30 Apr 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

www.kuwaittimes.net

JAMADA ALTHANI 20, 1434 AH

Kuwait, Turkey sign eight agreements

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2 NA panel tells IMF, no taxation now Speaker urges government to ‘cooperate’

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Hummus, foul, falafel

By Badrya Darwish

KUWAIT: The National Assembly financial and economic affairs committee yesterday told a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that time is not suitable to impose taxes in Kuwait, the head of the panel said. “The committee has rejected in its meeting (with IMF delegation) to impose any taxes on citizens especially that the level of public services is not good enough,” MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah said after the meeting.

The committee held the meeting with the IMF delegation to discuss issues related to a planned study by

the IMF on reforming the taxation system in Kuwait by devising an institutional framework for taxation policies in the country. “It was agreed with the IMF delegation that it is not a suitable time to impose taxes on individuals in Kuwait unless the government approves a plan to improve the level of services in the country,” Zalzalah said without adding further details.

Kuwait does not impose any type of income taxes or corporate taxes on local companies but imposes small taxes on foreign companies that operate in the country which was reduced a few years ago from a maximum of 55 percent to around 15 percent.

The government appears to have stepped up its measures to impose taxes and raise charges on public services in a bid to cut high consumption rates and diversify sources of income which currently heavily relies on oil. Reducing consumption of heavily-subsidized services and commodities will also result in saving tens of millions of dinars in subsidies.

The government submitted last month a draft law that would give it a free hand in raising charges on services without a prior approval from the national assembly as the current law stipulates.

Continued on Page 13

Syrian PM survives bombing

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

UN puts Syria toll at 70,000

C

hemical weapons is the new tune that the West is drumming all over the media. You just turn to any TV channel and you will hear that the West thinks Syria has chemical weapons.

Two years since the start of the civil war in Syria there are thousands and thousands of stranded refugees on the borders of Turkey and Jordan who are relying just on some relief from human rights organizations or the generosity of a few countries who caused the war in the first place. The scenario is like this - they create a war and then send bread to the victims.

Of course Syria has opposition and I am not defending the Syrian regime. It is dictatorship. But, but, but. There is a big difference between opposition, dictatorship, demanding reforms and what is going on in the country today. When you arm the opposition what do you expect to happen? There is a civil war and both sides are killing each other. At the end of the day, the Syrian people are losing and the whole nation is losing.

After two years of bloodshed and arming the opposition those who are supporting the current status quo realized this was not the ideal solution.

Then we started hearing about the chemical weapons scenario. The other day David Cameron was speaking on TV. And the same image of Tony Blair came to my mind from the times when he was preparing the world for a war on Iraq on the grounds that it has weapons of mass destruction.

Then we all believed him. We all believed the White House and all its allies. But later the reason for the war was proven wrong and the initiators apologized for the grave mistake. What could the Iraqi nation do with the apology that followed years of bloodshed in the country? This, by the way, I think will end with a federalization of Iraq, more chaos and poverty and a lack of everything- petrol, electricity, water, bread, and mainly security. Iraqis who could escape and had saved some money went to London, the US, Jordan etc.

Now it is Syria’s turn. There are thousands of Syrian refugees everywhere on the borders of Jordan and Turkey. Of course, I am not in support of Assad. The man is a bloody dictator. But so is the world. It is full of dictators. So is the world going to launch a war wherever there is a dictator in power?

Do not misunderstand me! When I see the destruction and bloodshed in Syria I think that there are other ways of removing Assad which are less harmful to so many people. This is in case the West is serious about dethroning Assad. Also, we are not very much convinced with the opposition. One day you tell us that they are decent fighters and another day they become a threat because they are seen as extremists. Who brought these extremists and who gave them arms? Who facilitated their entry into Syria from around the world? Now even European countries claim some of its citizens are taking part in the liberation of Syria and they are worried that they would return home as extreme terrorists. Germany, France and other European countries came out with this news.

Is the chemical weapon talk similar to the case in Iraq? Are they paving a way to strike Syria especially. To add to the military scenario even Israel is claiming that a drone penetrated its air space and nobody claimed responsibility. Nobody could even find the wreckage later on. Hezbullah who could have done it denied it. So, who sent that drone or is it part of the theory of chemical weapons?

Which advanced country does not have chemical weapons? By the way who makes these chemical weapons? Are the Arabs really capable of producing chemical weapons? Guys, save me the headache! We Arabs can hardly make hummus, foul and falafel. Please, spare me the rhetoric. Let’s talk some sense.

Max 34º Min 18º High Tide 03:35 & 14:07 Low Tide 08:52 & 21:48

DAMASCUS: Damaged vehicles are towed away following an explosion in the Mazzeh district of the Syrian capital Damascus yesterday which is believed to have targeted Syrian Prime Minister Wael Al-Halqi (inset). —AFP

Illegal residents seek amnesty

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BEIRUT: Syria’s prime minister survived a bomb attack on his convoy in Damascus yesterday, as rebels struck in the heart of President Bashar Al-Assad’s capital. Six people were killed in the blast, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Previous rebel attacks on government targets included a December bombing which wounded Assad’s interior minister.

As prime minister, Wael Al-Halki wields little power but the attack highlighted the rebels’ growing ability to target symbols of Assad’s authority in a civil war that, according to the United Nations, has cost more than 70,000 lives.

Assad picked Halki in August to replace Riyadh Hijab, who defected and escaped to neighboring Jordan just weeks after a bombing killed four of the president’s top security advisers.

Yesterday’s blast shook the Mezze district soon after 9 am (0600 GMT), sending thick black smoke into the sky. The Observatory said one man accompanying Halki was killed as well as five passers-by.

State television showed firemen hosing down the charred and mangled remains of a car. Close by was a large white bus, its windows blown out and its seats gutted by fire. Glass and debris were scattered across several lanes of a main road.

“The terrorist explosion in Mezze was an attempt to target the convoy of the prime minister. Dr Wael AlHalki is well and not hurt at all,” state television said. It later broadcast footage of Halki, who appeared composed and unruffled, chairing what it said was an economic committee.

Continued on Page 13

Kuwait eyes KD12bn surplus in FY13-14

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200 more deported

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry has deported more than 200 expatriates over the week for violating traffic rules including driving without a license and crossing the red light, a source said. The source said the ministry will continue the crackdown and keep on deporting expatri-

ates who do not comply with the law. The ministry launched a crackdown near the fish market in Souk Sharq.

Meanwhile, a security source said that no change had been effected with regard to traffic penalties and any such change can be made with an amendment in the current law in the National Assembly.

Dubai court jails Britons for 4 yrs DUBAI: A Dubai court sentenced three Britons to four years in jail on drug charges yesterday, a decision that may overshadow a visit to Britain by the United Arab Emirates president because of allegations that the defendants were tortured.

The three were convicted a day after British Prime Minister David Cameron voiced concern about the allegations and his spokesman said the case would be on the agenda of his talks this week with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahayan.

Grant Cameron, Karl Williams and Suneet Jeerh, all in their 20s, were arrested in July 2012 during a holiday in the UAE. Police said they had found a form of synthetic cannabis in their hire car.

All three had pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing and intending to sell illegal drugs and said police had subjected them to beatings and threatened them with guns - allegations the police deny.

UAE Judge Ali Attiyah Saad found the three guilty in Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced them to four years in jail each. Defense lawyer Issa bin-Haider said the sentences indicated the court had dropped the charge of intent to sell illegal drugs, which would have carried a more severe punishment.

Abdel-Hamid Mahdi, who represents Grant Cameron, said he planned to appeal against the sentence, asking for clemency. It is common for convicts to be pardoned during UAE national Continued on Page 13

JOHANNESBURG: A picture released by South African broadcaster SABC shows South African peace icon Nelson Mandela sitting at his home in Johannesburg yesterday. The 94-year-old appeared slightly gaunt and showed little expression in brief images captured. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

LOCAL

ANKARA: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah inspects the guard of honour with Turkish President Abdullah Gul after his arrival in Ankara.

Kuwait, Turkey sign eight agreements Amir, Gul hold talks ANKARA: Kuwait and Turkey signed eight agreements and memorandums of understanding in the attendance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and President Abdullah Gul here yesterday. The signed accords include five agreements and three MoUs, mainly in the fields of aviation, education, health, culture and diplomatic cooperation. These include an agreement in the field of air transport, signed by President of Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Directorate General Fawaz Al-Farah and Turkey’s Director General of Civil Aviation Bilal Eksi.

An agreement in the field of higher education and scientific research, signed by Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled AlJarallah and President of Turkey’s Council of

Higher Education Gokhan Cetinsaya. An agreement in the field of health and animal re s o u rce s, s i gn e d by Ku w a i t ’s M i n i s te r o f Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Khaled and Turkey ’s M inister of Agriculture, Food and Animal Breeding Mehmet Eker.

An agreement on cooperation in the cultural and technical fields, signed by Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

An agreement on the exemption of travel permits for carriers of diplomatic, service and special passports, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah and Foreign Minister Ahmet

World gas supplies may last for 250 years: Report KUWAIT: Global supplies of natural gas could last for another 250 years at current consumption rates, thanks to new gas discovered as well as a revolution in the production of unconventional gas, a specialized report has estimated.

The report, by Kuwait-based Diplomatic Center for Strategic Studies, revealed that the world gas industry managed to add 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to the world gas proven reserves in 2012. It also described the US success in producing unconventional gas as a game-changer in the global energy market.

The US success in producing shale gas has prompted a global rush to explore for the new resource, reads the report. China now has potential shale gas reserves estimated at 1200 trillion cubic feet, higher than that of the United States, the report said citing a report by the International Energy Agency.

Shale gas is natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. US energy companies have become very successful in recent years at extracting gas from the shale alongside their existing conventional gas wells. US shale gas production has increased from almost nothing in 2000 to a 20 percent share of gas production in 2009, with some analysts projecting a 50 percent share by 2035.

Shale reserves are also abundant in other parts of the world. The report cautioned that the natural gas has become a fierce competitor to oil in several energy-consuming sectors including marine and land transport. There is a remarkable growth in the usage of liquefied natural gas in land transport means whose consumption make up almost half of the world oil consumption, the report said.

It unveiled that Northern America has recently started producing shale oil. Shale oil is an organicrich fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen, a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds, from which oil can be produced. The report predicted that the US shale oil production will grow from almost nothing in 2010 to 4.5 million of barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020 to take its total oil production up to over 12 million barrels per day.

It underlined that the global demand for energy is witnessing a steady growth, especially with taking into account the rising world population and the rapid growth of emerging markets.

It noted that about 1.1 billion people in the developed countries consume nearly 110 million barrels of oil equivalent per day of primary energy while 5. 8 billion people in the developing countries consume 140 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. This means that the world will need additional 270 million barrels of oil equivalent per day to meet the world demand of energy, a rate that twice higher than the current energy consumption, the report said. It confirmed that oil, gas and coal are still the main sources of energy, making up 80 percent of the primary energy, as it has been the case for decades. Due to its numerous advantages from the environmental and cost perspectives, natural gas will continue to be a preferable and reliable source of energy over the current century, the report forecast.—KUNA

Davutoglu. A MoU between the aviation authorities of both countries, signed by President of Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Directorate General Fawaz Al-Farah and Turkey’s Director General of Civil Aviation Bilal Eksi. A MoU regarding cooperation in the field of defence industries, signed by Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad AlSabah and Turkey’s Minister of National Defence Ismet Yilmaz. A MoU on cooperation between Kuwait’s Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Diplomatic Institute and Turkey’s Foreign Ministry Diplomatic Academy, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. —KUNA

Morocco minister hails Kuwait media

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Kuwait Journalist Association (KJA) hosted a press conference with the Moroccan Minister of Communication and the official spokesman of the Moroccan government, Mustapha Khalfi, who is on a visit to Kuwait to participate in the 10th Arab Media Forum, which is being held at the Regency Hotel.

“This Forum is a great opportunity for communication and dialogue. The KJA is known for being aggressive in defending the rights of journalists, and it is an advocate of political reforms in Kuwait and in the Arabic region,” Minister Mustapha Khalfi said during the conference.

He also spoke about the current state of affairs in the Arabic region. “Morocco has chosen a new way of ringing in changes to its political landscape, which involves implementing reforms while preserving national stability. Other countries have adopted other ways, such as revolution.

The Moroccan King, in an historic move, laid out the road map for implementing reforms. That will be followed by the elections, after which a government will be formed. That government will set programs for the necessary reforms,” explained Khalfi.

The reforms in Morocco will take place across different sectors. “First, reforms will be implemented in the judiciary. The court should be independent. Then we will talk

about decentralization in the southern desert regions. Kuwait supports this suggestion. We will also work on reforms in human rights will welcome international parties to come in and prepare their reports,” he stated.

Regarding the media issue, he said freedom of press obliges countries to allow their media to self-regulate. “We have proposed a project involving establishment of an independent and democratic national council for media, for its self-regulation.

This body should deal with injustices against it. In the United Kingdom, they have a self-regulation system that is in line with the country’s media laws,” he pointed out.

“In Morocco, there are more than 500 electronic media companies and we are working on formulating a media law for such companies. We have invited all of them to participate in the process by simply filling an application in order to register officially, and we haven’t banned any of

KUWAIT: Moroccan Minister of Communication and the official spokesman of the Moroccan government (center) during the press conference held at the KJA yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

them. Based on that, a committee was formed to develop a law for the electronic media, and we cooperated with the Ministry of Justice to finalise the draft. Also, no website was banned by the government last year. We are currently working on a project to develop an electronic media law in line with international regulations. This will support the journalists. The first report evaluating the freedom of press, through about 80 indexes, was issued last January,” stressed Khalfi.

According to Khalfi, bilateral relations between Kuwait and Morocco are strong and deep. “This relationship is a pioneering model in the region and is economically strong. Morocco is supported by the GCC strategy. Also, Kuwait is supporting the development of social and economic programs in Morocco, and was involved in the tour of the King, which boosted bilateral cooperation in many new sectors,” he further said.

He concluded by noting that the unemployment rate in Morocco has reached 9.1 percent and that there are 150,000 students graduating every year. He said the government had set aside in its budget 100 billion dirhams for the training of students and 100,000 dirhams for scholarships.

Therefore, he added, Morocco ranked on the top among Arab countries in implementing reforms while maintaining national stability.

Real estate exhibition opens KUWAIT: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s assistant undersecretary for foreign trade affairs, Sheikh Nemer Fahad Al-Sabah, stressed that new measures would be put in place by the ministry to control real estate exhibitions that have been recently urging citizens to purchase real estate properties overseas.

Speaking on the sidelines of opening the Real Estate and Investment Exhibition, held at the Meshrif International Fair Grounds from April 29 to May 4, Al-Sabah stressed that according to law 98/2013, ministry’s inspection

teams would be authorized to scrutinize the companies participating in such exhibitions to make sure they matched the conditions set by the ministry.

Further, Al-Sabah hailed the number of participants in this year’s exhibition and noted that 72 companies were displaying over 200 real estate projects in 17 GCC, Arab and European countries.

“This proves that the real estate market was gaining more trust of both companies and investors,” he stressed, noting that this marks the end of the recession the world suffered in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis.

Industrial projects problems discussed

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The fire department participated in a monthly deewaniya meeting of the Kuwaiti industrial union, held under the theme “The Comprehensive Service Centers is a postponed decision, and lengthy procedures.”

The meeting, attended by Director General of Fire Department, Lt General Yousuf Al-Ansari, was organized at the Chamber of Commerce on Sunday evening.

Participants discussed the hurdles that owners of the industrial projects face in the Comprehensive Service Centers.

Among those participating were a number of leaders from Public Authority for Industry, General Administration of Customs and representatives of private Kuwaiti companies.

Al-Ansari welcomed the audience and thanked them for their invitation. “We are here to extend a hand of cooperation as everyone wants to serve Kuwait. All govern-

ment organizations and those working there must help improve the services. Both private and public sector need to cooperate in order to ensure progress,” he said.

He explained that the fire department was electronically linked with the general administration of customs and the linkage was working well. He said there could be no objection to cooperate on any issue, particularly if it facilitated industrial work and achievement. All one has to ensure is that the activity is legal.

Al-Ansari said, “We are all for cooperation, and would help in strengthening the working, electronically, besides facilitating completion of formalities and obtaining licenses and other necessary approvals.”

Deputy fire directors, Brig Khalid Al-Zaid and Khalid Al-Mikrad, emphasized that the fire department was ready for the advanced phases as work proceeds in the Comprehensive Service Centers and that it will cooperate fully with anything that serves the interests of the state.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

LOCAL

Illegal residents appeal for amnesty, reprieve Expats number to be reduced

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Arlene, a Filipino runaway housemaid, and Jabr, a Palestinian plumber, have been in hiding since last month because of the ongoing intensive crackdown by the Kuwaiti government against illegal expatriates. Their prayers, especially on this Labor Day (tomorrow May 1), are for the government to give amnesty to expatriates instead of throwing them out disgracefully or deporting them. Arlene and Jabr are just two of the thousands of such illegal expatriates who are being targeted nowadays by authorities as part of a recent program initiated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to reduce the number of expatriates by one million in ten years.

“I hope the Kuwaiti government will somehow give some reprieve to us expats by granting us amnesty. I have been waiting for amnesty so that I can leave this country peacefully. Now I can no longer go out, as I am afraid they are going to catch me and put me in jail,” Arlene said.

Arlene escaped from her employer in 2010, but remained in the country without visa since she badly needed a job to support her family. “I am very much in need of a job, but I also want to leave Kuwait gracefully. I know I am an illegal resident here, and that fleeing from an abusive employer is a crime,” she said.

Arlene used to do house cleaning chores for an expatriate family, earning at least thrice what she would have been earning if she were to be a fulltime housemaid.

“Now I refuse to even buy a soft drink in a baqala. I remain trapped inside the house. Fear grips me even if I see police patrolling in the area. I have heard that they are going to search house to house now, and I have no idea where to hide if that was to happen. I will probably hide inside a washing machine, just as other expats did in Saudi Arabia,” she quipped.

“My problem is that I have a family in the Philippines. I have two children who are students and they are in high school now. By next year, one of my children will be in college. So, I really need to work hard for more years in order to be able to help them graduate and have a better life too,” she noted.

Thekra Al-Rashidi, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor on Sunday assured the expatriates that the on-going crackdown will only affect illegal expats and marginal laborers.

Arlene, of course, will not be spared if found.

Al-Rashidi last month said the crackdown was aimed at restructuring Kuwait’s manpower scenario and will help reduce the number of expatriates in the country by 100,000 per year.

Meanwhile, Jabr, the Palestinian plumber, is also apprehensive about his security. “My visa expired six years ago,” Jabr admitted. “I continued to stay in the country illegally because I had many jobs here and I was earning a good deal of money.

But now I have no way out. I am also trapped in the house. I can no longer perform my usual job because I fear for my security,” he said. Besides pressure as a result of the government’s crack-

down, Jabr also experiences harassment by his landlord who has already advised him to leave the flat as soon as possible.

“When you are in such a situation and are being harassed left and right, you don’t know where you are going. That is what I am feeling now. The problem is that I cannot complain to the authorities because I am an illegal resident. So the best solution for me now is to keep quiet and comply. You know I have a car parked in front of my flat. It was towed away from the garage because my landlord told the police about my car.

If I chose to complain, I could be arrested. So I perforce have to keep my mouth shut although I saw the car in the police compound,” Jabr mentioned.

Jabr admitted that he encountered a problem with his previous employer and could no longer transfer his visa or else he would have been forced to face his previous employer in the court. If he wins, he will still be liable to face the maximum penalty for illegal stay.

“Now I am in serious trouble. I am depending upon my friend to provide me with some space to dump my stuff and also space to sleep,” he stated.

Arlene’s and Jabr’s predicament is a reflection of thousands other illegal expatriates in Kuwait who are patiently waiting for amnesty, or if they prove to be unlucky, they would be driven out.

Kuwait previously granted a 45-day-amnesty in 2008. Thousands of illegal expatriates at that time took advantage of the offer by either legalizing their status or opting to leave the country without any penalty.

Workshop discusses 2012 Ecological Footprint report KUWAIT: The Environment Public Authority hosted a workshop to discuss the fifth series of the annual repor ts produced by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) on Ecological Footprint in Arab Countries.

The 2012 report, under the title (Sur vival Options-Ecological Footprint of Arab Countries), examined sustainability choices in the 22 members of the Arab League countries, based on a survey of people’s demand for natural capital and available supply.

Drunken man threatens to kill wife KUWAIT: A drunken man threatened to kill his wife and feed her to stray dogs when she accused him of drinking too much. Upon the return of the citizen to his home in Surra area, his wife blamed him for the condition he was in. Therefore, he got angry and pulled out a gun, threatening to kill her. Then he swore loudly, saying he would feed her to stray dogs. After that, the woman locked herself in and called the police. A security source said when the police knocked at his door, the man came out in a horrible state and was without his pistol. The police then arrested him. While the man was being taken to the police car, his wife came out with the pistol and three air weapons and handed it over to the police.

The man was charged with threatening to kill and illegal possession of weapons.

Asian held A Sri Lankan decor technician was arrested by Hawally detectives for stealing 13 cars from Bayan area and selling them as spare parts. Hawally detectives had received several complaints about car thefts in Bayan area. Detectives on the lookout for car thieves noticed a man walking with a screwdriver in his hand. The suspect was found to be working as a decor technician and was sent to the police station, where he was fingerprinted. The man’s fingerprints matched with those of the hitherto unknown thief. He then confessed to stealing 13 cars and selling them as spare parts.

Bikini woman Elsewhere, a woman was seen wearing a bikini beside a swimming pool, which made those who saw her angry and call the police. The woman said she thought nobody was watching her and promised not to repeat her act.

School theft A police officer who was off duty noticed a theft taking place at Omariya school.

Therefore, he chased the thieves and noted their car number in order to make it easy for detectives to catch them. A security source said the officer was jogging near the Ibn Al-Ameed intermediate school when he saw six men holding some things and jumping over the school fence before driving off. He noted the vehicle number and reported the incident to police.

The AFED has commissioned the Global Footprint Network to produce an Arab Ecological Footprint and Bio Capacity Atlas using the most recent data available. The findings indicated that Arab countries’ demand for nature’s products and services amounted to more than twice what ecosystems in these countries can supply. The report showed that most Arab countries suffer an ecological debt.

Compared to 1961, the average Ecological Footprint of the region has increased by 78 percent, from

1.2 to 2.1 global hectares per capita till 2008.

There are two main drivers which have led to this sharp jump. The first was a 3.5-fold increase in population size, leading to higher overall consumption; the second was a sharp rise in the amount of resources and services consumed per person as a result of higher incomes and changing lifestyle patterns.

The repor t attempted to go beyond pointing out the signs of deterioration by providing solutions

and alternative paths to lessen the Arab countries Ecological Footprint.

Kuwait ’s Environment Public Authority has genuinely responded to these red flags and is striving to calculate the country’s ecosystem deficit and facilitate the adoption of science-based policies to advance sustainable development.

The repor t ranked the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait among top countries in Ecological Footprint.

The event was sponsored by Minister of Health Dr. Mohammad Al-Haifi. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Ministry of Interior Undersecretary, Gen Ghazi Al-Omar, honored the General Director of Capital Detectives Administration, Col Mansour Musa Al-Otaibi, and a number of officers and personnel for their efforts in arresting red handed those suspected of damaging a mosque at Daeya. The ceremony to honor them was held in the presence of assistant undersecretary, Lt Genl Abdul Hameed Al-Awadhi, and acting general director of criminal investigation, Brig Mahmoud Al-Tabbakh.

NBK wraps up its ‘Clean Safe Camping’ campaign KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) concluded its environmental awareness campaign ‘Help Keep Kuwait Clean and Safe’ that aimed to clean the campsites.

The campaign covered more than 200 camps in different areas in Kuwait such as Bnaider, Julaia and Mina Abdullah. Volunteers distributed more than 250 waste bins and 1000 pamphlets on security precautions and safety and how to maintain the environment. “The environment is one of our most precious resources and NBK appreciates all the support and positive feedback from the community,” said Yaqoub Al Baqer, NBK Public Relations Officer. “We were delighted

with the high numbers of volunteers and the support we received on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Very well received, the campaign attracted a large number of employees who visited desert camps and help clean up. The campaign was divided into three phases. NBK volunteers visited campsites and cleaned up litter and other waste. Volunteers also spoke with campers and provided them with safety and security tips.

As part of its dedication to corporate social responsibility, NBK supports a range of initiatives -including electricity conservation and paper recycling- aiming at promoting environmental awareness.

Yaqoub Al Baqer

NBK volunteers in a group photo.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

LOCAL In my view

In my view

Jobs for children

A road map for nuclear negotiations

By Muhammad Sahimi

By Labeed Abdal

T

labeed@kuwaittimes.net

T

he Cabinet’s decision to approve the request of the National Assembly to allow children of Kuwaiti women who are widows of bedoons, or GCC military men, to enter the police on an experimental basis to assess if it was a profitable venture and also give them some allowance, must be reviewed.

Sure, we all want to accord the right to the Kuwaiti women to be treated equally with the men as far as public rights, especially benefits, are concerned.

I would like to see that we achieve in Kuwait a fair and fixed standard as far as granting Kuwaiti women the right to marry a foreigner as a husband.

Such provisions must be well defined and there should not be any variables. The women in such circumstances must not be left vulnerable to any instabilities or risks that become a cause of a lifetime of hurt.

Moreover, the matter includes a family relationship with a man from outside Kuwait. The children of such women must not be left to suffer just because their mother once made a crucial mistake by marrying someone from abroad. I have seen a number of very decent Kuwaiti women married to some wonderful men hailing from the Kingdom of Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the UK, the USA, Spain, Venezuela, Chilly and other nations. Even these women are facing difficulties in uniting with their husbands and/or children in Kuwait who wait for iqamas or visas.

Well, first of all it is a matter of a most personal and natural choice and women everywhere have the right to find a life partner from outside their country of origin.

We in Kuwait must not treat every such issue with suspicion and think that there was something wrong in such a choice. If some women leave behind their cousins in the big tribe or reject other local Kuwaiti men in the country, or want to marry a foreigner for some financial benefits, like employment, it is just like people who do the same to get away from cruel or tyrannical regimes. We must be clear as far as our nationality laws are concerned and set in place proper standards that will stand the test of time.

Without any doubt, we must consider the basic human rights, principles of fairness and, most important of all, the principle of reciprocal international treatment.

Just as our men citizens are marrying many great women from the above mentioned countries, and they are treated well there, we, too, must accord the same treatment when our Kuwaiti women establish families with husbands from those countries.

kuwait digest

Good intentions alone not enough

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

O

ne day in the spring of 1998, my father returned home from a hunting trip and was carrying with him a small pup. He told us that he found it in the desert, in a very far away place, and it was dying of hunger and thirst. So, father wanted to do some thing good, and brought it home until it recovered and then planned to release it.

By the next day, the pup began showing signs of life even as my father prepared a small box for it and kept it in the courtyard of the house. After a new day in the life of the pup, who was almost dying in the desert, it started barking continuously, as if it was celebrating the return of life, which it had almost lost. It liked to bark only in the early hours of the day, around dawn, which my three brothers did not like since their windows opened on to the courtyard where the dog stayed and barked.

They put up with the new visitor for the first three days in deference to my father and patiently walked the pup everyday at 5:30 am. But by the time it was the fourth night of the creature at home, it seemed the guest had clearly overstayed its welcome.

It was now an unwanted guest. My brothers decided to silence the barking dog, but in their own way. The eldest one went to his friend, a pharmacist, and brought some sleeping pills. He crushed a few of the tablets, mixed it with some tuna and offered it to the “guest.” The other two brothers also went along with the plan, offered the some pup tuna at midnight since the pharmacist had told them that the sleeping pills’ effect would last for eight hours only.

The next day, my brothers woke up only to find that the

“guest” had not barked. They thought it must be the magic of their pill potion. As soon as one of the brothers, whose idea it was, opened his window, he found the dog sprawled on the ground, its legs stiff in the air. It could hardly breathe and was about to die. Here my brother called his pharmacist friend and informed him of what had happened, including the fact that he crushed three pills and mixed these with tuna.

Shocked, the pharmacist cried out in his “Shami” dialect how my brother could give a small puppet weighing barely 3 kgs, three pills? He said the quantity of the sedative was enough to kill a human being weighing 80 kilograms, and expressed the apprehension that the dog may even die. My brother kept monitoring his victim, hoping that it wakes up, and fearing that my father may find out what had happened. He sprinkled some water on the pup. A few minutes later, the pup began to try and stand again on its feet, and even managed to bark, but barely audibly.

Minutes later, it started to move around naturally. Only then was my brother able to breathe with some relief. The “guest” had almost died at his hands through an “overdose.” However, two days later, my father decided to return the pup to where he had found it since its condition had improved.

NOTE 1: It is not necessary whatever the father decides will be liked by his sons. Even though what the father did was only prompted by good intentions, it does not mean that everyone at home will react positively and will be affected equally and in the same way. Good intentions alone are not enough.

NOTE 2: Our houses are our states. — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Syria spillover risk grows

By Ahmad Khatib

S

yria’s neighbors face a growing risk of the conflict spilling across their region as Bashar Assad turns to ever more desperate acts to halt fighters - including the alleged use of chemical weapons.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki voiced such concerns yesterday when he said a new wave of sectarian strife in his country stemmed from violence elsewhere, although he did not name Syria. But analysts say Lebanon and Jordan will be the most vulnerable if the conflict spreads, while Iraq will also be affected along with Israel and Turkey.

“There is a significant risk of an increased spillover,” said Anthony Skinner of British risk consultancy Maplecroft.

“It is a very vulnerable region and there is a risk of escalation. The whole region may increasingly become involved in the conflict.” Jordan hosts more than 500,000 Syrian refugees, while Lebanon is home to 400,000, but the two countries face other tough challenges.

Amman has found itself dragged closer to the conflict with the deployment of more US troops on its territory amid a warning by Assad the kingdom could be engulfed by the war, and accusations of allowing fighters into Syria.

“Jordan had been pushed because of the escalation next door and because of its concerns regarding hard-liners. Jordan is concerned about the potential chaos that may follow for years or decades in the likely event that Assad will eventually be toppled,” Skinner said.

“Another key concept relates to the Jordanian hard-liners who have crossed the borders into Syria in order to topple the regime.” Lebanon has witnessed frequent shelling from Syria of both Sunni Muslim and Shiite areas of its north and east. It has adopted a policy of neutrality despite being torn between the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies that support Assad, and the Sunni-led March 14 movement that backs the revolt.

Opposition activists in Syria have accused Hezbollah of sending elite fighters to battle alongside Assad’s troops in Qusayr, an area near the border. “Lebanon could be plunging into a state of war - this is a very real risk,” Skinner said.

For Yezid Sayigh of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, “the main impact on Jordan and Lebanon is the refugees, which puts them under severe pressure. “Even those who support the Syrian opposition, are becoming fed up with the refugee influx. If the situation develops, more Syrians, maybe millions, will flee to Jordan and Lebanon,” exacerbating the chances of conflict in the host countries, he said. Syria’s conflict is increasingly becoming a proxy war, with the fighters backed by some Gulf states and Turkey, and Assad by Hezbollah, Iran and Russia. Assad’s forces are too stretched to retaliate against those who back the fighters, but occasional cross-border shelling is conceivable, said Skinner.

“Though, these attacks would not be deemed large enough to provoke a strong counter-punch, it’s conceivable that Assad would use proxies that are not so clearly linked to his line of command.” Turkey and Israel are worried about the fallout. “The threat of the Syrian conflict has pushed Turkey to engage in what appears to be a serious peace process with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party),” said Skinner. Israel fears Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal could fall into the wrong hands.

“The United States and Israel have limited options to deal with the chemical weapons. They do not want things to develop, which might give the Syrian regime the chance to use the weapons,” said Sayigh.

The opposition has urged the UN to act immediately, possibly even by imposing a no-fly zone, but US President Barack Obama is awaiting a “definitive” probe into their alleged use before taking any action.

he next round of negotiations between Iran and the P5-plus-1 group-the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany-is to take place in Moscow on June 18 and 19.

The initial optimism after the first round of negotiations in Istanbul gave way to caution after the Baghdad negotiations in late May. The developments over the past two weeks do not, however, bode well for the upcoming negotiations. Helga Maria Schmid, senior adviser to Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief who leads the P5-plus-1 team, has sent a letter to her Iranian counterpart, Ali Bagheri, indicating that P5-plus-1 will take a hard line in Moscow.

In her letter to Bagheri, Schmid has stated that the P5-plus-1 is willing only to discuss the proposal put on the table in Baghdad by her side, according to which Iran must immediately cease uranium enrichment at 19.75 percent, in return for which the P5-plus-1 will make minor concessions to Iran-providing Iran with spare parts for its old civilian aircrafts bought from Europe and the United States, supplying some nuclear isotopes used in medical treatment, and cooperating with Iran on nuclear safety issues. None of the tough sanctions already imposed on Iran, or about to be imposed on July 1, will be cancelled or even suspended.

If the P5-plus-1 insists on this hard line, the Moscow negotiations will be doomed.

The US and its allies must recognize that both sides, not just the P5-plus-1, have their own constraints, as well as winning cards to play. In the US, the hawks and Israel lobby do not want any diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff. The Senate has been busy passing one resolution after another, trying to make it impossible to negotiate with Iran. Hardliners within Iran’s security, intelligence and military forces, particularly in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also do not want to make any concession to the West.

And, while the sanctions imposed on Iran have worsened the economic plight of ordinary Iranians to the extent that the ruling elite cannot ignore it anymore, tougher confrontation with Iran in the absence of a diplomatic solution will push oil prices to much higher levels, greatly hurting the fragile European economies and the weak recovery in the US. Moreover, with Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium at 3.5 and 19.75 percent levels continuing to grow, the West’s anxiety over Iran’s military site at Parchin (southeast of Tehran) also growing, and the situation in Syria spiraling out of control, Iran does have some winning cards to play. No deal with Iran can be reached without a major concession by the US and its allies. If there is political will on both sides, the framework for a diplomatic solution and the road map to arrive at it are clear.

Iran must agree to adhere to modified Code 3.1 of its Safeguards Agreement, which obligates it to inform the IAEA about any new nuclear site as soon as the decision for constructing it is made, rather than the present Code 3.1, according to which Iran’s only obligation is to inform the IAEA about the existence of any new nuclear site 180 days prior to introducing any nuclear material into the site. Iran did adhere to the modified code until March 2007.

First, Iran must cease enrichment at 19.75 percent. In return, the EU must allow oil tankers that carry Iran’s oil to non-European nations to be insured by European companies. In addition, the sanctions on Iran’s central bank must at least be suspended.

Next, Iran must ship out its stockpile of 19.75 percent enriched uranium to Russia and France for conversion to fuel rods. This arrangement had been agreed upon in October 2009, but the agreement ultimately failed due to objections by both sides. In return, the P5plus-1 must guarantee supply of fuel, the same 19.75 percent enriched uranium converted to fuel rods, for the Tehran Research Reactor. Fuel rods cannot be used in making nuclear weapons.

Iran must then reactivate the provisions of the Additional Protocol of its Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which it carried out voluntarily from October 2003 to January 2006. That will give the IAEA intrusive authority to inspect any suspected site in Iran, including Parchin.

In addition, Iran must agree to adhere to modified Code 3.1 of its Safeguards Agreement, which obligates it to inform the IAEA about any new nuclear site as soon as the decision for constructing it is made, rather than the present Code 3.1, according to which Iran’s only obligation is to inform the IAEA about the existence of any new nuclear site 180 days prior to introducing any nuclear material into the site. Iran did adhere to the modified code until March 2007. In return, the P5-plus1and, in particular, the EU must cancel oil sanctions.

Finally, Iran must agree to zero stockpile of 19.75 percent enriched uranium on its soil, implying that it must ship abroad the enriched uranium, both the current stockpile and in the future, and limit the number of enrichment sites and centrifuges to a mutually agreed upon number. In return, the P5-plus-1 must reaffirm Iran’s fundamental right to produce low-enriched uranium, and gradually lift its economic sanctions.

A few days ago, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rejected a role for Iran in the effort to resolve the crisis in Syria. That is utterly short-sighted. Iran is the most important backer of the Syrian regime. By giving Iran a seat at the table, the United States may achieve three major goals. First, it would give Iran the respect that it has always craved as a major power in the Middle East.

This would generate goodwill in Tehran. Second, without Iran’s help the crisis in Syria will most likely be transformed into a full-blown sectarian war that may spread throughout the Middle East, but with Iran at the table a diplomatic solution may be possible. Third, the goodwill generated in Tehran will give Iran’s relative moderates the upper hand to end the nuclear standoff with the United States diplomatically.

Such a framework and road map represent a winwin solution for both sides.

LOCAL

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

Jahra Road project proceeds to bridges stage Work progress as per schedule

KUWAIT: The Jahra Road Development Project in progress.

KUWAIT: The supervising authority of the Jahra Road Development Project, Kuwait’s leading infrastructural project, yesterday announced certain recent updates as Engineer Yasser Budastour shed light on the progress in execution of structural work.

It included the launch of the bridge erection process at the UN Roundabout, by installing 55 segments connected with the abutment, and 20 segments erected at Jahra main line using the launching gantry for its installation.

The Project Engineer, Eng. Yasser Budastour, said: “The highly technologically advanced launching gantry is the first out of the three to be used on site to lift and install the segments. Work is proceeding as per schedule with major development progress reaching 27.3% of the total work which includes structural and services work in the five phases of the project.

Summarizing the latest structural works, Budastour pointed to the completion of 160 piers and 80 pier heads besides 12 diaphragms, in addition to constructing 3474 piles and 266 pile caps, as well as fabricating 643 segments in 20 moulds.

“As for the service works, 72% of the electricity cables were laid down apart from 49% of the phones lines and 28% of sewage. We have also opened 22 detours to date,” he added.

The project is located in the western region of Kuwait, which extends from the Jahra Gate (Jahra Gate Roundabout Sheraton) to the United Nations Roundabout.

It is also one of the main projects in the Ministry of Public Works’ strategic plan to develop roads and motorways in Kuwait in order to address the future demands on traffic, and to minimize the traffic congestions and improve road safety.

Kuwait wins Sheikh Zayed Book Award ABU DHABI: Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) has won Sheikh Zayed Book Award for publishing and technology.

The award was delivered by National Security Advisor Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Secretary General of the NCCAL Ali Al-Youha during a ceremony held at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre in the presence of dignitaries, prominent public figures, and members of Arab and international literary circles.

The Kuwaiti cultural institution has won the award thanks to the fact that it has been a pioneering cultural agency on the Gulf and Arab levels since it was established on July 17, 1973.

Sheikh Hazza said the cultural events taking place in Abu Dhabi were a reflection of its pioneering role as “an oasis of knowledge and culture”.

Such events would also contribute to placing the UAE in gen-

eral and Abu Dhabi in particular on the international map in view of human development, he said.

“The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has come a long way in serving the Arabic culture, which is a source of pride to us,” he added.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is the richest literary competition in the world, and is an independent cultural award administered by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority with a total monetary value of seven million dirhams.

Established in memory of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan who served as the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE for more than 30 years, since its launch in 2007, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award has succeeded in fostering greater scholarship and creativity by recognizing and rewarding significant cultural achievements to Arabic culture, actively changing the Arab literary landscape.

Kuwait’s hands always open for Arab nation KUWAIT: Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah said Sunday evening Kuwait’s hands would always be open for the Arab nation out of its keenness on its development and progress.

Media people are the future of the Arab nation “and its speaking tongue,” Sheikh Salman, also Minister of State for Youth Affairs, said in a speech at the opening of the 10th Arab Media Forum, held under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The Arab nation is experiencing “a very critical phase” and words should be chosen carefully in order to avoid tension, he said, and underlined importance of the Forum which was held under the theme “media and

peace.”

Sheikh Salman then talked about Kuwait government’s media law.

“Despite the uniform media law aims at boosting responsible media freedom, but once there was a feeling that the draft law was not backed by media, His Highness Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah freezes it to affirm Kuwait’s leadership in press and journalism,” he said.

Sheikh Salman called on media people to convey Kuwait government’s pro-freedom policies to the Arab nation. He underlined that judiciary in Kuwait was independent and “the freedom of press is a source of pride.”

Egyptian information minister Salah Abdulmaqsood, the guest of honor,

said the theme of the Forum would contribute to positive media.

He called for realizing the threats facing the Arab media, which “required us to be vigilent.”

Head of the Arab Media Forum Madhi Al-Khamees said the forum succeeding in bringing together all media people who have different way of thinking in order to have dialogue and exchange of ideas. He said the beginning of the forum was difficult “but with the blessing of Allah the Almighty then the support of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, it managed to succeed.”

The capital of Bahrain, Manama, was chosen as the Arab Media Capital for 2013-14. (pickup previous) —KUNA

Kuwait urges Djibouti to maintain support for human rights GENEVA: Kuwait, addressing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), recommended that Djibouti continue exerting effort in supporting human rights by ratifying related agreements and continuing to offer basic education, fair and equal opportunities to all citizens.

Djibouti has offered great care to the educational sector by adopting a plan that guarantees teaching to all segments of society, said First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Kuwait to UN Abduallah Jassem Al-Jraiwi, commenting on the review report of Djibouti during Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UNHRC. Al-Jraiwi hailed the effort Djibouti exerted to alleviate poverty through a national initiative launched in 2007 as a part of social development.

He praised the country’s national childhood strategic plan, namely establishment of an independent body mandated for the child’s rights, besides ratifying the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Kuwait acclaimed Djibouti bids to apply the recommendations offered to the country during the first session of UPR, with the participation of a ministerial committee to authorize the report at the national level.

The Kuwaiti diplomat hailed Minister of Justice Ali Farah Assoweh’s presentation about his country’s national capabilities in human rights in front of the UNHRC, and the way his government dealt with the UNHRC mechanisms and related agreements. —KUNA

Kuwait to host scientific poster conference KUWAIT: Assistant Dean of Research Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University Dr. Widad Al-Naqeeb stressed here the importance of taking note of the latest medical developments and research in modern medicine, especially those which would be displayed during the 18th annual conference of the scientific poster on May 7.

Al-Naqeeb said in a press statement that the conference will be held under the patronage of Dr. Abdullatif Al-Bader, Rector of Kuwait University and with the participation of all faculties of the Health Science Center, students and doctors from inside and outside Kuwait.

She added that the organizing committee chose 236 scientific researches out of 262 made by participants in the conference.

The statement added that the Organizing Committee succeeded in hosting Dr. Freda Miller, Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, to give a lecture on stem cells and nervous system.

The conference aims to disseminate research activities and display the latest medical developments and research in modern medicine through the experiences of distinguished researchers. —KUNA

Taxes issue discussed KUWAIT: The parliamentary financial and economic affairs committee discussed in a meeting yesterday with the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the latter’s study aimed to reform the tax system in Kuwait through the development of an institutional framework to review tax policies.

Committee Chairman MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah said in a press statement that the committee at its meeting rejected the imposition of any taxes on citizens, especially that the services provided are not at the required level.

The MP added “it was agreed with the IMF’s delegation that the current time is not suitable in Kuwait to impose taxes on individuals unless the government approves a plan to improve the level of services in the country.” —KUNA

This year has seen 1,262 nominations across all nine categories, doubling over last session’s record.

The “Contribution to the Development of Nations” Award was won by Elizabeth Kassab of Lebanon, “Young Author” Award by Adil Hadjami of Morocco, the “Translation” Award by Fathi Meskini of Tunisia, the “Literary and Art Criticism” Award by Abdullah Ibrahim of Iraq, the “Arab Culture in Non-Arabic Languages” Award by Marina Warner from the UK, the “Publishing and Technology” Award by Kuwait’s NCCAL, and the “Cultural Personality of the Year” Award by Egypt Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmad Al Tayeb, Al Azhar.

However, the awards for “Literature” and “Children’s Literature” were withheld for the seventh session as this year’s nominations in these categories fell short of necessary standards and criteria. —KUNA

US report on human rights in Kuwait ‘fair’ KUWAIT: The US ambassador to Kuwait, Matthew Tueller, insisted that the US State Department’s recent report on human rights in Kuwait was fair and that his country has been issuing annual reports regarding human rights worldwide so that the US administration could assess the situation in various countries with the aim to discuss and improve it. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a dinner hosted by Archbishop Botross Ghareeb to honour the Lebanese Ambassador to Kuwait, Tueller stressed that whenever his country received any remarks or explanations from the Kuwaiti government concerning the report, they were taken into consideration since both countries have a friendly relationship. Members of the diplomatic corps in Kuwait were also invited to the occasion.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

LOCAL

Asian held for growing marijuana plants Sponsor denies any knowledge

Dutch Royal Succession KUWAIT: On the April 30, 2013, usually the National Day of The Netherlands which is the official celebration of the queen’s birthday, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will celebrate the Inauguration of the new Dutch king. After 33 years as Head of State of The Netherlands, Queen Beatrix has decided to step down on April 30. On the same day, her son Prince Willem-Alexander will be invested as king of the Netherlands.

Both abdication and investiture will take place in Amsterdam.

Every year on April 30, the country marks the connection between the Royal Family and the Dutch people. In every city and village in the country people participate in street

festivals, street markets and parties.

This year’s celebrations are expected to be even more spectacular.

Celebrations are not limited to the Netherlands, but are taking place alt over the world, including in Kuwait.

Dutch Embassies worldwide always host celebratory events as well.

The monarchy in the Netherlands is firmly rooted in the country’s history, which has long-standing ties to the House of Orange.

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, which entails that the position of the Dutch monarch is enshrined in the Dutch constitution. The Dutch monarchy was established in 1813, a fact which the country will mark later this year.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kuwait, like Dutch diplomatic missions all over the world, will also celebrate this occasion. For the Dutch community the Investiture will be broadcasted live at the Dutch Embassy.

In the evening the Ambassador will host a special reception at the residence in celebration of the investiture.

In addition, everyone has the chance to send his or her personal wish to the new King and Queen via the website www.wishesworldwide.com, which charts the wishes on a map of the world.

From 2014 onwards King’s Day will be celebrated on the April 27.

Burgan Bank sponsors diving mission KUWAIT: Burgan Bank has sponsored the AWARE diving initiative by Apple Dive Center in celebration of Earth Day 2013. The “Diver For Earth Day 2013” project, included a professional team of 10 local scuba divers who visited Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Aswan and Luxor on a mission to help protect and preserve coral reefs and the aquatic ecosystems of the areas.

Burgan Bank’s sponsorship of the project is part of the bank’s support of positive environmental action and part of its commitment to developing and executing best practice methods of social responsibility.

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base. Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank - Turkey, (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”). The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region.

Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook.

The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait.

Excellence is one of the Bank’s four key values and Burgan Bank continually strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry. The Bank was re-certified in 2010 with the ISO 9001:2008 certification in all its banking businesses, making it the first bank in the GCC, and the only bank in Kuwait to receive such accreditation. The Bank also has to its credit the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twelve consecutive years.

Burgan Bank won the prestigious “Banking Web Awards” prize in the commercial and corporate Category for Kuwait.

In 2010 Burgan Bank was awarded with the “Best Internet Banking Service award” from Banker Middle East Awards.

Burgan Bank was recognized in 2011 as Kuwait’s “Best Private Bank”, by World Finance.

The bank also won, in 2011, the coveted “International Platinum Star for Quality” award from Business Initiative Directions, and “The Best Technical Award” from Banking Web Awards. In 2012, Global Banking and Finance Review online magazine recognized Burgan Bank as the “Best Banking Group in the MENA” as well as the “Best Corporate Bank in Kuwait”. The bank also won the coveted “Best Bank Branding” award by the Banker Middle East.

For the second consecutive year in 2012, Burgan Bank also won World Finance’s “Best Private Bank” award, as well as the “Best Private Bank in Kuwait 2012” award from Capital Finance International. The bank recently won the “Best Bank in Kuwait ” award from EMEA Finance. Burgan Bank, a subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), is a strongly positioned regional Bank in the MENA region.

KUWAIT: The marijuana plants in the garden.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Police in Kuwait have arrested an expatriate for growing marijuana in a garden. According to reports in the capital, Kuwait City, the Bangladeshi suspect had planted the marijuana in the middle of similar-looking plants in the garden he was supposed to look after.

The police arrested him after they acted on a tip about the man’s suspicious activities. His Kuwaiti sponsor denied any knowledge about the growing operation and the suspect confirmed that he brought the seeds from Bangladesh and that he grew the marijuana without informing his employer.

In July 2010, Kuwait’s criminal court sentenced a Kuwaiti national to death by hanging for growing marijuana in his garden.

The man was arrested by the police following tips that he used his garden in Al Qusoor, in Al Mubarak Al Kabeer area, to grow marijuana and sell it. His sons, initially includ-

KUWAIT: The Asian expat who was arrested for car thefts yesterday. ed in the investigation, were eventually freed. Three months earlier, the interior ministry said that its officers raided the biggest marijuana garden in Kuwait.

The house owner was arrested “under the influence” and in possession of a number of marijuana plants, both in the garden and in dried form, the police said, without giving details of how many plants were seized.

Different pots with seedlings and a big quantity of newly picked plants were also found at the house.

Car thefts Criminal detectives arrested an Asian expat involved in many car thefts. Several reports were received by the police about car thefts, and a task team was set up. The suspect was spotted while trying to sneak into one of the houses with the purpose of committing a theft.

Following his arrest, he confessed to his involvement in seven other thefts. The suspect and the confiscated material were sent to the concerned authorities.

EQUATE visits schools to post ‘Stay Safe’ instructions KUWAIT: Through the variant activities of its campaign “ Stay Safe”; EQUATE petrochemical company has visited several schools and diwaniyas in several provinces to raise awareness of taking into account the safety standards at our homes.

The campaign met hundreds of students through visits to schools like “Kuwait Bilingual”,”Raitta Bint Al Harith” and “Farwaniya intermediate school” where multiple events established with the students to raise their awareness of the need to maintain

their safety and the safety of their families in their homes. “ Stay Safe” also visited diwan Imad Abdul-Hadi in Meshrif area and Abdul Aziz Tammar in Shamiya area to communicate directly with citizens and residents to raise awareness of all the families of the importance of attention to our daily home behavior, and how to stay safe at home.

The Vice-President for Technical Affairs in EQUATE Mohammed Al Bin Ali: “ Stay Safe “ works to deliver important messages, as to abide the

most important right practices related to safety in the home, such as use of kitchen equipment and power tools, escalators, different foods, monitor the children always and installing adequate lighting inside and outside the home as emphasize the need to use fire detectors in every home.”

The campaign is still conducting its activities through Kuwait major malls, schools and diwaniyas to deliver its important awareness messages to all families in Kuwait, to have a safer life at our homes with our beloved ones.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

Rafsanjani softens stance toward Israel

Amsterdam turns orange ahead of royal ceremony Page 9

Page 8

BAGHDAD: Civilians and security forces gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in the southern Shiite city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq, yesterday. Five car bombs exploded yesterday in predominantly Shiite cities and districts in central and southern Iraq, killing and wounding dozens of people, police said. — AP

5 car bombs kill 36 across Iraq Deadliest attack in southern city of Amarah BAGHDAD: Five car bombs struck in predominantly Shiite cities and districts in central and southern Iraq yesterday, k illing 36 people and wounding dozens in the latest wave of violence roiling the country, Iraqi officials said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for yesterday’s blasts but coordinated bombings in civilian areas are a favorite strategy used by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Since last Tuesday and including the latest deaths, at least 218 people have been killed in attacks and battles between gunmen and security forces that began with clashes at a Sunni protest camp in northern Iraq.

The deadliest attack yesterday was in the southern city of Amarah, where two parked car bombs went off simultaneously in the early morning near a gathering of construction workers and a market, killing 18 people and wounding 42, the police said.

That attack was followed by another parked car bomb explosion near a restaurant in the city of Diwaniyah, which killed nine people and wounded 23. At least three cars were left charred and twisted from the blast outside a two-story building whose facade was damaged in the bombing. Shop owners and cleaners were brushing debris off the bloodstained pavement.

Amarah, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad and Diwaniyah, 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, are heavily Shiite and usually peaceful. Hours later, yet another car bomb went off in the

Shiite city of Karbala, killing three civilians and wounding 14, police said. Two early Islamic figures revered

by Shiites are buried in the city, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.

And in the otherwise predominantly Sunni town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, a car bomb ripped through a Shiite neighborhood killing six people and wounding 14, another police said.

Ibrahim Ali, a schoolteacher in Mahmoudiya, said he was with his students in the classroom when he heard a thunderous explosion. “We asked the students to remain inside the classrooms because we were concerned with their safety,” Ali said.

“The students were panicking and some of them started to cry,” added Ali. He described burnt bodies and cars on fire at the nearby blast site.

The school was closed for the rest of the day and frightened students were told to go home. “ We have been expecting this violence against Shiites due to the rising sectarian tension in the country,” added Ali, the schoolteacher.

Four medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Sectarian violence has spiked since Tuesday, when security forces tried to make arrests at a Sunni Muslim protest camp in the northern city of Hawija. The move set off a clash that killed 23 people, including

three soldiers.

In a sign of mounting worries over the deteriorating security situation, Iraqi authorities on Monday decided to close the country’s only border crossing with Jordan, beginning on Tuesday. A brief Interior Ministry statement didn’t elaborate on the decision, saying only it is “related to the country’s domestic affairs.”

Iraq shut the same border crossing in January, not long after antigovernment protests erupted, citing unspecified security concerns. The route from Jordan passes through the overwhelmingly Sunni cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, west of Baghdad, which have been hotbeds of Sunni anger at the government. A protest camp straddling the JordanIraq highway in Ramadi is the center of the protest movement.

On Sunday, the government suspended the operating licenses of pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera and nine Iraqi TV channels after accusing them of escalating sectarian tensions in Iraq. That move drew a strong criticism from some of the news outlets and a sharp rebuke from Human Rights Watch. Qatar-based Al-Jazeera said it was “astonished” by the move.

Apart from Al-Jazeera, the decision affected eight Sunni channels and a Shiite one. Al-Jazeera was founded with support from the tiny, energy-rich nation of Qatar, which is a leading backer of rebels fighting in neighboring Syria and is accused by many suppor ters of the I raqi government of backing protests in Iraq too. —AP

Karzai confirms received CIA cash KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday that his national security team has been receiving payments from the U.S. government for the past 10 years.

Karzai confirmed the payments when he was asked about a story published in The New York Times saying the CIA had given the Afghan National Security Council tens of millions of dollars in monthly payments delivered in suitcases, backpacks and plastic shopping bags.

During a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, where he was on an official visit, Karzai said the welcome monthly payments were not a “big amount” but were a “small amount,” although he did not disclose the sums. He said they were used to give assistance to the wounded and sick, to pay rent for

housing and for other “operational” purposes.

He said the aid has been “very useful, and we are grateful for it.”

The newspaper quotes Khalil Roman, who served as Mr. Karzai’s deputy chief of staff from 2002 until 2005, as calling the vast CIA payments “ghost money” that “came in secret, and it left in secret.” It also quotes unidentified American officials as saying that “the cash has fueled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington’s exit strategy from Afghanistan.”

In Washington, the CIA declined to comment on the newspaper report. In 2010, Iran acknowledged that it had been sending funds to neighboring Afghanistan for years, but said the money was intended to aid reconstruction, not to buy

influence in Karzai’s office. The Afghan president confirmed he was receiving millions of dollars in cash from Iran and that Washington was giving him “bags of money,” too, because his office lacked funds.

At the time, President Barack Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, denied that the US government was in “the big bags of cash business,” but former US State Depar tment spokesman P.J. Crowley had said earlier that some of the American aid to Afghanistan was in cash.

US officials also asserted then that the money flowing from Tehran was proof that Iran was playing a double game in Afghanistan - wooing the government while helping Taliban insurgents fighting U.S. and NATO forces.

Iran denied that.— AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

Rafsanjani softens stance toward Israel Four charged over Iran nuclear equipment sales

JERUSALEM: Israeli President Shimon Peres (C) and his Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolic (R) review an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential compound in Jerusalem yesterday. — AFP

US reassures military commitment to Gulf DUBAI: Washington is signaling its military commitment to its Gulf Arab allies at a time of unfamiliar strain in their decades old partnership.

Syria’s civil war and Iran’s nuclear program have led to tensions, with Gulf Arab states willing a more assertive US response to bring Iran to heel and force Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad from power.

Growing US energy independence has further complicated a relationship founded on oil and defense.

Some Gulf Arab oil states had even begun to wonder if the alliance was anything more than the “practical marriage of convenience for a finite period of time” that Henry Kissinger, in a 2007 interview, saw in Washington’s ties to Saudi Arabia.

Washington is moving to dismiss such doubts, indicating its military partnership with the ruling dynasties who sit on a third of the world’s conventional oil reserves will remain deep-rooted, even if trimmed by budget cuts at home. “The United States isn’t going anywhere. The United States is firmly committed to the security of all our regional partners,” said a senior official accompanying US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in the Middle East last week. “We understand in a clear-eyed way what the threats are in the region.”

Hagel began his week-long trip days after the Pentagon said it was finalizing a $10 billion arms deal that would strengthen the militaries of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as that of Israel. The agreement, more than a year in the making, would result in the sale of 25 F16 Desert Falcon jets worth nearly $5 billion to the UAE. The UAE and Saudi Arabia also would be allowed to purchase weapons with so-called “stand-off” capabilities that enable them to engage the enemy with precision at a distance.

A few days before the trip, President Barack Obama welcomed to the White House Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the UAE, the largest US export market in the Middle East.

In a joint statement they reaffirmed a shared commitment to “close defense and security cooperation, including joint training exercises, counterterrorism cooperation and the deployment of interoperable US defense systems”.

The deal, and Sheikh Mohammed’s warm US welcome, are the latest in a series of signals Washington is sending to the region of its undimmed resolve to support the ruling families, partners in Washington’s confrontation with Iran.

The West’s energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency, says it expects a continued fall in US oil imports, with North America becoming a net oil exporter by around 2030 and the United States becoming almost self-sufficient in energy by 2035.

Some Gulf Arabs worry that a United States self reliant in oil might show less commitment to safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s main energy artery through which 40 percent of the world’s sea-borne oil exports pass.

Ensuring global energy security is likely to remain an important part of US strategy, said a US official based in the Middle East.

While US purchases of Gulf Arab oil may be declining, global dependence is increasing.

This fact engages American support, he said. “Since the health of the US economy is closely tied to the world’s, there’s every reason for Washington to help protect its

allies here,” said Les Janka, a former White House and Pentagon official who now heads a business consultancy in Riyadh.

When General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs, told the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank on March 18 that he hoped America would achieve energy independence, he added: “But I can assure you that at least from a military perspective . . . you will find that the future will be a period of greater commitment.”

Pressed to elaborate by UAE envoy Yousef Al-Otaiba, Dempsey replied that that commitment should not be measured in terms of carrier battle groups but in terms of improved collaboration.

“We just have to figure out how to help you do more, so that we can do less, but that doesn‘t mean less well.”

Energy is far from the only concern. A US pivot to Asia, perceptions of US economic decline and US military withdrawals, first from Iraq and now from Afghanistan, have blurred Gulf Arabs’ security landscape. Fear of Arab Spring contagion, too, means that Gulf Arab authorities see future threats coming as much from internal sources as from the external ones that were the original premise for Western military support.

Shashank Joshi of Britain’s Royal United Services Institution said Gulf Arab officials appeared acutely aware the internal threat they now faced “doesn’t quite yoke the Americans in the same way” the external threats once did.

On Syria, Iran and Bahrain, arenas for a region-wide tussle for influence between Sunni and Shite powers, Washington’s preference for dialogue appears weak to some Gulf Arabs.

In Bahrain, home of the US Fifth Fleet and an important Western ally in keeping Hormuz open, a simmering revolt by its Shiite Muslim majority has prompted calls by some in Washington for US ships to base elsewhere. Echoing the view of many Western analysts, Dubai-based Robert Jordan, a former US ambassador to Riyadh, said he was concerned about the message - “we’re here today and gone tomorrow” that a pullout would send. “Perception becomes reality in this part of the world,” he said.

Gulf rulers are acutely aware they depend for their security on people who live thousands of miles away, who do not share their religion or lifestyle, and above all who sympathize with the democratic impulse at the origin of the Arab revolts. In December a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council announced plans to set up a unified military command to tighten defense cooperation.

GCC states are increasingly well-armed.

Defense spending by GCC states rose about 9 percent to $74 billion last year, estimated Nicole Loeser, Middle East analyst at Forecast International. She predicts it will hit $86 billion in 2017.

Yet Gulf Arab states have faced a host of obstacles to military integration, including a lack of common equipment and their own reliance on bilateral accords with their US ally. Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a political scientist in the United Arab Emirates, said confidence in America had dropped because of disagreements with Washington over Syria and dismay over its security failures in Iraq and Afghanistan. But America remained indispensable. “We live in a very dangerous region, so ... our ties with America remain strong”. — Reuters

TEHRAN: Iran’s influential former president says his country is not at war with archenemy Israel, the media reported yesterday, in the latest departure by a high-profile politician from the strident anti-Israel line traditionally taken by many senior Iranian leaders.

The remarks by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani follows calls from figures across the political spectrum to repair the damage to Iran’s international reputation they said had been caused by outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called Israel a doomed state and questioned the extent of the Holocaust.

Several of them, including Rafsanjani, are considered possible contenders in June elections to replace Ahmadinejad as president.

“We are not at war with Israel,” said the expresident, quoted by several Iranian newspapers including the pro-reform Shargh daily. He said Iran would not initiate war against Israel, but “if Arab nations wage a war, then we would help.”

Comments on Iran’s policies on Israel must tread a fine line. While it’s possible to question Ahmadinejad’s remarks, it’s dangerous to be seen as contradicting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has called Israel a “cancer” in the region.

The remarks are unable to herald any significant changes in Iranian policy, but may indicate the assessment of politicians that Ahmadinejad’s particular brand of strident anti-Israel rhetoric may hurt him with many voters.

Rafsanjani is considered a political centrist, attractive to some reformists but not a candidate who would challenge the dominance of the clerical establishment. He has not ruled out a run at the presidency himself, but is more likely to throw his considerable influence behind a center candidate and may be burnishing his moderate credentials.

Clerical conservatives, who once backed Ahmadinejad but turned on him after he challenged the authority Khamenei in 2011, also want to distance themselves from the president.

Conservative and hard-line criticism of Ahmadinejad feed into their general line that the outgoing president is a loose cannon. They have focused in particular on his remarks on the Holocaust.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf - a Tehran mayor and conservative who is considered a potential candidate in the June presidential election said the president’s statements have damaged Iran. “Suddenly, the issue of the Holocaust was raised without any attention to its repercussions and impacts. Did that have any benefit for the progress of Iran and the Palestinians?” said Ghalibaf in remarks carried by the conservative Tasnim news website on April 23.

TEHRAN: In this file photo, former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (right) listens to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran, Iran. Hashemi Rafsanjani says his country is not at war with archenemy Israel. — AP “I did not support denial of the Holocaust in having delivered special valves for a heavy water the way Ahmadinejad did. We have not have reactor in 2010 and 2011, in breach of an arms benefited by the denial of the Holocaust,” said embargo and export restrictions against Iran on senior lawmaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, a goods that have dual civil and military purposes.

Western powers suspect Iran wants to develhardliner whose daughter has married the son of Khamenei. His remarks appeared in semi-offi- op nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

The Islamic republic is building a heavy water cial ISNA news agency on Sunday April 28.

Another hardline lawmaker, Mohammad plant in Arak, central Iran, and says the plutoniHasan Abutorabifard, was quoted by Tasnim on um it will produce is for medical research.

The prosecutors in their statement said “there Sunday as calling Ahmadinejad’s statements “uncalculated.” Iran and Israel consider each oth- is a concern that this reactor will be used to proer dangerous enemies. Tel Aviv has not ruled out duce nuclear-weapons-grade plutonium.” The a military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities, German-Iranians, aged 25 to 80, and the 78-yearwhich the West suspects are aimed at weapons old German are accused of having colluded to development. Iran says its nuclear program is send the parts via several Asian countries in deals worth several million euros (dollars). for peaceful purposes.

They allegedly sent five shipments with a Iran backs militant groups in Israel’s neighbors, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and total of 92 German-made special valves and also brokered another four deliveries with a total of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, German prosecutors said yester- 856 valves for use in nuclear plants from India.

The order came from a 48-year-old Iranian day they had charged four men with breaching sanctions against Iran by delivering equipment national, who is also wanted by German authorifor an atomic reactor that the West suspects is ties, and who was using companies set up in several other countries to circumvent the part of a covert nuclear weapons programme.

Three men with joint Iranian-German nation- embargo against Iran, said prosecutors.

The suspects Gholamali Ka. and his son ality, identified only as Kianzad Ka., Gholamali Ka. and Hamid Kh., and German national Rudolf Kianzad Ka. remain in custody.

Alleged middleman Hamid Kh. and Rudolf M., M. were arrested last August in police raids who heads a company in the state of Thuringia involving 90 officers.

They were charged last Friday in a Hamburg that made some of the valves, have been court, prosecutors said. The four are accused of released on bail. — Agencies

Yemenis languish in Guantanamo SANAA: Awdah al-Shabati has never seen her father Abdulrahman except via video link with a US military prison thousands of miles away from her native Yemen.

He is incarcerated at the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His daughter was born after he was picked up in Pakistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Now Abdulrahman is one of more than 90 inmates on hunger strike at the prison. “The last time we spoke to him was eight days ago. He looked thinner, his health seems to have deteriorated since we last saw him,” Mohammed alShabati, a Yemeni Defence Ministry employee and Awdah’s uncle, said last week.

Awdah, speaking to her father from a Red Cross office in the capital Sanaa, asked him about his health then burst into tears, Shabati added.

A total of 166 inmates remain at the prison more than a decade since its opening despite US President Barack Obama’s pledge soon after he took office in 2009 to shut it down. Many inmates have been held without charge or trial and some have been cleared for release but kept locked up. At least 89 are Yemeni, many of whom were captured more than a decade ago.

International human rights groups have over the years condemned the prison, the harsh treatment of inmates, and the dubious legality of the system. Guantanamo is back in the spotlight after a clash between guards and prisoners this month and the release of accounts by inmates about the force-feeding of hunger strikers. Legal and political hurdles stand in the way of closing the facility, including US fears inmates may rejoin al Qaeda if they go home. The United States began repatriating Yemeni prisoners after Obama’s election in 2008. The effort was halted in 2010 after a man trained by militants in Yemen attempted to bomb a US-bound plane in

2009 with a bomb concealed in his underwear.

Yemen itself is in the frontline of the fight against al Qaeda, with Washington providing military support including drone strikes at militants operating mainly in the south. The White House insists it wants the facility shut but says restrictions by Congress remain an obstacle.

Some releases would need senior U.S. officials to certify that countries receiving an inmate were willing and able to stop the individual from acting against the United States - a guarantee few U.S. politicians would want to give.

Asked if measures taken by new Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to confront al Qaeda would help restart the transfers, White House spokesman Jay Carney said he had no

new information on the detainees. Caitlin Hayden, White House National Security Council spokesman, blamed Congress for the impasse.

Human rights lawyers say the restrictions put in place by Congress are not the full story. Cori Crider, legal director of Reprieve, a British-based charity which represents detainees, blamed a lack of political will by the Obama administration, which she said feared being seen as weak on security.

“Where there is no political will, suddenly the administrative obstacles are important and ever yone is concerned about meeting Congressional reporting requirements. But when there is political will, no one cares about that,” she said. — Reuters

SANAA: A Yemeni man holds a banner during a protest to denounce US drone attacks in Yemen, in front of US embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, yesterday. Senate Democrats and Republicans on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 challenged the Obama administration to spell out its justification for using drones for targeted killings amid growing concerns about unchecked powers of the presidency and Americans’ civil liberties. — AP

Fleeing war, Syrians flock to Cairo’s ‘little Damascus’ CAIRO: Bassel Khalil fled the devastating conflict in Syria with only $400 in his pocket and, together with his family, found refuge in Cairo’s “Little Damascus” where he scrapes a living giving guitar lessons.

Khalil lives with his lawyer friend Ammar, another Syrian, in an apartment in 6th of October city on the outskirts of Cairo. They are among hundreds of thousands forced out of their country by war.

“We do not want to make a life here, but there is no other choice,” Khalil told AFP. The sprawling new development in the desert west of Cairo has become a hub for Syrian refugees, but its long parallel avenues lined with residential blocks are a far cry from the narrow streets and bustling markets of old Damascus.

Khalil and Ammar are middle class, and were able to afford the trip to Cairo.

In contrast, many of their compatriots have only managed to make it to Lebanon next door, or to refugee camps in neighbouring Jordan and Turkey.

In Cairo, the new arrivals have carved out a “Little Syria” for themselves, where flags of the Free Syrian Army flutter in the cement landscape, and shops brimming with shawerma kebab spits and pastries are frequented by patrons with Syrian accents.

“6th of October has became a Little Syria,” said Sima Diab, the coordinator of several projects that offer assistance to Syrian refugees. “There are tens of thousands here. But there is no work for lawyers or doctors, most jobs are in catering,” she said.

In February, Egypt’s interior ministry spoke of nearly 140,000 Syrian refugees in the country. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said it had

registered 38,000 Syrians in Egypt, but with thousands of files still being processed.

“They were 1,000 in August 2012, 13,000 in December and nearly 50,000 today,” said Mohamed Dayri, regional representative for UNHCR, which recently opened a new centre in the heart of Cairo dedicated to registering arrivals.

The number remains relatively small compared to the influx of Syrians into Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, estimated by the UNHCR last week to total 1.4 million, a figure that increases by 200,000 every month.

In two years, the war between the rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad has killed more than 70,000 according to the United Nations, and four million people have been internally displaced. Bilal, who owns a small restaurant in 6th of October, came to

Egypt in 2004 after leaving Syria for better work abroad. At the time, “there were no Syrians here, but life has changed with the revolution,” he told AFP. Originally from Homs, a city divided between rebels and regime forces, Bilal had the money to help his family leave the war-ravaged city seven months ago. “ The Egyptians are upset with the Syrians. For the past two years, prices have increased and the Syrians are taking up the jobs,’ he said.

When he arrived, a family apartment in 6th of October cost about 1,000 Egyptian pounds (around $150) a month. But now, prices have risen threefold, as Egypt struggles with its own economic crisis and inflation.

A couple of blocks away, a 16-yearold refugee-who refused to give her name-lives with her mother and brother on the ground floor of a small building.

The three, Christians from the coastal city of Latakia, fled the conflict overnight six months ago, leaving behind the rest of the family. The daughter, a young artist, had broadcast anti-regime songs on the YouTube social networking site.

But since her arrival she has juggled working in a supermarket and singing at parties. “I hate living here, It’s been hell for six months, but I’m still alive!” she said from their flat where some of the furniture is still wrapped up.

She says he was sexually harassed twice. “I do not want to stay here. Now when I go out, I put on a hijab (Islamic headscarf ), to protect me, and my mother wants me to carry a knife.”

She wants to go to Norway, illegally if she has to, to study music. But for now, she has to wait. “All the money has been put into our tickets for Egypt, so I’m saving,” she said. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

French ministers warn against picking fight with Germany

ROME: Italy’s new Prime Minister Enrico Letta (2 row - 6R) and members of government sit at the Parliament in Rome yesterday. Letta, a 46-yearold moderate from the centre-left Democratic Party, unveils his coalition government’s programme prior to a vote of confidence in the lower house. — AFP

Italy’s new govt begins life in climate of crisis Coalition with Berlusconi faces tensions ROME: New Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta seeks the backing of parliament in a confidence vote yesterday, facing severe political and economic problems that will test the solidity of his broad coalition government in the months ahead.

Letta is due to speak in parliament at 3 pm (1300 GMT) before the lower house confidence vote in the evening, where he will be backed by his centre-left Democratic Party and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right People of Freedom.

A Senate confidence vote will follow, probably today. Sunday’s swearing in of Letta’s cabinet was overshadowed by the shooting of two policemen outside the prime minister’s office in Rome. Nevertheless, financial market reaction to the end of months of political stalemate was positive with bond yields falling and shares rising.

Italy’s cost of borrowing dropped to its lowest level since October 2010 at an auction of medium and long term bonds yesterday. Letta was pushed into a coalition with Berlusconi after the centre-left fell short of a viable parliamentary majority in elections in February. He now faces a battle to maintain the

unity of his government while passing unpopular reforms.

Berlusconi, who is fighting legal battles over a tax fraud conviction and charges of paying for sex with a minor, will not be in the cabinet himself but many people on the left find the idea of working with his centreright party abhorrent.

In an interview on his own Canale 5 television station, Berlusconi said he hoped the left could undergo some “self criticism” and learn from working with his party. He expected the government to last long enough to pass some vital reforms.

Berlusconi demands the scrapping of an unpopular housing tax and reimbursement of last year’s contributions, a measure which would blow an eight billion euro hole in the 2013 budget. He also wants tax breaks for companies hiring young people.

It is not yet clear how Letta will handle this demand. Berlusconi, whose last government was forced from office at the height of the euro zone debt crisis in late 2011, said he expected to play a leading part in shaping policy.

“As I am the president of the People of Freedom our representatives in the government will have

continuous contact with our movement and with me,” he said.

On Sunday an unemployed man shot and wounded two police officers and a passer-by just as the cabinet was being sworn in at the presidential palace about a kilometre (half a mile) away.

Officials said the shooting, which the gunman said was originally intended as an attack on politicians, was an isolated incident but it was widely interpreted as a further alarming sign of public anger with lawmakers. Italy’s economy has been sluggish for over a decade with gross domestic product now lower than it was in 2001, companies stifled by high taxes and red tape and youth unemployment in some areas as high as 40 percent.

All this has fed into public bitterness directed at politicians, several of whom have been jostled or harassed by angry crowds recently.

Letta’s cabinet, which includes a record seven women and Italy’s first black minister, was shaped partly in response to disillusionment with political elites shown by the success of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement in the last election.

But the party, whose fiery leader Beppe Grillo has built the 5-Star

movement into the third biggest force in parliament by attacking traditional political elites, was singled out yesterday for criticism by his enemies.

The right wing daily Il Giornale, owned by the Berlusconi family - one of Grillo’s favourite targets - carried the frontpage headline “Il Grilletto” (The Trigger).

Letta has promised to address the social effects of the crisis and push the European Union away from its fixation with budget austerity and towards economic growth and investment.

With some doubt over whether his government will last a full fiveyear term, he is expected to try to pass at least a few basic reforms quickly including a change to Italy’s much criticised electoral laws and a cut in the size of parliament.

Despite yesterday’s positive market response, there have also been notes of caution. “The real tests will come in the next few weeks and months,” said Lorenzo Stanca, managing partner of Mandarin Capital, a private equity fund that invests in small Italian and Chinese firms.

“There is not much experience in Italy of a coalition government and it will be difficult.” — Reuters

Amsterdam turns orange ahead of royal ceremony AMSTERDAM: The streets of Amsterdam began to turn orange yesterday in honor of the Netherlands’ ruling House of Oranje-Nassau, as officials prepare for a once-in-a-generation rotation of royal titles - and the rest of the country gets ready to party.

National broadcaster NOS reported that Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his family were in the Royal Palace on the city’s central Dam square yesterday morning, rehearsing protocols for

the ceremonies Tuesday in which Queen Beatrix will abdicate, Willem-Alexander becomes king and his 9 -year-old daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia becomes crown princess.

Queen Beatrix will address the nation for the last time as head of state Monday evening, and she is hosting a reception at the newly renovated national museum, the Rijksmuseum.

Many Dutch aren’t working yesterday, as partying for the Queen’s Day hol-

AMSTERDAM: Dutch Queen Beatrix, center, and Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima arrive for a banquet hosted by the Dutch Royal family at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, yesterday. Queen Beatrix has announced she will relinquish the crown today, after 33 years of reign, leaving the monarchy to her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. — AP

iday Tuesday traditionally starts the night before. In the historic city center, vendors are busy hawking orange tshirts, hats and feather boas. Trams are flying orange flags, and Dutch flags, as are many of the boats motoring through the city’s ancient canals.

Shopkeepers are hanging up orange streamers, setting out orange flower displays and rolling in countless kegs of beer. Meanwhile, city workers are busy cleaning the streets, removing unwanted bicycles and setting up temporary urinals, many of them made of bright orange plastic. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte told foreign journalists from more than 60 countries Sunday evening that the week’s events involve an “unprecendented logistical and security operation” that was organized in just three months. Beatrix announced her intention to abdicate in January.

More than a million people are expected in Amsterdam Tuesday, with 10,000 uniformed police, 3,000 plainclothes officers and an untold number of civil servants assisting in the logistics.

The airspace above Amsterdam was closed Monday for three days.

Dutch police could be seen sweeping Dam square for bombs, with assistance from German agents with sniffer dogs. Royal guests from 18 countries have begun to arrive, and city traffic was frequently interrupted Monday by limousines with tinted windows and police escorts. — AP

Kate prank DJ to attend suicide nurse inquest SYDNEY: An Australian radio DJ linked to the suicide of a British nurse after a royal prank call said yesterday she would attend the London inquest and answer any questions. Radio jockey Mel Greig issued a statement through her lawyers after The Sunday Times reported that nurse Jacintha Saldanha left a suicide note blaming her and fellow 2Day FM host Michael Christian.

Greig has been granted permission to appear as an individual at the inquest into Saldanha’s death, the statement said. Lawyers Slater & Gordon said Greig’s thoughts had been with Saldanha’s family ever since her death.

“Ms Greig fully understands their need for answers, which is why she has taken this step to appear as an individual at the inquest.

“She is determined to address any questions surrounding her role in these tragic events as part of the inquest. “Ms Greig wants the family to know she will answer any questions the coroner or the family’s lawyers may have at the inquest.” The Indian-born nurse was found hanged from a scarf three days after falling victim to the prank radio call targeting Prince William’s pregnant wife Catherine. The Sunday Times said a handwritten note from Saldanha was addressed to her managers at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, where Catherine was being treated for acute morning sickness in December. — AFP

PARIS: Top French ministers warned yesterday against picking a fight with Germany after their Socialist Party accused Chancellor Angela Merkel of being “selfish” in her drive for eurozone austerity.

With Franco-German relations already at their lowest level in years, senior government officials sought to head off further tensions with Berlin over the leaked draft of a Socialist Party document on Europe.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that while President Francois Hollande’s government welcomed debate on European economic policy, it must not descend into open conflict.

“Debate yes, pugilism no. It is not normal to call into question such or such a leader,” Fabius said on Europe 1 radio.

“There is no reason to face off one country against another.” In the draft leaked on Friday, Hollande’s Socialist Party slammed Merkel for her insistance on austerity as a solution to Europe’s debt crisis.

It accused conservative Merkel, who faces elections on September 22, of being obsessed with “Berlin’s trade balance and her electoral future”. Senior Socialists have also recently called for a “confrontation” with Berlin to push France’s efforts to focus

on economic growth measures over austerity. Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said attacks on Germany would do no good.

“This idea that there must be a ‘confrontation’ with Germany is wrong and completely counter-productive,” Moscovici told Le Monde newspaper. “We cannot hope to move things forward through denunciation, stigmatisation or division,” he said, adding that such attitudes were “a certain way to doom us from the start”.

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also insisted on “Franco-German friendship”, telling newspaper La Depeche du Midi that “like all friendships, it does not exclude debate on ideas.”

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday said the relationship between Germany and France was “essential” and what mattered for Berlin were the actions of the French government.

But some in the German press said the leaked text reflected sour grapes on the part of the French for losing influence in Europe. “The Socialists were promising to show Europe the way. A year after they moved into (France’s presidential residence) the Elysee, this sounds like a joke,” Berliner Zeitung wrote. —AFP

PARIS: France’s President Francois Hollande (C) poses with (first row) French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius (2dL), French Interior Minister Manuel Valls (2dR) and members of the White Book of Defence and National Security committee, at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris yesterday. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

Mother of bomb suspects insists sons are innocent ‘They want me and all of us to look (like) terrorists’ BOSTON: The angry and grieving mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects insists that her sons are innocent and that she’s no terrorist.

But Zubeidat Tsarnaeva is drawing increased attention after federal officials say Russian authorities intercepted her phone calls, including one in which she vaguely discussed jihad with her elder son. In another, she was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, US officials said.

defiant the next. “They already are talking about that we are terrorists, I am terrorist,” she said. “They already want me, him and all of us to look (like) terrorists.”

Amid the scrutiny, Tsarnaeva and Anzor say they have put off the idea of any trip to the US to reclaim their elder son’s body or try to visit Dzhokhar in jail. Tsarnaev told the AP on Sunday he was too ill to travel to the US Tsarnaeva faces a 2012 shoplifting charge in a Boston suburb, though it was unclear whether that was a deterrent.

by a family friend, named “Misha.” The man, whose full name she didn’t reveal, impressed her with a religious devotion that was far greater than her own, even though he was an ethnic Armenian who converted to Islam.

“I wasn’t praying until he prayed in our house, so I just got really ashamed that I am not praying, being a Muslim, being born Muslim. I am not praying.

Misha, who converted, was praying,” she said.

By then, she had left her job at the day spa and was giving facials in her

EUGENE: A runner in the Eugene Marathon signs a poster in memory of those killed and injured during the Boston Marathon bombing, Sunday, in Eugene, Oregon. —AP In photos of her as a younger woman, Tsarnaeva wears a low-cut blouse and has her hair teased like a 1980s rock star. After she arrived in the US from Russia in 2002, she went to beauty school and did facials at a suburban day spa.

But in recent years, people noticed a change. She began wearing a hijab and cited conspiracy theories about 9/11 being a plot against Muslims.

Tsarnaeva insists there is no mystery and that she’s just someone who found a deeper spirituality. She fiercely defends her sons - Tamerlan, who was killed in a gunfight with police, and Dzhokhar, who was wounded and captured.

“It’s all lies and hypocrisy,” she told The Associated Press in Dagestan. “I’m sick and tired of all this nonsense that they make up about me and my children. People know me as a regular person, and I’ve never been mixed up in any criminal intentions, especially any linked to terrorism.”

At a news conference in Dagestan with her ex-husband Anzor Tsarnaev last week, Tsarnaeva appeared overwhelmed with grief one moment,

Tsarnaeva arrived in the US in 2002, settling in a working-class section of Cambridge, Mass. With four children, Anzor and Zubeidat qualified for food stamps and were on and off public assistance benefits for years. The large family squeezed itself into a third-floor apartment.

Zubeidat took classes at the Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics, before becoming a state-licensed aesthetician. Anzor, who had studied law, fixed cars. By some accounts, the family was tolerant. Bethany Smith, a New Yorker who befriended Zubeidat’s two daughters, said in an interview with Newsday that when she stayed with the family for a month in 2008 while she looked at colleges, she was welcomed even though she was Christian and had tattoos.

“I had nothing but love over there.

They accepted me for who I was,” Smith told the newspaper. “Their mother, Zubeidat, she considered me to be a part of the family. She called me her third daughter.” Zubeidat said she and Tamerlan began to turn more deeply into their Muslim faith about five years ago after being influenced

apartment. One client, Alyssa Kilzer, noticed the change when Tsarnaeva put on a head scarf before leaving the apartment.

“She had never worn a hijab while working at the spa previously, or inside the house, and I was really surprised,” Kilzer wrote in a post on her blog. “She started to refuse to see boys that had gone through puberty, as she had consulted a religious figure and he had told her it was sacrilegious. She was often fasting.”

Kilzer wrote that Tsarnaeva was a loving and supportive mother, and she felt sympathy for her plight after the April 15 bombings. But she stopped visiting the family’s home for spa treatments in late 2011 or early 2012 when, during one session, she “started quoting a conspiracy theory, telling me that she thought 9/11 was purposefully created by the American government to make America hate Muslims.”

“It’s real,” Tsarnaeva said, according to Kilzer. “My son knows all about it.

You can read on the Internet.”

In the spring of 2010, Zubeidat’s eldest son got married in a ceremony at a Boston mosque that no one in the

family had previously attended.

Tamerlan and his wife, Katherine Russell, a Rhode Island native and convert from Christianity, now have a child who is about 3 years old.

Zubeidat married into a Chechen family but was an outsider. She is an Avar, from one of the dozens of ethnic groups in Dagestan. Her native village is now a hotbed of an ultraconservative strain of Islam known as Salafism or Wahabbism.

It is unclear whether religious differences fueled tension in their family.

Anzor and Zubeidat divorced in 2011.

About the same time, there was a brief FBI investigation into Tamerlan Tsarnaev, prompted by a tip from Russia’s security service.

The vague warning from the Russians was that Tamerlan, an amateur boxer in the U.S., was a follower of radical Islam who had changed drastically since 2010. That led the FBI to interview Tamerlan at the family’s home in Cambridge. Officials ultimately placed his name, and his mother’s name, on various watch lists, but the inquiry was closed in late spring of 2011.

After the bombings, Russian authorities told US investigators they had secretly recorded a phone conversation in which Zubeidat had vaguely discussed jihad with Tamerlan. The Russians also recorded Zubeidat talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, according to US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation with reporters.

The conversations are significant because, had they been revealed earlier, they might have been enough evidence for the FBI to initiate a more thorough investigation of the Tsarnaev family.

Rep. Peter King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, told NBC’s “Today” show Monday he believes the FBI investigation of the two young men would have gone much further if the Russian government had informed Washington of “the mother’s radicalization, the son’s radicalization. .. It definitely would have caused the investigation to go further.”

Anzor’s brother, Ruslan Tsarni, told the AP from his home in Maryland that he believed his former sister-in-law had a “big-time influence” on her older son’s growing embrace of his Muslim faith and decision to quit boxing and school.

While Tamerlan was living in Russia for six months in 2012, Zubeidat, who had remained in the U.S., was arrested at a shopping mall in the suburb of Natick, Mass., and accused of trying to shoplift $1,624 worth of women’s clothing from a department store. —AP

Holocaust survivors gather at US museum WASHINGTON: Elderly survivors of the Holocaust and the veterans who helped liberate them are gathering for what could be their last big reunion at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Some 1,000 survivors and World War II veterans are coming together with President Bill Clinton and Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust activist and writer, yesterday when the museum marks its 20th anniversary.

Organizers chose not to wait for the 25th milestone because many survivors and veterans may not be alive in another five years.

Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wiesel, who both dedicated the museum at its opening in 1993, will deliver keynote speeches. On Sunday night, the museum presented its highest honor to World War II veterans who ended the Holocaust.

Susan Eisenhower accepted the award on behalf of her grandfather, US Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, and all veterans of the era.

The museum also launched a campaign to raise $540 million by 2018 to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and to combat anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial and contemporary genocide. It has already secured gifts totaling $258.7 million. The campaignwill double the size of the museum’s endowment by its 25th anniversary. Also, a $15 million gift from Holocaust survivors David and Fela Shapell will help build a new Collections and Conservation Center.

Museum Director Sara Bloomfield said organizers wanted to recommit to Holocaust survivors, veterans and rescuers that the effort will continue to hon-

WASHINGTON: In this Thursday, April 25, 2013 photo, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum curator Susan Bachrach speaks during a preview of the new exhibit “Some Were Neighbors: Collaboration & Complicity in the Holocaust” at the museum in Washington. The exhibition, opening today, includes interviews with perpetrators of collaboration and complicity in the Nazi genocide. —AP

or the memory of 6 million murdered Jews. They do that by saving lives and preventing genocide in the future.

“We felt it was important, while that generation is still with us in fairly substantial numbers, to bring them together,” Bloomfield said, “to not only honor them, but in their presence make a commitment to them that not only this institution but the people we reach will carry forward this legacy.”

The museum continues collecting objects, photographs and other evidence of the Holocaust from survivors, veterans and archives located as far away as China and Argentina. Curators expect the collection to double in size over the next decade.

This week, the museum is opening a special, long-term exhibition entitled “Some Were Neighbors: Collaboration and Complicity During the Holocaust.” It includes interviews with perpetrators that have never been shown before, as well as details of mass killings in the former Soviet Union that were only uncovered in more recent years. Curator Susan Bachrach said the exhibit and its research challenge the idea that the Holocaust was primarily about Hitler and other Nazi leaders. Surveys at the museum show that’s what most visitors believe.

“That’s very comforting to people, because it puts distance between the visitors and who was involved,” Bachrach said. So, the museum set out to look at ordinary people who looked on and were complicit in the killing and persecution of millions of Jews through greed, a desire for career advancement, peer pressure or other factors. It examines influences “beyond hatred and anti-Semitism,” Bachrach said.

Focusing only on fanatical Nazis would be a serious misunderstanding of the Holocaust, Bloomfield said. “The Holocaust wouldn’t have been possible, first of all, without enormous indifference throughout Germany and German-occupied Europe, but also thousands of people who were, say, just doing their jobs,” she said, such as a tax official who collected special taxes levied against Jews.

In an opening film, some survivors recall being turned over to Nazi authorities in front of witnesses who did nothing. “The whole town was assembled ... looking at the Jews leaving,” one survivor recalls.

Steven Fenves was a boy at the time. He recalled how in 1944, Hungary, allied with Nazi Germany, forced his family out of their apartment. The family was deported to Auschwitz, where Fenves’ mother was gassed. —AP

TUPELO: In this Tuesday April 23, 2013 file photo, Everett Dutschke stands in the street near his home in Tupelo, Mississippi, and waits for the FBI to arrive and search his home. Dutschke, charged with making and possessing ricin as part of the investigation into poison-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and others was expected to appear in court yesterday. —AP

Hearing for Mississippi man in suspicious letters case BRANDON: A Mississippi man who describes himself as a patriot with no grudges against anyone was expected to appear in court yesterday on charges of making and possessing ricin, part of the investigation into poison-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and others.

The arrest of 41-year-old James Everett Dutschke early Saturday capped a week in which investigators initially zeroed in on a rival of Dutschke’s, then decided they had the wrong man. The hunt for a suspect revealed ties between the two men and an 80-year-old county judge who, along with Obama and US Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, was among the targets of the letters.

Dutschke’s house, business and vehicles in Tupelo, Miss., were searched earlier in the week, often by crews in hazardous materials suits, and he had been under surveillance.

Dutschke (pronounced DUHS’-kee) was charged with “knowingly developing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, acquiring, retaining and possessing a biological agent, toxin and delivery system, for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin.” US attorney Felicia Adams and Daniel McMullen, the FBI agent in charge in Mississippi, made the announcement in a news release.

Dutschke’s attorney, Lori Nail Basham, said she had no comment on the arrest at his Tupelo home, but earlier had said Dutschke was cooperating fully with investigators and insisted he had nothing to do with the letters. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

He already had legal problems. Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty in state court to two child molestation charges involving three girls younger than 16. He also was appealing a conviction on a different charge of indecent exposure. He told The Associated Press last week that his lawyer told him not to comment on those cases.

The letters, which tests showed were tainted with ricin, were sent April 8 to Obama, Wicker and Mississippi judge Sadie Holland. The first suspect accused by the FBI was Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, an Elvis impersonator. He was arrested on April 17 at his Corinth, Miss., home, but the charges were dropped six days later and Curtis, who says he was framed, was released from jail.

The focus then turned to Dutschke, who

has ties to the former suspect, the judge and the senator. Earlier in the week, as investigators searched his primary residence in Tupelo, Dutschke told the AP, “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

“I’m a patriotic American. I don’t have any grudges against anybody. ... I did not send the letters,” Dutschke said. Curtis’ attorney, Christi McCoy, said Saturday: “We are relieved but also saddened. This crime is nothing short of diabolical. I have seen a lot of meanness in the past two decades, but this stops me in my tracks.”

Some of the language in the letters was similar to posts on Curtis’ Facebook page and they were signed, “I am KC and I approve this message.” Curtis’ signoff online was often similar.

Dutschke and Curtis were acquainted.

Curtis said they had talked about possibly publishing a book on a conspiracy that Curtis insists he has uncovered to sell body parts on a black market. But he said they later had a feud.

Curtis’ attorneys have said they believe their client was set up. An FBI agent testified that no evidence of ricin was found in searches of Curtis’ home. Curtis attorney Hal Neilson said the defense gave authorities a list of people who may have had a reason to hurt Curtis and Dutschke’s came up.

Judge Holland also is a common link between the two men, and both know Wicker. Holland was the presiding judge in a 2004 case in which Curtis was accused of assaulting a Tupelo attorney a year earlier.

Holland sentenced him to six months in the county jail. He served only part of the sentence, according to his brother.

Holland’s family has had political skirmishes with Dutschke. Her son, Steve Holland, a Democratic state representative, said he thinks his mother’s only encounter with Dutschke was at a rally in the town of Verona in 2007, when Dutschke ran as a Republican against Steve Holland.

Holland said his mother confronted Dutschke after he made a derogatory speech about the Holland family. She demanded that he apologize, which Holland says he did.

Dutschke said Steve Holland exaggerated the incident, and that he has no problem with Sadie Holland. “Everybody loves Sadie, including me,” he said. —Reuters

In a first, black voter turnout rate passes whites WASHINGTON: America’s blacks voted at a higher rate than other minority groups in 2012 and by most measures surpassed the white turnout for the first time, reflecting a deeply polarized presidential election in which blacks strongly supported Barack Obama while many whites stayed home. Had people voted last November at the same rates they did in 2004, when black turnout was below its current historic levels, Republican Mitt Romney would have won narrowly, according to an analysis conducted for The Associated Press.

Census data and exit polling show that whites and blacks will remain the two largest racial groups of eligible voters for the next decade. Last year’s heavy black turnout came despite concerns about the effect of new voteridentification laws on minority voting, outweighed by the desire to re-elect the first black president. William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, analyzed the 2012 elections for the AP using census data on eligible voters and turnout, along with November’s exit polling. He estimated total votes for Obama and Romney under a scenario where 2012 turnout rates for all racial groups matched those in 2004.

Overall, 2012 voter turnout was roughly 58 percent, down from 62 percent in 2008 and 60 percent in 2004.

The analysis also used population projections to estimate the shares of eligible voters by race group through 2030. The numbers are supplemented with material from the Pew Research Center and George Mason University associate professor Michael McDonald, a leader in the field of voter turnout who separately reviewed aggregate turnout levels across states, as well as AP interviews with the Census Bureau and other experts. The bureau is scheduled to release data on voter turnout in May. Overall, the findings represent a tipping point for blacks, who for much of America’s history were disenfranchised and then effectively barred from voting until passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

But the numbers also offer a cautionary note to both Democrats and Republicans after Obama won in November with a historically low

percentage of white supporters. While Latinos are now the biggest driver of US population growth, they still trail whites and blacks in turnout and electoral share, because many of the Hispanics in the country are children or noncitizens. In recent weeks, Republican leaders have urged a “year-round effort” to engage black and other minority voters, describing a grim future if their party does not expand its core support beyond white males.

The 2012 data suggest Romney was a particularly weak Republican candidate, unable to motivate white voters let alone attract significant black or Latino support. Obama’s personal appeal and the slowly improving economy helped overcome doubts and spur record levels of minority voters in a way that may not be easily replicated for Democrats soon. Romney would have erased Obama’s nearly 5 million-vote victory margin and narrowly won the popular vote if voters had turned out as they did in 2004, according to Frey’s analysis. Then, white turnout was slightly higher and black voting lower. More significantly, the key states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Colorado would have tipped in favor of Romney, handing him the presidency if the outcome of other states remained the same. “The 2012 turnout is a milestone for blacks and a huge potential turning point,” said Andra Gillespie, a political science professor at Emory University who has written extensively on black politicians. “What it suggests is that there is an ‘Obama effect’ where people were motivated to support Barack Obama. But it also means that black turnout may not always be higher, if future races aren’t as salient.”

Whit Ayres, a Republican consultant who is advising Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a possible 2016 presidential contender, says the last election reaffirmed that the Republican Party needs “a new message, a new messenger and a new tone.” Change within the party need not be “lock, stock and barrel,” Ayres said, but policy shifts such as Republican support for broad immigration legislation will be important to woo minority voters over the longer term. —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

Nepal officials vow to ensure security on Everest after fight KATHMANDU: Nepal officials vowed on Monday to ensure the safety of climbers seeking to scale Mount Everest after three European climbers were involved in a fight with sherpa guides on their way to the peak of the world’s highest mountain.

Three experienced climbers from Britain, Italy and Switzerland were on route to camp three at 7,000 metres (22,965 feet) on the 8,850 metres (29,035 feet) Everest summit when a brawl broke out on Saturday with sherpas fixing their ropes.

Witnesses said the sherpas pelted the

Europeans’ tents with stones and punches where thrown. Swiss climber Ueli Steck descended to the base camp after the attack and said he would abandon the climb and return to Kathmandu if proper security was not ensured.

Nepali officials were quick to respond after the unusual brawl on Mount Everest, which is a key source of income for impoverished Nepal as foreign climbers pay royalties to scale the world’s highest peak.

Tourism Ministry official Dipendra Paudel said the government would ensure

the safety and security of the climbers.

“There was a slight misunderstanding and communication gap between them,” Paudel said in Kathmandu after contacting the base camp. “This has been sorted out and the climbers are at the base camp.”

He said the European climbers would resume their bid to climb Everest. Officials said hundreds of climbers from 32 expeditions and their sherpas were on Mount Everest in the current climbing season which continues through May. Sherpas are locals from the Everest

region and are noted for their climbing skills. They are responsible for fixing ropes and accompany most of the foreign climbers to the summit.

Beni Hyoju, an official of the Cho-Oyu Trekking agency that organised the expedition, said the three European climbers had failed to comply with a request from their sherpa guides to stay at a location while the guides fixed the route. Hyoju said this made the sherpas unhappy and they attacked the climbers. No one was critically wounded. “(Steck) has now agreed to continue the

climb after local administration assured proper security,” Hyoju said. “Sherpas who were responsible for the fight will offer (an) apology.” Historian Elizabeth Hawley, who has been tracking foreign expeditions to Mount Everest for more than five decades, said this type of fighting on the mountain was rare. “I have not heard of any such incident before,” said Hawley. About 4,000 climbers have reached the top of Everest since it was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953. — Reuters

Bangladesh building owner may face seven years jail Public anger sparks days of protests

PESHAWAR: Volunteers and security personnel visit the site of a blast in Peshawar, Pakistan yesterday. A suicide bomber targeting policemen killed at least 6 people in northwestern Pakistan yesterday in the latest attack ahead of next month’s parliamentary election, police said. — AP

Pakistan: Suicide bomber targeting police kills six PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber targeting a police van killed six people in northwestern Pakistan yesterday, including the son and nephew of an Afghan official involved in peace negotiations with the Taliban, officials said. The bomber, who was riding a motorcycle, detonated his explosives as the police patrol drove by in the northwestern city of Peshawar, said city police chief Liaqat Ali Khan.

The two Afghans who were killed - Qazi Mohammad Hilal Waqad and Mohammad Idrees - were working at their country’s consulate in Peshawar where the attack occurred, said Afghan Consul General Syed Mohammad Ibrahim Khel in Islamabad.

However, it did not appear they were the target of the attack, Khel said. Waqad’s father, Qazi Amin Waqad, is a member of the Afghan High Peace Council, a group appointed by the Afghan government to hold peace negotiations with the Taleban, said an official at the consulate in Peshawar, Shakir Qarar.

The peace council member was in Afghanistan when the attack occurred, while Waqad and Idrees were driving to work when the bomber struck, Qarar added. Three policemen were among over 30 people who were wounded by the blast, said the police chief, Khan. Many of the dead and wounded

were from a nearby passenger bus, which bore the brunt of the attack.

Local TV footage showed the wreckage of the bus and the motorcycle, as rescue workers rushed wounded people to hospitals in the city. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion will likely to fall on the Pakistani Taleban. The group has been waging a bloody insurgency against the government for years and has stepped up attacks ahead of next month’s parliamentary election. On Sunday, the Taleban killed 11 people in bomb attacks on a political rally and two campaign offices in the northwest, part of their quest to disrupt the election. The group has killed at least 60 people in attacks on politicians and party workers since the beginning of April. The Taleban have specifically targeted more secular political parties that have supported military offensives against the militants in the northwest. The Taliban have largely spared Islamic parties and others who believe the government should strike a peace deal with the militants, rather than fight them.

There is a concern that the violence could benefit the parties that take a softer line toward the militants because they are able to campaign more freely ahead of the May 11 election.— AP

Begging becomes business in Pakistan RAWALPINDI: The sight of children, the disabled and disadvantaged begging at all hours of the day and night in Pakistan is a grim, constant reminder of the millions who live in abject poverty.

Yet malnourished members of the underclass have to collect not just enough spare change to feed themselves, but to pay off police and gang bosses. Investigators say begging has turned into an organised business with mafia controlling key locations where they deploy their own lackeys or lease out ground to others on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Some can even make more than a labourer who toils in scorching temperatures, digging or carrying cement and bricks at building sites for $6 a day. Mukhtiar, about 12 years old who gave only one name, is already a veteran beggar in the Saddar shopping area of Rawalpindi, the headquarters of Pakistan’s military and the sprawling twin city of the leafy capital Islamabad.

Most clam up when asked if they work in groups. At first Mukhtiar denied, then later admitted that he had to pay a cut to “thekedars”-or gang ring leaders-and sometime also to the cops. “Whenever I beg at main crossings, traffic lights or markets, I have to pay a small cut, sometimes 20-50 rupees or even 100 to the thekedar, otherwise they will beat me and expel from the area,” Mukhtiar said. Begging is punishable by up to three years in jail in Pakistan, but police and lawyers say convictions are rare. In 2011, the Lahore High Court ruled that the government should strictly enforce laws to discourage “professional beggary,” set up homes for the destitute and improve charity disbursements.

“Most beggars, if arrested, get bail. Judges also take into consideration the lack of welfare homes for destitute people and the result is that once released, offenders again start begging,” lawyer Mohammad Tayyab told AFP. But Pakistan’s largest charity, the Edhi Foundation, said it offers no specific support network for beggars because there are too many. Faisal Edhi, a foundation staff member, told AFP that police sometimes round them up and bring them to their shelters.

“Sometimes they bring up to 1,500 beggars a day, we cannot keep them in such a big number,” Edhi said. “Begging has become a profession now,” he added. Sakina Bibi, 32, a mother of five begging in Rawalpindi, says she does so to support her family and an addict husband who does not work.

“Two years ago I was working as a house-

maid, but I had a really bad experience and was wrongfully accused by my employers of stealing money, which I did not. “Being a maid is very difficult here, you have to work for almost 12 hours and if anything goes missing from house you are suspected,” Bibi said.

She is the daughter of poor peasants. She never went to school, so begging is the only way she says she can earn money to feed her children.“I can make 300-400 rupees ($3-4) a day, but sometimes it is just 60-70 rupees,” she said. In Rawalpindi, the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau says it rescues child beggars, keeps them in a shelter and traces their parents or guardians, who then have to promise in court that they will take care of them. Parents whose children are found begging can end up in jail for three to five years and be fined $50 to $500, Bureau official Waseem Abbas told AFP. “There are also organised gangs who deploy child beggars in lucrative spots like bus stops, traffic signals and markets and many raids have been conducted against them in the past,” he added.

Economists say they have no data on numbers, age or average income. “There are gangs which are operating in different cities and they use orphans and run away children to beg in crowded places,” economic analyst Kaiser Bengali told AFP. But he said most beggars were in genuine need-the products of unemployment and Pakistan’s lack of a social security system. “You can see very old people, who can barely walk or see, begging on the roads of Karachi and other cities, because they have no family or old homes to take care of them,” he added.

According to the United Nations, around 49 percent of the estimated 180 million population of Pakistan live in poverty. Private philanthropy is huge with charity one of the five pillars of Islam.

The independent Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy says around 70 billion rupees ($700 million) is donated annually, mostly straight into the hands of individuals to alleviate immediate hardship or to religious organisations. Islamabad police claim to have launched a crackdown, but Haroon Yahya, a senior police official in Rawalpindi, says arrests are pointless. “It has become so lucrative that they do not care about arrest or imprisonment for a month,” Yahya told AFP. “Most of them are now working in groups and protect each other. Police have busted many gangs, but after some time they again regroup,” he said. — AFP

SAVAR: A Bangladesh court yesterday allowed police 15 days to interrogate the owner of a building that collapsed last week and killed 382 people, as rescuers used heavy machinery to cut through the destroyed structure after giving up hopes of finding any more survivors.

Mohammed Sohel Rana, who was arrested on Sunday near the border with India, will be held for questioning on charges of negligence, illegal construction and forcing workers to join work. His father, Abdul Khaleque, was also arrested on suspicion of aiding Rana to force people to work in a dangerous building.

The illegally constructed, 8-storey Rana Plaza collapsed in a heap on Wednesday morning along with thousands of workers in the five garment factories in the building. About 2,500 survivors have been accounted for.

Rana was brought to the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in a bullet-proof vest, and led away to an unknown detention place after the magistrate granted a police request to hold him longer before filing formal charges. The crimes he is accused of carry a maximum punishment of seven years. More charges could be added later.

The collapse was the deadliest disaster to hit the garment industry in Bangladesh that is worth $20 billion annually and supplies global retailers.

In renewed anger against conditions in garment factories - a mainstay of Bangladesh’s economy hundreds of workers poured into the streets in the Dhaka suburb of Ashulia and set fire to an ambulance yesterday, the Independent TV, a private network, reported. They also tried to set fire to a factory, it said. Authorities shut down all garment factories in Ashulia and Gazipur industrial suburbs, including one that had reportedly developed cracks and was evacuated earlier.

Volunteers, army personnel and firemen have worked around the clock since Wednesday, mostly using hands and light equipment to pull out survivors. Around midnight Sunday, authorities deployed hydraulic cranes and heavy cutting machines to break up the massive slabs of concrete into manageable segments that could be lifted away. “We are proceeding cautiously. If there is still a soul alive, we will try to rescue that person,” said army spokesman Shahinul Islam. “There is little hope of finding anyone alive. Our men went inside and saw some dead bodies in the ground floor. But no one was seen alive,” said Brig. Gen. Ali Ahmed Khan, the chief of the fire brigade at the scene.

Gone are the civilian volunteers who had swarmed the site since the disaster and crawling over the wreckage. Only army soldiers in green camouflage and hard hats were visible, watching heavy machinery digging into thick concrete.

Gone also were the waiting ambulances that over the past five days had rushed the rescued to hospitals. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the site and a nearby hospital to meet with survivors yes-

terday, the first time since the disaster. Hasina had ordered the arrest of building owner Rana, who is a small-time political operative from her Awami League party’s youth wing. He was brought back by helicopter from the border town to the capital, Dhaka, where he is expected to be charged with negligence yesterday.

He had permission to build a 5-storey building but added three more illegally. He last appeared in public Tuesday in front of the Rana Plaza after huge cracks appeared in the building. Witnesses said Rana assured tenants that the building was safe. Police, however, ordered an evacuation. A bank and some first-floor shops closed, but managers of the garment factories on the upper floors told workers to continue their shifts.

Hours later, the Rana Plaza was reduced to rubble, crushing most victims under massive blocks of concrete. Police have also arrested four owners of three factories. Also in detention for questioning are two municipal engineers who were involved in approving the building’s design. Local TV stations reported that the Bangladesh High Court has frozen the bank accounts of the owners of all five garment factories.

A garment manufacturers’ group said the factories in the building employed 3,122 workers, but it was not clear how many were inside when it fell.

About 2,500 survivors have been accounted for.

The death toll surpassed a fire five months ago that killed 112 people and brought widespread pledges to improve worker-safety standards. But since then, very little has changed in Bangladesh.

The collapse and previous disasters in garment factories have focused attention on the poor working conditions of workers who toil for as little as $38 a month to produce clothing for top international brands.

Its garment industry was the third-largest in the world in 2011, after China and Italy, having grown rapidly in the past decade. Among the garment makers in the building were Phantom Apparels, Phantom Tac, Ether Tex, New Wave Style and New Wave Bottoms. Altogether, they produced several million shirts, pants and other garments a year.

The New Wave companies, according to their website, make clothing for several major North American and European retailers. Britain’s Primark acknowledged it was using a factory in Rana Plaza, but many other retailers distanced themselves from the disaster, saying they were not involved with the factories at the time of the collapse or had not recently ordered garments from them.

Wal-Mart said none of its clothing had been authorized to be made in the facility, but it is investigating whether there was any unauthorized production. — AP

DHAKA: Bangladeshi property tycoon Sohel Rana (C), seen wearing police-issue body armour, is escorted for his appearance in court in Dhaka yesterday.

Bangladeshi textile bosses pleaded with Western clothing giants to keep doing business with them after nearly 400 people died in a factory collapse as hopes of finding more survivors faded. — AFP

Violence restricts election campaign in Pakistan PESHAWAR: Attacks by the Pakistani Taleban are forcing the main party in the country’s restive northwest, an important battleground in the upcoming general election, to campaign in the shadows.

The Awami National Party (ANP) ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for the past five years, but it is now bearing the brunt of a wave of Taleban violence as the country heads towards the May 11 general election.

The umbrella Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP) faction has vowed to target the country’s three main secular parties which formed the outgoing national government-the ANP, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan People’s Party of President Asif Ali Zardari.

More than 50 people have been killed in shootings and bombings on political targets since April 11, according to an AFP tally, and around half of the deaths have come in attacks targeting the ANP. Ghulam Bilour, a leading figure in the ANP, narrowly escaped with his life on April 16 when a suicide bomber targeted his car in Peshawar, the main city of the northwest, killing 16 people.

Since the TTP assassinated his younger brother

Bashir, the number two in the provincial government, in December, Ghulam has carried the fight and is determined to carry on. “Every day I think I might not make it home at night. But I am a Pashtun: I’ll face death and won’t surrender,” he told AFP. But in the face of Taleban threats, the ANP has abandoned large meetings and only meets activists and supporters in small secure places.

Haroon Bilour, Bashir’s son and a candidate for the provincial assembly, says the threats have hampered the party’s ability to campaign.

“Our hands and feet are tied and we are supposed to run a marathon,” he said. His rivals from the conservative right-religious parties and excricketer Imran Khan’s PTI party-already boosted by a desire for change among voters, have had no problem organising large meetings.

Haroon complained that his rivals “are not even condemning Taleban attacks against us”.

The TTP is opposed to secular democracy in principle, viewing it as incompatible with Islamic belief, and their dislike of the secular PPP, ANP and MQM was intensified by the federal government’s backing of military operations against militants in the northwest. Even in its traditional stronghold

MURREE: Cricket legend and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) or Movement for Justice party, Imran Khan (R) addresses supporters during a general election campaign meeting in Murree yesterday.— AFP

Peshawar, the ANP has suffered the pains of incumbency: judged to be incapable of stopping Taleban violence and held responsible for the rampant inflation and crippling power shortages that make ordinary voters’ lives a misery.

Its strong stance against the TTP and association with military offensives have also led to the ANP being accused of being too “pro-American”electoral poison in a country where anti-US feeling runs high.

The party has a fight on its hands, but the threat of violence has forced Haroon to order his activists to mount a low-key campaign.

“Go door-to-door in small groups. And go at night. And focus on evening, late night because people are home. Ask them if there is any complaint, and if so I’ll go and meet them personally!” he told them at a meeting in the gardens of the Bilours’ luxurious-and heavily guarded-Peshawar mansion.

He has learned from his father Bashir, who he says never missed a single reception in Peshawar, sometimes going to 12 weddings in a single day.

“Being present, coming to receptions and weddings, is very important for people and voters.

Bilour supporters know that if there is a problem, Bilours are there,” a local journalist explained.

His colleague Mian Iftikhar Hussain, another ANP leader, has also been reduced to pacing like a caged lion in the party headquarters in Peshawar, because the threats have stopped him campaigning for reelection even in his home town of Pabbi.

Hussain’s rival in Pabbi, Khaliq ur-Rehman of the PTI, is doing well with a plan promising to eradicate hepatitis C and his calls for dialogue with the Taleban. The attacks on the ANP do not move him.

“Deaths threats are the consequences of what they did and said since five years. They should have been more careful. They promised to bring peace, but it’s not our war,” he said, echoing a common complaint that Pakistan has become embroiled in an American fight against Islamist militants.

But where Hussain and most of the rest of the ANP candidate are fighting the election with one hand tied behind their backs, the Bilours at least have the local strength of the family name to fall back on.Ghulam faces Imran Khan, the rising star of Pakistani politics, as he seeks re-election and the old campaigner has form for seeing off celebrity candidates in 1990 he beat the PPP icon and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.— AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

China military targets license plate abuses BEIJING: China is banning the use of privileged military license plates on BMWs, Porsches and other luxury cars in an attempt to crack down on abuses and give the People’s Liberation Army’s reputation a much-needed boost.

Luxury vehicles carrying military plates with their distinctive red Chinese letters are a common sight in China, eliciting deep cynicism among a public convinced that government officials and ranking military officers abuse their privileges to enrich their families and lord it over ordinary citizens.

Military plates allow the owners to avoid paying tolls, parking fees and speeding tickets and until now, haven’t been

limited to official military vehicles.

That is set to change under the new rules requiring all vehicles now using military plates must re-register by tomorrow.

Private cars and luxury vehicles will be excluded, according to regulations published over the weekend in the official People’s Liberation Army Daily newspaper. It named several blacklisted luxury brands, including BMW, Porsche, Mercedes Benz and Cadillac. Regardless of marque, all vehicles with engine capacity above 3 liters or costing more than 450,000 yuan ($73,000) will be barred from carrying military plates.

Along with private vehicles, those belonging to local government bodies or

officials who hold concurrent positions in the government and armed forces will be excluded. The move also seeks to rein in the use of fake military plates. Those issued by the military and paramilitary People’s Armed Police come in scores of varieties, and counterfeits are common.

Chinese newspapers recently carried a story about a long-haul trucker who had painted his vehicle camouflage, fitted it with fake military plates, and claimed to be carrying missile parts.

“All of society has high hopes for the ‘plate changing campaign,’” The PLA Daily said in an editorial published Sunday. “This dictates that the policy cannot be allowed to fail and must be carried out through

practical steps to win the people’s trust.”

The policy was ordered by President Xi Jinping, who also heads the Central Military Commission and has made anticorruption a hallmark of his leadership. Xi has mobilized personal friends within the officer corps to lecture against graft, and introduced measures promoting frugality such as banning alcoholic beverages at military banquets.

With its vast network of subsidies, tax exemptions, and allowances, the PLA is commonly held to be rife with corruption.

Jobs and promotions are frequently acquired through bribery, with those governing responsibility for housing and other budgetary matters commanding the

highest prices. That has led some to question the PLA’s fighting ability, despite the vast spending on modern jet fighters, submarines and other modern weaponry that has pushed China into second place in global defense budgets behind the US. The PLA won acclaim in the civil war against Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists and US forces in Korea, but hasn’t fought a major action in decades and is largely untested in actual combat. Making matters more complicated, the PLA is ultimately loyal to the ruling Communist Party rather than the government of China, and top officials have repeatedly dismissed calls to make the force more independent and accountable. —AP

Myanmar government panel recommends security boost Displaced Rohingya Muslims to return home YANGON: A government-appointed commission investigating sectarian violence in western Myanmar last year has issued proposals to ease tensions there - including doubling the number of security forces in the volatile region and introducing family planning programs to stem population growth among minority Muslims.

The committee said it is unlikely some 100,000 displaced Rohingya Muslims would be returned to their homes anytime soon, saying the widespread segregation of Buddhists and Muslims is a temporary fix that must be enforced for now.

“We cannot recommend swift resettlement to people’s original places because that would trigger more riots,” said committee secretary Kyaw

political prisoners, Christians, a Hindu, Muslims, and Rakhine Buddhists, but did not include any Rohingya Muslims.

The report said concerns expressed by Buddhists in Rakhine state over the rising population of Muslims they see as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh had “undermined peaceful coexistence” between the two groups. It said the introduction of family planning education “would go some way to mitigating” the crisis.

Committee members emphasized that all family planning initiatives should be voluntary and would focus on educating women about their choices. “I interviewed those women myself,” said Yin Yin New, a former UNICEF official on the committee. “I said why do you have so

YANGON: Aung Naing Oo, Kyaw Yin Hlaing, Yin Yin Nwe, Ko Ko Gyi, Zargana Ko Ko Gyi, second from right, a leader of Myanmar Prominent 88 Generation Students Group and a member of Rakhine Investigation Commission, talks to journalists during a press conference by the commission members yesterday, in Yangon, Myanmar.

The government-appointed commission investigating sectarian violence in western Myanmar last year has issued proposals to ease tensions there - including doubling the number of security forces in the volatile region. —AP Yin Hlaing, a member of the pro-government think tank Myanmar Egress.

Two outbreaks of unrest between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in June and October left nearly 200 people dead and forced tens of thousands of people, mostly Muslims, to flee burning homes. The violence appeared to begin spontaneously, but by October had morphed into anti-Muslim pogroms across western Rakhine state that spread last month into central Myanmar.

President Thein Sein appointed the 27-member panel last year to investigate the causes of the conflict and recommend measures to prevent further violence. Its findings had been delayed several times. The panel included former

many children because it makes you poor. She said yes, but we are afraid we’ll be penalized by God. The religious leaders have told us we cannot take any contraception.”

The report also called for a crackdown on hate speech and stepped-up aid for the displaced ahead of monsoon rains expected in May, and urged the government to determine the citizenship status of all those living in Rakhine state.

The issue has posed a major challenge to the government of Thein Sein, who took office after a long-ruling military junta stepped down two years ago and has since embarked upon a series of widely praised reforms.

Most Rohingya are effectively stateless despite the fact that some have lived in Myanmar

for generations. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar does not include Rohingya as one of its 135 recognized ethnicities.

The report did not use the word Rohingya, instead conforming to the government practice of calling the Rohingya “Bengalis,” a reference to their reported South Asian roots. Shwe Maung, a Rohingya member of parliament from Rakhine state, objected to the commission’s terminology, saying that the word “Bengali” fails to reflect reality and people’s sense of their own identity.

“The report is unfair,” he said. “The usage and recommendations are similar to what Rakhine ethnic people have been demanding.”

Immigration officials have begun registering people in the state, as a first step on the road to citizenship. But the debate over terminology is hampering the process, which is already complicated by a lack of access to documents and a history of corruption.

On Friday, authorities registering people in a Muslim refugee camp as Bengali were blocked by a crowd demanding to be recognized as Rohingya. Police fired, injuring at least one person, a 15-year-old boy, according to Shwe Maung.

Rakhine state spokesman Win Myaing said the injury was an accident and that two people from the camp have been arrested for throwing stones at police. The issue of citizenship is crucial. Kyaw Yin Hlaing, the commission’s secretary, said the government plans to eventually return Muslims deemed to be citizens to their original homes, if possible, but has yet to decide what to do with non-citizens.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said the report “fails to address the need for accountability for ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity that happened in last June and October.”

Doubling the number of security forces “without first ensuring implementation of reforms to end those forces’ impunity is a potential disaster,” he added. Robertson said family planning initiatives could be problematic if they are not implemented carefully.

“It’s quite chilling to start talking about limiting births of one particular group,” he said. “Will coercive measures get taken on the ground even if the union government says people can take this voluntarily?”

Last week, Human Rights Watch issued the most comprehensive and detailed account yet of what happened in Rakhine state last year. The report accused authorities - including Buddhist monks, local politicians and government officials, and state security forces - of fomenting an organized campaign of “ethnic cleansing” against the Rohingya. —AP

Suu Kyi’s ‘rule of law’ mantra a distant hope YANGON: It is Aung San Suu Kyi’s mantra for embedding democratic reform, but for many who endured Myanmar’s authoritarian and deeply corrupt former junta the “rule of law” remains a distant hope.

Flashpoint issues such as land grabbing have intensified fears that the country’s anaemic legal structures are failing to protect the poor and vulnerable despite sweeping reforms. Rights groups also say impunity for recent outbreaks of communal unrest-and alleged army abuses in ethnic conflicts-have shown the law is struggling to keep pace with tumultuous political, social and economic change.

“We are still fighting for a fair system that applies to everybody... the law must be king,” said Khin Maung Win, a former political prisoner who was jailed for three years in 2002 for distributing anti-state leaflets while he was a law student.

Now secretary of advocacy group the Myanmar Legal Aid Network, he told AFP that his country’s legal system remains arbitrary, unprofessional and corrupt.

“We have had a bad history,” he said. “In order to move on, ordinary people now must be entitled to legal rights and be involved in the process of change.” During the ulcerous junta era, experts say secret and summary jail terms were commonplace, deaths and disappearances blamed on the state went unpunished and courts were in cahoots with vested interests, including the brutal army rulers who milked the country’s wealth.

Judges could be easily bought or cowed by powerful businessmen and politicians, while prosecutors and police wielded unconstrained power.

A fledgling parliament now debates legislation under changes imposed by a quasi-civilian government which took power in 2011, but the operation of the courts remains opaque and analysts say legal institutions are too weak to underpin reforms. The law must quickly win legitimacy in the eyes of the public, said veteran lawyer Aung Thein, who is representing villagers who say they were forced off land near a controversial Chinese-backed copper mine in central Myanmar.

That issue, which saw Suu Kyi face accusations that she had sided with the mine owners in a report on the project, fired concerns that laws will be strengthened to reassure investors, rather than protect the rights of Myanmar’s people.

“The administration still pressures the judiciary to act on its behalf,”

Aung Thein told AFP, warning that the country “will not advance” if political interference continues.

President Thein Sein has stressed his commitment to fixing the legal system and echoes Suu Kyi’s clarion call for the rule of law to be binding.

Some repressive laws have been repealed or their enforcement eased.

The press has been freed from the harshest rigours of the censor’s pen and protest is now allowed-albeit with police consent.

Efforts are also under way to retrain some district judges and local police officers, to educate them about their duties and the limits of their powers.

Even the powerful military has pledged accountability before the law-although ongoing allegations of rights abuses during ethnic conflict in northern Kachin State and

ULAN BATOR: Nobel laureate and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends the opening of the VII Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia yesterday. —AP

Buddhist-Muslim violence in western Rakhine state cast doubt over its sincerity.

Authorities have also released hundreds of political prisoners in amnesties a key demand of the West as it boosts engagement with the former pariah. Dozens of jailed dissidents were pardoned last week, but rights groups say scores remain behind bars, accusing the government of using headline-grabbing prisoner releases for political gain and failing to address the question of accountability for their imprisonment.

The legal system must be rewired, starting with amendments to the nation’s army-drafted constitution of 2008, says Aung Thein, who was jailed by the former junta over his representation of dissidents.

Under that document the military maintains wide emergency powers, legal immunities and the right to appoint 25 percent of lawmakers.

And while it enshrines some basic rights, it does so for “citizens” only, excluding some minority groupssuch as the Muslim Rohingya.

Other major hurdles remain, including streamlining the tangle of laws established from British colonial rule through to the junta era. But former jailed dissident Khin Maung Win said there are glimmers of a shift in attitude, if not the capabilities, of those who once exercised repression by reflex.

He has held talks with judges, prosecutors and senior police officers in Yangon and believes they are ready to address their shortcomings.

“I think they really want to change-I never believed they would, the police most of all, but they really do,” he explained. —AFP

MANILA: Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, center with tie, prepares to dialogue with relatives of OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) as they begin their planned three-day camp out at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, Philippines yesterday in sympathy with more than 2,500 who pitched their tents in Jedda, Saudi Arabia to escape alleged crackdowns

by Saudi Arabia government of undocumented overseas workers. —AP

Chinese police arrest more suspects after deadly clash BEIJING: Police have arrested more suspects in connection with a clash between authorities and assailants that left 21 people dead in China’s western region of Xinjiang, state media reported yesterday.

Eight suspects already were in custody following last Tuesday’s clash, which killed 15 police officers and local officials and six assailants. Authorities described the gang as terrorists.

The death toll was the highest for a single incident in months in Xinjiang, which sees recurrent outbreaks of violence pitting members of the Turkic Muslim Uighur (pronounced WEE’-gur) group against the authorities and majority ethnic Han Chinese migrants.

China Central Television said Monday that another group of suspects had been captured and interrogated, though it didn’t say how many. It said explosives also were seized. The report quoted the state anti-terrorist office and Meng Hongwei, the vice public security minister.

Meng was quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency as saying authorities had discovered a stash of homemade explosives, “lethal weapons,” and flags promoting the independence of Xinjiang, referred to by Uighur activists as East Turkistan.

Xinhua said Meng vowed an “iron-handed crackdown against terrorism,” saying police would use “every possible means to find and punish terrorists with no mercy.”

Also yesterday, CCTV broadcast images of a memorial service for the police and officials killed in the clash. It said Meng

attended the service, along with more than 1,000 people from local party and government departments.

Xinhua quoted Xinjiang Governor Nur Bekri as saying the incident was “not about ethnic or religious issues, but a terrorist act to split the motherland and undermine national unity.”

“The terrorists carried out the attacks on victims, without sparing people of their own ethnic group,” it quoted Bekri as saying at a ceremony to award posthumous honors to the dead officers and government workers.

A leading Uighur activist has questioned the official account of the incident. Local sources said police sparked it by shooting a Uighur youth during an illegal search of homes, according to Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the German-based World Uyghur Congress.

Authorities previously 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 hurt. The ethnicity of the assailants wasn’t given.

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. Beijing says it treats minorities fairly and spends billions of dollars on improving living standards in minority areas. —AP

S Korea to open restored 600-year-old capital gate SEOUL: Five years after being torched by a disgruntled elderly man, the stone and wood southern gate to the old walled capital of Seoul has been painstakingly restored to its late 14th Century glory by a small army of master craftsmen using traditional tools.

From the hand-carved stones of the walls flanking Sungnyemun gate, to the finely wrought touches on the inner beams of the graceful, upwardly curving roof, each detail of what’s considered the country’s top treasure is meant to harken back to the day the gate was completed in 1398. On the ceiling beneath the center archway two large whiskered and horned dragons are rendered in vibrant yellow, green, blue, pink and orange scales.

Ahead of its public opening Saturday, reporters on Monday got a tour of the gate where royal officials of the Joseon Dynasty unveiled policies, offered prayers for rain and hung the heads of executed criminals. The two-story pavilion stands in vivid contrast to the surrounding glass-and-steel skyscrapers and the bustling, traffic-choked streets that radiate from the gate into a city that has seemed to be in a perpetual building frenzy since emerging from the rubble of the 195053 Korean War. A team led by master carpenters, tile makers, stone carvers, blacksmiths and painters labored to restore the gate - work that officials say could have taken one to two years using modern tools and methods.

Instead, workers trimmed timber with axes

and chisels, hammered massive stones into shape, fired handmade roof tiles in kilns before affixing them to the roof using traditional tools and worked in as much of the surviving original timber as possible. Workers even wore traditional Korean clothing, regardless of the weather.

“Traditional methods guarantee a more natural and authentic look, whereas machines produce a glossy but artificial feel,” said Choi Jong-deok, a government official who oversaw the project until earlier this year.

The gate, also known as Namdaemun, was destroyed in February 2008 by a man angry over the way the government handled a dispute with him over land. The arsonist is serving a 10-year prison term. The fire destroyed 90 percent of the gate’s upper floor and 10 percent of its lower floor, Seoul’s Cultural Heritage Administration said.

The loss of the gate in a massive, manmade fire shocked South Koreans, many of whom have a deep emotional attachment to Sungnyemun and view it as the public face of their architectural heritage. The gate, earlier renovated in the 1960s, is a staple in government and business publications promoting visits to South Korea.

The restoration cost 25 billion Korean won ($22.5 million), officials said. The gate has been fitted with heat and flame detec tors, alarms, sprink lers and 18 CCTVs. AP writer Sam Kim contributed to this report. —AP

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

PRAGUE: Firefighters and rescue workers work at the scene of a strong blast in a building in the center of Prague, Czech Republic, yesterday morning. — AP

Blast injures 40 in Prague UAE pardons over 100 Egyptian prisoners DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates pardoned more than 100 Egyptian prisoners yesterday in a move hailed by the Egyptian ambassador to Abu Dhabi as a gesture that will improve strained relations between the two countries.

Ties between Egypt and the UAE soured after veteran Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak, a longtime Gulf ally, was toppled in 2011. The UAE has voiced distrust of the Muslim Brotherhood that helped propel Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi to power last year.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan also paid the outstanding fines for the 103 inmates, state news agency WAM said, but those freed did not include 11 Egyptians detained last year on suspicion of training Islamists how to overthrow governments. WAM said the pardon “underlines the president’s keenness to offer the released prisoners the opportunity to start a new life and alleviate the suffering of their families”.

It gave no further details on who the prisoners were,

nor their crimes. The Egyptian Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Tamer Mansour, said the decision was “an initiative that is bound to open all paths of good deeds between Egypt and its sister, the UAE”.

“It will also remove all the harmful residues that had clung to their historic relations in the previous period,” he added in a statement emailed to Reuters. In January, the Arabic-language Al-Khaleej newspaper said 11 Egyptian men were under investigation by state security prosecutors over “serious charges”. Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said at the time some of the detainees were its members, adding they had been wrongfully arrested. The Muslim Brotherhood has sought to reassure Gulf states that it has no plan to push for political change beyond Egypt’s borders. Thanks to their statesponsored cradle-to-grave welfare systems, the UAE and other Gulf Arab monarchies have largely avoided the unrest that has unseated long-serving Arab rulers elsewhere in the past two years. — Reuters

Dubai court jails Britons for 4 yrs Continued from Page 1 and religious holidays, particularly first-time offenders.

In London, David Cameron’s spokesman said the case of the three Britons would feature in his discussions with Sheikh Khalifa, who was to arrive for a state visit today.

“We have asked for a full and impartial independent investigation into these incidents,” the spokesman told reporters. “The state visit is primarily a chance to develop and strengthen relations between our two countries.

As part of that there will be opportunities to raise a wide range of issues, including concerns about these cases,” he added.

In a letter to Reprieve, a London-based legal charity which campaigns for prisoner rights, Cameron said on Sunday that Britain had repeatedly raised concerns about the torture allegations with the UAE, saying the authorities’ failure to organize a full medical examination of the men was worrisome.

“We continue to press for evidence of a full, impartial and independent investigation,” Cameron wrote. At a hearing in the case in March, police officer Osman Ali Abdulla, who took part in the Britons’ arrests, denied any of the men were abused or beaten and said they were treated well.

There is zero tolerance for drug-related offences in the UAE, a regional business hub and tourist destination where millions of expatriates live and work. There are severe penalties for drug trafficking and possession.

Reprieve investigator Kate Higham urged Cameron yesterday to push for their release during his talks with Sheikh Khalifa. “The central fact of this case remains that these men were tortured by police, but there has been no proper investigation into their abuse,” she said in a statement.

During his two-day visit to Britain, the UAE leader will be hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, hold a meeting with Cameron and have tea with the Prince of Wales. He will be accompanied by a high-level government delegation. — Reuters

NA panel tells IMF, no taxation now Continued from Page 1 The legal and legislative committee said last week the draft law appears to breach the constitution amid reports that the financial and economic affairs committee will most likely reject it.

In another development, National Assembly Speaker Ali Al-Rashed yesterday made what appeared to be his first angry statements against the government accusing it of not doing enough to cooperate with the assembly which has extended its hands for full cooperation.

Rashed told reporters that the government has not positively responded to gestures from the National Assembly which has passed a record number of legislations. He said that the government has so far failed to implement any of those laws, particularly the anti-corruption and wealth disclosure law which is vital to fight wide-spread corruption in the country.

Rashed also indirectly called for a cabinet reshuffle, saying that the prime minister should assess the performance of his ministers to see who performed well.

The speaker said he believes the constitutional court will not rule against the controversial single vote legislation because it is clear under the constitution that HH the Amir has the right to issue emergency decrees. In

addition, the decree, which reduced the number of candidates a voter can pick from four to just one, has been approved by the National Assembly and accordingly enjoys constitutional immunity.

Rashed said he believes that the National Assembly will not be dissolved because it is cooperating very well with the government, although he added that he will respect any judgment by the court slated for June 16.

In the meantime, the appeals court yesterday reduced the two-year jail sentence against opposition tweeter Sager Al-Hashash to one year with immediate effect. The criminal court issued the jail term against Hashash in early March on charges of insulting HH the Amir and undermining his authorities and has been in jail since then.

The tweeter will remain in jail until the court of cassation reviews his case and issues the final verdict.

Hashash is on trial on at least two other cases for similar charges.

In another case, the criminal court yesterday set May 27 as the date for the next hearing in the case involving 70 opposition activists and former MPs on charges of storming the National Assembly building in November last year. The court heard the testimonies of senior security officers.

PRAGUE: A powerful blast believed to be a gas explosion ripped open an office building in the center of Prague yesterday, injuring at least 40 people and sending shockwaves through the Old Town tourist district.

The blast shattered windows in the scenic area of charming streets and postcard-pretty buildings, sending glass flying. Authorities closed a wide area around the site and some tourists were stranded on street corners with baggage-loaded trolleys, unable to get into their hotels. Authorities said two or three people were still believed to be missing, but sniffer dogs searching the rubble had not indicated that anyone was buried and the prime minister said it appeared no one had died. An AP cameraman filming at the time of the blast said the physical impact could be felt on the famed 15th-century Charles Bridge over the Vltava River, which was packed with tourists.

The explosion occurred on Divadelni Street at about 10 am, in one of a row of several-story tall brick buildings dating back about a century. The street was covered with rubble and police evacuated people from nearby buildings. “It’s really immense and huge, almost like after an air assault or a bomb explosion,” Prime Minister Petr Necas said after visiting the scene. “So, if we really prove what we think right now, which is that nobody died, it was very lucky.” Prague mayor Bohuslav Svoboda ruled out a terrorist attack, saying the blast was a gas explosion. Prague is a major tourist capital, visited every year by legions of students, backpackers and others from around the world. In 2012, a total of 5.4 million people visited, with a large majority from outside the country - many from Germany, Russia and the United States.

Officials had estimated that up to 40 were injured, but Zdenek Schwarz, head of rescue service in Prague later narrowed that down to 35. He told reporters that 30 of the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, two of them with serious injuries. He said five people were treated at the scene, some bandaged and with faces still bloody. Among the injured were two

Por tuguese women, another two women from Kazakhstan, a man from Slovakia and a German woman, although none of their injuries was serious, the rescue service said.

City Hall spokeswoman Tereza Kralova said the cause of the incident will be thoroughly investigated and “we believe it won’t negatively affect tourism.”

Windows in buildings located hundreds of meters from the blast were shattered, including some in the nearby National Theater, an ornate 19th-century structure that is one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic.

“There was glass everywhere and people shouting and crying,” Vaclav Rokyta, a Czech student, told the AP near the scene. The Faculty of Social Sciences of Prague’s Charles University and the Film and TV School of the Academy of Sciences of Performing Arts are located next to the damaged building. Students had to be evacuated.

“I was in the bathroom, no windows, the door was closed. Honestly, if I had been in my bed I would have been covered in glass,” said Z B Haislip, a student from Raleigh, North Carolina, who was in a nearby building.

The road closures caused major traffic disruption and confused thousands of tourists.

Rescuers were still searching the rubble, using sniffer dogs. Two or three people were still believed to be missing, firefighter spokeswoman Pavlina Adamcova said.

The building likely belongs to the Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic, said Richard Klima, spokesman for the state-run company that provides air traffic information for civil aviation in the country.

Klima said about six other firms rented office space in the building. The Prague blast comes the day after a possible gas explosion ripped off the side of a five -stor y residential building in France’s Champagne country, killing at least two people and injuring 14 others In 2006, another gas blast in Prague killed two men. — AP

Syrian PM survives bombing Continued from Page 1 In comments released by the state news agency SANA but not shown on television, Halki was quoted as condemning the attack as a sign of “bankruptcy and failure of the terrorist groups”, a reference to the rebels battling to overthrow Assad. Mezze is part of a shrinking “Square of Security” in central Damascus, where many government and military institutions are based and where senior officials live. Sheltered for nearly two years from the destruction ravaging much of the rest of Syria, it has been sucked into violence as rebel forces based to the east of the capital launch mortar attacks and carry out bombings in the centre.

Assad has lost control of large areas of northern and eastern Syria, faces a growing challenge in the southern province of Deraa, and is battling rebels in many cities.

But his forces have been waging powerful ground offensives, backed by artillery and air strikes, against rebelheld territory around the capital and near the central city of Homs which links Damascus to the heartland of Assad’s minority Alawite sect in the mountains overlooking the Mediterranean.

As part of that counter-offensive, Assad’s forces probably used chemical weapons, the United States and Britain have said. However the trans-Atlantic allies, whose 2003 invasion of Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein was based in part on flawed intelligence about an Iraqi program of weapons of mass destruction, have been cautious in their accusations.Despite congressional pressure on Barack Obama to do more to help the rebels, the US president has made clear he is in no rush to intervene on the basis of evidence he said was preliminary.

Britain, which says there is limited but growing evidence of chemical weapons use, said it wanted a United Nations investigation to see “whether or not there is veri-

fied use of chemical weapons”. “We’ve been very clear that, should that be the case, then the repercussions would be serious,” British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said during a visit to Beirut.

“That is why it is so important to have this independently verified and for the UN to do their investigation”. A UN team of experts has been waiting to travel to Syria to gather field evidence, but has yet to win agreement from Syrian authorities who want it to investigate only government accusations of chemical weapon use by rebels in Aleppo province. Russia, which has criticized Western and Gulf Arab support for the anti-Assad fighters, said that attempts by Western countries to expand the U.N. inquiry to cover rebel accusations of Syrian government use of chemicals in Homs and Damascus mounted to a pretext to intervene in the civil war.

“There is not always a basis for the allegations (of the use of chemical weapons),” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference. “There are probably governments and a number of external players who believe that it is fine to use any means to overthrow the Syrian regime. But the theme of the use of weapons of mass destruction is too serious and we shouldn’t joke about it. To take advantage of it (to advance) geopolitical goals is not acceptable.”

The United Nations said in February that around 70,000 people had been killed in Syria’s conflict. Since then activists have reported daily death tolls of between 100 and 200.

Five million people have fled their homes, including 1.4 million refugees in nearby countries, and financial losses are estimated at many tens of billions of dollars.

The Beirut-based UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia estimates that 400,000 houses have been completely destroyed, 300,000 par tially destroyed and a further half million have suffered some kind of structural damage. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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Issues

Bouteflika stroke fuels leadership debate in Algeria

By Abdellah Cheballah he health problems of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who suffered a ministroke at the weekend, have intensified speculation about who might succeed him one year ahead of presidential elections. His hospitalization in France, coming amid press reports of corruption scandals implicating members of his family, have undermined speculation about the 76-year-old president running for a fourth term.

Bouteflika suffered a “transient ischaemia” on Saturday and was flown to Paris for treatment at the Val de Grace military hospital, which often receives high-profile patients. Officials in Algeria were quick to allay fears over his condition, with his doctor quoted as saying on Monday that he would return to Algeria within a week. “The president is in very good health... He will come back to Algeria in several days... in not more than seven days,” Rachid Bougherbal told the Algerian daily Ennahar, after speaking to Bouteflika on Sunday morning.

But the media and analysts are openly questioning the implications of Bouteflika’s latest health scare, less than a year before a presidential election, and with Algerian political machinations typically shrouded in secrecy. “The announcement of his illness-something unusual for the Algerian regime-is destined to prepare public opinion for the succession of Bouteflika,” political analyst Rachid Tlemcani said. The president’s health has been an endless source of speculation in Algeria, after he had surgery in Paris for a bleeding stomach ulcer in 2005 and spent a long period convalescing.

A leaked US diplomatic cable in 2007 suggested he might be suffering from terminal stomach cancer, although Algiers at the time dismissed such speculation as “craz y rumors.” Ennahar said Bouteflika had resisted being treated in France this time but that his doctor had insisted on sending him there, saying the analysis and scan required were not available in Algeria. But the latest development has brought next year’s presidential election sharply into focus. Tlemcani said Bouteflika could yet run again if he recovered. But if not, “the political field will be open for the first time in Algeria’s history.”

Others argued that the health scare has brought Bouteflika’s political end in sight. Rachid Grim, a political expert quoted in independent daily El Watan, said “the question of a fourth term will no longer arise. It is finished.” Algeria’s decision-makers have already considered this scenario, he said, adding that “it would not be surprising if they pulled someone they have already prepared out of the hat.” “The future candidate will arrive like a letter in the post,” Grim said. Since independence from France in 1962, the army has always chosen Algeria’s president.

An editorial in the Quotidien d’Oran said the latest deterioration in Bouteflika’s health made “undeniable... the need to question his ability to lead the country.” “It remains for him to understand clearly that the time has come for him to step down in a serene and democratic manner,” it added. Le Soir d’Algerie, another French-language newspaper, insisted that the “current presidential term... appears in all senses like a term too many.” Bouteflika began his current third term in 2009, after a constitutional amendment allowed him to stand again, but he has not yet indicated an intention to do so next year.

A veteran of Algeria’s war of independence, he later helped end a decade-long civil war that erupted in 1992 when the army cancelled elections that Islamists were poised to win, and which killed at least 150,000 people. He is credited abroad with restoring stability. But he has also been condemned by rights groups and opponents for being authoritarian, despite launching limited political reforms in April 2011 in the wake of Arab Spring unrest that toppled other long-standing regional rulers.— AFP

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

Geopolitical Diary

China’s Middle East footprint

By David Schenker ecurity in the Forbidden City across the street from the Great Hall of the People was tight last month when Li Keqiang was installed as premier of China. But the uniformed guards weren’t armed with automatic weapons. Instead, they were equipped with fire extinguishers to prevent would-be protesters from self-immolating.

China these days is consumed with concerns about domestic stability.

Notwithstanding this internal preoccupation, the Middle Kingdom’s increasing appetite for Persian Gulf oil has sparked unprecedented Chinese interest in the Middle East. Some of this is fueled too by Washington’s “pivot to Asia” and less American dependence on Persian Gulf oil.

During a recent trip to China, I spent a week talking with analysts about the Arab Spring and the changing strategic dynamic in the Middle East. In surprisingly candid discussions, Chinese experts on that region many of whom spoke good Arabic described an evolving view of Chinese involvement in a troubled part of the world the state has long avoided.

China imports nearly 55 percent of its oil from the Persian Gulf, and it has long benefited from the US security umbrella there. One Chinese analyst went so far as to describe the long-standing US aircraft carrier presence there as a “public good.” But these days Beijing is concerned about what the Obama

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administration’s pledge to downsize the US presence in the Middle East means for energy and regional security. Closer to home, the Chinese worry about the impact of rising Islamism on the state’s restive Muslim population in the gas-rich western province of Xinjiang.

China’s think-tankers concede that the People’s Liberation Army is not yet capable of playing a security role in the Middle East.

Consider that the navy’s first deployment outside of Asia - a three-ship anti-piracy escort mission in the Gulf of Aden - occurred less than five years ago, and it was reportedly a stretch for the force. And even if the PLA were able to field troops in the region, Washington wouldn’t want to “make room” for China in the Gulf, I was told. But the Chinese I spoke with grudgingly recognized that the People’s Republic would eventually be compelled to start playing a bigger role in the Middle East. As one scholar noted, “China is a powerful state but doesn’t act it.”

While China will not soon contribute in a meaningful way to security in the region, it has been increasing its presence there, including deploying peacekeepers to UN contingents in Sudan and Lebanon. It is also laying the groundwork for a more robust regional military presence, establishing its so-called string of pearls network of naval bases that spans from Asia to the Gulf.

Beijing is also raising its profile in the region in other ways. In 2009, Beijing appointed its first special Middle East envoy.

And since 2011, China has vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions condemning Syria’s Bashar Assad regime. Likewise, despite significant investments in Iran’s energy sector, China has thus far complied with US-led sanctions against Tehran to dissuade the theocracy from developing a nuclear weapon.

Beijing is also projecting soft power in the Middle East, making a concerted effort to increase trade and investment, especially in the energy sector. China and Gulf Cooperation Council states are negotiating a free-trade agreement. State-owned Chinese companies are building joint-venture refineries in Saudi Arabia and have secured contracts to construct mosques - including a $1.5 billion shrine - in oil-rich Algeria.

This new activism is not motivated by altruism. Beijing’s priority is to secure ongoing access to Middle Eastern energy. At the same time, it doesn’t want to see Iran go nuclear. But more important, it wants to avoid a fight with Washington over the sanctions.

The lessons of Libya were also sobering.

China was later stung by its 2011 Security Council abstention in a vote that condoned international military action to “protect” the Libyan people but was subsequently exploited to topple Muammar Gaddafi. Worse, during that revolt, 40,000 Chinese laborers had to be evacuated, and Beijing’s consular and political sections in Tripoli were simply not up to the task. In the aftermath of the Libya

debacle, China may bolster its diplomatic representation in the region.

While Beijing may augment its embassies and nascent military presence in the Middle East, there does not appear to be any indication that China will re-evaluate its meager financial contributions to the region. Chinese scholars say Beijing is concerned about stability in Egypt, but it’s hard to tell. Last summer, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi traveled to China in search of economic assistance. He returned home with just $70 million, a grant worth less than Kobe Bryant’s last contract.

It is not likely that China will soon contribute to a more stable region. Instead, what the Middle East needs, according to a March 20 editorial by the official New China News Agency, is “helping hands from a responsible and constructive superpower ” like Washington. Regrettably, absent a concerted US effort to cajole Beijing to provide grant assistance to struggling Arab states and to support tough UN Security Council measures against Iran, the Middle Kingdom will remain a peripheral actor in a turbulent Middle East.

After all, China recognizes that America’s commitments to Japan and South Korea states dependent on gulf energy - will long oblige Washington to underwrite security in the Middle East. So even as the Arab awakening has piqued Chinese concerns about stability, energy security and Islamism, for the time being, I was told, Beijing is content to remain a “free rider.”— MCT

Good life goes on as Syrian elite sit out war

By Michael Stott and Samia Nakhoul t might sound absurd to talk about normal life in Syria after two years of civil war which have killed more than 70,000 people and left five million more destitute and homeless.

Yet in the neighborhood of Malki, a treelined enclave of central Damascus, a wealthy group of elite, pro-government Syrians still enjoy shopping for imported French cheeses, gourmet hand-made chocolates and iPad minis in the wellstocked, recently built Grand Mall and in nearby boutiques.

Such are the parallel realities of a conflict in which, for all the gains made by rebels and the current chatter about U.S. “red lines” crossed that might ultimately draw in Western might, President Bashar al-Assad is holding his ground in the capital, bulwarked by his own foreign allies and by many Syrians who fear his end could prove fatal for them too. And so life goes on.

In Malki, sprinklers water the manicured lawns outside their blocks of million-dollar apartments. Maids and drivers cater to their every whim and birds sing in the trees. Fuel for their BMWs and electricity for their airconditioning is plentiful and the well-guarded streets are free of loiterers.

“Look at this display and you feel all is well, life is good and everything is here,” said an elegantly dressed Hiyam Jabri, 50, as she placed her order at the delicatessen counter in the mall’s main supermarket. Malki residents continue to enjoy material comforts and abundant supplies of imported goods, even as millions of their compatriots subsist on food handouts.

The United Nations World Food Program estimates it is feeding 2.5 million people inside Syria - a tenth of the population - and a further million who have fled the country, offering them subsistence rations of flour and rice. “We are trying to keep up with the enormity of the crisis and the impact of the brutality,” the WFP’s deputy regional emergency coordinator Matthew Hollingworth said in the capital.

Most of those whom his staff help “haven’t been displaced once but some-

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times twice, three times”. Food is so scarce for those uprooted by the fighting that rations intended to feed a family of five are being shared by three families. Even in Malki, though, the air of normality is an illusion - as unreal as the oft-repeated assertions of government officials that victory is near and Assad still controls almost all Syria.

Scratch the surface of the illusion and the normality quickly becomes anything but.

Pasted to the lamp-post outside the elegant chocolatier Ghraoui, whose interior boasts award certificates from France, is a wad of black and white fliers. They are printed by families and they mourn sons and husbands killed in the war.

It is a war, however, that seems to be going nowhere fast. Recent days have shown again the reluctance of the United States and its allies, in the face of evidence Assad’s troops may have crossed President Barack Obama’s “red line” by using chemical weapons, to intervene militarily against him

- not least as some rebels have espoused the cause of Al-Qaeda.

Among the few independent outsiders seeing at first hand the mosaic of opinion and suffering in Syria, many aid workers lament that international discourse has become a monotone debate on supplying weapons, with little push for a negotiated peace. “We need a political solution for this conflict,” said Marc Lucet, the local emergency coordinator for UNICEF, whose fellow humanitarian workers recount grim tales of hungry refugees found cowering in halfbuilt apartment blocks or idle factories.

The surface serenity of Malki contrasts with what aid groups say is a country splintered by ever shifting frontlines and a fragmenting opposition; many fear violence will spread beyond Syria’s borders and are baffled by the debate in the West over how far to arm rebels, saying this will only make matters worse. Stressing the need for a political settlement, however, unpalatable

ALEPPO: Syrian victims who suffered an alleged chemical attack at Khan AlAssal village according to SANA, receive serum treatments, at a hospital in Aleppo, Syria. — AP

and, so far, unattainable, UNICEF’s Lucet said: “The solution is certainly not to give more weapons to either side.”

Attempts to bring Assad down by diplomatic means have failed to break the impasse, even if they do make life less comfortable in Malki.

Inside the Ghraoui chocolate boutique, as everywhere else in Syria, sales are strictly cash only - sanctions have forced international credit card networks to boycott transactions here. Prices on restaurant menus in local currency, the Syrian pound, have been hastily updated with stickers multiple times - a tell-tale sign of rapid inflation.

At the luxury mall supermarket, Eyad AlBurghol says he is selling fewer imported foodstuffs than before because many wealthy customers have left the country.

Fighting talk A distant thump of artillery fire serves as a reminder that, just a few kilometers (miles) away, fierce street-to-street battles are being fought between government and rebel forces. Some days, Russian-made MiG fighter jets streak across the sky on their way to bomb insurgent positions.

The abundant security in Malki, residents say, is provided by men who speak the Iranian tongue of Farsi, rather than Syrian Arabic. Tehran has long been Assad’s sponsor against his fellow Arab leaders and the word on the street - impossible to verify - is that this heavily guarded area of town may be home to the Syrian president himself and to his immediate family.

Assad is not seen in public these days and officials refuse to comment on his movements or whereabouts. Senior Syrian officials try hard to show visiting reporters a picture of normality in which the government is firmly in control. But even the cocoon in which they live and work is starting to be punctured by the facts of war.

Syria’s central bank governor Adeeb Mayaleh gave Reuters an interview last week at a headquarters building bearing the scars of a car bomb attack earlier in the month. Blinds hung twisted and useless in front of warped window-frames without glass. —Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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Jordan marries Prieto MIAMI: Retired NBA legend Michael Jordan married model Yvette Prieto at a ceremony in Florida on Saturday with a lavish reception at a luxury golf community, People magazine reported on Sunday. Jordan, 50, led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles during his playing days and his name remains one of the top brands in sports marketing. He now owns the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats. Prieto, 35, met Jordan at a Miami club in 2008 and they have dated for five years. The couple became engaged in 2011 and applied for a marriage license last month at the county courthouse in Palm Beach, Florida. People reported that about 500 people attended the wedding ceremony in an Episcopal church and another 1,500 joined the couple for a reception at the Bear’s Club, a golf course community in nearby Jupiter. Celebrity news show Entertainment Tonight posted a picture on its Twitter feed of the couple dancing at the reception. People reported that Jordan recently purchased a home in the Bear’s Club development, named for the designer of the course, 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, whose nickname was the “Golden Bear”. — AFP

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

Boston NY Yankees Baltimore Tampa Bay Toronto

American League Eastern Division W L PCT 18 7 .720 15 9 .625 15 10 .600 12 13 .480 9 17 .346

Central Division Kansas City 13 9 Detroit 13 10 Minnesota 11 10 Chicago White Sox 10 14 Cleveland 9 13

GB 2.5 3 6 9.5

.591 .565 .524 .417 .409

0.5 1.5 4 4

Texas Oakland Seattle LA Angels Houston

Western Division 16 9 .640 14 12 .538 11 16 .407 9 15 .375 7 18 .280

2.5 6 6.5 9

Atlanta Washington Philadelphia NY Mets Miami

National League Eastern Division 15 9 13 12 12 14 10 13 6 19

Pittsburgh St. Louis Cincinnati Milwaukee Chicago Cubs

Central Division 15 10 14 10 14 12 12 11 9 15

.600 .583 .538 .522 .375

0.5 1.5 2 5.5

Arizona Colorado San Francisco LA Dodgers San Diego

Western Division 15 10 .600 15 10 .600 13 12 .520 12 12 .500 9 15 .375

2 2.5 5.5

.625 .520 .462 .435 .240

2.5 4 4.5 9.5

Australian Rugby League sees $40 million surplus SYDNEY: The Australian Rugby League Commission is counting on a record financial surplus of Aus$40 million ($41 million) this year, much of which will be invested into the sport. ARLC chief executive Dave Smith told Monday’s The Australian Financial Review the forecast result would be in sharp contrast to last year when the organization recorded a Aus$3.5 million loss.

“The sport will finally have money in the bank,” Smith said. “Last year we made a loss and basically the business had no assets. So it is a big change.” Smith said the commission’s investment fund would be a big part of ensuring the sport’s financial viability and would be used towards stadium joint ventures, ticketing assets, new technology ventures and the possibility of a dedicated NRL television channel.

It is good news for Smith, the former Lloyds International CEO, since he took over at the ARLC on February 1. He has faced media criticism and had to deal with an investigation into rugby league by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in his first days in charge. Smith told the newspaper that National Rugby League crowds were up 6.5 percent this season compared to last year and that television ratings had improved by seven percent. The NRL is in the first year of a five-year broadcast deal worth a combined Aus$1.2 billion. AFP

Bremen ban Arnautovic, Elia BERLIN: Werder Bremen have suspended Austria forward Marko Arnautovic and Dutch midfielder Eljero Elia for the rest of the season after they were caught speeding on a German motorway last week, the club said yesterday.

Werder had temporarily banned the pair on Friday but decided to extend the sanction to all training sessions and matches until the end of the season, after the late-night incident. Arnautovic, who has had previous disciplinary problems for club and country, and Elia were stopped for speeding in separate cars and their behavior prompted the police to call for back-up. No alcohol was involved. “In the final stretch of the season we need all players to be fully focused,” the club’s sports director Thomas Eichin said in a statement.

“We have made it clear to Marko Arnautovic and Eljero Elia that their behavior damaged the team in this phase. Both will train separately until the end of the season.” Werder Bremen’s 32-year stay in the Bundesliga is under increasing threat after they extended their winless sequence to 10 games following a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday. The northern club are just two points above Augsburg who occupy the relegation playoff spot with three matches to play. — Reuters

Red Sox match team record with 18th win Tigers beat Braves 8-3 for 3-game sweep on Adam Rosales’ bunt. Coco Crisp followed with a sacrifice bunt and Machado threw wildly past to shortstop JJ Hardy covering third, allowing Sogard to score with a headfirst dive. Chris Davis hit his team-leading ninth home run, a solo shot in the eighth that put Baltimore ahead 7-6.

Machado added an RBI double in the ninth.

Jerry Blevins (1-0) pitched one inning for the win.

BOSTON: John Lackey returned from the disabled list to pitch six solid innings and David Ortiz drove in two more runs as the Boston Red Sox matched a team record with their 18th win in April by beating the Houston Astros 6-1 Sunday for a four-game sweep. Lackey (1-1) missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery and went on the DL after leaving his first start this year with a strained right biceps.

He allowed five hits, struck out four and walked two. The walks came with two outs in the first and cost Lackey his only run.

Stephen Drew hit a two-run triple and Ortiz had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 20 games dating to last season. Ortiz has 11 RBIs and is batting .516 in eight games since returning to the lineup last weekend.

Bud Norris (3-3) struck out six for Houston and held the Red Sox to three earned runs.

TIGERS 8, BRAVES 3 Miguel Cabrera’s three-run homer in the seventh inning broke the game open as Detroit finished off a sweep of its threegame interleague series with Atlanta.

Austin Jackson and Omar Infante also homered for the Tigers, and Doug Fister (40) struck out eight in seven innings on a rainy night at Comerica Park. Mike Minor (3-2) allowed a three-run homer to Jackson in the third, and although the Braves came back to tie it, Cabrera doubled and scored in the sixth to make it 4-3.

RAYS 8, WHITE SOX 3 David Price struck out nine in winning for first time this season and Ben Zobrist hit a go-ahead RBI single in a three-run eighth spurred by Alex Rios’ error as Tampa Bay beat Chicago in a game marked by a spat between Price and home plate umpire Tom Hallion. Price (1-2) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner walked two and threw 119 pitches. Price and Hallion exchanged words as Price walked toward the dugout after throwing his last pitch.

After the game, Price said Hallion used an expletive. Hallion called Price a liar. The Rays lost all five of Price’s five previous starts this year and were the second team to lose in the first five starts by a reigning

DETROIT: Victor Martinez #41 of the Detroit Tigers hits a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Miguel Cabrera #24 during the sixth inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. —AFP Cy Young winner. The Minnesota Twins lost Minnesota sent Texas to a second straight in Frank Viola’s first seven games in 1989. loss for the first time this season.

Correia (3-1) gave up six hits, struck out Jose Lobaton and Matt Joyce each homered for Tampa Bay, which improved to 4-9 two and walked one. He allowed only one runner to reach third base while lowering on the road. his ERA to 2.23. The soft-tossing veteran signed a two-year, $10 million contract YANKEES 3, BLUE JAYS 2 Lyle Overbay sent a knuckleball from RA with Minnesota in the offseason and has Dickey into the right field bullpen for a go- been the Twins’ best starter. Using a fastball ahead, two-run homer in the seventh that rarely broke 90 mph and a variety of inning as New York completed a four-game offspeed pitches, Correia retired his first sweep of Toronto. Brennan Boesch home- seven batters and set down 11 of the last red in the second off Dickey (2-4), pitching 12. Alexi Ogando (2-2) allowed three runs in New York for the first time since getting on four hits over six innings. his 20th win for the New York Mets last ATHLETICS 9, ORIOLES 8, 10 INNINGS September. Dickey allowed a single to Third baseman Manny Machado made a Overbay later in the second, then retired 13 of his next 14 batters around a walk. Travis throwing error on a bunt in the 10th inning Hafner singled leading off the seventh and, as Oakland completed its comeback to with two outs, Overbay hit his third home snap a four-game skid and keep Baltimore run of the season - one more than his total from a four-game sweep. Down 5-0 in the sixth, the A’s tied it at 8 on Yoenis Cespedes’ last year. two-run homer with one out in the ninth.

Eric Sogard hit a leadoff single in the 10th TWINS 5, RANGERS 0 Kevin Correia pitched eight sharp and moved to second when reliever Pedro innings and Justin Morneau homered as Strop (0-1) made a wide throw to second

MARINERS 2, ANGELS 1 Jason Bay and Michael Morse hit solo home runs as Seattle took three of four from Los Angeles to earn its first series victory of the year. Bay tied it in the seventh with his second homer, connecting on the first pitch of the inning from Jason Vargas (0-3). Morse put Seattle ahead in the eighth against Vargas, hitting his seventh home run into the Angels’ bullpen. Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma struck out eight over six innings, allowing only an unearned run. Carter Capps (2-1) got the victory and Tom Wilhelmsen closed for his ninth save.

ROYALS 9, INDIANS 0, GAME 1 INDIANS 10, ROYALS 3, GAME 2 Mike Aviles hit a three-run homer and finished with a career-high five RBIs to help Cleveland split the first day-night doubleheader in Kauffman Stadium history. The Royals’ Jeremy Guthrie shut down Cleveland in a 9-0 victory in the opener, but Will Smith (0-1) couldn’t do the same after getting recalled from Triple-A Omaha for the night-cap. The Indians scored twice off Smith in the second inning. Aviles hit his homer in the third, and then he added sacrifice flies in the fourth and seventh innings against his former team. Corey Kluber yielded only Chris Getz’s two-run blooper in the fourth in a stellar spot start for Cleveland. Kluber (2-0) lasted seven innings and retired his final 10 batters. In the opener of a doubleheader caused by Friday night’s rainout, Guthrie (3-0) allowed six hits over 6 2-3 innings for his 16th consecutive start without a loss. That matched the Kansas City record set by Paul Splittorff from Aug. 13, 1977-April 22, 1978. — AP

Pirates thrash Cardinals 9-0 ST LOUIS: Rookie Jeff Locke pitched seven innings of three-hit ball and Russell Martin had two of Pittsburgh’s four home runs in a 9-0 victory over the St Louis Cardinals on Sunday that gave the Pirates a series win and the National League Central lead. Jones had three hits and John McDonald added an RBI double for Pittsburgh, which ended rookie Shelby Miller’s streak of 14 scoreless innings at home to start the season. The Pirates have won nine of 12 overall, leapfrogging St Louis for first place.

Locke (3-1) has worked 13 scoreless innings while allowing five hits his last two starts. The Cardinals got just three singles and advanced two runners into scoring position against the 25-year-old left-hander, who earned the fifth spot in the rotation with a strong spring. Justin Wilson allowed a walk the last two innings to wrap up the Pirates’ fifth shutout, tied for the league lead with St Louis and San Francisco.

Miller (3-2) struggled to put away hitters and was taken out after 113 pitches and giving up two homers in 5 2-3 innings.

DODGERS 2, BREWERS 0 Clayton Kershaw retired 18 consecutive batters and struck out 12 in eight dominant innings for Los Angeles, and Carl Crawford homered twice against Kyle Lohse. Kershaw (32) scattered four hits and didn’t walk a batter while lowering his ERA to 1.73. His string of consecutive outs began after Rickie Weeks’ bloop double leading off the second. Brandon League pitched a perfect ninth inning for his eighth save in nine chances. Crawford drove Lohse’s first pitch of the game over the centerfield fence. His second homer came on an 0-2 offering in the fifth and landed in the rightfield pavilion. Lohse (1-2) gave up five hits in seven innings.

ST LOUIS: St Louis Cardinals center fielder Shane Robinson scales the center field wall after a home run by Pittsburgh Pirates’ Russell Martin in the second inning of a baseball game on Sunday, April 28, 2013. The Pirates won 9-0. — AP

PADRES 6, GIANTS 4 Chase Headley, Nick Hundley and Alexi Amarista homered off Ryan Vogelsong, as San Diego completed its first three-game sweep of the Giants since May 2010. Headley had three

hits and Amarista scored three runs for the Padres, who’ve won four straight. Pablo Sandoval had an RBI single among his career high-tying four hits, but the defending World Series champion Giants lost their season-high fifth straight game. They’ve lost eight of 12 following a 9-4 start. Buster Posey extended his hitting streak to nine games with a two-run homer to pull the Giants to 6-4 in the eighth.

San Diego’s Jason Marquis (2-2) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. Huston Street pitched the ninth for his fifth save in five chances. Vogelsong (1-2) went five-plus, allowing six runs, five earned, and eight hits.

MARLINS 6, CUBS 4 Giancarlo Stanton homered twice and drove in four runs, helping the Marlins avert a four-game series sweep. Ricky Nolasco (2-2) gave up three runs in seven innings and retired the final 15 batters he faced. The Marlins improved to 6-19, still worst in the majors, and 3-10 at home. They benefited from a rare offensive outburst, scoring more than three runs for only the fifth time this season and twice coming from behind. Stanton waited 65 at-bats to hit his first homer Saturday, then hit another in the first inning off Carlos Villanueva (1-1) to put Miami ahead 2-1. He homered again leading off in the eighth against Kameron Loe. Chicago’s Dioner Navarro went deep in the ninth against Steve Cishek, who nonetheless earned his third save in four chances.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 2 Gerardo Parra tripled and scored twice, and Josh Wilson had a run-scoring double to help Arizona get the win. Rockies All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was lifted in the bottom of the third inning because of a strained left shoulder. Patrick Corbin (3-0) allowed two runs and nine hits over 6 2-3 innings for his first win in four starts against the Rockies. JJ Putz pitched the ninth for his fifth save for the Diamondbacks, who took three of four from

the Rockies. Colorado starter Jon Garland (2-2) gave up four runs, three earned, and eight hits in six innings.

PHILLIES 5, METS 1 Ryan Howard snapped a seventh-inning tie with a pinch-hit double, Cole Hamels earned his first win of the season as the Phillies took advantage of a crucial Mets error to finish a three-game sweep. Freddy Galvis homered, Chase Utley had an RBI single and Hamels (1-3) overcame six walks, which matched his career high. The left-hander held the Mets to two hits and struck out eight over six innings in his fourth consecutive solid outing. All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz went 1 for 4 with a double in his return to the Phillies from a 25-game amphetamine suspension. Even on the road, the popular Ruiz was greeted warmly with a chorus of “Choooooch,” and one fan held a sign welcoming him back. Jonathon Niese (2-2) allowed one earned run in 6 2-3 innings for New York, showing no ill effects from the comebacker that hit him near the right ankle and knocked him out of his previous start.

REDS 5, NATIONALS 2 Tony Cingrani struck out a career-high 11 including four in one inning - while pitching two-hit ball through the sixth, and the Reds avoided a four-game series sweep. Brandon Phillips had a two-run single as the Reds (1412) improved to a major league-worst 2-9 on the road. Cingrani (2-0) pitched three perfect innings before Denard Span reached leading off the fourth on a strikeout and wild pitch.

Danny Espinosa followed with a double, but Cingrani struck out three more hitters to escape the inning without allowing any runs.

He joined Joe Nuxhall, Mario Soto, Tim Birtsas and Frankie Rodriguez as the only Reds with a four-strikeout inning. Washington’s Ross Detwiler (1-2) allowed three earned runs in five innings, and his 11 hits allowed matched a career high. Aroldis Chapman earned his fifth save in five opportunities. — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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Gatland warned of Lions pitfalls LONDON: Graham Henry warned Warren Gatland that coaching the British and Irish Lions was the “most demanding job in Test rugby” as his fellow New Zealander prepared to unveil his squad for Australia. Gatland is due to name his party to face the Wallabies on Tuesday, hoping to succeed where Henry failed in 2001 by leading the Lions to a series win in Australia. Henry, the first foreign Lions boss, made his name in Europe by coaching Wales-the team Gatland is currently seconded from in order to take charge of the combined side.

Twelve years ago the Lions lost a three-match series 2-1 - a defeat Henry, who in 2011 guided New Zealand to a World Cup triumph on home soil, said

was down to his mistakes. “I learned more from that experience as a coach than any other,” Henry told Monday’s Western Mail, Wales’ national daily newspaper. “I did not do things as well as I should have and made some wrong decisions. If I had got them right, we would have won the series.

“I thought I could do the job but I was green as an international coach then. I now know that the position of Lions head coach is the most demanding in Test rugby,” he added. The Lions, who traditionally tour one out of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia every four years, have not won a Test series since overcoming the Springboks in 1997.

However, Henry was confident that in

Gatland, a former coach of Ireland as well as an assistant Lions coach in South Africa four years ago, the combined side had “exactly the right man” in charge to end that losing streak.

“Warren is an outstanding coach with a wealth of experience,” said Henry. “He has led Wales to a couple of Grand Slams and they retained the Six Nations this year. I know he was not around but it was his set-up...He understands what the Lions are all about. He is exactly the right man for the job.” In comparison to New Zealand and South Africa, Australia have long been regarded as the Lions’ most ‘beatable’ opponents.

However, Henry warned the 2013 Wallabies would be no pushovers. “You

only have to look at this year’s Super 15 to see that Australian players have a different stride,” he said. “Their teams have played some exceptional rugby and what everyone should always be aware of is what a Lions tour means to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.”

Sam Warburton has been tipped to be Gatland’s Lions captain, even though he apparently declined the honour of leading Wales in their Grand Slam-clinching win over England after being injured earlier in the Six Nations.

Former England and Lions centre Jeremy Guscott, though, has questioned whether back-row Warburton, who finds himself battling for a Lions place in what appears to be the most keenly contested

area of the squad, had the right credentials to skipper the team. “Personally, I just don’t think Sam’s ready to be captain of the Lions,” Guscott told BBC Sport.

“Warburton is not nailed on to be in that side.” Instead Guscott said Brian O’Driscoll, whose time as the 2005 Lions captain in New Zealand was cut short just minutes into the first Test when the Ireland centre suffered a tour-ending injury following a ‘spear’ tackle, should lead the Lions this year. “The stand-out candidate in my view is Brian O’Driscoll because he’s been on a few (Lions) tours.”

The Lions begin their tour against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1, with the first of three Tests against Australia in Brisbane on June 22. — AFP

Bangladesh level series with fourth test victory Captain dedicates victory to factory victims

LONDON: Toulon’s Matt Giteau is tackled by Saracens’ Owen Farrell during the Heineken Cup, Semi-Final at Twickenham Stadium in London. — AP

Giteau glad to be on Wilko’s winning side LONDON: Australia’s Matt Giteau said it had been a pleasure to be on the same side when Jonny Wilkinson scored a drop-goal following Toulon’s European Cup semi-final win over Saracens at Twickenham. England great Wilkinson delivered a near-faultless display, scoring all of the French club’s points, in a 24-12 victory after landing all seven of his penalty attempts and a decisive late drop-goal in what could be his final appearance at Twickenham, the scene of so many of his triumphs.A decade ago Wilkinson broke Australian hearts by kicking an extra-time drop-goal that gave England a dramatic win over the Wallabies in the World Cup final in Sydney.

For Giteau, who came off the bench in that 2003 match, Sunday’s success was a refreshing change. “As an Australian, it’s good to be on Wilko’s side for once when he scores a drop-goal,” said Giteau, Toulon’s inside centre on Sunday. Wilkinson may have retired from England duty two years ago but Sunday’s performance saw UK bookmakers Ladbrokes cut his odds of being named in coach Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions squad for the forthcoming tour of Australia, due to be announced Tuesday, to 5/6.

John Smit, South Africa’s captain when they won the 2007 World Cup and another member of Toulon’s star-studded squad, added: “Jonny Wilkinson, he is master-class.

“If I was an Australian, I would say don’t take Wilko for the Lions!” Almost as inevitable as the drop-goal, was that renowned per fectionist Wilkinson, England’s record points-scorer, was seen training at Twickenham at 8.30am on Sunday-several hours before the 3pm kickoff. “To be back this morning, I was able to hit a few balls and it was brilliant to have the stadium to yourself,” said Wilkinson, who had last played at Twickenham in a 2011 World Cup warm-up match. “It seems a bit sorry to say it, but I actually enjoy Twickenham just as much when there’s noone in it-it’s like being a kid again. You dream of that, it’s like your playground.

“What it represents to me is incredibly spe-

cial.”

Sunday’s match was billed as a clash of England fly-halves past and present, with Saracens fielding 21-year-old current Red Rose No.10 Owen Farrell. Kiwi coach Gatland, among a Twickenham crowd that saw Toulon captain Wilkinson outshine Farrell, has indicated he won’t select French-based players for the Lions as the final of France’s domestic Top 14 Championship takes place on June 1 — the same day the Lions begin their tour against the Barbarians in Hong Kong.

Toulon are in the Top 14 semi-finals and Wilkinson, twice a Lions tourist, said younger fly-halves, including Farrell, who landed four out of five penalties on Sunday, deserved a chance to represent the combined side.”The Lions stuff, it’s difficult for me. I think it’s fabulous. It’s up there with the most amazing experience you can possibly get in rugby,” Wilkinson said. “I watch these other guys like Owen Farrell and Toby Flood in England, and Dan Biggar in Wales and Johnny Sexton in Ireland and any number of other guys, they are driving rugby forward and perhaps they should be the ones driving this (Lions) tour forward as well.”

Wilkinson’s worth to a team who, like the stand-off himself, will be playing in a first European Cup final when they face French rivals Clermont in Dublin next month, was emphasized by Toulon coach Bernard Laporte. “Jonny is a great player and has been for a long time. We’ve seen before he is a great player and we’ve seen it again,” said Laporte, who often found himself trying to nullify Wilkinson’s impact when coach of France.

Meanwhile Saracens boss Mark McCall hailed Wilkinson’s resilience. “Jonny’s an icon of rugby but the most impressive thing about him is that, having had a stellar start to his career, he then had three or four very difficult years when he was injured lots,” he said. “But at 33 he’s showing his best rugby and it shows a brilliant and professional mentality. He always wants to improve.”— AFP

Rugby - All French final not so good for France PARIS: Two months after France finished last in the Six Nations championship two clubs from the Top 14 will face each other in the Heineken Cup final as money continues to talk in the club game. Toulon and Clermont Auvergne, side by side atop the French league and among the biggest spenders in the game, will face off for Europe’s ultimate club accolade in Dublin on May 18. However, France’s national team coaches are unlikely to be rushing to announce the resurrection of Les Bleus as Toulon’s victory over Saracens was achieved with four Frenchmen in the starting team while Clermont overcame Munster with seven.

Philippe Saint-Andre is just the latest in a long line of France coaches to complain about the league preventing players from joining the national squad as early as some of their Six Nations rivals but club owners have different objectives.

Frustrating as it is for the national team, the policy appears to have borne fruit as French sides have proved in the Heineken Cup with 16 of the 36 finalists since the competition started in 1995.

Financial power is also on French clubs’ side, as illustrated by a 2009-10 Deloitte & Touche survey that found that nine of the top 10 European clubs with the highest revenue were from the top 14 - Leicester being the odd one out. French clubs have become

richer since then and there seems no sign of any change in the balance of financial power. Clermont have an estimated annual budget of 25 million euros ($32.57 million)while Toulon, once ridiculed for their policy of paying high wages to international “has-beens” are on some 22 million euros a year-around three times that of Premiership leaders Saracens.

This is not news to England’s clubs, who have not won the Heineken Cup since Wasps landed the trophy in 2007 and have produced a weakened challenge in recent seasons. “You would not expect Manchester United or Manchester City to operate in the Champions League on the same budget as Blackburn or Bolton,” Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths lamented last year.

Saracens, like Toulon, are backed by big money investors, but the differing salary caps mean they struggle to compete for talent in an open market.

Next season base salary cap in the Premiership will be 4.5 million pounds (5.3 million euros), plus one “bonus player” while the French League’s cap will rise from 9.5 to 10 million euros. “It is not all about the money, said Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal. “I know I’m being called ‘money bag’ and we wanted to show it’s not that simple”, Boudjellal was quoted as saying by sports daily L’Equipe yesterday. “With Toulon, it’s real players, and genuine emotion.” —Reuters

HARARE: Ziaur Rahman led the Bangladesh attack with four wickets as they completed a 143-run win over Zimbabwe yesterday to draw the two-match series 1-1 and gain revenge for their mauling in the first test. Set a target of 401 runs to win in their second innings at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 257 just before tea on day five to hand Bangladesh only their fourth test victory.

Hamilton Masakadza provided the only real resistance as he finished unbeaten on 111.

Zimbabwe resumed on their overnight score of 138 for four wickets, but nobody could build a significant partnership with Masakadza.

Medium-pacer Rahman finished with figures of 4-63 and was the best of the visiting bowlers, though he was ably supported by spinner Shakib Al Hasan who bagged 3-52.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was pleased with the way his team responded after being humiliated in the first test in a 335-run defeat. “A test win is a big achievement for us and after the first test all the pressure was on us,” Rahim said in a TV interview. “The boys have stuck their hands up, especially the senior guys who all played well.

That shows the character of our team.

Hopefully we can take this momentum into the one-dayers.” Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor defended his decision to bowl having won the toss on the first morning and admitted they were simply out-performed.

“We expected them to come back strongly, we let ourselves down on the first day and that set the tone,” Taylor said. “The wicket played a little bit better than we thought it would on day one. There were some quality performances from them and they deserve the win. But we are fairly pleased with some of our own performances and can be proud with a drawn series.”

Bangladesh’s only other victories in their 79 tests to date came with a 2-0 series win against a weakened West Indies outfit in 2009, as well as a win against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2005.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim yesterday dedicated his team’s

victory over Zimbabwe in a Test match to several hundred of their compatriots who lost their lives when a factory collapsed last week. The match got underway on Thursday - a day after a garment factory collapsed with around 3,000 textile workers inside - with Bangladesh’s cricketers wearing black armbands to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy.

Although thousands of people either escaped unscathed or have been pulled from the rubble alive, almost 400 deaths have been confirmed with many more bodies thought to be trapped under the fallen concrete.

Bangladesh picked up the six wickets required for victory on the final day of the second Test to win by 143 runs and earn a share of the twomatch series, and Mushfiqur confirmed that the team’s thoughts had been with their compatriots. “It’s a very sad moment for us back home, so we really dedicate this win to those people who died in the tragedy,” he told reporters. “We’ve been thinking about it during the match, and we discussed it when we got back to the hotel after day one. — Agencies

HARARE: Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, holds the trophy after they drew on the last day of the second Test Match against Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday. — AP

SCOREBOARD HARARE: Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh yesterday: Bangladesh first innings 391 all out (Shakib Al Hasan 81, Nasir Hossain 77, Mushfiqur Rahim 60, E. Chigumbura 3-75, K. Meth 2-41) Zimbabwe first innings 282 all out (E. Chigumbura 86, R. Mutumbami 42, B. Taylor 36, Robiul Islam 5-85, Sohag Gazi 4-59) Bangladesh second innings 291/9 dec (Mushfiqur Rahim 93, Nasir Hossain 67 not out, Shakib Al Hasan 59, S. Masakadza 458, H. Masakadza 3-24) Zimbabwe second innings V. Sibanda c Sohag b Shakib 32 R. Chakabva b Shakib 22 H. Masakadza not out 73

B. Taylor lbw b Ziaur 10 M. Waller b Ziaur 15 S. Masakadza lbw b Ashraful 24 E. Chigumbura c Robiul b Sohag 2 R. Mutumbami not out 6 Extras (4b, 5lb, 1nb) 10 Total (6 wkts, 75 overs, 313 mins) 194 Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Chakabva), 2-66 (Sibanda), 3-96 (Taylor), 4-118 (Waller), 5-164 (S. Masakadza), 6-169 (Chigumbura).

Still to bat: G. Cremer, K. Meth, K. Jarvis.

Bowling: Robiul 15-5-28-0; Sajidul 3-1-9-0; Shakib 9-0-45-2; Sohag 27-10-52-1; Ziaur 17-643-2; Ashraful 4-1-8-1.

FOCC organizes DNV CRYcket KUWAIT: The 16th children’s cricket event ‘DNV CRYcket 2013’ organized by Friends of CRY Club - Kuwait (FOCC-Kuwait) was held on April 12.

The Cricket Coaching Club (CCC) won both the trophies (U-14 and U-12). In all, more than 310 children participated in this year’s event which consists of 21 teams - eleven teams in the Under-14 category and 10 teams in the Under12 category - all vying for the glittering winner ’s “DNV CRYcket 2013” trophy in their respective age group.

The event would not have seen the light of the day without the support of Kuwait Cricket Association who provided the Umpires. The scores were kept by experts in this field, and FOCC duly wish to acknowledge the persistent contribution of Cry Buddies Keerthini, Zainab, Mohammed, Ali Raza, Aditya, Kynara, Amina, Qaisarali and Enaam (children who devoted their time for the event) as well as friends on the spot.

The participating teams in the “DNV CRYcket 2013” tournament were: Under-14 Category: Dynamic Sixers, Eleven Golds, Salwa Sandstorm, Young Strikers, Carmel Supers, Cricket Coaching Club (CCC), Gladiators, NCC’s Pace-XI, Riggae Cricket Coaching (RCC), DPS Spartans and CETA XI; whereas Under-12 Category had DPS Red Titans, NCC’s Pace-XI Juniors A , Riggae Cricket Coaching Hamsters, Cricket Coaching Club, Gladiators, NCC’s PaceXI Juniors B, DPS Blue Warriors, Riggae Cricket

Coaching Juniors, Al Bader Super Tots XI and Desert Stars.

After the day long, tough, intense & quality cricket, the Cricket Coaching Club (CCC) emerged as winners and bagged the DNV CRYcket trophies in both the Under-14 & the Under-12 categories. The runner-up trophy was taken by Eleven Golds in the U-14 category and

the Wataniya Best Player trophy was awarded to Abhishai Alan Jacob of Eleven Golds team. In the U-12 category, the runner-up trophy went to DPS Red Titans and the Wataniya Best Player award was bagged by Chinmaya Kulkarni of DPS Red Titans team. The Wataniya Youngest Player of the tournament trophy went to Kurian Thomas Mattom from CETA-XI.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

S P ORTS

Horschel’s dramatic birdie brings first PGA title NEW ORLEANS: Billy Horschel waited out a storm delay to sink a 26-foot birdie putt on the final hole and claim his first US PGA Tour title on Sunday at the $6.6 million Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Horschel, who earlier birdied six holes in a row, fired an eight-under par 64 in the final round to finish on 20-under par 268 after 72 holes, one stroke ahead of fellow American D.A. Points in a dramatic backnine duel.

“This one means a lot. It’s something I’ve worked so hard for,” Horschel said.

“Man, for that putt to go in-I said, ‘I’m due for a long one.’ It came off the putter so good and I’m so glad it went in.” Horschel, the US PGA’s sixth first-time winner this year, had his best prior PGA result last month with a runner-up effort at the Houston Open behind Points, whose only prior PGA title came in 2011 at Pebble Beach. Horschel, whose 22 made cuts in a row is the longest active tour streak, enjoyed his third straight top-10 finish while Points, who missed seven of his first

nine cuts this year, missed a chance for a second triumph in four starts. One stroke ahead of Points at the tee on the par-5 18th, Horschel found the right rough while Points found the fairway just before the weather warning horn sounded and forced the final nine players off the course.

When play resumed, Points left himself a six-foot birdie putt while Horschel had at a 26-footer. After he watched the ball fall into the cup, Horschel pumped his fists and yelled with joy. “It’s unbelievable right now,” Horschel said. Points sank his birdie putt to finish off a round of 65 and stand on 269, two strokes ahead of compatriot Kyle Stanley in third with Americans Lucas Glover and Bobby Gates sharing fourth on 273. Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, the youngest starter in Masters history earlier this month at age 14, fired a 74 to finish 71st on four-over 292. Horschel matched the longest birdie streak on tour this year with six in a row starting at the par-5 seventh, a run that

Muirfield’s changes set a tough test for Open stars LONDON: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the leading contenders for the British Open title have been set a tough task after organizers at this year’s Muirfield venue added an extra 158 yards and plenty of rough to the course. New tees have been added on seven of the holes, taking the overall distance of the course from 7,034 yards when Ernie Els won the Open there in 2002 to 7,192 yards, par 71 for this year’s Championship from July 18-21. The biggest difference is on the ninth, where a land swap with neighbors the Renaissance Club has enabled the tee to be moved back almost 50 yards-extending the par-five to 554 yards-with a new bunker added on the right of the fairway and bunkers moved closer to the green.

“We are absolutely delighted to be back at Muirfield for the 16th time,” said the chief executive of golf ’s governing body the R&A, Peter Dawson. “It’s immensely popular with the players. Jack Nicklaus’ comment

about ‘What you see is what you get’ at Muirfield was perhaps directed at other links courses with blind shots and where more luck is involved. “The ground here is relatively flat and every hole seems to be going in a different direction but we will be setting the golf course up to challenge these golfers.

“The rough has been cut down over the winter but will regenerate over the coming weeks. We will see the rough up and you are unlikely to win an Open Championship at Muirfield from the rough. “The amount of rough is weather-dependent but we will get plenty. “It has been lengthened by 158 yards since 2002 but that is only a two percent increase.” Other new features for this year’s tournament include a free “Open in the Square” event in Edinburgh the weekend before the championship and LED scoreboards on the seventh, 11th, 16th and 17th in addition to the famous yellow scoreboard on the 18th.— AFP

Wilcox grabs South Georgia Classic title VALDOSTA: Will Wilcox can sleep a bit easier now. Wilcox won the South Georgia Classic on Sunday for his first victory on the Web.com Tour. He shot a 1-over 73 in the final round to finish four strokes ahead of Zack Sucher, DJ Brigman and Michael Putnam, who tied for second at 11 under.

“This is just surreal,” Wilcox said. “I’ve been dreaming about this my whole life.” The 26year-old Wilcox earned $117,000 and moved from No 55 to No 3 on the money list. The top 25 at the end of the year get a spot on the PGA Tour for 2014. “I can’t even think about that right now,” Wilcox said.

Sucher shot a 65 for the best round of the day. He had four birdies and an eagle on the front nine. The top-25 finish put him in the field for the upcoming Stadion Classic in Athens. “My immediate goal this week was just to get in the top 25 so I could play

again next week,” he said. “I had no thoughts about winning. I just wanted to get it going on the front and then see what might happen on the back.”

Wilcox is the fourth first-time winner in seven events on the Web.com Tour this year. He grabbed control with a courserecord 63 in the third round that gave him a seven-stroke lead, prompting a restless Saturday night. “I barely slept,” he said. “I woke up at 4 am. My heart was racing but I was so tired. It just wasn’t fun at all and I was ready to get back to the golf course this morning.”

It turns out there was nothing to worry about. He bogeyed his final hole of the tournament at the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, but it didn’t matter one bit. Alex Rocha (67), Andrew Loupe (70) and Ryan Spears tied for fifth at 10 under. — AP

Tennis: 20 years on Seles still carries attack scars BERLIN: The knife attack on Monica Seles, which took place in Hamburg 20 years ago, not only dictated security at sports events over the last two decades, but changed the victim’s life forever. A similar attack must rank as every sports stars’ worst nightmare and any harmless fan, waiting for hours simply for their idols’ autograph, is now viewed as a potential threat by security staff. French Open champion Maria Sharapova, who won her 20th consecutive clay-court match when she defended her Stuttgart WTA title on Sunday, is renown for having scores of bodyguards in the wings when she steps on court.

“It’s not something I worry about, the security guys would be pretty quickly onto it if there was a problem,” she said on the subject. But Seles is the first to admit the attack robbed her of her self confidence. She had finished both 1991 and 1992 as the world’s top ranked female player and in 1990, aged just 16, she had become the youngest-ever French Open champion. On April 30, 1993, the tennis world was at her feet.

Having won her eighth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier that year, the Yugoslav (of Serbian origin) was still only 19 when she played her quarterfinal at Hamburg’s Rothenbaum in the day’s last match. Having won the first set against Bulgaria’s Magdalena Maleeva, Seles was resting during a break in play when Guenter Parche, a 38-year-old unemployed tool maker, plunged a 23cmlong knife into her back. Her attacker had waited four days for his chance.

His motive was that as an ardent admirer of Steffi Graf, he had been irritated that Seles had usurped the German in the world rankings. After his arrest, he was found to be carrying 1000 deutschemarks (511 euros) and had a ticket to fly to Italy where Seles was registered to play at the Rome tournament the following week. He told Hamburg police he had been planning the attack for weeks but only wanted to harm Seles, not kill her. At his trial, Parche’s lawyer said his client lived in a fantasy world and his interest in Graf had

reached an unhealthy level, fuelling his hatred of Seles.

Experts confirmed Parche had a personality disorder and the judge ruled it was attempted assault, not murder, giving him a two-year suspended sentence. Due to the light sentence, Seles has never set foot on German soil again. “Germany is the country where that man attacked me from behind, yet was not sufficiently punished,” she said later in a television interview. “I cannot understand why this man did not have to pay for his crime.” Two factors saved Seles from further harm.

At the moment of her attack, she was bending forward to get up from her seat, sparing her the full length of the blade, which missed her spine by five centimeters. A security guard then wrestled Parche to the ground to prevent a second stabbing, holding him in a headlock, while others rushed to help Seles. “I didn’t know what exactly had happened,” Seles recalled. “Suddenly I remembered it was hard to breathe and I felt a terrible pain in my back.” Parache was arrested and taken away in handcuffs by police, while a distraught Seles was taken to hospital.

Incredibly, the tournament was not cancelled and Graf, ironically, went on to beat Spain’s Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the final.

A million marks (511,291 euros) had been spent on security for the Rothenbaum tournament and Seles had employed several security guards to protect her. She lapsed into depression after her attack and her weight shot up by 30kg due to binge eating. She made her comeback in July 1995 in Atlantic City against Martina Navratilova and eventually won the Australian Open for the fourth time in 1996. But she never recovered the form she has showed from before her attack and eventually retired in February 2008.

Having won nine Grand Slams before the attack, she would win only one more in her career. Having suffered several strokes, Parche is now incapacitated in a nursing home in Nordhausen, Thuringia, but Seles said the scars of her attack are both physical and mental. —AP

included the last three holes of the front nine and the first three on the back nine.

Horschel put his tee shot at the par-3 ninth just four feet from the cup and made the putt, then sank a 13-foot birdie putt at the 10th, a six-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th and a 15-foot birdie putt at the 12th. The streak ended when Horschel missed an eight-foot birdie attempt at the 13th. “I obviously was on a hell of a stretch,” Horschel said.

But playing partner Points made a run of his own, sinking his fourth birdie in a row with a 14-footer at 13 to reach 18under, one shot back with five holes to play. Horschel stumbled into a tie for the lead with Points with a bogey at 15, finding the right rough with his first two shots and missing a nine-foot par putt to leave both men at 18-under with three holes remaining. At the 16th, Horschel put his 108-yard approach to four feet and made the birdie putt while Points two-putted from 30 feet for par. Both parred the 17th to carry the drama to the final hole.— AFP

AVONDALE: Billy Horschel poses for a photo with the winner’s trophy after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on April 28, 2013 in Avondale, Louisiana. — AFP

A second trainer admits using steroids on horses Randwick spat casts shadow over racing Down Under LONDON: A second Newmarket-based trainer has admitted to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) that he administered banned anabolic steroids to racehorses on the advice of his vets. Last week Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni had his license revoked for eight years by the BHA for doping racehorses.

Eleven horses, trained by Al Zarooni for Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum, tested positive for anabolic steroids, including stanozolol. Emirati Al Zarooni also admitted administering prohibited substances to four other horses. Gerard Butler told Monday’s Independent newspaper that medication known as Sungate, a treatment for injured joints which contains stanozolol, had been given to several horses at his stables in Newmarket, southern England - the headquarters of British flat racing.

He said Sungate was recommended by his vets and that he was told it may have been prescribed to as many as 100 racehorses trained in the town. “I have been very uncomfortable over the past few days, hearing and reading about the Al Zarooni case,” Butler told the newspaper. “I feel people need to know about what has happened in my yard. I know I’m obliged to satisfy myself that each and every treatment is within the rules, and I failed to do so in this case.

“But I am certain that this medication has been misunderstood by many others. And I just hope that the BHA is being suitably rigorous in establishing whether that is indeed the case.”

The BHA said it was investigating a number of positive samples obtained from horses at Butler’s yard, following a testing in training visit on Feb 20. “While conscious of the need not to prejudice the outcome of the current inquiry, the investigation has established that the source of the positive samples was a veterinary product, licensed in the EU and legally imported for use by a veterinary practice, the initial administration of which was recommended by a vet,” the BHA said in a statement. “One of the objectives of this investigation is to clarify the extent to which this product has been distributed and administered to horses in training.”

RANDWICK SPAT Meanwhile, Australian horse racing has lurched into the headlines again following a very public split between thoroughbred owner John Singleton and high-profile trainer Gai Waterhouse at the weekend amid allegations of insider information. Singleton withdrew all seven of his horses under Waterhouse’s supervision

GOTHENBURG: USA’s Beezie Madden rides her horse Simon to win the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final on April 28, 2013 during the Gothenburg Horse Show in Scandinavium. — AFP on Sunday, a day after a televised spat between the pair at Sydney’s Royal Randwick where the 71-year-old businessman’s runner More Joyous disappointed with a second-to-last finish in the Group One All Aged Stakes. Singleton, a longtime racing stalwart Down Under, accused Waterhouse of telling her bookmaker son Tom that More Joyous was not fit for the 1400-metre race and that Tom had told people the six-yearold mare could not win it.

Singleton said he felt More Joyous, which finished four lengths behind race favourite All Too Hard, should not have run and attacked the relationship between his trainer and her bookie son. Tom Waterhouse denied the allegations and threatened Singleton with legal action. He also told local media he had lost A$85,000 ($87,400) on the race and that if More Joyous had won, he would have won more than A$300,000.

Racing New South Wales, the industry’s governing body in the eastern Australian state, have launched an inquiry into the allegations.

Waterhouse fronted stewards after the race and

disclosed that the horse had been treated with an antibiotic for a possible infection in the leadup, local media reported. “There is a rule that requires a trainer to report a condition, not that will affect, but may affect a horse in a race,” Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy said in comments published by The Australian newspaper’s website (www.theaustralian.com.au) yesterday. Racing officials will hold a hearing on Friday.

Nick Xenophon, an independent senator, has called for the government to get involved and examine the horse racing industry in greater depth. “I think the allegations made here are so serious ... you need something to clear the air,” he told Australia’s Seven Network. “The best and fairest way to deal with this is an inquiry with judicial powers.” The spat has brought more unwanted attention on Australia’s beleaguered horse racing industry, which was rocked by a wide-reaching police probe late last year into race-fixing in the southern state of Victoria that swept up prominent jockeys and cast doubts over the sport’s integrity.— Agencies

World No 1 wins North Texas LPGA Shootout

TEXAS: Inbee Park, of South Korea, poses with the trophy after winning the North Texas LPGA Shootout golf tournament on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Los Colinas Country Club in Irving. — AP

IRVING: World number one Park InBee drained a birdie putt at the final hole Sunday to win the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout, holding off Spain’s Carlota Ciganda by one stroke. Park claimed the sixth LPGA title of her career and her third this year, a run of success that saw her rise to number one in the world this month-one week after her major victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The South Korean played steady golf, posting four birdies without a bogey, her fourunder 67 at Las Colinas giving her a 13-under total of 271.

Ciganda, who kept the pressure on Park with her own birdie at 18, finished with a one-under 70 for 272.

“Today coming into the final round, I was two shots back, and I didn’t really think about winning so much,” Park said. “The front nine I was given a lot of birdie chances out there, and nothing seemed to be going in, so I was a little bit frustrated.” Ciganda, the 2012 Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour, started the day with a two-stroke lead.

After a bogey at the second she settled down, posting birdies at the third, sixth, eighth and 10th to move to 14-under for the tournament-two strokes in front of Park as they dueled in the final group. But the young Spaniard’s round came unstuck with a bogey at the 14th, followed by a double-bogey at 15 that let Park assume a one-shot lead. At the par-four 14th, Ciganda drove

behind a tree and her attempt to hit over saw her ball clip a branch.

At the 15th her ball bounced into the water on the right. “I saw the ball bouncing on the green, so I thought that maybe it was there long,” Ciganda said of her approach into 15.

“But when I was approaching the green, I could see that the wind was hard and the ball was in the water.

“So I mean I just tried to make up on that, and I missed my putt, so then it was a six and that was it. I think that was the key hole because until that time I think I was winning by two and then by one.” At the par-five 18th, Park was in the fairway and Ciganda just off the fairway with a testing shot through the trees to the green.

Park opted to go for the green and finished up just short, while Ciganda fired through the green.

Ciganda’s pitch left her a tough birdie putt, but she rattled it in to pull level, leaving Park, who chipped to about four feet, with a birdie putt to win. The South Korean calmly rolled hers in, giving a little fist pump as the ball dropped. “I was trying to be very patient and finally the last one dropped.” Norway ’s Suzann Pettersen carded a final-round 66 to claim third on 274. South Koreans Park Hee-Young and Ryu So-Yeon shared fourth on 275, Park after a blazing seven-under 64 that included seven birdies with no bogeys and Ryu with a 68. South Korean I K Kim finished alone in sixth after a 68 for 276.—AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

S P ORTS BRAZILIAN ROUNDUP

Photo of the day

Guerrero, Pato score; Corinthians advance SAO PAULO: Alexandre Pato and Peru striker Paolo Guerrero scored in the second half to help Corinthians defeat Ponte Preta 4-0 and advance to the semifinals of the Sao Paulo state championship on Sunday.

Corinthians will face Sao Paulo, which edged Penapolense 1-0 later Sunday. Three-time champion Santos edged out Palmeiras on penalties on Saturday, setting up a semifinal match against Mogi Mirim, which trounced Botafogo 6-0. In Rio de Janeiro, striker Rafael Sobis scored two goals as Fluminense beat Volta Redonda 4-1 to reach the final of the Rio Cup, the second stage of the Rio de Janeiro state championship.

Fluminense will play Botafogo, which thrashed Resende 5-0 on Saturday.

Corinthians revenged its loss to Ponte Preta in the quarterfinals of last year’s tournament by scoring two goals in each half at Moises Lucarelli stadium in Campinas. Romarinho netted in the 32nd minute and Emerson added to the lead in the 38th, then Guerrero converted a penalty in the 56th and Pato finished the scoring in the 89th by dribbling the goalkeeper before Brazil striker found the net from inside the area.

Ponte Preta played a man down from the 58th after midfielder Baraka was sent off for stepping on an opponent. Sao Paulo, which led the tournament’s first stage, beat Penapolense at the Morumbi Stadium thanks to an own goal by defender Jailton in the 72nd. In Volta Redonda, Sobis scored in the 12th and 52nd minutes for Fluminense, while there were goals from Wellington Nem in the 31st and Thiago Neves in the 79th. Volta Redonda’s lone goal was scored by Ze Augusto in the

13th.

It’s still unclear where the final against Botafogo will be played because Engenhao stadium remains closed due to a faulty roof and the Maracana - which reopened on Saturday after nearly three years of renovations - is being prepared for the Confederations Cup in June.

Botafogo, led by Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf and Uruguay striker Nicolas Lodeiro, won the Guanabara Cup, the tournament’s first stage, and can automatically capture the overall state title if it beats Fluminense in the Rio Cup final.

In the Rio Grande do Sul state championship, midfielder Willians scored in the 25th to help Internacional beat Veranopolis 1-0 and reach the tournament’s final.

Veranopolis had defender Edson Borges sent off in the 64th and midfielder Fininho dismissed in second-half injury time. Internacional, led by Uruguay striker Diego Forlan and Argentine midfielder Andres D’Alessandro, will play the final against Juventude, which eliminated Gremio on penalties on Saturday. Argentine striker Hernan Barcos scored Gremio’s goal in the 1-1 draw in regulation time, but Chile striker Eduardo Vargas missed his shot from the spot in the shootout.

In Minas Gerais state, Cruzeiro thrashed Villa Nova 4-0 in the first leg of the semifinals after two goals each by striker Everton Ribeiro and playmaker Diego Souza. In the other semifinal match, Atletico Mineiro defeated Tombense 2-0 on Saturday despite resting former twotime FIFA player of the year Ronaldinho. Regional championships are played in the first few months of the year in Brazil, and the national league starts in May. — AP

David Lama climbs up Moose’s Tooth in first ascent in Alaska, US. www.redbullcontentpool.com

MEXICAN ROUNDUP

2013/14 Chelsea Club kit unveiled KUWAIT: adidas and Chelsea Football Club have unveiled the new kit for the forthcoming 2013/14 kit and it’s blue!

The new strip will be available in adidas stores throughout Kuwait during the month of May. Following on from the groundbreaking teaser campaign, entitled, ‘it’s blue. What else matters?’ the new kit takes inspiration from past legendary shirts worn by Chelsea greats and the club crest reverts back to a four color design.

The launch earlier this month took the sporting world by storm. The teaser video of Chelsea FC’s stars showing what it means to be committed to the club received over 1.5 million hits on YouTube worldwide. The campaign, which featured John Terry, Juan Mata, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Fernando Torres, Demba Ba, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Petr Cech was a break from the norm and posed the question to Chelsea fans: it’s blue. What else mat-

ters? - a call to action to order the shirt without seeing it.

The reaction has been phenomenal with unprecedented level of sales and interactions with both the adidas and Chelsea FC brand. It even reached those fans of other clubs, with supporters around the world all commenting on YouTube and across social media that despite their unreserved loyalty, the essence of the campaign had grabbed their attention due to the compelling nature.

A spokesperson from adidas, commented: “We’ve seen what it truly means to be blue from the Chelsea fans. We started with the insight that Chelsea is the only club that can own blue as a color in the Premier League it is their song after all. He continued, “The campaign was aimed at inspiring the fans. The viral and iconic imagery that now adorns the club has shown the lengths that the players will go to

for the club and the reaction from the fans has been outstanding”. It’s blue.

What else matters? - the kit.

TECHNOLOGY The traditionally styled blue kit features the latest adidas technologies to ensure that it not only evokes the meaning of being a true blue but gives CFC an edge on the pitch: TechFit- Designed to help improve speed, endurance and awareness, TechFit stabilizes muscles and focuses energy. This helps players to generate explosive acceleration and deliver maximum power output. Climacool adidas ClimaCool(tm) technology provides a mixture of heat and moisture controlling materials, ventilation channels and 3D fabrics to improve air flow to the skin in key heat zones. Visit www.chelseafc.com/allin for information and to purchase the new CFC home kit.

America, Tigres, Atlas share first-division lead MEXICO CITY: America, Tigres and Atlas share the Mexican first-division lead after the weekend’s penultimate round of the Clausura season. America defeated Pachuca 4-2 and Tigres lost 1-0 to Monterrey on Saturday, while Atlas drew 1-1 against Puebla on Sunday. In other games, Cruz Azul beat Santos Laguna 1-0, Morelia defeated Toluca 2-1, Pumas overcame Jaguares 3-0, San Luis downed Tijuana 1-0, Leon won 10 against Atlante and Chivas lost to Queretaro 2-1.

The results leave Santos Laguna, Morelia, Cruz Azul and Pumas - along with the top three - guaranteed to make the postseason playoffs, while Monterrey is likely to join them after moving three points ahead of Pachuca with a ten-goal advantage in goal difference heading into the last round of matches. Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez rallied America from two goals down to defeat Pachuca with three goals in 16 of the second half. Angel Reyna had opened the scoring for Pachuca in the 12th, with Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi adding the second with a long-range shot in the 49th. Benitez headed in his first in the 61st, got his second four minutes later and scored again in the 77th. Raul Jimenez netted America’s other goal from the penalty spot in the 68th. Pachuca’s Daniel Arreola was sent off in the 66th

for handling the ball on the goal-line. Tigres fell from its sole lead in the league after losing to bitter rival Monterrey, which scored through a Leobardo Lopez header one minute after halftime.

Uruguayan defender Jonathan Lacerda scored the equalizer for Puebla in the 84th after Matias Vuoso headed in a cross to hand Atlas the lead three minutes earlier.

Cruz Azul’s only goal came when Christian Gimenez headed in from a corner in the 35th minute. Jefferson Montero opened for Morelia in the 37th minute and Carlos Rodriguez equalized for Toluca just before the hour mark before Hector Mancilla grabbed the winner for Morelia in the 68th.

Javier Cortes scored in the 8th and the 88th for Pumas against Jaguares, with Paraguayan Robin Ramirez getting the other goal just before halftime. San Luis managed a late winner through Alan Zamora five minutes from fulltime against Tijuana, which had Diego Olsina sent off in the 53rd and teammate Noe Maya also shown a red card in the 64th. Edgar Pacheco got the winner for Leon in the 80th against Atlante. Queretaro won against Chivas, but is almost certain to be officially relegated to the second division next weekend due to its poor goal difference. — AP

Bale’s brilliance piles pressure on Hotspur LONDON: Gareth Bale’s double success at the PFA Player of the Year awards ceremony capped a remarkable season for the Tottenham star but the acknowledgement of his individual excellence has placed an extra burden on his club as they battle to fulfil his ambitions. Bale wore a broad grin as he was photographed with the trophies he received as his peers’ choice as both the outstanding player and young player of the 2012-13 campaign.

The 23-year-old Wales winger is only the third player to win the double accolade, following Andy Gray in 1976-77 and Cristiano Ronaldo six years ago. He also joined Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Ronaldo as the only men to have won the main award twice, after his first triumph in 2010-11. But, while the personal plaudits are welcome, Bale knows he cannot be ranked among the game’s true greats until he has inspired a team to domestic and European glory.

When Bale’s scintillating form was at its peak earlier this season, it became common-place to see the midfielder bracketed alongside Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Ronaldo as one of the world’s top three players. But Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand made a valid point when he said: “People mentioning Bale in the same breath as

Cristiano and Messi really don’t know football. “Bale has been one of the best two in the Premier League this year but he is not on their level yet.”

Bale’s ability to terrorize defenders with his electrifying pace and lethal finishing have helped Tottenham emerge as genuine contenders for Champions league football in recent years.

Credit must also be given to both former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who switched Bale from left-back to a more attacking role on the wing, and his current boss Andre Villas-Boas, whose decision to move Bale infield has paid rich dividends.

Yet, even with Bale’s emergence, Tottenham have been unable to secure a regular place in Europe’s elite club competition or win silverware in the domestic arena. Villas-Boas’s team are still far from certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League despite benefitting from the best season of Bale’s career. And that is sure to present the player with a major dilemma at the end of the season.

Bale needs to play on the grandest stages with the best players, like Messi and Ronaldo, to make the most of his skills and Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid would all be willing to offer him that platform.

Tottenham have been here before, with the likes of Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane

tempted from White Hart Lane by bigger and more successful clubs. VillasBoas insists Bale will stay if Tottenham reach the Champions League but even that would be only a temporary measure unless the north Londoners can build a team that befits their star player’s talents.

It is far cry from Bale’s early days with Spurs, when he was in danger of letting his early promise fizzle out.

Tottenham paid £10 million in 2007 to sign Cardiff-born Bale from Southampton, who had made him their second-youngest ever player at 16 years and 275 days. —AP

Thrilling win sends Newell’s clear at top Independiente notch first win in eight matches BUENOS AIRES: Maxi Rodriguez netted a fine late winner to give Newell’s Old Boys a thrilling 4-3 victory over Racing Club on Sunday, sending his side three points clear at the top of the “Final” championship. Independiente, battling to avoid relegation for the first time, ended a run of seven matches without a victory when they beat Argentinos Juniors 3-1.

At the Marcelo Bielsa stadium in Rosario, hosts Newell’s were pegged back twice by Racing, teenage striker Luciano Vietto hitting a hat-trick for the visitors, while a player from each side was sent off. The win put Newell’s on 25 points from 11 matches, three points clear of Lanus, who can catch them on Monday if they beat Atletico Rafaela at home.

River Plate are third on 21 after giving away a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at home to Quilmes.

Newell’s raced into a two-goal lead in the opening half hour, Milton Casco opening the scoring before the championship’s joint top scorer, Ignacio Scocco, converted a penalty to take his tally to seven.

Racing then had winger Diego Villar sent off for a bad foul on Casco but despite the setback Vietto scored either side of halftime, his first a neat lob, to pull the visitors level at 2-2.

Midfielder Pablo Perez restored Newell’s lead in the 48th minute before the home team were also reduced to 10 men when Casco was sent off.

Vietto notched his third in the 61st minute to level the score at 3-3. Newell’s central defender Santiago Vergini hit the bar before Maxi ran onto a diagonal pass and steered a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Sebastian Saja inside the far post a minute into added time. “We complicated the match ourselves,” Newell’s coach Gerardo Martino told reporters.

“We had chances and we didn’t finish many because we fell in love with our moves and didn’t make sure with the final pass.”

RELEGATION BATTLE At the Monumental, River went ahead in the 54th minute as centre back Eder Balanta headed home from a free kick to notch his second goal in as many matches. The home side

enjoyed greater possession but paid for their failure to increase their lead when Quilmes’ Martin Cauteruccio equalized a minute from time. “Let’s hope we finish the tournament with Quilmes in Primera (first division),” Cauteruccio said.

Former South American champions Independiente are in the bottom three of the relegation standings, a separate table based on teams’ average points over three seasons, with three teams to go down. Quilmes are fourth from bottom.

Defender Leonel Galeano headed Independiente in front in the 52nd minute from a corner before Argentinos substitute Reinaldo Lemos fired a brilliant equaliser into

the top corner 10 minutes later. Midfielder Rolfi Montenegro restored Independiente’s lead with a well-taken penalty in the 78th minute and less than three minutes later they made sure of the three points with a fine finish from young striker Adrian Fernandez.

Argentinos had Julio Barraza sent off in the 83rd minute for elbowing substitute Juan Caicedo in the box at a throw-in. “What stands out for me is that we didn’t slump after their equalizer,” coach Miguel Angel Brindisi said after his second match in charge. “From what I saw in previous matches as a spectator or trainer is that we’d fall at the first blow. Not this time. We didn’t lose our shape, which is fundamental.” —Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

S P ORT S

Zanetti ruptures Achilles as Inter curse continues Fiorentina keep up Champions League challenge

ANNECY: Referee Olivier Thual shows a red card to Paris Saint Germain’s David Beckham (center) during their French League One soccer match against Evian, in Annecy, French Alps, on Sunday, April 28, 2013. —AP

Beckham gets red card; PSG march on with win Gourcuff hands Lyon derby draw PARIS: David Beckham picked up a straight red card and Paris St Germain finished with nine men but they continued their march towards a first French league title in 19 years with a chaotic 1-0 win at Evian Thonon Gaillard on Sunday. Javier Pastore scored the only goal five minutes into the second half to put leaders PSG on 73 points, nine ahead of second-placed Olympique Marseille with four matches left.

Beckham, who came on as a second-half substitute, was shown a straight red for a foul on Youssef Adnane two minutes into stoppage time after Marco Verratti had been sent off in the 80th when he picked up a second yellow card. A mass brawl erupted after the final whistle and Evian’s Saber Khlifa was shown a red card by referee Olivier Thual, who also asked for PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu to join him back on the pitch.

In a surreal scene, Sirigu was walking back towards the field but made a u-turn after being ordered to by a PSG representative. It was not clear whether Sirigu was handed a red card. “This kind of thing happens in a football game, tempers flared a little bit, that’s all,” PSG defender Christophe Jallet told French television Canal Plus. PSG will be crowned champions for the first time since 1994 next Sunday if they get more points against Valenciennes at home than OM pick up against Bastia at the Stade Velodrome.

Olympique Lyon stayed third on 60 points after Yoann Gourcuff’s second-half strike salvaged a 1-1 home draw against arch rivals St Etienne earlier on Sunday.

Relegation-threatened Evian, who eliminated PSG from the French Cup quarter-finals last week, were not that lucky this time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s fierce 25-metre shot was saved by Bertrand Laquait as PSG got off to a good start. Evian had their first chance in the eighth minute when Khlifa’s dipping shot from the edge of the box went just over Sirigu’s crossbar.

Laquait was then at it again to deny Ibrahimovic’s soft volley from Maxwell’s free kick. PSG’s Ezequiel Lavezzi later showed another example of his clumsiness by fluffing a shot after collecting a brilliant pass from Ibrahimovic. However, the breakthrough came when Pastore curled a shot from just inside the box past Laquait to put PSG ahead in the 50th minute. Ibrahimovic and Lavezzi each missed a sitter shortly after the hour as PSG looked close to doubling their tally.

HIGH FOOT The Sweden striker, in front of an open goal after Verratti’s shot had bounced off

the bar and into his path, skied his attempt over the bar while his Argentine team mate inexplicably failed to find the net after dribbling past Laquait. Sirigu then pulled off a brilliant save to deny Khlifa’s powerful shot and PSG remained under pressure, especially after Verratti was sent off. The Italian midfielder was shown a second yellow card when he argued with the referee and was yelled at by coach Carlo Ancelotti as he passed by on his way back to the dressing room.

Beckham did not receive the same treatment after he was given his marching orders. The former England captain seemed to be only trying to protect the ball as he clashed with Adnane but Thual judged that his right foot was too high. Earlier, Lyon stayed on a course for a Champions League qualifying spot after avoiding defeat in the derby against St Etienne. Gourcuff’s strike cancelled out Kurt Zouma’s first-half opener as Lyon remained two points ahead of fourth-placed St Etienne.

The top two Ligue 1 teams directly qualify for the Champions League group stage while the third-placed side go into the playoffs. St Etienne, who had already secured a Europa League spot by wining the League Cup last weekend, started brightly at Gerland stadium and were rewarded for their efforts just before the half-hour mark when Zouma headed home Yohan Mollo’s corner kick. The goal triggered some anger in the crowd and the game was held up for two minutes as flares were thrown in the stands.

St Etienne’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a couple of great chances either side of the break but wasted them with weak shooting. Lyon increased the pressure in the second half and deservedly drew level on 54 minutes when Gourcuff collected a clever back heel from Clement Grenier and hit a rising shot on the turn. Nice are still in the European mix after a 3-1 home win against almost doomed bottom club Troyes left them in sixth place, three points behind Lyon.—Reuters

Match on TV (Local Timings)

JUVE ON BRINK OF TITLE Meanwhile, Juventus won a rain-soaked derby 2-0 at Torino on Sunday to put themselves on the brink of retaining the Serie A title, while AC Milan clung on to the Champions League playoff spot with a dramatic 4-2 win over Catania. Milan scored three in the last 20 minutes to stay one point clear of Fiorentina, 3-0 winners at Sampdoria, while the day’s action was marred by an injury to Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti and allegations Juve’s Paul Pogba was racially insulted.

Arturo Vidal hooked in from 25 meters and Claudio Marchisio added another in stoppage time for leaders Juventus, who stayed 11 points clear of Napoli with four matches to play and can wrap up the title at home to Palermo next week. After the game, Torino’s Riccardo Meggiorini denied suggestions of racism against French midfielder Pogba. “There was an insult but it wasn’t racist,” he said, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Giampaolo Pazzini scored twice in three minutes and Mario Balotelli won and converted a penalty, his eighth goal since joining in January, as AC Milan twice came from behind against

PALERMO: Palermo Uruguayan striker Abel Hernandez (left) and Inter Milan’s Juan Jesus, of Brazil, vie for the ball during a Serie A soccer match in Palermo on Sunday, April 28, 2013. — AP Catania at the San Siro. Juan Cuadrado, Adem Ljajic and Alberto Aquilani shared the goals for Fiorentina who were facing former coach Delio Rossi, sacked for punching Ljajic in a row during a game a year ago. AS Roma forward Pablo Osvaldo produced the day’s best individual effort with a hat-trick in the 4-0 defeat of nextto-bottom Siena. Erik Lamela scored the other goal for fifth-placed Roma. Juventus have 80 points from 34 games while Napoli have 69 after their 3-0 win at Pescara on Saturday. Milan have 62 and Fiorentina 61.

SLIPPERY CONDITIONS Juve, who have not conceded a goal in their last eight meetings with Torino in a run stretching back to 2002, have been a model of consistency, not scoring more than two goals in a game during their current run of wins. Sunday’s game was predictably niggly with slippery conditions adding to the tension which boiled over with a red card for Torino’s Kamil Glik in the 90th minute for a second bookable offence. The match was in danger of petering out until Chile midfielder Vidal controlled a crossfield pass on his chest and nonchalantly swept home the ball

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund - 21:45

Aljazeera Sport +3 Aljazeera Sport +4 Aljazeera Sport HD1

everything is possible.”

Mourinho confirmed that Ronaldo trained today morning and will play despite continuing to feel the aftereffects of a thigh injury picked up in the first-leg.

Alvaro Arbeloa and Marcelo remain Real’s only two absentees through injury, but the return of Michael Essien means that he could line up at right-back with Sergio Ramos moving into central defense after the torrid time Lewandowski gave Pepe last week.

And Ramos said he will play in whatever position is best for the side, although he feels more comfortable at centre-back.

“In the past few years I have played as a centre-back, it gives me more control of the game. Due to the circumstances I had to play at full-back and it wasn’t a problem. “I have won the European Championships and the World Cup playing there. The manager will look at what is best for the team to decide where I should play.”

Ramos had criticized Madrid’s attitude in the wake of the match last week and he echoed Mourinho’s sentiments that they need to be more aggressive on home soil.

“The other day when I spoke of attitude I meant our intensity, aggression and rhythm of our game wasn’t as it should have been. If we have greater intensity and rhythm it will be less of a problem but it is still a very negative result to overturn and will be very difficult. “We can’t take away the credit from Dortmund, they played a great game and deserved to win but the other day we didn’t win personal duels that we normally do.”—AFP

from 25 metres. Marchisio then took advantage of slack defending to complete the scoring.

Catania went ahead at the San Siro with a Nicola Legrottaglie header after half an hour and then survived a huge scramble in their area almost immediately afterwards. Mathieu Flamini leveled on the stroke of halftime, only for Gonzalo Bergessio to stun the crowd again by putting Catania back in front with a cheeky lob in the 65th minute. Pazzini came to the rescue, snapping up a rebound after Catania goalkeeper Alberto Frison failed to hold Balotelli’s shot in the 73rd minute and scoring another from close range three minutes later.

Balotelli, returning from a two-match suspension, completed the scoring. Siena’s defeat at Roma sent them into the relegation zone, leaving them 19th in the 20-team table with 30 points, with Genoa and Palermo on 32 and Torino on 36. The bottom three go down.

Palermo are unbeaten in their last five games with Ilicic scoring in all of them. He struck in the 10th minute after dreadful Inter defending when Matias Silvestre was dispossessed in the area by Fabrizio Miccoli who laid off the ball for the Slovenian to score.—Agencies

Arsenal eye top-4 finish Milan won’t deny

UEFA Champions League

Mourinho wants Real to be more aggressive MADRID: Jose Mourinho has called on his side to be more ruthless when they face Borussia Dortmund in the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final tomorrow night. Madrid need an incredible comeback after four goals from Robert Lewandowski helped the Germans romp to a 4-1 victory in the first-leg last week and Mourinho believes his side have to perform with the type of aggression they did in the 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday. “The team was naive. We played against a player that scored four goals and wasn’t fouled in the whole game, whilst Cristiano (Ronaldo) was fouled five times and the game had barely begun. It was like we were playing a friendly.

“Mentally and physically we need to be stronger. At the Calderon on Saturday I saw a team that knew how to suffer and defend. A team that was compact, united, aggressive and worked towards an objective.” However, Mourinho insisted that the outcome of the second-leg would not have an effect on his future at the club.

“My future won’t depend on that. At practically all clubs, not just Madrid, the success is thanks to the players and the failure is that of the manager. “We have 90 minutes to play and we are 4-1 down.

What I am concerned with is analyzing what happened in Dortmund and what we have to do tomorrow. “The game in Dortmund was so bad that I am not concerned about them, I am concerned about what we have to do better. No player is hiding, we are all in the same boat and all of them want to play, which gives me confidence and hope for the game. In football

MILAN: Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during the 1-0 loss at Palermo on Sunday, the latest mishap in a season coach Andrea Stramaccioni has described as cursed. Italian media speculated that the Argentine - 40 in August - could be out for up to eight months and that, considering his age, the injury could even spell the end of his career.

Zanetti, who is two years older than his coach, dismissed the notion telling Inter’s website (www.inter.it): “My aim is to return stronger than before. I have to change tyres after many kilometers. “ We will decide when to operate. They haven’t told me a recovery time but my career is certainly not over, the important thing is to get better.” Zanetti was speaking after having a scan near Milan which confirmed the rupture. “It’s a big blow and we really didn’t need this injury to Javier,” Stramaccioni said earlier. “Losing him today certainly hurts us in a ver y difficult moment.” The remarkably consistent Zanetti has made more than 800 appearances for Inter, including over 600 in Serie A, since joining the club from Banfield in 1995 and has never before suffered a serious injury.

He has won five Serie A titles, four Italian Cups, one Champions League, one UEFA Cup and one Club World Cup and is also Argentina’s most capped player. “I felt a pull at one point, I’m not sure if anyone touched me, and it really hurt,” Zanetti told Mediaset Premium. “I will overcome this as well.” Inter have suffered a string of injuries in the last few weeks and were missing Rodrigo Palacio, Diego Milito, Walter Samuel, Antonio Cassano, Walter Gargano and Fredy Guarin for the trip to Sicily.

In the last few weeks, Stramaccioni’s team have dropped to seventh in Serie A, ending their hopes of Champions League football next season, been knocked out of the Europa League by Tottenham Hotspur and been beaten by AS Roma in the Italian Cup semi-final. “It’s a curse,” agreed defender Andrea Ranocchia, who took the armband from Zanetti in the 17th minute.

“We seem to be losing two players a game. It’s just incredible. “With the misfortune that we have been suffering, we just have to give more.

We have four games to go and we’re in an emergency.”

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that if his team win their last three Premier League games they will qualify for the Champions League, but both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur could yet scupper his hopes. If Chelsea take at least nine points from their last four games, they will finish on 74 points. If Tottenham win their four remaining games, they would also finish on 74 points. However, even if Arsenal won their remaining games against relegated Queens Park Rangers, Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United, they would finish on 73 points and could miss out on a place in the Champions League for the first time in 16 years.

The key game is on May 8 when former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas takes his Spurs team to Stamford Bridge to face his old club. If Spurs win that game - and their other three remaining games against Southampton, Stoke City and Sunderland they will finish above Arsenal. Chelsea will also finish above Arsenal even if they lose to Spurs and win their three other games at Manchester United and Aston Villa, and at home to Everton.

As it stands, champions Manchester United and Manchester City, who will almost certainly finish second, will take two of the four Champions League spots. Next come Chelsea on 65 points from 34 games, followed by Arsenal (64 points from 35 games) and Spurs (62 points from 34 games). Everton (59 points) also have a mathematical chance of finishing in the top four and have three matches to play.

Wenger saw his side drop two points in a 11 draw with champions Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday and said afterwards there was no more room for errors as the season reaches its climax.

NO ROOM Asked whether the point would be enough for Champions League qualification for a 16th successive season, Wenger replied: “If we win all our games it will be enough and I am convinced we will be there. We will be where we want to be at the end, I am sure of that. “But you know there is no room for dropping points. We know that.” Arsenal slipped from third to fourth in the table after Chelsea’s 2-0 home

Seedorf rumours

Arsenal’s French manager Arsene Wenger win over Swansea City on Sunday, while Tottenham Hotspur remained fifth after a 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Wenger welcomed the return of former Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie back to the Emirates, even though he scored a penalty to give United a share of the points.

Arsenal fans booed their former favorite despite Wenger’s plea for him to be treated with respect. “When he was here he didn’t get that kind of reception,” the Frenchman added. “They loved him - today it was a bit of disappointed love.” Wenger also laughed off Van Persie’s goal, saying: “He scored a penalty but it is not completely the same as scoring. “He takes penalties very well and when he decided to take the penalty I knew there was an 80 percent chance he would score. “Robin van Persie does a lot of things very well.” Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead after two minutes before Van Persie equalised a minute before halftime.—Reuters

MILAN: Speculation over the possible departure of Massimiliano Allegri from AC Milan has gathered pace after the club failed to refute a report suggesting former midfielder Clarence Seedorf could take over as coach. La Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday claimed Seedorf was being lined up by club owner and president Silvio Berlusconi to take over from Allegri as of next season.

The Italian coach led Milan to the title in his first season in charge in 2011, a runner-up place last year and is now fighting for a coveted third-place finish this campaign.

Milan battled to a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Catania late Sunday to reclaim third place, which offers a Champions League spot via a qualifying round, from Fiorentina.

Afterwards, Milan chief executive Ardiano Galliani confirmed that Seedorf, the first player to win the Champions League four times with three different sides, could be one of several “former champions” from the club to be considered a replacement for Allegri. “All the players who helped make Milan history enter the conclave the day Allegri leaves,” said Galliani, borrowing the metaphor of cardinals electing the Pope. “After that, who knows who will become the new Pope? We should let Allegri get on with his job. I won’t confirm or deny anything.”

Milan endured their worst start to a league campaign earlier this season before beginning a fightback shortly before the end of the year. However the Rossoneri are 18 points behind imminent champions Juventus and seven adrift of Napoli in second. Although Seedorf has no management experience and is still contracted to Brazilian club Botafogo, Galliani added: “The President’s love for his former champions exists and that applies to Seedorf as well as the other players who took this club to the top of the world.”

Following Sunday’s report in Gazzetta fans brandished a banner at the San Siro supposedly proclaiming their support of the current coach. It read: “More respect for Allegri.”

After the match Allegri, who recently has been linked with a move to Roma, said: “I appreciated the banner and the applause that the fans dedicated to me but there was no need. I know how much affection there is here. “I’m the club coach and I’ll be criticized and other names will always be linked to the job.”

Galliani, meanwhile, said striker Stephan El Shaarawy would be going nowhere following reports that Manchester City had offered 35 million euros ($45.5 million, £29 million) for the player. “It’s clear that this player, who is 20 years old, is in the senior Italy squad and has scored a hatful of goals this season is one that is valuable for us in the transfer market,” said Galliani. “But we have absolutely no intention of letting him go.” Along with Mario Balotelli, added Galliani, “we have the two strikers who represent the future of the Italy side, so they are going nowhere.”— AFP

Zanetti ruptures Achilles as Inter curse continues

Bale’s brillance piles pressure on Tottenham

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Bangladeshis dedicate test win to factory victims

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LOS ANGELES: Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs buries his head in the chest of Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half during Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center in Los Angeles. — AFP

Spurs sweep depleted Lakers out Heat complete playoff sweep; Celtics stay in hunt LOS ANGELES: Tony Parker scored 23 points, and the San Antonio Spurs completed their firstround sweep of the injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers with a 103-82 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night. Tim Duncan had 11 points and six rebounds for the second-seeded Spurs, who will face the winner of Denver’s series with Golden State in the second round. They’ll get plenty of rest after flattening the Lakers, who finished without three regular starters in their first openinground exit since 2007. In his final game before unrestricted free agency, Dwight Howard scored seven points before getting ejected early in the third quarter for arguing. Pau Gasol had 16 points for the Lakers, who were swept from the postsea-

son for the second time in three years despite a late courtside appearance by Kobe Bryant on crutches.

HEAT 88, BUCKS 77 LeBron James scored 30, Ray Allen had another big game against his old team as the Miami Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory over the Bucks. It’s the first time the Heat have swept a playoff series since James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami three years ago. And the Heat didn’t even need Wade to do it. The guard missed only the second postseason game of his career, and first since 2005, with three bone bruises on his right

knee. But the Heat still won handily, winning their fourth straight game by double digits.

Wade will get plenty of time to rest now, too. The Heat will face the winner of the Brooklyn NetsChicago Bulls series - Chicago leads 3-1 - but the next round won’t begin until next Saturday.

WARRIORS 115, NUGGETS 101 Stephen Curry shook off a sore left ankle to score 22 of his 31 points in the third quarter, leading the Warriors past the Nuggets for a commanding 3-1 series lead. Curry shot 10 of 16 from the floor and added seven assists in a dominant and dazzling display that rivaled his days in the NCAA tournament for tiny Davidson. His five 3-pointers

in the third quarter lifted Golden State to a 20point lead and its third straight victory in this frenetic and flashy series. Jarrett Jack added 21 points and nine assists and Andrew Bogut broke out in the first half with 12 points and five rebounds for the sixth-seeded Warriors, who can close out the Nuggets in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Denver. Ty Lawson scored 26 points and Andre Iguodala had 19 for the third-seeded Nuggets.

CELTICS 97, KNICKS 90, OT Jason Terry scored Boston’s last nine points as the Celtics weathered a strong comeback by the Knicks and avoided being swept with a overtime win. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points as

Champions League - Real, Barcelona need miracle

Sociedad cement hold on 4th spot Malaga triumph 2-1 at home

MADRID: Imanol Agirretxe scored two and set up a third as Real Sociedad strengthened their hold on fourth place and Spain’s last Champions League qualification berth with a pulsating 4-2 win over Valencia in La Liga on Sunday. The lanky striker crowned a towering performance with a clever lob on the counter in the fourth minute of stoppage time, as Valencia piled forward to try to grab an equaliser. With five games left, Sociedad moved on to 58 points, five clear of Malaga and Valencia in fifth and sixth respectively. Malaga beat Getafe 2-1 earlier in the day.

This season’s surprise package Sociedad closed to within 10 points of third-placed Atletico Madrid, who fell 2-1 at home to secondplaced Real Madrid on Saturday. “It’s a big step forward for us, but it isn’t definitive,” Agirretxe told Spanish broadcaster Canal Plus. “More than feeling pressure we are enjoying ourselves and it is better than fighting to avoid relegation.”

Valencia took the game to the hosts and Spain striker Roberto Soldado put them in front after 25 minutes, getting in front of his marker to glance a superb header inside the far post.

Sociedad’s Chilean keeper Claudio Bravo was lucky to still be on the pitch soon after as the match officials failed to spot him handling the ball well outside his area as he blocked Soldado’s attempted lob. “It’s a big decision because with the score at 1-0 and them down to 10 men it could have made a big difference,” Soldado said. “But the referee didn’t see it, and in the end they have been better.”

Sociedad hauled themselves back into the game when Inigo Martinez hooked in a volley at the back post after a well-worked corner move in the 34th.

SEARING COUNTER-ATTACKS Two searing counter-attacks put Sociedad in charge, the first coming in the 73rd minute when Agirretxe and Gonzalo Castro tore down the pitch interchanging passes, and Uruguayan Castro stroked in the finish. Agirretxe volleyed in the third at the back post in the 86th and settled nerves in stoppage time after Jonas had nodded one back for the visitors. Malaga kept up their push for a possible return to the Champions League when Roque Santa Cruz headed them in front just before halftime against Getafe.

Defender Weligton doubled the lead with another header, this time from a corner, two minutes after the re-start. Getafe pulled one back with a close-range volley from Juan Valera in the 70th minute and Manuel Pellegrini’s side endured some nervy moments near the end as they missed a number of chances to settle the game. Malaga may not be able to take up a place in European competition next year if they are successful as they have been handed a oneseason ban by UEFA due to financial irregularities.

The Costa del Sol club have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and a decision is expected in mid-June. Sevilla’s fading hopes of qualifying for European competition were not helped by a 1-1 draw at Real Valladolid when Alvaro Negredo equalised for them from the penalty spot. In the midday game, Granada boosted their chances of avoiding relegation with a 1-0 win at Espanyol courtesy of Nolito’s 37th-minute free kick. Granada moved up to 16th on 32 points, two above the bottom three of Celta Vigo (30), Real Zaragoza (30) and Real Mallorca (28).—Reuters

they forced a fifth game in the series, but it was Terry who provided the finishing touches. In Game 3, he had been elbowed by J R Smith, and the NBA suspended the Knicks guard for Sunday’s game. New York had tied the game 84-84 after trailing by 20 points early in the third quarter. It was 88-all before the Celtics regained control and took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Terry.

Carmelo Anthony, who led the Knicks with 32 points, hit a short jumper, but Terry connected on a 15-footer with 50 seconds remaining for a 93-90 lead. After Anthony missed a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to go, Terry was fouled and sank both free throws. He added a layup to close out the game.—AP

SAN SEBASTIAN: Valencia’s French midfielder Sofiane Feghouli (right) vies with a player of Real Sociedad during the Spanish league football match Real Sociedad vs Valencia CF at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian on April 28, 2013. — AFP

BARCELONA: Fierce rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid are bound to a common cause after heavy losses in the Champions League: the need to believe in miracles. Barcelona has the daunting task of overturning its 4-0 loss at Bayern Munich in their second-leg semifinal Wednesday while on Tuesday, Madrid faces the slightly less formidable challenge of coming back from its 4-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund. No team has ever come back to win from such margins at this stage of the competition, meaning the May 25 final in Wembley Stadium will likely be an all-German affair.

Overrun by the two Bundesliga sides in their first meetings, the Spanish powerhouses will rest their hopes on the two best attacking players in the game. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has struck eight times in Europe this campaign and is on a record 20-game scoring run in the Spanish league. Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, leads the competition with 12 goals, followed by Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski with 10 after he scored all four against Madrid last week.

The big problem is that Messi and Ronaldo may not be fully fit. Messi is still nursing a right hamstring injury from April 2 that noticeably slowed him down in the first-leg rout. Ronaldo, for his part, has an unspecified “muscle problem” that kept him from playing on Saturday at Atletico Madrid. He went through an individual workout on Sunday while the rest of the team trained. Messi made his first appearance in four rounds of the Spanish league on Saturday as a second half substitute in the runaway leader’s match at Athletic Bilbao.

And even though assistant coach Jordi Roura said afterward that the Argentina forward is still not 100 percent fit, Messi looked to be back after he scored a brilliant goal against

Bilbao that will go down as one of his best.

Within 10 minutes after taking the field at San Mames, Messi had scored one goal after an amazing display of footwork and ball control to weave his way through a pack of defenders, and set up another to leave Barcelona on the cusp of victory until it conceded a 90th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2.

“Messi is slowly recovering and we hope to have him back to full strength,” Roura said.

“The fitter he is, the better our chances of fighting back against Bayern.” Barcelona will have to conjure up another mammoth effort akin to the one that fueled its historic 4-0 win at Camp Nou to overturn a 2-0 loss at AC Milan in the round of 16 last month. But Bayern, the newly crowned German champion, is a much better and far more mature lineup than the Milan team that was unable to hang on after Messi got Barcelona going with a pair of early goals.

Bayern rested 10 players from the side that routed Barcelona when it played out a 1-0 win over Freiburg this weekend to set a German league record for points in a season with 84.

“We’ve all witnessed the magic of Camp Nou often enough. But we want to show the world it won’t work on us,” said Bayern’s Thomas Mueller, who scored twice against Barcelona in the opening leg. Dortmund, which is the only unbeaten team in the Champions League this season, also made 10 changes to the starting 11 that brushed aside Madrid and had to survive a late scare to win 2-1 against Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday.

Lewandowski went on as a substitute and failed to score, ending his league record run of goals in 12 consecutive games. Dortmund’s Mario Goetze was left out with muscular problems but should be fit for the match at the Santiago Bernabeu. —AP

Business

Iran squeezed by higher oil costs Page 22 US consumers spending despite taking pay cut Page 24

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

Mini Paceman is coming to Kuwait

Greece adopts bill to cut 15,000 civil servant jobs Page 23

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BANGKOK: A woman walks by high-rise buildings in downtown Bangkok yesterday. Asia-Pacific growth will edge up this year on the back of a recovery in the US and emerging nations, a UN study said, but it urged governments to take bolder steps to lift millions out of poverty. — AFP

Kuwait eyes KD 12bn surplus in FY13-14 Oil demand expected to rise by 0.9 mbpd in 2013 KUWAIT: After trading broadly flat through March, crude oil prices dropped sharply in early April. The price of Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) fell from a peak of $107 per barrel (pb) on April 2 to just under $100 ten days later.

This was its first spell below the $100 mark since July 2012. Other global benchmark blends also scored notable declines. Brent crude fell $8 to $102, and stood some $17 below its February peak. The fall in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was less steep - by $6 to $91 - and this blend remained slightly above its levels of early March.

The fall in prices seems to have been mostly generated by demand side factors.

Firstly, oil demand is believed to have softened for seasonal reasons: the (northern hemisphere) spring period is typically the maintenance season for refineries, which reduces the demand for crude feedstock.

Historically, Q2 quarter-on-quarter oil demand has fallen by around 1.6 million barrels per day (mbpd) relative to its trend.

These regular demand patterns - although predictable - seldom seem to be ‘priced in’ well in advance.

More fundamentally, there have been downward revisions to oil demand forecasts by key international bodies such as OPEC and the International Energy Agency (IEA, see next section). These revisions were partly driven by soft economic news, including US jobs data, fresh anxiety over the European debt crisis and an economic slowdown in China. But they also reflect growing concerns over the long-run outlook for crude. Tougher environmental regulations, the end of the Chinese investment boom, structural weakness in developed markets and price-induced substitution effects in favor of alternative energy sources have seen ‘peak oil demand’ theories gain traction.

Oil demand outlook In reality, the downward revisions to global oil demand growth in 2013 have not been dramatic. The IEA now puts growth at under 0.8 million barrels per day (mbpd), or 0.9 percent, slightly lower than in March though down from 1.1 percent at the start of the year. A key recent driver has been weakness in Europe, where they expect oil consumption to be at its lowest since the 1980s. The Center for Global Energy Studies expects global demand growth of 0.9 mbpd, some 0.2 mbpd lower than last month, while

OPEC expects growth to be lower still, at 0.8 mbpd. These more downbeat projections have been supported by provisional data for the first quarter of 2013, which shows demand in OECD countries disappointing.

China is expected to account for around half of total demand growth this year, though it too has seen a soft start to the year.

Oil supply outlook Crude output of the OPEC-11 (i.e. excluding Iraq) inched up marginally by some 17,000 bpd to 27.3 mbpd in February, after dropping to a 15-month low in the previous month. The only significant production increase came from Saudi Arabia, where output edged up by 41,000 bpd to just over 9.1 mbpd (official figures point to larger gains of around 100 kbpd). Libyan output also saw a slight recovery in February, but is expected to slip again next month following the resurgence of protests at oil installations.

Meanwhile, production in Nigeria - disrupted in recent months by oil spills, flooding and theft - slipped by a further 19,000 bpd.

Iranian output remained unchanged from the previous month, despite the implementation of additional sanctions in February.

Total OPEC production (including Iraq) edged up to 30.3 mbpd, bringing a halt to five consecutive months of decline. Iraqi production witnessed the largest gain in OPEC, rising by some 58,000 bpd to 3.1 mbpd in February. The increase followed the completion of maintenance work at the Rumaila field, in addition to expansion of oil storage at the country’s main export depot.

Non-OPEC supplies are projected to increase by as much as 1.7 mbpd in 2013, of which less than one fifth will come from OPEC NGLs. North American production is likely to lead non-OPEC supply growth, though there may also be contributions from the partial restoration of last year’s lost output in other locations. In total, global supplies are expected to rise more modestly in 2013, following a rise in excess of 2 mbpd last year, as cuts in OPEC output partially offset stronger non-OPEC supplies.

Price projections Despite higher prices in the first quarter of 2013, oil market fundamentals are expected to loosen over the next three quarters, against the backdrop of a weaker economic outlook and stronger non-OPEC supplies.

Based on a 0.9 mbpd increase in global oil

demand, lower OPEC production and an aggressive 1.7 mbpd increase in non-OPEC supplies, global oil inventories could rise by a modest 0.4 mbpd in 2013. In this case, the price of KEC drifts down gradually for the remainder of the year from its 1Q average of $108, but remains supported at above $100 pb.

If, on the other hand, global oil demand grows slightly stronger than anticipated, then OPEC can maintain its current production longer. In this scenario, the price of KEC holds firm in 2Q13, but begins to gradually slip in the second half of the year. The delayed OPEC production cuts are likely to come in 2H13 in order to prevent oil prices from sliding further. Alternatively, non-OPEC supplies could come in at the higher end of expectations (1.9 mbpd), prompting OPEC to make more aggressive cuts. In this case, the price of KEC slides more rapidly in the next two quarters to near $100 pb, before stabilizing at year-end in response to lower OPEC production.

Budget projections KEC prices averaged $107 pb for FY 2012/13, though closing budget figures for the fiscal year ending in March have not yet been released. Official numbers for the first 11 months show the budget surplus reached a record KD 18.8 billion, thanks partly to an unusual underspend in the large ‘miscellaneous expenditures & transfers’ segment. But spending could be revised up substantially in the closing accounts. Therefore, we expect spending to come in anywhere between 1020 percent below the government’s forecast, and last year’s budget surplus could end up between KD 12.9 billion and KD 15.2 billion before allocations to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations (RFFG).

The projections for the current fiscal year 2013/14 are linked to our three scenarios, which yield oil prices within the range of $101 to $105 pb in FY 2013/14.

According to press reports, budgeted spending for this fiscal year is set at KD 21 billion, although the number could subsequently be revised. Assuming that spending comes in at a more typical 5-10 percent below budget, we project a surplus of between KD 8.4 billion and KD 11.7 billion before allocations to the RFFG. This would equate to 17 percent-24 percent of forecast 2013 GDP, and would represent Kuwait’s 15th successive budget surplus.

Gulf Arab economies to keep growing despite cheaper oil DUBAI: Economic growth in Gulf Arab economies is expected to slow through next year but should still be healthy as investment in the private sector offsets an expected drop in oil prices, a Reuters poll showed yesterday.

Analysts say that for the next couple of years the Gulf will not enjoy oil prices of around $110-115 that have boosted economic growth since early 2011. Brent crude oil slumped by more than $22 to below $100 a barrel in the two months through mid-April and has since recovered only slightly.

“For most members of OPEC, they will not be able to increase production. They may even have to cut it, so they will lose revenue because of that,” said Giyas Gokkent, chief economist at National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

“From a demand perspective, Chinese growth seems to be slowing down because of what’s happening in the euro zone. When you put all of those things together, forecasts for oil prices are for at least the next two years in a slight downtrend.”

The poll of 19 analysts forecast that economic growth in Saudi Arabia, for example, would ease to 4.1 percent in 2013 and 4.0 percent in 2014. That would be a substantial slowdown from 6.8 percent last year, but still count as strong growth by international standards thanks to expansion of the private sector and increased government spending.

Other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain - are expected to see broadly similar growth over the next two years, according to the poll. “Underlying GCC growth in 2013 should be better than the softish forecasts suggest thanks to the solid performance of the non-oil sector,” said Daniel Kaye, senior economist at National Bank of Kuwait.

In the UAE, which has been recovering from Dubai’s 2009-2010 corporate debt crisis, growth is expected to decelerate slightly to 3.3 percent this year from an estimated 3.5 percent in 2012, before edging up to 3.4 percent in 2014, the poll showed. Qatar, which is gearing up to spend some $140 billion on infra-

structure before it hosts the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament, is projected to grow 5.0 percent in both 2013 and 2014, although that would be slower than the 6.2 percent expansion seen in 2012.

Budget surpluses The somewhat softer outlook for the world oil market is expected to take a toll on the GCC’s fiscal balances, since oil and natural gas revenue provides the bulk of budget income.

Saudi Arabia, the top Arab economy, has been raising budget spending by an average 14 percent annually in the last decade. As a result, the oil price it needs to balance its budget jumped to $85 per barrel in 2013 from $38 in 2008, the International Monetary Fund has estimated. However, assuming oil prices do not plunge into the $80s and stay there for an extended period, the bigger Gulf Arab economies are still far from slipping into the red.

“Despite strongly expansionary spending, most of the GCC states will remain comfortably in surplus, with the exception being Bahrain, for which we forecast a small deficit,” said Liz Martins, HSBC’s senior economist for the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia, the fiscal surplus should halve to 7.0 percent of gross domestic product this year from 14.2 percent in 2012, the poll showed. The 2013 forecast is slightly below the 7.1 percent predicted by a previous Reuters poll in January.

In 2014, analysts expect Saudi Arabia will post a budget surplus of 4.1 percent of GDP. The IMF has warned that because of rising state spending, Saudi Arabia might slip into a small fiscal deficit of 0.5 percent of GDP as soon as in 2018. But Saudi finance minister Ibrahim Alassaf said this month that government spending was likely to increase at a more moderate pace in coming years. “Over the longer term, I think this kind of spending growth will take them (the GCC) into deficit territory even if oil prices stay high, but since debt levels are low and reserves are ample, that’s not the end of the world for the Gulf,” Martins said. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Iran squeezed by higher oil costs Premiums, long-term contracts key to profitable trade

NEW YORK: Trader Gordon Charlop works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stock markets mostly rose yesterday as weaker-than-expected US growth added to expectations that central banks will continue easy monetary policies to support economic recovery. — AP

Bahrain picks banks for sovereign bond DUBAI: Bahrain has mandated banks for a sovereign bond issue, three sources familiar with the matter said yesterday, with proceeds likely to help the oil exporter plug a budget deficit this year. The government of the Gulf kingdom is seen taking advantage of low borrowing costs due to falling US Treasury rates and healthy investor appetite for Gulf investment-grade debt.

Bahrain has mandated BNP Paribas, Citigroup Inc , JP Morgan Chase and GIB Capital, the investment banking arm of Gulf International Bank, for the issue, three banking sources told Reuters yesterday. All the sources requested anonymity because details of the mandate are not yet public. Any transaction is expected to be at least $500 million in size.

“Bahrain has the weakest public finances of the oil producing states and the highest breakeven price by far,” said Simon Williams, HSBC’s chief economist for the region, referring to the price of oil. “Even at a $100 a barrel, I expect Bahrain to be running a budget shortfall this year.” Bahrain depends on crude from an oil field it shares with Saudi Arabia for some 70 percent of its budget revenue. It is the only nation out of the six-

member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) facing a fiscal deficit in 2013.

The state needs oil prices to average $122 per barrel this year to be able to balance its budget, a finance ministry official estimated in November, by far the highest level in the Gulf Arab region. Yet some expect investor response to the planned bond to be healthy.

“This is a smart move by the government; costs of borrowing are low compared to the outstanding issues and yet there is still demand,” a regional fixed income trader said. “People are happy to invest in the low 4 percent area.”

Despite recent political unrest, the Bahrain government has been keen to project a “business as usual” image and has regularly tapped global debt markets to raise financing. The high likelihood of political and economic support from Saudi Arabia has also boosted investor sentiment. Bahrain, rated BBB by Standard & Poor’s, tapped global markets with a $1.5 billion 10year deal in July last year, which priced at 99.867 cents to yield 6.143 percent. Yields on the bond have fallen substantially since issue. —Reuters

Dubai retailer MAF closer to Egypt supermarket deal DUBAI: Dubai retail firm Majid Al-Futtaim (MAF) is in advanced discussions to buy Egypt’s largest supermarket chain from family-owned Mansour Group, two sources said yesterday. A due diligence process for the purchase of Mansour Group’s Metro chain and discount grocery store Kheir Zaman has been concluded, one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public. The Mansour Group’s retail business is worth an estimated $200 million to $300 million.

Both companies have agreed to go ahead with the deal and some minor details are now being cleared, the source said. The transaction shows the growing interest of Gulf companies in expanding into the region’s most populous Arab country at a time when valuations are low due to the economic instability following the Arab Spring.

Mansour Group, also the largest distributor of General Motors cars in Egypt, has been looking to

sell Metro and Kheir Zaman since last year. MAF chief executive Iyad Malas told Reuters in January that the deal was in the due diligence stage. MAF, which is the sole franchisee of French hypermarket chain Carrefour in the Middle East, declined to comment on the report. Mansour Group was not immediately available to comment.

The Egyptian group is also a shareholder in French bank Credit Agricole’s Egyptian business and runs McDonald’s Corp’s chain in Egypt among its other businesses. Metro is one of Egypt’s largest supermarket chains with more than 40 outlets in 10 cities. Kheir Zaman, a discount grocery store, has over 2,000 employees and 30 stores throughout the country. Unlisted MAF, which also runs nearly a dozen malls across the Middle East and North Africa, is keen on expanding in Egypt through acquisitions, according to one Dubai-based banking source who is aware of the discussions. —Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: Iran is having to pay a premium for basic foodstuffs such as cooking oil, highlighting the increasing strain on Tehran from Western sanctions aimed at its disputed nuclear programme, even though the sanctions don’t cover food. Wilmar International, the world’s largest listed planter, and Mewah International, a $570 million edible oils processor - both listed in Singapore - are driving sales to Iran on long-term contracts, with Middle Eastern trading sources reporting premiums of up to $30 a tonne to the cash benchmark.

Food shipments are not targeted under the sanctions, but the financial squeeze has cut off firms operating in Iran from much of the global banking system and pushed inflation above 30 percent. Oil exports, Iran’s major source of hard currency, have more than halved since 2011. Food exporters largely shun Iranian deals, with a volatile rial currency deepening risk and foreign banks wary of financing the food trade for fear of reputational damage. A shopkeeper in Tehran told Reuters he had put up his price of imported cooking oil by up to 30 percent this month. A 900 millilitre bottle of cooking oil costs around 39,000 rials ($3.18), compared to a 1 litre bottle that sells for $3.10 in Britain and $1.20 in palm oil-producing Malaysia. Another storekeeper said prices had been stable for weeks.

means Wilmar only profits from refining margins. And India, the world’s top palm oil buyer, has imposed higher import taxes to stem the flow of cheap refined edible oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. With more than half a million hectares of oil palm estates in Indonesia and Malaysia, Wilmar makes most of its sales, and profits, from trading with India and China.

“Indonesia is looking for new markets for its refined palm oil. Iran is a natural choice, it has captive consumers. They desperately need the oil and they will pay a premium,” said a Singaporean trader, who didn’t want to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media. So far this year, shipping records show Mewah has exported 168,100 tonnes of palm oil from Malaysia to ports in Iran. Most cargoes are taken up by private Iranian buyers though state food procurement firm GTC is also an occasional buyer, traders said. “We do come into the palm oil market from time to time to buy.

These are private deals,” a GTC official told Reuters from Tehran. He declined to discuss the deals. — Reuters

and a Malaysian unit of Wilmar, cargo surveyor documents show. Officials at those companies declined comment.

Shipping documents obtained by Reuters show Wilmar exported at least 114,000 tonnes of refined palm oil to Iran from the Indonesian island of Sumatra alone last year. In January of this year, Wilmar shipped another 10,700 tonnes to Iran from Sumatra. “Wilmar doesn’t do high stakes gambling. So it has taken a corporate guarantee from Savola’s head office in Saudi Arabia,” said a Southeast Asian trading source who has done deals with Savola. “It’s become standard practice.” Savola has 832,000 tonnes of annual capacity in Iran, giving it nearly 40 percent market share in a country of over 74 million people. The firm’s revenues from Iran increased by almost a third last year to 4.4 billion riyals ($1.17 billion), about 42 percent of its global edible oil sales.

Captive market Iran is proving more profitable than price-sensitive China, where competition

“One woman man” Iran has shifted to Southeast Asian palm oil as sanctions and limited supplies have disrupted imports of soybeans and oil from Argentina. Malaysia, the world’s secondlargest palm oil producer, saw exports to Iran jump 60 percent last year to a record 548,603 tonnes - still less than 5 percent of Malaysia’s total exports of about 17 million tonnes. Wilmar and Mewah dominate the trade with Iran where demand for high-value refined palm olein, used in cooking oil, can reach 500,000-700,000 tonnes a year.

Wilmar sells to Saudi Arabian food company Savola, which buys palm oil to feed its edible oil processors in Iran, three Middle Eastern trading sources told Reuters. They said Wilmar demands a premium of $20$30 per tonne to cover potential payment delays and interest charges.

Wilmar said it does not comment on specific contracts. Savola did not respond to requests for comment. “Savola is a one woman man. It sticks to one palm oil company to supply its refineries and it’s Wilmar for the past few years,” said a Dubai trading source close to Savola. “Payments can be slow, but there are ways around it. The money will be banked in (Saudi) riyals, euros and US dollars from Turkish banks.

Sometimes, the money will come via India.”

Mewah last month shipped 75,310 tonnes of palm oil to Iran, its best month so far this year, shipping documents show.

“Mewah is the go-to person for Iran. It buys the palm oil from Malaysian firms and then sells it to Iran,” said a trading executive from a Malaysian plantation who deals with Mewah. “They are established in the Iran trade and have deep pockets to withstand payment delays.” Planters who have sent cargoes to Iran with Mewah include subsidiaries of IOI Corp, Kuala Lumpur Kepong

Australia unveils $12bn revenue slump natural growth in key areas of expenditure and is spectacularly lower than reasonably predicted,” the prime minister said. “I trust that all would acknowledge the government has some serious decisions to make and announce in the coming two weeks. Treasurer Wayne Swan is due to deliver the budget on May 14.

He warned earlier this month of a “sledgehammer” to revenues, steeling voters for further spending cuts to follow the Aus$33.6 billion in savings announced last year, primarily from the defence and foreign aid budgets.

Centre-left Labor scraped back into office in 2010 with a minority coalition and are unpopular with voters mistrustful of factional warring that delivered Gillard to power and has seen two challenges to her leadership in as many years.

Their conservative opponents are campaigning ahead of the September 14 polls on issues of trust after Gillard reneged on a pre-election promise not to impose a carbon emissions tax. She was also forced in December to abandon a long-held vow to bring the budget back to surplus this year after plunging commodity prices caused by a slowdown in China hit government coffers.

Opposition finance spokesman Joe Hockey said the government had been over-ambitious in its forecasts, “estimating a 12 percent increase in revenue year-on-year and then cry(ing) crocodile tears when it pulls to 7.6 percent”. “ They’ve committed to spending against money that we’re never going to get,” he said. — AFP

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday warned voters to brace for an austere election-year budget, unveiling a Aus$12 billion ($12.4 billion) slump in revenues due to the strong dollar. Gillard, who is tipped to lose her bid for a third Labor government term in September, said the “unusually low revenue, which wasn’t forecast even a few months ago” would require serious belt-tightening. “The amount of tax revenue the government has collected so far this financial year is already Aus$7.5 billion less than was forecast last October,” Gillard said in major pre-budget speech.

“Treasury now estimates that this reduction will increase to around Aus$12 billion by the end of the financial year (to June 30).” She stressed that the “extraordinary revenues” of the prefinancial crisis mining boom were a thing of the past and the current picture was “in part, a return to normality” as the economy transitions away from the resources sector.

The Reserve Bank of Australia expects mining investment to peak this year. Gillard blamed the robust Australian dollar, which has traded at or above parity with the greenback since October 2010, for squeezing tradeexposed industries and company tax earnings. The depressive impact on prices meant nominal gross domestic product-a measure of the economy incorporating inflation-was currently running at an annualised rate of 2.0 percent, compared with predictions of 5.0 percent a year ago.

“So revenue growth will be less than

EXCHANGE RATES Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian ringgit

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

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

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

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

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.914 5.257 2.893 2.245 3.285 231.950 36.752 3.653

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

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

6.926 9.758 94.221

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

GCC COUNTRIES 76.110 78.422 741.330 758.070 77.717

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

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

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

ARAB COUNTRIES 39.950 40.648 1.332 178.310 403.050 1.915 3.101 34.250

SELL DRAFT 297.58 284.80 304.50 374.85 284.85 444.60 2.98 3.669 5.245 2.245 3.289 2.897 77.62 758.45 40.69 405.80

Selling Rate 285.050 283.995 443.550 372.765 303.200 754.675 77.585 78.245 75.975 401.825 40.693 2.248 5.252 2.890 3.655 6.916 699.240 3.915 10.175 4.070 3.360 94.030

Bahrain Exchange Company

GOLD 298.000 150.000 77.500

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar

743.000 78.500 76.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.300 Euro 375.450 Sterling Pound 444.780 Canadian dollar 282.480 Turkish lira 158.720 Swiss Franc 305.950 US Dollar Buying 284.100

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

741.34 78.66 76.09

SELL CASH 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

CURRENCY Europe British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc

BUY

SELL

0.4352684 0.0061592 0.0459298 0.3671145 0.0447329 0.4304380 0.0394504 0.2977660

0.4442684 0.0181592 0.0509298 0.3746145 0.0499329 0.4379380 0.0444504 0.3047660

Australasia 0.2842764 0.2350484 0.0001114

0.2962764 0.2450484 0.0001114

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2738091 0.0001485 0.2829500

0.2828091 0.0001665 0.2851000

Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo

Asia 0.0036111 0.0031627

0.0036661 0.0033927

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling

Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa Guinea Franc Hg Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Jamaican Dollars Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.0450146 0.0164733 0.0000442 0.0341871 0.0051832 0.0000243 0.0028482 0.0028420 0.0033506 0.0889274 0.0031258 0.0028696 0.0064662 0.0000728 0.2266191 0.0022063 0.0093633

0.0500146 0.0195733 0.0000502 0.0372871 0.0052472 0.0000295 0.0038482 0.0030220 0.0035806 0.0959274 0.0033258 0.0029096 0.0069362 0.0000758 0.2328191 0.0022483 0.0099633

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Ethiopeanbirr Ghanaian Cedi Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Sudanese Pounds Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

Arab 0.7498071 0.0386455 0.0128960 0.1484063 0.0000793 0.0001734 0.3965460 1.0000000 0.0001749 0.0218866 0.0012117 0.7295089 0.0776546 0.0754933 0.0479373 0.0031813 0.1759937 0.0761949 0.0012862

0.7583071 0.0406755 0.0193960 0.1501963 0.0000798 0.0002334 0.4040460 1.0000000 0.0001949 0.0458866 0.0018467 0.7405089 0.0784376 O.0761333 0.0484873 0.0034013 0.1819937 0.0776449 0.0013862

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 284.700 375.000 444.400 282.650 2.950 5.251 40.640 2.244 3.653 6.915 2.895 758.200 77.550 76.050

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Key Egyptian IMF negotiator quits Egypt seeking $4.8bn loan from IMF

ATHENS: A girl with her mother looks at candles at a discount store at the start of Orthodox Holy Week yesterday. — AP

Greece adopts bill to cut 15,000 civil servant jobs ATHENS: The Greek parliament voted late Sunday to adopt a law providing for the dismissal of 15,000 civil servants as part of austerity measures imposed by the country’s international creditors. After heated debate during an emergency session, 168 deputies voted for the bill, with 123 voting against and one abstaining as the opposition proved powerless to stop cuts the government insisted were needed to keep the country afloat. The new law overturns what had been a guarantee of a job for life for workers in Greece’s notoriously bloated civil service.

Around 800 people turned up outside the parliament to protest against the measure in a demonstration called by trade unions. The bill provides for the dismissal of 15,000 civil servants by the end of 2014, including 4,000 this year, to meet terms set by Athens’s creditors for billions in bailout loans.

Civil service trade confederation Adedy condemned what it called the “politicians who are dismantling the public service and destroying the welfare state”. Private union GSEE said the bill would only worsen Greece’s dire unemployment rate, which currently stands at 27 percent.

Slashing an unwieldy public service is a condition set by Greece’s so-called “troika” of creditors-the International Monetary Fund, European Union and European Central Bank-to unlock loans of 8.8 billion euros ($11.5 billion). The EU and IMF have committed a total of 240 billion euros in rescue loans since 2010, with the heavily indebted country obliged to pursue austerity

measures in exchange for the international aid it needs to avoid bankruptcy.

The new law will speed dismissal procedures, which previously made it impossible to sack civil servants and saw the public sector swell over the years as every new administration brought in its own people. Employees who have been disciplined for corruption or incompetence and those working for one of dozens of shuttered government agencies will be the main targets.

The law, which was written in a single article to force lawmakers to adopt all its provisions together, also extends weekly working hours for teachers, opens a number of professions to competition and reduces a controversial property tax by 15 percent. Another section creates new payment terms for unpaid taxes, intended to help the government recover billions of euros owed by indebted companies and households.

The main opposition, radical leftist party Syriza, tried unsuccessfully to block the use of an emergency session to adopt the law, which it argued was unconstitutional. Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said the emergency session was necessary because his eurozone counterparts “must come to a decision on continuing loan disbursements... that Greece needs to pay salaries and pensions”. Opposition parties also condemned what they said was a last-minute amendment introduced by Stournaras slashing the monthly minimum salary from 580 euros to 490 euros. — AFP

CAIRO: A key Egyptian negotiator with the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday he has resigned as first deputy finance minister, in a potential blow to Cairo’s prospects of an early IMF deal. Hany Kadry Dimian has been the crucial point man in Egypt’s protracted and so far fruitless negotiations to obtain a $4.8 billion loan needed to help combat a severe economic crisis.

“The only comment I can make for the time being is that yes, my term ends on April 30 according to my resignation, which I submitted in December,” Kadry told Reuters by telephone. “My next move is not decided.” A senior technocrat appointed in 2007, Kadry survived five finance ministers in office since the 2011 uprising that overthrew former autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.

Kadry gave no explanation for his decision to quit, first reported on the Egyptian dissident Rebel Economy blog, saying he would say more today. A senior European diplomat said his departure was not a good omen for Egypt’s hopes of wrapping up a deal on the long delayed IMF loan next month, as the government has said it aims to do.

Kadry was the one expert in the ministry who fully understood the IMF programme and was able to deal with the global lender professionally, the diplomat said. The daily El-Watan said on its website that Kadry had been under increasing pressure from the ruling Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, and in conflict with Abdallah Shehata, the FJP economic adviser to Finance Minister Al-Mursi Al-Sayed Hegazy.

Nepal’s airline to get 2 Airbus A320 planes PARIS: Airbus said yesterday it had signed an agreement with Nepal Airlines for the sale of two short- to medium-range A320 planes in a deal worth $183 million (140 million euros) at catalogue prices. The planes will come with so - called “sharklets”, fin-like devices fixed at the end of wings to reduce fuel burn, and can also be fitted with a navigation technique called RNP that allows an aircraft to fly precisely along a specific path.

Airbus said in the statement that RNP would be “particularly useful for operations at high altitude airports which are constrained by mountains such as (the capital) Kathmandu.” “For a landlocked nation, aviation really is our window to the world and the world’s window to us,” Madan Kharel, managing director of Nepal Airlines, said in the statement.

“Adding the A320 to our fleet will help us to capitalise on tourism growth and to enhance our network using the most fuel efficient aircraft available.”

Nepal Airlines, founded in 1958, currently flies to four international destinations and 25 domestic airports in the heart of the Himalayas, according to the statement. Planes are a key method of transport in the mountainous country, where some remote areas can be accessed more easily by air than by road. — AFP

Private equity fall hinders France in growth struggle PARIS/LONDON: A collapse of private equity investment this year seems increasingly emblematic of France’s deep-seated economic problems and how hard it may prove to change a vicious cycle of poor growth and weakened companies. Deals in a sector that is often essential to fuel the expansion of small and mediumsized businesses have slowed to a trickle - $437 million in the first quarter of 2013 compared with a peak of $36 billion in 2006 - and sector players say there is little prospect of a pickup anytime soon.

Some point to the perceived anti-business stance of leftist President Francois Hollande and his unwillingness to shake up labour rules, as well as tax moves that have lowered the profitability of private equity deals. But either way, France’s problem with generating growth and competing have played a key role in the slide, along with some companies’ reluctance to hive off the type of units that are traditionally appetising targets.

That in turn may be because sellers are holding out in the hope of getting more for assets later, with the debt they incurred to buy them originally currently cheap to service. But it is also a measure of how bearish buyers are. “One country where there seems to be consensus is France. Everybody is absolutely negative,” Lionel Assant, the head of European private equity at Blackstone, told delegates at a recent industry conference in Berlin. “Structural reforms have not started. The country is effectively denying the inevitable.”

“In the toilet” After thousands of job losses at major firms including PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault and ArcelorMittal , Hollande badly needs to find alternative sources of growth at a time when he is having to find budget savings. Sector players argue that private equity investment, while sometimes about squeezing cash out of existing businesses, tends to fuel the kind of swift growth and corporate change that an economy bound in the models of the last century badly needs.

Thomson Reuters data shows volumes of European deals this year have sunk 44 percent compared to a tripling of US takeovers, and France is among the most dramatic of slides.

Deal volumes in Germany doubled last year by contrast, and in the first quarter even those in the Czech Republic, whose economy is less than a tenth of the size, boasted volumes several times higher than France’s.

The collapse in Spain and Portugal has been comparable but some investors believe those markets offer more upside because of the tough reforms they have had to implement in return for European bailout funds. Elior, a French catering company owned by British private equity

Abdel Shakour Shalaan, Middle East representative on the IMF board, told Al Hayat television channel he hoped Egypt could complete the loan deal within four to five weeks. “I hope it will be completed within a month or five weeks, the end of May or the beginning June,” he said.

Separately, the head of Egypt’s bourse, Mohamed Omran, told Prime Minister Hisham Kandil he would like to leave his position at the end of his term on July 1, the state news agency MENA reported, citing an unnamed official stock exchange source. The report did not give a reason for Omran’s request, but said he had told the prime minister in August he wanted to leave the post. Kandil had asked him to stay until the end of his term, MENA said. — Reuters

PARIS: French Junior Minister for Budget Bernard Cazeneuve (left), French Minister for Industrial Renewal and Food Industry Arnaud Montebourg (center) and French Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade Minister Pierre Moscovici take part in a meeting with French entrepreneurs at the Elysee Palace yesterday. — AFP group Charterhouse which had been expected to fetch up to 4 billion euros, has been delayed while the company seeks to make an acquisition..

“When you go to your investment committee with an opportunity in France, maybe it does currently receive heightened scrutiny,” said JeanMichel Steg, a former Blackstone executive who is now advising boutique bank Greenhill. “Their (limited partners) will ask ‘why are you investing my money in France.’” For some, the culprit is the anti-business rhetoric of Hollande, whose government has scaled back the deductibility of interest on loans from 100 percent to 85 percent. Higher capital gains taxes, important for the sector, also loom. “Employment laws and the confiscation of assets through tax are not good for oiling the wheels of business,”, said Jeremy Coller from private equity firm Coller Capital.

Asked where he puts France on a scale of potential investment targets he said “in the toilet”.

Price gap There are some signs of life on the private equity market, but they are chiefly for companies whose growth prospects are driven by markets outside France. PAI Partners yesterday agreed to buy Britain’s R&R Ice Cream from rival Oaktree Capital in a deal worth about 850 million euros ($1.1 billion). Fashion brands Sandro, Maje and Claudi Pierlot were snapped up by

KKR after a hard-fought auction earlier this year driven by their potential for international expansion. “The French market offers tempting brands (in the luxury area, for example) whose growth is geared toward markets outside of Europe,” said a London-based banker, cautioning that: “If you want to buy a company that is heavily dependent on the French economy then you would have a hard time convincing yourself.” — Reuters

PAMPLONA: A woman holds two signs reading ‘Yes They can. But they don’t want’ in support of Maria Ordonez, 47 years old, and her husband Antonio Tapia, 51 (unseen) outside of regional court where they were notified that they had lost their flat by a lawsuit by a saving bank. — AP

Last S Korean workers to leave joint factory zone SEOUL: South Korea was due yesterday to pull out its last remaining workers from a factory zone in North Korea-a rare symbol of cross-border cooperation now crippled by the stand-off on the Korean peninsula. The move raises the prospect of the permanent closure of the Kaesong complex, the last point of contact between the two Koreas and a key source of income for Kim Jong-Un’s isolated regime.

South Korean companies with factories at the site have expressed shock at the sudden evacuation, which saw 126 workers return on Saturday in dozens of vehicles loaded with assembled goods and other materials. The roughly 50 people remaining-mostly government employees who manage the site, as well as telecom and electrical engineers-are due to cross back, according to Seoul.

“We notified the North about the planned return of 50 people today but have not received approval from the Nor th yet,” Unification Ministr y spokesman Kim Hyun-Seok told reporters. But he noted that on Saturday North Korea had granted approval just 30 minutes before the workers were scheduled to depart.

Seoul announced on Friday that it had decided to pull all remaining employees from Kaesong after Pyongyang blocked access to the site and refused to open talks on restarting the stalled operations. The complex is the victim of escalating tensions triggered by a nuclear test by the North in February, which has been followed by a series of bellicose threats of nuclear war and missile tests by Kim Jong-Un’s regime.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se told a forum in Seoul yesterday that “the window of dialogue is still open” on Kaesong, according to the South’s Yonhap news agency. “North Korea must understand that its missile and nuclear programmes are just an empty dream,” Yun added. But some observers believe the shutting down of

the complex would be permanent as the factory equipment there would fall into disrepair and the firms would soon lose their customers.

“Some people say that the complex may be reopened in a few weeks or months once the two sides hammer out a deal, but it’s a ludicrous idea,” said Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “Once the complex dies, the North will naturally deploy its troops back there, returning the military situation to the pre-Kaesong days. All the artillery units targeting Seoul will move closer to the border, which will surely heighten military tension,” he told AFP. Pyongyang, which has demanded the end of UN sanctions and a halt to all South Korea-US joint military exercises, announced on April 8 that it was pulling out its 53,000-strong workforce from Kaesong, angered by the South’s mention of a “military” contingency plan to protect its staff at the site.

Established in 2004, the complex lies 10 kilometres (six miles) inside the North, which remains technically at war with the South after the 1950-53 Korean War was concluded with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty. The North yesterday renewed its own threat of “final and decisive” action on Kaesong if the situation worsens.

The pullout is “a cunning and meanspirited trick aimed at passing blame to the North for the plight of the complex”, said an editorial in the North’s ruling communist par ty newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun. “ The enemy forces should know clearly that we, as warned already, will take any final decisive and crucial measures if they continue to try to aggravate the situation,” it said.

Yonhap reported on Sunday that North Korea appeared to be preparing for a major live-fire military exercise on its west coast involving artillery units and air force jets. Joint South Korea-US military drills which have angered the North are due to end on Tuesday. — AFP

UAE’s First Gulf Bank Q1 net profit rises 12% ABU DHABI: First Gulf Bank, the secondlargest bank in the United Arab Emirates by market value, posted a 12 percent increase in first-quarter net profit yesterday on the back of higher net interest income, but missed the average forecast of analysts. FGB made a net profit of 1.05 billion dirhams ($285.9 million) in the first three months of 2013, up from 934.7 million dirhams in the same period of last year, it said in a statement.

Five analysts polled by Reuters had expected a profit of 1.1 billion dirhams.

The bank attributed the profit increase to a 6 percent hike year-on-year in net

interest and Islamic financing income, which reached 1.38 billion dirhams in the opening quarter of 2013. Total revenue was up 12 percent to 1.87 billion dirhams.

However, bad loan provisions for the first quarter were 433.3 million dirhams, up from 412.7 million dirhams in the corresponding period of 2012. Compared to the end of 2012, loans and advances were up 3 percent while deposits were flat. “FGB is off to a highly positive start in 2013. Our priority remains solid control on balance sheet management, simultaneously factoring a consistent and paced growth,” chief execu-

tive Andre Sayegh said in the statement.

In early March, FGB fully repaid the 4.5 billion dirhams of federal government funds that it had received as support in the wake of the global financial crisis. Banks in the UAE have posted strong profit growth for the first quarter, with National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Emirates NBD reporting year-on-year increases of 36 and 31 percent respectively. Confidence in the banking sector has helped boost the UAE stock markets, which are at multi-year highs. FGB itself was up 30.6 percent yearto-date at the end of share trading on Sunday. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Strong operational performance of ABK KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait announcedits financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013, and reported a net profit of KD 7.1million. Earnings per share amounted to 4 fils with return on assets of 0.96 percent and return on equity of 5.55 percent.

Commenting on the financial results of thefirstquarter2013, Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani, the Chairman of the Board, stated the following: “ABK managed to achieve profits in spite of the stressful conditions of the world and local economies. The bank has taken more precautionary provisions to face any unexpected NPLs or emergencies in the future.”

“The strong capital base and the Capital Adequacy Ratio of around 27.11 percent enhance the bank’s ability to grow and expand its operations under the current market condi-

tions. The bank’s success in maintaining its credit ratings issued by the Moody’s Investors Services rating agencies enhances the confidence in the strong capital position of the bank and its ability to tolerate risks and achieve profits”, added

Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani

Behbehani.

The bank periodically reviews and amends its strategy to cope with any exceptional conditions and the prevailing economic conditions. It focused on minimizing risks across our business areas, improving operational efficiency and enhancing value for our shareholders and customers, providing high quality banking services, and employing high caliber banking staff to service ABK customers.

The bank succeeded in increasing its competitive ability and its retail and corporate customers’ base by providing modern services and quality products. The bank focuses on the quality of the products and services provided to its customers whether in Kuwait or through its two branches in Dubai and Abu-Dhabi in the UAE. As for his expectations about the eco-

nomic situations during 2013, Behbehani explained the following: “The economic conditions in the area are still difficult in the light of the political turmoil in some countries of the Middle East and the financial problems in euro-zone. The situation may become more difficult, with the economic recession, volatility of markets, slow growth of world and regional economies. However, the effective risk management and tight control over the loan portfolio will minimize the risks and maintain the strong financial position of ABK and enhance its ability to achieve good profits for its shareholders”.

He concluded his statement by expressing hope for acceleration of the launch of new projects of the development plan, which will push forward the economy’s wheel towards real development.

VIVA announces winners of Audi A5 2013, KD 10,000 KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing telecom operator, announced yesterday the winners of the ‘Win a car every week’ campaign. The lucky draw winners were Mohamad Afsali, Andra Pandor, Domenda Ranjan and Omar Saad Al-Banaq who each won an Audi A5 2013 and Abdullah Lafi AlMutairi, Thazhakkal Pramod Kumar, Naser Ibrahim Naser and Jose Vito who each won KD 10,000. The winners drawn on April 1, 2013 will have until May 1, 2013 to claim their prize, winners drawn on April 8, 2013 will have until May 8, 2013 to claim their prize, winners drawn on April 15, 2013 will have until May 15, 2013 and winners drawn on April 22, 2013 will have until May 22, 2013 to claim their prize otherwise the prize will be given to the alternate winner.

VIVA congratulated the lucky winners and invited its customers to participate in the longest on-going campaign of its kind.

With the continuous success this campaign is witnessing, VIVA is keen to further engage its customers and therefore developed further means to facilitate the process of entering the draw.

Entering the draw can be done through one of the following options. The first option is to subscribe with 500 Fils per day giving customers infinite minutes and SMS to any VIVA line. This option entitles the customer to one chance to enter the draw each week. The second option is to subscribe to the BlackBerry KD 3.9 service, which gives customers full and unlimited

BlackBerry Services. This option provides customers with 7 automatic chances to enter the draw each week. The third option is to purchase the KD 2 prepaid line. Upon activating the line, customers should simply send ‘GO’ to 535, and will be presented with four chances to enter the draw each week. The fourth option is to recharge for 500 fils or more, and this entitles the customer to one chance to enter the draw for every 500 fils. In addition, customers can also enter the draw by subscribing to the 500 fils local bundle which presents customers with 60 local minutes per day. This can be done by sending ‘3’ to ‘232’, and entitles the customer to one chance, or by subscribing to the 500 fils international SMS bundle, which presents customers with 100 international SMS to any country for the duration of seven days. This also entitles the customer to one chance.

Last but not least, customers who choose to enjoy the prepaid internet service will receive either one chance upon subscribing to the 500 fils ‘Surf On’ service, which offers 500 MB for a day, or two chances upon subscribing to the 1 KD ‘Surf On’ service, which offers 500 MB for five days, automatically upon activation.

Customers can also subscribe to more than one of the eight options, increasing their chances each week to win the valuable prizes. In the case a customer does not win, the points will be accumulated and carried on to the next draw.

BALTIMORE: In this photo, a woman walks past a retail store’s window display in Baltimore. —AP

US consumers spending despite taking pay cut WASHINGTON: This year got off to a sour start for US workers: Their pay, already gasping to keep pace with inflation, was suddenly shrunk by a Social Security tax increase. Which raised a worrisome question: Would consumers stop spending and further slow the economy?

Nope. Not yet, anyway. On Friday, the government said consumers spent 3.2 percent more on an annual basis in the January-March quarter than in the previous quarter - the biggest jump in two years. It highlighted a broader improvement in Americans’ financial health that is blunting the impact of the tax increase and raising hopes for more sustainable growth.

Consumers have shed debt. Gasoline has gotten cheaper. Rising home values and record stock prices have restored household wealth to its pre-recession high. And employers are steadily adding jobs, which means more people have money to spend. “No one should write off the consumer simply because of the 2 percentage-point increase in payroll taxes,” says Bernard Baumohl, chief economist at the Economic Outlook Group. “Overall household finances are in the best shape in more than five years.” Certainly, spending weakened toward the end of the January-March quarter.

Spending at retailers fell in March by 0.4 percent, the worst showing in nine months. And more spending on utilities accounted for up to one-fourth of the increase in consumer spending in the January-March quarter, according to JPMorgan Chase economist Michael Feroli, because of colder weather. Higher spending on utilities isn’t a barometer of consumer confidence the way spending on household goods, such as new appliances or furniture, would be.

Americans also saved less in the first quarter, lowering the savings rate to 2.6 percent from 3.9 percent in 2012. Economists say that was likely a temporary response to the higher Social Security tax, and most expect the savings rate to rise back to last year’s level. That could limit spending. But several longer-term trends are likely to push in the other direction, economists say, and help sustain consumer spending.

Among those trends: Wealth is up Home prices rose more than 10 percent in the 12 months that ended in February. And both the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 stock indexes reached record highs in the first quarter. As a result, Americans have recovered the $16 trillion in wealth that was wiped out by the Great Recession. Economists estimate that each dollar of additional wealth adds roughly 3 cents to spending. That means last year’s $5.5 trillion run-up in wealth could spur about $165 billion in additional consumer spending this year.

That’s much more than the $120 billion cost of the higher Social Security taxes.

Debt is down Household debt now equals 102 percent of after-tax income, down from a peak of 126 percent in 2007. That’s almost back to its long-

term trend, according to economists at Deutsche Bank. And households are paying less interest on their debts, largely because of the Federal Reserve’s efforts to keep borrowing rates at record lows. The percentage of aftertax income that Americans spent on interest and debt payments dropped to 10.4 percent in the October-December quarter last year. That’s the lowest such figure in the 32 years that the Federal Reserve has tracked the data.

Jobs are up Employers have added an average of 188,000 jobs a month in the past six months, up from 130,000 in the previous six. Job gains slowed in March to only 88,000. But most economists expect at least a modest rebound in coming months. And layoffs sank to a record low in January. Fewer layoffs tend to make people feel more secure in their jobs and more willing to spend.

Gas prices are down Gasoline prices have fallen in the past year and are likely to stay low. Nationwide, the average price of a gallon of gas has dropped 28 cents since this year’s peak of $3.79 on Feb. 27.

Analysts expect gas to drop an additional 20 cents over the next two months. Each 10 cent drop over a full year translates into roughly $13 billion in savings for consumers.

Loan costs are down Lower interest rates have enabled millions of Americans to save money by refinancing their mortgages. Mortgage giant Freddie Mac estimates that in the fourth quarter of 2012, homeowners who refinanced cut their interest rate by one-third, the biggest reduction in 27 years the agency has tracked the data. On a $200,000 loan, that means $3,600 in savings over the next 12 months. Some economists note that the Social Security tax cut didn’t spur much more spending when it first took effect at the start of 2011. The tax cut gave someone earning $50,000 about $1,000 more to spend each year. A household with two high-paid workers had up to $4,500 more.

Despite the tax cut, Baumohl notes that consumer spending rose only 2.5 percent in 2011 and 1.9 percent in 2012. In the 10 years before the recession began in December 2007, the average annual spending increase was 3.4 percent. And a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that consumers spent only 36 percent of the increased income that resulted from the tax cut. The rest went to paying down debt or to savings.

Since the tax cut didn’t boost spending that much, its expiration may not drag it down much, either. Economists say temporary tax cuts are often ineffective because many consumers assume that the tax breaks will eventually disappear. So they don’t ramp up spending in response. Scott Loehrke, 25, hasn’t cut back spending this year. Loehrke went ahead in March with some car repairs that could have been delayed. And he still plans to vacation in May in Mexico with his wife, Jackie.— AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Fiscal gains may not help Democrats much in 2014 WASHINGTON: Presidents like to take credit for economic recoveries, just as President Barack Obama is angling to do now. He and his allies in Congress have “walked the economy back from the brink,” his new 2014 federal budget blueprint asserts. And Democrats hope these improvements, while still slow and uneven, will give them at least a small boost in 2014’s midterm races. That’s a big order, considering: Presidential claims of responsibility for economic gains rarely win plaudits from voters, yet presidents nearly always get blamed when things get worse.

The historical odds for midterm gains in Congress by the in-power party are slim at best. Since World War II, the president’s party has lost an average of 26 seats in midterm elections and gained seats only twice Democrats in 1998 under President Bill Clinton and Republicans in 2002 with George W. Bush in the Oval Office. Presidential elections are often referendums on the economy. That applies less often to midterms.

Still, the health of the economy “is going to be an important factor” in 2014 races, said Democratic pollster and strategist Mark Mellman. “What matters most is changes in the amount of money people have in their pockets. It’s very hard to tell people they’re better off than they feel.” “But we’re still quite a ways from November 2014,” he added. Right now, surveys and reports show that the recovery is continuing, although more slowly than most, despite continued high unemployment and an environment of modest economic growth and inflation. Home prices are on the rise, man-

ufacturing is slowly improving. The government reported Friday that economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, helped by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. But federal spending fell, and tax increases and Washington’s budget cuts could slow growth later this year.

The report showed the economy was getting stronger after nearly stalling late last year, when it grew just 0.4 percent in the final three months of 2012. “It’s hard to do victory laps in the climate of slow growth and continued high unemployment,” said historian Douglas Brinkley of Rice University.

“A president’s job is to rebuild the psyche of the nation,” Brinkley said. “And there has been a feeling of incremental improvement after Obama’s first term in office. That’s the key word, incremental. Presidents have to make the people believe that things are getting better every month. “A lot of what I’m talking about is the optics of the situation. When Obama came in, things were rotten and then it got better. There is no longer that sense of panic going on.”

Obama’s efforts have been overshadowed somewhat by several noneconomic issues: the congressional battles over gun safety and immigration and the deadly Boston Marathon bombings. What steps can Obama rightfully claim that have helped spur economic improvement? His $830 billion stimulus program of 2009, for one. The White House also cites two other major emergency programs - the auto and financial

industry bailouts. Both were started under President George W. Bush and expanded by Obama.

The White House suggests Obama’s anti-recessionary programs helped nurture the creation of more than 6 million new jobs since the economy bottomed in 2010. Republicans voice skepticism but mainstream economists generally cite substantial gains from the federal efforts in the range of 3 million or more jobs.

The bank bailout, or Troubled Asset Relief Program, turned out to be politically radioactive for many who supported it. But economists generally agree it helped avert a national financial meltdown. And it wound up yielding investment returns to taxpayers of most of the original $700 billion-plus cost.

Obama can’t claim credit for some of the biggest contributors to walking the economy back from the brink: actions by the semi-autonomous Federal Reserve, under Chairman Ben Bernanke, to hold down interest rates and lubricate the financial system by injecting around $3 trillion in newly printed money over the past five years.

While the Fed’s program could still ignite inflation, so far it has helped encourage business and consumer spending and housing purchases and has helped lift stocks, with the Dow industrials roughly doubling since Obama took office. Trying to take credit for economic gains can backfire on a president, analysts in both parties agree.

Democratic strategists James Carville, Stan Greenberg and Erica Seifert concluded from focus-

group sessions with both Democratic and Republican audiences that Obama fares far better in speeches when he highlights economic progress without taking credit. People “are very much on edge financially ... because they live it every day. Every speech needs to start from a place that understands this is not theoretical or ideological,” they wrote in a policy memo. Obama must “thread a very careful needle,” they concluded.

Republican consultant Rich Galen said presidents in general - and Obama in particular - tend to take disproportionate responsibility for economic advances.

“Although we know from the data that the economy is creaking ahead, it certainly isn’t booming - with so many people who continue to be out of work.

Everybody knows somebody who doesn’t have a job,” Galen said.

Americans don’t like it when presidents pound their own chests rhetorically or talk up their accomplishments, says Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University. “Americans would say, ‘Well, that’s our judgment to make, whether you’re doing a good job or not.’” “Facts speak for themselves,” Baker said. “If things are good, you don’t really need to make any extraordinary claims. Nobody notices a sunny day. But when it rains, you’ve got to get an umbrella, put on a raincoat. Psychologically, it’s a very different kind of situation.” Obama also believes his major health insurance overhaul, now known by opponents and supporters alike as “Obamacare,” will keep down health care costs in the years ahead. Republicans disagree. — AP

Italian stocks outperform New govt boosts market

HONG KONG: This picture shows a Chinese woman leaning on a Louis Vuitton shop display window in Hong Kong. Behind the glass window at an upmarket shopping mall in Hong Kong, a series of gold, platinum and diamond-encrusted smartphones sparkle with one fetching a jaw-dropping price of over $25,000. — AFP

Russia to slash stake in VTB MOSCOW: Russia’s number two bank VTB announced yesterday a stock offering of $3.3 billion that will see the state’s share in the company reduced to 60.9 from 75.5 percent amid an effort by the Kremlin to boost Moscow’s stature as a financial centre. The placement will allow sovereign wealth funds Qatar Holding, Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management and Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund to take on minority stakes.

The move is aimed at boosting the bank’s capital so it can meet the more stringent Basel III rules that were accepted by global lenders to ensure better resistance to financial shocks. But the May 6 flotation of 2.5 trillion shares at the asking price of 0.041 rubles each comes at a sensitive time.

VTB said it will place the shares on the Moscow Exchange as part of the Kremlin’s efforts to turn the Russian capital into a global financial hub linking London to Hong Kong.

But in a sign of muted investor interest, the secondary issue will be made at a nine percent discount to the stock’s Friday closing price.

“The intention to place the whole amount on the Moscow Exchange (instead of the dual track with a London Stock Exchange placement) is likely to limit investor demand and complicate the transaction,” London’s Barclays

bank said in a research note. But “we view the placement as necessary for VTB to improve its capital capital position and resume growth,” Barclays added.

Russia for the past year has remained one of the poorest economic performers in the emerging world because of stalling world oil prices and inaction in the fight against corruption and graft. A note by Gazprombank said that Sberbank late last year placed its shares in Moscow and London at just a fivepercent discount.

“But you can hardly call (VTB’s) discount illogical considering the extremely weak makeup of the Russian market.” VTB said the government will hold its shares for at least 12 months after the offering. But it added that the state would also forego taking on any additional shares, leaving them to current stakeholders and core investors.

Moscow news reports said the three sovereign wealth funds will buy out more than 50 percent of the stock on offer. VTB last year posted a record fourth quarter profit of nearly $1 billion but saw its subsidiary in Cyprus suffer from the euro-zone crisis. The bank’s shares opened the day down four percent on the news before clawing back some of those losses in afternoon trading. — AFP

BEIJING: A Chinese woman carries a load of scrap metal from a building site on her tricycle yesterday. China is expected to respond strongly to sustain the economic recovery by increasing efforts to boost domestic investment and consumption over the coming months. — AP

UK’s Greggs warns on profit LONDON: Greggs, Britain’s biggest seller of food-on-the-go, warned on year profit, blaming a sales fall on fewer shoppers visiting high streets, exacerbated by snow in January and March. Shares in the company, which has more outlets in Britain than burger chain McDonald’s, fell as much as 9 percent yesterday after it said pretax profit for 2013 was likely to be “slightly below” the lower end of market expectations of 47.5-55.2 million pounds ($73.6-85.5 million). British retailers are battling a prolonged squeeze in consumer incomes as the government tries to reduce it deficit.

Even with its relatively low average transaction value of just over two pounds Greggs,

which sells bread, sandwiches, savouries, cakes and pastries to over 6 million customers a week, has not been immune to the economic downturn. “Essentially we’ve seen lower customer footfall across much of the estate,” Chief Executive Roger Whiteside told reporters, adding: “We see no real sign of significant improvement in this underlying trend in the short term.” Greggs said sales at stores open over a year were down 4.4 percent in the 17 weeks to April 27, though they had improved to be down 1.5 percent in the most recent two weeks as comparisons with 2012 became easier. A higher proportion of promotional deals also meant a slight impact on margin, a trend it expected to continue.—Reuters

LONDON: Italy’s stock market was the big gainer yesterday at the start of an action-packed week in financial markets, as investors cheered the news that a new government was ready to take the helm after two months of political deadlock. Italy’s new coalition government led by Premier Enrico Letta brings together forces from both the left and the right and began its work after a confidence vote later yesterday in Parliament.

As the third-biggest economy among the 17 European Union countries that use the euro, Italy is hugely important to the future of the single currency.

It has the second-highest debt burden in the eurozone after Greece so remains under market pressure to keep a lid on its borrowings. Over the past couple of years, Italy has done a lot to bring its debt down but at a high cost, with the economy back in recession and unemployment on the rise.

“Given the fractious nature of Italian politics, the new government headed by Enrico Letta is indeed progress,” said Michael Hewson, senior markets analyst at CMC Markets. “However it was done without any of the protagonists who had led Italy’s main

political parties in the original election campaign, which could bring into question the democratic legitimacy of the entire process with technocrats in a number of key positions,” he added.

Despite those worries, Italy’s FTSE MIB index was outperforming all its peers, and some. It was trading 1.7 percent higher at 16,839. And in another sign of optimism, the yield on the country’s benchmark 10year bond dropped around 0.10 percentage point to 3.93 percent. That’s the first time it has dropped below 4 percent since November, 2010.

The euro was also solid, trading 0.4 percent higher at $1.3078 Elsewhere in Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was up 0.1 percent at 6,429 while Germany’s DAX rose 0.4 percent to 7,847.

The CAC-40 in France was 0.7 percent higher at 3,837. Wall Street was poised for a solid opening, with both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures up 0.3 percent.

There’s little on the economic diary yesterday, but investors will have a huge amount to ponder this week. Before an expected interest rate reduction from the European Central Bank on Thursday, the

Federal Reserve will hold a two-day policy meeting that culminates on Wednesday. And on Friday, nonfarm payrolls data for April will be published, probably the biggest event of the week for investors.

Markets have largely held up fairly well over the past few weeks despite a run of disappointing economic data, particularly out of Europe and the US. Investors have concluded that the “soft patch” is likely to mean that the world’s major central banks will remain in crisis mode and maintain their easy and cheap monetary policies for a while longer yet.

“As recent economic numbers have painted a fairly moribund picture of global economy investors will be predicting a dovish tone from policy makers,” said Mike McCudden, head of derivatives at Interactive Investor. Earlier in Asia, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6 percent to 5,125.80 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up 0.3 percent to 22,580.77. South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.2 percent to 1,940.70. Markets in mainland China and Japan were closed for holidays. Oil prices tracked equities higher with the benchmark New York rate up 21 cents at $93.21 a barrel. — AP

Crisis-battered Iceland seen halting EU talks REYKJAVIK: The European Union’s economic woes most likely helped Iceland’s eurosceptic centre-right opposition oust the leftist government as voters in the crisis-battered nation failed to see the value in joining the bloc. The Icelandic electorate on Saturday shunned the Social Democratic Alliance Party, which submitted an EU membership application in 2009 and campaigned on the issue, claiming it would tame the North Atlantic country’s persistently high inflation.

The election’s winning duo-the conservative Independence Party and the centrist-agrarian Progressive Party-have long wanted to end the bid. But for most voters, it was unlikely to be a game-changer. “It’s something distant, nobody was interested,” said Hannes Holmsteinn Gissurarsson, a political science professor at the University of Reykjavik known for his strong anti-EU views.

“There was a poll before the elections on the issues that mattered the most to voters. The EU came 10th or 12th, I can’t remember,” said his colleague Silja Bara Omarsdottir.

Although Icelanders are still feeling the aftershocks of the 2008 financial crisis in the form of sliding living standards and ballooning mortgages, the benefits that come from losing some of their sovereignty to Brussels are hard to see for many.

The country already has a free trade agreement with the EU, and is part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Europe’s visa-free Schengen zone. Moreover, the Icelandic economy has largely recovered from the banking system’s spectacular collapse, while Europe has continued to grapple with its debt woes. The Independence Party, with 19 seats in the 63-seat parliament after garnering 26.7 percent of the vote, has pledged to hold a referendum on whether to continue accession talks with Brussels.

Its likely partner, the Progressive Party (24.3 percent, also 19 seats), has simply said it’s in the interest of the country to stay out of the union. On Sunday, the two parties negotiated a government platform that, should a government be formed, was expected to include a planned referendum or an outright stop to the accession process.

However, the subject was not discussed on public broadcaster RUV during election night and doesn’t spark a lot of debate, as polls for several months have predicted an overwhelming victory for the no-side. Iceland said earlier this year it was putting the brakes on membership talks so the issue wouldn’t interfere with the election.

Reykjavik has opened 27 chapters with the EU since negotiations began in July 2010, and has wrapped up 11 of them. But the thorny chapters of agriculture and fishing, a major source of revenue for the island, have yet to start and are going to be the most difficult to negotiate. Few Icelanders want to relinquish control of the sector by having to negotiate with countries like Britain and Spain, who would benefit from lower Icelandic quotas.

The country caught 1.15 million tonnes of fish in 2011, or more than one fifth the total catch of all the 27 EU member countries. At the same time, it is engaged in a “mackerel war” with Brussels, accusing the EU of overfishing the species. “People are curious whether Iceland would be able to negotiate an exception in fisheries,” said Stefania Oskarsdottir, a political scientist at the University of Iceland.

“EU advocates will tell you yes, EU opponents will tell you it’s impossible. And we can’t know before Iceland has signed an accession agreement,” she added. According to polls, a majority of Icelanders would like to see a referendum. — AFP

MANILA: A Filipino activist yesterday applied the finishing touches on a mural that will be used at the Labor Day protests, at their headquarters. Thousands of workers and activists will march on Philippine streets marking May Day to protest the government’s migrant labour policy and demand higher wages amid rising prices for basic commodities. — AFP

Vodafone investors want bigger bid or full takeover by Verizon LONDON: Six major Vodafone investors said $100 billion was not enough for the British company’s stake in its US joint venture with Verizon Communications, and urged the latter to come up with an offer of at least $120 billion. Their comments followed a Reuters report on Wednesday that Verizon had hired advisers to prepare a possible $100 billion bid to buy Vodafone’s 45 percent stake in their Verizon Wireless joint venture, likely to be structured as a roughly 50:50 cash and stock bid.

Should the $100 billion figure stand, the six shareholders, with around 1.3 billion of Vodafone’s shares between them, said they would prefer the British group to push for a full merger with Verizon instead. The main concern among investors contacted by Reuters was the fact that a sale of Verizon Wireless - the best performing asset by far in the Vodafone portfolio - would highlight the operator’s exposure to its troubled European markets.

“Without wishing to be too disrespectful, (Vodafone is) sitting with a rather ugly set of assets once you lose the Verizon Wireless stake,” said Ralph Brook-Fox, UK equities fund manager at Ignis Asset Management, a top 40 institutional shareholder in Vodafone. “I think the merger or full takeover scenario, although not at the forefront of discussions right now, could actually end up being the more palatable deal.”

Verizon Communications released a statement earlier this month to say it did not have any intention to merge or make an offer for Vodafone following bid speculation.

Vodafone’s share of Verizon Wireless repre-

sented around half of the British group’s adjusted operating profit in the six months to the end of September 2012, according to its financial results.

It also received before the end of 2012 a 2.4 billion pound dividend from its Verizon Wireless stake, and said it would pass on 1.5 billion pounds to its shareholders via a buyback, showing the importance to the group of its holding. Among its core European operations Vodafone operates in crisis-hit and heavily regulated markets such as Italy, Spain and Portugal, where revenues have come under pressure because of economic turmoil and intense competition.

With that in mind, investors contacted by Reuters would rather an offer for the stake at between $120 billion and $135 billion as acceptable. At its current share price, Vodafone’s whole market capitalisation stands at around $146 billion. “I think ... $120 billion is the point where you think you’ve got a decent premium,” one top 20 shareholder said, on the condition of anonymity. “I think that’s reasonable and if they achieve that, I think the (Vodafone) shares go up.”

Another big question mark for Vodafone and its shareholders is the potential tax bill the sale of its stake would incur: anywhere between $5 billion and $25 billion. The wide range is due to a lack of clarity about which holding companies within Vodafone own which assets - for instance Vodafone America holds assets in a number of other jurisdictions - leaving those outside the company unable to say with any conviction how much tax would need to be paid. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Mini Paceman is coming to Kuwait Mini’s newest family member to make debut at Avenues Mall

KUWAIT: Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the all-new Mini Paceman arrives on the block. With all the driving excitement of a Sports Activity CoupÈ and the hallmark Mini go-kart fun driving experience, the seventh addition to the Mini family is set to turn heads when it goes on sale in Kuwait next month (May).

Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive BMW Group importer in Kuwait, will unveil the car to local audiences via a unique activation at Avenues Mall, in which Mini will go mistakably underground; fromMay 2-4, shoppers will have the chance to interact with the brand’s newest addition and experience the new Mini Paceman for themselves via a host of fun, creative, eye-catching stunts, including pop art and interactive drawing screens,. Entitled “Design with Bite,” the activation will form part of a region-wide road show, which includes visits to six countries across the Middle East.

Commenting on the launch of this car in Kuwait, Yousef Al-Qatami, General

Manager of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, said: “Mini has achieved phenomenal success in Kuwait over the years, helping to make it the most successful small premium car brand in the world and across the Middle East.

Unique, yet typically Mini, the Mini Paceman opens up the brand to a whole new audience segment that has been looking for a Mini that combines the sportiness and space of an SUV, with the sleek design of a coupÈ. We are confident that this new addition will prove highly popular among Mini fans here in Kuwait and will mark a new and exciting chapter in Mini’s illustrious history.”

Customers can choose from four powerful engine variants including the Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper S ALL4 and from June, the John Cooper Works will also then be available. Endless exterior and interior customisation options will also be available to ensure that the Mini Paceman suits customer’s individual lifestyle needs. And with plenty of room for three passengers, Mini Paceman

Last chance to deposit, open Al-Danah account to enter 2nd draw KUWAIT: Today is the last day for customers to increase their deposits or to open an Al-Danah account, to enhance their chances of winning one of the major cash prizes of KD 250,000, KD 125,000 and KD 25,000 in the second Al-Danah quarterly prize draw for 2013.

Opening Al-Danah account merely requires a minimum balance of KD 200 deposited in the account to allow active participation in the Al-Danah draws. Minors wishing to open an account require their parents or their legal guardian to open the account on their behalf. Customers are advised to maintain the minimum balance, allowing them to automatically enter the daily and quarterly draws, as well as the annual draw.

Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah 2013 draw lineup includes daily draws (2 winners per working day each receive KD 1,000), as well as two additional prizes per quarter. Al Danah’s 2nd Quarterly draw will be held on June 27 (KD 250,000, KD 125,000, and KD 25,000), 3rd Quarter - September 26 (KD 500,000, KD 125,000, and KD 25,000) and the final draw held on January 9, 2014 announcing winners of KD 50,000, KD 250,000 and the Al-Danah Millionaire.

Gulf Bank would like to remind its customers that opening an Al-Danah Account is quick and simple through its’ 56 branches strategically located throughout Kuwait. Customers are encouraged to go to their nearest Gulf Bank branch or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805 805 and our Customer Care Center representatives will be delighted to assist with any further information or questions on Al Danah or on any of the Bank’s products and services.

Cyprus tries to make politicians accountable NICOSIA: Cyprus’ president and other politicians will have their immunity from prosecution significantly curbed as part of a package of new reforms aiming to bolster accountability in public life in the crisis-hit country. Currently, the president can lose his job if convicted of high treason or any offenses “involving dishonesty or moral turpitude” or becomes permanently incapacitated physically or mentally.

But President Nicos Anastasiades said yesterday that a proposed constitutional amendment will “expand and specify” the offences under which the president could be criminally prosecuted. He said ministers and top civil servants will face tougher legal standards, with new criminal and civil liabilities to be enshrined in law. Members of parliament, who have immunity from prosecution on some types of offences, will lose all such legal protection.

“Today...I find that not only is the state’s reformation and modernization needed but is demanded, just as restoring the public’s trust in institutions and more so in politicians is demanded,” Anastasiades said in a nationally televised address. More government officials, including presidential appointees such as advisers and commissioners as well as judges and parliamentary leaders, will have to declare their financial assets. Presidential terms will be limited to two consecutive 5-year periods. However, a former president can again seek re-election after a hiatus of at least one term. There is currently no limit to the terms a president can serve.

Members of parliament will be restricted to serving three consecutive terms. Anastasiades is trying to rehabilitate the image of the country’s political elite after it took a severe bruising from the financial crisis - the worst the country has faced in decades - and the chaotic negotiations over a bailout program.

Cyprus, with a population of around 860,000 and economic output that only contributes 0.2 percent to the economy of the 17-country eurozone, last month negotiated a 23 billion euro ($30 billion) financial rescue package with its euro partners and the International Monetary Fund. The deal involved depositors with over 100,000 euros sitting in Cyprus’ two largest banks to take heavy losses on their savings. That was a key condition under which creditors would agree to loan Cyprus 10 billion to keep the near-bankrupt government going and to keep the financial sector - deeply hurt from losses it took on bad Greek debt and loans - from imploding. —AP

owners can escape from the urban jungle with three friends in tow too.

Sporty and irresistible design The seventh model in the Mini family has a unique character all of its own, while displaying clear ties to the inimitable style of the British brand. On the outside, the Mini Paceman offers a unique combination of sporty and extrovert design with two elongated doors, large new horizontal taillights and sloping roofline. The fresh and individual character of the Mini Paceman comes across most prominently when the car is viewed from the side. It is also highly customisable, and available in eight body finishes and a choice of seven light alloy wheels in four colours. The roof and exterior mirror caps can be painted in the chosen body colour, white or black.

Entertainment on demand The Mini Paceman takes the lead when it comes to in-car technology and entertainment. When on board the advanced interface technology allows the extensive

integration of Smartphones and music players into the car. And the newest member of the , Mini family can even be ordered with a range of Mini Connected features, which include features such as the Web Radio which allows you to tune into your favourite home country radio station, plus specially developed apps which open the door to a unique and constantly expanding variety of functions such as Facebook and Twitter usage.

Sophisticated, sporty and highly customisable Under the bonnet, the well-known Mini 1.6 litre powertrains will be available from launch, each with four cylinders and a zesty power delivery and remarkably low fuel consumption and emissions. The high-powered engine boasts lowered sports suspension as standard, which accentuates the trademark Mini go-kart feeling. All engine variants, which include the Mini Cooper and Cooper S, come with a six-speed automatic gearbox, with an output spread from 122 hp to 184 hp

respectively, ensuring that the Mini Paceman gives passengers the drive of their life.

The Mini Paceman will be the second model (after the Mini Countryman) to offer the option of ALL4 all-wheel-drive system on the Cooper S variant, which allows the driver to switch from automatic to manual at the touch of a button. From June a Mini John Cooper Works Mini Paceman model will also be available with a 218 hp output, lowed sports suspension and 18 (standard) and 19 inch alloy wheel options. Every Mini Paceman is equipped with DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), ABS anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Brake Assist and Hill Assist.

In addition, safety is of paramount importance in the new Mini.

The Mini Paceman is equipped with front, side and full length curtain airbags.

Front seat occupants also benefit from belt tensioners and belt force limiters, while in the rear seat, ISOFIX child seat attachments are fitted.

Varying effects of digitization on economic growth, job creation BOOZ & COMPANY REPORT DUBAI: In recent years, digitization, the mass adoption of connected digital services by consumers, enterprises, and governments, has emerged as a major driver and enabler of socioeconomic benefits. Indeed, despite unfavorableglobal economicconditions, digitization can play a key role in assisting policymakers to spur economic growth and employment.However, according to management consulting firm Booz & Company’s econometric analysis, its impact on countries and sectorsstrongly varies. Across developed economies, digitization improves productivity and has a measurable effect on growth; yet, it canlead to job losses. By contrast, emerging markets tend to gain more from digitization’s effect on employment than from its influence on growth. To better channel the outcome of digitization, policymakers need to plan for how they digitize specific sectors and encourage the development of capabilities and economic enablers to help achieve maximum impact.

increase in the digitization score leading to a 1.02 percent drop in the unemployment rate.

According to Booz & Company’s study, in 2011, digitization had the greatest employment effect in constrained and emerging digitized economies. East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America received the most employment growth of all regions, with more than 4 million jobs created as a result of these regions’ digitization improvements.

Conversely, digitization provided little employment growth in North America and Western Europe. “These advanced-stage economies realize fewer employment benefits because, as their digitization increases, their productivity improves; some jobs get replaced by technology; and lower-value-added, laborintensive tasks go overseas to emerging markets where labor is cheaper,” explained Milind Singh, a Principal with Booz & Company.

By contrast, digitization has more significant employment effects in emerging markets for three main reasons. First, the digitization gain in

● Production: Digitization is also changing the way companies manage their production assets. It has enabled companies to move laborintensive tasks to emerging economies while competing to develop the best design and user interface. ● Operations: Finally, digitization has had the greatest impact on the way companies organize and operate to generate competitive advantage. Digitization has created more global entities, seamlessly in touch across continents, and has redefined the concept of office space.

The type and extent of the impact that digitization has on a sector of the economy is determined mainly by the interaction of the four impacts outlined above.

Milind Singh

Bahjat El-Darwiche

some emerging regions is higher than it is in the advanced. Second, some of these regions have large populations, which means that a marginal improvement in the unemployment rate leads to a significantnumber of jobs. Finally, offshoring grows in tandem with digitization. As companies in digitally advanced countries improve their productivity thanks to digitization, they transfer jobs to digitally emerging countries.

overall economy into three major sectors: primary, secondary, and tertiary.The primary sector relates to agriculture, farming, and mining. The second sector encompasses manufacturing.

And, the tertiary sector provides services to consumers and businesses.

The study focused on subsectors in the secondary and tertiary sectors, where activities affected by digitization tend to cluster.”We also looked at the impact on the overall services sector and we examined these subsectors in six advanced-digitization countries - Australia, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States,” said ElDarwiche.”Our econometric analysis used three industry metrics: output, productivity, and employment. The study thus allows an understanding of how the positive national effect of digitization plays out differently in economic subsectors.”

The analysis showed that there is a clear relationship between productivity gains and job losses, as seen by the results for financial services and manufacturing. By contrast, other subsectors increased employment and output, although their productivity grew at a slower pace.

As digitization increases, financial services gain the most in terms of output and productivity. Increased digitization, however, cut jobs in financial services and manufacturing because

Five key economic activities To better understand these dynamics, Booz & Company examined five key economic activities in developed markets that would yield conclusions that can guide policy responses. These five areas were identified by initially dividing the

Digitization’s economic impact Throughout the world, information and communication technologies (ICT) continue to proliferate at incredible speed; their effects, however,are uneven across countries and sectors.

“Access to these services is no longer the primary issue facing policymakers,”said Bahjat ElDarwiche, a Partner with Booz & Company. “The critical questionis how policymakers maximize their adoption, utilization, and impact.Policymakers need to actively build digital markets.”

The industry digitization index In 2012, Booz & Company set out to quantify the impact of digitization by creating an index that scores digitization by country. The analysis measures the level of digitization and its actual impact on economic and social factors. The research also further highlights the fact that countries that have increased their digitization level have realized gains in their economies, their societies, and the functioning of their public sectors. The more advanced a country becomes in terms of digitization, the greater the benefits.The ability of digitization to boost output and employment has measurable effects globally, by country, and by sector.

The most advanced economies in North America and Western Europe accounted for approximately 29 percent of the output gain, but just 6 percent of the employment impact.

Emerging economies, on the other hand, accounted for 71 percent of the gain in gross domestic product (GDP) and 94 percent of the global employment impact.

Impact of digitization on GDP Per Capita Booz & Company’s analysis reveals that an increase of 10 percent in a country’s digitization score fuels a 0.75 percent growth in its GDP per capita. In 2011, East Asia, Western Europe, and Latin America received the greatest total GDP per capita impact from digitization, surpassing North America. The impact of digitization improvements in East Asia and Latin America was higher than that in North America and Western Europe, even though these regions have lower GDP impact coefficients. This is because the economies in East Asia and Latin America are still at the transitional stage and were able to achieve the biggest digitization leaps. Eastern Europe and Africa benefited the least from their digitization gains in terms of their impact on GDP. Impact on unemployment Digitization creates jobs, with a 10 point

Digitization’s sectoral impact To understand the marked differences in impact that digitization has in terms of productivity and job creation across emerging and developed economies, we first need to understand how digitization affects the functioning of any enterprise. A typical company’s functions can be broken down into four areas: ● Business: Digitization is fundamentally reshaping business models. It is lowering barriers to entry and expanding market reach for enterprises. ● Go-to-market: Digitization is changing how companies build brands and products, communicate, and provide services to their customers. Companies are increasingly relying on social media to build brands. More and more, subscribers are forming their purchase opinions online.

productivity gains surpassed output gains. In parallel, digitization created jobs in services subsectors, with particularly notable gains in the hospitality and retail subsectors.

The effect on retail - rising employment with some output and productivity growth - demonstrates that a proper measurement of digitization is superior to anecdotal evidence. A superficial look indicates that small retailers are closing because of online shopping. Instead, advancing digitization in retail actually creates new markets and new employment opportunities. The extent of productivity gains experienced by the subsectors is also highly correlated to the extent of digitization seen in these sectors.

Policy implications Policymakers should shape the impact of digitization by becoming digital market makers.

They will need to do more than set policy and regulations. Instead, they will have to encourage digital activities that benefit companies and society. “Policymakers have focused until now on improving thereach and affordability of ICT services,” added Singh. “Though important, policymakers in the future also need to become digital market makers - creators of a digital economy that provides its citizens, enterprises, and economic sectors with the competitive advantage essential to thrive in a global market.”

Becoming a digital market maker requires policymakers to undertake three activities: designing sector digitization plans, building capabilities, and jump-starting and monitoring the wider digitization ecosystem.

In designing sector digitization plans, policymakers should seek to develop competitive advantage and generate jobs in sectors that are already critical to the national economy.

Policymakers have to comprehend the tradeoffs that occur between productivity increases and employment, and take steps to mitigate any potential loss of jobs.

Policymakers should then foster the development of capabilities and enablers necessary to achieve these digitization plans.

Governments should decide whether they want to be developers, financiers, or facilitators of digital capabilities, a choice that they can only make if they understand the ICT ecosystem’s multiple layers.

Finally, policymakers should work with industry, consumers, and government agencies to jump-start and continuously monitor an inclusive digitization ecosystem that will encourage the uptake of digital applications in these sectors and keep them competitive. In particular, they will need to find a consistent way to measure digitization and its impact, so that they can be accountable for their policies, can refine them, and demonstrate the benefits of digitization to other stakeholders.

To conclude, creating digital markets and boosting digitization can yield significant economic benefits and lead to substantial social benefits for societies and communities.

Digitization has the potential to boost productivity, create new jobs, and enhance the quality of life for society at large.For example, if emerging markets could double the Digitization Index score for their poorest citizens over the next 10 years, the result would be a global $4.4 trillion gain in nominal GDP, an extra $930 billion in the cumulative household income for the poorest, and 64 million new jobs for today’s socially and economically most marginal groups. If policymakers want to capture these rich returns, then they need toadequately build their digital markets - the markets where the bulk of the world’s information and goods will be bought and sold in the upcoming decade of digitization.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

technology

Researchers put sense of touch in reach for robots A wide range of advances ATLANTA: Rodney Brooks, a well-known roboticist, likes to demonstrate the difficulty of the challenge for modern robots by reaching into his pocket to find a particular coin. Now a group of roboticists in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, led by one of Dr. Brooks’s former students, has developed a robot arm that moves and finds objects by touch.

In a paper published this month in the International Journal of Robotics Research, the Georgia Tech group described a robot arm that was able to reach into a cluttered environment and use “touch,” along with computer vision, to complete exacting tasks.

This ability is vital if robots are to leave the world of factory automation and begin to undertake tasks in human environments, like patient and elder care or rescue missions during emergencies.

“These environments tend to have clutter,” said Charles C. Kemp, the director of the Healthcare Robotics Lab at Georgia Tech and Dr. Brooks’s former student. “In a home, you can have lots of objects on a shelf, and the robot can’t see beyond that first row of objects.”

The development is part of a wide range of advances in the last two years that foretell a world in which robots will move freely in human environments, to be able to work near them and with them.

For the safety of workers, industrial robots are either kept in metal or glass cages, or protected from humans by “light curtains,” which cause the robots to stop if a human approaches.

That has begun to change with a new generation of robots from companies like Rethink Robotics in Boston, and Universal Robots in Denmark, that make robot arms that can oper-

ate safely in proximity to human workers.

Robots, guided by machine vision, have also been limited by their inability to reach into spaces, the way living creatures can, to pick out an object. They are, in fact, programmed to avoid contact.

“We’re flipping that on its head,” Dr. Kemp said. “Let’s say contact with the arm is fine, as long as the forces are low.”

The Georgia Tech researchers have produced a robot arm that can reach and then use software to control its sense of touch, making it possible to find specific objects in a collection or area.

Dr. Kemp said the researchers were able to achieve success, both with a robot and with digital simulations, after a relatively small series of attempts, and using a simple set of primitive robot behaviors.

The algorithms used gave the arm qualities that seemed to mimic human behavior. For example, the robot was able to bend, compress and slide objects. Also, given parameters designed to limit how hard it could press on an object, the arm was able to pivot around objects automatically.

The arm was designed to essentially have “springs” at its joints, making it “compliant,” a term roboticists use to define components that are more flexible and less precise than conventional robotic mechanisms. Compliance has become increasingly important as a new generation of safer robots has emerged.

The robot also has an artificial “skin” that can sense pressure or touch.

“If we look in biology, it’s not just compliance at the joints that all of these organisms have,” he said. “They also have good sensing of forces across their entire body.”

The researchers built their software for a simulated “cluttered” world and for an operating robot. The robot’s arms were designed by Meka Robotics, a San Francisco company that makes a variety of robot components. The software is based on the Willow Garage Robot Operating System, or ROS, which is intended to be shared freely.

The Georgia researchers have made their software open source as well, and shared instructions to make and adapt low-cost robot skin, in the hopes that other robot makers will improve and advance what they have done.

The research was financed by the “Maximum Mobility and Manipulation” program at the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The researchers chose not to describe the new robotic behaviors as “emergent” - a term used for a complex system created from simple component functions - but Dr. Kemp said it was a reasonable description.

“To me, it does seem like sort of emergent intelligence, with the robot moving through this complex environment,” he said.

Roboticists are most excited by the potential such a robotic ability holds. In a separate paper, which will be presented in June at the International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics at the University of Washington in Seattle, the Georgia Tech scientists have described how the technology might be employed in hospital or rehabilitation settings for patient care.

In a video produced by the lab, a robot arm is shown wiping the mouth of a disabled man and adjusting a blanket. Volunteers who allowed the robot to touch them said the sensations were not uncomfortable. —MCT

BRISTOL: They used to be the size of a brick, but the next generation of mobile phones will be much easier to hold because they will change shape in the palm of your hand.

New mobiles that change shape are ‘only a matter of time’ BRISTOL: Made from new intelligent plastics and metals with a memory they will turn into a games console by bending at the edges to give users better grip.

Or, to maintain privacy, the screen will flip up when a password is being typed so passers-by can’t see private information.

The scientists who have invented the shape-altering phones say they could even transform into a sphere to serve as a stress ball. Dr Anne Roudaut, who led the ‘morphees’ research project at Bristol University said as touch screens continue to evolve it will only be a matter of time until mobile phones automatically change shape to fit whatever they are being used for. “ We believe future mobile phone devices will be able to change shape on their own,” said Dr Roudaut. “For example if you have an app for a game and select it your phone will automatically change shape for you to play it. The best way to describe it is it’s a bit like Transformers.

“Shapes are so important for us as humans. Everything we manipulate around us is to do with shape. Our phones do so much but are always the same shape.”

Dr Roudant has spent the last year working on the project with Professor Sriram Subramanian, from the University of Bristol’s Department of Computer Science, experimenting with different materials that can change shape and could in the future be used in mobile phones. They have built six prototypes the team harnessing the latest technologies to create ‘shape shifting’ material, using intelligent plastics, which could in the future be used for mobile phones.

They will present their research at the CHI 2013 Conference in Paris on Monday, which focuses on human-computer interaction.

Dr Roudant added: “It sounds really futuristic, but if you look at the research we have done working with different materials, we can already use a current and make materials change shape and expand. “So for example, if you are stressed and you select an app to help you, your phone will change into a sphere so you can grasp it.”

Dr Roudant said with advancements in mobile phone technology currently taking place, such as the flexible touch screen being trialled, it is only a matter of time before the shape shifting mobile phone come into existence. She said that as the touch screen took around 15 years to develop she believes phones that can change shape on demand could be available on the market in less than 15 years.

She said: “ There are already touch screens that are forming little bumps for keyboards. It’s just a matter of time.

“We’ve come up with technologies we can use and we are going to come up with some really clear steps to achieve this in the future.” At the start of this year Californian based technology company, Tactus, unveiled new technology where a tablet screen changed into a keyboard with ‘bumpy buttons’. The keyboard rises from the screen when needed and disappears when typing is done. And Samsung quickly followed suit, showing how far we can push the touchscreen when they unveiled prototypes of a bendable mobile phone, which could be completely unbreakable.

Transforming energy system with massive liquid-metal batteries BOSTON: This April 26, 2013 handout image provided by the US Navy Visual News Service shows Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris, US 4th Fleet commander, launching a Puma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Military Sealift Command-chartered vessel HSV 2 Swift (HSV 2) for use during Operation Martillo, Countering Transnational Organized Crime (C-TOC) operations. Operation Martillo is a US, European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort, targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus. —AFP

Military grooms new officers for war in cyberspace AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colorado: The US service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation’s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system.

Students at the Army, Navy and Air Force academies are taking more courses and participating in elaborate cyberwarfare exercises as the military educates a generation of future commanders in the theory and practice of computer warfare.

The academies have been training cadets in cyber for more than a decade. But the effort has taken on new urgency amid warnings that hostile nations or organizations might be capable of crippling attacks on critical networks.

James Clapper, director of national intelligence, called cyberattack the top threat to national security when he presented the annual Worldwide Threat Assessment to Congress this month.

“Threats are more diverse, interconnected, and viral than at any time in history,” his report stated.

“Destruction can be invisible, latent, and progressive.”

China-based hackers have long been accused of cyber intrusions, and earlier this year the cybersecurity firm Mandiant released a report with new details allegedly linking a secret Chinese military unit to years of cyberattacks against U.S. companies. This year, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post all reported breaches in their computer systems and said they suspected Chinese hackers. China denies carrying out cyberattacks.

Last Tuesday, hackers compromised Associated Press Twitter accounts and sent out a false tweet.

AP quickly put out word that the report was false and that its accounts had been hacked. AP’s accounts were shut down until the problem was corrected.

Once viewed as an obscure and even nerdy pursuit, cyber is now seen as one of the hottest fields in warfare - “a great career field in the future,” said Ryan Zacher, a junior at the Air Force Academy outside Colorado Springs, Colo., who switched from aeronautical engineering to computer science.

Last year the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., began requiring freshmen to take a semester on cybersecurity, and it is adding a second required cyber course for juniors next year.

The school offered a major in cyber operations for the first time this year to the freshman class, and 33 midshipmen, or about 3 percent of the freshmen, signed up for it. Another 79 are majoring in computer engineering, information technology or computer science, bringing majors with a computer emphasis to about 10 percent of the class.

“There’s a great deal of interest, much more than we could possibly, initially, entertain,” said the academy’s superintendent, Vice Adm. Michael Miller.

Since 2004, the Air Force Academy has offered a degree in computer science-cyberwarfare - initially called computer science-information assurance - that requires cadets to take courses in cryptology, information warfare and network security in addition to standard computer science. The academy is retooling a freshman computing course so that more than half its content is about cyberspace, and is looking into adding another cyber course.

“All of these cadets know that they are going to be on the front lines defending the nation in cyber,” said Martin Carlisle, a computer science professor at the Air Force Academy and director of the school’s Center for Cyberspace Research.

About 25 Air Force cadets will graduate this year with the computer science-cyberwarfare degree, and many will go on to advanced studies and work in their service’s cyber headquarters or for US Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md., the Defense Department command responsible for defensive and offensive cyberwarfare.

Almost every Army cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., takes two technology courses related to such topics as computer security and privacy. West Point also offers other cyber courses, and a computer security group meets weekly. One of the biggest cybersecurity challenges is keeping up with the head-spinning pace of change in the field.

“You know American history is pretty much the same” every year, said Lt. Col. David Raymond, who teaches a cybersecurity course. “In this domain, it’s really tough to keep up with how this thing evolves.” In his congressional report, Clapper noted that the chance of a major attack

by Russia, China or another nation with advanced cyber skills is remote outside a military conflict but that other nations

or groups could launch less sophisticated cyberattacks in hopes of provoking the United States or in retaliation for US actions or policies overseas. South Korea accused North Korea of mounting a cyberattack in March that shut down thousands of computers at banks and television broadcasters.

Gen. Keith Alexander, head of US Cyber Command, told Congress in March the command is creating teams to carry out both offensive and defensive operations. A spokesman said the command is drawing cyber officers from the service academies, officer schools and Reserve Officer Training Corps programs.

Teams from the three academies compete in events such as last week’s National Security Agency Cyber Defense Exercise, in which they try to keep simulated computer networks running as an NSA “aggressor team” attacks. Teams from the US Coast Guard and Merchant Marine academies also took part, along with graduate students from the US Naval Postgraduate School and Canada’s Royal Military College.

Air Force won among undergraduate schools.

The Royal Military College won among graduate schools.

That hands-on experience is invaluable, said 2nd Lt. Jordan Keefer, a 2012 Air Force Academy graduate now pursuing a master’s degree in cyberoperations at the Air Force Institute of Technology.

“You can’t just go out there and start hacking.

That’s against the law,” he said. The competitions, he said, “gave me actual experience defending a network, attacking a network.”

Counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke, noting that really high-level computer skills are rare, suggested the military might have to re-examine some of its recruiting standards to attract the most adept cyberwarriors.

“Hackers are the 1 percent, the elite and the creators,” said Clarke, who served as White House cybersecurity adviser during the Clinton administration. “I wouldn’t worry a whole heck of a lot (about whether they) can they run fast or lift weights.”

Cyber’s appeal was enough to get Keefer to put aside his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, a job with undeniable swagger. “It’s a challenge, and for people who like a challenge, it’s the only place to be,” Keefer said. —AP

NEW YORK: Standing next to the PingPong table in the offices of the battery startup Ambri, chief technology officer David Bradwell needs both hands to pick up what he hopes will be a building block for a new type of electricity grid. Made of thick steel, it’s a container shaped like a large round cake pan, 16 inches in diameter. Inside it are two metal pucks and some salt powder; a round plate has been welded to the top to make a 100-pound battery cell.

By stringing together a number of these large cells, Ambri plans to make huge batteries, as big as 40-foot shipping containers. It’s not only their size that makes them novel: the chemistry in Ambri’s technology is different from any other currently used in batteries. When the cell is heated to around 500 ∞C, the disks and powder inside-the battery’s electrodes and electrolyte, respectively-will melt. The result is a battery whose components are all liquid. Conventional rechargeable batteries have solid electrodes that degrade with use, but a battery with only liquid parts could last for years without losing much of its energy storage capacity. The molten materials can also operate at much higher current densities than solids, and for longer periods of time.

Ambri cofounder Donald Sadoway, a professor of materials chemistry at MIT, conceived of the liquid-metal cell as a way to build a grid battery that could store many hours’ worth of energy from solar and wind power at very low cost. Because a stationary battery intended to store power for the grid wouldn’t have to be lightweight like the batteries in our laptops, cars, and flashlights, he was free to depart dramatically from the chemistry that powers those devices. The result is a battery that’s made from abundant, inexpensive materials in a simple production process. It can safely handle large currents and deliver power in quick bursts or for an extended period.

If Ambri or anyone else can make grid storage cheap and dependable, it will change the way we get electricity. Because the output of wind and solar farms is intermittent, these renewable sources alone can’t reliably power the entire grid, or even most of it. Grid operators need to ensure a steady balance between the power being consumed and the amount being generated. The system must be able to meet peak demand, which typically occurs when people turn on their air conditioning on hot summer days. That means wind and solar farms are typically backed up with naturalgas plants that can quickly add to the electricity supply.

The ability to bring in stored power when needed would mean that some of those fossil-fuel power plants could be

closed and new ones wouldn’t have to be built. But so far we have no good all-purpose way to store energy for the grid.

Today, 99 percent of grid storage takes the form of “pumped hydro”-water is pumped uphill to a reservoir and released to turn a generator when energy is needed. This low-tech method is efficient, and it’s cheap over the long term, but it’s limited to places with mountains and readily available water. As a result, it provides less than 1 percent of the power capacity in the United States on a given day, according to Mark Johnson, director of the grid storage program at the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E research agency.

Dozens of companies are developing new energy storage devices, including various types of giant batteries, large spinning cylinders called flywheels, and even compressed-air storage tanks. But so far none of these approaches are cheap enough to be competitive. Depending on its size, a pumped-hydro plant can deliver power for tens of hours at a cost of about $100 per kilowatt-hour. Grid-level batteries can cost 10 times that, which is why there are just a few hundred megawatts of battery power on the grid-less than the amount contributed by one full-size power plant.

Ambri is betting that by using cheap materials and a simple battery design with no moving parts, it can deliver reliable bulk energy storage for well below $500 per kilowatt-hour. That’s still more expensive than pumped hydro, but since batteries can be placed nearly anywhere, Ambri thinks its technology can be the most economical choice for many applications.

“One metric matters more than anything else on the grid,” says Johnson. “It’s cost, cost, cost.”

When Sadoway first considered grid storage in 2005, he looked to aluminum smelters for inspiration. These massive machines, which can stretch to more than 200,000 square feet, use huge amounts of electricity to extract aluminum from molten aluminum oxide through electrolysis. Sadoway, who is trained as a metallurgist, realized that smelting could provide a template for a rechargeable battery that tolerates the current levels needed for the grid. “I looked at that and said, Wow, that looks like half of a battery! And it’s big, it’s scalable, and it’s cheap,” he says.

After hitting upon the idea of the liquid-metal battery, Sadoway searched for the perfect electrodes: he ended up choosing magnesium and antimony because they are cheap and separate naturally when in liquid form, the lighter magnesium rising to the top. A liquid-salt electrolyte rests between the magnesium and antimony electrodes, creating a cell with three layers. —MCT

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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

Infectious Diseases Hospital marks Malaria Day

By Dr Ali Sher

BEIJING: Two women wear facemasks as they stand outside shops in Beijing yesterday. China’s premier urged authorities to be vigilant against a new strain of bird flu that has killed 23 people, while saying that efforts to tackle the virus have so far been effective. — AFP

Gene clues point to Cambodia for resistant malaria PARIS: Gene analysis of malaria parasites has pinpointed western Cambodia as the hotspot of strains that are dangerously resistant to artesiminin, the frontline drug against the disease, scientists said yesterday.

An international consortium of researchers unravelled the genetic code of 825 samples of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite from Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Thailand, Vietnam and from northeastern and western Cambodia. The 166 samples from western Cambodia stood out, the team reported in the journal Nature Genetics.

Included in them were three sub-populations of parasites whose genetic mutations made them resistant to artesiminin. These strains appear to be the wellspring for malarial resistance that is spreading to other countries.

“Clinical resistance to artemisinin and its derivatives is now well established in the P. falciparum population of western Cambodia and appears to be emerging in neighbouring regions,” said the paper. “These recent developments have grave implications for public health, as artemisinin derivatives are the mainstay of malaria treatment worldwide.”

Western Cambodia has unleashed “successive global waves” of antimalarial drug resistance, the investigators said.

Resistance to chloroquine drugs was observed there in the late 1950s before it spread around the world, and the most common forms of resistance to pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine drugs are also thought to have originated there. The study offers several reasons why such a relatively small geographical area should be so unusual.

Parasites are transmitted to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes, and a crucial step in the process is the way in which the parasites swap genes within mosquito. In the case of Cambodia, parasites experienced inbreeding that created lineages with drug-resistant mutations, the study found. Such inbreeding typically comes from isolation.

One scenario is that a group of parasites became isolated in a remote area of jungle. Another is that the 1979-1998 period of Khmer Rouge resistance in western Cambodia restricted human movement. As the parasite could not move easily out of the area through infected humans, this provided excellent conditions for inbreeding. Malaria causes around 650,000 deaths each year, mostly African children under five, according to the UN’s World Health Organisation (WHO).

Artemisinin-resistant parasites emerged on the ThaiCambodian border around nine years ago and were later discovered in western Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. —AFP

Introduction Malaria is a tropical diseases caused by a protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. The word malaria comes from Italian word, mal meaning “bad” and aria meaning “air”. The term was first used

by Dr Francisco Torti in Italy when people thought the disease was caused by foul air or bad air in marshy areas. Professor Grassi discovered that malaria is transmitted from human-to-human through the bite of the female anopheles, which needs blood for her egg production. Malaria is also known as Jungle fever, Marsh fever and Paludal fever. Currently over 200 species of Plasmodium are recognized and new species continue to be described. There are at least 5 species (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi) infect to humans, whereas, other species infect animals, including monkeys, rodents, birds, and reptiles. The parasite always has two hosts in its life cycle: a mosquito vector and a vertebrate host (humans).

World Malaria Day was instituted by the World Health Assembly at its 60th session in May 2007. It is a day for recognizing the global effort to provide effective control of malaria and an opportunity for countries in the affected regions to learn from each other’s experiences and support each other’s efforts, for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria, for research and academic institutions to share their scientific advances to both experts and general public, for international partners, companies and foundations to showcase their efforts to control malaria.

Theme Every year on World Malaria Day Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partner organizations unite around a common theme. The theme of this year’s World Malaria Day 2013 and also for the next three years is “Invest in Future: Defeat Malaria”. The International malaria community has just over 980 days left to meet the targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, reducing the number of preventable deaths to near zero and eliminating malaria by 2015 and achieving the Millennium Development Goals decided by the World Health organization.

World Malaria Day represents a chance for all of us to make a difference, whether, a government, a company, a charity or an individual, everyone can roll back malaria and help to generate broad gains in multiple areas of health and human development. Reducing the impact of malaria would significantly enhance the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals as agreed by every member of the United Nations. The goal is not only combating the disease itself but also to save the lives of thousands of pregnant women and children below the age of five years.

Purpose of World Malaria Day World Malaria Day is a chance to shine a spotlight on the global effort to control malaria. On April 25, people across the globe will take part in a wide range of activities to mark World Malaria Day 2013.

These activities will no doubt look back at the remarkable progress that the global development community has made in combating malaria and indeed other infectious diseases over the years.

However, one of the key lessons other infectious disease control has shown is

that when there is an opportunity to control the spread of disease, it must be taken. Therefore, now is the time for the malaria community to regroup, reenergize and look ahead to “invest in the future: defeat malaria”.

Investments in malaria control have created unprecedented momentum and yielded remarkable returns in the past years. In Africa, malaria deaths have been cut by one third within the last decade; outside of Africa, 35 out of the 53 countries, affected by malaria, have reduced cases by 50percent in the same time period. In countries where access to malaria control interventions has improved most significantly, overall child mortality rates have fallen by approximately 20percent.

The Roll Back Malaria campaign “Invest in the future: defeat malaria” will help strengthen the political will across the world and will contribute to increase the funding needed to control malaria in endemic countries. This year partners are also invited to support the big push campaign by linking it to their World Malaria Day messaging and communications. The big push is a digital campaign launched on September 24, 2012 as a platform for galvanizing support for global health.

History of Malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease and approximately half of the world’s population ( 3.3 billion ) in 99 countries is at risk of malaria, particularly those living in lower income areas or poor countries, since malaria is known as the disease of the poor. Malaria is a serious problem in Africa, where one in every five childhood deaths is due to malaria. An African child has on an average between 1.6 to 5.4 episodes of malaria fever each year and every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria. There were 216 million cases of malaria reported in 2010 (81percent in African region) with 655, 000 malaria deaths (91percent in African region).

Approximately 86percent of malaria deaths globally were of children under 5 years of age. The estimated incidence of malaria globally has reduced by 25 percent whereas in Africa the reduction has been by 33 percent since 2000. Fifty countries are on track to reduce their malaria case incidence rates by 75percent, in line with World Health Assembly and Roll Back Malaria targets for 2015 and these 50 countries only account for 3percent (7 million) of the total estimated malaria cases.

These rates of decline are lower than internationally agreed targets for 2010 (reductions of 50percent) but nonetheless, they represent a major achievement.

Malaria has been and still is the cause of much human morbidity and mortality.

Although the disease has been eradicated in most temperate zones but still endemic in much of the tropics and subtropics.

Malaria epidemics have devastated large populations and poses a serious barrier to economic progress in many developing countries. Recently the malaria is reintroduced in Greece due to negligence of surveillance and may be due to global warming.

There were 8 countries in the pre-elimination stage of malaria control in 2011 and 9 countries are implementing elimination programs nationwide. Further, these 8 countries (Bahamas, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Jamaica, Oman, Russian Federation, and Syrian Arab Republic) have interrupted transmission and are in the prevention of reintroduction phase.

Armenia was certified as free of malaria by the WHO Director-General in 2011.

The main donors The International funding for malaria control has continued to rise in seven years from $ 0.3 billion to $ 2.0 billion in 2011. The amounts required is still short to reach malaria control targets which is estimated about $ 5.1 billion per year for the years 2010-2015. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the main donor for the control of malaria. The $3 billion Foundation donation towards the Global Malaria Action Plan to cut malaria deaths by zero in year 2015, saving 4.2 million lives and $168.7 million to expand the quest for a malaria vaccine. The other donations are from $1.62 billion by the Global Fund, $1.1 billion by the World Bank, $83 million by the U.K.’s Department for International Development, $28 million by a coalition of global businesses and $17 million by GCC Countries like, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Malaria in Gulf Countries All the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) are free from malaria except Saudi Arabia where Plasmodium falciparum is the main species. Malaria is still endemic in parts of this area, especially in its southern region (Jazan). The continuous importation of malaria from Yemen to this area is a challenge for the elimination of malaria in this region. No local transmission of malaria has been reported in Kuwait but it is very vulnerable for transmission due to the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes.

The Medical Center for Labour Examination, Department of Public Health is screening all the new immigrants for six infectious diseases and one of them is also the malaria. All the new immigrants coming from malaria endemic countries are screened in Malaria Laboratory and all malaria infected individuals are treated in Infectious Diseases Hospital and then followed by the Preventive Health Section of the area clinics for radical treatment. The total number of imported cases of malaria are reduced tremendously in Kuwait from 1,400 in 2002 to 476 in 2012.

The 2010 was an important year in achieving the goals and targets for malaria control. In the light of progress made by 2010 the targets for the Global Malaria Action Plan (GMAP) of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership were updated in June 2011 and the following strategy was adopted: 1. The year 2010 was the date set to achieve universal coverage for all populations at risk of malaria using locally appropriate interventions for prevention and case management, and to reduce the malaria burden by at least 50percent compared to the levels in the year 2000. 2. The targets are now to: (i) reduce global malaria deaths to near zero by the end of 2015 (ii) reduce the global malaria cases by 75percent from 2000 levels by the end of 2015and (iii) eliminate malaria by the end of 2015 in 10 new countries since 2008.

These targets will be met by (a) achieving and sustaining universal access by utilization of preventive measures (b) achieving universal access to case management in the public and private sectors and in the community by accelerating the development of surveillance systems.

Malaria Prevention and Control The targets and controls of malaria will be achieved by (1) chemoprevention: intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) is recommended for population in areas of high transmission who are particularly vulnerable to Plasmodium infection like pregnant women and infants. All infants

at risk of P. falciparum infection in countries in sub- Saharan Africa with moderate to high malaria transmission may receive 3 doses of sulfadoxine-pyramethamine (SP) may be provided through immunization services at defined intervals corresponding to routine vaccination schedules. (2) diagnosis : Prompt parasitological confirmation by microscopy or RDT is recommended for all patients with suspected malaria, before treatment is started. In 2010, 37 of 43 malaria-endemic countries in the African Region and 53 of 63 endemic countries in other WHO Regions have adopted the policy of parasitological diagnosis for all age groups. If diagnosis is not possible, all the suspected may be treated by presumptively without a parasitological diagnosis. (3) treatment : Confirmed cases of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria should be treated with an artemisinin combined therapies (ACTs). P. vivax malaria should be treated with chloroquine where this drug is effective, or an appropriate ACT in areas where P. vivax is resistant to chloroquine.

Treatment of P. vivax should be combined with a 14-day course of primaquine to prevent relapse. (4) household surveys : All the members of the household should be checked for malaria and treated if found positive. (5) vaccination : The long awaited malaria vaccine (RTS,S/AS01 or Mosquirix) has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), together with prominent African Research Centers. The results of the third trial showed that the malaria vaccine reduced malaria by 56percent in children of 5-17 months of age group during the 12 months after vaccination and that the vaccine has the potential to have important effect on the burden of malaria in young African children.

The control of malaria is carried out through the following interventions: 1. Case management (diagnosis and treatment) of patients suffering from malaria. 2. Prevention of infection through vector control. 3. Prevention of disease by administration of anti-malarial drugs to vulnerable population such as pregnant women and infants.

Prevention of malaria in individuals will generally involve the reduction of humanmosquito contact through : 1. Self protection by using bed net while sleeping, using anti-mosquito repellent creams and using different candles to kill the mosquitoes in sleeping rooms.

2. Chemoprophylaxis by using antimalarial drugs before visiting malaria endemic countries. 3. Reduction in mosquito breeding grounds by removing the stagnation of water around the houses. 4.

Target the larva stages by using chemical or biological agents. 5. Killing the adult mosquitoes by using insecticide spraying for the adult mosquitoes.

To sustain gains, save lives and invest in malaria every individual has to join the World’s largest international effort to end the sickness and deaths due to malaria and make the lives of the every man, woman and child safe by collective effort to eliminate malaria by 2015. Malaria is a disease that we really can beat and you can play a part in ending child deaths from malaria in our lifetime by donating generously to fight against malaria and no parent should lose their child to malaria.

— Dr Ali Sher, Infectious Diseases Hospital , Ministry of Health, Kuwait.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Raad Afyouni honors staff and strategic partners

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Announcements 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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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.

A memorial photo of Raad Afyouni employees.

A memorial photo of Auditoire team.

Lydie and Anne-Colombe with Magda Basbous, Cleone Wijaratne and Noor Makki during the dinner.

Hossam Afyouni hands Noor Makki a certificate of appreciation.

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factor comes from the specially tailored - creative themes that we put in place for each event. Once designed, these themes ultimately go under the most advanced technologies through our local team and global strategic partners such as Auditiore.”

During the ceremony, Afyouni presented a Commemorative Trophy along with a Certificate of Appreciation to Stephane Legendre, Auditoire’s International Executive Director in recognition of the solid partnership between Raad|Afyouni and Auditoire.

In addition Afyouni also presented the Agency’s events management team with Certificates of Appreciation for their dedication and hard work.

Afyouni continued by explaining

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KALA-Balakalamela registration 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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aad|Afyouni, Kuwait’s leading advertising and media services agency, organized a dinner event to honor its employees and also recognize the employees of its strategic partner “Auditoire” event Management Company, for their efforts they had exerted in preparation of Wataniya Telecom’s new head office inauguration. The honoring ceremony was attended by key media figures in Kuwait, which took place at Mais AlGhanim restaurant on Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Commenting on the occasion, Houssam Afyouni, Raad|Afyouni’s Founder and Chief Creative Officer said: “The success we have witnessed throughout the years is sprung from

our core belief in our creative work and our dedicated and professional team who we consider the secret ingredient to our momentous success. On behalf of Raad|Afyouni’s management team, I would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to both Raad|Afyouni’s team as well as Auditoire’s team who have played a major role in making our latest event a great success. Without the hard work and endless efforts of the team, and the confidence from our clients, we wouldn’t have reached to the stage we are at today.”

Afyouni continued “At Raad|Afyouni, we follow contemporary methodologies and strategies in planning for big events for both public and private sectors. We believe that our differentiation

that the team has successfully managed the Wataniya head office inauguration event in a considerable time at which they have coordinated on different levels with several suppliers and official entities, in parallel with extensive logistic and technical preparations in order to guarantee a spectacular production of the event. Afyouni promised that Raad|Afyouni will remain committed to its responsibility towards its clients in organizing big events that deliver outstanding results and surpass their expectations. Closing of the ceremony, Legendre expressed his delight with the partnership between Auditoire and Raad|Afyouni, describing the Agency as “The reliable strategic partner in Kuwait.”

IMAX

IMAX film program Tuesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Tornado Alley 3D10:30am, 6:30pm, 8:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 11:30am, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Born to be Wild 3D5:30pm Wednesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups To The Arctic 3D 10:30am Tornado Alley 3D11:30am, 6:30pm, 9:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Journey to Mecca 5:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 8:30pm Saturday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 1:30pm, 8:30pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 6:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 3:30pm Journey to Mecca 4:30pm Notes: All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets are available upon request.

“Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets are available upon request.

Film schedule is subject to changes without notice.

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

FAIPS expedition to NASA

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he education value of travel is undisputable!! Once a wise man said, “the pulse of learning in another world creates appreciation in a way a book cannot...”Keeping this ideology as a backdrop, on April 1, 2013, a group of 25 students from Fahaheel Al-Wataneih Indian Private School set out on their much coveted expedition-NASA- Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, USA under the able guidance of their teachers- Theo Rodrigues and Sindhu John. This stimulating tour offered an opportunity for a rich immersion experience and a tremendous way to facilitate contemporary learning. The students had a chance to experience a culture first hand, connecting with the people and place on a much deeper level than they ever could in the classroom! Their innovative minds, during the 3 day camp, under the guidance of a team of NASA engineers build parachutes, bridges and launched a selfdesigned paper rocket to name a few. The students also experienced firsthand an exposure to simulators and zero gravity, a small taste of the rigorous training astronauts go through before being launched into space. The students had the privilege to dine, interact and have a photograph with Sky-Lab Astronaut, Ed Gibson. These

enriching, informative sessions opened the eyes of the children, who were hitherto ignorant about the intense training, teamwork, sacrifice, single minded devotion and focus that goes into becoming an astronaut. It opened their minds to one of life’s irrefutable fact that, one needs to go beyond the comfort zone to follow a passion. The FAIPS students were applauded for being the most disciplined team at NASA Camp. A definite feather in their cap!

The educational tour also included Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World in Orlando, Florida. Besides learning the students also gained in self-confidence and being responsibly independent. This group travel enhanced the communication skill for even the most introvert student... they were not only learning facts, but alongside, also learning life skills. The children grew as individuals and receive a global education that is increasingly more important in the connected world of today.

Such experiences have a huge impact on a student’s life by expanding their horizons and changing the way they see the world.

Over the years, FAIPS under the able guidance of the school Principal, Anju Dheman have grown beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

The Regency showcases top musical talent at Al-Liwan

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he Regency is delighted to announce the arrival of Katalin Zsubrits a professional pianist from Sopron in western Hungary who will be providing classical accompaniment in the elegant white marble Al-Liwan lounge each evening, from Tuesday to Saturday from 8 pm to 11 pm.

Zsubrits comes with stellar credentials having gained her diploma in piano performance and piano teaching from the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London, England, where she is currently finishing her Masters.

After being encouraged to learn piano at the tender age of seven by her guitar-playing father, her talents were quickly recognized; by 12 she was already well experienced in public recitals. Her love of the instrument was instinctive, ìplaying piano was the first thing I did when I got home from school.

Nobody forced meî she comments. This natural love of piano led her to enroll, and later graduate from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in the Hungarian capital Budapest, where many of Hungaryís musical luminaries like Bela Bartok and Vlastimil Lejsek were alumni.

Katalin will be playing lyrical melodies at Al-Liwan carefully choosing pieces that suit the acoustics of this stunningly elegant atrium. Her favourite composers include Debussy, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms and Rachmaninov, she also favours more modern composers like George and Ira Gershwin. Katalinís classical piano has been a hit on the popular

website YouTube where over 250,000 listeners have enjoyed her rendition of ëLove Dreamí by Franz Lizst.

Al-Liwan serves a wide variety of hot and cold snacks, homemade desserts and cakes, in addition to delightful refreshments. The Regencyís celebrated High Tea is served here daily from 5pm to 8pm with premium leaf teas by Gryphon, exclusive to The Regency.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Sukhwinder Singh live in concert

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ukhwinder Singh has long been considered one of the most Bollywood’s successful singers, also known and famous for his high notes songs. One of the best famous and well known singers is ready to rock Kuwait on May 10, 2013 at Abbas Al-Arabi Hall Mansouriya. The show will be organized by Apna Bharat Society Kuwait & Eternity Int’l Travels & Tourism.

First time in Kuwait such a big event will take place to support an NGO ‘Apnalaya’.

The super star started his career when he was eight years old. Today he is one of the famous and most demanded singers for his high note and romantic songs. Thanks to popular tunes like “Ramta Jogi” from Taal “Chaiyya Chaiyya,” a 1998 hit that featured Shah Rukh Khan and cast members dancing on top of a moving train. But it was the song “Jai Ho!” that introduced Singh to a large international audience. The song, written by AR Rahman, was used in the 2008 movie “Slumdog Millionaire” and fea-

tured Singh. The song won an Academy Award and a Grammy Award.

Born in Punjab in 1971, Singh started singing professionally as a child, and then took a break during the mid-1990s to travel the world, exposing himself to various musical styles. Upon his return to the music industry, Singh paired with Rahman to record “Chaiyya Chaiyya.” He quickly became a household name in India, with hit songs for movies like “Taal,” “Om Shanti Om,” “Dabangg” and “Houseful 2.”

Embassy

Sebamed goes Instagram

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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.

KES hosts design contest

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

The secondary stage department at Kuwait English School organized its annual contest for the best design of an engineering project. All participations were highly accurate and skilfull, making it difficult for the officiating committee to choose from. The oil exploration projects, diggers and equipment were the themes of the contest. Designs of the smart students were on display in the theater hall for the public to see.

ACME wins Blessen George volleyball ever rolling trophy

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lessen George memorial volleyball tournament, which commenced on April 24 and enthralled sports lovers of Kuwait for 4 days of high voltage breathtaking matches played between Indian clubs in Kuwait who brought highly skilled and acclaimed players from India currently playing for senior and junior national teams, state team. The teams included: Riggae - UAE exchange, ACME international, SDFC Nepal, Alasharafiya, Amaz shipping and Chemmannur International. Riggaeteam had in their lineup players Tom Joseph - Arjuna award winner and 4 times Indian national team captain, Vibin M George - present captain of Indian national team, Kishore Kumar - captain of Indian national junior team for 4 years, Prem Chand - currently playing for Kerala state team, and Jijo George - former Kerala state team player.

In the semi finals held on Friday 26, Riggae-UAE exchange team defeated SDFC Nepal in 3 straight sets with the score reading 15-9, 15-7 and 15-9, and ACME defeated Al-Asharafiya in 3 straight sets with the score reading 15-9, 15-12, and 15-11. The school boys’ and girls’ teams matches were also held on Friday 26. In the boys’ section, United Indian School became the winners defeating Carmel school in 2 straight sets. In the girls’ section, UIS sent two teams for participation. Rahul Roy and Jerrin P Thomas were adjudged as the men of the match of the final. Integrated Indian School came third. Trophies and the medals were presented by Dr Biji Basheer, director of German clinic, Dr Saritha, gynecologist of Shifa Al Jazeera medical center, Nandita Bhatia, senior

It was a rosy moment on Friday as family, friends and wellwishers join Engr Ali to celebrate the arrival of his new baby boy. May Almighty Allah guide the baby as he grows to be a blessing to your family.

Greetings from sister Linda, friends and wellwishers.

higher secondary class teacher of Carmel school.

Friday BGF also presented awards for outstanding sportsman and outstanding sportswoman from Indian schools in Kuwait and a special award for Roshni Mathew of UIS for her extraordinary and consistent achievement in sports and games in CBSE national and inter school cluster meets.

BGF chairman Oommen George presented an award to Sibi Kurian of UIS in appreciation of his dedication and efforts in developing sports among his students. In the losers’ final played on Saturday 27 April Al-Asharafiya defeated FDSC Nepal in straight sets with the score reading 15-10, 15-7, and 15-3. The final was held on Saturday. ACME defeated Riggae-UAE in a tightly contested five sets, which lasted for over 3 hours.

Riggae-UAE won the first two sets with the score reading 16-14 and 15-7. ACME won the remaining 3 sets with the score reading 17-15, 16-14, and 16-14.

The winner’s trophy was presented to the captain of ACME Saneesh by the chief guest RC Suresh and the prize money of KD 501 was presented by BGF chairman Oommen George. The runner-up trophy was presented to the captain of Riggae Sajimon Mathew by RC Suresh and the prize money of KD 251 was presented by Shafiq Rehman, director of May international shipping co.

Arjuna award winner Tom Joseph of Riggae-UAE who unleashed repertoire of his skills and unstoppable smashes during the tournament was rightly adjudged as player of the tournament, which was presented by Aby George, vice chairman of BGF.

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

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 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, AlQibla 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 Al-Sabah. The address of the embassy is the same: Al - Zahra, Block 8, Street 802, Villa 169, Kuwait,P.O.BOX 3090, Safat 13131. The ebassy offers consular services as well. Working hours are from 9:00 to 14:00, Sunday through Thursday.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Rogue Nature With Dave Salmoni 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Africa 03:15 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 03:40 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 04:05 My Cat From Hell 04:55 Call Of The Wildman 05:20 Orangutan Island 05:45 Wild Africa Rescue 06:10 Wild Africa Rescue 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 The Really Wild Show 07:25 Must Love Cats 08:15 Dogs 101 09:10 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 09:35 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 10:05 Wildest Africa 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 Call Of The Wildman 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Shamwari: A Wild Life 13:15 Shamwari: A Wild Life 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wildest Africa 15:30 Orangutan Island 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101 17:25 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 17:50 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 18:20 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 18:45 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Rescue Vet 20:10 Call Of The Wildman 20:35 Baboons With Bill Bailey 21:05 Wildest Africa 22:00 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:25 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:55 World Wild Vet 23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix

00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:15 Gok’s Fashion Fix 03:00 Coastal Kitchen 03:25 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 The Good Cook 07:25 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 07:50 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 08:15 Homes Under The Hammer 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:10 Come Dine With Me 13:00 The Good Cook 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 The Roux Legacy 18:30 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 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

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30

BBC World News America BBC World News America Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report

03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 Hardtalk 18:00 Global With John Sopel 18:30 Global With John Sopel 19:00 Global With John Sopel 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk

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

Wacky Races Duck Dodgers Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Ha Ha Hairies Bananas In Pyjamas Lazytown Krypto: The Super Dog Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Lazy Town Baby Looney Tunes Krypto: The Super Dog Cartoonito Tales Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Lazy Town Jelly Jamm Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Moomins Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tiny 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 Scooby Goes Hollywood

19:20 19:45 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 23:05 23:30 23:55

Pink Panther And Pals The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Puppy In My Pocket What’s New Scooby-Doo? Looney Tunes Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Tales Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Moomins

00:30 Grim Adventures Of...

01:20 Johnny Test 02:10 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 02:35 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Regular Show 03:50 Ben 10: Omniverse 04:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 04:40 Powerpuff Girls 05:05 Evil Con Carne 05:30 Cow & Chicken 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:30 Angelo Rules 07:00 Ben 10 Omniverse 07:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:45 Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated 08:10 Evil Con Carne 08:55 Adventure Time 09:45 Regular Show 10:35 Angelo Rules 11:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 11:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 12:15 Hero 108 12:40 Hero 108 13:05 Mucha Lucha !

13:30 Angelo Rules 14:20 Evil Con Carne 15:10 Ben 10 15:35 Ben 10 16:00 Johnny Test 16:35 Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated 17:00 Ben 10 Omniverse 17:25 Dreamworks Dragons: Riders Of Berk 17:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:15 Adventure Time 18:40 Regular Show 19:05 Total Drama World Tour 19:30 Total Drama World Tour 19:55 Starwars: The Clone Wars 20:20 Ben 10: Omniverse 20:45 Hero 108 21:10 Young Justice 21:35 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 22:00 Ben 10 22:25 Ben 10 22:50 Mucha Lucha !

23:15 Mucha Lucha !

23:40 Powerpuff Girls

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

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report World Sport Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport African Voices World Report World Report World Sport Talk Asia World Business Today World One News Special Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS ON OSN ACTION HD

19:00 World Sport 19:30 News Special 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

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

Gold Rush - Season 3 Specials Jungle Gold One Car Too Far Mythbusters Border Security Auction Hunters Baggage Battles How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Sons Of Guns Mythbusters Moonshiners Flying Wild Alaska Border Security Auction Hunters Baggage Battles How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Gold Rush - Season 3 Specials Jungle Gold One Car Too Far Border Security Auction Hunters Baggage Battles Ultimate Survival Flying Wild Alaska Mythbusters Sons Of Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Auction Hunters Baggage Battles Dual Survival Yukon Men Finding Bigfoot

00:05 The Tech Show 00:30 Patent Bending 01:00 Things That Move 01:25 Things That Move 01:50 The Colony 02:45 X-Machines 03:35 Things That Move 04:00 Things That Move 04:25 Man-Made Marvels Asia 05:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 Race To Mars 07:00 Scrapheap Challenge 07:50 Prototype This 08:40 Gadget Show - World Tour 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 Smash Lab 10:25 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 11:15 Kings Of Construction 12:05 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 13:00 Prototype This 13:50 Patent Bending 14:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 Scrapheap Challenge 16:00 Punkin Chunkin 2010 16:55 Ecopolis 17:45 Man-Made Marvels Asia 18:35 Race To Mars 19:30 Scrapheap Challenge 20:20 Prototype This 21:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 Scrapheap Challenge 22:50 The Colony 23:40 Gadget Show - World Tour

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

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

Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Doc McStuffins Suite Life On Deck A.N.T Farm A.N.T Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Shake It Up Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Hannah Montana Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Good Luck Charlie Jessie Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place That’s So Raven Cory In The House Good Luck Charlie Jessie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Jonas Los Angeles Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

Dirty Soap Style Star THS THS Style Star

03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 THS 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Giuliana & Bill 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take York 14:30 Kourtney & Kim Take York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:30 Extreme Close-Up 17:00 Keeping Up With Kardashians 18:00 Keeping Up With Kardashians 19:00 THS 20:00 Married To Jonas 20:30 Giuliana & Bill 21:30 Giuliana & Bill 22:30 Fashion Police 23:30 Chelsea Lately

New New

The The

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:20 Unwrapped 01:45 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 02:05 02:35 03:00 03:30 04:25 04:50 05:20 06:15 06:40 07:10 07:35 08:05 09:00 09:25 09:55 10:20 10:50 11:45 12:10 12:40 13:35 14:00 14:30 14:55 15:25 16:20 16:45 17:15 17:40 18:10 19:05

Making Scents Ep 2 Ep 8 Ep 9 New York Bluelist Australia, 2 Heirs of The Andes Over The Alps New Orleans Sri Lanka Sardinia Morocco Sweet Tooth Making Scents Ep 2 Ep 8 Ep 9 New York Bluelist Australia, 2 Heirs of The Andes Over The Alps New Orleans Ethiopia: Saints And Snakes Oaxaca Style Laos Taste Of Vietnam Cocktail Artists Ep 3 Ep 10 Ep 11 Tokyo Bluelist Australia, 3 Forgotten Kingdoms of Africa Hannibal The Great

BRIDES MAIDS ON OSN CINEMA 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:55 23:20 23:50

Wild West Taste Of Vietnam Cocktail Artists Oaxaca Style Laos Vietnam Hawaiian Fusion Kuala Lumpur (aka Malaysia) The Journey Begins Again

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 19:45 22:00 PG15

The Silence Of The Lambs-18 RoboCop-18 Thor-PG15 Goal!-PG15 RoboCop 3-PG15 Ice Road Terror-PG15 Season Of The Witch-PG15 RoboCop 3-PG15 True Justice: Blood Alley-PG15 Season Of The Witch-PG15 RoboCop 2-PG15 Resident Evil: Damnation-

01:00 03:00 04:45 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

Henry’s Crime-PG15 Arrietty-FAM The Way-PG15 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2-PG Henry’s Crime-PG15 Winx-FAM Blank Slate-PG15 Wrath Of The Titans-PG15 The Decoy Bride-PG15 The Vow-PG15 Bridesmaids-18 Final Destination 5-18

00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 02:00 Louie 03:00 Hot In Cleveland 03:30 Malibu Country 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 09:00 Hot In Cleveland 14:00 Malibu Country 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 18:00 Hot In Cleveland 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The New Normal 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 21:45

Supernatural Game Of Thrones Once Upon A Time Greek Alphas Supernatural Emmerdale Coronation Street The Closer Once Upon A Time Alphas Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Supernatural Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Closer Grey’s Anatomy House Of Cards The Americans American Horror Story Greek

Beneath The Darkness The Silence Of The Lambs RoboCop Thor Goal!

RoboCop 3 Ice Road Terror Season Of The Witch RoboCop 3 True Justice: Blood Alley Season Of The Witch RoboCop 2

00:00 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard-18 02:00 Arthur-PG15 04:00 The Waterboy-PG15 06:00 Barnyard-PG 08:00 Wild Wild West-PG15 10:00 Hop-PG 12:00 The Waterboy-PG15 14:00 The First Wives Club-PG 16:00 Hop-PG 18:00 The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom-PG 20:00 Spread-R 22:00 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard-18

01:15 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:45 PG15 18:45 21:00 23:00

Kathmandu Lullaby-PG15 Krach-18 The Fighter-PG15 Elevator Girl-PG15 L’ Eleve Ducobu-PG15 Le Divorce-PG15 Courage—PG15 L’ Eleve Ducobu-PG15 Taken Back: Finding HaleyWater For Elephants-PG15 Sleepy Hollow-PG15 The Company Men-PG15

01:00 The Beaver-PG15 03:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World-PG 05:00 Once Brothers-PG15 06:30 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.2-PG15 09:00 Take Shelter-PG15 11:00 The Avengers-PG15 13:30 B-Girl-PG15 15:30 Into The Wind-PG15 16:45 Take Shelter-PG15 19:00 A Thousand Words-PG15 21:00 In Time-PG15 23:00 A Dangerous Method-18

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

00:02 02:00 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:30 13:45

StreetDance 2-PG15 Hugo-PG A Monster In Paris-PG A Mother’s Choice-PG15 Big Miracle-PG Crisis Point-PG15 Hugo-PG The Tree Of Life-PG15

16:19 Big Miracle-PG 18:06 The Big Year-PG 20:00 Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows-PG15 22:09 Fright Night-PG15

01:00 04:30 06:30 07:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00

Premier League Darts NRL Premiership ICC Cricket 360 Snooker AFL Premiership Highlights NRL Premiership Trans World Sport Live Snooker AFL Premiership Highlights NRL Full Time ICC Cricket 360 Live Snooker

00:00 Trans World Sport 01:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 02:00 Snooker World Championship 06:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 07:00 Super Rugby 08:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 09:00 PGA Tour Highlights 10:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 11:00 Super Rugby 13:00 European Challenge Cup 15:00 Super League 16:30 Super Rugby 17:30 Premier League Darts 21:00 NRL Full Time 21:30 Futbol Mundial 22:00 WWE SmackDown

00:00 Golfing World 01:00 London Marathon 04:00 World Pool Masters 05:00 World Cup Of Pool 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Super Rugby 10:00 World Pool Masters 11:00 World Cup Of Pool 12:00 ICC Cricket 360 12:30 Top 14 Highlights 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 AFL Premiership 16:30 European Challenge Cup 18:30 PGA Tour Highlights 19:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 20:30 AFL Premiership 23:00 Super League

00:00 Triahlon UK 01:00 NHL 03:00 Ping Pong World Championships 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE NXT 08:00 WWE Bottom Line 09:00 Ping Pong World Championships 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE Experience 14:00 Prizefighter 17:00 Ping Pong World Championships 18:00 WWE This Week 18:30 NHL 20:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 21:00 UAE National Race Day Series 22:00 UFC Prelims

00:00 The Comedians-PG 02:35 It Started With A Kiss-PG 04:25 The Year Of Living Dangerously-PG 07:00 Ziegfeld Follies-FAM 08:45 Never So Few-PG 10:45 Ask Any Girl-FAM 12:20 It Started With A Kiss-PG 14:00 The Year Of Living Dangerously-PG 15:55 Raintree County-PG 19:00 The Comedians-PG 22:00 The Formula 23:55 Brass Target-PG

Classifieds TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

Kuwait

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (25/04/2013 TO 01/05/2013) 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)

8:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 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) 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) 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)

NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2

10:45 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-2 FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG) OBLIVION (DIG) FIRE WITH FIRE (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

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

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:15 AM

12:45 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

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

2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:15 PM

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) 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

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:15 PM 5:30 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) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) MARINA-1 NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) NO TELL MOTEL (DIG) 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 12:15 AM 1:45 PM 3:30 PM 5:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM 2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:30 PM

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor or family non smoking, Amman street, one big room, opposite to Al Rashed Hospital. Contact: 66232356. (C 4395) 28-4-2013 For ladies or bachelor Filipino only near big Jamiya Farwaniya. Available on April 25, 2013. Contact: 66158188.

25-4-2013

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

Nissan Pathfinder 2005, color: pearl white, engine gear and body in very good condition. Price KD 2,425, negotiable. Please call 99683415. (C 4393)

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

Nissan Infiniti G37, 2009 model, 6 cylinder, automatic, 6 CD changer, mobile connectivity, rear view camera, sunroof, send color, GPS, excellent condition, 60,000 kms. KD 7,000.

Contact: 99742340.

(C 4394)

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)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

FOR SALE

Audi A6 (S-Line) V6 model 2007 0 3.2 engine, black color, beige leather inside -

full options + nav, mileage km 64,000 with accurate service history by dealer.

Price KD 6,000. Call 99283882. (C 4397) Mercedes SL 500 convertible (year 2004) blue sky color - beige leather inside, low mileage km 48,000 include 18 inch AMG wheels + rear wing, like new, price KD 9,000 (firm).

Call 90080013. (C 4396) 28-4-2013 Delivery van box, Nissan Frezer 2004, Mazda 2005.

Ph: 66052331. (C 4391) Chevrolet Lumina 5 model 2008, 43,000 km, excellent condition, one owner, original paint, full options, price KD 3,100, negotiable.

Contact: 66416391.

(C 4392)

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

CHANGE OF NAME I, Kamalapuram Basheer, Indian Passport No: K9684632 change my name to Shaikh Basheer Ahmed.

(C 4398) 29-4-2013 MATRIMONIAL 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

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines BBC QTR JZR JZR PIA THY ETH GFA UAE ETD RJA FDB RBG MSR OMA QTR DHX THY FDB KAC BAW KAC KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA MEA TMA JZR JZR KAC JZR UAE MSR KAC QTR FDB KAC SVA KNE

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 30/4/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 239 SIALKOT 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 642 AMMAN 67 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 612 CAIRO 643 MUSCAT 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR 206 ISLAMABAD 503 LUXOR 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 213 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 284 DHAKA 137 BAHRAIN 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 514 TEHRAN 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 546 ALEXANDRIA 500 JEDDAH 472 JEDDAH

Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:40 01:05 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:15 03:20 03:30 04:20 04:35 05:50 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:25 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:25 8:50 9:00 9:15 9:20 9:30 10:40 10:55 11:00 11:35 12:00 12:05 12:05 12:45 13:00 13:40 13:45 13:50 14:15 14:30 14:35

KAC SYR RJA QTR JZR ETD UAE ABY SVA GFA UAL JZR KAC QTR KAC KAC KAC FDB JZR GFA KAC AXB KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI RBG FDB OMA ABY MEA IRA MSR KLM ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA QTR DHX FDB AIC JZR JZR UAL DLH JAI THY

562 341 640 134 325 303 857 127 510 215 982 177 542 144 786 166 104 63 359 219 618 393 674 774 742 678 572 553 61 647 129 402 619 618 415 229 859 307 136 217 146 372 59 981 239 185 981 636 574 772

AMMAN DAMASCUS/LATAKIA AMMAN DOHA NAJAF ABU DHABI DUBAI SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH PARIS/ROME LONDON DUBAI MASHAD BAHRAIN DOHA KOZHIKODE DUBAI RIYADH DAMMAM MUSCAT/ABU DHABI MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH BEIRUT LAR ALEXANDRIA AMSTERDAM COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI CHENNAI/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI ISTANBUL

14:40 15:50 15:55 16:15 16:15 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 18:15 18:25 18:30 18:40 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:30 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 23:10 23:20 23:45

Airlines AIC PIA AXB JAI UAL DLH KLM BBC JZR PIA THY THY ETH UAE FDB RBG MSR OMA ETD QTR QTR JZR FDB RJA GFA THY KAC JZR BAW FDB JZR KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB QTR ETD IRA KAC GFA KAC KAC MEA TMA KAC KAC JZR JZR JZR MSR

Departure Flights on Tuesday 30/4/2013 Flt Route 320 GOA/CHENNAI 206 LAHORE 490 MANGALORE/COCHIN 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 411 AMSTERDAM 44 DHAKA 502 LUXOR 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 765 SABIHA 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 644 MUSCAT 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 70 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 136 BAHRAIN 513 TEHRAN 561 AMMAN 126 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 101 LONDON/NEW YORK 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME/PARIS 405 BEIRUT 223 DUBAI 677 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 785 JEDDAH 324 NAJAF 358 MASHAD 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO

Time 0:05 0:15 0:15 0:20 0:25 0:30 0:55 1:30 1:30 2:20 2:20 2:40 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:15 4:20 4:20 4:25 5:15 5:35 6:30 6:35 7:00 7:10 7:20 7:25 8:25 8:25 9:10 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:50 9:55 10:00 10:15 10:20 10:25 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:10 13:20 14:00

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

UAE FDB QTR KAC KNE SVA KAC KAC KAC SYR RJA JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA JZR JZR UAL QTR FDB GFA AXB RBG JAI FDB ABY OMA KAC KAC MEA IRA MSR DHX KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC QTR KAC GFA DHX FDB KAC QTR JZR KAC KAC JZR

872 58 141 673 473 501 617 773 741 342 641 238 135 304 538 128 858 511 216 184 266 982 145 64 220 394 554 571 62 120 648 343 351 403 618 607 171 415 308 230 860 381 137 301 218 373 60 205 147 554 411 283 528

DUBAI DUBAI DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM DAMASCUS AMMAN AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH MUSCAT CHENNAI COCHIN BEIRUT LAR LUXOR BAHRAIN DAMMAM/AMSTERDAM ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DELHI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK/MANILA DHAKA ASSIUT

14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:30 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:30 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:40 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20 23:40 23:45 23:55

34

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

stars CROSSWORD 175

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) At this time you put extra energy into thinking about and organizing your work and professional life. Decisions you make at this time are likely to work out well, as you are clear and objective. Gathering information regarding your career or longrange goals is also favored. You are receptive to beauty at this time and want to be surrounded with harmony, beauty, and kindness. Also, you feel tender and gentle toward others, and you want to please or to be of service to them in some way. Some selfless generosity or an effort on behalf of someone in need will make you feel very happy now..

You may find yourself enjoying a long conversation, writing a email, or making a special phone call.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) A good day for small adventures, but don’t push it into weirdness. New tastes and experiences are easy to come upon and, once tried, may stick with you for a longtime. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but don’t go overboard on a hunch today.

The environment is volatile but not threatening, sort of a gently bouncing ride. You are inclined to be aggressive and hot tempered now, particularly when it feels like you aren’t getting your way. You can be impatient and behave in an impulsive, irritable way which makes you more prone to accidents during this period, so be careful, both for yourself and others.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

4. Uninhibited United States actress (19031968).

12. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

15. The former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil.

16. Motionlessness attributable to a temporary paralysis.

17. A light touch or stroke.

18. Remove the pins from.

20. A self-replicating protein molecule that occupies a fixed place on a chromosome.

21. Especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole.

23. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

24. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

26. Consider or hold as true.

29. An informal term for a father.

31. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

33. An ancient jar with two handles and a narrow neck.

38. Plant bearing very hot and finely tapering long peppers.

42. Small arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusk.

43. A plumbing fixture (usually attached to the wall) used by men to urinate.

44. Relating to anemia or suffering from anemia.

45. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

46. A Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria.

48. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice.

49. Jordan's port.

51. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

54. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

56. Large edible mackerel of temperate United States coastal Atlantic waters.

57. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

59. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

61. Lower in esteem.

63. Spicy fruit of the cubeb vine.

66. A Hindu prince or king in India.

70. A high-crowned black cap (usually made of felt or sheepskin) worn by men in Turkey and Iran and the Caucasus.

72. (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious.

74. A boy or man.

75. Group insurance that entitles members to services of participating hospitals and clinics and physicians.

76. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meat trimmed off.

78. A sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain.

79. Annual grass of Europe and North Africa.

80. A large estate in Spanish-speaking countries.

81. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

DOWN 1. A popular island resort in the Netherlands

Antilles.

2. Ions are accelerated along a linear path by voltage differences on electrodes along the path.

3. The subject matter of a conversation or discussion.

4. A decree that prohibits something.

5. A state in northwestern North America.

6. Being on the left side.

7. Make uniform.

8. A reddish brown dye used especially on hair.

9. The compass point midway between east and southeast.

10. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

11. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

12. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

13. A quantity of no importance.

14. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).

19. Someone who cuts and delivers ice.

22. Tawny-colored African antelope inhabiting wet grassy plains.

25. (Old Testament) The minister of the Persian emperor who hated the Jews and was hanged for plotting to massacre them.

27. Tropical American shrub or small tree having huge deeply palmately cleft leaves and large oblong yellow fruit.

28. A unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces.

30. Fairly small terrestrial ferns of tropical America.

32. A radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium.

34. Capital and largest city of the Czech Republic.

35. The ohmic resistance of a conductor.

36. Someone who takes spoils or plunder (as in war).

37. Type genus of the Alcedinidae.

39. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

40. Of a pale purple color.

41. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

47. Some held in custody.

50. A short high tone produced as a signal or warning.

52. Large cylindrical or flattened mostly tropical insects with long strong legs that feed on plants.

53. Type genus of the Aceraceae.

55. A nonmetallic largely pentavalent heavy volatile corrosive dark brown liquid element belonging to the halogens.

58. Tropical tree of Central America and West Indies and Puerto Rico having spikes of white flowers.

60. Cause to be embarrassed.

62. (in Scotland) A child.

64. A blemish made by dirt.

65. Capital city of the Apulia region on the Adriatic coast.

67. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

68. An island in Indonesia south of Borneo.

69. The sixth month of the civil year.

71. An accountant certified by the state.

73. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

77. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

A momentary boost to ego and confidence, a brief reminder of how good you can be when you’re on target with the things you do and believe in.

Observation now of the small details will allow you to accomplish similar goals with greater regularity, but remember how you did it so it becomes a habit. A little extra romance and a healthy dose of intimate talk is exactly what you need at this time. A candle light dinner is the ideal way to set the stage for some serious romance. Keep everyday problems out of the conversation. Flirting and visual teasing should really get things moving in the right direction.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This is an excellent time to make decisions about your financial affairs, as your judgment is sound and reliable, though a bit conservative. You are not interested in fleeting excitement or frivolity now. You want to be with someone on a private, intimate, personal level, to be needed, and to feel it’s okay to have needs. A time of nostalgia and domesticity begins now emphasizing a need for security and a sense of roots. Make effort to connect with new people and perhaps you’ll meet someone significant at this time.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Financial savvy and a practical turn of mind are qualities that take on greater importance in your life now. A wheeler-dealer...a knack for knowing how to put people, ideas, and things together profitably. Playing the role of a facilitator can be rewarding. Confidence and inner harmony prevail. Your efforts are well-received at this time. Words may convey a bit more emotional meaning than usual, as subtle communication and use of your own intuition can makes inner messages clear. Take a step up and risk playing out an earlier imagined scenario, it may just pay off. Keeping good company comes with ease today.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Idealism, rationality, and critical thinking become more and more a part of your mental patterns and the way you communicate. This is a time for you to speak out about your thoughts or concerns regarding your work or professional matters. You can feel temporarily blocked emotionally now. Resistance and challenges from others or from outside situations suggest this is not a good time to try to force your will and desires onto others, as friction is the only likely result. Take some time out from any romantic interactions and just enjoy your own company if possible.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You may come in touch with undesirable people who may try to engulf you in a sticky or intriguing situation. They are not likely to have your best interests at heart. Guard against possible deception and deceit through the opposite sex. Stop and go feelings today make headway a tough go, feels like two steps forward and sometimes more than one back. Although the energy is in the air to over strain yourself, if you wait for the most opportune moment you wont’ need to push too hard to attain what you want. Wait, and the barrier will go away. What you want may not come as fast as you’d like try to have a little patience.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Don’t worry about those around you. They can take care of themselves. Focus your energies on solving your own dilemmas, and don’t hesitate to consult those close to you when the quandaries before you seem to be irreparable. Your need for emotional comfort is likely to grow during this period. You’re at a place where you need to affirm the emotional depth of your most intimate relationship. Set extra time aside to spend with your mate exploring your love for each other. Creating an undemanding, romantic environment is likely to get you the confirmation you need.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your mind is on bigger issues and long-range plans. You are optimistic and enthusiastic about your ideas, but disinclined to read the fine print or study all the facts, which can result in an error in judgment. Issues now are your home, personal life, and closest emotional relationships. You feel more quiet and reflective, and you feel a need to be closer to home and to loved ones. You can draw a lot of strength and satisfaction from your family and loved ones now. You are more emotional and introspective than usual.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Your home activities are going to strongly impact upon your life.

Opinions of those you live with could produce conflict. Try not to alienate yourself by forcefully demanding your needs be met just now. Contentment, emotional well being and harmony prevail in your personal relationships. At this time you may want to relax and indulge in your pleasure loving side. You are unlikely to be forceful and try to make things happen, but instead are inclined to flow along with people and situations, attracting what you need and letting the world come to you.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) A day or two of glorious mistiness couldn’t be more enjoyable if you can spare some time from the workaday humdrum. Best do so, as you’re likely to get your wires crossed easily if you remain only half down-to-earth — better to focus on dreams.

When you come back, you’ll be refreshed with new vision. This is probably a good time for all parties to back off a bit and make sure that what looks like a great idea isn’t actually a hidden misunderstanding. What feels right may be impractical or misleading, so a second look is in order to avoid having to rework through all this later. Don’t believe all you hear, or all you say as it’s easy to just make assumptions at this time.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You may not be at your best when it comes to making decisions, so be very careful what you choose to do today. Avoid over extending yourself. Be careful how you word things today. Something you say in jest may be taken seriously and cause tension. You care more passionately and respond instinctively and emotionally to whatever happens to you at this time. Emails, phone calls, and conversations that you initiate are both beneficial and productive at this time. If it feels right say it and don’t regret the impulse or the answer.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Gibb feels his ‘brothers’ presence

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arry Gibb feels his “brothers’ presence everywhere”. The 66-year-old singer is the only surviving member of musical trio the Bee Gees but he insists he can feel the spirits of his twin brothers Maurice and Robin every time he performs live and he admits he will struggle to control his emotions when he goes on tour in September. Speaking to the Daily Express newspaper, the musician said: “I feel my brothers’ presence everywhere.” The ‘Stayin’ Alive’ singer will perform in the UK in the autumn without his brothers by his side for the first time in nearly six decades but he claims he can still hear them when he needs a helping hand. He added: “When you know someone so well, even when they are gone, you can hear the advice they would offer.”

Maurice died aged 53 in 2003 after complications from a twisted intestine, while Robin lost his battle with cancer aged 62 last May. Barry believes he and his siblings’ musical connection brought them together as one so he is anticipating potential tears when he plays live without them. He explained: “As the Bee Gees the three of us became like the same person ... It’s always hard to hold my emotions together.” Barry is planning a tribute to his late brothers as part of his setlist. He will begin an acoustic version of ‘I Started A Joke’, which will then feature recordings of Robin singing with him on a screen. In addition, Barry plans to be joined on stage by Maurice’s daughter Samantha.

Eastwood says he’d love to be directing at age 105

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lint Eastwood may be 82 years old, but he dreams of making films for two more decades. In a wide-ranging interview Saturday about film directing at the Tribeca Film Festival, Eastwood said he admires the 104-year-old Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira. Eastwood says, “It would be great to be 105 and still making films.” He laughs and calls such a hope “the ultimate optimism.” The “Million Dollar Baby” and “Unforgiven” director joined fellow filmmaker Darren Aronofsky for a staged conversation at the New York film festival following a screening of Richard Schickel’s documentary “Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story.”

Braff raises $2 million on Kickstarter in 3 days Perry and Rihanna plan safari trip Katy Perry and Rihanna are planning a safari trip in Africa. The ‘Wide Awake’ hitmaker and the ‘Stay’ singer - who briefly fell out last October when Rihanna rekindled her romance with Chris Brown - have vacationed together several times in the past but are looking to do something more adventurous this time round, deciding on a getaway to the African wilderness. A source told The Sun newspaper: “Kate and Rihanna have both done the Hawaii and Cabo-type trips to Mexico before, so this time they’re thinking something a bit different, like a safari in Africa. “They want somewhere where they can have amazing experiences but still get drunk.” The pair last took a beak together when Rihanna, 24, whisked Katy, 28, off for a “girlie” break to Mexico last year following her divorce from comedian Russell Brand in December 2011, who she had been married to for 14 months. A source said at the time: “Katy called Rihanna as soon as she heard Russell was filing for divorce. “Katy was embarrassed about calling her parents as they’d been so against Russell in the first place, but Rihanna was a great support for her and she really helped to calm her down.” Back in 2009 the friends jetted out to Barbados shortly after Chris, 23, was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend in February 2009, which he is still on probation for.

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ach Braff has met his goal on Kickstarter, raising $2 million in three days to fund his follow-up to “Garden State.” The actor-director’s crowd-funding campaign follows Rob Thomas’ wildly successful use of Kickstarter to finance a movie of the defunct TV series “Veronica Mars.” Thomas pulled in $2 million in less than a day, eventually gathering more than $5.7 million in 30 days. But some observers have criticized Hollywood stars for using the Kickstarter website to dip into the pockets of their loyal fans. Braff says this is the only way for him to direct his first film since “Garden State” with final cut and his desired casting. After passing his goal Saturday, the “Scrubs” star said on Twitter: “I will not let you down. Let’s go make a killer movie.”

Reese Witherspoon: Women must be confident

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eese Witherspoon says it’s important for successful women to be confident. The 37-year-old actress - who was arrested for disorderly conduct earlier this month after drunkenly asking police if they knew who she was when they stopped her husband Jim Toth for driving under the influence (DUI) - believes there is still a tendency for high-achieving females to be too modest when they should be proud of their accomplishments. She said: “As women, we shrug and smile and say, “Oh ... me?” Because it makes it socially acceptable for us to be successful. But there is a balance between being an arrogant jerk and being someone who is proud of their accomplishments. We need to let successful women show off and support them. Because men don’t spend any time putting themselves down. They don’t waste their breath. “You have to be the best version of yourself and, if that means you have to be a bit self-promoting, then it’s OK. It really is.

Because who’s going to believe in you more than yourself? Other than, maybe, your mother.” The ‘Mud’ actress also admitted her memory has suffered since she gave birth to son Tennessee, her first child with Jim, six months ago. Reese - who also has daughter Ava, 13, and son Deacon, nine, from her marriage to Ryan Phillippe - added in an interview with the new issue of Red magazine: “Ever since I had the baby, I can’t remember anything. Serious, this child stole my brain. “I’m losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people. But you can’t keep up with everything. I’ve got a 13 year old, a nine year old and a baby. “It’s like CNN ticker tape running through my mind at all times, ‘Where is Ava? She’s OK. Good. Where is Deacon? He’s OK. Good. Where is Tennessee? Is he OK? Yes. Great. Back to Ava...’ It doesn’t stop.” —Agencies

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alle Berry mistook her pregnancy for kidney stones. The 46-year-old actress is expecting a baby with her fiancé Olivier Martinez and she admits the news initially came as a total “shock” to her as she had no inkling she was with child. She said: “I was at the doctor’s when they told me and I was completely shocked ... I didn’t see it coming. I went to the doctor because I thought I had kidney stones or something. So it was a massive surprise.” Halle’s five-year-old daughter Nahla - her child with exboyfriend Gabriel Aubry - is as excited as her mother and Olivier about the baby and the Oscar winner is thankful to God for the “amazing gift” of a second child. She added to the new UK issue of HELLO! magazine: “[Nahla’s] really happy. Not long ago she asked God for a little sister, but I tried not to get her hopes up. At 46, I didn’t know if I’d be able to get pregnant again. “Olivier and I have always wanted to be parents. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up ... God made the dream come true. This pregnancy is like a miracle for me, an amazing gift, because this child was as wished for as it was expected. “It’s like a renewal of life ... Good things happen too.”

Despite two divorces and a bitter split from Nahla’s father Gabriel - with whom she still has a difficult relationship - Halle can’t wait to tie the knot again with Olivier and she won’t let her past romantic woes affect her future. When asked whether she still believes in life-long love, she insisted: “Absolutely. I’m an incurable romantic - that’s the only reason I’m marrying again.

Just because things haven’t gone well in my past doesn’t mean that I’ve given up.”

One Direction fans explored in new film

Tucker sells LA mansion for $2.1 million

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ne Direction’s forthcoming film will examine what happens to fans when they hear the group’s music. Director Morgan Spurlock - who is helming the documentary ‘This Is Us’ about the British boy band - was keen to explore “why” certain people were so obsessed with the ‘Little Things’ hitmakers, and even interviewed medical experts for their opinions. He told the New York Post newspaper: “We ask the question ‘Why them?’

We talked to this one doctor who tells us what happens inside a girl’s body when she hears One Direction - like what happens in her brain and what goes on inside of her.” As well as exploring fans emotions, the 3D movie will also feature scenes of group hunk Harry Styles shirtless and Spurlock even filmed the five guys using the bathroom at the BRIT Awards earlier this year. However, it is unlikely that Taylor Swift will appear in the film after Harry who is joined in the band by Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson reportedly ordered all footage featuring his ex-girlfriend to be removed. A source said recently: “During their relationship producers shot Taylor and Harry in Los Angeles and New York City but Harry has ordered that none of it makes the cut. He wants nothing more to do with Taylor, she was a fling and they’re done.”

Cavill is motivated by money

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Berry mistook pregnancy for kidney stones

enry Cavill is motivated to be a successful movie star by money. The 29-year-old British actor - who shot to fame in 2001 following his star performance in ‘Laguna’ loves his profession but is happy to admit the massive pay cheques on offer are very appealing to him and he insists other stars who play down the importance of the financial rewards are “lying”. Speaking in the new UK issue of GQ magazine, he said: “God, all those people who say, ‘Oh no, the money doesn’t matter.’ Yeah, right. They’re either mad, or they’re lying. I mean, come on. ‘Oh no, don’t pay me anything, it’s for the arts.’ I’m sorry, no. Pay me the money. I’m not doing it for charity. I’m not a non-profit organization.

Plus it’s expensive flying back and forward to LA. You need a job that pays money.” Henry who can be soon be seen playing Superman in new superhero movie ‘Man of Steel’ admits his main ambition in Hollywood is to be the go to guy who can guarantee box office success. He explained: “I want to be one of those names that producers want to hire because you put bums on seats.” However, Henry was feeling at his best when he auditioned for his biggest role to date as Superman because he felt “fat” in the Lycra suit but luckily his insecurities didn’t affect his performance and he has handed the famous red

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hris Tucker has sold his Los Angeles mansion for $2.1 million. The ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ actor collected a cool $1 million in profit after selling his palatial home in LA, California, for nearly double the $1,113,500 he paid for it in 1996, TMZ reports.

Chris put the pad on the market two years ago, but has had a long wait to find the right buyer for the home. The ‘Rush Hour’ star’s lavish 6,399 square foot mansion boasts five bedrooms, sevenand-a-half bathrooms, a pool, a spa, high ceilings, French doors and balconies overlooking sunny LA. The 41-year-old comedian has faced numerous legal woes in recent years with the IRS filing a lien against the star for $11.5 million in unpaid taxes in July 2010. The government body alleges Chris failed to pay federal taxes in 2001 - the same year he reportedly earned $20 million to star alongside Jackie Chan in ‘Rush Hour 2’ - as well as 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Meanwhile, adding to Chris’ troubles, the state of Georgia filed their own lien against Chris in February 2012 for $592,594.82 in unpaid taxes for the year 2007. The movie star has had few starring roles since making a name for himself in ‘Rush Hour’ in 1998. He appeared in the film’s sequel in 2001, and a third flick in 2007, but only reemerged on the big screen last year alongside Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence ‘Silver Linings Playbook’.

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LIFESTYLE

James Bond studio to open 1st US facility T

This undated publicity image originally released by United Artists shows Sylvester Stallone posing in character as Rocky Balboa in the boxing film, “Rocky.” —AP

Musical of ‘Rocky’ heading to Broadway

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t’s been a knockout in Germany. Now Sylvester Stallone hopes a musical based on his beloved boxing film “Rocky” will also be a hit on Broadway.

Producers said Sunday they plan to get “Rocky” up and punching at the Winter Garden by February following a successful debut in Hamburg last fall. Based on the Oscar-winning 1976 film, the musical features a score by “Ragtime” veterans Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and a story by Thomas Meehan, who wrote “The Producers” and “Hairspray.”

Originally written in English but translated into German for its world premiere and billed as “Rocky: Das Musical,” the show is produced by Stallone and Stage Entertainment USA. “The reason I think it has worked so well there and why I think it’ll work on Broadway is that, yes, it’s a story about boxing, but the real story is actually an intimate, powerful and gritty and moving love story between two people who are both lonely and in a difficult place in their worlds,” said Bill Taylor, managing director of Stage Entertainment USA. “They rescue each other. It’s very uplifting.”

The musical stays close to the film, which charted the rise and romance of amateur boxer and debt collector Rocky Balboa, played in Germany by Drew Sarich. No casting has been decided for New York. In the story, Balboa, nicknamed the Italian Stallion, gets his shot against undefeated heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, played in the film by Carl Weathers.

He also woos a love interest, Adrianna “Adrian” Pennino. Stallone wrote the screenplay and it won the best picture Oscar in 1976.

The film made famous the image of Balboa running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the quote “Yo, Adrian!” The German production kept the trumpet-laden funky theme “Gonna Fly Now” and the anthem “Eye of the Tiger,” written for “Rocky III.” Both will also be in the Broadway version. The director is Alex Timbers, who directed Broadway’s “The Pee-wee Herman Show” and directed and wrote the book for “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.” The boxing choreography is being done by Steven Hoggett, who choreographed “American Idiot,” “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Once.”

“This is not boxers doing a kick line,” Taylor said. “It’s stunning movement representing some of the sparring and the fighting. It’s very, very cleverly created.” “Rocky” will be the first new tenant at the Winter Garden Theatre in years. The show that’s been there since 2001, “Mamma Mia!,” is transferring to another Broadway venue. The musical will follow two other boxing-related works to appear on Broadway recently: Mike Tyson’s oneman show about his life in and out of the ring, and a revival of Clifford Odets’ “Golden Boy” about a young man torn between his natural talent as a violinist and the fast money of boxing. —AP

he British film studio home to the James Bond franchise announced plans yesterday for its first US movie production facility at a site near Atlanta. Pinewood Sheppert on PLC has studios in the United Kingdom, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Germany and Malaysia. Recent films shot at Pinewood Studios, based outside of London, include the upcoming Angelina Jolie film, “Maleficent” and “Jack Ryan.” “Today’s agreement is another step forward for the Pinewood brand internationally,” said Ivan Dunleavy, CEO. Dunleavy added that Georgia has “excellent fiscal incentives and a great crew base.” In Georgia, the large-scale film complex will be called Pinewood Atlanta and the studio would manage the facility under an agreement with a group of private investors. The studio be developed on 288 acres south of Atlanta and include at least five soundstages as well as production offices. It’s the fifth major studio development or expansion announced in Georgia in recent months. Last week, Atlanta-based developer Jacoby Development said it would build an estimated $1 billion multi-use project north of Atlanta that will include 12 soundstages as well as production offices and an arts and media school aimed at training the next generation of film industry employees.

The Pinewood project is a major coup for Georgia. While Pinewood Studios has an office in Los Angeles, it chose the Southeast for its first production facility. While California has numerous soundstages, not many have been built in recent years as the state has been grappling with the effects of runaway production and the lagging economy. A survey last year found California lost $3 billion in wages from 2004 to 2011 because of film and TV production moving to other states and countries, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Half the wages went to states like Georgia that offer tax incentives and rebates to the industry. Other states

File photo shows actors, from left, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Craig, Judy Dench, and director Marc Forster posing at a photo call for the Bond film, “Quantum of Solace,” at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England. —AP include New York, Louisiana and North Carolina. Last year, productions filmed in Georgia generated an estimated $3.1 billion in economic activity, a 29 percent increase from the year before. TV shows like AMC’s “The Walking Dead” film in Georgia, and recently “The Hunger Games” wrapped up in locations around Atlanta. The state is also seeing a burgeoning film tourism industry with fans of these popular film and TV franchises planning vacations around set visits and tours.

While studio developers building soundstages are not eligible for the state’s generous tax credit program, the production companies making films are. Georgia currently provides a 20 percent tax credit for companies that spend $500,000 or more on production and post-production in the state, either in a single production or on multiple projects. Georgia also grants an additional 10 percent tax credit if the finished project includes a promotional

In this image provided by Pinewood Shepperton PLC, an artist’s rendering of Pinewood Atlanta is shown. —AP logo provided by the state. If a company has little or no Georgia tax liability, it can transfer or sell its tax credits.

Pinewood has been looking for opportunities to expand. Earlier this month, Pinewood said in a joint venture agreement with one of China’s

leading private media groups. That agreement calls for providing co-production opportunities for film and television, developing production financing for Chinese film and TV projects and creating film projects in places like Beijing and Shanghai.—AP

Oysho’s summer 2013 collection O ysho has come up with a collection for summer 2013 that’s all about color. Its muchloved collections include Lingerie, Sleepwear, Beachwear, Homewear and Gymwear:

Lingerie Oysho’s latest spring-summer collection starts off in the 1960s with corsetry at the heart of the brand’s true essence. We’ve taken a trip back in time to 1960s New York when corsetry underwent a revolution thanks to the influence of outerwear, and start-

Stolen ‘Pulp Fiction’ car found 19 years later

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uthorities say the classic Chevrolet convertible featured in the film “Pulp Fiction” has been found nearly two decades after it was stolen.

The San Bernardino County Sun reports (http://bit.ly/15ZvJWK ) movie director Quentin Tarantino’s 1964 Chevelle Malibu was recovered in the San Francisco Bay area earlier this week.

John Travolta’s character drove the cherry red car in the movie. Sheriff’s Sgt Albert Anolin said an investigation into an old Malibu in the desert city of Victorville on April 18 led detectives to another Malibu in the Oakland area. They then confirmed that vehicle belonged to Tarantino and was reported stolen in 1994. Authorities say the car’s current owner is not believed to be involved in its theft and is considered to be a victim of a fraud. A message seeking Tarantino’s comment was not immediately returned. —Reuters

ed to include embroidery, lace and fantasy details.

And all this is reflected in Oysho’s lingerie collection for spring, with fabulous guipure lace, perforated fabrics, linen and cotton lace simply blossoming out all over. This spring is all about sexy, sophisticated corsetry in deep tones combined with brilliant white that still manages to steal the show. Natural, warm light to showcase gorgeous blues, greens and bright and dusty tones mixed with floral prints.

Sleepwear The spring-summer Sleepwear collection features a range of tones, blues and whites with a glossy touch, as well as a selection of gentler, cooler colors such as aquamarine and grey. Peach and purple make up the boldest combination in this collection.

The inspiration for this collection comes from the sea and the 1950s. Loads of gorgeous details such as crochet, embroidery, tulle, new prints and trims come together to give this collection some serious added value.

women could now go to the gym looking sporty yet chic and sexy, thus feeling more confident and poised while working out. Oysho’s new Gymwear Collection is filled with quality and stylish sport clothes in blacks, grays and a palette of whites that come spiced up with mint greens, pink and peach touches. The collection also brings an array of stretchy leggings, short shorts, slouchy shirts, oversized parkas, bodysuits, sport suits and crop tops.

The looks are finished off with stylish running shoes either in peach or in gray with peach touches.

Beachwear For this new Beachwear collection, the focus is on the details: crochet, frills, lurex, metallic trims and new fabrics that add a special touch to a collection that’s perfect for those long summer days. Oysho has put those chilly winter days behind it in a mad dash to the warm sunny coast of Miami. Colors such as nude, navy, sea green and lime mingle with tropical and floral prints that form the essence of this collection. The Beachwear 2013 collection has been created with natural, sensual women in mind. Women who love color, appreciate the latest trends and are looking for designs with a personality all of their own. At Oysho the perfect total beach look can be found.

Homewear The Oysho 2013 Homewear collection simply oozes femininity. Basic garments in fabulous fabrics that make mixing and matching child’s play are the absolute must-haves for this season’s wardrobe. It’s back to nature with a touch of the exotic for a concept whose secret lies in easy-wear garments offering superb quality. Colors such as vintage red and nude are featured on tops with lace trims, lingerie tops and fantasy plushes.

Gymwear Whether women consider working out fun or not, Oysho has now guaranteed that they could exercise in ultimate comfort without sacrificing style. By combining pieces from Oysho’s Gymwear Collection,

Vienna Ballet takes risks with original works

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aving brushed off its dusty old self over the past three years, the Vienna Ballet showed it was prepared to take new risks Saturday, by presenting a string of its own original works. In a tribute to “Creation and Tradition”, the audience was treated to nine pieces, from classical ballet repertoire to ultra modern creations with a hint of

“The Matrix.” It was an evening of extremes, giving the impression at times that two entirely different companies shared the stage.

But it was original works by its own artiststhree current company members and former dancer Vesna Orlic-that provided the biggest thrills of the evening at the Volksoper theatre, all com-

missioned by director Manuel Legris. Since Legris took over as ballet director in 2010, the company has greatly broadened its repertoire. But it has mostly relied on established names like Jiri Kylian, Jerome Robbins or William Forsythe, never presenting its own artists’ work. Orlic’s “Out of Tango” with its intertwined couples was dramatic and

sexy, evoking the tango halls of Buenos Aires, and its lead dancer Rebecca Horner was a revelation.

This was the first major role for the corps de ballet dancer, supported by a strong Mihail Sosnovschi, and her performance drew some of the biggest cheers of the night. Orlic, a former Vienna Ballet dancer already created the widely successful

“Carmina Burana” for the company last year.

Another company member Andrey Kaydanovskiy, presenting his first major work, set his sights on stageplay and a jarring soundtrack full of squeaks and the sound of breaking glass for a thoroughly modern and thrilling “Zeitverschwendung” (Waste of Time). —AFP

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British actress Helen Mirren poses with her award for best actress during the Lawrence Olivier Awards for theatre at the Royal Opera House in London. — AFP photos

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British director Marianne Elliott poses with her award for best director with category presenter Lee Evans.

elen Mirren was crowned queen of the London stage at the Olivier Awards Sunday, while compelling, canine-titled teen drama “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” emerged as best in show with seven trophies. Mirren, 67, was a popular and expected best actress choice for her regal yet vulnerable Queen Elizabeth II in “The Audience,” Peter Morgan’s behind-palace-doors drama about the relationship between Britain’s queen and its prime ministers.

The actress, who won an Academy Award in 2007 for playing Britain’s monarch in “The Queen,” quipped that it was 87year-old Elizabeth who deserved an award, “for the most consistent and committed performance of the 20th century, and probably the 21st century.” Backstage, it turned out she wasn’t kidding. Mirren, who has been Olivier-nominated three times before, said that finally winning “doesn’t mean that I was the best actor. There were so many incredible performances out there.” “I was making a joke about the queen winning, but I think actually it is a reflection of the kind of respect the queen is held in,” she said.

Her “Audience” co-star, Richard McCabe, who won the supporting actor trophy for playing 1960s and 70s Prime Minister Harold Wilson, said Mirren was a joy to work with. “It’s important as an actor to be absolutely fearless, and she is,” he said.

While the queen herself hasn’t been to see the Stephen Daldry-directed show - rumored to be Broadway-bound McCabe said “a lot of people in the royal household have been coming in and watching incognito, and they must be reporting back.”

The surprise of the awards ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House was “Curious Incident,” an adaptation of Mark Haddon’s best-selling young-adult novel about a teenage math prodigy with Asperger’s Syndrome who sets out to find the killer of his neighbor’s dog, with destabilizing results. The show, which premiered at the state-subsidized National Theatre last year before transferring to a commercial West End playhouse, has won praise for its creative use of movement

British actress Helen Mirren poses with category presenter Daniel Radcliffe.

British actor Richard McCabe poses with his award for best actor in a supporting role.

and technology to make the leap from page to stage.

The Simon Stephens-scripted drama was named best new play, and 28-year-old Luke Treadaway was crowned best actor, beating a strong list of contenders including Rupert Everett, Mark Rylance and James McAvoy. Treadaway said the “Curious” company knew they had created “something really special” with the show about a teenager “who sees the world differently to a lot of people.” “I think people could kind of see themselves in him,” Treadaway said. “This is not even necessary,” he said, holding his trophy, a bust of the late actor Laurence Olivier. “I enjoy doing it so much anyway.”

British actor Luke Treadaway poses with his award for best actor with category presenter Kim Cattrall.

British director Jonathan Kent poses for photographers after winning the award for ‘best musical revival’ for ‘Sweeney Todd’.

British singer and actress Dionne Bromfield

American opera singer Bryan Hymel poses with the award for ‘outstanding achievement in opera’.

British playwright Michael Frayn poses with his special award with category presenter Roger Allam.

British musician Brian May poses for photographers.

British actress Nicola Walker poses with her award for best actress in a supporting role with presenters Romola Garai and Rupert Penry Jones.

British singer and model Myleene Klass

British choreographer Gillian Lynne poses for photographers after winning a special award, with award presenters British actors David Suchet and Michael Crawford.

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lifestyle A w a r d s

Simon Stephens and Mark Haddon, winners of Mastercard Best New Play Award for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

Cast and Crew of ‘Top Hat’ seen at the Olivier Awards 2013.

The play also won prizes for director Marianne Elliott and supporting actress Nicola Walker, as well as for set, lighting and sound. Walker said the play had, through some “magic,” succeeded in creating an onstage world as seen through the eyes of a teenage hero with autism. “You start out thinking (it) is completely different to our world, and you end up thinking ‘No, there are parts of this world I understand.’” The Olivier awards honor achievements in London plays, musicals, dance and opera.

Winners in most categories are chosen by a panel of stage professionals and theatergoers. Founded in 1976, the Oliviers have been laying on the glitz in recent years, with glossy ceremonies modeled on Broadway’s Tony Awards. “Downton Abbey” actor Hugh Bonneville and West End star Sheridan Smith an Olivier winner in 2011 and 2012 - hosted a sparky ceremony that included performances by “Glee” star Matthew Morrison, Tony-winning “Wicked” diva Idina Menzel and 60s songstress Petula Clark.

The best new musical category had a retro feel, with the trophy going to “Top Hat” - a tap- dancing, tail-coated homage to Hollywood’s Golden Age based on the 1935 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie. It also won awards for costume design and choreography.

Blood-soaked musical “Sweeney Todd” took the prize for best musical revival, with its stars Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball named best actress and actor in a musical.

“I’m not sure I deserve this,” Ball said. “But I’ve also got sciatica, and I don’t deserve that either.” Royal Ballet principal dancer Marianela Nunez took the prize for outstanding achievement in dance, while the same company’s “Aeternum” was named best new dance production. An immersive staging of the Philip Glass opera “Einstein on the Beach” at London’s Barbican Centre was named best new opera production.

American tenor Bryan Hymel won the outstanding achievement in opera prize for performances at the Royal Opera House.

Special achievement awards went to choreographer Gillian Lynne - best known for her work on Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals including “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera” - and playwright Michael Frayn, whose classic backstage farce “Noises Off” is still going strong 30 years after its debut. — AP

American actress Leigh Zimmerman poses for photographers after winning the award for “best actress in a supporting role in a musical”.

British actress Debbie Kurup

British actress Janie Dee

American Singer Idina Menzel poses.

British actress Lily James

British actress Hannah Waddingham

British actress Sheridan Smith and actor Hugh Bonneville

British actress Imelda Staunton poses for photographers with her award for best actress in a musical.

British actor James McAvoy and British actress AnneMarie Duff

Helen Mirren reigns at London’s Olivier awards

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

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A full scale replica cave from the 8th century that contains the Bodhisattva of the Mogao Caves.

The full scale replica cave from the 8th century contains the Bodhisattva of the Mogao Caves.

T

he China Institute Gallery has been transformed into an ancient cave, taking visitors back more than a millennium to a dazzling world where Buddhist worshippers adorned the walls with colorful frescoes, silk prayer banners and lavishly painted life-size clay sculptures. “Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road” features a replica of an 8th century cave carved into the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Gobi Desert southeast of the oasis town of Dunhuang from 366 to about 1300. It is one of 735 Mogao Caves constructed during what is known as the high Tang period (705781), designed for devout Buddhists to gather and worship. Nearly every inch is covered in art, with a canopy ceiling resplendent in floral and diamond shapes. One end is filled with life-sized sculptures of a Buddha flanked by two monk disciples wearing luxuriously patterned robes, two bare-chested figures and two ferocious-looking guardians in military armor.

While there have been exhibitions that have featured individual pieces from the Mogoa Caves, this is the first exhibition in the United States to put all the elements of the cave shrines into context, said Annette Juliano, a professor of Chinese art history at Rutgers University. It shows the “relationship between the architecture, the pictures, the subject matter and the (ritual) practices the actual use of the cave, rather than just an abstraction,” added Juliano, who visited the caves for the first time in 1980. Many of the caves are exquisitely preserved but others are fragile due to neglect over the centuries and the conditions of the surrounding desert and sand dunes. To protect them from further erosion, tourist access is limited to several dozen caves a day that are rotated regularly.

The exhibition also features a 6th-century replica of an elaborate square altar called the Central Stupa Pillar that highlights the religious ritual of circumambulation - an act of veneration - in which the faithful walk clockwise around the altar that contains four niches, each holding a Buddha. “Walking around the stupa pillar helps to empty your mind to allow visualization, to focus on the images of the Buddhas,” said Juliano, who contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog. Exact, hand-painted reproductions of wall motifs and story scenes complete the exhibition space in this gallery. Among the highlights is a

Thousand Buddha pattern that covers an entire wall and is symbolic of the deity’s omnipresence. Among the narrative paintings is the tale of the Deer King and his journey toward enlightenment.

Authentic silk prayer banners, a handwritten Buddhist scripture in near mint condition, a Yuan dynasty fragment of a mathematical document, small clay figurines, Persian silver coins that bear witness to foreign travelers on the Silk Road, patterned floor tiles and oil lamps used to light the dark caves round out the small two-gallery exhibition. The Mogao Cave shrines, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, were largely unknown in the West until they were discovered in 1900 by a Hungarian archaeologist, Sir Aurel Stein.

Dunhuang, located at the north and south crossroads of the Silk Road, was a strategic hub of trade and religion. Stein, who made several treks through Central Asia, had heard rumors of a cave room sealed in the 11th century containing tens of thousands of manuscripts, scrolls, silk paintings and textiles dating in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and other languages. A local caretaker had uncovered the treasure trove after discovering a crack in the wall of a corridor leading to a larger cave. It’s not clear why the room was sealed, but scholars speculate they were walled up to protect them from the threat of invasion from nomadic people.

Stein was able to persuade the caretaker to sell a portion of the material in exchange for money for the cave’s upkeep. In subsequent years, almost 80 percent of the contents were taken out of the country by foreign adventurers.

Today, the treasures are found in various museums and libraries around the world. The exhibition, organized by the Dunhuang Academy, runs through July 21. A second exhibition in the fall will focus on paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists inspired by the caves. — AP

Bodhisattva holding up as lotus, right, and other sculptures of the Northern Wei Dynasty, 386-534 AD.

Decorative floor tiles, and “Celestial Music” from Mogao Cave 288.

A fragment of a document on mathematics, written in Tibetan, from the Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368 AD.

A handwritten Buddhist scripture, from the Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD, is displayed.

The central pillar of Mogao Cave 432, from the Western Wei Dynasty, 535-556 AD, is presented in “Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road,” at the China Institute, in New York. — AP photos

A woman looks at a silk banner with floral appliquets, left, and a prayer banner.

A woman views a full scale replica cave from the 8th century that contains the Bodhisattva of the Mogao Caves.