CR IP TI ON BS SU
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
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JAMADA ALTHANI 15, 1434 AH
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Kuwait PM rejects media restriction Premier, Editors-in-Chief discuss Unified Media Law
Max 31º Min 17º High Tide 11:18 Low Tide 05:25 & 18:03
conspiracy theories
Wise move By Badrya Darwish
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
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t was a wise move by the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah to revise the draft proposal for a Unified Media Law. At a meeting with Editors-in-Chief of Kuwait yesterday, he said the “Unified Media Law” was just a draft which would be suspended and the government will not take further steps without involving the media and the nation. I think that the government tested the waters with the draft. The reaction of the media was of course predictable. All newspapers, media outlets and columnists protested against muzzling of the freedom of speech and the high penalties that the draft proposed. This draft was introduced at a time when the Arab world is undergoing an Arab Spring. The timing could not have been worse to introduce such restrictions on the freedom of speech. Actually, muzzling the media and halting freedoms always backfires because everybody is free to go out, protest and say their opinion in public or post it on a public forum online. Everybody can tweet their thoughts and post on their Facebook pages. It is not very feasible to scrutinize and watch every single Tweet, online blog or every single move done by millions of people. It is ridiculous with all advanced technologies, gadgets and satellites to monitor people and to restrict freedoms. No country can stop online communication. Online communication is no longer just social correspondence. Now businesses operate exclusively online - ranging from banking, e-commerce, military operations equipment and airlines etc. Today, it is beyond the capacity of any government in the world to stop the online traffic. Those who say they can do it will be bluffing themselves. In fact, the less governments restrict freedoms the more they are loved by their nations. The age of dictators is vanishing from the current history. It is all past tense. Especially in Kuwait we have been used to freedoms even much earlier than the Arab Spring or any other spring started. Nobody can deny that we have enjoyed the freedom of the press. We were the pioneers of free press in the Middle East. I hope we will keep that leadership in the future. Some might argue that there are people who do not deser ve total freedom because they abuse it and they act irresponsibly. These are individuals who can be singled out and questioned. Nobody is questioning that. But these are not too many individuals and you can find them in any country in the world. The rules are not introduced for a minority. They are for the majority of people. As I wrote previously, things that are threats to the national security should be stopped and monitored. They are red lines. That applies to all countries in the world. National security is a red line in the world. For us in the Middle East blasphemy of the Almighty is also a red line.
Don’t believe ‘exaggerated’ quake stories
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KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday received the President of Kuwait Journalists Association and Editors-in-Chief of local newspapers in the presence of the Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah at the Amiri tent in Bayan Palace yesterday. (Below) Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah pictured with Kuwait Times Deputy Editor in Chief Dr Ziad Al-Alyan. — KUNA KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday received President of Kuwait Journalists Association and Editors-in-Chief of local newspapers in the presence of the Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah at the Amiri tent in Bayan Palace. The meeting was to exchange views on the Unified Media Law. The Prime Minister said that he rejects any restriction on freedom of press. “If there is anything that we are proud of in Kuwait - it is our press freedom,” he said, adding that there are no intentions to muzzle the media. “Even though we get displeased sometimes with some of the publications, it does not mean that we will close the media,” he said, adding that most of the problems Kuwait faces are due to press exaggerations. “Why can’t we be realistic and sit down and discuss those problems,” he wondered. The Prime Minister expressed his confidence in Kuwait journalism and their keenness on the country’s interests, expressing his readiness to “listen to the opinion of the Editors-in-Chief in regards to the unified
media law or other topics that are of interest to the media.” He said that the government is not against the press - rather it supports it and is proud of it. “Kuwait Journalism is a pioneer in defending the country both domestically and abroad, even if it criticized the government’s performance,” he stressed. On the verdicts in most ‘opinion’ cases that were filed by state security or information ministry, HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak said “we respect the judiciary and their ruling.” The Prime Minister said that the proposed law has not been sent to the National Assembly. “We are exchanging views with the media so as to reach a working formula that does not compromise the freedom of the press or its mission. If you (media) reject the proposal, then it will be kept in the drawers,” he explained. Meanwhile, Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said the Unified Media Law proposal is not a minister’s proposal but that of the state, adding that Kuwait press establishments have a respected opinion. On the issues of drawbacks in the law, he said the draft law deals with the loopholes in the 2006 law.
Bangladesh building collapses, killing 113 ‘Save us please!’ survivors cry from the rubble SAVAR: Rescue workers were searching for survivors late into the night yesterday after a building containing five garment factories collapsed in Bangladesh, killing at least 113 people. Only the ground floor
of the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Savar town just outside the capital Dhaka remained intact when the block-which one minister said was illegally constructed-imploded at about 9:00 am.
Armed with concrete cutters and cranes, hundreds of fire service and army rescue workers struggled in the hope of finding more survivors in the mountain of concrete and Continued on Page 13
Obama injured? WASHINGTON: Hackers took control of the Associated Press Twitter account on Tuesday and sent a false tweet about explosions in the White House that briefly sent US financial markets reeling. In the latest high-profile hacking incident involving social media service Twitter, an official @AP account reported that two explosions at the White House injured President Barack Obama. AP spokesman Paul Colford quickly confirmed the tweet was “bogus,” and White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that Obama was fine, just Continued on Page 13
Saudi: ‘No place’ for non-Muslims
SAVAR: A victim’s body lies amid rubble after an eight-storey building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. — AP
RIYADH: Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia will retain its longstanding ban on non-Muslim places of worship, Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Issa said in comments reported by the Saudi media yesterday. As Saudi Arabia is “home to the Muslim holy places, it does not allow the establishment of non-Muslim places of worship,” the AlHayat newspaper quoted Issa as telling European MPs in Brussels. Saudi Arabia, home to the holy Kaaba-the cubeshaped structure at the Grand Mosque in Makkah towards which Muslims worldwide pray-has come in for repeated criticism for its ban on non-Muslim places of worship. Although Saudi Arabia’s citizen population is Muslim, the kingdom is also home to millions of expatriates of various beliefs. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the kingdom’s Gulf Arab neighbors allow the building of churches and the celebration of non-Muslim feasts. — AFP
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LOCAL
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
Wataniya Telecom new head office inaugurated
—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat KUWAIT: Within its continuous efforts to set new standards, exceed all expectations and maintain its position as one of the leading telecommunication companies in Kuwait; Wataniya Telecom opened its new head office building yesterday. The new building is environmentally friendly and one of the most technologically advanced structures in Kuwait. This landmark opening was in presence of the His Highness the Amir’s representative the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister for Municipality Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Also present at the event were the Chairman of Ooredoo Group, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani and CEO of Wataniya Telecom Eng. Abdulaziz Fakhroo. The opening ceremony was also graced with the presence of several important and iconic individuals of Kuwait and Qatar, Kuwaitministers as well astop management of Wataniya Telecom and Ooredoo group. The opening ceremony was designed using pioneering technology which included 3D mapping and most innovative interactive flooring. On this auspicious occasion, Ooredoo group chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani declared: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, for accepting this invitation for Wataniya Telecom new head quarter which symbolizes the strong cooperation between the two countries, Kuwait and Qatar. Leaders of both countries have always supported the cooperation between Kuwait and Qatar which brings back the benefits to their people who are bonded by the long, old and rich history which brings them together” “We are all honored and proud to meet here today to celebrate the opening of this building which represents the standards we have always ensured, quality and exceptionality. It is not only about providing services, but also providing a work environment that encourages employees to work better and achieve higher” he added.
In his words, Engineer Abdulaziz Fakhroo, CEO of Wataniya Telecom, stated “Wataniya is proud to introduce a new, unique yet innovative and hi-tech building to become part of the contemporary Kuwait City. Today, the opening of this new building is the first step for us in providing up-to-date competitive services for our customers. This new building is designed with the latest technologies to satisfy our customers and meet their needs.” The building consists of 30 floors with an occupancy capacity of more than one thousand employees. Its simplistic exterior design is covered completely with reflective mirrors offering a 360 degrees panoramic view of Kuwait City. The offices’ areas are distinguished with their open space design allowing maximum light penetration and flexibility in office setup and dynamic change of floor layouts. The materials used inside for furniture, flooring, ceiling and light fixtures are totally green and environmental friendly. Moreover, the building has been equipped with a civil shelter area located at the basement level of the car park, in case of emergencies. In order to create a healthy, conformable and integral working environment; Wataniya Telecom was keen to provide the building with various facilities to meet the needs of its employees like: smart building facilities for IT & electrical systems, a nursery for young mothers, gym for both male and female employees, additional training facilities, well equipped meeting rooms, auditorium and stage for up to 100 persons, three cafeterias and a restaurant in addition to a car parking area which will be shared between Wataniya Telecom and the Ministries Complex with a total building size of 100,695meters. Adding to that, Wataniya Telecom has also provided its business and VIP customers with a cutting-edge retail store designed with the best features to enhance their experiences. Now this new head office can meet the needs of Wataniya’s team as well as the customers in this completely new and fully equipped building.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
LOCAL
HH the PM shaking hands with Adana Al-Rashid in the presence of info minister.
Local newspapers’ Editors-in-chief during the meeting with HH the PM.
Information minister, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and local papers’ editors-in-chief during the meeting.
Don’t believe ‘exaggerated’ earthquake scare stories Meteorologist rules out ‘disaster’ By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A 10.0-magnitude earthquake is reportedly going to hit Iraq during April 25-30 this year and affect tens of countries in the region, including Kuwait. The repor t about the ear thquake is based on what it calls the continuous movement of the Arabian tectonic plate, which could strike the southern part of Iraq and is predicted to have a devastating effect. “No, it’s a hoax. Never believe such rumours,” said Adel Saadoun, Kuwait’s famous meteorologist. “How can anybody predict an earthquake? Besides, the magnitude is so exaggerated. Has a 10- magnitude earthquake ever been recorded? The answer is no. The largest recorded earthquake occurred off the west coast of Chile in 1960 and had a magnitude of 9.5,” he pointed out. “I have only laughs to share and I even advice people in Kuwait to be happy and merry instead of prepare for anything like that
to happen here. Believe in God and trust only Allah,” Adel Saadoun added. At least 60 people were killed and more than a thousand were injured when a 6.3-magnitude ear thquake struck near Iran’s only nuclear power plant on April 9. Since then, rumours about the possibility of a more powerful earthquake have been circulating on social networking site Facebook . One netizen said there was no harm being warned and being prepared for the worst. “ We felt the ear thquake that struck Iran, so there is a possibility that it could hit Kuwait as well. We are very close to Iraq, or even to Iran. If an earthquake of such magnitude happens, we’ll be affected and we will be in a horrible situation considering how the buildings are built overnight in Kuwait, with weak foundations,” read a comment on Facebook. Another commenter said an earthquake could be possible if it was a manmade earthquake. “If you ask me what I
Health plans privatization KUWAIT: Informed sources revealed that the Ministry of Health is currently examining the possibility of privatizing technical jobs, such as those of laboratorians, pharmacists and X-Ray technicians, in the same manner as nursing jobs. The ministry plans to do so by contracting with some companies to supply it with such employees. Sources said the aim of the privatization plan was to tackle labor shortage in hospitals and health centers, in addition to the expansion require ments of hospitals and new medical centers. Also, the ministry needs efficient and expert employees to work at its hospitals and health centers in order to provide better services to patients. Sources pointed that the ministry was likely to form a committee to finalize its privatization plan and send it to the authorities concerned in order to get the necessar y approvals. The sources also emphasized that the min-
istry of health intended not to renew the contracts of some companies with the ministry, which involved providing nurses to hospitals and medical centers. That is because those companies did not abide by the contract conditions, which resulted in many problems. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has asked its security officials to stop nurses applying for jobs from entering the ministry complex in order to avoid crowding, as seen at the ministry previously. The presence of a crowd in front of employees’ offices affected the progress of work carried out at the ministry. Sources said nurses can submit their job applications at social care centres. If an application is refused on grounds that it does not meet the requirements of the job, it will be returned to the owner. S o far, the number of such applications has almost reached 900.
KRCS distributes 10,000 food parcels to Syrian refugees AMMAN: A delegation from Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS) launched here yesterday a new relief campaign to aid Syrian refugees in Jordan, including distribution of 10,000 food parcels, each weighing 18kg. Head of the Kuwaiti Delegation Ahmad Abduallah Al-Fag’an, in remarks to KUNA, said the team distributed 850 parcels to Syrian families residing in AlShajarah and and Al-Turrah areas northern the Kingdom. Each food parcel is sufficient to serve a Syrian family for a whole month, including main food supplies, he said.
The 18-day campaign includes various regions in Jordan where Syrian refugees have settled, and is implemented by Kuwaiti volunteer Nabeel Buftain in cooperation with the KRCS, he added. A total of 550 food parcels will be distributed in Al-Neama area in Irbid governorate, northern the country, while the campaign will continue in areas in the center and south of the country, he said. The KRCS team will continue offering aid to the Syrian refugees as part of its humanitarian commitment towards the Syrian people since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, he affirmed. He praised the great support of the Kuwaiti political leadership, government and people in offering aid to the Syrian refuges during this humanitarian crisis. Al-Fag’an also hailed effort exerted by the Kuwaiti diplomatic mission in Jordan in offering various facilities to KSC, and expressed thanks to the Jordanian government and Jordanian National Red Crescent Society for their distinguished cooperation. KRCS is relieving the Syrian refugees in Jordan through “Ragheef ” (loaf of bread) project that is currently implemented by the society after contracting with 16 local bakeries to offer bread to around 120,000 Syrian families in various Jordanian governorates-of two kilograms of bread and two liters of olive oil for each family for a whole month. Jordanian official data estimate number of Syrian people in Jordan at one million, half of them refugees who crossed into the country after the outbreak of the Syrian crisis in March 2011, while the other half have been living in the country since before that date. — KUNA
believe, if the warning is coming from the US, maybe it’s true. You know why? They can do such things. They can shake the world whenever they want.” Authorities in Iraq have already calmed down their people since the earthquake scare, saying there was no scientific evidence to confirm the correctness of the predictions that the Iranian earthquake would eventually affec t Iraq. In fac t, the direc tor of Seismology at the Samira said: “No one can predict with 100 percent surety that there will be an earthquake. There is no scientific evidence to confirm that the Arabian plate will move to cause an earthquake in southern Iraq and the Gulf states.” Repor ts from US Geological Survey Agency warned last Thursday that the Gulf states, including Iraq and other countries in East Asia may have a “very large” earthquake during the April 25-30 period. The reports also indicated the earthquake will measure more than 9 on the Richter scale and may even go up
to 10 degrees. The agency said: “A huge plate at a depth of 20 km will move from southeast Iran to the Gulf states and southern Iran, as well as from the east to Pakistan, India and other East Asian countries, causing a very large earthquake.” “The preliminary magnitude of the quake is estimated at 10 degrees on the Richter scale, which can destroy an entire region and bury most parts of it under earth,” it added. The agency also warned that southern Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, central and eastern Saudi Arabia, and the north-east of Amman will see strong aftershocks, measuring 5 degrees on the Richter scale, which can destroy the affected regions’ infrastructure, including roads, streets, bridges, stations and towers, electricity, telecommunications, media, Internet and highrise towers and all public facilities. It also pointing out that Japan could suffer a “serious tsunami”.
Adel Saadoun
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
LOCAL in my view
Letters to Muna
Syrian conflict and international terrorism
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Burning topic for expats
By Boris Dolgov
he Syrian crisis has been continuing since March 2011 and has resulted in tens of thousands dead, including civilians, hundreds of thousands of refugees, enormous financial losses, and the destruction of historical and cultural sites and the country’s infrastructure. The increasing militarization of the conflict threatens to destroy Syrian statehood, cause genocide of religious and ethnic minorities, and destabilize and spread terrorism, both in the Middle East and in neighboring regions. The crisis in Syria has gone global, and many external factors are at work there to a greater or lesser degree. The anti-government armed groups, which have carried out a wide range of terrorist attacks, include the most extreme forces of radical Islam - al-Qaeda among them. The most active anti-government group, Jabhat AlNusrah, confirmed in April 2013 that it is affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Its leaders also said that once they overthrow the Bashar Al-Assad regime, their top goal will be to attack Israel. According to Western and Arab media, statements like that have evidently led the United States to train their “own” fighters in Jordan for operations in Syria against both its leaders and, possibly, against the radical Islamists, should they attack Israel. The situation is resulting in the formation of a hotbed of extremism and terrorism in Syria and causing its spread, both within the region and beyond it. It has resulted in sectarian clashes between the supporters and opponents of President Assad, exacerbated the domestic political situation in Lebanon, increased terrorist activities by radical Sunni Islamists in Iraq, and energized extremism in Turkey. The desire of leading NATO countries to utilize radical Islamism to overthrow undesirable regimes is particularly noteworthy. On the one hand, the West is fighting radical Islam in Afghanistan, Yemen and Mali. It was supporting Islamist forces in Libya against Gadhafi, and it is currently supporting those same Islamists in order to overthrow President Assad. This strategy can only mean that the West expects that it will be able to manipulate the “jihad” of radical Sunni Islamism after regime change in Syria for use against Shiite Iran, which is gaining influence in Iraq, and against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The next objective of this strategy will surely be the CIS Central Asian republics and, finally, the North Caucasus, southern Russia and the Muslim regions of the Volga River basin and the Urals. Moreover, the conditions for such a development in these regions are already coming together: Terrorist activities by radical Islamists are being energized there. A large number of people from these areas are fighting alongside the armed Syrian opposition. However, that is largely a deluded strategy. Radical Islam is anti-West by its nature and ideology. All of its ideologues, from Sayyda Qutb to al-Zawahiri, have said as much. It may form a tactical alliance with the West to achieve its own goals, but afterwards it is bound to oppose the West. History and recent international developments both confirm that. In an effort to weaken the Soviet Union during the Afghan civil war of the 1980s, the United States supported the “jihad” of bin Laden and alQaeda, which he headed, against the pro-Soviet Afghan government. After achieving its goal, however, bin Laden turned his “jihad” against the United States, calling it “enemy No. 1,” which resulted in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In September 2012, American diplomats, including the US ambassador, were killed in Libya by Islamist fighters from the Brigades of Allah, which had taken part in the overthrow of Gadhafi, i.e., they were killed by those the United States had helped bring to power in Libya. France has also faced harmful fallout from its involvement in the military overthrow of Libya’s government, which led to the uncontrolled spread of weapons in the region and let them fall into the hands of radical extremists who have harmed French citizens. In 2012, for example, a radical Islamist of Algerian origin who held French citizenship shot three French soldiers, two students and a teacher at a Jewish school. In early 2013, Islamist fighters executed a French citizen they accused of espionage. In 2013, Islamist militants in Algeria seized 100 foreign experts, including French citizens, some of whom were killed. French troops in Mali are still fighting Islamist terrorists in 2013, who are threatening to seize the country’s capital. However, it is obvious that the crisis in Mali and the arrival there of Tuareg rebels and Islamists is a direct consequence of the collapse of the Gadhafi regime, which had successfully kept radical Islamism in check and had fought it relentlessly. Thus, France has had to deal with the mess left by the government of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was one of the chief movers and shakers in Gadhafi’s overthrow. That makes us wonder about the accusation leveled by Gadhafi’s son, Seif alIslam, in a live television broadcast just before the NATO intervention in 2011. He said Sarkozy had received 15 million euros from the Libyan leadership for his 2007 election campaign. I would like to believe that the investigation launched by the French Prosecutor’s Office in April 2013 will be objective and transparent. Despite all these lessons, however, France’s current leaders are actively involved in the NATO operation to overthrow Assad and are directly supporting the Syrian opposition, which French intelligence is training. Paris is even in the process of deciding whether to supply the opposition with arms, even though radical Islamists are known to form the opposition’s core. It turns out that in Syria, France is supporting the same forces it is fighting in Mali. Finally, I should mention the recent tragic events of April 2013 in the United States: the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon in which people were killed and more than 170 were wounded, and the poisoned letters that were sent to a member of Congress and to President Barack Obama. The terrorism that has now reached America has its origin in those regions where the West and, particularly the United States, are trying to utilize it to achieve their own foreign policy goals. Fighting extremism and terrorism and preventing its spread is the shared task of the international community, especially those countries most capable of doing so. Their attempt to play a “game” with extremist forces and use them for their own purposes is a dangerous mistake, and it may rebound against the players, themselves. That is particularly true of the Syrian crisis, which can only be resolved by political means. Much depends on all sides having a clear understanding that it is dangerous and unacceptable to divide terrorists into “the good ones - ours” and “the bad ones - theirs,” and that all forms of terrorism must be fought jointly. (Boris Dolgov is Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences)
muna@kuwaittimes.net
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t is clear that the issue about the ban on people from six nationalities is becoming a matter of concern to many married men and women. They surely want to have their family reunite with them. Surprisingly, in some cases about which I received emails, there are no financial issues involved in providing for their wives and children with good life but the problem that the ban does not take into regard the fact that someone could be serving in the private sector, as in a bank, which is surely a well paid job. The following includes some of these calls that are worth examining and answering.
kuwait digest
New attempt to understand By Abdullah Khalaf
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ollywood made a movie about Iraqi troops invading Kuwait six years before the actual invasion, and the movie, Best Defense’ (1984) depicted incidents of looting, thefts and assaults. When the film was screened, it was said that Arabs neither read nor see things in reality. It took two years to shoot the film in Hollywood and Israel. It was later shown everywhere including to the former Iraqi president so that he could execute it in real life. Everybody knew about this movie except us. In the movie, Iraqi troops started raining hell on Kuwait which did not seek anyone’s assistance, not even from Britain with whom it had a treaty of protection though Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem had asked for British help and protection after consulting president Gamal Abdel Nasser who refused to push his army into a war with another Arab army. “Why don’t you ask the Brits, with whom you have an official protection treaty, for help?” Nasser advised Al-Salem who, when he made the request, was asked to make it in writing. “There is no time left for written correspondence....the Iraqi troops can be in Kuwait within two hours,” Sheikh Abdullah told the British who accordingly acted and Kuwait was saved from Abdul Karim Qassim’s aggression and greed. All this happened at a very short notice because Kuwait declared its independence on June 19, 1961 and Qassim made his threats in a press conference on June 25, just six days later, which made Sheikh Abdullah ask for immediate action by Britain. On the other hand, the grace period was longer in Saddam’s case as he made his threats on July 17, 1990
and the invasion took place on August 2nd. So, although all politicians, clergymen and writers predicted that Iraq would invade Kuwait six years after the movie was released in 1984, and though Kuwait had the option to either ask for British protection as per the treaty signed with them or seek the US’ protection as per the Carter Doctrine of 1980. The Carter Doctrine stated that any foreign assault on a Persian Gulf state would be considered an assault against the US’ interests and that it must be fought with all possible means including the use of military force. Kuwait did not ask for either side’s protection. Had Kuwait asked for British interference, just as it did in 1961, or sought US’ protection, things would have turned out differently. Kuwait did not ask for protection though the UAE did ask for it as per the Carter Doctrine. When Bush Sr. was asked during a press conference if Kuwait asked for help, he said it did not. “Not even till half an hour before the invasion,” he stressed. The funny thing is that the movie also says that Kuwait did not ask for US troops’ help to fight the Iraqi invaders. Best Defense movie’s hero was Eddie Murphy who played the role of a US Army officer training Kuwaiti soldiers how to fight the Iraqi troops. It shows how the Iraqi troops went around Kuwait, stealing, looting, burning and destroying houses, malls and banks. All this brings to the mind a question about daydreams that cannot be realized and about why even such a movie failed to awaken the people and the government from their slumber till destruction was wreaked. It is only an attempt to understand! — Al-Watan
kuwait digest
Kuwait living on ‘reactions’ By Waleed Al-Ahmad
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f the Interior Ministry did not storm the house of Fawaz, brother of former MP Musallam Al-Barrak, causing the chaos, instead of going to Musallam AlBarrak’s house, then there would not be what took place and we would not have reached the stage of angering people and causing clashes, having the opposition arresting Al-Barrak, and things would have ended easily, as he announced several times he was ready to give himself up, provided an official letter stating he should be arrested is handed to him! I do not know how long this chaos will continue, despite our rejection of what was mentioned in the “enough games” speech, and from disturbing us with it so much that it does not reflect a long term vision for the political movement in the country! Kuwait today is living on reactions, as political events spun out of control and their correct path, and came from people’s wills and were used according to events happening so that we became busy with them! We were happy once and we cried many times, and the case worsens and we enter the ICU then go to the visitors room before we go back to the ICU again, and so on without knowing when the end will come!
When the Interior Ministry ammunition mid-day from its warehouses, people became very angry and we became pre-occupied with the event and were very worried about the future of security in the country. Then, when the suspects were caught, we became happy and thanked Allah for that. When the Avenues murder took place and a young man was killed, we were scared about our children, as murder cases were on the increase. Then, when the culprits were found, we calmed down. In fact, when capital punishment was implemented we were pleased with the return of deference to where it was, but... until we become busy with our internal affairs going from anger to happiness, while our country is deteriorating economically and politically towards the bottom, and this compared with neighboring countries, to say the least! Who rekindles the fire each time it goes out? In whose interest is the country being fooled with, so that protests become bigger, and the government gets confused in its dealing with matters, and the opposition’s path deviates by saying things that do not agree with the simplest of constitutional articles? — Al-Rai
kuwait digest
No innovation at conferences By Dr Shamlan Youssif Al-Essa
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he 2nd Youth Conference, entitled ‘You Follow Role Models Because You’re Civilized’, held under the auspices of HH the Amir from April 21 to 24, was recently launched in Kuwait. With all due respect to the lecturers taking part, after reviewing the conference’s agenda and activities I found nothing related to Muslim youth concerns in our contemporary world. The conference’s seminars and lectures should not be limited to issues, such as ‘Light Platforms’, ‘The Leading Prophet’, ‘Each Destined To Own Creation Purpose’, ‘All Of You Are Guardians and Are Responsible for Your Subjects’, ‘Allah Assists Group work’ and others that have been already and exhaustively scrutinized and repeated for 1400 years. However, discussing some modern concerns were presented in lectures such as ‘The Psychology of Team Coherence’, ‘Creativity in Group Work’, ‘New Vision to Build Islamic Civilization’ , ‘Practical Ways Towards Self-change’, ‘Responsible Youth’, ‘Success Mechanisms’ and, so, show that the conference organizers are trying to achieve balance between traditional concepts and modernization. I wished that conferring parties had discussed issues
that are currently ravaging the Arab and Muslim worlds, such as rules of governance in Islam, Islam’s attitude about democracy, secularism, freedom of expression, criticism, freedom of religions, parliaments, alternating power and women’s principality. Our youth want clergymen to announce their attitudes towards the Human Rights Declaration and why they approve some of them, while rejecting others. Kuwait has been recently discussing the issue of mixing between men and women in public places, such as universities, schools and government establishments. What we need is an explanation from clergymen about this issue, especially since many Arab and Muslim countries allow coeducation. The economic disasters sweeping the Arab and Muslim worlds also require much attention and clear Islamic views and opinions about Islamic banking and economics to address the many issues, such as how to operate without charging interest, and money exchanges, commissions and how they would react if the world rejects Islamic banking. These are all crucial issues we wished the conference had discussed. — Al-Watan
Hello Muna I am Ali from Iran. I have been reading Kuwait Times for some months now, particularly your newsletter. Most of your articles are about Kuwait but as I like Kuwait, I read all of them. Today, I read the newsletter that you wrote about the ban on nationals of six countries. I agree with you that any country is entitled to set restrictions on people entering its borders. The newcomers may end up staying without holding any real jobs and thus cause many problems for that country. But do you think this rule is fair when it is being applied to those who have been coming to Kuwait many times without causing any problem? I have visited Kuwait nine times, every time on a month-long visa, and I never overstayed that period. During my first trip to Kuwait, I noticed the friendliness of Kuwaiti people and always enjoyed my visits here but for the last two years, Kuwait has been denying us the visa. I am sad and request you since you mentioned in your newsletter that you would help. Please help me. I hope these problems about obtaining a visitor’s visa are resolved soon. Ali Dear Muna, Thank you very much for writing on an issue that is a burning topic for expats from the six countries in question. As you have written, “the expats working in the public sector can invite their wives and children to join them.” I am a banker by profession and have been living in Kuwait since 2008. As bank is not a public sector vocation, I am unable to bring my wife to Kuwait from Pakistan. What a good thing it would be if the government of Kuwait was to check the profile of every person, including salary, position and criminal record and then accord permission to bring the spouse instead of lifting the ban only for people working in the public sector. I would appreciate it if you kindly raise this issue as well. Yours thankfully, Siddiqi A Pakistani National Dear Muna, First of all, I would like to thank you for addressing the issue of ban on people from six nationalities. I was expecting you to raise the issue as you are the only writer who always cares about issues dear to expats. I totally agree and respect the decision of Kuwait to frame such rules to balance the population growth. But these should not be confused with security reasons or threats to Kuwait, which is the answer I hear when I ask why the ban is there. I am from Pakistan and I believe none of the terrorists were from Pakistan. You know better than me about incidents of 9/11 and who all were involved and their nationality. The hijackers in the September 11 attacks were 19 men affiliated with Al-Qaeda, five of whom were citizens of Saudi Arabia. Others were from Egypt, Lebanon, and the UAE. Anyway, let this chapter stay closed. A few days back, I read your article and there was a nice story about a Pakistani woman saying things that portrayed Pakistan in a bad light. I have nothing against the article as the story was chosen randomly from your side. Definitely, there was one positive message by a Pakistani lady who told other ladies about some nationals who divorce their husbands if they caught him chatting on facebook, or for other trivial reasons. No wonder the divorce rate is so high in some parts of the world, except Pakistan. The moral of the story is that at least they are rich in their culture and are real Muslim women who respect their religion and relationships. Thanks, Ismail Dear Muna, I am thankful to you for highlighting this issue once again. My name is Khayyam Bin Fakhar. I am a Pakistani and am working as an engineer in the private sector since October 2009. Luckily, I married last month and have a wife who prays all the time for a visa. We chat daily and a major topic of discussion is always the visa. As per the decision you have mentioned in your today’s column that “expats working in the public sector can invite their wives and children to join them.” I agree with this that “every country is entitled to make rules to save and protect its residents and their rights” but is there any difference between people working in the government sector or private sector if they are of Pakistani origin? Why cannot we bring our wives and children? I humbly request to the Government of Kuwait/authorities to kindly consider our (private sector’s) situation as well. If you have any information about lifting of ban for employees working in the private sector, please share. Regards, Khayyam Hi, I just read your article about “Ban on nationals of six countries” in Kuwait Times. The restriction has been lifted for those who have visa no. 17, which is a visa entitling one to work in the public sector. As for me, I am still waiting for the lifting of restrictions because they have clearly mentioned that person holding visa number 18 cannot apply. I have a wife and a son back home and still there is no hope to call them here. Hence, I have decided to leave Kuwait for good, though I was born here and have been working for the last seven years. Regards, Faraz
LOCAL
Nine KFSD centers battle Doha blaze By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) said yesterday that nine centers were battling the blaze, which broke out in three stores in Doha area at dawn yesterday. KFSD said in a statement that the wind speed and the 3,500 square meters fire area are hamper-
ing the firefighters from containing the fire quickly. In a statement, the KFSD suspected that two people trapped in flames may have died, indicating that a plan has been set to combat the fire, led by KFSD’s Director General, Maj Gen Yusuf Al-Ansari to prevent the spread of the blaze.
The statement quoted the Deputy DirectorGeneral for control and human resource development Brig Gen Khaled Al-Mikrad as saying that the initial investigations showed that the blaze may have been caused by the breach of the requirements of safety and security and failure to conduct regular maintenance of fire pumps.
KUWAIT: Firefighters in action in Doha yesterday.
Citizen in custody for forging entry visas KUWAIT: Immigration detectives are questioning a citizen who forged entry visas for Asian workers and used to charge KD 1,200 per person. A security source said immigration officials were tipped off about a citizen who brought in foreign workers in the name of his company, but they did not actually work in it. Investigations revealed that the company was not registered at the Interior Ministry, and the citizen had used forged documents to bring in workers from abroad. The citizen was arrested and sent to the authorities concerned. Drug addict While Ahmadi police were patrolling the Riga area, a suspicious citizen was spotted driving erratically. After stopping him, police determined he was driving while under the influence of illicit
substances. Three hashish joints, a heroin envelop and tools for consuming drug were found in his possession. The suspect was then arrested and sent to concerned authorities. Wanted citizen A wanted citizen was arrested on Gulf Road, when he was stopped for a routine check and found to not possess an ID. Police report that when he left his car, he appeared to be possibly impaired and drugs were found when he was searched by police. Later, after being finger printed, it was learnt that he was wanted by authorities and had been earlier sentenced to serve a five year jail sentence. Illegal residents Two Iranians were arrested trying to enter the country illegally. Authorities said the Iranians origi-
nally entered Kuwait to search for jobs. When they were unable to find employment, they returned across the same route and were apprehended as they attempted to leave the country. The suspects were sent to concerned authorities. Sharq theft Thieves stole KD 750 from the safe in a mobile phone store in Sharq after breaking into the closed store. Police are investigating. School punishment A 9 year old Kuwaiti student suffered injuries after being beaten by a Kuwaiti teacher using a stick. The student attended the Haritha bint Suraqa School in Saad Al-Abdallah area. The teacher was asking students to return to their classes after break, while the 9 year old Kuwaiti played with friends. Authorities said because the child was late return-
ing to class, the teacher beat him with a stick, injuring his eye. The boy’s father took the child to hospital, then filed a complaint with police. Diesel smuggling After an absence for some time, Shuwaikh Port customs officers foiled an attempt to smuggle diesel fuel from Kuwait in eight 20-foot containers at dawn Tuesday. The 250 thousand liters of diesel fuel belong to a local company owned by a citizen. The case is under investigation. Illegal calls Criminal detectives arrested members of a network that steals international calls in the Mirqab area. Two Asians were running the business where the thefts were occurring and, after being arrested, were sent to concerned authorities.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
LOCAL
FAO chief praises Kuwaiti agricultural contributions Cooperation to boost food security
Change Initiative marks Earth Day DUBAI: The Change initiative, the UAE’s first 55,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to sustainable home and workplace solutions, hosted a series of activities around Dubai, just days before their one year anniversary to mark the occasion of Earth Day that falls April 22 each year. The primary objective for conducting these activities was to spread the message of sustainability to the youth. The core focus of The Change Initiative has always been to encourage people to explore sustainability in their everyday lives. The Change Initiative’s education team delivered ‘Keeping Cool’ workshops to 89 students of The Regent International School in Children’s City. The interactive workshop focused on how sustainability is defined, explaining greenhouse gas effects, and showcasing how to reduce carbon emissions. To round off the workshop, the students were introduced to 10 innovative ways that The Change Initiative uses to save energy at their flagship marketplace, which can easily be replicated in the students’ homes. Furthermore, The Change Initiative taught young children, aged 3-5 years, at the Kensington Nursery about the importance of water conservation in Dubai at the Umm Sequim and Silicon Oasis branches of the nursery. Children and their parents participating took interest around the in talks on the required consumption of water in a typical day and through animated storytelling, youngsters learnt the value of water in the region. The children and adults received tips on how to easily conserve earth’s most precious resource by making quick and easy changes to their daily routine. The Change Initiative and the Emirates Green Building Council partnered to showcase the ‘Wild Ocean’ 3D movie at IMAX Meydan. At the showing, The Change Initiative gave away five copies of their book on sustainability, called ‘Alive’. Gundeep Singh, Founder and CEO of The Change Initiative said “We are very happy to
be hosting a series of events around Dubai on Earth Day to spread the message of sustainability to the youth. The core focus of The Change Initiative is to inspire people to explore sustainability in their daily routine; therefore, it makes perfect sense to start with the next generation, which is the future of our society and guardians of the environment, encouraging them to be the ambassadors of sustainability. We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to partner with the Emirates Green Building Council to spread awareness of Earth Day, and hope to continue to work with them on future initiatives.” The Change Initiative is a one stop destination specializing in solutions that reduce human impact on the environment and promote sustainable development. Based in Dubai, it is the first enterprise of its type anywhere in the world and aspires to be a global brand name in the sustainability space, providing a single platform for solutions that touch lives. Founded in 2008, The Change Initiative has formed significant partnerships with leading brands and multinational firms offering an array of solutions in five main categories constituting the company’s ‘Whole of Life’ business model: Energy, Water, Waste, Food and Lifestyle. The Change Initiative is a one stop destination specializing in solutions that reduce human impacts on the environment and promote sustainable development. Based in Dubai, it is the first enterprise of its type anywhere in the world and aspires to be a global brand name in the sustainability space, providing a single platform for solutions that touch lives. Founded in 2008, The Change Initiative has formed significant partnerships with leading brands and multinational firms offering an array of solutions in five main categories constituting the company’s ‘Whole of Life’ business model: Energy, Water, Waste, Food and Lifestyle.
ROME: Director of Economic Department at the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry Ambassador Sheikh Ali AlKhalid Al-Sabah discussed yesterday with the DirectorGeneral of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Jose Graziano da Silva distinguished ties between the two sides, and means to enhance them. They also tackled the way Kuwait would benefit from the FAO’s expertise in the field, and action for further cooperation to boost food security in developing countries. Sheikh Ali Al-Khalid, in remarks following his first meeting with FAO Director General, conveyed Da Silva’s praise for the distinguished role of Kuwait in supporting food security and development on the international arena. He hailed the leading initiatives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah towards global challenges. Sheikh Ali Al-Khalid, who is attending the activities of FAO Council that will end by tomorrow, that Da Silva stressed on the growing importance of Kuwait’s contributions to supporting and encouraging agricultural development, and other various economic and social aspects that serve food security in developing countries, or by the international community and its institutions. FAO expressed its desire of opening a permanent
technical office in Kuwait to offer all forms of technical and consulting support to serve the sector of agriculture and fisheries. Da Silva expressed his intention to visit Kuwait to discuss means to develop the support to Kuwaiti and plans to establish an active relationship in the region. Sheikh Ali Al-Khalid hailed the key role FAO plans in supporting and enhancing national expertise. Da Silva and Sheikh Ali Al-Khalid discussed a number of issues related to food security, and means to benefit from the most modern technological expertise in waste-water treatment, and establishment of tree fenders for winds to prevent dust. They also tackled the latest political developments in the Arab region, and the way they reflected on the food and agricultural productions in a number of countries like Yemen, and Syria. FOA is looking forward to involving in a comprehensive partnership in supporting developmental projects in the region, and desires to benefit from the eminent expertise of The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in the field, as being a well know economic fund for its successful development projects in the various countries in the world. The food security, national and regional economic and developmental challenges are
to be at the top of the agenda of any important summits to be hosted by Kuwait in 2013, including AfroArab Summit, Arab League summit, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, Sheik Al-Khalid affirmed. He stressed on Kuwait’s commitment in supporting development and facing global challenges and crisis, which is clearly reflected in the policy of the state, and the leading initiatives of His Highness the Amir, which are considered among the most prominent contributions which the international community witnessed during any humanitarian crisis including decline in food security, including the initiatives of Good-Decent Life Fund, supporting of small and medium projects, financing developmental projects in non-Arabic Asian countries, and offering financial support to the deteriorated humanitarian conditions of the Syrian people. Da Silva praised the distinguished participation of Kuwait in the various activities of FAO, hailing the effort exerted by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to FAO Engineer Faisal Al-Hassawi, and his active cooperation in coordinating with his government, especially during the main FAO committees, and in the FAO Regional Conferences for the Near East in which he serves as the vice president to prelude to Kuwaiti presidency of the Conference by next September. — KUNA
KAMCO sponsors AUK’s annual job fair KUWAIT: In keeping with KAMCO’s belief in supporting and encouraging local employment, the company sponsored the Job Fair organized by the American University of Kuwait on Tuesday, 23 April. The goal of the Job Fair was to showcase the different employment opportunities available to graduates in various sectors. Commenting on the sponsorship, Mr. Farouq Al Oumi - Senior Vice President, Human Resource Management & Development & Administration Department said: “Such exhibitions bring prospective employees to potential employers. From a strategic standpoint, these events boost the role of the society and its organizations, which together prepare a capable national workforce that can take on the challenge of pushing forth Kuwait’s economic development. This is a strategy adopted by KAMCO and is reflected in our interest in developing human resources by attracting talent and aptitude, offering relevant training, and by providing financial and moral support. These are the building blocks of a successful company.” He added: “One of the primary reasons for KAMCO’s participation in this exhibition is to support the Kuwaitization of companies and the
Kuwaiti workforce as a whole, which is in line with KAMCO’s long-term vision to provide job opportunities to the ambitious and capable young Kuwaiti people.” Meanwhile, Sana Al-Hadlaq - Senior Vice President, Client Relationship and Marketing Department said: “KAMCO constantly looks to participate in exhibitions and seminars whose goal is to serve the public by shedding light on the advantages the youth of Kuwait would enjoy by working in the private sector and allowing them to challenge
themselves and realize their potential.” Established in 1998 with the mission to become a local and regional player, KAMCO is one of the leading, Kuwait based investment company based in Kuwait. A subsidiary of United Gulf Bank (UGB) - the investment banking subsidiary of Kuwait Projects (Holding) Company (KIPCO) - KAMCO was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) in 2003. Over many years of conducting business in Kuwait’s dynamic investment industry, KAMCO has established
a robust reputation for performance and solidity, characterized by its prudent, conservative investment philosophy which has consistently commanded the goodwill of a wide patron-base. KAMCO’s main activities are Investments and Asset Management. Its Investments Division specializes in providing investments, financial and advisory services, supported by investment research which tracks the latest directions and trends across regional and local economies as well as equity markets. The Asset Management Division concentrates on providing customized portfolio management, access to IPOs, and local and international fund management in addition to maximizing returns, mitigating risks, and maintaining capital appreciation for individual and institutional clients. All of the above operate within the spirit of transparency with the client’s best interests at heart. The company will further build upon its core competencies to offer MENA-wide investment management consultancy and services, backed by its proven track-record in stringent risk mitigation, investment product innovation, and a cautious investment approach towards local, regional and international capital markets.
Kuwait divers save baby sharks KUWAIT: Kuwait Dive Team of the Environmental Voluntary Foundation succeeded in saving lots of baby sharks, entangled in fishing nets abandoned upon coral reefs, off Al-Khairan beach south of Kuwait City. The divers untangled the baby sharks and let them loose from the large nets, weighing three tons. The nets were struck on coral reefs at a depth of six meters, Marine Operations Chief of the team, Waleed Al-Shatti, said in a press release yesterday. Dumping fishing nets onto coral reefs is contrary to laws of Kuwait and dangerous to marine life. Coral reefs are natural reserves where fishing is prohibited. — KUNA
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
US lawmakers grill FBI on Boston bombing probe
Qatar faces backlash among rebel groups
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BEIRUT: Lebanese Armenian girls hold a poster during a rally marking the 98th anniversary of massacres of thousands of Armenians, in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday. Armenian communities around the world mark the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians, on April 24 each year with marches, vigils and rallies to demand recognition from the world community, and reparations from Turkey. — AP
Thousands mark genocide ’versary Turkey’s Muslim Armenians come out of hiding TUNCELI: They dropped their language and religion to survive after the 1915 genocide, but close to 100 years on Turkey’s “hidden Armenians” want to take pride in their identity. Some genocide survivors adopted Islam and blended in with the Kurds in eastern Turkey’s Dersim mountains to avoid further persecution. Several generations down the road, the town of Tunceli hosted a landmark ceremony Wednesday for Genocide Remembrance Day, something which has only ever happened in Istanbul and the large city of Diyarbakir. The massacre and deportation of Ottoman Armenians during World War I, which Armenians claim left around 1.5 million dead, is described by many countries as genocide although Ankara continues to reject the term. Speaking in front of the ruins of the Ergen church-one of the few remnants of Christian Armenian heritage in the region-Miran Pirginc Gultekin, president of the Dersim Armenian Association, explained it was still rare to declare oneself openly as Armenian in Turkey. “We decided that we had to get back to our true nature, that this way of living was not satisfactory, that it was not fair to live with another’s identity and another’s faith,” he said. Despite converting to Alevism, a heterodox sect of Islam, and taking Turkish names, the ethnic Armenians who stayed on their ancestral land suffered from continued discrimination and the eld-
ers often struggle to summon their memories. “My mother told me how her family was deported. She was a baby at the time and her mother considered drowning her in despair,” said Tahire Aslanpencesi, a sprightly octogenarian from the village Danaburan. “My mother used to say all the misery that came after would have been avoided had her mother drowned her,” she recalled. After converting to Islam, many of the so-called “cryptoArmenians” said they still faced unfair treatment: their land was often confiscated, the men were humiliated with “circumcision checks” in the army and some were tortured. Hidir Boztas’ grandfather converted to Islam, gave his son a Turkish name and the clan intermarried with a Kurdish community in the village of Alanyazi. “We feel Armenian nonetheless and in any case the others always remind us of where we come from. No matter how many of their daughters we marry, and how many of ours we give them, they will continue to call us Armenians,” he said. The Armenian community shared the Kurds’ suffering when the regime cracked down on Kurdish rebellions, from the 1938 revolt to the insurrection started by the PKK group in 1984. For a long time, only those who had left the ancestral homestead dared to make their Armenian roots known.
“Armenians in Istanbul are in a big city, they have their neighbourhoods, their churches, nobody can do anything to them. But in these villages, there’s rejection and insults,” said Hidir Boztas, 86. Human rights campaigners gathered Wednesday in downtown Istanbul carrying portraits of genocide victims. There were fewer than 200 people there but the protestors stressed such an event would have been unthinkable only a decade ago. One of Hidir’s nephews, 42-year-old Mustafa, a businessman, is one of a growing number of Muslim Armenians who want to be proud of their identity. Mustafa has decided to name his construction firm Bedros after Hidir’s grandfather, who was deported during the genocide. “It symbolised my past. My great-grandfather was called Bedros, and I wanted his name to live on. I am against radicalism, and I don’t do this through racism or religious extremism, but I don’t deny my origins-everyone knows them.” He said he hoped the unprecedented ceremony in Tunceli yesterday would encourage more members of the community to come out in the open. “The aim is to allow people to assert their identity more freely and also to generate more interest for the little Christian heritage left in the region,” said Miran Pirginc Gultekin. His society was created three years ago and has around 80 members. -—AFP
Italy president names Letta as new premier ROME: Italian President Giorgio Napolitano yesterday asked centre-left politician Enrico Letta to form a new government, signalling the end of a damaging two-month stalemate since elections in the euro zone’s third largest economy in February. Letta, from the Democratic Party (PD), said he would start talks to form a broadbased coalition on Thursday. It is likely to go to parliament for a vote of confidence by early next week. The prime minister designate is expected to select a group of ministers, likely to be a mixture of politicians and technocrats, under the guidance of Napolitano, whose own unprecedented re-election last weekend opened the way for an end to the crisis. The new government will be backed primarily by Letta’s centre-left and the centre-right People of Freedom party
(PDL) led by Silvio Berlusconi, which had previously failed to reach a deal following inconclusive elections two months ago. Rivalries between the parties as well as rifts within the PD, which fell short of a viable parliamentar y majority in February ’s vote, could still block an accord. But formation of a government after such a long impasse would signal that Italy is finally ready to make a start on much-needed reforms. Accepting his mandate, Letta said he would not form a government “at all costs”, warning that the warring parties must make compromises or he would withdraw. He said Italy faced an untenable situation and the government must provide answers on jobs, poverty and the crisis facing small businesses in a recession that now matches the longest since World War II.—Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Bedouin army trackers scale Israel social ladder SHTULA: The army jeep rolls to a halt and Lieutenant Colonel Magdi Mazarib hops off the back to take a closer look at the dirt path running along Israel’s border fence with Lebanon. He kneels, his sharp eyes scouring an unassuming constellation of pebbles, possible proof of an unwanted entry into Israel, and satisfied with what he sees, he jumps back onto the jeep and trundles away down the track. Mazarib is a Bedouin, a Muslim Arab who grew up in northern Israel, intimate with its green, hilly landscape from an early age. He is also the Israeli army’s highest-ranking tracker and commands a small unit of Bedouin soldiers who use their fieldcraft skills to serve as the Jewish state’s gatekeepers. As part of a minority within the Arab Israeli community, itself a minority among the Jews of Israel, Mazarib is at ease protecting his country’s borders from other Arabs, fellow Muslims. “This is our country,” he states simply in perfect Hebrew with a light Arabic accent. And its Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David or the theme of the national anthem, do not perturb Mazarib. “The flag of England also has a cross on it, and the Jews there are fine with it,” he says during a tour of the Bedouin Heritage Centre which houses a memorial to the 182 Bedouin killed fighting for Israel. The amiable and composed officer, who with a shaved head, Hermes cologne and long, delicate fingers could pass for a business executive, believes that his fellow Bedouin across the Middle East are even envious of the way those in Israel live.
“The state of Bedouin in Israel is better, as far as the respect we get, our progress, education,” he says. “It’s a different league.” Bedouin are not the only native Arabic speakers in the Israeli military, with members of Israel’s Druze and Circassian minorities enlisting, but they dominate the small, elite tracker units guarding the country’s northern and southern borders. “I was born a tracker, a Bedouin, and followed the flock,” says Mazarib, whose father was also a tracker. Being a tracker is about “connecting to nature, living in the field,” he says. “If you want to be a tracker on the northern border, you can’t be from northern Tel Aviv.” Although the tech-savvy Israeli army has an array of advanced means to detect infiltrators, “there is no replacement for the tracker, the soldiers, the warrior, who touches the ground, who also speaks its language and can say-here two infiltrated, here three,” he says, gesturing at the ground. “Members of terror groups don’t leave marks, they know what abilities the Bedouin trackers have,” he says. “Over time they create a range of decoys and means to cover their tracks. Our job is to uncover them.” Another threat is drugs smuggled from Lebanon by carriers operated by the Shiite militia Hezbollah. “The axis of drugs, crime and espionage is the same axis,” he says. “There is almost no drug smuggling that is not related to Hezbollah.” Cooperation between the Jewish people and Bedouin tribes began before Israel became a state in 1948, when the northern tribes sided with the Jews, whom they believed would win the war against the
Arabs. In the south, some Bedouin took part in the fighting against the Jews in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war while others fought with them. Still others fled the Negev to the Hebron hills in the southern West Bank. Israel kept the Negev Bedouin under military rule until 1966, with the Bedouin leader there accepting Israeli sovereignty in the mid-1950s and agreeing to enlist in its military. Today, the army says the number of Bedouin in active service is 1,655 — a tiny fraction of the 176,500 troops who make up the entire corpus of the active military, according to Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies. Unlike their male, Jewish peers, young Bedouin do not have to do military service. There are approximately 260,000 Bedouin in Israel, official statistics show, with around 193,000 in Negev, 15,000 in central Israel and another 52,000 in the north. But Ziad Saady, who manages the Bedouin Heritage Centre, says two-thirds of the Bedouin that serve in the military come from the north. The difference, he explains, is that those from the arid south suffer from a “low social status”, with more than half of them living in unrecognised villages, and others living in extreme poverty. There, the Bedouin are locked in a major struggle with the state over land ownership rights, with the government pushing a plan which would move them en masse into towns. The Bedouin of the north, meanwhile, enjoy a better standard of living, with most in permanent homes although some still have traditional tents in their backyards. In Israel, where the military enjoys an almost
untouchable status, a man’s army service can be a central component in evaluating his worth. And trackers get plenty of respect, says Amar Khilf, a 19year-old Bedouin who serves in Mazarib’s unit. Khilf was among dozens of Bedouin trackers participating in a day of drills led by Mazarib at the Lebanese border, in which the younger soldiers honed their skills and found fake bombs camouflaged as part of the scenery. Mazarib briefs the Bedouin soldiers in curt, military Hebrew. But between exercises, they chat in Arabic. “A patrol can’t go out without a tracker, you can’t clear the border without trackers,” Khilf says after an exercise, still out of breath from the effort. “Nothing can happen without trackers. You get more respect than regular combat soldiers,” he says. For Khilf, only the Bedouin are capable of detecting cross-border infiltrations. “Hezbollah are Arabs, we are Arabs,” he says. “An Arab understands an Arab’s thinking better than a Jew can. We can think like them, we have the same style, more or less.” Although Mazarib is following in the footsteps of his father, his uncle and his brother who also served as military trackers, he doesn’t see the same future for his eldest son, who is currently in school. Mazarib envisions that his son-the only Bedouin in his class-will serve in one of the army’s top elite units before taking up a senior role in Israeli society. To him, the Bedouin integration in Israel’s army and society could be evidence of the possibility of Jewish-Muslim coexistence, which “could serve as an example of how to solve the entire Jewish-Arab conflict,” he says. — AFP
Qatar faces backlash among rebel groups ‘We are looking for a pan-Arab role’
CAIRO: US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, second right, stands with an Egyptian army official before laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Cairo yesterday. —AP
Pentagon chief heads to Egypt in Mideast tour RIYADH: US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel travels led to Egypt yesterday as part of a Middle East tour designed to bolster America’s alliances amid growing concern over the fallout from Syria’s roiling civil war. In his first trip to the Middle East as Pentagon chief, Hagel is promoting longstanding US military ties with traditional allies-including Israel and Saudi Arabia-as a way of countering Iran and deterring Islamist militants. Hagel, who was in Riyadh on Tuesday evening to finalise a major arms sale to Saudi Arabia, was scheduled to fly to Cairo to meet his counterpart, General Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, and later hold discussions with President Mohamed Morsi. For years Egypt was at the centre of America’s strategic influence in the region but since the 2011 ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, the United States has had to contend with new political realities and an independent-minded government in Cairo. US officials, however, say security ties cultivated over decades between the two countries have survived the revolution and that America’s military leaders still have a direct channel to Egypt’s powerful top brass. “We can pick up the phone, the secretary of defence, and have his counterpart who we can talk to at any time,” a senior defence official told reporters last week before Hagel’s trip. “Despite changes in the Egyptian military and political system, that’s been constant.” In the post-Mubarak era, the United States still provides more than a billion dollars in annual military aid to Egypt. The huge funding package has always been seen as a way of ensuring Cairo abide by the 1979 peace accords with Israel. Hagel and his counterparts are expected to discuss relations with Israel, deteriorating security in the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt’s domestic politics, officials said. Tensions rose after two rockets were fired from the Sinai at the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat last week,
with a Salafi jihadist group claiming responsibility for the attack. Israel has complained to Egypt over the incident and threatened to take military action if the attacks continue. Hagel’s visit coincides with political crises and power struggles in Egypt, including a haemorrhaging economy and threats by the opposition to boycott parliamentary elections. “He’ll have an opportunity to talk directly with Egyptian officials about the difficult times they’re in,” said the defence official. Hagel’s trip will mark the first meeting between US and Egyptian defence chiefs since former defence secretary Leon Panetta paid a visit last August. The new Pentagon chief, who took office two months ago, came to the Middle East touting an elaborate arms deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, designed to bolster America’s partners as a counterweight to Iran. But Syria’s raging civil war has topped the agenda through much of Hagel’s trip, amid renewed fears Syrian President Bashar alAssad’s regime has turned to deadly chemical weapons in its fight with rebel forces. An Israeli general in military intelligence said Tuesday that the Damascus regime had employed chemical agents, most likely sarin, more than once in battles in recent months. The United States has said any use or transfer of chemical weapons would cross a “red line” and possibly trigger military action. But Hagel’s spokesman said the US government was still not convinced chemical agents had been employed and that the claims were being reviewed. Hagel began his tour with a three-day visit to Israel and he stopped in Jordan before flying to Riyadh on Tuesday. After discussions in Egypt, Hagel will head to the United Arab Emirates, which has signed up to buy nearly $5 billion worth of American-made F-16 fighter jets as well as sophisticated missiles that can hit targets at a long-range.— AP
SANAA: A Yemeni security officer stands guard outside the French embassy building in the capital Sanaa yesterday. The embassy opened yesterday following a shooting near the building the day before, with no special security measures taking place according to an AFP correspondent. — AFP
BEIRUT: In a war-battered suburb of Damascus, a commander for one of the smaller nationalist brigades fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad grumbles about the lack of ammunition for his men. He blames Qatar, saying the oil-rich Gulf state directs its backing to rebels with a more Islamist ideology. Tiny, US-allied Qatar has emerged as one of the strongest international backers of the rebellion against Syrian President Bashar Assad. Many in the Syrian opposition laud Qatar, saying it has stepped in while the international community has failed to intervene or send military aid that would help tip the balance in favor of the rebels, three years into the uprising-turned civil war that has ravaged the country and killed more than 70,000 people. But its role has also caused tensions within the ranks of the highly fragmented rebellion and political opposition. Some rebel brigades complain they are left out in the cold from the flow of money and weapons, sparking rivalries between secular and Islamist groups. Fighters and opposition activists worry that Qatar is buying outsized influence in post-Assad Syria and giving a boost to Islamistminded groups if the regime falls. “Qatar is working to establish an Islamic state in Syria,” Abu Ziad, the commander of a brigade in the Damascus suburb, said sullenly, his Kalashnikov rifle resting on a wooden chair next to his tea glass. “With their money, the Qataris and a bunch of other countries are exploiting the Syrian revolution, each for their own gains,” said Abu Ziad, speaking on condition he be identified by his nom de guerre for fear of reprisals from the Syrian regime. Qatar is not the only country in the region feeding support to the rebellion, and the various lines of backing have prompted worries that numerous countries are trying to win influence, often with conflicting agendas. No country has revealed the extent of its aid to the rebellion. But Qatar appears to be the most prominent. Officials, diplomats and Western military experts told The Associated press last month that Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar were involved in a carefully prepared covert operation of arming the rebels. The US has a consulting role aimed at ensuring the weapons go to secular and moderate rebel groups. President Barack Obama met Tuesday at the White House with Qatar’s ruler, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and said their two countries will continue to work on more support for the Syrian opposition in the coming months. Washington says it is providing non-lethal aid to the opposition.
US Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged Qatar’s influential role at a joint press conference with the country’s prime minister in Doha last month. He said he had received “greater guarantees” from Qatari leaders that nearly all the arms were getting into the hands of moderates among the Syrian rebels. Qatari officials have denied their country aims to determine the shape of a post-Assad government in Syria. Qatar’s prime minister, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, sought to downplay his country’s image as the chief Arab patron for the opposition and dispel worries that it seeks to dominate the scene. “We are not looking for a role just for us,” he told reporters at the time. “We are looking for a panArab role.” Syrian opposition figures regularly complain that the main opposition umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition, is dominated by fundamentalists from the Muslim Brotherhood backed by Qatar. Last month, the coalition elected Americaneducated Ghassan Hitto as its prime minister but almost immediately witnessed a walkout by about a dozen of its members, who accused Qatar and the Brotherhood of using pressure to install its candi-
date for prime minister. “The new (interim) government will be composed by the government of Qatar and we will not be part of it,” said well-known opposition figure Kamal al-Labwani, who suspended his membership from the coalition. Several rebel officials and opposition activists said Islamist rebel brigades backed by Qatar are getting the bulk of the weapons. They spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about the clandestine flow of support. The majority of rebel factions in Syria have religious leanings to some degree, and many of them call for some sort of rule by Islamic law in a post-Assad era. The Qatari support does not appear to be going to the most hard-line militant or ultraconservative fighters, such as al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, but rather toward organizations with a conservative religious ideology, away from brigades with a secular or nationalist bent. Among those are Islamic groups such as the Ahfad al-Rasoul, al-Furqan and Tawheed brigades, the rebel officials and activists said. Tahweed is one of the largest rebel groups operating in the northern province of Aleppo, which has been a major front in the civil war since July. —AP
EAST JERUSALEM: Israeli security officers stand guard as a bulldozer hired by the Jerusalem municipality destroys a Palestinian house in the Israeli annexed East Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Tur yesterday. Palestinian homes built without a construction permit are often demolished by order of the Jerusalem municipality. — AFP
Aleppo mosque a glimpse into ‘endless’ Syria war ALEPPO: Aleppo’s ancient Umayyad mosque, which slid back into rebel control for a third time after prolonged clashes, offers a chilling window into the intractability of the Syrian civil war, now in its third year. The iconic mosque in Aleppo’s labyrinthine Old City has been a key battleground since last July, with rebels seeking the ouster of Bashar al-Assad’s regime laying siege twice but each time only managing to retain control for less than 48 hours. Rebels overran the centuries-old mosquescarred by bullets and littered with charred relics and artefacts-for the third time late February and have since managed to hold sway through weeks of erratic shelling and “guerrilla” sniper attacks. But Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels acknowledge that until the neighbouring regime-controlled Citadel-a medieval fortified palace overlooking the mosque that offers Assad’s men a strategic high ground-is captured, their grip remains shaky. The hilltop Citadel, a fine military vantage point to launch tactical shelling and sniper raids, has stubbornly remained elusive and the rebels are able only to maintain an uneasy stalemate with no visible sign of a way forward. “Neither side (is) able to establish a monopoly of force across the entire country,” said Elizabeth O’Bagy, a Syria expert at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW). “The battle lines in Syria continue to ebb and flow with both
the rebels and the regime taking territory in some areas and losing territory in others,” she told AFP. Syria has paid a heavy price for the brutal impasse, with the war leaving more than 70,000 people dead, millions displaced and countless cities and neighbourhoods ravaged. But at the mosque, rebel comrades wielding homemade grenades, guns and bandoleers of bullets remain defiant in the face of near-daily shelling since taking control of the site. One group warming their hands by a smouldering bonfire stood up at routine intervals, especially after every new round of shelling, to bellow “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest!) in unison-to signal to regime soldiers that they remain undefeated. The fighters tread a delicate tightrope between holding control over the mosque, an archaeological treasure in the UNESCO-listed Old City, and not damaging it, FSA fighter Abu Omar said, fingering his prayer beads. But it has suffered extensive damage anyway. The bullet-pocked and soot-stained walls bear the physical scars of a messy war. Antique furnishings and intricately sculpted colonnades have been charred, valuable Islamic relics ransacked, and ancient artefacts-including a box purported to contain a strand of the Prophet Mohammed’s hair-looted. The place was once filled with worshippers who prayed on green and gold velvet carpets. Rebels, sandbag bunkers and rolls of barbed wire now surround it like a garrison.
But the rebels have managed to salvage ancient handwritten Koranic manuscripts and have hidden them in a “safe place”, lest the mosque slip out of their control again. “They (regime soldiers) can watch everything from the Citadel,” said Abu Omar, revealing a picture of himself on his cellphone posing with the retrieved scriptures. “We don’t want it to fall back into the wrong hands.” The first two times the mosque slipped away, he said, a regime sniper planted on the minaret of the mosque caused much grief. They could not reach the minaret due to non-stop shelling, but were able to take him down in their third attempt. And another gambit paid off. The rebels gave up access to two adjacent cobblestone streets leading up to the mosque to regime forces and then cornered them from behind. “That trick was a blessing from Allah,” Abu Omar said. Rebel snipers now patrol all the access points from which the regime forces may try to retake the site around the clock, he added. But AFP’s chilling video from last year shows how dramatically the army retook the mosque from the rebels, overwhelming them with explosives while shelling and bombing their way in. And such raids in the future by troops launching invasions from the Citadel can’t be ruled out. An Islamic landmark with Greek, Roman and Byzantine ruins, the Citadel has been an icon of Arab military might for centuries. —AFP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Trial of Russian protest leader Navalny reopens A total of five probes aimed at opposition leader
AMSTERDAM: An archive photo taken on April 30, 1980 in Amsterdam shows Crown princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, flanked by her husband Claus, on the Queen’s Coronation’s day. Beatrix became the monarch when her mother abdicated. — AFP
New king of Netherlands will reign with clipped wings AMSTERDAM: The Dutch will have their first king in more than 120 years when WillemAlexander succeeds his mother Queen Beatrix this month, bringing a more hands-off style to the throne at a time when the royal family’s political powers are already in decline. April 30, or Queen’s Day, is a popular celebration of the House of Orange when the Dutch dress up in the royal colour and party on the streets from dawn until late at night. This year, it will mark the abdication after 33 years of Queen Beatrix, 75, and the investiture of her eldest son Willem-Alexander, who turns 46 on April 27 and takes office as the first modern Dutch monarch without a formal political role. Unlike many of their European peers, Dutch royals have combined their influence and wealth with real political power, while appearing to lead an almost middle-class lifestyle. But last year, for the first time, Queen Beatrix did not appoint the mediator who conducts exploratory talks to lay the ground for the coalitions so typical of Dutch politics, after parliament voted to take that power away. The new king will still be influential, meeting the prime minister regularly, but in future parties will form coalitions on their own, meaning the king’s personal preferences will make far less of a mark. Hague insiders say that Beatrix once excluded a politician whose views she disliked from the process, something WillemAlexander does not expect to be able to do. “You can have a meaningful kingship without a formal role in the formation” of governments, Willem-Alexander said in a television interview he gave jointly with his wife Maxima, a former Argentine investment banker. “Time has moved on.” While helping to shape the coalition has formed the backbone of the monarch’s political power, the royal family has also always had an influential role behind the scenes, both at home and abroad. Bernhard, Beatrix’s father, was instrumental in 1954 in setting up the annual Bilderberg conference which brings together political and business leaders from Europe and North America. Both Beatrix and Willem-Alexander regularly attend, giving them the opportunity to discuss politics with movers and shakers such as John Kerry, now US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger and the chairmen of Deutsche Bank and Barclays Bank. “The royal family involvement helps put
the Dutch at the heart of quite an important meeting,” said one analyst. Known for her feistiness, Beatrix also held regular dinners for hotshots and opinion-makers - invitees included a British newspaper editor and historians - to pick their brains. While Willem-Alexander will doubtless continue some of these high-profile engagements, many expect him to be less politically involved than his mother was. He appeared to acknowledge this in his interview, when he stressed the importance of the ceremonial aspects of his role. “Even what some people sarcastically dismiss as ‘cutting ribbons’ can have real substance. If you are careful about choosing which ribbons to cut ... which events to attend ... these choices can have real substance, showing what you stand for and what you think is important for the Netherlands.” Little is known about his personal views, though people who know him say he is less formal than Beatrix. In his interview, he said he would not expect to be addressed as “Your Majesty”, adding he was “not a protocol fetishist”. It was Willem-Alexander’s ancestor who invaded England and installed himself as William III. Despite that shared history, the Dutch monarchy is much less in the public eye than its British counterpart. The Dutch monarchy “doesn’t have the pomp that the British monarchy can trot out,” said James Kennedy, a historian at the University of Amsterdam who has advised Willem-Alexander. Dutch monarchs do not have coronations because, in the absence of a state church, there is nobody to place the crown on the king or queen’s head. Instead, the crown rests unworn beside the monarch throughout the investiture. Even the relatively low-key nature of that ceremony has its critics these days, however. Sixteen lawmakers say they will either not attend the gathering of lawmakers in the New Church, where Willem-Alexander will swear to uphold the constitution, or they will refuse to swear an oath back to their new monarch. As the Netherlands grapples with recession and implements budget cuts, some would also like to see the monarch be paid less and pay taxes. “She (Beatrix) is very rich, she earns a lot of money, she doesn’t pay taxes. She’s laughing at us while we pay,” said Hans Maessen, leader of a republican campaign to cut the head of state’s pay. Forbes in 2011 estimated the net worth of Beatrix and her family at $220 million. —Reuters
KIROV: A Russian court yesterday reopened the trial on embezzlement charges of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who may face up to a decade in jail if convicted in a case he says was orchestrated by President Vladimir Putin. The prosecution accuses the 36-year-old, who has emerged as the most charismatic figure in the anti-Putin protest movement, of causing a loss of $500,000 (385,000 euros) to a regional government while acting as an advisor in a timber deal. The trial, held about 900 kilometres (560 miles) from Moscow in the northern city of Kirov, opened last week but was quickly adjourned after Navalny’s defence said they needed more time to study the case. It is the latest trial in post-Soviet Russia to be denounced by the opposition as a political act of revenge by Putin, following the jailings of antiKremlin tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and members of the radical punk group Pussy Riot. During yesterday’s hearing, attended by around a hundred journalists and opposition activists, Navalny’s defence called for the case to be sent back to the prosecution. They cited a litany of violations committed by the investigators, and argued that the final indictment contains conflicting information. “Our demands are reasonable,” Navalny, dressed in jeans and a shirt with rolled-up sleeves, later told reporters during a court recess. “The case cannot be heard in its current state, it is raw.” But Navalny, who is himself a lawyer, appeared in a less jovial mood than the week before, when he joked and took pictures of the proceedings with his phone, as he sat in court after travelling up on the sleeper train from Moscow. A total of five probes are now aimed at the opposition leader, who if he is even given a suspended sentence will be banned from ever standing for office. He has predicted this trial alone could take months, with some 40 witnesses called to give testimony. “I will grin and bear it. One day we will get
KIROV: Russian protest leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia stand outside a court in the provincial northern city of Kirov yesterday. A Russian court in Kirov reopened yesterday the trial of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is accused of embezzlement and may face up to a decade in jail if convicted. — AFP even for all of them at once,” Navalny wrote on his popular blog last week. In an editorial published in the daily Vedomosti newspaper on Wednesday, Khodorkovsky, who is serving his second jail term in a prison colony in northern Karelia region, voiced support for Navalny. “Political motivation is clear” in Navalny’s case, he wrote. “In an honest and fair court, these charges would turn out to be baseless.” Former finance minister Alexei Kudrin has also spoken out, saying last week that the trial would hurt Russia because the charges “question the foundations of market relations in Russia” and hark back to the Soviet planned economy.
“Navalny is not on trial for Kirov timber... he clearly is on trial for opposition activity, for defacto becoming Vladimir Putin’s main opponent,” fellow opposition activist Ilya Yashin told reporters in Kirov. The head of the timber company involved in the case, Pyotr Ofitserov, has gone on trial with Navalny on the same charges. Navalny’s team has posted his entire chargesheet online and insists all the accusations are politically motivated. The spokesman of the powerful Investigative Committee, Vladimir Markin, bluntly acknowledged earlier this month that Navalny was specially targeted for investigation because of his repeated “teasing” of the Kremlin. —AFP
Pope Francis appeals for release of Syrian bishops BEIRUT: Pope Francis called yesterday for the release of two Syrian bishops kidnapped by gunmen near Aleppo, after a Christian group appeared to retract its claim that the clerics had been freed. Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Bishop Boulos Yaziji and Syriac Orthodox Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim were kidnapped on Monday by armed men en route from the Turkish border. Speaking to an audience of around 100,000 at the Vatican, Francis said there were “contradictory reports” about the fate of the bishops and asked that “they be returned quickly to their communities”. On Tuesday, the “Oeuvre d’Orient” Christian association announced that the bishops had been released, but yesterday it backed away from the claim. “Yesterday evening we received information from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate questioning the release of the two bishops,” said Catherine Baumont, spokeswoman for the group, which works to help Middle Eastern Christians. “Unfortunately no tangible proof of the release has been obtained. The situation remains unclear, and we still don’t know who took them,” Baumont told AFP. And a source in Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox archdiocese told AFP it had no news on the fate of the bishops. “We have no new information,” said Ghassan Ward, a priest at the archdiocese. “We can say that (as far as we know) they haven’t been freed,” he added. Ward said there had been “no contact with them,” adding that “efforts are continuing” to secure their release. “We are very worried,” he said. The two men were travelling from the Turkish border when armed men intercepted the car they were in, forcing them out of the vehicle, Syrian state media and church sources reported. The kidnappers were believed to be Chechen fighters, who stopped the car in an area outside of Aleppo, the church sources said. “The news which we have received is that an armed group... (of) Chechens stopped the car and kidnapped the two bishops while the driver was killed,” an official from the Syriac Orthodox diocese said in a statement posted online. A source in the Greek Orthodox church said the kidnappers had described themselves as “Chechen jihadists.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said Wednesday that the bishops had been kidnapped “in the region west of Aleppo, where a brigade of fighters from Dagestan is active.” “Four members of this brigade were killed in confrontations with rebels from the Free Syrian Army,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The Syrian opposition has condemned the kidnap-
ping, saying the rebel Free Syrian Army was not involved and pointing the finger at the Syrian regime. “Efforts... to uncover the identities of the clerics’ kidnappers and to liberate them indicate that the Syrian regime is responsible for the kidnapping, and (the) killing of Bishop Yohanna
Ibrahim’s driver,” the opposition National Coalition said. Christians account for around five percent of Syria’s population, and have become increasingly vulnerable to attack and abductions in the lawlessness that has engulfed much of the country since March 2011. — AFP
VATICAN: Pope Francis caresses a child as he leaves after his weekly general audience in St Peter Square at the Vatican, yesterday. — AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Republican split on US immigration blunts party rebranding WASHINGTON: When a bipartisan group of US senators began writing legislation to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws in January, many Republican leaders embraced the effort as a savvy strategy for fixing the party’s tattered image with Hispanic voters. But since the bill was rolled out last week, a rift has emerged among conservatives that has played out in Senate hearings on Capitol Hill, on conservative talk shows and in social media such as Twitter and blogs. The immigration effort has brought together an unusual coalition of Republicans, led by Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a potential 2016 presidential prospect, Arizona Senator John McCain, a former presidential candidate who has broken ranks with his party on some issues, and conservative anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. But it has also put a spotlight on longstanding opposition to immigration reform within the party, potentially blunting the message party leaders had hoped to send in their efforts to remake the party’s image, begun in earnest by the Republican National Committee after President Barack Obama swept to victory with 71 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2012. Opponents of immigration reform include some traditional conservatives
such as Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama as well as some relative newcomers, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Tea Party favorite. Another opponent of the immigration reform bill is Jim DeMint, a former South Carolina senator who is now president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Luke Frans, executive director of Resurgent Republic, an organization that conducts polling and research for Republicans, said his group has met with Capitol Hill Republicans on the subject, advising them to avoid allowing the debate over immigration to become a “circular firing squad” in which Republicans are attacking their own. “Conservatives have certainly seen in past debates where it’s veered off the policy and become more of a personal tone. That’s what we’re really trying to avoid this time around,” he said. Critics of the legislation have labeled as “amnesty” a provision at the heart of the bill that would grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants. They also warn that the legislation would drive up the federal debt as immigrants eventually become eligible for federal benefits such as Social Security. Supporters say providing legal status for the undocumented would bring people out of the shadows and ensure that they are working and paying taxes.
Advocates also say the bill, which would establish new guest worker programs for both highly skilled and low-skilled workers, would boost the economy by making the labor market more flexible. The debate is still in its early stages and many Republicans say the rancor is still far from the level that it reached in past immigration debates, such as one in 2006 and 2007 when criticism of comprehensive immigration reform on talk radio jammed phone lines at the Capitol. But it may not be far beneath the surface either, to judge from some of the exchanges in the past week. In a posting that highlighted the divisions among conservatives, Erick Erickson of the influential RedState political blog accused Rubio staffers and other supporters of the immigration bill of trying to paint critics as bigoted and racist. Elsewhere, especially on Twitter, some conservative opponents of the immigration bill accused Rubio - falsely of supporting the distribution of free phones to illegal immigrants. Rubio has spent much of the last week appearing on conservative radio and TV stations to defend the legislation. “We always realized that this was a complicated issue and that we were going to have to spend a lot of time explaining it,” Rubio spokesman Alex Conant said. Conant described the response so far in
conservative media as “mixed.” The bomb attack at the Boston Marathon last week that was allegedly carried out by two immigrant brothers of Chechen descent intensified the debate among Republicans over the immigration bill. Some Republicans, including Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, said the Boston attack, which killed three people and injured more than 250, were a reason to be cautious on immigration reform. But other Republicans, including House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, argued that the Boston bombing showed the need to fix and modernize the immigration system. While DeMint of the Heritage Foundation has been a vocal skeptic of the immigration reform bill, many of the scholars at two other influential conservative research organizations, the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute, have been supportive of broad reform. Charlie Black, a longtime adviser to Republican candidates who is now chairman of Prime Policy Group, a public affairs consulting firm, said the divisions among Republicans do not break down “along traditional lines” of conservative and moderate. Whit Ayres, a Republican strategist
who backs immigration reform, said Republican voters who may be skeptical of the effort are persuadable if proponents use the right message on immigration reform. He said the strongest argument is that the current immigration system amounts to a “de facto amnesty” and that reforming the system is “better than anything (Democratic President) Barack Obama, left to his own devices, is likely to come up with.” Some conservative activists may be easier to persuade than others on immigration reform. Chris Littleton of the Tea Party group Ohio Rising, said he did not understand what was behind all of the criticism of immigration reform. “There are clearly employers who need low-cost labor and immigrants who want jobs, so there is clearly a functioning market here. Everybody’s benefiting from the situation so I don’t know why we need this debate,” he said. But David Crow of the Arkansas Conservative Caucus, another Tea Party group, said the proposed immigration bill would “simply create a magnet for more and more people to come across the border.” “In my opinion it is a huge mistake to go down this path when it’s evident it will attract more and more illegal aliens,” Crow added.— Reuters
US lawmakers grill FBI on marathon bombing probe Suspects’ sisters say they ‘don’t have any answers’
LIMA: Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli, center, escorted by unidentified protocols officers, arrives to the presidential palace in Lima, Peru, yesterday. Martinelli is in Peru for the World Economic Forum yesterday and today. — AP
NY judge sentences bin Laden secretary to life NEW YORK: A former personal secretary to Osama bin Laden got a strong rebuke from a judge on Tuesday as he was sentenced to life in prison for a second time after claiming the Sept. 11 attacks and Superstorm Sandy were “God’s punishment” for injustice by the United States against him and others. “You, sir, in my judgment, are a committed terrorist who has betrayed his country,” US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan told Wadih ElHage after listening to the claims of the Lebanese-born man who became a US citizen. El-Hage said he was treated unjustly before his 2001 conviction in the August 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa. The attacks killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. The judge said a life sentence was necessary in part because El-Hage, 52, was “quite likely to engage in or further terrorist activities against this country in this district until your last breath, if you were ever released.” He also re-imposed a $33.8 million restitution order, saying $7 million would go to the families of victims and the rest to the U.S. government. El-Hage was convicted in 2001 of conspiracy and other charges and was sentenced to life in prison. A federal appeals court in Manhattan ordered a resentencing after ElHage argued that the federal sentencing guidelines under which he was sentenced were no longer mandatory. El-Hage, who has a long beard, was taken into court handcuffed with numerous court officers providing tight security. At a hearing before trial, El-Hage had leaped out of a jury box where he was held with three other defendants and charged toward a door located about 15 feet from the judge before he was tackled against a wall by US marshals. Before the announcement of his sentence,
El-Hage spoke for more than a half-hour, saying he was “unfairly and unjustly convicted” and had “nothing to do with any of those conspiracies.” Wiping tears from his eyes as he described how criminal charges accused him of killing innocent civilians, El-Hage claimed that no jury could have remained unbiased in light of the accusations and that his chance to redeem himself was spoiled when his defense lawyers “fiercely resisted” his desire to testify at trial. “And I had a lot to say,” El-Hage said. He claimed he had followed US laws since coming to the country in 1978 as a teenager and had registered as required at US embassies as he traveled through Sudan, Pakistan and Kenya. At the time of his arrest, he was living in Arlington, Texas, with his wife and seven children. He cited the Sept. 11 terror attacks and Superstorm Sandy, saying, “This is God’s punishment for clear injustice.” At his first sentencing just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, El-Hage condemned the attacks, saying the “killing of innocent people is radical, extreme and cannot be tolerated by any religion, principles or values.” El-Hage’s rambling statement Tuesday led him to concede that some people might find “what I say strange or unusual,” and the judge’s patience wore thin as he finally warned El-Hage to complete his comments in five minutes. When it was no longer his turn, El-Hage tried to speak several times more and the judge shouted him down, saying, “Quiet!” Though El-Hage was in the United States when nearly simultaneous bombings were carried out on US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the government said he played a leadership role before the attacks.— AP
WASHINGTON: US lawmakers grilled top security officials about the handling of the Boston Marathon bombing investigation and why one of the suspects flagged as a possible Islamist radical was not tracked more closely. FBI officials briefed members of Congress behind closed doors in Washington about the investigation into the April 15 blasts that killed three people and injured 264 others. Authorities say the ethnic Chechen brothers, who immigrated to the United States a decade ago from the predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan in Russia’s Caucasus, detonated two bombs made from pressure cookers near the finish line of the iconic foot race. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a shootout with police and his younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, lies wounded in a Boston hospital charged with using weapons of mass destruction. Investigators have focused on a trip to Dagestan last year by Tamerlan Tsarnaev and whether he became involved with or was influenced by Chechen separatists or Islamist extremists there. Russian authorities flagged him as a possible Islamist extremist in 2011. The FBI interviewed him in Massachusetts but found no serious reason for alarm. Some lawmakers have questioned if more could have been done at the time. Senators said after a briefing by FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce and other officials that there may have been a breakdown in communication that kept authorities from tracking his apparent radicalization. Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, the ranking Republican on the Senate intelligence committee, said the briefing raised questions about the flow of information among law enforcement and intelligence agencies. “I think there has been some stonewalls, and some stovepipes reconstructed, that were probably unintentional, but we’ve got to review that issue again, and make sure there is the free flow of information,” he said. “I can’t say the FBI dropped the ball. I don’t see anybody yet that dropped the ball,” he said. “That may develop.” The senators said there was tough questioning during the briefing. “We had a full discussion back and forth over the
CAMBRIDGE: People arrive to a memorial service for fallen Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus officer Sean Collier at MIT in Cambridge, Mass. yesterday. Authorities say Collier was killed by the Boston Marathon bombing suspects last Thursday, April 18. He had worked for the department a little more than a year. — AP process that’s followed, and we need to keep at that, and we need to see if there are any loopholes in it, and that we fix those loopholes,” said Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who chairs the committee. Lawmakers said they were unable to confirm an NBC report that the Tsarnaev brothers had been motivated by the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq or speculation that they had used fireworks to provide the explosives used in their bombs. The wife of the dead bombing suspect is assisting authorities and in absolute shock that her husband and brother-in-law were accused of the deadly blasts, her lawyer said. “She cries a lot,” attorney Amato DeLu c a s a i d o f K a t h e r i n e Russell, 24, an American-born conver t to Islam who married Tamerlan Tsarnaev in June 2010. “ S h e c a n’ t g o a n y w h e r e . S h e can’t work.” People interviewed by Reuters described Tamerlan Tsarnaev as proud but angr y, never quite achieving his own idea of the American dream, and instead finding solace in a radical form of Islam adopted
by fighters in his homeland. The sisters of the bombing suspects said they too did not know what had happened to their brothers. Ailina Tsarnaev, who lives in West New York, New Jersey, and her sister Bella issued a statement through their attorneys expressing their sadness over “such a callous act.” “As a family we are absolutely devastated by the sense of loss and sorrow this has caused,” they said. “We don’t have any answers but we look forward to a thorough investigation and hope to learn more.” But relatives interviewed in Russia said they did not believe the brothers carried out the bombings. “No one is accusing them of anything here,” Said Tsarnaev, a local photojournalist, told Reuters. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s condition improved to “fair” from “serious” on Tuesday as he recovered from gunshot wounds at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where in an impromptu hearing on Monday he was charged with two crimes that could result in the death penalty if he were convicted. Since recovering enough to communicate by nodding his head
and writing, the younger Tsarnaev has told authorities he and his brother acted alone, learned to build the bombs over the Internet and were motivated by a desire to defend Islam because of “the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” NBC News reported. NBC cited an unnamed US counterterrorism source who has received multiple briefings on the investigation. Reuters could not confirm the information. Tsarnaev was captured on Friday night following a massive, daylong manhunt that shut down greater Boston. Police say the Tsarnaev brothers also killed a university police officer on Thursday night and wounded a transit police officer on Friday morning. The family of 8-year-old Martin Richard, the youngest person to die in the attacks, privately buried their son on Tuesday. “This has been the most difficult week of our lives and we appreciate that our friends and family have given us space to grieve and heal,” parents Denise and Bill Richard said in a statement. “We laid our son Martin to rest, and he is now at peace.” — Reuters
Canada terror suspect denies charges
DALLAS: Docent Patricia Flynn shows off the interactive table of conflicts in the Middle East at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University yesterday in Dallas, Texas. Dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library was to take place yesterday with all five living US Presidents in attendance. — AFP
TORONTO: A man accused of plotting with alQaeda members in Iran to derail a train in Canada was due to appear in a Toronto court after declaring at his initial court appearance that the charges against him are unfair. Law enforcement officials in the US said the target was a train that runs between New York City and Canada. Canadian investigators say Raed Jaser, 35, and his suspected accomplice Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, received guidance - but no money - from members of al-Qaeda in Iran. Iran released a statement saying it had nothing to do with the plot, even though there were no claims in Canada that the attacks were sponsored directly by Iran. In a brief court appearance in Montreal, a bearded Esseghaier declined to be represented by a court-appointed lawyer. He made a brief statement in French in which he rejected the allegations against him. “The conclusions were made based on facts and words which are only appearances,” he said in a calm voice after asking permission to speak. Esseghaier, who was arrested Monday afternoon
at a McDonald’s restaurant in the train station, was later flown to Toronto for a court appearance Wednesday in the city where his trial will take place. Jaser appeared in court earlier Tuesday in Toronto and also did not enter a plea. He was given a new court date of May 23. He had a long beard, wore a black shirt with no tie, and was accompanied by his parents and brother. The court granted a request by his lawyer, John Norris, for a publication ban on future evidence and testimony. The case has raised questions about the extent of Shiite-led Iran’s relationship with alQaida, a predominantly Sunni Arab terrorist network. It also renewed attention on Iran’s complicated history with the terror group, which ranges from outright hostility to alliances of convenience and even overtures by Tehran to assist Washington after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. “We oppose any terrorist and violent action that would jeopardize lives of innocent people,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin
Mehmanparast said Tuesday. Charges against the two men in Canada include conspiring to carry out an attack and murder people in association with a terrorist group. Police - tipped off by an imam worried by the behavior of one of the suspects - said it was the first known attack planned by al-Qaida in Canada. The two could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Law officials in New York with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press the attack was to take place on the Canadian side of the border. They are not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Amtrak and Via Rail Canada jointly operate routes between the United States and Canada, including the Maple Leaf from New York City to Toronto. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Canada has kept New York posted on the investigation. “I can just tell you that you are probably safer in New York City than you are in any other big city,” Bloomberg told reporters Tuesday without discussing details.—AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Seven killed, dozens hurt in Afghan quake
LUDHIANA: Indian police escort a nurse, accused of helping the grandfather of a new born boy sell the boy through Facebook to a Delhi based business man, outside a court in Ludhiana yesterday. — AFP
Indian held for selling baby grandson on Facebook NEW DELHI: Police in northern India said yesterday they had arrested a 47-year-old man for selling his newborn grandson to a local businessman in a deal that was struck on Facebook. Feroz Khan, a resident of Ludhiana city in the northern state of Punjab 300 kilometres (200 miles) from New Delhi, had allegedly kidnapped his grandson shortly after he was born earlier this month. Khan sought help from two temporary employees at a local hospital where his daughter gave birth, who contacted the buyer on Facebook and arranged the deal for 45,000 rupees ($830). “All three people who conspired to sell the child have been arrested and we will be
interrogating the businessman who paid the money to buy the baby,” Satish Malhotra, a senior police officer in Ludhiana, told AFP. Police have rescued the baby and returned him to his mother, Noori Khan, a divorcee, who had lodged the complaint against her father. The three accused have been charged with kidnapping and they will be produced before a court. If proven guilty, they could be jailed for seven years. In 2011, the country’s federal police admitted in court that there were 815 gangs comprising more than 5,000 members involved in the kidnapping of children for prostitution and begging across India. — AFP
Afghan’s Karzai backs clerics’ demand for media crackdown KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has agreed with a call from the country’s conservative religious council for a crackdown on television stations, calling some of their programmes “immoral and un-Islamic”, officials said yesterday. The decision by Karzai may alarm some of Afghanistan’s international backers, who have invested heavily through 12 years of war in promoting liberal values and freedom of expression in Afghanistan’s deeply conservative society. The decision could also imperil advances in the country’s media industry, which has enjoyed significant progress since the ouster of the austere Taleban regime 12 years ago. Karzai issued a decree setting out the crackdown. “The Ministry of Information and Culture must prevent (television channels) from broadcasting programmes which are vulgar, obscene and un-Islamic and are counter to social morality,” Karzai said in a statement issued by the Council of Ministers. Neither Karzai nor the Council of Ministers specified in the statement what was meant by vulgar, obscene or immoral programmes. However, Jalal Noorani, an adviser to the minister of culture and Information, told Reuters immoral programmes included Indian television soap operas and Afghan music videos featuring “half-naked” dancing girls. Afghanistan’s Ulema council met Karzai on Friday and demanded the government take action against some television broadcasters, accusing them of promoting prostitution, the Council of Ministers said in the
statement. The Ulema council is an influential group of scholars and religious leaders who debate religious matters and exert significant political influence. Karzai provoked international outrage last year when he backed recommendations from clerics to segregate the sexes in the workplace. Another recommendation allowed husbands to beat wives under certain circumstances, a decree which some saw as reminiscent of Taleban regime. More than 50 private television stations, 150 radio broadcasters and about 1,000 newspapers have emerged in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, according to Noorani. Some of the stations broadcast Indian soap operas, dancing and songs which have drawn harsh criticism from conservative clerics and some politicians. “There are many TV stations that turn to vulgarisms and broadcast immoral programmes, which are counter to national interests and Islamic values,” the Council of Ministers cited the clerics as telling Karzai. Karzai’s critics say such directives are aimed at mollifying the Taleban, who banned television during their five-year rule, and luring them to the bargaining table. Afghan and U.S. officials have been seeking negotiations with the insurgents in the hope of ensuring stability after most foreign combat troops leave at the end of next year, though the talks are widely believed to have stalled. Noorani said broadcasters who failed to abide by the rules could have their licenses cancelled. — Reuters
QUETTA: Pakistani security officials gather at the site of a bomb explosion in Quetta yesterday. Bomb attacks wounded 17 people and targeted an election candidate in the runup to historic general elections in the nuclear-armed country, police said. — AFP
Cambodian opposition rally for leader’s return PHNOM PENH: About 2,000 Cambodian opposition supporters rallied yesterday to demand election reforms and guarantees their leader Sam Rainsy can return to the kingdom to contest polls this year without arrest. Demonstrators from the recently-formed Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) gathered at a park in the capital Phnom Penh holding banners reading “Without Sam Rainsy no free and fair election!”. Rainsy, who lives in self-imposed exile in France, faces 11 years jail if he returns after he was jailed in absentia for charges that included publishing a “false map” of the border with Vietnam, claiming the neighbour holds Cambodian territory. The protesters also urged the National Election Committee (NEC) to amend the voter
list amid allegations a recent update saw more than a million names culled from the records. The opposition accuses the NEC of being a tool of strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen. In November, the NEC said Rainsy could not stand in the July polls because of his convictions. “We will not end our demands until the NEC introduces reforms and amends the voter list so that all Cambodian people can vote freely,” Kem Sokha, deputy head of CNRP, told the crowd, warning of further protests. But Tep Nytha, secretary-general of the NEC, refuted the opposition accusations, calling them “politically-motivated” and adding it was not the duty of the election body to decide whether to allow Rainsy’s return. —AFP
JALALABAD: Seven people were killed, dozens injured and many homes destroyed when a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan yesterday, officials said. The quake, measured at a magnitude of 5.6 by the US Geological Survey, sent people rushing from their homes in worst-hit areas and was felt in the Afghan capital Kabul and in Islamabad in neighbouring Pakistan. It struck at 0925 GMT at a depth of 62 kilometres (39 miles), with its epicentre 24 kilometres northwest of the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad near the Pakistani border, the USGS said in a revised update. Six people died in Nangarhar province of which Jalalabad is the capital, said provincial spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, and 75 people were injured. Forty of them were given first aid and the rest admitted to hospital for further treatment. “We are still in the process of getting information from the affected areas. Among the dead are some children,” Abdulzai told AFP. One person was killed and one injured in neighbouring Kunar province and many homes were destroyed, said provincial spokesman Wasefullah Wasef. In Kama district outside Jalalabad, people ran from their mudbrick homes in panic when the tremor was felt, a witness said, describing it as “very powerful”. Two walls in one village collapsed, he said. Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range which lies near the juncture of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. In June 2012 two quakes in the area triggered landslides that killed at least 75 villagers. Yesterday’s tremors came a week after a 7.8magnitude earthquake centred in Iran affected thousands of people in remote southeastern Pakistan and killed 41 people. Pakistani victims have staged angry protests, accusing the government of failing to provide adequate relief after hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged. On October 8, 2005 a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Pakistancontrolled Kashmir and parts of northwestern province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. — AFP
NANGARHAR: An Afghan family stands inside their home damaged by a powerful earthquake in Charbagh village in Nangarhar province yesterday. Seven people were killed, dozens injured and many homes destroyed when a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan yesterday, officials said. — AFP
Musharraf denied bail over Bhutto killing RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani court yesterday refused to extend bail for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in connection with the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a lawyer said. It is the second of three cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule for which he has been denied bail. He is already under a two-week house arrest at his villa on the edge of Islamabad over his decision to sack judges when he imposed emergency rule in November 2007. Musharraf, who attended a separate hearing relating to the Bhutto case on Tuesday, did not appear before the court Wednesday and neither did his main lawyer. “The court dismissed General Musharraf’s bail application,” prosecution lawyer Chaudhry Azhar told reporters after the hearing by the Lahore High
Court sitting in Rawalpindi, the garrison city twinned to Islamabad. “Now the FIA (federal investigative agency) should arrest him,” he added. Musharraf is accused of conspiracy to murder Bhutto, who died in a gun and suicide attack in December 2007. His arrest and disqualification from contesting elections on May 11 have been a humiliating blow for the former ruler of nuclear-armed Pakistan, who returned home last month promising to “save” the country. On Tuesday, police said they had recovered a car carrying detonators and explosives on the road leading to Musharraf’s house. The Pakistani Taliban have threatened to kill Musharraf who escaped three assassination attempts during his rule, but denied anything to do with the car. —AFP
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THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Philippines sends troops to protect candidates MANILA: The Philippines deployed hundreds of extra troops as it vowed yesterday to protect candidates for next month’s mid-term elections after communist guerillas ramped up armed attacks. The New People’s Army was attacking “soft targets”, including politicians, to blackmail them into paying for “permits” to campaign without guerrilla interference, said President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda. “You want to challenge us? Go ahead make our day,” Lacierda said, directly mocking the 4,000-strong
NPA, as he announced the deployment of an additional 500 marines to the country’s south. To the candidates, he said: “There is only one armed forces and we will protect you.” The Maoist guerrilla group ambushed Ruth Guingona, the 78-year-old mayor of Gingoog city on the southern island of Mindanao on Saturday, killing two of her aides and leaving her and two policemen wounded. Guingona belongs to Aquino’s Liberal Party, and is married to a former vice president. Her son is a senator.
After the ambush, the NPA warned politicians to seek permission before campaigning in their strongholds, and to refrain from bringing in armed bodyguards. They stepped up their attacks in Mindanao on Tuesday, lobbing a grenade at a police station, exchanging fire with a military patrol and abducting a soldier in separate incidents, police said, adding that there were no casualties. Lacierda said the battalion of marines deployed to Mindanao would help police break up rebel-set roadblocks that were targeting politicians cam-
paigning for the May 13 elections. More than 18,000 posts are at stake in the balloting, from town mayors and governors to members of parliament. The military estimates the rebels have about 4,000 fighters nationwide, down from more than 26,000 at their peak in the 1980s. The government has held intermittent peace talks with them, without success, since 1986. “We remain committed to pursue the peace talks, but it is clear to the (Filipino) people that they are not interested,” Lacierda said. — AFP
21 dead in deadly west China clash Six assailants killed, eight captured alive
SOUTH HWANGHAE: This undated picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) yesterday shows North Korea’s new Prime Minister Pak Pong-Ju (C) inspecting a farm in the North Korean province of South Hwanghae. Pak was appointed as new prime minister in a reshuffle endorsed by the parliament on April 1. — AFP
N Korean soldiers put down arms to help plant crops SASI-RI: The North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone is a hive of activity - not of fighting, but of farming. Beyond the barbed wire, ruddy-faced North Korean soldiers put down their rifles yesterday and stood shoulder to shoulder with farmers as they turned their focus to another battle: the spring planting. As neighboring nations remain on guard for a missile launch or nuclear test that South Korean and US officials say could take place at any time, the focus north of the border is on planting rice, cabbage and soybeans. In hamlets all along the DMZ, soldiers were kneedeep in mud and water as they helped farmers with the spring planting. Inside the DMZ, hundreds of North Korean soldiers marched in a line with backpacks. On a hilltop above them in North Hwanghae province, Col. Kim Chang Jun said they were being dispatched to farms - but still prepared for war if need be. “From the outside, it looks peaceful: farmers are out in the fields, children are going to school,” he said. “But behind the scenes, they are getting ready for war. They’re working until midnight but come morning, if the call comes, they’ll be ready to go to battle.” To the west, inside the Joint Security Area that is the heart of the DMZ, a tense quiet hangs over the area that divides North from South. This is the spot that foreign tourists see, a stage where the observation decks, pavilions, pine trees, cherry blossoms and azaleas belie the tanks and traps hidden from view along the 2.5-mile-wide (4-kilometer) buffer zone. South Korean soldiers stand with fists curled at their hips in a combat-ready mode borrowed from taekwondo. Across the way, a unit of North Korean soldiers goosesteps into position, rifles slung across their backs. Visitors on a tour bus from the South Korean side peer up at a North Korean building known as Panmungak. Because of the tensions, tourists are not allowed inside the three blue conference halls straddling the border, North Korean Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho said. Typically, they are allowed to go into the meeting rooms as soldiers from both Koreas stand guard. “This is a place that the whole world is watching, so of course it seems quiet on the surface,” said Nam, who guides tours to Panmungak. But he said the prospect of war is always on the minds of soldiers manning the world’s most militarized border. “Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t worry about war?” he told the AP on Tuesday. “We don’t want a war. But if the American imperialists provoke us unjustifiably, we will answer with a nuclear war.” Since early March,
North Korea has steadily and dramatically ramped up the rhetoric warning of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula, though it has quieted in recent days. Leader Kim Jong Un ordered soldiers in charge of North Korea’s arsenal of missiles on standby and North Korean officers at the front line severed communications with the South Korean military. North Korea takes issue with tightened U.N. sanctions punishing Pyongyang for carrying out a long-range rocket launch in December and conducting a nuclear test in February in violation of Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang also is incensed by joint U.S.-South Korean military drills taking place now south of the border, annual exercises that this year have included nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets. South Korean defense officials say the North has moved missiles to the east coast, including a medium-range missile believed to be designed to strike U.S. territory, but there has been no indication of when they might test-fire the weapon. When asked about North Korea’s plans to fire a missile, Lt. Col. Nam said he didn’t know anything specific, adding with a chuckle, “That’s a national secret, top secret among secrets. “But we have made it clear: Our army is capable of striking any place on earth.” As diplomats in the region conferred about how to bring down the tension and rein in an increasingly belligerent Pyongyang, Nam and Col. Kim reiterated in separate interviews this week that North Koreans want peace. But they said North Korea will not give up its nuclear weapons, seen here as a necessary deterrence against the powerful “American imperialists.” “We want to live peacefully and happily, but we will not sit by for one second if we are provoked,” said Kim, whose job involves telling tourists about a concrete wall that the North says the South built in the late 1970s just south of the DMZ. North Korea considers the structure an affront to the goal of reunification. “If a (nuclear) war breaks out, the death and destruction would be heartbreaking,” Kim said. “But we may have no other course but to defend ourselves if we are provoked.” It remains unclear how far North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has progressed in the years since six-nation negotiations to provide aid in exchange for nuclear disarmament fell apart in 2009. After pledging to mothball its plutonium-processing plant in 2008, Pyongyang announced last month that it would restart the facilities and continue enriching uranium, which experts say would provide North Korea with a second way to make atomic bombs. —AP
Singapore cartoonist arrested for sedition SINGAPORE: A Singaporean cartoonist has been arrested for alleged sedition over a satirical comic strip on his Facebook page that appeared to accuse the government of racism, police and his lawyer said yesterday. Leslie Chew, 37, was released on bail following his arrest Friday, two days after a complaint was filed about his cartoon strip that lampooned the government for being “racist” toward minority Malays, his lawyer Choo Zheng Xi told AFP. The strip was posted on Chew’s “Demoncratic Singapore” Facebook page on March 27. “Police confirm that a 37-year-old man was arrested on 19 April 2013 for an offence under Section 4 (c) of the Sedition Act,” police said in a statement. The arrest was made “following a report lodged by a member of public regarding a series of racially insensitive cartoons which are circulating online”, the statement said, adding that “investigations are ongoing”. Chew’s lawyer said he was released after posting bail of Sg$10,000 ($8,060) on Sunday. The cartoon depicts a politician addressing a crowd and praising the talents of expatriate Indian, Chinese and Caucasian communities. A character in the audience asks “What, no mention of Malay talents?”, to which another responds “Damn! Racist government”. Chew regularly posts satirical political cartoons linked to current events in
Singapore on his Facebook page, which has over 21,000 followers. His cartoon characters usually resemble local politicians, although a disclaimer on the page says it is “a totally fictional comic with entirely fictional characters based on wholly fictional events in a fictional country”. Speaking to AFP yesterday, Chew said he was “surprised” that he had been picked up by the police. “I thought I made it quite clear through the disclaimers on the cartoons that my work on Demon-cratic Singapore is purely fictional,” he said. He added that he intends to continue to publish cartoons while he is being investigated as police have not imposed any restrictions. “I want to continue to amuse my audience. The comics are simply for laughs,” said Chew, who is unemployed and makes a living from contributions from his online readers. Singapore, a multi-racial island nation, clamps down hard on anyone seen to be inciting communal tensions after experiencing bloody racial riots in the 1960s. Ethnic Chinese make up 74 percent of Singapore’s resident population of 3.8 million, with Malay Muslims accounting for 13.3 percent, followed by ethnic Indians, Eurasians and other racial groups. If convicted, Chew faces a jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to Sg$5,000, or both. — AFP
BEIJING: A violent clash between authorities and assailants described as a terrorist gang left 21 people dead in China’s restive northwestern region of Xinjiang, the local government said yesterday. Among the dead in the Tuesday afternoon fighting were 15 police officers and local government officials, the Xinjiang government propaganda office said in a news release. It said six assailants were killed on the spot and another eight were captured alive. “Initial investigations show this was a gang plotting to carry out terrorist acts and the case is now being further cracked open,” the release said. A leading activist from the region’s indigenous Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group questioned the official account, saying local sources said that police sparked the incident by shooting a Uighur youth during an illegal search of homes. The death toll was the highest for a single incident in months in Xinjiang, which sees recurrent outbreaks of violence pitting Uighurs (pronounced WEE’-gurs) against the authorities and majority ethnic Han Chinese migrants. Rioting in July 2009 between Uighurs and Han killed nearly 200 people in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, and there have been sporadic attacks since, all of them quickly suppressed with overwhelming force by local paramilitary units.
Tuesday’s violence appeared to point to the chaotic nature of much of the Xinjiang violence, as well as problems with how authorities respond. It began when three local officials reported a group of suspicious men armed with knives hiding inside a home in Selibuya township outside the city of Kashgar, the news release said. The three were then grabbed by the men in the house and local police and officials rushing to the scene were taken by surprise and attacked, it said. Those inside the house killed their three captives and set fire to the building, while the fighting ended only after armed units who are often stationed in larger towns and barracks and must be specially summoned by commanders - arrived and began firing on those continuing to resist, the report said. The release said 10 of those killed on the government side were Uighurs, three were Han, and two were from the Mongolian ethnic group. It said two other Uighurs were injured. The ethnicity of the assailants wasn’t given and local police and government officials reached by phone said they had no additional information to give. “We know only what is in the release and have no more to add,” said an officer with the Xinjiang regional police, who gave only his surname, Meng, as is common with Chinese offi-
cials. Xinjiang, a sprawling region that borders Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, is home to millions of Uighurs, many of whom complain of tight restrictions on religious and cultural life by Beijing and say they have been marginalized by policies favoring Han migrants. China claims much of the violence is orchestrated by Uighur activists based in the West or in Pakistan and other neighboring countries, but has provided little evidence publicly. The U.S. initially placed one group, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, on a terrorist watch list following the 9/11 attacks, but later quietly removed it amid doubts that it existed in any organized manner. Uighur activists say violence largely results from heavy-handed policing by the authorities, including the frequent detention of Uighur men with little or no due process. Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the German-based World Uyghur Congress, said repression has intensified in the area around Kashgar, with an unknown number of Uighurs detained. He denied those involved in Tuesday’s clash were part of an organized group and dismissed the government’s terrorism claims. “They always use such labels as a way of justifying their use of armed force,” Raxit said in a phone interview. — AP
HK opposes Sichuan quake aid over corruption fears HONG KONG: Hong Kong lawmakers fiercely opposed a plan yesterday to donate money to a Chinese provincial government for earthquake victims, underlining widespread public concerns about mainland corruption. The city’s leader, Leung Chun-ying, proposed donating 100 million Hong Kong dollars ($13 million) to the Sichuan provincial government for relief efforts following an earthquake Saturday that struck Lushan county, killing at least 196 people and injuring more than 11,000. Lawmakers said they wanted to help the victims but opposed giving money to government officials because of fears about corruption and misuse of funds. They said they would prefer that the money be channeled to aid groups and non-governmental organizations. The debate reflects wider public wariness in semiautonomous Hong Kong about official corruption in mainland China, an enduring problem that Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to root out. It marks a sharp change in sentiment compared with reactions to previous disasters that prompted residents to open their wallets, such as a devastating earthquake that struck the Sichuan region in 2008, killing 90,000 people. Following that quake, “the government donated HK$9 billion in return for scandals and also a lot of substandard projects,” lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki said. Hong Kongers were especially miffed after learning early last year that a Sichuan secondary school built in 2010 with HK$2 million in quake relief funds was later torn down to make way for a luxury housing development. The Hong Kong government said Tuesday that the province later returned the funds. Numerous other legislators also voiced their opposition to the donation at a special meeting of the finance committee, which ended before they could vote on it. It’s unclear whether another meeting would be held. “What China lacks is not money but rather clean government,” said lawmaker Claudia Mo. “Our trust in those provincial governments has gone bankrupt.” Hong Kong web users have flooded online forums to express their disgust with the proposal. Some posted cartoons mocking Leung, who is
YAAN: This photo taken on April 23, 2013 shows a woman cooking beside collapsed houses in Lushan county of Yaan, southwest China’s Sichuan province. Tens of thousands of homeless survivors of China’s devastating quake are living in makeshift tents or on the streets, facing shortages of food and supplies as well as an uncertain future. — AFP backed by Beijing but widely unpopular, and circulated a satirical photo-montage joking that donations would be spent on prostitutes, shopping trips and expensive cars and houses for Communist Party bureaucrats. The skepticism is not limited to Hong Kong, a former British colony that’s now a special administrative region of China with its own legal system and currency. It’s also reflected in a photo that has gone viral among Chinese internet users that shows Premier Li Keqiang touring the disaster area with a local official sporting a watch-shaped tan line on his wrist. The official, Lushan county’s Communist Party chief Fan Jiyue, may have been trying to avoid scrutiny suffered by other officials in the past year after they were spotted wearing pricey wristwatches. Internet users posted photos of Fan at other
events wearing what they believed was a Swiss made Vacheron Constantin worth 210,000 yuan ($34,000). In another sign of the struggle to win over public trust, China’s Red Cross will reopen an investigation into a 2011 incident involving a young purported staffer shown in photos carrying expensive handbags and posing in her Maserati, the staterun Beijing News newspaper reported on its website. The mainland Chinese agency disavowed any connection with the woman at the time. But as it takes part in quake relief efforts, it has found its fund-raising efforts still hampered by the scandal. An independent oversight panel for the charity has decided to launch a new investigation into the incident next month, the paper said, citing panel spokesman Wang Yong. — Agencies
Malaysian election violence spikes with bombing: Police KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of cases of Malaysian election violence including a bomb explosion have been reported since campaigning for tightly contested May 5 polls got under way four days ago, police said yesterday. In the latest incident a bomb exploded in northern Penang state late Tuesday near a political gathering of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, resulting in a 35-year-old security worker being injured by flying debris. “It was a time bomb. But it did not contain any splinters or shrapnel,” Rosli Chik, local police spokesman told AFP. Police later found a second bomb in the area and detonated it. Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim condemned the culprits responsible for planting the bombs. “The timing of the explosion and location of these devices are highly suspicious and are clearly meant to create fear and provoke disorder,” Anwar said in a statement. A total of 387 incidents were reported in the first three days of the two-week campaign, which kicked off Saturday, and at least 15 people have been arrested over the violence, national police spokesman Ramli Yoosuf told The Star newspaper. “They were in possession of weapons such as machetes and suspected of slashing rival party supporters and criminal intimidation, mostly while putting up flags and banners,” Ramli was reported to have said. He added that hundreds more incidents had been reported earlier, between the April 13 dis-
solution of parliament and the official start of campaigning. The pro-government newspaper gave no indication of who was carrying out the acts of violence. The opposition has complained that their supporters have been victims in most of the attacks,
although AFP has been unable to confirm this. Malaysia is bracing for long-anticipated elections that experts say could herald the country’s first change of regime since independence from Britain in 1957. —AFP
JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (2nd R) is greeted by his supporters as he arrives for his party campaigns ahead of the 13th general election in Johor Bahru, southern Malaysia yesterday. Najib and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on April 20 kicked off their campaigns for the May 5 election, likely to be the country’s closest ever. — AFP
NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
SAVAR: A victim’s body is trapped in rubble after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh yesterday. — AP
Bangladesh building collapses, killing 113 Continued from Page 1
mangled steel, which resembled the aftermath of an earthquake. Corpses and the injured were pulled from the higher reaches of the pile of flattened floors via makeshift slides made from cloth that just hours earlier was being cut into shirts and trousers for export to Western markets. “The whole building collapsed like a pancake within minutes. Most workers did not have any chance to escape,” national fire department chief Ahmed Ali said. “Many people are still trapped”. Fire fighters and soldiers cut through the building’s collapsed sixth floor and managed to rescue 20 people eight hours after the accident, he said. “We will continue searching for survivors through the night, for as long as it takes,” he said. Deputy chief of Dhaka police A B M Masud Hossain said that at least 113 people have died in the disaster. “But the toll will be higher because some relatives took bodies without informing police,” he said. The cries of people inside the rubble begging for rescue could be heard as thousands of relatives waited anxiously nearby, some chanting the name of Allah. “Save us please!” a woman worker cried from inside. “We’re 30 people here. Please save us.” Survivors complained that the building had developed cracks on Tuesday evening, triggering an evacuation, but they had been ordered back to the production lines. “The managers forced us to rejoin and just one hour after we entered the factory the building collapsed with a huge noise,” said a 24-year-old worker who gave her first name as Mousumi. Mustafizur Rahman, head of a police unit created to handle industrial troubles, told reporters the owners, who have gone into hiding, ignored a warning not to open their factories. “Industrial police told the factory owners not to open their plants. The owners ignored our call and opened their factories anyway,” he said. Two of the factories in the building-New Wave Style and New Wave Bottoms were making clothing for retailers Mango of Spain and Benetton of Italy, according to
campaign group Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity. A spokesman for Benetton however said they “are not suppliers for Benetton”. A spokeswoman for Mango, Marta Soler Morera, told AFP by email that it did not have any suppliers at the building, “although we did have contacts with one of them to produce a test production, as we do with several suppliers”. Tessel Pauli, a spokeswoman for the Amsterdam-based Clean Clothes Campaign, said the accident was “symptomatic” of problems in Bangladesh where foreign buyers often overlook safety problems in their hunt for higher profits. The accident will likely pile more pressure on the bargain-hunters as the disaster came just months after a blaze in the Tazreen factory, which was making apparel for Walmart and others, left 111 people dead. In the wake of that tragedy, the US threatened to cut some duty-free facilities for Bangladeshi products. The Muslim-majority country has the second-biggest clothing industry in the world, but it is plagued by regular accidents and demonstrations by workers demanding better wages and working conditions. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a national day of mourning for Thursday when flags will fly at halfmast in memory of the victims. Hiralal Roy, a senior emergency ward doctor at the nearby Enam Hospital where victims were being taken, said at least 1,000 injured people had been treated at the hospital. “The toll will rise as the condition of some of the injured was critical,” he said, adding the hospital had appealed for emergency blood donations. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said five factories were inside the building and together they employed around 3,000 workers. Local media said the owner of the building was a local youth wing chief of the ruling party. He was rescued alive from the rubble. Building collapses are relatively common in Bangladesh as developers often flout construction regulations when erecting multi-storey structures. More than 70 people were killed when a multistorey garment factory collapsed in the Savar area in 2005. — AFP
Obama injured? Continued from Page 1 minutes after the tweet hit a little after 1 pm. But within three minutes of the tweet’s release, virtually all US markets took a plunge on the false news in what one trader described as “pure chaos.” The FBI and the US Securities and Exchange Commission both said they were probing the incident. FBI spokeswoman Jenny Shearer did not provide further details beyond confirming an investigation. SEC Commissioner Daniel Gallagher said in an interview that the agency was looking into the bogus tweet’s impact on the markets. “I can’t tell you exactly what the facts are at this point or what we are looking for, but for sure we want to understand major swings like that, however short it was,” Gallagher said. Reuters data showed the tweet briefly wiped out $136.5 billion of the S&P 500 index’s value before markets recovered. Some traders attributed the sharp fall and bounce-back to automatic electronic trading. A group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army, which is supportive of that country’s leader, President Bashar AlAssad, in its two-year civil war, claimed responsibility on its own Twitter feed for the AP hack. The group has in the past taken credit for similar invasions into Twitter accounts of National Public Radio, BBC, CBS’ “60 Minutes” program and Reuters News. A Twitter spokesman declined to comment on the Tuesday breach, saying the company did not comment “on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons.” At a time when cybersecurity and hacking have become top national security concerns, Twitter and its reach to hundreds of millions of users is coming under growing scrutiny for the risk of privacy breaches on the site. Stewart Baker, a cybersecurity lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, said there was plenty of blame to spread around regarding Tuesday’s incident. “AP should have had better passwords, Twitter should have gone to at least optional two-factor authentication months ago, and guys on the Street really should be thinking twice before they trade on Twitter reports. That’s risky,” he said. For years, security experts have called on Twitter to introduce a two-factor authentication measure, which requires a two-step process to log in and which they say would greatly
reduce such breaches. In recent months, the San Francisco-based company has hired security experts and posted job listings for software engineers, who could help the company roll out two-factor authentication. AP, whose Twitter accounts @AP and @AP_Mobile were suspended, reported that hackers made repeated attacks before Tuesday’s incident to steal the passwords of AP journalists. The false “BREAKING” tweet, which went out to the AP’s nearly 2 million Twitter followers, sent the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average falling sharply before they recovered. Stock and bond futures also were affected. “It’s a new low in the capital market sales and trading and investor community,” said Russ Certo, managing director in fixed income at Brean Capital in New York. Several US lawmakers with influence over US policy on trading have pledged to bring new scrutiny to the practice of high-frequency trading and its power to disrupt markets. “It is disturbing that the markets were so easily manipulated by false information,” Democratic Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island who sits on the Banking Committee, said on Tuesday. “Congress and regulators, particularly the SEC, should closely examine this case and social media policies to try to prevent this from recurring.” After the false tweet, the benchmark S&P 500 dropped 14 points to as low as 1,563.03 before recovering, all in about five seconds. The Dow Jones Industrial Average temporarily dropped 143.5 points, or 0.98 percent. “You have to wonder (about) this system we’ve built based on technology and speed,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey. “The SEC’s mission is to protect the individual investor. And they don’t feel protected today,” he said. “Events like today shatter confidence, and the problem is you don’t get confidence back tomorrow.” Earlier this year, Bloomberg’s trading platform started incorporating tweets after the SEC clarified how companies can disclose material information through social media. On Tuesday, spokeswoman Sabrina Briefel said the fake tweet appeared on the Bloomberg terminal. She said the company was not reconsidering its decision to include tweets.— Reuters
Violence leaves 118 dead in Iraq BAGHDAD: Two days of violence in Iraq have killed 118 people, 99 of them in clashes and attacks involving security forces, protesters and their supporters, officials said yesterday. The violence also wounded 245 people, 194 of them in protest-related unrest, they said. The trouble began early on Tuesday, when clashes broke out after security forces moved into an area near Hawijah in northern Iraq, where protests have been held since January. The fighting killed 53 people, and a series of revenge
attacks left another 27 dead. A further 15 were killed in apparently unrelated unrest, officials said. Yesterday, another 23 people died in violence, 19 of them in protest-related unrest. Protesters have taken to the streets in Sunni-majority areas of Iraq for more than four months, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and decrying the alleged targeting of their minority community by the Shiite-led authorities. The latest spate of violence is the worst protest-related unrest since the demonstrations began. — AFP
Nuclear Saudi - a lifeline for the atomic energy industry DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s atomic energy ambitions are grand enough to grant several reactor vendors multi-billion dollar contracts to keep them busy building in the desert for decades. The fortunes of nuclear power plant builders around the world sank when a tsunami smashed into Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant in March 2011, sparking the worst nuclear crisis since the Chernobyl disaster. Opposition to nuclear power has risen since in many countries, along with construction costs, but nuclear technology is gaining popularity in the Middle East, where soaring electricity demand is eating into oil and gas exports. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) picked a consortium of Korean companies in late 2009 to build the Gulf Arab region’s first nuclear power station, dashing French nuclear industry hopes of building the plant near Abu Dhabi. But state-run French nuclear reactor builders should get something out of Saudi Arabia’s much larger nuclear program, with Riyadh’s plans to build up to 17,000 MW one of the world’s biggest nuclear building markets for the next two decades. France’s original large fleet of nuclear plants was built around one technology, and there are economies of scale to be enjoyed from building just one type. But Saudi Arabia is likely to opt to build a variety of different plants to meet its rapidly rising power demand, according to the Vice President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), which is responsible for steering the kingdom’s nuclear plans. More than one design would avoid over-stretching one reactor builder and allow the kingdom to sign politically potent, long-term contracts with several of its biggest trading partners. “We see unique benefits of diversifying acquired technologies in terms of job creation, value chain localization, and knowledge transfer,” Waleed Abulfaraj said. “The current front runners are all countries which Saudi Arabia has already signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with, which include France, Korea, China, and Argentina.” Abulfaraj said the kingdom is considering only Generation 3 and 3+ advanced reactors which have already licensed, built and operated safely. Third-generation plants have standardized designs to streamline licensing and cut construction times, added safety features and longer operating lives of around 60 years. The kingdom expects the first to be built by 2022. Third generation large reactor vendors include Mitsubishi, France’s Areva , Toshiba Corp’s Westinghouse, GE Hitachi, and Korea’s Kepco. Saudi Arabia is also keen to use smaller modular reactors at industrial complexes, but will hold off on buying any until
there are clearer, global regulations on their use, he said. There are 435 civil nuclear power reactors operating around the world, with 67 under construction. The kingdom’s atomic ambitions are modest compared to China’s, which is building 29,910 MW and planning another 59,800 MW, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA). India is building 5,300 MW and planning to build at least another 15,100 MW, while Russia is building 9,160 MW and planning another 24,180 MW. But it is still one of the biggest potential export markets for reactor vendors worldwide over the next two decades, as China builds more of its own plants and Russia always has done so. “Saudi Arabia has the potential to be an important market for the global nuclear industry,” Jonathan Cobb, an analyst at the WNA, an umbrella group nuclear energy companies worldwide. “Working with a range of vendors does have the advantage of giving countries new to nuclear energy a broader experience of working with key players in the global industry. China has chosen to work with a range of vendors and this has served its ambitious nuclear energy program well.” The Saudi target implies building at least 11 large reactors, or more if a mix of reactors is used, with the largest France’s European Power Reactor (EPR) - capable of producing 1,630 MW. But it seems Saudi Arabia is set on building more than one type. “It would surprise me, though it wouldn’t be out of the question, if they went with one ...I doubt they would go with five or six ... But it wouldn’t surprise me that they would go with two,” Sandy Rupprecht, senior vice president business and project development, at Westinghouse said. Few of the limiting factors on nuclear new build elsewhere - environmental opposition, volatile power market prices, high upfront costs and long construction times - are going to be stumbling blocks in a country trying to save millions of barrels of valuable oil from being burnt in its power plants each summer. “Saudi Arabia has no problem with something which is the main condition nowadays for developing nuclear power, which is to have the financial capacity to do it,” Luis Echavarri, director of the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency, said. “If you want to be efficient economically, I think that having a single technology helps a lot... However, if you have two or three different technologies you can negotiate better sometimes because you can benefit from competition even when you are already under construction,” he said, adding that the Saudi program was probably big enough to justify two reactor types. — Reuters
MAZGIRT: Armenian Muslim Hidir Boztas works in his yard in the eastern village of Mazgirt in Tunceli province. For nearly a century, Muslim Armenians from the eastern Turkish Dersim mountains kept silent to avoid persecution. — AFP (See Page 7)
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
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Issues
Boston highlights problems tracking the ‘lone wolves’
T
By Mathieu Rabechault
he Boston bombings have highlighted the practically impossible task US law enforcement faces in preventing terror attacks by determined radicals acting in isolation, security experts say. Despite evidence that one of the suspects, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had popped up on the radar of US authorities prior to last week’s twin blasts, analysts warn attempting to thwart similar attacks in future may prove futile. Tsarnaev, 26, is suspected of carrying out the April 15 attacks with his brother Dzhokhar, 19, which left three people dead and 264 injured. Tamerlan was killed during a bloody gun battle with police Thursday as the net closed on the two siblings of Chechen descent. Dzhokhar, who remains under guard in a Boston hospital, has reportedly told investigators that his elder brother was the driving force behind the attacks and “wanted to defend Islam from attack.” The teenager, who faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty after being charged for his role in the attack, has also told investigators the brothers received no financial support or assistance from any foreign group. According to counter-terrorism experts, the mounting probability that the Tsarnaevs may have been radicalized via militant Islamic sources on the Internet is more alarming than the possibility they were part of a wider plot orchestrated by a group such as Al-Qaeda. Tamerlan Tsarnaev had showed increased signs of radical behavior at the mosque he attended in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and he had been quizzed by the FBI at the request of Russian authorities in 2011. He later traveled to Dagestan for five months, and US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano acknowledged to lawmakers Tuesday that security monitors “pinged” when he left. But Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had said Monday that an FBI official told him Tsarnaev’s trip was not flagged to the agency because his name was misspelled in the system, possibly on a plane ticket. Even still, said counter-terrorism expert Philip Mudd, a former deputy director of national security and No 2 at the FBI, little could have been done because at that point he had not committed any crime. “We’ve got a Constitution that says you can be a radical, speak however you want to speak,” Mudd said. “Even if we wanted to, we could not investigate every radical in this country.” Tracking every individual with radical views in the United States is impossible, he added. “There are too many of them, and what they’re doing is not illegal,” he said at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. The key lies in trying to discern if individuals who had consulted extremist websites had given any indication of moving towards violence. Until last week, Tamerlan Tsarnaev had not given any sign of his murderous intent. Mudd’s view is shared by Joseph Young, an assistant professor at American University’s justice, law and society department. “The really unsettling part is that it’s really difficult to predict who’s likely to do these kinds of things,” Young said. “It’s a real challenge. It’s not reasonable to assume they (the FBI) are going to be 100 percent accurate.” Mudd suspected the Tsarnaevs’ governing philosophy prior to the Boston attack had been “more emotionally driven than ideology driven.” “That, to me, defines a lot of what we see in the transition from Al-Qaeda operations to more affiliates and especially these homegrown kids,” he said. “My cold analysis is this is more emotion today than it is ideology.” Young, meanwhile, warned that Al-Qaeda attacks of the past had been easier to anticipate. “If we look at the patterns that occurred prior to 9/11, it was much clearer about the plots that were developing,” he said, adding that Al-Qaeda was quite obvious about its intentions. “Those kinds of attacks were more disruptive but the good news is that they’re easier to predict,” he noted. “The kinds of attacks (like Boston) are not as disruptive, but they’re extremely hard to predict.” Marc Thiessen, an analyst with the American Enterprise Institute, wondered if the Boston attacks could mark a new kind of terrorism in the United States. “Watching the massive news coverage of the Boston bombing, seeing how two kids with backpack bombs seem to have succeeded in putting a major US city on lockdown, it may now dawn on Al-Qaeda leaders that a series of small-scale attacks like this can have the same impact as one spectacular mass casualty attack,” Thiessen wrote in the Washington Post. “If it does, that would be very bad news for America. Because it is impossible to defend in every place, at all times, against every possible form of attack.” —AFP
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Crossing Obama’s ‘red line’ on Syria requires concrete proof By Matt Spetalnick and David Alexander
W
hile President Barack Obama has declared a “red line” over Syrian use of chemical weapons, US officials suggested on Tuesday that Washington was unlikely to respond without clear-cut evidence of such use - evidence that may be very hard to come by. Israel’s top military intelligence analyst said in Tel Aviv on Tuesday that Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons probably the nerve gas sarin - in their fight against rebels trying to force out President Bashar Al-Assad. He cited photographic evidence of victims foaming at the mouth, their pupils contracted. The Israeli allegations, which came during a week-long visit by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to the Middle East, followed similar concerns of chemical weapons use voiced by Britain and France. But so far, those assessments appear to lack the concrete proof Washington would need to accept the kind of deeper US involvement in Syria’s civil war that Obama has resisted. That, in turn, raises questions about just how well-defined the president’s “red line” is. White House spokesman Jay Carney walked a cautious line speaking to reporters, making clear that Washington was taking the Israeli accusations seriously but would require “conclusive evidence” before deciding whether to move forward. “We have not come to the conclusion that there has been that use,” Carney said. “But it is something that is of great concern to us, to our partners, and, obviously, unacceptable as the president made clear.” A senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “low confidence” assessments by foreign governments could not be the basis for US action. Officials appeared to play down the extent of any evidence of chemical weapons use provided by British and French diplomats in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s office on March 21. An Obama administration
official noted it was based on second-hand sources and third-party information. “The letter did not provide conclusive evidence of chemical weapons use, but did request a UN investigation into all allegations of use in Syria,” the defense official said. A UN team of specialists has been prevented from going to Syria to investigate the claims because of a dispute with the Damascus government over access. MEMORIES OF IRAQ On a visit to Israel last month, Obama said of reports the Syrian government may have used chemical weapons, “Once we’ve established the facts, I have made clear the use of chemical weapons is a game-changer.” The Obama administration’s determination to avoid committing itself without air-tight proof, plus international backing, is due in part to the lessons of Iraq, a source close to White House policymaking said recently. Then, the George W Bush administration used faulty intelligence to justi-
fy the Iraq invasion in pursuit of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons that turned out not to exist. “There will be no rush to judgment,” the source said. US officials and experts have cited the difficulty for the United States in confirming chemical weapons use in Syria. For example, officials have said they are reluctant to give much credence to information on alleged chemical weapons use that emanates from the Syrian opposition, considering such claims suspect because of a vested interest to get Washington involved militarily. So far, the United States has limited itself to mostly non-military support for the opposition. Last weekend, Secretary of State John Kerry announced a new package of non-lethal aid partly destined to rebel fighters. That has fallen far short, however, of what some US lawmakers, US allies like Britain and France and Syrian opposition leaders themselves have sought. Washington could face further criticism if it is perceived to have failed to enforce Obama’s
ALEPPO: Syrian rebel fighters stand amid sandbags in a damaged section of the Umayyad Mosque complex which has served as a key battleground since last July. —AFP
chemical weapons ultimatum to Assad, who has clung to power despite repeated US calls to step down. Raymond Zilinskas, a chemical and biological weapons expert at the Monterey Institute’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said photographic evidence cited by the Israeli official - with victims foaming at the mouth - showed symptoms consistent with the use of a nerve agent such as sarin gas. But he questioned whether photographic evidence alone could prove chemical weapons use. “The difficult part is - what you really need are samples,” said Zilinskas. Sarin or other nerve agents would linger in blood and tissue samples for some time, and probably longer in hair samples, he said. “That’s almost like a smoking gun.” It is not known if Western intelligence agencies, perhaps with aid from Syrian rebels, have procured biological or soil samples from the sites of the alleged attacks last month. Even if proof of chemical weapons use met Washington’s standards of proof, US action might further be delayed while intelligence analysts try to figure out how widespread it was - a factor that would determine the extent of any US response. While contingency plans have been crafted, US officials have continued grappling with questions such as whether US forces would be able to locate enough of Assad’s stockpile and whether the material could be “safe-guarded” inside Syria in the midst of civil war or whether it would have to be taken out. Another wild card could be how Israel might respond. Carney declined to answer a question whether the White House had been aware that Israel would go public with the accusation on Tuesday and whether it was prudent to do so. The source close to White House policymaking speculated that Israel may have gone public with its findings to send a message to Assad that its military had Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile in its sights, and would not hesitate to take action if deemed necessary to secure it. — Reuters
BA loss may spur Boeing to offer mini-jumbo in weeks By Tim Hepher and Praveen Menon
B
oeing looks ready to start offering its long-awaited next-generation mini-jumbo in weeks after pondering for months how to prevent a key part of the big-jet market slipping to rival Airbus. Industry sources, analysts and potential buyers say Boeing’s idea of revamping its long-serving 777 was rapidly gathering momentum even before British Airways signed a $6 billion order for 18 of Airbus’s new A350-1000 jets on Monday. Airbus’s victorious climax to a three-year courtship cracks Boeing’s virtually complete hold on BA’s long-haul fleet and makes it almost certain the US group will show its hand by formally offering a revamped “777X” very soon, the sources said. Boeing’s response would mark the end of a “phoney war” between transatlantic rivals and set up a direct clash for a segment of the market projected to involve 2,000 twin-engined mini-jumbo jets worth $500 billion at list prices over 20 years. It provides a glimpse of fierce competition that continued behind the scenes - pulling in top Boeing executives - even as the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner over battery concerns captured global headlines and drew public support from Airbus. “I think there is pressure on Boeing to move by the (June 17-21) Paris air show,” said Adam Pilarski, former chief economist at Douglas Aircraft, which is now part of Boeing. For years, Boeing governed a “sweet spot” in the jet market between 300 and 400 seats after pioneering two engines rather than four for long routes. Its 777 is an industry best-seller. Now, its dominance is being challenged by the A350-1000, a larger cousin to Europe’s answer to the carbon-composite 787, forcing Boeing to come up with changes such as folding wingtips to increase wingspan while fitting at the same airport gates. “I think Boeing is ready to go with the 777X. We’ve been in fairly close contact with them in the last few months,” Tim Clark, President of Emirates airline, told Reuters last week in Dubai. “They have offered (it) to us in the specifications we asked for and this is now
being tested through our normal route of assessment. If we are happy we may even go with it soon.” As head of the largest 777 operator with up to 175 jets that will need replacing starting soon, Clark is someone Boeing will pay attention to as he pushes for early decisions. Not all potential buyers agree things will happen imminently, however. One, who asked not to be named, said Boeing needed more time to fine-tune the 777X, though basic negotiations can start while designs are still in flux. Boeing must also consider the impact on its existing product, but is anxious not to leave the door open to Airbus. It declined to comment on the timing of a formal marketing debut. “It is a thorough process, with ongoing robust discussions, to ensure we come to market with the right airplane, at the right time, leveraging the right technology and delivering the right economics,” Boeing spokeswoman Karen Crabtree said. A BIGGER A350? Critics say Boeing has dithered over the 777X, giving Airbus time to recover from a slow start, as they became absorbed in a battle for market share for smaller planes. Still, Airbus has so far only dented the mini-jumbo market with 128 new A350-1000 sales, compared with 1,294 777s of various sizes over 20 years. “Airbus’s best friend is Boeing’s delays with the 777X,” said Richard Aboulafia of Virginiabased consultancy Teal Group. The looming mini-jumbo war is part of a wider contest for long-haul, twin-aisle jets where Boeing is traditionally strong. The battle for 350-400 seats promises to be one of the toughest. Boeing says the total market for twin-aisle wide-body planes is worth $2.1 trillion over 20 years. It represents a quarter of the overall jet market by volume but just under half by value. Sources say Boeing is also offering a larger 787 called the 787-10X after a lowkey decision to market it late last year. But so far no airlines have committed to the 320-seat model. The largest version of Boeing’s revamped 777 is tipped to have over 400 seats or 60 more than the A350-1000, raising questions whether Airbus will kick back with a
bigger design. So far, Airbus argues the 350-seat A350-1000 is “lean and mean” and that the 777X would be too big for many airlines. “Airbus will respond that the A350-1000 will do the job,” said Clark, adding the two planemakers had perhaps inadvertently arrived at a neat method of segmentation of the market. Asked if Airbus would make the A350 bigger, the European planemaker’s sales chief John Leahy told Reuters: “No, we wouldn’t want to. There isn’t a market there (and) you can’t artificially create a market where there isn’t one.” That doesn’t prevent a growing number of people speculating that Airbus may keep other ideas in reserve, though it is seen unlikely to reconsider its A350 strategy any time soon. Much depends on where the market decides the “sweet spot” should be - the ideal combination of payload and range that decides whether any plane is a success or an expensive flop. Technically, industry sources say it would be feasible to make the A350 bigger, depending on the support of Rolls-Royce which has already redesigned the engine. Its battle with 777 supplier General Electric mirrors the jet makers. Like bigger cars, stretched jets can be economical because they burn less fuel per passenger. But stretching too much increases the risk of the tail scraping the ground on take-off, so designers have to include bigger and heavier landing gear. Drifting above 400 seats with a new, lightweight jet could also test support for Airbus’s 525seat A380 superjumbo. “I think that would be a stretch too far,” a major client of both Airbus and Boeing said, asking not to be named. Despite its euphoria over BA - “one of the most dramatic changes of culture” at the airline since it turned its back on UK aircraft in the 1960s, according to analyst Howard Wheeldon - Airbus needs more wins as Boeing mounts an all-out 777 defense. A decision by Swiss, an all-Airbus customer, to buy 777s - as its parent Lufthansa also weighs fleet options - suggests the opportunity to capture Boeing’s lead remains tight, analyst say. “That deal sent a signal to Toulouse,” where Airbus is based, said a senior industry source, asking not to be named. —Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
S P ORTS Former Pakistan captain Butt agrees to rehabilitation KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has agreed to undergo rehabilitation while serving his ban for spot-fixing because he wants to resume his cricketing career once the suspension ends. The 28-year-old was banned for 10 years, with five of those suspended, by an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal in 2011 after being found guilty of arranging deliberate no-balls to be delivered in a 2010 Lord’s test against England. Butt and team mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir also served jail terms in England following the “cash for noballs” scandal. “I have informed the board that I am ready to undergo any rehabilitation programme or attend any course as part of the ICC anti-corruption procedure,” he told Reuters. “I want to play cricket again once the ban ends because it is my passion. I have told the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) I am willing to attend any programme when they deem it right.” Butt’s decision comes the day after ICC chief executive Dave Richardson urged the disgraced trio to start “coming clean about what really happened” and help cricket in “the fight against corruption”. Butt and Asif lost appeals against their bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week. —Reuters
Lebanon match-fixing scandal ZURICH: FIFA has imposed a worldwide ban on 23 players and one official found guilty of match-fixing by the Lebanon Football Association, world soccer’s governing body said yesterday. The global ban follows sanctions imposed by the Lebanese FA in February against those involved in the scandal. They handed out various penalties to the 24 including life bans for defender Ramez Dayoub and forward Mahmoud El-Ali, following allegations that international and regional games were rigged. “Of the players involved, 20 received a one-year ban from all football-related activities while the remaining individuals received a two-year ban, three-year ban and lifetime ban respectively,” FIFA said in a statement. “One official was sanctioned with both a lifetime ban from all football-related activities, as well as a lifetime stadium ban.” The Lebanese conducted a two-month investigation involving over 60 witnesses which was led by the general secretary of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF), Fadi Zreiqat, who said international and club games were targeted by fixers. —Reuters
Injured Pietersen to miss Champions Trophy LONDON: England batsman Kevin Pietersen will miss the Champions Trophy in June after making a slower-than-expected recovery from a knee injury. However, England said yesterday that Pietersen to be back in full training by the “middle of June,” making him available for the Ashes series against Australia that starts on July 10. A repeat MRI scan on Pietersen’s injured right knee “has shown some improvement in the bruising to the bone,” according to the England and Wales Cricket Board. But it won’t have healed sufficiently for him to feature in the Champions Trophy, which begins on June 6. Pietersen had already been ruled out of the two-test series against New Zealand in May and will miss the three-match oneday series against the same opposition beginning May 31. The South African-born batsman first experienced pain in his knee last month while fielding in a warm-up match in Queenstown during England’s tour of New Zealand. He played through the pain in the first two tests but flew home before the third test for further investigation and was ruled out for six to eight weeks. “Pietersen will now start a graduated rehabilitation program,” the ECB said, “with a view to resuming full training by the middle of June.” —AP
Yankees get past Rays
DENVER: Relief pitcher Jordan Walden No. 52 of the Atlanta Braves delivers to home plate during the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. —AFP
Rockies fall to Braves DENVER: Starting a day-night doubleheader, Justin Upton hit his major leagueleading 10th home run, Dan Uggla and rookie Evan Gattis also connected and the Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 Tuesday. Reed Johnson, playing right field for Atlanta because Jason Heyward underwent an appendectomy Monday night, went 4 for 4 with three doubles. Heyward was put on the 15-day disabled list. Colorado and Atlanta each began the day 13-5, tied for the best record in the majors. It was the coldest game-time temperature in the majors since such data collection began in 1991, according to STATS. The Rockies said the previous low at Coors Field was 28 degrees. Pitching in short sleeves while many other players bundled up, Mike Minor (31) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. By the time Craig Kimbrel closed it out for his eighth save in eight chances, the temperature had warmed up to 27. Gattis hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth and ended the game by throwing out Wilin Rosario trying to steal second. Jeff Francis (1-2) gave up four runs in four innings, leaving him with an 8.44 ERA. Ground crews began working around 6 a.m. to clear several inches of snow from the playing surface at Coors Field, which opened in 1995. CARDINALS 2, NATIONALS 0 In Washington, Adam Wainwright extended his sterling start to the season and Washington’s mediocre one - by coming within two outs of his second shutout for St. Louis. Wainwright (4-1) lowered his ERA to 1.93 by allowing five hits in 8 1-3 innings. Edward Mujica got two outs for his third save. Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran drove in runs in the fourth off Ross Detwiler (1-1), who gave up eight hits across six innings. The Nationals, who led the majors with 98 wins last season and were a popular pick to do well in 2013, lost for the eighth time in their past 11 games to fall to 1010. Wainwright’s walk to Bryce Harper with two outs in the sixth was the pitcher’s first free pass of the season, and it came in his fifth start, after 34 2-3 innings. CUBS 4, REDS 2 In Cincinnati, Carlos Marmol blew a lead in the ninth inning before Darwin Barney bailed him out with a homer in the 10th that lifted Chicago over Cincinnati.
Chicago ended its four-game losing streak after squandering a late lead for the second straight day. The Cubs let a tworun lead get away in the 13th inning of a 5-4 loss Monday night. Barney connected off left-hander Manny Parra (0-1), and Dave Sappelt added an RBI single. Marmol (2-1), who lost the closer’s job after a rough opening week, came on with a runner on second and one out in the ninth to face Joey Votto, who was 1 for 15 in his career against the reliever with nine strikeouts. Votto singled up the middle to tie it. Marmol escaped a bases-loaded threat to keep it tied. Kevin Gregg fanned Votto with two aboard in the 10th to get his first save. Chicago won for only the second time in nine games, while the Reds lost for just the second time in nine games. PIRATES 2, PHILLIES 0 In Philadelphia, Jeff Locke pitched six innings of two-hit ball and Gaby Sanchez homered off Cole Hamels to lead Pittsburgh over Philadelphia. Locke (2-1) struck out six and walked two. After wriggling out of a jam in the fourth, he retired his last eight batters striking out three of the final four. Sanchez also doubled and Brandon Inge had an RBI double in his Pirates debut to help Pittsburgh win for the fifth time in seven games. After opening the season with a pair of poor outings, Hamels (0-3) pitched well for the third straight start but was hurt by a lack of run support again. The Phillies were shut out for the third time this season. Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances. DODGERS 7, METS 2 In New York, Mark Ellis lined two home runs and hit a hard grounder that sent Mets starter Jonathon Niese limping off for X-rays, leading Los Angeles over New York. Ellis got four hits and drove in four runs. He hit his 100th career homer in the fifth inning, then connected for a tiebreaking, three-run shot with two outs in the seventh. Los Angeles won despite an uneven outing by ace Clayton Kershaw. With Dodgers great Sandy Koufax watching at Citi Field, Kershaw walked four and struck out five in five innings. Ronald Belisario (1-2) pitched one inning for the win. Brandon Lyon (1-1) gave up Ellis’ go-ahead homer. —AP
ST. PETERSBURG: Ichiro Suzuki hit a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning as the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Tuesday night. Robinson Cano ended AL Cy Young Award winner David Price’s night with a leadoff single in the ninth. Tampa Bay is winless in all five of Price’s starts this year. The left-hander (0-2) allowed three runs and eight hits over eight-plus innings. After Cano stole second on a pitch by Fernando Rodney that struck out Vernon Wells, pinch-hitter Travis Hafner was intentionally walked and Lyle Overbay walked to load the bases. First baseman James Loney helped Rodney by making a sliding catch on Chris Stewart’s foul ball, but Suzuki then drove in two for a 4-2 lead on a liner to center. David Robertson (1-0) worked a perfect eighth before Mariano Rivera got his sixth save despite allowing Evan Longoria’s leadoff homer. The only other team to lose the first five starts made by a reigning Cy Young winner was the 1989 Minnesota Twins. They lost in Frank Viola’s first seven starts before finally winning on May 9. ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 3 In Baltimore, Manny Machado had two hits and two RBIs, and Baltimore used a four-run second inning to beat RA Dickey and Toronto. Miguel Gonzalez (2-1) allowed three runs in six innings for the Orioles, who have won nine of 13. By taking the first two games of the three-game set, Baltimore improved to 5-2 in seven series. It was the 100th consecutive game the Orioles have won when leading after seven innings, a streak that began in August 2011. Baltimore is 4-3 in one-run games after starting 0-3. Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer for the last-place Blue Jays, who have dropped six of eight. Dickey (2-3) gave up four runs, six hits and five walks in six innings. ATHLETICS 13, RED SOX 0 In Boston, Bartolo Colon allowed three hits and Oakland capitalized on eight walks, two balks and two errors to beat Boston in a rain-shortened game. The A’s broke a scoreless tie with six runs in the third when Seth Smith hit a two-run homer, then added two in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth to snap a four-game skid. Colon (3-0) pitched all seven innings and had little trouble in the light-to-medium rain that fell throughout the game. He struck out seven and issued his first walk this season in 25 innings to Jacoby Ellsbury leading off the sixth. Alfredo Aceves (1-1) wallowed seven earned runs in 3 1-3 innings for Boston. MARLINS 8, TWINS 5 In Minneapolis, Oswaldo Arcia hit his first career home run and Kevin Correia gave up two runs in seven innings, leading Minnesota over Miami in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. The Marlins’ offense finally showed some life in the nightcap with an 8-5 victory. Arcia’s three-run homer in the fourth backed Correia (2-1), who allowed five hits and struck out five in the opener. The Twins shrugged off yet another chilly day to win their fifth straight. Brian Dozier had three hits, and Glen Perkins got his sixth save. Jose Fernandez (0-2) gave up four runs and six hits for the Marlins, who are off to a franchise-worst 5-16 start after an offseason salary purge. Joe Mahoney had two hits and two RBIs for Miami. In the second game, Rob Brantly had three hits and a career-high four RBIs for Miami. Brantly had two doubles and Ricky Nolasco (1-2) allowed two earned runs on six hits in five innings for the Marlins, who won for just the fifth time this season. Miami had a season-high 16 hits, including a double, a single and two RBIs from struggling slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Steve Cishek got his second save. Joe Mauer had two hits and an RBI, while Mike Pelfrey (2-2) had another rough outing, giving up five runs on nine hits in 4 2-3 innings as the Twins lost for the first time in six games. —AP
ST. PETERSBURG: New York Yankees’ Ichiro Suzuki, of Japan, follows through on a ninthinning, two run single off Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Fernando Rodney during a baseball game. —AP
MLB results/standings Minnesota 4, Miami 3; Atlanta 4, Colorado 3; Oakland 13, Boston 0 (7 innings); Baltimore 4, Toronto 3; St. Louis 2, Washington 0; Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 0; Chicago Cubs 4, Cincinnati 2 (10 innings); LA Dodgers 7, NY Mets 2; NY Yankees 4, Tampa Bay 3; Houston 3, Seattle 2; Miami 8, Minnesota 5; Atlanta 10, Colorado 2; LA Angels 5, Texas 4 (11 innings); Milwaukee 6, San Diego 3; Arizona 6, San Francisco 4 (11 innings). National League American League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 15 5 .750 Boston 13 7 .650 Washington 10 10 .500 5 Baltimore 12 8 .600 1 NY Mets 9 9 .500 5 NY Yankees 11 8 .579 1.5 Philadelphia 9 12 .429 6.5 Tampa Bay 9 11 .450 4 Miami 5 16 .238 10.5 Toronto 8 13 .381 5.5 Central Division Kansas City 10 7 .588 Minnesota 9 8 .529 Detroit 9 9 .500 Cleveland 8 10 .444 Chicago White Sox 7 12 .368 Western Division 13 7 .650 13 8 .619 8 11 .421 8 14 .364 6 14 .300
Texas Oakland LA Angels Seattle Houston
1 1.5 2.5 4
St. Louis Milwaukee Cincinnati Pittsburgh Chicago Cubs
Central Division 12 8 .600 11 8 .579 12 9 .571 11 9 .550 6 13 .316
0.5 0.5 1 5.5
0.5 4.5 6 7
Colorado San Francisco Arizona LA Dodgers San Diego
Western Division 13 7 .650 13 8 .619 11 9 .550 9 10 .474 5 15 .250
0.5 2 3.5 8
Al Ahli Bank sponsors Bowling Championship
Sahar Al-Therban with Education Ministry representatives and the winners
KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, in line with its CSR initiative to support youth, especially with an emphasis on sport, this time sponsored the year’s Bowling Excellence Championship. Held at the Bowling Capital Centre in Ahmed Bishr Al Roumi School, the event saw a high but healthy level of competition between players to reach first place. Sahar Al Therban, ABK’s PR Manager, awarded the winners with trophies, medals and gifts, and said “I would like to congratulate the winners, thank the jury for their efforts and the management for organizing this event so well. On behalf of ABK We would like to express our happiness at sponsoring this event, as it reit-
erates our commitment to strengthening ABK’s social responsibilities, especially to the youth within our society.” Sahar added, “ABK supports the “Our Society...Our Responsibility” program, and we always look forward to participating in varied activities under this banner. We sponsored this event because we have faith in the importance of sports, for the values of healthy competition, sportsman spirit and team work that it inculcates. Khalid Mulla Jomaa, Manager at the Bowling Centre thanked ABK for sponsoring their championship and wished for an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
S P ORTS
Islanders clinch playoff spot Holtby made 24 saves. Evander Kane, Blake Wheeler and Nik Antropov scored for the Jets, who had won six of seven but were playing the second half of a road back-to-back after beating Buffalo on Monday.
RALEIGH: The New York Islanders clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot despite a 4-3 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. With the point they received by reaching overtime, coupled with a loss by the Winnipeg Jets at Washington, the Islanders secured a place in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. John Tavares tied it with 1:01 left in regulation. Josh Bailey and Brad Boyes also scored, and Evgeni Nabokov made 29 saves for the Islanders. Riley Nash and Jeff Skinner scored in the shootout to give the Hurricanes the victory. Carolina’s Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist, Patrick Dwyer and
BLUES 3, AVALANCHE 1 In St. Louis, Chris Stewart reached career milestones of 100 goals and 100 assists and St. Louis clinched a playoff berth with two games to spare, beating Colorado. Brian Elliott made 17 saves two nights after getting yanked in a 5-3 loss at Colorado that squandered the Blues’ first chance at clinching. St. Louis, which entered the game need-
clinch its ninth straight playoff berth with a come-from-behind victory over Dallas. Raffi Torres also scored for the Sharks, who moved into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference with Los Angeles with two games remaining in the race for home-ice advantage in the first round. The Sharks visit the Kings in the season finale on Saturday. Antoine Roussel and Loui Eriksson scored for the Stars, whose playoff hopes were dealt a serious blow. Dallas remains two points behind ninthplace Detroit and three behind eighthplace Columbus in the race for the final playoff spot. The Red Wings have a game in hand over both teams. The
Winnipeg with two games left. DEVILS 3, CANADIENS 2 In Newark, Patrik Elias scored his 375th NHL goal, Martin Brodeur made 19 saves for his 669th victory and New Jersey beat Montreal. New Jersey, which was eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, dealt a blow to Montreal’s hopes of winning the Northeast Division. The Devils (18-18-10) won for the third time in four games following a 10-game losing streak. The sputtering Canadiens (27-145) lost for the fifth time in six games. They trail Boston by two points in the Northeast with only two games remaining. Elias gave the Devils a 1-0 lead in the first period, Jacob Josefson netted his first of the season in the opening frame, and Steve Sullivan made it 3-0 in the second. Max Pacioretty and Lars Eller both had second-period goals for Montreal. FLYERS 5, BRUINS 2 In Philadelphia, Matt Read and Oliver Lauridsen scored goals 7 seconds apart to lead Philadelphia over Boston. Scott Hartnell, Jakub Voracek and Simon Gagne also scored for the Flyers, who failed to make the playoffs this season. Wade Redden and David Krejci had goals for the Bruins. The Bruins are second in the Eastern Conference and lead the Northeast Division. But the Bruins and Montreal both have 59 points. The Flyers paid tribute to Boston in the Bruins’ first road game since the Boston Marathon bombings.
NASHVILLE: Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff No. 34 of the Calgary Flames makes a save on Bobby Butler No. 19 of the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena. —AFP ing a point to qualify, scored two power-play goals for the first time in 32 games since Feb. 15 in the home-andhome rematch. Patrik Berglund and Andy McDonald beat Semyon Varlamov on consecutive shots in the second period to make it 3-0. Together, that duo had two assists in 14 games. The Blues have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003-04. They have won four in a row at home to match their season best. Cody McLeod scored his eighth of the season and fifth in five games for the Avalanche, who are an NHL-worst 3-16-4 on the road. Varlamov made 31 saves.
Alexander Semin added goals, and Dan Ellis made 36 saves before stopping Frans Nielsen and Boyes in the shootout. The Islanders earned a point for the 11th straight game (8-0-3). CAPITALS 5, JETS 3 In Washington, the Washington Capitals clinched the Southeast Division title, completing a stark turnaround in a lockout-shortened season with a win over Winnipeg. The Capitals blew a two-goal lead, survived a pair of replay reviews and exhaled deeply when defensemen John Erskine cleared two shots off the goal line. They also had to kill a late power play, but they held to win for the 10th time in 11 games. Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 31st goal - an empty-netter in the final minute - and Matt Hendricks, Jason Chimera, Nicklas Backstrom and Mathieu Perreault also scored. Braden
SHARKS 3, STARS 2 In San Jose, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski scored goals 30 seconds apart late in the third period to help San Jose
Stars end the season with home games against Columbus and Detroit. PANTHERS 3, RANGERS 2 In Sunrise, Marcel Goc and Drew Shore scored third-period goals, and Florida prevented the New York Rangers from clinching an Eastern Conference playoff berth. Goc broke a tie, and Drew Shore added a short-handed, empty-net goal to give Florida a 3-1 lead before the Rangers got back within a goal. Tomas Fleischmann netted the first goal and added an assist, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 36 shots for the Panthers, who have the fewest points in the NHL and snapped a six-game losing streak. Derick Brassard and Taylor Pyatt scored for the Rangers (24-18-4) and Henrik Lundqvist made 13 saves. The Rangers, who had won three straight, have a one-point lead over
NHL results/standings New Jersey 3, Montreal 2; Washington 5, Winnipeg 3; Carolina 4, NY Islanders 3 (SO); Philadelphia 5, Boston 2; Florida 3, NY Rangers 2; Buffalo 4, Pittsburgh 2; St. Louis 3, Colorado 1; Nashville 4, Calgary 3; Minnesota 2, Los Angeles 1; San Jose 3, Dallas 2.
Pittsburgh NY Islanders NY Rangers New Jersey Philadelphia
Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL 35 11 0 24 16 6 24 18 4 18 18 10 21 22 3
Boston Montreal Toronto Ottawa Buffalo
Northeast Division 27 13 5 27 14 5 25 15 5 23 16 6 20 21 6
125 141 138 109 123
102 123 124 99 142
59 59 55 52 46
Washington Winnipeg Carolina Tampa Bay Florida
Southeast Division 26 18 2 24 20 3 19 24 3 17 24 4 14 26 6
145 126 122 140 107
126 140 148 141 164
54 51 41 38 34
GF 155 137 122 109 129
GA 113 135 109 123 139
PTS 70 54 52 46 45
Chicago St. Louis Columbus Detroit Nashville
Western Conference Central Division 34 6 5 27 17 2 22 17 7 21 16 8 16 21 9
147 122 114 113 108
97 113 117 112 131
73 56 51 50 41
Vancouver Minnesota Calgary Edmonton Colorado
Northwest Division 26 13 7 25 18 3 19 23 4 17 21 7 15 24 7
124 118 126 111 110
111 120 153 127 145
59 53 42 41 37
Pacific Division Anaheim 29 11 6 134 112 64 Los Angeles 26 15 5 129 113 57 San Jose 25 14 7 121 111 57 Dallas 22 20 4 129 136 48 Phoenix 19 18 8 114 122 46 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).
SABRES 4, PENGUINS 2 In Pittsburgh, Thomas Vanek scored twice, Ryan Miller stopped 40 shots and Buffalo topped Pittsburgh. Steve Ott gave Buffalo the lead for good when he batted a rebound out of the air past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury with 2:34 left. Vanek added an empty-netter in the final minute. Jochen Hecht also scored for the Sabres, who never trailed and snapped the Penguins’ seven-game winning streak. Chris Kunitz scored his 22nd goal for Pittsburgh and Jarome Iginla scored in his fourth straight game, but it wasn’t enough. Fleury made 29 saves. Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin assisted on Iginla’s goal to pick up a point in his return after missing four games with a shoulder injury. WILD 2, KINGS 1 In St. Paul, Charlie Coyle and Cal Clutterbuck scored 16 seconds apart late in the first period, helping Minnesota break its five-game home losing streak and hang on for a win over Los Angeles. Jeff Carter’s slap shot whizzed past Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom with 0.8 seconds left in the second period, pulling the Kings within one. Slava Voynov’s shot from the far edge of the right circle was stopped by a sprawling Backstrom with 11 seconds remaining in the game to preserve the lead. With a 3-7-1 record in the last 11 games since this month began and that playoff spot still unsecured, the Wild badly needed a victory. The Kings failed to earn a point for only the third time in 15 games. They fell to 4-1-1 in their last six games. Jonathan Bernier, in the net for the first time in seven games in relief of Jonathan Quick, made 23 saves. Backstrom stopped 22 shots. PREDATORS 4, FLAMES 3 In Nashville, Austin Watson and Matt Halischuk scored 1:23 apart in the third period to lead Nashville over Calgary. David Legwand and Nick Spaling had the other goals for Nashville, which ended the franchise’s longest losing streak at eight games. Shea Weber added two assists. Roman Cervenka scored two goals, and T.J. Brodie had the other goal for Calgary, which had a threegame winning streak snapped. —AP
North Korea tensions hit flagship golf event ICHEON: South Korea’s flagship golf event tees off under a cloud today after fears of an attack by nuclear-armed North Korea depleted the field and forced organisers to seek advice on safety. The $2.8 million Ballantine’s Championship is the golf-crazy country’s only European Tour tournament but the competition was rocked this week by the withdrawal of US stars Zach Johnson and Dustin Johnson over “perceived unrest”. The European Tour said it was “disappointed” by the decision and added that it was in touch with Britain’s Foreign Office, which had indicated there was no increased risk in visiting South Korea despite high tensions with the North. The neighbouring countries have been locked in an elevating row since the North carried out its third atomic test in February, with hostile exchanges including threats of nuclear war and precision missile strikes. Yesterday, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, the top-ranked player at world number seven, said he’d received reassurances from his management and the European Tour and that “everything is fine in the end.” “I think something drastically needed to go
wrong for me not to come,” Oosthuizen told reporters. “And I am glad I came.” Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, and Dustin Johnson, a two-time Ryder Cup player known for prodigious length off the tee, had been marketed as two of the tournament’s headline acts. Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, leads the field along with South Korea’s Y.E. Yang, whose US PGA Championship victory in 2009 made him Asia’s first major-winner. Ryder Cup veterans Paul Lawrie, Paul Casey and Thomas Bjorn, along with Paul McGinley,
Louis Oosthuizen
European captain for the team tournament’s 2014 edition, have also confirmed their attendance. Yang, 41, arrived early to prepare physically and mentally as he makes a determined effort to become the five-year-old tournament’s first South Korean winner. “I’ve got the invitation from the Ballantine’s a lot but I never really reciprocated with good performance,” said Yang, who has played the Ballantine’s four times. “I am trying to be more focused on my game this time around, and that is why I’ve arrived here early. I’m going to do my best so that we can take the trophy.” Austrian Bernd Wiesberger is the defending champion. He earned his first European Tour victory at the event last year and won the Austrian national championship three months later. In his most recent European Tour appearance last month, Wiesberger tied for fifth in Morocco, his first top-10 finish of 2013. He said he hopes to use that positive momentum this week. “In Morocco, I had probably the best ballstriking week of the year so far,” Wiesberger said. “I think I’m now at the point where if I get a good feel on the greens and hole the odd putt, I can really compete again for another victory.” —AFP
SYDNEY: Australian Test cricket captain Michael Clarke (second right), vice-captain Brad Haddin (second left) with former Australian Test captains Steve Waugh (left) and Mark Taylor (right) pose for a photograph following the announcement of the squad for the upcoming Ashes cricket tour to England. —AFP
Haddin brought back as vice captain for Ashes SYDNEY: The shallow depth of Australia’s cricketing stocks were exposed yesterday with selectors being forced to recall two 35-year-olds in an attempt to wrest back the Ashes from England in July. Veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who had been dumped last year, and top-order batsman Chris Rogers, who had played just one test in 2008, were named in a 16-man squad for the first of back-to-back Ashes series against England. Haddin will reclaim the vice-captaincy from Shane Watson, who relinquished the post earlier this week but still made the Ashes squad as a batting all-rounder, while the uncapped James Faulkner was named the bowling all-rounder. “The most impressive thing about Brad is that he ... continues to put form on the board,” Australia captain Michael Clarke told a news conference in Sydney on Wednesday. “His leadership and his experience will play a large part in this group ... the best teams in the world have a good mix of youth and experience and I think this squad of 16 has that mix. “I’m confident that we have a good group of players that can learn from each other.” Australia’s planning and confidence to regain the Ashes from Alastair Cook’s side when the first game begins at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on July 10 suffered a massive dent last month when they were hammered 4-0 in the test series in India. The result on the sub-continent, however, was merely a manifestation of the loss of experience and world class talent from the side that dominated the game for more than a decade from the early1990s. The trickle of retirements from that side, which included greats like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist, ended with former captain Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey calling time on their international careers over the Australian summer. That lack of experience was ruthlessly exposed in India last month, a result that forced Clarke to defend the team on Wednesday when asked if it was the weakest Ashes side ever selected. “Since I’ve taken over the captaincy of the Australian cricket team I think I’ve heard that every tour so this will be no different,” Clarke added. “I think we will always pay our respects
to the English team. “They are a very strong team, playing in their own back yard they are even stronger so there’s no doubt about that but I think with this squad we have the talent, the experience and the youth to go over there and have success. “Now, our goal playing for Australia every time we walk out onto the field is to win every game you play and this tour will be no different.” Chairman of selectors John Inverarity conceded earlier this month the Australian side were lacking in batting depth, which had probably tipped the selectors in Rogers’ favour. The 35-year-old, who made 19 runs on debut against India in 2008, had produced strong domestic form while playing firstclass cricket in England over the last few seasons. “We believed that Chris Rogers was very deserving of selection ... but with Michael and Ricky going there is a gap in experience and Chris fills that,” Inverarity said. “He has scored, I think, nearly 20,000 first class runs ... and he has performed in (English) conditions.” Haddin’s recall was less of a surprise and had been widely predicted by local media earlier yesterday. The 35-year-old had been dumped from the test team last year when he returned from a tour of West Indies because his daughter had fallen ill. Matthew Wade was promoted in his stead and had seemingly sealed the berth for the long term as the selectors looked to focus on younger players in an effort to regain the Ashes. A poor run with the bat and behind the stumps on turning wickets in India, however, put pressure on the 25-year-old Wade, which was not helped when he suffered a leg injury and was replaced by Haddin in the third test in Mohali. Inverarity said Haddin’s experience against England - his career average is 35.50 in 44 tests but 45.57 against England in nine matches - had swung the selection as the first choice wicketkeeper-batsman on the Ashes tour “about a week ago”, though Wade was still very much in their future planning. “Matthew Wade remains very highly regarded by the selection panel,” Inverarity said. “Brad is the man for the Ashes, but Matthew remains very highly regarded.” —Reuters
Preview
Zimbabwe seek redemption HARARE: Chastened by a heavy defeat that has once again highlighted their lack of progress, Bangladesh begin the second and final Test against Zimbabwe today looking to prove they can adapt to foreign conditions and match their fellow Test strugglers. The Asian side came into the series as hot favourites after improved performances in Sri Lanka, only to be bowled out for 134 and 147 as they lost the first Test to Zimbabwe by 335 runs at Harare Sports Club. With the second Test being played on the same ground another greentinged pitch is expected, and Bangladesh will need to show far greater durability against Zimbabwe’s talented but inexperienced pace attack if they are to come away from the series with some dignity. “We didn’t play with any patience and we need to improve that,” Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen said on Tuesday. “We just have to bat for longer. “When the game starts we have to be very disciplined in our approach to every ball, and do our basics well, which we probably didn’t do in the first game.” The Tigers will also need to find a way to dismiss Brendan Taylor cheaply, after he became just the third Zimbabwean to score back-to-back centuries in a Test match.
Taylor was dropped once on his way to 171 in the first innings, but did not offer a chance as he breezed to 102 not out in the second. “We have certainly been working towards the best way that we can address that situation,” said Jurgensen. “If we get him out for a low score then we have the opportunity to put some pressure on their other batters.” The tourists have been hit with fresh injury worries, with fast bowlers Rubel Hossain and Shahadat Hossain both returning home to be replaced by seamer Shafiul Islam and uncapped allrounder Ziaur Rahman. However opening batsman Tamim Iqbal could return from a broken thumb, while Shakib Al Hasan will be back to full bowling fitness, giving Bangladesh’s selectors the option to pick an extra seamer. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, could field the same side that turned out in the first Test and will be buoyed by the opportunity to win a series by more than one match for just the second time in their history. “It’s big for us - even 10 years ago, with the players we had back then, we struggled to win series,” said Taylor. “We just have to focus on day one and not look too far ahead. “We know Bangladesh have players that can turn a game on its head in a session or two so we must just back our skills, have a clear mindset and look after our bodies.” —AFP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
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Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi delivers his speech at the first International Sporting Grand Prix.
Jean-Francois Palinkas speaks during the launch.
Shooters take aim at first Int’l Sporting GP By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: The first International Sporting Grand Prix was launched yesterday at the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex in the presence of the President of the International Sporting Shooting Federation Jean-Francois Palinkas and other dignitaries. President of the Arab Shooting Federation, vice-president of Kuwait Shooting Federation Eng. Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi welcomed the guests to Kuwait, as they participate in the first sporting championship in Asia. Eng. Duaij thanked the President of Kuwait and Asian Shooting Federations, Vice-president of ISSF for their continued care and encouragement of Kuwait, Asian and international shooting. He
also thanked KSSF board members for their efforts in helping to organize this event. Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi acknowledged the “continued cooperation by the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, represented by its chairman of the board and managing director Maj. General (Rt) Faisal Al-Jazzaf and his deputies. He also thanked the members of the board of FITASC for having Kuwait Shooting Sport Federation Organize this Championship, the first in Asia. Eng. Duaij wished shooters all success and hoped that they will take good memories with them about Kuwait the land of friendship and peace. He thanked HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber for their generous support in developing the shooting sport in Kuwait. Meanwhile, President of the International Federation Jean-Francois Palinkas, said that he is very proud to be in Kuwait. He said that FITASC was created in 1921, by Switzerland, America, France, UK, Germany and Belgium, and now there are more than 60 member countries. He said when FITASC were shooting at live pigeons at the beginning, but in 2003 this practice was cancelled and resorted to shooting at artificial targets. He thanked Kuwait Shooting Federation adding that “we are very proud of your venue.”
He also gave special thanks for organizing the first sporting event in Asia, which is a new door opened for FITASC, and we will support you in the future as much as we can.” He thanked Sheikh Salman, and KSSF for their organization of this event. The tournament will continue until April 30th, with the participation of Finland, Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Azerbaijan in addition to Kuwait. Kuwait’s amateur shooters, and shooters from national teams, Interior Ministry, National Guards, Defence Ministry and Saad Al-Abdallah Academy are participating in this event for the first time here, this allows all shooters to gain added experience. There are five disciplines in the sporting
shooting: Compak Shooting, Universal Trench, Sporting, Helices Shooting and Combined Game Shooting. Sporting is a shooting discipline reproducing hunting situations and practiced with a hunting weapon and artificial targets. The discipline uses all the features of a terrain and artificial targets of different types that are launched in order to highlight the shooters’ technical and sporting skills. The layouts reproduce hunting trajectories with varied levels of difficulty. The organisation of a sporting layout must take into consideration the safety of all those present, the protection of the flora and management of the environment. Shooting at live animals is not permitted.
Al-Otaibi and Palinkas at the opening ceremony
Osaimi and Palinkas
Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi and Mohammad Karam
Palinkas, Al-Otaibi and Daihani share a light moment
Azerbaijan Ambassador with other dignitaries
Officials arrive at the ceremony
Officials during the National Anthem of Kuwait
Azerbaijan team at the opening ceremony
Shooters and officials at the ceremony
One of the participants
Kuwaiti referees at the tournament
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
S P ORTS
Pressure on Anthony to carry team to playoff success NEW YORK: A gifted scorer, Carmelo Anthony has always had the talent to put the ball in the basket but rarely has he been able to put his team deep into the playoffs. The pressure is on the Knicks forward with the bruising inside moves and delicate outside touch to prove himself in the postseason and help erase more than a decade of playoff failures for New York. “It seems like we’re starting off with a clean plate right now,” Anthony, hungry for a taste of playoff success, told reporters before the opening of second-seeded New York’s first-round series against seventh seed Boston Celtics. Anthony is off to a great start, scoring 36 points in the opener and 34 points in New York’s 87-71 Game Two win that gave the Knicks a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. But that is just a start, and despite sporting a new Olympic gold medal and his first NBA scoring title (28.7 points average) on his resume, Anthony is challenged to show he can lift his team and alter a reputation as a high-scoring playoff bust. Coming into this postseason, Anthony’s playoff record with the Knicks was 1-8 after two postseason trips with New York, following a 16-30 postseason mark with the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks, who have not won a title in 40 years, have not moved past the first round in 13 years. Anthony has advanced
beyond the first round of the playoffs only once in nine tries. “He’s had this breakout year, but when the playoffs come, he’s going to have to raise his level,” Walt Frazier, point guard for New York’s last NBA title team in 1973, told the Daily News. “He’ll have new expectations he’s going to have to meet. Can he handle the pressure?” Second-year guard Iman Shumpert said this is a new Anthony, and that a summer pursuing Olympic gold in London had changed him. “He’s definitely our leader,” Shumpert told Reuters in the Knicks locker room before Game Two against Boston. “I think he’s done a ton more talking this year ... in the locker room, on the court and especially on defense. “I think he’s just done a great job, an incredible job lifting us and make sure we play the same way all year. “Definitely a difference between last year and this year,” added Shumpert, saying Anthony seemed more confident. “Any time we find ourselves about to get rattled he sort of just calms everybody down. I think a lot of that comes from him just putting the work in this summer and coming in after that gold medal on a roll already.” Following a rousing Olympics in which Anthony committed to playing tough defense alongside LeBron James against taller opponents on an undersized U.S. team, the Knicks forward came to the new
NBA campaign in great shape and with a fierce attitude. “Whatever we need him to do,” Shumpert said. “This year he’s been asked to guard a lot of five-men (centers) because sometimes we play small. He hasn’t complained. Whatever he has to do he just goes and do it. “He’s watching a ton of film. He’s been a flat-out leader. I think it’s contagious,” he added, pointing to JR. Smith, who on Tuesday was presented the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. “JR has been a bigger leader. The focus in the locker room from last year to this year has been night and day.” For all his personal success, Anthony has languished behind illustrious fellow members of the top of the 2003 NBA Draft. James, the No. 1 draft pick of 2003, was the man with the pressure turned up ultra high last season. “King” James, believed to be overdue for an NBA title, got that monkey off his back with a run to the crown with fellow members of the class of 2003 Chris Bosh (No. 4) and Dwyane Wade (No. 5) joining him on the Miami Heat. Anthony, selected No. 3 in 2003 after winning the U.S. college title as a freshman with Syracuse, is still chasing the NBA dream for New York after being swept by Boston in the first round in 2011 after joining the Knicks in a big trade with Denver, and losing in five to Miami last year. —Reuters
Photo of the day
Nick De Wit performs during a training session at his training track in Johannesburg, South Africa. —www.redbullcontentpool.com
Knicks pound Celtics NEW YORK: Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points, Sixth Man of the Year JR Smith added 19 as New York opened a 2-0 lead over Boston with an 8771 victory Tuesday. Raymond Felton added 16 points for the Knicks, who used a 27-4 run spanning halftime to blow it open and move halfway to their first series victory since the 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals. This is their first 2-0 lead since sweeping Toronto in the first round that year. Paul Pierce scored 18 points for the Celtics, who will host Game 3 on Friday in their first home game since the Boston Marathon bombings. Kevin Garnett had 12 points and 11 rebounds, but battled foul trouble for Boston. Anthony followed his 36-point opener by making 8 of 13 shots in the second half to finish 11 of 24 for the game. HEAT 98, BUCKS 86 In Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 21 points and LeBron James finished with 19 as Miami took off in the fourth quarter to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. Chris Bosh, Shane Battier and Chris Andersen all scored 10 points for the Heat. Game 3 is today in Milwaukee. The Heat scored the first 12 points of the fourth quarter, needing just over 2 minutes to blow open what had been a three-point game. Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 points for Milwaukee, which got 16 from Mike Dunleavy and 14 from Larry Sanders. The Bucks’ starting guards, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, combined for only 15 points after scoring 48 in Game 1.
DENVER: Denver Nuggets forward Anthony Randolph (front) hangs from the rim after dunking the ball for a basket as Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (back left) and forward Harrison Barnes look on in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 131-117 victory in Game 2 of the teams’ NBA first-round playoff series. —AP
Meersman wins Romandie stage LAUSANNE: Belgium’s Gianni Meersman, of the Omega Pharma team, won the first stage of the Tour of Romandie yesterday, but Britain’s race favourite Chris Froome remained in the overall lead. Meersman won the 176k m stage between Saint-Maurice and Renens, in the Lausanne suburbs, in a sprint finish from I taly ’s Giacomo Nizzolo and Roberto Ferrari. “It was a difficult day but the team did excellent work,” said 27-year-old Meersman. “It was especially difficult in the final 500 metres, but I rediscovered my good legs and they got me the victory,” added Meersman, who came into the race in form having won two stages on last month’s Tour of Catalonia. Froome holds on to the overall lead after winning Tuesday ’s prologue. Today’s second stage will be a 190.3km ride nor th from Prilly to Granges. Froome is hoping to win the five-stage race, which concludes on Sunday, as he steps up his preparations for this summer’s Tour de France. The two previous winners of this race, Australia’s Cadel Evans (2011) and Froome’s Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins last year went on to win the Tour de France. —AFP
WARRIORS 131, NUGGETS 117 In Denver, Stephen Curry had 30 points and 13 assists as Golden State handed Denver its first loss at home in more than three months, a stunner that evened their playoff series at a game each. Jarrett Jack added 26 points, Harrison Barnes 24 and Klay Thompson 21 as the sixth-seeded Warriors wrested homecourt advantage from the NBA’s best home team as the series shifts to Oakland for Game 3 Friday night. The third-seeded Nuggets were an NBA-best 38-3 at home during the regular season and extended their franchise-best winning streak to 24 games with the Game 1 win. The Warriors became the second road team to win the postseason following Chicago’s win at Brooklyn on Monday. Even without injured AllStar forward David Lee, the Warriors outrebounded the Nuggets 36-26 and shot 64.6 percent. Ty Lawson and Corey Brewer both scored 19 points for Denver. —AP
Dubai ruler to close stable after steroid scandal DUBAI/LONDON: Godolphin are to close the Newmarket stable of trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni while dope tests are carried out on all racehorses in his care after 11 tested positive for steroids, Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum said yesterday. “There can be no excuse for any deliberate violation,” Sheikh Mohammed, also Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, said in a statement sent to Reuters. “I have been involved in British horse racing for 30 years and have deep respect for its traditions and rules. I built my country based on the same solid principles,” said Sheikh Mohammed, adding he was appalled and angered about the case. Zarooni, who has admitted using banned steroids to dope racehorses, will face a disciplinary panel in London on Thursday, the British Horseracing Authority said earlier yesterday. Eleven horses based at Newmarket in southern England tested positive for steroids, including stanozolol - the substance used by disgraced Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Announcing the date for the disciplinar y hearing, the BHA said Al Zarooni had also admitted administering prohibited substances to four other horses under his care, in addition to the 11 that were tested positive. “Godolphin is fully cooperating with the British Horseracing Authority to get to the bottom of this matter and take any appropriate disciplinary action,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “I have ordered the Godolphin management to undertake an immediate review of our internal procedures and controls to ensure to prevent any reoccurrence of this type of activity in any stables of mine,” he
said. On Tuesday Al Zarooni said he regretted what he described as “a catastrophic error”. Samples were taken from 45 horses at Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks Stables on April 9. “ We will be locking down the Moulton Paddocks stables with immediate effect, and I have instructed that I want a full round of blood samples, and dope testing done on every single horse on that premises,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “I can assure the racing public that no horse will run from that yard this season until I have been absolutely assured by my team that the entire yard is completely clean,” he said. One of the horses to test positive was Certify. The filly will not now be allowed to take par t in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket next month. Unbeaten in four career outings, Certify was one of seven horses to test positive for ethylestranol. Gold Cup runner-up Opinion Poll was one of four to test positive for stanozolol. “I have worked hard to ensure that Godolphin deserves its reputation for integrity and sportsmanship, and I have reiterated to all Godolphin employees that I will not tolerate this type of behaviour,” Sheikh Mohammed said. Founded in 1992, the Godolphin stable has won more than 2,000 races worldwide with winners in 14 countries. Sheikh Mohammed’s brainchild was born out of his frustration at constantly finding his British trainers reluctant to abandon the fight for classic glory at home to travel abroad. His passion for horses helped transform Dubai into a world power in flat racing; its annual World Cup in March is the world’s richest race with a $10 million purse. Godolphin’s 2012 racing season was its most successful on record, earning $25.9 million in prize money, its website shows. —Reuters
Top-seed Ferrer out, Nadal sees off Berlocq BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal restored the balance of clay power at the Barcelona Open yesterday with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Carlos Berlocq after topseeded compatriot David Ferrer was eliminated by Dmitry Tursunov. Nadal, seeded second for the first time ever behind Ferrer, still needed six match points to see off persistent Argentine Berlocq, whom he had beaten on Brazilian clay two months ago. Earlier, Russian qualifier Tursunov stunned Ferrer 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 in a major second-round upset. Nadal may have still been feeling the effects of his Monte Carlo final loss at the weekend to Novak Djokovic, a defeat which denied him an historic ninth consecutive title in the principality. Nadal owns bragging rights in Barcelona after winning seven titles in eight editions and posting a 36-1 lifetime record at the Catalan venue. His defeat of Berlocg was his 35th win in a row here since losing to current Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja in the 2003 second round. He now stands 22-2 on the clay this season in which he only returned to tennis in February after seven months out with knee injuries. Ferrer could offer little explanation on his loss as he played for the first time since a thigh injury in the Miami final against Andy Murray nearly a month ago. “I couldn’t seem to hur t him with my shots. it was a strange match mentally and physically,” said the bewildered 31-year-old, known as the iron man of the game for his
never-say-die retrieving. “This was a match to forget - probably one of the worst I’ve played in recent years. “Each year it will become more difficult for me to win the
tournament,” said the four-time finalist. “I came back well in the second set but the third got away from me very quickly, I really wasn’t competitive.” More than an hour after his
SPAIN: Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Carlos Berlocq, from Argentina, during the Barcelona Open in Barcelona. —AP
win, the 66th-ranked Tursunov was puzzled as to how he had accomplished the upset. “I’m not so sure, this was certainly not his best match. he’s not played a lot recently and you need time to get back into rhythm. “I tried to keep up a fast pace and not give him any time. He certainly has the advantage over me on clay.” Tursunov executed in style in just under two hours to spoil the pre-French Open clay debut of Ferrer. The Russian needed only five aces in a win where he struck 30 winners and 50 unforced errors. But Ferrer showed his rustiness with a mere 15 winners and 32 miscues. Ferrer was making his 11th consecutive Barcelona appearance to now stand 25-11 at the venue. Tursunov moved into a third-round encounter with Brazilian 16th seed Thomaz Bellucci. Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic made an easy start over Eduardo Roger-Vasselin of France 6-4, 6-2, as the North American made up for a disappointing loss last week in the Monte Carlo second round. Argentine Juan Monaco, seeded seventh, crushed Australian number one Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-2 while Slovak 11th seed Martin Klizan beat Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4 and veteran Spanish clay campaigner Tommy Robredo continued to find flashes of his best form in a defeat of Bulgarian young gun and 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 6-1. Spanish 15th seed Marcel Granollers beat Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 63, 6-1. —AFP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
S P ORT S
Guangzhou in last 16
Guan Tianlang
Guan blending into young crowd NEW ORLEANS: There was a time when a 14year-old on the PGA Tour would be considered big news. It’s starting to feel like old news. Guan Tianlang tees it up today at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, which must feel like a significant step down from where he was two weeks ago. He played practice rounds at Augusta National with Tom Watson and Tiger Woods. He played in the Masters alongside Ben Crenshaw. He was in Butler Cabin when Adam Scott first slipped on the green jacket. Guan was the low amateur. The emphasis should be on the Chinese teen’s performance - the youngest to play 72 holes in a major, nothing worse than a bogey all week, no three-putts on some of the fastest, most frightening greens in golf - and not on his birth certificate. Age is just a number. Teenagers have been dotting the professional golf landscape for the last decade. Despite a one-shot penalty for slow play on the 17th hole of his second round, Guan still made the cut against a 93-man field at the Masters. Remember, it was only nine years ago when another 14-year-old - Michelle Wie - shot 68 and missed by one shot making the cut against a 143-man (and one girl) field at the Sony Open. Morgan Pressel was 13 when she played in the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles, a record that was broken six years later by Alexis Thompson, who was 12. Thompson went on to win an LPGA Tour event when she was 16, a record that was broken last year by 15-year-old Lydia Ko in the Canadian Women’s Open. Ryo Ishikawa was 15 when he won the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup on the Japan Golf Tour, making him the youngest player to win on one of the six major golf tours. That record still stands. For now. Guan has no illusions of winning the Zurich Classic. He spent some three weeks at Augusta National getting ready for the Masters and its 7,435-yard course. Next up is the TPC Louisiana, which is 7,341 yards and doesn’t typically play as fast. Making the cut won’t be as easy as it was at the Masters, against a 156-man field with no 10-shot rule. That’s not the only difference, of course. “The Masters has got a lot of people there,” Guan said Tuesday. “So I just want to play my
best this week.” Is there room for an eightgrader in professional golf? Sure, as long as it’s a cameo appearance. Zurich was among the sponsors of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, which Guan won wire-to-wire last year to earn an exemption into the Masters. Guan also has a connection to the area. He practiced at Lakewood Golf Club last year when he tried to qualify for the U.S. Open. He failed to make it. The youngest at Olympic Club last summer was another 14-year-old from China, Andy Zhang. Guan led a junior golf clinic at Lakewood on Saturday while getting ready for his next PGA Tour event. Still to be determined is how much longer Guan stays in America and whether he will try to qualify for the US Open. The danger is trying to do too much too soon, though Guan appears to be playing golf for all the right reasons - fun. That was his goal at the Masters, to make it an enjoyable week no matter what scores he put on his card. And he had a blast, along with getting in all four rounds. His father said at the Masters that Guan was in no hurry to turn pro because “amateurs have fun.” That appears to be the theme in the Big Easy. “I want to enjoy the week, like in the Masters, and hopefully make the cut,” he said. “If not, it’s still a great experience. I hope to play good scores out there.” There are pitfalls to starting too early and facing overwhelming competition. Wie spent her early teens trying to compete against the men, and she showed some promise. She reached the quarterfinals of the men’s US Amateur Public Links, and she was in the hunt for a spot in a major on the back nine of US Open qualifying. But she was at her best when she was still in high school. Ty Tryon made it through all three stages of PGA Tour qualifying in 2001 at age 17, and his career quickly fell apart. Times are changing, though. Kids are more prone to handle the pressure of the big leagues. Pressel nearly won the US Women’s Open when she was 17, and she was still 18 when she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Ishikawa, struggling in his first full year on the PGA Tour, has won 10 times in Japan, one of those with a 58 in the final round.—AP
A cartel by any other name is still a cartel NEW YORK: The cartel formerly known as the Bowl Championship Series has changed its name. Because nothing says college football playoff better than, well, College Football Playoff. Yeah, it’s unimaginative. The capital letters are pretentious, too. But tell me you don’t envy the marketing consultants who were called in and practically dared to give the old BCS crowd a dose of their own medicine. Consultant A: “How about the SEC Championship?” Consultant B: “Just because they won the last seven doesn’t mean they ’ll win the next seven. Besides, it’s already taken.” Consultant C: “The Grifters?” Consultant B: “Same problem.” Five minutes of silence ensues. Consultant A: “I got it. How about college football playoff?” Consultant B: “Hmmm. Short, and to the point, but let’s make it caps. OK? We’re unanimous, then? ... Good, call room service and have them send up lunch.” Consultant A: “Just so it looks like we actually did something for all that money?” Consultant B: “Exactly. Because game recognizes game.” In fairness, there’s plenty to like about the redesign. Most important, after two decades or so of ignoring public opinion, the blazers who hijacked college football’s postseason have finally agreed to some semblance of a playoff. For another thing, those dreaded capital letters NCAA are still nowhere to be found. And for a third, there will be seven big games instead of five, and with both semifinals and four other major bowls scheduled for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, the sport is reclaiming what used to be its best day of the year. But the downside is considerable, too. It still concentrates too much money and even more power in the hands of too few. By effectively gutting what used to be the Big East, the commissioners of the five remain-
ing power conferences - SEC, ACC, Big 10, Pac-12 and Big 12 - will be able to reserve even more slots in big-paying bowls for their league members, and take home an even bigger share of the extra loot a playoff system brings in. Plus, chances that an outlier like Boise State, or a team from the Mid-American or Sun Belt conferences, would get a title shot, or even a slot in one of other payday games, aren’t much better than they were under the previous system. Even if the hush money they’ll receive to forget about anti-trust challenges might make it a little easier to take. There’s also the matter of choosing a selection committee to decide which teams wind up in the playoffs. The same cabal will have a disproportionate say in that matter, too. So far, they’ve hinted at something modeled after the committee that picks the teams for the NCAA basketball tournament - made up of conference commissioners and athletic directors - but with far less transparency. That much should have been apparent when Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said one aim of the redesign was to come up with something “more like the Masters than NASCAR.” While most of us thought that reflected a desire to distance corporate sponsorship from the new name, what the good-old boy network probably had in mind was a dozen or so guys in blazers deciding things pretty much as they pleased. Speaking of misdirection, there’s already a website up and running, www.collegefootballplayoff.com, encouraging visitors to cast their votes on a new logo. Above the four choices is the slogan, “It’s Your Playoff. It’s Your Choice.” Of course, if there was really any truth in advertising, that slogan would have included a third sentence: “But it’s still our money.”—AP
SAITAMA: China’s Guangzhou Evergrande scrambled into the AFC Champions League last 16 yesterday despite a 3-2 loss to Urawa Red Diamonds in which they finished with 10 men and had coach Marcello Lippi sent to the stands. In a dramatic encounter in Saitama, Japan’s Urawa kept their title hopes alive heading into next week’s final group games, and also flirted with the three-goal victory margin which would have kept Guangzhou’s progression on hold. Lippi, who led Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 and wants to make Guangzhou China’s first Asian champions in 23 years, let his frustrations show and was ordered from the touchline for kicking a water bottle as they went 3-1 down. A controversial late effort from Muriqui-in which the referee missed a linesman’s flag for offside-eased Guangzhou’s worries, although they were also hit by a stoppage-time red card against defender Zhang Linpeng. The evening’s events could still have consequences for Guangzhou, with Zhang and Lippi both now facing bans for next week’s game with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors as they aim to hang on to top spot in Group F and gain an easier last 16 draw. Lippi did not appear at the post-match press conference but was replaced by assistant coach Massimiliano Maddaloni, who called it a “reasonable result”. Urawa manager Mihailo Petrovic said his team richly deserved their win. “My players fought hard from the beginning trying to score goals. It was a game we deserved to win,” Petrovic said. Urawa captain Yuki Abe missed a penalty mid-way through the first half and the hosts, Asian champions in 2007, counted the cost when ex-Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios struck for Guangzhou in the 36th minute. Brazil’s Muriqui robbed Ryota Moriwaki and fed the Paraguayan forward, who broke through defenders and stepped past goalkeeper Nobuhiro Kato to score in the empty net. However, Shinzo Koroki made it 1-1 seven minutes after half-time when he was on hand to flick in a shot from Tadaaki Hirakawa. Urawa then seized control with two goals in three minutes, when Tomoaki Makino crossed for Abe to score in the 63rd minute and Koroki was brought down in the box shortly afterwards. Brazilian midfielder Marcio Richardes converted the spot-kick on 66 minutes to leave Guangzhou, who only needed to avoid defeat by a three-goal margin to go through, teetering at 3-1 down. Lippi was ordered off for lashing out at the water bottle in an anxious spell for the visitors. But Muriqui scored, adjudged offside but unsighted by Iranian referee Mohsen Torki, before Zhang was sent off in injury time. In the other Group F game, former Asian
TOKYO: Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds midfielder Yuki Abe (left) celebrates with his teammates Tomoaki Makino (center) and Shinzoh Kohrogi (right) as Abe scores a goal against China’s Guangzhou Evergrande during the AFC Champions League Group F match. —AFP champions Jeonbuk beat Thailand’s Muangthong United 2-0 but were prevented from reaching the knock-out phase by Urawa’s surprise win. The 2006 winners, now one point behind Urawa in third spot-with only the top two going through-face the difficult task of playing leaders Guangzhou in next week’s final group game, while Urawa face bottom club Muangthong. Meanwhile in Group E, Thailand’s Buriram United were just seconds from a victory which would have put them into the knock-outs before Japanese outfit Vegalta Sendai snatched a 1-1 draw in the 93rd minute. Buriram’s Osmar Barba had glanced in a free kick in the 53rd minute and Theerathon Bunmathan hit the bar
near the end but they paid for some wasteful finishing when Takayuki Nakahara’s neat volley claimed a point for Sendai. In the same group, K-League champions FC Seoul beat China’s Jiangsu Sainty 2-0 to safely reach the two-legged round of 16, which starts on May 14. In Group A, El Jaish qualified after the Qatari-club beat already-through Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia 3-0, all the goals coming from Wagner Ribeiro. In Abu Dhabi, Al Jazira beat Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz 2-0. It’s all to play for in Group B after defeats by the top-two placed teams going into this batch of matches - with Lekhwiya falling 3-1 to Al Shabab Al Arabi, and Pakhtkor losing 2-0 away to Al Ettifaq.—AFP
Saint-Etienne beat Ajaccio PARIS: Saint-Etienne remained firmly in the hunt for a place in next season’s Champions League after coming from behind to defeat visiting Ajaccio 4-2 yesterday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted twice to take his season’s tally to 19, while Mathieu Bodmer and Renaud Cohade were also on target after Adrian Mutu had struck the opener for Ajaccio with the Romanian then adding a late consolation for the Corsican club. Victory for Christophe Galtier’s side saw them climb above Lille into fourth and close to within two points of Lyon for the final Champions League spot, with second-place Marseille a further two points ahead. Defeat for Ajaccio means they are just two points clear of the relegation zone, having won just once in their last nine outings. Four days after the euphoria of celebrating the club’s first trophy in 32 years following Saturday’s 1-0 triumph over Rennes in the French League Cup final, Saint-Etienne found themselves a goal down after a quarter of an hour at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Benjamin Andre nodded a flighted ball into the path of Mutu with the Romanian slotting home on the half-volley via the aid of a sizeable deflection off Loic Perrin that wrongfooted goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier. The hosts didn’t trail for long though as Yohan Mollo capitalised on an error from central defender Yoann Poulard before squaring for Aubameyang to steer into an empty net. Ajaccio ‘keeper Guillermo Ochoa then thwarted Mollo twice to keep the scores level going into the break but the Mexican’s resistance was broken three minutes after half-time as Bodmer collected the ball on the edge of the box before swivelling and firing beyond Ochoa. Saint-Etienne’s third came just two minutes later as Aubameyang deftly steered a Brandao
FRANCE: Saint-Etienne’s French midfielder Yohan Mollo (left) vies with Ajaccio’s French defender Samuel Bouhours during the French League football match. —AFP pass into the stride of Cohade who coolly sidefooted into the far corner. But Ajaccio refused to roll over and reduced the deficit on 76 minutes when Mutu scored from the penalty spot - his 10th goal of the season - after Kurt Zouma was penalised for a handball. Aubameyang though made the points safe for the home side two minutes from the end as he ran onto Faouzi Ghoulam’s lofted pass and drilled beyond a helpless Ochoa for his 19th goal of the campaign, a total second to only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27).
Meanwhile, Troyes secured a vital three points in their uphill fight to remain in the top division with a 2-1 win at slumping Rennes. Jean-Christophe Bahebeck gave Troyes an early lead before Jeremie Brechet added a second on 27 minutes, while Julien Feret’s penalty on the half hour provided nothing more than a consolation for Rennes, who saw their winless run extended to nine matches. Troyes stayed bottom despite the victory but drew to within six points of safety with five games remaining, while Rennes remained 10th after a fifth straight loss.—AFP
Fu, Ding continue Asian surge at world champs SHEFFIELD: Hong Kong cuesman Marco Fu completed a wonderful 24 hours for Asian snooker yesterday as he became the third player from the continent to reach the second round of the world championships. Fu, 35 and a semi-finalist at the champi-
onships in 2006, maintained his overnight supremacy over veteran Welshman Matthew Stevens and made the second round with a 10-7 win. Fu joins China’s Ding Junhui, who beat two-time semi-finalist but now a
SHEFFIELD: Hong Kong’s Marco Fu mulls a shot during the World Snooker Championship 2013 first round match against Matthew Stevens of Wales at The Crucible. —AFP
fading force Alan McManus 10-5 while Thai rookie Dechawat Poomjaeng produced a display of unpredictable entertainment to beat McManus’s compatriot, sixth seed Scot Stephen Maguire, 10-9. Australia’s 2010 world champion Neil Robertson, though, is involved in a tight battle with Englishman Robert Milkins and has just a 5-4 frame lead to take into Thursday’s final session. However, the Australian did fire in the biggest break of the championships so far, 143, to better former finalist Judd Trump’s Tuesday effort of 142. Trump, who lost to John Higgins in the 2011 final, had little trouble progressing with a 10-5 win over Dominic Dale and will meet Fu in the second round. The 23-year-old Englishman said he was delighted with his form and reckoned that only three or four players were realistic contenders for the title held by the mercurial Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“It was good. I felt really comfortable out there, relaxed and with no pressure. I think it showed in how I played,” said Trump, who lost to John Higgins in the 2011 final. “If I play like I did today I’ll have a good chance. “I know a lot of people are saying that anyone can win it but in my opinion there’s only three or four who can.” Regardless of what Trump says Ding believes that the 34-year-old crowdpleasing Poomjaeng, described as not the ‘full shilling’ by a peeved Maguire after their match, can cause a major upset and win the trophy. “He’s crazy, a funny guy. He’s crazy all the time,” said Ding, who sees a lot of him as they both live and practise in Sheffield. “It wouldn’t be a surprise to me if he won the title. “It wouldn’t be a good time to play him at the moment.” His next opponent is a fellow qualifier Michael White of Wales.—AFP
Fu, Ding continue Asian surge at world champs
Top-seed Ferrer out, Nadal sees off Berlocq
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
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Haddin brought back as vice captain for Ashes Page 16
GERMANY: Dortmund’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring a penalty during the UEFA Champions League semi final first leg football match against Real Madrid. — AFP
Dortmund rock Mourinho’s Real Lewandowski hits four in rout DORTMUND: Poland striker Robert Lewandowski netted all four goals as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 4-1 win over Real Madrid in yesterday’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg to boost the chances of an all-German final at Wembley on May 25. After Bayern Munich routed Barcelona 4-0 on Tuesday night in the first semi-final, Dortmund followed the Bundesliga champions’s example 24 hours later by flooring Jose Mourinho’s Real. Just as Lionel Messi had failed to shine for a subdued Barcelona at Bayern on his return from a hamstring injur y, so Real star Cristiano Ronaldo was fairly anonymous after scoring at Dortmund as Real produced a below-par display. Dortmund claimed their sixth straight European win at home this season and their
second over Real in emphatic style at Signal Iduna Park having run out 2-1 victors in October’s group stage win over Madrid. All Dortmund’s pre-match focus had been on 20year-old midfield star Mario Goetze after Tuesday’s announcement he will join Bayern Munich next season after actioning a release clause in his contract. But the night belonged to Lewandowski who stole the limelight with the opening goal, then added a second-half hattrick to put Dortmund on the verge of their second Champions League final having won the 1997 title. The anticipated hostile reaction from the home fans towards Goetze never materialised and the 20-year-old helped gift the hosts the perfect start. His floated cross from the left wing found
Lewandowski unmarked at the back post to stab the ball home with just eight minutes on the clock. The goal spurred Real into life and Ronaldo forced Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller into a diving save on 24 minutes. Referee Bjoern Kuipers won himself few fans in the Dortmund faithful when he refused Dortmund’s penalty appeal when Marco Reus was brought down in the area by Raphael Varane, moments before Real equalised. Real drew level two minutes before the break when Dortmund defender Mats Hummels’ back pass was snatched by Gonzalo Higuain, who drew Weidenfeller and squared for Ronaldo to tap in his 11th goal in 10 European games. The hosts turned up the pace in the second
Suarez handed 10-game ban for biting opponent MANCHESTER: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was handed a 10-match ban yesterday for biting an opponent during a Premier League game, one of the most severe sanctions meted out by English football for on-pitch misbehavior. A disciplinary panel ruled that a regular threematch ban for violent conduct was “clearly insufficient” and added seven games to the suspension, which rules Suarez out for the rest of the campaign and for the first six matches of next season. Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said Suarez and the club were “shocked and disappointed” at the punishment, which came after the latest transgression in the Uruguay international’s turbulent career. Suarez has until Friday to appeal against the extra seven games added to his sanction. If he fails in any appeal, Suarez likely won’t play another game for Liverpool until September. “We await the written reasons tomorrow before making any further comment,” said Ayre, who has already said the club has no intention of selling Suarez the Premier League’s second highest scorer with 23 goals. In a Premier League match broadcast globally on Sunday, Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on the upper right arm during the 2-2 draw at Anfield. He wasn’t sent off because the referee didn’t see the incident, which was reviewed retroactively by the English Football Association. Suarez, who was fined by Liverpool after admitting to biting Ivanovic, was banned for seven matches in 2010 for a similar offense while playing for Ajax against PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league. That incident earned him the nickname “Cannibal of Ajax.” Suarez was also suspended for eight games in December 2011 for making racist insults toward Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a match. The FA has come down hard on Suarez, giving him a more severe ban than it handed to him and Chelsea captain John Terry (four matches) for racist abuse last season. It has parallels with a recent judgment in rugby league, when England international James Graham was banned for 12 games for biting an opponent during an Australian league game. It’s not as heavy, though, as the 12-game ban handed to Joey Barton after he clashed with
LONDON: In a file picture taken on April 21, 2013 Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez (right) clashes with Chelsea’s Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic (left) after appearing to bite the Chelsea player during the English Premier League football match. —AFP Manchester City players after his sending-off for Queens Park Rangers on the final day of last season. In 1998, Paolo Di Canio - the current Sunderland manager - was suspended for 11 games for pushing a referee while playing for Sheffield Wednesday while David Prutton was banned for 10 matches in 2005 for shoving a referee after being sent off. With his goals and performances this season, Suarez was starting to rehabilitate a reputation that was first damaged when he was sent off for a deliberate handball to prevent Ghana from scoring a late goal in a World Cup quarterfinal match in 2010. He was seen celebrating on the sideline when Ghana missed the spot kick and Uruguay advanced in a shootout. — AP
half and Lewandowski grabbed his second with clinical finishing on the turn to slot home Reus’ pass and beat Lopez on 50 minutes. He netted his third five minutes later when he latched onto Marcel Schmelzer’s cross, then beat centre-back Pepe before drilling his shot home. With Dortmund fans in delirium, he claimed his fourth of the night when Reus was fouled in the area by Xabi Alonso, after Goetze’s throughball, and there was only one candidate when Kuipers pointed to the penalty spot on 66 minutes. Mourinho tried to breathe some life into his Real side with two changes as Karim Benzema came on for striker Higuain and Angel Di Maria took over for Luka Modic in the central midfield position.
But only Lopez’s excellent diving save denied Lewandowski his fifth moments later. Ronaldo’s away goal now gives Real a slim life-line for Tuesday’s return leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Meanwhile, Mourinho had insisted winning the Champions League is all that matters for the Spanish giants ahead of the semi-final first leg away to Borussia Dortmund. The quest for Real’s 10th European Cup — ‘la Decima’ in Spanish — is an obsession for Madrid, while Mourinho is bidding to win the trophy with his third different team after Porto, in 2004, and Inter Milan, in 2010. “Madrid are one of those clubs where finishing second counts for nothing. So we have to reach the final and then win that,” said the 50year-old self-styled “Special One”.—AFP Preview
Torres mask can’t slip in Chelsea’s Europa pursuit LONDON: Chelsea are in the last chance saloon as far as a trophy goes and Fernando Torres, complete with his ‘Mask of Zorro’, must continue his recent improvement in swashbuckling style in today’s Europa League semifinals. Fenerbahce welcome Benfica in their first leg while European champions Chelsea face a tricky trip to Basel without the cup-tied Demba Ba, meaning fellow striker Torres will take up the fight as the Londoners chase Europe’s second prize. Group stage elimination as holders in the Champions League has been followed by the lack of a Premier League title challenge and defeat in the FA Cup semi-finals by Manchester City. Unpopular interim coach Rafael Benitez is left with the Europa League as his only hope of quitting in May with a modicum of pride restored and Spanish compatriot Torres, still playing with a mask to protect a broken nose, feels upbeat. “We have a young squad and we need to learn winning ways and this is a very good way. It is not the Champions League but it is the Europa League,” Torres told www.uefa.com. “Now we’re in the semi-finals everyone can see we want to win and the team I think is happy. “The competition is helping the team a lot because it is giving us a lot of satisfaction - not like in the Premier League this season, and we lost the semi-final of the FA Cup, so we were also close. But the Europa League is keeping us in a good mood and thinking it could be a good season.” Torres, who has struggled for sustained
form since joining Chelsea in 2011, was highly impressive in the last round when he scored three goals in the two legs against Rubin Kazan. His improved confidence has even led pundits to say he should stick with the mask until the end of the season, some comparing it to a ‘comfort blanket’ he can hide behind. However, he labored against former club Liverpool in Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw. John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill, Victor Moses and Yossi Benayoun were all left out of the starting XI at Anfield but are likely to return today. Basel have reached a European semi-final for the first time and Chelsea will be wary after the Swiss team confidently dispatched London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the last eight. The Swiss club are the only domestic champions among the Europa League last four and have played more European matches this season (18) than any other surviving team, having begun their campaign in the Champions League second qualifying round. Their odyssey started against Flora Tallinn in Estonia on July 17. Since then they have played in Norway, Romania, Portugal, Hungary, Belgium, Ukraine, Russia and England. Basel, Swiss champions for the last three seasons, have lost only two league matches since Murat Yakin, a former Switzerland defender, took over as coach at the end of October and are unbeaten domestically this year. They lead the Super League by three points from Grasshoppers and have reached the final of the Swiss Cup, putting them on
course for a second successive double. “Chelsea are the best team left in the competition but there is no reason to feel upset or afraid of this draw. I’ve never been to Stamford Bridge and I’m looking forward to going there,” said Yakin. Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, 20, is a player to watch. Twice European champions Benfica travel to Istanbul after a moraleboosting 2-0 win over Lisbon rivals Sporting on Sunday kept them top of the domestic league. It was the Eagles’ eighth consecutive league win as their attacking firepower has brought them close to a memorable treble of league, cup and Europa League. One of the main Benfica threats today will be skilful Argentine winger Nicolas Gaitan who stood out on Sunday with two assists and a man-of-the-match performance. “He sometimes gives the ball away easily but that happens with players like him who are full of magic and can go on and decide games,” coach Jorge Jesus said of the 25year-old. Fenerbahce’s chances of the Turkish title were hit on Sunday when they lost their first game in 11 matches, going down 2-0 at Genclerbirligi to slip seven points behind leaders Galatasaray. “There’s nothing we can do but focus 100 percent on the Benfica game,” coach Aykut Kocaman told reporters. Kocaman used striker Moussa Sow for only 33 minutes on Sunday to save him for today when he is set to partner Dutchman Dirk Kuyt in front of their famously fervent fans. The second legs are on May 2. — Reuters
Business
Indonesia seeks to tackle explosive fuel subsidies Page 22 ECB rate cut predictions grow as growth fades
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
Zain Group finalizes 3-year $700m credit facility
Page 25 KCIC shareholders agree to retain earnings at AGM Page 26 Page 23
SYDNEY: A giant sale billboard sits outside a shop in downtown Sydney yesterday. Australian inflation came in below forecast in the January-March quarter, data showed yesterday.—AFP (See Page 22)
Wataniya Telecom announces KD185.7m revenue for Q1 2013 Successful start of year with growth in customers, revenue KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom (National Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC) yesterday announced its financial results for the first quarter2013: Operational Highlights
• Total customer base increased to 19.4 million at the close of Q1 2013, versus 18.1 million at the same period in 2012, amounting to growth of 7.5 percent. • Revenues for Q1 2013 amounted to KD185.7 million ($650.7million), compared with KD180.3million ($631.8million) for the same period in 2012, equal to growth of 3.0 percent. • EBITDA for Q12013 was KD72.7 million ($254.8million), compared to EBITDA of KD 77.6 million ($271.9 million) for the same period in 2012. • The consolidated Net Profit for Q1 2013 was at KD22.6.million ($79.1 million), compared to Net Profit for the same period in 2012 of KD32.6 million ($114.2 million).2013 consolidated net profit includes additional tax claims of Tunisia pertaining to the previous five years, which was formally received after Wataniya Telecom completed its 2012 financial reporting. The net attributable profit to Wataniya Telecom in Q1 2013 was KD19.5 million ($68.2 million) compared with net attributable profit of KD28.3 million ($99.2 million) for the same period of 2012. • Furthermore the decline in group profit is attributable to a very competitive Kuwaiti market, the Tunisian operations have been affected by a still difficult economic situation and tax claims for previous five year as well as a Foreign Exchange impact in Algeria. • The consolidated earnings per share was 39fils (14 US cents), compared to 56fils (20 cents) per share earned for the same period last year. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman of Wataniya Telecom commented: “We have started 2013 with continued positive growth in our international markets. Despite ongoing competitive and economic challenges both domestically and in key markets, Wataniya Telecom has seen revenue grow 3.0 percent compared with the same period in 2012.” He added: “Algeria maintained its strong growth leadership of the group; Tunisiana demonstrated its ability to perform well in a difficult environment, while market conditions in Kuwait remain challenging.” Review of operations The Group’s operational performance can be summarized as follows: Wataniya - Kuwait Wataniya Kuwait’s customer base was1.98
million customers at the end of Q1 2013, an increase of 2.6 percent on the same period in 2012. Revenues for Q1 2013 were KD52.7million ($184.6 million), a decrease of 9.0 percent compared to 2012 of KD 57.9 million ($202.7 million). EBITDA was KD16.9 million ($59.1 million) versus EBITDA for Q1 2012 of KD24.5 million ($85.9 million), a decrease by 31.1 percent. Net profit was at KD9.5 million ($33.2 million), compared to net profit for the same period in 2012 of KD15.5 million ($54.4 million). Tunisiana - Tunisia The Tunisiana customer base at the end Q12013 stood at7.25 million customers, an increase of 6.3 percent compared to 2012. Revenues for Q12013 were KD 47.6 million ($166.8 million), compared to revenues for the same period in 2012 of KD49.1 million ($172.2million). EBITDA was KD24.0 million ($84.2 million)compared to KD28.9 million ($101.2 million) for the same period last year representing a decrease of 16.9 percent. The total net profit stood at KD5.1 million ($17.7 million) a decrease of 63.9 percent when compared with KD14.0 million ($49.2 million) for the same period in 2012.2013 consolidated Net Profit includes additional tax of KD4.7 million ($16.4 m) of Tunisia pertaining to prior years, which was formally received after Wataniya Telecom completed its 2012 financial reporting. Nedjma -Algeria Nedjma’s customer base at the end of Q1 2013 was 9.25 million customers, an increase of 8.6 percentcompared to the same period last year. Revenues for Q12013were KD71.9million ($252.0 million), an increase of 18.2 percent compared with revenues of KD 60.8 million (USD 213.2 million) for the same period in 2012. EBITDA for Q1 2013 was KD28.8 million ($101.0 million), an increase of 19.1 percent on KD24.2 million ($84.8 million) for the same period in 2012.The total net profit for the first quarter of 2013 was
KD10.5 million ($36.7 million) compared to a total net profit of KD9.2 million ($32.2 million) for the same period in 2012. Wataniya - Palestine The total customer base for Wataniya Mobile Palestine at the end of Q1 2013 was 0.62 million, an increase of 21.1 percent from the same period of 2012. Revenues for Q1 2013were KD5.8 million ($20.4 million),an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the revenues of KD5.5 million ($19.9million) in Q12012. EBITDA for Q1 2013 was KD0.4 million ($1.3 million) compared to an EBITDA of KD0.2 million ($ 0.9 million) for the same period in 2012. The total net loss for Q1 2013 was KD1.8 million ($6.3 million) compared to a total net loss of KD1.8 million ($6.3 million) for the same period in 2012. Bravo - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bravo’s customer base was 0.17 million at the end of Q1 2013, 0.3 percentincrease from the same period of 2012. Revenues forQ1 2013 increased to KD4.4 million ($15.5 mil-
lion) from KD4.3 million ($15.1 million) for the same period in 2012. EBITDA for the first quarter of 2013 were KD2.0 million ($6.9 million) compared with the negative EBITDA of KD0.8 million ($2.6 million) with the same period of 2012. The total net profit for Q1 2013 was at KD0.6 million ($2.0 million) compared to the total net profit of KD1.4 million ($4.8 million) for the same period in 2012. Wataniya - Maldives Wataniya’s total customer base at end of Q1 2013 was 0.19 million, an increase of 25 percent from the same period of 2012. Revenues for Q1 2013 were KD3.3 million ($11.6 million) compared to KD2.6 million ($9.3 million) for the same period 2012. EBITDA for the first quarter of 2013 was KD1.1 million ($3.9 million) compared to an EBITDA of KD0.5 million ($1.8 million) for the same period in 2012. The net attributable Loss for 2013 was KD0.1 million ($0.4 million) compared to the net attributable Loss of KD0.8 million ($2.8 million) for the same period in 2012.
This image provided by the US Treasury Department yesterday shows the new face of the $100 dollar note. The Federal Reserve Board announced that the redesigned $100 note will begin circulating on October 8, 2013. — AFP
Etihad takes 24% stake in India’s Jet for $379m DUBAI: Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways confirmed it had taken a 24 percent minority stake in India’s Jet Airways for $379 million. The Gulf carrier said in an emailed statement it would subscribe to 27.3 million new shares at 754.74 rupees per share. Jet said in a brief statement to the stock exchange earlier yesterday that its board had approved the allotment to Etihad. Etihad, which is on an aggressive expansion drive, will also make a $150 million equity investment in Jet’s frequent flyer program and spend $70 million to buy Jet’s three pairs of Heathrow slots through the sale and leaseback agreement announced in February. Jet’s majority ownership will remain with Indian nationals and Jet’s founder and non-executive chairman Naresh Goyal will hold 51 percent of the airline after the deal, which is subject to shareholder approval, the statement added. As part of the deal Jet will establish a hub in Abu Dhabi and expand its reach through Etihad Airways’ global network. The acquisition, which still needs to be approved by Jet shareholders, would be the first between an existing Indian carrier and a foreign airline since the government eased restrictions on foreign investment in September last year. A statement from debt-laden Jet to the Bombay Stock Exchange said the company would sell 27 million shares to Etihad, at 754.74 rupees ($13.7) per share, on a preferential basis. The deal comes after Asia’s biggest low-cost airline, AirAsia, announced it would set up a no-frills carrier in India with the Tata conglomerate. The AirAsia-Tata venture is expected to start operations later in 2013. Etihad has yet to comment on the deal. “Etihad is a very serious partner for Jet,” Sharan Lillaney, an analyst with Mumbai’s Angel Broking, said adding that the Gulf carrier was attracted by the potential for growth in India’s aviation market. “For Jet, it means money coming in to reduce debt, a very strong partner and improved global exposure.” India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world as its vast middle-class scrambles for air travel, spurred by rising incomes. But the sector, once vaunted as a symbol of India’s economic vibrancy, has seen its fortunes fade in the face of aggressive fare rivalry, a slowing economy, rundown infrastructure, high airport charges and expensive fuel. Only one among India’s six main scheduled carriers-privately held lowcost carrier IndiGo-was in profit last year helped by a strict business plan and a record of punctuality. Jet-with losses in six of its past eight quarters-had a total debt of $2.16 billion as of December-end, analysts said. The Indian carrier, which already has a codeshare agreement with Etihad to sell seats on each other’s flights, did not trade on Wednesday as stock markets were closed for a public holiday. With a market share of 25 percent, it is an established brand with a fleet of 101 planes, connecting 72 domestic and international destinations, including Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, London, Milan, New York and Singapore. UAE’s flagship carrier has already purchased stakes in airlines like Air Berlin, Virgin Australia, Air Seychelles and Ireland’s Aer Lingus, which contribute about 16 percent of its passenger traffic, analysts said. When India kick-started economic liberalisation in the 1990s, it allowed up to 40 percent foreign direct investment, including by overseas airlines, into its aviation sector. But this was scrapped in 1996 as the government feared that foreign airlines, with stronger finances, would take “control” of Indian carriers. The government allowed the re-opening of the sector last year to assist loss-making local airlines, several of which are eyeing foreign investment. Budget airline SpiceJet has confirmed it is in talks with foreign investors for a possible stake sale, declining to confirm names. — Agencies
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
BUSINESS
News
in brief
Mashreq Capital plans $100m Islamic fund DUBAI: Dubai-based Mashreq Capital plans to set up an Islamic equity fund of up to $100 million in the third quarter of this year to invest in stocks across the Gulf region, given lower returns in the bond market, the company’s chief executive said. “We think there is demand in high-dividend sharia equities,” particularly with interest rates currently very low, Abdul Kadir Hussain told Reuters at Zawya’s MENA Asset Management conference in Dubai yesterday. “Equities have very attractive yields in this region,” he added. The investment unit of Mashreq bank hopes to raise between $75 million and $100 million for the fund, and will seed it with a $20 million investment from the bank. Hussain said the fund would be Mashreq Capital’s fourth as it now manages two fixed income funds and one conventional equity fund, with a total of $800 million of assets under management. Dubai’s Aramex Q1 net profit rises 14% DUBAI: Logistics firm Aramex posted a 14 percent increase in first-quarter net profit yesterday, helped by its regional expansion and growth in emerging markets. The Dubai-based courier company, a favorite of regional fund managers, made a quarterly net profit of 69.4 million dirhams ($18.9 million) compared with 60.9 million dirhams for the year-ago period, Aramex said in a bourse statement. Revenue for the quarter rose 9 percent to 810 million dirhams. Two analysts polled by Reuters had expected the company to post first-quarter earnings of 70.6 million dirhams and 71 million dirhams. Aramex has been expanding in the Middle East and Africa and bought South Africa’s Berco Express as well as Kenya’s Oneworld Courier and In-Time Couriers last year. Senaat plans over $600m investment ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi government-owned General Holding Corp (Senaat) yesterday said it invested 2.2 billion dirhams ($600 million) in industry last year and would invest as much this year, as the emirate seeks to diversify its economy beyond oil. Investments went into expansion of core industries such as Emirates Steel, Arkan Building Materials Co and Agthia Group. Since 2004, Senaat has invested about 16 billion dirhams in Abu Dhabi’s industrial sector. “All of this new investment is consistent with our strategy to engage in industrial projects and we will continue to invest every year,” Hussain Al-Nowais, chairman of Senaat, told Reuters after announcing the company’s results. Unlisted Senaat’s revenues totaled 12.3 billion dirhams in 2012, up 7.2 percent over the previous year. But net profit was lower at 1.3 billion dirhams compared to 1.5 billion dirhams in 2011, mainly due to higher depreciation costs, Al-Nowais said.
Indonesia seeks to tackle explosive fuel subsidies Move could fuel inflation JAKARTA: The Indonesian government’s pledge to reduce generous fuel subsidies which will push up prices for motorists has taken it onto politically treacherous ground before elections in 2014. With mounting concern over the economic damage being wrought by an energy subsidy which gobbles up more than 16 percent of the state budget, the government has set out plans to raise fuel prices for the first time in five years. It is hoping to avoid sparking social unrest or damaging its chances at the polls, but there are already fears that the hike will not just hit the increasing number of motorists in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. The move could also push up inflation across the board due to the higher cost of transporting goods. “I know the price of meat, flour, everything will go up too. This is very important for me,” Hadi Sukamto, who sells noodles at a street stall in downtown Jakarta, told AFP. “Office workers would think twice before buying my noodles, and would rather bring lunch from home.” Fuel subsidies have been a flashpoint issue for decades in Indonesia, and lowering them in the past has led to nationwide protests. Subsidized fuel is regarded as one of the few government handouts for millions in a country where half the population still lives on under $2 a day and which has only the bare bones of a welfare system. The new plans will see the price of petrol for private cars rise by more than 40 percent as soon as next month, Energy Minister Jero Wacik announced in the past week, conceding that it would affect poorer citizens. “If there is a change in the fuel price, of course it will have an impact on inflation, and this is when it will hit the poor,” he said. Lawmakers voted down a price rise last year in the face of nationwide protests, despite having been expected to pass it. The government is more confident it will go through this time, after changing the rules so that a parliamentary vote is no longer needed. But the move comes at a difficult time for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, with elections looming and his Democratic Party embroiled in a string of corruption scandals. “The equation is simple, a fuel hike means lower popularity for the government because prices are the voters’ number one concern,” Kuskridho Ambardi, a political analyst from Gadjah Mada University, told AFP. Indonesia’s addiction to cheap fuel stems from the days of dictator Suharto, who used subsidies to shore up support for his repressive regime. A petrol price hike in 1998 was one of the triggers for student riots which led to his downfall. More recent attempts to cut the subsidies in Indonesia have also been fraught. The popu-
Australia inflation below forecast, rate cut eyed SYDNEY: Australian inflation came in below forecast in the January-March quarter, data showed yesterday, underscoring softness in the economy and spurring talk of an interest rate cut. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4 percent quarter on quarter and 2.5 percent year on year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said. Analysts had predicted 0.7 percent and 2.8 percent. While the figures are up from the 0.5 percent and 2.2 percent in the previous three months, it is the second straight quarter that inflation has come short of expectations. The Australian dollar dropped from $1.0275 to $1.0238 on the data as investors saw them stoking chances of a central bank interest rate cut from the 3.0 percent it has been at since December. Data yesterday showed price rises for new home purchases, pharmaceutical products, tertiary education and tobacco offset falls in the cost of international holiday travel, furniture and seasonal fruit. Australia dodged recession during the global downturn due to its strong links to China, but its Asia driven mining boom is nearing its peak and the economy is facing a difficult transition away from the key resources sector. The economy grew 0.6 percent in the December quarter, notching 21 continuous calendar years of expansion, but strength in the mining industry is masking softness in the broader economy and Canberra has retreated from
vows of a budget surplus. Treasurer Wayne Swan is facing the tough task of shaping an election budget that will be popular with voters despite sharply falling revenues. “The high dollar has put a huge squeeze on many businesses, both large and small, across our economy,” Swan told reporters. “That combined with the impact of lower commodity prices at the end of last year in particular has mean that profitability for many businesses is down substantially,” he added. “We’re going to have to make some difficult and tough decisions in this year’s budget.” The ruling centre left Labor party is on track to lose the September 14 election, according to opinion polls. Analysts said the latest inflation data, well within the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target band of 2.0-3.0 percent, was likely to trigger a further rate cut to stimulate the economy as early as next month. “Quite clearly the strong Australian dollar is still playing a role in holding inflation down, but the weakness in prices for things like furniture and household appliances also tells us that underlying demand in the economy remains weak and that companies lack pricing power,” said AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver. “While past interest rate cuts are getting some traction the economy remains vulnerable and in need of more support ahead of the slowdown in mining investment that will occur this year.” — AFP
JAKARTA: Motorists refuel their motorbikes at Indonesia’s state-owned gas station, Pertamina, in Jakarta yesterday. — AFP larity of President Yudhoyono’s government plummeted as he gradually hiked prices between 2005 and 2008. It only started to recover when he partially rolled back the increases towards the end of 2008. Now the government is again steeling itself to tackle the thorny issue. The price of fuel has been kept at 4,500 rupiah ($0.46) a litre since 2008, about half its actual current value and one of the cheapest in Asia. Under the new plan it is expected to go up to around 6,500 rupiah for private cars. Ministers hope to temper resistance by keeping full subsidies for motorcycles and public transport, used by many in the sprawling, archipelago nation of 240 million. The
announcement nevertheless sparked immediate resentment from unions, which are threatening to organize protests on May 1. Economists have also lambasted it as a half-measure which will not make a big impact on subsidies they blame for a widening current account deficit that is threatening growth. “The government only has the guts to hike the price for cars, the safest move it can make for now,” energy analyst Pri Agung Rakhmanto told AFP. Fuel subsidies have been a problem for many emerging Asian nations, with countries from India to Malaysia having faced huge pressure from their citizens to keep them at high levels, even as global oil prices surged. — AFP
Bahrain’s Al-Baraka plans Africa push DUBAI: Bahrain based Islamic lender Al-Baraka Bank plans to expand its global footprint with a focus on Africa under a five-year plan that includes investments in Libya and Morocco, its chief executive told Reuters. The lender, which has operations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, aims to nearly double group assets and income by 2017 and is considering the introduction of an Africa specific brand to support this effort. “The group is seriously thinking about having an Al Baraka Bank Africa brand presence,” chief executive Adnan Ahmed Yousif said in an interview in Dubai. The bank may spend as much as $100 million this year in Libya, where it opened a representative office in 2011, to buy and convert a conventional bank to Islamic finance, and could ultimately build a network of 30 branches, Yousif said. In Morocco it will open a standalone operation with a $100 million capital investment within the year, broadening the group’s presence to 16 countries, he added. “ A committee was set up last year to study markets to penetrate. We have eight African markets under study.” The international strategy has allowed the bank to weather tough market conditions in its home base of Bahrain. Its assets there declined 16 percent in 2012, partly because of civil unrest and one- off transactions. But group assets grew 11 percent to $19.1 billion, and the bank plans to expand this to $36 billion by 2017, Yousif said. Total operat-
ing income is envisaged reaching $1.5 billion by 2017 from $880 million in 2012. Al-Baraka has contrasted with most Islamic banks in building the bulk of its business outside the Gulf and southeast Asia. It derives less than 3 percent of operating income from Bahrain and with the exception of Iraq and its Jeddah based asset management firm Itqan Capital, it has no further presence in the Gulf. The group hopes to expand its global branch network from 425 in December 2012 to 810 by 2017, which would be accompanied by a large hiring drive. The bank has added over 2,600 employees in the last four years and sees the size of its staff rising to 15,000-16,000 by 2017 from 9,400, Yousif said. In the last few years the group has exited several markets including India, Bangladesh and Yemen, while focusing on places where it sees stronger growth prospects. Units in Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and South Africa added 26 branches in 2012. In the medium term, the bank will consider expansion in Indonesia and China, but this may only materialize in three to five years, Yousif said. “Indonesia is a very strong market for us. Our representative office is reviewing the market for acquisitions.” In 2011, Al Baraka’s Jakarta office identified Bank Kesawan as an acquisition target and went as far as signing a memorandum of understanding with the lender, but the unit was eventually purchased by Qatar National Bank. — Reuters
Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal
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
EXCHANGE RATES Thai Baht Irani riyal - transfer Irani riyal - cash
Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds
.2770000 .4310000 .3680000 .3020000 .2780000 .2940000 .0040000 .0020000 .0771240 .7513970 .3930000 .0720000 .7366120 .0370000
.2880000 .4470000 .3760000 .3170000 .2920000 .3020000 .0069000 .0035000 .0778990 .7589480 .4110000 .0770000 .7440150 .0440000
CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2841000 GB Pound/KD .4338920 Euro .3707360 Swiss francs .3043390 Canadian dollars .2795430 Danish Kroner .0497330 Swedish Kroner .0443660 Australian dlr .2963730 Hong Kong dlr .0365940 Singapore dlr .2291130 Japanese yen .0029600 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0773800 Bahraini dinars .7538810 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0757800 Omani riyals .7382100 Philippine Peso .0000000
.2862000 .4370990 .3734770 .3065880 .2816100 .0501010 .0446940 .2985640 .0368650 .2308060 .0028810 .0052870 .0022880 .0029190 .0036810 .0779520 .7594530 .4048090 .0763400 .7436660 .0069870
Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso
2.891 5.253 2.898 2.249 3.293 230.960 36.799 3.655 6.913
9.939 0.271 0.273
742.51 78.78 76.21
743.000 78.500 76.500
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham
76.217 78.532 742.370 759.130 77.826
ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham
40.900 40.827 1.333 178.840 403.620 1.917 3.105 34.175
EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.700 Euro 372.550 Sterling Pound 436.410 Canadian dollar 279.000 Turkish lira 159.060 Swiss Franc 307.200 US Dollar Buying 284.500
Rate for Transfer Selling Rate 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
285.650 281.385 437.355 371.980 302.460 756.265 77.750 78.410 76.135 402.670 40.779 2.255 5.262 2.899 3.661 6.914 700.715 3.870 09.985 4.065 3.370 93.485
GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram
298.000 150.000 77.500
UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY SELL DRAFT Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar
SELL CASH 298.30 282.78 304.27 374.77 285.30 439.39 2.94 3.675 5.248 2.252 3.292 2.904 77.74 759.65 40.79 406.44
295.500 281.000 307.000 375.500 286.000 439.000 3.300 3.760 5.450 2.440 3.400 2.980 78.300 757.850 41.000 410.000
Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY SELL CASH British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa
SELLDRAFT Europe 0.4286430 0.0061891 0.0457731 0.3664160 0.0443390 0.4270780 0.0390166 0.2977601 Australasia 0.2827578 0.2329940 0.0001155 America 0.2713797 0.0001488 0.2835500 Asia 0.0036164 0.0031697 0.0451116 0.0165133
0.4376430 0.0181891 0.0507731 0.3739160 0.0495390 0.4345780 0.0440166 0.3047601 0.2947578 0.2429940 0.0001155 0.2803797 0.0001668 0.2857000 0.0036714 0.0033997 0.0501116 0.0196133
Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Ethiopeanbirr Ghanaian Cedi Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Sudanese Pounds Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal
0.0000443 0.0342644 0.0051957 0.0000244 0.0028553 0.0027921 0.0033537 0.0891254 0.0031365 0.0028728 0.0064639 0.0000730 0.2261856 0.0022146 0.0095200 Arab 0.7513984 0.0388011 0.0129469 0.1487213 0.0000795 0.0001739 0.3973946 1.0000000 0.0001753 0.0219354 0.0012155 0.7310680 0.0778194 0.0756533 0.0480390 0.0031882 0.1775063 0.0763583 0.0012890
0.0000503 0.0373644 0.0052597 0.0000295 0.0038553 0.0029721 0.0035837 0.0961254 0.0033365 0.0029128 0.0069339 0.0000760 0.2328566 0.0022566 0.0101200 0.7598984 0.0408311 0.0194469 0.1505113 0.0000800 0.0002339 0.4048946 1.0000000 0.0001953 0.0459354 0.0018505 0.7420680 0.0786024 O.0762933 0.0485890 0.0034082 0.1835063 0.0778083 0.0013890
Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change
285.300 373.700 437.400 280.150 2.905 5.250 40.810 2.250 3.655 6.915 2.898 759.700 77.750 76.250
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
BUSINESS
KCIC shareholders agree to retain earnings at AGM 2012 net profit KD5.23 million, 2012 EPS: 6.69fils KUWAIT: KCIC, an investment firm specializing in investments in Asia, yesterday held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM), with the majority of shareholders agreeing with the board’s recommendation to retain earnings and not issue dividends. KCIC had closed 2012 with a net profit of KD5.23 million and an earnings per share of 6.69 fils.
OMAHA: Employees load a washer and dryer into customer’s car at the loading docks of Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha, Nebrasca. The Commerce Department reports on business orders for durable goods in March. — AP
Weak durable goods orders point to slow US economy WASHINGTON: Orders for long-lasting US manufactured goods recorded their biggest drop in seven months in March and a gauge of planned business spending rose only modestly, signs of a slowdown in economic activity. Durable goods orders slumped 5.7 percent as demand fell almost across the board, the Commerce Department said yesterday. The drop last month in orders for these goods, which range from toasters to aircraft, followed a 4.3 percent increase in February. Economists polled by Reuters had expected orders to fall only 2.8 percent. Excluding transportation, orders declined 1.4 percent after falling 1.7 percent the prior month. From transportation to primary metals and machinery, orders were weak, the latest indication of cooling in a sector that has played a pivotal role in the economy’s recovery from the 2007-09 recession. “Overall, the weak tone of this report underscored the emerging narrative of a considerable slowing in economic growth momentum in March,” said Millan Mulraine, senior economist at TD Securities in New York. US stock index futures fell after the report, while prices for longer-dated US government bonds rose. The dollar fell against the euro and the yen. The dour durable goods report joins other data ranging from employment to retail sales and manufacturing that have suggested the economy lost momentum at the end of the first quarter. The government is expected to report on Friday that the economy grew at a 3.0 percent annual rate in the first quarter, according to a Reuters survey, rebounding from a paltry 0.4 percent gain in the final three months of 2012.
Economists, however, are looking for an expansion of only around 1.5 percent or so in the April-June period. The slowdown, which economists have dubbed the spring swoon, has been largely blamed on belt tightening in Washington as the government tries to slash its bloated budget deficit. Uncertainty over the impact of deep government spending cuts, known as the sequester, could be making businesses more cautious about rolling out capital projects. Last month, non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, edged up 0.2 percent. Orders for the so-called core capital goods had dropped 4.8 percent in February and economists had expected a 0.4 percent increase last month. Core capital goods shipments, used to calculate equipment and software spending in the gross domestic product report, rose 0.3 percent. That followed a 1.2 percent rise in February. While the second straight month of gains in shipments suggested business spending would again contribute to growth in the first quarter, the drop in orders in March signals weakness ahead. Financial data firm Markit said on Tuesday its preliminary factory purchasing managers’ index hit a six-month low in April. Regional manufacturing surveys have also taken a weaker tone this month. Demand for transportation equipment plunged 15 percent in March, pulled down by sharp declines in orders for both civilian and defense aircraft. Boeing received orders for only 39 aircraft, down from 179 in February, according to information posted on its website. — Reuters
Saudi royal decree may ease $67bn housing logjam DUBAI/RIYADH: A royal decree in Saudi Arabia has shaken up the way in which the government allocates vast tracts of land, removing an obstacle to a $67 billion program to ease the country’s housing shortage. King Abdullah originally announced the housing scheme in March 2011. His plan to build 500,000 homes over several years was part of a series of official steps to improve social welfare, at a time when social discontent was prompting uprisings in other Arab countries. But the housing program has been slow to get underway, partly because of difficulties in obtaining land - an example of how inefficiencies in Saudi Arabia’s economy can slow its growth, despite its oil wealth. Last week’s royal decree may push the program forward by opening up thousands of acres of state-owned land for construction. “The decree is an important step that begins to address the gap between demand and supply of land in order to begin building the amount of units promised,” said John Sfakianakis, chief investment strategist at MASIC, a Riyadh-based investment firm. “It should eventually, as more allocations become available to the ministry of housing, bring down the price of land. Land prices, especially in Riyadh, can only come down if more land is made available as the majority of land still remains idle.” Saudi Arabia has lagged poorer countries in providing housing to its citizens. Some 60 percent of nearly 20 million Saudis are estimated to live in rented accommodation rather than homes they own, and much of the housing is in poor condition, said Mike Williams, head of research at the CBRE property consultancy in neighboring Bahrain. Because of the housing shortage, rising rents have been a major source of inflation; rents nationwide rose 3.7 percent from a year earlier in March, though that was far below a peak of 29.7 percent seen in 2008. Apartment rents in Riyadh jumped 8 percent last year, estimates Jones Lang LaSalle. Faisal al-Dekheel, a 25-year-old government employee, is one person who has grappled with the shortage. He wanted to rent a cheap apartment in Riyadh that would spare him a commute to work of up to 95 minutes, but found he would have to pay an annual rent of 60-80,000 riyals ($16,000-$21,300). “I cannot afford such an amount. It is impossible,” said Dekheel, who eventually settled for an apartment costing 26,000 riyals a year in the distant eastern suburbs of city. “This is not an easy amount too.” Part of the problem is that the kingdom’s wealthy have snapped up residential land plots around the country as long-term investments, making them too costly to use for lower-income housing. Complicating the situation, many plots remain undeveloped because they were given to citizens under a previous system of land grants, and the
recipients lacked the money to build on their land. “The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has distributed around 2.2 million plots in this way, but there is no data recording how these plots have actually been utilised,” Williams said in a research report. “There is the possibility that most of them remain undeveloped, and therefore these grants are proving insufficient in addressing housing needs in the Kingdom.” In March, local media quoted Housing Minister Shuwaish Al-Duwaihi as saying his ministry was able to obtain only a third of the land it needed to carry out housing projects. Ministry officials were not available to elaborate on his comments. A lack of affordable bank financing is another constraint on home ownership. Partly because of Islamic sensitivities, there are no clear legal provisions for letting banks take away a borrower’s home if he defaults on a housing loan; this causes banks to charge high rates on the loans which they extend. “The long-documented lack of security for mortgage lenders means that risk is priced into such products, making them unaffordable to all but a few,” Williams said. Two years after King Abdullah originally announced the housing scheme, last week’s decree may finally put it into top gear. The king instructed the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to hand over municipal lands immediately to the Ministry of Housing, which was told to build infrastructure such as roads on them before distributing them to citizens, who would build homes with loans granted by the housing ministry. The Ministry of Finance was ordered to approve funds for the infrastructure construction. The king also told other departments to provide the housing ministry with the data it needed to decide which citizens were eligible for the land grants and loans - a key issue to avoid waste and corruption. Even if all the government agencies cooperate smoothly, however, the scale of the task means it is likely to be many years before Saudi Arabia reaches the levels of home ownership - around two-thirds enjoyed by other rich countries such as the United States and Britain. The housing ministry said in January it would need a year just to prepare the mechanism for deciding citizens’ eligibility for land grants. Administering it may be a slow process in a country where the state bureaucracy is not known for its efficiency. Bottlenecks in the construction industry may then delay the delivery of homes. One current bottleneck is in the supply of cement; last week King Abdullah ordered the import of 10 million tonnes to ease a shortage and called for three or four cement plants to be built over the next three years, granting 3 billion riyals towards the scheme, state news agency SPA reported. —Reuters
2012 highlights: * The company’s total assets stood KD95.49 million at year-end. * The company launched the first Sharia-compliant Islamic Trade Finance Fund. The Fund is focused on financing trade flows in Asia and the Middle East under Shariaa Murabaha structures. * Eight of the ten equity strategies employed by the company continued to outperform industry and peer benchmarks, proving the company’s high caliber portfolio managers and their ability to extract value for investors. * Two of the company’s funds, White Tiger and Gateway, achieved top decile performances beating their respective benchmarks by a healthy 20 percent. * The company grew its sales and marketing team with the addition of talented investment advisors across all offices to deliver better service and customize solutions for the company’s clients. * The company opened a Hong Kong office with a full-fledged investment team. Operations in Hong Kong has broadened the company’s footprint in Asia and reaffirmed KCIC’s commitment to the region and its investment opportunities. * The company expanded its operations in Dubai with addition of valuable talent to help scale the business in the region. Speaking to shareholders, Chairman Dhari Ali Al-Bader said, “Our core strategy of building around the Asian growth phenomena and providing investors access to these exciting and rewarding markets is supported by the persist-
KUWAIT: KCIC Chairman Dhari Ali Al-Bader addresses the AGM. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat ent and above par performance of the Asian equity markets, compared to their global peers, with the MSCI Asia (excluding Japan) delivering a respectable 19.42 percent, mainly contributed by the Chinese and ASEAN markets.” Al-Bader added, “As for KCIC, eight of its ten equity strategies have outperformed their respective benchmarks in 2012, thereby solidifying our track record. Moreover, two of our funds in particular, White Tiger and Gateway, achieved top decile performances beating their respective benchmarks by a healthy 20 percent. This success was further confirmed as the firm’s assets under management grew with the addition of new clients.” KCIC is an investment company founded by an Amiri decree with a capital of KD 80 million and a mandate to invest in domestic demanddriven sectors in Asia, namely energy, real estate,
Al-Bayan issues first ringgit sukuk from Saudi firm DUBAI: Riyadh-based Al-Bayan Holding became the first Saudi Arabian company to issue an Islamic bond in Malaysian ringgit, paving the way for more corporations from the kingdom to tap into Malaysia’s market, the world’s biggest for sukuk. Al Bayan issued 200 million ringgit ($65.4 million) as the first tranche of a newly established 1 billion ringgit program, a statement from Guidance Financial Group, the company’s advisers, said yesterday. Pricing details were not immediately available. Both the creation of the program, rated AA3 by local agency RAM Ratings, and the issue of a Malaysian currency sukuk are firsts by a Saudi company. Companies in the Gulf Arab region have been looking at issuing Islamic bonds that target Malaysian investors as a way to diversify funding sources and tap Asian demand for Middle East debt. Al-Bayan issued the sukuk as a wakala; certificates are issued by an originator through a specialpurpose vehicle that buys assets which are given to an agent for management. HSBC Holdings’ Islamic unit in Malaysia, Hong Leong Islamic Bank, and Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd acted as joint lead managers on the deal, while Abu Dhabi’s Al Hilal Bank was manager in the United Arab Emirates. Al-Bayan has interests in businesses including construction of infrastructure and buildings, general contracting, information technology products and services, and advertising and publishing. — Reuters
Four KD5,000 winners in NBK’s Al-Jawhara weekly draws for April KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) announced the four lucky winners in Al-Jawhara weekly draws during the month of April. Mohammed Habib Ahmed Abdulftah, Esam Hasan Jabor Al-Sadeq, Ohoud Hamad Mohammed Ali Al-Ebrahim and Feras Mahmoud Abed Odeh each won KD 5,000. The winners expressed their gratitude and thanked NBK for its great services and promotions. NBK has re-launched Al-Jawhara account by offering customers more chances to win bigger prizes; KD 5,000 weekly, KD 125,000 monthly and a grand prize of KD 250,000 quarterly. Al-Jawhara is one of Kuwait’s leading cash prize accounts offering numerous benefits to its customers. Not only is it an interest-free account with regular deposit and withdrawal privileges, it also entitles account holders to enter the weekly, monthly and quarterly Al-Jawhara draws. Each KD 50 in an Al Jawhara account entitles the customer to one chance in any of the draws. All prizes are automatically credited to the winners’ accounts the day after the draw. The more money held in Al-Jawhara account, the greater the chances of winning. Al-Jawhara account is available to both Kuwaitis and expats and can be opened at any of NBK’s branches in Kuwait.
healthcare, infrastructure, and financial services. KCIC is the Parent Company of a Group that includes Asiya Investments Dubai Limited and Asiya Investments Hong Kong Limited. Asiya Investments Dubai Limited serves as the marketing and investment advisory hub for KCIC. Asiya Investments Hong Kong Limited is fully equipped with a skillful and experienced investment team which has further demonstrated KCIC’s commitment to the Asian markets. The publicly-listed Group employs a team of Asia specialists and currently manages assets in excess of $500 million. Key shareholders include the Kuwait Investment Authority (Kuwait’s Sovereign Wealth Fund), National Investment Company (one of the leading investment banks in the Middle East), and Al-Ghanim Industries (one of the largest conglomerates in the Middle East).
Jazeera Airways Group reports best Q1 earnings in history Net profit of KD3.6 million, up 229.4% KUWAIT: In a webcast attended by local and international analysts, Jazeera Airways Group yesterday announced a record net profit of KD3.6 million for Q1 2013, making the quarter the Group’s 11th straight profitable quarter and its tenth record breaking quarter since Q3 2010. Q1 2013 Highlights * Revenue: KD14.7 million, up 15.7 percent from Q1’12’s KD12.7 million * Operating profit: KD4.5 million, up 99.5 percent from Q1’12’s KD2.3 million * Net profit: KD3.6 million, up 229.4 percent from Q1’12’s KD1.1 million * Flown passengers: 5 percent increase from Q1 2012 * Load factor: 70 percent, up 15.2 percent from Q1 2012 *Percentages shown are calculated based on the absolute results, not the displayed rounded figures. Q1 2013 Balance Sheet * Hard assets of KD145 million * Cash reserves of KD45 million, exceeding equity * Equity improved by KD35 million since Q1 2012 * Rights issue executed and completed in Q4 2012, raised the target of KD17.8 million with an oversubscription of 2.25 times Jazeera Airways Group Chairman Marwan Boodai said, “These exceptional results were generated by our airline business, which saw an increase in passenger loads and a full recovery from the three Syrian destinations that were suspended by Q4 2012”. The results were also driven by a 5 percent increase in passengers from Q1 2012, and a 15.2 percent increase in load factors from the same period last year. Jazeera Airways operated the quarter with an average load factor of 70 percent. Boodai said, “All these factors combined in our airline business, coupled with the ongoing success of our independent aircraft leasing business, have resulted in our best first quarter results in the history of the Group”.
Q2 and full year outlook The company’s outlook for 2013 continues to be positive in-line with a growing Kuwaiti economy, which continues to witness higher incomes despite international and regional economic pressures. The company’s forecasts remain unchanged and expect a mild second quarter, a seasonal increase in demand in the third quarter, and a mild fourth quarter to close the year.
Jazeera Airways Group Chairman Marwan Boodai Established in 2005, Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed with a fleet of 12 fully-owned Airbus A320s, distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (seven aircraft), and its fully-owned leasing-arm Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (five aircraft). Sahaab has assets placed with Virgin America, SriLankan Airlines, and Jazeera Airways. Jazeera Airways is based in Kuwait and operates a network comprising high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Al Najaf. Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets in the Middle East.
Iran withdraws cheap dollars for most imports DUBAI: Iran has stopped providing subsidized dollars for the import of most basic goods, Iranian media reported, a move that could push soaring consumer prices even higher in the run-up to a presidential election in June. The Iranian rial has lost two-thirds of its dollar value since late 2011 as a result of Western sanctions targeting the banking system and oil exports over Iran’s disputed nuclear activities, putting many Iranians under financial pressure. Now trading at around 35,000 rials to the dollar, the currency’s slump has fuelled inflation by increasing the price of imported goods. Since last year, the government had sought to cushion the impact on Iranians by providing subsidized dollars at a rate of 12,260 rials to the dollar for the import of grains, medicines, red meat, chicken, sugar and other essential items. But the official rate will now only be available for wheat, barley, corn and soybean imports, according to a memo issued this month by the central bank, local media reported this week. The government’s action is intended to unify a
complex system of multiple exchange rates, local media said, and probably also to preserve Iran’s hard currency reserves. Most imports will now be purchased using currency bought at a government-run “exchange centre”, where dollars have sold for around 24,500 rials recently. This will raise import costs. Critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have lashed out over the decision. Ahmad Tavakoli, a vocal Tehran lawmaker, said in parliament yesterday that meat prices had risen by 60 percent and cooking oil by 35 percent. “People can’t eat meat, they can’t eat beans, should they also not eat broth which requires a spoon of oil?” Tavakoli asked, according to the Mehr news agency. The price of a kilogram of sugar rose to 22,000 rials on Wednesday from 17,000 the day before, a source in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar said in an email. A 5 kg can of cooking fat was selling for 235,000 rials, up from 177,000 last week. Some Iranians have turned to cheaper domestic goods, and one shopkeeper said he now sold mostly Iranian-made cooking oil.
Iranians have also begun stockpiling staples such as red meat, potatoes, onions and cooking oil, fearing that higher prices lie ahead, the Ghanoon newspaper reported on Tuesday. Higher prices have weighed heavily on the public over the last year. The inflation rate reached 31.5 percent in the 12 months to March 20, the end of Iran’s calendar year, according to the government statistics centre. A 25 percent hike in the minimum wage has been criticized by lawmakers and economists for not keeping pace with inflation. A presidential election scheduled for June will be the first such poll since 2009, when a disputed win by the incumbent Ahmadinejad prompted mass protests and the worst internal unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Critics of Ahmadinejad in Iran’s parliament have said his economic policies have exacerbated the impact of the sanctions, which have slashed Iran’s oil exports. Ahmadinejad cannot by law run again after two consecutive terms, but analysts expect him to field a candidate close to him to maintain his influence. — Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
BUSINESS
Ageing deepens debt-laden Europe’s economic woes Growth, productivity to suffer as population ages RIGA/LISBON: Long after the debt crisis is over, Europe will be grappling with an even more serious problem - how to pay for growing numbers of old people. The population of some countries is stagnant or already shrinking, notably Germany’s. That will reduce savings and potential economic growth. The workers who remain are getting older and so are less productive. That will hold back living standards. And the ranks of retirees are swelling. That will threatening the financing of pensions and health care. In the 27 countries of the European Union, each pensioner is today supported on average by four people of working age. By 2050, this old-age support ratio will have fallen to just 2:1, according to United Nations and EU projections. Latvia, which has applied to join the euro in
2014, is but an extreme example of these trends. By 2060 there will be four Latvians of working age for every three aged 65. Because of emigration and low fertility, the Baltic state’s population shrank by 14 percent, or 340,000 people, between 2000 and 2011, prompting warnings of an existential threat to the nation. “I don’t want to make apocalyptic statements. I hope that the country can manage. But the alarm bell has rung,” said Mihail Hazans, an economics professor at the University of Latvia and the county’s leading demographer. Many European countries are raising the retirement age. And some, including Britain, have favorable population profiles. But Martins Kazaks, chief economist with Swedbank in Riga, said governments had yet to grasp the magnitude of the poli-
cy shifts required. “If you define the tipping point as the point of no return, then in some respects we have passed it - and not only us, but most of Europe,” Kazaks said. “With an ageing population and the burden of pensions and welfare, the growth rate is going to be lower. If you don’t do anything today, the future is going to be a lot more difficult,” he added. Policymakers need look no farther than lowgrowth Japan to grasp the economic impact of population decline and ageing. “Europe is the new Japan,” said Douglas Roberts, an economist with Standard Life in Edinburgh. Apart from putting pension systems on a more sustainable footing, investing in education and training so that workers are more productive should be a policy priority, economists say. So should expanding child care to
allow more women to join or stay in the work force. How to share out the cost of ageing spells potential political trouble, pitting cosseted pensioners against younger generations who are overtaxed and overworked. George Magnus, a senior economic adviser to Swiss bank UBS in London, said it was understandable because of the euro-zone crisis that the current focus was on the near-term affordability of welfare. “But behind that is a very structural issue, which is really about the social model and the rights and obligations of citizens vis-a-vis the state. We are going to have to have that debate,” said Magnus, author of “The Age of Aging”. Edward Hugh, an economist in Barcelona, agreed that the sovereign debt crisis gripping the developed world was at root about how to meet implicit liabilities for ever older populations: expectations of future levels of health care and pension provision may prove too optimistic. As such, Hugh is critical of policymakers in Europe and at the International Monetary Fund for neglecting the impact of demographic change. “In the absence of policies that acknowledge these issues exist and that then address them, none of the sustainability analyses - debt, financial sector, whatever - are worth the paper they have been written on,” he said. Recession-hit Portugal also illustrates the vicious economic and fiscal circle that Hugh identifies in countries on the periphery of the euro zone as a result of demographics. Portugal’s fertility rate, which stood at 1.32 last year, has been below the 2.1 replacement rate - the number of children each woman needs to have to maintain current population levels - since the early 1980s. In 2012, only 90,000 children were born, the lowest number in more than a century, as economic fears gave couples pause. In short, ageing is pre-programmed. By 2050, Portugal is projected to have more people aged 60 or over than any other EU member - 40 percent of the population against 24 percent today. What’s more, some 100,000 to 120,000 Portuguese, or 1 percent of the population, are emigrating every year to look for betterpaid work, depleting the tax base and adding to the strain of financing the welfare state. “One of the biggest problems we have is holding on to employees,” said Joao Carlos Costa, general manager of Arpial, a metal-working firm in Lisbon. Jose Cesario, secretary of state for Portuguese communities abroad, puts a brave face on the drain of brain and brawn. Emigrants acquire valuable skills and remitted some 2.7 billion euros in 2012. Influential members of the Portuguese diaspora of around 5 million can also act as ‘ambassadors’ for the country, Cesario said in an interview. But he acknowledged that both Switzerland and Luxembourg had urged him to slow the flow of emigration. “It’s the fish that bites its own tail,” Cesario said, using a Portuguese proverb. “We can get emigrants to come back only if we have economic development, but we cannot do that without them.” If he had the solution, Portugal would not be in the situation it is, he added. Latvian exodus The same goes for Latvia. “It’s a big challenge for Latvia, both for the
economy and for our society.” Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told Reuters. “What we need to concentrate on now is economic growth and job creation so that people see perspectives here in Latvia and so don’t have to leave.” The government also hopes to lure back 100,000 emigrants, or a third of those who have left since the turn of the century, by 2030. Given that Latvia is one of the poorest countries in the EU, that will not be easy. “We’re not expecting people to pack their bags and be here on Monday,” said Dace Acule, a public policy researcher in Riga who has worked on a proposed package of incentives. One emigrant unlikely to be tempted back is Datsa Gaile, who has been in Britain since 2006. She left Latvia because, as a single mother, she was unable to bring up her two sons on a wage of about 150 lats ($275) a month. After a rocky start, she learned English, got a string of ever-better jobs and now runs Anglo Baltic News (www.anglobalticnews.co.uk), a website aimed at the estimated 100,000 Latvians in Britain. “The main problem at the moment is that there are not enough jobs in Latvia. It’s a bit risky if you decide to go back,” said Gaile, who lives in Northampton, a town in central England that is home to 8,000 Latvians. “Also, I have been away for almost eight years and my lifestyle has changed. People are different here. They have more opportunities in this country,” she added. Professor Hazans of the University of Latvia said at most 20 percent of recent emigrants might return. What’s more, his surveys show that the proportion of ‘firm stayers’, who have no thought of leaving Latvia, has fallen to a quarter from a third since 2010. As in Portugal, a vicious economic circle becomes hard to break. “Emigration sends a negative signal to foreign investors. It also sends a negative signal for domestic business startups,” Hazans said. “You think about how many potential customers you will have.” The psychological harm of sustained emigration, which has accounted for two-thirds of Latvia’s population decline since 2000, is as striking as the economic damage. Women’s fertility rate has dropped to 1.1, one of the lowest in the world. Acule, the policy researcher, spoke of the “demographic sadness” of a country where most people have a relative working abroad. Hazans added: “The sense of bitterness is still very much there. Why? A feeling that if everyone is leaving the boat, the boat must be sinking. Or if the boat is afloat and others are leaving, why am I staying?” The imperative, then, is for Latvia to sustain its recovery from a deep recession in 2008/09, when output slumped by 20 percent as the government opted for austerity rather than devalue its way out of the financial crisis. Whether it be in Latvia or Portugal - or eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and Romania - only more and better-paid jobs will stop the haemorrhaging of people and perhaps improve longer-term demographic prospects. “If you get the chance to live and work normally in our country, it’s a luxury. It’s a luxury to be able to stay,” said Dace Beinare, an adviser with SOS Children’s Villages, a non-governmental organization in Riga. — Reuters
OHIO: Construction workers framing a new home in Pepper Pike, Ohio. DuPont Co reported quarterly financial results before the market opened on Tuesday. — AP
DuPont Q1 net income soars DOVER, Delaware: The DuPont Co said Tuesday that its net income more than doubled in the first quarter on a gain from the sale of its performance coatings unit and strong continuing results in its agricultural unit. CEO Ellen Jamison Kullman said DuPont’s efforts to boost long-term growth are working, despite continued tough economic conditions in Europe and some other markets, pointing to strong demand for the company’s agriculture products both in the U.S. and overseas. “Growth fundamentals and agriculture markets remain solid and we expect our product lines to perform very well,” Kullman told analysts on a conference call. As a result, the company expects full-year sales growth in the “low teens” at the agriculture business, she said. Sales rose 14 percent in that business in the first quarter. Kullman said the company expects overall market conditions to stabilize around the middle of this year, pointing to the first quarter’s 8 percent increase in sales volumes over fourth-quarter levels as a sign of improvement. While operating profit for the first half of the year will come in below that of the first half of 2012, the company still expects an increase in earnings for the full year, she said. DuPont, based in Wilmington, Del., reported net income of $3.35 billion or $3.58 per share for the quarter ended March 31. That’s up from $1.49 billion, or $1.58 per share, a year ago. Revenue increased 2 percent to $10.4 billion, matching Wall Street expectations, with 4 percent volume growth in North American and Latin America. Sales were flat in the Asia-Pacific region and down slightly in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Overall, global volume was up 2 percent. DuPont’s results include net income from dis-
continued operations after taxes of $1.9 billion, compared to $95 million in last year’s first quarter. The latest results reflect completion of the company’s sale of its performance coatings unit, which produces automotive and industrial paints, for $4.9 billion to The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm. DuPont also took a one-time pre-tax charge of $35 million to settle claims related to use of its weed killer Imprelis, which has been blamed for damaging evergreen trees. Excluding one-time items, DuPont reported operating earnings of $1.46 billion, or $1.56 per share, for the quarter compared with $1.5 billion, or $1.64 per share, a year ago. “The first quarter finished as expected, with the strong agriculture performance and performance chemicals’ decline from peak levels last year,” said Kullman. Its shares rose $2.08, or 4 percent, to close at $52.49 Tuesday. They are near the high end of their 52-week trading range of $41.67 to $53.98. DuPont said sales in its agriculture unit increased 14 percent in the first quarter to $4.67 billion, as volume grew 8 percent and prices from new seed and crop protection products increased 6 percent. Operating earnings totaled a record $1.5 billion, up 13 percent. In contrast, the performance chemicals unit saw sales plunge 17 percent to $1.5 billion, as volumes slid 6 percent and prices dropped 11 percent. Operating earnings were down 56 percent to $251 million. The results reflect substantial price declines in the sluggish market for titanium dioxide, a whitening pigment used in products ranging from toothpaste to paint, and weak demand for fluoropolymers. DuPont said titanium dioxide volume compared to last year’s first quarter but increased 8 percent compared to the last quarter of 2012.—AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
BUSINESS
Qatar economic growth slows to 6.2% NBK economic update KUWAIT: Preliminary data released by the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) showed that Qatar’s economic growth in 2012 slowed to 6.2 percent yearon-year (y/y) in real GDP terms-down from 13 percent y/y in 2011. The hydrocarbon sector slowed from 15.8 percent y/y in 2011 to 1.7 percent y/y in 2012. In contrast, non-hydrocarbon GDP grew by a robust 10 percent in 2012. Nominal GDP, meanwhile, expanded by 12 percent to reach QR700bn ($192bn), confirming Qatar’s place as the third largest economy in the GCC. During the last 5 years, the Qatari real economy has grown by an average of 15.5 percent per year as the country’s gas and LNG output expanded. With the attainment of maximum production of 77 million tons per year by the end of 2011, real hydrocarbon GDP growth has consequently subsided.
Given the moratorium on new gas projects in the North Field until next year at the earliest and declining yields from the country’s maturing oil fields, future expansion in the hydrocarbon sector will largely be determined by increases in output resulting from the completion of the Barzan gas production facility and from any enhancements to existing oil fields. The Barzan facility is scheduled to begin operating in 2014 and produce gas for domestic consumption. Crude oil production declined by more than 10 percent during 2012 and is currently around 0.736 million barrels per day (mbpd). In contrast, the non-hydrocarbon sector grew by approximately 10 percent y/y for the second year running on the back of robust growth in both the industrial (manufacturing and construction) and services sub-sectors. Both of these expanded by 10 percent y/y.
The development of the country’s manufacturing sector, which includes downstream processes such as gas-to-liquids (GTLs), petrochemicals and fertilizer production, has been proceeding apace and is a major focus of Qatar’s diversification strategy. With the expansion of the 140,000 bpd Pearl GTL facility due to be completed during 2013, Qatar is set to cement its position as the world’s largest producer of GTLs (alongside its status as the world’s largest LNG exporter). As a share of nominal GDP, manufacturing has increased to 9.8 percent. The construction sector should receive a further boost with Qatar’s ambitious pipeline of infrastructure projects such as the $45bn Lusail development and the $35bn rail and metro network as well as World Cup-related projects. Meanwhile, the services sector has also
expanded significantly. Led by government and financial services but also including retail, transport and hospitality, services grew by more than 9 percent for the second consecutive year. Government services as a share of GDP, for example, increased from 7.4 percent in 2011 to 8.7 percent in 2012. The overall trend in growth of the services sector is also likely to be maintained over the next few years, benefitting from expansive government investment and burgeoning population growth. The official estimates of the performance of the Qatari economy in 2012 support our own projection of real GDP growth moderating to 5 percent in 2013 and 2014. The non-hydrocarbon sector will be the main driver of growth, expanding by 8 percent and 7.6 percent during 2013 and 2014, respectively.
ECB rate cut predictions grow as growth fades German business confidence drops
MASSACHUSETTS: A UPS truck stops in front of a Sprint store at the Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham, Massachusetts. — AP
Customers avoid Sprint in Q1 as suitors circle NEW YORK: The flow of new customers to Sprint stopped in the latest quarter, the company reported yesterday as it weighed the offers of two corporate suitors. Sprint Nextel Corp., the country’s third-largest cellphone carrier, said it added a net of just 12,000 customers to its Sprint brand in the quarter, and it would have lost 252,000 if it wasn’t for Nextel customers moving over now that their network is being shut down. The number of new Sprint customers was the lowest for any quarter since 2009, and suggests that CEO Dan Hesse’s carefully engineered turnaround of the company is on shaky ground. There are just 1 million Nextel customers left, raising the question of what Sprint’s subscriber trends will look like when they’re gone. Sprint executives acknowledged that they are losing some customers because the company is behind the other three nationwide carriers when it comes to data download speeds. It’s building a high-speed “LTE” network, but in the meantime, most customers are stuck on a slow “3G” network. AT&T Inc., the second-largest phone company, posted weak subscriber numbers on Tuesday. Verizon Wireless, the industry titan, saw strong trends, as did underdog T-Mobile USA, possibly because it just started selling the iPhone. Overland Park, Kan.-based Sprint ended March with 55.2 million devices on its network, of which 31.3 million were on contractbased plans, which are the most lucrative.
In the short term, having fewer new customers helps a phone company’s bottom line, since it doesn’t have to pay out as much in phone subsidies. Phone companies pay hundreds of dollars in subsidies to put new phones in customer hands for $199 or less. Sprint, which has posted a net loss in every quarter for the last six years, narrowed its first-quarter net loss to $643 million, or 21 cents per share. A year ago, it lost $863 million, or 29 cents per share. Revenue edged up 0.7 percent to $8.79 billion. Both figures beat analyst estimates. According to FactSet’s survey, Wall Street expected Sprint to report a loss of 32 cents per share on revenue of $8.73 billion. Sprint shares rose 2 cents to $7.12 in morning trading, suggesting that investors don’t believe the latest quarterly results will change the strategies of its suitors. Sprint has agreed to sell 70 percent of itself to Japan’s Softbank Corp. for $20.1 billion, but last week got a competing $25.5 billion offer from Dish Network Corp. for the whole company. A special committee of Sprint’s directors is considering Dish’s proposal. Hesse didn’t comment further on a conference call with analysts, but said the company still assumes that it will close three deals by July 1: the sale of a stake to Softbank, the buyout of minority shareholders in network operator Clearwire Corp, and the acquisition of some Midwestern service areas from US Cellular Corp. — AP
Cost-cutting gives Credit Suisse a huge Q1 lift BASEL: Swiss bank Credit Suisse Group said yesterday that its cost-cutting efforts helped it record a huge jump in first-quarter profits compared with a year earlier. Switzerland’s second-biggest bank posted a profit of 1.3 billion Swiss francs ($1.37 billion), up sharply from the 44 million francs in the first quarter of 2012, when it booked a loss of 1.6 billion francs on its own outstanding debt and paid out higher bonuses. Net revenue rose 6 percent to 7.2 billion francs. The bank said the figures showed “positive momentum” coming from its attempts to transform its business model, that includes a lot of costcutting. Credit Suisse shares were up 1.2 percent at 26.77 francs in afternoon trading in Zurich. “The first quarter of 2013 shows that the strategic measures we have successfully implemented since mid-2011 are effective in bringing results to the bottom line on a consistent basis,” Chief Executive Brady Dougan said. “We had a very good start to 2013.” The bank, based in Zurich, said the results for the January-March period showed “high returns, strong client franchises, reduced cost base and lower risk-weighted assets.” Like its cross-town and bigger competitor, UBS AG, Credit Suisse has been reducing its riskier assets at a time when Europe’s economy is hurting. Both banks have been setting aside
more capital cushion to meet international and domestic regulator y demands. But Credit Suisse has not cut back on its investment bank ing as much as UBS, and a restructuring in Credit Suisse’s investment bank compensated for a falloff in profits from its private banking, one of the largest such operations in the world in terms of assets. The figures showed further cuts to the bank’s workforce to 46,900 people, down 4 percent from 47,400 a year earlier. The downsizing is part of a program that has cut 2.5 billion francs in costs since 2011, and the bank said Wednesday it is on track to extend that to 4.4 billion francs by the end of 2015. Credit Suisse said Monday it was selling its private equity business, Strategic Partners, which is also based i n Zur i c h , to N e w Yor k- b a s e d Blackstone Group LP for an undisclosed amount. Strategic Partners manages $9 billion in assets and buys stakes in other private equity funds. The Zurich bank agreed last month to buy Morgan Stanley’s wealth management unit, with $13 billion in assets under management, to expand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The bank also said it had no new information about when talks with the Swiss government might wrap up over a US investigation of the bank over suspected American tax cheats. — AP
FRANKFURT: Evidence that Europe’s economic downturn is weighing more heavily on its strongest member, Germany, has convinced more and more experts that the European Central Bank will cut interest rates soon. The latest downbeat sign came yesterday from the closely watched Ifo index of German business confidence. It fell to 104.4 points in April from 106.7 in March, more than the modest dip foreseen by market analysts to 106.2. That follows surveys earlier this week indicating Germany’s manufacturing sector is contracting. The Ifo index remains at a high level, and the institute’s survey chief, Kai Carstensen, said it only means that “the German economy is taking a breather.” But outside analysts said there was now enough doubt about Europe’s economic recovery for the ECB’s 23-member governing council to cut its key rate from the record low of 0.75 percent, either at its May 2 meeting or on June 6, when it will have new staff economic projections to help justify any decision. The ECB’s benchmark, called the refinancing rate, is what it charges to lend to banks. Through them, the rate influences a host of other rates that determine how much it costs businesses and consumers to borrow. Low rates in theory encourage borrowing to spend and invest, stimulating the economy. A rate cut also can push investors toward buying stocks and other assets, both in anticipation of growth and by making interest-yielding investments less attractive. Investors prepared for such a move by buying heavily into European stocks. Germany’s stock index is up 3 percent in two days, France’s almost 4.5 percent. ECB President Mario Draghi said in April that the bank remained “ready to act” in case the economic indicators worsened. In a sign that support for a rate cut may be growing, the head of the German central bank, which has typically been more reluctant to back rate cuts, said last week that a cut could be warranted if economic indicators worsen. Since his comments, they have. The strength of the German economy is key to the ECB’s rate decisions because of its size -it accounts for 28 percent of the 17country euro-zone’s total output. It shrank 0.6 percent in the last three months of 2012. Germany has been one of the more resilient economies in the euro-zone. A slowdown in its economy would make it harder for the region to climb out of recession. The ECB expects the euro-zone to contract 0.5 percent for all of this year, with a gradual upturn near year end. “Resistance to a rate cut will be crumbling,” said Christian Schulz, an analyst at Berenberg Bank in London, after the Ifo survey was released. Analysts at Swiss bank UBS have changed their forecasts and now predict an ECB rate cut on May 2. They had previously expected rates to remain unchanged through the end of next year. Analysts at Royal Bank of Scotland and Nomura also shifted their prediction to a cut to the May meeting. Other signs of trouble in Europe include unemployment at 12.0 percent, the highest since the euro was introduced in 1999, and auto sales that have fallen for 18 straight months, measured against the same month the year previously. Analysts say a rate cut might be mostly symbolic and do little to spur lending directly. It could, however, lower the euro’s exchange rate, which would help exporters. Lower rates can push down the euro’s exchange rate because they lower the yield on many interest-bearing investments denominated in euros. That reduces demand for the currency. The ECB has also been looking at unspecified new way to help the economy that go beyond interest rates. Analysts say the ECB might take steps to try to increase bank’s willingness to make loans to small and medium size businesses, which provide most of the euro-zone’s jobs. Ideas that have been floated include loan guarantees from another European Union agency, or permitting banks to bundle loans to small businesses as securities and use them as collateral to get cash loans from the ECB. — AP
FRANKFURT: The euro sign in front of the ECB headquarters in Frankfurt.
Barclays investment banking shines as overhaul costs hurt LONDON: Investment banking made most of the first quarter profit at British bank Barclays, highlighting the challenge for the lender’s new boss in making money as he shrinks that part of the business. Chief Executive Antony Jenkins was brought in to bring a more ethical approach to Britain’s third largest bank after scandals over rate-fixing and big bonuses in the investment banking arm that was built up by his predecessor Bob Diamond. Jenkins has pushed out top management and cut pay and jobs and yesterday’s results showed the costs of restructuring contributed to an overall fall in earnings for the lender. Investment banking profits, however, jumped 11 percent, outperforming rivals Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. “The big success story is, as ever, Barclays Capital. Importantly it’s both a revenue and a cost story,” said Ian Gordon, analyst at Investec. Barclays said last week Diamond acolyte Rich Ricci, the division’s head who is known for his love of horse racing and collected a $26 million bonus last month, would be leaving the bank as part of the effort to fix its image. Over half a billion pounds was spent in the quarter on Jenkins’ “Project Transform” overhaul, triggering a drop in adjusted pretax profit to 1.79 billion pounds ($2.7 billion), just below a mean forecast of 1.85 billion. The investment bank arm made a profit of 1.3 billion pounds by keeping revenues steady and cutting costs. Its income rose 1 percent to 3.5 billion pounds, higher than the 3.3 billion expected by analysts. Growth in equities and advisory offset a fall in fixed income, currencies and commodities. This success could complicate Jenkins’ reforms, as it shows how central the business, dubbed “casino banking” by critics, is to the future of Barclays. Jenkins has said he needs to pay staff competitively but Barclays has been pilloried in the British press for paying huge bonuses when the country is in an economic downturn. Compensation swallowed 41 percent of the investment bank’s income in the first quarter, down from 43 percent a year ago but above Jenkins’ target to cut it to near 35 percent. Ivor Pether, senior fund manager at Royal
London Asset Management, a Barclays shareholder, said revenue was strong at the investment bank but he would have liked to have seen its compensation to revenue below 40 percent. “Then we might have been able to say - yes, there is real evidence there that the cultural changes pursued by the management are showing up in the operations,” Pether said. Rival Credit Suisse also posted steady first quarter revenues at its investment bank, raising expectations for UBS and Deutsche Bank, which report on Tuesday. Barclays shares hit an early 6-week high but turned lower and were down 1 percent by 1300 GMT, underperforming a 0.4 percent dip by the European banking index. Barclays is expected to spend nearly 3 billion pounds on Project Transform over the next three years, including another 500 million pounds this year; axing 3,700 jobs, pruning the investment bank and reforming the bank’s culture. The plan is expected to cut annual costs by 1.7 billion by 2015 and Jenkins said he was confident of meeting that target. “It’s early days but we’ve put an enormous amount of activity in place and I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made,” he said on a conference call. Jenkins is attempting to distance the bank from the aggressive, high-risk culture championed by Diamond, who left in July after Barclays was fined $450 million for rigging Libor interest rates. Other Diamond allies are also leaving the bank, including Tom Kalaris, head of the wealth management division. Most of the costs incurred so far on restructuring were in its European operations, where it has cut almost 2,000 jobs, and the investment bank, where it is axing 1,800. Barclays said its core capital ratio was 11 percent at the end of March, and would have been 8.4 percent if new Basel III rules were fully in force. Scrutiny on UK banks’ balance sheets has intensified after the Bank of England last month said lenders needed another 25 billion pounds of capital. Barclays said it would remain in constant dialogue with its regulators over its capital position, but said it was happy with its capital strength and ability to bolster it with earnings. — Reuters
LONDON: A branch of Barclays Bank, in London yesterday. Barclays PLC yesterday reported a return to profit in the first quarter, as it tries to restructure and get past recent scandals. — AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
BUSINESS
Real Estate Facilities Co holds general assembly Local real estate income generation portfolio reached KD11m KUWAIT: Real Estate Facilities Company, announced yesterday that its General Assembly has reviewed and approved the audited financial statements for year ending 31 March 2012. The company has expanded its local Real Estate Income Generating portfolio to reach a net profit of KD 11 million. Total Assets of the company as of 31 March 2012 amounted to KD 27.8 million with an increase of 1 percent since 31 March 2011, the company achieved profits of KD 343 thousand during the same year. Based on the reported profits for the year ending 31 March 2012, the Board of Directors proposed a distribution of 5 percent (5 fils per share) cash dividend. The General Assembly voted to accept this recommendation and it was passed by the required majority. Addressing the General Assembly meeting, AlHareth Abdulrazzaq Al-Khaled, Real Estate Facilities Company Chairman said: “The company has been con-
tinuously implementing its investment strategy and we have achieved a significant increase in our local Real Estate Income Generating portfolio. This portfolio has directly contributed to the company’s returns, and has enabled it to maintain liquidity of KD 5.7 million. This, in turn, allows us to exploit selective and diligent investment opportunities that are consistent with the creation of shareholder value”. Al-Khaled also commented: “Despite the uncertainty within the economic and political situation, our company’s strategy was clear. We have focused our investments on a series of successful real estate investments opportunities with limited risks, which contributed to achieve a profit of KD 343,000 to year ended 31 March 2012.” Al-Khaled added: “We believe that the Real Estate Facilities Company will continue its positive performance and expect to achieve higher returns on our capital going forward this year. We intend to deliver on this strat-
egy through increasing the size of income generating assets and seizing the growing number of opportunities including real estate investment.” Al-Khaled concluded: “The company’s continuing success and improved performance were the result of integrated and combined efforts. I would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all shareholders for their continued support. I would also like to extend our thanks to all governmental establishments, financial and commercial institutions who helped facilitate the company’s operations.” Real Estate Facilities Company was established in 2008 as a Kuwaiti Shareholding Company (closed), the company offers short-term, mid-term and long-term loans to individuals and bodies for purchasing and building various kinds of real estate. It also finances the activities of real estate companies, buys stocks, establishes, markets and manages real estate funds.
Al-Hareth Abdulrazzaq Al-Khaled
Zain Group finalizes three-year $700m revolving credit facility Facility to help meet funding needs
Ford makes waves in quality DUBAI: Ford Motor Company has been making waves in quality as it garnered several industry recognitions proving that its efforts in delivering world-class vehicles and technologies are bearing fruit and in fact, too big to go unnoticed. In a row of accolades one after the other, Ford has been recognized in different categories for outstanding value, styling and cost-efficiency. Ford dominated the US News & World Report 2013 Best Cars for the Money rankings, with six Ford vehicles offering consumers the most value. The 2013 Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge captured awards based on their outstanding value and critical acclaim. This marks the fourth year in a row Taurus reigns in the large car category, while for two straight years Edge is best midsize SUV, Fusion is the midsize champ and Fusion Hybrid is the best hybrid vehicle. US News & World Report determines the winner in each of 21 categories based on vehicle safety and reliability attributes as well as expert opinion.
When it comes to styling, Ford is also noticeable. The manufacturer’s new design language seems to work on every new vehicle that gets the treatment, paving the way for Fiesta, Focus, Fusion and Escape to be accorded the best-looking vehicles in their respective categories. The new Fusion is, in fact, Ford’s Best Redesigned Vehicle of 2013. Both the 2013 Ford Fusion and 2013 Ford Flex have been chosen by AAA Auto Buying experts as top sedan and crossover vehicle, respectively, for commuters. Both were cited for their cost efficiency and overall performance. Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s managing director said: “These recognitions are a remarkable testament to the success of the One Ford strategy of delivering quality vehicles that customers want. In the US and here in the Middle East, more and more customers appreciate the value and leadership of Ford products in terms of technology offerings, quality and craftsmanship, attractive dynamic design and great value for money.”
A Boeing 787 jet taxing following a test flight, at Boeing Field, in Seattle. — AP
Boeing earnings rise on tax credit NEW YORK: US aerospace giant Boeing yesterday reported higher first quarter earnings due to a tax credit, despite fewer deliveries of its problem-plagued Boeing 787. Net income for the quarter came in at $1.1 billion, up 20 percent from the year-earlier period of $923 million. That translated into earnings per share of $1.44. The earnings were boosted by a $145 million, or 19 cents per share gain, for a 2012 research and development tax credit. Revenues were $18.9 billion, down 3 percent from the same period last year. The tax credit and slightly lower expenses helped offset the effects of 2 percent lower operating earnings compared with last year. Boeing’s workforce was 173,100, down 1,300 from the year-earlier peri-
od. Boeing, which has said the 787 problems would not significantly affect company earnings, also reaffirmed its 2013 profit forecast. Boeing last week received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to implement its fix to the 787’s battery, which had overheated in some commercial flights. Boeing only delivered one 787 in the most recent quarter, down from five in the year-earlier period. Overall commercial deliveries were flat compared with last year at 137. “Our first priority in the days ahead is to fully restore our customers’ 787 fleets to service and resume production deliveries,” said chief executive officer Jim McNerney. “Our outlook for the year is positive, and our financial and delivery guidance is reaffirmed.” —AFP
KUWAIT: Zain Group announced yesterday the signing of a three-year $700 million Revolving Credit Facility to meet the company’s short to medium term funding needs for general corporate purposes. Al-Khalij Commercial Bank (Al-Khalij), Ahli United Bank BSC, Arab Bank Plc, Emirates NBD Capital Limited, National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC, Qatar National Bank S.A.Q. Group (QNB Group) and Standard Chartered Bank acted as the Mandated Lead Arrangers. Standard Chartered Bank and QNB Group also acted as Joint Coordinators. QNB Group is the Facility Agent. “Despite the challenging financial environment, the successful closing of this $700 million credit facility is a significant vote of confidence by the international financial community in Zain’s financial health and future business plans,” commented Scott Gegenheimer, CEO of Zain Group. “The new facility stretches out the maturity profile of the company’s indebtedness and significantly lowers its average funding cost.”
In recent years Zain has invested heavily in upgrading its mobile networks and in rolling out new services across all its operations. Most recently, the company introduced 4G LTE superfast broadband services to several key markets namely Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as well as extensively upgrading and expanding networks in Iraq, Jordan, Sudan and South Sudan. Additionally, in September 2012, Zain entered into a partner market agreement with Vodafone that will support Zain on multiple commercial and marketing levels in providing customers a more enriching mobile experience. Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and North Africa providing mobile voice and data services to over 42.7 million active customers as of 31 December, 2012. With a commercial presence in 8 countries, Zain operates in the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan. In Lebanon, the company manages ‘touch’ on behalf of the government.
Scott Gegenheimer, CEO of Zain Group
Air Arabia boosts Beirut flights to double daily
Xcite.com introduces ‘Insta-Buy’ KUWAIT: Kuwait’s largest e-commerce portal for consumer electronics www.xcite.com has recently redesigned its website adding new features and upgrading existing services. The new design has been created to appeal to the growing number of customers and increase in demand for distinguished quality of e-commerce services. The newly revamped website includes various enhanced features such as an improved content search, efficient arrangement of category tabs with detailed product listings, and finally a more visually appealing overall look and feel making it easier and more fun for customers to navigate and shop online. Adding to the excitement, xcite.com is also proud to introduce the ‘Insta-Buy’ feature, the first of its kind on any e-commerce website in Kuwait. This new feature offers customers a choice of saving their payment details to make future purchases with just few clicks. The ‘InstaBuy’ feature creates a faster purchasing process for the customer while ensuring a secure and safe online shopping experience. On behalf of xcite.com, Ali Maaz Head of Sales and Products E-Commerce said, “The aim of re-designing the e-commerce portal was inspired by the need to further enhance customer experience on the website and bring to them hassle-free online shopping. X-cite’s online team has been dedicated to exploring various approaches to create a user friendly website that features the latest in the world of electronics. We are enthusiastic about all the new and improved features and hope our customers will enjoy and benefit from them.” Xcite.com continues to bring new and differentiated products across all categories. Customers can now start their shopping and benefit from the online daily deals, exclusive online offers and convenient and secure methods of payments. For more information on xcite.com’s services and offers, customers can simply follow X-cite’s social media channels on Facebook.com/XcitebyAlGhanim, Instagram and Twitter on @xcitealghanim, X-cite blog on www.xciteblog.com or subscribe to the daily newsletter on www.xcite.com.
SHARJAH: Air Arabia, the first and the largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, announced yesterday the expansion of service to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, from the carrier’s primary hub in Sharjah, UAE, making it easier and more convenient for passengers to visit the capital city. The low-cost pioneer currently offers nine weekly flights to Beirut. Starting May 1, 2013, the carrier will offer flights 14 times per week, departing Sharjah International Airport daily at 08:00 and 18:15. Return flights depart Beirut International Airport daily at 12:00 and 22:15 (local time). “Beirut was among the first destinations we started serving when Air Arabia launched operations October 2003. Today’s
announcement further underscores Air Arabia’s commitment to Lebanese market, and we are proud to see services increased to double daily, thus connecting our customers in UAE and Lebanon with a great frequency and un-beatable fares,” said Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia. Since its launch, Air Arabia’s network has expanded to serve over 85 destinations from hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt. The airline’s passenger traffic climbed over 13 per cent to serve 5.3 million passengers in 2012. In the same year, the airline reported an impressive seat load factor of 82 per cent, indicating the strong demand for Air Arabia’s value for money services.
IKEA launches exciting summer sale campaign KUWAIT: IKEA Kuwait yesterday announced the launch of its much awaited summer sale campaign. Thousands of products across different areas of the home are now on excitingly low prices. The sale campaign at IKEA Kuwait store will offer visitors and shoppers the advantage to purchase products at discounted prices, where IKEA co-workers will be always around to offer solutions for every corner of the house. The products that are on sale range from living room furniture, bedroom and storage solutions, bathroom accessories, children’s furniture, cookware, textiles, decoration, lighting and many more are designed to help customers revitalize their homes with the missing pieces this summer. The IKEA Kuwait store offers its customers’ products that reflect value for money. IKEA sale campaign serves as a platform for customers to purchase some of their favorite IKEA products at even lower prices.
UK retools flagship credit scheme to help small firms LONDON: Britain sought to inject new life into the country’s stagnant economy yesterday by giving banks greater incentives to lend to small and medium-sized firms which complain they are starved of credit. The Bank of England and the Treasury said a new phase of their flagship Funding for Lending Scheme would be heavily skewed towards smaller firms. Banks taking part in the program will also now be able to lend to alternative providers of credit - such as leasing firms which often work with small companies - as well as mortgage and housing credit corporations. Under a third change, banks can get funding from the FLS for an extra year until the end of January 2015. The Bank of England and the government see a lack of credit to small businesses as a
major factor behind Britain’s very slow recovery from the financial crisis. Today, data could show the economy slipped into its third recession in under five years Finance minister George Osborne is under pressure to boost growth after concerns from the International Monetary Fund - previously a supporter of his austerity policies - said he may need to slow the pace of spending cuts. He announced measures to boost the housing market in March and employers groups welcomed Wednesday’s changes to the FLS. But they said it remained to be seen whether banks would become less risk-averse and lend to such borrowers as start-up firms. “What a lot of SMEs (small and mediumsized enterprises) will be looking for is money
actually getting to the front line on reasonable terms, and not just to the safe bets,” said Adam Marshall, policy director at the British Chambers of Commerce. Economists said the changes were not a game-changer for the economy. “The FLS is likely to provide a boost when confidence returns to the economy, but confidence is the elusive factor,” analysts at Barclays said in a note to clients. Alan Clarke, an economist at Scotiabank said the changes were probably a complement to more broad-based stimulus in the future by the Bank of England, and were unlikely to stop it from buying more government bonds later in the year. The original FLS was launched last August and offers banks cheap credit if they increase
lending to households and businesses. Results have been mixed, with benefits so far mainly going to banks and homebuyers rather than small businesses. Banks drew 14 billion pounds ($21 billion) in cheap funding from the Bank of England between August and the end of last year but the FLS failed to stop a decline in overall bank loans at the end of 2012, adding to pressure on the government to take more action. Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said the extension of the FLS would assure banks about their cheap funding rates. “This innovative extension will now do even more for small and medium-sized businesses so that they can play their full part in creating new jobs,” Osborne said in a statement.
One of the changes announced on Wednesday seeks to get credit to small and medium-sized firms flowing as soon as possible: for every pound of additional lending by banks to the sector in the remainder of 2013, the amount of funding that banks will be able to draw upon increases by 10 pounds. In 2014, that falls to five pounds of FLS funding for banks for every pound they lend to SMEs. Lending to other sectors will count on a one-for-one basis towards the allowance for banks accessing the scheme. Cormac Leech, a banking analyst at Liberum Capital, said the 10-to-1 ratio to increase bank lending to small firms this year would help banks such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds, which are Britain’s biggest business lenders.—Reuetrs
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
technology
Galaxy S4 decent, but filled with gimmicks One of the sharpest screens By Anick Jesanun
MANILA: Illac Diaz displays a recycled plastic mineral water container equipped with an inexpensive solar powered bulb that can be used to light homes for as long as five hours at the launch of a Solar Pavilion at the Rizal Park in Manila yesterday. Diaz launched the “Liter of Light” nationwide campaign yesterday to rally at the grassroots level to “address the pressing issues of environmental destruction, using resources in a sustainable manner, and rethink the way the people look at waste materials.” —AP
Samsung S4 aims to bite fresh chunk of Apple market share SEOUL: Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy smartphone goes on sale this week, as the South Korean giant seeks to cement its lead over faltering rival Apple in an increasingly saturated market. The Galaxy S4, armed with eye motion control technology that will pause a video when the user looks away, comes with a faster chip and is thinner and lighter than the previous S3 model. Unveiled last month at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the touchscreen device goes on sale in South Korea on Friday and will roll out globally over the weekend. The release of the Galaxy S4 comes as Samsung finds itself at something of a crossroads in a market that was once dominated by Apple’s iPhone. After years of following and refining the iPhone’s pioneering innovations a strategy that resulted in bitter patent battles with Apple-Samsung has dethroned its California-based rival to become the world’s top smartphone maker. With that title has come increasing pressure for Samsung to shed its copycat label and come up with its own game-changing innovations. “Samsung has entered territory that it hasn’t been in before, and sales of the S4 will show if can sustain its newfound status in the market,” James Song, analyst at KDB Daewoo Securities, told AFP. Recent smartphone launches have lost something of the glamour and excitement that surrounded the early iPhone releases, in part because they are seen as offering incremental technology upgrades rather than breaking new ground. The S4’s features include a high-definition, five-inch (12.7-centimeter) screen, enhanced picture-taking capabilities and the capacity to translate to and from nine languages. Its release has been preceded by a massive promotional campaign-from the glitzy launch in New York to lighting up the sails of Sydney’s iconic opera house on Tuesday night with images shot by ordinary Australians.
Samsung-the world’s largest technology firm by value and also the top handset maker-has boasted stellar sales growth, setting new records for operating profit in every single quarter of last year. First quarter results due Friday are expected to show a 53 percent surge in operating profit from a year ago to 8.7 trillion won ($7.7 billion), largely fuelled by smartphone sales. Samsung is estimated to have shipped 65 million smartphones globally in the first three months of 2013, for a market share of around 30 percent, according to Taiwanese analyst firm DRAMeXchange. Apple by contrast, reported Tuesday that its quarterly profit had dipped for the first time in nearly a decade, with DRAMeXchange estimating its iPhone shipments at 37.5 million units for a 15.3 percent market share. But Apple’s iPhone commands a profit margin double that of Samsung’s smartphone stable which holds a much wider range of devices for both low- and high-end buyers. “Samsung still has a very long way to establish itself as a leader, not a chaser, considering it has never had a genius in innovation like Steve Jobs,” said Song. “But Jobs is no longer at Apple either and the company is struggling. That may help Samsung earn some time to come up with ways to become a market leader in every sense,” he added. J.K. Shin, the head of Samsung’s mobile unit, said verdicts from global wireless operators to the Galaxy S4 had been “far more positive” than with previous models and predicted of a “good result” ahead. More than 41 million units of the Galaxy S3 have been sold globally since its release last May, while the first and second editions racked up sales of 25 million and 40 million respectively. Song said the S4 had the potential to reach the 80 million sales mark by taking advantage of Apple’s recent problems with supply chain disruption. —AFP
Apple to dole out $100bn to shareholders NEW YORK: Apple is opening the doors to its bank vault, saying it will distribute $100 billion in cash to its shareholders by the end of 2015. At the same time, the company said revenue for the current quarter could fall from the year before, which would be the first decline in many years. Apple CEO Tim Cook also suggested that the company won’t release any new products until the fall, contrary to expectations that there would be a new iPhone and iPads out this summer. Apple Inc. on Tuesday said it will expand its share buyback program to $60 billion - the largest buyback authorization in history. It is also raising its dividend by 15 percent from $2.65 to $3.05 per share. The dividend yield will be about 3 percent at current stock prices. The average yield for the top 20 dividend-paying companies in the U.S. is 3.1 percent, according to Standard & Poor’s. Investors have been clamoring for Apple to give them access to its cash hoard, which ended March at an unprecedented $145 billion. Apple’s tight grip on its cash, along with the lack of groundbreaking new products, has been blamed for the steep decline in its stock price over the winter. News of the cash bonanza coincided with the company’s release of a poor quarterly outlook for the three-month period that ends in June. Apple released its fiscal second quarter earnings after the stock market closed Tuesday. The company’s stock initially rose 5 percent to $425 in extended trading, then retreated $2.63, or 0.7 percent, to $403.50 as the CEO talked about new products arriving in the fall. The shares are still down 40 percent from a peak of $705.07 hit on Sept. 21, when the iPhone 5 went on sale. “The decline in Apple’s stock price over the last couple of quarters has been very frustrating for all of us ... but we’ll continue to do what we do best,” CEO Tim Cook said
on a conference call with analysts after the release of the results. But he reinforced that the company’s job is not to boost its stock price in the short term. “The most important objective for Apple will always be creating innovative products,” he added. Apple’s results beat the consensus estimate of analysts who follow the company, though it posted its first profit decline in ten years. Net income was $9.5 billion, or $10.09 per share, down 18 percent from $11.6 billion, or $12.30 per share, in the same period a year ago. Revenue was $43.6 billion, up 11 percent from last year’s $39.2 billion. Analysts were expecting earnings of $9.97 per share on revenue of $42.3 billion, according to FactSet. For the quarter that just started, Apple said it expects sales of $33.5 billion to $35.5 billion. In the same quarter last year, sales were $35 billion. Wall Street was expecting sales of $38 billion. The June quarter is generally a weak one for Apple, since consumers tend to wait for the next iPhone, which the company usually releases in the fall. But a yearover-year decline is a signal that Apple is failing to capitalize on the continued growth of smartphone sales. Sales are tapering off in US and other mature markets, and not many consumers in India and China can afford iPhones. “Our fiscal 2012 results were incredibly strong and that’s making comparisons very difficult this year,” said Cook. Apple shipped 37.4 million iPhones in the latest quarter, up 7 percent from a year ago. That confounded expectations that shipments might fall, but it was still a weak number compared to many previous quarters, when shipments doubled year over year. The average wholesale price of an iPhone also fell to $613 as Apple cut the price of its oldest model, the iPhone 4, to appeal to buyers in developing countries. —AP
NEW YORK: I’ve seen Android phones get better and more powerful over the years, as Google and phone manufacturers pack devices with more and more features. There comes a time, though, when less is more. I’m afraid we’ve reached that time. Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 smartphone is an excellent device from a hardware standpoint. Measuring 5 inches diagonally, the screen is slightly larger than that on its predecessor, the Galaxy S III. Yet the S4 is a tad lighter and smaller overall. The S4’s display is also much sharper, at 441 pixels per inch compared with 272 on the S III. The S4 has one of the sharpest screens out there. The Android operating system it runs is excellent, too, and in recent years the Google-made system has become a healthy competitor to Apple’s iOS system for iPhones. Like most Android phones, the S4 comes with a suite of useful Google apps, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps and the voice assistant Google Now. Because Google lets device makers customize Android to suit their needs, Samsung and others have been adding their own distinguishing features. And that’s the source of the problem. Packed with bags of tricks, phones have become way too complicated for many people to use. In some cases it’s because these custom features work only some of the time. In other cases, you’re confronted with too many ways to do similar things. As much as Apple can be criticized for exerting control over what goes on its iPhones, it wins on simplicity. There are no competing agendas - just Apple’s. By contrast, Android has turned into a free-for-all. For instance, the Sprint version of the S4 phone has at least four different ways to watch video - one that comes standard with Android, one added by Sprint and two added by Samsung. Some content works with one but not the others. And to watch video on one of the Samsung apps, the one called Samsung Hub, you have to navigate through two screens trying to sell you video that I couldn’t get to work on the other apps. As much as it adds to the clutter, Samsung would rather you use its service and not the standard Android one. That way, Samsung rather than Google gets revenue from video sales. Samsung Electronics Co. has its own app store, too, to rival Google’s own Play store on the same device. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider buying the S4. Another highly praised phone, HTC Corp.’s One, has a lot of clutter as well. The display on the One is slightly smaller than S4’s, but it has a higher resolution. The One sounds better, too, with front-facing speakers, while the S4 has a speaker on the back. The One might be the one for you if you watch a lot of video and listen to a lot of music. But the One feels heavier and bulkier, and its battery
holds less charge than the S4. The four national wireless carriers, plus U.S. Cellular, Leap Wireless’ Cricket and C Spire, will sell the S4 in the United States. Release dates vary, and some will start this week. Expect to pay $150 to $250 up front with two-year contracts (T-Mobile calls them installment plans as it markets contract-free service). Despite my complaints with all the add-ons on the S4, a number of them show promise: ● Easy Mode. It’s not entirely new, as the S III and the Galaxy Note 2 have it, too. But Samsung makes that option more prominent when people set up the S4 for the first time. Icons in Easy Mode are larger,
doing. Samsung has this feature on the Galaxy Note 2 phone, but that’s designed for use with a stylus. On the S4, you simply hover over the entry with your finger. I wish it would work with more apps. For instance, you can use it with Android’s generic email app, but you can’t on the one made specifically for Gmail. All of these would benefit from being part of Android rather than an add-on from Samsung. Easy Mode would truly be easy if it were designed from the start that way rather than as something that couldn’t fully separate itself from the main Android. More apps would work with Multi Window and Air View if they were standard features,
With Air Gesture, you wave your hand over a sensor for such tasks as browsing a photo album or scrolling through text. I can see it being useful when you need to answer a call while driving (not that you should), but I had difficulty getting the phone to respond properly with photos and Web pages. It reminds me of automated water faucets that won’t let me wash my hands no matter how much motion I make. Fortunately, the phone comes with many of these features already turned off, and you can turn off others you don’t need or want. It took me a while to figure out that the Wi-Fi connection on my phone kept mysteriously turning on by
NEW YORK: In this March 14, 2013 file photo, attendees try out the new Samsung Galaxy S4 during the Samsung Unpacked event at Radio City Music Hall in New York. —AP so you are less likely to hit the wrong one and have to figure out how to go back. You also get fewer choices for customizing the phone and using its camera, so there’s less confusion about which to pick. Easy Mode isn’t as easy to use as I would have liked, though, because features and settings from the regular mode creep in now and then. Multi Window. Again, this feature isn’t entirely new, but it’s the first time I noticed it. It allows you to run two apps side by side, the way you’ve long been able to on traditional computers. That means I can keep up with Facebook on the top half of the screen, as I send email from the bottom half about all the dumb things my friends are saying on Facebook. Unfortunately, it works with a limited number of apps. Foursquare and Instagram aren’t among them. And I needed an online video tutorial to figure it out. * Air View. When you point to an email or calendar entry with your finger, you see contents pop up in a bubble. That way, you don’t have to open the entry and find the back button to return to what you were
not ones app makers have to adapt for one by one. And then there are some features that got in the way: ● I mentioned the competing ways to watch video and buy apps. Another is Smart Pause, which automatically pauses video when your look away from the screen. The phone’s front camera detects your eyes. Smart, but the feature also pauses the video when you cover your eyes, say, to avoid a gory scene in a horror movie. It’s as if the phone is forcing you to look. And there are few times my eyes are glued to video. I typically multitask and watch video while doing other things. Smart Scroll detects the tilt of your head or the phone to automatically scroll text, such as when you’re reading a long article on a Web browser. Smart, but it sometimes scrolls past what I want to read. It’s difficult to move the text back without touching the screen, something Smart Scroll is supposed to eliminate. And at times, I have to keep my neck up in an uncomfortable position to stop scrolling.
itself because of some feature called Smart Mode. So Smart Mode is now off. Group Play is a feature that lets you share music and photos with other S4 users on the same Wi-Fi network. But I don’t know of any S4 users, and it doesn’t work with Group Play on the S III. I couldn’t uninstall the app, so I buried that in a new folder called Junk. The S4 has plenty of other features I could dismiss. Some might like the camera’s ability to erase a stray individual out of photos or to combine several images of motion into a single shot. But I’m a purist, and I’m not a fan of manipulating images. And the feature for using the phone as a TV remote control? That’s what remote controls are for. I shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time customizing the phone to turn off or hide what I don’t want. Many people never change the default settings. I’ve been using the S III as my main phone since July, and I’ve rarely found a need to reach into its bag of tricks. I simply want a phone that is easy to use. The S4 can be that, but first you must figure out how to hide all its gimmicks. —AP
BlackBerry Q10, the keyboard strikes back NEW YORK: The BlackBerry has finally caught up to the world of touch-screen smartphones. It took time six years, from the launch of the first iPhone - and it may be too late to save the company that makes it. But the BlackBerry deserves to be taken seriously again. Why? Because the new BlackBerry Q10 from Research In Motion Ltd. is a successful marriage of the modern touch-screen smartphone and the iconic BlackBerry keyboard. Though it can be hard to remember, the keyboard used to be a standard feature on smartphones, before the iPhone wiped our minds with its vision of touchscreen Utopia. Since then, keyboards have been disappearing from smartphones. Physical keyboards just didn’t fit into the design mold set by the iPhone. Palm Inc. created a credible, innovative smartphone with a physical keyboard, but it was a slide-out version, which made the keyboard seem like a burden and an afterthought. There have also been Android phones with physical keyboards, but they haven’t been very good, and they’ve mostly disappeared. Meanwhile, RIM has continued to make welldesigned phones with physical keyboards. But until now, it hasn’t gotten the software running them quite right. Even with physical keyboards, modern phones need touch screens to control movies, games and other tasks beyond the BlackBerry’s roots in messaging. RIM has experimented with touch screens, but has been partly hamstrung by the pre-touch foundations of its operating system. After numerous delays, RIM finally came out with a modern operating system this year, the BlackBerry 10. The company considers it crucial to its future, as the BlackBerry seeks to recapture relevance lost to the iPhone and Android devices. RIM’s first phone with the new software, the BlackBerry Z10, is a touch-only device. With the Q10, we really get to see how it works with a keyboard. On BlackBerrys, the keyboard has always been about more than filling in text fields, and the new operating system takes that further. If you want to send a tweet about what you’re eating for lunch, just pick up the phone, unlock it and type “tweet Turkey sandwich
again today.” Hit Enter, and now the world knows about your boring fare before you’ve even had a bite. Just as you can on some older BlackBerrys, you can also launch applications by typing. If you want to play “Angry Birds,” instead of flicking through screens to look for the icon, you can just start typing “Ang” and the game icon pops up. Again, that’s fast. The keyboard is handy for music, too. If you’re in the apps screen, just start typing the name of the song or artist you’re looking for, and up it comes. I haven’t used a keyboard-equipped phone in years, but the Q10 makes it very tempting. There’s no getting around it: it’s a faster, more accurate way to type, even compared with innovations such as Swype, which lets
you “type” by swiping your finger from letter to letter. The keyboard eats up space that could be devoted to a bigger screen, of course. But RIM has saved some space by eliminating the big buttons that resided between the screen and the keyboard on older BlackBerrys. This results in a larger, square screen. It’s very sharp and colorful, too. To some extent, the screen compensates for its small size with a high resolution, which allows it to present a lot of information, as long as you’re willing to hold it close and read small type. U.S. phone companies haven’t yet said when they’ll sell the Q10, but expect it by the end of May for about $250 with a two-year contract. It’s coming to RIM’s home country of Canada on May 1. —AFP
TORONTO: A BlackBerry Q10 smartphone is displayed in Toronto yesterday. In the Q10, the keyboard and touchscreen work together. On BlackBerrys, the keyboard has always been about more than filling in text fields, and the new operating system takes that further. —AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
UK review warns on cosmetic injections, urges tougher rules LONDON: Cosmetic treatment needs tougher regulation, particularly over the use of injectable antiwrinkle fillers, which are a “crisis waiting to happen”, according to a British review of the multibillion-dollar sector. An independent panel, commissioned by the government in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal last year, said yesterday that dermal fillers should always need a prescription and only qualified people be allowed to use them. Bruce Keogh, the National Health Service medical director who led the review, said non-surgical interventions such as fillers, Botox and laser therapy accounted for
nine out of 10 cosmetic procedures but were “almost entirely unregulated”. “In fact, a person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection and redress than someone buying a ballpoint pen or a toothbrush,” his review said. Dermal fillers were a particular cause for concern as anyone could set up as a practitioner, with no training requirement, resulting in explosive market growth. “It is our view that dermal fillers are a crisis waiting to happen,” the review said. In the United States, where dermal fillers are regulated by the Food
and Drug Administration, just 14 are available, including products from the likes of Botox-maker Allergan, Valeant and Merz. Britain, by contrast, has anywhere between 140 and 190 dermal fillers on the market. In future, fillers should be regulated as medical devices, like other implantable items, the review argued, and all those performing cosmetic interventions should be registered. The review also proposed that a national breast implant registr y be established within 12 months to provide better monitoring and
ensure device safety, following shortcomings exposed by the PIP scandal. More than 40,000 British women were given substandard silicone breast implants made by French firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), among hundreds of thousands worldwide. Health minister Dan Poulter said he agreed with the principles of the review and the government would respond in detail in the summer. Cosmetic treatments are a booming business in Britain, with sales totaling 2.3 billion pounds in 2010 and forecast to rise to 3.6 billion by 2015, the review said. — Reuters
Cheetahs in race to survive
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Celebrity chef recipes may be bad for your health LONDON: The dabs of butter and splashes of cream in recipes of celebrity chefs may be impressive on the plate, but not necessarily so good for your health. Research published in the Food and Public Health journal by University of Coventry scientists said yesterday that recipes of celebrity chefs were “exacerbating” health problems such as obesity in Britain by encouraging people to eat fatty dishes. Television shows and top-selling books by chefs such as Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver and Delia Smith as well as TV cooking competitions MasterChef and the Great British Bake Off have legions of eager fans testing out recipes. But researchers at Coventry’s health professions department found that 87 percent of the 904 recipes from the 26 cooks they tested fell substantially short of the British government’s healthy eating recommendations. “If people regularly use the recipes found in these cookbooks, it could be that celebrity chefs are exacerbating public health nutrition issues in the UK,” study author and Coventry senior lecturer
Ricardo Costa said. The study comes just months after a survey, published in the British Medical Journal, found that recipes by TV chefs, including Oliver and Lawson, were less healthy than ready meals. The researchers refused to say which chefs’ recipes they tested, but said they had sampled randomly from best-selling books and websites in such a way as to ensure a balanced representation of different types of meals. “This study is not about naming and shaming celebrity chefs. However, given the level of trust the public tends to place in the nutritional integrity of these cooks’ recipes it’s important to highlight where they’re falling short of healthy eating benchmarks,” Costa said. After an analysis of each of the recipes, the academics discovered that only 13 percent used ingredients that presented an overall nutritional composition that would be considered healthy in accordance with benchmarks set by Britain’s Food Standards Agency.—Reuters
JOHANNESBURG: The cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal, survived mass extinction during the last ice age 10,000 years ago. But it has taken just the last few decades for man to place the hunter on the endangered species list, with experts warning it could disappear from the wild by 2030. Unlike rhinos and elephants, the cheetah is not a target in Africa’s poaching bloodbath. But it is the only big cat to adapt poorly in wildlife reserves as its natural habitat is increasingly wiped out. “Cheetahs don’t do well in protected wildlife reserves due to increased competition from other larger predators, such as lions and hyenas, which thrive in protected areas,” Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia told AFP. “Most protected areas are unable to maintain viable cheetah populations,” she added. In the early 20th century, the global cheetah population was around 100,000 with populations throughout Africa, the Middle East and several Asian countries. There are barely 10,000 in the wild today, in Africa, and a small population in Iran which is critically endangered. According to big cat NGO Panthera, cheetahs have disappeared from 77 percent of their original territory in Africa. The International Union of the Conservation of Nature lists the southern African species as vulnerable. “The main limitation to the survival of the species in the wild is reduction and fragmentation of habitat as well as human wildlife conflict,” said Marker. If no special measures are taken, wild cheetah will disappear by 2030, according to Panthera. The greyhound like cat, with its distinctive tear, stain, like facial markings and spotted golden coat, is a consistent loser in confrontations with lions or leopards which are heavier and more powerful. Even in a good scenario, its prey will be stolen before it has a chance to feed. In the worst cases, the cheetah will be killed. The sprinter, which reaches speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (74 miles per hour), needs vast open spaces with a low density of fellow carnivores to thrive. In Africa, it is estimated that 90 percent of cheetahs live alongside humans where they are often in conflict with livestock farms. Another handicap it faces is natural inbreeding dating back to the last ice age when the global population plunged. As a result, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, every cheetah today is as closely related as if they were twins, leading to a genetic bottleneck. This puts the cheetah in an unenviable position. To enable the mixing of genes, they need a greater range than other animals to be able to freely migrate. But as humans increasingly encroach on its environment, this has become even more difficult. Researchers know that isolated micro-populations of threatened species lead to rapid extinction. So in the short-term, the easily tamed animal is being raised in captivity. Private farmers, notably in South Africa, exchange individuals to maintain a healthy population. A pioneer of this approach is the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre near Johannesburg, which has achieved 800 births since the 1970s. It’s an encouraging figure for the survival of the species. But what lies ahead for those in the wild? “Our research and experience shows that even wild cheetahs that have not had at least 18 months of life with a mother in their natural habitat have a difficult time being re -wilder,” said the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s Marker. “They simply don’t learn the survival skills necessary to sustain themselves in the wild.”
INVERDOORN: French Damien Vergnaud poses with one of his cheetahs. “A cheetah born in captivity, one that never has the experience of living in the wild with its mother, would have virtually no chance of success if released.” Against these odds, some game farm owners are hoping for miracles. Damien Vergnaud is one of them. In the desert like Karoo, a few hours from Cape Town, he owns the 10,000 hectare Inverdoorn private reserve. “We hope to soon release three cheetahs in a totally wild environment, with minimal human interaction,” he told AFP. The Cheetah Conservation Fund would like to see the cat’s range boosted, not by traditional means of snapping up large areas of land, but through corridors that allow them to move freely. “We’d like to see the cheetah’s range increasing, with populations linked with each other through corridors, and even see cheetahs reintroduced to former range countries, like India,” said Marker.— AFP
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
W H AT ’ S O N
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AUK students perform marvelously in first Foundation Level University Challenge
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ishing our lovely daughter “Shagufta Anjum” a beautiful 3rd Birthday on April 24, 2012 filled with smiles and joy. On this special day we are wishing you a whole lot of sweet happiness and blessings today and always. Let Almighty Allah bless you with good health and bright future. Lots of loves & wishes from - Loving Mommy & Daddy, brother Yusuf Ali, Grandparents, Tanveer, Zaheer, Imthiyaz, Khadeer, Munwar, Hakeem (FICO), Habeeb, all friends & relatives in Kuwait and India.
Announcements NAFO ‘Samanwayam’ he 10th anniversary of NAFO Kuwait will be celebrated on May 10 at the American International School Auditorium from 6pm onwards. Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta will inaugurate the event. Former Indian Ambassador to the US and the United Nations T P Sreenivasan and NSS Director Board Member Pandalam Sivankutty will be guests of honor. NAFO will also present an eclectic dance drama ‘Krishna’ which is conceived and choreographed by Padmashri Shobana. She will be accompanied by a 15-member troupe from Kalarpana Chennai and supported by Oscar winner Rasool Pookkutty. It has voice-overs in English by film personalities such as Irrfan Khan, Konkonasen, Shabaana Azmi, John Abraham, Prakash Raj, Stephen Devassy and P Rajeevan.
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uwait Ten American University of Kuwait (AUK) students departed Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) last Thursday with smiles on their faces - they had, after all, come in second place in the Math competition, and were the champions of the English competition. The first annual Foundation Level University Challenge was held at GUST on April 18, and participating institutes included the American University of Kuwait (AUK), the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK), Box Hill College (BHC), and the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST). AUK came in second place for the Math competition with a score of 47, while ACK took the top spot with a score of 59, but this order was reversed when AUK’s English team won with a landslide score of 102, while ACK came in second with 85. BHC and GUST came in third and fourth, respectively, for the English competition, and vice versa for the Math. Within the University Challenge, there were four sections: the arithmetic section, the spelling bee, the algebra solve, and the sentence game. The sum of the scores for the arithmetic and algebra sections determined the winner of the Math competition, just as the sum of the spelling and sentence sections determined the winner of the English competition. Each university could have a team of five members four participants and one alternate - for each portion of the game. AUK’s Math team, coached by Professor Monique Livsey of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, was composed of ten team members, while AUK’s English team, coached by Professor Alison Larkin Koushki of the Intensive English Program (IEP), was composed of five team members. Livsey praised her students for their outstanding work, saying, “I would just like to congratulate all the Math team members for their efforts and heartfelt commitment to success. I am proud of both the Math 095 and Math 100 teams, and look forward to working at a win for
next year!” Koushki was similarly congratulatory, saying, “My team worked hard for weeks and never faltered in the slightest. What really impressed me was how they took the heat on the day of the event. With all eyes on them, they stayed calm and focused under pressure. IEP’s really got talent.” Clearly, the coaches were extremely pleased with their students’ performances this year, and look forward to continuing their successes in the years to come. Of the event, VIP attendee Rusty Bruns, Director of Information Technology, said, “It was a pleasure attending the University Challenge, and I was very proud of our students and how they performed. One first place and one second place finish - AMAZING. One could even make the case that it should have been two firstplace finishes. I was also so proud of how our students conducted themselves; they were extremely professional. They represented AUK very well.” Director of the Intensive English Program, Rebecca Sanchez-Loomis, had many congratulations to offer the students. She expressed her”congratulations to both the AUK English and Math teams,” saying that, “they did an outstanding job competing for the first time in a new environment under time pressure.” SanchezLoomis said she was very impressed with the Math team’s comeback during the competition, and praised the “skilled guidance of Ms. MoniqueLivsey and her team of coaches” and that she knows that “the AUK Math team will take that trophy home from the next University Challenge.” Sanchez-Loomis also stated that she”expected nothing less than the hard work of Ms. Alison [Larkin] Koushki, whose tireless energy and enthusiasm, [combined] with the advanced skill of her selected team of IEP students and their coaches, kept our team ahead of the pack through most of the English competition.” The support from the participants’ fellow classmates and teachers”kept the excitement of the competition alive, and kept
the judges in line when any mistakes were made,” according to Sanchez-Loomis, concluding that, “overall, it was a proud day for AUK in its first University Challenge of the Foundation Programs sponsored by GUST.” The true celebrants of AUK’s success, however, were the students that made it possible. Below is a list of the participants in this year’s Foundation Level University Challenge: Math team coach: Monique Livsey Arithmetic Team: Mohammed Abdulsalam, Bashayer Al-Terkait, Farah Homaidan, Dana Jaber, Dan Al-Hassan Algebra Team: Darin Kablaoui, Sara Lubbad, Nada Al-Kharashi, Zaid Al-Hadlaq, ShaimaaKanderi English team coach: Alison Larkin Koushki English Team (both events): MarjanZiaeiNafchi, Sarah Al-Shatri, Fatemah Al-Attar, Mariam Al-Wazzan, Haya Khaled Al-Rashed Said the English team captain, Sarah AlShatri, after the event, “‘Believing is the key to every success’ - from the beginning, I believed that we would definitely win, so that motivated me to work even harder
and to do my best.” It seems like at least one of her teammates, Fatemah Al-Attar, was still stunned by the victory, saying, “I think that it was a great experience, and I’ve never won first place in anything before, so I still cannot believe that we won!” But perhaps the person who best summed up the successes (Math and English) and feelings of the day was Mariam Al-Wazzan, another competitor, who said simply, “I just want to say that nothing is impossible, and you can always achieve whatever you want in life if you have passion, determination, and motivation.” The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an independent, private, equal opportunity, and co-educational liberal arts institution of higher education. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning. The language of instruction is English. More information on the American University of Kuwait can be found atwww.auk.edu.kw
‘Shaastrotsav 2013’ tomorrow haastrotsav, the Festival of Science, which is the most popular science and technology event in Kuwait, will be held on Friday, April 26. This year NSS College of Engineering Alumni (Kuwait Chapter) and the Institution of Engineers (India) Kuwait Chapter are jointly organizing ‘Shaastrotsav’ which will be held at Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS), Kuwait. 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.
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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.
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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 (9-12). 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.
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Al-Najat Intermediate Boys School in Hawally held a celebration to honor its outstanding students in midterm yesterday. Talal Islam Al-Sharaa, an 8th grader who placed first on all 8th graders. His parents and uncles wished him all the best.
GUST MBA program organize lecture on online fraud
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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) MBA program organized a lecture for its students as a part of the Itqan Academy cooperation with Boubyan Bank entitled: Online Fraud: How to protect yourself and your business, which was given byHassan Abouzeid, Executive Manager of Direct Banking Channels with solid experience in technology, business and operations. Abouzeid has a track record spanning 25 years in advising financial institutions, managing banking
operations, developing strategies, delivering complex projects and leading change initiatives. Prior to joining Boubyan Bank in 2012 as the Head of Direct Channels, he was the Chief Information Officer for HSBC Egypt for 6 years. Prior to that, he was a Senior Banking Technology Consultant for over 15 years, working for Logica and Accenture, where he participated and led many high profile change initiatives for over 20 banks in the Middle East and Europe.
Within the lecture, he discussed the risks involved with online transactions and the many intricate ways that a consumer and a business can implement to avoid online fraud. It is an ongoing and increasing problem worldwide which banks and other corporations are continuously working on solving and improving defenses against. The students were engaged throughout the lecture and Abouzeid welcomed all questions and answered them thoroughly.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
W H AT ’ S O N
Embassy
Sebamed goes Instagram
BSK attends Festival of Literature in Dubai
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SK’s first visit to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai took place when ten students accompanied Miss Helen Graham and Mr 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 students 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.
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e are glad to inform you that we have 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. See page 7 For Details On Sebamed Contest.. Be Ready.. Join Us.. All Are Welcome.
GUST MBA organizes seminar about high level IT in Business
Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm. nnnnnnn
EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn
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ISHREF, Kuwait - April 18, 2013. The Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) MBA program organized a seminar in collaboration with the American Embassy in Kuwait to talk about high level IT in business with Mr. GedionYohannes, Information Management Specialist from the American Embassy Kuwait/IPC. Yohannes briefly shared his background and experience with the students the started to discuss the importance of IT where it facilitates better financial controls, introduces the hardware and software that gives the foundation of the infrastructure that supports businesses and helps to improve
business outcomes through streamlined processes. Yohannes then moved on to talk about the importance of aligningthe IT strategy with the businessstrategy. “One must always include IT from the beginning,” he noted while sharing a real life bank merger example to illustrate the importance of this point. The final part of the seminar circled around the key elements of a successful IT unit, which includes specialization, focus on investments and a leader that understands the value of IT, to name a few. It was an unexpected topic for the students, but by the end they understood and began to appreciate the value of keeping IT in their minds from the start of the business.
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
KNES students visit Kuwait Zoo
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he Early Years children of Kuwait National English School were pleased to visit a wonderful variety of animals at the Kuwait Zoo recently. The children love this trip as they can share their knowledge and learn more about animals and their environment. Kuwait National English School would like to thank the Kuwait Zoo for providing this opportunity for our youngest and brightest.
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EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature (Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait presents its compliments to Kuwait Times Newspaper, and has the honor to inform the same that the Apostolic Nunciature has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066. Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com nnnnnnn
EMBASSY GREECE
Punalur fest
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unalur NRI association Kuwait chapter is organizing Punalur Fest 2013 (cultural event) and its 8th annual day. The program will be held at United Indian School, Abbasia on 23rd May 2013, Thursday evening 5.30 pm onwards. The aim of this program is for a” home for homeless” and poor and needy in Pathanapuram Thaluk. The main attraction of this event will be variety of cultural performance. Patron of the organization Jacob Channapetta released a coupon for the program during the executive committee meeting held in Abbasia. The executive committee nominated the following members
Embassy Australian On the occasion of ANZAC Day, the Australian Embassy wishes to advise that it will be closed on Thursday, 25 April 2013. The Embassy will reopen on Sunday 28 April 2013.
as conveners for the success of the program, Georji George, Rajan Edamulackal, Bovas Kulathupuzha, Abey M Babu, Mintu Cherian, Mathew Alex, Shijin Jose, Joju Thomas, Shaji Rasheed Punalur, Achankutty Anchal, Alexander Phiolip, John K Abraham, Stanley John Mathew, Biju Mathai, Prathapan, and Ajay Kumar. All NRI’s from Pathanapuram Thaluk can be registered their names. Prominent personalities/ dignitaries from Kuwait and India, and members of various organizations, large number of Indian public from all fields/ areas of Kuwait will attend this Punalur Fest.
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 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.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
TV PROGRAMS
00:45 Up Close And Dangerous 01:10 Up Close And Dangerous 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wild Hawaii 03:15 Wildest Islands 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 09:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 10:05 Wild Hawaii 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 Call Of The Wildman 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Safari Vet School 13:15 Safari Vet School 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wild Hawaii 15:30 Orangutan Island 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101 17:25 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 18:20 Project Puppy 18:45 Project Puppy 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Rescue Vet 20:10 Call Of The Wildman 20:35 Orangutan Island 21:05 Wild Appalachia 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 Fashion Fix 03:05 Coastal Kitchen 03:30 Cash In The Attic 04:10 Bargain Hunt 04:55 Britain’s Dream Homes 05:45 Gok’s Fashion Fix 06:35 New Scandinavian Cooking 07:00 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 07:25 The Good Cook 07:55 Baking Made Easy 08:20 Homes Under The Hammer 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:55 Antiques Roadshow 10:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:15 Come Dine With Me 13:05 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 13:30 New Scandinavian Cooking 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 Baking Made Easy 19:20 New Scandinavian Cooking 19:45 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
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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
04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 Hardtalk 18:00 Global With John Sopel 18:30 Global With John Sopel 19:00 Global With John Sopel 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk
00:45 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:00 05:25 05:45 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:15 07:40 08:05 08:30 08:55 09:45 10:10 10:35 11:00 11:25 11:50 12:40 13:00 13:25 13:50 14:20 14:45 15:10 15:35 16:00 16:25 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:10
Wacky Races Duck Dodgers Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Ha Ha Hairies Bananas In Pyjamas Lazytown Krypto: The Super Dog Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Lazy Town Baby Looney Tunes Krypto: The Super Dog Cartoonito Tales Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Lazy Town Jelly Jamm Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Moomins Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tiny 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
20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50
Puppy In My Pocket What’s New Scooby-Doo? Looney Tunes Dexter’s Laboratory
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
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DO NO HARM 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 Sanjay Gupta MD World Business Today World One Winning Post The Gateway Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East CNN Football Club Winning Post The Gateway International Desk Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Europe
22:00 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 Futurecar 08:45 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior:... 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 Flying Wild Alaska 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 The Tech Show 00:30 Weird Connections 01:00 NASA’s Greatest Missions 01:50 Weird Or What? 02:45 Space Pioneer 03:35 NASA’s Greatest Missions 04:25 Kings Of Construction 05:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 07:00 Food Factory 07:25 Food Factory 07:50 Curiosity 08:40 Gadget Show - World Tour 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 Smash Lab 10:25 Nextworld 11:15 Kings Of Construction 12:05 Moon Machines 13:00 Curiosity 13:50 Weird Connections 14:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 Food Factory 15:35 Food Factory 16:00 Smash Lab 16:55 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 17:45 Kings Of Construction 18:35 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 19:30 Food Factory 19:55 Food Factory 20:20 Curiosity 21:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 Food Factory 22:25 Food Factory 22:50 The Science Of Fear And Lust 23:40 Gadget Show - World Tour
00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:35 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 17:30 17:50 17:55 18:20 18:40 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45
Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Doc McStuffins 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 Minnie And You Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Minnie And You 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 Los Angeles Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana
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Scouted Style Star E! Investigates Style Star
03:40 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 09:45 10:15 11:10 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
Extreme Close-Up THS THS THS Style Star E! News Ice Loves Coco Ice Loves Coco E!es E!es E! News Opening Act Kourtney & Kim Take New Style Star THS 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 03:00 Unique Sweets 03:25 Unique Eats 03:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts 04:15 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 04:40 Chopped 05:30 Iron Chef America 06:10 Food Network Challenge 07:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:50 Unique Eats 08:15 Andy Bates Street Feasts 08:40 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 09:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 09:30 The Next Iron Chef 10:20 Extra Virgin 10:45 Extra Virgin 11:10 Everyday Italian 11:35 Unwrapped 12:00 Staten Island Cakes 12:50 Have Cake, Will Travel 13:15 Barefoot Contessa 13:40 Barefoot Contessa 14:05 Extra Virgin 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:20 Guy’s Big Bite 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:15 Symon’s Suppers 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
Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Nightmare Next Door Nightmare Next Door I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting FBI Case Files Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? On The Case With Paula Zahn Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? Disappeared Murder Shift Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill On The Case With Paula Zahn Killer Kids I Almost Got Away With It
00:15 00:45 01:40 10 02:05 11 02:35 03:00 03:30 03:55 04:25 05:20 06:15 06:40 07:10 07:35 08:05 09:00 10 09:25 11 09:55 10:20 10:50 11:15 11:45 12:40 Water 13:35 14:00 14:30 14:55 15:25 16:20 12 16:45 13
Peru Savate Keeping Up With The Joneses Keeping Up With The Joneses Ep 7 Ep 8 Ep 9 Danger Beach, 4 Laos 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 Papua New Guinea: Fire And The Spice Road Thailand - Bangkok Italy Las Vegas Muay Thai Keeping Up With The Joneses Keeping Up With The Joneses
CEREMONY ON OSN CINEMA 17:15 Ep 1 17:40 Ep 2 18:10 Ep 3 18:35 Danger Beach, 5 19:05 Cambodia 20:00 Italy 20:30 Las Vegas 21:00 The Spice Road 21:30 Thailand - Bangkok 22:00 Russia: Comrades Capitals 22:55 Porto,Portugal 23:20 Dolce Vita 23:50 Pesce
And
01:30 X-Men: First Class-PG15 04:00 Interview With A HitmanPG15 06:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 08:00 Go Fast-PG15 12:00 The New Daughter-PG15 14:00 Go Fast-PG15 16:00 Do No Harm-PG15 17:45 The New Daughter-PG15 19:45 Covert One: The Hades Factor18 22:45 Hell-18
01:00 Dirty Girl-18 03:00 Soldier Love Story-PG15 05:00 Ties That Bind-PG15 07:00 Return-PG15 09:00 Soldier Love Story-PG15 11:00 The Wild Thornberrys Movie-PG 13:00 The Game Of Their Lives-PG15 15:00 No Surrender-PG15 17:00 Teen Spirit-PG15 19:00 Ceremony-PG15 21:00 Your Highness-18 23:00 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo-R
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 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 09:00 Ben And Kate 09:30 Modern Family 10:00 The Mindy Project 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 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 22:30 South Park
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00
Supernatural The Client List Castle Greek Bones Castle Supernatural Emmerdale Coronation Street The Closer Bones Castle Touch Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Supernatural Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Switched At Birth American Idol Downton Abbey Greek
00:30 Moon 03:30 06:00 08:00 Life 10:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 19:45 21:45
Transformers: Dark Of The X-Men: First Class Interview With A Hitman True Justice: One Shot, One Go Fast The New Daughter Go Fast Do No Harm The New Daughter Covert One: The Hades Factor
00:15 Take Me Home Tonight-18 02:00 A Little Help-18 04:00 While You Were SleepingPG15 06:00 The Winning Season-PG15 08:00 Police Academy 7: Mission To Moscow-PG15 10:00 The Search For Santa Paws-PG 12:00 While You Were SleepingPG15 14:00 Gabe The Cupid Dog-PG15 16:00 The Search For Santa Paws-PG 18:00 A Heartbeat Away-PG15 20:00 Stripes-18 22:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18
01:00 Mad Bastards-PG15 03:00 The Weather Man-18 04:45 Bruc-PG15 06:15 George Harrison: Living In The Material World-PG15 09:45 Offline-PG15 11:30 Love Takes Wing-PG15 13:15 Restless-PG15 15:00 Offline-PG15 17:00 The Evening Star-PG15 19:15 The Roommate-PG15 21:00 Any Given Sunday-18 23:30 Fear-18
01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:15 13:00 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00
Bloodworth-18 The Artist-PG Alpha And Omega-PG Monte Carlo-PG15 Moneyball-PG15 The Artist-PG Johnny English Reborn-PG15 127 Hours-PG15 Moneyball-PG15 Mary & Martha-PG15 Wrath Of The Titans-PG15 21 Jump Street-18
01:00 Toyz Goin’ Wild 02:45 Arthur’s Missing Pal 04:30 Twigson 06:00 Ploddy Police Car 08:00 Olentzero And The Magic Log 10:00 Treasure Buddies 11:45 Ploddy Police Car 13:00 The Ugly Duckling Goes On Holiday 14:30 Kung Fu Panda 2 16:15 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax 18:00 Treasure Buddies 20:00 Mandie And The Secret Tunnel 22:00 The Ugly Duckling Goes On Holiday 23:30 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
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
01:00 Inside The PGA Tour 01:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 02:00 Trans World Sport 03:00 International Rugby League 05:00 Rugby League Challenge Cup 06:30 ICC Cricket 360 07:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 07:30 Live PGA European Tour 11:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 12:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 13:30 Trans World Sport 14:30 Futbol Mundial 15:00 Live Snooker 19:00 NRL Premiership 21:00 Live Snooker
01:30 02:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00
NRL Full Time Snooker World Championship Trans World Sport Super Rugby Futbol Mundial NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Trans World Sport Live NRL Premiership NRL Full Time Super Rugby AFL Premiership Highlights Futbol Mundial NRL Premiership WWE NXT UFC Countdown European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour
01:00 World Cup Of Pool 02:00 Golfing World 03:00 AFL Premiership 05:30 ICC Cricket 360 06:00 Golfing World 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Snooker World Championship 12:00 World Pool Masters 13:00 World Cup Of Pool 14:00 Total Rugby 14:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 15:30 European Tour Weekly 16:00 PGA European Tour 20:30 Futbol Mundial 21:00 Live Premier League Darts
00:00 UFC Countdown 01:00 NHL 03:00 Ping Pong World Championships 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE SmackDown 09:00 Ping Pong World Championships 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 Advanture Challenge 17:00 Triahlon UK 18:00 Prizefighter 21:00 UFC Countdown 22:00 UFC Prelims
Classifieds THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
Kuwait
SHARQIA-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) SHADOW (DIG) (TELUGU) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO FRI NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (25/04/2013 TO 01/05/2013) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:15 PM 5:30 PM 8:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM
12:15 AM
FANAR-3 THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE HOST (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG)
2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM
SHARQIA-2 TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D)
2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM
MARINA-1 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2
SHARQIA-3 Seats-225 THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG)
12:45 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM
MARINA-2 FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG)
MUHALAB-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) SHADOW (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO FRI NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) MUHALAB-2 THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) MUHALAB-3 TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) THE HOST (DIG) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D)
12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:15 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:00 PM 10:45 PM
12:45 PM 3:15 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM
1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM
FANAR-1 OBLIVION (DIG) 1:45 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 4:15 PM IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN (DIG) (FILIPINO)6:45 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 9:15 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 11:45 PM NO SUN+ TUE+WED FANAR-2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
1:15 PM 3:00 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM
MARINA-3 TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) EMPEROR (DIG) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) AVENUES-1 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HOST (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HOST (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 AVENUES-2 THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED
1:45 PM 3:30 PM 5:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:45 PM 12:30 AM
12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM
2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM
1:15 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:15 AM
2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM
AVENUES-3 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM
360ยบ- 1 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM
360ยบ- 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2
2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM
360ยบ- 3 EMPEROR (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG)
1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM
AL-KOUT.1 TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D)
12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM
AL-KOUT.2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG)
1:00 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:05 AM
AL-KOUT.3 OBLIVION (DIG) 2:00 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 4:30 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 7:00 PM IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN (DIG) (FILIPINO)9:30 PM OBLIVION (DIG) 12:15 AM BAIRAQ-1 TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) TAD, THE LOST EXPLORER (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) SPIDERS (DIG-3D) BAIRAQ-2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED BAIRAQ-3 OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) EMPEROR (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED
1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM
12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:05 AM
2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM
MATRIMONIAL
ACCOMMODATION For ladies or bachelor Filipino only near big Jamiya Farwaniya. Available on April 25, 2013. Contact: 66158188. 25-4-2013 SITUATION VACANT Required for a Kuwaiti family a female cook, salary KD 100. Contact: 99304076. (C 4388) Required driver for a Kuwaiti family, 3 years experience, salary KD 100. Contact: 99304076. (C 4389) 25-4-2013
FOR SALE Toyota Corolla 1.8, 2005 model, 145000 km, accident free, neat interior & exterior engine, gear, A/C & chassis in perfect condition, well maintained family used car. Price KD 1850 negotiable. Contact: 67739049. (C 4387) 24-4-2013 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) Mitsubishi Galant 2013, white color, excellent condition, 6,000km, price KD 3,100/-. Contact: 50994848. (C 4382) 21-4-2013
Marthomite MCA Boy 28/179, employed as Web Marketing Executive with a reputed automobile company in Kuwait, invites proposals from professionally qualified employed girls. Contact: proposal2013q8@gmail.com Looking for groom for an Ezhava, Hindu girl (Msc Botany) 25 years, hailing from Malappuram Dist (Parappanangadi), interested please contact email: shanish200@gmail.com (C4390) 25-4-2015 American male looking for a good wife. Serious people only please! ibngrant2000@hotmail.com (C 4385) 22-4-2013
CHANGE OF NAME I, Pallemeera Mutterahamath, holder of Indian Passport No: E5586374 issued at Hyderabad on 13-06-2003, change my name to Pa Pallemeera Mukthiyar. (C 4386) 22-4-2013 I, Badham Shobha Rani of Indian Passport No. E8988357 embraced Islam, hence changed my name to Maseera Fatima. (C 4380) 20-4-2013 I, Abdul Wasim, Indian Passport No: E5138929, hereby change my name to Abdul Wasim Mewafrosh. (C 4378) 17-4-2013
THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is
1889988
112 Prayer timings Fajr:
03:48
Shorook
05:11
Duhr:
11:46
Asr:
15:21
Maghrib:
18:20
Isha:
19:42
DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Airlines BBC QTR JZR JZR SAI THY ETH GFA UAE ETD FDB RBG MSR QTR DHX THY FDB KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE IRA IZG KAC ABY QTR IRA FDB ETD SYR GFA MEA ABY JZR KAC JZR MSC UAE MSR THY KNE KAC QTR FDB MSR KAC SVA JZR KNE OMA
Arrival Flights on Thursday 25/4/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 441 LAHORE 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 503 LUXOR 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 855 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 4161 MASHAD 362 COLOMBO 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 617 AHWAZ 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 341 DAMASCUS 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 121 SHARJAH 165 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 241 AMMAN 403 ASSIUT 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 766 ISTANBUL 480 TAIF 672 DUBAI 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 575 CAIRO 546 ALEXANDRIA 500 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 472 JEDDAH 645 MUSCAT
Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:40 01:30 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 03:10 03:15 03:15 03:30 04:20 04:35 05:50 06:15 06:30 06:40 07:25 07:30 07:40 07:45 07:50 07:55 08:05 08:25 08:40 08:45 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:10 09:15 09:30 10:10 10:40 10:55 11:25 11:35 12:05 12:35 12:40 12:45 13:00 13:10 13:25 13:40 13:45 13:50 14:15 14:15 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40
KAC KAC KNE RJA KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE ABY SVA GFA UAL JZR KAC JZR TAR KAC KAC QTR KAC KAC FDB GFA KAC AXB KAC KAC JAI KAC RBG FDB OMA ABY JZR MEA AFG MSC MSR KNE MSC ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA DHX QTR FDB AIC JZR UAL JZR DLH JZR JAI KLM THY
562 788 470 640 118 535 134 787 125 303 857 127 510 215 982 177 176 777 327 502 542 144 786 104 63 219 618 393 774 674 572 614 553 61 647 129 189 402 415 405 618 474 401 229 859 307 136 217 372 146 59 981 239 981 185 636 513 574 411 772
AMMAN JEDDAH JEDDAH AMMAN NEW YORK CAIRO DOHA RIYADH BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI GENEVA JEDDAH TUNIS BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH LONDON DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA KOZHIKODE RIYADH DUBAI MUMBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT KABUL SOHAG ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI FRANKFURT SHARM EL SHEIKH MUMBAI AMSTERDAM ISTANBUL
14:40 15:00 15:05 15:55 16:00 16:10 16:15 16:15 16:25 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:45 17:50 18:00 18:00 18:15 18:25 18:30 18:45 18:55 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:30 20:45 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 23:10 23:20 23:20 23:40 23:45
Airlines AIC AXB JAI UAL DLH BBC JZR THY SAI THY ETH UAE FDB RBG MSR ETD QTR QTR FDB GFA THY JZR KAC JZR BAW FDB JZR JZR KAC KAC ABY KAC IRA IZG UAE FDB QTR IRA ETD KAC SYR GFA KAC KAC MEA KAC ABY JZR JZR KAC JZR JZR MSC MSR THY KNE UAE FDB
Departure Flights on Thursday 25/4/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 44 DHAKA 502 LUXOR 773 ISTANBUL 442 LAHORE 765 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 70 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 240 AMMAN 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 671 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 606 MASHHAD 4162 MASHHAD 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 616 AHWAZ 302 ABU DHABI 101 LONDON 342 DAMASCUS 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 122 SHARJAH 776 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 124 BAHRAIN 406 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 767 ISTANBUL 481 TAIF 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI
Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:25 00:30 01:30 01:30 02:20 02:30 02:40 02:45 03:45 03:50 03:55 04:15 04:20 04:25 05:15 06:30 07:00 07:10 07:10 07:20 07:25 08:25 08:25 08:50 09:10 09:25 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:40 09:45 09:50 09:55 10:00 10:10 10:15 10:25 11:10 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:05 12:25 12:50 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:40 14:00 14:10 14:15 14:15 14:30
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
QTR MSR KAC KNE OMA KAC KAC JZR SVA KNE KAC RJA JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA JZR JZR UAL TAR QTR FDB GFA AXB RBG JAI FDB ABY KAC KAC OMA KAC MEA AFG MSC MSR KAC KNE DHX MSC ETD ALK UAE QTR KAC GFA DHX FDB KAC QTR JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR
141 576 673 473 646 617 773 188 505 471 613 641 238 512 135 304 538 128 858 511 216 184 266 982 328 145 64 220 394 554 571 62 120 331 343 648 351 403 415 404 619 543 475 171 402 308 230 860 137 301 218 373 60 205 147 554 411 283 415 528
DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT DOHA RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN AMMAN AMMAN SHARM EL SHEIKH DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN TUNIS DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM CHENNAI MUSCAT KOCHI BEIRUT JEDDAH ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO JEDDAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK DHAKA KUALA LUMPUR ASSIUT
14:55 15:00 15:05 15:30 15:40 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:05 16:35 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:50 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:30 21:45 21:50 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20 23:40 23:45 23:50 23:55
34
stars CROSSWORD 170
STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19)
ARIES Mental concentration is excellent now. This is an optimum time for reading, writing, analyzing, and researching. The opportunity for quiet, disciplined activity presents itself now, and you should take full advantage of it. Relationships can deepen and grow, and penetrate to a very personal level. This can be initiated by you and sometimes initiated by the other person, but in either case it leads to a much deeper understanding and bond between you. Don’t be afraid to speak up and take a risk on how you feel.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Enthusiasm requires focus, and this is a good time to regain yours. Big plans and ideal notions may seem to satisfy you less today or just feel unattainable. You may find that what you really want and believe in is getting dragged down by what you used to important but with maturity is less fulfilling now. Your life takes on a mystical quality at the emotional and instinctive levels now. Dreams and illusions, forgiveness, and understanding of human frailties, these are the things that arouse deep feelings. The past and the future intermingle, and the barriers between people dissolve, this is the energy to the sensitivity you feel now.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
ACROSS 1. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth. 4. Characterized by friendship and good will. 12. A light touch or stroke. 15. A humorous anecdote or remark. 16. Given to haughty disregard of others. 17. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. 18. A resident of Utah. 20. The period of time during which you are absent from work or duty. 21. Tag the base runner to get him out. 22. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 23. Type genus of the Artamidae. 25. Small shrubby African tree having compound leaves and racemes of small fragrant green flowers. 28. A narrow headband or strip of ribbon worn as a headband. 30. The father of your father or mother. 32. Take away a part from. 36. A Loloish language. 37. Having nine hinged bands of bony plates. 40. Any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight. 41. Declare invalid. 43. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds. 46. A light curved skeleton to spread out a skirt. 47. The capital and largest city of Niger. 49. Type genus of the Aceraceae. 50. European strong-scented perennial herb with gray-green bitter-tasting leaves. 51. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice. 52. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element. 53. Resembling a berry. 58. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo. 59. A member of a rural Finnish people living in eastern Russia. 63. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh. 67. Either of 2 species of the genus Roridula. 69. The basic monetary unit of most members of the European Union (introduced in 1999). 70. Full of life and energy. 73. An Iranian language spoken in Afghanistan. 74. (Greek mythology) God of love. 75. A person who knows or apprehends. 76. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 77. Fraught with extreme danger. 78. United by being of the same opinion. 79. A network of intersecting blood vessels or intersecting nerves or intersecting lymph vessels. DOWN 1. A fit of shivering. 2. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.
3. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey). 4. Very small free-living arachnid that is parasitic on animals or plants. 5. A very attractive or seductive looking woman. 6. Being one more than three. 7. Not agitated. 8. A member of the people inhabiting the Aleutian Islands and western Alaska. 9. Favoring one person or side over another. 10. The basic unit of money in Bulgaria. 11. A Christian recluse. 12. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann. 13. By bad luck. 14. A small cake leavened with yeast. 19. A transuranic element that has not been found in nature. 24. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt. 26. (Old Testament) The wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. 27. Ancient city is southeastern Italy where Hannibal defeated the Romans in 216 BC. 29. A colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube. 31. Insectivorous usually semiaquatic webfooted amphibian with smooth moist skin and long hind legs. 33. 100 agorot equal 1 shekel. 34. A target used in archery. 35. A native American tent. 38. The cry made by sheep. 39. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural). 42. Having legs of a specified kind or number. 44. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 45. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa. 48. A skullcap worn by religious Jews (especially at prayer). 54. (of a young animal) Abandoned by its mother and raised by hand. 55. A cloth used as a head covering (and veil and shawl) by Muslim and Hindu women. 56. Having a melody (as distinguished from recitative). 57. Somewhat ill or prone to illness. 60. A voluptuously beautiful young woman. 61. A wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention. 62. The taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth. 64. A group of biological taxa or species that share features inherited from a common ancestor. 65. A unit of weight for precious stones = 200 mg. 66. Any organic compound containing the group -CONH2. 68. Explorer and United States naval officer. 71. A member of a people living in southern Benin and Togo and southeastern Ghana. 72. Towards the side away from the wind.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
You are interested in the big picture and have less attention and interest in details. Studying new concepts is also favored; your ability to understand abstract ideas and your desire to grow intellectually is strong now. Anything than broadens your mind appeals to you at this time. Personal relationships are harmonious and rewarding. Opportunities for friendship, pleasant associations and enjoyable social interactions occur now. Ask someone out on a date or if you’re involved with someone surprise them by being spontaneous and doing something a bit different than normal.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) The tried and true doesn’t cut it anymore: it’s the new, the unique, and the original that catches and holds your interest now. Idealism, rationality, and critical thinking become more and more a part of your mental patterns and the way you communicate. You are inventive, original, your mind is on the move out of the box. Underlying or previously hidden aspects of a relationship come to light now. Take your time finding out as many facts as you can before jumping to a conclusion. This can be a time when you are forced to confront and deal with something which is no longer working; from old, outworn possessions to an unhealthy relationship or a deeply ingrained, self-defeating attitude.
Leo (July 23-August 22) Don’t let yourself be coerced or victimized by people who want to harass you. You might encounter someone who is acting more like a salesperson rather than a friend and trying to get you to think their way or act along their lines of misbehavior. Hold your ground and you’ll feel better for it. You may be in a rare mood of self enjoyment and can appreciate your own better qualities. Support from close friends, family, and the women in your life gives you confidence now. This is a good time to mend fences and smooth over any problems in your home life. Try to find the positive aspects of situations before looking for the negative.
Virgo (August 23-September 22) You would be wise to avoid financial risks at the moment. You may be tempted to invest in the latest get rich quick scheme, but don’t. As you know, usually the only people making money off these schemes are those who thought them up. If you’re a bettor, it would serve you well to lay off betting for today, or at least don’t bet heavily on a long shot. Uncertainty and shifting attitudes can mark the day’s outcomes in you relationships, and your confidence may retreat in the face of a challenge. Confrontation is the wrong game to play, but pulling out entirely is equally unsuitable. Make some thoughtful compromises now and the resulting situation will improve, but don’t run after a losing proposition.
Word Search
Libra (September 23-October 22) If you decide to go ahead with your carefully devised plans and dreams, you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself if things do not work out. Deep down you know this, but you may need to watch your tendency to ‘pass the buck’ if things get a little tough. Regardless of how bleak things may appear at times, tenacity and focus will win the day. Your amorous desires and romantic urges are very strong now. In all of your relationships, whether romantic or not, you feel quite warm and affectionate. You are less competitive, more interested in pleasing others, and creating harmony. You may also feel compelled to do something creative or artistic, something to express your craving for beauty.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Self-discipline, training, persevering through a dry or slow period, and working quietly or in meager circumstances are themes in this time period. You have the ability and stamina to concentrate, to work carefully and thoroughly, and to accomplish something modest, yet of real practical value and substance now. You will want a break from the predictability of your usual routine and methods in your romantic relationship. You’re in the mood to experiment and to learn something new. Offbeat or original ideas excite you and you will seek people who can offer you a different way of looking at things. Discovery, inventiveness, and spontaneity are major themes now.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Self-confidence, physical energy, and courage run high, so this is a fine time to undertake any project or challenge that confronts you, especially if it involves competition or asserting yourself vigorously. You are inclined to take charge or assume a leadership role at this time. You have a special magnetism and attractive power now, and may be feeling intensely loving also. Your relationships, particularly sexual or romantic ones, intensify and have a deep, compelling, urgent quality. Your inner feelings and needs for love and closeness emerge very strongly. You may also channel some of these feelings into creative or artistic, work, things that evoke and expresses your deepest self.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Feelings and desires may tug and roil around you, and trying to cut an even balance may be a challenge. Today’s beginnings may mature into tomorrow’s turmoils, so don’t fly off the handle and don’t jump into something you’re not sure of. Let the waters settle until tomorrow, then decide on it. You are feeling sober and realistic about love at this time, and are interested in being with people you respect and can depend upon. They make you feel safe and at this time that may be what’s most important to you. Also, reaching out to an older relative or another mature, experienced person can mean a lot to you and be mutually beneficial now.
Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You take life very seriously now. You question major commitments and decisions you have made in the past, such as career choices, place of residence, marriage and other major relationships. This is a time of self-analysis and questioning about the direction you have taken in your life. A significant personal encounter or confrontation can happen today. You cannot, and probably will not want to, be alone now with the energy that surrounds you at this time. Reach out to people and to get others’ input or counsel if you aren’t really sure of how to deal with a situation. Listen to your partner or a friend who can give you an objective view point on the issue.
Pisces (February 19-March 20) You are likely to experience an overwhelming happiness and friendship at this time. There is nothing too negative that can be said about the current influences and all seems lined up to assure you experience a rewarding period with few unwanted challenges or surprises. Your desire for love and affection, as well as beauty and pleasure, is strong now and you act on feelings and creative impulses more readily than usual. If you are not happy with some aspect of your personal life, these issues arise at this time and there may be disagreements or tension in a close relationship.
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Yesterday’s Solution
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Yesterday’s Solution
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital
24812000
Amiri Hospital
22450005
Maternity Hospital
24843100
Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital
25312700
Chest Hospital
24849400
Farwaniya Hospital
24892010
Adan Hospital
23940620
Ibn Sina Hospital
24840300
Al-Razi Hospital
24846000
Physiotherapy Hospital
24874330/9
PHARMACY
ADDRESS
PHONE
Ahmadi
Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan
Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd
23915883 23715414 23726558
Jahra
Modern Jahra Madina Munawara
Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92
24575518 24566622
Capital
Ahlam Khaldiya Coop
Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop
22436184 24833967
Farwaniya
New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan
Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11
24734000 24881201 24726638
Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop
Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop
25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241
Hawally
Al-Madeena
22418714
Al-Shuhada
22545171
Al-Shuwaikh
24810598
Al-Nuzha
22545171
Sabhan
24742838
Al-Helaly
22434853
Al-Faiha
22545051
Al-Farwaniya
24711433
Al-Sulaibikhat
24316983
Al-Fahaheel
23927002
Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh
24316983
Ahmadi
23980088
Al-Mangaf
23711183
Al-Shuaiba
23262845
Kaizen center
25716707
Rawda
22517733
Adaliya
22517144
Al-Jahra
25610011
Khaldiya
24848075
Al-Salmiya
25616368
Kaifan
24849807
Shamiya
24848913
Shuwaikh
24814507
Abdullah Salem
22549134
Nuzha
22526804
Industrial Shuwaikh
24814764
Qadsiya
22515088
Dasmah
22532265
Bneid Al-Gar
22531908
Shaab
22518752
Qibla
22459381
Ayoun Al-Qibla
22451082
Mirqab
22456536
Sharq
22465401
Salmiya
25746401
Jabriya
25316254
Maidan Hawally
25623444
Bayan
25388462
Mishref
25381200
W Hawally
22630786
Sabah
24810221
Jahra
24770319
New Jahra
24575755
West Jahra
24772608
South Jahra
24775066
North Jahra
24775992
North Jleeb
24311795
Ardhiya
24884079
Firdous
24892674
Omariya
24719048
N Khaitan
24710044
Fintas
23900322
INTERNATIONAL CALLS
PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists
Paediatricians
Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf
22547272
Dr. Khaled Hamadi
Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari
22617700
Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed
Dr. Abdel Quttainah
25625030/60
Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar
23729596/23729581
Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari
22635047
Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan
22613623/0
Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe
23729596/23729581
Dr. Verginia s.Marin
2572-6666 ext 8321
Endocrinologist
25665898 25340300
Dr. Zahra Qabazard
25710444
Dr. Sohail Qamar
22621099
Dr. Snaa Maaroof
25713514
Dr. Pradip Gujare
23713100
Dr. Zacharias Mathew
24334282
(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)
25655535
Dentists
Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan
22655539
Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami
25343406
Dr. Shamah Al-Matar
22641071/2
Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly
25739272
Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed
22562226
22618787
Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer
22561444
Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan
22619557
Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash
22525888
Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan
25653755
Dr. Bader Al-Ansari
25620111
General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer
22610044
Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher
25327148
Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan
22666300 25728004
Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra
25355515
Dr. Mobarak Aldoub
24726446
Dr Nasser Behbehani
25654300/3
Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688
Neurologists
22639939
Dr. Mousa Khadada
info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com
3729596/3729581
Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri
25633324
Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan
25345875
Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman
22636464
Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly
25322030
Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali
22633135
Kaizen center 25716707
25339330
Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab
25722291
Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees
22666288
Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi
Dr Anil Thomas
Dr. Salem soso
Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman
25330060
Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah
25722290
Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad
24555050 Ext 210
Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123
2611555-2622555
William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677
Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062
Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677
36
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
LIFESTYLE G o s s i p
Paltrow named World’s Most Beautiful Woman
G
wyneth Paltrow has been named the World’s Most Beautiful Woman by People magazine. The ‘Iron Man 3’ actress has been awarded the annual honor by the US magazine beating off competition from the likes of Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Lawrence, Pink and Halle Berry. However, Gwyneth insists if people could see her at home in her casual clothes they wouldn’t think she was so beautiful. Speaking to the publication, she said: “Around the house, I’m in jeans and a T-shirt. I don’t really wear make-up.” If she ever does opt for glamour at home then her husband Chris Martin will make fun of her. She added: “He’ll make a joke about it. If I’ve gotten fully dressed up, he’ll be like, ‘Oh, wow! You’re Gwyneth Paltrow!’ Because he’s used to seeing me in like baggy shorts and frizzy hair.” Gwyneth revealed her eight-year-old daughter Apple is already interested in fashion and beauty and she lets her wear a little make-up on special occasions. The 40-year-old screen star - who also has a sevenyear-old son, Moses, with Coldplay frontman Chris - said: “When we’re home sometimes, she’ll put on mascara. And sometimes I’ll let her wear something out to dinner but just a little dab. In September, People magazine also honored Gwyneth for being the World’s Best-Dressed Woman. Last year, Gwyneth’s friend Beyonce was bestowed the World’s Most Beautiful Woman title by People.
Gooding Jr hides his Oscar
C
uba Gooding Jr. hides his Oscar in his theatre room. The 45year-old actor won the Best Supporting Actor trophy in 1996 for his role in sports comedy ‘Jerry Maguire’, and it is so precious to him he keeps it under lock and key at his Los Angeles home. When asked where the Oscar is, he replied: “Under protection. In my theatre room.” Cuba admits his career has not reached the same heights since, but it is down to his personal choice of roles. He added to the New York Post newspaper: “My postAcademy Award years weren’t great choices for me as an artist. It’s been a problem. Caught in the trappings, that private-jets way of life, I had to deal with my stubbornness and the fame hype. I picked low-budget films. “I’ve had ups and downs, but it afforded me respect. No matter if I slid or how bad those other movies I made, I can still say, ‘Yeah, but I got an Oscar’.” Cuba - who is currently starring in stage show ‘The Trip to Bountiful’ in New York, where he was brought up - also explained where his unusual name came from. He said: “Legends float around about my background. My grandfather, a sea merchant in Cuba, came here, drove a cab, got a nickname instead of Dudley, and so, I, too, became ‘Cuba.’ “
Rivera lists Beverly Hills mansion for $2.1 million
N
aya Rivera has put her Beverly Hills mansion up for sale at $2.1 million, after purchasing it for $1.475 million. The 26-year-old actress, best known as Santana Lopez in the hit TV show ‘Glee’, is ready to up sticks after moving into the Los Angeles pad only last year and has hired her real estate mother, Yolanda Rivera, to help sell the home. Situated down a quiet cul-de-sac in the sought after 90210 zip code area, Naya’s recently remodeled 3,300 square foot home features four spacious bedrooms, with the master sweet including two walk-in closets and its own built-in steam room and sauna, Trulia Luxe Living reports. The mansion also includes 3.5 bathrooms, a dining room with stunning views of the courtyard, a large formal living area and a library which holds its own kegerator draft beer device and wet bar, equipped with running water and a sink for serving alcoholic drinks in the comfort of your own home. In the backyard of the property, which was built in 1966, the new owners will be able to enjoy the perks of a saltwater pool, a Jacuzzi and a fire pit. Naya - who is rumored to be dating rapper Big Sean - is swapping her fancy Hollywood home for a bigger, more traditional estate in Los Feliz, which holds five bedrooms and four bedrooms in its 4,186 square foot plot. Property records confirm she signed on the properly on April 15, splashing out at $2.6 million.
Humes sad over JLS split
R
ochelle Humes is “very sad” her husband’s band JLS are splitting up. The Saturdays star is just as upset as all the fans of the boy band who announced they are breaking up and insists it will be an “end of an era” when her spouse Marvin Humes and his bandmates J.B. Gill, Aston Merrygold and Oritse Williams call it quits after a farewell tour. On her Twitter account, she said: “As well as being a wife I’m a big JLS fan. I am V sad its the end of an era. What an amazing run. I’m so proud. Roll on the tour x “I’m so so proud of them. 4 genuine best friends. X (sic)” Rochelle - who is expecting her first child with Marvin - isn’t the only person upset by the boys’ announcement. One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson is disappointed the guys are calling it a day. He tweeted: “Sad to hear about JLS . Wish them all the best of luck in what they go on to do.” The Wanted star Nathan Sykes wished the boys all the best, writing on Twitter: “Sad to hear about JLS. Some of the nicest guys in the business. Good luck to them all in the future! :) (sic)” However, not everyone was upset by JLS’ news. Blur guitarist Graham Coxon planned to spend the rest of the day in “ecstatic glee” because of their break-up and now hopes One Direction decide to call it quits. Graham tweeted: “JLS no more? wonderful news ... i shall writhe today, in ecstatic glee. 1D and bieber to go ... but they seem to be doing a good job themselves. (sic)” JLS have come to the end of their five-year deal with Epic Records and will finish their time together in December with a farewell tour and greatest hits album entitled ‘Goodbye’.
Perry releases Mayer’s anger by spinning
K
McConaughey camped with ‘snakes and donkeys’
M
atthew McConaughey camped with “snakes and donkeys” as preparation for his role in ‘Mud’. The 43-year-old actor plays a Southern fugitive living on a Mississippi island awaiting his true love in Jeff Nichols’ new film and in order to get a feel for his character and make the portrayal accurate, he spent some alone time on a deserted island in Arkansas. He told the New York Post newspaper: “The only neighbours were a few snakes and two donkeys. It was pretty cool.” Matthew was so determined to embrace the great outdoors that Jeff and th film crew had to drag him away after several days. Jeff added: “I think he stayed two or three nights, [then] we had to go get him.” Matthew stars alongside Reese Witherspoon in the movie and his kids - Levi, four, Vida, three, and three-month-old Livingston - and her three children bonded while they camped on the banks of the Mississippi River. The Hollywood hunk - who is married to Camila Alves - recalled: “It was like a nature vacation camping out on the Mississippi River. And we enjoyed it. The kids learned a lot about nature actually on this film. They loved it. “I loved being out there in nature like that. The stage was the Mississippi river. To live there while a while, to camp out there, you quickly get the rhythm and the sense of smell and taste and humidity and weight, and how time trickles along like that river. It’s four miles per hour. It just slowly moves and it’s an unstoppable force.” —Bang Showbiz
aty Perry has been releasing “anger” from her failed romance with John Mayer by going spinning. The 28year-old star has been hitting the gym hard to get over her recent split from the 35-year-old singer - who she started dating last summer but the pair briefly split before reconciling in the autumn - and has also been spending an hour “soothing her brain” at Los Angeles’ candlelit Soul Sanctuary spa. A source told The Sun newspaper: “Katy believes the workouts have really helped her with releasing anger, stress and tension from the split and the sanctuary has been soothing her brain. “A few years ago she would have released the energy by hitting the clubs and dancing the night away. But she’s getting older now and wants to do things healthily.” As well as enduring the intense indoor cycling sessions, Katy - who split from Russell Brand in December 2011, just 14 months after they tied the knot - has also been keeping in shape while she tours by riding her bicycle around the cities she is playing “in disguise” and surprising fans by giving away free tickets. She said: “Constantly travelling can make it hard to exercise, but my favourite workout to do on tour is to ride around the town or city I’m visiting on my bike. I love to explore a new city in disguise and hand out tickets to my show.” Earlier this month, John - who has dated several stars including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson - confirmed the former couple had split and admitted he is finding it “tricky” to hold down a relationship.
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Bieber wants monkey housed in zoo
ustin Bieber wants his pet monkey to be housed in a zoo .The 19-year-old singer’s animal pal Mally was seized by customs in Berlin, Germany, in March when he tried to sneak it into the country without the correct papers. Justin had a deadline of May 17 to arrange for Mally’s collection but rather than fighting for his furry friend to be released, the pop star has asked his manager Scooter Braun to request the animal centre which has been caring for the creature to find him a new home in a zoo or shelter. Karl Heinz Joachim, the boss of the animal centre where the monkey is staying, insists it is imperative Mally is found a new home quickly because there are no other monkeys to keep him company at the centre. Joachim said: “There are a great many suitable places that have offered to take Mally and integrate him with their own Capuchin monkeys where he would be much more happy with his own kind. “A baby monkey was never going to be suited to be on a world tour even if he is travelling by private jet. He should be out in the wild climbing tress and learning from other monkeys if he isn’t to have serious psychological problems later in life.” Justin who is rumored to have rekindled his romance with Selena Gomez - could also face prosecution in the country because of his actions, with a fine of over £10,000. The Canadian star was very “fond” of Mally when he first adopted him, taking the monkey everywhere with him before the animal was seized - sharing a similar relationship as the late Michael Jackson did with his chimpanzee Bubbles.
37
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s
Stairway to heaven: Siena cathedral opens roof tour S
ecret passages high up in the rafters of Siena Cathedral have opened for the first time after decades of restoration, offering a rare view of midnightblue ceilings and the Tuscan
File photo shows interior views of the Cathedral of Siena. —AFP photos
The Dolly Sisters
By Bader Al-Modaires
W
hen you visit London and go for a walk in the famous Oxford Street, you will come across the Selfridges store, some of the most famous shops in the city. I do not think that any tourist or visitor to England fails to visit the Selfridges. The said chain of high-end department stores does not need to be promoted; every Kuwaiti visiting London should check out at least one of those. At the large store in Oxford Street, there is a small cafe on the ground floor where people stand and wait in a long queue to book a seat in the cafe. I used to go to this cafe daily when I visited London. While I was going through the menu, I noticed on the top of the list a photo of two beautiful and elegant girls, who had bright faces and resembled each other. Under the photo was written “DOLLYS”. Also written on the menu was a brief story about the life of these two girls. Out of curiosity and to know more about the cafe and the two girls, I was reading the story while waiting for my delicious latte coffee. The name of this coffee is very dear to me and I have some personal memories attached to it. Therefore, I am always keen to order it. Anyway, the two girls are twins-Rosie and Jenny - who were born in Hungary in 1892 and later migrated to USA in 1905 in search of work. Two years after their arrival in USA, they found a job at a pub, as dancers, but they were prevented afterwards by the concerned authorities on legal grounds. However, they tried to break the rules in 1909 and appeared on the stage for the first time in public to deliver a performance. They continued their hard work to earn more fame and money. Their dreams came true when they produced six successful films in 1918. Then they moved to Europe where they met Harry Selfridges, the owner of the famous stores. There is a black-andwhite photo of him and his wife with Rosie and Jenny hanging on the wall of the cafÈ that is named after the twin girls. Anyway, after their meeting the twin sisters’ relationship with Harry Selfridges and his wife grew strong and they continued their artistic career at the halls and stages of Europe. They were lucky and collected a big fortune. They were leading a peaceful life without any disturbances. They had fame and money but their personal life was suspect. When they visited France, they got lucky again and earned a lot of money which they invested in buying precious jewels in order to secure their future and have a happy life. But, unfortunately, Jenny had a car crash accident which forced her to sell most of her jewels to pay for the expenses of her treatment. But the sickness made her feel desperate for the luxurious life she used to live with her sister before the accident. Finally, she committed suicide by hanging herself in 1941. After her death, her sister Rosie found life difficult and without meaning, as she had lost her beloved sister with whom she lived all her life till her death. Rosie also attempted suicide so that history would record the suicide of two twin sisters, but her attempted failed and she continued to live till 1960. This is the story of two sisters who acquired international fame in the world of art. The cafe Selfridges was named after them as a memorial. I was told by the cafe owner that this is the only cafe in the world which holds this name. However, there have been many other cafes with the same name, decorations and menu. At the entrance of this cafe, one can notice its opening date and, sometimes, the name of the owner when he is commemorated.
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panorama. The famous 13th-century black-and-white striped cathedral has opened a series of spiral staircases and covered internal walkways to the public-all some 15 metres (49 feet) from the marble floor. Visitors climbing up can peep down through small windows onto the mediaeval and Renaissance mosaics showing biblical scenes which line the nave and transepts and the golden stars of the ceiling. “The roof of Siena Cathedral had never been considered a place that could be suitable for tourists,” Mario Lorenzoni, curator of Siena Cathedral, told AFP. “We went up into the lofts to clean them and it was a mammoth task! And while we were there, we realized that the roof could offer amazing things,” he said. Beyond the covered walkways, open only to 15 people at a time, is another succession of spiral steps leading to the cathedral’s parapet and a view across the red-tiled roofs of Siena. Hidden from sight from tourists below admiring the cathedral’s collection of art works by Bernini, Donatello and Michelangelo, navigating the passages is like being back-stage in a theatre. Here, poised between earth and sky, the methods and technical challenges involved in building the cathedral, which was designed and completed by 1263, are laid bare. The idea is to give visitors a glimpse of what it takes to raise from marble blocks a towering house of prayer, decorated both inside and out in the city’s black and white stripes in a reference to the colors of the horses ridden by the city’s founders, Senius and Aschius. “How did they raise the tones of marble? How did the sculptors work? How did the architects explain to them what they had in mind?” said Lorenzoni, outlining some of the concepts tackled. “On the one hand there is the visual aspect, with sublime views, and on the other there’s the more technical aspect-no less movingon how the works of art which we so love today were made,” he said. The walkways were opened to
A view from the top of the Cathedral of Siena. the public in collaboration with the town’s religious authorities, headed up by Archbishop Antonio Buoncristiani. “In a town which was fundamentally poor, it was possible to build extraordinary monuments, of an indescribable beauty. How? Because they had a sense of the common good,” he said. “I think that the most important aspect of the visit is to understand what the cathedral construction site meant, how it mobilized the whole town,” he added. While scaling the steps to the hidden pathways may bring some closer to heaven, the experience is not for the faint of heart. It is “a fascinating experience, but of course not for everyone: an elderly person is not going to climb that spiral staircase!” the 69-year-old archbishop said. The walkways are open to the public until October 27, and visitors must reserve tickets in advance. —AFP
Another view of the interior of the Cathedral.
Rasasi unveils exclusive range of non-alcoholic concentrated oil
asasi perfumes, one of the leading names in the regional retail landscape offering a wide and exquisite range of Oriental and Western fragrances, has announced the launch of its exclusive range of concentrated non-alcoholic perfume across its retail stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This exclusive range, which is a 100% pure fine fragrance with no alcohol, no water or other commercial fillers, offers wellbalanced characteristics and long-lasting concentrated scent because the perfume does not evaporate into thin air the moment you apply it. Especially designed for special occasions such as weddings and celebrations, the exclusive range offers freshness to be maintained for a long time and captures the inner inspiring emotions to give a prestigious feel. Salim Kalsekar, Managing DirectorRasasi perfumes, said: “Our Exclusive Concentrated Oil is set to reinvigorate the expression of passion for oil lovers and is available across select Rasasi stores in Dubai
and Abu Dhabi. One of the unique facets of our exclusive range is that it is very longlasting, thanks to its perfect blend which leaves an enticing feel. This new exclusive concentrated oil is definitely an ideal companion for any special occasion.” The perfume lasts for long hours and if applied on the clothing, the scent will last throughout the day as it permeates into the fabric of the clothing and last longer because they stick on the skin and do not evaporate very fast. The pure perfume oil emits a fine scent that is delicate yet strong but not offensive or overpowering. He added: “Everything from the content of the exclusive range caters to the sense and style of people who enjoy finer things. This is part of Rasasi’s strategy to extend innovative products customized to the needs of the market and the needs of our customers.”
French shoe brand ‘Kickers’ launches in Kuwait with AAW at The Avenues
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li Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co (AAW), one of the leading distributors in Kuwait of international sports and fashion brands, today introduced “Kickers” as its newest international brand with the launch of two branches in the Kuwait market, bringing the total number of represented brands in Kuwait to more than 90. Since 1997, AAW had gradually pursued an expansion in footwear sector retail operations. This is the seventh French brand AAW represents in Kuwait in addition to La Cornue, Nuxe, Bioderma, Mustela, LysaSkin, and Institut Esthedermand the ninth footwear brand in addition to The Athlete’s Foot, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Prince, Shoebox New York, Crocs and VANS. Kickers is a youth footwear brand developed in France in 1970 and best known for the “Kick Hi” boots developed in 1975. The brand was originally established to empower the youth with an iconic footwear line which reflects their confident identity and lifestyles, and strong desire for personal freedom through exciting new styles that challenge the traditional footwear of
that time. Kickers boots have evolved over the years to include perfect boot fits for men, women and children. Kickers Kuwait Brand Manager, Fahim Laskar said: “Kickers has been an iconic brand for stylish jean boots since the 1970s and their style and concept have been perfected with great detail over the years. By bringing Kickers to the Kuwaiti market, we are providing shoelovers a wide-range of options that are not mirrored or available anywhere else.” AAW Footwear portfolio highlights: ● Brands: The Athlete’s Foot, Puma, Reebok, Nike,
Crocs, Shoebox New York, Prince, VANS, and Kickers. ● Products:2,900 ● Unit sold annually:500,000 Kickers Kuwait branches are located at The Mall, The Avenues and Discovery Mall and are now open to the public.
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
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Chinese performers dressed as Iron Man pose for photos during a promotional event for the movie “Iron Man 3”.
File photo shows a Chinese man uses a smartphone to take his own photo with an “Iron Man” poster together with a costumed figure, left, during a promotional event of the new movie “Iron Man 3” at the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing’s Forbidden City. — AP photos
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“If back in the 1930s or ‘40s the French objected to portraying the Foreign Legion as being overly harsh on Africans, or the British were unhappy that they were being shown as too colonialistic, then Hollywood would make the edits it needed to market its product,” he said. Still, the scope of this latest iteration seems to dwarf that of its predecessors, not only because China’s economic and political clout is so immense - successive years of GDP growth rates around 8- 10 percent have made its economy the second largest in the world - but also because the country’s communist masters seem obsessed by the way Beijing is perceived abroad. “There’s no question that China is very sensitive to its image,” said Stanley Rosen, an expert on the Chinese film industry, and director of the East Asian Studies Center at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. “And as it has become richer over the past several years it’s been in a position to do something about it.” Rosen said the ultimate arbiter of what makes it onto the screen of China’s 12,000 movie theaters is a board of 30 to 40 censors under Communist Party control, representing different constituencies in Chinese society - women, for example, or the military. He said that while there were some indications the board was becoming slightly more liberal - last year’s showing on Chinese television of the 2005 political adventure “V for Vendetta” was seen as a notable step forward - it remains beholding to sensitivities that makes its decisions sometimes hard to fathom. —AP
oming soon to a theater near you: China’s Communist Party. From demanding changes in plot lines that denigrate the Chinese leadership, to dampening lurid depictions of sex and violence, Beijing is having increasing success in pressuring Hollywood into deleting movie content Beijing finds objectionable. It’s even getting American studios to sanction alternative versions of films specially tailored for Chinese audiences, like “Iron Man 3,” which debuts in theaters around the world later this week. The Chinese version features local heartthrob Fan Bingbing - absent from the version showing abroad and lengthy clips of Chinese scenery that local audiences love. There’s no secret to what’s driving Hollywood’s China policy, which has burst on the scene with meteor-like intensity in the past year. Already the second-biggest box office in the world, China seems set to surpass the U.S./Canada market by 2020 at the latest. And with traditional movie funding sources drying up, Hollywood studios increasingly see Beijing as a bankrolling destination of choice, with Chinese counterparts ponying up on glitzy co-productions, including “Iron Man 3” and next year’s “Transformers 4,” and films without a direct China connection as well. “Movie attendance in the US is down because of global piracy and audience indifference,” said Los Angeles-based film historian Leonard Maltin. “So the explosion of the China market is a boon to the industry. I’m sure the studios are not excited about making the China-inspired changes but they’re in the business to make a buck and they’re finding it hard to resist.” Published reports have pinpointed at least a half dozen recent films where Hollywood has given in on demands from Chinese censors to alter content for political or other reasons, ranging from the James Bond feature “Skyfall” - where unflattering references to the sex trade in the Chinese territory of Macau supposedly land-
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ince directing “Garden State,” Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled, “For Next Movie.” Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he’s finally making his followup to “Garden State” - if his fans can help. Yesterday, in the wake of the enormously successful “Veronica Mars” Kickstarter campaign, the “Scrubs” star launched a crowdfunding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he’ll try to raise $2 million on Kickstarter for “Wish I Was Here,” a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam. Braff’s movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series. While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, “Veronica Mars” showed it could also be a galvanizing platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, “Veronica Mars” pulled in $5.7 million. “I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: ‘Oh my God, it does work,’” Braff said in an interview Tuesday ahead the campaign launch. That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. “Garden State,” an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve. It earned $35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will “change your life.” But
File photo provided by Millennium shows actor Zach Braff at the DeLeon Tequila special screening of “The Iceman” at the Arclight in Los Angeles. — AP
ed on the cutting room floor - to “World War Z,” starring Brad Pitt, in which the Chinese origin of a plague of apocalyptic zombies was said to have been excised. And that doesn’t take into account ostensible instances of self-censoring, like last year’s remake of the 1984 film “Red Dawn,” where producers changed the nationality of bloodthirsty soldiers invading the United States from Chinese to North Korean, apparently to cater to their perception of Chinese political sensitivities. The American film industry is extremely reluctant to discuss the China concessions Hollywood is making, and the industry’s main lobbying group, the Motion Picture Association of America, tries to portray the practice in the best possible light. “The adjustment of some of our films for different world markets is a commercial reality, and we recognize China’s right to determine what content enters their country,” said MPAA spokesman Howard Gantman in an email. “Overall, our members make films for global audiences and audience’s tastes and demands evolve and our members respond to those changes. But we also stand for maximum creative rights for artists.” Taiwanese film critic Tsai Kuo-rong said that artists themselves could help rein in Chinese censorship, by insisting that content not be altered to conform to Chinese political or aesthetic demands. “You cannot expect regulators to relax restrictions on their own,” he said. “But I would hope that artists might be bold enough to press the case for artistic integrity.” Frank Couvares, a professor of history and American Studies at Massachusetts’ Amherst College, said that rather than something new, Hollywood’s readiness to cater to Chinese demands on content reflects business practices the American film industry has had in place for more than seven decades.
even after “Garden State,” Braff’s efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between “Scrubs” seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment. He was able find an investor for “Wish I Was Here,” but not on the terms he seeks. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn’t give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom. “As we were negotiating the deal, this ‘Veronica Mars’ story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished,” says Braff. “That’s when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn’t seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this.” In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce “the truest representation of what I have in my brain.” He calls the film “a continuation of the tone” of “Garden State,” in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children. Braff, 38, isn’t new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org. But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won’t be treading on a familiar property like “Veronica Mars.” Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $3-$5 million movies. “When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there’s already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful,” Thomas said. But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of “Garden State,” his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom “Scrubs” and his million-plus Twitter followers. “I have no idea if it will work,” says Braff. “I’m saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I’ve done before, here’s a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I’d love you to be a part of it.”—AP
Chinese actress Gong Xinliang kisses an Iron Man stat-
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hailand’s film censors have banned a documentary about the country’s long-running border dispute with neighboring Cambodia as a threat to national security, the filmmaker said yesterday. “Boundary” tells the story of the ThaiCambodian conflict through accounts of an ex-soldier who lives near the border, as well as villagers from the two countries. It also touches on other conflicts in Thailand, including the 9-year-old insurgency in the south and the political divisiveness that led to a deadly military crackdown on protesters in 2010. Director Nontawat Numbenchapol said the Culture Ministry’s film screening office informed him that the movie’s content “is a threat to national security and international relations.” He said he will appeal the ban. The border dispute has its roots in a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple stands in Cambodia. Thailand’s government argues that definitive boundaries have never been drawn in the area around the World Heritage-listed site. The dispute has become a rallying point for many Thai nationalists, who don’t recognize the court’s ruling and say the area, including the temple, belongs to Thailand and they have pressured politicians to keep pressing the issue. The Thai and Cambodian armies have repeatedly clashed in the disputed area in recent years, including in April 2011, when 17 soldiers and a civilian were killed and thousands near the temple were displaced. In 2011, the court in The Hague created a demilitarized zone around the temple
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ike Nichols is in talks to direct “One Last Thing Before I Go” for J.J. Abrams and Paramount, according to multiple individuals with knowledge of the project. The film would be Nichols’ first since “Charlie Wilson’s War,” which opened in 2007 and is one of two films the director of “The Graduate” and “The Birdcage” has made over the past decade. Nichols has alternated between film and theater, directing a revival of “Death of a Salesman” last year. He is currently directing Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz in “Betrayal,” and has discussed this new project with Craig as well. No deal has been made for Nichols, but Abrams’ Bad Robot production company is serious enough about the project that it has also begun reaching out to actors. Abrams is producing the film through Bad Robot, which has
In this undated photo, Thai film director Nontawat Numbenchapol is seen at the site while making movie in Sisaket province, northeastern Thailand. — AP but troops were not withdrawn until a year later. The court is currently hearing testimony from both sides after they asked it to clarify its original ruling. According to Nontawat, the film and video screening subcommittee said some of the claims in the documentary, including accounts from the Cambodian side, were “groundless.” The censors
also said some information presented in the film was still being deliberated by the court and had yet to be formally resolved. Nontawat said he was stunned by the decision. “I made this movie to create the space for people living near the border to speak their mind,” he said. “Now I have to work harder not only to let people know about the border issue, but also about freedom of expression.” Thailand’s censors target a wide range of political and social issues. They blur out cigarettes and alcohol on television and crack down on any perceived criticism of the monarchy. Last year, the film board banned a Thai adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” saying it has content that causes divisiveness among the people. In 2011, the board also banned a movie called “Insects in the Backyard” about a transgender father struggling to raise two children, citing scenes it deemed immoral and pornographic. “In the US, a movie like ‘Bowling for Columbine,’ which boldly criticized the president, can still be shown. It sparked constructive arguments and made the country more developed,” Nottaway said. “In Thailand, the more you censor things, the more you make the country more outdated.” “Boundary” premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February and received financial support from international movie funds. — AP
a deal with Paramount. The adult drama, based on Jonathan Tropper’s sixth novel, would be an outlier at a studio focused on big-budget action franchises (“Transformers”) and micro budget horror films and comedies (“Paranormal Activity”). The story chronicles Drew Silver, a lovable, neer-do-well divorcee who discovers he needs emergency heart surgery. Silver opts against the procedure, and tries to use his remaining time on earth to better his relationship with hsi family. His wife, Denise, is about to be remarried while his teenage daughter, Casey, is pregnant. — Reuters
Mike Nichols
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egendary Indian singer Shamshad Begum has died. She was 94. The singer had been unwell for some time, her daughter Usha Ratra told the Press Trust of India news agency yesterday. She died late Tuesday in Mumbai. No independent confirmation was immediately possible. Begum’s funeral, held early yesterday, was attended by close family members and a few friends, Ratra told PTI. The singer had lived with her daughter and son-in-law since her husband’s
death in the 1950s. Begum began her singing career on radio in 1947, and her clear and pure voice touched the hearts of many listeners. She became one of the Indian movie industry’s first playback singers, with several well-known actresses of her time lip-syncing to her songs. The industry’s best-known music directors vied to get her to sing for them. Begum was reclusive and self-conscious about her looks and refused to pose for photographs. Many of her fans saw only what she looked like in
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the 1970s. Her songs from the 1950s to the early 1970s are still popular and continue to be remixed by music directors today. — AP
File photo, Indian President Pratibha Patil, left, presents the Padma Bhushan award, to Bollywood singer Shamshad Begum at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India. — AP
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he Beijing International Film Festival has honored “Back to 1942” with its top prize. The film set during a 1942 famine in China’s Hunan province stars Adrien Brody, Tim Robbins and Chen Daoming. Yan Bingyan was named best actress for “Feng Shui,” and Terence Stamp was named best actor for “Song for Marion.” The festival’s closing night Tuesday had a somber note with remembrances given for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Stars wore dark dresses and suits as they walked a carpet that was changed from red to dark blue as a sign of respect. Hong Kong actress Christy Chung said she was glad to be attending the event. But she felt “sorry for the Ya’an earthquake victims at the same time. I think we need to show our respect.” Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Nicholas Tse, Keanu Reeves and John Woo were among the attendees. — AP Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan, left, jokes with Taiwanese singer Jay Chou, right, as they perform at the award ceremony for the Beijing Film Festival in Beijing Tuesday. — AP
Combination picture created yesterday shows the president of (from top left) 66th Cannes film festival president Steven Spielberg and members of the jury, Australian actress and producer Nicole Kidman, Taiwanese director, producer and scriptwriter Ang Lee, (from center left) Austrian actor Christopher Waltz, French actor and director Daniel Auteuil, Indian actress Vidya Balan, (from bottom left) Japanese director Naomi Kawase, Scottish director Lynne Ramsay, Romanian director Cristian Mungiu. The jury, headed by Spielberg, will award the coveted Palme d’Or to one of the 19 films in competition at the May 15-26 festival. — AFP
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ouble Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and Australian actress Nicole Kidman will be on the nine-member jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, organizers said yesterday. The panel, led by triple Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg, will decide the awards handed out when the world’s most important annual cinema showcase closes on May 26. Taiwan-born Lee, 58, won his second Best Director Oscar this year, for “Life of Pi”, the story of an Indian boy cast adrift in a lifeboat with a tiger. He won his first Academy Award in 2006 for directing the gay cowboy drama “Brokeback Mountain”. Another jury member is Austrian actor Christoph Waltz who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year for his role in “Django Unchained”, while Kidman, 45, won a Best Actress Oscar for the 2002 film “The Hours”. “Eight international movie personalities of very high level will help him (Spielberg) award the prizes. They are all engaged and active in several creation spheres,” the organizers said in a statement. Among the prizes is the coveted Palme d’Or for best movie in the main competition which this year has 19 entries including
Steven Soderbergh’s “Behind the Candelabra”, Roman Polanski’s “Venus in Fur” and “Only God Forgives”, starring Ryan Gosling. Last year the prize went to Austrian director Michael Haneke’s film “Amour”, a story of an elderly couple facing illness and death. Winning the Palme d’Or prize can significantly boost a picture’s box office and awards potential. Also on the jury at the 66th Cannes Film Festival are Japanese director Naomi Kawase, Indian actress Vidya Balan, French actor/director Daniel Auteuil, British director Lynne Ramsay and Romanian director Cristian Mungiu. Mungiu, 44, won the Palme d’Or in 2007 for his film “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” set in Communist Romania in the final years of the Nicolae Ceausescu era. The world’s biggest film festival runs from May 15-26 this year and opens with Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s latest screen version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.— Reuters Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, left, walks with Taiwanese model Lin Chi-ling at the award ceremony.
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US actor Robert Redford, president and founder of the Sundance Institute, poses for pictures during opening of the Sundance London Film and Music Festival at the O2 Arena in east London yesterday. — AFP
obert Redford said yesterday that the future of London’s Sundance film and music festival was by no means certain, as he launched the British version of an event that aims to boost interest in independent film. Last year was the first time that the US actor-director had ventured outside the United States with a version of the Sundance Film Festival, the world’s leading independent film festival that he set up in Park City, Utah, 35 years ago. Redford said last year was “a toe-in-the-water experiment” and had been successful enough to repeat, with this year’s line-up including the U.S. rock band the Eagles and the Canadian musician and performance artist Peaches. But he was noncommittal on its future. “It is hard to declare a length of commitment until you letit play out and see how it goes,” Redford told a news conference before the festival at London’s O2 venue from April 25-28. Last year he told reporters that he hoped Sundance London would prove a success with audiences and allow him to expand the festival to other parts of the world as a counter-
American-Canadian actor Keanu Reeves, at left reacts to Hong Kong director John Woo at right during the award ceremony.
weight to the Hollywood blockbusters that dominate cinemas globally. When asked yesterday if he still planned to take Sundance to other countries, he replied with a curt “No”. Redford, 75, set up the Sundance Institute in 1981, which led to the film festival, to encourage emerging and aspiring filmmakers working outside Hollywood’s major studios. But he said the sector continued its uphill battle. “Independent film has always had to struggle for a place in the universe ... overall mostly due to the economy it is difficult,” he said. A slate of 119 films from 32 countries were shown at Sundance in January, and 21 US and British films were selected for London as well as musical performances by Peaches and indie rock band British Sea Power. The Eagles are not performing. This year’s films include nine documentaries, which focus on a variety of themes ranging from a struggling British dairy farmer in “The Moo Man”, the ill-fated 2008 K2 climb in “The Summit”, and the “History of The Eagles Part One”.
Others British premieres include Michael Winterbottom’s “Look of Love”, in which Steve Coogan plays porn king Paul Raymond; Lynn Shelton’s comedy “Touchy Feely” about a massage therapist; and Barbara Kopple’s documentary “Running From Crazy” about Mariel Hemingway. Redford said he was particularly fond of documentaries and proud of the advances made in this genre in recent years, which he attributed to encouragement by the independent film sector. “We kept pushing documentaries forward so that now in our festivals they take up pretty much the same space as others films do,” he said. — Reuters
Legendary Indian singer Shamshad Begum dies at 94
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Austrian Baritone Markus Werba performs during the “generale” of the Mozart’s “Don Giovannid” Opera directed by Stephane Braunschweig with musical director Jeremie Rhorer at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris. — AP
By Chidi Emmanuel
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t is hard to resist the luscious aroma while entering the first floor (left side) of the 360 mall. Fresh, quality and healthy foods, blended with samples of creative and juicy cocktails, await you as you glance through the extensive menu at The Meat Co. The interior design of the restaurant is inviting as it welcomes tourists, families, couples, corporate groups and local residents alike. The exquisite restaurant has become a rage at this fancy, high-end restaurant, with customers willing to fork as much as KD30 for a single serving of what is considered by many to be among the highest quality of meat in the world. “Our quality of meat makes us unique. We have a special brand of meat which you cannot find in any other restaurant across the globe. We offer an inimitable experience in terms of meals, drinks and extraordinary location. Serving the finest steaks with international appeal and very reach of Omega3, The Meat Co is a must-visit dining destination in the Middle East,” the restaurant’s general manager, Ahmed Asran, said during an interview with Kuwait Times newspaper. “All these elements reinforce the brand’s global footprint as an international steakhouse bringing together personal service, bespoke experience and, most of all, exceptional steak,” he added. The Meat Co offers a variety of dishes and unique services. “We have personalized knives for our highly esteemed customers. So far, there are 480 knives inscribed and engraved with the names of our regular customers. Also, we have discount cards (platinum and gold cards). 3,400 of these cards have been issued,” Asran explained. “To add glamour to your dining experience, the Drummers (a musical band) take you to another world of entertainment with their wonderful African musical instruments, songs and dance moves. Just make your orders - we will meet your needs,” he added. “Overall, their service is outstanding, friendly and quick. The steaks are awesome - they go wonderfully well with some amazing creamy sauce. Above all, I love the Drummers,” Sarah, a Kuwaiti customer, said.
Established in November 2009, The Meat Co Kuwait is situated within ‘The Gardens’ zone at the 360 Mall. It has a 220-seat capacity and a private dining room with projector and TV. The energetic open plan kitchen dominates the red and chocolate brown-accented space and creates a sense of theatre, complimented by amber lighting to immerse diners in the rich vivacity of The Meat Co’s African heritage. Its design and decor take inspiration from its surroundings. Founded in 2000, The Meat Co now has shops in five locations throughout the Middle East - across Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE. The restaurant was the vision of two of South Africa’s most successful restaurateurs, Costa Tomazos and Bradley Michael, who in their own words, wanted to “provide a unique and exceptionally enjoyable steakhouse dining experience that catered for meat lovers in a sophisticated yet relaxed environment”.
— Photos by Joseph Shagra