON: When a Republican lawmaker publicized a US intelligence assessment that secretive North Korea may have the knowhow to put a nuclear warhead on a missile, it caused a political bombshell in Washington and the Obama administration quickly played it down. But the revelation actually contained little new. The intelligence agency making the assessment had publicized a similar conclusion before, and so had other weapons experts although many still dispute it. So why did it cause such a stir? The clearest reason

So the US government faces a dilemma. Accentuate the threat, and it could feed into the authoritarian regime’s notorious brinkmanship. Take the threat lightly, and Washington could be accused of putting the US and its allies at risk. That’s given rise to some confusion. “It would help if the US government would get its message on the North Korea threat straight,” Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies wrote in a blog this week. “Ignorance can breed unreasoning

it is boosting missile interceptors in Alaska. That shows that after a successful long-range rocket launch in December, and North Korea’s third nuclear test in February, Washington is gearing up for the likelihood the North will before long pose a direct threat to the continental US. Yet, actually coming out and saying whether North Korea now has the ability to fire a nuclear weapon - most feasibly against South Korea and Japan, where the US has military bases remains a sensitive matter. Republican Rep Doug Lamborn last week read aloud at a congres-

PYONGYANG: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (right) claps in this file photo during the unveiling ceremony of two statues of former leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang. —AFP came after weeks of dire threats from Pyongyang, warning of a nuclear war against the US. That’s fueled speculation over whether the impoverished, isolated nation is truly capable of translating its decades of developing ballistic missiles and atomic technology into a lethal attack. But it could also have reflected political sensitivities. Intelligence agencies don’t know for sure whether North Korea can launch a nuclear warhead. But even if they were certain, they might not want to acknowledge that fact. Doing so could be viewed as de facto recognition of North Korea as a nuclear weapons state - something that Pyongyang wants but the international community won’t grant as it seeks to get the North to honor previous commitments to abandon nuclear weapons.

fear, so divulging more information might not be a bad idea.” The North’s blood-curdling rhetoric is widely viewed as an attempt at extracting concessions as it seeks aid and security guarantees, more than four years after it withdrew from multi-nation aid-for-disarmament negotiations. US officials say the North doesn’t appear to be readying its forces. In fact soldiers have been mobilized to help plant spring crops. But the Obama administration has mounted a robust response, sending B-52 and B-2 bombers on exercises at the Korean Peninsula, and mobilizing missile ship-borne defenses in the region and a land-based system on the Pacific territory of Guam. North Korea is reportedly readying a test launch of an intermediate-range missile that could shoot over Japan. The Pentagon has also announced

sional hearing what he said was an unclassified paragraph from a secret, seven-page Defense Intelligence Agency report that it has “moderate confidence” that North Korea has nuclear weapons capable of delivery by ballistic missiles, but that the weapon was unreliable. The Pentagon moved swiftly to play down an assessment from its own intelligence wing, and the top US intelligence official, James Clapper, explained Thursday the passage in question had been mislabeled, and was in fact classified. He said there’s disagreement within the intelligence community about the assessment and the DIA has a “higher confidence level” than other agencies about it. But the DIA assessment didn’t appear to break much new ground. At a March 2011 hearing of the Senate Armed Service

Committee, then-DIA director Lt Gen Ronald Burgess told lawmakers: “The North may now have several plutonium-based nuclear warheads that it can deliver by ballistic missiles and aircraft as well as by unconventional means.” The likelihood of that being true has grown since the February nuclear test when the North claimed it used detonated “a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force.” Bruce Bennett, RAND Corp. senior defense analyst specializing in North and South Korea, concurs there’s a “reasonable chance” that North Korea can mount a nuclear warhead on at least for its shorterrange missiles, although it remains very unlikely that it has an intercontinental missile that can deliver a nuclear weapon to the US, which is more technically challenging. A Washington-based diplomat familiar with assessments on the North’s capabilities agreed. The diplomat, who divulged the sensitive information on condition that his nationality not be identified, said that since its second underground nuclear test in 2009, the North has probably been able to nuclear-arm missiles like the Nodong, which has an 800-mile range and could hit Japan, and Scud missiles of shorter range that can hit South Korea. James Schoff, a former senior adviser on East Asia policy at the Pentagon, and now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said defense planners in Japan have resigned themselves to the possibility that North Korea could fire a nuclear missile, and it’s stirred a debate there about whether Japan should develop its own independent, long-range strike capability - using aircraft, cruise missiles or ballistic missiles. Last October, South Korea reached an agreement with the US to more than double the range of Seoul’s ballistic missiles to counter the growing North Korean threat. Ultimately, no one knows for sure what North Korea’s nuclear weapons capability is. It banished UN nuclear inspectors in 2008, and the last US scientist to have had access to its only known nuclear facility was in late 2010. In his testimony to lawmakers this week, Clapper went so far as to say “neither we nor the North Koreans” know whether the nuclear weapons capability, if they have it, will actually work. But he conceded that the North has been in the nuclear business for 50 years and it’s probably just a matter of time before its reclusive regime acquires technologies that would put the US within its range. —AP

High drama as Venezuela’s Maduro takes oath of office CARACAS: Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as president of Venezuela on Friday, in a ceremony replete with drama as he replaced the late Hugo Chavez and urged dialogue with the opposition to build a better country. To cheers in the National Assembly, Maduro dedicated his oath of office to “the eternal memory of the supreme commander” Chavez, who dominated this oil-rich South American country for 14 years until dying from cancer in March. But the new leader’s speech was briefly disrupted when a man in a red shirt rushed onto the stage and roughly pushed Maduro aside to grab the microphone, a breach that led to national television coverage of the event being suspended. The intruder was removed from the stage and Maduro returned minutes later, clearly angry at the disruption. “Security has absolutely failed. They could have shot me here,” he said, but shaking it off, then declared: “Incident overcome.” Maduro, 50, said in his address that he wanted to begin his presidency “with a call to all Venezuelan men and women to continue to build a better fatherland of peace, an inclusive fatherland for everyone, by everyone.” He urged the opposition to “converse in the different settings where conversations can be held. I am ready to converse even with the devil.” But he then resumed his attacks on those same foes, highlighting what has been a week of soaring political tensions since he was declared the winner of snap elections by a narrow margin of 1.8 percentage points. Looking on were foreign leaders, lawmakers and other dignitaries who packed the assembly chamber for the swearing-in. Close allies Presidents Raul Castro of Cuba and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran were in the audience, along with the presidents of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Nicaragua, and neighboring Colombia. Maduro had met the night before in Lima with regional leaders who extended their congratulations to the new government and urged all sides in the bitterly contested elections to accept “the official results.” The endorsement came just hours after Venezuelan election authorities announced they would conduct an expand-

GOSHTA: Afghan border policemen take their positions on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Goshta district of Nangarhar province yesterday. Hundreds Afghan men from different parts of Nangarhar province took part in a demonstration against provincial governor Gul Agha Sherzai and burnt his posters. —AFP

Taleban sees no early peace talks with US DOHA: Taleban leaders living in Qatar have held no Afghanistan peace talks with US officials in the Gulf state for more than a year and see no prospect of any soon, Taleban sources say. A team of envoys from the Islamist insurgent group flew to Qatar in early 2012 to open talks with the US government, which has laid a greater emphasis on negotiations before a handover of security to Afghan forces in 2014. Among the most prominent members of the delegation in Doha is Tayeb Agha, the former chief of staff to the Taleban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar. But more than a year later, the negotiations held in March 2012 have not been followed by further meetings, Taleban sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Many of the Taleban leaders living in Qatar now appear to spend their time pursuing private family activities. Many can be seen at the shopping malls of the gas-rich Gulf Arab state, pushing trolleys loaded with merchandise and with their children in tow. “There has been no contact from the US with us at all this year,” said a Taleban source under condition of anonymity. No date had been set to restart the talks, he said, declining to give any further details. Talks among the United States, Pakistan and the Taleban about a possible Afghan settlement have made scant progress in the past few years. The Taleban suspended the talks in March 2012, saying Washington was giving mixed signals on the nascent Afghan reconciliation process. RESILIENT “Taleban had asked for the exchange of prisoners and recognition as a group, but as far as I know there have been no more talks,” said Mohammed Himat, counselor at the Afghan embassy in Doha, told Reuters. The talks in Doha between the Taleban and the United States in 2012 had taken place at a US military facility, he said. Afghan officials have not held formal talks with the militants, who were toppled by U.S.-led forces in 2001 in the wake of the Sept 11 attacks on the United States but have proven resilient after more than a decade of war. The Kabul government has said it wants to start talks with the Taleban to end the conflict before the planned departure of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014. Last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai flew to Doha and held talks with the emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, in an effort to speed up the opening of a

Taleban representative office in Qatar where further talks could be held. Karzai had initially resisted Western plans to grant the Taleban an office in Qatar, concerned that it would give the movement political legitimacy and reduce his control over the direction of any future talks. But he endorsed the proposal in late 2011 under pressure from his allies. Other countries who had also offered to host the office were Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Himat added. However, an Afghan government official familiar with the peace talks said Saudi Arabia was not an ideal option as it was seen as having strong ties with Pakistan. Afghan officials have long accused Pakistan of backing the Taleban or tolerating the movement’s leaders presence on its territory in the hope of using the force as proxy to influence events in Afghanistan. Nasrullah Stanekzai, an advisor to Karzai in legal affairs, told Reuters the opening of a Doha office for the Taleban would help Afghanistan engage in direct peace talks with insurgents and limit Pakistan’s influence on the process. SUICIDE ATTACKS With with no clear timeline of when peace talks will resume, the Taleban have continued their suicide attacks. Earlier this month, nine Taleban suicide bombers killed themselves and 44 others in an attack on a courtroom in western Afghanistan where 10 of their comrades were on trial, the biggest death toll in a single attack since 2011. Apart from Agha, the Taleban team includes Mualavi Shahabadin Delawar, a former Taleban ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Sohail Shaheen, a former Taleban ambassador to Pakistan, Sher Mohammad Stanekzai, a former Taleban minister of public health, Qari Deen Mohammad, from northern Tajikistan province and former Taleban minister of planning, Hafez Sayed Rahman from Laghman province and the Taleban’s envoy to Abu Dhabi, diplomats said. Qatari authorities were unavailable to confirm whether these Taleban members were living in Doha. Diplomats have said the authorities have banned them from speaking to the media. Some can now be spotted at malls dressed in Gulf Arab robes, pushing shopping trolleys and playing with their children. “They are inactive here in Doha and are monitored ver y closely by the authorities, but they are free to roam around the country and travel,” Himat said. —Reuters

Tight Malaysian election campaign gets under way

CARACAS: Venezuela’s newly inaugurated President Nicolas Maduro waves during a motorcade after his installation in Caracas. —AFP ed audit of Sunday’s ballot returns in response to opposition demands for a full recount. Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles immediately accepted, congratulating his followers on their “struggle for the truth.” Violent post-election protests left eight people dead and dozens hurt, igniting a crisis as Maduro and Capriles traded fiery accusations over who was to blame. For Maduro, the election was the culmination of a political career that took him from one-time bus driver and union organizer to Chavez’s handpicked successor. “I am the first post-Chavez president in history,” Maduro said on the eve of his swearing-in. The new first lady, Cilia Flores, is a heavyweight in her own right in the ruling United Socialist

Party of Venezuela. But Maduro also lost the votes of hundreds of thousands of Chavez supporters to Capriles, a 40year-old state governor who was defeated by the comandante in October by an 11-point margin. The weak election performance suggested Maduro has yet to step out of Chavez’s giant shadow with a mandate of his own. “Maduro is Chavez’s legacy. To support him is to support the supreme commander,” said Jose Rendo, a 38-year-old electrician who joined hundreds of other Chavez supporters in the nearby Plaza Bolivar for the inauguration. As Maduro entered the National Assembly, supporters showered him with cheers of “Chavez lives, the struggle continues.” —AFP

PERMATANG PAUH: Malaysian premier Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday kicked off their rival campaigns for May 5 elections likely to be the country’s closest ever. The two competitors joined hundreds of parliamentary candidates across the nation in submitting nomination papers in their respective constituencies, marking the start of a two-week campaign that will be hardfought. Najib, wearing a traditional black cap, a blue Malay tunic and a sarong, handed in documents in his home area on the east coast, where hundreds of government and opposition supporters gathered. “I am confident that the (ruling coalition) team contesting will transform Malaysia to greater heights,” the 59year-old said on his Twitter feed. Anwar registered in the northern state of Penang as hundreds of supporters shouted the opposition battle cry “Reformasi!” (“Reform”). “The next two weeks are going to be a tough tumble, especially for the opposition but, God willing, we can manage,” Anwar, also in traditional garb, told reporters. Anwar leads a diverse three-party alliance

that hopes to unseat a coalition controlled by the powerful United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which has dominated Malaysia since independence in 1957. The opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Pact) alliance aims to build on momentum from 2008 elections in which it tripled its seats in parliament, taking a third of a chamber long under the grip of UMNO and its allies. Under UMNO’s Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition, resource-rich Malaysia developed into a prosperous Southeast Asian economy. But ruling-coalition support has ebbed amid voter impatience with corruption, rising crime and living costs, and Barisan’s use of authoritarian tactics and divisive racial politics. Most of multi-ethnic Malaysia’s 29 million people are moderate-Muslim ethnic Malays who enjoy political supremacy and economic advantages over sizeable Chinese, Indian, and other minorities. “(Barisan Nasional) is so corrupt. We want Malaysia to have a good government,” said Zakaria Hashim, a factory worker who waved the flag of Anwar’s party outside the nomination centre in his Permatang Pauh constituency. —AFP

NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

An archer wearing a samurai costume and riding on horseback shoots an arrow at a target at Sumida Park in Tokyo yesterday. The archer was taking part in a yabusame, or archery on horseback, during a demonstration of the samurai martial art. — AFP

US seeks motive after bomb suspect nabbed Continued from Page 1 security and counter-terrorism cooperation in the wake of the attacks, according to the White House and the Kremlin. The younger Tsarnaev was caught after a resident in Watertown in the Boston suburbs saw blood on a boat he kept in his backyard, lifted the cover and saw the bloodied teenager curled up inside, police said. A small army of police surrounded the University of Massachusetts student for a showdown that lasted nearly two hours. Tsarnaev gave up to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents after a final gun battle. “The terror is over. And justice has won,” the Boston police department said on Twitter, as the city’s residents poured into the streets to celebrate, chanting: “USA! USA!” Some climbed onto car roofs to applaud police. Boston became a virtual city under siege Friday as thousands of police hunted for the brothers after images of them near the bomb scene were released. Authorities told hundreds of thousands of people to stay in their homes, halted public transport and closed schools and many businesses. In a rampage earlier Friday, a police officer was killed in what Boston police commissioner Ed Davis called a “vicious assassination”. The suspects then carjacked a Mercedes and hurled explosives at police chasing them. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died after a shootout in which he was wounded by police fire and by explosives he had strapped to his body. His brother was also hit but escaped. There is now intense scrutiny into how the brothers, ethnic Chechens who moved to the United States around a decade ago, may have turned to Islamist militancy. The FBI acknowledged on Friday that an unnamed

foreign government had asked about Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011. The FBI interviewed the man but said in a statement they had found no “derogatory” information. In his weekly radio address yesterday, Obama said police had been “heroic” and that the response had shown that “Americans refuse to be terrorized”. But in comments immediately after the capture, Obama said: “Obviously, there are still many unanswered questions. “Among them, why did young men who grew up and studied here as part of our communities and our country resort to such violence? How did they plan and carry out these attacks? And did they receive help?” Some reports say Tamerlan Tsarnaev had become a fervent Muslim who spent several months in Russia last year and had inﬂuenced his brother. While Tamerlan brieﬂy studied engineering at a community college, his younger brother was a scholarship-winning student and all-star wrestler who attended the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Many of the younger man’s teachers and friends have expressed shock at his involvement in the bombing. The men’s social media pages appeared to express sympathy with the struggle of Chechnya, which has been ravaged by two wars since 1994 between Russia and increasingly Islamist-leaning separatist rebels. The suspects’ father, Anzor Tsarnaev, told CNN from Dagestan that he planned to return to the United States to see his son. He had earlier told Russia’s Interfax news agency his sons had been “set up by the secret services because they are practicing Muslims”. Their mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, told Russia Today state television: “It’s impossible, impossible, for both of them to do such things, so I am really, really, really telling that this is a setup.” — Agencies

Saudi monarch replaces deputy defence... Continued from Page 1 Prince Khaled commanded Arab and Muslim armies in a US-led coalition which evicted Iraqi occupation forces from Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War. He also owns the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, published in London. The Defence Minister is Crown Prince Salman, King Abdullah’s named successor. He oversees multi-billion-dollar arms purchases that cement Saudi Arabia’s alliances with Western nations. Unlike in European monarchies, the Saudi ruling family succession does not move from father to eldest son but along a line of brothers born to the kingdom’s founder,

and is based on seniority, experience, temperament and position in the family. In the past year, grandsons have been appointed to senior positions, including Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as Interior Minister, Prince Saud bin Nayef as Eastern Province Governor and Prince Khaled bin Bandar as Riyadh governor. Speaking on Friday before a trip this month to the region by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Washington defence oﬃcials said the United States was ﬁnalising a $10 billion arms deal involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The deal involved the sale of V-22 Osprey air-

craft, advanced refuelling tankers and anti-air defence missiles to Israel and 25 F-16 Desert Falcon jets worth nearly $5 billion to the United Arab Emirates, the oﬃcials said. Saudi Arabia is expected to buy unspecified long-range weapons that could be used on 84 Boeing F15s that Saudi Arabia is buying under a separate arms deal first announced in 2010. Hagel’s first trip to Middle East since taking office in February included plans to visit Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE, and he was expected to continue discussions about the arms sale at stops along the way. — Agencies

Bahraini crown prince admits ‘issues’ on... Continued from Page 1 “I think they were largely peaceful people expressing their rights to disagree,” Salman said. “That’s the kind of thing that we want to support but what we don’t want to support are the violent extremists and very little distinction has been made between the two.” The 2011 crackdown with the backing of Arab troops led by neighbouring Saudi Arabia prompted cancellation of that year’s Bahrain Grand Prix but the event was controversially restored to the Formula One calendar last year. Opposition supporters have campaigned for the race to be cancelled, calling it a “crime”. But Prince Salman denied that the event was being exploited to boost the image and economy of the tiny Gulf monarchy that has a Shiite Muslim majority but is ruled by a Sunni dynasty and has been rocked by continuing Arab Spring-inspired unrest. “We’ve never used this race to say that everything’s ﬁne,” Prince Salman said. “We recognise there are issues in the country but they are to be solved in a political process which is well underway. I can name at least four other grand prix venues which have political problems but (they) don’t seem to attract that kind of attention.” Prince Salman said he is “hopeful” about talks between the government

and opposition forces but admitted the slow pace has been a concern. “I wish they were going faster,” the crown prince said. “But I’m hopeful. They are happening. That is the important thing. All sides get a chance to air their grievances and that is very key.” Last month, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa appointed his heir to an additional role overseeing government aﬀairs in an apparent gesture to opposition groups that have led more than two years of protests in a country which is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. The crown prince is seen as more receptive to political compromises than others in Bahrain’s ruling family, which has waged withering crackdowns on protesters, mainly Shiites calling for a greater political voice. The largest Shiite political group Al Wefaq welcomed the move but has since demanded that a member of the ruling family directly participate in the talks. “There is a serious need to involve the ruling family with the dialogue process in a serious way,” Al Wefaq spokesman Abdul Jalil Khalil told AP. “This will be one of the ﬁrst steps to improve the conditions of the dialogue, prepare the atmosphere and build the bridges of trust that also can be done by releasing political prisoners, stopping the intimidation of media.” Prince Salman said a “framework” needs to be in place for the talks before

he would consider joining. “If I attend talks and (they) fail as it did in 2011, the costs are extremely high,” the crown prince said. “I can’t speak for different political groups or different political views that are present at the table. So there is a time and a place for me to step in. It is not yet there.” World motorsport’s governing body the FIA and promoters Formula One Management said yesterday’s race would take place despite the demonstrations. “The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile and Formula One Management wish to jointly confirm their belief that the Bahrain GP should go ahead this weekend, following assurances from the local promoter and the authorities that security, their responsibility, will be guaranteed for all participants,” a statement read. But except for the odd plume of black smoke, hardly any sign of Bahrain’s political crisis reaches the Sakhir circuit in the desert about 30 km southwest of the capital Manama. Along the palmlined streets of the Formula One paddock, foreign women wear mini-skirts and sleeveless shirts - a blunt contrast to the full black dresses and veils favoured in nearby villages. Moving just a few hundred meters can make for a dizzying transition in the country, only a quarter the size of Luxembourg. In downtown Manama and the main roads, nothing appears amiss. — Agencies

160 dead in strong China quake Continued from Page 1 them still in their slippers and pyjamas. “Members of my family were woken up. They were lying in bed when the strong shaking began and the wardrobes began shaking strongly,” said a 43-year-old Chongqing resident surnamed Wang. “We grabbed our clothes and ran outside.” About 6,000 soldiers and police were heading to the area to help rescue work and five drones were sent to capture aerial images, Xinhua said. Some teams had to contend with roads blocked by debris, state television CCTV reported, while one military vehicle carrying 17 troops plummeted over a cliff, killing one soldier and injuring seven others, Xinhua said. “There are mountains on all sides, it is very easy to trigger mudslides and very dangerous,” one user wrote on Sina Weibo microblog site. The disaster evoked comparisons to the 2008 Sichuan quake, the country’s worst in decades, and President Xi Jinping ordered all out efforts to minimise casualties, Xinhua said. Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Sichuan in the afternoon and took a helicopter to the quake zone. The first 24 hours was “the golden time for saving lives”, he was quoted as saying. “Life is the most important thing and the top priority is saving lives,” he said. Amid the rescue efforts, a 30-year-old pregnant woman surnamed Zhao was pulled out of the rubble along with a young child and sent to hospital for treatment, the People’s Daily said on its Weibo account. “We have pulled 13 people out of the rubble, including 10 alive,” local official Luo Bin told Xinhua in the village of Gucheng. “We are not sure whether more people are buried underneath but

the search will go on,” he said. CCTV showed one survivor receiving stitches for his head on the street, and another elderly man being pushed in a wheelbarrow padded with blankets past a row of tents set up outside a Lushan hospital. A local TV journalist due to get married yesterday turned up instead for work and a photograph of her holding a microphone in her wedding dress with bright makeup and a corsage was widely circulated online. Meanwhile Ya’an residents were offering to donate badly needed blood, the People’s Daily said. But volunteers outside the city were discouraged from flocking to Ya’an to help with relief efforts, Xinhua said, to avoid blocking already busy phone lines and worsening road congestion. “A fair amount of telecoms facilities have been damaged,” it said. Pandas at a reserve less than 50 km from the epicentre were not harmed, Xinhua said, citing an employee. Users of weibo microblogs in other cities reported feeling tremors. The 2008 Sichuan quake, which struck west-northwest of Chengdu, generated an outpouring of support, with volunteers rushing to the scene to offer aid and then-premier Wen Jiabao also visiting. But there was public anger after the discovery that many schools fell while other buildings did not, creating suspicion of corruption and corner-cutting in construction. The deaths of the children became a sensitive and taboo subject in the heavily controlled domestic media and social media websites. Earthquakes frequently strike the country’s southwest. In April 2010, a 6.9 magnitude quake killed about 2,700 people and injured 12,000 in a remote area of Qinghai province bordering the northwest of Sichuan. — AFP

Boston suspects wanted to fit in Continued from Page 1 predominately Muslim region of Russia where separatists fought two wars in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union. They were schooled in Dagestan, a neighboring region that was drawn into Chechnya’s violence during the 1990s and has since become the focal point for a simmering Islamist insurgency. Their aunt, Maret Tsarnaeva, who lives in Toronto, said the family had refugee status in the United States. The younger brother arrived in 2002 with his parents. At the time, his three siblings were in Kazakhstan but later united with Dzhokhar in the United States. The father, Anzor, later went back to Dagestan with the mother, who has traveled back and forth to the United States. Their uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, who lives in Maryland, told reporters he had not spoken with Dzhokhar and Tamerlan since 2009. “He put a shame on our family, he put a shame on the entire Chechen ethnicity,” Tsarni said of Dzhokhar. But a man who identified himself as the father of the two brothers said on Friday he believed his sons had been framed. Sitting on an unmade bed in his home in Dagestan’s provincial capital Makhachkala, Anzor Tsarnaev defended the brothers. “Somebody clearly framed them. I don’t know who exactly framed them, but they did. They framed them. And they were so cowardly that they shot the boy dead,” he told Reuters, clasping his head in despair. He was speaking on Friday after news of Tamerlan’s death and before Dzhokhar was captured. “I’m scared for my boy - that they will shoot him dead too.” Tsarnaev also said he was expecting the younger brother tovisit him in Dagestan soon for summer holidays. Former classmates speculated that it might be the older brother who had influenced Dzhokhar. A YouTube account under Tamerlan’s name featured two videos about terrorism. Tamerlan appeared to become more religious in recent years, according to his aunt. “He was not devout, practicing. But about three years ago he began praying five times a day,” Tsarnaeva said in comments carried on CNN, adding that she had no problem with that change. More than anything, Dzhokhar wanted to be popular, according to those who knew him in Cambridge, home of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a city where students and academics mix easily with blue-collar workers and recent immigrants. Friends and acquaintances say he laughed at everyone’s jokes. He tried hard to get along with everybody. He used the word “dude.” He liked hip hop. He was cheery, nervous and socially awkward - but not in a way that made people uncomfortable. And he didn’t talk about politics much. “Seriously, he was so, so normal, no accent, an allAmerican kid in every measurable sense of the word,” said Nate Mann, 20, who was in the class above the younger Tsarnaev at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.

The older brother, who was known as Timmy, appeared to be less social. “I don’t have a single American friend,” Tamerlan was quoted as saying in a 2010 profile in “ The Comment” magazine, published by Boston University’s School of Communications. “I don’t understand them.” Luis Vasquez, a 25-year-old youth counselor who went to school with Tamerlan and lives two blocks away from the Tsarnaev house, remembers him differently. “He was just a big friendly giant,” Vasquez said. “He had a sense of humor.” Tamerlan had a wife, Katherine Russell, and a young daughter. His aunt said he was “very happy” about his child. “We cannot begin to comprehend how this horrible tragedy occurred,” the Russell family said in a statement. “In the aftermath of the Patriot’s Day horror, we know that we never really knew Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Our hearts are sickened by the knowledge of the horror he has inflicted.” Tamerlan had been a part-time accounting student at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. He was enrolled there for three semesters - fall 2006, spring 2007 and fall 2008. “He wasn’t even close” to getting a degree, said Patricia Brady, a spokeswoman for the college. After winning a Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition in nearby Lowell, Massachusetts, in 2004, Tamerlan told the local newspaper, “I like the USA. ... America has a lot of jobs. “That’s something Russia doesn’t have. You have a chance to make money here if you are willing to work.” Tamerlan was quoted in “The Comment” magazine as saying he wanted to participate in the Olympics and would “rather compete for the US than Russia” if he could not represent an independent Chechnya. He neither smoked nor drank, and said “God said no alcohol,” according to the magazine’s profile of the amateur boxer. Those who knew the younger brother painted a picture of a youth who bore none of the telltales of an immigrant: Dzhokhar had virtually no accent. He dressed in sweats and a sweatshirt. He did not hang with anybody in the school’s Muslim circle. The brothers’ public high school, Cambridge Rindge and Latin, is one of the most diverse in the country, its student body ranging from the children of immigrants to those of Harvard professors. It counts actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, poet E E Cummings and basketball star Patrick Ewing among its alumni. “I always sympathized with him because he was, I’d say, a kid that just really wanted to be accepted,” said Taylor Conlin, who played on the Rindge lacrosse team with Dzhokhar. “He did it in a very humble way, but he just tried to hang out with the cool kids.” Former classmates were astonished to hear that “sweet, considerate” Dzhokhar, who later enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, could have been involved in the explosions. “He was the typical Rindge kid to us, actually a lot nicer than we were, and quieter,” said Mann. “But obviously he had secrets.” — Reuters

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

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Washington Watch

Congress should not reward Israel with visa waivers By Dr James J Zogby here are currently several pieces of legislation being considered in the US Congress that would include Israel in the Visa Waiver Program - thus allowing Israeli citizens to enter the US without first obtaining a visa. Several Senators and Members of Congress have already signed on as co-sponsors. Because countries seeking to qualify for visa waivers must provide “reciprocal privileges to citizens and nationals of the United States,” I would advise those current sponsors and those who might be considering signing on in the future to first take a long, hard look at the Department of State’s (DOS) Travel Advisory for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. According to the DOS, “US citizens are advised that all persons applying for entry to Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza...may be denied entry or exit without explanation”. The DOS Travel Advisory specifically notes that “US citizens whom Israeli authorities suspect of being Arab, Middle Eastern, or Muslim origin...may face additional, often time-consuming, and probing questioning by immigration and border authorities, or may be denied entry”. More disturbing is the treatment meted out to Palestinian Americans. Again, according to the DOS “Israeli authorities might consider as Palestinian anyone who has a Palestinian identification number, was born in the West Bank or Gaza, or was born in the United States but has parents or grandparents who were born or lived in the West Bank or Gaza. Any such US citizen might be required by the Government of Israel to travel to Israel using a Palestinian Authority passport [even if they do not want it]. Without the PA passport, such US citizens might be barred from entry...or may face serious delays at points of entry”. For more than 35 years now, we have been documenting this discriminatory treatment by Israeli authorities. We have presented the DOS with the complaints of hundreds of American of Arab descent who, upon entering Israel or the Occupied Territories, have reported being: detained for hours of humiliating questioning; forced against their will to secure a Palestinian passport; strip searched; forced to surrender cameras, computers, or phones (some of which have been destroyed or not returned); or denied entry and forced to buy a return ticket back to the US Over the years, we have also complained to several Secretaries of State that, by singling out Arab and Muslim Americans, Israel is violating its treaty obligations to the US In the “1951 US-Israel Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation” Israel pledged to permit US citizens to “travel freely, to reside at places of their choice, to enjoy liberty of conscience” and to guarantee them “the most constant protection and security”. And when the DOS and US Consular officials have failed to act to protect the rights of American citizens traveling to Israel, we have argued that they are failing to honor the commitment given to US citizens on the opening page of every US passport: “The Secretary of State of the United States of America hereby requests all whom it may concern to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection”. Our concern has been that Israel was being allowed to determine, on its own, that Arab Americans are second-class US citizens. We have asked our government’s leadership to consider the implications of another country saying to an American citizen, even a second or third generation American, that their American passport is meaningless and that they have to secure a foreign passport before they can travel. Some US officials have been responsive. President Clinton provided me with the opportunity to directly raise the issue with a visiting Israeli Prime Minister. Secretary of State Albright repeatedly protested this behavior with her Israeli counterpart. And Secretary Rice issued a strong statement denouncing Israel’s discriminatory treatment by publicly affirming that “an American citizen is an American citizen”. The Israelis, however, have failed to respond. Given this record, it is both bewildering and maddening that some Senators and Members of Congress now want to legitimate Israel’s refusal to recognize that Arab Americans, and most especially Palestinian Americans, should be accorded their full rights as American citizens. NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American Institute

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Gold slide warning sign for global economy By Ryan Vlastelica and Richard Leong he plunge in the gold price in the past week may have raised a big red flag over the global economy. Some top investors say the gold sell-off, and the broader declines in oil and metals prices, reflect the failure of the Federal Reserve and other central banks to create robust demand even as they inject massive amounts of money into the world financial system. The slide, which took gold to its biggest one-day loss ever in dollar terms on Monday, unnerved investors who saw billions of dollars in gains wiped out in a few days, and it may portend declines in other asset prices ahead. That may have begun this week with several days of big stock price drops. Some see the move in gold as a possible flashpoint for a broader economic and markets shock comparable to the collapse of hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management in 1998 and even the financial crisis a decade later. Both events were preceded by sharp drops in gold. The gold and commodities weakness is “signaling concerns about global growth,” said Mohamed El-Erian, the co-chief investment officer of PIMCO, which oversees $2 trillion in assets. “Commodities have been sending the signal on growth for a while, and now even louder.” And after the stampede out of gold earlier this week, investors on Thursday dumped their holdings of US inflation bonds after a lousy auction. This kind of debt is seen as a way to protect against any rise in the inflation rate that might materialize in a more buoyant economy. The post-crisis run-up in gold prices resulted in part from speculation triggered by the massive amounts of cash created by aggressive monetary policy. It had been thought that the massive creation of credit would support a “re-inflation” of the world economy - but the recent pull-

back in gold, oil and copper - the latter two assets linked closely with global industrial growth - suggests that this may just not be happening. The recent rush into the safety of US Treasuries - which has pushed yields close to four-month lows - is another sign that the global economy is far from humming. Treasuries are often seen as a shelter when the economy is weak or unstable. The PIMCO Total Return Fund, which holds $289 billion in assets and overseen by Bill Gross, increased its exposure to Treasuries and Treasury-related securities to 33 percent in March from 28 percent the previous month. Gross said on Twitter on Wednesday that “gold has started a levered market ‘sell-off.’ Buy Treasuries.” Some are even talking about the possibility the United States could head back into recession, though this is a minority view. “It’s not noise. There are fundamental consequences,” said Komal Sri-Kumar, president of Sri-Kumar Global Strategies and and a portfolio manager of the TCW Comprehensive Asset Allocation Strategy fund. The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday dialed back its forecast on global economic growth in 2013 to 3.3 percent from its earlier projection of 3.5 percent. That is little changed from the 3.2 percent in 2012. Concerns about slowing growth are also resonating within the Federal Reserve. Several Fed officials expressed worry about disinflation, including the more centrist James Bullard, St. Louis Fed president, who said on Wednesday that “if inflation continues to go down, I would be willing to increase the pace” of stimulus. “The stars are lining up” for a significant dip in US growth in the second half of the year, possibly even a double-dip recession by 2014, Sri-Kumar said. It all raises questions about the effectiveness of the huge cash stimulus pumped into the world economy by the Fed, the

Bank of Japan, and other major central banks. With governments strapped for cash, the central banks have taken on a lot of the burden of getting the world economy back on a growth path after the devastation inflicted by the financial crisis. If the impact of those measures, such as the Fed buying massive amounts of government and mortgage debt, starts to show diminishing returns it could be a huge concern for investors in any riskier assets. The downdraft in gold prices coincided with mounting evidence of a slowing of the rate of price increases. On Tuesday, the US Labor Department said US consumer prices have increased by 1.5 percent over the past 12 months, the slowest rate of increase since July 2012. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch recently warned that gold - which was trading at $1,392 an ounce late on Thursday - could fall to $1,200 before stabilizing, citing “fears of disinflation combined with news of potential central bank gold selling.” The sell-off in gold, together with weak economic data, knocked investors’ long-term inflation expectations to their lowest levels since late last summer. The yield gap between 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities and regular 10-year Treasury notes - used to gauge investors’ outlook on inflation - 2.27 percentage points on Thursday, the lowest since early September prior to the Fed’s announcement of its third round of largescale bond purchases, known as QE3. This 10-year inflation “break-even” rate, which the Fed monitors, was as high as 2.61 points in late January. Meanwhile, three-month copper futures are down 12 percent this year, falling below $7,000 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange for the first time since October 2011. Copper’s importance as a use in industrial and housing applications - from autos to water pipes - has made it a key barometer of demand. Some, however,

believe the dramatic wind-down of the severe inflation of assets in the previous decade remains incomplete - making the declines in gold and other metals less disconcerting. “Because the global economy is on the downside of a global credit bubble, it seems unreasonable to expect abnormal inflation,” said Richard Bernstein, a longtime strategist who heads his own namesake investment advisory firm in New York. In addition, gold has arguably been in line for a correction. Its price had risen for 12 straight years, and had gained 52 percent in the last three years, the kind of gains seen notably in technology stocks in the late 1990s. “Even at these levels, gold is still not attractive. The odds favor the bull market being over,” said Jim McDonald, chief investment strategist at Chicago-based Northern Trust Global Investments, which in early March told clients to stop allocating a position to gold. As the outlook on inflation has diminished, investors have cut back on their gold exposure. US funds that invest in precious metals suffered a record one-week outflow of $2.7 billion in the week ended April 17, according to Lipper, a unit of Thomson Reuters, of which $2.2 billion came from the SPDRs Gold Shares ETF. The GLD is one of the largest exchange-traded funds with $50.8 billion in assets, but it has seen its assets dwindle by one-third since Oct 2012, Lipper said. The stampede out of gold has tapered off, and it has pulled back more than 5 percent from a two-year low of $1,321 an ounce hit earlier last week, leading to some hopes the declines are the result of a muchneeded correction in the metal. Still, investors are very wary of another plunge. “If we see this kind of liquidation again, the equity market will follow. Then we’ll have a real problem,” said Frank Cholly, Jr, senior commodities broker at R J O’Brien and Associates in Chicago. — Reuters

The art of the not very possible By Giles Hewitt he focus of weeks of hostile rhetoric on the Korean peninsula has shifted from nuclear war to dialogue, but analysts warn the road to formal talks is longer and more challenging than it has ever been. So challenging, in fact, that some experts believe dialogue is not even a realistic option given that North Korea is as committed to its demand for recognition as a nuclear power as the United States is to refusing it. With three nuclear tests under its belt, these experts argue, North Korea is no longer the country that negotiated a 1994 nuclear deal with the US or reached a 2005 denuclearisation accord under the six-party talks framework. During a trip to Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry repeatedly stressed Washington was ready to talk to Pyongyang provided it was serious about reining in its nuclear program. The response from North Korea was to issue a list of essentially impossible pre-conditions, including the withdrawal of United Nations sanctions. For cup-half-full observers, the fact that Pyongyang chose to engage on the subject of talks at all - no matter how unrealistic its demands - was a welcome move. And Kerry chose to take the North’s response as an “opening gambit” which, while “obviously” unacceptable, at least opened the door to further discussion. But where would that discussion lead? If the North’s initial position is wilfully unrealistic, so, according to some analysts, is the US stance - predicated on the assumption that a way exists to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons. That the North has devot-

ed so much effort and money into developing its nuclear arsenal is proof, says Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, that it is interested in more than just piling up bargaining chips. “It actually wants to acquire these capabilities and be accepted by the world as a nuclear state,” Cha said. “It is unlikely to trade them away.” Daniel Pinkston, a North Korea expert with the International Crisis Group, believes the current diplomatic thinking on North Korea labours under the illusion that Pyongyang has a fallback, compromise position. In reality, Pinkston argues, the North’s “military-first” policy, maintained by its new young leader Kim Jong-Un, means the regime’s legitimacy rests on a perception of strength, making it impossible for it to back down. “It just isn’t going to go anywhere,” Pinkston told AFP. “It’s a bit like being infatuated with someone who can’t stand you. You’re desperately searching and prodding to find something you share in common, but there’s nothing there.” Those who see dialogue with the North as inherently fruitless suggest the only real option is robust deterrence and containment - a strategy backed by Siegfried Hecker, a leading expert on the North’s nuclear program. “It has been clear for some time that North Korea will not give up its nuclear weapons,” Hecker wrote in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. “So what we should have focused on is to make sure things don’t get worse,” Hecker said. Proponents of dialogue argue that while diplomacy might not secure solutions, it can help to point them out. Joel Wit, a former US negotiator with North Korea, believes contact with North Korea is crucial to clarify its intentions in a way that cannot be done by parsing the

words of Pyongyang’s bellicose state media. “We might learn that there are peaceful paths forward or that the North is indeed bent on confrontation,” Wit and Johns Hopkins University researcher Jenny Town wrote in an article for Foreign Policy magazine. “Either way, clarity is essential given the seriousness of this situation.” The Korean peninsula has been caught in a cycle of escalating military tension since the North carried out its third nuclear test in February. Pyongyang may have dialled down the pitch of its hostile rhetoric in recent days, but the tensions and accompanying risk of a misstep that could spiral out of control remain. And the North has shown no sign of reversing its surprise move earlier this month of closing down the South-funded Kaesong joint industrial complex - a key source of hard currency for the regime in Pyongyang. Given the sensitive atmosphere and the apparent unbending incompatibility of the North Korean and US positions, one way forward would be for Washington to remove itself from the equation - or at least distance itself. Paul Carroll, programme director at the Ploughshares Fund, a US-based security policy thinktank, believes the US is looking to have South Korea take responsibility for opening and moulding a dialogue. “I suspect that is what the conversation in early May will be about,” Carroll said, referring to planned White House talks between Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye. “It’s a strategy Washington can sell domestically, that Seoul is on the frontline, understands this better than anyone, and should take the lead,” Carroll said. “It still won’t be easy to realise a dialogue, but there’s a better chance,” he added. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

S P ORTS Akram: Pace bowling now a tougher job

Cardiff follow promotion with Championship title

KARACHI: Recent rule changes in limited-overs cricket and the increasing popularity of the Twenty20 format have made the job of pace bowling a much tougher assignment, former Pakistan fast bowler and captain Wasim Akram said yesterday. Akram, 46, started a 10-day training camp in Karachi for 19 of Pakistan’s top fast bowlers, including members of the national team and some raw talent. The camp was set up ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy after selectors and some former players expressed concerns over the declining pace bowling resources in the country following Pakistan’s dismal performance in South Africa. “The rule changes in one-day cricket, that you can’t keep more than four fielders outside the circle in a 50-over match at any time, and the rising popularity of T20 cricket means pace bowlers now need to be more adaptable,” Akram told reporters. “I will advise these bowlers that to be successful in this scenario, aggression is a must with top grade fitness, pace and the ability to have length variation. “T20 cricket has changed the mentality of batsmen. The odds are stacked against the bowlers.” —Reuters

LONDON: Cardiff City drew 1-1 at Burnley on Saturday to ensure they returned to the top flight of English soccer as winners of the English Championship (second division) after securing promotion earlier in the week. Craig Conway put the Welsh club ahead after 27 minutes at Turf Moor before David Edgar equalised for the home side with a thumping header in the dying minutes. The point moved Cardiff into an unassailable seven-point lead over second-placed Hull City with only two matches remaining. Cardiff, who drew 0-0 with Charlton on Tuesday to ensure their return to the top flight after a 51-year absence, went ahead after a counter-attack when Kim Bo-kyung threaded a pass through to Conway, who worked the ball on to his right foot and curled it home. Edgar’s goal moved Burnley on to 55 points and virtual safety in the tight battle to avoid relegation. Hull moved a step closer to a return to the Premier League after being relegated three years ago when they drew 0-0 against already-relegated Bristol City on Friday. Hull will be assured of automatic promotion behind Cardiff if third-placed Watford lose against visitors Blackburn Rovers and fifth-placed Crystal Palace, who have played two games less than Hull, fail to beat Leicester later on Saturday. —Reuters

Scotsman leads Spanish Open VALENCIA: A four under par round of 68 propelled Scotsman Marc Warren into a two shot lead at the Spanish Open in Valencia after yesterday’s third round. Warren, a two-time winner on the European tour, is followed by compatriot Craig Lee after his two under par round of 70 gave him a one shot advantage over the chasing pack at five under. Birdies at the third, fifth and seventh got Warren off to the perfect start and despite a dropped shots at the ninth and 14th, further birdies on the back nine at the 10th, 12th and 15th made it a very satisfactory round for the 32-year-old. The best round of the day, though, was from Englishman David Horsey, whose wonderful 66 put him into contention at five under for the tournament. Horsey is joined on five-under by fellow Englishman Paul Waring, but it was a disappointing day for overnight leader Peter Uihlein as the American’s 74 dropped him back to four under overall alongside Raphael Jacquelin, David Howell and Maximilian Kieffer. However, there was more promising news for local favourite Sergio Garcia as he shot a two under par 70 to move to one under for the tournament and up to 23rd in the overall standings. —AFP

Mets roll over Nationals NEW YORK: Matt Harvey outpitched Stephen Strasburg in a marquee matchup of young aces, escaping a late bases-loaded jam while the crowd chanted his name and leading the New York Mets over the Washington Nationals 7-1 Friday night. Ike Davis and Lucas Duda each hit two home runs, providing an ample cushion for Harvey and the Mets to end their three-game skid. Harvey (4-0) gave up one run and four hits in seven innings, striking out seven. Davis and Duda hit solo home runs in the sixth - the first time Strasburg (1-3) ever had been tagged twice in an inning. Davis added a two-run homer in the eighth and Duda hit a solo drive off Drew Storen. Strasburg allowed four runs, two unearned, and five hits in six innings. He fanned six.

ARLINGTON: Dustin Ackley No. 13 of the Seattle Mariners makes the out against Ian Kinsler No. 5 of the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark. —AFP

Rangers fall to Mariners ARLINGTON: Yu Darvish struck out 10 while allowing only three hits over seven innings for Texas, and the Rangers had their biggest inning of the season in a 7-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. In his first start in a week, and 33rd in the major leagues, Darvish (3-1) had his 10th career 10-strikeout game. Jeff Baker put Texas up 1-0 with a twoout solo homer in the second off Joe Saunders (1-2). The Rangers added a sixrun fifth, scoring twice as many runs as they had in any inning this year. The seven runs overall matched their season high. ANGELS 8, TIGERS 1 In Anaheim, Peter Bourjos had three hits and three RBIs, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols drove in two runs apiece, and the Angels slowed the worst start in franchise history with a victory over Torii Hunter and the Tigers. Pujols had three hits and Brendan Harris added an early RBI double for the Angels, who had a season-high 16 hits. Their 5-10 start still matches the 1961 expansion team’s miserable beginning. Tommy Hanson (2-1) and four relievers combined on a rocky 10-hitter for the beleaguered Angels pitching staff. Hunter extended his hitting streak to 12 games after receiving a standing ovation in the former Los Angeles outfielder’s first night back at Angel Stadium. Anibal Sanchez (2-1) pitched into the seventh inning for Detroit, giving up 11 hits, but avoiding major trouble. YANKEES 9, BLUE JAYS 4 In Toronto, Andy Pettitte pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Travis Hafner homered and had two RBIs, and the Yankees beat the Blue Jays. Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells also went deep against their former team as the Yankees won for the eighth time in 10 games.

Scratched from his previous scheduled start because of back spasms, Pettitte (3-0) was pitching for the first time since April 9 at Cleveland. He showed few signs of rust, however, striking out four in a row at one stretch in his 7 1-3 innings. Jose Bautista returned to the lineup as the designated hitter after missing the previous four games and hit a two-run homer. Brandon Morrow (0-2) remained winless in four starts, allowing seven runs, five earned, and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings. RAYS 8, ATHLETICS 3 St. Petersburg, Evan Longoria hit a tworun homer and Ben Zobrist had a pair of RBI singles to help Tampa Bay beat Oakland. Jose Lobaton also drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single to back the pitching of Alex Cobb (2-1), who allowed three runs and 10 hits over 7 1-3 innings. Brandon Moss and Jed Lowrie, who went 4 for 4, had run-scoring singles off Cobb in the first for the A’s. Starting pitcher Brett Anderson (1-3) left with an ankle injury after Tampa Bay scored four times in the bottom half of the inning. ASTROS 3, INDIANS 2 In Houston, JD Martinez and Rick Ankiel hit back-to-back homers in the second inning and the Astros held on for a win over the Indians. The win snaps a five-game skid for Houston and extends Cleveland’s losing streak to five. Houston starter Lucas Harrell (1-2) allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings before three relievers combined to shut Cleveland out the rest of the way. Closer Jose Veras allowed one hit in the ninth for his first save in two tries. Carlos Pena walked with one out in the second inning before Martinez got Houston’s first hit by launching a homer in the stands in right field off former Astros pitcher Brett Myers (0-3). —AP

BREWERS 5, CUBS 4 In Milwaukee, Ryan Braun hit a three-run homer, and Jean Segura produced some bizarre baserunning in the Brewers’ win over the Cubs. Segura somehow wound up safe at first base after attempting to steal third, only to later be thrown out attempting to steal second base again. Segura led off the eighth inning with a single and stole second before Braun walked. The two attempted a double steal, but Shawn Camp didn’t deliver a pitch. Instead, he threw to third well ahead of Segura, who turned and went back to second. Braun was there, and shortstop Luis Valbuena tagged both runners as they stood on the bag. The rules say only the trailing runner is out in that case, but Segura trotted back toward first base and the home dugout, then appeared to realize what had happened and sped into the unoccupied base. He later attempted a straight steal of second, but Cubs catcher Welington Castillo threw him out. It didn’t matter, though, because Braun went deep against Jeff Samardzija (1-3) and Anthony Rizzo hit his fifth homer of the year for the Cubs, who never trailed. Milwaukee starter Marco Estrada (2-0) pitched out of trouble in his six innings. PIRATES 6, BRAVES 0 In Pittsburgh, Wandy Rodriguez faced the minimum while throwing seven innings of one-hit ball to outpitch Tim Hudson and help the Pirates beat the Braves. Hudson came up short in his first attempt at win No. 200. Pedro Alvarez homered for the second consecutive game and Russell Martin, Neil Walker and Travis Snider each reached base three times for Pittsburgh, which has won seven of its past 10 after a 1-5 start. Rodriguez (2-0) allowed only Jason Heyward’s one-out single in the fourth. Justin Upton followed by grounding into a double play. Hudson (2-1) fell to 199-105 in his 15-year career. PHILLIES 8, CARDINALS 2 In Philadelphia, Roy Halladay tossed a two-hitter over seven innings and the Phillies beat the Cardinals in a rain-shortened game to snap a four-game losing streak.

Crusaders beat Highlanders CHRISTCHURCH: The Crusaders kept alive their faint hopes of an eighth Super Rugby title with a 24-8 victory yesterday that inflicted an eighth straight defeat on the winless Highlanders. The Christchurch-based Crusaders are a poor shadow of teams that won seven championships in Super Rugby’s various formats across 17 years, lacking attacking finesse in the absence of star playmaker Dan Carter. Though they enjoyed overwhelming advantages of territory and possession - almost 80 percent in the first half the Crusaders managed only one con-

tentious try in each half and lacked imagination against some stoic Highlanders defense. The win left the Crusaders with a 44 record midway through the regular season, to sit third in the New Zealand conference and ahead of only the Hurricanes and Highlanders. The luckless Highlanders, wrecked by injuries, were also undone by a debilitating weakness at set-pieces. Their lineout was wretched and their scrum uncompetitive, allowing the Crusaders to build territorial advantage in wet conditions on which their win was based. The Dunedin-based Highlanders have a

forward pack creaking with age, based around former All Blacks lock Brad Thorn, who was called back to Super Rugby from Japan but at 37 is past his best. Loosehead prop Tony Woodcock, scorer of the only try in the 2011 World Cup final, is also struggling for form, and the Highlanders had little hope of reversing their losing start to the season with such an overbearing disadvantage. The Crusaders, coming off a loss last week to the lowly Western Force, were still hard-pressed to win. Their game was dull and directionless, with flawed backplay and tactical choices lacking in intuition. —AP

retired the last two batters in the eighth. Steve Cishek gave up a hit in the ninth while earning the Marlins’ first save of the season. ROCKIES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1 In Denver, Jhoulys Chacin pitched effectively into the seventh inning and became the first Rockies starter to throw 100 pitches in a game since June before leaving with left oblique tightness, and Colorado beat the Diamondbacks. Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer and Chacin helped himself by driving in a run with a sacrifice fly as the Rockies won their seventh in row and remained unbeaten in seven home games this season. Chacin (3-0) was seen grabbing his lower left back after throwing his fourth pitch to Arizona’s Cody Ross with one out in the seventh inning. The last time a Colorado starter reached the century mark in pitches was June 12, a stretch of 117 games. It was the longest string in the majors since records started being kept by STATS in 1988. Before the Rockies’ streak, the longest string of starters not throwing 100 pitches in a game was held by Washington, which went 33 games from Aug. 31, 2011, to April 10, 2012. GIANTS 3, PADRES 2 In San Francisco, Angel Pagan lined a game-ending double to right field with one out in the ninth inning, and the Giants returned from a rough road trip to beat the Padres. Santiago Casilla (2-1) struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for the win. Shortstop Brandon Crawford made a great pickup on Jesus Guzman’s grounder for the second out. Luke Gregerson (1-2) gave up Gregor Blanco’s leadoff bloop single to shallow left to start the rally, then pinch-hitter Andres Torres reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second before coming home on Pagan’s hit. Chase Headley hit a tying, two-out homer in the sixth just over leaping left fielder Blanco.—AP

NEW YORK: Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws against the New York Mets in first inning of a baseball game. —AP

Halladay (2-2) allowed two runs, walked two and struck out six to record a complete game. He’s had consecutive strong outings after starting the season with two poor ones. Jimmy Rollins, Ben Revere, Humberto Quintero and John Mayberry Jr. each had two hits for the Phillies, who busted out of their slump with five runs off Jaime Garcia (1-1) in the first inning. Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit solo homers for the Cardinals. Garcia allowed eight runs - four earned - and nine hits in three innings.

MARLINS 2, REDS 1 In Cincinnati, Justin Ruggiano hit a solo homer off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning sending the Marlins to a victory that snapped the Reds’ winning streak at four games. It was a stunning moment for the Marlins, who have the worst record in the majors at 4-13 and had only four homers - fewest in the majors - when Ruggiano connected off the Reds’ spotless closer for his second homer in two games. Chapman (2-1) hadn’t allowed a run in his eight previous appearances. Left-hander Mike Dunn (1-0)

MLB results/standings Philadelphia 8, St. Louis 2 (7 innings); Pittsburgh 6, Atlanta 0; NY Yankees 9, Toronto 4; Miami 2, Cincinnati 1; NY Mets 7, Washington 1; Tampa Bay 8, Oakland 3; Texas 7, Seattle 0; Milwaukee 5, Chicago Cubs 4; Houston 3, Cleveland 2; Colorado 3, Arizona 1; LA Angels 8, Detroit 1; San Francisco 3, San Diego 2. American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 13 3 .813 Boston 11 4 .733 Washington 9 7 .563 4 NY Yankees 9 6 .600 2 NY Mets 8 7 .533 4.5 Baltimore 8 7 .533 3 Philadelphia 7 10 .412 6.5 Toronto 7 10 .412 5 Miami 4 13 .235 9.5 Tampa Bay 6 10 .375 5.5 Central Division Kansas City 8 6 Detroit 9 7 Minnesota 6 7 Chicago White Sox 7 9 Cleveland 5 10

Oakland Texas Seattle LA Angels Houston

Western Division 12 5 10 6 7 11 5 10 5 11

.571 .563 .462 .438 .333

.706 .625 .389 .333 .313

1.5 2 3.5

1.5 5.5 6 6.5

St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh Milwaukee Chicago Cubs

Central Division 9 7 9 8 8 8 7 8 5 10

.563 .529 .500 .467 .333

0.5 1 1.5 3.5

Colorado San Francisco Arizona LA Dodgers San Diego

Western Division 12 4 10 7 9 7 7 8 5 11

.750 .588 .563 .467 .313

2.5 3 4.5 7

Reds, Brumbies draw in Aussie showdown BRISBANE: The much-hyped match to decide Australia’s dominant Super 15 club proved inconclusive after the Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies were deadlocked Saturday in a punishing 19-19 draw. The Reds crossed for three tries, while Christian Lealiifano scored a converted try and kicked four penalties to account for all of the Brumbies’ points. It was enough for the Brumbies to retain their narrow lead in the Australian conference with 35 points, ahead of Queensland on 33. The Reds wasted plenty of opportunities, repeatedly declining easy shots at penalty goals and narrowly missing three other tries. Rod Davis dropped the ball over the line

in the right corner in the first half and, in the second half, Anthony Faingaa was bundled into the left corner post as he crossed and prop Ben Daley barged over the line but the video referee couldn’t confirm that he’d grounded the ball. The Brumbies defended bravely on their own line, twice down to 14 men with players in the sin bin for professional fouls, and held out the Reds for 10 minutes midway through the second half despite conceding frequent penalties when the 2011 champions relentlessly attacked the tryline. After trailing 13-7 at halftime, the Reds’ constant pressure finally overcame the inspirational Brumbies defense when 19-year-old flanker Liam Gill barged over to level the scores at

19-19 in the 76th minute. Reds coach Ewen McKenzie questioned why more Brumbies weren’t yellow carded in the second half, and said he could barely believe a penalty awarded to the Brumbies from a kick restart that gifted the visitors three crucial points. “It was a frustrating time. In the end, we were determined to score some tries,” he said. “We got a couple of yellow cards there. I thought we played with good intent. We shook the game up a little bit. In the end we weren’t quite good enough.” Reds skipper James Horwill didn’t regret not taking easy penalty kicks when they were offered throughout the game, but said the enterprising Queensland attack wasn’t rewarded. —AP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

S P ORTS

Rosberg on pole in Bahrain MANAMA: Germany’s Nico Rosberg looked forward to ‘kick-starting’ his season after seizing Mercedes’s second successive pole position in qualifying for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix yesterday. Compatriot and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel joined him on the front row for Red Bull at a circuit where no driver has won from lower than fourth place on the grid in eight previous races. “Am I surprised? A little bit. It wasn’t really clear who was the quickest car over one lap,” said Rosberg of his second career pole. “I really want to kickstart my season. It has been a rough ride in the first three races. Today was my first real qualifying.” Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, three times a winner in Bahrain, will share the second row in Sunday’s race with Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa after penalties for Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Mark Webber. Hamilton was on pole in China last weekend but collected a five-place penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change after yesterday’s final practice, dropping him from fourth. Webber was fifth fastest for his 200th race but falls three places as a punishment for causing a collision in Shanghai, with Massa moving up from sixth. Rosberg’s only previous pole was in China last year. Mercedes have not had back-toback poles since they returned as a works team in 2010. The German driver has retired from two of the season’s three races and finished fourth in Malaysia when he was ordered by the team not to pass Hamilton for third place for fear that the cars would run out of fuel. The son of 1982 champion Keke now has a chance to take the second win of his career, at the circuit where he made his debut in 2006, but he warned that rear tyre degradation would be a concern in the race. “It’s difficult to say if we have enough pace to win the race tomorrow but for sure we’ll try hard to win,” said

BAHRAIN: McLaren Mercedes’ British driver Jenson Button drives during the qualifying session at the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. —AFP Rosberg. The driver on pole in Bahrain has won four of the past eight races there. Vettel leads the championship with 52 points, with Kimi Raikkonen, who qualified in

ninth place but moves up to eighth, second on 49 for Lotus. Alonso has 43. “Congratulations to Nico, it was all his today,” said Vettel. “It was clear even with a perfect lap (he) was unbeatable today.”

Britain’s Paul Di Resta qualified a strong seventh for Force India and will move up to fifth after the grid penalties. At the back, Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado failed to make it through the

first phase after he and Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas clocked the same time down to a thousandth of a second. The Finn went through because he set his time first. —Reuters

Zimbabwe celebrate record Test win against Bangladesh

HARARE: Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Ashraful (right) misses the ball and is run out for 40 runs on the fourth day of the Test match against Zimbabwe. —AP

SCOREBOARD HARARE: Scoreboard at the end of the first test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club yesterday: Zimbabwe first innings 389 (B. Taylor 171, M. Waller 55) Bangladesh second innings Bangladesh first innings 134 (S. Masakadza 4-32, K. Jahurul Islam c Mutumbami b S. Masakadza 22 Jarvis 4-40) Shahriar Nafees b Jarvis 11 Zimbabwe second innings (overnight: 187-7) Mohammad Ashraful run out 40 T. Maruma lbw Robiul Islam 10 Mahmudullah c sub (Williams) b Jarvis 21 V. Sibanda b Robiul Islam 4 Shakib Al Hasan c Sibanda b Jarvis 4 H. Masakadza c & b Robiul Islam 0 Mushfiqur Rahim c Taylor b Chigumbura 3 B. Taylor not out 102 Nasir Hossain b Cremer 23 M. Waller c Nasir Hossain b Robiul Islam 4 Sohag Gazi st Mutumbami b Cremer 4 E. Chigumbura c Jahurul Islam b Robiul Islam 27 Enamul Haque jnr not out 6 R. Mutumbami lbw Robiul Islam 0 Rubel Hossain c S. Masakadza b Cremer 4 G. Cremer run out 43 Robiul Islam c Jarvis b Cremer 0 K. Meth not out 31 Extras (b-8, nb-1) 9 Extras (lb-2 w-2 nb-2) 6 Total (all out, 49.2 overs) 147 Total (for seven wickets declared, 64 overs) 227 Fall of wickets: 1-21 2-41 3-77 4-81 5-85, 6-132, 7-136, 8Fall of wickets: 1-7 2-9 3-16 4-27 5-84 6-84 7-163 139, 9-147 Did not bat: S. Masakadza, K. Jarvis Bowling: Robiul Islam 19-1-71-6 (2w), Rubel Hossain 10- Bowling: K. Jarvis 17-1-75-3 (nb1), K. Meth 12-5-16-0, S. 0-44-0 (2nb), Shakib Al Hasan 9-2-22-0, Enamul Haque Masakadza 10-4-26-1, E. Chigumbura 5-0-18-1, G. jnr 13-2-45-0, Sohag Gazi 9-0-24-0, Mahmudullah 4-2- Cremer 5.2-1-4-4. 19-0. Result: Zimbabwe won by 335 runs

HARARE: Zimbabwe bowled a hapless Bangladesh out for 147 in their second innings to complete a massive 335-run victory in the first test at Harare Sports Club yesterday. The winning margin was Zimbabwe’s biggest in terms of runs and almost double their previous best of 183 achieved against the same opposition and at the same venue in 2004. A century in each innings from captain Brendan Taylor provided the platform for the win, a personal triumph for the skipper whose leadership had been questioned after the poor tour of West Indies earlier in the year. Taylor posted his highest test score of 171 in the first innings and added another 102 not out in the second as Zimbabwe declared on 227 for seven early on Saturday morning and set Bangladesh 483 to win with almost two days to play. The tourists never looked like chasing that down as they were bundled out for 147 after tea, with only Mohammad Ashraful’s 40 offering any sort of resistance. When he was needlessly run out the tail folded quickly with leg-spinner Graeme Cremer returning figures of four wickets for four runs. Kyle Jarvis was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with match figures of seven for 115. It was Zimbabwe’s 10th test win from the 90 matches they have played since the country was handed test status in 1992 and brings to an end a run of five straight defeats. “I couldn’t be happier today, we showed a lot of character coming back from our pretty average performance in the West Indies,” Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said at the post-match presentation. “We like playing at home and we understand the conditions pretty well. I think we were very professional in all three departments. “They put us under a little bit of pressure up front with our second innings, but fortunately we held it together and put up a tough target for them to chase.” Bangladesh erred by not playing three seamers on a wicket with pace and bounce and have plenty to work on before the second test starting on Thursday. “The wicket was very good for bowling, but you still have to bowl well and hold your catches and we didn’t do that in their first innings and allowed them to get to 389,” Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said. “When we were then bowled out for 134, it is very difficult to come back from that.” —Reuters

Australia’s Watson steps down as vice captain MELBOURNE: Shane Watson has stood down as vice captain of Australia in all cricket formats following the Test team’s humiliating 4-0 series loss to India, citing a need to focus his attention on scoring runs and taking wickets. The injury-prone 31-year-old’s place in Michael Clarke’s side has been questioned following the India tour, where he averaged just 16 with the bat and was stood down for the third test along with three other players for failing to complete a team assignment. “I think it’s the right time for a change for both the

team and me,” Watson said in a statement released by Cricket Australia yesterday. “I’ll be honest and admit I wrestled with the decision for some time, however once I made up my mind, I informed Cricket Australia so the selectors could consider their options for the Ashes given the squads will be announced soon. “I want to be the best test player I can be for Australia and think I can do that by stepping down from the vice captaincy to focus my attention on scoring runs, taking wickets and doing whatever is necessary to help the

team achieve success. “I won’t be the vice captain in title but I think I can still be a leader and strong contributor around the group.” The India series sounded alarm bells back home ahead of back-to-back Ashes series this year, with the brittle Australian batting order ruthlessly exposed on the subcontinent. Watson has been among their biggest strugglers, managing only a solitary half-century in his past 14 innings, despite shelving his medium-paced bowling for the India tour. —Reuters

Nissan Patrols fill top five spots in Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2013 DUBAI: After a furious race in the beautiful dunes of the Western region, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge wrapped up with Nissan Patrols filling the top five spots in the T2 group. Mansoor Bel Helei, the local racer who is sponsored by Nissan and the son of local champion Yahya Bel Helei, brought his T2 Nissan Patrol home in third place and overall he ranked first place among Arabs with his co-driver Ali Mirza. Commenting on the results Samir Cherfan, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East said, “We congratulate all winners, especially Mansoor Bel Helei, whom we are sponsoring this year, for his outstanding performance. We are proud that Nissan Patrols came in the top five, as “The Hero of all Terrains” is built for such races.” He added,” Nissan has been the longterm supporter of the rally with its flagship Patrol SUV being the official race car for the

tenth year now. The fourth leg of the rally is named after Nissan, and is arguably the toughest stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, testing the full capabilities of our leading SUV.” Commenting on his achievement, Mansoor Bel Helei said, “I am excited to accomplish the third place in this tough race and first among Arabs. The whole experience was amazing and I am thankful for our sponsor Nissan who supported me in this. I will be coming back next year stronger with the aim of ranking in first place.” Khazakhstani drivers, Denis Berezovsky and Alexey Nikizhev, achieved first place, whereas Bauyrzhan Issabaev, also from Kazakhistan, came in second place, with his co-driver Stansilav Podolyanyuk. Fourth place came Romulo Blanco co-driving Joao Serodio, while filling fifth place Ahmed Al Shegawi with his co-driver Arif Mohammad.

Ali Al-Baghli stands with the Champ divers

ABK presents the best player at 10th Gulf Swimming Championship KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait has been a forerunner in lending support to sports activities, as part of its initiatives to benefit youth and their varied interests. ABK sponsors various sport tournaments, and recently initiated the “Best player” award at the 10th Gulf Swimming Championship. Kuwait’s national team players namely Abdelrahman Al Kandari, Hassan Qeli and Al Al Khalfan were chosen as the best players after they achieved gold medals in their respective age groups. ABK was delighted to felicitate them, and at the occasion PR

Assistant Manager, Ali Ibrahim Al Baghli awarded them prizes. Ali Al Baghli stated, “We congratulate these champions of the Gulf, Kuwait National Team Divers for achieving the best player position. It is indeed a commendable feat!” He added, “ABK is eager to participate in several youth activities, with an emphasis on sport, under the Bank’s CSR banner “Our Society...Our Responsibility.” Activities under this are designed to engage and support social initiatives at various levels and different segments of society.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

S P ORTS

Rangers rout Sabres

MONACO: France’s Jo Wilfried Tsonga hits a return to Spain’s Rafael Nadal during a Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series Tournament tennis match. —AFP

Nadal and Djokovic set up dream Monte Carlo final MONACO: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic yesterday set up their third Monte Carlo Masters final meeting, with the Serb top seed the last obstacle to the Spaniard’s pursuit of a ninth title. Nadal is one win away from a record triumph at the Mediterranean venue and has already defeated world number one Djokovic in the tournament in 2009 and in 2012. Djokovic had a stress-free semi-final win over Italian Fabio Fognini, crushing the outsider 6-2, 6-1 in 52 minutes. Earlier, Nadal survived a storming comeback attempt from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before finally holding off the French sixth seed to win 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). “I’m going to try to play my best match and try to get a chance to win the final,” said Nadal, who has now won 46 successive matches at the tournament. “He’s not the perfect opponent (for my game). But if you don’t feel a special feeling when you are playing the final of Monte Carlo, you’d better go back home, play golf and go fishing. “He brings you to the limit of your game if you want to have chances to win. I know I have to play better than I did today and yesterday to try to win tomorrow. “I have to play more aggressive, I’m gonna try.” Both finalists have made huge strides this week, with Djokovic playing better each day on an injured ankle and Nadal regaining his confidence on clay, a surface on which he has dominated for nearly a decade. “I need to have a very optimistic mind-

set in order to get a win,” said Djokovic. “I’m not going out there to play my best; I’m going out there to win. “That’s how I’m going to feel tomorrow. I’m very happy that physically, mentally, emotionally I have been improving as the tournament was going. Each day I feel better on the court, more confident. “I’ll have to be on top of my game, focussed and motivated from the start to the end in order to have any chance of winning against Nadal. “I’ve played him so many times on clay (2-12 record). I know what I need to do. Of course, it’s easier said than done. But we can expect a good match.” Nadal has the edge in meetings between the pair and won three of their four clashes in 2012. Nadal, seeded third but always the man to beat on the dirt, spent 96 minutes on court as Tsonga rallied from a set and 5-1 down, breaking the Spaniard twice but failing in the second-set tiebreak which decided the dramatic contest. Sealing victory on his fifth match point, Nadal takes his place in a fifth consecutive final since making his comeback in February after seven months out with knee problems. The 26-year-old Spaniard stands one win away from an historic ninth straight trophy in the principality, where his solitary loss came in 2003 as a teenager. The win was the second narrow escape in as many days for Nadal, who had to battle back from a set down to beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in their quarter-final. —AFP

BUFFALO: The New York Rangers scored five times in a span of less than 3 minutes and Brad Richards notched his first NHL hat trick in an 8-4 rout of the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. The five-goal spurt at the end of the opening period and the beginning of the second was part of a 6-0 outburst to start the game. Richards scored two of the first five goals, and then completed the hat trick in the third period as the win kept the Rangers in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Carl Hagelin, Ryane Clowe, Anton Stralman, Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan also scored for New York. Cody Hodgson, Nathan Gerbe, Drew Stafford and Mark Pysyk scored for Buffalo, which was eliminated from the postseason picture and had its three-game winning streak stopped. The five goals in a span of 2:58 set a Rangers franchise record. The previous mark for fastest five goals was 3:22 in an 8-7 win over Edmonton on Feb. 15, 1985. BLACKHAWKS 5, PREDATORS 4 In Chicago, Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal just 52 seconds into overtime and the streaking Chicago Blackhawks swept the season series against the Nashville Predators for the first time. With Rich Clune in the penalty box serving a four-minute minor for high sticking, Patrick Kane sent a pass across the ice to Hossa, who onetimed it past Pekka Rinne for his 17th goal of the season. Kane, Michal Handzus, Duncan Keith and Brandon Saad also scored for the NHL-best Blackhawks, who have won seven in a row. Slumping Nashville has dropped eight in a row and 11 of 12 overall. Matt Halischuk had two goals and Kevin Henderson scored in his first NHL game, but the Predators still lost to the Blackhawks for the fourth time this month and the sixth consecutive occasion dating to last season. BLUES 2, STARS 1 St. Louis, Brian Elliott made 21 saves to help the St. Louis Blues win for the ninth time in their last 11 games with a victory over the Dallas Stars. Ryan Reaves and Chris Stewart scored for the Blues, who are in sixth in the Western Conference with 54 points - one behind Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Jose, who are tied for third. Antoine Roussel scored for Dallas, which came in with six victories in its last seven games. The Stars are tied with Detroit for ninth place in the Western Conference with 47 points, two behind Columbus, which holds the final playoff spot. OILERS 4, AVALANCHE 1 In Denver, Jordan Eberle scored and had two assists, Devan Dubnyk stopped 33 shots and the Edmonton Oilers snapped a six-game skid. Taylor Hall, Justin Schultz and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had

NEWARK: Jonathan Huberdeau No. 11 of the Florida Panthers checks Mark Fayne No. 29 of the New Jersey Devils into the boards at the Prudential Center. —AFP FLAMES 3, DUCKS 1 In Calgary, Miikka Kiprusoff, amid speculation that he may retire at season’s end, made 32 saves in Calgary’s regular-season home finale to lead the Flames over the playoff-bound Anaheim Ducks. Roman Horak and Brian McGrattan each scored and Roman Cervenka added an empty-net goal for the Flames, who close with a four-game road trip beginning Sunday in

goals for the Oilers, who kept their faint postseason hopes afloat. They trail current No. 8 seed Columbus by eight points with five games to play. This also was Edmonton’s first win since firing general manager Steve Tambellini on Monday and replacing him with former Oilers coach Craig MacTavish. PA Parenteau had the lone goal for a struggling Colorado Avalanche squad that’s 2-5-3 in its last 10 games.

Minnesota. Corey Perry scored for the Ducks, ending Kiprusoff’s bid for his 45th career shutout with 3:41 remaining when he buried a shot inside the far goal post from 20 feet out on a setup from Kyle Palmieri. Although Kiprusoff has one year remaining on his contract, it drops to $1.5 million next year and there has been rampant speculation that the 36-year-old will call it a career. —AP

NHL results/standings NY Rangers 8, Buffalo 4; St. Louis 2, Dallas 1; Chicago 5, Nashville 4 (OT); Edmonton 4, Colorado 1; Calgary 3 Anaheim 1. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF Pittsburgh 33 10 0 147 NY Islanders 23 16 5 129 NY Rangers 23 17 4 116 New Jersey 16 17 10 99 Philadelphia 19 22 3 119

GA 106 127 105 115 134

PTS 66 51 50 42 41

Montreal Boston Toronto Ottawa Buffalo

Northeast Division 27 12 5 138 26 11 5 118 24 15 5 134 23 14 6 107 19 20 6 118

115 94 123 92 138

59 57 53 52 44

Washington Winnipeg Tampa Bay Carolina Florida

Southeast Division 24 18 2 135 23 19 2 117 17 23 4 138 17 23 3 112 13 24 6 102

122 129 138 138 153

50 48 38 37 32

Chicago St. Louis Columbus Detroit Nashville

Western Conference Central Division 34 5 4 144 26 16 2 116 21 17 7 110 20 16 7 108 15 21 9 104

91 107 114 110 128

72 54 49 47 39

Vancouver Minnesota Edmonton Calgary Colorado

Northwest Division 24 13 7 119 24 17 3 115 17 19 7 110 18 22 4 119 14 23 7 104

109 115 121 148 139

55 51 41 40 35

Pacific Division Anaheim 27 11 6 128 111 60 Los Angeles 25 14 5 124 108 55 San Jose 24 13 7 115 105 55 Dallas 22 19 3 124 129 47 Phoenix 18 17 8 111 116 44 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Streelman in tie at windy Heritage MOSCOW: Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova returns the ball to Russia’s Maria Kirilenko during the Fed Cup match between Russia and Slovakia. —AP

Hantuchova, Cibulkova put Slovakia in charge MOSCOW: Slovakia, the 2002 Fed Cup winners, moved towards their first ever win over four-time champions Russia when they took a commanding 2-0 lead after the first day of their semi-final yesterday. Daniela Hantuchova recorded Slovakia’s second win beating Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 64, after Dominika Cibulkova had battled back from a set down to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Russia went into the weekend boasting a perfect record against Slovakia having won both of their previous Fed Cup meetings in Bratislava in 1999 and two years later in Moscow. “I played well and I’m really happy with my today’s performance,” Hantuchova said. “I have experience of playing in the Fed Cup and it helped me a lot to win. I felt confident and everything went my way from the start.” Hantuchova, who had a 5-2 head-to-

head record with the 26-year-old Kirilenko ahead of Saturday’s encounter, broke her opponent’s serve twice to gain a one-set advantage in 48 minutes. In the second, Hantuchova, 29, produced two more breaks to take the set and the match in one hour 43 minutes sealing her victory with a precise backhand. Cibulkova recorded her second win over Pavlyuchenkova in their third meeting. “It was a very hard win,” Cibulkova said. “I started nervously and made too many mistakes in the first set. “In the second I forced myself to battle for every single ball and it paid off as I managed to come back into the match, although I had luck on my side on several occasions. The reverse singles and doubles take place today. The winner will face either Italy or defending champions, the Czech Republic in the final. —AFP

HILTON HEAD ISLAND: A little more than a month after clinching his maiden PGA Tour victory, American Kevin Streelman was back in the title hunt after coping well with strong gusting winds in the RBC Heritage second round on Friday. The 34-year-old maintained his composure as he fired a one-underpar 70 at the picturesque Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to move into a threeway tie for the lead at six-under 136. Level with Streelman were compatriots Charley Hoffman (70) and PGA Tour rookie Steve LeBrun (68), with English world number six Luke Donald (68) and American Bill Haas (69) a further stroke back. Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, was among a group of seven players knotted at four under after shooting a five-birdie 67. Play was halted late in the day due to the threat of lightning as heavy thunderstorms closed in on Harbour Town and 17 players will have to complete the second round on Saturday. Streelman birdied three of his first five holes, then managed to limit the damage as ocean winds gusted up to 30mph (48.28 kph) across a tight, treelined course renowned for its empha-

HILTON HEAD ISLAND: Luke Donald, of England, tees off on the third hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. —AP sis on accurate ball-striking. “It got very difficult out there and it (the wind) is continuing to pick up as we speak,” Streelman, who triumphed at last month’s Tampa Bay Championship, told Golf Channel. “It made some of those par-three shots very difficult and it really messed with drives out there. You just get gusts in these trees that come out of nowhere and shoot your ball in the

wrong direction. You’ve just got to stay careful out there.” Donald, who was edged out by American Brandt Snedeker in a playoff for the 2011 Heritage title, was delighted to improve on his opening round of 69. “Today I hit it a lot better,” the former world number one said after making two birdies in his last three holes. “It was tougher and the wind

was up but I had a lot more control today. “I hit a lot more fairways, a lot more greens. I managed my game very well. It was more of a Luke Donald round today which is pleasing.” McDowell was also in an upbeat mood after mixing five birdies with a lone bogey. “Today I managed to roll a couple (of putts) in,” the Northern Irishman said. “It is a golf course that sets up well for me. You don’t have to move it very far off the tee, but you have to position it really well. “And you have to play patient golf, which suits my type of play. The guy that wins here this week will have control of his golf ball. “And it looks like we may have got the best out of the draw this morning,” McDowell said of the deteriorating weather. “I am happy to be in. Two solid rounds of golf.” England’s Brian Davis, who held a one-shot lead overnight after opening with a 65, battled to a 75 and ended the day four strokes off the pace. The cut was projected to fall at one-over 143 with world number five Snedeker and multiple major champions Ernie Els of South Africa and Fijian Vijay Singh among those in danger of missing out. —Reuters

Gilbert predicts tactical cycling race LIEGE: Belgian world champion Philippe Gilbert is expecting today’s 99th Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic, which he won in 2011, to be a tactical affair. “It’s going to be more tactical and therefore important to rely on your team, I’ve got confidence in them” Gilbert said of his BMC outfit, before lamenting the absence of two of his teammates. “Here we’re competing without ( Tejan) Van Garderen and without (Cadel) Evans, it’s going to make a big

difference,” said Gilbert, who could manage only 15th in the second of the Ardennes classics, Wednesday’s Fleche Wallonne. The American team’s manager John Lelangue explained that American Van Garderen was sidestepping the 261.5km showpiece known as the doyen of the one-day classics as he has recently become a father, while Australian Evans is otherwise engaged in a race in Italy. Gilbert believes that to be in with a

winning chance it’ll be crucial to be in a strong position by the time today’s race reaches the bottom of the Saint Nicholas climb, seven kilometres from the finish. “I see a group of 40-50 riders at the foot of Saint-Nicholas...the last climb towards Ans is always tricky enough, it’s difficult to maintain a lead of 10-15 seconds, it risks being tight,” the 30year-old said. “A lot of riders are on the same level, no one can cancel out a rival,” he added, reflecting on the way

the two Ardennes classics already staged, the Amstel Gold Race and the Fleche Wallonne, escaped the clutches of the fancied competitors. The local rider, known in the peloton as ‘the boar of the Ardennes’, believes it’s a plus to be competing in Belgium. “To ride at home is an advantage. It always brings back memories for me, of my childhood, the start of my career and more recently my victory (two years ago). I always feel lots of emotion, I try to be at my very best.

“Mentally I’m ready, we just need a bit of success. “The dream of my career was to be world champion - I’ve done that, but to win a classic, and especially Liege-Bastogne-Liege with this team, that’s something that I never dared dream about.” Among Gilbert’s main dangers will be Katusha team leader Joaquim Rodriguez, who fell in last Sunday’s Amstel and who had to settle for sixth behind teammate Daniel Moreno in the Fleche-Wallonne. —AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

S P ORTS

Southampton hold Swansea Swansea 0

Southampton 0

SWANSEA: In a week that saw their fierce rivals Cardiff City win promotion to the Premier League, Swansea City were reminded of the security of their own top-flight status in a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton yesterday. The point left Michael Laudrup’s side in ninth place in the table and with 12th-place Southampton also apparently assured of survival, the game at the Liberty Stadium merely emphasised that both sides have already achieved their objectives for the season. There was an early piece of good news for the home side, who were able to include Wales interna-

tional left-back Neil Taylor on the substitutes’ bench for the first time since he broke his ankle in September. Swansea manager Laudrup drafted Angel Rangel, Leon Britton and Pablo Hernandez into his starting XI, while Jay Rodriguez came in for Gaston Ramirez in the only alteration to the visitors’ team. Typically, the hosts dominated possession from kick-off, but Southampton midfielder Jack Cork was the first player to seriously threaten with a shot from distance that called Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm into action for the first time. The Dutchman also had to save a low effort from Rodriguez, before a trademark free-kick from Southampton striker Rickie Lambert obliged Vorm to fling himself into an eye-catching parry. Adam Lallana thought he had broken the deadlock from the ensuing corner, but he was penalised for his challenge on Vorm and the goal was not given.

Photo of the day

The hosts made a positive start to the second half and might have taken the lead had Michu been able to find the target with a header from a Wayne Routledge cross. Nathan Dyer then scuffed a shot wide as Swansea continued to up the ante, before Michu flicked a header wide from Jonathan de Guzman’s corner. As the game entered its final quarter, Dyer came within a whisker of scoring when he met Michu’s lay-off with a crisp drive that beat Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc but was blocked by defender Maya Yoshida.The home side continued to press and Boruc produced a fine save to repel De Guzman after charging off his line. For all Swansea’s pressure, Southampton came close to nicking victory at the death, but when Steven Davis found Zambian substitute Emmanuel Mayuka with a square pass, Vorm intervened in timely fashion to save with his legs. —AFP

Gisela Pulido performs at the Gisela Pulido Performance Camp in Orlando, Florida, USA. www.redbullcontentpool.com

West Ham inflict damaging defeat on Wigan West Ham 2

Wigan 0

LONDON: Swansea City’s English midfielder Nathan Dyer (left) reacts after being tackled by Southampton’s French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin (right) during the English Premier League football match. —AFP

Stoke leave QPR closer to the drop QPR 0

Stoke 2

LONDON: Stoke City won 2-0 at Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League yesterday to ease their relegation fears and all but condemn their rivals to the drop. Peter Crouch and Jon Walters struck late in each half to send Stoke up to 15th, six points above the bottom three, and leave Harry Redknapp’s QPR 10 points adrift of safety with only four games to play. QPR could be relegated on Monday if Aston Villa win at Manchester United, but it seems more likely that their fate will be decided next weekend, when they visit bottom club Reading. With both managers desperate to

arrest damaging runs of form, there were several changes in the two starting line-ups. Stoke manager Tony Pulis put his faith in a new-look strike pairing of Crouch and Cameron Jerome, while Redknapp brought five new faces into the QPR team. Rob Green was chosen instead of Julio Cesar in goal, while Tal Ben Haim, Shaun Derry, Stephane Mbia and Adel Taarabt also came into the side. The home team shaded the early exchanges at a sun-kissed Loftus Road, with Taarabt twice fizzing shots over the Stoke bar. QPR striker Loic Remy then worked visiting goalkeeper Asmir Begovic with a low shot, before Green narrowly avoided embarrassment at the other end. The former England international allowed a swerving long-range effort from Walters to squirm out of his grasp, but the ball bounced to safety. The action flashed from end to end, and after Remy bent a shot wide of Begovic’s left-hand post, Green reas-

sured himself by clawing away a dipping 25-yard volley from Crouch. Begovic had to be alert to repel a Jose Bosingwa free-kick in the 31st minute and the visitors’ resistance was rewarded three minutes prior to halftime when Crouch put them in front. Pleasingly for Pulis, the goal was created by Jerome, who powered onto a pass down the inside-left channel and reached the byline before cutting back for Crouch to find the net from close range. Shortly beyond the hour, Charlie Adam spurned a good opportunity to double Stoke’s advantage when he lashed a volley over from a Walters flick. Fortunately for the Scot, it was not a miss he would have cause to regret. Referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot after Clint Hill manhandled Crouch and although Walters had to re-take his 77th-minute penalty after taking his first attempt at goal too quickly, he made no mistake with his second effort to secure a much needed first win in eight games for Pulis’ men. —AFP

LONDON: A goal in each half from Matt Jarvis and Kevin Nolan handed West Ham United a 2-0 win at home to Wigan Athletic yesterday that as good as ends their relegation concerns but leaves the Latics still three points from safety. Wigan saw plenty of the ball at Upton Park but struggled to seriously test home ‘keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and fell behind to a soft goal in the 21st minute when a Jarvis cross found its way into the net. Nolan then wrapped up the points 10 minutes from time, volleying in after an Andy Carroll assist to take his career tally to 100 goals. West Ham are now unbeaten in five games and have suffered just one

defeat in seven, with this result allowing Sam Allardyce’s side to climb back into the top half of the table. Wigan remain in 18th place and are three points adrift of Aston Villa, who travel to Manchester United on Monday, with Newcastle United, Sunderland and Stoke City all moving six points clear of Roberto Martinez’s side yesterday. The Latics won through to the FA Cup final for the first time in their histor y last weekend, but Martinez knows that avoiding relegation is the priority for his side. Beating a West Ham side who were unchanged from their midweek draw against Manchester United was always going to be tough, and Wigan did not help themselves with a wasteful display going forward. On a gloriously sunny afternoon in the East End of London, Shaun Maloney was denied by Jaaskelainen before Nolan forced a good save from Joel Robles at the other end. And the Hammers then got the breakthrough midway through the first half with a rather soft goal. Jarvis whipped in a cross from the left,

and as Mo Diame and Nolan tried unsuccessfully to get a touch, the ball drifted past Robles and into the net. The home side were good value for their lead at the interval, but Wigan upped their game after the restart and pushed their opponents back. The closest they came to an equaliser was when a Shaun Maloney cutback was fired first-time towards goal by James McArthur in the 72nd minute, but West Ham’s Finnish goalkeeper made an excellent reaction stop. And the Hammers went on to make sure of the three points with 10 minutes remaining thanks to a superb piece of combination play between Carroll and Nolan. The on-loan Liverpool striker showed great strength to hold off Gary Caldwell with his back to goal and then played an overhead kick into the path of Nolan, who beat Robles with an expert first-time finish on the volley. Carroll, who was a handful for the Wigan defence all afternoon, then came closing to adding a third late on. —AFP

Newcastle in relegation frame West Brom 1

Newcastle 1

WEST BROMWICH: Newcastle remain in the relegation frame in the English Premier League after they allowed West Bromwich Albion to come from behind and earn a 1-1 draw yesterday. Newcastle finished fifth last season but this campaign they have lurched

back into the inconsistency of previous seasons and still cannot discount a second relegation in four years. The Magpies slid three places to 16th after Billy Jones cancelled out Yoan Gouffran’s early header at The Hawthorns, leaving the visitors with a solitary away success in the league all season. The stalemate left Alan Pardew’s side on 37 points, three points above Aston Villa but behind Stoke and Sunderland on goal difference. Villa have also played one game fewer. Wigan, currently filling the third relegation slot, are six points adrift of Newcastle but also have a game in hand on the Tyneside club.

Newcastle dominated the early proceedings and went in at the break with their noses in front after Gouffran headed in Papiss Cisse’s cross on eight minutes. France star Yohan Cabaye should have made it two but shot over and then forced a fine save from Ben Foster in the Albion goal. Newcastle paid a heavy price for not putting away a clincher when Jones slid home to level in the 64th minute for the hosts. It could have been even worse for Newcastle when Romelu Lukaku headed Chris Brunt’s corner against the Geordies’ crossbar. —AFP

LONDON: West Ham United’s English midfielder Kevin Nolan celebrates scoring their second goal with striker Andy Carroll (up) during the English Premier League football match against Wigan Athletic. —AFP

Relegated Pompey hit with points penalty LONDON: Former FA Cup winners Portsmouth were hit with a 10point penalty yesterday after coming out of administration. Portsmouth were officially taken over by a supporters group on Friday, allowing the troubled League One club to end a 14month spell in administration but in the process triggering the points deduction. The Football League had previously confirmed Pompey would be deducted the points once they came out of administration. But, given Portsmouth have already been relegated from the English third tier, the penalty is actually a blessing for Guy

Whittingham’s team. There had been speculation the points penalty would carry over until next season, but Portsmouth are now able to start what they hope will be a League Two promotion campaign with a clean slate. The Football League has also put in place restrictions on the club’s playing budgets and borrowing. A League statement read: “The board of the Football League has agreed to transfer Portsmouth’s share in the Football League to a consortium brought together by the Pompey Supporters’ Trust, bringing an end to the club’s period in administration. “Due to the club’s Company

Voluntar y Arrangement not being fully compliant with the Football League’s insolvency policy, the board has applied the following conditions of membership - as originally outlined in July 2012. “A deduction of 10 points to apply in the 2012/13 season (in addition to the 10 points applied for entering Administration in the 2011/12 season). “Restrictions on playing budgets, future borrowing and loan repayments for the next five seasons.” New Portsmouth chairman Iain McInnes welcomed the decision to deduct the points now, saying: “We are grateful to the

League for confirming this punishment will be activated in the current season.” Portsmouth, who beat Cardiff in the 2008 FA Cup final, have suffered a remarkable fall from grace since their Wembley triumph five years ago which was followed by the high of a 2-2 draw with Italian giants AC Milan in the Europa League just months later. In 2010 they were beaten in the FA Cup final by Chelsea and relegated from the Premier League. Then, in 2012, they dropped into the third tier for the first time in 30 years and this season’s failure makes it three relegations in four seasons. —AFP

EPL results/standings Fulham 0, Arsenal 1 (Mertesacker 43); Norwich 2 (R. Bennett 50, E. Bennett 52) Reading 1 (McCleary 72); QPR 0, Stoke 2 (Crouch 42, Walters 77-pen); Sunderland

1 (Sessegnon 45) Everton 0; Swansea 0, Southampton 0; West Brom 1 (Jones 64) Newcastle 1 (Gouffran 8); West Ham 2 (Jarvis 21, Nolan 80) Wigan 0.

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd 33 26 3 4 75 35 81 Norwich 34 8 14 12 33 53 38 Man City 32 20 8 4 58 27 68 Sunderland 34 9 10 15 38 45 37 Arsenal 34 18 9 7 65 35 63 Stoke 34 8 13 13 30 41 37 Chelsea 32 18 7 7 64 33 61 Newcastle 34 10 7 17 43 60 37 Tottenham 32 17 7 8 55 40 58 Aston Villa 33 8 10 15 36 60 34 Everton 34 14 14 6 51 38 56 Wigan 33 8 7 18 37 60 31 Liverpool 33 13 11 9 59 40 50 QPR 34 4 12 18 29 56 24 West Brom 33 13 6 14 43 44 45 Reading 34 5 9 20 37 65 24 Swansea 33 10 12 11 43 42 42 Note: Top four clubs qualify for West Ham 34 11 9 14 40 47 42 Champions League and bottom three Fulham 34 10 10 14 44 52 40 Southampton 34 9 12 13 47 54 39 teams are relegated

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

S P ORT S

Bayern rout Hanover 6-1

MADRID: Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema (right) celebrates with his teammate Real Madrid’s German midfielder Mesut Ozil after scoring during the Spanish League football match against Real Betis. —AFP

Barcelona and Real win before Champions semis BARCELONA: Cesc Fabregas scored late to give Barcelona a hard-fought 1-0 win over Levante, while Real Madrid beat Real Betis 3-1 yesterday as both Spanish powerhouses prepared for the Champions League semifinals. With top-scorer Lionel Messi out trying to heal his right hamstring in time for Tuesday ’s first leg at Bayern Munich, Barcelona’s attack lacked the pace and creativity to break through Levante’s disciplined defense until Fabregas struck six minutes from time. David Villa had a golden chance to score for Barcelona in the 17th minute after Levante’s Papakouly Diop fouled Andres Iniesta in the area. But goalkeeper Keylor Navas blocked Villa’s spot kick and sprung to his feet in time to parr y Fabregas’ point-blank rebound attempt. Barcelona responded after coach Tito Vilanova sent on Xavi Hernandez and Alexis Sanchez in the second half, with the Chile forward finding Fabregas in the area to rifle the ball just inside the far post before two defenders could close him out. The victory kept Barcelona well on pace to reclaim the Spanish league title with a 13-point lead and six rounds to play. Barcelona defender Eric Abidal played well - and the full 90 minutes - in his first start since playing for France in a friendly against Germany in February 2012. Mesut Oezil scored twice to lead Madrid as it honed its attack before Wednesday’s visit to Borussia Dortmund in Europe’s final four. Oezil worked a clever one-two passing combination with Karim Benzema to net Madrid’s opener in the 45th minute, before the France striker polished off a counterattack in the 57th from a pass by Cristiano Ronaldo. Oezil scored again in stoppage

time after Betis substitute Jorge Molina pulled one back with a penalty kick in the 72nd following defender Nacho Fernandez’s foul of Ruben Castro in the area. “We know what kind of player Oezil is, everything that he creates (for the team),” said Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka. “He has had some (physical problems). Playing all he can is important for him. Now he can rest up for Wednesday’s match.” Madrid’s win came at a cost, however, with Marcelo and Luka Modric both needing to be substituted for injuries. Karanka said Modric hurt a leg muscle. Benzema was also favoring his right leg after a collision with a defender and was subbed late. “The injuries are too bad because they are important players for us, but we have a deep squad,” said Madrid defender Pepe, who went on for Modric in the second half. Madrid coach Jose Mourinho rested several first-choice players, including his entire defense and holding midfielder. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro got his first start for Madrid after joining its reserve side from Sao Paulo this winter, while the little-used Fernandez stepped in at right back. Betis, which stayed in seventh place and in the hunt for a Europa League spot, had its opportunities to get a good result. Dorlan Pabon clipped the crossbar in the 43rd just before Oezil’s opener, and Castro also hit the bar in the 89th before Oezil put the game away. A minute of silence was held at the start of the matches at the Santiago Bernabeu and at the Camp Nou in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Earlier, Granada outplayed Valladolid but had to settle for a 1-1 draw as the Andalusian side edged one point clear of the relegation zone. Valencia plays Malaga later.-AP

BERLIN: Bayern Munich warmed-up for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg at home to Barcelona by claiming three Bundesliga records in yesterday’s 6-1 rout at Hanover 96. Victory gave Bayern a Bundesligarecord 26th victory this season, a record ninth consecutive away win, while they also equalled Dortmund’s previous best of 81 points in a single season. Only Hanover midfielder Andre Hoffmann’s later header denied Bayern a record 20th-clean sheet, before striker Claudio Pizarro staked a claim to start against Barcelona with his second goal having already created two. “The players have proven time and again that we don’t have a B team, just one strong A team,” said coach Jupp Heynckes as Bayern enjoyed an easy win despite fielding a makeshift side. “Everyone was highly motivated and we laid the ground stone for a big win early in the first half.” Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said the squad had wanted to put in an impressive display ahead of Tuesday’s European showdown. “We wanted to prepare well for the game against Barcelona and we succeeded,” said the Germany goalkeeper. “We played well and put in a convincing performance, especially in the first half.” Heynckes opted to rest several stars and played a 4-4-2 formation, a break from Bayern’s usual 4-2-3-1, using two strikers with Mario Gomez and veteran Pizarro, 34, up front. The change paid off as Bayern took an early lead when Hanover midfielder Lars Stindl turned the ball into his own net, then Bayern’s temporary captain Franck Ribery, taking over from Philipp Lahm, added a second on 22 minutes. Germany star Gomez, who scored a hat-trick in just six second-half minutes in Bayern’s 6-1 German Cup semi-final rout of Wolfsburg on Wednesday, then scored either side of half-time. Pizarro netted the fifth when he enjoyed a simple tap-in after David Alaba and wing Xherdan Shaqiri had combined on the left, before adding the sixth from a Arjen Robben pass after Hanover’s Hoffmann had pulled one back. Having been confirmed Bundesliga champions a fortnight ago, Bayern remain 20 points clear in the league with four games left. Borussia Dortmund, who host Real Madrid in the other Champions League semi-final, first leg on Wednesday, needed just 32 seconds to take the lead as they enjoyed a 2-0 win at home to Mainz 05. The hosts went ahead when the ball deflected back as the guests goalkeeper

GERMANY: Bayern Munich’s Ukrainian midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (right) vies with Hanover’s striker Mame Diouf during the German First Division Bundesliga football match. —AFP Christian Wetklo challenged midfielder Mario Goetze and the ball fell to German League results/standings his Germany team-mate Marco Reus to tap into an empty net. Poland Bayer Leverkusen 5 (Kiessling 16, 65, Schuerrle 31, 69, Reinartz 79) Hoffenheim 0; striker Robert Lewandowski added Hanover 96 1 (Hoffmann 84) Bayern Munich 6 (Stindl 16-og, Ribery 22, Gomez 40, Dortmund’s second on 87 minutes to 62, Pizarro 71, 86);Hamburg 2 (Van der Vaart 14, 20) Fortuna Dusseldorf 1 extend his remarkable club record of (Schahin 34); Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Russ 41) Schalke 04 0; Borussia Dortmund 2 having netted in each of his last 12 (Reus 1, Lewandowski 87) Mainz 05 0; Werder Bremen 0 VfL Wolfsburg 3 (Arnold league matches. 13, Olic 27, Ribas 66-pen) Lewandoski has now scored 23 goals this season and can equal Gerd German Bundesliga table after yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, Mueller’s record of scoring in 16 congoals for, goals against points): secutive games, for Bayern Munich in Bayern Munich 30 26 3 1 89 1481 — champions the 1970s, if he scores in the last four games. Dortmund 30 18 7 5 74 35 61 Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Leverkusen 30 15 8 7 58 38 53 Andre Schuerrle, who is widely being Schalke 04 30 13 7 10 50 46 46 tipped to join Chelsea next season, Freiburg 29 12 9 8 39 34 45 scored twice as his side hammered Eintracht 30 13 6 11 43 42 45 relegation-threatened Hoffenheim 50. Striker Stefan Kiessling also netted M’gladbach 30 11 11 8 37 39 44 twice as Leverkusen maintained their Hamburg 30 13 5 12 36 46 44 grip on third place, which means an Mainz 05 30 10 9 11 36 36 39 automatic Champions League spot Hanover 96 30 11 5 14 51 55 38 next season, as Schalke lost 1-0 at Nuremberg 29 9 11 9 33 39 38 Eintracht Frankfurt. Wolfsburg 30 9 10 11 38 45 37 The result kept Armin Vehcoached Frankfurt in sixth place-a Stuttgart 29 10 6 13 31 46 36 Europa League spot-with four games Bremen 30 8 8 14 45 59 32 left. Hamburg captain Rafael van der Fortuna 30 7 9 14 36 47 30 Vaart scored both goals in their 2-1 Augsburg 30 6 9 15 27 45 27 win at home to Fortuna Duesseldorf. Hoffenheim 30 6 6 18 35 59 24 In Saturday’s late match, Wolfsburg took a huge step closer to Fuerth 29 2 9 18 19 52 15 safety with a 3-0 win at fellow strugNote: Top three clubs qualify for Champions League, fourth goes into the glers Werder Bremen. Today, German Champions League play-offs; bottom two are relegated while third-bottom Cup finalists VfB Stuttgart host goes into play-off against third-placed side in Bundesliga 2.—AFP Freiburg while Nuremberg hosts neighbours Greuther Furth.—AFP

Rodgers not scared by ghosts of Benitez

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas (second right) duels for the ball against Levante’s David Navarro (right) during a Spanish League soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium. —AP

Spanish League results/standings Granada 1 (El-Arabi 73) Valladolid 1 (Ebert 59); Real Madrid 3 (Ozil 45, 90+1, Benzema 57) Real Betis 1 (Molina 73-pen); Barcelona 1 (Fabregas 84) Levante 0. Playing later Valencia v Malaga Spanish League table after yesterday’s early evening match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Barcelona Real Madrid Atletico Sociedad Malaga Valencia Rea Betis Rayo Getafe Sevilla Espanyol Levante Valladolid Bilbao Osasuna Granada Deportivo Mallorca Zaragoza Celta

32 32 31 31 31 31 32 32 31 31 31 32 32 31 31 32 31 32 31 31

27 22 20 15 14 14 14 14 12 12 10 11 10 10 8 7 7 7 7 6

3 5 5 9 8 8 6 3 8 6 10 7 9 5 7 8 8 7 6 6

2 5 6 7 9 9 12 15 11 13 11 14 13 16 16 17 16 18 18 19

99 83 56 57 44 47 48 41 39 48 40 35 41 34 26 28 42 34 28 29

33 30 25 39 32 45 49 52 46 45 42 51 45 56 36 51 63 64 49 46

84 71 65 54 50 50 48 45 44 42 40 40 39 35 31 29 29 28 27 24

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he is not intimidated by Rafael Benitez as the Chelsea manager prepares for an emotional return to Anfield today. The walls at Anfield and also at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground are covered with iconic images of the club’s domestic and European triumphs during Benitez’s reign. Chief among them is the Champions League final success in 2005, when Benitez’s Liverpool side famously fought back from 3-0 down against AC Milan in Istanbul to win on penalties. But ahead of the Spaniard’s first return to Liverpool since his 2010 departure, Rodgers admitted he is not unsettled trying to match Benitez’s achievements. “They are not intimidating for me,” Rodgers said when asked about the pictures of Benitez. “I said to the players ‘your job is to put yourself on the wall here’. “If I was only worried about myself then maybe having people around with great histories would worry me. But it doesn’t one bit. “This club is full of great legends with guys like Alan Kennedy who work on match days, Ian Rush, Jan Molby, John Aldridge, all great guys around the place. That doesn’t intimidate me, I enjoy speaking with these people.” Benitez, who also won the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006 and guided them to another Champions League final defeat against AC Milan a year later, should get a fine reception from his old club’s supporters. However, there is a hint of tension in the relationship between Rodgers and Benitez since the Spaniard, whose family still live on Merseyside, expressed his wish to one day return to Liverpool. “I don’t know Rafael Benitez as a person. I know him as a manager. He is a fantastic manager there’s no question about that. “Rafael Benitez will deserve a great welcome when he comes back. He won the European Cup during his time here, which is a great achievement.” Benitez has found friends hard to come by at Stamford Bridge following his controversial comments about the Blues during his six-year reign at Liverpool. So it would be little surprise if Liverpool supporters sing his name far more often than their Chelsea counterparts today. Benitez can’t afford to be distracted by his emo-

tional return as Chelsea seek the three points that will guarantee the Blues hold onto third place ahead of the remaining five games of the campaign. Benitez’s side showed impressive resilience in recovering from the disappointment of losing the FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City to beat Fulham 3-0 midweek. But with Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton also contesting for the final two places in next season’s Champions League, a slip at Anfield could prove costly to Chelsea’s ambitions. “I will try to do the best for my team and that is Chelsea. I am a professional and that is what I have to do,” Benitez said. “I cannot forget the time I spent there and the feeling, the atmosphere, the success, the link with the fans and the city - it is my home - but I will try to win. That is what I have to do. “This will be quite emotional but I have to concentrate. It will not be easy when you see so many friends around but I will try to concentrate on the game. “Normally I am not too emotional but now I’m getting older it happens sometimes.”

Mancini recently admitted the race was over, but Kidd claims the Italian, inspired by last season’s title-winning campaign, secretly believes it is still possible to overhaul United’s 13-point lead. “Let’s be honest, the boss has been here just less than four years and he has put silverware on the sideboard and no-one believes that he has really given up on the title,” Kidd said. “It was the same last season. We keep working the

same, we keep working hard, he is on the pitch every day. It is all about attaining a standard. “And like I keep saying, he is not afraid to deal with big players. He can handle big players and he is not afraid of making big decisions. “It is not over. We’re champions so it is not over. As champions you go out with pride. “If you going to lose it you are going to lose it by getting knocked out, like a great boxer would, not on

Matches on TV (Local Timings) English Premier League Tottenham v Man City 15:30 Abu Dhabi Sports HD Liverpool v Chelsea 18:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD Spanish League Getafe v Espanyol 13:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Coruna v Bilbao 18:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Osasuna v Sociedad 20:00 Aljazeera Sport +5 Sevilla v Madrid 22:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Italian League Inter v Parma 13:30 Aljazeera Sport +1 Napoli v Cagliari 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +1 Catania v Palermo 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +5 Siena v Chievo 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Roma v Pescara 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +9 Fiorentina v Torino 16:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Juventus v Milan 21:45 Aljazeera Sport +1

Brendan Rodgers

Mancini still has title dream, says Kidd LONDON: Manchester City assistant manager Brian Kidd has revealed boss Roberto Mancini has not given up on winning the Premier League title despite what he has said in public. City face Tottenham today knowing a defeat at White Hart Lane, and a win for leaders Manchester United against Aston Villa tomorrow, would confirm Alex Ferguson’s team as champions.

Benitez’s team selection will again come under scrutiny, particularly the decision whether or not to include John Terry, who scored twice at Fulham in midweek but has rarely started two successive game under the Spaniard.—AFP

his stool.” Should City fail in their Premier League title defence, as looks increasingly likely, Kidd is well aware it is no fluke that United have wrestled it from them. “I’ve been there and I keep hearing these stories that it is luck,” he said. “It is not luck. It is ingrained in them. They keep going to the end win, draw or lose. —AFP

German League Stuttgart v Freiburg 16:30 Dubai Sports Nuremberg v Greuther 18:30 Dubai Sports French League Bastia v Lille Aljazeera Sport +4 Nancy v Evian Aljazeera Sport +7 Sochaux v Bordeaux Aljazeera Sport +5 Toulouse v Lorient Aljazeera Sport +10 Stade Remis v Valenciennes Aljazeera Sport +9 PSG v Nice Aljazeera Sport +4

15:00 18:00 18:00 18:00 18:00 22:00

Rosberg on pole in Bahrain

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

Hantuchova, Cibulkova put Slovakia in charge

Zimbabwe celebrate record Test win against Bangladesh Page 16

LONDON: Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky (left) controls the ball as Fulham’s Dimitar Berbatov (center) and Bryn Ruiz (right) try to stop him, during their English Premier League soccer match at the Craven Cottage ground. — AP

Arsenal scrape into third place Fulham 0

Arsenal 1

LONDON: Per Mertesacker’s first-half header gave Arsenal a 1-0 win at Fulham that moved them up to third place in the Premier League yesterday, but Arsene Wenger’s side struggled to overcome a home side reduced to 10 men for 78 minutes. The victory moved the Gunners two points clear of Chelsea and five points clear of fifthplaced Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom have two games in hand ahead of their meetings with Liverpool and Manchester City respectively

today. At this stage of the season, the result is all that matters, but there was enough to concern Wenger, who watched his side labor after Fulham lost Steve Sidwell to a 12th-minute red card following a foul on Mikel Arteta. Arsenal, who were unconvincing in Tuesday’s scoreless home draw with Everton, were also reduced to 10 men themselves when Olivier Giroud was sent off for a similar challenge on Stanislav Manolev in the 90th minute. Before the game, Fulham manager Martin Jol spoke positively of Arsenal’s chances of finishing in the top four and the visitors’ hopes were strengthened considerably when Sidwell walked. The midfielder, who began his career at Arsenal, was making his first-team return after serving a three-match ban following his sending-off against Queens Park Rangers. Then, Sidwell had a case for complaining he

was harshly treated for a challenge on Armand Traore, but on this occasion, the decision was much more clear-cut. The speed of Arteta’s movement was too much for the Fulham man, who lunged in with his studs up, catching the Arsenal player on the ankle. Sidwell will now face a four-match ban, bringing his season to an abrupt end. Undeterred, Jol’s side settled into a pattern of defending deep and attempting to catch Arsenal on the counter-attack, which they did in the 21st minute with a breakaway that should have delivered the opening goal. Urby Emanuelson surged forward into the visitors’ half before releasing Dimitar Berbatov and the forward was denied by a good save from Wojciech Szczesny. Fulham continued to make headway, particularly down their left ﬂank, where Alex Kacaniklic, recalled last week from a loan spell at Burnley, repeatedly tested Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal

right-back. And had the Swede produced a better ﬁnal ball, Fulham might have quickly made up for Berbatov’s earlier miss. By contrast, Arsenal’s attacking moves lacked penetration and Mark Schwarzer, the Fulham goalkeeper, remained well protected by his back four on his 500th Premier League appearance. Signs of improvement for the visitors came in the 35th minute when Giroud collected a pass from Santi Cazorla, turned sharply, and drilled a low shot beyond Schwarzer and against the right-hand post. If Arsenal considered themselves unlucky, they had reason to be grateful when they did take the lead eight minutes later. Laurent Koscielny completely misjudged an attempted header from Theo Walcott’s free-kick, but his miscue diverted the ball across the face of goal, where Mertesacker stooped to head home from close range.

Norwich push Reading to verge of relegation

Sunderland boost survival hopes Sunderland 1

Everton 0

SUNDERLAND: Paolo Di Canio’s honeymoon period as Sunderland manager continued as his side improved their Premier League survival hopes with a 1-0 victory over Everton yesterday. Six days after he guided his side to a sensational 3-0 win over North-East rivals Newcastle, Di Canio was celebrating again as Stephane Sessegnon’s ﬁrst-half winner at the Stadium of Light lifted the Black Cats six points clear of the relegation zone. Di Canio has now won two of his ﬁrst three matches since replacing Martin O’Neill, and whereas Sunderland looked doomed to relegation less than a month ago, they now appear reborn. Everton, however, have failed to win twice in the space of a week, a run that has all but ended David Moyes’ side’s outside chance of claiming a Champions League place. Moyes had never previously lost to Sunderland, but goalkeeper Simon

Mignolet was barely tested on a frustrating afternoon for the Toffees, who are five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. Di Canio resisted the opportunity of a formal pre-match introduction in the centre-circle, but the new Sunderland boss was nevertheless cheered to the rafters throughout his first home game. He had urged his players to re-create the passion and intensity they displayed in last weekend’s thrilling TyneWear derby win over Newcastle, and they responded with another bright display from the off. Seb Larsson was especially impressive at the heart of midfield, wresting the initiative from Marouane Fellaini and testing the Everton back four with a succession of well-judged passes and through balls. The Swede was also dangerous from set-pieces, and he went close on three separate occasions before the interval, with his third attempt from 25 yards forcing Tim Howard into a smart save down to his right-hand side. That 40th-minute effort looked like being Sunderland’s final opportunity of the first half, but just as Everton looked like reaching the interval on level terms, their opponents struck in the final minute.

After their impressive first-half efforts, it was a cruel way for Fulham to fall behind, but Jol’s side showed no signs of feeling sorry for themselves when the game restarted. Emanuelson continued to threaten, although the piece of simulation that drew a yellow card for the unfortunate Arteta tarnished his display. Fulham’s consistent pressure was impressive and it was Arsenal who looked jaded throughout the second period, rarely managing to break forward as the home side searched for the equaliser. They thought it had arrived 12 minutes from time when Manolev followed up a Kieran Richardson free-kick to roll the ball past Szczesny, only for the right-back to be penalised for drifting offside. Arsenal’s nerves were exposed by the hosts’ late pressure and they were not helped when Giroud was sent off, but they held on to claim an important win. — AFP

Norwich 2

Reading 1

LONDON: Sunderland’s Italian manager Paolo Di Canio leaps into the air as he celebrates his team’s victory during the English Premier League football match against Everton. — AFP Leighton Baines displayed uncharacteristic sloppiness as he conceded possession to Larsson, and after the Swede quickly shuffled the ball to Sessegnon, the Sunderland forward squeezed a low 20-yard shot beyond Howard’s right hand and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. The goal was a just reward for Sunderland’s first-half superiority, with Everton failing to force Mignolet into a single save before the break. Kevin Mirallas saw a long-range shot deflected wide off Carlos Cuellar, but apart from a number of dangerous crosses from Baines, Everton never really posed a threat. If anything, Sunderland’s dominance became even more pronounced at the start of the second

half, with Danny Rose whistling a low drive just wide after comfortably coming out on top in a 50-50 challenge with Leon Osman. However, the half-time introduction of Nikica Jelavic gradually enhanced Everton’s attacking threat, and Mignolet was ﬁnally tested midway through the second half as he blocked Jelavic’s intelligent deﬂection of Fellaini’s long-range strike. Sunderland’s Belgian international keeper was involved in a bizarre incident 11 minutes from time as he was booked for catching Larsson’s senseless back-pass from close to the halfway line. The resultant free-kick was rolled to Baines, but the fullback’s shot was blocked by Adam Johnson. — AFP

NORWICH: Norwich boosted their Premier League survival bid and pushed Reading to the brink of relegation with a 2-1 win at Carrow Road yesterday. Chris Hughton’s team moved eight points clear of the bottom three after claiming just their second victory in 17 league games. But in contrast Reading look certain to return to the Championship just 12 months after winning promotion from the second tier. Nigel Adkins’ side remain bottom of the table, 10 points from safety, and relegation would be conﬁrmed in the unlikely event of Aston Villa winning at Manchester United on Monday. Ryan Bennett and Elliott Bennett scored within three minutes of each other early in the second half to put Norwich ﬁrmly in control. Garath McCleary pulled a goal back, but Reading couldn’t complete the comeback. Norwich made a strong start and Robert Snodgrass shot wide before Javier Garrido drilled in a low shot which Alex McCarthy gathered at the second

attempt. Canaries defender Michael Turner had to be replaced in defence by Ryan Bennett after 18 minutes, but Reading tested the hosts too little and too infrequently in the opening half an hour. A McCleary cross had Norwich in trouble inside their own six-yard box, but Sebastien Bassong managed to do enough to put off Pavel Pogrebnyak, who scooped the ball over. Norwich also went close before the break when Grant Holt won an aerial challenge and found Kei Kamara, whose volley on the turn was well saved by McCarthy. McCarthy denied Kamara early in the second half, stretching to turn away a leftfooted shot from an angle and from the subsequent corner Norwich went in front in the 50th minute. McCarthy saved Holt’s header from Snodgrass’ set-piece, but the ball fell for Ryan Bennett, who took one touch and swept it in left-footed for his first Norwich goal. Norwich’s second goal came two minutes later as McCarthy was caught in noman’s land trying to reach a Snodgrass cross and Elliott Bennett shot through his legs and into the net. Reading pulled a goal back with 18 minutes remaining when McCleary was allowed to run at the Norwich defence and he hit a fine long-range strike past Mark Bunn. — AFP

Business

Tehran sees no need for emergency OPEC meet Page 22 Worldwide sales of TMC Hybrids top 5m units

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

Sadu House to get state-of-the-art presentation makeover

Page 25 LG ‘Optimus L Series’ upgraded

Page 26

Page 23

G20 bemoans lack of global growth Consensus hard on proper mix of policies

WASHINGTON: World finance leaders say they are determined to attack a sluggish global economy in which growth is too weak and unemployment too high. Their problem is arriving at a consensus over the proper mix of policies. Finance ministers and central bank presidents from the world’s biggest economies issued a joint statement Friday that papered over stark differences between opposing views. The United States and other countries are pushing for less budget austerity and more government stimulus while Germany and others contend that attacking huge budget deficits should be job No 1. The discussions were scheduled to wrap up yesterday with meetings of the steering committees of the 188-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank. The G-20 joint statement revealed no major new policy initiatives and sought to straddle the divide in the growth-and- austerity argument. The United States is being represented at the talks by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. “Strengthening global demand is imperative and must be at the top of our agenda,” Lew said in remarks late Friday before the IMF policy-setting group. “Stronger demand in Europe is critical to global growth.” However, other nations, led by Germany, have resisted a move away from austerity programs, saying it is critical to keep making progress in getting government deficits under control. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble apologized to a Washington audience for being late for a speech after the G-20 discussions Friday, saying, “On reduction of indebtedness ... we have a little bit of differences of opinion all over the world, to be very frank, and that’s the reason I am a little bit late.” The G-20 joint statement singled out the

recent aggressive credit-easing moves pushed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying they were intended to stop prolonged deflation and support domestic demand. Those comments were viewed as giving a green light to Japan’s program, which has driven the value of the yen down by more than 20 percent against the dollar since October. That sizable decline has raised concerns among US manufacturing companies that Japan’s real goal is not to fight deflation, a destabilizing period of falling prices, but to weaken the yen as a way to gain trade advantages. To address those concerns, the G-20 did repeat language it used in February that all countries should not use their currency as a trade weapon and guard against policies that could trigger currency wars. Japanese officials told reporters following the discussions that they were pleased by the support the G-20 had given them to pursue growth policies in an effort to lift the world’s third-largest economy out of its two-decade slump. Haruhiko Kuroda, head of the Bank of Japan, said, “ There has been international understanding and acceptance of this, so we can have further confidence to appropriately conduct monetary policy.” The G-20 statement also said that there was an urgent need for the 17-nation euro currency area to move toward a banking union and reduce the “financial fragmentation” that now exists. The communiquÈ said that “more needs to be done to address the issues of international tax avoidance and evasion in particular through havens.” The financial crisis that hit the Mediterranean island of Cyprus earlier this year revived concern over countries that serve as tax havens. In Cyprus, banks held more than $162 billion in assets, or roughly seven times the country’s total GDP. Much of that money came from wealthy Russian investors. — AP

SHANGHAI: Visitors look at a Audi Q8 SUV on media day at the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai yesterday. Even as Chinese cities fight off pollution, sales of gas-guzzling SUVs are blazing past those of greener-energy cars even though the latter enjoy official backing. — AFP (See Page 25)

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

BUSINESS

Tehran sees no need for emergency OPEC meet

Bayt.com weekly report

5 ways to reduce online distraction at work

Qasemi contradicts Venezuelan official

TEHRAN: Iran sees no need for an emergency meeting of the oil cartel OPEC over a recent drop in crude prices before the producers’ annual session at the end of May, Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said yesterday. “No extraordinary meeting is needed as the May 31 meeting is coming up, and the price of oil had not gone below $100 per barrel for a long time,” Qasemi told reporters on the sidelines of an oil and gas trade fair in Tehran. In the last meeting of OPEC, held on December 12, oil producers decided to hold an emergency session if oil prices fall below 100 dollars per barrel, Qasemi said. His remarks came after Venezuela’s top oil official reportedly said Thursday that OPEC officials were weighing holding a special meeting on the market if prices continue to fall. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is set to meet in Vienna on May 31. Oil prices gained Friday on speculation that OPEC plans to cut output, recovering somewhat from sharp losses earlier in the week over worries about

weakening Chinese economic growth. In New York, the main contract, WTI crude for delivery in May, added 28 cents from Thursday to end at $88.01 a barrel. In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in June gained 52 cents to $99.65 a barrel, unable to hold onto a rebound above the $100 line earlier in the day. Iran is OPEC’s fourth biggest producer, after Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait, according to the group’s data. In 2011, it ranked second. But under sanctions over its controversial nuclear program, Iran’s output dropped to 2.67 million barrels per day in February, from 2.72 the previous month, OPEC said in April, citing secondary sources. Qasemi did not talk about the figures but confirmed that Iran’s oil production and export indeed declined in 2012. “Our export has declined (in 2012) compared to the previous year because the European nations are not buying from us and naturally we have had a decline in oil production. “Except for our European customers we still have our

By Lama Ataya

other customers and we are talking to others for new deals,” Qasemi said. Qasemi said Iran was talking to ally North Korea to buy Iranian oil. “We hope to reach an agreement over North Korea importing oil from us,” he said. North Korea, an ally of Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, is also under Western and UN sanctions over its nuclear program. OPEC had voted to re-appoint Secretary General Abdullah El-Badri to lead the cartel for another year after members failed to agree on a new leader in December. The world’s biggest oil exporter Saudi Arabia had been battling against Iraq and Iran to have its candidate succeed El-Badri, who has steered the cartel through the world’s financial crisis as its secretary general since 2007. Qasemi said Iran is also pushing for its own nominee, former oil minister Gholam Hossein Nozari, to take ElBadri’s post. “We are still in contact with the members about our nominee, since the appointment has to happen on consensus,” he said. — AFP

IMF reaches framework deal on Tunisia loan

HONG KONG: People walk along a promenade in Hong Kong yesterday. The southern Chinese financial hub saw growth of 1.4 percent in 2012 and was tipped to expand only 1.5-3.5 percent this year. — AFP

SABIC’s Q1 net profit falls 10% RIYADH: Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world’s biggest petrochemicals group, posted a 10 percent year-onyear fall in its first-quarter net profit yesterday, in line with analysts’ forecasts. SABIC said in a statement that its net income for the three months to March 31 was 6.56 billion riyals ($1.75 billion) compared to 7.27 billion riyals in the same period last year. It cited lower production and sales volumes due to planned maintenance at the facilities of some affiliates. However, SABIC also said first-quarter profit had risen from 5.83 billion riyals in the fourth quarter of 2012. It cited higher sales prices of some products, which it did not name. Eleven analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast SABIC would earn, on average, 6.59 billion riyals in the first quarter. The performance of SABIC is closely tied to the world economy because its products are used extensively in construction, car man-

ufacturing and other major consumer goods. Last Thursday, the company said it planned to cut 1,050 jobs in Europe and close some operations there because lower consumer spending had hit demand. It said its European operations faced increased competition from the United States, where development of shale gas has cut natural gas prices, and Asia, where production and consumption have been rising. The company’s statement yesterday, however, did not cite Europe as a factor in the drop of first-quarter profit. SABIC affiliates in Saudi Arabia reported mixed earnings last week. Saudi Arabian Fertilizers Co (SAFCO) posted an 18 percent jump in first-quarter net profit to 932 million riyals, but missed analysts’ forecasts. Yanbu National Petrochemical Co (Yansab), a large olefins producer, said its net profit fell 7.4 percent. Saudi Kayan, where fullscale production is expected to start this year, said its net loss for the quarter more than doubled to 155 million riyals. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) late Friday reached a framework agreement with Tunisia on a two-year, $1.75 billion standby loan deal. The agreement, which awaits final approval from the IMF board of directors, is aimed at helping the country’s battered economy following the uprising that toppled a decades-old dictatorship in January 2011 and ignited the Arab Spring. The loan, formally known as a stand-by arrangement, is a line of credit that “would support the authorities’ economic agenda aimed at preserving fiscal and external stability, fostering higher and more inclusive growth, and addressing critical vulnerabilities of the banking sector,” IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. The agreement “will support the implementation of the Tunisian authorities’ reform program to promote private investment, foster sustainable job-creation, reduce economic and social regional disparities, and strengthen social policies to protect the most vulnerable.” The reforms “deserve the support of the IMF and the international community through financial assistance, policy advice, and technical assistance,” Lagarde said. Plagued by political instability, social unrest and a lack of foreign investment, the north African country fell into recession following the toppling in 2011 of strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The IMF said in early February that an accord would be reached on a credit facility to support Tunisia’s “transition” and help the country cope with possible external “shocks.” But negotiations were interrupted by a political crisis in Tunisia sparked by the assassination of anti-Islamist opposition leader Chokri Belaid, which brought down the government of Hamadi Jebali. The ruling Islamist party Ennahda has claimed credit for an economic recovery since its rise to power in December 2011. But growth remains sluggish and widespread poverty and high youth unemployment, key factors behind the revolution, persist. — AFP

he Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives offering a flow of information that never ends. Every single minute, more things are sent our way: emails, text messages, voicemails, instant messages, Tweets, Facebook posts, etc. Even the most productive workers have to battle a flood of online distractions. With that said, it is no surprise that professionals in the Middle East spend much of their time online on non-work related things. In fact, according to Bayt.com’s ‘Rest and Recreation Habits Among MENA Professionals’ poll (January 2013), 30.7 percent of people say that they spend more than five hours a day surfing the Internet just for fun. So, regardless of your profession, here are a few tips the HR experts from Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Jobsite, recommend for staying focused while you’re working online: 1. Avoid distractions by prioritizing your tasks When it comes to organizing your daily tasks, create two lists: one for urgent items, and another for less urgent ones. Tasks of a less urgent nature deserve a list of their own and should not compete against urgent items that can easily consume your day. Once you have two lists, you can devote different periods of time to focus on each. This will help you allocate any extra time for guilt-free surfing on the Internet. You can also follow the ‘pick three’ rule. Take a few minutes first thing every morning and prioritize your work schedule. Identify your 3 most important tasks, and try to get those done first. Then, no matter how distracted you get, you’ll feel better knowing you also accomplished some important items. 2. Reduce real-time distractions Reduce real-time distractions by establishing some guidelines and rituals for yourself that provide more discipline, such as restricting all these little distractions to a specified 30-minute block every day. You can also limit the number of sites you need to check. Limit yourself to one bank account to check, for example, and one email account and message board. Once you are finished checking these accounts there is no reason to waste time online. 3. Manage your social time The Internet can be a ‘black hole’ for your productivity. Acknowledge the fact that you need just the right amount of Internet play-time during the day by managing time spent on social networks. Social networking is a tool, and unless you use it exclusively for business purposes, spend time on social networks only during your time off. The first and possibly easiest thing you can do to stay focused is to limit your access to the sites that you know distract you. Stay away from social networking sites, especially during early hours where productivity is at its peak. Another good way to manage your social time is by setting a timer. Set a timer for 50 minutes of work, and then give yourself a mental break for 5-10 minutes of social media fun. There are also free programs that can disable social sites to help you better focus on your work. 4. Control emails Email is still a tool that can improve communication, but it can also distract you from more important tasks. Turning off the sound on your computer or even checking emails only at designated times can help keep you from constantly checking your inbox. 5. Focus You can try to limit your penchant for mindless Internet surfing through sheer willpower alone. So before you start work, it’s important to instruct you start work, it’s important to instruct your brain what you would like it to focus on. Mentally make a point of saying to yourself “Now I am going to focus for the next few hours”.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2770000 .4310000 .3680000 .3020000 .2780000 .2940000 .0040000 .0020000 .0771240 .7513970 .3930000 .0720000 .7366120 .0370000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2841000 .4338920 .3707360 .3043390 .2795430 .0497330 .0443660 .2963730 .0365940 .2291130 .0029600 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0773800 .7538810 .0000000 .0757800 .7382100 .0000000

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

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.902 5.230 2.900 2.273 3.281 232.740 36.776 3.646

.2880000 .4470000 .3760000 .3170000 .2920000 .3020000 .0069000 .0035000 .0778990 .7589480 .4110000 .0770000 .7440150 .0440000

.2862000 .4370990 .3734770 .3065880 .2816100 .0501010 .0446940 .2985640 .0368650 .2308060 .0028810 .0052870 .0022880 .0029190 .0036810 .0779520 .7594530 .4048090 .0763400 .7436660 .0069870

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani riyal - transfer Irani riyal - cash

6.909 9.847 0.271 0.273

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

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

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

ARAB COUNTRIES 39.500 41.045 1.332 180.660 403.260 1.916 3.102 34.186

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.450 Euro 377.650 Sterling Pound 441.450 Canadian dollar 284.600 Turkish lira 159.060 Swiss Franc 311.290 US Dollar Buying 284.250

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

SELL DRAFT 299.00 282.51 310.50 378.21 284.35 439.79 2.96 3.662 5.255 2.266 3.310 2.895 77.49 757.12 40.87 405.09

Selling Rate 284.700 282.110 438.745 376.005 308.880 753.750 77.490 78.145 75.885 401.330 40.854 2.269 5.278 2.890 3.649 6.891 698.380 3.890 9.920 4.025 3.390 93.945

Bahrain Exchange Company

GOLD 298.000 150.000 77.500

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

740.000 78.500 76.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

GCC COUNTRIES 76.150 78.463 741.720 758.470 77.758

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

740.04 78.52 76.96

SELL CASH 308.000 283.500 307.000 369.000 286.500 437.000 3.300 3.740 5.400 2.450 3.450 2.975 78.300 757.850 41.300 413.000

BUY Europe 0.4280320 0.0061692 0.0458774 0.3673760 0.0452734 0.4264720 0.0398154 0.3015662

0.4370320 0.0181692 0.0508774 0.3748760 0.0504734 0.4339720 0.0448154 0.3085662

Australasia 0.2841984 0.2330832 0.0001153

0.2961984 0.2430832 0.0001153

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2712609 0.0001486 0.2831500

0.2802609 0.0001666 0.2853000

Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo

Asia 0.0036113 0.0031651

0.0036663 0.0033951

British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling

SELL

Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa Guinea Franc Hg 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

0.0450841 0.0164867 0.0000443 0.0342129 0.0052199 0.0000244 0.0028506 0.0028291 0.0033488 0.0899333 0.0031471 0.0028732 0.0064542 0.0000729 0.2267942 0.0019693 0.0095233

0.0500841 0.0195867 0.0000503 0.0373129 0.0052839 0.0000295 0.0038506 0.0030091 0.0035788 0.0969333 0.0033471 0.0029132 0.0069242 0.0000759 0.2327942 0.0022713 0.01001233

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 0.0389049 0.0129283 0.1485113 0.0000793 0.0001736 0.3968289 1.0000000 0.0001750 0.0221438 0.0012130 0.7300286 0.0777095 0.0755467 0.0479712 0.0031836 0.1772532 0.0762494 0.0012871

0.7588375 0.0409349 0.0194283 0.1503013 0.0000798 0.0002336 0.4043289 1.0000000 0.0001950 0.0461438 0.0018480 0.7410286 .0784925 O.0761867 0.0485212 0.0034036 0.1832532 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

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 284.900 374.300 436.800 282.400 2.890 5.235 41.170 2.270 3.643 6.910 2.896 758.650 77.640 76.130

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

BUSINESS

Commercial Bank of Kuwait Chairman’s statement Dear Shareholders, On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team, I have the pleasure to welcome you in this meeting and present the bank’s financial statements and certain information and statements pertaining to its business activities. First: Corporate Governance Report The banking sector in Kuwait saw a new phase in terms of its management and operational environment with the implementation of a new Corporate Governance system where regulators represented in the Central Bank of Kuwait laid down the features of such system and are now monitoring implementation and compliance thereof consistent with the international standards and best banking practices. Furthermore the banking sector should also get ready to meet the requirements of Capital Market Authority and Ministry of Commerce & Industry under the new companies law No 25/2012 and related amendments and its Executive Regulation due to be issued shortly. Transparency is considered the cornerstone of the new rules and requirements of Corporate Governance and reflected in disclosures made by banks for related parties and others. Commercial Bank of Kuwait endeavored to meet Corporate Governance requirements where the Bank implemented many requirements thereof before the mandatory date set by the Central Bank of Kuwait. The Bank has embarked on reviewing and updating its organizational structure and policies and business mechanisms so that the Board of Directors and all the Bank’s departments can adjust and fine-tune their business mechanisms to be in line with Corporate Governance requirements. As such, and not as usually followed, my message and the brief report presented to the General Assembly will be different this year along with the annual report that will be shortly released which will hopefully meet the highest disclosure and transparency standards. Second: The Bank’s Performance and Financial Highlights The Bank’s Management endeavored to improve quality of assets through two directions: first by seeking final settlement for non-performing loans by either amicable or judicial ways where our Bank considerably reduced the percentage of its Non Performing Loans, (NPLs) which stood at 2.76 percent compared to the average percentage of 4.95 percent for the banking sector in Kuwait. Secondly, we have opted on strengthening the Bank’s provisioning base where provisions coverage for NPLs stood at 169 percent at the end of 2012 compared to 94.8 percent for the Kuwait banking sector. We denote that the measures taken by the Bank’s Management led to high capital adequacy ratio which reached 19.95 percent. Third: Business Growth This year saw slight decline in corporate loans by 5.48 percent i.e. from KD1,899 million to KD1,795 million due to the selective approach the Bank has adopted in extending credit facilities targeting the good customers and promising and yielding projects.

Additionally, the Bank changed the terms and conditions covering the granting of new loan and facilities. Nevertheless, the Bank may not ignore the general credit restraints in Kuwait, particularly with the scarcity of vital projects that require credit facilities and finance. As for the retail loans, they increased by 8.25 percent i.e. from KD403 million to KD436 million. As regard operating income, it decreased from KD129.9 million to KD123.2 million and shareholders’ funds increased from KD531.4 million up to KD553 million. The Bank has declared net profits of only KD1.2 million. Fourth: International Activity Commercial Bank of Kuwait is proud for being a local bank with the full meaning of word, placing

fierce, specifically in pricing the banking services offered by banks. Though this fierce competition shall be for the benefit of consumers and borrowers, it will constitute a mounting concern and shall impose further challenges for the Bank and all other local banks. As for our vision to the Bank’s profitability, it is inevitable to disclose that the mechanism of determining net profit and dividends in Kuwaiti banks and declare the same is not a matter to be decided only by Kuwaiti banks’ managements but it is a decision taken jointly by banks’ managements and the regulatory authorities. It is irrational and unprofessional to forecast the decisions of the regulatory authorities as such decisions are discretionary for them and the final say for local banks to declare net profits lies in the hands of the regulatory authorities.

The Bank proceeded with focus on upgrading and improving its services targeting development of technologies used in providing services to our customers. The Bank shall, among its general trends for 2013, expand its domestic branches network within the narrowest limits where development in the process of providing services via information technology methods is more effective at present and is regarded as the future of the banking industry. The Bank already operates a large domestic branch network with 52 branches. The Bank persistently endeavors to assess performance of these branches and their business activities throughout Kuwait with due observation of feasibility of exchanging the locations of these branches if so required. In conclusion, I wish to express sincere gratitude

KUWAIT: Ali Mousa Al-Mousa (inset), Chairman & Managing Director of Commercial Bank of Kuwait, addresses the general assembly meeting. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat thereby great emphasis on providing its services and products to its local customers and will continue in adopting this approach for the future. However, this does not prevent the Bank from expansion in certain international operations, especially in the area of international trade finance and the international projects between Kuwait and brotherly countries. Fifth: Outlook We have a positive outlook for domestic economic activity on the short term and this is generated mainly from the strong public finance and relies on public expenditure, particularly capital expenditure where published statements indicate that a number of government projects are in the pipeline. However, we will adopt a prudent approach in 2013 where competition among local banks is expected to become more

As for credit growth, the Bank will continue its selective approach in extending credit facilities with more focus on profitability and less risky activities regardless of the negative effect this may leave on credit expansion. Thus, we do not foresee significant growth to be achieved in credit activity in 2013. On the other hand, and despite the Bank’s endeavours to focus on retail loans expansion, there exists a new factor that may have adverse impact on this, namely the State purchasing some of banks’ consumer and instalment loan portfolios within the so called “Family Fund” currently discussed in the National Assembly, where the size of this portfolio and its returns can significantly drop, but until the date of preparing this speech, there are no clarifications on the nature of this other Family relief Fund that may come into existence.

and appreciation to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheik Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah for their support towards banking sector. The Board of Directors would also like to extend thanks to the Central Bank of Kuwait’s Governor and all regulatory agencies for their continuous support to the Banking sector in Kuwait. I would also like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to our valued shareholders for their continued support of Commercial Bank of Kuwait and all our customers for their trust and confidence in our services and the Executive Management Team and our employees for their dedication and loyalty at work. Ali Mousa Al-Mousa Chairman & Managing Director

Japan wins spot in mega Asia-Pacific trade talks

KUWAIT: A robotic show that embodies new LG Optimus L Series II and Optimus G by LG.

The LG Optimus L Series II and Optimus G at the launch — Photos by Joseph Shagra

LG ‘Optimus L Series’ upgraded with bold, innovative design Alghanim x-cite distributes new smartphone

Electronics Show (CES) Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards in the Wireless Handsets Category, a Korea Electronic Show (KES) Innovation Award for its Zerogap Touch technology and the iF Design Product Award in November 2012. The Optimus L Series II smartphones LG L3 II - L5 II - L7 II offer an expanded set of user-convenient features including those unique to LG smartphones such as Quick Memo, Quick Button, Cheese Shutter and Safety Care. “We have excellent products, we have excellent technology at hand, so I think we are going to invade the world of Smartphone in months and years to come,” Kim mentioned. At the event, LG also announced the collaboration with X-cite, the leading electronics retailer in Kuwait and the official distributor for LG mobile phones in the market. Samer Sayegh, Vice President of retail group at Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons, said: “We are very proud to establish this partnership with LG Electronics, one of the global leaders and innovators in mobile communications. These new models are quite versatile and will be available at our retail stores across Kuwait.”

KUWAIT: LG Electronics (LG) has officially launched the LG Optimus G and LG L Series II Smartphones in Kuwait last Thursday. The event was held at Holiday Inn Hotel attended by the local press with President of LG Electronics Gulf and their new retail partner Al-Ghanim X-cite-exclusive distributor of LG mobile phones in Kuwait. Speaking with the Kuwait Times before the launch, D Y Kim, President of LG Electronics-Gulf said, the new LG Optimus L Series II embodies the beauty of the L Series with added refinement, while the Optimus G is LG’s most powerful Android smartphone, equipped with a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Display and a beautiful sleek design. “The Optimus G and L Series II showcase LG’s leadership in display technology with its Full HD IPS Display and differentiated UX functions. The touch screen is zero gap, it flows smoothly, you don’t need to wait or touch many times before it works, very friendly,” said Kim. The new LG Optimus L Series II and Optimus G has a unique transparent application that allows user to do a multi-

tasking while doing other work. “So if you are watching football you will not missed the opportunity of seeing the goal if you are doing other work using the mobile, since you will be able to see that by opening another window or by simply putting the football match as your background as you do other task. That is the beauty of LG which is very powerful,” he added. Asked on the market share of LG Smartphone in Kuwait he admitted to have only about 5-6 percent since they came a bit too late as compared to other players. He said in the recent months, they have heavily invested in the new technology, LTE that will define and would revolutionized LG in the next months or so. About 25 percent of LTE patent belongs to LG. Having the technology we will be the next big player of Smartphone in the world. We are preparing the playing field for that,” he noted. Kim said, with the new technology, they can be able to provide better and excellent mobile experience. The Optimus G is an award-winning smartphone that has won a number of accolades including being recognized by the Consumer

The LG Optimus L Series II and Optimus G at the launch.

KUWAIT: D.Y. Kim, President of LG Electronics-Gulf, with Al-Ghanim X-cite officials.

By Ben Garcia

SURABAYA: Japan won its bid to enter talks on a massive Pacific trade pact yesterday after winning over its last opponent, Canada, for a proposed agreement that would account for more than 40 percent of the global economy. The decision became unanimous when Canada “successfully concluded” consultations with Japan after being the sole nation of 11 in the US-driven Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that still opposed Tokyo’s participation. “As the world third largest economy, having Japan at the table is going to add additional value to all of the TPP partners,” Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast told reporters. “These consultations have been informed by a robust and ongoing engagement with Canadian stakeholders, and it’s that engagement that helped inform this process,” Fast said earlier in a statement sent to AFP. “We look forward to continuing to work together (with Japan) to deepen our trade and investment relationship in a manner that will generate significant benefits for hard-working people in both our countries.” Japan’s Ministry of Economy APEC Office Director Ken Sasaji said Japan’s participation in the talks was a major step toward the TPP’s aim to create a free-trade zone among nations on the Pacific rim. “As APEC leaders agreed, our final destination is FTAAP-a free-trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific,” Sasaji told reporters. “Now Japan is promoting various efforts to promote economic integration and economic partnerships, especially the trans-Pacific partnership, which is one of the most important efforts.” Canada’s approval came after bilateral talks on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers’ meeting in the Indonesian city of Surabaya. Fast said the TPP offered “tremendous opportunity to expand Canada’s partnerships in Asia” while strengthening relationships in the Americas. “Concluding an agreement with our TPP partners that advances Canadian interests is a key part of our government’s ambitious pro-trade plan,” Fast said. With the entry of Japan into the free-trade talks the pact would cover nearly 40 percent of the global economy, making it the biggest free-trade agreement in the world. The bloc is aimed creating a tariff-free zone with a market of around $25 trillion covering some 800 million people. Although member countries had expressed interest in Japan joining the talks, many wanted to see Tokyo make firm commitments in reducing tariffs on imports. Washington earlier this month gave Japan the thumbs-up for talks on the free-trade agreement despite opposition from Japanese farmers and some US labor groups and manufacturers. To allay concerns of higher competition in the US automotive industry, Japan agreed that US tariffs on its cars would be phased out at the latest possible time allowed by a future accord. President Barack Obama has championed the TPP as a way to boost the US economy through trade and to build a US-driven order in a fastgrowing region where China-which is not part of the talks-is gaining clout. Japan joins Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam in TPP negotiations. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

BUSINESS

KSE upbeat as three indices advance BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 1.44 percent, and the weighted index advanced by 1.20 percent compared to the closings of the week before. In addition KSX15 index increased by 1.09 percent. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 16.11 percent, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 63.40 million, whereas trading volume average was 655.34 million shares, recording decrease of 11.12 percent. The stock market witnessed fair performance enabled its three indices to realize obvious gains, where last week’s purchasing powers and quick speculations on both blue chip and small-cap stocks had a positive impact on all the market indices, reaching new levels never reached before, especially the Price Index which was able to break the 7,000 point level up, ending the week trading at its highest level since November 2010. Meanwhile, the collection and random purchasing operations on some large-cap stocks, especially the Banking Sector, pushed KSX-15 Index to increase to its highest level ever since its inception in May of last year. Moreover, the market witnessed strong vibrations during some daily sessions of the week due to the profit collection operations executed on a number of listed stocks, where it had a successful effect on dragging the indices to the red zone in some occasions; however, the strong presence of random purchasing operations, and the high market liquidity, enabled the market indicators to return to its increasing direction once again, to end the week in the green zone. On the other hand, the traders are watching for the listed companies’ announcements for the first quarter financial results of the current year, among optimism for positive results in light of the market stability witnessed since the beginning of the year, and the good gains realized by all its indicators. For the annual performance, the price index ended last week recording 19.28 percent annual gain compared to its closing in 2012, while the weighted index increased by 7.26 percent, and the KSX-15 recorded 5.55 percent increase. By the end of the week, the price index closed at 7,078.18 points, up by

1.44 percent from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 1.20 percent weekly gain after closing at 447.98 points. Moreover, the KSX-15 index closed at 1,065.12 points, increasing with 1.09 percent. Sectors’ Indices Seven of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, Four recorded declines, whereas the Health Care sector’s index closed with no change from the week before. Last week’s highest gainer was the Real Estate sector, achieving 4.63 percent growth rate as its index closed at 1,284.99 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Technology sector’s index closed at 1,062.32 points recording 3.85 percent increase. The Oil & Gas sector came in third as its index achieved 2.30 percent growth, ending the week at 1,218.15 points. On the other hand, the Telecommunications sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 0.42 percent to end the week’s activity at 903.24 points. The Insurance sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 0.23 percent, closing at 990.63 points, followed by the Consumer Goods sector, as its index closed at 1,030.56 points at a loss of 0.21 percent.

Sectors’ Activity The Real Estate sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 1.31 billion shares changing hands, representing 39.88 percent of the total market trading volume. The Financial Services sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s

traded shares were 37.35 percent of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 1.22 billion shares. On the other hand, the Real Estate sector’s stocks were the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 89.59 million or 28.26 percent of last week’s total market trad-

ing value. The Banks sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD76.53 million represented 24.14 percent of the total market trading value. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department Bayan Investment Co.

Ernst & Young report

The world of work is changing By Nadeem Shafi

ear Readers, today I am going to share the synopsis of Ernst & Young online survey on what will workers most value in their future employers? How will employers expect employees to conduct themselves? Will work look different to us in 5 years? Or 10? Employees and employers agree: Changes and challenges lie ahead. We wanted to explore what people expect to find in the workplace of the future. We wanted to learn whether different generations have different expectations of their employers, whether continuing economic uncertainty prompted new thinking about employment, and whether work schedules and workplaces would change due to technology and the need for greater work-life balance. In the fall of 2012, Ernst & Young conducted an online survey of 600 white-collar professionals. We designed our survey to explore people’s attitudes and expectations about the future of work. We sought to understand their preferences as well, including how technology affects their work style, how and where they want to work, and what benefits they think are important. Other findings challenge conventional wisdom. We learned that younger workers specifically millennials are more loyal to employers and value security more than older workers. And a majority of respondents believe contract work will be more prevalent in the future, even though these same people don’t show a desire to take on contract work. These and other results raise important questions for the future of work. How will companies increase flexibility without compromising productivity? How will

companies maintain employee loyalty when using contractors has strong appeal? How will companies provide attractive benefit packages in tough economic times? To remain competitive, organizations must seek answers. And that’s what we did. We’re profoundly interested in the future of work and how it will take shape in different economies. Teaming in a virtual world As the number of virtual workers increases, will teaming be lost? Business leaders and academics strongly agree that face time will still be important for some team-based activities, while technology will offer new opportunities for collaboration. Achieving the right balance between virtual and physical interaction will be one of several new leadership challenges that lie ahead. Managers and leaders will be challenged to find new ways to collaborate and assess talent. Trying to assess leadership in a virtual world is different from trying to assess it in a physical world. When you’re in a meeting where everyone’s physically present, you can watch the leader in terms of whether he or she can connect with the team, Working in their own space? Perhaps. On their own time? Possibly. But some things won’t change. Teaming, interaction and strong leadership will still be critical. Younger workers specifically millennials value job security more than their older counterparts. One might expect younger workers to be more entrepreneurial and attuned to risk-taking. They are conversant with technologies that allow remote and flexible work styles; they are comfortable with non-traditional working environments. Millennials expect to work for fewer com-

panies during their careers than their older counterparts. Take it or leave it: the loyalty equation Employers and employees expect loyalty to decline in the future. Flextime, Contracting, a changing benefits environment, A more competitive world. What does this mean for the long-valued bond between employer and employee? Loyalty between the two will diminish over time, suggest our survey respondents. Almost two-thirds (64%) believe employers will be

less loyal to employees in the future. Interestingly, respondents who believe that they will work for a greater number of companies during their careers and that loyalty will wane tend to be older. Part of the diminishing sense of loyalty may be attributable to social media networks and

the increased ability that all workers have to access information about other employment opportunities social networks have made it a lot easier for the younger generation to be more fluid in their movements. There are ways for prospective employers to get to people that they couldn’t before, Young people are a lot savvier, too. And because they have access to all kinds of information, they know what’s going on. Employees know they will work for several companies over their career. They will learn what they can from each and leave as soon as the fun disappears. Glimpses of a foreseeable future: No longer business as usual Where and how people want to work is changing, and employers must adapt in order to attract and retain top talent. But how? Some trends we can safely anticipate from our survey findings: • Workspaces will change. With more people working virtually, organizations will need to adapt office workspaces to allow for a more flexible and dynamic environment. That may mean reducing office space, creating more open workspaces, along with private spaces, and/or enabling employees to be productive at shared work locations. The corporate workspace will increasingly become a place for teams to meet and interact, while being supported by technologies that foster collaboration. • Technology will continue to transform work. Video chats and virtual meeting rooms will replace teleconferencing. Smart boards will enhance brainstorming sessions, and ideas will be communicated through collaborative digital platforms for further evaluation. Though technology undoubtedly

•

drives many of the trends noted in this study, it will not replace what many people value: face time and teamwork. High-performing workplaces will find a way to leverage technology to improve business results without compromising employee relationships and culture. Leaders will manage virtual workforces. People want and expect more flexibility in the workplace of the future. To meet the demands, leaders will need to modify their management styles to build relationships with team members and achieve productivity in a virtual world. Employers and employees will need to become comfortable with the idea that flexibility won’t mean working less, it will mean working differently. Organizations will explore new benefit packages. All generations signal an appetite for traditional benefits. Despite tough economic times, organizations may need to explore viable alternatives, such as voluntary benefit options or employee choices, to balance attractiveness and affordability. Building employee loyalty will be at the forefront. As contractors become more prevalent in the workplace, full-time employees may question their longterm future employment prospects. Organizations will need to find new, meaningful ways to mentor, develop, empower, reward and recognize employees to help them feel valued and sustain employee loyalty.

I hope you find the synopsis of our report thought-provoking! Wish you a great week. — Nadeem Shafi, Partner Assurance, Ernst & Young Training Center.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

BUSINESS

Worldwide sales of TMC Hybrids top 5 million units Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) yesterday announced that cumulative global sales of its hybrid vehicles topped the 5 million unit mark as of March 31, 2013, reaching 5.125 million units. Positioning response to environmental issues as a management priority and based on its belief that environment-friendly vehicles can only truly have a positive impact if they are used widely, TMC has endeavored to promote the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles. Nobuyuki Negishi, Chief Representative of Middle East & North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation said, “Having pioneered this category, Toyota continues to set the benchmark for hybrid vehicles. Environmentally conscious customers today want to use the most fuel-efficient and cleanest vehicle that meets their needs and budget and Toyota is responding to their needs with a wide range of hybrid vehicles. From our perspective, hybrid vehicles are definitely going mainstream and this is having a positive impact on our sales as customers place their trust in Toyota’s innovative technology and hybrid car expertise.” TMC Vice Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who was responsible for development of the first-generation Prius, said: “We developed the firstgeneration Prius with the aim of making it a car for the twenty-first century and as an indication of Toyota’s response to environmental issues. We had to develop a hybrid system from scratch, making our task extremely difficult. Nevertheless, we took on the challenge. The launch of the first-generation Prius had effects beyond our expectations, with the vehicle increasing consumer environmental awareness and raising hybrid vehicle expectations. The understanding of consumers at launch time laid the foundation for the widespread adoption, and, since then, consumers have continued to support TMC hybrid vehicles. For this, I am extremely grateful.” Last year, hybrid vehicles accounted for 14 percent of TMC’s global vehicle sales and 40 percent of its vehicle sales in Japan. As of this month, TMC sells 19 hybrid passenger car models and one plug-in hybrid model in

approximately 80 countries and regions around the world, and between now and December 2015, TMC will launch a total of 18 new hybrid vehicles worldwide and is committed to augmenting its product lineup even further and increasing the number of countries and regions where it sells hybrid vehicles.TMC calculates that as of March 31, 2013, TMC hybrid vehicles2 have resulted in approximately 34 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions-believed to be a cause of global warming-than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. TMC also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 12 million kiloliters of gasoline compared to the amount used by gasolinepowered vehicles of similar size.

In 1997 in Japan, TMC launched the “Coaster Hybrid EV” in August and launched the “Prius”-the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle-in December. Since then, TMC hybrid vehicles have received tremendous support from consumers around the world. Having positioned hybrid technologies that enable the use of different fuel combinations-including the component technologies necessary for development of various environment-friendly cars-as core environmental technologies for the twenty-first century, TMC plans to continue working to further raise performance, reduce costs, and expand its product lineupincluding that of non-hybrid environment-friendly vehicles-to create vehicles that are popular with consumers.

Automakers target Chinese buyers SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW

Safat Home launches double savings offer ‘Purple carpet VIP event at showrooms KUWAIT: Double Savings entitles you to further discounts on already discounted items. Get fantastic deals on our wide range of furniture, accessories and even sanitary ware and tiles! This promotion applies to both our showrooms - Shuwaikh and Al-Rai. Offers are only available while stocks last, so hurry in! Double Savings means double the fun! To launch our Double Savings promotion, we are hosting a Purple Carpet VIP event, an evening to remember! To show our appreciation to our loyal customers, we will be offering exclusive discounts and entry into a raffle draw to win prizes up to the value of KD750! Walk- in customers are also entitled to winning prizes in this raffle draw. In recent weeks, renovations to improve our Al-Rai showroom have been taking place in order to enhance your shopping experience. Meanwhile, the showroom continues to showcase all our fine furnishings, accessories and decor.

Our Shuwaikh Showroom also provides an extensive range of furniture and accessories but also more. Keep a look out for our exclusive offers in our Shuwaikh showroom as these are not to be missed! For those of you building a new home or remodeling a current one, we offer a wide range of floor and wall tiles, bathroom fittings and sanitary ware. In addition, we have on-location engineering and design departments who can take tackle anything from air conditioning installations to elevators. At Safat Home, we offer a 1 year warranty on furniture items. A nominal fee will extend that warranty for a further 3 or 5 years, for additional peace of mind. Flexible payment terms are also available, so that our valued customers can furnish their homes without breaking the bank. We look forward to seeing you at our Purple Carpet VIP event on the 16th April 7:30pm. Think furniture, think Safat Home!

SHANGHAI: Global and Chinese automakers showcased family-friendly sedans and SUVs targeting coveted urban buyers at China’s biggest auto show yesterday as competition intensifies in this huge but crowded market. China’s vehicle sales rose 13 percent in March, blistering growth by Western standards but down from 45 percent in 2009. With sales weak elsewhere, global companies that see China as a key part of their future are pouring money and technology into fighting for market share, squeezing each other and new but ambitious local automakers. “It is a very, very competitive market,” said Bob Socia, president of General Motors Co’s China arm. The Shanghai auto show, held in alternate years, has grown into one of the global industry’s most prominent events, especially after China passed the United States in 2009 as the biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold. Organizers say exhibitors at this year’s show, which opens to the public after yesterday’s press preview, will display more than 800 vehicles, from mass-market compacts to minivans to hand-built sports cars with price tags of more than $1 million. GM is displaying 53 models from its Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet units as well as its local Baojun and Wuling brands. GM says it will launch 17 new and refreshed models in China this year and wants to expand Cadillac’s share of the country’s booming luxury market. Ford Motor Co unveiled a new version of its Mondeo sedan and the sport model of its smaller Focus ST aimed at prosperous, family-conscious Chinese buyers. Marin Burela, the president of Ford’s main Chinese joint venture, said the Mondeo is aimed at luring Chinese buyers with “affordable luxury.” The Mondeo “rivals vehicles priced well beyond this segment,” Burela said. Italy’s Fiat SpA, trying to catch up after launching its first China venture just three years ago, unveiled a version of its Viaggio sedan and a SUV, the Freemont, based on the Dodge Journey. Fiat said the Viaggio, with a smaller 1.4-liter engine than models sold elsewhere, was its first vehicle designed for the China market. China’s auto sales last year topped 19 million. Industry analysts and automakers say they expect rapid growth to continue, rising to annual sales of as much as 32 million vehicles by 2020 - the equivalent of the United States and Europe combined. “China really is in the infancy of industry development,” said David Schoch, Ford’s president for Asia and the Pacific. Ford expects 60 to 70 percent of its sales growth to come from the Asia-Pacific region in coming years, he said, “and most of that is driven by the China engine.” Schoch said Ford plans to double the size of its China dealership network to more than 800 outlets. Despite rapid sales growth that has left Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities choked on traffic and smog, competition has been brutal, forcing fledgling Chinese automakers to merge in hopes of competing with bigger global rivals. Ford’s local partner, Chang’an Automotive Group, swallowed rivals Changhe and Hafei and a series of smaller producers. Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp, which assembles vehicles for GM and VW, absorbed Nanjing Automotive. Still, the market is fragmented among more than 100 brands and some domestic producers have sales of just 1,000 to 2,000 vehicles a year. Germany’s Volkswagen AG is China’s biggest single auto brand with a 14 percent market share. GM is second with 7 percent for cars, plus its truck and minivan sales. Ford, Honda Motor Co and leading Chinese brands such as Chery Inc and Geely Holding Group, which owns Sweden’s Volvo Cars, have shares of 2 to 4 percent. The squeeze on independent Chinese brands has worsened as global automakers

target their core low-cost market with new economy models. Chinese automakers were stunned last year when GM unveiled a version of its Sail sedan priced at just 56,800 yuan ($9,100). GM says it also exported more than 60,000 Chinese-manufactured Sails last year to other developing markets. Chery’s sales plunged 10 percent last year. It responded last week by announcing an overhaul that will eliminate two of its three brands and slim down its product range from 20 models to 10 or 11.

played models they said were restyled to suit Chinese tastes. Toyota Motor Co showed a Yaris sedan and other models it said were modified for China after market research. Honda and Nissan Motor Co, which have hired Chinese designers, showed models they said were created to meet local demand. Sales of Japanese brands plunged last year during a dispute between Beijing and Tokyo over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea and continue to

SHANGHAI: models pose next to a BYD S7 SUV on media day at the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai yesterday. — AFP

SHANGHAI: Visitors look at a Toyota Landcruiser Prado SUV on media day at the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai. — AFP “It’s already survival of the fittest,” said analyst Namrita Chow of IHS Automotive. One Chinese brand that has bucked the trend is Great Wall Motors Co. Its profit jumped 65 percent last year, driven by sales of its popular SUVs, which are exported to 80 countries including Australia, Italy and Russia. Yesterday, Great Wall unveiled two new SUVs, the H6 and the H7, as well as a sedan and a pickup. On the strength of those new products, CEO Wang Fengying said this year’s sales might rise 30 percent. “We put a lot into research and development really, a lot,” said Wang, the only female chief executive of a major Chinese auto brand. “We hope we know just what customers want and trust.” Also yesterday, Japanese automakers that are struggling to come back from a sales slump dis-

wane even though the tensions have abated. Japanese automakers suffered a combined 17.8 percent sales decline in March, according to Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book. Speaking at the show, Toyota Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada, stressed friendship with China. He noted that Toyota has produced its hybrid Prius in China since 2005, the first manufacturing site for the vehicle outside Japan. “For me, China is a cherished neighbor,” he said. China’s failure to follow its neighbors Japan and South Korea in creating at least one global auto brand has frustrated communist leaders. They see auto manufacturing as an industry that will create higher-paid jobs in fields from electronics to chemicals. They have spent two decades giving producers subsidies and other help.—AP

Govt spending remains sluggish in February NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Latest public finance data show that government spending remained sluggish in February - both compared to last year and in relation to its target set in the budget. Although the numbers will rise substantially once the final figures for FY12/13 are released - adding an element of unpredictability to projections - it seems likely that full year spending will undershoot its target by a wide margin. Combined with strong oil revenues, this is likely to push the budget surplus to a record high. The budget surplus for the first 11 months of FY 2012/13 reached a record KD18.8 billion, before allocations to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations. This is equivalent to 38 percent of 2012 GDP. We expect the budget surplus to close the year at a lower KD 14-15 billion, once the typical

end-year pick-up in reported spending is accounted for. The revenue picture remains extremely robust. Total revenues climbed to KD29.4 billion in the 11 months to February. Oil revenues were up by some 9 percent y/y, despite a 2 percent y/y decline in Kuwait Export Crude prices over the same period. The rise is partly explained by a 6 percent y/y increase in oil production. Non-oil revenues meanwhile - although still comparatively small - rose 12 percent y/y to KD1.6 billion, their highest ever for this stage of the year, on higher service charges. Government spending edged up to KD10.6 billion in February - a fall of 2 percent y/y and equivalent to 50 percent of full-year budgeted expenditures. Total spending rose at a slower pace than seen in recent months, by KD0.8

billion compared to KD1-3 billion in November to January. In light of this, we have revised down our full-year spending forecast for FY 2012/13 by some KD1 billion to KD17.5 billion - or 82 percent of budgeted expenditures. The large under-spend stems mostly from the ‘miscellaneous expenditures & transfers’ segment, driven by intergovernmental transfers (mainly transfers to cover the actuarial deficit in the social security fund), which have limited macroeconomic impact. Total current expenditures - which reached KD 9.7 billion in February - are still expected to see a decent rise in FY12/13 as a result of strong increases in wages & salaries and higher spending on fuel costs. Capital expenditures reached KD0.9 billion - almost KD0.2 billion lower than a year ago - reflecting the slow

pace of execution of government projects. The monthly increase in capital expenditures slowed for the third consecutive month, and we now see investment spending for FY 2012/13 softening by more than in the previous fiscal year. Demand-impacting spending, on the other hand, climbed to KD7.4 billion - 13 percent higher y/y. This spending excludes some transfers - such as those to the Public Institute for Social Security - and other items that have minimal effect on economic activity. The solid rise suggests that fiscal policy is providing significant support for the economy, especially via employment-related spending that has boosted growth in the consumer sector.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

BUSINESS

Sadu House to get state-of-the-art presentation makeover Alghanim Industries to provide latest in audio and sound technology KUWAIT: Alghanim Industries, in cooperation with Al-Sadu Weaving Co-operative Society, has announced that it is to use its vast experience in technology solutions to upgrade Sadu House’s display and presentations systems to world class standards, using the best technology currently available. Once Alghanim Industries completes its replacement of the current display sound systems, Sadu House will become one of the most technologically advanced historical buildings in Kuwait. The agreement, which also includes arrangements for system maintenance, will mean that visitors to Sadu House can learn about Kuwait’s unique heritage and culture and interact with exhibits in a custom designed contemporary environment which is both informative and entertaining. Kutayba Y. Alghanim, Chairman of Alghanim Industries said: “Alghanim Industries itself is a Kuwaiti company and therefore shares the values of Kuwait’s rich culture and heritage. I am very proud that we are able to support the efforts of the Al Sadu Weaving Co-operative Society in this way and assist it in both preserving and promoting our rich Arabian

Kutayba Y Alghanim, Chairman of Alghanim Industries

heritage. We see this as a great opportunity to help showcase Kuwait’s culture, both to Kuwaitis and to the outside world. “ Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Sabah, Chairperson of AlSadu Society, said: “We welcome Alghanim Industries’ support and enthusiastic involvement in Sadu House. The project is intended to remind people of Kuwaiti heritage and our traditional weaves and textiles. We aspire to preserve and develop Kuwait’s artisan culture and translate it to our modern society. We are very pleased that a locally founded company, which is now a major international group, also shares similar values regarding the preservation of Kuwait’s roots and artistic traditions.” Installment of the new systems is estimated to take a few weeks and is expected to be completed by the beginning of May. When finished, the new systems will include the latest projectors, interactive wireless systems, and pan-tilt-zoom cameras which can provide a ‘real time’ projection of the loom and master-weaver as she weaves. Sadu House will maintain its activities as normal during the construction and installation of the new systems.

Joyalukkas announces winners of ‘Easy Gold Plan’ in Kuwait KUWAIT: Joyalukkas has announced the winners of its ‘Easy Gold Plan’ for the month of March 2013. The Joyalukkas Easy Gold Plan is a unique installment based initiative for customers to save and buy jewelry of their choice in easy installments. The Joyalukkas Easy Gold Plan assures customers of more value than their bank savings since Gold today is considered as one of the safest investment options. Under the Joyalukkas Easy Gold Plan, customers can choose a monthly payment option starting from KD 10 and retain it for a period of 12, 18 or 24 months. At the end of the period customers can pick the jewelry of their choice from the Joyalukkas showrooms based on the value saved. Most customers who have participated in the scheme have endorsed that the Joyalukkas Easy Gold Scheme has given them much better returns than Fixed Deposits. “Joyalukkas is committed to giving customers conven-

ience, value, choice and excellent service. The Easy Gold Scheme is part of our convenience initiative to make the purchase of jewelry very easy and secure for our customers. We assure their returns and we give them the flexibility of picking the jewelry they like and would love to own,” said Joy Alukkas, Chairman, Joyalukkas Group The winners for the month of March 2013 under the Joyalukkas Easy Gold Scheme are Uckoo Pradeep Kumar, EGP card no 1491012580 and Sukhvinder Singh, EGP card No 1491011354. They each get to win gold coins from Joyalukkas. Joyalukkas is one of the first ISO certified jewelry retailers in the Middle East and has also recently won the status of Super Brand in the UAE. In addition to this Joyalukkas has been recognized with the Dubai Quaity Awards certificate for its best practices in all aspects of jewelry retailing and has also been awarded with the status of Middle East’s retailer of the year by Retail ME.

Volkswagen ME announces 23% growth for Q1 2013 Sedan models account for almost 50% of Volkswagen Q1 deliveries

Burgan Bank offers VIVA users convenient payment modes KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday a partnership with VIVA Telecom that offers bank customers who own a VIVA line a convenient and an instant method of mobile bill payment. Through the new service, Burgan Bank customers can now pay their VIVA bill through either direct debit transactions, an ATM or through Burgan Bank’s website. Burgan Bank is the first bank in Kuwait to offer customers complete payment solutions that meet their varied needs. Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base. Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank Turkey, (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”). The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook. The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait. Excellence is one of the Bank’s four key values and Burgan Bank continually strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry. The Bank was re-certified in 2010 with the ISO 9001:2008 certification in all its banking businesses, making it the first bank in the GCC, and the only bank in Kuwait to receive such accreditation. The Bank also has to its credit the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twelve consecutive years.

Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah daily draws KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah daily draws on April 14, 2013, announcing the names of its winners for the week of April 7 to April 11. The Al-Danah daily draws include draws each working day for two prizes of KD1000 per winner. The winners are: (Sunday 7/4): Sadiqa Haji Khoder Abdally, Sanaa Abdulaziz Mubarak Bin Naser (Monday 8/4): Abdullah Zohair Ibrahim Al-Mutawa, Meaad Awaad Howli Mansour (Tuesday 9/4): Fatma Abdulsatar Abdal, Abdulrazaq Abdullatif AlNesef (Wednesday 10/4), Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Al-Kandari, Fahad Rabea Salem Al-Muhammad ( Thursday 11/4), Naif Mohammed Motar AlHarbi, Khaled Ali Dawoud Ali. Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah 2013 draw lineup includes daily draws (2 winners per working day each receive KD1000), as well as two additional prizes per quarter. Al-Danah’s 2nd Quarterly draw will be held on 27 June (KD250,000, KD125,000, and KD25,000), 3rd Quarter - 26 September (KD500,000, KD125,000, and KD25,000) and the final draw held on 9 January, 2014 announcing winners of KD50,000, KD250,000 and the Al-Danah millionaire. Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and simultaneously encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account. Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al-Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the Al Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al-Danah winner. To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches.

DUBAI: Volkswagen Middle East has announced a 23 percent increase in deliveries for Q1 2013 compared to the same period in 2012, with the month of March up 27 percent on last year in terms of growth. The region has seen its sedan models account for almost 50 percent of the region’s total deliveries in the first quarter, reinforcing Volkswagen’s sedan strategy, which indicates the need and preference of customers in the Middle East for high standards of safety and design and competitive pricing in the sector. The results from January to March of this year have also indicated a strong start for the new Volkswagen Passat sedan which arrived in the Middle East in 2012 and was awarded best mid-size sedan in the region by the Middle East Motor Awards last year. Also making a mark in the first quarter was the bestselling Volkswagen, Touareg, with a 45 percent growth. Growth across regional markets also increased with the GCC up 28 percent on 2012. Volkswagen vehicles were delivered to customers across 12 Middle East markets, with Kuwait and Lebanon leading the way with growth of 113 percent and 43 percent respectively. These countries were followed closely in performance by the UAE (30 percent), Bahrain (27 percent) and Jordan (24 percent). Thomas Milz, Managing Director, Volkswagen Middle East said: “So far 2013 has shown growth across our region as a whole, with the month of March demonstrating the strongest results to date. While we shall see positive effects from our attractive and full model range and strong market position, there will also be increasingly stiff competi-

tion in this challenging market. “Together with our regional partners, Volkswagen in the Middle East remains committed to offering our customers world class products and service excellence and to continue driving the brand forward with on-going investment in facilities, customer service and the launch of new models.” So far this year, Volkswagen Middle East has launched the eagerly anticipated seventh generation Volkswagen Golf along with the announcement that the stunning new Golf GTI will arrive in the region during Q3. The introduction of these vehicles is great news for the discerning Middle East customers, who have a long history with these iconic models. The stunning new Golf GTI will offer an even more striking and sportier design, as well as a 10HP increase in power; both attributes which have long been important in this market. Having just arrived in this region, the seventh generation Golf has been completely redesigned, including: the vehicle body, interior, engines, all of the information and entertainment systems, and the numerous new driver assistance systems. Each new Golf is also 100kg lighter which makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by 23 percent making the vehicle a better choice for the environment and customers alike. Globally, the Volkswagen brand delivered 1.43million vehicles from January to March 2013 marking a 5.2 percent increase on 2012.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

technology

Cosmonauts tackle equipment installation outside space station CAPE CANAVERAL: A pair of Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 6-1/2 hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station, the first of up to eight outings this year to install experiments and prepare the orbital outpost for a new module, officials said. Flight engineers Pavel Vinogradov, 59, a veteran of seven spacewalks and Roman Romanenko, 41, a second-generation cosmonaut on his debut spacewalk, floated outside the station’s airlock at 10:03 a.m. EDT/1403 GMT as the station soared 262 miles (422 km) over the southern Pacific Ocean. The primary purpose of the 6-1/2

hour excursion was to set up an experiment that monitors plasma waves in Earth’s ionosphere, the outer layer of the planet’s atmosphere that extends to about 370 miles (600 km) into space. Instruments on two boxes attached to handrails on the forward portion of the station’s Zvezda module will measure low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, which, among other triggers, has been tied to earthquakes. At the other end of the Zvezda module, Vinogradov and Romanenko replaced a faulty laser retroreflector that is part of an automated docking system used by the European Space Agency’s

cargo transports. The next ship is due to launch in June. Before heading back into the station, the cosmonauts retrieved another experiment designed to study how microbes affect spacecraft structures and whether microbes are affected by solar activity. The day’s only glitch occurred just before the men wrapped up their sixhour, 38-minute spacewalk. Vinogradov lost his grip on a science experiment that was slated to be returned to Earth. It floated away in the gravity-free world of space. The lost aluminum panel, which measured about 18 inches by 12 inches

(46 by 31 cm) and weighed about 6.5 pounds (3 kg), had been anchored outside the station to test how various metals wear in the harsh space environment. It floated off in the direction of the Zvezda module’s solar arrays, but engineers determined it did not hit or threaten the station, NASA mission commentator Rob Navias said. A second panel remains attached to the outside of the station and is slated to be retrieved on a later spacewalk. “So all is not lost,” Navias said. “It was a minor fly in the ointment to what has been a successful spaceflight up that moment.”

While his crewmates worked outside, station commander Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut, had the less glamorous task of replacing a pump separator in one of the station’s toilets. Two more spacewalks by Russian cosmonauts are scheduled for June to prepare for the arrival of a Russian laboratory and docking module that is to be launched in December. The station, which is staffed by rotating crews of six astronauts and cosmonauts, is a $100 billion research outpost owned by the United States and Russia in partnership with Europe, Japan and Canada. —Reuters

FAA approves Dreamliner battery system design ‘We’re back in business’

PROVO: Mayor John Curtis, center, along with Gov. Gary Herbert, left, and Rebecca Lockhart, makes the announcement that Google will make Provo, Utah, the third city to get its high-speed Internet service via fiber-optic cables, Wednesday in Provo. The Provo deal is the first time Google plans to acquire an existing fiber-optic system. The city of 115,000 created the fiberoptic network, iProvo, in 2004, which has struggled to break even. —AP

Google shows more progress in mobile ads SAN FRANCISCO: Google’s latest quarterly results provided further proof that the Internet search leader is figuring out how to make more money as Web surfers migrate from personal computers to mobile devices. The first-quarter numbers released Thursday show that a recent decline in Google’s average ad prices is easing. That’s an indication that marketers are starting to pay more for the ads that Google distributes to smartphones and tablet computers. The company expects that trend to continue as it changes its pricing system and as mobile devices emerge as the most effective way to reach consumers. In another encouraging sign, the Motorola cellphone business was less of a burden than it has been since Google bought it for $12.4 billion nearly a year ago. Meanwhile, Google’s core operations, such as Internet search, maps, video and email, remain reliable moneymakers. Those factors, coupled with an unusually low tax rate, produced earnings that exceeded analyst estimates and pleased investors. Google’s stock gained $11.84, or 1.6 percent, to $777.75 in extended trading Thursday after the report came out. As with most major technology companies, Google’s future success is likely to hinge on its ability to adjust to an accelerating shift from computers controlled by keyboards and mice to mobile devices that respond to the touch of a finger and are usually within a person’s reach. Google has been among the companies leading the transition, thanks to the Android software that it has been giving away to device makers since 2008. Android is now the leading mobile operating system. Most device makers using Android also prominently feature Google’s services, giving the company more opportunities to sell ads. Even so, the mobile upheaval has presented Google with challenges that have been worrying investors, despite the company’s steadily rising earnings. Mobile ads so far have fetched less money than those viewed on the larger screens of laptop and desktop computers. Google’s average price, or the “cost per click” to advertisers, has fallen from the previous year in six consecutive quarters, including the first three months of the year. Now, there are signs that marketers are starting to pay more for mobile ads. The first-quarter decrease in average ad prices was just 4 percent. By comparison, Google’s average ad price fell by 6 percent during the final three months of last year and by 12 percent during last year’s first quarter. “I have been very pleased with the rate of progress so far,” CEO Larry Page said during a conference call with analysts. “In today’s multiscreen world, the opportunities are endless.” Google’s ambitions sometimes seem boundless, too, as the Mountain View, Calif., company continually pushes the technological envelope. This week alone, Google unveiled plans to expand its effort to provide extraordinarily fast Internet access into Provo, Utah and began distributing test versions of Internet-connected glasses to programmers who paid $1,500 apiece for a device that is supposed to be the equivalent of a smartphone that can

be worn on a person’s head. Those projects are examples why Google’s spending often runs higher than investors prefer. The company’s capital expenditures doubled from last year to $1.2 billion in the first quarter while research-and-development expenses rose 27 percent to $1.8 billion. Some of the increase was caused by Motorola, which Google didn’t own in last year’s first quarter. By investing in new frontiers, Page believes Google will remain a fount of innovation. He doesn’t want to allow Google’s domination of Internet search to foster a sense of complacency that becomes the company’s downfall. “Companies can tend to get comfortable doing what they’ve always done, with a few minor tweaks,” Page told analysts Thursday. “It’s only natural to want to work on things you know, but incremental improvement is guaranteed to be obsolete over time, especially in technology where history has shown that there’s a lot of revolutionary change.” As part of its effort to adjust to the mobile evolution, Google is changing the way it sells ads, prodding more marketers into buying spots on mobile devices at the same time they plan campaigns aimed at PCs. Although that switch isn’t to be completed until late June, about 1.5 million ad campaigns on Google already have changed over to the more mobilefriendly format, according to Nikesh Arora, the company’s chief business officer. Google Inc. earned $3.3 billion, or $9.94 per share, during the first three months of the year. That was a 16 percent increase from $2.9 billion, or $8.75 per share, in the same period last year. If not for certain expenses, Google said it would have earned $11.58 per share. That figure exceeded the average earnings estimate of $10.65 per share among analysts surveyed by FactSet. Google’s tax rate in the quarter was just 8 percent compared with 18 percent at the same time last year. Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette said the reduction stemmed from research and development tax credits and a change in the mix of income from overseas, where Google typically pay or no tax. Revenue climbed 31 percent to $14 billion, from $10.6 billion a year earlier. After subtracting advertising commissions, Google’s revenue totaled $11 billion about $335 million below analyst estimates. Motorola Mobility’s operating loss in the first quarter was $179 million, the smallest setback so far under Google’s ownership. Motorola Mobility has lost $1.25 billion since Google took control. Google has been paring the losses by cutting jobs and shedding the part of Motorola Mobility that makes set-top boxes for cable television. The company began laying off about 1,200 Motorola Mobility employees last month, adding to the 4,000 people that Google let go last year. Google also shed about 5,000 more workers Wednesday when it completed its $2.35 billion sale of the set-top business to Arris Group Inc. Google ended March with more than 38,700 workers in its core business and nearly 10,000 in the part of Motorola Mobility that it still owns. —AP

U.S. regulators approved on Friday a revamped battery system for Boeing Co’s 787 Dreamliner, a crucial step in returning the high-tech jet to service after it was grounded in January because its lithium-ion batteries overheated. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of design changes allows Boeing to immediately begin making repairs to the fleet of 50 planes owned by airlines around the world. The FAA action all but ends a grounding that has cost Boeing an estimated $600 million, halted deliveries and forced some airlines to lease alternative aircraft. Several airlines have said they will seek compensation from Boeing, potentially adding to the plane maker’s losses. The agency also said the jet retained permission to fly up to 180 minutes over remote areas and oceans once US regulators allowed the Dreamliner to return to the skies. There had been talk of scaling back the approved range, known as ETOPS, which would have limited the use of the fuel-efficient jet. Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney said the 787’s promised benefits “remain fully intact” and reaction in the industry was joyous. “We’re back in business, baby!” tweeted the Washington Aerospace Partnership, a group of business, labor and local government leaders supportive of Boeing. “This is a good step forward,” United Airlines said in a statement. United is the only US carrier with 787s and plans to add them to its schedule starting May 31. Plans to launch service from Denver to Tokyo Narita are set for June 10, but depend on completing the modifications by then, it added. In theory, the planes could be carrying passengers again within a week. Boeing said it takes five days to refit each jet and that no regulatory barrier prevents airlines from putting planes into service after the work is finished. In practice, however, airlines typically perform “check flights” before carrying passengers, Mike Sinnett, chief 787 program engineer, told a news conference Friday. With 10 teams already in place around the world and Friday’s approval to begin work, installation could move quickly and then “it’s up to the airlines” when they begin using the plane, Sinnett said. The FAA said it will issue an “airworthiness directive” next week that formally lifts the U.S. ban on passenger flights. Nearly half of the planes in service are owned by Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines . Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB), the counterpart of the FAA, gave a nod to the FAA’s approval. “We are closely working with the FAA and are analyzing and assessing the 787 improvement measures, and we do not see any problems,” Shigeru Takano, an official at the CAB, said. The next step for Japan would be to revise its version of the airworthiness directive, known as a “technical circular directive” Takano said that could come on or after April 25. “We want to make the final decision on flight resumption based on the FAA’s airworthiness directive revision as well as checking the results of a U.S. National Transportation Safety Boardhosted hearing set to take place on April 23 and 24,” he said. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the top U.S. transportation investigator, is investigating a battery fire on a JAL Dreamliner plane parked at an airport in Boston in January and will have an investigative hearing on the jet’s

battery next week. Japan has yet to decide whether it should require ANA and JAL to take additional measures to ensure the safety of the lithium-ion batteries used in the Dreamliner, Takano added. Mark Rosenker, who headed the NTSB under President George W. Bush, said the FAA clearly believed that Boeing’s proposed changes would avert further problems. “It should give the flying public a sense of safety and reliance and well-being,” said Rosenker. He said he expected airlines to resume flying the planes in May. Much of the design change in the battery system already is well-known, thanks to Boeing’s detailed descriptions of the system to customers, legislators and media. Before the planes can fly, they must be fitted with a “containment and venting” system for both lithium-ion batteries on the 787, the FAA said. That includes a stainless-steel enclosure to prevent heat, fumes or fire from spreading if a

dollar figure on the battery crisis, but some analysts estimate it cost $50 million a week. Others said that seemed high. Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst at Teal Group, said Boeing also faced claims from airlines for the grounding, which would compound the much-higher-than-expected cost of launching the new aircraft. Boeing had expected to spend about $4 billion to $5 billion on the new composite plane, but the cost was now closer to $20 billion, he said. “This has just been another increment of pain on top of a whole lot of other pain,” Aboulafia said. Nevertheless, Boeing’s stock rose 2.1 percent on Friday to $87.96, and has gained 18.3 percent since the 787 was grounded on January 16. In approving the change, the FAA is indicating that it believes Boeing’s fix is adequate to address the risk of fire on the plane. However, the NTSB continues to investigate what caused a battery to catch fire on the JAL plane in Boston. A second

SEATTLE: File photo shows a Boeing 787 flight test jet taxing following a test flight, at Boeing Field, in Seattle. Boeing’s beleaguered 787 Dreamliners will be able to resume flights under an order expected to be issued Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration, although the root cause of battery failures on two of the planes is still unknown, according to congressional sources briefed by the agency. —AP battery overheats in flight. Batteries and battery chargers must also be replaced with different components, the FAA said. Boeing also will install the new system on planes produced since the grounding that were barred from being delivered. “They’re running out of space on the tarmac,” outside the factory near Seattle, said Congressman Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat who has the factory in his district. He said Boeing expects it will take five or six months to clear that backlog. He said he did not have a problem with the FAA approving the fix before the NTSB hearing next week, since accident investigations often take longer than regulatory action. “There’s a lot more we need to learn about lithium-ion batteries and technology,” he said. Sinnett said Boeing still expected to deliver all of the Dreamliners it had planned this year. The company has been conducting flight tests of the new planes so they can be delivered quickly when the new systems are installed. But costs remain unclear. Boeing has not put a

battery overheated during an ANA flight in Japan a few days later, prompting regulators to ground the Dreamliner. Boeing has said its redesign addresses more than 80 potential causes, and therefore is more rigorous than if a single cause had been found. The NTSB said Friday it would call officials from the FAA and Boeing, including Sinnett, to testify, along with people from Thales SA of France, which makes the battery system, and GS Yuasa Corp of Japan, which makes the battery. Asked Friday why Boeing trusted engineering assumptions that were proved wrong by events, and why Boeing or the public should trust them now, Sinnett said the company had learned to be more conservative in testing batteries, and applied that to the new system. He said the NTSB hearing next week would look into the question of whether the original system should have been safer. As for other “unknown unknowns” that may lurk in the plan, he said, “There will be some significant special attention given to this and what we have learned from it.” —Reuters

IBM Q1 results miss expectations NEW YORK: IBM Corp.’s first-quarter net income and revenue declined due to delays in closing several of the technology company’s large software and mainframe computer deals. The results fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, sending IBM’s stock lower in afterhours trading. IBM is seen as a good gauge of technology demand because it sells to major companies and governments around the world. That said, it’s not immune to economic uncertainty and currency fluctuations, which were evident in the quarterly results. IBM said Thursday that it earned $3.03 billion, or $2.70 per share, in the January-March period. That’s down 1 percent from $3.07 billion, or $2.61 per share, in the same period a year earlier. Last year’s quarter had more outstanding shares, which lowers per-

share results. Earnings excluding one-time items were $3 per share in the latest quarter, below Wall Street’s expectations of $3.05 per share. Revenue fell 5 percent, to $23.41 billion from $24.67 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expected revenue to be nearly unchanged at $24.65 billion “Despite a solid start and good client demand we did not close a number of software and mmainframe transactions that have moved into the second quarter,” said IBM CEO Ginni Rometty in a statement. “The services business performed as expected with strong profit growth and significant new business in the quarter.” Chief Financial Officer Mark Loughridge said on a conference call that weakness in the Japanese yen hurt earnings. A weak yen translates to fewer dollars for IBM

on sales in Japan. Adjusted for currency fluctuations, IBM said its revenue would have only declined by 3 percent for the quarter, rather than 5 percent. IBM kept its full-year guidance intact. It still expects adjusted, pershare earnings of at least $16.70 for 2013. Analysts predict $16.77. Rometty said the company expects to close the delayed transactions and expects to benefit from investments in growth initiatives. She said IBM is also trying to improve the weaker parts of its business. The company has been focusing on growing its software business, which is more profitable, over hardware. Revenue from technology services declined 4 percent during the quarter, to $9.6 billion, and business services revenue fell 3 percent, to $4.5 billion. Software revenue was flat at $5.6 billion, while

hardware revenue dropped 17 percent to $3.1 billion. IBM has had a good track record of beating or at least meeting Wall Street’s expectations - the shortfall in profit and revenue is a rare miss. The company has now been able to grow its earnings per share for 41 consecutive quarters more than a decade - even though it hasn’t always increased net income. In the third quarter of 2012 IBM’s net income was flat, while per-share earnings grew because the company had fewer outstanding shares. That’s what happened in the first quarter. Net income fell but per-share earnings increased. Shares of the Armonk, N.Y.based company fell $9.90, or 4.8 percent, to $197.25 in after-hours trading. Before the earnings announcement, the stock closed down $2.52 at $207.15. —AP

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

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

California failed to spend $455m on water projects FRESNO: California has failed to spend $455 million of federal money meant to improve water infrastructure in the state, while thousands of people rely on groundwater laced with nitrates and other contaminants, federal regulators said. The state has received more than $1.5 billion for its Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund over the past 15 years, but has failed to spend a large part of it in a timely manner, according to a noncompliance letter from the US Environmental Protection Agency to the state’s public health department. The amount is the program’s largest unspent sum in the nation, the EPA said. The fund gives out loans to public and private water systems for drinking water infrastructure improvements, including treatment facilities, pipelines and other projects. In recent years, California has received an estimated $80 million in federal money annually for the fund. The state provides a 20 percent match and manages the loan repayments which helps replenish the fund. “It’s really unacceptable,” EPA’s region-

al administrator, Jared Blumenfeld, said of the unspent funds. “It’s not like there is a lack of projects. It’s a lot of money in this day and age.” The $455 million includes money that has been committed to projects but has not been spent because the projects are not shovel-ready, said Blumenfeld. But because the money is already committed, other water systems that are in need cannot apply for it, he said. The EPA also found that California also lacks a good system of financial oversight and accountability for the fund. As a result, the state did not accurately calculate revenue from ongoing loan repayments into the fund, the EPA said, meaning an additional $260 million is available for water projects. In response to the EPA, Department of Public Health director Ron Chapman wrote in a letter, “I acknowledge the seriousness of the notice and will take all steps necessary to address the compliance issues identified in the letter.” The state has 60 days to come up with an improvement plan - or the EPA may suspend future payments. By the end of 2012,

Poor care killed woman after being denied abortion: Jury DUBLIN: A miscarrying Indian woman who died from blood poisoning in an Irish hospital after being denied an abortion perished because staff bungled her diagnosis and didn’t give her prompt treatment, a jury unanimously ruled Friday in a case that has divided Ireland. The findings from a two-week coroner’s inquest into the causes of Savita Halappanavar’s Oct. 28 death at University Hospital Galway confirmed what her widower, Praveen, has maintained all along: Hospital staff refused to give his wife an abortion citing the country’s Catholic social policies, waited three days until the 17week-old fetus had died, then discovered she was in an advanced state of septicemia. She died three-and-a-half days later from organ failure. At the conclusion of his fact-finding probe the Galway coroner, Dr. Ciaran MacLoughlin, praised Praveen Halappanavar for his courage in protesting publicly against his wife’s medical treatment at the western Ireland hospital, where doctors had refused to perform a termination while the fetus retained a heartbeat. Halappanavar then shook the hands of the six-man, five-woman jury that ruled she died from “medical misadventure,” meaning incompetence in her care. Outside, he said legal action would continue to try to make particular staff responsible for her death. He said the hospital’s inaction for several days of his wife’s deteriorating health during a drawn -out, painful miscarriage meant she might as well have stayed at home. “Medicine is all about improving patients’ health and life. And look what they did. She was left there to die. It’s horrendous, barbaric and inhuman the way Savita was treated in that hospital,” said Praveen Halappanavar, speaking on the day that would have been the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary. “They could have intervened right from day one because they knew the fetus was inviable, so why wait?” he said, adding that the testimony had pinned down systemwide failures but no personal responsibility. “The midwife blames the consultant (doctor), the consultant blames the law. ... Somebody has to take ownership when a patient walks into the hospital.” The case highlighted a two-decade dilemma in Ireland’s abortion law. A 1992 Supreme Court ruling declared that abortions deemed necessar y to save a woman’s life must be legal, but successive governments have refused to pass any law to support the ruling, fearful of voter backlash where Catholicism remains the dominant faith. That has left doctors fearful of facing prosecution for murder if they perform terminations in a country whose constitution contains a blanket ban on the practice. The government of Prime Minister Enda Kenny has pledged it will pass a law, with related medical guidelines, by July that defines when life-saving abortions can be given. But Kenny’s own party is split down

the EPA said California has disbursed 63 percent of its federal safe drinking water funding, while the national average was 81 percent. Part of California’s struggle to spend the money, Blumenfeld said, is that the state prefers funding projects from medium and large water systems that are years away from being launched. He said the state should make more money available to smaller communities that are in immediate need - especially those struggling with contaminated drinking water. More than half of California’s population relies on a drinking water supply contaminated by arsenic, nitrates and other contaminants, though most communities blend or treat their water to make it safe, according to the State Water Resources Control Board. Nitrate contamination of drinking water is one of the most pervasive problems, especially in California’s agricultural heartland and will intensify in coming years, according to a University of California, Davis study released last March. The study - covering the Salinas Valley and

Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties found that half of the 2.6 million people in those areas live in communities where raw drinking water sources have registered nitrate levels exceeding the standard. While many of those communities blend or treat their water, drill a new well or provide another alternative source, one in 10 people in the study area rely on untreated groundwater that may exceed the nitrate standards. Most are residents of small, poor agricultural communities. Scientists have linked high levels of nitrates to “blue baby syndrome,” reproductive disorders and cancer. Infants who drink water that exceeds the nitrate standard could become seriously ill and die, according the EPA. Many of the residents whose water is contaminated pay for their own bottled water for drinking and cooking, in addition to paying for the contaminated water. Accessing this kind of funding means the difference between having safe drinking water or not in many communities, said Laurel Firestone, co-director of the

Community Water Center, a nonprofit advocating for safe drinking water in the Central California. “Many of the communities we work with have gone a decade or more trying to make their way through the funding bureaucracy to access these funds,” she said. They “have lacked access to safe drinking water in their homes and schools. ... Their applications for funding seem to be in a never-ending game of Chutes and Ladders.” Last year, California was the first state to pass the Human Right to Water Act, which established as state policy that every Californian has a human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible drinking water. The state, Firestone said, has a long way to go to making that a reality. According to federal regulators, California needs $39 billion in capital improvements through 2026 for water systems to continue providing safe drinking water to the public. That includes both updating old infrastructure and building new infrastructure to deal with water contamination problems. — AP

Another bird flu death in China, number of infected grows to 95 Gene data show China bird flu mutated ‘under the radar’

GALWAY: Undated file handout photo issued by The Irish Times of Indian woman Savita Halappanavar who was refused a termination in an Irish hospital as she miscarried, and died as a result of medical misadventure, a jury at her inquest has unanimously ruled. — AP the middle, with Catholic conservatives pledging to vote against the measure amid lobbying by church leaders. MacLoughlin published eight recommendations for the hospital to improve how it records and shares patient information among staff, and monitors the risk of infections and blood poisoning in its patients. His other recommendation was for Ireland’s Medical Council to publish guidelines defining the exact circumstances when an abortion can be performed to save the life of the woman. These guidelines, long sought by doctors at Ireland’s maternity hospitals, “would remove doubt and fear from the doctor and also reassure the public,” he said. MacLoughlin didn’t rule on the question of whether an abortion one or two days before the fetus died would have saved Halappanavar’s life. He found instead that staff failed to test her blood sufficiently for signs of poisoning; results which showed signs of that poisoning weren’t consulted for hours or even days; and the hospital’s notes on her file were incomplete, unclear and even had been unprofessionally amended in eight places days or weeks after her death. He said that should never happen again. During the inquest, the key expert witness, Peter Boylan, former master of a major Dublin maternity hospital, said he was confident that an abortion one or two days before the fetus died would have saved Halappanavar’s life. He described her case as a deadly Catch22, because Irish law meant doctors cannot perform a termination “unless the woman looks like she is going to die.” By the time doctors finally reached that conclusion on the day her fetus died, he said, “it was already too late.” — AP

SWANSEA: 14-month-old Amelia Down sits on the lap of her mother Helen (L) as she receives the combined Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination at an MMR drop-in clinic at Neath Port Talbot Hospital near Swansea in south Wales yesterday. Public health officials said they were investigating the first suspected death from measles in Britain in five years, after an outbreak blamed on a campaign against vaccinations. — AFP

SHANGHAI: China reported another death and four new infections from a new strain of bird flu yeterday, raising the death toll to 18, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The H7N9 virus has been found in 95 people, mostly in eastern China. The latest victim is a 69-year old man surnamed Xu from Zhejiang province who passed away Friday night after emergency treatment failed, Xinhua said. Zhejiang province reported three new infection cases with all three patients in critical condition. The eastern costal province of Jiangsu also reported another bird flu infection. On Friday health officials raised questions about the source of this strain of bird flu indicating that more than half of patients had no contact with poultry. While it is not clear how people are becoming infected, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no evidence of the most worrying scenario - sustained transmission between people. The WHO’s China representative, Michael O’Leary, issued data on Friday showing that half of the cases analysed had no known contact with poultry, the most obvious potential source, but he said it appeared human-to-human transmission was rare. China announced the first case of human infection of the H7N9 in late March and has since has been praised by the WHO for its handling of the situation. The new strain of bird flu that has killed 17 people in China has been circulating widely “under the radar” and has acquired significant genetic diversity that makes it more of a threat, scientists said on Friday. Dutch and Chinese researchers who analysed genetic data from seven samples of the new H7N9 strain say it has already acquired similar levels of genetic diversity as much larger outbreaks of other H7 strains of flu seen previously in birds. “The diversity we see in these first few samples from China is as great as the diversity we have seen with a large outbreak in the Netherlands several years ago and one in Italy,” said Marion Koopmans, head of virology at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, who worked on the study as part of a nine-member team. “This means it (the H7N9 strain in China) has been spreading quite a bit and it’s important to understand where exactly that is going on.” Its genetic diversity shows the virus has an ability to mutate repeatedly and is likely to continue doing so, raising the risk that it may become transmissable among humans. Koopmans, whose research was published in the

BEIJING: Michael O’ Leary, the head of the World Health Organization’s office in China speaks during a media briefing on the human infection with H7N9 bird flu virus at the WHO office in Beijing yesterday. — AP online journal Eurosurveillance, said the circulation would probably have taken place in either birds or mammals, but said exactly which animals were involved was not yet clear. “Simply the fact that this virus is spreading under the radar - because that is what this data confirms - is of concern,” she told Reuters in a telephone interview. The H7N9 virus is so far known to have infected 87 people in China, killing 17 of them. Health officials raised further questions on Friday about the source of the new strain after data indicated that more than half of patients had had no contact with poultry. A scientific study published last week showed the H7N9 strain was a so-called “triple reassortant” virus with a mixture of genes from three other flu strains found in birds in Asia. One of those three strains is thought to have come from a brambling, a type of small wild bird. For their study, Koopmans and her team compared some data from the first two weeks of the China H7N9 outbreak with data from a large H7N7 flu outbreak in birds and people the Netherlands in 2003 and an H7N1 epidemic in birds in Italy in 1999 and 2000. The Dutch outbreak resulted in infection of poultry on 255 farms and led to the culling of

about 30 million chickens. Some 89 people were also diagnosed as having the H7N7 virus and one person, a vet, died as a result of the infection. The comparison suggested that “widespread circulation (of the H7N9 strain in China) must have occurred, resulting in major genetic diversification”, the researchers wrote in their study. They added: “Such diversification is of concern, given that several markers associated with increased risk for public health are already present.” Flu experts in China and at the World Health Organisation say there is no evidence so far that H7N9 is passing easily between people. But scientists who analysed the genetic sequence data from three early samples from China say the virus has already acquired some mutations that might make it more likely to be able to do so in the future, raising the risk of a human pandemic. “Although human infections with H7 influenza viruses have occurred repeatedly over the last decades without evidence of sustained humanto-human transmission, the absence of sustained human-to-human transmission of H7N9 viruses does not come with any guarantee,” Koopmans’ team wrote in their study. — Reuters

Astellas, GSK vie to make ‘high altitude’ anaemia pill LONDON: Japan’s Astellas Pharma and Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline are competing to develop a new kind of medicine that boosts production of red blood cells by making the body think it is at high altitude. Their experimental drugs - both given as pills - could create a major new market in treating anaemia and other serious conditions, including circulatory problems and wound damage. They may also attract unscrupulous athletes seeking a handy oral alternative to injections of EPO, or erythropoietin, the blood enhancer that has become a byword for doping in cases involving cyclist Lance Armstrong and others. So far, the rival pills are not generally on investors’ radar, but they could become significant challengers in an anaemia therapy market that is currently dominated by EPO products with combined sales of close to $8 billion a year. GSK Chief Executive Andrew Witty recently highlighted his company’s pill, dubbed GSK 1278863, as one of the two most exciting and innovative products in the development pipeline alongside a promising cancer vaccine called MAGE-A3. “It is a tablet which makes the body think it is at 5,000 feet. When you go and exercise at altitude you produce a lot of red blood cells, so it

has all sorts of potential applications in terms of helping people with blood disorders,” he told a National Health Service meeting last month. GSK is testing its drug in Phase II clinical trials. That puts it behind Astellas and its partner FibroGen, which launched final-stage Phase III tests in December of their drug, known as FG-4592 or ASP1517, as an anaemia treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease. Mike Allen, head of urology and nephrology at Astellas, said the new drug marked a major advance compared to EPO, since it did not raise blood pressure - a concern with EPO. And since it can be given orally at home, it should be particularly suitable for kidney patients who are not on hospital dialysis. “We are very excited about this product and its potential. It is a priority in our portfolio and we do think that as a novel mechanism for this medical need it is very creative and shows great promise,” Allen said in an interview. Astellas placed a big bet on the new approach in 2006 when it licensed the European and Japanese rights to FG-4592 from private U.S firm FibroGen in a deal potentially worth more than $2 billion. FibroGen retains rights to the drug in the United States and other

markets, and for uses other than anaemia. Another private US company, Akebia Therapeutics, also has a similar HIF-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor in Phase II tests. Peter Ratcliffe of the University of Oxford, whose team discovered the prolyl hydroxylase enzymes targeted by the new drugs in 2001, sees a role for them in multiple areas. In addition to treating anaemia, they might help with major circulatory problems such as angina or bad circulation in the legs, aid repair to the body after tissue is damaged, and reduce inflammatory problems such as colitis in the gut. The new drugs mimic the body’s response to hypoxia, or low oxygen levels, by increasing the natural production of EPO in the kidneys. “The potential advantage over EPO is that these drugs are pills and they also do other things that support the action of EPO, including facilitating the absorption of iron,” Ratcliffe said. “It could be an important new area of medicine, which is exciting to explore.” Ratcliffe, who is Nuffield Professor of Clinical Medicine at Oxford, also works as a consultant to GSK. Current injectable EPO stimulating agents have been under a cloud for some years due to cardiovascular safety concerns. As a result, the global market has shrunk from a

peak of $12 billion in 2006, although products like Amgen’s Epogen and Aranesp remain multibillion-dollar sellers. Doctors will be keeping a close watch on potential safety issues with the new pills, too, as they advance through large-scale clinical testing. So far, there are no signs of cardiovascular problems. But there is a potential for unwanted side effects given the generalised way in which the drugs work. The challenge will be to balance the local and general effects of medicines that, depending on dose, mimic the effects of being at between 5,000 and 15,000 feet, Ratcliffe said. Side effects may be less of a concern for sport cheats. Allen said Astellas would do whatever was necessary to ensure its new drug was not abused, although it is has not yet held talks with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). GSK, meanwhile, told WADA last year that it had an unnamed experimental drug that could boost red blood cell production - the first such notification under a new agreement designed to clamp down on illicit drug use in sport. A company spokesman said it was GSK’s policy not to identify individual compounds under the deal with WADA. — Reuters

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

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NBK welcomes BBS students on banking familiarization tour

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

Palestine handicrafts exhibition

he Palestinian Culture Center in cooperation with Bayt Lothan, invites you to its spring exhibition. This is held under the patronage of Rami Ihsan Tahboub, Ambassador of the state of Palestine in Kuwait. The exhibition aims to preserve Palestinian handicrafts, to reaffirm the Palestinian national identity as well as empowering refugee women in the camps. We display classic designs intertwined with modern uses, colors, and motifs to showcase some of the creativity of the Palestinian women. Items on sale include: cushions, scarves, shawls, long traditional dresses as well as smaller items. We also have handmade ceramics from Palestine, books, music, and movies. There will be a bake sale of traditional foods on Thursday and in the evening childrenís activities. ìDabkahî our Folkdance will be on Monday and Thursday at 6:30 Evening. Venue: Bayt Lothan, Salmiya, next to Marina Mall Dates: Monday, April 22 to Thursday, April 25, 2013 Hours: Mornings: 10:00 am 1:30 pm - Evenings: 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm.

Announcements Konkani musical show nited Friends Club - Kuwait presents Kuwait Trio’s Konkani Songit Sanz (a Konkani musical evening) with fun filled comedy and songs, starring: Gracy Rodrigues, Clemmie Pereira, Irene Vaz, Lucy Aranha, Espy Crasto, Bab. Agnel, Katty de Navelim, Salu Faleiro, Gasper Crasto, Braz de Parra, Anthony D’Silva, Agnelo Fernandes, Seby & Seby, Zeferino Mendes, Lopes Bros., Comedian Nelson, Laurente Pereira & Cajetan de Sanvordem-Michael D’Silva-Mario de Majorda (Kuwait Trio). The show will be held on Friday, 10th May 2013 at 4 pm at the Indian Community School (Senior), Salmiya, Kuwait. Music will be provided by Maestro Shahu.

Group picture with NBK Public Relations team

ational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) welcomed a group of high school students from Al Bayan Bilingual School (BBS) at the bank’s head office in a banking familiarization tour. NBK Public Relations team took the vis-

British Carnival and Massive Car Boot Sale

here will be a British Carnival and Massive Car Boot Sale on Saturday 27th April 2013 (0830-1800) at the PGA Everton Academy Sports Ground (Bayan Block 7, Street 302, adjacent to Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School). This family fun day will include a football tournament (for all registered players) for all age groups, bouncy castles, cartoon characters, face painting, displays, exhibitions, stalls, games and competitions, fun races, basketball shoot out, penalty competition, giveaways, BBQ, food, drinks. Everyone is invited to come along and join in the fun! Register in advance for the Car Boot Sale vendors space - KD10.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

industry. As part of its corporate social responsibility program, NBK regularly hosts students on field trips from both public and private schools in Kuwait and provides them with information about the banking industry and career opportunities.

arnatic music concert by Madhumitha Bascarane and Sushmitha Bascarane (Students of Nadamadhuri School of Music, Kuwait) disciples of Guru Kanchi Kamakodigal Asthana Vidhvan, Gana Bhooshanam Rajesh Thiruvalla. Chief Guest: Isai Chelvam, M R Senthamil Arasu. Violin Karunagapally. S. Balamurali, Mrudangam Perunna. G. Harikumar, Ghatom Ragesh. V. Ramakrishnan. Venue: Indian Community School (Senior Girls), Essa Al Qatami Street, Salmiya, Kuwait on Friday, 26th April at 6 pm. The Mitha sisters began their classical music training in Kuwait in 2005 at the age of 7 and 4 respectively under the guidance of Smt Sumathi Baskaran. In 2007 and 2008 they continued their training with Sivakumar in Pondicherry. Their training under the present teacher Ganabhushanam Rajesh Thiruvalla, started in the year 2009.

BSK attends Festival of Literature in Dubai

fits of Al -Azraq and Al-Shabab accounts and the importance of public relations within the banking sector. At the end of the visit, the students expressed their thanks for having the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the banking

Duet performance of Mitha sisters

KALA-Balakalamela registeration alakalamela-2013, the art and cultural competition for Indian students in Kuwait, organized yearly by KALA-Kuwait is scheduled to be conducted on 3 May 2013 at Indian Public school, Salmiya. The completions are open for Indian students from Class 1 to 12 categorized as Sub Juniors (Class 1~4), Juniors (Class 5~8) and Seniors (912). The completions will be held for Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Folk Dance, Group Dance, Light Music, Classical Music, Fancy Dress, Elocution (English & Malayalam), Essay (English & Malayalam), Recitation (English & Malayalam) in 6 different stages in the venue. The registrations can be done through schools or directly through KALA web site ‘www.kalaonweb.com’ or directly handed over to any of the nearest KALA-units, or to sent to our e-mail ‘kalabalakalamela@gmail.com’ on or before 20 April 2013.

AUK holds 9th annual career fair tudents at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) will have a fantastic opportunity to meet and speak with representatives from more than 25 reputed companies in Kuwait at the 9th Annual AUK Career Fair, organized by AUK Career Services and the Wellness Center of AUK. This event, exclusively for AUK students and graduates, is sponsored by the Platinum sponsors Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) and Gulf Bank, the Gold sponsors: KIPCO Asset Management, 4Fest and 4Films Printing Group, and Ahli United Bank; and the Silver sponsors Al-Homaizi Ltd. IKEA, Hyundai Green Industries (HGI), United Real Estate Company, Al Ghanim Industries, and Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK). During the event, AUK students and graduates will have the opportunity to meet and speak with a variety of corporate representatives at this event, which will enable them to investigate their career paths. The event will be held on April 23rd 2013. “Our students have great employment opportunities this year with leading companies in Kuwait. I hope this will provide them with a wide scope of prospects to develop their skills and achieve their career goals,” said Abir Itani, Career and Personal Counselor at the Career and Wellness Center at AUK.

iting group of studentson a tour of the bank’s various departments, including the main banking hall. NBK staff then presented to the students a brief lecture on the importance of saving, the services that NBK provides to its customers, the multi-bene-

SK’s first visit to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai took place when ten students accompanied Miss Helen Graham and David Cox for a weekend of books and award winning authors, including Nick Arnold (Horrible Science) and Geraldine McCaughrean (Peter Pan in Scarlet).The Festival, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is now in its fifth year, with the theme this year being Heroes and Villains. Students discussed the age-old themes of good and evil with writers, whether they be police detectives, historical figures, adventurers, scientists, intrepid heroines and even garden weeds! The Festival is now one of the world’s annual premier

Literary Festivals, with more than 30,000 visitors, over 100 of the world’s great writers, and sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Dubai Culture and Arts Authority were one of the founding partners and they set out to foster and nurture the realm of talent in the Arab world, focussing on the UAE’s emerging writers, and also offering an overview of global events. It has provided a strong cultural understanding of the Emirati heritage to visitors from all over the world, providing inspiration to many. BSK students spent time with Nick Arnold, who signed many of their books, speaking personally to all 10 students. The students also attended workshops led by Robert Crowther - ‘Miracles of Paper Engineering’ and Geraldine McCaughrean - Who Are You Calling A Villain? Kinokyniya Bookshop gave BSK stu-

dents the opportunity to buy books at bargain prices, which were then signed at one of the many book signing sessions. This year the Festival branched out into Art and there were three exciting installations to bring books and words into visual art. These were Dubai Doors, the Korky Paul Miral and Robert Crowther’s Pop-up Models. The festival also welcomed the Penguin Fringe Performers, with the Penguin Reading Garden and talented performers from Trinity College London who entertained the crowds with music and the spoken word.It was an incredibly successful weekend, with both BSK students and teachers returning to Kuwait, not just to read more, but also take up the pen and write. Plans for 2014 are already written.

Kuwait Banks Unions hold annual party

nder the patronage and presence of the General Secretary of Kuwait Banks Unions Dr Ali Al-Hasawi and the Chairman of Kuwait Banks Club Ahmad Sultan and Vice Chairman Mahmoud Bustaki and General Secretary Ali AlThuwaini and Treasurer Mohammed Al-Seyeyh and member of the Board of Directors, the club management held its annual party to honor the tangible efforts in making 2012 activities organized by banks club successful. A documentary film was shown about the different activities held over the past year in different places. A memorial shield was given to Dr Al-Hasawi for inaugurating the annual event and honoring was made to Hassan Maarafi General Director of Arabi Club and Musaed AlMutowwes Ex member of the board of banks club.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy

Health & safety matters symposium concludes

uccessful completion of the “Health & Safety Matters” symposium took place on April 17, bringing together business leaders and health and safety professionals. Organized by the Australian College of Kuwait’s Corporate Training Department (ACK CT), the symposium provided an engaging exchange of experiences from international, regional and local keynote speakers. A common theme emerging from all addresses was encapsulated by Hussain Al Kharafi (Chairman, Kuwait Industries Union) who he called upon the delegates to “make a commitment to do something and take action towards making a safer work environment in Kuwait”. Keynote speaker Hasan Al Aradi (Managing Director, RRC Middle East) provided an overview of health and safety practices in GCC countries highlighting the trend of extensive training provision for government inspectors. Dr David Towlson (Principal External Examiner for the National Examination Board of Occupational Safety and Health NEBOSH) emphasized the global trend of increased awareness for health and safety standards being driven by international conventions, state based legislation and insurance requirements. As a result there is an ever-increasing need for

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.

health and safety personnel to hold certifications from quality assured bodies. Eng. Abdulaziz Dashti (Kuwait Gulf Oil Company) shared the experiences and challenges in establishing a safety culture in the oil industry and noted that certifications from awarding bodies such as NEBOSH (National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health) were becoming mandatory for contractor awards. ACK CT’s very own Ali Mubarak (Senior Manager Corporate Training and Engineering Consultancy) concluded the symposium by highlighting the common elements of addresses. The need for Kuwait to have access to consultancy and international training certifications was highlighted. Mubarak stated that “ACK CT is uniquely positioned to provide a range of local, regional and international consultancy as well as certifications from a range of awarding bodies. Our newly formed strategic alliance with RRC International, one of the UK’s leading international health and safety providers, enables ACK CT and Kuwait to share in RRC International’s wealth of experience”. ACK CT was also proud to announce that it is committed to holding the Health & Safety Matters symposium again in 2014.

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

Sebamed goes Instagram Al-Dahash, Al-Shaheen and Al-Doussary honored

aths teacher at Sadeem Model School, Mubarak AlKabeer educational area, Ekram Rashad heartily and sincerely congratulates the school director, Khaleda AlShaheen, the head of the Math department, Munira AlDoussary and colleague, Maths teacher, Athatri AlDahash for being honored by HH the Amir on celebrating the Teachers Day last week.

e are glad to inform you that we launched our site on instagram. Follow us on @sebamedkuwait and (hashtag) #sebamedkuwait.

We plan to launch a contest about the daily life with sebamed involving all family members, so follow us for more details, for the weekly contest and prizes.

teachers honoured

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, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. nnnnnnn

Al-Botthei, Bader and English teacher Essam among honorees.

nglish teacher Hassan Abdel Bari and the English staff at Emam Malek Secondary School, Mubarak Al-Kabeer educational area recently congratulated the school’s assistant director for

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.

Al-Botthei and Bader on the ceremony.

administrative affairs, Mohammed Abdul Rahman AlBotthei for being honored by HH the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed on celebrating the Teachers Day last week.

Honorees on the ceremony also included Khaled Soud Al-Zaid Secondary School Director, Essam Bader and English teacher at Duaij Al-Salam Secondary School. Congratulations and wish you all the best.

Stage set for ‘Shaastrotsav 2013’

he stage is set for ‘Shaastrotsav’, the Festival of Science, the most popular science and technology event in Kuwait, which will be held on Friday, April 26, 2013. This year NSS College of Engineering Alumni (Kuwait Chapter) and the Institution of Engineers (India) Kuwait Chapter have joined hands to organize the event at Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS), Kuwait. Addressing a press conference, the organizers said Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta will inaugurate ‘Shaastrotav’ at 10am. More than 400 students from various schools in Kuwait will be displaying their science and technology skills in the science project exhibition and various other competitions which will take place from 10 am to 5 pm. ‘Shaastrotsav’ has come a long way since the first event in 2009. Many science and technology enthusiasts and organizations in Kuwait will be participating in this year’s event, displaying latest technologies including robotic show and workshop by Sabah Al-Ahmad Centre for Giftedness & Creativity, Holographic show and 3D

Projection by Spider Max Kuwait and Remote-controlled aircraft show and Flying Machines demonstrations by Aeronautical division of Kuwait Science Club. The Hidden Beauties of Kuwait’s Wildlife, Presentation by Dr Manaf Behbahani, Chairman of the Wildlife Protection Committee at the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, will be an added value to the evening programs. Computer animation contest and Rubik cube solving contest are other major attractions. ‘Shaastrotsav’ is the only event in Kuwait offering platform for students to demonstrate their ability in these skills. Apart from the Interschool Science and Technology Project and Exhibition, schools will be fielding their best talents in the interschool science and technology quiz, which will be held in the evening. Wellknown Quiz Master Varun Rajive from KQA, India will be conducting the science and technology quiz. Shaastrotsav will be a day full of informative and entertaining programs for children and adults alike. email:

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

EMBASSY GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that visa applications must be submitted to Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office) located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). For information please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours: Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website www.mfa.gr/kuwait. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF ALBANIA

sciencefest@hotmail.com Web:www.shaastrotsav.org. Joseph Panicker, Chairman, Institution of Engineers (India) Kuwait chapter, Justin

Joseph, General Convener Shaastrotsav2013 and Shemej Kumar, Convener-Media & Publicity, addressed the press conference.

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.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Up Close And Dangerous 01:10 Up Close And Dangerous 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Latin America 03:15 Wild Appalachia 04:05 Wild France 04:55 Call Of The Wildman 05:20 Orangutan Island 05:45 RSPCA: On The Frontline 06:10 RSPCA: On The Frontline 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 The Really Wild Show 07:25 Groomer Has It 08:15 Dogs 101: Specials 09:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 10:05 Wildest Latin America 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 Call Of The Wildman 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 World Wild Vet 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wildest Latin America 15:30 Orangutan Island 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101: Specials 17:25 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 18:20 Project Puppy 18:45 Project Puppy 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Call Of The Wildman 20:35 Orangutan Island 21:05 Wildest Latin America 22:00 Into The Pride 22:55 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix

00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:15 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 03:05 What To Eat Now - Summer 03:30 Cash In The Attic 04:15 Bargain Hunt 05:00 Britain’s Dream Homes 05:50 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 06:35 French Food At Home 07:00 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 07:25 The Good Cook 07:50 Baking Made Easy 08:15 Homes Under The Hammer 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:55 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:10 Come Dine With Me 13:00 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 13:30 French Food At Home 13:55 Cash In The Attic 14:40 Bargain Hunt 15:25 Antiques Roadshow 16:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:00 Homes Under The Hammer 17:55 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 18:20 The Roux Legacy 18:55 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 04:30 04:45 05:00

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 Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News

05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 Hardtalk 18:00 Global With John Sopel 18:30 Global With John Sopel 19:00 Global With John Sopel 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk

00:45 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:00 05:25 05:45 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:15 07:40 08:05 08:30 08:55 09:45 10:10 10:35 11:00 11:25 11:50 12:40 13:00 13:25 13:50 14:20 14:45 15:10 15:35 16:00 16:25 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:10 20:35 21:00

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 Toon Adventures The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Taz-Mania Tom & Jerry Tales Moomins The Garﬁeld Show The Looney Tunes Show Tiny Toon Adventures Taz-Mania Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Pink Panther And Pals The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Puppy In My Pocket What’s New Scooby-Doo?

21:25 21:50 22:15 23:05 23:30 23:55

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 World Tour 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Starwars: The Clone Wars 20:20 Ben 10: Omniverse 20:45 Hero 108 21:10 Young Justice 21:35 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 22:00 Ben 10 22:25 Ben 10 22:50 Mucha Lucha ! 23:15 Mucha Lucha ! 23:40 Powerpuﬀ Girls

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:45 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:45 22:00

ROBOCOP ON OSN ACTION HD

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report World Sport Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport Talk Asia World Report World Report World Sport I Report For CNN World Business Today World One Open Court Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East CNN Football Club Open Court International Desk Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Europe Amanpour

22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 You Have Been Warned 01:10 Magic Of Science 01:35 Magic Of Science 02:05 Mythbusters 03:00 Mythbusters 03:55 Border Security 04:20 Auction Hunters 04:50 Baggage Battles 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Inventions That Shook The World 08:45 American Chopper 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Hunters 10:30 Baggage Battles 10:55 How Do They Do It? 11:25 How It’s Made 11:50 You Have Been Warned 12:45 Magic Of Science 13:15 Magic Of Science 13:40 Mythbusters 14:35 Border Security 15:05 Auction Hunters 15:30 Baggage Battles 16:00 Fast N’ Loud 16:55 American Chopper 17:50 Mythbusters 18:45 Sons Of Guns 19:40 How Do They Do It? 20:05 How It’s Made 20:35 Auction Hunters 21:00 Baggage Battles 21:30 Sons Of Guns 22:25 Mobster Confessions 22:50 Mobster Confessions 23:20 Hellriders

00:05 00:30 01:00 01:50 02:45 03:35 04:25 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:25 11:15 12:05 13:00 13:50 14:20 14:45 15:10 15:35 16:00 16:55 17:45 18:35 19:30 19:55 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:40

The Tech Show Weird Connections NASA’s Greatest Missions Weird Or What? Space Pioneer NASA’s Greatest Missions Robocar Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Moon Machines Food Factory Food Factory Bang Goes The Theory Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Smash Lab Nextworld Robocar Meteorite Men Bang Goes The Theory Weird Connections Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Food Factory Food Factory Smash Lab Nextworld Kings Of Construction Moon Machines Food Factory Food Factory Curiosity Gadget Show - World Tour The Tech Show Food Factory Food Factory Weird Or What? Gadget Show - World Tour

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:35 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Hannah Montana Forever 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 Hannah Montana Hannah Montana 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 Hannah Montana Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie Jessie Shake It Up A.N.T Farm Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place That’s So Raven Cory In The House Good Luck Charlie Jessie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Jonas Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Forever

00:00 00:55 01:25 02:20 03:15 03:40

Opening Act Style Star E!es E!es Style Star Extreme Close-Up

04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 09:45 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:30 23:30

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

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:20 Unwrapped 01:45 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:10 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:35 Unique Sweets 03:25 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 07:50 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 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 18:15 Reza’s African Kitchen 18:40 Guy’s Big Bite 19:05 Tyler’s Ultimate 19:30 Chopped 20:20 Chopped 21:10 Iron Chef America 22:00 Food Network Challenge 22:50 Unique Eats 23:15 Unique Eats 23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:15 13:40 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

00:15 00:45 01:40 02:05 02:35 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:25 05:20 06:15 06:40 07:10 07:35 08:05 09:00 09:25 09:55 10:20 10:50 11:15 11:45 12:40 13:35 14:00 14:30 14:55 15:25 16:20 10 16:45 11 17:15 17:40 18:10 18:35 19:05 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:55 23:20 23:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Nightmare Next Door I Almost Got Away With It I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Undercover: Double Life Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? On The Case With Paula Zahn Undercover: Double Life 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 Undercover: Double Life Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill On The Case With Paula Zahn Killer Kids I Almost Got Away With It

Papua New Guinea Aikido Keeping Up With The Joneses 8 Keeping Up With The Joneses 9 Ep 4 Ep 5 Ep 6 Danger Beach, 3 Colombia City Chase Rome, 2 Lake District Spain - Barcelona South Africa Papua New Guinea Aikido Keeping Up With The Joneses 8 Keeping Up With The Joneses 9 Ep 4 Ep 5 Ep 6 Danger Beach, 3 Colombia Ep 3 Belize Germany - Berlin Czech Republic Peru Savate Keeping Up With The Joneses Keeping Up With The Joneses Ep 7 Ep 8 Ep 9 Danger Beach, 4 Laos Czech Republic Peru Belize Germany - Berlin City Chase Rome, 3 Caldicot Rocco’s Food Tour Limone

GOON ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 RoboCop-18 02:00 The Last Exorcism-18 04:00 Meteor Storm-PG15 06:00 Season Of The Witch-PG15 08:00 RoboCop 3-PG15 10:00 True Justice: Blood Alley-PG15 11:45 Mission: Impossible II-PG15 14:00 RoboCop 3-PG15 16:00 True Justice: Violence Of Action-PG15 17:45 Mission: Impossible II-PG15 20:00 Ronin-18 22:15 Striking Distance-PG15

01:00 Legendary Assassin-PG15 03:00 How I Spent My Summer Vacation-PG15 05:00 Winx-FAM 07:00 Underground: The Julian Assange Story-PG15 09:00 Legendary Assassin-PG15 11:00 Jane Eyre-PG15 13:00 Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius-PG 15:15 Certain Prey-PG15 17:00 Ip Man 2-PG15 19:00 Young Adult-PG15 21:00 Martha Marcy May Marlene-18 23:00 Goon-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Weeds 02:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 03:00 Ben And Kate 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Hope & Faith 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 Hope & Faith 09:00 Ben And Kate 09:30 Modern Family 10:00 The Mindy Project 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Hope & Faith 14:30 The Mindy Project 15:00 Modern Family 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 New Girl 19:00 Community 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Big C 22:30 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

22:00 Downton Abbey OSN FIRST HD 00:00 Supernatural 01:00 The Client List 02:00 Castle 03:00 Greek 04:00 Franklin & Bash 05:00 Castle 06:00 Supernatural 07:00 Emmerdale 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 The Closer 09:00 Franklin & Bash 10:00 Castle 11:00 Touch 12:00 Emmerdale 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 The Closer 15:00 Supernatural 16:00 Emmerdale 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 The Closer 19:00 Switched At Birth 20:00 American Idol 22:00 Downton Abbey 23:00 Greek

00:00 02:30 05:30 08:00 10:00 12:00

John Carter The Godfather II John Carter Ice Road Terror Goal! The Man Inside

14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

True Justice: Urban Warfare Goal! Killer Mountain True Justice: Urban Warfare Alien

00:00 Detroit Rock City-18 02:00 The Romantics-PG15 04:00 Hop-PG 06:00 The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad-PG 08:00 Wild Wild West-PG15 10:00 Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear-PG15 12:00 Hop-PG 14:00 Arthur-PG15 16:00 Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear-PG15 18:00 The Decoy Bride-PG15 20:00 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard-18 22:00 Detroit Rock City-18

01:15 03:00 05:15 07:15 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:00 15:15 19:00 21:00 23:15

Daydream Nation-PG15 Final Analysis-PG15 Take Shelter-PG15 Call Of The Wild-PG15 An Invisible Sign Of My OwnA Kiss At Midnight-PG15 Departures-PG15 Cinderella—PG15 The Debt-18 The Crucible-PG15 Burning Man-18

01:00 Casino Jack-18 03:00 Real Steel-PG15 05:15 The Muppets-PG 07:00 33 Postcards-PG15 09:00 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2-PG 10:45 The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall-PG15 13:30 Shark Tale-PG 15:00 Blackthorn-PG15 17:00 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2-PG 19:00 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island-PG 21:00 The Raven-18 23:00 The Change Up-18

01:00 The Happy Cricket 2 02:45 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years 04:30 Supertramps 06:00 The Pirates! Band Of Misﬁts 08:00 Free Birds 10:00 Zathura: A Space Adventure 11:45 Dolphin Tale 13:45 Princess Sydney: The Legend Of The Blue Rabbit 14:45 Flicka: Country Pride 16:45 Queen Of The Swallows 18:15 Zathura: A Space Adventure 20:00 The Adventures Of Tintin 22:00 Princess Sydney: The Legend Of The Blue Rabbit 23:30 Queen Of The Swallows

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 11:30 ABC America This Morning 12:00 ABC America This Morning 12:30 Live 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

01:30 02:00 02:30 03:30 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 11:00 11:30 13:30 14:30 15:00 15:30 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00

PGA European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour AFL Premiership Highlights NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport Super Rugby Highlights HSBC Sevens World Series ICC Cricket 360 Top 14 Super Rugby Highlights Inside The PGA Tour PGA European Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour PGA European Tour Weekly AFL Premiership Highlights ICC Cricket 360 Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour

03:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 13:30 16:30 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00

NHL European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket 360 Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Inside The PGA Tour European Tour Weekly ICC Cricket 360 AFL Premiership Highlights Super League Super League Futbol Mundial NHL WWE NXT Trans World Sport Live Premier League Darts

00:00 00:30 01:30 02:30 03:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 14:30 15:00 17:30 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00

ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World World Cup Of Pool Top 14 Highlights AFL Premiership ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World Golfing World Top 14 Highlights Total Rugby Asian Tour Golf Asian Tour Highlights World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Pro 12 Total Rugby AFL Premiership Trans World Sport NRL Full Time Top 14 Highlights Futbol Mundial Total Rugby Asian Tour Golf Asian Tour Highlights Boston Marathon

00:00 WWE Vintage Collection 01:00 NHL 03:00 Ping Pong World 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE SmackDown 09:00 Ping Pong World 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE Vintage Collection 14:00 WWE Bottom Line 15:00 UAE National Race Day Series 16:00 Triahlon UK 17:00 Adventure Challenge 18:00 Prizeﬁghter 21:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter Finale Prelims 23:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter Finale

Classifieds SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013

Kuwait

SHARQIA-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN (DIG) (FILIPINO) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA SHARQIA-2 SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) SHARQIA-3 OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) MUHALAB-1 DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA GET LUCKY (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA MUHALAB-2 FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) MUHALAB-3 THE HOST (DIG) SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) FANAR-1 OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN (DIG) (FILIPINO) OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FANAR-2 KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA FANAR-3 GET LUCKY (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) GET LUCKY (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) MARINA-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA GET LUCKY (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA MARINA-2 OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG)

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (18/04/2013 TO 24/04/2013) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) MARINA-3 SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) AVENUES-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA AVENUES-2 KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) AVENUES-3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) GET LUCKY (DIG) GET LUCKY (DIG) GET LUCKY (DIG) 360ยบ- 1 THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) 360ยบ- 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA 360ยบ- 3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL-KOUT.1 SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) SKY FORCE (DIG-3D) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) AL-KOUT.2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA KON-TIKI (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA AL-KOUT.3 OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN (DIG) (FILIPINO) OBLIVION (DIG) BAIRAQ-1 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG)

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Prayer timings

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FOR SALE Fully furnished flat for sale in Burj Behbehani building opposite to Salmiya Garden. Big hall, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, big kitchen. Swimming pool, Gym facility, underground parking and round the clock security available. Contact: 50701181. (C 4381)

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Fajr: