1 Apr

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Cabinet resents US official’s remarks against justice minister

Pakistan court indicts Musharraf for treason

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‘Anyone but Modi’: Many Indian Muslims fear the worst

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Dutch double down on England’s T20 misery

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Oil tanker attacked in Gulf Strait of Hormuz region still risky for investors

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conspiracy theories

Media-sense

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

M

edia, media, media and its effect and role on our lives. That was the topic at a diwaniya I attended last night hosted by Osama Al-Duaij and his wife Elvisa Al-Duaij in Qadsiya. The moderator and speaker was wellknown German TV host and journalist Ali Aslan. I am sure that many Europeans, and especially those who watch German channels, are familiar with his international talk show.

Ali touched upon humanitarian issues and tolerance between cultures and nations. Ali, who is of Turkish descent, has initiated a program called German Islam Conference that is dedicated to the integration of Muslims into German society.

Anyone who thinks that the media does not shape the world we live in is naive. I did not have time to debate with Ali, due to limited time and many guests. The fact is that the media nowadays is our life. It is both a useful and a very dangerous tool. Just like Ali mentioned, the media can have a constructive or destructive role. Just like what we have been watching since 9/11 on how the Western media attacks Islam and Muslims and portrays them in an ugly way. They depict Islam as a savage and terrorist religion.

The media can spoil nations or educate nations. It depends on the agenda it has. Rarely you see independent media corporations. Most of them are either commercialized or politicized.

Either way, you can question the objectivity of such media.

It is simple mathematics. Look at us. We are affected by the ads we see on TV although we are educated and well-travelled. The media decides for us which food to eat and which detergent to use. Which shampoo to use for my hair and which lotion to put on my face and what chips and chocolates my kids should eat. It could be worse than that. The media decides for us the trips we take, the venues we go and in which resort we spend our holidays, what airline to fly and which hotel to stay in. Even the food you give to your cat or dog is influenced by ads and commercials.

Leave alone politics. I am only focusing on the commercial aspect of things. The list here goes on and on. I do not think my editor will give me the space to mention it all because my list will be as long as the distance from Kuwait Times’ offices in Shuwaikh to the Al-Duaij diwaniya in Qadisiya!

What if we move towards the politicized media? Tell me which media is independent of political influence and is 100 percent free from political influence? Maybe CNN or Al Jazeera or BBC for instance? Or maybe TV 5 has no political issues? How about our local channels in the Gulf or the Middle East, all across from Oman to Mauritania? Can we really boast and say that we have a free media source? I will tell you which TV does not have any political issues - the Israel TV news channel. They bomb people in Gaza, kill hundreds of children and women and the broadcaster presents an Israeli victim whose balcony was destroyed.

Switch on CNN. Does Fox news ever talk about the peace process or Palestine? Even social media has its own agenda depending on the source of financing and interests. The channels twist their serials and movies in the direction they want. Even the movies we watch are politicized.

I think I have to put a full stop. I am sure many readers will have other things to contribute to my article. Whether we like it or not, the media is a part of our life now and we have to live with it.

Maybe the solution can only come from the news recipients, be it of TV, online or newspapers. Education is the answer. At the end of the day, a well-informed reader can differentiate between the various agendas and form his or her own judgments.

KHASAB, Oman: A cargo ship cruises towards the Strait of Hormuz off the shores of Khasab in this Jan 15, 2011 file photo. — AFP

MP threatens to grill information minister

By B Izzak KUWAIT: MP Abdulkareem Al-Kandari yesterday threatened to use “all constitutional tools” against Information Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud AlSabah over allegations that he has demoted and dismissed a number of senior officials at the ministry.

Kandari, who provided no names, said that the measures against these officials had been taken while the ministry has been waiting to undergo a new organizational structure. The lawmaker also accused the minister of giving contracts to private production companies although the ministry has an army of young Kuwaiti employees specialized in these fields.

The MP however did not set an ultimatum for any possible action against the minister, but urged him to rectify the decisions that harmed senior employees in

the ministry.

In other developments, the National Assembly’s stateless or bedoons committee yesterday discussed with officials from the public authority for the handicapped a proposal to include bedoon handicapped people under the authority. Head of the committee MP Abdullah Al-Tameemi said the director general of the authority Jassem Al-Tammar informed the committee that the inclusion of bedoons requires amendments to the law, specifically the clause that restricts coverage to Kuwaiti nationals and foreigners whose mothers are Kuwaiti. Tameemi said that it was agreed that the authority’s officials will provide committee members with all necessary amendments to the law so they can present a request to the Assembly to make the amendments.

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DUBAI: Assailants on a speedboat near Oman opened fire on an oil tanker in a rare attack in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a seafaring body said. In Sunday’s attack, “six persons in a skiff armed with machinegun approached a tanker underway and fired twice towards the accommodation and bridge,” said the International Maritime Bureau.

The crew sounded the alarm and activated fire hoses before altering the vessel’s course, the IMB said on its website, adding the assailants then aborted their attack.

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Kuwaiti embassies to issue visit visas KUWAIT: In collaboration with the Foreign Ministry and the hospitality sector, Deputy PM and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah authorized his undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al-Fahd to contact the citizenship and passports department and the immigration departments to allow Kuwaiti embassies and consulates abroad to issue tourism, commercial, family and other types of visas. The authorization includes granting embassies the responsibility to issue visas according to standard laws, procedures, conditions and documents needed.

Erdogan targets enemies after thumping win ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan looked a step closer to a presidential bid and to gaining the upper hand in a bitter power struggle yesterday, casting strong local election results as a mandate to hunt down enemies within the state “in their lair”. His AK Par ty swept the electoral map in Sunday’s polls, retaining control of the two biggest cities Istanbul and Ankara and increasing its share of the national vote as his pugnacious leadership style, beloved by a loyal, conservative voter base, trumped a stream of corruption allegations and security leaks.

From a balcony at AKP headquarters at the end of a long and bitter election that became a referendum on his rule, Erdogan told thousands of cheering supporters that his enemies in politics and the state, whom he has labeled “traitors”, “terrorists” and “an alliance of evil”, would pay the price. “We will enter their lair,” he said, before a huge firework display lit up Ankara’s midnight sky. “They will be brought to account. How can you threaten national security?” The harsh

tone of his balcony address suggested he felt he now had a mandate for strong action against his enemies. “From tomorrow, there may be some who flee,” he said.

The election campaign has been dominated by a power struggle between Erdogan and US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of using a network of followers in the police and judiciary to fabricate graft smears in an effor t to topple him.

Erdogan, who has long drawn support from the same Muslim professional class that reveres Gulen, has purged thousands of police officers and hundreds of judges and prosecutors since anti-graft raids in December targeted businessmen close to the premier as well as the sons of some government ministers.

Investors, who have been unnerved by the turbulence, took solace in the election result, seeing it as a sign of political continuity. The lira rallied to its strongest in two months and stocks hit a 3-month high.

Continued on Page 13

ANKARA: Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan greets his supporters late Sunday. — AP

CAIRO: Al-Jazeera English producer Baher Mohamed (center left), bureau chief Mohammed Fahmy (center) and correspondent Peter Greste appear in court along with several other defendants during their trial on terror charges yesterday. — AP

Court rejects Jazeera journalists’ bail plea CAIRO: An Egyptian court yesterday rejected a plea for bail by jailed AlJazeera journalists, who denied links with the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood in a trial that has sparked international condemnation. The journalists, who have spent nearly 100 days in jail since their arrest, are charged with spreading false news and supporting the Islamist movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi. “Please, get us out of jail, we are tired. We’ve been suffering in prison,” Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, the Cairo bureau chief of Al-Jazeera English, told the judges. He and his seven co-defendants, dressed in white prison uniforms, were briefly allowed out of the caged dock to address the court, in a rather unusual move.

The trial, in which 20 defendants stand accused, has sparked an international outcry and fuelled fears of a media crackdown by the military-

installed authorities. Australian reporter Peter Greste also pleaded to be released on bail, telling the judges “we only desire at this point to continue to fight to clear our names outside prison”. “We would like to emphasise that we are more than willing to accept any conditions that you impose on us,” he added. Producer Baher Mohamed said he wanted to be with his wife during her pregnancy. “My wife is pregnant and she visits me in jail with the children. It is exhausting,” he said. “I want to be released on bail so I can be by her side.” At the end of the session Mohamed told AFP that “we are here representing freedom of expression”. “It’s not only about us.”

The judges ordered that two defendants who claimed they had been tortured be examined by “independent forensic doctors”.

Continued on Page 13

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and other ministers attend the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Cabinet resents US official’s remarks against Al-Ajmi All forms of terrorism rejected KUWAIT: The Cabinet yesterday expressed “resentment” at recent allegations by a US official against Minister of Justice Nayef Al-Ajmi. The remark was made during a routine weekly cabinet meeting held at Bayan Palace under Chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah.

During the meeting, Al-Ajmi, who also doubles as minister of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, briefed the ministers on all details pertinent to such accusations and allegations which he rejected as “baseless and groundless,” Minister of

Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah said in a statement following the meeting.

Al-Ajmi affirmed that all his activities and efforts are part of Kuwait’s well-recognized official and unofficial efforts in charitable, religious and humanitarian realms.

He added that this comes just out of Kuwait’s commitment to the religion of Islam and its tolerant teachings, and to the noble cultural values. The cabinet, in turn, reiterated Kuwait’s firm rejection to all forms of terrorism regardless of its justifications, while reaffirming cooperation

with all brotherly and friendly countries and international organizations in the fight against terrorism, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah said.

The cabinet then welcomed a planned visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul to the State of Kuwait on April 3, wishing him and his wife a very pleasant stay here.

On the recent Arab summit in Kuwait, the ministers highly commended the outcomes of the Arab gathering held last Tuesday and Wednesday.

They hailed His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s speech at

the summit, in which he stressed the significance of exerting concerted efforts to face major problems and challenges haunting the Arab world.

They also hailed the Kuwait Declaration issued following the summit which called for resolving differences and divisions among Arab countries through fruitful and constructive dialogue based on frankness, actuality and transparency.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet, therefore, vowed to stick to the declaration in order to cement Arab integration and achieve Arab comprehensive

renaissance on all tracks. Meanwhile, the cabinet approved a draft decree promoting Maj. Gen. Mohammad Al-Khidr to Lieut. Gen. and deputy chief of the army staff. It also consented to another draft decree authorizing a supreme civil aviation council including its makeup, powers, competence and statute. Furthermore, the ministers congratulated Saudi Prince Miqren bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on having been appointed as deputy crown prince.

Finally, the cabinet discussed recent reports on the latest Arab and international political developments. — KUNA

Bureau ignores notes in own final account

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Audit Bureau ignores the Finance Ministry’s notes when it prepares its own final account, which is a violation of its law that regulates monitoring spending of state departments, a lawmaker said yesterday. “The bureau fails to include notes registered by the Finance Ministr y despite earlier demands to do so,” said MP Adnan Abdulsamad, the head of the parliament’s budgets committee following the panel’s meeting yesterday.

The panel discussed the bureau’s final account as part of its ongoing review of state depar tments’ final accounts for the fiscal year. While the bureau provides statements of all state departments, the Finance Ministry is assigned to provide the statement of the Bureau. Abdulsamad said that the bureau’s representatives explained that article 22 of its law gives its president the right to choose which notes to be included in its final account. “This argument is invalid since the Finance Ministry has control over monitoring the bureau, including the right to choose notes that are included in its final account,” he said. Abdulsamad did not specify the nature of the notes that were omitted from the bureau’s final account, but hoped that such notes are not ignored in future statements.

Amir to visit Russia HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah is set to visit Russia this fall, said the Russian ambassador to Kuwait Alexey Solomatin.

Ambassador Solomatin did not provide a specific date for the visit which he said is “very important” as it is expected to feature “signing a number of cooperation agreements in various fields”. “We hope to achieve progress with regards to the agreement between Kuwait and Russia over cooperation in atomic energy, which was halted following Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster,” he said in a recent press statement.

Strategic payroll alternative Meanwhile, head of the human resources committee MP Yaqoub AlSane announced that a final report containing a ‘strategic alternative’ for the public sector’s payroll will be ready within two weeks. The panel met yesterday with representatives from the Supreme Council of Planning and Development as well as the Kuwait Economic Society in order to study solutions that address labor complains in the public sector concerning unequal pay.

Employees in state departments often complain that wages paid to workers in certain fields are different compared to their peers who work in the same profession but at another state department. This has led to several labor protests and work stoppages in the past, leading the government to study a system that unifies pay for employees with similar job classifications. The project is often referred to as the ‘strategic alternative for payroll in the public sector.’

In a related note, MP Khalil Abdullah announced plans to prepare a law that ‘resolves [Kuwait ’s] demographic imbalance’, an issue that he said is closely associated with job classifications in the public sector. Several MPs had previously proposed bills to cut the number expatriates in the public sector and replace them with Kuwaiti employees.

Pro sports Head of the parliament’s youth and sports committee MP Abdullah AlTuraiji announced in the meantime that representatives of local clubs are invited to its meeting next week in order to discuss “their recommendations to improve the sports sector in Kuwait”. The discussion is expected to address proposals to help athletes achieve more independence from civil jobs en route to adopting professional sports in Kuwait, in addition to completing sports facilities.

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KUWAIT: Dignitaries attend the Bangladesh Independence and National Day celebration at Hotel Crowne Plaza.—Photos by Joseph Shagra

Big participation at Bangladeshi reception KUWAIT: The 43rd Independence and National Day of Bangladesh was observed in a befitting manner by the Bangladesh Embassy and the Bangladesh community in Kuwait on March 26 at the Chancery. To celebrate the day, the Mission hosted a reception on March 30 at Hotel Crowne Plaza. Anas Al-Saleh, Minister for Commerce and Industry was the Guest of Honour at the reception. Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah also graced the reception. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour Mohammad Al-Kandry also attended the program. Diplomats from different foreign missions and regional and international organizations in Kuwait, dignitaries from different ministries and departments, business leaders, investors, professionals, defence attaches from different missions attended the colourful event. A big number of dignitaries from within the Bangladesh communities also attended the program with lots of enthusiasm. The embassy officials, officers of the Bangladesh Military Contingent (BMC) to Kuwait, Bangladesh Biman and a quite large number of foreign and local journalist of print and electronic media also graced the celebration.

On the arrival of the distinguished guests Ambassador Mohammed Ashab Uddin along with other senior officers of the embassy including Brig Gen Md. Nasimul Gani, Defence Attache; S. M. Mahbubul Alam, Counsellor (Political) and Head of Chancery; K.M. Ali Reza, First Secretary (Labour); M.A. Jalil, First Secretary; Md. Sakawat Hossian Patwary, Sonali Bank Representative (SBR) received them.

Rich tributes The ambassador delivered a brief speech with some excellent and relevant pictures on the big screen to showcase Bangladesh and to highlight the history and significance of the celebration. He paid rich tributes to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 3 million martyrs, 200,000 women, and all the freedom fighters for their magnificent and unique contributions, sacrifices and indomitable heroisms during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. He mentioned that

countrymen from all strata had participated in the Liberation War in 1971 and achieved the ultimate victory on Dec 16, 1971 through a nine-month long armed struggle under the unparallel leadership of the Father of the Nation.

The ambassador briefed that Bangladesh has established a globally competitive garments industry, moved ahead of many of the neighboring countries; in particular areas of human development and gender parity, extended micro-credit to 25 million women, and drastically reduced aid dependency through the robust growth in remittances.

Bangladesh is now producing sufficient food to feed its 160 million people. It has i8 million self-employed women in rural areas, with a further 4 million women working in the readymade garment sector. He continued as saying that there are about 8.5 million Bangladesh nationals working overseas, in 155 countries in the world. They remitted more than $18 billion in 2013. Bangladesh is also a leading global exporter of ready-made garments, second to China and earned over $21 billion in last year.

Bangladesh is exporting medicine to more than 83 countries mainly in Euro~e he added.

It has become one of the leading ship builders and ship exporting country and there are around 100 million cell phone subscribers in Bangladesh, the envoy continued. He further cited that McKinsey recently predicted that apparel exports of Bangladesh could gross $36

billion by 2020; Goldman Sachs highlighted Bangladesh as one of the next 11 emerging economies and JP Morgan identified Bangladesh as a ‘Frontier Five’ economy.

Bangladesh has been included among the top 5 countries of the world in the field of economic growth by achieving an average growth rate of 6.38 percent during the past four years, the Ambassador mentioned.

New initiatives The ambassador also highlighted that Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait has been implementing a number of initiatives in order to ensure welfare and awareness on issues pertaining to the Bangladesh expatriates in Kuwait including Help Lines to provide necessary assistance and information to its expatriates in Kuwait, Open Day Forum, Health Awareness program, Blood Donation program and various cultural and sports events including Football, Ha du du and Cricket which are drawing huge crowds from every level of the community. In conclusion the Bangladesh Ambassador extended his sincere gratefulness to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AIAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Premier Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah AIKhaled Al-Sabah for their continued support to Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait.

Kuwait hosts meeting of GCC finance officials KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait is gearing up to host the 43rd meeting of the Committee of Gulf Cooperation Council Undersecretaries of Finance and Economy tomorrow.

A statement by the Finance Ministr y, Monday, said this meeting is in preparation for the upcoming 98th ministerial meeting of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee due in Kuwait also, planned for May. The agenda, the ministry said, covers issues including follow up on measures aim-

ing at monetary and economic integration, follow up regarding the Kuwaiti proposal to amend standing order, as well as discussions on competencies of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee. The officials are also to review memos of meetings by the Committee of Governors of Central Banks and Monetary Institutions, and by the Customs Union Authority, and other GCC bodies.

Also on the agenda are the memos of meetings of the Customs Union Committee,

GCC Joint Market Committee, and of the team tasked with presenting a study regarding privileges and incentives for the private sector and the team’s findings. The undersecretaries would also consider recommendations regarding governance and recommendations of the team tasked to draft a GCC joint tax system.

The Kuwaiti delegation to the meeting would be headed by Finance Undersecretary Khalifah Hamadah, who is also to preside over the two-day sessions. —KUNA

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah visits the stalls after inaugurating Kuwait’s fifth International Prize for Quran yesterday.

Kuwait Prize for Quran kicks off KUWAIT: Kuwait’s fifth International Prize for Quran kicked off yesterday under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with the presence of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The opening ceremony of the competition organized by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs was held at the International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) theater. The opening speech was given by Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Nayif Al-Ajmi, and Undersecretary of the ministry and Chairman of the Prize’s supreme committee Dr Adel Al-Falah.

The ceremony also included the playing of a documentary movie showcasing the Prize’s previous competitions and achievements of participants, followed by honoring the prime minister, who also inaugurated the prize’s exhibition, containing publications by private and public sectors about Holy Quran sciences.

The prime minister praised the Amir’s attention towards the Prize to spread the teachings of Islam and Quran-memorizing internationally, and the efforts of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to organize the event.

The ceremony was attended by Amiri Diwan Advisor and Chairman of the IICO Abdullah AlMatoug, Advisors of the Diwan of His Highness the Prime Minister Faisal Al-Hajji, Sheikh Salim Jaber AlAhmad Al-Sabah, and Sheikha Rasha Al-Humoud AlSabah, Arab ambassadors, and prominent Kuwaiti figures. — KUNA

Jahra Reserve to be open for visitors soon K U WA I T: D i re c to r G e n e r a l o f t h e E nv i ro n m e n t Pu b l i c Au t h o r i t y D r Salah Al-Mudhi said yesterday that t h e J a h r a R e s e r ve wo u l d s o o n become a semi-park allowing entry of visitors, stressing keenness of the EPA on development of natural reserves in order to maintain balance and biodi-

versity. Al-Mudhi said that visitors would be allowed to enter for the purposes of documentation, photograp hy a n d p r a c t i c i n g b i rd - w a tc h i n g hobby according to certain controls.

He confirmed that the EPA’s keenness to develop reser ves in Kuwait and follow-up is in line with its efforts

No visit to work visa transfer from April 1 Ministry working on new regulations KUWAIT: The government will not open transfers of commercial visit visas to work permits on April 1 as expected earlier. A Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor official announced Sunday that the process of transferring commercial visit visas to work permits - suspended since Feb 15 will remain closed for an undetermined length of time.

Jamal Al-Dousary, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary for the labor department, noted that the ministry is working on a set of new regulations that would facilitate private sector recruitment of foreign workers, but the new regulations are not yet finalized.

Apart from a few specialized fields exempt from this rule, no company in Kuwait can hire expats here on a commercial visit visa and transfer their visas to work permits. This forces companies in Kuwait to recruit directly from abroad and severely limits the number of visitors who can successfully find work in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry

reportedly plans to introduce new measures to prevent violations committed by domestic workers’ recruitment offices, based on changing regulations to transfer a housemaid’s visa.

The measures are based on two studies prepared by Maj Gen Sheikh Faisal Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, the assistant undersecretary for citizenship and passports affairs. The first study suggests that a domestic worker can only transfer her visa once, and the process has to be done within 60 days after arriving in Kuwait.

Main objective Following that period, the maid would have the choice to either transfer her visa under her employer’s sponsorship immediately, or leave Kuwait. If her visa is transferred during this period, she would not have the option to transfer to another employer until her visa expires. According to sources with knowledge of the study, the main objective behind this measure is to prevent cases in which housemaids are often encouraged to

flee their employers’ homes, often by employees at the recruitment office that brought them to Kuwait, so that the maid can work for another employer for higher pay.

An office in this case would make profit by collecting additional fees from a new employer for the same maid they had previously hired. This process has been compared to human trafficking, and has become a source of criticism against Kuwait by rights groups inside and outside the country.

The second study suggests another measure which extends the office’s sponsorship period over a domestic helper from 100 days to a year. The current period is considered a ‘trial’ period after which an employer is required to transfer the maid’s visa under his sponsorship. Extending the period to one year also helps prevent ‘manipulation’ on the part of recruitment offices, which in some cases encourage maids to abscond shortly after their visas are issued, the sources said.

Kuwait eager to develop police sport relations KUWAIT: Kuwait is continuously developing police sports ties and boosting awareness about the latest security measures, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh

Mohammad Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The Ministry of Interior said in a press statement yesterday that Sheikh Mohammad congratulated Chairman of the International Police Sports Union

Kuwait hosts meeting of GCC finance officials KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait is gearing up to host the 43rd meeting of the Committee of Gulf Cooperation Council Undersecretaries of Finance and Economy tomorrow.

A statement by the Finance Ministry, today, said this meeting is in preparation for the upcoming 98th ministerial meeting of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee due in Kuwait also, planned for May. The agenda, the ministry said, covers issues including follow up on measures aiming at monetary and economic integration, follow up regarding the Kuwaiti

proposal to amend standing order, as well as discussions on competencies of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee. The officials are also to review memos of meetings by the Committee of Governors of Central Banks and Monetary Institutions, and by the Customs Union Authority, and other GCC bodies. Also on the agenda are the memos of meetings of the Customs Union Committee, GCC Joint Market Committee, and of the team tasked with presenting a study regarding privileges and incentives for the private sector and the team’s findings. — KUNA

(IPSU) and Kuwait Police Sports Federation Chairman Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah for the successful First World Police Sports and Security Conference recently held in Kuwait.

The conference which was organized by the ministry under the supervision of the IPSU showcased the important role Kuwait plays in the field and its efforts to create cooperation between international federations to resolve challenges facing police sports, said Sheikh Mohammad Khalid.

The IPSU Chairman on his turn praised the efforts of Sheikh Mohammad in supporting and funding the conference.

The two-day conference which concluded on March 25 saw the participation of 50 countries, and came out with a number of recommendations including establishing an international police sport apparatus that would adress the perennial problem of hooliganism at sports events. — KUNA

to protect animals and plants threate n e d w i t h e x t i n c t i o n t h ro u g h t h e relocation and preservation of their kinds.

He added that the size of nature reserves in the country has reached in the last period to 19 percent after it was only three percent, indicating

that it will reach 25 percent after the completion of new reserves.

He explained that the large size of these reserves has led the EPA to propose the establishment of an inde pendent body to manage them in order to keep pace with the process of development. —KUNA

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

LOCAL

kuwait digest

In my view

Fight against ‘terrorism’

The multibillion purchase deal The housing problem is solved!! We were able to knock down the wall!!

By Labeed Abdal

F

acebook purchased WhatsApp, a smart phone application that is only five years old and has nearly 400 million subscribers, for $19 billion. This deal gives us a glimmer of how the economy of the future will be like, after mobile phone networks have improved.

While this is not the first acquisition for Facebook, which had previously bought photo and video sharing app Instagram, the deal to acquire WhatsApp was interesting for many reasons, including the realiable instant messaging service it provides for millions of people around the world, its growing usage which reportedly increases by 1

WhatsApp and Facebook are considered features of superiority in the development of the modern digital world. million users a day, as well as the volume of the deal that surpassed all expectations.

WhatsApp and Facebook are considered features of superiority in the development of the modern digital world, which continues to serve humanity by eliminating distances. But while they have helped people all over the world to stay in touch with their families and loved ones who live thousands of miles away, it is ironic that those digital tools have also made countless people ‘prisoners’ of their smartphones, and a reason to detach them from reality and coexistence with their families.

And when we talk about the influence of social networks on human life, we must also mention applications that read and calculate millions of messages every day to serve marketing, advertising or security purposes.

T

Al-Anbaa

local@kuwaittimes.net

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

kuwait digest

Nicely delivered heavy meal

By Arwa Al-Wagayan

I

watched two Egyptian movies at the cinema in one week. The first one was titled ‘La Mo’akhtha’(Excuse Me), which was written and directed by Amr Salama starring child actor Ahmed Dash. The plot deals with a very important issue - religion - and how a Christian child avoids revealing his religion in fear of being alienated by his schoolmates.

Such a complicated topic was masterly and simply dealt with through simple social situations and nice narration. This film really provides a ‘heavy’ meal lightly. Thanks to the simplicity by which the story is dealt with, it really addresses all age categories highlighting the danger of being different from the majority and fearing exclusion. It is actually a good film in terms of acting, direction and screenplay. The second movie was also Egyptian, titled ‘The Factory Girl’. It is directed by Mohammed Khan and stars Yasmeen Raees and Hani Adel. The story is about a girl who falls in love with a young man working in the same factory. She is overwhelmed by her passion and reveals her love to him. She cares for him, which pleases him though he ignores her and gets engaged to another girl, which marks the start of the poor girl’s agony. She gets pale because of her one-sided love. Everybody starts suspecting her. Rumors spread about her chastity and people start to believe she is pregnant with her beloved’s child.

This movie handled a very important topic, which is how society deals harshly with a woman who reveals her true feelings towards a man and starts considering her a loose woman. All that cost her reputation was falling in love, while a man boasts of such love and gains more respect for it. Though feelings are not gender-

based, societies still direct endless accusations, much cruelty and unfair presumptions to women. Despite the tough political situations Egypt is going through, the Egyptian cinema production was generous, deep and beautiful with great direction, well-written plots and creative acting because true creativity knows not wars and peace. Therefore, I really salute Egyptian dramatists for addressing such sensitive and important social issues. After all, that is the real role of drama - to highlight injustice befalling on others.

Gulf dreams Meanwhile, I feel so sorry for Gulf dramas, namely that of Kuwait which has not gone any farther than silly series with overused themes and plots that discuss insignificant uses.

Unfortunately, despite the financial abundance and availability of all potentials, Gulf cinema has not gone far beyond some coy attempts. We do wish that drama can be dedicated to address our real problems in Kuwait and tend to find solutions, or at least discuss issues related to facts around us, not the silly untrue imagination of some untalented writers!

Finally, I hope Kuwaiti series would stop showing rich or poor uncles, repeated family problems, marble-clad houses, faintings, hospital scenes or grief and fear because of the presence of a cruel family member. There are more important issue to tackle such as the housing problem, soaring real estate prices, unemployment and political instability. These are all issues that need to be simply exposed without overacting, over-directing or overuse of makeup! —Al-Jarida

he Kuwait Declaration announced at the conclusion of the Arab Summit that the country hosted recently contained two contradicting issues, or it seems to be the case for those who are ever skeptical about Arab regimes’ positions. In addition to the usual promises of ‘asserting Arab cooperation and resolving the Palestinian issue,’ the recent summit made sure to announce ‘combating and uprooting’ terrorism, while at the same time supporting the ‘Syrian revolution’, and the Syrian people’s right of freedom and democracy.

Fighting terrorism and supporting the Syrian revolution are two opposing things that cannot meet. ‘Syrian revolutionists’ that Arab states are supporting today are the same fundamentalists and leaders of terrorism that those states claim to be fighting. And while the summit’s declaration mentions supporting the Syrian coalition, it does not specifically describe the coalition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people. This point, which has been noticed by editors of the local press, means that the door is left open for ‘other’ legitimate representatives that receive support from Arab countries, and Gulf states in specific. In this case, those representatives are the same representatives of extremism and terrorism that the Arab League claims to be fighting.

Until now, the situation could be a little bit acceptable. But when countries that in the most part lack democracy demand that the Syrian people enjoy freedom and democracy, the same freedom and democracy that the people of countries supporting the ‘democratic revolution’ are deprived from, then we can say that those demands are strange and doubtful.

Single opinion This means that the terrorism that Arab states claim to be fighting is the one which is targeting the stability of Arab regimes. But the ‘terrorism’ practiced by the regimes themselves when they reject others’ right of expressing opinions and force their own beliefs on others, this form of ‘terrorism’ is acceptable.

Arab states issued legislations to ‘legalize’ oppression and force a single opinion, and even went as far as protecting them such as the case of Kuwait’s media law. This is terrorism in particular the source, foundation and roots of which these regimes make sure to feed and take care of.

The first step to fighting terrorism is to spread tolerance and allow others to express their opinions freely, side by side with the ruling party or ‘majority’s’ opinion.

Arab regimes which claim to be fighting terrorism are fighting different opinions, disdain others, and ban pluralism and the right to be different. And this, once again, is terrorism in particular. —Al-Qabas

in my view

American role in Mideast

By Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

U

It is important after Geneva’s failure to go back to the S President Barack Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia (March 28-29) was a well-timed and urgently need- basics in which most Syrians believe, as well as a majority of ed opportunity to discuss US policies in the region, nations as evidenced by the voting at the United Nations in particular with regard to Syria and Iran. One objective of and the Arab League meeting in Kuwait last week. First, the the visit was to ensure that whatever differences of opinion Syrian regime has lost its legitimacy and that the Syrian existed between Saudi Arabia and the US should not be people have chosen the National Coalition for the Forces of allowed to weaken their strategic partnership. Equally Resistance and Revolution as their legitimate representaimportant, the meeting was an occasion to reassess the sit- tive. Second, all means of support should be accorded to uation in Syria in light of the failure of Geneva II and Russia’s the Coalition; a reversal is needed soon on the ban on providing the opposition with sophisticated weapons, to neuactions in Ukraine.

Last month, Saudi Arabia and the US marked the 69th tralize the regime’s airpower, which it has used to destroy anniversary of the historical meeting between President indiscriminately whole towns and neighborhoods.

Franklin Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz, the founder of Robust approach modern Saudi Arabia, which took place on Feb.14, 1945.

Stepped up training of opposition fighters is also essenThat historical meeting laid the foundation of a special strategic relationship that has endured many crises and dis- tial. So it was welcome news from Washington last month that the Obama administration was rethinking its options in agreements over the past decades.

However, as I pointed out last month (“Will Saudi-US Syria. The region was looking for a more robust US relations endure Syria’s debacle?”, the Syrian conflict has approach to the problem. Similarly, the interim nuclear deal tested the Saudi-US pact as never before. The US decision to the US and its western allies have reached with Iran has not embark with Russia on the “Geneva process” turned out to reassured its neighbors, nor has it led to improvements in be failure. Instead of bringing Syria closer to peace, it has Iran’s regional behavior. Iran and its regional allies have intensified their efforts to destaallowed the Assad regime to bilize the region. escalate its onslaught against US officials have repeatedly civilians and regain much of the The US belief in the asserted that they “will not make ground it had lost to the opposia bad Iran deal,” that “no deal is tion. That reversal of the opposiGeneva process turned better than a bad deal,” and that tion’s fortunes is due in part to they were determined to stop the fact that while the US out to be misplaced. For Iran from acquiring a military reduced its support for the one, the Syrian regime nuclear capability. But what do opposition, Assad’s allies upped these words mean? Is a “good their support for the regime, cynically exploited the deal” one that ignores the fracwith heavy weapons, military process to gain time and tious nature of Iranian politics advisers and fighters. the fact that a deal reached The US belief in the Geneva reverse opposition gains. and may not bind other forces in the process turned out to be miscountry? Is a good deal one that placed. For one, the Syrian takes the words of Iran’s new regime cynically exploited the process to gain time and reverse opposition gains. It hid government at face value, without requiring robust and behind the “respectability” of Geneva, while continuing its permanent international supervision of all its nuclear facilibrutal attacks. It refused to discuss the formation of the ties?

Without ironclad guarantees that Iran would not devel“transitional governing authority,” which was the main principle underpinning Geneva I and the key objective of op a military nuclear capability, the deal would not reassure Geneva II. It was understood that Assad will have no place Iran’s neighbors and could lead to a fervent regional nuclear in that authority, after he has slaughtered tens of thousands arms race. Equally important, is a “good deal” one that slows of his own people, made millions of them homeless and down Iran’s development of nuclear weapons while freeing inflicted unspeakable torture on the tens of thousands that its hand in Syria, to enable the regime to annihilate its he has detained. But Assad’s supporters now openly flout opponents, at unspeakable human cost? Is a “good deal” that understanding and insist on a role for him in upcoming one that allows Iran to continue its efforts to arm and fund “elections.” In other words, the regime has made a travesty sectarian militias and stir religious divisions throughout the out of Geneva. Similarly, Russia seems to have drawn the region?

The US President has surely heard during his visit to wrong lessons. Its annexation of Crimea and saber-rattling elsewhere in Ukraine appear to be inspired by that process: Riyadh over the weekend what Saudis and others think of Its actions are premised on a belief that the US would not US policies in the region. More importantly, the facts on the try to stop them, and could not if it wanted to. As in Syria, by ground in Ukraine, Syria and the region as a whole, make it utilizing its veto power at the UN Security Council, it also clear that those policies are due for a reassessment. Saudis and the region as a whole are awaiting the fulfillment of US prevented attempts to mobilize international action.

The Syrian regime’s actions during and since Geneva promises of exploring new approaches to the region’s probmake it clear that diplomacy is not a substitute for action on lems, which could rehabilitate the US image and internathe ground to bolster moderate opposition, in the face of tional role and return the Saudi-US strategic partnership to its historical path. both the regime and extremist groups.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

LOCAL

Olympic scholarships initiative ‘success’ KUWAIT: An Olympic initiative which provides training scholarships to Olympic athletes in their discipline has “proved a success” judging from their results in the recent Sochi Winter Olympics, said International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach.

At a speech he made at the opening of the Olympic Solidarity Commission meeting in Kuwait he said that as recipients of the two-year OSC-funded scholarships were winning medals at Sochi 2014, this was a very clear signal that these efforts were “on the right track”. Of the 76 National Olympic Committees, 71 qualified for Sochi 2014 and 244 of the 382 scholarship athletes qualified to take part in the Games. Of these, 10 won

medals, comprised of four gold, one silver and five bronze medals. In addition, 11 of the larger NOCs were given tailor-made scholarships to distribute at their discretion. Four of the 11 NOCs won a medal, comprised of three gold and one silver. Japan NOC received this tailor-made grant and focused on four athletes, one of whom, Yuzuru Hanyu, won the men s figure skating gold medal. Hanyu is from Sendai, and his home ice rink was destroyed in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami; Japan NOC used the OSC scholarship to pay for him to train in Toronto, Canada, for two years. Of 15 team support grants, 11 teams qualified for Sochi and one NOC won a bronze medal.

“I congratulate Sheikh Ahmad and all the members of this commission on the great success of the Sochi Winter Olympics and can only encourage you in this way,” he added. He added that, as time goes by more funding is being needed in order to support this initiative.

Right direction For his part, OSC Chairman Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said the scholarship for winter sports athletes had proved to be a great success at Sochi.

“The roadmap proposed for this commission is going in the right direction and we will keep working to achieve the goals of

A group picture of visitors and Dasman Diabetics Institute officials.

DDI recognized as a GCC diabetes reference center Great awareness efforts needed

Dr Kazem Behbehani, Direcot General of Dasman Diabetes Institute

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Dasman Diabetics Institute (DDI) is celebrating yet another achievement since it was established in 2006 by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), after it was officially recognized as a GCC reference center for diabetes care.

The recognition was announced by member of the executive board of the GCC health ministers’ council Dr Qais Al-Duwairi, who said the health ministry is not the only body that is concerned with diabetes, but the disease has been tackled by various societal institutions too. “We are interested in the new generation that is exposed to stress as well as physical inactivity and smoking, all of which require great awareness efforts and programs,”

Dr Qais Al Duwairi, Dr Kazem Behbehani and Dr Tawfik Khoja Duwairi said. ing in children as young as 10 years, The Dasman Diabetics Institute has “which is unfortunate”. This will have carried out major efforts against dia- an effect not only children, but also betes and prepared awareness, edu- on parents. “The country depends on cational and treatment programs, the future of these nationals, who will while the health ministry gave its sup- be having difficulties to make it to the port by providing manpower and the age of 40,” he warned. The important requirements needed for success. thing is how to deal with this, how to Duwairi said the institute is a bright educate, how to make sure they exerspot at the Gulf level in research, edu- cise and how can we ensure behavior cation and treatment, and hoped that changes in schools, he added. it will be recognized internationally “We are doing a lot of research on too. He also called for effective social diabetes, and there is a scientific advicontributions. sory board which advises us on how Meanwhile, Sheikha Intisar Salem to approach schools. We can even Al-Ali Al-Sabah said, “We are proud to look at the problems that will lead us have such a credible institution in to make the changes, along with Kuwait that is recognized all over the behavioral changes,” Behbehani said. world, and it is a great honor for us to “We educate children in schools and become a reference center in the invite them to the Dasman institute.

GCC.” Dasman Diabetics Institute We are noticing a gradual understandDirector General Dr Kazim Behbehani ing, and hope they will take what they told Kuwait Times that because of the learn home, so parents will undertype of food and changes in behavior stand the issue and be more aware,” and lifestyle, diabetes is now appear- he said.

Help to ehnance GCC industrial sectors MUSCAT: GCC Secretary General Abdullateef Al-Zayani asserted yesterday GCC countries’ keenness on improving Gulf industries through adopting programs and strategic plans that would help enhance the industrial sector.

Al-Zayani said in a statement, at the opening session of the 14th GCC Industrialists Conference in Muscat, said that the GCC Industries’ system is based on integration and building modern Industrial areas that would support giant development projects and faciliate exports.

“The Industries are also based on bolstering the private sector and speed up implementations of GCC Customs Union, and principes of joint GCC markets,” Al-Zayani added.—KUNA

Olympic Solidarity, IOC and the Olympic movement,” said Sheikh Ahmad.

Following the meeting, the Director of the Olympic Solidarity Commission, Pere Miro, explained that three main topics had been discussed, namely to assess the results of scholarship recipients in the most recent Sochi Winter Olympics, media and communications assistance and budget issues pertaining to NOCs. “Here today we have analysed the results of all those scholarship holders and I guess the results are very satisfactory for the members of the commission,” added Miro, who is also the IOC National Olympic Committees Relations Director.

“It’s not our objective but some of these

athletes they got some medals in Sochi and we are very happy.” The meeting also “approved a plan to support the NOCs to create their website for those who have not (got a website)” as around 45 NOCs in the world do not have a website and the commission hopes that they will all have one in a year’s time. The commission will also help some NOCs in creating a database containing information on athletes, coaches and officials, he added.

In conclusion, the commission discussed budgetary issues between NOCs and the IOC for the fiscal 2009/12 year, and “everybody has justified that the money they received has been used with high efficiency.” —KUNA

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

LOCAL

Prostitute to ‘teens’ nabbed at local hotel Murder threat at Riqqa school KUWAIT: Police arrested an Arab woman Sunday morning on charges of offering sexual services to teenagers for money. According to the police report, detectives at the Juveniles Investigations Office began recently looking into information about a prostitute who targeted underage boys. Investigations soon confirmed that the woman’s phone number was circulated by a ‘considerable number’ of teenagers.

Following a monitoring period, police obtained a warrant to raid an hotel apartment they believed the suspect used to practice her illegal activity. The woman was arrested inside the apartment where police also found two teenagers. She was taken to the authorities for further action.

Body identified Detectives were able to identify a man whose body was found recently at the Adaire’a desert, discovering that he was an Asian man who

worked for a Kuwaiti citizen living in Fahd Al-Ahmad. According to the investigations, the man was reported missing on June 19, 2013, or 9 months before his body was found.

And while investigations are still ongoing to determine the circumstances behind his death, police summoned his employer for questioning regarding the circumstances behind his disappearance.

Bribe offered to exit Kuwait A man faces charges after he offered a bribe to airport police in order to help a fugitive exit the country. According to the police report, a passports counter officer approached the chief detective at the Kuwait International Airport and told him that an Egyptian man offered him KD 1,200 to help his friend bypass his travel ban and get out of the country. The officer received permission to lure the suspect into a trap. The man was arrest-

ed red-handed as police documented the process. Police detectives simultaneously detained his friend who admitted to planning to escape to his home country of Egypt before he is convicted for rape he committed in Kuwait. Police referred the two to the public prosecution, and provided photo and video evidence showing the first suspect handing the bribe money to the officer.

Murder threat Riqqa detectives are looking to identify a suspect who threatened to burn down a girl’s high school in the area and kill students on April 15. Police were called to the school after teaching staff found leaflets containing warnings to set the school ablaze and ‘assassinate’ students in revenge against a teacher who was named in the leaflets. One of the teachers gave police during questioning information of a stu-

dent who she saw putting the flyers in the science lab. Preliminary investigations indicate that the student who has disputes with the teacher mentioned in the flyers is allegedly responsible for the threats.

Nevertheless, they are taking the threats seriously as they plan to summon the student identified during questioning with teaching staff for questioning.

Fatal crash A man died in an accident on Mina Abdullah road. The circumstances behind the accident remain undetermined. Paramedics and police headed to the scene in response to an emergency call, which reported that a vehicle lost balance and overturned at the side of the road. The Asian man was pronounced dead at the scene before criminal investigators were called. The body was taken to the forensic department and a case was filed for investigations.

Stage ready for Gulf Petroleum Forum KUWAIT: The Secretary-General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) Abbas Ali Al-Naqi stressed the strategic importance of GCC countries as they provide the entire world with 23% of its oil needs and about 12% of its needs from natural gas, indicating that GCC countries possess 39% of the international oil reserves and 21% of the natural gas reserves.

In a press statement during his participation in the 2nd Gulf Petroleum Forum, Al-Naqi said this term of the forum, which is held on April 7 and 8 in participation of several GCC and Arab governmental authorities and companies from the public and private sectors, succeeds the first term which managed ostensibly to spotlight the strategic importance of the Arabian Gulf area. In addition, it stressed the necessity of coping with the territorial changes and their reflections on the international oil markets.

He clarified that the importance of this forum is stemmed out from the significant role which the State of Kuwait plays along with other GCC countries in the oil sector, as Kuwait possesses huge oil reserves; in addition, it seeks to bring and apply the latest technologies applied in exploration, drilling, transport and export fields.

He further confirmed that the State of Kuwait is keen on enhancing coordination among GCC countries and all OAPEC member countries concerning

all territorial and international fields to tackle all issues related to oil resources and the challenges which such vital industry confronts. Moreover, it seeks devotedly to reinforce the concept of ‘energy security’ in the region and the entire world to keep

Abbas Ali Al-Naqi providing the supplies of oil and gas from the Arabian Gulf area and countries of the Middle East to the entire world believing that the concept of ‘energy security’ means security of supplies and security of demand on energy.

He went on to say that OAPEC plays a pioneering

role in bolstering coordination among the concerned authorities which manage energy cases to serve the interests of OAPEC member countries. This manifests clearly through the coordinative meetings which the organization convenes in different fields among which the climate changes. Add to this the daily meetings which are held among OAPEC member countries, OPEC member countries, the Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council to tackle cases of mutual concern. He also hailed the role which OAPEC member countries play to reinforce common collaboration among each other to activate such pioneering role.

With reference to the importance of the 2nd Gulf Petroleum Forum, Al-Naqi said the activities of the forum this time coincide with an increasing concern in the development plan of the Gulf oil sector to provide an appropriate opportunity for the international companies to be acquainted with the latest developments in the Gulf oil sector in general and the activities and huge projects which will be floated in the State of Kuwait in particular. He indicated the forum is tasked with handling issues regarding oil and gas industry and petrochemical industry technically, economically and commercially; in addition to discussing the substantial role of such vital industry in the process of comprehensive development which is taking place in GCC countries particularly in the State of Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Hawally Municipality Emergency team raided a food warehouse, that belongs to a mill in Salmiya that contained 1451 tons of expired food stuff, 105 liters of oil and dates vinegar. Head of Hawally emergency team Riyadh Al-Rabee said the expired food included beans, thyme, dried apricots, dates pastery, white chocolate, various spices in addition to the oil and vinegar. —By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Empty liquor bottles found in the stairway of a commercial and residential complex in Kuwait City.

NATO, Gulf states to celebrate 10 years of ICI BRUSSELS: NATO and four Gulf countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) this week on sidelines of a two-day NATO foreign ministers meeting which begins here today.

The event will be held tomorrow, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told reporters yesterday.

“This is an opportunity to build on our cooperation and also mark the tenth anniversary of this initiative,” she noted.

Meanwhile, a senior NATO official speaking on the condition of anonymity told journalists that the ICI “format is open to addition of the other two Gulf states (Oman and Saudi Arabia) which at

the moment are not members of the ICI should they wish to join.”

But the official added that “we don’t expect a discussion on this topic.”

He said he did not have the names of the officials representing the Gulf countries at the meeting tomorrow but said that “for the most part it will be at ministerial level.”

NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, launched at the Alliance’s Summit in the Turkish city in June 2004, aims to contribute to long-term global and regional security by offering countries of the broader Middle East region practical bilateral security cooperation with NATO. Meanwhile, Lungescu said NATO min-

isters in their meeting tomorrow will discuss the situation around Ukraine and review relations with Russia and prepare the agenda of the next NATO summit in Wales in early September.

NATO ministers will also meet the foreign minister of Ukraine followed by a meeting on the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has also been invited to join the NATO foreign ministers meeting.

Tomorrow, NATO foreign ministers will discuss Afghanistan with their counterparts from non-NATO countries contributing troops to ISAF in the presence of Afghan foreign minister Zarar Osmani, she said. —KUNA

Gulf widens between Qatar, neighbors DUBAI: US President Barack Obama visited Saudi Arabia at a critical moment for the country. Its recent decision to withdraw its ambassador from Qatar has revealed the gravity of the crisis in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), composed of Saudia Arabia’s most immediate neighbors. Gulf politics is shifting toward a new balance in the wake of the Saudi-United Arab Emirates rapprochement and the recent attempt to isolate Qatar.

The UAE and Bahrain have joined Saudi Arabia in downgrading relations with Qatar. This is an unusual move, considering the Arabian Gulf states’ tradition of treating political disagreements as a family matter, to be handled behind the scenes. Oman is keeping its distance from the situation, while Kuwait has attempted to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Several factors are driving Saudi Arabia’s moves against Qatar, which include a ban prohibiting Saudi intellectuals from contributing to Qatari newspapers. There is Qatar’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood (in Egypt and elsewhere); the speeches by the Islamic theologian Yusuf Al-Qardawi and the broadcasting policy of Qatar-funded Al Jazeera since the Arab Spring; and the credence given to the view that Qatar is hosting Western institutions with the intent of orchestrating a coup in Saudia Arabia.

That view reflects the Saudis’ tough stance against the Muslim Brotherhood, which they have declared a terrorist organization. The Saudis perceive the Brotherhood’s influence in Arab countries, particularly the Gulf states, as a serious threat to their internal stability and survival.

The voluntary abdication by Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in June 2013, and his replacement as Amir by his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, failed to satisfy Saudi expectations of change in Qatari foreign policy. And now the Saudis have made it clear that they have reached the limits of their patience.

But Saudi Arabia’s attitude toward Qatar may generate some difficulties for its own policy. There is considerable transnational movement of goods and services, and billions of dollars of crossborder investment, across the Gulf - economic activity that would be endangered by the GCC’s further disintegration.

Harsh policies The Muslim Brotherhood is not a violent organization, and it has not engaged in illegal activities in the Gulf countries. Other GCC states, eager to avoid escalating political tensions in their own countries, are unlikely to declare it a terrorist organization.

Even Saudi Arabia’s special relationship with Jordan will not

push its government to adopt such a declaration. For the time being, harsh policies toward the Muslim Brotherhood are likely to be confined to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The problem for the Saudis is that simply “correcting” the Qatari position cannot change the political trajectory within the region - particularly in Syria and Egypt.

Moreover, the Saudis’ imposition of their preferred policies on the GCC, together with the possibility of sanctions on Qatar, risks jeopardizing all that the GCC (which already has fallen into political decline in the wake of the Arab Spring) has achieved the past 33 years. Although Qatar’s rulers are concerned about the Saudis’ growing antipathy toward them, they have shown no indications of submitting to Saudi demands that they change course.

Given the impact on regional geopolitics of the recent interim nuclear deal between Iran and the West, Saudi Arabia’s alienation of its neighbors is all the more hazardous.

Making matters worse, it is clear that disagreements within the GCC can no longer be resolved behind closed doors, and that member states are unable to air them publicly without risking a diplomatic rupture.

Across the region, minorities are feeling more empowered and citizens are making ever-stronger demands for better government. There is a burgeoning desire for a future that dispenses with traditional policies based on fear and anger.

Power broker In this context, Saudi policy seems to be stuck in the past, and the Saudis have chosen to adopt a strategy of self-help in order to isolate itself from problems outside its borders, though it continues to regard itself as the region’s power broker. The sudden rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and the UAE resulted not from the attractiveness of Saudi policy, but from their rulers’ shared perception that there is a dearth of political options.

It would, of course, be wiser to address the real problems facing GCC governments, which range from embittered minorities to economies that are unable to create enough jobs for young people. But resolving these issues would require an inclusive and accommodating approach, both domestically and regionally, and Saudi Arabia, in particular, is not prepared to take that route.

The gulf impasse will exacerbate the already-fragile situation in the Middle East. Regional political realities, transnational interaction and the common search for a better future should, eventually, prevail over policies geared for repression, discipline and order. —Gulf News

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Kerry in Israel as peace talks near collapse

Pakistan court indicts Musharraf for treason Page 11

Page 8

PARIS: In this May 17, 2012 file photo, French President Francois Hollande, center, and Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, 5th left first row, pose with ministers after the first weekly cabinet at the Elysee Palace in Paris. France’s government has resigned yesterday ahead of a reshuffle that comes 24 hours after President Francois Hollande’s Socialists suffered losses in nationwide municipal elections seen as a referendum on his leadership. — AP

Hollande names new PM after poll rout PARIS: French President Francois Hollande chose centrist Interior Minister Manuel Valls as his new prime minister yesterday, a coalition source said, replacing Jean-Marc Ayrault who quit after the ruling Socialists were trounced in local elections.

The 51-year-old Valls has been compared with “New Labour” former British premier Tony Blair both for his pro-business ideas and his dashing style. He is a bogeyman to the Socialist left, having proposed changing the party’s name and criticised the flagship 35-hour work week it pioneered over a decade ago.

The choice of Valls, the Barcelona-born son of Spanish immigrant parents, suggested Hollande is set to amplify an EU-mandated shift towards pro-market economic reforms and public spending cuts rather than turn back as left-wingers demanded.

Political commentators have compared Valls, who has taken a tough line on crime and Roma migrants, with former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy, who earned his spurs as a security hardliner in the same ministerial position.

Speculation of a cabinet reshuffle mounted after Ayrault acknowledged he and his ministers bore part of the blame for Sunday’s defeat, which saw 155 towns swing to the centre-right UMP and the far-right National Front claim 11.

The coalition source confirmed local media reports of Valls’ nomination in a brief text message. Minutes earlier, Ayrault’s office announced the prime minister had tendered his resignation to Hollande, who was to broadcast a recorded message to the nation at 8 p.m.

(1800 GMT).

“I don’t see how there won’t be a major reshuffle,” Francois Rebsamen, a Socialist senator and long-time Hollande ally, told Reuters, noting that polls show the French did not trust the government to turn around unemployment of more than 10 percent.

‘Punishment’ Facing the lowest popularity levels of any president in the 56-year-old Fifth Republic, Hollande changed tack earlier this year towards a more pro-business stance aimed at spurring investment and jobs through cuts in corporate social charges.

The president has said a mid-April vote in parliament on his “responsibility pact” package of 30 billion euros ($41.35 billion) in tax cuts for companies will also be a vote of confidence in his government.

Questions were raised over whether he would stick with the reforms as left-wingers said the record abstention rate in the town hall vote showed that working-class voters wanted Hollande to return to his Socialist roots and abandon the pact.

“Don’t be afraid to abandon this path,” said an open letter to Hollande posted on the website of Paris Socialist senator Marie-Noelle Lienemann and signed by fellow left-wingers Jerome Guedj and Emmanuel Maurel.

“Job creation comes from a re-launch of public investment and consumption,” it said, urging Hollande to end a freeze on public sector salaries, raise the minimum salary and pensions.

Weeks before France must present the EU with new detailed plans to bring down its public deficit, the letter said the government should simply ignore the demands of the EU stability pact committing it to a deficit under three percent of output.

Data released yesterday showed the public deficit stood at 4.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, above the government’s 4.1 percent target.

Provisional results from Sunday’s voting showed the anti-EU National Front party of Marine Le Pen taking control of 11 towns across the country plus one district in Marseille, surpassing a past record in the 1990s when it ruled in four towns.

“Punishment”, read a front-page headline in the left-leaning Liberation newspaper. The National Front’s wins were largely in the south, which has a tradition of anti-immigrant feeling. But it also took power in northern towns such as Henin-Beaumont and Hayange, which are suffering from France’s industrial decline.

“This result is proof that we can win on a grand scale,” Le Pen told BFM T V, adding that the vote showed her party could win European Parliament elections due in late May. Pollster Ipsos on Sunday put the FN narrowly behind the UMP for the EU vote, with the Socialists trailing in third place. The FN now has a fresh chance to show it can be trusted with power after its attempts to run towns in the 1990s were widely judged to have exposed its failings, hurting its electoral fortunes for years afterwards.

In some consolation for Hollande, Socialists retained control of Paris city hall, with their candidate Anne Hidalgo due to become the first female mayor there. — Reuters

Six killed in blast in Kenyan capital NAIROBI: An explosion in an area of Kenya’s capital Nairobi that is popular with Somalis killed six people and wounded several others yesterday, the National Disaster Operations Centre said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. In the past, such attacks in the Eastleigh area of Nairobi have been blamed on Somalia’s al Shabaab Islamist group, which attacked a Nairobi shopping mall in September and killed at least 67 people.

“Police are securing the area for emergency response services,” the disaster organisation said on its official Twitter site. Nine people were critically injured,

it added.

Nairobi’s police commander Benson Kibui told Reuters the incident might have involved twin blasts.

He confirmed the five dead and said he was seeking confirmation of a sixth killed.

Ambulances and private cars ferried injured to hospital, a witness said. On Sunday, a man suspected of assembling a bomb was killed when it went off where he lived near Eastleigh, Kenyan newspapers reported.

The Standard daily, which cited police and witnesses, had said three men who lived with the victim fled in a car shortly after Sunday’s blast. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

Bahrain jails 13 for life over protest, attack: Lawyer MANAMA: Thirteen Bahrainis were sentenced to life in prison after they were convicted of trying to kill two policemen by attacking their vehicle and of taking part in an illegal protest, their lawyer said yesterday.

Another man was jailed for 10 years over the same attack and protest - one of a string of clashes that have continued to erupt since mostly Shi’ite Muslims took to the streets in 2011 to demand more say in the Sunni-ruled, Western-allied kingdom.

The sentences, handed out on Sunday, come days ahead of Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix - an annual event which has been cancelled once, then staged amid heavy security since the demonstrations began.

The island kingdom, home to the US Fifth Fleet, quelled early mass protests with help from forces from neighbouring Sunni power Saudi Arabia.

But sporadic protests have continued and security forces have come under attack from home made bombs. One of

three blasts this month killed three policemen, including one from the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain has accused Shi’ite power Iran of fomenting the unrest. Iran denies having links to Bahrain’s opposition or any hand in the violence, but it says it is supportive of Shi’ites there. Bahraini media said Sunday’s defendants were accused of attacking two officers in March 2012 as young men threw Molotov cocktails at police during a protest in the Shi’ite village of Bilad al-

Qadeem. Lawyer Mohammed al-Tajer said he would file an appeal. “Of course I am going to ask for an appeal. Most of the accused didn’t even admit that they committed the crime,” Tajer told Reuters, adding that the accused ranged in age from 16-34. The government had no immediate comment. Last week, the country’s criminal court sentenced 26 Bahrainis to 10 years in jail each for attacking a police station in Sitra in Bahrain’s northeast, a defence lawyer said. Among those convicted was photo

journalist Ahmed Humaidan, his lawyer Fadhel al-Sawad said, adding that his client was innocent and had not been present at the scene of the attack and that he would appeal.

Two more Bahrainis were given three-year jail sentences for possessing flammable containers, he said. Unrest in 2011 forced the cancellation of the annual Grand Prix, but the event went ahead in 2012 and 2013, alongside unrest. The next race is due to take place on April 4-6 .—Reuters

11 ancient burial boxes recovered in Israel JERUSALEM: The Israeli Antiquities Authority unveiled 11 ancient burial boxes yesterday that were recovered by the Israeli Police early Friday morning.

Officials say the boxes are 2,000 years old. Some are engraved with designs and even names, giving clues to their origin and contents. The boxes contain bone fragments and remnants of what experts say is pottery buried with the deceased.

The authority says the boxes were recovered last Friday in Jerusalem when police observed a suspicious

nighttime transaction involving two cars, four individuals and the 11 boxes. Once police realized the boxes were of archaeological significance, they alerted the Antiquities Authority.

It is not yet clear how the suspects got hold of the boxes.

Two of the suspects are still being held and the others are under house arrest, according to the authority.

These boxes, or ossuaries, are believed to originate from the Second Temple Period.

Experts say they are from within a 1.3 mile (2 km) radius of Jerusalem.

JERUSALEM: Israeli archeologist Eitan Klein of the Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit points at an engraved detail on one of the 11 ancient coffins containing Jewish bones from the Second Temple period after they were recovered from thieves, yesterday at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. Police and antiquities inspectors have arrested a gang accused of looting the ancient Jewish burial caskets from a cave in the Jerusalem area, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said. — AFP

The Antiquities Authority already has in its possession over 1,000 of these ancient boxes. But deputy director of the authority Dr. Eitan Klein said that each box was significant.

“We can learn from each ossuary about a different aspect of language, art and burial practice,” he said. “And we can learn about the soul of the person.” Some of the boxes feature elaborate engravings, which Klein says is indicative of wealth and a high social status of the deceased. Two were inscribed with names - Yoezer and Ralphine.

According to common Jewish practice of the time, the deceased were not buried but laid out in a cave for one year. Afterword the bones were then gathered and stored in the special boxes.

Dr. Klein offered two potential possibilities for how the sellers obtained these boxes. The first he said was that thieves had actively gone looting in an old cave. The second possibility is that a burial cave was uncovered inadvertently during a construction project or excavation.

According to Israeli antiquities law, all antiquities discovered or found within Israel are considered property of the state.

The boxes were recovered in the vicinity of the Shafat police station near the Israeli settlement of Neveh Yaakov. Dr. Klein assumes that they originated near Mt. Scopus.

In the past, allegations of forgery have been made over certain ossuaries and their inscriptions. But Dr. Klein took careful note of their engravings and contents. “These ossuaries are authentic,” he said. “Everything here smells authentic.” — AP

JERUSALEM: US Secretary of State John Kerry, right, meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, yesterday, for a previously unannounced stop in Israel to continue working on talks about the Middle East peace process. — AP

Kerry in Israel as peace talks near collapse ‘Israel is practising a policy of blackmail’ JERUSALEM: US Secretary of State John Kerry flew yesterday to Tel Aviv on his latest mission to salvage peace talks after the Palestinians rejected an Israeli proposal for extending negotiations. US peace efforts are teetering on the brink of collapse after Israel refused to free a group of 26 veteran Palestinian prisoners under an agreement which brought the sides back to the negotiating table in July 2013.

Furious Palestinian officials have warned that unless Israel changes its stance on the prisoner releases, it could signal the end of the talks.

Kerry’s arrival in Tel Aviv came as the Palestinian leadership was to meet in the West Bank town of Ramallah to discuss the latest standoff. The unscheduled visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories came soon after a Palestinian official confirmed Ramallah had rejected an Israeli offer to extend talks beyond an April 29 deadline.

With his work cut out, Kerry is likely to hold meetings in Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah today.

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Kerry’s team had been working with both parties to “agree on a path forward”.

“After consulting with his team, Secretary Kerry decided it would be productive to return to the region,” she told reporters in Paris shortly before departing for Tel Aviv.

Washington has been fighting an uphill battle to coax the two sides into

accepting a framework proposal which would extend the negotiations beyond April 29 to the end of the year.

But the question of extending the talks has become intricately tied up with the fate of the 26 prisoners.

Just a day ahead of the expected releases, Israel said it would not free detainees convicted of deadly attacks unless the Palestinians would commit to extending the negotiations. But the Palestinians say they will not even discuss any extension of the negotiating period unless Israel frees the prisoners. The impasse has triggered “intense” US efforts to resolve the dispute, with Kerry speaking with both sides earlier yesterday.

Israel’s ‘blackmail policy’ Ahead of Kerr y ’s arrival, a Palestinian official told AFP the leadership had rejected an Israeli proposal to resolve the dispute that was laid out at a meeting of the two negotiating teams in Jerusalem on Sunday night.

“Israel made a proposal which was refused by the Palestinians,” he said.

“Israel is practising a policy of blackmail and linking its agreement to releasing the fourth batch of prisoners with the Palestinians accepting to extend the negotiations,” he said.

In exchange for Palestinian agreement to continue the talks, Israel had offered to free the fourth batch of detainees and to release another 420 others. But that number would

involve only common law criminals and not sick detainees, women or children. And it would not include political heavyweights.

And although the Israelis were offering a partial settlement freeze in the West Bank, it would not be extended to annexed east Jerusalem, nor would it cover construction where tenders had already been published.

“The Israeli proposal aims to continue the negotiations indefinitely, without any results, in parallel with continued settlement building,” he charged, saying such policies posed a “real danger” to the peace process.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the fate of the US-brokered peace process would likely be sealed within the coming days, telling ministers: “Either the matter will be resolved or it will blow up.”

And he said any deal to extend the negotiations would have to be put to the cabinet. Also on Sunday, Kerry said the US would reserve judgement on the issues but that the time to make decisions was at hand.

“We’ll see where we are tomorrow (Monday) when some judgements have to be made,” he said. It was Kerry’s first visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories since early January, although he has held face-toface meetings with both Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in Europe and the United States. He also met Abbas last week in Amman.— AFP

Former Israel PM convicted of bribery TEL AVIV: A Tel Aviv court yesterday found former premier Ehud Olmert guilty of bribery linked to a Jerusalem property development, in one of the worst corruption scandals in Israeli history.

At a lengthy hearing in Tel Aviv District Court presided over by Judge David Rosen, Olmert was convicted on two counts of bribery, making him the first former premier to be convicted of the offence.

The trial, which included 16 defendants and took place over two years, was linked to the construction of the massive Holyland residential complex when Olmert served as the city’s mayor. In 2010, Olmert was named the key suspect in the so-called Holyland affair on suspicion that he received hundreds of thousands of shekels for helping developers get the construction project past various legal and planning obstacles.

The towering construction project, which dominates the city’s skyline, is seen as a major blot on the landscape and widely reviled as a symbol of highlevel corruption.

“We’re talking about corrupt and filthy practices,” Judge Rosen said in the 700-page verdict which branded Olmert as a liar. Olmert reportedly sat expressionless throughout the verdict as the judge spoke at length of a “corrupt political system which has decayed over the years... and in which hundreds of thousands of shekels were transferred to elected officials”.

According to the verdict, excerpts of which were seen by AFP, Olmert per-

sonally received bribes to the tune of 560,000 shekels ($160,000/116,000 euros at the current exchange rate), most of which was given to his brother Yossi by a middleman who later turned state’s witness.

Possible jail sentence “ The state ‘s witness bought (Olmert’s) ‘services’ at a price of 500,000 shekels which was transferred to him through his brother,” it said of the main sum, saying the transfer involved eight post-dated cheques of between 50,000 and 80,000 shekels.

Rosen also said the 68-year-old had lied to the court in a bid to “blacken the name” of the state’s witness in a verdict which found 13 of the 16 defendants guilty.

Olmert’s spokesman Jacob Galanti vowed to appeal, the Haaretz news

website reported.

There has been no date set for the sentencing, although the court has ordered deliberations to begin on April 28 in a process which is likely to last several weeks, legal sources said.

Liat Ben Ari, one of the prosecuting lawyers, said it was “still too early” to say whether they would ask for the maximum sentence of seven years.

“Usually the punishment for bribery is prison. Obviously, we have to look at all the circumstances and the full verdict in order to reach a decision,” she told public radio.

Commentators said it was possible Olmert could face a jail term. “You are talking about a man who has already been convicted of corruption in a previous case at Jerusalem District Court,” said Moshe HaNegbi, legal commentator for public radio. —AFP

TEL AVIV: Former Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, center, arrives to the District Court to attend his hearing for a corruption case, in Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday. — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

I N T E R N AT I O N A L US ambassador to India quits after rift WASHINGTON: The US ambassador to India resigned yesterday in the wake of a bitter rift between the usually friendly countries following a diplomat’s arrest in New York. The announcement by Nancy Powell, a veteran diplomat with extensive experience in South Asia, comes days before India heads into elections in which the Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi-formerly a US pariah-is forecast by polls to become prime minister.

Powell, in a brief statement, did not elaborate on her reasons but said that her decision was “planned for some time” and that she will retire by the end of May in the eastern US state of Delaware. She is in her late 60s.

Powell, who has been ambassador for less than two years, submitted her resignation to President Barack Obama and announced her decision at a meeting of staff in New Delhi, said the statement issued by the embassy. She is leaving after the worst crisis between the United States and India since they started building a warmer relationship in the 1990s. India voiced outrage in December when one of its diplomats, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested and strip-searched in New York on charges of underpaying her servant. US diplomats expressed regret over the diplomat’s treatment but appeared to have been blind-sided by the decision taken by prosecutors. Khobragade returned to India under a deal, but prosecutors went ahead in March with a second indictment. In February, Powell took the lead in US policy by meeting with Modi, the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat and candidate for prime minister of the right-leaning Bharatiya Janata Party.

The United States had earlier refused Modi a visa on human rights grounds over anti-Muslim riots in 2002 in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Critics accused Modi of turning a blind eye or worse to the violence, although investigations cleared him of personal blame. Despite the controversy in Washington over Modi, most policymakers agreed that the United States needed to reach out to him due to the likelihood he will become prime minister. Powell, who holds the prestigious title of career ambassador, served as a US diplomat for 37 years and was previously the top US envoy in Ghana, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda. — AFP

CARACAS: Protesters confront with police during a protest againt Venenzuelan president Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Sunday. The student-led protests erupted February 4 in the western border city of San Cristobal and quickly spread to Caracas. At least 39 people have been killed in clashes with security forces since the start of the unrest, the worst challenge yet to the year-old government of President Nicolas Maduro. — AFP

DARRINGTON: A dump truck passes the Darrington Fire Station in early morning light yesterday, in Darrington, Wash. Crews have cleared a path through the muck and devastation wrought by Washington’s deadly mudslide, making the painstaking search for victims easier. The makeshift road completed over the weekend links one side of the 300-acre debris field to the other. — AP

Emergency crews face toxic challenge in Washington 30 still listed as unaccounted OSO: Recovery teams struggling through thick mud up to their armpits and heavy downpours at the site of the devastating landslide in Washington state are facing yet another challenge - an unseen and potentially dangerous stew of toxic contaminants.

Sewage, propane, household solvents and other chemicals lie beneath the surface of the gray mud and rubble that engulfed hundreds of acres of a small, rural community and left dozens dead and missing northeast of Seattle on the morning of March 22. The official death toll stood at 21 yesterday, with 30 people still listed as unaccounted for nine days after a rain-soaked hillside collapsed above the north fork of the Stillaguamish River. County officials planned to present their next update on the status of the recovery operations at 11 a.m. local time on Monday.

Managers of the recovery operation were taking special measures to protect the hundreds of workers on the scene from chemical exposure and to prevent toxic sludge from being carried offsite.

“We’re worried about dysentery, we’re worried about tetanus, we’re worried about contamination,” local fire Lieutenant Richard Burke, a spokesman for the operation, told reporters visiting the disaster site on Sunday. “The last thing we want to do is take any of these contaminants out of here and take them into town, back to our families.”

The torrent of mud released by the slide roared over both stream banks and across state Highway 530, flatten-

New battle rages over death toll from Venezuela crisis CARACAS: After her bus was stopped at a barricade set up by protesters in Venezuela one night last week, a pregnant 28year-old got off to walk home in the dark.

Adriana Urquiola, who worked as a sign language interpreter at a TV station, was returning from a shopping trip.

Moments later, she was shot several times and died. Witnesses say she was hit by a man who got out of a black SUV at the barrier and opened fire with a pistol. But the exact circumstances are unclear and that is often the case when trying to identify the killers in Venezuela’s worst unrest in a decade. Both sides blame the other in many of the roughly three-dozen deaths, and each suspects hardliners among their rivals of morbidly desiring a higher toll for political reasons. The government accuses the opposition of wanting more fatalities to make their case of state-sponsored violence against peaceful rallies and justify international sanctions against members of President Nicolas Maduro’s administration.

The opposition says the government wants a higher toll as it blames the chaos on opposition gunmen and hooded demonstrators blocking roads, and to distract from the issues that started the protests, such as high inflation, food shortages and crime. The drip-drip of new fatalities, and fierce disagreements about what caused them, are driving the political debate and are being used by both sides to rally supporters.

In a country with at least 15,000 homicides last year, there is ample scope for confusion and propaganda. Many of the deaths occurred in chaotic circumstances, often after dark, amid clashes between opposition protesters on one side and pro-government militants or National Guard troops on the other. “Each and every fatality is the fault of the crazy ‘guarimberos’,” Maduro said last week, using the local term for demonstrators who barricade streets. There is little agreement even on how many deaths can be attributed to the turmoil, which began with student protests and intensified when three people were shot dead after a Feb. 12 opposition rally in downtown Caracas.

The government says 39 people have died while the oppo-

sition says the toll is 28. More than 550 people have been injured. The dead include supporters of both camps and members of the security forces. Prosecutors have accused at least 20 people in connection with the deaths, but in most cases have not released enough details to verify who is responsible.

Few details are universally agreed on in any of the other cases. Both sides’ lists show that at least 18 victims were killed by unidentified gunmen, although they blame their foes.

The government says 10 people were killed while trying to get through or dismantle barricades, many of them felled by gunshots that it blames - without definitive proof - on armed opposition hardliners wanting to keep the barriers in place.

Also without compelling evidence, opponents blame bands of pro-Maduro militants on motorcycles for opening fire on protesters. And the government includes among victims of the protests two elderly women who died because the ambulances taking them to hospitals for emergency treatment were held up in traffic gridlock caused by protesters’ barricades.

Rival claims Confusing matters further, both sides accuse each other of sending disguised troublemakers to infiltrate their ranks.

Prosecutors have attributed five deaths to members of the security forces and 17 are under arrest for crimes including brutality, torture and murder. Eight members of the forces have been killed, all but one of whom were National Guard troops shot while taking down barriers, according to the government. Eight of the dead appear to be reliably identified as opposition supporters, and five as pro-government. In the other cases, the victims’ political affiliations are in dispute and hard to prove.

The murder of Urquiola - the recently married, pregnant woman killed after stepping off the bus in Guaicaipuro on the outskirts of Caracas - is among the most-fiercely debated.

Urquiola and another woman were shot by a suspect who got out of a black SUV, opposition leader Henrique Capriles said that night, stressing that her death was not linked to protests. Some local media said the gunman was a convicted kidnapper who found the barricade blocking his way home.

They said he fired 17 rounds in the attack, and has since fled the country.

In a phone call to a newspaper, a man admitted killing Urquiola in panic after being shot at himself and having his car pelted with bottles and stones by hooded protesters as he drove up to the barrier. The next morning, the municipality’s pro-government mayor blamed her death squarely on the demonstrators who blocked the street, and declared three days of mourning. Capriles accused Maduro’s government of being content to watch the death toll rise, because it distracted people from the country’s economic and political crisis.

“The violence only suits one side,” he said. Another muchdiscussed death was that of Jimmy Vargas, a 34-year-old who fell from a roof during clashes in the western city of San Cristobal. Some witnesses said a teargas cannister or buckshot fired by the National Guard hit him first, but prosecutors say there is no proof of that and a cellphone video of the incident shows him appear to stumble and then plunge backward while climbing down from a ledge. One of the most controversial - and still somewhat mysterious - deaths was either the first, or the second. Juan Montoya, a pro-government militant, was among a group of bikers who turned up in the center of Caracas on Feb. 12 just as masked, stone-throwing demonstrators broke away from a peaceful opposition rally to clash with riot police. Amid the fighting and swirling teargas, videos show several members of the Sebin national intelligence agency arriving on the scene. Two are seen firing pistols towards the melee. — Reuters

ing dozens of homes on the outskirts of the town of Oso in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Jason Biermann, program manager for the Snohomish County Emergency Management Department, said late on Sunday that the official loss of life so far included 15 victims whose remains have been identified by medical examiners and six more still awaiting positive identification. He said four additional sets of remains were found on Sunday that for reasons not explained to reporters were being left out of the official tally of dead.

No signs of life Authorities have offered conflicting casualty figures, and the process of accounting for the number of dead has likely been complicated by the condition of some bodies that rescue workers have said are not always found intact.

They have in recent days reported locating a number of bodies that have not been included in the official death toll, previous to the four reported on Sunday, but have not provided further updates on the status of those remains.

No one has been pulled out alive and no signs of life have been detected since the day the landslide hit, when at least eight people were injured but survived.

Officials have conceded it may be impossible to account for everyone lost in the disaster, and that some victims might end up being permanently entombed under the mound of muck and debris, which county authorities

say covers 1 square mile (2.6 sq km).

Scores of recovery workers, including National Guard troops just back from Afghanistan, picked through the swampy, rubble-strewn mud on Sunday as overcast but dry weather provided a welcome respite from heavy rains of recent days. Weather forecasts for the week ahead showed a continued drying trend, “which will help crews and reduce the risk of flooding and additional slides,” the county said in a statement.

Some parts of the slide area, buried beneath 15 to 75 feet (5 to 23 meters) of mud, twisted tree trunks and wreckage, were still too dangerous to enter, Burke told reporters. Like most workers at the site, Burke’s boots were sealed to his trousers with duct tape, a precaution to keep toxic sludge out of his clothing. National Guard troops also set up a decontamination station where workers scrubbed themselves with soap and hot water before leaving the site. “This is going to be a hazardous materials site for many years while we try to get this cleaned up,” Burke said. Governor Jay Inslee, who toured the disaster zone by helicopter on Sunday, said relatives had not given up all hope of finding a “miracle” survivor, and neither had authorities.“We’re looking for that miracle right now,” the governor said during a stop at an airfield in the neighboring town of Arlington. “If we don’t find that miracle, they’re also looking for the knowledge of the fate of their loved ones.” — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

Timbuktu hosts reconciliation meetings for Mali TIMBUKTU: Hundreds of Malians are gathering in the northern desert town of Timbuktu this week in an attempt to reconcile wounds in this country, which was divided in two for nearly a year by Islamic extremists who amputated the hands of suspected thieves and whipped women for going out in public without veils.

After the militants were chased from the cities by French troops, Malian soldiers killed civilians suspected of having links to the jihadists on the mere basis of their ethnicity, prompting a mass exodus of Arab and Tuareg residents who fled for their lives. More than a year later, some 200,000 have yet to return from refugee camps in neighboring Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The talks in Timbuktu are being held to try to get all Malians to reconcile. “There will be representatives from all the communities in the region, and we

will be highlighting the reasons for the crisis and what can be done to advance reconciliation and the return to peace to Mali,” said Oumou Sall Seck, the mayor of Goundam, who is attending this week’s talks. “But it’s a long process of reconciliation that starts today.”

The fabled town of Timbuktu fell under the control of Al-Qaida militants and other jihadists in early 2012, who soon began imposing a harsh interpretation of Islamic Shariah law. A French-led military operation ousted the militants from power in January 2013, though the area has remained roiled by insecurity.

Remnants of the radical Islamic groups have attempted suicide bombings and other attacks in recent months. And amid the insecurity, there has been little movement made toward seeking justice for the Arab and Tuareg victims who were killed in reprisal attacks after the Islamic militants fled. “Malian refugees are

still afraid of coming back because of the insecurity and the Malian army thinks they are rebels,” said Hamata El Ansary, who is representing the Malians still in Burkina Faso. “The state should understand there is no problem between the communities, but there is a problem between them and the government, and between the communities and armed groups in the area.”

Promote development In addition to talks on reconciliation, this week’s conference also will discuss ways to promote development in northern Mali, where a lack of economic opportunity over generations helped foment the rebellion. And organizers hope the talks will allow communities to share their opinions with Mali’s government on how to proceed with reconciliation.

The top issue remains stalled negotiations with the

ethnic Tuareg rebels who have long sought independence for northern Mali, which they call Azawad. In January, the rebels withdrew from peace talks with Mali’s government, saying they were intended to emphasize reconciliation without addressing the group’s political grievances including their push for autonomy.

“The state is going to listen to local groups and take their requests into consideration. It’s on this basis that the government is going to sign agreements with the armed groups who claim to represent Azawad,” said Chirfi Moulaye Haidara, who is representing the Malian government at this week’s meetings.

The conference will give people a chance to talk, said Silvia Chiarelli from the Center For Civilians in Conflict, which is taking part in the discussions. “It’s a good starting point for a discussion,” Chiarelli said, “but putting it into action will be another thing.” — AP

Russian forces ‘gradually withdrawing’ from Ukraine Medvedev makes surprise visit to Crimea

CAPE TOWN: In this Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 file photo, South African president Jacob Zuma, front, stands before a guard of honor at Parliament before the yearly State of the Nation address in Cape Town, South Africa. Zuma says that he has done nothing wrong despite a scandal surrounding costly state upgrades to his private home that have ignited a debate about alleged corruption ahead of May 7 elections. — AP

Scandal hits South Africa president JOHANNESBURG: A scandal surrounding more than $20 million in state spending on the South African president’s private home has ignited a debate about moral leadership and alleged corruption ahead of May elections, even prompting satirical songs based on smash hits such as “Gangnam Style.”

The uproar comes at a pivotal time for President Jacob Zuma and his ruling African National Congress party, the former antiapartheid movement that has dominated South African politics since the end of white racist rule two decades ago. Opposition parties hope to make inroads against the electoral front runner by driving a wedge between ANC supporters and the president, whose tenure has been hit by allegations of state graft.

President Jacob Zuma said government security officials controlled the project at his home and that efforts by the political opposition to bring criminal charges against him for alleged misuse of state money will fail, South Africa media reported yesterday.

“There is no case,” The New Age newspaper quoted Zuma as saying at a campaign stop near opposition-held Cape Town. “They can look for me even under the trees. They are never going to find me because I never did anything wrong.”

On March 19, South Africa’s state watchdog agency released a report concluding that Zuma inappropriately benefited from state funding and should pay back some money for the alleged security upgrades at the president’s rural Nkandla residence. Some construction had nothing to do with security, including an amphitheater, a visitors’ center, a chicken run and an area for cattle, according to the report.

‘Fire pool’ Many South Africans are incensed by the building of a swimming pool at Nkandla that was described by project officials as a “fire pool,” or a reservoir to be used to douse any

blaze. They are delighted, in turn, by a YouTube parody of the catchy “Gangnam Style” song by South Korea’s Psy. “Nkandla Style” doesn’t feature any trademark dance, just a revolving view of a pile of coins and cartoons of a pulsating transistor radio.

The lyrics include, “If you’re number one, you get to drive the gravy train,” and “Yes I’m swimming in your money but I don’t know, I don’t know, skinny dipping with all my honeys, cool in the pool, my fire pool.”

Another spoof came from South African DJ Gareth Cliff, who riffs off American rapper Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” with a chorus that goes, “Secret jungle where dreams are made of/There’s nothing you can’t do/Now you’re in Nkandla.”

The scandal follows the suspension last year of some security officials after a chartered plane carrying 200 guests from India to a lavish family wedding was allowed to land at a South African air force base. Critics said it was an example of inappropriate links between big business and top government ranks.

The executive committee of the ruling party, which includes Zuma, said Monday that it was committed to accountability and it had noted the watchdog report on the president’s home. There are “processes that need to be given a chance,” including a report from Zuma as well as a separate state probe, it said.

Some prominent figures in the African National Congress, however, have lamented the Nkandla spending in a country with a deep divide between rich and poor. Last week, Business Day newspaper published a column

by Pallo Jordan, a former Cabinet minister who criticized ministers in charge of the project and said Zuma bore “moral responsibility.” Jordan wrote: “Even though it has many commendable achievements in healthcare, education and social security, the record of his administration is littered with scandal.” — AP

BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R) stands together with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius (C) and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (L) at the beginning of a meeting of the Weimar Triangle in Berlin yesterday. The ministers took part in a panel discussion titled ‘Which voice for Europe’. — AFP

KIEV: Ukraine yesterday reported a gradual withdrawal of Russian troops from its border that may be linked to Washington’s latest push for a diplomatic solution to the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War. The announcement came in the wake of a four-hour meeting in Paris on Sunday between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that ended with an agreement to resolve the Ukrainian crisis through talks.

Both Western powers and the new proEuropean interim leaders in Kiev have been increasingly worried that the Kremlin intended to seize heavily Russified southeastern parts of Ukraine after annexing its Crimea peninsula in response to the fall in February of the ex-Soviet state’s Moscow-backed president.

But any sign of an easing in Russia’s position was countered by an unannounced visit to Crimea by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev-the most senior Moscow official to visit the Black Sea peninsula since its March 16 vote to join Kremlin.

The Ukrainian defence ministry said the start of the troop drawdown appeared to coincide in timing to a phone call that Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly placed to US President Barack Obama about the crisis on Friday evening.

“In recent days, the Russian forces have been gradually withdrawing from the border,” the Ukrainian defence ministry’s general staff spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskiy told AFP in a telephone interview.

Dmytrashkivskiy said he could not confirm how many soldiers were involved or the number of troops still stationed in the border region. US and EU officials had earlier estimated that Russia’s sudden military buildup had reached 30,000 to 40,000 troops.

Kiev’s Centre for Military and Political Studies analyst Dmytro Tymchuk said on Monday that his sources had told him that Russia had only 10,000 soldiers stationed near Ukraine by Monday morning.

“If earlier, we estimated the chances of a Russian invasion at 80 percent, then now we put it at 50 percent,” Tymchuk said in comments posted on his Facebook account. A Ukrainian defence ministry official said that Kiev had not been formally notified of the drawdown by Moscow and therefore could not tell why the soldiers were being moved. “This could be linked to a regular rotation of soldiers,” said Dmytrashkivskiy.”Or it may be linked to the Russian-US negotiations.”

Paris talks Kerry’s hastily arranged meeting with Lavrov concluded without any evident shift in either sides’ stance. Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s demand that Ukraine be turned into a federation in which the regions enjoyed broader autonomy from Kiev and had the right to declare Russian as a second official language.

Washington is not against the idea of constitutional changes but remains wary that the Kremlin wants to use decentralisation as a tool for vetoing Kiev decisions in southeastern regions whose Russian speakers Putin has vowed to “protect”. Kerry insisted after the talks that he did not discuss the federation idea with Lavrov in

Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov told reporters yesterday. “There are no grounds for Ukraine’s federalisation,” the acting president said.

Medvedev in Crimea Kerry stressed on Sunday that Washington still viewed Crimea’s annexation as “illegal and illegitimate”. But analysts note that the West appears to have accepted Ukraine’s loss of the strategic region as a fait accompli and is now more concerned about the Kremlin’s perceived attempts to splinter the rest of the nation of 46 million. Medvedev reasserted Russia’s claim over Crimea on Monday by leading a major delega-

SEVASTOPOL: Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (L) speaks with local residents in Sevastopol, yesterday. Medvedev is the first Russian leader to travel to the Black Sea region after Moscow seized it from Ukraine. — AFP

detail because Ukrainian officials had not been invited to Paris.

“We will not accept a path forward where the legitimate government of Ukraine is not at the table. This principle is clear. No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine,” Kerry told reporters.

Ukraine’s new leaders have been willing to give more authority to local legislatures and allow the regions to elect their own governorsadministrators who are appointed by Kiev today.

But they also refuse to give regions the power to set up their own economic and social policies that could theoretically boost their reliance on Russia. “Lavrov, Putin and Medvedev can suggest as many ideas as they want for resolving Russia’s problems-but not for resolving our problems,”

tion of cabinet ministers to its main city of Simferopol and then planning a side trip to Sevastopol-an historic port that has housed tsarist and Kremlin navies since the 18th century.

He promised to modernise Crimea’s crumbling infrastructure by turning the region into a “special economic zone” of Russia that attracted investments through lower tax rates.

Medvedev said he had come to “assess the situation and the scale of tasks ahead of us, and of course just to talk to the residents of the peninsula and support them.”

The close Putin ally had earlier visited a children’s hospital in Simferopol and promised the doctors it would be modernised with new ambulances. — AFP

France in new tack to fight roots of terrorism PARIS: To stop the stream of French youths pursuing jihad in Syria, France is preparing to try to tackle terrorism before it starts, by involving schools, parents and local Muslim leaders, The Associated Press has learned.

This is part of a still-confidential plan prompted by fears that young radicals who travel to Syria could return home with the skills and motivation to carry out attacks - a Europe-wide concern.

French officials say the plan will be made public soon.

The fears resurfaced last week when authorities revealed the discovery near Cannes of three soda cans packed with nails, bolts and explosives plus bomb-making instructions at the apartment of a 23-year-old man who had returned from Syria. Memories are still fresh of a radical Muslim Frenchman who gunned down children at a Toulouse Jewish school in 2012, after training in Afghanistan and Pakistan. To combat terrorism, France amassed one of the West’s toughest legal arsenals following terror attacks in the 1990s, focusing on prosecuting proven extremists instead of trying to prevent radicalization.

That’s about to change, according to several top government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan is still being finalized. They spoke after President Francois Hollande convened a special council last week and adopted a strategy to counter the accelerating threat posed by hundreds of French heading to Syria. “We are working upstream,” said one high-ranking security official. “That’s new in France.” Another government official said France is “not on the forefront when it comes to the prevention of radicalization.” They said France has consulted British authorities to try to learn from similar efforts there.

The new French push will be a challenge in a country where distrust runs high between police and minority youth in hardscrabble housing projects, and provokes occasional riots. And it could prompt controversy if it is directed solely at Islam. France, a secular nation that demands a clear separation between church and state, has been accused of stigmatizing Muslims with measures such as banning face-covering Islamic veils. The new French government plan also includes tough measures to bolster intelligence and border surveillance, including restricting minors from leaving France, the officials said, confirming a report in Le Monde.

Authorities also want to improve cooperation with counterparts in Turkey, a key route into Syria for fighters.—AP

BAGA: This file picture taken on April 30, 2013 shows Nigerian troops patrolling in the streets of the remote northeast town of Baga, Borno State. Nigeria’s military yesterday denied claims from Amnesty International that its troops may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the fight against Islamist insurgents Boko Haram. — AFP

Nigeria under pressure to explain ‘jailbreak’ deaths ABUJA: Nigeria’s secret police faced questions yesterday about how 21 detainees were killed during an attempted jailbreak from their headquarters, with claims of a cover-up about exactly what happened.

The detainees, reportedly suspected Boko Haram insurgents, died Sunday after the Department of State Services said that one inmate overpowered a guard and seized his weapon. The DSS, which is Nigeria’s intelligence agency, has not revealed the charges the suspects faced or exactly how they came to be killed.

But the agency’s spokeswoman Marilyn Ogar said in an interview: “All of the 21 were killed by... operatives of the DSS. “The investigation is still ongoing. We will determine who shot who and at what point and how many were shot by whom and for what reason,” she

told the Raypower 100.5 FM radio station.

Ogar said the gun seized by the inmate had more than 90 rounds of live ammunition and that he had fired it sporadically. Gunfire heard for several hours in and around the headquarters were simply warning shots in case the detainees had outside help, she added.

Nigeria’s presidency played down the incident but several media outlets questioned the official version of events. A report on the widely read Premium Times website questioned why so much heavy weaponry was required to subdue one inmate. Any security breach at DSS headquarters would be an embarrassment for the government but even more so if it involved Boko Haram, which has been waging a violent insurgency in Nigeria’s north since 2009. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

Pakistan court indicts Musharraf for treason Charge carries maximum penalty of death

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister of the western Indian state of Gujarat and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (C) wears a Japi, a traditional Assamese hat, as he appears onstage during a campaign rally in Biswanath Chariali, some 256 kms from Guwahati yesterday. — AFP

Modi targets Gandhi over Italian marines case NEW DELHI: Indian opposition leader Narendra Modi launched a direct attack on rival Sonia Gandhi yesterday, suggesting she had sought to shield Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in a case that has strained ties with Italy.

Gandhi is Italian-born and Modi’s Hindu nationalist party has in the past questioned her credentials to lead the country. Such attacks have since ceased and the powerful head of the Congress party is accepted as an Indian.

But in a campaign speech ahead of next week’s election, Modi appeared to rake up her foreign origins again as he questioned the government’s handling of the 2012 case involving the Italian marines who are facing trial in India.

He criticised the government for letting the two men go home during Christmas in 2012 and said they returned to India only after the Supreme Court cracked the whip.

“Who was it in Delhi who allowed them to flee? On whose direction was the government acting?” Modi asked at a campaign rally in the remote northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Patriotism He spoke a day after Gandhi accused the opposition of pursuing a divisive ideology in a nation rich in diversity.

“Will Sonia Gandhi teach us patriotism? I urge you madam, never question the patriotism of the 1.5 billion Indians in the country,” Modi said.

“Italian soldiers kill our fishermen, they are allowed to go. Is that defending the country’s interest? And you are trying to give us a certificate in patriotism.”

There was no immediate comment from the

Congress which is fighting a tough election under the leadership of Sonia’s son and the fourth generation member of the NehruGandhi dynasty, Rahul Gandhi.

India has vowed to put the two Italians on trial but has dropped a plan to prosecute them under a tough new anti-piracy law.

The sailors, part of a military security team protecting a privately owned cargo ship, say they mistook the fishermen for pirates and fired warning shots into the water during the incident in February 2012, off the coast of Kerala state.

Modi demanded the government come clear on the whereabouts of the sailors, who are thought to be at the Italian embassy as they await trial. “Which prison are they in? Who is responsible?” he said.

Modi, a polarising figure, has throughout the campaign trained his guns on India’s most powerful family, attacking Rahul as a privileged “shehzada,” or prince.

Opinion polls suggest Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance is increasing the lead over the ruling Congress party and its allies and is best placed to form a coalition government after the elections, set for April and May. The BJP-led coalition could win 233 seats out of the 543 at stake, within striking distance of the 272 required to rule, a poll by ABP NewsNielsen said at the weekend. The ruling alliance could slip to 119 seats, it said.

Modi’s personal ratings remained the highest, with 54 percent of those polled in March picking him for prime minister. The rating was down from 57 percent in February, however.

“You gave them 60 years, give me 60 months. I promise I will change the country,” Modi told Monday’s rally. — Reuters

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court yesterday indicted former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for treason-a milestone for civilian authority in a country long dominated by the army.

The charge carries the maximum penalty of death. But observers are uncertain whether authorities will allow the trial to be completed and risk angering the powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan for half its history.

Musharraf had missed most of the trial’s hearings due to ill-health and security threats. But he appeared fit and confident after arriving Monday in a long convoy of SUVs with more than 2,000 security officials deployed on the route from an army-run hospital to the special court.

The ex-general, who seized power in 1999 and resigned in 2008, pleaded “not guilty” as Tahira Safdar, one of three judges hearing the case since December, read the charges relating to his 2007 imposition of emergency rule.

“I honour this court and prosecution, I strongly believe in law and don’t have ego problems, and I have appeared in court 16 times in this year in Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” the 70-year-old said, referring to a slew of other legal troubles.

He made an emotional speech highlighting the country’s achievements under his tenure-which initially encompassed economic reforms and rapid growth, but ended in rising Islamist bloodshed and a series of confrontations with an increasingly vocal judiciary.

“I am being called a traitor, I have been chief of army staff for nine years and I have served this army for 45 years. I have fought two wars and it is ‘treason’?

“I am not a traitor. For me traitors are those who loot public money and empty the treasury,” he added, in a veiled reference to civilian politicians long accused in Pakistan of feathering their own nests while in power.

‘Acted on advice’ Musharraf declared a state of emergency in November 2007, suspending the constitution shortly before the Supreme Court was due to rule on the legality of his re-election as president a month earlier while he was also the army chief.

He then arrested and sacked the country’s top judges, including the chief justice, who challenged his decision.

Musharraf’s defence team requested the court adjourn for eight weeks to allow them to prepare their case, and repeated a call for the retired general to be allowed to visit his ailing mother, who is in her 90s, in the United Arab Emirates.

“He has come voluntarily to the court and he has pleaded not guilty. He will come back voluntarily,” lawyer Farogh Naseem said. The court was likely to

RAWALPINDI: Pakistani students demonstrate in support of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf outside the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, where Musharraf is currently being treated, in Rawalpindi yesterday. A Pakistani court March 31 indicted Musharraf for treason, a landmark move in a case seen as a test of civilian authority in a country long dominated by the military. — AFP respond to this request in a written order later yester- Asia director.

Yesterday’s hearing was only the second time day.

After the hearing, chief prosecutor Akram Sheikh Musharraf had appeared in person before the court, said Musharraf’s main defence rested on the claim delaying proceedings and raising speculation of a that he acted on the advice of then-prime minister face-saving deal between civilian and military powShaukat Aziz and the cabinet when suspending the ers to take him out of the country.

Military analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said the question constitution.

“He has taken the defence that he did not take of how far the trial would be allowed to go ahead these steps independently,” Sheikh said. “On this I remained “a big question mark”.

“If the military and civilian (leaders) are not on the have submitted before the court that it is now for him to prove that he did this on the advice of the same page in how far you can go, you will have instability,” she said. prime minister and the cabinet.”

Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Question marks The International Commission of Jurists hailed who won re-election in 2013 when Pakistan underthe indictment of such a senior military figure as went the first civilian handover of power since its independence from Britain in 1947. “unprecedented” for Pakistan.

Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, “This is an opportunity for Pakistan’s judiciary to demonstrate that no-one is above the law and that Musharraf resigned as president, going into selfeveryone accused of an offence has the right to a imposed exile in Dubai. He returned to Pakistan in trial that is, and is seen to be, impartial, independ- March last year on an ill-fated mission to run in the ent and expeditious,” said Sam Zarifi, the group’s general election. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

North Koreans to celebrate birthday of Kim Il Sung The Korean people celebrate April 15, birthday of President Kim Il Sung (19121994); as the Day of the Sun. The President, founder of Socialist Korea, is likened to the sun as he was possessed at the highest level with light, heat and attraction, attributes of the sun.

He illumined the way for mankind to follow in the era of independence.

It was a historic event which ushered in a new era in human history, an era of independence, that he authored the Juche idea, which asserts that the masses of the people are the masters and driving force of the revolution and construction, i.e., they are the masters of their destiny and have the force to carve it out.

By the evolution of the Juche idea, the oppressed peoples, who had writhed in the agony as colonial slaves, could emerge as the masters of their destiny, and the strong current of independence swept across the world.

The Juche idea gripped the hearts of the people the world over.

Organizations for studying and propagating the idea have been formed in many countries — over 1,100 such organizations in more than 100 countries, national committees in scores of countries, an institute in each continent

and the permanent International institute of the Juche idea.

President Kim Ii Sung, possessed with ardent love of people, administered benevolent politics throughout his life.

Regarding “The people are my God” as his lifetime motto, he always mixed with his people. He ensured that free medical care and education were enforced across the country and taxes were abolished once and for all. As the father of the grand family, i.e., Korean society, he took affectionate care of all the members of the family. It is not fortuitous that the Korean people addressed him by the “fatherly leader” rather than by his official title in his lifetime.

He also showed warm benevolence to foreigners in disregard of nationality, ideology, political view and religious belief.

The following are typical examples.

In September 1964 the president of a radio station of Guinea contracted a fatal disease during his visit to the DPRK as the head of a delegation of journalists. Informed of this, Kim Il Sung gave out an order to save the patient at all costs. A number of competent doctors were sent to him. He received an operation lasting seven hours and blood transfusion on over 50 occasions during

his hospital days. He was miraculously fetched from the jaws of death by the sincere devotion of the Korean doctors.

Very pleased at this, President Kim Ii Sung took all necessary measures for his recuperation. And what the Guinean was returning home, he ensured that a chartered plane of the DPRK carried him as far as Guinea with Korean doctors attending to him.

When Kreisky, former Austrian Chancellor and honorary chairman of the Austrian Socialist Party, was unable to walk in his twilight years owing to a disease President Kim Il Sung sent Korean doctors to Austria with expensive Koryo medicines.

Thanks to his benevolent care, the Austrian statesman could be cured of the disease.

President Kim Il Sung’s noble personality was fascinating. During his lifetime, he met’ more than 70,000 foreigners from all walks of life among them were such prominent figures as Stalin, Mao Zodong, Zhou Enlai, Fidel Castro, Norodom Shihanouk, Ho Chi Minh, Tito and Lansana Conte. Some foreigners were so enchanted by his personality that they visited the DPRK out of hope to see him again. Among them was Luise Rinser, a German writer. After meeting him, she said that President Kim Il Sung was a godlike man whether

Kim Il Sung

be wanted to be or not, US evangelist Billy Graham, too, likened him to god, saying that the DPRK led by him was a country in which God had nothing to do.

When President Kim II Sung died suddenly in July 1994, many people around the world felt as if the sky had fallen in and the sun set.

However, the sun is immortal President Kim Il Sung is preserved in the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, called

the House of the Sun, as he was in his lifetime. The Korean people designated April 15, his birthday, as the Day of the Sun and, acclaimed him as the eternal President of the country.

Ubiquitous in the DPRK are the slogans “The Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Will Always Be with Us” and “Let Us Arm Ourselves Firmly with the Revolutionary Ideas of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung” and portraits of him with beaming smile. The April Spring Friendship Art Festival, an International Art Festival, continues to be held on the occasion of his birth anniversary. And the International Friendship Exhibition House in Mt Myohyang, a celebrated mountain in Korea, increases its display of the gifts presented to him after his death by foreign heads of state and political and social figures.

In April 1995. he next year of his death, a ceremony of conferring the title of the patriarch of the Sun’s Tribe was held in Nigeria. In the ceremony the King of Ummuozzi Community said, “President Kim Il Sung is the greet sun that illumines the way ahead of mankind. Although he passed away, he will always be with us as the sun is immortal.”

As the sun is immortal, so is President Kim I1 Sung in the hearts of mankind.

Chinese media call for rationality over MH370 ‘Finding aircraft and analysing data to take time’

NONTHABURI: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (C) arrives at the National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) in Nonthaburi province yesterday. Yingluck is set to defend herself against negligence charges linked to a controversial rice subsidy scheme that could lead to her removal from office and a ban from politics. — AFP

Thai PM defends negligence charges as economy falters BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday defended herself against negligence charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office, the latest development in a political crisis that has gripped the country for months.

As the country stumbles along, the central bank said Southeast Asia’s secondlargest economy, heavily reliant on tourism, was expected to contract in the first quarter after consumption and investment fell.

Yingluck has been charged with dereliction of duty for overseeing the rice-buying scheme, a policy that brought her to power in the 2011 election with the help of the rural poor but that has since run up huge losses and left hundreds of thousands of farmers unpaid.

The charges were brought against her by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) which, should it forward the case to the Senate for possible impeachment, would mean Yingluck being suspended from official duties.

It was unclear when such a decision would be made, but it could take weeks.

Yingluck spent 30 minutes at the commission’s headquarters. Her legal team carried three cardboard boxes filled with documents to present to anti-graft officials. Her main defence document was 150-pages long.

Yingluck asked for more time to call on 10 witnesses and to submit further documents to support her defence, NACC member Prasart Pongsivapai told reporters following the meeting.

The commission will decide today whether to extend the deadline. “ The prime minister submitted documents in her defence and gave a short statement,” said Prasart. “We have to consider whether (those) witnesses and documents relate to this scheme. The commission will act with justice toward the prime minister and in a straight-forward manner.”

Yingluck has come under pressure over the past five months from protesters who have occupied state offices and parts of Bangkok in a bid to remove her and rid the country of the influence of her brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Protesters disrupted a Feb. 2 general election, halting voting in parts of Bangkok and the south. The Constitutional Court nullified the election this month, throwing Thailand into deeper turmoil and leaving Yingluck in charge of a caretaker government with severely restricted powers.

Toll on tourism The protests have also taken a heavy toll on the tourism industry with visitors staying away from the normally bustling capi-

tal. Mathee Supapongs, senior director with the central bank, said he expected tourism to pick up if there was no further violence from street protests.

Twenty-three people have been killed and hundreds wounded in sporadic violence since the protests kicked off in November.

The Bank of Thailand’s private consumption index dropped 1.2 percent in February from January and 2.5 percent from a year earlier. Its private investment index was 1.9 percent lower on the month and was down 7.7 percent on the year.

Mathee told a news conference that growth could contract in the first quarter from the fourth but might rebound in the second quarter.

“Overall economic activities in February 2014 softened further from the previous month owing to prolonged political protests. Households and businesses continued to hold back spending, while imports and manufacturing production contracted,” the Bank of Thailand said in a statement.

Kasikorn Research cut its full-year growth forecast to 1.8 percent yesterday, down from 3 percent in January. It also predicted an economic contraction of about 2 percent in the first quarter of 2014 from the previous three months.

Thailand has really been in crisis since Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup. The conflict broadly pits the Bangkok-based middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and Thaksin.

Yingluck criticised the NACC last week for not giving her enough time to gather evidence and for fast-tracking the investigation.

Government supporters accuse the courts and independent agencies, including the NACC, of bias and say several judges are aligned with the conservative establishment. Her allegations prompted the anti-graft commission to issue a statement defending the way it has handled Yingluck’s case.

“As there were suspicions that Yingluck abused her position... the NACC has had to investigate the suspicions to get to the truth,” the NACC said in statement.

“Yingluck has received just and fair treatment (by the NACC) under the framework of the constitution.”

Thais voted on Sunday for half of the country’s 150-seat Senate in a key test of Yingluck’s government. A Senate dominated by anti-government politicians could hasten her exit but any decision to remove Yingluck would require the votes of threefifths of the senators. The results are expected in a week. — Reuters

BEIJING: China should treat the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 “rationally”, a commentary in state media said yesterday, after days of lurid accusations by relatives insisting their loved ones could still be alive.

Under the headline “ Treat MH370 tragedy rationally”, the commentary in the China Daily newspaper, which is run by the government, said: “It is certain that flight MH370 crashed in the Indian Ocean and no one on board survived.”

“We should not let anger prevail over facts and rationality,” it said. “We need to comply with the fundamental norms of a civilised society and need to show the demeanour of a great power.”

Irrational words and behaviour would “not help matters”, it added, and those involved should “prepare to make arrangements for funerals”.

“Although the Malaysian government’s handling of the crisis has been quite clumsy, we need to understand this is perhaps the most bizarre incident in Asian civil aviation history. It is understandable that as a developing country, the Malaysian government felt completely at a loss.”

It stressed that finding the aircraft and analysing technical data would take time. “Why cannot we be patient and just wait until they find the wreckage and get the evidence?” it asked.

“Public opinion should not blame the Malaysian authorities for deliberately covering up information in the absence of hard evidence,” it added.

The author, Mei Xinyu, is a researcher at a commerce ministry institute who is known for his analyses of international trade disputes.

Clinging to hopes His tone was in stark contrast to that of many relatives of the 153 Chinese on board the flight, who are still clinging to hopes that they could somehow still be alive. Some have demanded that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak withdraw and apologise for his announcement, based on satellite data and other calculations, that the plane was lost in the southern Indian Ocean.

At a meeting at a hotel in Beijing yesterday anguished family members repeatedly pressed

Malaysian officials to confirm that finding the plane intact on land was a real possibility.

They reacted angrily when Malaysia Airlines’ commercial director Hugh Dunleavy told them there was “no guarantee that we will find the aircraft or the black box. It is a very large ocean and it is very deep”.

One man accused Malaysia of engaging in a “wild goose chase”, saying the search would be considered a “crime that will go down in history” unless it shifted its focus to land, rather than sea.

Some family members have embraced conspirac y theories involving the plane being hijacked and taken to a secret location and the

passengers held hostage. Scores of Chinese relatives were allowed by authorities in Beijingwho normally keep a tight lid on public dissent-to protest at Malaysia’s embassy last week, shouting that Kuala Lumpur authorities were “murderers”.

A day later, relatives called the Malaysian ambassador to Beijing a “liar” and a “rogue” during a meeting. In the first days after the plane’s disappearance Chinese officials were critical of the Malaysian response, but have since moderated their tone, although they still talk of there being a “glimmer of hope” and are urging Kuala Lumpur to bring Chinese experts into the investigation. — AFP

PETALING JAYA: Chinese relatives of passengers from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 arrive at the Buddhist temple in Petaling Jaya yesterday. Australian premier Tony Abbott said there was no time limit on the search for MH370 and that the world deserved to know what happened, as a ship equipped to locate the “black box” prepared to set sail. — AFP

China charges former senior military officer with graft BEIJING: China has charged former senior army officer Gu Junshan with corruption, state news agency Xinhua said yesterday, in what is likely to be the country’s worst military scandal since a vice admiral was jailed for life for embezzlement in 2006.

In a renewed campaign on graft, Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to go after both powerful “tigers” and lowly “flies”, warning that the issue is so severe it threatens the ruling Communist Party’s survival. Gu has been charged with corruption, taking bribes, misuse of public funds and abuse of power, Xinhua said on one of its official microblogs. He will be tried by a military court, it added.

Three sources with ties to the leadership or military, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Gu also sold military positions. Gu has been under investigation for corruption since he was sacked as deputy director of the logistics department of the People’s Liberation Army in 2012, sources have said.

Sources told Reuters this month that Xu Caihou, 70, who retired as vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission last year and from the Communist Party’s decision-making politburo in 2012, was under virtual house arrest while helping in the probe into Gu. As one of Gu’s main supporters in his rise through the ranks, Xu is being implicated in ignoring, or at least failing to report, Gu’s alleged misdeeds. Reuters has not been able to reach either Xu or Gu for comment. It is not clear if they have lawyers.

In January, the respected Chinese magazine Caixin said investigators had seized objects, including a solid gold statue of Mao Zedong, from Gu’s mansion in the central province of Henan. He also secured professional favours for members of his family, including his brother Gu Xianjun, who was arrested last August for bribery, the magazine said.—Reuters

Japan, N Korea talks end on positive note: Official BEIJING: Government-level talks between Japan and North Korea ended yesterday in Beijing on a positive note, with Pyongyang apparently prepared to discuss the Japanese citizens kidnapped by its spies decades ago.

At their first formal meeting in 16 months, diplomats from the two countries spoke on a range of issues over two days, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, officials said.

“We had serious and frank discussions on wide-ranging pending issues of mutual interest,” Junichi Ihara, head of the Japanese foreign ministry’s Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau, told reporters.

“We agreed to continue government-togovernment consultations with the next round to be arranged through our embassies in Beijing,” he said.

The meeting came as Pyongyang’s troops traded hundreds of rounds of live artillery fire across their disputed maritime border yesterday. South Korea’s defence ministry said the North fired some 500 shells during the drill, around 100 of them landing on the south side of the sea boundary.

While relations with South Korea continue to be testy, Pyongyang’s approach to its dealings with Japan appears to have softened in recent months, especially on the emotive issue of abductions.

North Korea outraged Japan when it admitted more than a decade ago that it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies in Japanese language and customs.

Five of the abductees were allowed to

return to Japan, but Pyongyang has insisted, without producing solid evidence, that the eight others are dead.

Ihara said he had presented “our basic ideas” on the abduction issue. “The North Korean side responded in a manner not to refuse discussions.”

The Japanese side also protested against the communist state’s launch of ballistic missiles and its threat to conduct more nuclear tests, he said.

Pyongyang for its part renewed its demand that Tokyo compensate Koreans for their suffering during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula, according to Japanese sources quoted by the Jiji and Kyodo news agencies. The Beijing meeting took place after diplomats held informal talks on the sidelines of a humanitarian conference in the Chinese city of Shenyang between Red Cross officials from the two countries earlier this month. It was held at the North Korean embassy on Sunday and at the Japanese embassy yesterday.

The meeting comes amid recent mixed signals from Pyongyang over its willingness to re-engage in diplomacy with the outside world. Talks were suspended in late 2012 when Tokyo reiterated its demand that Pyongyang come clean on the abduction issue.

They officially called off the talks in December 2012 when Pyongyang launched a long-range missile, drawing international condemnation. Formal ties with Japan could bring huge economic benefits to the impoverished state. — AFP

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Court rejects Jazeera journalists’ bail plea Continued from Page 1

BANGKOK: Aria Al-Ruwaili, brother of slain Mohammad Al-Ruwaili, speaks to reporters at the Criminal Court yesterday. — AP

Thai court dismisses Saudi killing case BANGKOK: A Thai criminal court yesterday dismissed a case against five men, including a senior police officer, charged with murdering a Saudi businessman over precious stones worth millions of dollars stolen a quarter of a century ago. The theft of the jewels worth $20 million in 1989 and subsequent disappearance of Mohammad AlRuwaili, a businessman with ties to the Saudi royal family, strained Thai-Saudi relations severely. Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to try the five men who were accused of kidnapping and killing Ruwaili, who had gone to Bangkok to investigate what became known as the “Blue Diamond Affair”.

The gems and jewellery were stolen from a Saudi prince’s palace by a Thai gardener, Kriangkrai Techamong, who shipped the loot back home to Thailand. Kriangkrai was arrested soon after the theft but he had already sold many of the stolen gems, including a priceless 50-carat blue diamond. Some of the jewels were eventually returned to their owner but Saudi Arabia later com-

plained most of the returned gems were fake.

Saudi authorities, distrustful of the Thai police investigation, sent Ruwaili to Bangkok to investigate the case.

Three Saudi diplomats were shot execution-style in Bangkok days before Ruwaili vanished in 1990, and Saudi Arabia has long suspected official involvement in the killings. Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation, the Thai equivalent of the US FBI, has denied that the murders and disappearances are related to the 1989 jewellery heist. The abduction and disappearance of Ruwaili and the murders of the three diplomats remain unsolved, and yesterday’s court verdict will likely strain Saudi-Thai relations further.

In 2010, the Thai police planned to promote former police Lt Gen Somkid Boonthanom - who was acquitted yesterday - to be an assistant national police chief, prompting strong criticism from Saudi Arabia, which said the move could jeopardize efforts to restore normal diplomatic relations. Somkid later declined to accept the promotion. -— Agencies

Oil tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz Continued from Page 1 Separately, the NATO Shipping Centre said six assailants on a skiff armed with machineguns attacked a “merchant vessel” in the Strait of Hormuz, adding the vessel was now safe. The attackers and the vessel were not identified, and it was unclear if both sources were referring to the same incident. The Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet could not immediately confirm the reports.

Heavily armed pirates using high-powered speedboats have operated in the nearby Gulf of Aden for years, preying on ships and at times holding them for weeks before releasing them for large ransoms paid by governments or ship owners. However, the number of pirate attacks has diminished since international warships began patrolling waters off the Horn of Africa.

But such attacks are rare in the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf, a key gateway for global oil supplies.

Iranian speedboats had sometimes swarmed around US warships passing through the strategic waterway. The Pentagon has gradually strengthened its naval forces in the Gulf region in the past year after Iran at one point threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, despite improvements in regulations and moves to diversify Arab economies away from natural resources, global investors remain wary of doing business in Gulf countries because of regional upheaval and other potentially destabilizing factors, according to a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit released yesterday. The report found that investors are also “moving cautiously” in the region because of concerns over government transparency, foreign ownership restrictions and difficulties in enforcing commercial laws.

However, successful bids by Dubai to host the World Expo in 2020 and by Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 have helped put a spotlight on investment opportu-

nities in the Gulf, said the report, which was sponsored by Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck.

Experts quoted in the report said that Arab Spring protests have scared investors, even though the Gulf region did not experience the kind of upheavals seen in Yemen, Egypt, Syria and Libya. Protests by Shiites in the tiny island-nation of Bahrain threatened to spill over into Saudi Arabia’s eastern region, where the kingdom’s minority Shiites mostly reside.

“The Arab Spring has had a negative impact on perceived stability. Even where you haven’t had a major event, political risk is more on investors’ minds than before,” chief economist for the Middle East at Citi Group, Farouk Soussa, said. He said in some cases capital has flocked from the wider Middle East to Gulf countries seen as stable, like the United Arab Emirates. The Arab Spring has also opened opportunities for wealthy Gulf governments to reinforce ties and influence with countries like Egypt, where billions of dollars have been invested and given in aid.

With rising unemployment and a population of which nearly half is under the age of 25, Saudi officials have promised more than $100 billion in state jobs and other handouts. The kingdom’s Gulf neighbors have also opened their treasuries to literally buy time and avoid protest demands for wider reform. The Economist Intelligence Unit says this kind of economic model “tends to crowd out entrepreneurship” by keeping the focus on oil extraction, which is the main source of revenue.

The report says that foreign investment is still less than before the 2008 financial crisis across most of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The exception is Kuwait, where as in Bahrain, the majority of foreign investments have come from other GCC countries, according to the latest data provided in the report. — Agencies

They then adjourned the trial to April 10 without granting bail to any of the accused. Prosecutors insist the Al-Jazeera journalists colluded with the Brotherhood, now designated a “terrorist” group, and falsely sought to portray Egypt in a state of “civil war”. Fahmy said he cannot be considered as a terrorist or a Brotherhood member as he is a “liberal man” who drinks alcohol.

Greste also denied any links with the Brotherhood, saying he and fellow jailed journalists posed no threat to Egypt. “The idea that I have a connection with the Muslim Brotherhood is frankly preposterous,” Greste told the judges, adding he had arrived in Cairo just two weeks before his arrest. Eight defendants are in custody, and the rest are either on the run or abroad. Greste and Canadian-Egyptian Fahmy were arrested on Dec 29 in a Cairo hotel suite they used as a bureau after their offices were raided by police.

Before the proceedings began, Greste’s brother Mike said the award-winning journalist was “strong... but 100 days in prison must have left its effect on him”. Defence lawyer Mokhles El-Salhy said his clients had been doing their “job professionally and objectively” when they were arrested. “They were covering violent clashes between protesters and security forces, as were all other channels.

They didn’t make it up or fabricate it,” he told AFP. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the authorities to release the journalists and respect freedom of expression. “The authorities must stop invoking the fight against terrorism in order to persecute dissident journalists,” RSF’s Lucie Morillon said.

Interim president Adly Mansour has in letters to families of Greste and Fahmy assured that the authorities would work for the speedy resolution of the case in line with Egyptian law.

The trial of the journalists from the Qatari-owned AlJazeera network comes against the backdrop of strained ties between Cairo and Doha since the army ousted Morsi in July. Qatar was a close ally of Morsi’s government and the Brotherhood, and Egypt accuses the gas-rich Gulf state of backing the Islamist movement, including through Al-Jazeera. The authorities banned the pan-Arab broadcaster’s Egyptian channel after Morsi’s removal.

Monday’s hearing comes a day after Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim accused an Al-Jazeera editor of helping to leak classified intelligence documents, in a separate espionage trial involving Morsi. The minister charged that Amin El-Serafi, secretary to Morsi, leaked the documents to Ibrahim Mohamed Hilal, who he said was Al-Jazeera’s news editor and also a Brotherhood member. — AFP

Erdogan targets enemies after thumping...

Continued from Page 1 “From a market perspective, the election result appears to be more or less what the doctor ordered: a solid win for the AKP which shores up the position of Turkey’s ruling party,” said Nicholas Spiro, head of Spiro Sovereign Strategy. The main opposition CHP said it would challenge the result in Ankara, which was a particularly close race. But no major changes were expected in a nationwide tally which put the AKP on some 45.6 percent with almost all the votes counted, a robust increase on its 39-percent share at local elections in 2009.

Erdogan has made no secret of his ambition to become Turkey’s first directly elected president in an August ballot, but the feud with Gulen, the corruption allegations and street protests last summer had all raised questions over how easily he would secure a majority in the first round. “Of course this has reinforced Erdogan’s bid for the presidential polls,” one source close to the government said of Sunday’s election result. “He was in need of a vote of confidence, both from the people and for those who have been critical of him within the party.”

A senior government official concurred, saying there were now “no obstacles before him” on the road to the presidency, although the official said rooting out Gulen’s influence within the state would remain Erdogan’s priority. He could, instead, choose to run for a fourth term as premier in a parliamentary election next year in order to finish off that battle. “Erdogan is certainly much closer to the presidency,” the official said. “But he makes his own agenda. Very soon he will begin his assessment of what needs to be done together with the party’s ruling echelons.”

The crisis reached a new level at the end of last week when a recording of a top-secret meeting of security officials about possible intervention in Syria was posted anonymously on YouTube. The action, for which Gulen denies any responsibility, raised serious concern

about government control of its own security apparatus and speculation about further damaging leaks. “The prime minister takes this extremely seriously,” the source close to the government said. “Such a structure can not be allowed within the state and before he makes a move for the presidential bid he needs to make sure that these people will be carved out of the state institutions.”

Erdogan, lacking trained personnel loyal to himself, filled government departments with Gulen supporters when he first was elected in 2002. Gulen, who runs a huge network of schools and businesses, is widely credited with having helped Erdogan break the political power of the armed forces using allies in the police and judiciary. But in recent years friction has grown between the two men and came to a head when Erdogan moved to curb Gulen’s influence and close the schools that are a key source of income and influence.

He now seems likely to step up his drive against Gulen.

“Let me tell you, Erdogan’s response is coming,” said Tesev think-tank chairman Can Paker, seen as close to Erdogan. “He will harshly and fully clean up the police and judiciary. And he will purge the press that supported the leaks. He will most certainly do that. He will say ‘I was elected to eliminate them’. He is not going to soften.”

The authorities have already begun an espionage investigation following the leaked Syria recording, and on Monday the Cihan news agency and the Zaman newspaper - both affiliated to Gulen - claimed they had come under “cyber attack” during their election night coverage. Pro-government newspapers heaped scorn on Erdogan’s opponents, with one, Yeni Safak, showing pictures of opposition leaders and Gulen under the headline “Buried at the Ballot Box”. “It’s already clear from his speech this evening that he’s basically threatening society,” said Gursel Tekin, CHP Vice President.

“This shows his state of mind isn’t to be trusted, and these obvious threats are not something that we can accept.” — Reuters

MP threatens to grill information...

Continued from Page 1 MP Rakan Al-Nasef meanwhile asked Communications Minister Essa Al-Kandari if the issue of the purchase of the building of Sheikh Saad Airport by the Amiri Diwan has been studied by the government’s legal department and the Audit Bureau. The lawmaker also demanded copies of all the contracts between the Civil Aviation Authority and the communications ministry with Wataniya Airways to lease and operate the airport, which has been

inactive for the past several years after the airline ceased operations due to financial difficulties. Wataniya Airways recently offered the building for sale, apparently as a way of repaying parts of its debt.

Meanwhile, the court of misdemeanors yesterday acquitted 14 citizens including 8 former opposition MPs from charges of taking part in an illegal demonstration in Sabah Al-Nasser over a year ago. The court however fined four former opposition MPs and a citizen KD 100 each over the same accusation.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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Issues

Anyone but Modi: Indian Muslims fear the worst

By Adam Plowright, Annie Banerji

S

ome recoil at his name, while others still refuse to acknowledge his popularity. India’s Muslims have watched the rise of election frontrunner Narendra Modi anxiously and are now united in their wariness. Many of the worshippers at the Jama Masjid Terhi Bazaar mosque in Ayodhya, a kilometre from India’s most notorious religious flashpoint, were too young to remember the 1992 riots which left more than 2,000 people dead. Not Mohammad Sageer, a teenager at the time of India’s worst post-independence violence. “What could be worse than seeing Muslims being beaten up, cut up and burned to death?” he told AFP in front of the small blue-coloured mosque bathed in harsh midday sunshine.

The dispute in Ayodhya, which boiled over when zealots tore down a mosque believed to have been built over the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, left deep scars but vaulted Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to national prominence. The enduring sensitivity can be judged by the police presence today. Each visitor negotiates five layers of security as they proceed under caged walkways topped by razor wire to the shrine at the centre. From watchtowers and gathered in groups, paramilitary police keep guard, automatic weapons at the ready. It is a potent reminder of the consequences when religious tensions in one of the world’s most diverse countries, bound together by a secular and liberal constitution, are given vent. Now wrapped up in India’s famously inert legal system, the once-explosive dispute over ownership of the site has cooled in litigation. “But if the BJP comes to power with a full fledged majority, then the atmosphere will become a bit tense here,” warned Sageer, now aged 36.

Manifesto Pledge For long a central plank of its agenda, the BJP manifesto still contains a pledge to construct a Ram temple on the site of the old Babri Masjid mosque. Although largely overlooked due to his association with a more recent religious conflagration - riots in his home state of Gujarat in 2002 - Modi has links to this struggle too. The 63-year-old, tipped to become prime minister after elections starting April 7, was an organiser in Gujarat for BJP leader L K Advani who began a nationwide march to demand a temple for Ram in 1990. Biographer Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay said it was a role which enabled Modi “to burst onto the national political stage” as the huge agitation galvanised public support for the temple. “The Muslim community is anxious about Modi,” said Mujibur Rehman of the Centre for Minority Studies at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia university. “What scares Muslims is essentially that they are convinced that this is a person who doesn’t have much respect for them, for their lives and for their future.”

Modi’s background, and his lack of outreach to religious minorities even during campaigning, gives them reasons for concern, Rehman said. The strict vegetarian, who does yoga every day, joined a grassroots Hindu nationalist group as a boy, entered the BJP at a time of deteriorating inter-religious ties, and is tainted by the 2002 riots. In that spasm of violence, more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died. Modi had just become chief minister of Gujarat at the time and has been repeatedly investigated and never found guilty - over suspicions he did too little to prevent the bloodshed. A woman he later appointed as a cabinet minister was jailed for life for orchestrating some of the worst of the killing. When his aide Amit Shah called for a Ram temple in Ayodhya while visiting last July, some worried that the dispute’s embers could be reignited. “Not Modi. I wouldn’t want to see someone like Modi in my lifetime,” says Haji Mahboob Ahmad, head of the group defending the right of Muslims to worship at the contested site in Ayodhya. “Anyone but him.”

Toilets, Not Temples During campaigning, Modi has presented himself as a moderate nationalist focused on economic development and good governance. “For me my religion is ‘nation first, India first’,” he has told rallies, adding that the constitution was his “only holy book” and that toilets should come first, “temple later”. He also came as close as ever to apologising for the 2002 riots, saying he felt “grief” and “misery”. But his decision to contest a seat from the Hindu holy city of Varanasi was a reminder to supporters that he had not forgotten his roots. And he has also spoken about how “75 percent of people” in India - meaning Hindus - have been ignored by the Congress party, in power for the last decade.

Muslims account for around 13 percent of India’s population. Any Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) agenda he might seek to project in power would likely be limited by the compulsions of coalition politics. A BJP parliamentary majority is highly unlikely, although some supporters still dream of what it could lead to.

“If a Hindu party wins a majority of votes then we will ask that a law be passed by parliament to free Ram’s birthplace and it be given to the Hindu community,” Sharad Sharma from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP, World Hindu Council) told AFP in Ayodhya.

Around him, stone carvers chiselled away at pieces of an underconstruction Ram temple overseen by the VHP which many hope will one day take form on the site of the former mosque. —AFP

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

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

10 ways Ukraine crisis may change world

By Paul Taylor

A

s Moscow and the West dig in for a prolonged stand-off over Russia’s annexation of Crimea, risking spillover to other former Soviet republics and beyond, here are 10 ways in which the Ukraine crisis could change attitudes and policy around the world.

1) Russia diminished: Russia’s role in international affairs is diminished, at least temporarily. Moscow has been de facto excluded from the Group of Eight industrialised powers. Its bids to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Energy Agency are frozen. Western summits with Moscow are cancelled until further notice. President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to use the BRICS group of emerging powers to mitigate isolation by the West faltered over Chinese and Indian unease at the Crimean precedent for disputes about Tibet and Kashmir. A joint BRICS statement condemned sanctions but made no mention of Crimea or Ukraine.

2) NATO revived: Just when it looked to be losing relevance as its mission in Afghanistan limps to a close, the US-led military alliance is back in business. An increase in allied air patrols and war games showing the flag in Poland and the Baltic states is on the agenda, and Warsaw wants faster deployment of US missile defence systems in central Europe. Under US pressure, some European countries may rethink cuts in defence spending.

Neutral Sweden and Finland, perceiving Russia anew as a potential threat, may increase security efforts and cooperate more closely with NATO.

3) Energy diversification: The energy map of Europe is being redrawn with accelerated action to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas. EU states are set to build more liquefied natural gas terminals, upgrade pipeline networks and grids and expand a southern gas supplies through Georgia and Turkey to southern and central Europe.

The EU gets a third of its oil and gas from Russia, and 40 percent of that gas is pumped across Ukraine. Europe may now look to tap its own shale gas reserves and expand nuclear power, despite environmental concerns. “I see the danger of more nuclear - which is C02-free, which is also part of the discussion, but it is the wrong path,” said Gerhard Roiss, chief executive of Austria’s OMV, a big importer of Russian gas into central Europe.

4) China factor: The diplomatic alliance between Russia and China, which often vote together in the UN Security Council, could change in one of two directions - either rapprochement through a stronger energy partnership, with new pipelines being built to pump Russian oil and gas spurned by Europe to Beijing; or a cooling if China distances itself more from Putin’s behavior and sees less benefit in closer ties with an economically weakened and relatively isolated Moscow. For now, President Xi Jinping is refusing to take sides in public.

5) US leadership: Washington’s global leadership role, weakened by the rise of emerging powers and by retrenchment under President Barack Obama, has been partially restored. Despite his disengagement from wars in Iraq and

Afghanistan and strategic “pivot” towards Asia, events have pushed Obama back into the old-fashioned role of “Leader of the Free World” in an EastWest crisis in Europe. The crisis has swept aside European anger over US spying on global communications and put a new premium on cooperation. In Brussels last week Europeans appealed to Obama to sell them shale gas, and both sides agreed to speed talks on a transatlantic free trade and investment pact. Yet US strategists say American economic interests and the security challenges of managing a rising China mean Asia will remain the priority and Europe will have to do more for itself.

6) German leadership: The Ukraine affair has cemented Berlin’s leadership role in Europe. Germany is already the dominant economic power, calling the shots in the euro zone crisis, and Chancellor Angela Merkel has become Europe’s main interlocutor with Putin. Her disenchantment with him has shaped an increasingly firm crisis response after initial hesitancy. German willingness to reduce energy dependency on Russia will be the yardstick of how far the rest of the EU goes. Merkel is also the relationship manager with the volatile Yulia Tymoshenko, whose presidential bid may heighten tension in Ukraine.

7) EU united: The European Union has been reunited, at least for now, by the return of a common external threat. This may have helped EU leaders overcome some long-running disputes. Greens European Parliament member Rebecca Harms joked that it was too early to nominate Putin for the annual Charlemagne prize for services to

European unity, “but in the face of a new threat of war in Europe, EU states have indeed agreed on a joint strategy towards Russia”. Some EU diplomats say Poland may speed up slow-motion moves to join the euro, seeking sanctuary in Europe’s inner core as the Baltic states have done. Polish entry would hasten the spread of the single currency to almost all EU countries, including Denmark, though probably not Sweden or Britain.

8) Contest for Central Asia: Both Putin and the West are wooing central Asian autocrats in energy-rich Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, drawing a discreet veil over their human rights records. If Russia weakens economically, they will want at least a foot in the Western camp.

9) US-Russian cooperation: Some cooperation on global security issues will continue because Moscow has an interest in keeping it on track to avoid greater isolation. But tensions are possible over Syria, Iran, Afghanistan or North Korea, and Moscow has levers it could activate such as contracts to supply S300 air defence missiles to Damascus or Tehran.

10) Putin’s future: Russia’s leader is near the peak of his popularity, riding a wave of nationalist pride over Crimea. However, instability may grow if he comes under pressure from magnates angry at losing value on their businesses, forfeiting foreign investment in Russia and facing travel restrictions and asset freezes in the West. Most are 150 percent loyal for now, but things may look different in six months’ time. —Reuters

Erdogan set to tighten grip on Turkey

By Dilay Gundogan

T

urkey’s premier is bound to tighten and extend his grip on power, emboldened by sweeping local poll wins that came despite damaging graft claims and Internet clampdowns, analysts said yesterday.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after delivering a rousing “balcony speech” to thousands of jubilant followers overnight, is now almost certain to run for president this year or seek a fourth term as prime minister, they said. Needled by months of corruption claims spread via Twitter and YouTube, Erdogan has vowed to go after hidden enemies in the police, justice and media whom he blames for the online leaks and pursue them “in their lairs”.

“Emerging strongly from the elections, Erdogan will likely run for president during the summer,” said Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute think-tank. With memories fresh of last June’s violence - when eight people died, thousands were injured and clouds of tear gas wafted through Istanbul’s Gezi Park - many feared further dangerous tensions ahead. “The government says it will launch a witch-hunt against the media (and) civil society,” said the head of the secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu. “We will monitor this carefully. We will stand by our people if their rights are violated.”

Cagaptay predicted that “Erdogan will become more authoritarian.

Turkey will be polarised further, with unrest and demonstrations. The gov-

ernment will crack down on the opposition further, with the potential of a deadlock and regime crisis.”

‘Erdogan’s Allure’ Even though Sunday’s nationwide polls were for city mayors and municipal officials, they were seen by all sides as a crucial popularity test for Erdogan and his Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP). Nationwide, the AKP garnered 45 percent of the vote compared with 28 percent for the CHP; scored a crushing victory in megacity Istanbul; and claimed a narrow win in the capital Ankara. Turkey

has now become “Tayyip-Land”, said the critical Taraf daily. “Going forward Erdogan will see himself as invincible, and as deeply wronged by his rivals,” said Brent Sasley of Texas University.

“He might feel safe now, and so relax his grip a little on Turkish media. More likely he will seek revenge against those who, in his view, tried to take him down but failed.”

Erdogan has earned rebukes from NATO partners for heavy-handed police action against Gezi protesters, and for blocking Twitter and YouTube to stop a torrent of corruption claims against his allies and relatives. A

European Commission spokesman said Monday that EU candidate Turkey “now urgently needs to reengage fully in reforms in line with European standards on rule of law and fundamental rights”.

Amid Turkey’s bitter standoff, Erdogan has accused Fethullah Gulen, an influential US-based Muslim cleric, and his loyalists of being behind the leaks that went viral on social media. Despite the turmoil, millions of Turkish voters shrugged of such concerns and preferred to take their chances with the man often dubbed “the sultan”, whose 11-year

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a crowd of supporters from the balcony of the Justice and Development (AKP) Party headquarters in Ankara yesterday. —AFP

rule has driven strong economic growth. “In the end nothing was able to dent Erdogan’s allure,” Sasley told AFP. “It seems that the Turkish public was simply not ready to take a chance on an uncertain future.”

‘Treason and Traitors’ The vote result exposed deepening faultlines in Turkey, between a secular and globally connected urban middle class and the vast country’s conservative Muslim heartland.

Turkey’s first mayor wearing a Muslim headscarf - long banned for civil servants under previous secular governments - won office in a district of the central AKP stronghold of Konya.

Meanwhile Twitter user Gizemm56, defying the ban, wrote: “My biggest concern is, this man shut down Twitter before the elections, I cannot imagine what’s going to happen after the elections.”

Finansbank economist Deniz Cicek noted that, while post-election “balcony speeches” are usually conciliatory, Erdogan’s midnight address “was peppered with references to treason and traitors”. “The tone of the speech suggests that Erdogan is unlikely to back down from his confrontational stance and a highly charged political environment is set to continue until the presidential elections in August,” Cicek said. He added that Erdogan, rather than run for president in a direct popular vote, may opt for another strategy, saying “the safer choice seems to be changing the bylaws of his own party and run for a fourth term as prime minister”. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

S P ORTS Stinging rebuke on Benitez ITALY: Juventus coach Antonio Conte has issued a stinging rebuke to Napoli coach Rafael Benitez after the two bickered over which team had spent the more money.

Conte, whose side lost 2-0 to Napoli on Sunday, was angry that Benitez had labelled Juventus as the big-spenders in the run-up to the game. “We were facing a squad which has spent more than 100 million euros ($137.5 million) and which was built to win, not to take part,” Conte told reporters.

“We have invested 25 million euros in our team, they have spent more than 100. They have spent in one year what we have spent in three, but they are 17 points behind us and out of Europe. “People need to get their facts right and not spread misleading messages. I hope Benitez will check his calculations.” Juventus are 11 points clear of AS Roma at the top of Serie A and on course to win their third successive title under Conte. They are also in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and their stadium will host the final. Napoli, in their first season under Benitez, are third, a further six points behind Roma, and were knocked out of the Europa League by Porto in the last round. Benitez made references to Juventus’s revenue in the run-up to the game and said they had more strength in depth than Napoli, a remark the Spaniard repeated after the match. “It’s not easy, as we don’t have as much strength in depth as Juventus and it becomes even tougher when you see Roma ahead of us aren’t making any mistakes,” he said. Napoli were Serie A’s biggest spenders in the summer as they splashed out 37 million euros on Gonzalo Higuain, 12 million on Raul Albiol and over nine million each on Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens. —Reuters

Quiet appreciation for new F1 engines SEPANG: Sebastian Vettel bluntly swore when asked about the new sound of Formula One but a more measured response elsewhere at the Malaysian Grand Prix suggests it is not all bleak for the sport’s quiet, hybrid engines.

The engineering marvels that are propelling F1 cars faster than before, but at a fraction of the noise and with less fuel, have not been widely welcomed in a world that revels in the roar of machinery.

But even F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, initially a critic, toned it down after hearing the cars trackside for the first time this weekend at Sepang.

“It’s a little better than we thought,” said Ecclestone, who watched this year’s first race, in Australia, on TV. While F1’s ear-splitting V8 engines are gone, the turbocharged 1.6-litre V6s bring out different sounds: squealing tyres, the roar of the crowd and the previously inaudible race updates over the tannoy. Spectators and officials can watch without earplugs, and the fear of hearing damage, and parents can bring young children to the track without wondering if the noise will reduce them to tears.

LOW EXPECTATIONS In Malaysia, the response among visiting fans was mixed but rarely as damning as world champion Vettel’s four-letter reaction, indicating quiet engines may not be quite the disaster that some in the sport had feared.

Ross Hainan, an IT analyst who flew out for the race from Glasgow, had low expec tations af ter watching the Australian race on TV. “When we came out the initial expectation was that it was going to be really poor. However, actually being here and hearing it live with your own ears, it ’s far, far better than we expected,” said Hainan, 35.

His wife Julie added: “It’s not quiet when they’re all out running and they’re on full throttle, it’s definitely not. “Plus Formula One should be the pinnacle of technology in motorsport, and they are the most amazing hybrids you’ve ever

seen. And five years down the line we’ll all be driving them in our cars back home.”

GET USED TO IT Denmark’s Steffen Moller, a former racing driver who now manages new talent, said Formula One simply had to embrace a future of more fuel-efficient motoring.

“I know there’s a lot of criticism about the sound but we see a lot of electrical cars on the road now and Formula One must be the point where all the manufacturers look to find new ideas,” he said. “So for me it’s not about the sound, it’s more about the top of the performance for what you can do engineering-wise.”

Australian sales manager Tim Anscombe, from Perth, said he missed the old sound but was resigned to the fact that Formula One had to move on.

“You miss that thunder of the old V8s but I suppose the times are changing and that’s the way it’s going to be. Certainly you miss the atmosphere of that roar going through you,” said the 47-year-old.

Others were less philosophical. Pete Visagie of South Africa, who heads an engineering company and races production cars in his spare time, said: “It’s not the spectacle it used to be. The sound was much nicer. “Even the safety car and the medical car sound better than the F1 cars going past, honestly.”

By the end of this year, Formula One will sound noisy compared to the futuristic whine of Formula E, a worldwide series for electric cars which debuts in Beijing in December.

And Claire Williams, the deputy team principal of Williams who has grown up around Formula One, predicted people would soon get used to a sound that has been disparagingly compared to vacuum cleaners and golf carts.

“Personally I like the sound of the engines, but then I love Formula One and I love watching cars go round a racetrack,” she said. “We’ve had so many changes over so many decades of motor racing and you very quickly forget what a previous engine sounds like.” —AFP

Magnussen eyes record

Valdes to miss World Cup

BRISBANE: New coach Jacco Verhaeren says a world 100-metre freestyle record is possible for James Magnussen in this week’s Australian Commonwealth Games swimming trials in Brisbane.

Brazilian Cesar Cielo holds the world record at 46.91 seconds from the 2009 Rome world championships, but Dutchman Verhaeren says Magnussen is at a “fantastic level” ahead of today’s six-day selection trials.

Magnussen, the world 100m champion, has clocked four sub-48 second times ahead of the trials and is FINA’s top-ranked sprinter in the event with a year’s best time of 47.59 set in Perth in late January. His personal best is 47.10. “It’s hard to talk about times but he’s at a fantastic level,” Verhaeren said ahead of the trials. “For me, the first objective is to make the (Commonwealth Games) team. That might look easy for him but it isn’t. “Is he able to improve on that 47.10, and go 46? Maybe. Time will tell.” Magnussen said he has been working hard on his fitness ahead of the trials. “My general aerobic fitness is at a better level this year to what it has been in the past,” he said. “We’ve focused a lot less on speed... so it’s a matter of whether doing all that work on fitness has taken away from my speed in the first 50. “I’m hoping as I get older and bigger and stronger, speed will take care of itself.” Verhaeren, the former coach of dual Dutch Olympic 100m freestyle champion Pieter van den Hoogenband, took over as Australia’s head coach last October. —AFP

BARCELONA: Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will miss the rest of the season and Spain’s defence of the World Cup as he will be sidelined for seven months following knee surgery.

“Victor Valdes underwent surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligament yesterday with doctors Ulrich Boenish and Ricard Pruna in Augsburg, Germany,” Barcelona said in a statement on Monday. “They made an incision in the internal meniscus of the right knee and the surgery was completed in a satisfactory manner. “The estimated time out will be seven months.”

The 32-year-old had been primed to push Spain captain Iker Casillas for his place in goal at the World Cup in Brazil later this year given the Real Madrid man’s lack of first team action this season.

Instead, Manchester United’s David de Gea is likely to go as back up to Casillas and Napoli’s Pepe Reina. It is expected that Valdes has also played his last game for Barcelona when picking up the injury in a 3-0 win against Celta Vigo last week after declaring his intention to leave the club when his contract expires in June. Valdes has been linked with a number of clubs including Monaco and Manchester City, but has made no official announcement on where he will play next season. —AFP

Penguins down Blackhawks PITTSBURGH: Sidney Crosby scored twice in the final five minutes, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-1 victory over the injury-riddled Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.

The Blackhawks also lost captain Jonathan Toews to an upper-body injury in the second period. Toews was hit hard by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik and was holding his left arm on the bench before heading down the runway.

James Neal and Lee Stempniak also scored for the Penguins, who won their second straight and snapped a three-game home losing streak. Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves in his 36th victory of the season. Orpik drilled Toews in the corner with 6:30 remaining in the second period while the two went for a loose puck.

It’s been a rough stretch for injuries for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who will be without star forward Patrick Kane for the rest of the regular season due to a lower-body injury.

Bryan Bickell is out with an upperbody injury but is expected to return soon. Sheldon Brookbank scored for the Blackhawks, who have lost three straight in regulation for the first time since February 2012.

BRUINS 4, FLYERS 3 Patrice Bergeron scored in the second period and also tallied in the shootout, leading Boston to the victory. The Bruins have won nine straight road games, a single-season club record.

Reilly Smith, the fifth Boston shooter, clinched the victory in the tiebreaker. The Bruins went 15-1-1 in March.

Vincent Lecavalier scored twice for the Flyers, including the tying goal with 25 seconds left in regulation. Lecavalier’s first goal was the 400th of his career.

Kimmo Timonen scored for Philadelphia, which has lost three of four to remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Andrej Meszaros and Zdeno Chara also

CHICAGO: Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews is hit in the face by a high stick from Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) as Michal Rozsival (32) and Sidney Crosby (87) watch during the first period of an NHL Stadium Series hockey game. —AP scored for the Bruins.

RED WINGS 3, LIGHTNING 2 David Legwand had a goal and an assist as Detroit held off Tampa Bay to move into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Joakim Andersson and Gustav Nyquist also scored for Detroit, and Jonas Gustavsson stopped 26 shots.

Valtteri Filppula and Sami Salo scored for Tampa Bay and Ben Bishop made 27 saves. Legwand assisted on Nyquist’s goal that gave Detroit a 2-1 lead with 4:36 remaining in the first. He made it 31 on a power-play score with 3:24 left in the second period, tipping in Johan Franzen’s shot for his 13th goal.

RANGERS 5, OILERS 0 Backup Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for his third career shutout and

Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello scored two goals apiece to lead New York to its sixth win in seven games.

Derek Brassard also scored for the Rangers, who moved two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Rangers tied their franchise record for road wins with 24 this season. The Oilers have lost four of their last five games. It was the ninth time this season that the Oilers have been shut out.

PREDATORS 4, CAPITALS 3 Craig Smith scored the only goal in the shootout to lead Nashville over Washington. Patric Hornqvist scored two goals and Shea Weber added another for Nashville, which has won two of three. Troy Brouwer scored twice and Nicklas Backstrom had the other

goal for Washington. The Capitals have lost three straight. In the tiebreaker, Nashville goaltender Carter Hutton denied all three Washington shooters.

SENATORS 6, FLAMES 3 Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris had two goals apiece, leading the Senators to the win. Jared Cowen gave Ottawa a lift with a tiebreaking goal on a wrist shot 1:12 into the third period, and Clarke MacArthur made it 5-3 with a tipin at 12:22. Turris then scored his 25th goal into an empty net.

Robin Lehner made 37 saves as the Senators won back-to-back games on home ice for the first time since they won three straight in late December and early January. Matt Stajan, Paul Byron and Sean Monahan scored for the Flames, and Karri Ramo made 31 saves. —AP

Mercedes march on as Red Bull closing in SEPANG: With two wins from two races under their belt in the new Formula One season, Mercedes are powering confidently toward another speedster’s paradise in Bahrain this week, albeit with a watchful eye on fast improving rivals Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton’s pole-to-flag victory on Sunday ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg looked comfortable in the scorching Sepang sunshine, but quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel had managed to split the pair in a wet qualifying session.

The German Red Bull driver fell behind Rosberg before the first corner on race day in Malaysia but managed to push his compatriot for long periods before the gap widened in the final stages of the 56-lap race. Vettel’s 15 points for third place were Red Bull’s first of the season and a jump in the right

direction for a team that looked in disarray during winter testing after their Renault power unit suffered reliability woes. “ The last day of testing was four weeks ago or something and they were absolutely nowhere and now he (Vettel) was right in the back of me, pushing me,” Rosberg told reporters after moving further clear in the drivers standings ahead of Hamilton.

“The way they’ve ramped up their pace, very impressive, so we need to keep on it to keep our advantage.”

Rosberg leads the drivers championship on 43 points, ahead of Hamilton (25) and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso (24).

Vettel’s team mate, Daniel Ricciardo, also showed promising signs before a botched pit stop, damaged front wing and punctured tyre led to him retiring on lap 49.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was optimistic that they had made progress in bridging the gap on the Formula One pace setters.

“Considering where we were a month ago, to be on the podium with Sebastian in Malaysia in a dry race, is an incredible performance,” he said.

“We knew that we had some ground to catch up to the Mercedes, so to finish as close as Sebastian did today was a really positive performance and, while we know we’ve got a lot of work to do, we can begin to realise the scale of our challenge.”

‘ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN’ Adding fuel to the Renault-powered revival was Russian rookie Danil Kvyat grabbing 10th to give Toro Rosso a second weekend of points after both he and team mate Jean-Eric Vergne’s top 10 fin-

SEPANG: Lotus driver Romain Grosjean of France turns a corner in this file photo. —AFP

ishes in Australia. Even struggling Lotus managed to finish a race, with Romain Grosjean ending in 11th in Malaysia.

However, they were all second best to Mercedes, whose pace on the quick Sepang straights was too much for the Red Bulls.

With similarly long straights awaiting them in Manama before they head to another Hermann Tilke designed circuit in China after that, Horner was thinking small in the short term.

“Their advantage in Bahrain will obviously be bigger than it was here because that is a very powered dominated circuit,” he said.

“For Bahrain, I don’t think there is going to be a solution and it doesn’t tend to rain much in Bahrain so we are obviously going to try and make us much progress as we can in the week and hopefully we can nudge a bit closer

to them. “A lot of the issues are software related so hopefully the steps can be made and we can close that gap down.”

For that reason, Hamilton knew it was vital to take advantage before the pack inevitably caught up, much like Jenson Button did en route to winning the 2009 championship with Brawn when his six race victories came in the first seven races.

Hamilton is also wary of allowing complacency to creep into the team, who claimed their first one-two since 1955. Mercedes suffered reliability problems in the season-opening race which forced Hamilton to retire early after qualifying on pole in Melbourne. “It’s great to see Mercedes leading the championship but we know that we have to make these early races pay,” the Briton said after his 23rd career win. “Anything can happen, as we saw in Australia.”—Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

S P ORTS

Play Ball! MLB heats up with slate of openers NEW YORK: After a brutal winter of arctic blasts and blustery snowstorms, baseball is ready to heat up late yesterday with its first full slate of games this season.

David Ortiz and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox begin their title defense in Baltimore against home run king Chris Davis and the AL East rival Orioles. Robinson Cano makes his Seattle Mariners debut, looking to live up to a huge contract - just like Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout.

Behind the scenes, umpires at all six replay stations in New York will be at the ready for the first time in baseball history.

The start of Derek Jeter’s retirement tour will wait one more day. The New York Yankees, with baseball’s oldest roster, will face the youngest tonight in Houston.

By the time Detroit’s Justin Verlander throws a pitch in the first of 13 games late yesterday, the Dodgers will already have

played openers on two continents and put $215 million ace Clayton Kershaw on the disabled list. Los Angeles swept a pair from the Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground on March 22-23, with Kershaw winning the first regular-season major league game in Australia before an upper back muscle acted up. The Dodgers lost 3-1 at San Diego in the North American opener Sunday night.

Still, ballparks around country will be buzzing with optimistic fans and, other than in Oakland, sunny skies and seasonably warm temperatures are expected to provide a wonderful backdrop - what a relief! - for the days’ festivities.

“Should be a pretty good day for a ballgame,” said Richard Bann, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center.

The Pittsburgh Pirates certainly will be celebrating their first winning season and trip to the playoffs since 1992, and they’ll

have help handing out some hardware from two key members of that team: Barry Bonds and Jim Leyland.

Bonds, the ‘92 NL MVP, will be on hand to honor 2013 MVP Andrew McCutchen.

The recently retired Leyland, a two-time Manager of the Year with Pittsburgh, is going to present Clint Hurdle with his Manager of the Year award for guiding the Pirates to a 94-68 record and wildcard berth.

The son of Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, who died in February, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Kiner will be honored in New York, too, where the Mets host Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals, a World Series favorite once again. Dillon Gee will make his first opening day start after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio throws out the ceremonial first pitch.

In Texas, Tanner Scheppers, a convert-

ed setup man, will be the first pitcher to make his first major league start in a season opener since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 for the Dodgers. Scheppers will have new slugger Prince Fielder at first base when the Rangers host Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies in an interleague game.

Scheppers got the nod because major league strikeout leader Yu Darvish is on the disabled list with a sore neck. Atlanta’s Kris Medlen, Oakland’s Jarrod Parker and Arizona’s Patrick Corbin are out, too. While Darvish may miss only one start, Medlen, Parker and Corbin are out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.

One pitcher who escaped serious injury is Reds closer Aroldis Chapman.

He’s sidelined at least a month more after being hit in the forehead by a line drive during spring training.

Not only will Cincinnati be without

Chapman when it opens against NL Central rival St. Louis for just the second time in 20 years, the Reds have eight players on the DL - a major league high heading into the season. Texas is right behind with seven.

The Milwaukee Brewers get back star slugger Ryan Braun for their home opener against the Braves. Braun is returning from a 65-game suspension he accepted last season for his involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal.

Braun will take his position at Miller Park, on grass grown under heat lamps imported from Europe because the winter temperatures in Wisconsin were too cold - even with the roof closed.

“But regardless of what Mother Nature gave us here, we’re going to have it ready for opening day,” said Michael Boettcher, the team’s director of grounds. —AP

Bowditch wins Texas Open

SAN ANTONIO: Champion Steven Bowditch with the trophy during the Final Round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks Course. —AFP

TEXAS: First-time winner Steven Bowditch continued a season of surprises on the PGA Tour, claiming the $6.2 million Texas Open by one stroke on Sunday. The Australian, who came into the event ranked 339th in the world, survived a windswept final round with a four-over-par 76 at the TPC San Antonio. It was the highest closing score by a winner of a tour event since 2004, but Bowditch had no complaints after securing his first victory in 110 starts, earning $1.116 million, along with a prized invitation to the Masters in two weeks.

“It’s so hard out there. I’ve never really felt that way for a whole day,” he told Golf Channel after tapping in from six inches for a bogey at the final hole to finish at eight-under 280 and edge Americans Will MacKenzie (70) and Daniel Summerhays (71).

Bowditch is the third Australian to win on the tour this year, joining Jason Day (WGC Match Play) and John Senden (Tampa Bay Championship).

The 30-year-old from Queensland, the same state as Day, Senden and Masters champion Adam Scott, was a top junior player whose professional career temporarily was stalled as he battled depression. “Everyone’s dealt with something,” Bowditch said. “You just move on and keep learning and growing.” Bowditch started the final round with a three-stroke lead but surrendered his advantage in only four holes to fall back into a tie with Matt Kuchar.

Six-time PGA Tour winner Kuchar remained tied for the lead after nine holes, but faded with bogeys at the next two holes and eventually finished two strokes behind, equal fourth.

Bowditch, displaying a deft short game whenever he missed a green, birdied the par-five 14th to take a twostroke lead that held up down the stretch when none of his rivals could sustain a challenge in the difficult conditions.

But Bowditch remained patient to become the latest in a line of long-shot winners on tour. Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson are the only major champions to triumph this calendar year.

Kevin Na received a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in a fairway bunker at the fifth hole. He shot a 76 to finish five shots back. —Reuters

KOTC shooting tourney concludes

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Kuwait Oil Tankers Shooting Tournament concluded on Saturday, with the closing ceremony held at Kuwait Shooting Sport Club.

Deputy chief executive officer for fleet affairs Ali Shihab and Director General of Public Relations Abdelrahman Al-Ghanim, President of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Engr.

Duaij Al-Otaibi, Secretary General of Arab and Kuwait Federations Obaid Al-Osaimi as well as KSSC board members attended the ceremony.

Shihab said “we thank KSSC officials for organizing the tournament, and as KOTC we participate in the shooting sport activities.” He said we saw a group of new shooters who scored good numbers, and wish them all success.

Meanwhile, Engr. Duaij Al-Otaibi said we are honored to organize the KOTC tournament annually, and it is on the agenda of the club. He thanked KOTC chairman and his deputy for their continued support to Kuwait shooting activities.

Assistant secretary Engr. Mohammad AlGhurba said KSSC appreciates the major role KOTC played towards the shooting club since its establishment until now. He said the company is keen on holding the tournament because of its official’s belief in supporting youth. Al-Ghurba lauded the large participation in this cup in the air pistol and rifle as well as Olympic Archery.

Air pistol - women Iman Adel Bouland Huthama Ali Al-Baghli Israa Redha Bahman

50m pistol - men Hamad Abdallah Al-Namshan Hasan Abdelaziz Al-Mulla Mideth Obaid Al-Sahli

Air rifle - women Heba Mohammad Irzouqi Mariam Mohammad Irzouqi Fatima Emad Abdelmalek

Air rifle - shooting school - junior men Yousuf Marzouq Al-Dawas Abdelrahman Khalifa Al-Khalifa Duaij Mohammad Al-Khalifa

50m rifle - 3 position - men Abdallah Awadh Al-Harbi Khalid Share Al-Subai Majid Obaid Al-Osaimi

Air rifle - shooting school - junior women Haya Sami Al-Dhamir Sheikha Khalifa Al-Khalifa Reem Luai Al-Bughaili

50m rifle prone - men Turky Abdallah Al-Shimmari Mohammad Al-Daihani Majid Obaid Al-Osaimi

Air pistol - shooting school - junior men Saud Ali Al-Thafiri Omar Ghadeer Al-Enezi Othman Khalid Al-Mutairi Air pistol - shooting school - junior women Hajer Abdelrahman Al-Mutairi Lujain Sami Al-Dhamir Razan Abdelrahman Al-Mutairi Olympic bow - general - men Fahad Kamel Al-Rashidi Ahmad Al-Shatti Al-Tamimi Mohammad Abdallah Muslim Olympic compound bow - men Muslim Faisal Ibrahim Ahmad Al-Shatti Al-Tamimi Abdelaziz Bushehri

Final results of the tournament are as follows: Air pistol-men Hamad Abdallah Al-Namshan Mideth Obaid Al-Sahli Suhail Jassim Suhail Air rifle - men Abdallah Awad Al-Harby (scored a new Kuwaiti record) Bandar Nahar Al-Mutairi Mohammad Adel Abdelrahman

Olympic bow - general - beginners - men Khalid Haidar Qambar Athby Rashid Khalid Abdelrahman Ali Al-Failakawi

Air Rifle Junior Shooter Yousuf Marzouq Al-Dawas

KUWAIT: KOTC and KSSC officials in a group picture with winners.

Olympic bow - juniors Zaid Salem Al-Saeed, Mohammad Khalaf AlMutairi, Ali Khalaf Al-Mutairi

CARLSBAD: Anna Nordqvist of Sweden raises the trophy after winning the KIA Classic at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort on. —AFP

Nordqvist bags Kia Classic CARLSBAD: Anna Nordqvist rallied to win the Kia Classic on Sunday at Aviara for her second victory in her last four LPGA Tour starts.

Two strokes behind leaders Cristie Kerr and Lizette Salas entering the round, Nordqvist closed with her second straight 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Salas.

“I’m very excited. I still can’t believe it,” Nordqvist said. “I was a couple of shots back going into today, but this morning I told myself to give it a shot and I ended up making quite of bit of birdies out there. I’m very excited to have two wins this season.”

The 26-year-old Swede won the LPGA Thailand last month to end a five-year victory drought, holding off top-ranked Inbee Park. In 2009, Nordqvist won the LPGA Championship and LPGA Tour Championship.

Projected to jump from 16th to ninth in the world, Nordqvist finished at 13-under 275 and earned $255,000. She two-putted for par on the par-4 18th, holing a 2-footer.

“My hands were shaking a little, I’m not going to lie,” Nordqvist said. “You never know with the sun setting you see every little spike mark. So I tried not to focus on that and see the hole.” The Kraft Nabisco, the first major tournament of the year, is next week in Rancho Mirage.

“I really love the majors,” Nordqvist said. “It’s a tougher set up on course and I feel more pressure, more spotlight on the tournament and I like that. I like the test and it seems like it is going to be pretty windy next week which will make it tougher. I’m very happy with the way I’m playing and can’t wait to tee it up.”

Salas birdied the 18th for a 70.

“I’m going to put this in the back of my mind, but know I can make putts down the stretch,” Salas said. The former Southern California player is winless on the LPGA Tour.

“Obviously, I can’t control what Anna does,” she said. “She’s been playing awesome this year and already had a win, congrats to her. That’s just golf. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t. Luckily, I finished with a birdie on a good note, and off to the Kraft.””

Nordqvist changed equipment and started working with instructor Jorje Parada during the offseason after considering leaving the tour.

The former Arizona State player made a short birdie putt on the par-4 first hole and added birdies on the par-5 eighth and par-4 ninth to make the turn at 11 under. She also birdied the par-4 13th, par-3 14th and par-4 16th before dropping a stroke on the par-5 17th.

Lexi Thompson was third at 11 under after a 68, and Chella Choi was another stroke back after a 69. Kerr closed with a 73 to finish fifth at 9 under.

Park, preparing for her title defense next week at Mission Hills, had a 68 to join thirdranked Stacy Lewis (71), Se Ri Pak (69) and Eun-Hee Ji (71) at 8 under.

Dori Carter, the 244th-ranked player who shot a course-record 64 on Friday, finished with a 73 to tie for 10th at 7 under. Michelle Wie had a 70 to tie for 16th at 5 under.

Laura Diaz had a hole-in-one for the second straight day to become the second player in LPGA Tour history to make two aces in a tournament.

Diaz aced the par-3 third hole Saturday in the third round, then holed out on the par-3 sixth on Sunday — a shot she followed with an eagle on the par-4 seventh.

She also had an eagle Saturday on the par-5 fifth. Jenny Lidback is the only other player with two aces in an event, accomplishing the feat in the 1997 Tournament of Champions.

Diaz used a 6-iron Sunday on the 157yard sixth. “I was trying to hit it a little left to right high and take a little bit off of it,” Diaz said. “And, yeah, I did it. It went in.”

On the eagle on No. 7, she holed out from 122 yards with a 50-degree wedge, the club she used to hole out twice Saturday. She’s the first tour player to follow an ace with an eagle on the next hole.

The 38-year-old Diaz shot 2-under 70 in each round to finish at 2 under. —AP

Fearsome Final Four head to North Texas TEXAS: The road to redemption goes through North Texas for a fearsome Final Four of power programs with something to prove. Florida, the top overall seed, returns to the Final Four for the first time since winning consecutive titles in 2006-07, this time without all those first-round NBA picks.

Waiting for the Gators at Jerry Jones’ billiondollar stadium on Saturday will be Connecticut, back near the top of the bracket under Kevin Ollie after being barred a year ago.

Wisconsin and coach Bo Ryan will be there, too, finally in the Final Four after so many nearmisses. Bo knows the Final Four - even if his father won’t be there to join him this time.

Facing the Badgers in the other national semifinal will be all those Kentucky kids, once written off as too young and inexperienced to play for a title before they head off to the NBA. This Final Four contains no upstarts or midmajor party crashers, just big boys with big chips on their shoulders. Donovan won a pair of national titles in Gainesville with Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Al Horford, all top-10 NBA picks in the 2007 NBA draft. After that second title, he accepted the head-coaching job with the NBA’s Orlando Magic, then changed his mind after the introductory news conference.

Donovan continued to produce winning teams at Florida, but the biggest wins eluded the Gators. They lost in the regional final each

of the past three seasons.

That changed when the Gators (36-2) rode their chomping defense through a 30-game winning streak capped by Saturday’s 62-52 win over Dayton.

“We didn’t start off the exact way that we should have, but coach Donovan continued to remind us and humble us and help us see that, in order to get where we want to get to, the end goal, we have to continue to chase greatness every single day and stay in the moment,” Florida forward Patric Young said. To win another title, the Gators will have to go through the last two teams to beat them this season (UConn and Wisconsin) or their biggest SEC rival (Kentucky).

The Huskies won the 2011 national title with coach Jim Calhoun and Kemba Walker.

Things went sour in Storrs after that. Calhoun retired in 2012 and UConn was barred from the NCAA tournament last season for failing to meet the NCAA’s academic progress measure.

UConn’s upperclassmen decided to stick it out instead of transferring and put together another magical bracket run behind another do-it-all-player, former Walker understudy Napier. With their 60-54 win over Michigan State on Sunday, the Huskies (30-8) became the first No. 7 seed to reach the Final Four since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

S P ORTS

Power opens IndyCar season with victory INDIANAPOLIS: NASCAR driver Kurt Busch drives down the front straightaway in this file photo. —AP

Busch’s victory raises hope after 83-race winless streak MARTINSVILLE: Kurt Busch couldn’t be more delighted with his move to Stewart-Haas Racing. Six races into the marriage, he ended an 83-race winless streak Sunday at Martinsville Speedway and said he’s learning that a better approach to being an actual participant in a team pays big dividends.

“I ran a lot of my early part of my career as an individual and I didn’t respect my team, my team owners,” Busch said, adding that working with coowner Tony Stewart is helping him learn a better way. Busch won by passing Martinsville master Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 10 laps to go and holding off the eight-time winner to win at the track for the first time since October 2002. It was his 25th career Cup-level victory, and Busch seemed enthralled that it came in the most unlikely of venues.

“You’ve got to put life in perspective, and you have to learn from your mistakes and you can’t just sit there and try to muscle your way individually through certain situations,” he said about 450 laps after a pit road confrontation with Brad Keselowski, whose on-track retaliation had Busch threatening to rearrange his face. “And so you rely on your experience level, you rely on your team, and this is a great day for me to be able to lift the trophy in Victory Lane for Stewart-Haas Racing.”

Johnson, with eight wins in 25 career starts on the 0.526-mile oval, led 11 times for 296 laps. He seemed on his way to another victory when he took the lead from Busch with 17 laps remaining. But Busch stayed close, ducked underneath Johnson seven laps later and Johnson had no means to challenge again.

“That’s all I had,” Johnson said. “Man, I ran the rear tires off the car. I flipped every switch and knob I could in there to get front brake and turn fans off and try to help bring my balance back.”

Busch held on, his first top-10 finish at Martinsville in his last 17 starts there. The race featured an event-record 33 lead changes, and Johnson expected there would be one more when he retook the lead with 17 laps to go, but on a slippery day after a rainy weekend on the smallest circuit in NASCAR’s premier series, the cars at the end weren’t conducive to typical short-track racing.

“I think the lack of security in our own car kept us from feeling more racy and putting a bumper to someone or really getting inside someone aggressively,” Johnson said of the rather gentlemanly finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third, followed by Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose.

Here are five other things to know after NASCAR’s sixth race of the season: STILL NO REPEATS: Through six races, there have been six different pole-sitters and six different race-winners, a trend that is causing some winners to rethink their stance that with a win, they’re essentially in the 16-driver playoffs for the final 10 races of the season. Winning certainly gives each of them a leg up because of how much weight it carries in determining the Chase field, but as long as new drivers keep doing burnouts after each race, there’s no telling how many winners there will be.

There are 26 races before the Chase.

THE DOUBTING MACHINE: Gene Haas was not present for the first victory by the team he funds, and admitted by telephone after Busch’s victory that he was resigned to Jimmie Johnson prevailing.

“I was thinking that we would probably pull out in front of Jimmie Johnson and be there for a few laps, but (Johnson) was better on the long run,” Haas said. “I was kind of like going, ‘Well hey, at least we made a good show.’” Busch also told his new boss via text earlier in the week that Martinsville was his worst track, and then was hardly able to practice because all of Saturday’s activity was rained out. “He doesn’t practice on Saturday and he wins,” Haas said. “We have a new formula here.”

POINTS RACE: Don’t look now, because it’s still really early, but Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sports’ most popular driver, leads the points race and leads with four top-5 finishes in six races. Could this be the year that Dale Jr. finally has the year his fans have been waiting for?

FALLIBLE JIMMIE? Johnson led 11 times for 296 laps on Sunday. When it was noted that Johnson has had several instances in recent years where his dominance in a race hasn’t always led to a victory like he’s accustomed to, he first joked about it, then agreed. —AP

India XI cricket team

Pakistan XI cricket team

India, Pak clash for Platinum Cup title KUWAIT: Cricket crazy fans of Kuwait will now wait eagerly to watch the traditional clash of the titans match to be played between Pakistan XI & Indian XI on Friday, April 4, 2014 at 1:30 pm.

In a keenly poised match played between Indian XI & Sri Lankan XI, the Indian XI held their nerves to notch a thrilling 23 runs victory over a spirited fight back from the Sri Lankan team, rightly known as Lions so as to advance to meet Pakistan in the Finals.

Batting first, the Indian XI openers Usman Patel & Alwyn D’souza played steadily and took the score to 48 and as the pair was about to settle, a sudden rush of blood saw Alwyn caught at long on. Hansen Vaz, the talented one drop bat joined Usman and the duo continued to play attacking cricket and ran some quick singles to unsettle the Sri Lankan fielder.

Usman was at his very best driving and pulling with precise timing and Ansan thumped the cherry with great authority to score a valuable 23 runs before being run out. As the score read 105 for 2, Mohammed Nizar along with Usman Patel thrilled the crowd with some lusty hitting to take the Indian XI total to 199 runs in 20 overs. Mohd.

Nizar’s scintillating knock of 75 (not out) contained 7 huge sixes and 2 fours and a beautifully timed on drive to the mid- wicket boundary was the shot of the day. Usman ended up with a polished 53 runs to his credit. Sasanka, Indika & Rifkas got a wicket each.

Sri Lankan team highly pumped up to outwit the rivals played enterprising cricket and gave a tough time to the Indian team as Yohan Chandana led from the front to crack a solid 58 runs with 4 sixes & 4 boundaries. Indika the hard hitting batsmen played a cameo knock of 28 runs in just 12 balls and till he was at the crease the Sri Lankans were on the brink of victory but the experienced Indian bowlers kept on applying pressure and Sri Lankan team folded for 163 runs in 20 overs.

Roshan & Sajid Kalam took two wickets each while Faisal, Nawaf & Nikhil bagged a wicket each.

Mohd Nisar was rightly judged Player of the match for his marvelous batting display.

The highly rated Pakistan XI notched an easy victory over Bangladesh XI and will meet Indian XI in the final to be played on April 4, 2014.

Bangladesh batting first could score only 110 runs as Abdulla Khan the leg spinner bowled extremely well (4-0-9-3) to wreck the Bangladesh batting order while Raheel & Ali Zaheer took 2 wickets each.

Toufique was the star batsman for Bangladesh as he fought a lone battle to score 37 runs with 3 mighty sixes. Pakistan wrapped up 111 runs in just 12 overs as Asghar & Yasser Butt flayed the Bangladesh attack, dispatching eh ball to all corners of the ground. Asghar scored 47 (6x3) while Yasser blasted a hurricane 42 in just 28 balls to claim the Player of the match award.

ST. PETERSBURG: For the fourth time in six races dating to last season, Will Power jumped from the top of his car to celebrate a win in Victory Lane.

It was a strong opening salvo Sunday in St. Petersburg for Power, who struggled through most of last season until finally breaking out of his slump during the homestretch. He won three of the final five races, including the last two of the season.

Now he has opened 2014 with a win.

“Obviously, the perfect way to start,” the Australian driver said. Power passed pole-sitter Takuma Sato for the lead with an outside move headed into the second turn on Lap 31, and was never really challenged again.

He had to beat Team Penske teammate Helio Castroneves off pit lane during stops under caution, and the only hiccup was on the first restart of the race. He was the leader and was slow to restart the field with 28 laps remaining. It caused traffic to stack up behind him and led to a crash involving rookie Jack Hawksworth and Marco Andretti.

Andretti got out of his car with a limp and was favoring his wrist following the accident. “It’s hard to see because I was pretty far back, but Will just stopped. Once you go, you gotta go,” he said. “It looked like an accordion effect. I had a good restart going, but we were junk all day, so what are you going to do?” Power said he never braked and was confused because the field went green earlier than it should.

“They actually threw the green before I was even in the (restart) zone, so it was confusing to me,” Power said. Castroneves didn’t buy Power’s version and said he was fooled by his teammate.

“Will and I know each other for a long time. He knows my tricks,” Castroneves said. “I didn’t quite know that trick from him, and he got me.” IndyCar said the restart in question was acceptable, but race control did review Power’s second restart and issued him a warning for going too early. He was not penalized, but IndyCar said he will be if he does it again.

Five other developments from Sunday’s season-opening race: STRONG START: Ryan Hunter-Reay won two races last season, but considered it a failure because he didn’t defend his 2012 series championship. His season began to unravel over a three-race stretch in July, when he tumbled from second to third in the standings and never

ST. PETERSBURG: Race winner Will Power (center) of Australia, poses with secondplace finisher Ryan Hunter-Reay (left) and third-place finisher Helio Castroneves (right) of Brazil, in Victory Circle after the IndyCar Grand Prix. —AP recovered.

So it was important to the Andretti Autosport driver to start this year strong, which he did with a second-place finish at St. Pete.

NO REPEAT WINNER: James Hinchcliffe was the breakout winner a year ago, but failed to find much success in his return to the site of his first IndyCar victory.

He ran in the back most of Sunday because of an electrical issue and finished 19th. Qualifying was also tough for the Canadian, who spun and hit the wall and failed to advance out of the first round. He started 19th in the 22-car field.

JPM’S DEBUT: Juan Pablo Montoya finished 15th in his return to IndyCar for the first time since he left for Formula One following his Indianapolis 500 win in 2000. He spent almost five seasons in F1 and seven in NASCAR before returning to open-wheel with Roger Penske.

Although expectations are for Montoya to win immediately, he believes he needs several races to get fully up to speed. “I think it went pretty good,” he said. “We will learn and pass some people and some people passed us. There are a few

things we have to do better. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I am very excited.”

NEW FACE IN THE 10: The season-opener marked a changing of the guard at Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, where defending Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan is now driving the red No. 10. He got the seat when good friend Dario Franchitti was forced to retire because of injuries suffered in an October crash.

It’s a tall order to replace Franchitti, the fourtime series champion and three-time Indy 500 winner. Kanaan’s first time out of the gate ended with a sixth-place finish. He started second.

CLOSE FINISH: Mike Conway finished 16th in his debut with Ed Carpenter Racing, but could have been on the podium if not for a communication issue.

Conway did not hear a call to pit from his crew and stayed on the track during the first caution, when everyone else pitted. So Conway pitted on the last lap of the caution period, but passed the pace car to enter the pit area. He was issued a penalty that cost him any shot at a strong finish. —AP

Nets snare Timberwolves NEW YORK: Paul Pierce scored 22 points as the Brooklyn Nets moved to the brink of a playoff spot by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-99 on Sunday for their club record-equaling 13th straight home victory.

Pierce scored 16 in the first quarter, two nights after putting up 17 in the period, and didn’t miss a shot in either.

Joe Johnson added 19 points for the Nets, who would clinch a playoff spot if the New York Knicks lost to Golden State later Sunday. Brooklyn equaled the longest home winning streak in the NBA this season and the best in the history of the franchise. Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin each scored 21 for the Timberwolves, who had won two in row and were coming off the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, when they scored a franchise-record 143 points in a rout of the Lakers on Friday.

CAVALIERS 90, PACERS 76 Dion Waiters scored 19 points and Luol Deng added 15 as the Cleveland Cavaliers kept their playoff push going with a 90-76 win over the Indiana Pacers, who are losing their grip on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Tristan Thompson had 16 rebounds as the Cavs snapped a nine-game losing streak against Indiana. Cleveland came in three games behind slumping, idle Atlanta for the conference’s final playoff spot. With seven games left - six against teams with losing records - the Cavs still have a chance. The Pacers, meanwhile, are falling apart. They lost their fifth straight road game and now lead Miami by one game for the East’s top record and home-court advantage.

Paul George scored 15 and David West 14 for Indiana, which fell behind by 21 in the fourth quarter.

THUNDER 116, JAZZ 96 Kevin Durant had 31 points and nine assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Utah Jazz. Durant scored at least 25 points for the 38th consecutive game, the longest streak since Michael Jordan did it in 40 straight games for the Chicago Bulls during the 1986-87 season.

Russell Westbrook scored 19 points, Serge Ibaka had 17 points and Caron Butler added 15 for the Thunder, who have won six of seven. Oklahoma City shot 55 percent from the field and made 11 of 18 3-pointers and 23 of 26 free throws. Enes Kanter had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost four in a row.

RAPTORS 98, MAGIC 93 DeMar DeRozan had 28 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and nine rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors escaped with a victory over the Orlando Magic.

Trailing 96-93 with 8.9 seconds to play, the Magic had the ball and an opportunity to tie the game. But coming out of a timeout they failed to inbound the ball, turning it over on a 5-second violation. DeRozan was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to provide the final margin. The win was the Raptors’ third in a row and seventh straight over the Magic. Toronto swept the season series 3-0. Nik Vucevic led the Magic with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

BULLS 107, CELTICS 102 DJ Augustin scored 15 of his career-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Chicago Bulls held off the slumping Boston Celtics. Augustin was perfect from the foul line on 10 attempts and was 10-for-14 from the floor, including a 3-pointer late in the period to break a 96-all tie and give Chicago the lead for good. He followed that with six straight free throws to help the Bulls close out the Celtics. Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who will try for a three-game season sweep against the Celtics on Monday night in Chicago. Rajon Rondo had 17 points and 11 assists for Boston, which has lost four straight and nine of 10.

KNICKS 89, WARRIORS 84 JR Smith scored 21 points and Carmelo Anthony added 19 points and nine rebounds as the New York Knicks moved within one game of the final playoff spot by beating the undermanned Golden State Warriors. The Knicks

NEW YORK: Brooklyn Nets’ Paul Pierce (right) protects the ball from Minnesota Timberwolves’ Corey Brewer during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game. —AP outscored Golden State 34-12 in the second quarter to go ahead 56-44 at the half, and then held off a furious rally by Stephen Curry and the Warriors in the closing minutes.

Curry scored 32 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:42 remaining. But he missed from long range in the final minute and also had a pass stolen by Raymond Felton on Golden State’s final possession. New York (31-43) is a game behind fast-fading Atlanta, which has lost six straight, for the final playoff seed in the weak Eastern Conference.

Lakers shot 53 percent from the field, avoiding what would have been Phoenix’s first season sweep over them since 2004-05. The Suns won the first three meetings by an average margin of 13.3 points, including a 117-90 rout on Dec. 23 at US Airways Center. The 25-48 Lakers, returning home from a 143-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, beat a team with a winning record for only the eighth time all season. Gerald Green scored 22 points off the bench for the Suns.

LAKERS 115, SUNS 99 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Kaman had 28 points along with 17 rebounds while starting at center for the vertigostricken Pau Gasol, helping the Los Angeles Lakers end the Phoenix Suns’ six-game winning streak. The undermanned

TRAIL BLAZERS 105, GRIZZLIES 98 LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points in his third game back from injury as the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to three games with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. —AP

NBA results/standings Oklahoma City 116, Utah 96; Cleveland 90, Indiana 76; Brooklyn 114, Minnesota 99; Toronto 98, Orlando 93; Chicago 107, Boston 102; NY Knicks 89, Golden State 84; Portland 105, Memphis 98; LA Lakers 115, Phoenix 99.

Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Northwest Division W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 54 19 .740 Toronto 42 31 .575 Portland 48 27 .640 7 Brooklyn 39 33 .542 2.5 Minnesota 36 36 .500 17.5 NY Knicks 31 43 .419 11.5 Denver 32 41 .438 22 Boston 23 50 .315 19 Utah 23 51 .311 31.5 Philadelphia 16 57 .219 26

Indiana Chicago Cleveland Detroit Milwaukee

Miami Washington Charlotte Atlanta Orlando

Central Division 52 22 .703 41 32 .562 30 45 .400 26 47 .356 14 59 .192 Southeast Division 50 22 .694 38 35 .521 35 38 .479 31 41 .431 21 53 .284

10.5 22.5 25.5 37.5

LA Clippers Golden State Phoenix LA Lakers Sacramento

Pacific Division 52 22 .703 45 28 .616 44 30 .595 25 48 .342 25 48 .342

6.5 8 26.5 26.5

12.5 15.5 19 30

San Antonio Houston Dallas Memphis New Orleans

Southwest Division 57 16 .781 49 23 .681 44 30 .595 43 30 .589 32 41 .438

7.5 13.5 14 25

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

S P ORTS

United face ultimate challenge in Bayern

SPAIN: Atletico Madrid’s midfielder Koke (center) and his teammates take part in a training session at the Camp Nou stadium on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match. —AFP

Martino, Simeone renew their old rivalry in Europe MADRID: Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino and his Atletico Madrid counterpart Diego Simeone clashed as rival players in their native Argentina and there will be no quarter given when they meet in the last eight of the Champions League today.

A callow Simeone was not yet 18 when he faced Martino, nearly 10 years his senior, in a league match between Velez Sarsfield and Newell’s Old Boys in Januar y 1988, when Martino was sent off for a challenge on fellow midfielder Simeone, who was himself dismissed 10 minutes later.

No stranger to controversy during his playing career- Simeone was involved in the sending off of England midfielder David Beckham at the 1998 World Cup-he admitted last year he had indulged in a spot of play-acting to try to provoke a red card for Martino.

“There was an incident in the middle of the pitch,” Simeone recalled in an interview with Argentine television. “He reacted to something, I exaggerated a bit and they ended up sending him off,” added the 43-year-old, said to play “with a knife between his teeth”.

“They sent me off about 10 minutes later, the referee compensated a little for his earlier decision.” Almost three decades later and the older and wiser Martino and Simeone are in charge of two Spanish teams with a genuine chance of achieving a rare double of Champions League and La Liga titles.

Atletico are a point clear of Barca at the top of Spain’s domestic league with seven games left and their final match of the campaign is another trip to Barca’s daunting Nou Camp arena in May.

They have already played each other three times this term, with very little to choose between the sides. Barca pipped Atletico to the season-opening Spanish Super Cup when Neymar’s goal in a 1-1 first-leg draw in Madrid was enough for Barca after the second leg ended 0-0. Their La Liga game at the Calderon in January also finished goalless.

Barca warmed up for today’s last eight, first leg with a laboured 1-0 win at city rivals Espanyol on Saturday thanks to a Lionel Messi penalty, while Diego Costa and Koke scored for Atletico in a 2-1 comeback win at Athletic Bilbao.

Simeone’s men will need to demonstrate the same intensity they showed at the San Mames if they are to get the better of a Barca side buoyed by this month’s 4-3 win at Real Madrid in the La Liga ‘Clasico’. Messi, whose season was disrupted by a two-month injury layoff either side of the New Year, appears to be coming into top form at exactly the right time, while playmaker Andres Iniesta is also looking close to his scintillating best.

Messi, the four-times World Player of the Year who comes from Martino’s home town of Rosario, has scored 20 goals in 19 matches against Atletico, including three hat-tricks.

WINNING MENTALITY Barca playmaker Xavi said he would have preferred not to meet another Spanish team in Europe and praised Simeone for the way he has transformed Atletico since taking over at the end of 2011.

“Atletico Madrid know us very well,” Xavi said

in an interview published on Atletico’s website (www.clubatleticodemadrid.com) on Sunday.

“Simeone has instilled an extraordinary winning mentality in the team and they have absolute faith in what they are doing,” added the Spain international.

“It will be a very close tie, with few scoring chances due to the way Atletico play. “It is never fun playing them. They don’t allow you any space, they cover our creative areas very well.

“They don’t leave room down the wings, they deploy people very effectively in the middle of the pitch and they are good on the counter attack.”

The goals of Atletico’s Brazil-born forward Costa have underpinned the team’s success this season and he notched his 25th of the La Liga campaign at Bilbao, three behind top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and two ahead of Messi.

Costa will be up against a host of new team mates from his adopted country Spain today, including defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba and midfielders Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Iniesta.

“Costa is a lad who is improving day by day, he has enormous physical strength,” Simeone told a news conference. “The way the team plays is a consequence of what he can give us and he feels comfortable in the side.” The winner of the tie following next week’s second leg in Madrid will go into the draw for the semi-finals on April 11. In the other three quarter-finals, Real Madrid play Borussia Dortmund, Paris St Germain take on Chelsea and holders Bayern Munich face Manchester United. —Reuters

KEY BISCAYNE: Rafael Nadal of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia pose for photographers after the final of the Sony Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center. —AFP

Djokovic lifts fourth Miami title MIAMI: Novak Djokovic tamed world number one Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-3 to claim his fourth Sony Open title on Sunday, denying the Spaniard a maiden win on the Miami hardcourts.

The win was the second straight Masters series title for the second ranked Serb, who defeated Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open two weeks ago in Indian Wells.

“That was a great confidence boost for me that I carried on in this week, and this tournament has been perfect from the beginning to the end,” said Djokovic, after hoisting his 43rd career title.

“The matches that I have played I played really well, and I elevated my game as the tournament progressed. “The best performance of the tournament came in the right moment on Sunday against the biggest rival.”

The world’s top ranked players added another line to what has

grown into one of tennis’s great rivalries with the Spaniard holding a 22-18 edge.

But the Miami title continues to be one of the few to elude Nadal, who has now finished runner-up four times at Crandon Park, twice beaten in the final by Djokovic.

“Miami is the same level as Indian Wells, same level as Cincinnati, Toronto, Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid,” said Nadal when asked to explain his inability to hoist the Miami trophy. “The quality of the tournament is Masters 1000 that I won 26, so I cannot have a mental block on that.

“No, no frustration. That’s tennis.

That’s the sport.” Both Nadal and Djokovic were well-rested after receiving walkovers into the final after opponents withdrew from the semi-finals, giving the tournament a mouth-watering championship matchup.

The contest featured everything

one would expect except from a matchup between the world’s best with a title on the line, Nadal and Djokovic trading thundering groundstrokes right from the first point. But on this day, a confident Djokovic, his game firing on all cylinders, kept Nadal on the defensive ending the drama quickly by winning all the big points.

“I played a few games and a few points with right way, with right intensity,” said Nadal. “But for the rest, easy to analyse. The opponent was better than me. That’s it.

“He was better than me in everything. “I feel that I didn’t move as well as I do normally. I feel that he was having too much success with every shot.”

Both players had one break opportunity in an entertaining opening set and it was the Serb who made his count breaking Nadal to go up 4-2 and then holding serve for a 1-0 lead.

Djokovic quickly put his opponent under pressure, starting the second with a break and that was all he would need with Nadal unable to find a crack in the Serb’s armor.

The match ended on another break and a dazzling rally, Djokovic sealing a clinical victory with textbook half-volley, then falling onto his back and punching his hands into the air in celebration.

“I didn’t have any letdowns throughout the match,” said Djokovic. I was in a very high level: serve, backhand, crosscourt, forehand. I mean, I have done everything right, and I’m thrilled with my performance. “I did not want to lose focus for a second, because I knew that Rafa is a kind of a player that if you allow him, if you give him a chance, he’s going to capitalise, he’s going to get that chance, and he’s going to come back to the match.” —Reuters

LONDON: Manchester United, comprehensively outplayed by local rivals Liverpool and Manchester City at Old Trafford recently, face an even tougher challenge when holders Bayern Munich come calling in the Champions League today.

Languishing seventh in the Premier League after a dismal first season under manager David Moyes, United are huge underdogs to get through the two-legged quarter-final against the Bundesliga champions. Moyes will take little comfort from results at the weekend when Bayern’s 19match league winning streak ended in a 33 home draw with Hoffenheim after surrendering a 3-1 lead while United thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League.

United are a far cry from the team who commanded unreserved respect around Europe during Alex Ferguson’s heyday but their home form in the Champions League this season has been good, in marked contrast to their woeful Premier League record at Old Trafford.

The English champions have won their first four home matches in the competition, something they last did in the 2007-08 campaign when they made it six out of six and went on to lift the trophy for the third time in Moscow.

But Bayern, managed by Pep Guardiola who outfoxed United in the 2009 and 2011 finals as Barcelona coach, have won their last seven Champions League away games.

They also beat United on the away goals rule when the teams met at the same stage in 2010.

“We cannot allow Manchester United’s current position in the Premier League to affect our mindset for this game,” Bayern

captain Philipp Lahm told uefa.com.

“We will travel to Manchester in order to play attacking football and score goals. I don’t think it matters if you play the away leg first. Last year we played at home first a lot of the time and still managed to win the trophy.

“The most important thing for us will be to score goals in the away leg,” added Lahm, whose side overcame Arsenal on the basis of their away results in the last-16 this season and last.

Moyes can take heart from his team’s recover y in their last-16 tie against Olympiakos Piraeus when they won 3-0 at Old Trafford thanks to a Robin van Persie hat-trick after losing the away leg 2-0.

Van Persie will miss both games against Bayern through injury but Wayne Rooney is enjoying a prolific run, the England striker’s two goals against Villa taking his tally to five this month and 15 in the league this season.

Moyes does not see playing the first leg at home as a disadvantage. “The way the game’s going now with counter-attacking football and a different approach by teams away from home (means it is not so important),” he said.

The tie brings together two teams who have lifted the European Cup eight times between them and they met in the 1999 final in Barcelona when United snatched an extraordinary 2-1 victory from the jaws of defeat with two stoppage-time goals.

The defeat rankled with Bayern for years but they have beaten United every time they have met since and it would be a huge surprise if the German team fail to make the semi-finals. —-Reuters

LONDON: Manchester United Scottish manager David Moyes (second left) takes part in a team training session at their Carrington training complex on the eve of their UEFA Champions League first leg quarter-final football match against Bayern Munich. —AFP

Japan ready to take over Qatar WCup-JFA chief TOKYO: Japan is ready to hold the 2022 World Cup if FIFA strips Qatar of hosting rights over corruption allegations, the country’s football chief told AFP. Japan Football Association (JFA) president Kuniya Daini said the country, whose capital Tokyo will stage the 2020 Olympics, would step in if required.

“If FIFA look for an alternative country, we already have the stadiums that would meet the criteria to host it,” he said in an interview.

“We have the Olympics in 2020. If there is a chance, we’d like to do it, although I don’t know how likely that would be.”

The chance of Qatar losing hosting rights appears remote despite an investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee, headed by former US district attorney Michael Garcia, into the much-criticised bidding process. Qatar has also come under fire for its treatment of foreign construction workers, with figures obtained by AFP in February showing that 450 migrants from India alone had died over the past two years-about 20 a month.

And there is a row over whether to hold the Qatar World Cup in the intense heat of the desert summer or in winter, which is midseason for many domestic leagues.

Japan, one of the countries that lost out to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, has experience of organising the tournament after cohosting the 2002 edition with Asian neighbours South Korea.

Japan reached the knock-out stages that year and again in 2010, and Daini said the team hopes to take another step forward by making the quarter-finals at this year’s competition in Brazil.

“We are looking to perform better than we did the last time,” said Daini at the JFA’s Tokyo offices. “In South Africa we got to the last 16 so that means this time we want to reach the quarter-finals.

“That would be a successful result, but first we have to advance from the group stage. It’s a difficult group, so that’s the first aim.”

ASIA’S BEST CHANCE Daini said Japan also hoped to bring back the Club World Cup, which it has hosted six times before, and hold the 2023 Women’s World Cup. At this year’s World Cup, Japan are considered as Asia’s best chance with a squad that boasts Manchester United’s Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda of AC Milan and Yuto Nagatomo of Inter Milan.

Daini said nothing had been decided about the future of Italian manager Alberto Zaccheroni, who will attempt to steer Japan through Group C against Colombia, Greece and Ivory Coast.

“We haven’t decided anything regarding

the manager’s future yet. When the World Cup is over we will analyse everything and think about what kind of team we need to build for the next World Cup,” he said. “When we know that, we’ll know what kind of manager we need.”

Daini also admitted he was shocked after a racist “Japanese only” banner targeting foreign fans was unfurled at Urawa Red Diamonds’ Saitama Stadium.

The incident prompted the J-League to take the unprecedented step of forcing Urawa to play their next home game behind closed doors.

“After the Urawa incident I thought, ‘So something like this has finally happened in Japan’,” Daini said. “I thought that nothing like this could happen in Japan, so it was a shock.

“Japanese football and the J-League are known for being a safe environment with lots of women and children attending games, so this has created a dangerous image and lowered the prestige of Japanese football.”

And he said unproven match-fixing suspicions, following unusual betting patterns on a March 8 game between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kawasaki Frontale, were a wake-up call for Japanese football.

“With regards to the match-fixing suspicions, it was a good warning for if something were to happen for real. We all thought that something like this couldn’t happen in Japan, but it showed us that it is possible and for that reason it was very effective,” he said.

Japan’s J-League has so far remained largely untouched by match-fixing scandals that have hit several neighboring leagues. A J-League probe into the recent game found no evidence to indicate match-fixing. —AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League Barcelona v Atletico 21:45 beIN SPORTS 1 beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 1 HD beIN SPORTS 3 HD Man United v Bayern beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 4 beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 4 HD

21:45

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

S P ORTS

Five ways Rodgers has revitalised Liverpool LONDON: Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend took them to the top of the Premier League table, raising hopes of a first English title since 1990.

Their title tilt has been masterminded by manager Brendan Rodgers, who oversaw a seventh-place finish last season in his first campaign since succeeding Kenny Dalglish in July 2012.

Here, AFP Sports looks at some of the methods that the 41-year-old has used to turn Anfield into a fortress once again:

Liverpool back to their roots, instituting a patient, possession-based game and urging his players to play the ball out from the back even when they are put under pressure. “Under some of the previous managers, when things haven’t been going well, we’d tend to go more direct and get the ball forward more quickly,” captain Steven Gerrard told FourFourTwo magazine last year. “But Brendan wants us to play from the back and improve our angles so we pass with more incision and pace. He wants us to stick to Plan A.”

1. A NEW IDENTITY Liverpool have long been associated with pass-and-move football, but the club lost their way during Dalglish’s second stint as manager, typified by the club-record �35 million ($58.3 million, 42.4 million euros) acquisition of target man Andy Carroll in January 2011. Rodgers has taken

2. SHREWD SIGNINGS Four consecutive seasons without Champions League football have hit the club in the pocket, but Rodgers has helped get around the problem by showing an eye for a bargain in the transfer market.

Daniel Sturridge cost only �12 million when he signed from Chelsea in January

last year, but he has emerged as one of the deadliest strikers in the country, scoring 34 goals in his first 43 games for the club.

Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, signed from Inter Milan for �8.5 million, has also proved a shrewd acquisition, although of the six players who arrived last year, only goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been able to hold down a first-team place.

3. BEST OUT OF SUAREZ There was a time during the close season when the prospect of seeing Luis Suarez in a Liverpool shirt again seemed a distinctly remote possibility. Having been banned for 10 matches after biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, the Uruguayan complained about his treatment by the British press and then accused Liverpool of breaking their word by denying him a move to Arsenal.

Rodgers stood firm, however, and Suarez

has rewarded the Northern Irishman by producing the best season of his career, scoring 29 league goals and developing a superb understanding with Sturridge. He signed a new contract in December and is the overwhelming favourite to be voted the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year.

4. SQUAD ROTATION Raheem Sterling disappeared from view mid-way through last season after bursting onto the scene, with Rodgers explaining that he was worried about him getting burnt out, and the 19-year-old winger’s electric displays this term have vindicated the manager’s cautious approach. After a rocky start to his Anfield career, former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson has blossomed under Rodgers’s guidance, while 21-year-old full-back Jon Flanagan has grasped the opportunity to claim a

starting berth with both hands.

5. TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY Rodgers learnt at the knee of Jose Mourinho during his time as a youth coach at Chelsea and he is forging a reputation as a similarly resourceful tactician.

Liverpool have used a variety of different playing systems this season, deploying a 34-1-2 formation during the autumn and alternating between a 4-3-3 and a 4-3-1-2 in recent weeks. Speaking after the victory over Spurs on Sunday, Rodgers said: “The last four games we played a diamond (4-31-2); today it was 4-3-3. We have got flexibility and that is what we are trying to develop, and the players are comfortable with that.” His commitment to fielding two strikers has enabled Liverpool to plunder 88 league goals in 32 matches, while 33year-old Gerrard has been a revelation in a new midfield holding role. —AFP

Buffon heroics can’t save Juventus from rare loss

PORTUGAL: Porto’s forward Ricardo Quaresma (right) vies with Nacional’s defender Joao Aurelio during the Portuguese League football match. —AFP

Porto suffer shock defeat PORTUGAL: Porto forward Ricardo Quaresma missed a penalty, was booked for diving and ended the match arguing with opponents as the titleholders suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Nacional in the Portuguese league on Sunday.

A furious Quaresma had to be restrained by his team mates and club officials as he went to remonstrate with Nacional players following the final whistle. He was apparently unhappy with some of the Nacional tackling.

The Madeira-based hosts went ahead in the 19th minute when Daniel Candeias, who was raised at Porto and did not celebrate his goal, chested the ball down and fired home from the edge of the area.

Colombia forward Jackson Martinez levelled for Porto at the start of the second half only for Venezuelan Mario Rondon to put the hosts back in front within two minutes after being set up by Candeias. Porto should have equalised again when they

were awarded a penalty for a foul on Quaresma but the forward struck his effort against the post.

Martinez had a goal disallowed for pushing before Quaresma had an appeal for another penalty turned down in stoppage time and this time was booked for diving.

The defeat left Porto in third place with 49 points, 15 adrift of leaders Benfica who won 1-0 at Braga to claim their eighth successive league win.

An early goal from Brazilian forward Lima was enough for the Eagles and not even a late penalty miss by their striker Rodrigo could spoil their day in a game of few chances.

“Braga didn’t have a single scoring chance, nor did they create any real danger, but it’s also true that we didn’t have many chances,” said Benfica coach Jorge Jesus.

Benfica stayed seven points clear of Sporting who beat Vitoria Guimaraes 1-0 on Saturday. —Reuters

Sociedad, Villarreal falter MADRID: Real Sociedad and Villarreal failed to capitalise on defeats for European qualification rivals Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla when they were held to 1-1 draws

by Osasuna and Elche respectively in La Liga on Sunday.

Sixth-placed Sociedad took the lead in the eighth minute at Osasuna through Gonzalo Castro before Oriol Riera levelled for the home side just before the hour.

Villarreal, who are seventh, had to come from a goal down to rescue a point at home to regional rivals Elche at the Madrigal. Fourth-placed Bilbao lost 2-1 to leaders Atletico Madrid at their San Mames stadium on Saturday after Sevilla, in fifth, had their six-match winning streak snapped in a 1-0 reverse at Celta Vigo.

“It’s hard to maintain control at this stadium,” Sociedad coach Jagoba Arrasate told a news conference at Osasuna’s El Sadar arena in Pamplona.

“We had our chances in the second half and they did too,” he added. “Looking at it objectively I think a point each was a fair result.”

Arrasate’s Villarreal counterpart Marcelino Garcia said his players had

lacked efficiency in front of goal. “We went after the win from the first minute, we controlled the majority of the game, showed some good moments and had chances to score,” he said.

“We just needed to be a bit more accurate in putting the ball between the posts.”

With seven matches left, Bilbao are on course for a place in Champions League qualifying on 56 points, six ahead of Sevilla and Sociedad. Villarreal have 49, nine ahead of eighth-placed Espanyol and Valencia, who are ninth after they lost 3-1 at home to Getafe in Sunday’s late kickoff.

Tempers frayed in the final stages of the game at the Mestalla and Valencia captain Jeremy Mathieu was sent off after clashing with Getafe forward Pedro Leon.

In the bottom half of the table, just four points separate Granada on 34 in 12th place from Almeria, Osasuna and Real Valladolid in 17th through 19th.

Real Betis, who host Malaga on Monday, are eight points adrift at the bottom, while Madrid-based Getafe climbed to 16th on 31 points thanks to their first win in 17 matches in all competitions. —Reuters

Zamalek give Nkana five-goal thrashing JOHANNESBURG: Egyptians Zamalek gave Zambians Nkana a 5-0 hiding at the weekend to storm into the CAF Champions League group stage.

Mesmerising penalty-area passing created four of the goals for the ‘White Knights’ at a spectator-less Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.

The other goal came direct from a free-kick as five-time African champions Zamalek maintained a three-decade dominance over Nkana.

It was the fifth time the clubs have clashed in the premier CAF club competition and the fifth time the Egyptian have emerged aggregate winners.

Zamalek qualified 5-0 overall after the first leg of the last-16 clash ended goalless on the Zambian Copperbelt last weekend.

Other former title-holders who will go into the April 29 mini-league draw are Democratic Republic of Congo duo TP Mazembe and Vita, Tunisians Esperance and Algerians Entente Setif.

Libyans Al-Ahly Benghazi, who eliminated defending champions Al-Ahly of Egypt Saturday, Tunisians CS Sfaxien and Sudanese AlHilal complete the lineup.

Zamalek, forced to play behind closed doors because of recent clashes between their supporters and police, led 2-0 at half-time.

A third goal just after the break settled the outcome and from then on it was a matter of how wide the victory margin would be. Ahmed Tawfik, Momen Zakariya, Omar Gaber, Hazem Emam and Ahmed Gaafar scored for the club whose last Champions League title came 12 years ago.

Young coach Ahmed ‘Mido’ Hossam will be particularly happy with five goals in 90 minutes after five previous matches yielded four goals.

Veteran goalkeeper Abdel Wahed El-Sayed has not conceded a goal in six games against Nigeriens Douanes, Angolans Kabuscorp and Nkana. —AFP

ITALY: Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon’s heroics were not enough for Juventus as the Serie A leaders lost 2-0 at an inspired Napoli on Sunday, only their second league defeat of the season.

Jose Callejon and substitute Dries Mertens, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, handed Juventus their first league defeat since Oct. 20 to give a glimmer of hope to chasing AS Roma.

Second-placed Roma cut Juve’s lead to 11 points after a controversial 2-0 win at lowly Sassuolo where play was delayed for five minutes as the referee changed his mind over a penalty decision.

Juventus have 81 points from 31 games and seven left to play while Roma have 70 and Napoli, in the Champions League playoff spot, are on 64.

They are followed by Fiorentina (52) and Inter Milan (48) who visit Udinese late yesterday.

Although Juventus still have a huge lead, there were enough signs of fatigue in their performance to give encouragement to Roma who have a game in hand.

“Until it becomes mathematically impossible, we have to keep looking forward,” said Roma coach Rudi Garcia. Controversy erupted in the 36th minute of Roma’s game when Italy World Cup referee Nicola Rizzoli initially awarded Sassuolo a penalty for a foul by Mehdi Benatia on Nicola Sansone but then gave Roma a drop ball after five minutes of protests.

Roma were 1-0 ahead through Mattia Destro’s 10th goal of the season at the time and a late goal

by Brazilian Michel Bastos secured the win.

Sampdoria coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was sent off as his side drew 0-0 at home to Fiorentina but said he did not mind as he would be suspended when they play Lazio next week.

“The last time I won at Lazio, with Catania, I was also suspended,” said the Serb. “I’m one of the few coaches who stand up for referees and I didn’t offend anyone.”

Lazio, again playing in a half-empty Stadio Olimpico as fans continued to boycott the team in protest at president Claudio Lotito, beat Parma 3-2 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Antonio Candreva. Senad Lulic and Miroslav Klose twice

ITALY: Juventus’s Montenegrin forward Mirko Vucinic (center) fights for the ball with Napoli’s Italian forward Lorenzo Insigne (left) and Napoli’s Spanish defender Raul Albiol during the Italian Serie A football match. —AFP gave Lazio the lead but Parma hit back through Jonathan Biabiany and a bizarre Michael Ciani own goal.

Ciani made a complete hash of an attempt to control the ball and sent it between Lazio goalkeeper Federico Marchetti’s legs.

At the San Paolo, Napoli piled into Juventus from the start and only 36-year-old goalkeeper Buffon kept them at bay as he made a point blank save from Callejon and brilliantly turned Marek Hamsik’s effort over the bar.

Hamsik also had a goal disallowed but Rafael Benitez’s side were finally rewarded when Callejon got in front of Kwadwo Asamoah to turn Lorenzo

Insigne’s cross past Buffon in the 28th minute.

Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo failed to hit the target with his usually dependable free kicks and even sent one crossfield pass straight to the opposition in a weary-looking first-half display.

The visitors improved after halftime but, just as they were threatening an equaliser, Napoli broke clear and Mertens fired an angled shot past Buffon with nine minutes left.

“We have too often lacked the determination and intensity we showed this season,” said Benitez.

“We’ve played plenty of games at a very high level but we haven’t been able to maintain that standard for the whole season.” —Reuters

River defeat Boca Juniors 2-1 BUENOS AIRES: River Plate ended a 10-year wait for an away victory over Boca Juniors in the Argentine “superclasico” with a 2-1 win at La Bombonera on Sunday.

Left back Ramiro Funes Mori, playing only because of Leonel Vangioni’s suspension, headed the winner five minutes from time from playmaker Manuel Lanzini’s corner.

Lanzini had put River ahead 13 minutes into the second half before Juan Roman Riquelme scored a brilliant equaliser with a trademark free kick 10 minutes later.

River, winning away for the first time since September, climbed to within one point of leaders Colon, who were pegged back in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

After 10 matches, just past the halfway stage in the Final championship, the second of two titles in the season, Colon have 18 points, River, Velez Sarsfield and Estudiantes 17 each.

Title-holders San Lorenzo, winners of the Inicial championship, can join the second-placed trio with a win at Tigre later on Sunday.

“It’s not easy to win in this stadium,” River captain Fernando Cavenaghi, who scored the only goal when his team last won at Boca in 2004, told Futbol Para Todos.

“This win came at just the right moment, the team were tactically smart, we blocked (Fernando) Gago who is the (Boca) player who generates most football,” said River coach Ramon Diaz referring to Argentina’s World Cup midfielder.

It was an exciting ‘superclasico’ played in a Bombonera packed only with Boca fans, with away supporters banned in a government measure to curb hooligan violence.

River goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero made two good saves from Boca forward Juan Manuel Martinez to keep River level in the first half.

BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors forward Juan Martinez (left) vies for the ball with River Plate defender Gabriel Mercado during their Argentine First Division football match. —AFP The visitors broke the deadlock when their Colombian trio of defender Eder Balanta, winger Carlos Carbonero and striker Teo Gutierrez combined on the right wing to set up Lanzini whose low finish beat goalkeeper Agustin Orion.

Riquelme thought he had avoided his first home defeat to River in nine derbies at La Bombonera with

his free kick, awarded for a foul on Martinez which he curled over the wall and in off the underside of the bar close to the far post with Barovero stranded.

But River, looking to avenge Boca’s 1-0 victory at the Monumental in October, had the last word with Funes Mori heading past Orion, Argentina’s third-choice goalkeeper, who had come out looking to cut

out Lanzini’s corner.

Boca’s post-match complaints that the corner had been awarded mistakenly were borne out by television replays which showed the ball had gone over the line off Lanzini’s heel.

Velez crushed Gimnasia 5-1 at El Fortin on Saturday and Estudiantes were held 0-0 at home to Olimpo on Friday. —Reuters

Bowditch wins Texas Open

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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United face ultimate challenge in Bayern

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Japan ready to take over Qatar WCup — JFA chief

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CHITTAGONG: Netherlands cricketer Mudassar Bukhari (center) celebrates the victory over England with teammates during the ICC World Twenty20 tournament cricket match. — AFP

England humiliated by Netherlands CHITTAGONG: England slumped to an embarrassing 45-run defeat by the Netherlands at the World Twenty20 yesterday to end a dismal few months at a new low point.

England, already eliminated from the tournament after defeats by New Zealand and South Africa, were bowled out for 88 chasing a modest 134 for victory in their final Group One super 10 match in Chittagong. England’s 88 was the lowest total ever posted by a full-member test side against an associate nation in the shortest format of the game.

“It sums up our winter really. It was pretty similar to our batting displays when we lost the Ashes in Australia,” a dejected England captain Stuart Broad said at the presentation ceremony.

“Lack of commitment in the shots and a very disorganised chase it was. The bowling and fielding was ok, we just lacked a bit of hunger with the bat by the looks of it.

“No one got going, no one took responsibility and Netherlands took the chance. It was a relatively simple chase but a shocking chase in the end.”

NEW BALL DAMAGE Logan van Geek and Mudassar Bukhari took three wickets each for the Dutch, who also defeated England by four wickets in the opening match of the World Twenty20 at Lord’s in 2009.

Bukhari (3-12) did the damage with the new

SCOREBOARD CHITTAGONG: Scoreboard in the World Twenty20 Super-10 Group one match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka K. Perera c Ronchi b Boult 16 T. Dillshan c Ronchi b Boult 8 M. Jayawardene b N. McCullum 25 K. Sangakkara c Anderson b Boult 4 L. Thirimanne c Guptill b Neesham 20 A. Mathews c Ronchi b McClenaghan 6 T. Perera c Williamson b Mills 16 N. Kulasekara c N. McCullum b McClenaghan 0 S. Senanayake c Williamson b Neesham 17 R. Herath not out 1 L. Malinga b Neesham 0 Extras: (lb2, nb1, w3) 6 Total: (all out; 19.2 overs) 119 Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Perera), 2-29 (Dilshan), 3-35 (Sangakkara), 4-65 (Thirimanne), 5-81 (Mathews), 6-85 (Jayawardene), 7-92 (Kulasekara), 8-116 (Thisara), 9119 (Senanayake).

Bowling: Mills 4-0-30-1, Boult 4-0-20-3 (1nb, 1w), Anderson 3-0-13-0 (1w), McClenaghan 4-0-24-2 (1w), Neesham 2.2-0-22-3, N. McCullum 2-0-8-1.

New Zealand M. Guptill run out 5 K. Williamson run out 42 B. McCullum st Sangakkara b Herath 0 R. Taylor lbw b Herath 0 J. Neesham b Herath 0 L. Ronchi lbw b Herath 2 N. McCullum c Mathews b Senanayake 2 K. Mills lbw b Senanayake 4 T. Boult c Jayawardene b Herath 3 M. McClenaghan not out 0 Extras: (w2) 2 Total: (all out; 15.3 overs) 60 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Guptill), 2-18 (B. McCullum), 3-23 (Taylor), 4-23 (Neesham), 5-29 (Ronchi), 6-33 (N. McCullum), 7-51 (Mills), 8-60 (Williamson), 9-60 (Boult).

Bowling: Kulasekara 3-0-15-0 (2w), Mathews 4-0-26-0, Herath 3.3-2-3-5, Malinga 2-0-13-0, Senanayake 3-0-3-2 Note: Corey Anderson could not bat after dislocating a finger while fielding in Sri Lankan innings.

ball, taking the openers out while van Geek (3-9) accounted for the lower middle order as England capitulated to be all out with 14 balls to spare.

“The whole tournament I hadn’t taken any wickets and this was the game for me actually,” Bukhari said at the presentation ceremony. “The wicket did help me a bit.

“At the halfway stage, I thought it’s going to be hard work out there but when we took four wickets in powerplay, we thought we had a good

World Twenty20 standings CHITTAGONG: World Twenty20 Super-10 round standings after yesterday’s matches (played, won, lost, tied, N/R, points, run-rate): Sri Lanka South Africa New Zealand England Netherlands

4 4 4 4 4

Group One 3 1 0 3 1 0 2 2 0 1 3 0 1 3 0

0 0 0 0 0

6 +2.233 6 +0.075 4 -0.678 2 -0.776 0 -0.866

Group Two India 4 4 0 0 0 8 +1.280 West Indies 3 2 1 0 0 4 +1.223 Pakistan 3 2 1 0 0 4 +0.893 Australia 3 0 3 0 0 0 -1.549 Bangladesh 3 0 3 0 0 0 -2.315 Note: Top two teams in each group qualify for semi-finals.

Today’s matches: Bangladesh v Australia; Pakistan v West Indies, in Dhaka. — AFP

chance there.” Broad, who said he was unsure if he would continue leading the team, took three wickets for 24 runs as the bowlers restricted the Netherlands to 133 for five wickets after opting to field first.

Wesley Barresi top-scored for the Dutch with a 48 and added 50 for the second wicket with opener Stephan Myburgh (39) to lay the foundation for their total.

Meanwhile, former England captains Michael Vaughan and Michael Atherton rounded on the current side after they bowed out of the World Twenty20 with a humiliating 45-run loss to the Netherlands in Chittagong yesterday.

Bowled out for just 88 with more than two overs to spare in reply to the Netherlands’ 133 for five, defeat set the seal on a miserable tour programme for England, already unable to reach the semi-finals of this event, following their 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia.

Early in the match, former batsman Vaughan told his Twitter followers: “I have a feeling this could be an embarrassing sort of day.”

But it arguably proved worse than even Vaughan forecast, with only three England batsmen making double figures-Ravi Bopara ‘top-scoring’ with a meagre 18 — in an innings featuring just four fours and no sixes. And after England’s innings ended in the 18th over with a farcical runout, Vaughan tweeted: “ That sums it up.... #Garbage”. —AFP

Sri Lanka romp into semis CHITTAGONG: Left-arm spin wizard Rangana Herath conjured up astonishing figures of 3-5 to help Sri Lanka demolish New Zealand by 59 runs yesterday in the race for the World Twenty20 semifinals.

The spinner rocked New Zealand, chasing a modest 120-run total, in his 3.3 destructive overs to bowl them for 60 in 15.3 overs in Chittagong-the Black Caps’ lowest total in T20s.

The victory gave the 2012 runners-up their fourth successive semi-final place. They play the winners of Tuesday’s game in group two between defending champions the West Indies and Pakistan.

The first semi-final will be in Dhaka on Thursday.

The 2007 champions India take on South Africa in the second semi on Friday, with the final to be played in Dhaka on Sunday.

Stand-in captain Lasith Malinga hailed Herath. “I trusted my spinners and Herath was unbelievable,” said Malinga. “We were waiting for an occasion like this and we pulled through. Rangana was waiting for his chance and he proved himself really well.”

It was fourth time unlucky for New Zealand who played the semi-final only in the inaugural edition of the World Twenty20 in 2007. Skipper Brendon McCullum rued their batting failure. “”We knew there was a lot of hard work to go,” he said. “It was a bit drier than we expected and Herath and Sachitra, the way they bowled was outstanding.”

Just when they needed some sensible batting to overhaul a paltry total, New Zealand performed in a dismal manner with opener Kane Williamson the only man to reach double figures with 42.

He was the eighth man out and with Corey Anderson unable to bat due to a finger injury sustained while fielding, Herath wrapped up the match with Trent Boult’s wicket.

New Zealand lost opener Martin Guptill (five) in the fourth over, run out in Herath’s first over.

Rangana Herath After playing four dot balls, New Zealand’s most dangerous batsman Brendon McCullum jumped out off Herath and was stumped.

Herath then trapped Ross Taylor (nought) leg before and bowled Jimmy Neesham off successive deliveries to push New Zealand on the back foot.

It became 5-29 in Herath’s third over when he had Luke Ronchi (two) leg before wicket to improve on his previous best figures of 3-25 in the 2012 semifinal against Pakistan in Colombo.

Fellow spinner Sachitra Senanayake took 2-3 in his three overs. New Zealand’s previous lowest Twenty20 total of 80 came against Pakistan at Auckland two years ago. It also becomes the third lowest total ever in all T20s, behind the Netherland’s 39, also against Sri Lanka here last Monday and 56

by Kenya against Afghanistan at Sharjah last year.

Earlier left-arm paceman Boult and Neesham took three wickets apiece to wreck Sri Lanka for a paltry 119 in 19.2 overs after they were sent into bat.

Left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan took 2-24.

Boult had opener Kusal Perera (16) in his first over and then dismissed Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) and Kumar Sangakkara (four) to give New Zealand a headstart to the match. — AFP

SCOREBOARD CHITTAGONG: Scoreboard from the World Twenty20 Super-10 group one match between England and the Netherlands at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in Chittagong yesterday: The Netherlands: M. Lumb c T. Cooper b Bukhari 6 M. Swart c Parry b Broad 13 Moeen Ali c T. Cooper b Borren 3 S. Myburgh c Hales b Bopara 39 E. Morgan c Borren b van der Gugten 6 W. Barresi b Jordan 48 J. Buttler c Seelaar b van Beek 6 T. Cooper c Jordan b Broad 8 R. Bopara c Seelaar b van Beek 18 P. Borren c Parry b Broad 7 T. Bresnan run out 5 Mudassar Bukhari not out 1 C. Jordan c Swart b van Beek 14 B. Cooper not out 0 S. Broad c Barresi b Bukhari 4 Extras: (b4, lb7, w6) 17 J. Tredwell run out 8 Total: (five wickets; 20 overs) 133 S. Parry not out 1 Did not bat: L. van Beek, T.van der Gugten, Extras: (lb2, w3) 5 P. Seelaar, Ahsan Malik 88 Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Swart), 2-84 Total: (all out; 17.4 overs) (Myburgh), 3-110 ( T. Cooper), 4-131 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Lumb), 2-19 (Hales), 326 (Morgan), 4-32 (Ali), 5-42 (Buttler), 6-52 (Borren), 5-131 (Barresi) Bowling: Ali 1-0-13-0, Bresnan 2-0-11-0 (Bresnan), 7-74 (Bopara), 8-76 (Jordan), 9-86 (1w), Jordan 3-0-13-1 (1w), Broad 4-0-24-3 (Broad).

(2w), Tredwell 4-0-23-0 (1w), Parry 2-0-23-0, Bowling: Swart 1-0-8-0, van der Gugten 30-11-1 (1w), Bukhari 3.4-0-12-3, Malik 3-0Bopara 4-0-15-1 14-0, Borren 3-0-18-1, van Beek 2-0-9-3, Seelaar 2-0-14-0 (2w) England: The Netherlands won by 45 runs.

A. Hales b Bukhari 12

Saqlain factor spices up Windies-Pakistan decider DHAKA: The West Indies have an ace up their sleeve in Saqlain Mushtaq as the defending champions take on Pakistan in a make-or-break World Twenty20 encounter in Dhaka today.

The winner of the night clash at the Sher-eBangla stadium will join India in the semi-finals from group two of the Super-10s, condemning the loser to an early flight home.

Saqlain, the former Pakistan off-spinner, is a key member on the West Indies bench as their spin bowling consultant for the tournament, and his advice has benefited the team immensely.

The West Indies, better known for its battery of fast bowlers, now boast of two of the finest spinners in Twenty20 cricket in Samuel Badree, who opens with the new ball, and Sunil Narine.

Saqlain, the original master of the “doosra”the off-spinner’s version of the googly-has also proved a calming influence on the usually cavalier Windies batsmen, giving them tips on

how to play the turning ball. West Indies captain Darren Sammy said Saqlain’s serene presence and knowledge had proved a huge boost for his team, which will face a four-pronged Pakistan spin attack led by the prolific Saeed Ajmal. “Saqlain has a lot of experience on the slow wickets that one gets in Bangladesh,” he said. “He’s very calm guy who knows a lot about the game. He has been a good addition to our coaching staff.”

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said Saqlain was entitled to work with other teamsjust like compatriot Mushtaq Ahmed was doing with England-but that did not worry his team.

“He was a world-class spinner,” Hafeez said of Saqlain, who retired 10 years ago with 208 Test and 288 one-day wickets. “But he does not have a magic formula, nor can he come and bowl himself. “We believe in ourselves and I think our players are good enough to win the match,” Hafeez said. — AFP

Business

Kuwait bourse witnesses variance in indices Page 24

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait opens new body and paint facility

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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Warba Bank’s General Assembly ratifies auditors’ report and balance sheet Page 23

Marks & Spencer opens third branch in Kuwait Page 22

KUWAIT: KIPCO officials are pictured at the annual Shafafiyah (transparency) Investors’ Forum where KIPCO presented a review of 2013 and guidance for 2014 to an audience of shareholders, financial analysts and institutional investors. (Inset) KIPCO’s Vice Chairman, Faisal Al-Ayyar

KIPCO to deliver double-digit growth KIPCO poised to continue profitability and dividend paying in 2014: Vice Chairman

Dubai World sees more early debt payments DUBAI: Dubai World, the conglomerate at the centre of the emirate’s debt crisis, has the means to make its first big repayment on time next year and expects to pay off more of its debt ahead of schedule, a top executive said. Mohammed Al-Shaibani, chief executive of sovereign wealth fund Investment Corp of Dubai and a key figure in negotiating the emirate’s debt restructurings in recent years, said Dubai World would be able to meet a $4.4 billion loan maturity in May 2015 and to make some other repayments early.

Quoting sources, Reuters reported earlier this month that stateowned Dubai World had repaid $284.5 million of its debts ahead of schedule. Shaibani confirmed this and said more early repayments were likely to be made. “Around $280 million has already been paid ahead of maturity, and we will continue to do so,” he said without elaborating.

Dubai World ran into trouble during the emirate’s 2009 property market collapse and had to restructure $25 billion of debt, of which about $14.4 billion was owed to around 90 local and foreign banks, and the remainder to the Dubai government. The restructuring plan aims to buy time for the prices of Dubai World’s assets to recover, allowing it to raise money for debt repayments through the sale of some assets. The May 2015 maturity is being seen as the first major test of this strategy.

“We have the means to pay off the first tranche of debt maturing in 2015 given the group’s precise and successful asset disposable plan,” Shaibani said. He spoke to Reuters ahead of an annual meeting of Dubai World’s creditors, which is expected to occur this week, and before top Dubai executives and officials visit London next week for a roadshow with international investors.

The approach of Dubai World’s May 2015 maturity is being closely watched by local and foreign creditor banks which lent the conglomerate billions of dollars before it and other state-linked Dubai firms ran into trouble. A sharp drop in the yields on Dubai debt in the past six months suggests financial markets believe the strategy will work, but

some bankers are not entirely sure.

In the run-up to this week’s creditor meeting, there has been speculation among some bankers that it could discuss a “Plan B” - perhaps some form of refinancing involving Dubai banks - in case the May 2015 maturity is not paid in full. But Shaibani’s comments to Reuters suggested he saw no need for any further restructuring of the debt.

He did, however, say various “options” would be discussed with creditors, including some affecting another big debt maturity for Dubai World, about $10 billion in 2018. “We are sitting with lenders to discuss options. We even have some plans for the debt maturing in 2018 that we will discuss with them in due course,” Shaibani said. Shaibani did not elaborate on proposed plans for the 2018 debt but some bankers have speculated Dubai World could offer to buy back some of it before maturity at a discount, satisfying foreign banks which wanted to remove it from their books.

Dubai World has made over half a dozen asset sales since the crisis.

Last December the group sold a 50 percent stake in Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau hotel back to south Florida developer Turnberry. The price was not disclosed, but Dubai World originally paid $375 million for the stake in 2008. The conglomerate still has a vast array of domestic and international assets, including nearly 80 percent of local ports operator DP World, stakes in MGM Resorts International of the United States and the CityCenter development in Las Vegas, and holdings in financial advisory firm Perella Weinberg and Canadian entertainment group Cirque du Soleil.

Rebounding stock and real estate markets have strengthened Dubai World’s balance sheet. DP World’s market capitalization, for example, has nearly doubled since 2011 to $14.7 billion. A report by regional investment bank EFG Hermes last week said most Dubai banks had reclassified their exposure to Dubai World debt to “performing” because of the improved outlook, except Emirates NBD, which was expected to do so soon. — Reuters

KUWAIT: At its annual Investors’ Forum, KIPCO - the Kuwait Projects Company - said it expected its core companies to continue to deliver double digit revenue growth in 2014.

The announcement was made at the company’s annual Shafafiyah (transparency) Investors’ Forum where KIPCO presented a review of 2013 and guidance for 2014 to an audience of shareholders, financial analysts and institutional investors.

The forum followed the company’s General Assembly meeting where KIPCO shareholders approved a cash dividend of 20 percent (20 fils per share) and a stock dividend of 5 percent. As part of its review of the last 12 months, KIPCO said that 2013 was its twenty-second consecutive year of profitability. The company met its objectives for 2013 and delivered on its promise to achieve double-digit growth for its core companies. KIPCO’s revenue grew 34 percent from KD 414 million ($1.47 billion) in 2012 to KD 553 million ($1.96 billion) in 2013, and its profitability grew 27 percent from KD 32 million ($114 million) in 2012 to KD 40 million ($142 million) in 2013.

KIPCO expects Burgan Bank to continue to grow its assets by 10 percent and increase its operating profit by 15 percent in the period 2013-2016. OSN will continue its impressive growth in revenue, EBITDA, net profit and cash flow, and is expected to double its revenue in the next three years with industry-leading EBITDA margins and profits. KIPCO said Gulf Insurance Group will further its regional expansion with entry into the Algerian market through the acquisition of a 49 percent stake in Algeria Insurance, and is expected to double its gross premium written to $1 billion in the next five years.

KIPCO’s real estate arm, URC, is due to complete its Abdali Mall project in Jordan and the Raouche at 1090 project in Lebanon

Egypt extends profit-taking bout MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Egypt’s bourse posted its biggest percentage loss in seven months yesterday as local investors continued to book profits on positions built in anticipation of former army chief Abdel Fattah AlSisi’s run for president. The main Cairo index tumbled 3.6 percent to 7,805 points, dropping for a third session in a row, as all but two of its 30 constituent stocks closed in the red and trading volume surged again after declining on Sunday.

The market has dropped 8.0 percent over three days. It is still up 15.1 percent year-to-date, having surged on hopes that Sisi, seen by many investors as the best guarantor of stability, would run in this May’s elections. When Sisi finally did announce his candidac y last week,

investors started booking profits; the move was amplified by an earnings report by EFG Hermes, which swung to a net loss in 2013 because of one - off charges.

“In this case I think we need to rely on some technical guidance,” said Chamel Fahmy of Cairo-based HC Securities and Investment. “Most technical analysts see 7,800 points as a key support level.” Also among the sellers yesterday was private equity firm Actis, which sold shares in Commercial International Bank “in the open market to a group of international investors”, the bank said. The bank’s shares fell 4.2 percent. Actis, which bought into Egypt’s biggest listed bank in July 2009 when it traded at less than a half of yesterday’s closing price, sold

shares equivalent to 2.6 percent of the bank but retains a stake of 6.5 percent and a seat on the board, CIB said.

Oman, Bahrain In the Gulf, Oman’s index fell 0.8 percent largely because of Raysut Cement, which dropped 3.5 percent as its shares went ex-dividend. NBK Capital last week reiterated its “sell” recommendation on the stock, saying Raysut had direct exposure “to the massively oversupplied UAE market” and also to very volatile export markets such as the Horn of Africa and Yemen.

Shares in telecommunications operator Omantel fell 0.3 percent to 1.50 rials as the government started selling 71.25 million shares to Omani individual investors at the price of 1.35 rials per share, part of its pri-

vatization drive.

Bahrain’s benchmark, on the other hand, rose 0.9 percent as Ahli United Bank started recovering from its ex-dividend slump, adding 2.0 percent. Yesterday, Moody’s Investos Service changed its outlook on Bahrain’s banking system to stable from negative, saying it expected banks’ capital metrics to remain broadly stable.

Local telecommunications firm Batelco gained 3.1 percent after the country’s industry watchdog said it would no longer need regulatory approval to change its consumer broadband prices. Among other Gulf markets, only Qatar made significant gains, adding 0.7 percent on the back of blue chips and stocks that will pay 2013 dividends in early April, such as Widam Food Co and Barwa Real Estate. — Reuters

this year and start construction of its Aswar residential project in Egypt. The real estate company’s projects coming into operation in 2014-2015 will step up rental income by $35 million. TAKAUD, KIPCO’s pensions and savings company, is expected to expand to other markets in 2014 following its successful launch in Bahrain, targeting a $500 million contribution in the next five years.

KIPCO’s industrial arm, UIC, will continue its path of good performance in 2014 and its revenue and operating profit are both expected to grow by 20 percent by 2016.

Meanwhile, United Education Company will continue to bring the best private education to Kuwait, developing its new K-12 school in 2014, and expanding its existing schools and the American University of Kuwait.

Speaking at the Forum, KIPCO’s Vice Chairman, Faisal Al-Ayyar said: “At last year’s Shafafiyah Investors’ Forum, we said we expected to see double-digit growth in 2013. During the year, our major core operating companies have delivered on this promise. Burgan Bank’s revenue increased 33 percent while Gulf Insurance Group’s revenue was up 13 percent. OSN increased its revenue by 29 percent. These results reflect the positive performance trends in our core sectors. They are also evidence of the growth of our companies in 2013 and their sound profitability.”

Commenting on the outlook for 2014, AlAyyar said: “We enter 2014 with profitable and growing businesses across the sectors in which we operate. We expect to continue to deliver double digit revenue and profit growth in the next three years. Indicators point to gradual local and regional economic recovery, and our companies are poised to benefit from this improvement in their respective markets and to continue to be profitable and dividend paying in 2014.”

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

BUSINESS 2014 could prove breakout year, claim US economists WASHINGTON: Once this year’s harsh weather has faded, the US economy could be poised for a breakout year - its strongest annual growth in nearly a decade. The combination of an improving job market, pent-up consumer demand, less drag from US government policies and a brighter global outlook is boosting optimism for the rest of 2014. Many analysts foresee the economy growing 3 percent for the year, after a weak first quarter that followed a stronger end of 2013. It would be the most robust expansion for any year since 2005, two years before the Great Recession began. One reason for the optimism: The government estimated Thursday that the economy grew at a 2.6 percent annual rate in the October-December quarter, up from its previous estimate of 2.4 percent. Fueling the gain was the fastest consumer spending for any quarter in the past three years.

The numbers pointed to momentum entering 2014 from consumers, whose spending drives about 70 percent of the economy. Analysts cautioned that the brutal winter weather has depressed spending in the January-March.

And they think economic growth has likely slowed to an annual rate of 2 percent or less this quarter. Yet that slowdown could pave the way for a solid bounce-back in the April-June quarter. Many think growth will be fast enough the rest of the year for the economy to grow at least 3 percent for all of 2014.

“We think that once temperatures return to more normal levels, we will see a lot of pent-up demand released,” said Gus Faucher, senior economist at PNC Financial Services. “People will be buying cars and homes and making other purchases that they put off during the winter.”

Economists have suggested before that the recovery appeared on the verge of acceleration, only to have their expectations derailed by subpar growth that left unemployment at painfully high levels.

This time, there’s a growing feeling that the improvements can endure. “We are looking for progressively faster growth as the year goes on,” said Doug Handler, chief US economist at IHS Global Insight. The National Association for Business Economics predicts that the economy will grow 3.1 percent this year, far higher than the lackluster 1.9 percent gain in 2013.

If that forecast proves accurate, it would make 2014 the strongest year since the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, expanded 3.4 percent in 2005.

Since the Great Recession ended in June 2009, annual growth over the past four years has averaged a weak 2.2 percent. The US economy has been hit by a series of blows since then - from a Japanese tsunami and European debt crisis, which hurt US exports, to Washington budget fights, which fueled uncertainty about the government’s spending and tax policies.

Tax increases and deep spending cuts that took effect in 2013 subtracted an estimated 1.5 percentage points from growth last year. With Congress having reached a budget agreement and a deal to raise the government’s borrowing limit, companies now have more certainty about federal fiscal policies.

“We now seem to have a truce on budget issues, which means uncertainties have faded.” Faucher said. “That is a big reason growth will be stronger.” Also helping will be an improving outlook overseas. Economies in Europe are strengthening, which should boost US exports. In addition, the US job market is improving. The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits last week reached its lowest level since November - an encouraging sign that hiring should be picking up.

In February, US employers added 175,000 jobs, far more than in the two previous months. Though the unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent from a five-year low of 6.6 percent, it did so for an encouraging reason: More people grew optimistic about their job prospects and began seeking work. The unemployment rate rose because some didn’t immediately find jobs.

With more people working, more consumers will have money to spend to boost the economy. “The last missing link to a stronger recovery was income growth, and now we are seeing that,” said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economics. Unexpected events might yet prove that analysts are overly optimistic. But at the moment, economists don’t expect the standoff with Russia over Ukraine or the Federal Reserve’s paring of its economic stimulus to destabilize global markets or derail the US recovery. Naroff said the consensus view might even prove too pessimistic.

He said he thought economic growth could achieve a vigorous 4.4 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter if pent-up consumer demand tops estimates. And he said growth could exceed 3.5 percent in the second half of this year. “Once we get past this winter of our discontent, things should be looking a lot better,” Naroff said. —AP

Marks & Spencer opens third branch in Kuwait

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: The third branch of Marks & Spencer in Kuwait was inaugurated yesterday at The Avenues. The new store is 12,594 square meters in size and located at the ground floor (First Phase) of The Avenues. Kuwaitis and expatriates alike looking for a quality international retail experience will enjoy the brand’s inviting and inspiring store design offering a wide range of stylish and innovative products in exceptional quality and at great prices.

Speaking with the Kuwait Times, Mark Senior - Operations Manager said the new branch will offer just exactly the same with the twist of more selections at the biggest mall in Kuwait. “The Avenues is the most attractive mall in Kuwait so far and to be in this place is simply invigorating. We’ve been checking and coming here for years now and trying our best to secure a suitable place for us. When we heard they have this space, we were thrilled and very happy about it. So here we are! Starting today, we are going to serve our valued customers here,” Senior noted.

Senior added Marks & Spencer in Kuwait has been the second strongest market in the Middle East next to the United Arab Emirates. “Business in Kuwait has been very good. Kuwaitis are our strongest market; in fact, the Kuwaiti market is our second largest in the Middle East. We have witnessed growth over the last few years and we are happy to be in this part of the globe,” he mentioned.

According to Senior, Marks & Spencer is a famous and well-established brand in Kuwait. “We’ve been here since 1998 and most of our customers have been very familiar with Mark and Spencer. We have the brand in the UK and people who are coming from this part of the world are very

Mark Senior - Operations Manager, Marks & Spencer

KUWAIT: Marks & Spencer’s officials are pictured at the opening of the new store.

—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

happy to see us here. We have a line of products which are lined up in the upper class quality and customers love our brand.

For example, our lingerie has been very famous amongst women and the same goes for men’s suits and formal shoes as well. We are very comfortable because we have a good place in the Kuwait market,” he reiterated.

Secret Support (TM) lingerie which creates flattering silhouette, Stormwear(tm) finish denim and coats, a revolutionary fabric treatment which repels water and Insolia (TM) technology in its footwear ranges which improves comfort and stability in flat and high heeled shoes.

In addition, apart from the wide range of women clothing, M&S also offers accessories and footwear for a complete stylish look. The new store is a one-stop destination for those seeking timeless fashion as well as a complete range of beauty products to suit their beauty needs. Marks & Spencer’s standard setting ethics continue to inspire innovation and design whilst championing the heritage and core values of Marks & Spencer in perfectly edited collections. “Our brand for ladies ‘Indigo’ is a casual chic brand, Californian 1960’s is jeans and lots of denims. We have ‘Autograph’ brand to contrast ‘Indigo’.

‘Autograph’ is mostly party dresses and looks, formal wear, real nice colors and very bright. We have ‘per una’, a combination of formal and casual wear with amazing designs and the colors are excellent. We have ‘Classic, and its designed for more relaxed customers; the idea is to cater to classic fashion, some of them are longer sleeves, beautiful combinations as well,” Senior added.

“This season’s various kinds of quality designs are to invade Kuwait for more fashionable but also elegant style and quality.

Customers buy because it is quality and not just a mere trend,” Senior pointed out.

Marks & Spencer constantly introduce new and interesting designs. “The reason why we transferred from our old place in Salmiya to a new location (also in Salmiya) was to live up to our promise of constant change. The place is wonderful,” he mentioned.

Senior said, political turmoil is not an issue for their businesses elsewhere.

Stylish fashion Currently offering its spring collection in-store, women can celebrate the season in style with Marks & Spencer’s sub brands M&S Collection personifies elegance in timeless hues, Autograph range embodies luxury and sophistication, ‘per una’ collection reflects feminism and vibrancy while the Indigo collection encapsulates the casual cool look. The gorgeous M&S lingerie section displays beautiful basics, indulgent matching sets and pretty shapewear - perfect for every occasion. The store’s clothing collection also features a host of clever product innovations including suits that are fully machine washable,

“Political issues are no longer an issue for businesses like ours. I think, M&S is situated in a very stable region and economy is booming everywhere. I think the challenge we face is the growing number of competitors; they are coming in hordes. Market is huge but so is the rapidly growing competition,” he said. Following a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Head of Operations, Mark Senior and Store Manager, Ibrahim Qarmeesh, the new Marks & Spencer store welcomed enthusiastic shoppers and media to experience pleasant interiors and extensive product offering.

“The store opening is part of UK brand’s regional expansion drive and strategy to build a stronger presence in the Middle East region. The Avenues is Kuwait’s luxury shopping mall which houses strong international brands and attracts more than 20 million visitors every year. The popularity and prominence of this mall makes it an obvious choice of location for the latest Marks & Spencer store. We want to create remarkable international shopping experiences and with this opening we hope to attract an ever increasing number of customers, “Mark Senior added. The opening was attended by Al-Futtaim who said, “Kuwait is a growing market for Marks &Spencer and we have capitalized this huge retail opportunity by opening two big stores in Kuwait this year including the largest international store at The View in February. This significant investment reiterates our commitment to the country. The new store exhibits an excellent interplay of lovely interiors, attractive display windows and exceptional lighting scheme complemented by a convenient customer shopping experience. The collection displayed at the store offers confident style, innovation and outstanding quality designs at fantastic value while focusing on timeless fashion trends for women.

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.747 4.733 2.880 2.158 2.953 224.650 36.416 3.633 6.327 8.726 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 75.363 Qatari Riyal 77.653 Omani Riyal 734.150 Bahraini Dinar 750.630 UAE Dirham 76.965 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 39.700 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 39.922 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.319 Tunisian Dinar 179.370 Jordanian Dinar 399.100 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.896 Syrian Lira 2.014 Morocco Dirham 35.535 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.500 Euro 389.850 Sterling Pound 471.350 Canadian dollar 256.580 Turkish lira 130.180 Swiss Franc 319.750 Australian Dollar 261.740 US Dollar Buying 281.300 GOLD 20 Gram 240.000 10 Gram 121.000 5 Gram 62.500 Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal transfer Irani Riyal cash

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY SELL DRAFT Australian Dollar 265.59 Canadian Dollar 259.39 Swiss Franc 323.24 Euro 391.92 US Dollar 281.90 Sterling Pound 473.32 Japanese Yen 2.80 Bangladesh Taka 3.631 Indian Rupee 4.728 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.158 Nepali Rupee 2.957 Pakistani Rupee 2.900 UAE Dirhams 76.82 Bahraini Dinar 750.30 Egyptian Pound 39.92 Jordanian Dinar 401.21 Omani Riyal 733.12 Qatari Riyal 77.85 Saudi Riyal 75.30

SELL CASH 262.59 260.39 321.24 392.92 284.90 476.32 2.82 3.901 5.028 2.593 3.492 2.790 77.28 752.37 40.52 406.86 740.42 78.40 75.70

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 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

Selling Rate 282.250 258.310 470.115 389.615 318.715 751.235 76.825 78.405 75.540 397.775 40.452 2.157 4.720 2.876 3.628 6.263 693.260 3.740

Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi Thai Bhat Turkish Lira

2.948 3.930 87.100 45.855 9.670 129.095

Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.000069 0.220941 0.020773 0.001867 0.009134 0.008345

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar Turkish Lira UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.742483 0.036799 0.000078 0.000181 0.394014 1.0000000 0.000138 0.023421 0.001193 0.727344 0.076845 0.074657 0.001751 0.174395 0.126402 0.075892 0.001282

0.000075 0.226941 0.029273 0.002447 0.009314 0.008895 Arab

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY

BUY

SELL Europe

Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira

0.007338 0.008338 0.463511 0.472511 0.006025 0.018025 0.047971 0.052971 0.383198 0.391198 0.043088 0.048288 0.081470 0.81470 0.008076 0.018076 0.039555 0.044555 0.312249 0.322449 0.126402 0.133408 Australasia Australian Dollar 0.252949 0.264449 New Zealand Dollar 0.238331 0.247831 America Canadian Dollar 0.250233 0.258733 US Dollars 0.278250 0.282600 US Dollars Mint 0.278750 0.282600 Asia Bangladesh Taka 0.003246 0.003846 Chinese Yuan 0.044297 0.047797 Hong Kong Dollar 0.034319 0.037069 Indian Rupee 0.004375 0.004776 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000020 0.000026 Japanese Yen 0.002668 0.002848 Kenyan Shilling 0.003247 0.003347 Korean Won 0.000254 0.000269 Malaysian Ringgit 0.082132 0.08132 Nepalese Rupee 0.002940 0.003110 Pakistan Rupee 0.002629 0.002909 Philippine Peso 0.006391 0.006671

0.750483 0.039899 0.000079 0.000241 0.401514 1.0000000 0.000238 0.047421 0.001828 0.733024 0.078058 0.075357 0.001971 0.182395 0.133402 0.077041 0.001362

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 281.950 390.900 470.850 256.850 4.712 39.920 2.156 3.628 6.267 2.878 750.650 76.750 75.300

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

BUSINESS

Stronger economy in payback of harsh winter NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: The dollar was back in favor this week against the low yielding currencies as the slight GDP miss was seen as broadly positive and Initial jobless claims dropped somewhat unexpectedly. Indeed, the US Q4 GDP was revised higher to 2.6 percent and claims printed at 311k versus a 323k consensus, bringing the four-week average to its lowest level since late September.

There are more and more evidence that normalization of the US economy continues in 2014. As last year marked the beginning of the end of quantitative easing and therefore initiated the long process of Fed exit, the FOMC meeting last week added a new change into the thinking of the committee, that is the deletion of forward guidance on unemployment and inflation. This new development took some of the pressure out of the dollar. In consequence, investors chose to renew pressure on the euro as we head into Europe’s inflation report on March 31 and the ECB meeting scheduled on April 3.

Investors also seem to be more inclined to buy the dollar this week as spreads in rates between the euro and the US are shrinking, which bring investors to use the euro as a funding currency of choice. The other highlight of the week was the return of emerging market currencies whereas commodity currencies rallied strongly after South Africa Reserve Bank kept rates unchanged unexpectedly, hence sending a message to investors that the economic situation was normalizing.

The risk premium that was placed on emerging market currencies continued to collapse this week and we saw a sharp appreciation in high yielding currencies this week.

It is most probable that investors are taking some comfort from the rebound in Chinese equities and a lessening of growth concerns.

This easing in foreign exchange pressure in emerging markets also decreased the need to hike rates and thus helped stabilize emerging versus developed markets. Federal reserve Bank of New York, William Dudley added that emerging market countries are well positioned to handle any Fed tightening but signaled a relaxed stance on Fed policy.

In summary, on the foreign exchange side, markets closed the week with a stronger dollar against the low yielders. After reaching a high of 1.6647 on Wednesday, the pound ended the week at 1.6638. Euro on the other side behaved in a more bearish way. After dropping to a low of 1.3705, the currency closed the week near the low of 1.3752. In the commodity complex, gold continues to lose ground again as the situation in the US continues to normalize, whereas the geopo-

litical situation in Europe does not seem to be worrying investors.

Disappointing pending home sales for wrong reasons The US February pending home sales data provided a mild disappointment falling 0.8 percent m-m versus expectation of an improvement of 0.2 percent. Last few months trend across all regions including the west were weak relative to September and November, again consistent with softer underlying existing home sales. Analysts argue this is still a story where the impact of softer sales volumes impact of prices will be constrained by limited inventories on the market. Ultimately, the house prices are the crucial part for the wider economy. So until there is more construction, home sales are likely to show only incremental improvement. The lack of meaningful supply is the primary factor pushing home prices higher.

PMI disappoint The US manufacturing activity slowed in March after nearing a four-year high in February albeit the rate of growth and the pace of hiring remained strong. Looking closer at the data, the US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index slipped to 55.5 from 57.1 in February. The data was short of economists’ expected reading of 56.5 but was still comfortably ahead of 53.7 in January, suggesting the effects of a harsh winter have started to fade. The new orders component fell to 58.0 from 59.6 in February, partly the result of a decline in overseas demand.

Output slowed down to 57.5 from 57.8 while firms added workers for a ninth consecutive month GDP at 2.6% after harsh winter weather After harsh winter weather, the combination of an improving job market, stronger consumer demand, less drag from US government policies and a brighter global outlook is boosting optimism in the US. Indeed although GDP data came at 2.6 percent at an annualized pace in Q4 from 4.1 percent in Q3, personal consumption growth accelerated to 3.3 percent annualized from 2.0 percent.

Economists expected a GDP growth and personal consumption growth of 2.7 percent annualized.

It seems that the deceleration in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter reflected a downturn in private inventory investment, a larger decrease in federal government spending, a downturn in residential fixed investment, and a deceleration in state and local government spending. These were offset by

accelerations in PCE and in exports, a deceleration in imports, and acceleration in nonresidential fixed investment.

Europe The ECB might target the currency level as part of their Price Stability Assessment.

During the latest ECB meeting, the council did not seem much worried about a possible deflation in Europe in order to introduce unconventional measures. However, now that the deleveraging in emerging markets has decelerated, and Inflows into EMU’s sovereign debt and equities have reached multiyear highs, while Spanish bond yields

dropped to an eight-year low and Italian and Greek government securities rallied as the euro data has been coming better or as expected; there are room for investors to start attempting to take profit on their Euro positions.

Add on this the most explicit and important statement on that front. The Vienna speech by ECB President Draghi a few weeks ago where for the first time he became explicit on the currency. He mentioned “ The strengthening of the effective Euro exchange over the past one and a half years has certainly had a significant impact on our low rate of inflation and, given current levels of inflation, is therefore becoming increasingly relevant in our assessment of price stability.”

Additionally, investors have continued raising concerns over the liquidity in the euro-zone in recent weeks. The ECB released the M3 money supply numbers for February, which showed although an uptick has been realized in broad based M3 money supply, money failed to reach the real economy, something that is critical for inflation and growth in euro-zone. The picture continues

KUWAIT: Warba Bank officials are seen during the Annual Ordinary General Assembly Meeting held yesterday.

—Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Warba Bank’s General Assembly ratifies auditors’ report and balance sheet Revenues grow by 27.48 percent to KD 10.323m KUWAIT: Warba Bank announced following the conclusion of its Annual Ordinary General Assembly Meeting held yesterday, ratification of the auditors’ report for the year ending on December 31, 2013, and approval of the balance sheet as well as the profit and loss account for the same period.

Additionally, board members were discharged from any liability for the same year; and AbdulAziz Saud AlBader complementary board members were elected for the current session of Warba’s Board of Directors. The General Assembly has re-appointed Ernst & Young and KPMG as external auditors for the bank for the fiscal year 2014, and authorized the Board of Directors to determine their fees.

The Bank’s total assets grew by 81 percent as at the end of 2013, reaching KD405.5 million compared with KD223 million as at the end of 2012.

The bank’s realized losses reached KD3.7 million as at the end of 2013, while customers’ deposits reached KD246.86 million as at the end of 2013, compared with KD78.21 million as at the end of 2012.

On this occasion, Imad Al-Thaqeb, Chairman of Warba Bank, said: “Despite the challenges posed by the local and global economic conditions as well as the fierce competition among local banks, Warba’s business indicators showed a remarkable improvement reflected on the bank’s performance, which marks Warba’s

strong financial position, and quality assets, whereas the bank’s capital adequacy ratio reached 47.54 percent as at the end of 2013. This has contributed significantly to strengthening the bank’s position locally, and supporting its endeavors to achieve its main goal; which is to be the bank of choice for the people of Kuwait.”

It is noteworthy that Warba has gone the extra mile for recruiting talented national cadres, whereas the Kuwaitization level exceeded the set 60 percent of the bank’s total employees. In light of its keenness to bridge the gap between the youth seeking to join Warba, from one side, and the Human Resources Group, from the other side, Warba has launched a flexible and user-friendly “Careers” portal.

Al-Thaqeb added that: “ Warba Bank seeks to develop the customer service level and fulfill customers’ financial and investment requirements. With this end in view, we have successfully launching many Shariacompliant products and services that meet customers’ expectations.”

On the front of the online services, Warba online banking service has been launched to give real added value for our customers. During 2013, Warba has distributed its special offers booklet of coupons to be used with our credit cards to allow customers 50 percent discounts in local and international hotels and companies. In addition, “La t7aty” campaign was con-

cluded by distributing 12 brand new cars to the winning customers. We also launched “Lean on Warba” campaign whereby Warba managed to provide a special range of offers and financial products to attract a new segment of customers. It is important to note that Warba Bank is the first bank to offer the “Qardh Hasan” product to its customers locally.

In continuation of its keenness to serve customers inside and outside of Kuwait, Warba Bank has, during 2013, enhanced the role and effectiveness of its Call Centre, developing its systems and training its employees on dealing with customers in a professional and efficient manner. With a view to get closer to customers, Warba has launched two new branches; in Farwaniya and The Avenues, and we is set to launch further two branches; in Jahra and Ahmadi.

Expressing his appreciation and thanks to Kuwait Investment Authority and the Central Bank of Kuwait for their constant support, AlThaqeb said: “I would like to thank my fellow board members for their sincere efforts and continuous devotion to elevate this promising institution. I would like also to thank the honorable chairman and distinguished members of the Sharia Supervisory Board, as well as the Group Heads, and all Warba Bank’s employees for their efforts and dedication to work.”

to be ever changing in the euro-zone going into next week as investors await the inflation report as well as the ECB meeting on Thursday.

French confidence on the rise French consumer confidence climbed in March to the highest level since July 2012.The data for consumer confidence rose to 88 from 85 last month. Economists had expected the figure to stay unchanged from the earlier month. Households’ opinion about savings surged in March as the measure for current saving capacity increased to 16 from 10, while the index for the expected saving

capacity jumped to 2 from 7. Intention to save for the next 12 months fell slightly to 20 from 21. The number of households who felt it was a suitable time to make big purchases increased and they were less concerned about future joblessness. The view on past as well as future general economic situation also increased. Fewer households also felt that inflation is on the rise UK grows at steady 2.7% in Q4 UK gross domestic product rose 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 according to data released on Friday. From a year earlier, the economy expanded 2.7 percent, the most in almost six years, and there was an annual 8.5 percent increase in business investment.

The largest contribution came from net trade while the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney plans to keep the benchmark interest rate at a record low until the economy uses up more of its spare capacity, and policy makers Spencer Dale and David Miles said separately this week that rate increases aren’t imminent.

Asia & Commodities Australia: Transition from a mining led growth to domestic consumption Reserve Bank of Australia’s Stevens said that there were encouraging signs of a transition from mining-led growth to domestic consumption. He played down the risks of a sustained rise in domestic inflationary pressures, while cautioning investors against getting carried away in Australia’s frothy housing market.

The economic data however continues to point to a robust domestic economy over the near term with real GDP growth above trend.

Stevens omitted any mention of the AUD being too high, though he did note that its trajectory was, as always, a significant source of uncertainty.

China: Pressure on government to intervene Potential RRR (Reserve Requirement Ratio) cuts are rising in China as the government seeks to manage growing defaults: Following the weaker than expected HSBC flash manufacturing PMI this week, a number of commentators have been calling for policymakers to loosen policy either through fiscal or monetary means. However, from a fiscal standpoint, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said last week that the government will not resort to fiscal policies to boost growth and will instead focus on the quality of growth. This has been partly countered by recent suggestions from the State Council that they could accelerate programs in a bid to shore up growth in the immediate term Gold plummets amid stronger US recovery After reaching a high of $ 1,392 by the middle of the month, the change in the direction of the US data put tremendous pressure on gold prices. On the other side, according to the IMF data, emerging markets central banks continued to increase their gold holdings. Russia has increased its gold holdings by 7.247 tons to 1,042 tons in February. Turkey and Kazakhstan also raised their bullion reserves. Turkey’s gold holdings rose 9.292 tons to 497.869 tons, the data showed. It is also worth watching China’s physical gold imports going forward. China’s gold imports from Hong Kong increase on import quotas. Indeed, China’s net gold imports rose 30.6 percent m/m to 109.2 tons in February amid increasing demand as the country allowed more banks to import gold. For now, prices continue to be depressed closing the week below $1,300 as investors continue to ignore the global geopolitical situation Kuwait The USDKD opened at 0.28165 on Sunday morning.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

BUSINESS

Kuwait bourse witnesses variance in indices KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended the month of March with variance on its indices.

The Price Index closed at 7,572.81 points, down by 1.56 percent compared to the closings of the month before. The Weighted Index increased by 3.91 percent after closing at 483.13 points, whereas the KSX-15 Index closed at 1,175.11 points increasing by 6.73 percent. Furthermore, last month’s average turnover decreased by 11.32 percent, compared to the preceding month, reaching KD 27.79 million, whereas trading volume average was 208.40 million shares, recording decrease of 21.05 percent.

Despite the market mixed performance witnessed during March trading, the stock market was able to end the first quarter with good

gains for its three indices, especially KSX-15 index, which realized big gains enabled it to reach its highest level ever since its inception in May 2012, whereas it grew by 9.99 percent compared to its year-end closing level, whilst the Weighted Index increased by 6.68 percent by the end of the period, and the Price Index was the least gainer during the first three months of the current year, as its gains reached 0.31 percent since the beginning of the year.

In addition, Kuwait Stock Market initiated the month with relatively strong losses due to the random selling operations witnessed then, and was concentrating on the small-cap stocks, which negatively affected the Price Index performance in particular to decline steeply in the

first half of the month, where it dropped to its lowest level since last September, while the Weighted Index and KSX-15 Index losses were relatively lighter.

Moreover, the stock market general index was able to compensate some of its earlier losses during the second half of the month, supported by the purchasing activity that the market witnessed then and included many stocks in different sectors, however was not enough to push the index to close the month’s trading in the green zone. On the contrary, many leading and blue-chip stocks witnessed active trading and strong purchasing and collection operations, especially the stocks of the companies that announced positive results and dividends

distribution for year 2013, which had a positive impact on both the Weighted Index and KSX-15 in particular, where both ended March trading with good gains.

On the other hand, a general watch controlled a large segment of the traders in the market during the month of March, as the investors were watching for the listed companies’ 2013 financial results, which caused the trading activity to decline compared to its February level.

Sectors’ indices Seven of KSE’s sectors ended last month in the green zone. And the other five sectors ended in the red zone. Last month’s highest gainer was the banking sector, achieving 2.25 percent growth rate as its index closed at 1,098.67 points.

Whereas, in the second place, the oil and gas sector ’s index closed at 1,215.13 points recording 1.47 percent increase.

The industrial sector came in third as its index achieved 0.95 percent growth, ending the month at 1,192.59 points. The telecommunication sector was the least growing as its index closed at 871.65 points with a 0.24 percent increase.

On the other hand, the last month’s highest loser was the consumer services

sector, recording 3.85 percent loss rate as its index closed at 1,095.83 points, followed by real estate sector as its index recorded 3.54 percent loss rate as its index closed at 1,359.64 points, The consumer goods sector was the least sector which record decrease as its index close at 0.98 percent, ending the month at 1,262.46 points Sectors’ activity The financial services sector dominated total trade volume during last month with 1.81 billion shares changing hands, representing 39.46 percent of the total market trading volume. The real estate sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 30.44 percent of last month’s total trading volume, with a total of 1.40 billion shares.

On the other hand, the banking sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 202.64 million or 33.15 percent of last month’s total market trading value. The financial services sector took the second place as the sectors last month turnover of KD 154.41 million represented 25.26 percent of the total market trading value.

PHNOM PENH: A boat sails as the sun rises over a hotel building under construction in Phnom Penh. The Southeast Asian nation, written off as a failed state after the devastating 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime and years of civil war, has mainly used garment exports and tourism to help improve its economy. — AFP

Hackers exploit ‘bug in bitcoin’ system TOKYO: Two years before Mt Gox filed for bankruptcy, a half dozen employees at the Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange challenged CEO Mark Karpeles over whether client money was being used to cover costs, according to three people who participated in the discussion. The question of how Mt Gox handled other people’s money - the issue raised by staff in the showdown with Karpeles in early 2012 - remains crucial to unraveling a multi-million dollar mystery under examination by authorities in Japan.

A bankruptcy administrator and police are seeking to determine how a Tokyo start-up that shot from obscurity to dominate global trade in bitcoin managed to lose more than $27 million in old-fashioned cash held in a bank as well as bitcoins worth close to $450 million at today’s prices. The still-unresolved issue has thrown a spotlight on how Mt Gox functioned as a hybrid between an online brokerage and an exchange. Essentially, the more than 1 million traders who used Mt Gox at its peak had entrusted a 3-year-old firm to hold their money safely until they decided to cash out.

A court-appointed bankruptcy administrator on Friday said an initial examination of Mt Gox - key to determining whether Mt Gox’s users will be able to recover some of what they had on deposit with the exchange - would not be complete until May, citing the involvement of authorities in the case.

Growing strains In interviews with Reuters, current and former employees at Mt Gox described the strains that emerged over the handling of customer money just as the firm was gearing up for expansion and bitcoin was edging out of the shadows as an investment and a means of online settlement. By early 2012, a small group of Mt Gox employees, all of whom worked on one-year contracts, began to worry that customer funds had been diverted to cover operating costs that

they estimated to be rising. Those costs included rent in a Tokyo high-rise that also housed offices for Hulu and Google, hightech gadgets such as a robot and a 3-D printer and a souped-up, racing version of the Honda Civic imported from Britain for Karpeles, people who have reviewed expenses said.

Unlike Karpeles, the employees say they did not have access to the financial records of Mt Gox. They asked for a formal meeting with the then-26-year-old Karpeles in early 2012, those involved said, and asked him to respond to their estimate that Mt Gox was spending more than it was taking in. They were also concerned that company expenses were being paid from the same bank account used for customer deposits.

Karpeles told the group that customer money was not being used to fund the business, but declined to provide details on how the business had covered any loss. The meeting broke off after about an hour, those who participated said. Several of the staff say they left the inconclusive meeting frustrated that Karpeles would not share proof that client deposits had been protected. For his part, Karpeles believed he had thwarted a challenge to his leadership by staff who had no right to see the books of a firm he owned and was funding, a person familiar with his thinking said.

Mt Gox referred questions to its lawyers who had no immediate comment. The former Mt Gox employees who spoke to Reuters asked not to be named because of potential legal complications. Tokyo police have taken evidence from Mt Gox in recent days as part of an early-stage inquiry into what the company has described as possible theft. It is unclear how Japanese law would treat any such diversion of customer funds as Mt Gox was not regulated as a financial institution. As a private firm in which Karpeles held an 88 percent stake with no declared debt, Mt Gox was under no obligation to share any details on its finances. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

BUSINESS

BMW Group expands US plant in South Carolina Investment of $1 billion by 2016 MUNICH/SPARTANBURG: The BMW Group is expanding capacity at its US plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. “To meet strong global demand for our BMW X models, we will invest a total of $1 billion in our Spartanburg plant by 2016. This will increase annual production capacity by 50 percent up to 450,000 vehicles from 300,000 currently,” explained Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Norber t Reithofer, at a special ceremony in Spartanburg on Friday commemorating 20 years of production in the US. Among the guests attending the ceremony held on the plant grounds were US Secretar y of Commerce, Penny Pritzker; Governor of the state of South Carolina, Nik k i Haley ; Board of Management member for Production, Harald Kruger; and head of BMW Plant

Spartanburg, Manfred Erlacher.

BMW X7 to be built in Spartanburg BMW X3, X5, X5 M, X6 and X6 M models have been manufactured so far in Spartanburg, BMW’s centre of competence for X vehicles. Friday’s event celebrated the start of production of the BMW X4. Norbert Reithofer also announced a further expansion of the X model family: “With the BMW X7, we are developing another, larger X model, which we will produce at our US plant for our world markets - once again underscoring our commitment to the US.” During the ceremony, BMW Board of Management member for Production Harald Kruger talked about the importance of the US to BMW Group’s overall production strategy: “The BMW Group aims for a good balance of growth

between all markets and continents. The Spartanburg plant is an important building block in our international network of 28 production and assembly facilities in 13 countries today. It makes a vital contribution to profitable, globally-balanced growth.” Kruger continued: “The BMW plant in Spartanburg is the best example of our successful strategy of ‘production follows the market’. The state of South Carolina has supported us as a valuable and reliable partner throughout our 20year involvement in the region and played a decisive part in making the US our second home.”

Spartanburg workforce increases to 8,800 The plant’s expansion will also increase the number of employees at the US facility significantly. “Expansion at

the site will create 800 new jobs, bringing the total workforce in Spartanburg to 8,800,” Reithofer explained. “It will also make Spartanburg the largest plant in terms of production capacity in our global production network,” he added.

According to a study released by the US Department of Commerce, the annual export volume of BMW’s Spartanburg plant totals $7.5 billion - which makes the BMW Group’s American facility the largest vehicle exporter in the United States, based on total exports excluding NAFTA. Approximately 70 percent of Spartanburg’s production is exported to BMW markets around the world.

A recent analysis published by the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina found that BMW Group activities in South Carolina had a total impact of around $16.6 bil-

lion on the state economy. The BMW Group’s presence in South Carolina supports a total of 30,000 jobs. The study also cites the importance of the BMW Group for South Carolina’s economic standing, improving technological and manufacturing competitiveness and establishing a high level of training.

Since the start of production in 1994, Spartanburg has built more than 2.6 million vehicles for BMW customers around the world. The models BMW X3, X5, X5 M, X6 and X6 M are all produced at the plant. In the near future, a plug-in hybrid version of the BMW X5 will also be produced here. A total of 297,326 vehicles were manufactured in Spartanburg in 2013, with around 1,100 vehicles currently produced per working day. The Spartanburg site presently employs around 8,000 staff.

Markaz examines trends in GCC bonds and sukuk primary market MARKAZ FINANCIAL REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Financial Centre ‘Markaz’, in its recent research report titled GCC Bonds & Sukuk Market Survey, has highlighted the trends pertaining to aggregate issuances in the GCC region during 2013.

ATHENS: People line up outside a pharmacy on duty in Athens as pharmacists continue their strike yesterday. —AFP

Greek MPs adopt bill tied to EU-IMF loans ATHENS: Greece’s parliament late on Sunday narrowly approved an omnibus bill of reforms tied to the country’s next tranche of EU-IMF loans, the parliament speaker said. Despite 11th hour attempts by the opposition to delay the vote, parties backing the government carried the tough articles that had caused dissent within the coalition partners by a slim majority. The first article including controversial reforms for milk passed with 152 votes against 135 in the 300-member parliament.

The second article including the reforms for the banks was passed by 151 votes against 136. Former Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, member of the PASOK, the socialist party member of the ruling coalition, refrained from voting for this article.

“With great optimism and strength we are moving ahead ...We made a huge step forward for the Greece of the future”, Greek Prime Minister said in a statement after the omnibus bill was ratified by the Parliament.

Antonis Samaras also announced the expulsion of a New Democracy-the other ruling coalition party-lawmaker, Nikitas Kaklamanis who didn’t vote for the first article containing milk and other reforms based on the OECD toolkit to improve competition in the country. Earlier, Greece’s main opposition Syriza party had called for a dissent and censure motion against Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, in an attempt to push back the crucial vote on reforms.

Syriza’s leader Alexis Tsipras who branded the new bill “a crime committed against the people and our country”, accused Stournaras of being “the main administrator of the death contract against Greek society”. The motion

was rejected. As the parliament debated the bill up to 7,000 people protested outside.

Finance Minister accused Syriza of attempting an “unprecedented parliamentary coup” adding that the government “had an appropriate reply to those who chose populism.” Greece wanted the bill ratified ahead of meetings with EU finance ministers in Athens today in order to formally conclude the agreement for the new tranche of EU-IMF loans by the second half of April.

The legislation will unlock for Greece some 8.5 billion euros ($11.7 billion). On Saturday, Greece’s deputy minister in charge of rural development and food, Maximos Charakopoulos, resigned over new milk regulations, while other coalition government’s lawmakers have threatened to vote against the bill for the same reason.

Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras has emphasized the bill represents the final bout of austerity measures adopted since 2010, when Athens was forced to apply for an EUIMF bailout to stave off bankruptcy. The government has come under pressure from professional groups about measures in the latest bill.

Pharmacists launched last week an indefinite strike and the Greek Seamen’s Union (PNO)are also protesting against the latest reforms. Greece has announced plans to return to borrowing on financial markets in the second half of the year, and it could be much sooner, according to media. “What is of interest to us is for (the agreement on the debt arrangements) to take place immediately, in the most realistic way, taking into consideration... all the lenders,” he said in an interview with Real News on Sunday. — AFP

Citi Foundation to aid 10 US cities NEW YORK: The Citi Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Citigroup Inc, will donate $50 million to improve youth employment opportunities in 10 large US cities, the chairman of the organization told The Associated Press. The commitment, which will be funded over three years, has been dubbed “Pathways to Progress” and will launch in June. The organization has partnered with the big-city mayors and nonprofits to train teens for the workforce, create summer job opportunities and encourage entrepreneurship for young adults to form their own businesses. “We know that a bank can’t create permanent jobs directly; if the federal government can’t do it, what hope do we have it?” Edward Skyler, chairman of the Citi Foundation, told the AP in an interview. “But we want to help young people gain skills so they can join the labor force,” said Skyler, a former deputy mayor under Michael Bloomberg. “As people get older, that gets harder and harder.

This is the best opportunity we have.”

The program being announced yesterday will launch in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago,

Boston, San Francisco, Miami, Dallas, St Louis, Newark, NJ, and Washington. The donation will be directed to nonprofit organizations that will work in tandem with local mayor’s offices.

There will be three major components to the project’s first wave that should help about 100,000 people in total, Skyler said.

The foundation and Points of Light, a volunteer organization, will launch AmericCorps programs in all 10 cities. Teenagers will develop leadership and team-building skills through volunteer and community service programs such as school revitalization projects, creating care packages for veterans and seniors, and organizing food drives.

In five of the cities - New York, Miami, Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco - the grant also will directly create paid summer jobs for teenagers and young adults who otherwise would be unemployed and more susceptible to the temptations of the street. The jobs, which for many will be their first for a paycheck, include staffing summer camps, parks, cultural organizations and government offices.—AP

$97.7 billion issued during 2013 The aggregate primary issuance of bonds and sukuk in the GCC totaled $97.7 billion in 2013, a 14.5 percent increase from the total amount raised in2012. The month of March predominated in terms of issuance frequency with 44 issuances; however, October witnessed the highest value as $13.5 billion was issued, representing 13.8 percent of the total amount issued, through 29 issuances.

CBK raised $25.4 billion - 49 percent of total CBLI issuance Central Bank Local issuances are debt securities issued by GCC central banks in local currencies and maturities of less than 1 year, to regulate the levels of domestic liquidity. A total of $51.5 billion was raised by the central banks of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman during 2013, with the Central Bank of Kuwait raising the highest amount: $25.4 billion, representing 49.3 percent of the total CBLI amount through 66 issuances. The Central Bank of Qatar raised a total of $16.20 billion, a considerable increase of 172.55 percent from $5.94 billion raised in 2012.

GCC bonds and sukuk market The GCC bonds market is composed of sovereign and corporate bonds and sukuk issuances denominated in local and foreign currencies. A total of $46.1 billion was raised by Sovereign and Corporate bond and sukuk issuances in 2013, an increase of 2.3 percent from the total value raised in 2012.

Geographical allocation: Issuances by UAE entities raised the largest amount in 2013 representing 41.4 percent of the total amount, or $18.8 billion, and were the most active in terms of issuance frequency with 111 issuances representing 67.8 percent of the total number of

issuances. Saudi Arabian entities raised the second highest amount during 2013, $17.2 billion while Qatari entities raised $6.7 billion. From Kuwait, United Real Estate Company was the sole corporate issuer which issued a 5 year bond with fixed and floating tranches, raising a total of KD 60 million ($210 million).

Sovereign vs corporate: During 2013, corporate issuances dominated the majority of the amount raised, with $42.9 billion or 93.0 percent of the total amount raised. Sovereign issuances raised $3.3 billion representing 7.0 percent of the total amount through 4 issuances compared to $6.7 billion raised in 2012 through 8 issuances. Three of the four sovereign issuances were from UAE while the fourth one was from Bahrain. Saudi Arabian corporate entities were the leading corporate issuers in GCC during 2013 in terms of value, raising $17.2 billion through 22 issues. UAE was close behind, raising a total of $17.1 billion and continuing to dominate the market in terms of number of issuances with 108 issues.

Conventional vs sukuk: Conventional issuances raised $23.7 billion, or 51.4 percent of the total amount raised in GCC bonds and sukuk market during 2013.This was an increase of 2.5 percent as compared to 2012. Conventional issuances slightly surpassed the value raised by sukuk which totaled $22.3 billion in 2013.

Sector allocation: The financial services entities accounted for the largest amount raised during the year, with $19.8 billion representing 42.9 percent of the total amount raised, through 122 issuances. The government sector accounted for the second largest amount with $7.3 billion through five new issues.

Maturity profile: Bonds with tenures of fiveyears raised the highest amount, $13.3 billion, through 30 issuances, representing 28.8 percent of the total amount raised. There were three new GCC issuances with 30-year maturity, raising a total of $2.0 billion. 2013 also witnessed the issuance of five perpetual issues which raised a total of $3.1 billion.

Issue size profile: GCC bonds and sukuk

issuances during 2013 had issue sizes ranging from $2.0 million to $4.0 billion. Bonds and sukuk with issue sizes equal to or greater than $1 billion, raised the highest amount at $19.8 billion with 15 issuances, representing 43.1 percent of the total amount of issuances. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation Sukuk was the largest issuance in 2013, raising a total of SAR15.2 billion ($4.1 billion).

Currency profile: The GCC bond and sukuk market in 2013 was dominated by the dollar denominated issuances: a total of $31.1 billion was raised, representing 67.4 percent of the total amount. Saudi Riyal-denominated issuances followed with $10.6 billion, followed by euro denominated issues which raised $1.2 billion.

Rating: During 2013, a total of 61 issuances, or 36.9 percent of the total Sovereign and Corporate issuances, were rated by either one or more of the following rating agencies: Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Capital Intelligence.

Listing: During 2013, 73 bonds and sukuk, representing 44.2 percent of all the bonds and sukuk issued and a total of $39.9 billion, were listed on exchanges. The number of regional bonds and sukuk listed on international exchanges were 61 issues with a total value of $28.3 billion versus 12 issuances listed on regional exchanges with a total value of $11.6 billion.

Bonds and sukuk total amount outstanding in GCC As of 31 December 2013, the total amount outstanding of corporate and sovereign bonds issued by GCC entities was $241.8 billion.

Corporate issuances make up the majority of the total amount outstanding with $177.4 billion, or 73.4 percent of the total amount. Sovereign issuances amount to $64.39 billion or 26.6 percent of the total amount.

Of the amount outstanding as of December 31, 2013, $116.7 billion, or 48.3 percent, were issued by UAE entities. Bonds and sukuks by Kuwaiti entities represented $4.11 billion, or 1.7 percent of the total amount outstanding.

Ooredoo supports network-sharing Company looks to provide best-in-class network experience DOHA: Ooredoo is set to take its network transformation strategy to the next level, using network sharing to help maximize the impact of its modernization program.

Across a diverse range of markets, the company is investing in data services as a key part of its contribution to human growth and development. Mobile data is at the heart of Ooredoo’s long-term vision, and became the single largest contributor to Ooredoo’s revenue growth in 2013. Dr Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: “Ooredoo has a long-term vision of being the leader in data market share across our footprint. By enhancing networks, providing new services and data packages, and making smartphones available for all, we can transform daily lives, boost knowledge-based economies, and make a positive impact on GDP.” As Ooredoo seeks to become a global leader in network quality, modernization, and development, the company is supporting an open approach to network sharing. Open network sharing anticipates new customer demands and competitive threats, while sharing the investment risk in re-working legacy networks, and negotiating with non-traditional communications players.

In Ooredoo’s newest market of Myanmar, Ooredoo Myanmar is in active discussions with a range of industry players to share as much passive infrastructure in the country as possible, including towers and fiber. By sharing passive infrastructure

with other operators, Ooredoo aims to drive significant cost efficiencies, on a scale that has not been achieved before in a “green-field” rollout.

Network-sharing is seen as a key issue for the communications industry, as companies split the costs of developing and operating key infrastructure. The potential savings - which are made on both operational expenses such as site rent and network staffing and capital spending such as equipment costs - can enable companies to upgrade networks faster and across a larger area.

Rolling-out 4G networks across its footprint presents an ideal opportunity for Ooredoo to effectively deploy network sharing. Ooredoo has taken the lead in providing 4G networks in Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and the Maldives, and Ooredoo plans to bring 4G to additional markets in the coming months. At the same time, Ooredoo has been “turbocharging” its 3G networks to 3G+ across the board, using the U900 MHz frequency to enhance network speeds and coverage, especially indoors.

Nawras, Ooredoo’s company in Oman, is rollingout 4G coverage across the country, and has invested OAR 80 million in its countrywide 3G+ turbocharging program since 2012. Nawrashas tripled 3G+ capacity on the Al-Batinah coastline, and is planning to cover the entire population with 3G+ by the end of 2014, while also implementing its “Go Green” environmentally-friendly guidelines.

Wataniya, Ooredoo’s company in Kuwait, recently

completed a network modernization program worth $400 million (KD 113 million). The company now has one of the best 3G network data rates in the world, and supports the rapid expansion of 4G, according to a report by Omnitele, the consulting company, Wataniya Kuwait completely rebuilt the network, and has seen data utilization jump by more than 20 percent.

Ooredoo Algeria recently launched Algeria’s firstever commercial 3G network, delivering Algeria’s fastest and most reliable Mobile Broadband service ever offered in the country. Beyond the Middle East and North Africa, Indosat in Indonesia became the country’s first telecommunications operator to commercially operate 3G+ on the UMTS 900MHz network, and has also prepared its network for future 4G services. Ooredoo’s efforts in this area have been boosted by the signing of an MoU on infrastructure sharing with a number of other major operators, including Bharti Airtel, MTN Group, Etisalat, STC Group, Orange, Vodafone Group and Zain Group.

The agreement was reached following a major meeting at GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in February. For Ooredoo, this agreement has the potential to enhance the company’s rollout of Mobile Broadband across its footprint in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, reducing expenditure, expanding network coverage, driving sustainability, and supporting the launch of innovative mobile services.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

BUSINESS

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait opens new body and paint facility Cutting-edge customer care taken to new heights in Al-Rai KUWAIT: AR Albisher and Z Alkazemi Co - the exclusive general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait - has taken a major step forward in its commitment to setting new benchmarks in customer care with opening of a new 2,900 square meter state-of-the-art Body & Paint Shop at Al-Rai, attended by media.

With 22 painting bays, 58 work bays, and factory trained technicians using the latest cutting-edge Mercedes-Benz tools and only the best manufacturer paints, the new body and paint shop is able to handle any level of car repair work from paintwork scratches to major body work rebuilds. The Mercedes-Benz Kuwait Al-Rai Body & Paint Shop will provide customers with the highest standard of vehicle repairs, capable of restoring damaged vehicles back to the pristine condition in which they left the factory.

Commenting on the new facility, Michael Ruehle, CEO, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co said: “We have an ongoing commitment to provide our customers in Kuwait a first-class customer experience as a Mercedes-Benz owner.

With the opening of this world class facility we are setting new benchmarks in Kuwait, offering customers faster, economical repairs that maintain the sparkling three pointed star’s ‘fresh from the factory’ standard.”

Utilizing the latest high-tech equipment, the MercedesBenz Kuwait Al-Rai facility includes measuring apparatus to ensure accurate chassis alignment, the latest welding systems to work with modern metals, and three spray booths to maintain temperature control for optimum results.

Each and every color is matched as per factory standard using computerized color matching technology, with advanced paint mixing and application facilities capable of

matching any one of the thousands of shades of paint finish.

Separate work bays exclusively handle aluminum repairs, whilst high technology drying facilities are able to harden and cure the paintwork for the perfect polish every time.

Particularly impressive is the Naja diagnosis electronic measurement system, which uses computer controlled sensors and Bluetooth technology to achieve highly accurate measurement verification, with or without the need to remove a car’s major assemblies; all in the time it takes to drink a coffee.

AR Albisher and Z Alkazemi Co’s Mercedes-Benz Kuwait AlRai Body & Paint Shop is open 7:30 am to 6:00 pm from Saturday to Wednesday, and 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday.

— Photos by Joseph Shagra

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

technology

BlackBerry revenue falls below $1 billion TORONTO: BlackBerry reported a steep drop in profit and revenue Friday as it transitions from a smartphone company to a software business under its new chief executive. Shares rose five percent in morning trading as CEO John Chen cut expenses quicker than expected. The Canadian company lost $423 million, or 80 cents per share. Adjusted for onetime items, however, the company lost 8 cents per share, much better that the losses of 56 cents per share that Wall Street had expected, according to a poll

by FactSet. Revenue fell to $976 million, the first time the company has seen revenue fall below $1 billion since late 2007, and short of the $1.1 billion analysts had projected. Blackberry reported revenue of

$2.7 billion in the same quarter last year.

It is the second quarterly results under Chen, who is deemphasizing the hardware business after last year’s launch of the BlackBerry 10 failed to spark a turnaround. The BlackBerry has been hammered by competition from the iPhone as well as Android-based rivals.

“The guy is on the move fast,” said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners.

“He can control expenses but you can’t magically make revenue happen.” Chen, who is credited with turning around Sybase, a data company that was sold to SAP in 2010, is putting more emphasis on BlackBerry’s mobile device management business, a collection of software that allows IT departments to manage different devices connected to their cor-

porate networks. He is also emphasizing BlackBerry ’s popular BlackBerry Messenger application that is now also available on Apple and Android devices.

And he is trying to highlight Blackberry’s embedded QNX software systems, which are used in-vehicle infotainment systems and industrial machines.

“I see this as a good turnaround plan,” Chen said on a conference call with analysts. “Knock on wood I’m hoping that it will also slow down the erosion.”

BlackBerry announced last December that it’s entering into a five-year partnership with Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that assembles products in vast factories in China. Foxconn, known for its manufacturing contract work on Apple’s iPhones and iPads, will jointly

design and manufacture most BlackBerry devices and manage inventory of the devices in an agreement that will offload much of BlackBerry’s manufacturing costs. Chen has said he’ll be happy to break even or make a small profit on the device business.

Unpopular BlackBerry The revenue breakdown for the quarter included about 37 percent from hardware, 56 percent for services and seven percent for software and other revenue. In another sign of just how unpopular BlackBerry’s new phones are Chen said he’ll restart production its older model 7 models, which are more popular than the new phones. The company said it sold 3.4 smartphones in the quar-

ter - 2.3 million of which were the older 7 models. He said customers are asking for old BlackBerrys. BlackBerry had $2.7 billion in cash and investments - down from $3.2 billion in the last quarter.

Shares rose 31 cents to $9.36 in morning trading. The BlackBerry, pioneered in 1999, changed the culture by allowing on-the-go business people to access wireless email. The company formerly known as RIM was once Canada’s most valuable company with a market value of $83 billion in June 2008, but the stock has plummeted since, from over $140 share. The company now has a market value of about $4.9 billion. Its decline is evoking memories of Nortel, another Canadian tech giant, which ended up declaring bankruptcy in 2009.— AP

Twitter appeal wanes in parts of Asia Facebook losing steam in S Korea and Japan

MICHIGAN: Two robots are pictured during the 2014 FIRST Robotics District Competition held at St Joseph High School, in St Joseph, Mich. The event features 40 high school teams and their robots from across the state. — AP

US top court mulls patent protections for software WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court will delve into the hotly contested question of when software is eligible for patent protection. The nine justices will hear a one-hour oral argument in a case of interest not just to software companies but also to a wide range of businesses that sell products containing computer-implemented features.

The ruling, expected by the end of June, will affect companies involved in such industries as healthcare, IT, communications and high-tech engineering.

Google Inc, Dell Inc, Verizon Communications Inc, Microsoft Corp, Hewlett-Packard Co and engine manufacturer Cummins Inc , are among the companies that have filed legal papers weighing in on the issue. Companies vary over what kind of eligibility threshold they would prefer. Those that often get sued for patent infringement, such as Google, favor a tighter definition. Those that want to protect their own patents, such as IBM Corp, would prefer that most software be patent eligible.

With the rise of computer-based products, courts have struggled to apply patent law. Some legal experts, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil liberties group, say that too many patents are issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office and courts are too keen to uphold them. In 2011, almost 125,000 software patents were granted by the patent office, up from about 25,000 in 1991, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in an August 2013 report.

Tech companies are especially concerned about litigation brought by socalled “patent trolls,” defined as companies that hold patents only for the purpose of suing other companies that are seeking to develop new products. The resulting litigation stifles innovation, the companies say.

Congress is considering legislation aimed at reining in patent trolls.

Between 2007 and 2011, trolls accounted for an estimated 19 percent of all patent infringement lawsuits, according to the GAO report. Patent owners that do not manufacture products are much likelier than ones that do to bring lawsuits based on software inventions, according to a study released last week by RPX , a publicly traded patent clearinghouse. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, DC, which has primar y

responsibility for interpreting patent law, has struggled to adopt a test that judges can use to review software patent claims, with various judges reaching different conclusions.

Record proportion of IP cases The case before the high court involves Alice Corporation Pty Ltd, which holds patents for a computer system that facilitates financial transactions. The patents are challenged by CLS Bank International, which says they are not patent eligible. In May 2013, the federal appeals court ruled for CLS but the judges were split 5-5 on which legal test to adopt. The issue comes before the Supreme Court at a time when the court is hearing the highest proportion of intellectual property cases in its history, including eight during the nine-month term that ends in June.

The legal question boils down to how innovative an invention should be to receive legal protection. The US Patent Act states that anyone who “invents or discovers a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter,” or an improvement of an existing one, can get a patent. An invention related to an abstract idea can be patented, but it must include a way of applying the idea.

Trading Technologies International Inc, which sells software for use in derivatives trading, is one of the companies that favors broad patent eligibility. Steven Borsand, the company’s executive vice president for intellectual property, said his company relies heavily on its patents. It successfully sued a unit of Cantor Fitzgerald LP for infringement and has settled other cases, he said.

Borsand said he was concerned that in seeking to target patent trolls the high court also would hurt businesses that are making legitimate use of their patents.

“We spend a lot of money developing stuff. Once it’s out there, it’s pretty easy to copy,” he said. “That’s what happened.”

Daniel Nazer, an attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that restrictions on patent eligibility would lead to greater innovation because companies would be forced to come up with new products instead of relying on patent protections. “ That ’s how people get cheaper, better products,” he said. “You stay a step ahead.” —Reuters

SEOUL: Too open. Too crowded. Too difficult.

That’s why some Twitter users in South Korea and Japan say they are spending less time on the site or have quit for other services. Waning appeal in parts of Asia, once the fastest growing market for the social network that revolves around users posting 140-character messages online, shows the challenge Twitter faces in keeping overseas users engaged. And in generating enough advertising to be profitable.

International users accounted for about three quarters of Twitter’s members but only a quarter of revenue in the first nine months of this year.

About 25 percent of Twitter’s 232 million active users are in Asia. Led by Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and India, Asia was the fastest growing region for Twitter in summer 2010, according to Semiocast, a Paris-based social media research company.

Millions of new users joined in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and during election campaigns.

Celebrities, pop stars, politicians and opinion leaders flocked to Twitter, turning an experimental playground for early adopters into a dynamic online forum. But growth has slowed in South Korea and Japan, a red flag for Twitter since both countries are wealthy and have high rates of mobile device usage - now the predominant way Twitter is accessed. New mobile applications from companies such as South Korea’s Kakao Corp and Japan’s Line Corp, have experienced explosive growth, making them potent competitors for eyeballs and advertising.

A desire for a less open, more exclusive social networking experience is part of the explanation. “In South Korea and Japan, open type social networking services like Twitter and Facebook

are losing steam,” said Justin Lee, an analyst of mobile messengers and games at BNP Paribas.

“Closed social networking services where messages are shared among a small group of people will become more popular.”

Twitter remains blocked from China’s vast market but another giant, India, is open to Twitter and it has amassed 27 million users there, according to Semiocast. Yet Twitter acknowledged in IPO filings that low use of smartphones in the poor country could hamper the ability of advertisers to deliver compelling advertisements and hurt its earnings potential.

“Indian people are still warming up to Twitter,” said Karthik Srinivasan, Bangalore-based head of social media at Ogilvy & Mather.

The concept of interacting with strangers instead of friends and colleagues takes getting used to in a society that remains family-oriented, he said. “People probably don’t know what to do on Twitter, since you don’t see your friends and family on it right away.” In South Korea the number of new users signing up has plunged since December while more Twitter citizens are going dormant, according to CYRAM, a Seoul-based analytics company that specializes in social networks. Some 40,000 new users signed up in August, about a quarter of new users in December.

It estimates there are 7 million Twitter users in South Korea and only 1 million of them send more than one tweet a month. In August, 64 percent of Twitter accounts based in South Korea had not sent a tweet for more than six months, up from 56 percent in December of last year.

South Korean entrepreneur Richard Choi is one of those dormant users. After sending more than 18,000 messages to his 8,200 followers in the last

few years, he has been silent on Twitter since June 25. Choi said he has been busy running his startup company but still found time to share pictures of his birthday cake and a homemade shepherd’s pie with friends on KakaoStory, an Instagram-like mobile application that has been a hit in South Korea.

“Twitter is for news and information but there are other channels to get news,” Choi said. “I don’t feel like I need to come back.” In Japan, Twitter’s status was elevated after it functioned as a virtual lifeline for many people following the 2011 tsunami. Japanese were able to communicate with others through Twitter immediately after the disaster as the Internet kept working but phones didn’t. It remains a go-to destination for discussing popular television shows. Twitter is a special arena for “when a certain incident calls for everyone’s participation at one time,” said Will Tachiiri, a social media producer and CEO of Logkr Media.

But a trend for defections and growing dormancy of accounts in Japan partly reflects that Twitter has also become a nasty battleground, with users hiding behind anonymity to launch vitriolic attacks on those they disagree with.

“Sometimes one can be forced to leave the space or close the account since they were seriously offended, annoyed or traumatized,” Tachiri said. There are bright spots as Twitter courts advertisers overseas including the social networking service’s ability to draw people who set trends and influence opinion. In South Korea, “Twitter is SNS of 1 million people,” said Song Seulki, a consultant at CYRAM. “But its impact is valid given that it is the SNS used by people from the 20s to the 40s who are public opinion leaders.” — Reuters

Canon ME and partners focus on CSR during Earth Hour 2014 Environment-themed family event hosted at Fairmont The Palm DUBAI: Canon Middle East, a world leader in imaging solutions, and Canon Emirates, organized a community event at Fairmont The Palm to observe Earth Hour 2014, encouraging partners and customers to conserve electricity usage by taking part in the global initiative and switching off lights for one hour. A conservation partner of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the initiators of Earth Hour, and a member of Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF), Canon supports conservation efforts at a local and international level in line with is commitment to be a socially responsible and environmentally conscious company.

Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East, said: “Our participation in Earth Hour 2014 supports WWF in its objective of promoting sustainable living through education and conservation initiatives. It is also aligned to our Kyosei philosophy of living and working together for the common good. At Canon, this corporate mission spans from our innovative technology development to waste recycling and improving the energy efficiency of not only our organization, but also that of our partners.”

Canon’s Earth Hour event was attended by employees and partners, and featured a funfilled evening of family activities themed around protecting the planet for future generations.

Children enjoyed a dedicated arts and crafts area, quizzes and balloon modeling before the lights were switched out from 8:30 to 9:30 pm.

Canon Emirates and their customers also focused on raising awareness on climate change, at the event venue - Fairmont The Palm, which was the first major hotel to appoint Canon Emirates as an exclusive printing solutions provider. The benefits offered by managed print services transcend not only business operations,

through cost saving and document security, but also support sustainability goals. Innovative solutions offered by Canon that support the environment includes the Uniflow Solution which controls an organization’s printing and allows them to account for the number of trees saved per year.

Shadi Bakhour, General Manager, Canon Emirates said: “By encouraging our customers to implement energy efficient practises, and involving customers in awareness initiatives like Earth Hour, we are working towards the common goal of protecting the planet. Our innovative products and solutions provide a platform and the tools for our partners to become more environ-

mentally responsible.”

In recognition of Canon’s CSR commitment the organization received the Dubai Chamber CSR Label in 2013 for the second consecutive year and was recertified to ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard.

Honoring Canon’s regional CSR efforts, The Arab Organization for Social Responsibility recently awarded Canon Middle East for ‘Best Environmental Practices in the Arab World.’

Canon Group is ranked 8th in the World’s Most Reputable Companies (2013), 30th on Interbrand’s 2013 Best Global Green Brands and its score on the Climate Counts scorecard is 66/100.

Another year, another $1 for Google co-founders

PASADENA: A ground robot designed and created by a team of mechanical engineering students climbs a steeply inclined ramp at the 29th Annual Engineering Design competition, themed “Raiders of the Lost Can,” at California Institute of Technology, Caltech’s Brown Gym in Pasadena, California. — AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Google paid co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin their customary $1 salaries last year while Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt’s compensation more than doubled to $19.3 million. Most of Schmidt’s raise stemmed from stock grants valued at $11.4 million. Google issued them to make up for an administrative error in the handling of another large award given to Schmidt in February 2011, according to regulatory documents filed Friday.

I f not for the mix-up, Schmidt ’s pay package last year would have risen 4 percent from the $7.6 million that he got in 2012. Page, Google’s CEO, and Brin, another top executive, have insisted on capping their salaries at $1 annually since Google Inc went public nearly a decade ago. It’s a symbolic gesture that many other Silicon Valley executives have made after amassing fortunes through the stock that they

held in their respective companies.

Page, 41, and Brin, 40, each own Google stock currently worth about $26 billion.

Schmidt, 58, has accumulated wealth estimated at $9 billion by Forbes magazine. He also limited his salary to $1 annually while he was CEO. The pay scale has changed dramatically since Schmidt turned over the CEO’s job to Page three years ago. In 2011, Schmidt received compensation valued at $101 million, with most of the money tied up in restricted stock designed to keep him working at Google. Last month, Google disclosed that Schmidt is receiving another stock award valued at $100 million this year.

Big bonus As Google’s executive chairman, Schmidt primarily deals with regulatory issues, government relationships and company acquisitions.

The Mountain View, Calif, company thought

Schmidt did such a good job last year that he received his maximum cash bonus of $6 million to supplement his $1.25 million salary.

None of the other Google executives listed in the proxy statement qualified for their maximum bonuses last year. Google and its stockholders fared well last year. The company’s earnings climbed 20 percent from the previous year to $12.9 billion and its stock price gained 58 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index increased by 30 percent last year.

The Associated Press formula calculates an executive’s total compensation during the last fiscal year by adding salary, bonuses, perks, above-market interest that the company pays on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock and stock options awarded during the year. The AP formula does not count changes in the present value of pensions, a benefit that Google and most other technology companies don’t provide. —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

Guinea battles to contain Ebola as death toll rises CONAKRY: Guinea’s President Alpha Conde warned yesterday of a “health emergency” as authorities raced to contain a spiralling Ebola epidemic which has killed 78 people and prompted neighbouring Senegal to close its border.

Guinea’s health ministry said that 122 “suspicious cases” of viral haemorrhagic fever, including 78 deaths, had been registered.

President Conde said his country was facing a “health emergency” but that “thanks to the international community, all measures have been taken to effectively fight this epidemic.” Latest information on the outbreak “allows us to be optimistic and confident about achieving a final and rapid success in our response to this problem,” he said on public television, urging people not to panic.

Samples taken from a number of the suspect cases include 22 that tested positive for Ebola, three more than previously reported, according to the latest official figures.

Of these, half were in the capital Conakry, and the others in southern towns-six in Gueckedou and

five in Macenta.

In Conakry, the fear of contracting the virus has prompted many residents to stay home or limit their movements.

A concert by Senegalese music star Youssou N’Dour scheduled for Saturday night was postponed in solidarity with the victims of Ebola and to avoid the “enormous” risk of contamination, organisers said.

The European Union has pledged 500,000 euros ($690,000) to fight the contagion, while the Senegalese interior ministry said border crossings to Guinea would be closed “until further notice.”

The order affects crossings at Kolda and Kedougou in the south of Senegal that are heavily used by traders, particularly during a weekly market attended by thousands from neighbouring countries which has now been cancelled.

Those infected have been placed in isolation to prevent the virus from spreading, while aid organisations have sent dozens of workers to help the poor west African country combat the outbreak.

Deeply concerned The EU’s aid offer came after a plea for assistance from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). The regional bloc said it was “deeply concerned” about the epidemic, which presented a “serious threat to the region.”

The tropical virus-described in some health publications as a “molecular shark”-leads to haemorrhagic fever, causing muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.

No treatment or vaccine is available, and the Zaire strain detected in Guinea-first observed 38 years ago in what is today called the Democratic Republic of Congo-has a 90 percent death rate.

Sakoba Keita, who heads the Guinean health ministry’s prevention division, said it remains unclear how Ebola had arrived in Guinea.

Tests on the other cases of haemorrhagic fever are still ongoing to determine their origin.

“We hope to get (the results) quickly as these cases should be treated like Ebola as they are also

deadly,” he said.

Guinea is one of the world’s poorest nations despite vast untapped mineral wealth, with a stagnating economy, youth unemployment at 60 percent and a rank of 178th out of 187 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index.

The World Health Organisation said Liberia had reported eight suspected cases of Ebola fever, including six deaths, while Sierra Leone had reported six suspected cases, five of them fatal.

Ebola can be transmitted to humans from wild animals, and between humans through direct contact with another’s blood, faeces or sweat, as well as sexual contact or the unprotected handling of contaminated corpses.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said the spread of the disease was being exacerbated by people travelling to funerals in which mourners touch the bodies of the dead.

Guinea has banned the consumption of bat soup, a popular delicacy in the country, as the fruit bat is believed to be the host species. — AFP

India declares victory in battle against polio A public health signpost

NEW DELHI: A health worker administers the vaccine as part of India’s massive free polio vaccination program. — AP

Test accurately rules out heart attacks in the ER WASHINGTON: A simple test appears very good at ruling out heart attacks in people who go to emergency rooms with chest pain, a big public health issue and a huge worry for patients.

A large study in Sweden found that the blood test plus the usual electrocardiogram of the heartbeat were 99 percent accurate at showing which patients could safely be sent home rather than be admitted for observation and more diagnostics.

Of nearly 9,000 patients judged low risk by the blood test and with normal electrocardiograms, only 15 went on to suffer a heart attack in the next month, and not a single one died.

“We believe that with this strategy, 20 to 25 percent of admissions to hospitals for chest pain may be avoided,” said Dr. Nadia Bandstein of the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm.

She helped lead the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented Sunday at the cardiology college’s annual conference in Washington.

Chest pain sends more than 15 million people to emergency rooms in the United States and Europe each year, and it usually turns out to be due to anxiety, indigestion or other less-serious things than a heart attack. Yet doctors don’t want to miss one - about 2 percent of patients having heart attacks are mistakenly sent home.

Expensive care People may feel reassured by being admitted to a hospital so doctors can keep an eye on them, but that raises the risk of picking up an infection and having expensive care they’ll have to pay a share

of, plus unnecessary tests.

The study included nearly 15,000 people who went to the Karolinska University hospital with chest pains over two years. About 8,900 had low scores on a faster, more sensitive blood test for troponin, a substance that’s a sign of heart damage. The test has been available in Europe, Asia and Canada for about three years, but it is not yet available in the United States.

The patients were 47 years old on average and 4 percent had a previous heart attack. About 21 percent of them wound up being admitted.

Researchers later looked back to see how the blood test and electrocardiogram would have predicted how they fared over the next month.

They figured that in order to find one heart attack in patients like this, 594 would have to be admitted - a huge waste of resources.

A test like this would be “enormously useful,” and the study’s results are “almost too good to be true,” said Dr. Judd Hollander, an emergency medicine specialist at the University of Pennsylvania.

He believes the test should be available in the US and that the amount of evidence that regulators are requiring to approve it is too high.

Dr. Allan Jaffe, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, said the problem is not what the test rules out, but what it might falsely rule in. It’s so sensitive that it can pick up troponin from heart failure and other problems and cause unnecessary tests for that.

“I think the strategy long-term will be proven,” but more studies underway now in the U.S. are needed to show that, he said.—- AP

NEW DELHI: India was officially declared polio-free recently, clocking three full years after its last polio case was reported in 2011. It is a healthcare landmark for a country of 1.3 billion people to be proclaimed free of the disease by the World Health Organization. Other than Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, the rest of the world is currently rid of polio. The event could be a signal for global drug firms - in that it proves that India’s market is big and real, and that there is a possibility of reaching every Indian if the price is right.

Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease that has long been eradicated in the West. But its purging from India, a populous country with a significant number of poor and illiterate people, is particularly momentous. The challenges are not just poor sanitation and polluted water.

Public health systems are inadequate and the per-capita spend on healthcare is among the lowest in the world. India spends $43 per head on healthcare while neighboring Sri Lanka invests $87

and China spends $155.

Even as recently as 2009, nearly half the world’s new polio cases were being reported from India.

The debilitating disease is carried through tainted food or water. The virus attacks the central nervous system, paralyzing muscles and stunting appendages.

The country has purged itself of the disease by treating it as a public health crisis situation. The government mounted a concentrated campaign of never-before proportions, financing it with over $2.5 billion of public money as well as funds from non-profit organizations. A newer, more efficient vaccine helped too.

Widespread superstition The government launched the Pulse Polio immunization campaign in 1995, bombarding cities and towns with the message about vaccinating the most vulnerable segment - all children under the age of five. The message about the drops

of oral police vaccine reached every village and hamlet in a vast country.

Millions of health workers waded through rivers, climbed up hills and crossed sandy stretches to reach every family. They battled widespread superstition against vaccination and allayed fears that the polio vaccine was a tool to sterilize people.

While boosting routine immunization, the country has guarded its borders from importing the virus from the neighboring territories. It recently made it mandatory for travelling coming in from countries with polio to produce certificates as proof of vaccination.

Polio’s eradication is a public health signpost for India. To be sure, if mass vaccinations are discontinued and the government drops its guard, the disease could return with a vengeance. For now, the success could be the foundation stone on which more such intensive and routine immunization programs could be built to protect the world from disease and death. — AP

Diabetes risk factors increase bladder cancer severity ISTANBUL: Doctors at the Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul analyzed the cases of more than 500 people who had bladder cancer surgery at their hospital between 2005 and 2011. People with larger waistlines, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and/or high fasting blood sugar - conditions associated with metabolic syndrome - tended to have more serious forms of bladder cancer.

“The patients with metabolic syndrome were found to have statistically significant higher T stage and grade of bladder cancer,” concludes lead author Dr. Emin Ozbek.

The new study was published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. Most of the bladder cancer patients were men and most had urothelial cell carcinoma (also called transitional cell carcinoma), the most common form of bladder cancer among diabetics.

“Although we know that diabetic patients face higher risk of bladder cancer, not much has been written about bladder cancer and metabolic syndrome,” says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor of Cancer Monthly. “This study is yet another reason for people with these kinds of metabolic risk factors to address them now.” To read the details of the study, including what made the bladder cancer tumors more serious in the metabolic syndrome patients, see Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Bladder Cancer Severity, available now on the Cancer Monthly website.

For over ten years, Cancer Monthly has been the only centralized source of cancer treatment results. Patients can see the actual survival rate, quality-of-life indicators, and other key data for approximately 1,500 different cancer treatments. Cancer Monthly provides timely and groundbreaking news on the causes, diagnoses and treatments of the most common cancers including Bladder, Brain, Breast, Colon, Kidney (Renal), Liver, Lung (NSCLC), Ovarian, Prostate and Rectal Cancers, Melanoma, Mesothelioma, and NonHodgkin’s Lymphoma. Written for patients and their loved ones, Cancer Monthly helps families make more informed treatment decisions. —- AP

FLORIDA: Hundreds of participants assemble to kick off the 9th annual Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday. — AP

NEW YORK: Caregiver Center Director Randi Kaplan, center, of Montefiore Medical Center, talks with Janet Lipson, left, acting as a caregiver, and volunteer David Wolffe, during a training session at the hospital in The Bronx borough of New York. — AP

Retirees help caregivers cope with hospital stays WASHINGTON: Edwin Pacheco was in and out of the hospital for months. He’d survived one organ transplant and desperately needed another. But he wasn’t the only one suffering. Few people asked how his wife was holding up as she kept vigil, cornered hard-to-understand doctors and held job and family together. “Everybody was like, ‘Oh, you’re a good caregiver.’ But inside, I’m dying,” Minerva Pacheco of New York recalls of those tumultuous days.

Then one day in the intensive care waiting room at Montefiore Medical Center, a pair of strangers introduced themselves as volunteer coaches for caregivers and offered a shoulder. It’s part of an unusual program that recruits retirees and specially trains them to help overwhelmed family members cope with a scary hospital stay for their own health, and so they can better care for their loved one.

“The caregiver needs to be taken care of, too,” said Montefiore coach Dave Wolffe, a retired high school guidance counselor who spotted Pacheco’s distress. “If they’re sick, or they break down, feel helpless or hopeless, they’re not going to be too helpful to the patient.”

The coaches offer more than emotional support and a sympathetic ear. They’re trained to help people navigate a complex hospital system and to help them locate community resources that may ease the strain, too.

Medical jargon They can track down a doctor to answer a caregiver’s questions. Or find someone to translate all the medical jargon. Or alert a professional to signs of depression. Or gently probe about just how prepared the family really is for continuing care at home: Are they comfortable giving injections, or cleaning a wound - or might they need some more planning with the discharge team?

Today’s caregivers “are being asked to do a lot of things they’re really not equipped to do,” said social worker Randi Kaplan, who directs the Montefiore Caregiver Support Center. The program evolved as the hospital realized, “we’re ignoring a very, very overstressed population.”

Millions of Americans regularly care for older or impaired adult relatives or friends, and a hospi-

talization only adds to the stress. Yet research shows that patients who have supportive care from family or friends during a hospitalization fare better.

“You don’t eat right, you don’t sleep right,” said Pacheco, who hadn’t known she could seek help for herself as her husband worsened between his first transplant in December 2012 and the one that finally restored his health last summer. “You’re scared to ask what’s next.”

Families need an advocate, said Dr. Paul Levin, Montefiore’s vice chairman of orthopedic surgery, who tells the volunteer coaches, and medical students, how caregivers can get lost in the shuffle. Years ago, Levin’s oldest daughter had a roller-blading accident and was run over by a bus, suffering life-threatening injuries while at college hundreds of miles from home. In a hospital where he knew no one, even Levin had a hard time cornering doctors, got conflicting reports and once watched his daughter wheeled off to deal with a dangerous complication without any explanation.

“I’m a trauma specialist who knows the system, knew the questions to ask, but I couldn’t get a straight answer,” Levin said. Many hospitals offer support groups for caregivers, or services from a social worker or other professional.

The volunteer coaches are different: Retirees with no background in health care undergo training to support caregivers in hopes that families will let their guard down with a peer. They make daily rounds through Montefiore’s waiting rooms and nursing stations to offer the services of the support center, where families can talk with a coach or a social worker, research caregiver resources online, or just relax in a quiet room. There are no statistics on similar volunteer initiatives, but Montefiore and a handful of community hospitals have modeled programs on one at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York.

“This caregiver coach idea is very innovative,” said Lynn Feinberg of AARP, who tracks efforts to help caregivers - and says too often what’s missing is someone to call at a moment’s notice, rather than awaiting a monthly support group meeting. —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

Increase in mothers over 50 raises health fears LONDON: The number of women giving birth over the age of fifty has more than doubled in the past five years, with three children being born to a woman in their fifties every week.

The huge leap raises health fears as older women are more likely to suffer miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies while their offspring are more susceptible to genetic defects.

The National Health Service is also being put under increased pressure as older mothers and their babies require a higher level of medical care, according to midwives.

Health ministers revealed the sharp increase in older mothers in a parliamentary question, the Daily Mail reported.

The figure has more than doubled since 2008 when there were 69 births to women aged 50 and over. In 2000 the number was 44.

New relationships The number of births to mothers aged 40 and over has also risen, up 13 per cent from 26,419 in 2008 to 29,994 in 2012. It means one in 25 are born to mothers who have turned 40.

The increase in older mothers is believed to be the result of women choosing to concentrate on their

careers rather than settling down to have a family.

Changing medical advice and IVF treatment also mean more are willing to risk delaying having children.

Other women are starting new relationships later in life and are choosing to have more children with their new partner.

Medical professionals consider someone who has a child aged over the age 35 is considered an ‘older mother’. Around 20 per cent of babies are born to women aged 35 or older, the highest proportion since records began in 1938.

At the same time, only 23 per cent of births were to women aged under 25 in 2012, down from almost half in the early 1970s.

In some areas of Britain, including Windsor and Maidenhead, Brighton and East Renfrewshire, around one in three mothers was over 35.

Earlier this year, actress Tina Malone of Shameless gave birth to daughter Flame at the age of 50, after travelling to Cyprus for IVF treatment. In 2007, Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross had twin daughters in 2007 at the age of 44.

More complications Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives told the Daily Mail: “There are an

increasing numbers of older women who are having babies and these women tend to have more complications than younger women.

“This is more pronounced as women have babies at increasingly greater ages. Older mothers are more likely to have increased rates of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies and genetic problems in the child and other issues such high blood pressure, diabetes and problems with the placenta.”

She warned that without more midwives the health service would struggle to cope with the changing patterns of women delaying motherhood.

“Because of these risks it is crucial that these women get the right level of care, advice and support they need in their pregnancy.

Greater risk “Every woman, no matter what her age, deserves the best possible care and this is one of the reasons behind the RCM’s call for more midwives in the NHS.” Last month a survey found almost three-quarters of people do not think women should receive IVF to help them conceive beyond their natural childbearing years. A quarter believe women should stop trying to bring babies into the world past the age of 40.

The survey of more than 2,000 people across the

UK found 31 per cent think the current age limit of 42 for IVF on the NHS is too old.

Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics said: “The older the mother, the higher the risk of complications. Having a child at such an old age also has implications on the time these mothers will have to enjoying being a grandparent.

“This doubling of births to over-fifties isn’t something which would have happened naturally, as there’s no way there has been that significant a change in natural menopause in the past five years.”

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has warned that those over the age of 40 are up to three times more likely to lose their baby than younger mothers. Their babies also face a greater risk of ill-health or abnormalities such as Down’s Syndrome.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We know that more older women are giving birth now than 20 years ago and research shows that older women have a higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy and may need more support.

That is why we have invested in over 1,500 more midwives since 2010 with another 5,000 in training. “ This will ensure that ever y mother has a named midwife who is responsible for personalised care.’ — AP

W H AT ’ S O N

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

International Week at AUK, an annual celebration of diversity I

nternational Week at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an annual event that takes place on the University’s campus to celebrate cultural diversity within the AUK community.

This year marks the 9th consecutive International Week, which included such activities as cooking competitions, a Global Village where international students got the opportunity to showcase their own countries’ traditions, and the Parade of Nations.

International Week is organized each year by the Office of Student Life with the aim to promote cultural exchange and understanding within the AUK community, and to enhance global and social awareness among its students. This year’s week began with students competing in a trivia quiz that tested their general knowledge of the different countries in the world.

“This year we saw so many students proudly representing their countries and cultures,” said Dr Carol Ross, Vice President of Student Affairs at

AUK. She explained that the International Week provides a venue for members of the AUK community to embrace the cultural diversity that exists at the University.

Each year, representatives from the countries are assigned booths in the Central Hallway of the campus to showcase their cultures and create a “Global Village”. Like every year, the booths competed for the Best Country Representation by displaying traditional clothing, books, music, and, of course, food. This year’s winners were the Iranian, Pakistani, and Egyptian booths.

Cultural diversity was expressed through a variety of activities and competitions that took place throughout the Week. One of the more competitive activities was the cooking competition. Each participant was required to present traditional dishes from their own countries.

Although not all the countries participated, there was a variety of cuisines for the judges to sample from; Kuwait, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan,

Lebanon, Syria, and Armenia. Kuwait and Egypt were declared the winners of the competition.

International Week ended withthe Parade of Nations, led by Kuwaiti flag, which was followed by 32 other flags of countries represented in AUK. Following the Parade, Dr. Nizar Hamzeh, AUK President, introduced the cultural showcase, which featured performances from 8 different countries. The Best Cultural Showcase title went to Armenia, while second place went to Palestine, and third place to Kuwait. This concluded the week-long celebration of diversity.

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an independent, private, equal opportunity, and co-educational liberal arts institution of higher education. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning. The language of instruction is English.

More information on the American University of Kuwait can be found atwww.auk.edu.kw

The Pakistan English School and College held a graduation day for KG students. The fuction was attended by the students’ parents and other officials from the Ministry of Education.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

For 6th consecutive year The Avenues participates in Earth Hour

I

n joining the worldwide movement for the planet, The Avenues participated in the Earth Hour event which took place last Saturday evening effectively at 8:30 pm and for a period of 60 minutes.

Outdoor lights where switched off from The Avenues facades and front lawns on the Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Road as well as the backside of the shopping center.

The Avenues continues to support global environmental issues by committing to this annually awaited event which aims primarily at encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to switch off their non-essential lights and other energy consumed appliances for a period of one hour as an initiative of reducing climate change and as well as further prevention from greenhouse effect and global warming.

For the sixth consecutive year, The Avenues management continues their

support by stating: “The Avenues take prides in engaging with global environmental issues by joining Earth Hour movement among many others towns and cities on this planet. We take this initiative mainly to create awareness on the effect of electricity consumption on global warming, in addition to joining forces with all governmental institutions, private businesses and individuals to take necessary action for reducing climate changes by switching off non-essential lights and other electricity consumption for a period of 60 minutes.”

Organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour was first debuted in Sydney, Australia by 2007 through launching a lights-off event from 8:30 pm till 9:30 pm for a period of I hour.

Today, more than 7000 cities and towns have engaged in this global initiative all to preserve and protect our planet from climate changes from global warming.

KTAA Spring Bazaar 2014

K

TAA Spring Bazaar 2014 at Historic Beit Al Sadu on Saturday the 5th of April from 10 am to 5 pm. Original designs, quilts, bags, table linens, silks, designer jewelry, shawls, crochet, hHand embroidery, frankincense & myrrh and lots more!

Sadu House, on the Gulf Road next to the National Museum and the National Library, Kuwait City.

Announcements Soorya India Festival on April 10

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oorya Kuwait Chapter will present ‘Soorya India Festival 2014’ at 7 pm on April 10 at the Indian Community School Auditorium, Senior, Salmiya. This time, Soorya is coming up with a mix of three oldest dance forms of India a Bharatanatyam recital by well-known danseuse Dakshina Vaidyanathan, a Mohiniyattam recital by exponent Aiswarya Warrier and an Odissi performance by leading Odissi dancers Arupa Gayatri Panda and Pravat Kumar Swain. In addition, a solo fusion by Mridangam maestro Kuzhalmannam Ramakrishnan will also be presented. Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain will inaugurate the festival that aims to promote international integration through culture. Entry is free.

KSNA Ad-Hoc committee

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d-Hoc committee of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi’s (KSNA) Kuwait Chapter will be reconstituted at a meeting at 4 pm on Thursday, April 10 at Indian Community School (Senior), Salmiya which will be presided over by KSNA Chairman Soorya Krishnamoothy. Malayali associations in Kuwait are requested to depute one or two representatives of their associations to participate in the meeting.

IOC Arts Festival

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ndian Overseas Congress (IOC) will conduct Arts Festival 2014 on April 10, 11, 2014 at the United Indian School, Abbassiya. Preparations are on to host this mega event among the Indian expatriates in Kuwait. Entry forms are also available on request through email. Entry forms can be sent to fax no. 24331461. Filled entry forms can be emailed to: iocfest2014@gmail.com. Also, the final registration date has been extended till Saturday, 5 April 2014. All Indian children are invited to participate in the various competitions to be held on April 10, 11, 2014 at the United Indian School, Abbassiya.

Super hit play

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ankaar Arts super play will be staged after 5 years by public demand ‘Biwi Jawaan Miya Pareshan’ on April 19, Saturday from 6 -9 pm at the Indian Embassy.

Technicians from Honda Alghanim receive HQSP certification

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taying true to its commitment to providing quality service to all of its customers, General Maintenance Technicians at Honda Alghanim recently received the Honda Qualified Service Personnel (HQSP) Certification, which was awarded by HAMER - Honda Automobile Middle East Representative office in Dubai.

The move to certify general maintenance technicians, which entailed bringing in two full-time certified Honda trainers, reinforces Honda Alghanim’s direction in ensuring that all

Sheraton Kuwait & Four Points by Sheraton Kuwait participate in ‘Earth Hour’ event

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or the sixth consecutive year Sheraton Kuwait & Four Points by Kuwait participated in the global event “Earth Hour”, to send to the community a clear message that each one of us, sharing this responsibility and working altogether, can make a difference on climate change.

All hotel’s staff & guests shared that hour using environment friendly energy bulbs switched down the hotel’s main electric generator and turned off the hotel’s exterior signage lighting & non essential interior lighting.

As usual, Sheraton Kuwait & Four Points By Sheraton Kuwait always considers the guest as a member of the hotel’s family, in this event guests were part of this important contribution by displaying awareness boards in the lobby and informative letters were distributed to all guest’s rooms to share this responsibility as one entity.

During this hour, associates shared their dinner together, wishing that the earth resources will always be available when needed today, everyday and in the future.

Honda customers consistently receive proper diagnosis and excellent service through highly trained, certified technicians. As such, the trainers are responsible for ensuring that Honda procedures and standards are implemented across the facility.

With the certification, Alghanim Motors adds another component to their winning customer satisfaction formula by having qualified service advisors, highly trained and skilled technicians and a state-of-the-art facility that is equipped with the most advanced equipment and tools.

To showcase their distinguished achievement, the certified technicians will be easily identifiable with the HQSP badge on their outfits.

Alghanim Motors, the sole distributor of Honda automobiles, motorcycles, power products, and marine products in Kuwait, is committed to providing customers with flexible payment solutions and efficient and cost-effective services. The waiting lounge offers entertainment and comfort for customers with gaming consoles, digital satellite TV, free wireless internet and relaxing massage chairs.

UFE Kuwait thank sponsors

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he UFE Kuwait Section would like to extend its gratitude and warmest thanks to all our generous sponsors of the PÈtanque tournament held on the 21st of March 2014.

The sponsors of the event were: The Crowne Plaza Hotel, the Marina Hotel, the IBIS Hotel, Chili Beans, Upper Crust Pizzeria, Decathlon, Thales, Tanagra, Beidoun, Burgan Bank, Al Kazemi Travel, GÈant, Ahmadiah, whose names were acknowledged during the event and prizes distribution which was

attended by a large number of the French community members, their families & friends and all praised the sponsors for their generous participation in this event.

This tournament was held at The Copthorne Hotel & Resort in Jahra in the presence of the President of the International PÈtanque FÈdÈration -member of the French National Olympic Committee - Claude Azema, Christian NakhlÈ French Ambassador, Matthew Tueller, US Ambassador and Douglas George, Canadian Ambassador and Michael J. Adler, Deputy Chief of Mission US Embassy.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

TV PROGRAMS

03:15 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 03:40 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 04:05 My Pet’s Gone Viral 04:30 My Pet’s Gone Viral 04:55 Animal Cops Philadelphia 05:45 Animal Maternity Ward 06:35 Call Of The Wildman 07:25 Earthquake: Panda Rescue 08:15 Mutant Planet 09:10 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 09:35 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 10:05 Shamwari: A Wild Life 10:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Dark Days In Monkey City 12:20 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 12:50 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 13:15 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 13:45 Man, Cheetah, Wild 14:40 Shamwari: A Wild Life 15:05 Shamwari: A Wild Life 15:30 My Cat From Hell 16:30 The Animals’ Guide To Survival 17:25 Crocodile Hunter 18:20 Predator’s Prey 18:50 Predator’s Prey 19:15 Animal Clinic 20:10 Animal Maternity Ward 21:05 Shamwari: A Wild Life 21:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:00 Animal Clinic 22:55 Animal Maternity Ward 23:50 Animal Cops Philadelphia

03:25 Spooks 04:15 The Weakest Link 05:00 Tweenies 05:20 Teletubbies 05:45 Jollywobbles 05:55 Show Me Show Me 06:15 Tweenies 06:35 Teletubbies 07:00 Jollywobbles 07:10 Show Me Show Me 07:30 My Family: The Heart Of Christmas 08:00 The Vicar Of Dibley 08:30 Rev. 09:00 Eastenders 09:30 Doctors 10:00 Upstairs Downstairs 10:55 New Tricks 11:45 My Family: The Heart Of Christmas 12:15 The Vicar Of Dibley 12:45 Rev. 13:15 Eastenders 13:45 Doctors 14:10 Upstairs Downstairs 15:05 New Tricks 15:55 The Vicar Of Dibley 16:25 The Weakest Link 17:10 Eastenders 17:40 Doctors 18:10 Being Erica 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 19:30 Me & Mrs Jones 20:00 Upstairs Downstairs 20:55 Mistresses 21:45 The Omid Djalili Show 22:15 Five Daughters 23:05 The Weakest Link 23:50 Eastenders

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00

BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World

11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World

03:30 The Killer Speaks 04:30 Private Crimes 05:00 Beyond Scared Straight 06:00 The Devil You Know 07:00 Private Crimes 07:30 Private Crimes 08:00 Private Crimes 08:30 Private Crimes 09:00 Private Crimes 09:30 Private Crimes 10:00 Fatal Vows 11:00 Beyond Scared Straight 12:00 Evil Up Close 13:00 My Evil Sister 14:00 Fatal Vows 15:00 Fred Dinenage: Murder Casebook 16:00 Curious & Unusual Deaths 16:30 Private Crimes 17:00 Homicide Hunter 18:00 The First 48 19:00 The Devil You Know 20:00 Beyond Scared Straight 21:00 Private Crimes 21:30 Evil Up Close 22:30 I Killed My BFF 23:30 Casanova Killers

03:00 You Have Been Warned 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Storage Hunters 04:40 Container Wars 05:05 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 06:00 One Man Army 07:00 You Have Been Warned 07:50 Flying Wild Alaska 08:40 Fast N’ Loud 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Storage Hunters 10:20 Container Wars 10:45 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 11:35 Gold Rush 12:25 Alaska Gold Diggers 13:15 Gold Divers 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Storage Hunters 14:55 Container Wars 15:20 North America 16:10 Fast N’ Loud 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Wheeler Dealers 18:40 You Have Been Warned 19:30 One Man Army 20:20 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 21:10 Storage Hunters 21:35 Game Of Pawns 22:00 Dual Survival 22:50 Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell 23:40 Yukon Men

03:35 Sci-Trek 04:30 Space Pioneer 05:20 Scrapheap Challenge 06:10 What’s That About?

07:00 Space Voyages 07:55 Joe Rogan Questions Everything 08:45 Sci-Trek 09:40 What’s That About?

10:30 Mega World 11:20 Space Pioneer 12:10 Scrapheap Challenge

13:00 13:30 14:20 15:10 16:00 16:50 17:40 18:30 19:20 19:45 20:10 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:30

How Tech Works Sci-Trek Mythbusters Scrapheap Challenge Mega World What’s That About?

Kings Of Construction Mega Builders The Gadget Show How Tech Works Mythbusters Stuck With Hackett Stuck With Hackett Rocket City Rednecks Rocket City Rednecks Sci-Trek Space Pioneer

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

Couples Who Kill Nightmare Next Door Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Disappeared I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared True Crime With Aphrodite

Taboo-breaking Basque comedy is blockbuster in Spain

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panish filmgoers are queuing up for a surprise hit comedy about Basques and separatist guerrillas complete with jokes about car-bombings - in a film that would have been unthinkable in Spain before now. The movie, “8 Apellidos Vascos” (8 Basque Surnames), has viewers in stitches over the cultural divide between a slick-haired young man from southern Spain and his Basque girlfriend. “It is very, very healthy for all of us that we are laughing at ourselves and especially that people in troubled areas of the country are able to laugh at themselves,” Enrique Gonzalez Macho, president of the Spanish Film Academy, said in a television interview yesterday.

The Basque separatist movement ETA declared an end to its armed struggle in 2011, after decades of violence in which more than 100 people were killed.

Hundreds of ETA members have been jailed for life. The pro-ETA newspaper Gara, which was not amused by the movie, ran a scathing review. But the taboo-breaking film racked up 16 million euros ($22 million) at the box office in its first three weekends - a boon for the stricken national film industry where it is rare for a Spanish movie to gross more than 10 million euros.

After two recessions and a tax hike that hit ticket prices, movie attendance has fallen to record lows. But crisis-weary Spaniards seem to enjoy an opportunity to laugh at themselves. The humor is particularly poignant right now as a surging independence movement in Catalonia has caused deep political rifts in Spain. The Basque region and Catalonia both have their own languages, distinct cultures and nationalist histories.

Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Disappeared I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared True Crime With Aphrodite Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Extreme Forensics I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared True Crime With Aphrodite Dates From Hell Dates From Hell Swamp Murders Most Evil

BATTLEGROUND ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION 03:15 Extreme Close-Up 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 E!ES 05:05 THS 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Opening Act 10:15 Married To Jonas 10:40 Chasing The Saturdays 11:10 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 11:35 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 12:05 E! News 13:05 Extreme Close-Up 13:35 The E! True Hollywood Story 14:30 Style Star 15:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 17:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On 17:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On 18:00 The Drama Queen 19:00 E!ES 20:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 20:30 Giuliana & Bill 21:30 Giuliana & Bill 22:30 Fashion Police 23:30 Chelsea Lately

03:00 04:00 World 05:00 06:00 07:00

Megastructures Light At The Edge of The The Numbers Game Megastructures Megacities

08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Warrior Road Trip Chasing UFOs Brain Games Diggers Megastructures Big, Bigger, Biggest Animal Intervention Helicopter Wars My Dog Ate What?

China’s Great Wall Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy Hunter Hunted Air Crash Investigation Ultimate Survival Alaska Engineering Connections Air Crash Investigation Big, Bigger, Biggest

03:45 Python Hunters 04:40 Bug Attack 05:35 Shark Men 06:30 Fish Tank Kings 07:25 Python Hunters 08:20 Expedition Wild 09:15 Caught In The Act GPU Reversions 10:10 Leopard Queen 11:05 Night Stalkers 12:00 Hooked 12:55 World’s Deadliest Killer Three 13:50 Animal Intervention 14:45 Python Hunters 15:40 Expedition Wild 16:35 Dangerous Encounters 17:30 Man v. Monster 18:25 Built For The Kill 19:20 World’s Deadliest Killer Three 20:10 Animal Intervention 21:00 Python Hunters 21:50 Expedition Wild 22:40 Dangerous Encounters 23:30 Man v. Monster

03:00 How I Met Your Mother 03:30 How I Met Your Mother 04:00 All Of Us 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 05:30 Better Off Ted 06:00 The War At Home 06:30 Arrested Development 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 08:00 All Of Us 08:30 Better Off Ted 09:00 How I Met Your Mother 09:30 2 Broke Girls 10:00 Trophy Wife 10:30 Arrested Development 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 12:00 The War At Home 12:30 All Of Us 13:00 Better Off Ted 13:30 Arrested Development 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 14:30 2 Broke Girls 15:00 Trophy Wife 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 16:30 The War At Home 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Raising Hope 19:00 The Crazy Ones 19:30 Trophy Wife 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Big C 22:30 Web Therapy 23:00 Legit 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

ZERO HOUR ON OSN FIRST MORE

03:00 Game Of Thrones 04:00 Revenge 08:00 Necessary Roughness

11:00 The Blacklist 12:00 Emmerdale 12:30 Coronation Street 14:00 Necessary Roughness 16:00 Emmerdale 16:30 Coronation Street 19:00 Once Upon A Time In Wonderland 20:00 Grey’s Anatomy 21:00 Mistresses 22:00 True Detective 23:00 Breaking Bad

04:00 05:00 07:30 10:30 12:00 14:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Rescue Me Good Morning America Coronation Street Coronation Street Royal Pains Live Good Morning America Royal Pains 24 Royal Pains Zero Hour Rescue Me Hemlock Grove

04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Grosse Pointe Blank-PG15 Dangerous Attraction-PG15 Arctic Blast-PG15 Red Eye-PG15 Soldiers Of Fortune-PG15 Arctic Blast-PG15 Deep Rising-PG15 Soldiers Of Fortune-PG15 Layer Cake-18 Battleground-PG15

04:00 Ghostbusters II-PG 06:00 Hit List-PG15 08:00 The Producers-PG15 10:15 Summer School-PG15 12:00 Ghostbusters II-PG 14:00 Snowmen-PG 16:00 Summer School-PG15 18:00 The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad-PG 20:00 A Smile Like Yours-PG15 22:00 Tough Guys-PG15

03:00 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2-PG15 05:00 Dark Horse-PG15 07:00 Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight-PG15 09:00 Carnage-PG15 11:00 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2-PG15 13:00 Snow Flower And The Secret Fan-PG15 15:00 The Speed Of Thought-PG15 17:00 Me And You-PG15 19:00 Comes A Bright Day-PG15 21:00 Another Happy Day-18 23:00 Liars All-18

03:00 PG15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 PG15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

Things We Lost In The Fire96 Minutes-PG15 Flower Girl-PG15 Hold Fast-PG15 Saving Grace B. Jones-PG15 Encounter With DangerRegarding Henry-PG15 Saving Grace B. Jones-PG15 Switchback-PG15 Rachel Getting Married-PG15 True Confessions-PG15

03:15 Bernie-PG15 05:00 Sky Force-FAM

07:00 Class-PG15 09:00 The Odd Life Of Timothy Green-PG 11:00 Magic Journey To AfricaPG15 13:00 The Call-PG15 15:00 Phil Spector-PG15 17:00 The Odd Life Of Timothy Green-PG 19:00 Parental Guidance-PG 21:00 Take This Waltz-18 23:00 Taken 2-PG15

04:00 3 Holiday Tails-PG 06:00 The Wishing Well-PG15 08:00 Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome-PG15 10:00 The Arrangement-PG15 12:00 Red Dawn-PG15 14:00 Interview With A HitmanPG15 16:00 Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome-PG15 17:45 Fast & Furious 6-PG15 20:00 Prometheus-PG15 22:15 21 & Over-18

03:00 05:00 07:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00

Super Rugby NRL Premiership HSBC Sevens World Series PGA Tour Highlights Golfing World AFL Premiership Super Rugby Super Rugby PGA Tour Highlights Golfing World AFL Premiership NRL Full Time Futbol Mundial NRL Premiership Premier League Darts

03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 11:30 12:00 14:00 15:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

AFL Premiership Highlights Indy Car Serier 2014 Golfing World Premier League Darts Top 14 Highlights NRL Premiership PGA Tour Highlights Indy Car Serier 2014 NHL Bellator MMA 2014 Super Rugby

00:35 House Gift 01:30 Emmerdale 02:25 Coronation Street 02:55 Holiday: Heaven On Earth 03:25 Agatha Christie’s Marple 05:15 Ade In Britain 06:10 House Gift 07:05 Holiday: Heaven On Earth 07:30 Agatha Christie’s Marple 09:20 Ade In Britain 10:15 May The Best House Win 11:10 Emmerdale 12:00 Coronation Street 12:30 House Gift 13:25 Ade In Britain 14:20 May The Best House Win 15:10 Holiday: Heaven On Earth 15:35 Trevor Mcdonalds Queen & Country 16:30 Endeavour 18:20 May The Best House Win 19:10 Coronation Street 19:35 Trevor Mcdonalds Queen & Country 20:30 Endeavour 22:20 Coronation Street 22:50 Emmerdale 23:45 May The Best House Win

Long surnames The movie takes its title from the notion that a true Basque’s great-grandparents all bear the region’s distinctive surnames such as Goirigolzarri, Billelabeitia or Etxeberria. Protagonist Rafa, played by Dani Rovira, must pretend he is Basque and invent a family history complete with complex surnames to court Amaia, played by Clara Lago, whose rough, fisherman father would not approve of a “foreign” suitor.

Rafa, who has never before left his native Sevilla, chases Amaia to her village, where he struggles with the Basque language and falls in with separatist militants depicted as bumblers with piercings - a take on them that is risky in a country deeply scarred by bombings and assassinations. Directed by Emilio Martinez-Lazaro, the film draws heavily on gags about supposedly easygoing Andalusians from the arid home of flamenco and dour Basques from the damp region known for industry, hearty cuisine and beret-wearing farmers.

The movie has broken several rules of the Spanish film industry. Fueled by word-of-mouth, it has made more money each weekend since its debut, which is unusual. Also it has been a huge hit in the Basque country’s biggest city Bilbao - where Spanish films are not usually successful. “People are coming to see it out of morbid fascination because everyone is talking about it,” said Manu Idarraga, 54, who saw the movie in Bilbao on Sunday.

“It was good for a therapeutic laugh, but it’s a bit over-the-top,” said Idarraga, who could not see the film the first time he tried, because it was sold out.

The film’s success has taken Basque screenwriters Borja Cobeaga and Diego San Jose by surprise even though they had never shied away from politically sensitive material during years of co-writing the Basque television comedy “What a Week.” “We thought it might fill a need right now because comedies are going down pretty well. But we didn’t expect full houses or that it would be hard to find someone who hasn’t seen it,” Cobeaga told Reuters. — Reuters

New novel explores unsolved murder from 1876

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n 1876 in San Francisco, amid a heat wave and smallpox epidemic, an idiosyncratic frog-catching, pantswearing, bicycle-riding woman is fatally shot through the window of a railroad boarding house. This real-life unsolved murder is the basis of Emma Donoghue’s new novel, “Frog Music.” The story is told through Blanche Beunon, a burlesque dancer who is in the same room when her friend Jenny Bonnet is killed.

The novel goes back and forth between the shellshocked, mystery-solving Blanche and her earlier, erotic-dancing, carefree self. Along the way, Donoghue masterfully transports readers to an era of dung-covered cobbled roads, unspeakably cruel baby farms, deep suspicion of Chinese immigrants and unruly saloons.

What “Frog Music” lacks, however, is the gripping storytelling that made Donoghue’s previous novel “Room” - about a mother and son held captive - such a beautifully poignant read. The premise of “Frog Music” is wild enough, and yet Donoghue pushes it over the top with explicit sex scenes, then bogs it down with daily minutiae that does little to enhance the story or its characters - or make us care for them much. Even the central whodunnit question doesn’t garner much suspense and is ultimately resolved without much satisfaction.

Ironically, the Author’s Note section of the book, which explains what characters and facts came from historical records and newspaper articles, was a more interesting read than the novel that preceded it. — AP

Classifieds TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 SABOTAGE (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2 MINUSCULE: VALLEY OF THE LOST ANTS (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) SHARQIA-3 NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM 1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

MUHALAB-1 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 4:30 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM

FANAR-1 NON-STOP (DIG) MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) NON-STOP (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-3 SABOTAGE (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-4 NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) 2:15 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 4:45 PM NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) 6:45 PM NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) 9:15 PM CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG3D) 9:15 PM NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) 11:45 PM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (27/03/2014 TO 02/04/2014) FANAR-5 BLOOD TIES (DIG) HAUNT (DIG) THE DOUBLE (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NO WED BLOOD TIES (DIG) NO WED BLOOD TIES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM 8:00 PM 10:45 PM

MARINA-1 NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

MARINA-2 SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-3 NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) AVENUES-1 MINUSCULE: VALLEY OF THE LOST ANTS (DIG) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:45 AM

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM 1:00 AM

AVENUES-2 FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-3 NON-STOP (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-4 DIVERGENT (DIG)

2:15 PM

DIVERGENT (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) WED CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) 360ยบ- 1 DIVERGENT (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) NO WED DIVERGENT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) 360ยบ- 2 FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic)

5:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 1:15 AM 8:00 PM 10:45 PM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 8:00 PM 11:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

FOR SALE Mitsubishi Lancer 2012 GLX, dark grey color, excellent condition, km 62,000, KD 1950. Mob: 50994848.

(C 4681)

360ยบ- 3 BLOOD TIES (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) AL-KOUT.1 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG)

9:30 PM 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.2 DIVERGENT (DIG) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) DIVERGENT (DIG) FACTORY GIRL (DIG) (Arabic) DIVERGENT (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

An experienced person seeks an opening in accounts/stores. Call 97835420. (C 468) 31-3-2014

AL-KOUT.3 NON-STOP (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

Lady Indian physiotherapist B.PT, M.Sc (UK) 4 years experience, transferable visa, ready to join. Please call 99651572. (C 4677) 27-3-2014

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THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry aboutthe Civil ID card is

Chever Tril Plazer 2008 black color, excellent condition, KD 2200. Tel: 66729295. (C 4682) 1-4-2014

SITUATION VACANT

1889988 112

Prayer timings Fajr:

04:21

Shorook

05:41

Duhr:

11:53

Asr:

15:23

Maghrib:

18:05

Isha:

19:23

No: 16122

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation available in Kuwait city (Maliya) bed space/sharing room available for decent Goan bachelor from 1st April with kitchen facility. Contact: 50195621.

31-3-2014

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC JAI KLM JZR THY QTR PIA DLH PGT ETH GFA THY JZR UAE ETD JAI TAR OMA MSR RJA QTR FDB THY DHX FDB KAC BAW KAC KAC QTR FDB KAC KAC SVA KAC UAE KAC KAC ABY ETD FDB QTR IRA GFA JZR MEA TMA UAE JZR MSR

Flt 043 574 411 539 772 1084 239 637 858 620 211 764 267 853 305 576 328 643 612 642 1076 067 770 170 069 416 157 412 206 1086 053 302 352 512 332 855 362 284 125 301 055 1070 619 213 165 404 213 871 561 610

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 1/4/2014 Route Dhaka/Doha Mumbai Amsterdam/Dammam Cairo Istanbul Doha Sialkot Dammam Istanbul Addis Ababa Bahrain Istanbul Beirut Dubai Abu Dhabi Kochi/Abu Dhabi Tunis/Dubai Muscat Cairo Amman Doha Dubai Istanbul Bahrain Dubai Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur London Manila/Bangkok Islamabad Doha Dubai Mumbai Kochi Riyadh Trivandrum Dubai Colombo Dhaka Sharjah Abu Dhabi Dubai Doha Lar Bahrain Dubai Beirut Beirut Dubai Sohag Cairo

Time 00:05 00:10 00:30 00:40 00:45 00:55 01:05 01:10 01:30 01:45 02:10 02:15 02:30 02:35 02:45 02:50 02:55 03:05 03:10 03:15 03:45 04:20 05:35 05:40 05:50 06:25 06:40 06:45 07:40 07:50 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:15 08:15 08:40 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 09:40 09:55 10:05 10:40 11:30 11:55 12:10 12:50 12:55 13:00

KAC FDB QTR KAC SVA KNE JZR UAE QTR ETD KAC RJA UAL SVA ABY GFA KAC JZR KAC QTR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC AXB KAC KAC GFA KAC OMA MSR FDB JAI ABY IRA DLH ALK MEA ETD UAE GFA FDB QTR KLM JZR UAL JZR AIC JZR ETH

514 057 1078 546 500 472 325 857 1072 303 562 640 982 510 127 215 542 177 742 1080 786 063 678 618 166 393 674 774 217 104 647 618 061 572 129 605 636 229 402 307 859 219 059 1074 415 135 981 239 981 185 3718

Tehran Dubai Doha Alexandria Jeddah Jeddah Al Najaf Dubai Doha Abu Dhabi Amman Amman IAD Riyadh Sharjah Bahrain Cairo Dubai Dammam Doha Jeddah Dubai Muscat/Abu Dhabi Doha Paris/Rome Kozhikode Dubai Riyadh Bahrain London Muscat Alexandria Dubai Mumbai Sharjah Esfahan Frankfurt Colombo Beirut Abu Dhabi Dubai Bahrain Dubai Doha Amsterdam Bahrain Bahrain Amman Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad Dubai LGG

13:45 13:50 13:55 14:05 14:30 14:35 16:05 16:40 16:40 16:50 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:25 17:30 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:55 20:05 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:55 21:10 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:30 23:20 23:30

Airlines AIC PIA AXB JAI BBC KLM DLH PIA ETH THY PGT TAR UAE ETD OMA MSR QTR FDB QTR JZR FDB JAI JZR THY RJA KAC GFA THY FDB BAW QTR SVA KAC ABY KAC UAE ETD FDB QTR IRA KAC GFA KAC KAC KAC JZR MEA KAC JZR TMA

Departure Flights on Tuesday 1/4/2014 Flt Route 976 Goa/Chennai 206 Lahore 490 Mangalore/Kochi 573 Mumbai 044 Chittagong/Dhaka 411 Amsterdam 637 Frankfurt 240 Sialkot 621 Addis Ababa 773 Istanbul 859 Istanbul 328 Tunis 854 Dubai 306 Abu Dhabi 644 Muscat 613 Cairo 1085 Doha 068 Dubai 1077 Doha 560 Sohag 070 Dubai 575 Abu Dhabi/Kochi 164 Dubai 765 Istanbul 643 Amman 545 Alexandria 212 Bahrain 771 Istanbul 054 Dubai 156 London 1087 Doha 513 Riyadh 513 Tehran 126 Sharjah 101 London/New York 856 Dubai 302 Abu Dhabi 056 Dubai 1071 Doha 618 Lar 561 Amman 214 Bahrain 541 Cairo 165 Rome/Paris 677 Muscat/Abu Dhabi 324 Al Najaf 405 Beirut 785 Jeddah 176 Dubai 223 Dubai/Beirut

DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:10 00:15 01:10 01:45 01:45 02:10 02:20 02:45 02:55 03:20 03:45 03:50 04:00 04:05 04:10 04:15 05:00 05:15 06:20 06:30 06:45 06:55 07:05 07:05 07:15 07:15 07:30 08:30 08:45 08:50 09:15 09:25 09:40 09:50 09:55 10:05 10:20 10:55 10:55 11:25 11:25 11:30 11:50 12:20 12:40 12:55 13:00 13:45 13:45

MSR UAE FDB QTR KAC KAC KAC KNE SVA KAC JZR ETD QTR JZR UAE RJA ABY SVA UAL GFA JZR JZR FDB QTR AXB GFA KAC FDB OMA ABY KAC MSR KAC JAI IRA KAC DLH DHX ALK MEA ETD GFA KAC FDB UAE KAC KAC KLM QTR KAC

611 872 058 1079 673 741 617 473 501 773 238 304 1073 538 858 641 128 511 982 216 184 134 064 1081 3942 218 283 062 648 120 361 607 351 571 604 343 636 171 230 403 308 220 301 060 860 381 205 415 1075 411

Cairo Dubai Dubai Doha Dubai Dammam Doha Jeddah Jeddah Riyadh Amman Abu Dhabi Doha Cairo Dubai Amman Sharjah Riyadh Bahrain Bahrain Dubai Bahrain Dubai Doha Kozhikode Bahrain Dhaka Dubai Muscat Sharjah Colombo Luxor Kochi Mumbai Esfahan Chennai Dammam Bahrain Colombo Beirut Abu Dhabi Bahrain Mumbai Dubai Dubai Delhi Islamabad Dammam/Amsterdam Doha Bangkok/Manila

14:00 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:20 15:30 15:30 15:45 16:05 16:55 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:40 19:10 19:25 19:40 20:15 20:15 20:30 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:10 21:20 21:30 21:35 21:50 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:50 22:50 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:55

34

stars

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

CROSSWORD 504 STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You may want to make your office space neater or more attractive at this time. There is one thing in being professional and thinking professionally but there is another process to unfold as you think in creative ways and that is to have an uncluttered area. Now is the best time to rearrange or change the colors, posters, pictures or whatever is needed so that you are at your best creatively and professionally. Avoid the job politics and you will be a happy camper. You are wise to keep your own counsel when it comes to professional issues. You have your own creative mind as well as the internet, books, experience and examples that will help lead the way to a successful business year.

Personal affairs have the green light. Happy birthday!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Good fortune will come from your creative skills-opportunities await you. A big project is at hand. Because of your creative abilities-you are able to land a special project for yourself. This is the opportunity for you to make lots of money and have recognition. There are many opportunities now for you to improve your talents and deepen your appreciation of your own abilities. After a bit of garden work or team sport or some other exercise later today, you will be able to relax and enjoy affairs of the heart. There is mammoth pleasure in group activities that involve your friends and family, if that is what you desire. Quiz games or some other group entertainment can be enjoyed. You will find a stabilizing factor for your relationships now.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrived.

4. A dealer in seeds.

12. An honorary law degree.

15. Tag the base runner to get him out.

16. A salt or ester of arsenic acid.

17. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

18. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

19. An embroidered rug made from a coarse Indian felt.

20. Lacking either stimulating or irritating characteristics.

22. Jordan's port.

24. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

26. (prefix) Within.

27. Chinese ephedra yielding ephedrine.

29. The battle in 1806 in which Napoleon decisively defeated the Prussians.

30. Wild sheep of northern Africa.

36. A piece of land held under the feudal system.

39. Wood of a pecan tree.

40. Great brightness.

42. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt.

44. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

45. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

46. Disparaging terms for the common people.

48. Military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to determine or exploit or reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum.

51. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

52. (computer science) A kind of computer architecture that has a large number of instructions hard coded into the cpu chip.

55. A landlocked republic in eastern Africa.

56. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

58. English writer and a central member of the Fabian Society (1858-1943).

61. Having a specified kind of border or edge.

62. A small cake leavened with yeast.

63. Worn or shabby from overuse or (of pages) from having corners turned down.

65. A city in east central Texas.

68. A ballroom dance of Latin-American origin.

70. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

74. Spin or twist together so as to form a cord.

76. Mild form of diabetes mellitus that develops gradually in adults.

78. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

79. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

80. (plate tectonic theory) A hypothetical continent including all the landmass of the earth prior to the Triassic period when it split into Laurasia and Gondwanaland.

82. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

83. Scottish sea captain who was hired to protect British shipping in the Indian Ocean and then was accused of piracy and hanged (1645-1701).

84. The trait of lacking restraint or control.

85. A young woman making her debut into society.

DOWN 1. A communist state in Indochina on the South China Sea. 2. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

3. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery.

4. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

5. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

6. Electronic warfare undertaken under direct control of an operational commander to locate sources of radiated electromagnetic energy for the purpose of immediate threat recognition.

7. A visual presentation showing how something works.

8. The act of catching an object with the hands.

9. Produced by a manufacturing process.

10. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

11. A long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head.

12. A woody climbing usually tropical plant.

13. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on land.

14. Panel forming the lower part of an interior wall when it is finished differently from the rest.

21. United States tennis player (born in Czechoslovakia) who won several singles championships.

23. A piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room.

25. Rare (usually fatal) brain disease (usually in middle age) caused by an unidentified slow virus.

28. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

31. Fiddler crabs.

32. A challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy.

33. Again but in a new or different way.

34. A covered passageway.

35. The upper house of the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

37. A native or inhabitant of Iran.

38. The younger brother of Edwy who became king of Northumbria when it renounced Edwy.

41. Growing old.

43. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

47. Of or relating to the stomach and intestines.

49. American novelist (1909-1955).

50. A genus of Ploceidae.

53. A sharp blow.

54. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series.

57. On a ship, train, plane or other vehicle.

59. Pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence.

60. Capital and largest city of Iraq.

64. An exhibition of cowboy skills.

66. (prefix) Opposite or opposing or neutralizing.

67. Wearing or provided with clothing.

69. A former copper coin of Pakistan.

71. Set down according to a plan.

72. (of a young animal) Abandoned by its mother and raised by hand.

73. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

75. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

77. An adult male person (as opposed to a woman).

81. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

You may gain knowledge through reading about another person’s experiences. You may shine in your particular position in the business and find that many people appreciate and respect your opinion. Although others appreciate your insight, you will benefit most from the humble attitude that you take. You could represent your family or profession in some community activity today. This could mean sports, politics or some other competition. Through observation, you will find new techniques that can be added to your own abilities. This afternoon you might have to set aside your own wishes for a time as you struggle to maintain the balance between fun, competition and responsibilities. Find constructive ways to teach the young people around you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Some projects progress in a steady manner today. A co-worker friend comes to you with some great ideas. You may find it easy to listen and give up some of your time and perhaps money to go along with the idea but it would be wise to check out all aspects before acting. Improvements and corrections in private matters are scheduled for the rest of the day. You are highly productive but you should take care to keep a balance in all of your affairs. This may mean you will paint one room at a time instead of the whole house. Mealtime should be a time of relaxation and nourishment-certainly never hurried.

Soft music in the background is a wonderful way to relax and digest a good meal. Make it a point to discuss nonessential things at meal times.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a great time to be with others and to accomplish things together. You demonstrate good practical ideas and are encouraged to communicate with others and describe your thoughts. You are moved to express your sensitivity to the needs of others just now and are in a good position to communicate concerning others. Having and appreciating things of beauty and value play a big role in your life. Provided you do not spend it all on the fancy things that catch your eye, this can be a financially favorable period.

Create regular exercise times, whether it is by yourself or with your friends. This will help you to have an avenue of release from your frustrations. Your dreams are very revealing tonighttake notes.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) A need to be respected is an emotionally charged issue in your life. You develop a knack for bringing people together and completing difficult tasks. You may find yourself expressive and able to communicate well. It is possible you will be lecturing or teaching in a spiritual atmosphere this day. This afternoon you may find an opportunity to take a short trip to the country or enjoy some fun-filled times with your family at a park.

Consider taking pictures. This evening may be a good time to make your plans for this next week. Tomorrow is a good time to obtain a loan, or ask for a raise, if needed. Emotional security and a sense of belonging and nurturing are the issues felt instinctively now. Sing with young people this evening.

WORD SEARCH PUZZLE

Libra (September 23-October 22) This could be a challenging day so keep your cool and practice going with the flow. You or someone near you could be feeling irritable-this will pass relatively quickly. It could be that a project is behind schedule. The afternoon is busy, but not too stressful. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on more emotional significance.

Let intuition guide you while dealing with a hardheaded individual today. Time in reflection of issues is important for you to adopt at this time. Finding the truth and communicating feelings are becoming most important. You could become involved in helping some friends later today. You will find yourself happily involved in some fun interaction with neighbors or siblings this evening; enjoy.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your personality and your way of living may be changeable at this time. You may be impulsive and restless so you would be wise to avoid important decisions just now. Concentration may be difficult. Perhaps some sort of temporary obstacle has appeared and may create a feeling of frustration-this will soon pass. You draw emotional sustenance from ideals, friends and social involvement. You can become truly relaxed when it comes to socializing with your friends. You are compassionate and giving to all around you.

This evening, at home, you take some time to be a chemist in your kitchen. This may include some mixing of ingredients that create a nourishing meal, rendering some soothing good smells-gingerbread perhaps.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) There may be a great deal of panic with regard to your finances. You should be aware of things or people that seem to offer easy answers to life’s deepest yearnings. An elevator going up and down may be easier to gauge than your financial affairs at this time. It may be good to hire an accountant to help with some suggestions regarding finances. For a fee, some accountants will keep everything for you and then give you an allowance-building up the finances. It is important to keep communications clear all day long, by listening to conversations you will know when to rephrase, if necessary. Keep a list of the things that need your attention and use the list to guide you throughout the day. A friend influences you for the positive tonight.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You have an increased need to rid yourself of the restrictions you think are placed on you now. You are the ideal candidate to take charge of a project around your neighborhood; your creativity and originality are abnormally high. You could be a great help to a friend this afternoon-your compassion is heightened. You express your enthusiasm in life through your service to others. You are extremely ambitious and hardworking, no matter what the goal or project. At this time, you must take care to return any favors that others have extended in helping you reach the success that you now enjoy. You have a keen interest in religion or even mysticism and feel great empathy for others.

Mentoring young people is a positive activity now.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Watch the extra expenses today and you will still be able to finance a future dream trip. The time is ripe for some sudden and unexpected change in the normal routine of family life. It could be that a vacation is in order, a family member moves in or leaves home or a move happens. This could also be a time where the home is used as a place other than a home. Others could be put off by your seriousness today-you may have lots on your mind. Some of your ideas are creative ways to move forward with a political or professional issue. You will not want to be held back. Try to loosen up with a special relationship this evening. Don’t be afraid to express your wants and desires. Your devotion and selflessness will reap unexpected rewards.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Today you will be able to tackle some of those unfinished chores that you have been putting off for so long. This is also a time of correcting an imbalance. You may decide sometime today to shop for items that will help you become more organized. Someone may give you tickets to a play, a show or the dinner theater for next weekend. You seek excitement and adventure in your personal relationships. You will probably find that some of your friends are more than willing to join you this afternoon after school or work. Some type of adventure is just around the corner. Be open to the activities and enjoy the benefits that come from having good friends. This is generally a good day-the good outweighs anything else. Positive energies are inevitable.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

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

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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

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

Iran director screens film to save man on death row

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n Iranian film director is to hold a private screening of his latest movie on Saturday to raise funds to save the life of a 26-yearold on death row. Mostafa Kiaei, director of “Special Line”, said he had learnt by accident of the young man’s case and wanted to help raise the “blood money” to be paid to the family of a murder victim. “I didn’t know the convict before and I learned about the case through a contact in the judiciary,” Kiaei told AFP. According to Mehr news agency, the unnamed convict and two of his friends were involved in a street fight which led to the murder, but he did not kill the victim. The case became more complicated after his accomplices died in a car accident, leaving him the only person accountable for paying the blood money.

The convict has been in jail for the past seven years. Under the country’s interpretation of Islamic shariah laws in force since its 1979 revolution, murder is punishable by death.

However, the victim’s family has the right to

spare a convict from the hangman’s noose in return for blood money. “The blood money (in this case) amounts to three billion rials ($100,000) and so far we have collected one third of it,” Kiaei said. Kiaei said he has invited scores of VIPs to the fundraising event in Tehran, including artists and athletes.

“Since this is a case of a precious human life, it requires our outmost efforts. Whatever we do is valuable as this spreads positive energy to society and helps a family see their child again,” he said. “Considering that he is not guilty, the judiciary has a positive view on his case and is willing to pardon him,” he said. “The fewer executions, the better.” UN chief Ban Ki-moon in March voiced alarm over the high number of hangings in Iran, saying at least 500 people had been executed last year, including 57 in public.—AFP

Actor Johnny Depp attends a promotional event for his new movie “Transcendence” in Beijing yesterday.

Engaged Johnny Depp shows off ‘chick’s ring’

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‘New Look’ launches its fresh season collection

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hrug of those winter blues and bask in the fervent features of spring-summer as New Look launches its season collection.

Shuffled off the runway New Look presents its key collection for women and men. New Look has spring-summer 2014 all stitched up in a stand-out womenswear collection.

Tomorrow’s yesterday Tomorrow’s yesterday is monochrome at its best; polka dots, gingham and stripes infused with flashes of baby pink. Blouses tuck into distressed mom cut denim and chunky buckle belts. This cutting-edge fashion story is packed with intriguing contradictions such as its mix of sporty mesh with glamorous chiffon or the delicate lace trims that edge bold graphic prints.

California dreaming Eclectic is key to California dreaming - a mash-up of ethnic and tribal influences that redefines boho-chic. Think richly coloured patchworks and paisleys, elephant-motif prints and neo-vintage florals. Loose silk tees are teamed with rustic beaded jackets and print matching is key in harem trousers and crop tops.

Underpinned by tough ankle-boots or chunkystrap sandals and accessorised with printed backpacks and bold ethnic-look jewellery.

Seattle grunge Seattle grunge mixes mottle-wash denim with surf-inspired tropical florals and palm prints. Combining urban grit with resort glamour, this collection is packed full of statement pieces. Acid wash jeans and jackets sit with flashes of neon pink and a touch of pretty embroidery adds a feminine edge.

Neon bloom Neon bloom is a high summer story, combining sugary shades and delicate fabrics in a new spin on the art of floral dressing. Skirts are midlength and intricate in delicate lace and slouched jersey jumpers are updated with statement necklaces for a modern clean look that is incredibly pretty - but fresh too. These big fashion stories are complemented by New Look’s stand-out shoes and accessories, ultrafeminine lace and floral-print lingerie, and retro inspired swimwear.

Pops of neon Pops of neon, graphic print and clean, structured shapes revitalise shoes and accessories this season. Delicate detailing on pretty pastels adds femininity with embellishment and statement jewels. Tribal is revisited with ethnic beading, Aztec prints and a rich colour palette of

crimson reds, burnt orange and luxe metallics.

The Inspire range brings gorgeous trends to plus-size women, with stylish dresses, jeans and tops available up to size 28.

For menswear spring-summer, skater is the high fashion trend for SS14. Leather paneling remains prominent throughout but is highlighted with both tropical and dark floral patterns.

Matching bold prints on sweats and jackets create an urban edge whilst the bomber hails as the hero-item of the collection. Updated in vivid tropical prints it takes centre stage and injects a dose of ‘wow’ factor.

Colorful printed snapbacks, contrast high tops and bright bold backpacks are on hand to add flashes of color into the range. The casual fashion collection uses muted primary colours and understated prints throughout. Checked shirts, chinos in blue, mustard, navy and burgundy and lightweight knits form the base of the trend, with shorts adding an update to the SS14 wardrobe.

SS14 focuses on the fit and cut of the classic suit in the tailoring collection. Tweed and cotton suits are offered in various colours and prints. Matched with tropical shirts, this allows for a different dimension to the usual occasion wear. Shorts and blazers in pastel colours are worn together with desert boots, enabling a casual feel to an otherwise classic look.

Lightweight trench coats are an added bonus to an already complete collection, worn alongside printed light scarves and pocket squares to create a sleek and suave look.

Tokyo laundry Tokyo laundry, one of New Look’s newest brands, introduces casual and relaxed basics that effortlessly complement New Look’s SS14 menswear collection. The collection focuses heavily on the surf scenes of Hawaii, with prints flowing through shirts, shorts and graphic print tees. Teamed perfectly with brightly printed board shorts, they allow a laidback feel to come through the range. Bold primary colors inject a dose of vibrancy, helping to transform classic chinos with shades of scarlet, cobalt and canary yellow. These tones are highlighted on smart shirts and polo tees. Denim shirts are worn and distressed, and best teamed a crew neck sweater to allow for a relaxed cool. Tokyo laundry also offers an urban edge for the forward fashion thinking man whilst creating sporty silhouettes. Head soon to the New Look stores located at The Avenues and Al-Bairaq Mall, Fintas.

ohnny Depp showed off a diamond engagement ring that he called a “chick’s ring” yesterday - indirectly confirming rumors of his engagement to actress Amber Heard.

Asked whether he was engaged, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star replied: “The fact that I’m wearing a chick’s ring on my finger is probably a dead giveaway. Not very subtle.” He laughed as he lifted up his left hand and displayed a single diamond on a band around his ring finger.

His comments follow months of unconfirmed reports of his engagement to actress Heard, 27, who starred alongside Kevin Costner in “3 Days to Kill” released in the US earlier this year. Depp and Heard starred together in “The Rum Diary,” filmed in Puerto Rico in 2009. In 2012, Depp split with his partner of 14 years, French modelsinger Vanessa Paradis. They have two children.

In a trademark off-the-wall comment, Depp said: “I think that I would be better at making women’s shoes than I would be at wedding planning, I can’t plan anything. I’m really bad at that stuff.” The 50-year-old actor was in Beijing to promote his new movie “Transcendence.” Depp plays a terminally ill scientist who downloads his mind into a computer in the sci-fi drama that asks: What if we could upload a human

mind into a computer? It also stars Rebecca Hall as Depp’s wife and Morgan Freeman.

“The technology that exists within the film, what I find most fascinating is that a lot of it exists already and by all accounts from scholars and professors and scientists that species of technology is not far away, that kind of artificial intelligence,” said Depp in an interview. “It’s one of those films that one person is forced to make a choice in an instant, when your loved one is dying and you have a split-second decision if you have the ability to upload their consciousness into a computer, would you do that?

It’s quite a strange decision to make but for love I think we would all do it.”

“Transcendence” comes out in China on April 18 - the same day as the US release.

China is the only country currently where “Transcendence” will be showing in 3-D - a format popular with Chinese audiences.

China is also the only international stop Depp is making as part of the movie’s promotion tour, illustrating the growing attention Hollywood is paying to the country that now has the world’s second-biggest box office after the United States.

Last Monday, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L Jackson promoted “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in Beijing, followed the next day by “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” stars Andrew

Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx.

“With regard to Hollywood, China is quite a large market, certainly,” said Depp, who was on his first visit to China. “I think there will be a lot more films coming here, a lot more people coming here and continuing the trend.”—AP

Actor Johnny Depp, with a diamond ring on his left hand, attends a promotional event for his new movie “Transcendence” in Beijing, China, yesterday.—AP photos

Al-Jothen unveils world-class ‘LCN Nail Polish’ across the region

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he rise of nail polish brands in the Middle East emphasizes on the traditional importance to this sector across the region as the nail beauty sector continues to witness a healthy growth with the glow of this sector growing in spite of competitive upheavals in the region.

Al-Jothen, one of the leading distributors of well-reputable professional beauty brands across the entire Middle East, announced the launch of LCN, the world’s leading manufacturer of nail products across the Middle East which had been ranked Europe’s number 1!

The launch of ‘LCN Nail Polish’, held at the Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai, was very well attended by Sheikhs, dignitaries, company officials, well-known salons from KSA, Qatar, Kuwait and UAE, beauty experts, distributors, leading retailers and members of the media.

A winner of eight beauty and industry awards within the past two years, LCN offers a large selection of over 180 Nail polish colors additional to a minimum of six seasonal collections every year. The color shades are designed based on the world’s top fashion capitals with a unique long lasting wearibiity and extremely shining formula like no other brand, re-assures that German standards is always on top when it comes to quality..

A 100 year old company, LCN, has carved a niche in the nail industry and is currently present in over 80 countries across the globe. LCN represents a full brand portfolio with a wide range of products from hand and foot spa to nail art trifling down to all what nail sculpting and coloring requires.

Mohammed Madi, President of Madi International Group (Known as Al-Jothen in Kuwait), said: “The Middle East region is a key area of interest for global brands, and we see an emerging trend for world-class brands. We are proud to bring Europe’s leading nail brands such as LCN to the Middle East and we are confident that the brand will be very successful within the beauty-conscious consumers in the region.”

Michael Kalow, President of LCN, said: “We are excited to be part of this partnership with Madi International, which has carved a niche in the regional beauty business. We are committed to contin-

uously focus on excellent product quality, high-end ingredients and raw materials, and develop ongoing innovative market oriented products. These are top priorities for us and we look forward to making a mark for ourselves in the region.”

The high quality LCN products, ingredients, tolerability and the constant development of innovative, market-oriented products make LCN a class of its own. Developed by professionals and recommended by experts, LCN untaps the greatest professional and retail opportunity for nail polish colors and of course nail care products.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

lifestyle A w a r d s

Tegan and Sarah perform during the Juno Awards in Winnipeg, Sunday. —AP/AFP photos

Members of the band a Tribe Called Red celebrate their Juno for Breakthrough Group of the Year.

Justin Bieber was booed at the Juno Awards T

he ‘Boyfriend’ singer was honored with the Fan Choice Award for the fourth time at the Canadian music awards ceremony, but it seems he wasn’t a popular choice with all of the audience at Winnipeg’s MTS Center as his name was met with “a surprising mix of cheers and audible boos”, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

The 20-year-old star’s prize was collected by Canada’s Olympic women’s curling team and the singer later took to twitter to thank fans for their support.

He tweeted: “We won #JUNOFanChoice for the 4th year in a row! Love to all my beliebers. Thank u. Love u (sic)” Justin was later defended by Serena Ryder when she picked up her award for Songwriter of the Year. Serena who also picked up Artist of the Year when some winners were announced on Saturday - said: “I really think that Justin Bieber is an amazing musician and he deserved every bit of that award because he’s been working his ass off his entire life and we need to support how awesome he

is.” In other controversy at the show, Robin Thicke - who was nominated for three awards - cancelled his planned performance at the last minute, citing a need for vocal rest.

However, a petition had been online calling to have the ‘Blurred Lines’ singer axed for “blatant sexism”.

Meanwhile, twin stars Tegan and Sara were the biggest winners, picking up Group of the Year, Single of the Year for ‘Closer’ and Pop Album of the Year for ‘Heartthrob’. Other winners at the Junos included Arcade Fire, who took home

both Album of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year for ‘Reflektor’, and Drake, who took home the Rap Recording of the Year award for ‘Nothing Was the Same’.

Randy Bachman, Fred Turner, Robbie Bachman and Blair Thornton of Bachman-Turner-Overdrive were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The ceremony was jointly hosted by nominees Serena, Classified and Johnny Reid.

Juno Awards 2014 list of selected winners:

FAN CHOICE AWARD: Justin Bieber

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: ‘Closer’, Tegan and Sara INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’, Bruno Mars

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Reflektor’, Arcade Fire

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Serena Ryder

GROUP OF THE YEAR:

Brett Kissel, second from right, arrives with an unidentified companion holding the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award.

Members of Bachman Turner Overdrive pose with their Juno for their induction into the Music Hall of Fame during the Juno Awards.

Members of the band Walk off the Earth perform on stage.

Members of the band A Tribe Called Red celebrate their Juno Award for Breakthough Group of the Year play with their award.

Tegan and Sara

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Brett Kissel

BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR: A Tribe Called Red

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Serena Ryder

COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Crop Circles’, Dean Brody

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Forever Endeavour’, Ron Sexsmith

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Reflektor’, Arcade Fire

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Heartthrob’, Tegan and Sara

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: ‘Coyote’, Matt Mays

RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR: ‘Nothing Was the Same’, Drake

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: ‘This is What it Feels Like’, Armin van Buuren & Trevor Guthrie Armada

VIDEO OF THE YEAR:

Serena Ryder celebrates her Juno for Songwriter of the Year.

‘Feeling Good’, Matt Barnes—Bang Showbiz

Dean Brody performs on stage.

The Arcade Fire Bobbleheads arrive on the red carpet.

Tegan and Sara celebrate their three Juno Awards for Pop Album of the Year, Group of the Year and Single of the Year.

Johnny Reid kisses his Juno for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year.

Serena Ryder celebrates her Junos for Songwriter of the Year and Artist of the Year.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

This Oct 12, 2013 photo released by Jim MacMillan shows pedestrians outside the cathedral in Bayeux, France. — AP

This undated image released by Atout-France shows a close up of the Bayeux Tapestry in Bayeau, France.

Bayeux boasts ancient tapestry, D-Day history

By Kathy Matheson

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This June 6, 2011 file photo shows tourists visiting the US military cemetery in Colleville sur Mer, western France, for the D Day Anniversary.

Tourists walk outside the D-Day Museum (Musee du Debarquement) in Arromanches.

A visitor inspecting the remains of an artificial harbor used by Allied forces during World War II on the sand at Arromanches.

here’s a digital clock on display outside the visitors center in the charming Normandy town of Bayeux - but it doesn’t tell the time.

It’s counting down the days until the 70th anniversary of D-Day in June. My husband and I visited Bayeux last fall to spend the weekend at a conference. The “clock” seemed to indicate we had landed in the right place to squeeze in some historical sightseeing, since we weren’t far from the beaches where Allied forces invaded on June 6, 1944.

But we soon learned that World War II-related tourism comprises only part of the attraction of Normandy, a region rich in history and natural beauty. The countryside also features quaint cities and centuries-old chateaus, as well as apple farms and windswept coastlines. Bayeux, about three hours by bus from Paris, is a great place to start.

The Bayeux Tapestry Billed as the first major town liberated by the Allies, Bayeux was miraculously spared damage during the war. Today, the old town center boasts cobblestone streets, upscale shops, small eateries and picturesque mills along the narrow Aure River; lacemakers practice the intricate local art across from a cathedral with stunning Norman architecture.

And visitors flock to see the town’s namesake tourist attraction: the Bayeux Tapestry. The nearly thousand-year-old treasure, which is actually more of an embroidered scroll, depicts the story of how William, the duke of Normandy, became king of England. I admit to being skeptical about how impressive this would be - textiles are not usually high on my list of sightseeing priorities. Yet as I moved through the dimly lit museum where the tapestry is displayed, the 230-foot-long (70-meterlong) piece of fabric came to life like a graphic novel. A quickly paced, handheld audio narrative conveyed an engaging tale of power, intrigue and double-crossing that culminates in William’s triumph at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The threaded illustrations of battle proved a fascinating contrast to the reason we had come to Bayeux.

We were attending events for the 20th anniversary of the Prix Bayeux-Calvados, journalism awards given each year to honor war coverage in print, photo, radio and video. Prize-winning pictures of global conflicts were exhibited at indoor

and outdoor venues throughout the town.

The searing images inspired us to pay our respects at the reporters memorial, about a 10minute walk from the heart of Bayeux. The quiet grove features a path lined by dozens of stone pillars engraved with the names of 2,000 correspondents who have died on the job since World War II. ‘Thank you for my freedom’ Nearby sits Bayeux’s museum of the Battle of Normandy, marked by several tanks parked outside. It’s an analog affair by today’s standards instead of interactive iPad displays there are department-store mannequins dressed in battle gear - but the building is packed with information, wall maps, military equipment and period artifacts.

Across the street lies evidence of the true cost of war: a British cemetery and memorial for soldiers killed in the campaign to liberate France. It’s hard not to be moved by the young ages on the head-

stones and the grateful comments left in the guest registry by tourists from around the world. “Thank you for my freedom!” was written more than once.

To reach the actual invasion beaches about 10 miles away (16 kilometers), you’ll need to rent a car or reserve a spot on any of several organized tours.

Each of the five “plages du debarquement” - Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword - has its own memorial or museum. The American cemetery above Omaha beach in Colleville-sur-Mer is the final resting place of 9,400 service members, its graves marked by somber, meticulous rows of crosses overlooking the English Channel. A German battery at Longues-sur-Mer, between Omaha and Gold, still has its original guns. Along that same stretch of shore, you’ll find remains of the Allies’ artificial harbor at Arromanches.

Cider tastings Without access to a port to unload the tons of supplies needed to support D-Day, officials realized they’d have to create their own. So they floated over pontoons and other structures from England to create roadways from ships to shore; some are still rusting away on the beach. You can learn more at the waterfront war museum or, farther down the road, at a 360-degree movie theater.

Our quick trip did not leave time for many other regional highlights, including the abbey on the rock at Mont-St-Michel; the artist Claude Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny; and the renowned Gothic cathedral in Rouen, which took nearly 400 years to build.

Many of the region’s farms offer tours, tastings and demonstrations of cider making. It’s a favorite local product, and bottles of cider - as well as apple liqueurs known as calvados and pommeau de Normandie - are frequently found in souvenir stores. Such shops also have no shortage of warrelated mementos, from cheap “Operation Overlord” wallets to old bullets and even “D-Day” branded beer.

Tourism is expected to be heavy for the 70th anniversary of D-Day - “Jour J” in French - with President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth among the heads of state expected to mark the day. But the history and beauty of Normandy can be experienced long after the clock ticks down. — AP

Pedestrians along the River Aure in Bayeux.

American Impressionism story told at Monet gardens

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ottled brushstrokes capture the sunset on a haystack, vivid hues fragment forest grass, while hazy edges give life to Normandy trees as they dance in the breeze. These are typical scenes of the renowned 19th century French art movement Impressionism. But there is one major difference: they’re all painted by Americans. A new exhibit at Normandy’s Impressionism Museum tells for the first time the little-known story of American Impressionism from where it all began - at the picturesque water lily-filled Giverny gardens where master Claude Monet painted his best-loved works.

“From the very beginning of this movement which began here in Giverny, there were Americans here at the forefront.

The French don’t always like to admit it,” said museum director Diego Candil. The collection of 80 paintings, loaned from top galleries in the United States and Britain, shows not only how Americans exported Impressionism to the US, but how they in turn developed their own Americanized version.

Outdoors painting The first American artists to experiment with Impressionism were John Singer Sargent and Mary Cassatt, who both worked closely with Monet. Cassatt was the only American to exhibit with the Impressionists in their shows in the 1870s and 1880s. She struck up friendships with painters Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro, whose work she introduced to hungry American collectors.

As the Impressionist style fired the imaginations of Americans in Boston, Philadelphia and New York, American artists not only flocked to and colonized Giverny to learn the techniques of outdoors painting, light and color, but went back home with their own brand of the movement tailored for the audience at home. An American colony existed in varying size in this sleepy French village for some 30 years.

“The Americans stayed then went back home with the Impressionism they learned at Giverny. But because it’s the

People cross the Japanese bridge at the waterlily pond at the Claude Monet museum in Giverny, 70 km north west of Paris, Friday. — AP photos

gilded age in America - they were much more interested in preserving a kind of bourgeois beauty in art and in life. No signs of industry or factories. And more sentimental,” said Katherine Bourguignon, exhibit curator.

Desire for beauty American Impressionism often straddled two continents.

Some paintings in the exhibit had the mottled scenes of French landscape painted in Giverny, and were transported to the US to have American figures painted on later. The other big difference between the US and French versions was that Americans often refused to blur out the faces in order to show off their recently-acquired academic techniques.

“They are very proud of their training, and they will not dissolve the figure completely. They will not do speckled brushstrokes all over a woman’s face. Because there is more of a desire to do something pretty, pleasing,” said Bourguignon.

People look at the painting of American painter Edmund Tarbell, 1862-1938, in the Orchard, 1891, during the exhibition, ‘American Impressionism: A New Vision’.

But the exhibit also suggests that Americans didn’t just contribute to a movement which produced some of the world’s most famous paintings - including “Water-Lily Pond” and “Poppies at Argenteuil” by Monet. It hints that an American, James McNeill Whistler, might well have been Impressionism’s actual starting point.

Whistler’s 1866 seascape painting “Nocturne,” which captures dark, moody light almost in monochrome, was seen by Monet and was thought to have profoundly influenced him years before Impressionism was even a word. “Impressionism and Americans” runs until June 29. — AP

People look at the painting of American painter Edmund Tarbell, 1862-1938, in the Orchard, 1891, during the exhibition, ìAmerican Impressionism: A New Visionî.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

‘Space Without Borders’

Disabled models display clothes designed for disabled people during ‘Space Without Borders’ show of a Fashion Week in Moscow yesterday. — AFP photos

‘Mama Kanga’: Nigeria’s ‘well woman’

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ortified by a faith in God Ololade Rabiu reckons she must have dug hundreds of wells in her time. But the 46-year-old mother of six is a rarity in Nigeria, where forging deep into the red earth to find precious drinking water has historically been a male preserve. “I am extremely happy that I am the only woman so far in this profession of well-drilling. I love and enjoy it,” she told AFP at her home in Igbogbo, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Lagos.

“There is no well I cannot drill or enter,” she said proudly.

Megacity Lagos and its surrounding state are crippled by over-burdened and neglected infrastructure, with safe, clean drinking water in particularly short supply. A study by the Lagos State Water Corporation found that the city’s 18 million people needed 540 million gallons (2.5 billion liters) against actual production of just 210 million gallons in 2010.

It has vowed to dramatically increase production to 745 million gallons per day by 2020, by which time the city is expected to be home to 29 million people.

But in the meantime, households are forced to rely on

tanker deliveries for their water or private wells. Purification to eliminate disease is not guaranteed and street vendors selling “sachet” water in cellophane bags are a common sight-as are the discarded empty packets on the streets.

‘The well woman’ The shortfalls in public supply mean there is plenty of business for well diggers like Rabiu, who first began drilling for water in 1997. She learnt her craft from her Ghanaian second husband, Daniel Ajiraku, and has since carved out a niche for herself along with a nickname in the Yoruba language: “Mama Kanga”-”the well woman”. “The beginning was difficult but now I thank God that I have overcome my initial fright and I have made a success of my chosen career,” she explained. “Daniel taught me all the rudiments of welldrilling: how to locate the water bed, determine depth, how much to charge, the implements to be used and how to overcome challenges.”

Neighbors and clients are full of praise for her ability,

which once saw her drill to a depth of 130 feet (40 meters) in the Akute area of Ogun state. “She drilled my well more than seven years ago and she did it so well that I have so far had no problem with it,” said Ben Kunle Omodein, from Igbogbo.

“She is gifted in the art of well-drilling. I am sure she does it better than many men,” said her former landlord, Yisa Abdul.

‘Our hero, our mother’ Rabiu’s third husband, Saliu, died at the age of 64 last month but she said that the setback would not stop her working. “Life must continue. I cannot allow the death of my husband to kill my career,” she said. Rabiu’s children, one of whom lives in Spain, have followed their mother into the well-digging business. Fourteen-year-old Kobina proves the point by jumping into a nearby water-filled well, only to reemerge a few minutes later.

As for the job’s male bias, Rabiu, who is from Ile-Ife in southwest Nigeria and originally trained as a designer, said she had never let her gender stop her from doing what she

wants in life. Rabiu’s living room is strewn with the tools of her trade: a wheel-barrow, water-pumping machine, a hose, spade, iron bars, shovels, buckets and two generators. The job is dangerous and back-breaking, she admitted, but said that her faith in God had helped her overcome the challenges.

Nothing, she said, gives her as much pleasure as digging wells. “I feel elated when we have a meeting of well-drillers in Lagos and I am the only woman in the midst of hundreds of men. “I am well respected because they all see me as their mother. They are my children,” she added. Yusuf Mainasara, a well-driller from Niger, agreed. “‘Mama Kanga’ is our queen, our hero and our mother. We are really proud of her,” he said. — AFP

Justin Bieber was booed at the Juno Awards

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Ruler of Sharjah attends premiere of

Clusters of Light S

heikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended the first performance of the spectacular oratorio Clusters of Light at the Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah. The oratorio, which portrays the beginnings of Islam through poetry, music, drama and dazzling audiovisual effects, marked the beginning of Sharjah’s year of celebrations after being named Capital of Islamic Culture and drew an audience of over 3,500, including numerous VIPs from the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere.

Clusters of Light is based on a respectful new work by Saudi poet Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Ashmawi, based on the biography of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), from his birth until his death. Its music is by the Bahraini composer Khalid Al-Sheikh and it is performed by more than 200 artists from around the world, led by top Arab stars Hussein AlJasmi, Lotfi Bouchnak, Ali Mohammed Hajjar and Mohammad Assaf.

The audience enjoyed the show from the opening moments, beginning with a cinematic journey back in time from Sharjah to the holy lands. The word IQRA - the first word the Prophet (PBUH) received from God - was emblazoned on the screen and sung with passion by the performers in a spectacular ‘4D’ performance.

The spectators were then taken to Umm Al-Qura, destined - once the sun of Islam rose in the sky - to become the place of light and revelation known to Muslims everywhere as the “Qibla”. Above music and the voices of the singers, the narrator told of the time of ignorance and idolatry that reigned there, culminating in an attempt - in the Year of the Elephant to demolish the Kaaba itself. At the very same time, the Prophet (PBUH), was born.

The drama showed Muslims leaving the doors of Makkah carrying the torch of faith - a light in the darkness to give them hope on a dangerous journey, ordained by the Prophet (PBUH) to save them from torture and oppression.

The spectators watched them cross the desert from Makkah to Madinah and saw how the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq spent three days in the cave at Jabal Thawr, where the Quraysh couldn’t find them despite being just a few steps away. They later saw how the believers waiting in Madinah welcomed the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Bakr,

and urged their neighbors in the city to become brothers of the new emigrants from Makkah. Events concluded beautifully with the first prayers of Bilal Al-Habashi, the first muezzin, after building the first mosque.

Fruitful efforts The narrative then reached the battle of Badr, one of the few battles specifically mentioned in the Holy Quran. The last sermon of the Prophet (PBUH), known as the “Khutba al Wada”, was a moment the audience will never forget. As the curtain fell, the following words were spelled out in light Here is dawn, shining like silver. Here is the sun, the brightness at both ends of the world. Clusters of light still shine with a pure and soothing light.

H Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, said, “Today, after a year of hard work, great effort and the focusing of considerable resources, we are able to stand with great joy and pride before this exceptional event - an event which can only cement Sharjah’s position as an emirate which spreads Islam’s message of peace among the people of the world”.

“Sharjah has achieved a great deal for the advancement of Islamic culture in the last 20 years,” the Crown Prince said, “thanks to the vision of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad AlQasimi, member of the Supreme Court and ruler of Sharjah.

The success of Clusters Of Light, and everything else we celebrate today, is a reward for all his efforts over the years to support and sponsor cultural events in Sharjah, ensuring the preservation of Sharjah’s art and traditions and promoting tourism in this great emirate of ours.” — WAM

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