8th Apr

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TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

Protests against demolition of iconic building

India voters kick off world’s biggest election

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US Navy converting seawater into fuel

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Distraught Pistorius apologizes for killing girlfriend

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Sheikh Ahmad testifies over ‘conspiracy’ tape Court delays Barrak case after PM fails to appear

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Expat phobia

By Badrya Darwish

KUWAIT: Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd AlSabah, the former deputy premier for economic affairs and energy minister, appeared yesterday before the public prosecution which is investigating an alleged audiotape targeting the former premier and parliament speaker. Sheikh Ahmad, a senior member of the ruling family, said after the interrogation that he appeared as a witness and denied there was any tape, but admitted receiving scattered recordings.

Sheikh Ahmad said the recordings

concern “local, parliamentary, (ruling) family, financial and regional issues” and that he dealt with them “in accordance with my national duties”. He provided no further details about the exact content of the recordings. He also did not say who supplied him the recordings.

The issue began several weeks ago when a tweeter wrote on his account that Sheikh Ahmad had received an audiotape containing highly sensitive information about former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah and former National Assembly speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi.

Khorafi took the case to the public prosecutor and asked him to investigate, categorically denying the allegations made against him and the former premier.

The prosecutor then arrested the tweeter, interrogated him and detained him for several days before releasing him on bail. Last week, the prosecutor decided to summon Sheikh Ahmad as a witness to hear his account. Sheikh Ahmad did not reveal what he said in his testimony and did not explain how he dealt with the recordings.

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Sheikh Ahmad

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

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hy do we suffer from expat phobia? I noticed that lately, in the last two or three years, the norm in Kuwait has been that if you want to pretend to be a patriot and a caring person and show your love for Kuwait, all you have to do is raise your voice against expats. If you are a writer, then you start sharpening your pen and writing articles against expats. If you are an MP, go publicly and shout that you will cut the number of expats in the country. The funniest part is that when you make these appeals during campaigns, all the people from the valet to the caterer and the cleaners and those who erect the tents are all expats. This is an ironic scene.

If you want to write against corruption, you will start blaming expats. If anything malfunctions in the country - such as traffic jams - blame it on the expat. Of course traffic jams is the most popular topic to blame the expat. Some advise expats should not to be allowed to buy cars. Others suggest expats’ licenses should be confiscated or they should be prevented from getting them, etc, etc. If the health services in the hospitals are bad, then we blame expats. It has reached a point where we managed to convince our government to segregate polyclinics in Jahra - as a trial for now, but if the project succeeds, it will be applied to all other hospitals in other areas.

Here are some more examples: If there is a sewage problem, blame the expat. If the quality of our education is bad, blame the expat. If the crime rate is rising, blame expats regardless of statistics on who the real perpetrators are.

Crime exists in every country in the world. As they run out of issues to blame expats, they come up with new twists. The latest thing is from the government, that they are looking into the demographic imbalance and the fact that we are fewer than expats. You can discuss this issue for ages. It might be true - expats are majority in number but zero in power because we are, thank God, in control. The system in Kuwait and the Gulf made sure that expats have no political power. We have never suffered so far from any political issues from expats. All our political issues are local.

Expats are merely coming from other countries to work for us and get their salaries. Some of them stay and others leave. Due to visa traffickers, we have a marginal group of illegal residents in Kuwait or expats arriving in the country who fall victim to greedy people who want to make money. They bring them and throw them on the streets without work.

We forgot the movies and TV channels that influence our youth as well as the social media. We are a well-travelled nation and see things ourselves. My mother’s times are gone. We are the most well-travelled nation on earth. People get affected by other cultures and this is natural. Even the West is affected by people integrating and changes of cultures. This is a norm of life. We cannot just sit and blame every failing matter on expats. Instead of blaming, I would like to find solutions. One way is training our people to do everything from A to Z. Expats do not stop us from changing if we wish to.

Train our boys and girls to start doing all jobs. Why not?

MEW may reduce power subsidies Jaber Stadium probed KUWAIT: The Ministry of Electricity and Water has completed a study on power consumption and has referred it to relevant authorities in a bid to reduce subsidies, Minister Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim said yesterday.

The minister however assured citizens that low and medium-income nationals “would not be affected”.

Ibrahim said the ministry has collected KD 353 million in due bills, adding that citizens in senior posts paid some KD 1.8 million in overdue bills to the ministry, “an unprecedented and historic record”. Ibrahim expressed hope power supplies would be sufficient during the summer, denying reports that KD 49 million had been earmarked to import power from Qatar.

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Kuwait oil output rises to 3.3m bpd

KUWAIT: Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair answers journalists’ questions during the Gulf Petroleum Forum yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: The head of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation revealed Kuwait has increased its oil production capacity to 3.3 million barrels of oil a day (bpd) and is hoping to reach 3.5 million bpd in 2015. Kuwaiti officials have previously said that capacity in the OPEC member state was around 3.1-3.2 million bpd. Meanwhile, Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair said yesterday that current oil prices are “fair” despite strong geopolitical factors impacting the region.

“There are geopolitical factors impacting oil prices... which are not only controlled by output levels and production capacity but also by political changes,” Omair told reporters on the sidelines of the second Gulf Petroleum Forum. “We, as exporters and importers, wish to see stability in production and prices,” he said, voicing hope that prices would remain “fair” as “they are now”. The Kuwaiti minister said that it is not necessary that “high prices are good for producers and low prices are good for consumers”.

Omair said that political disputes between member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have not affected the joint oil policy of the six-nation alliance. Last month, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors from Qatar over Doha’s perceived support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Kuwait has increased its production capacity to 3.3 million barrels per day. It will reach 3.5 million barrels per day by 2015,” KPC Chief Executive Nizar Al-Adsani told the conference. Kuwait hopes to reach 4 million bpd of capacity in 2020, despite slow progress in developing new projects.

But Adsani said the state needed more help from abroad to achieve that target.

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Emirati tourists hurt in London hammer attack LONDON: Three women from the United Arab Emirates were in hospital yesterday after being savagely attacked in their luxury London hotel room by a man wielding a hammer, police said. The tourists, all in their 30s, sustained serious injuries to their heads and faces during the “unusually violent attack” at the four-star Cumberland Hotel early on Sunday morning. Three children aged between seven and 12 were asleep in an adjoining room at the time but they were unharmed. The UAE ministry of foreign affairs said the three women were sisters.

One of the victims is in a critical but

stable condition at a central London hospital, while the injuries suffered by the other two women are not lifethreatening, police said. Detectives are treating the attack as attempted murder and suggested theft might have been the main motive. They are looking for a lone white man who entered the women’s seventh-floor room, which was left unlocked because other family members were staying in other parts of the hotel.

When one of the women woke up, he attacked her with a hammer before turning on the other two victims and then fleeing the building in bloodstained clothes. The wealthy family

had come to London to do some shopping and sightseeing, and the victims had visited some of the larger stores in the West End during the day on Saturday. “Early indications are that theft appears to be the motive,” said Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta of the Metropolitan Police. “We are yet to establish precisely what happened, but we are in close liaison with the family to establish what is missing from the room.”

The 1,000-room hotel is located near Hyde Park and the Oxford Street shopping artery, and is owned by the Guoman group.

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LONDON: The signage at the Cumberland Hotel in central London is seen yesterday. — AFP

in the

news

UAE upholds 15-year jail for maid torturer DUBAI: A Dubai court has upheld a 15-year jail term for an Emirati woman who tortured her Ethiopian maid to death by forcing her to drink pesticide, media reported yesterday. The 46-year-old housewife was also accused of torturing a Filipina maid and beating up a third domestic worker whose nationality was not specified, Gulf News reported. Her husband, also an Emirati, was jailed for three years for “aiding and abetting the crime”, the daily said. The woman starved her Ethiopian maid, “forced her to drink pesticide and denied her treatment after she developed pneumonia, resulting in the woman’s death”, the Gulf News said. Her husband had confined the maids to a room in the couple’s villa and sealed the windows, it said. The Filipina maid testified at Sunday’s hearing that the housewife beat them with sticks, banged their heads against walls until they bled, and forced them to drink detergent. “She used to strip us, take pictures of us naked and threaten to send them to our friends,” Gulf News quoted her as saying.

Passenger attempts suicide during flight DUBAI: Emirates airline crewmembers found a passenger bleeding heavily on a flight from Dubai to India after he apparently tried to commit suicide inside an airplane lavatory, the airline and Indian police said yesterday. The incident happened aboard an Emirates flight to the Indian industrial hub Hyderabad on Friday. The Dubai-based carrier said crewmembers discovered the passenger shortly before the plane began its descent, and “administered all the necessary treatment onboard” before handing him off to a medical team on the ground. According to police and the hospital workers in India, the 30-year-old man had been working as a draftsman in Dubai and attempted suicide by slicing into his neck, ankles and wrists just before the flight landed. The man remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday, surrounded by family members but unable to speak because of a feeding tube in his throat.

Emirates said the plane returned to Dubai for maintenance without passengers.

Saudi Prince Bandar to resume intel post RIYADH: Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan will return to the kingdom within days after spending around two months abroad for surgery and retake his position as intelligence chief, including control of the Syrian dossier, said Saudi security officials late Sunday. The Saudi officials said that during Prince Bandar ’s absence, Saudi Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef was put in charge of the Syrian file and of the intelligence agency. The three security officials said the 65 yearold prince was seeking medical attention in the US and resting in Morocco after surgery on his shoulder. Bandar, who formerly served as Saudi ambassador to the US for 22 years, has had special responsibility for the Levant for years, leading Saudi intelligence and strategic affairs in the region.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

LOCAL

The debate on Hepatitis unclear ‘Kuwait free of insect-borne diseases’

By Velina Nacheva and Agencies

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterday at Sief Palace the visiting Scientific Advisor for Cuba’s Council of State, Dr Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.

Call for rationalization of water consumption

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of Minister of Electricity and Water Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim, Kuwait Environment Protection Society (KEPS) organized yesterday a conference on rationalizing water consumption in Arab countries.

“Arab countries are located in a region that suffers from scarcity of drinking water resources,” Undersecretar y of Ministry of Electricity and Water Ahmad AlJassar said at the opening speech of the regional conference.

“And Arab people came at the bottom of the world list of average consumption of drinking water per person,” he said estimating the Arab citizen’s annual per capita of drinking water at 70 cubic meters, much below the global average of 200 cubic meters.

The event is the concluding activity of an ambitious KEPS program for small applications for water consumption rationalization.

Al-Jasser stressed that it becomes imperative for Arab countries to come up with more focused and direct measures that would address and stem this resource scarcity.

He laid it bare that water sustainability needs a balance between demand and availability.

A wide array of activities will be held on the sidelines of the conference including lectures, workshops and seminars, to raise people awareness about the need to rationalize the consumption of water.

Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society’s small applications for water consumption rationalization program Wejdan Al-Egab echoed a similar view.

He underlined that mismanagement and waste of water resources is one of the main challenges facing the world and the Arab world in particular. The problem is graver in Arab

countries due to scarcity of water resources as well as the lack of efficient systems and popular awareness of water resources management, Al-Egab said.

He unveiled that the program, financed by the Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, has organized several capacity-building workshops for 400 officials and water protection advocates in a number of Arab countries.

The program has also distributed thousands of copies of guides on rational use of water to hotels, educational institutions, students and ordinary people to promote the concept of rationalization of water use, he added.

In addition to Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen are represented in the regional event with a plethora of experts and officials of state bodies in charge of water and environment affairs. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Claims by MP Khalil Al-Saleh that hepatitis infections in Kuwait have been on the rise threw some of the country’s residents into panic. In published remarks by Al-Rai newspaper yesterday, Minister of Health Dr Ali Al-Obaidi denied any increase in the number of hepatitis infections in Kuwait. “There is no need to panic because the infection rate is under control.” Calls to the Ministry of Health for a confirmation or denial of the claims of hepatitis infections being on the increase went unanswered yesterday.

Without providing statistics or specifying the type of hepatitis, Saleh told the newspaper that the number of hepatitis cases at the Chest Hospital in Kuwait is on the rise. The increase was attributed to infected expats coming to reside in Kuwait who carry the infection from their country of origin. The number of Kuwaitis infected with hepatitis is also growing, the MP was quoted as saying.

Appealing for the implementation of a screening procedure for expats to be applied prior to their arrival in Kuwait, the MP was quoted warning that restaurant employees, for example, need to be screened more stringently. Obaidi told Al-Rai that the health ministry is keen on examining expat workers coming from countries where hepatitis cases abound in order to safeguard public health.

In a way to curb the spread of hepatitis, Saleh asked Obaidi to issue health cards that are renewable periodically, laying emphasis on expatriates arriving from countries known to have high rates of the disease. According to World Health Organization statistics for Kuwait, the percentage of infected cases in the country is below the international average. But in 2012, the Ministry of Health revealed a problem with hepatitis C exists. Recognizing the need for raising awareness about hepatitis, in 2012, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society initiated a campaign called “Take initiative, Give Hope”. The project aimed to prevent the spread of hepatitis.

The World Health Organization defines hepatitis A to be a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus.

The virus is primarily spread when an uninfected (and unvaccinated) person ingests food or water that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. The disease is closely associated with a lack of clean water, inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A infection does not cause chronic liver disease and is rarely fatal, but it can cause debilitating symptoms and fulminant hepatitis (acute liver failure), which is associated with high mortality, WHO said. Prevention is pivotal in fighting the spread of hepatitis. According to the WHO, improved sanitation, food safety and immunization are the most effective ways to combat hepatitis A.

Health awareness Separately, a Health Ministry official yesterday said Kuwait is free of insectborne diseases and recently-recorded cases involved a handful of expatriates.

The ministry is promoting awareness of hazards posed by such diseases, said Dr Abeer Al-Baho, the head of the ministry’s health-boosting department. She was speaking at a news conference marking World Health Day, affirming Kuwait is free of these communicable diseases. The WHO is marking World Health Day with the slogan “A simple sting equals great danger.” Kuwait will hold a ceremony to mark the occasion tomorrow, Boha said. A WHO envoy will address the event, shedding light on insect-borne diseases. These diseases are widely spread in equatorial and semi-equatorial regions, where clean drinking water is hard to reach and a lack of proper sanitation and sewerage.

They also constitute 17 percent of all epidemics.

Baho said the deadliest of these diseases is malaria, causing the death of 627,000 people in 2012. Dengue fever comes first among fast spreading diseases. Each minute, a child dies somewhere in the world from malaria. Each year, up to 200,000 yellow fever cases are recorded across the globe, causing 30,000 deaths. The ministry department has drawn up special programs to ensure the country remains free of such dangerous diseases, Baho affirmed. Its activities include holding seminars, field visits, issuing guidance leaflets and organizing exhibitions.

KUWAIT: Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Senegal to Kuwait Abdoul Aahad Mbacke hosted a ceremony Sunday at the Regency Hotel to celebrate his country’s Independence Day. Senior government officials attended the event including First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Arab reconciliation efforts met with ‘positive response’

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: Kuwait sensed positive responses towards its reconciliation effor ts between conflicting Arab states during the Arab Summit that Kuwait hosted two weeks ago, a senior government official said Sunday.

“The Gulf and Arab affairs concern us,” said Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid AlSabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. “The positive responses we have sensed should produce results in the near future.”

Sheikh Sabah spoke to reporters at an event hosted by the Senegalese embassy in Kuwait to celebrate the Independence Day of Senegal.

Asked about the possibility of a third Geneva Convention on Syria after discussions that Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, had in Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah hoped that Brahimi succeeds on that regard.

“We all agree that the political solution as the best for Syria,” he said, adding that the Syrian people’s struggle puts more pressure on the international community to “resume negotiations.” He further hope for stopping bombardment in Syria and opening border crossings to deliver humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.

Security Pact The Gulf Security Pact was also mentioned during Sheikh Sabah’s encounter with reporters. On that regard, the senior official reiterated that the issue is being discussed at the parliament’s foreign affairs committee “which refers its recommendations to the National Assembly to decide on the topic.”

“The process is going through in accordance with the correct constitutional channels, and [the cabinet] is not rushing things,” Sheikh Sabah indicated. Former parliament speaker

Jassem Al-Khorafi who was at the event has commented on the subject as well. “90 percent of those who comment on the security agreement have not read it,” Al-Khorafi said, in response to allegations that the pact was unconstitutional.

“People who make those allegations need to read the pact and look into the article which says that any clause becomes void if it contradicted with the Kuwaiti constitution,” he said.

“The pact should be read while keeping in mind the best interest of Kuwait and its relations with Gulf Cooperation Council states.”

The parliament had voted to postpone discussion of the Gulf Security Pact until the next term for further studying. On that regard, head of the legislative committee MP Mubarak AlHurais was quoted by Al-Jarida daily yesterday saying that the panel will request studying the case after it had been reviewed by the foreign affairs committee.

Justice minister resumes duties

By A. Saleh and agencies KUWAIT: Dr Nayef Al-Ajmi will continue to serve as Kuwait’s Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs after he met His Highness the Amir on Sunday.

HH the Amir reportedly informed Dr. Ajmi that his resignation tendered last week will not be accepted, and asked him to remain in office.

In his first comment on the news, AlAjmi told Al-Qabas daily that he will ‘obey the orders’ of HH the Amir, and will resume his duties at both ministries at the same approach “to meet the best interest of Kuwait.”

Al-Ajmi had stated last week that he was stepping down for health reasons.

His name was linked with accusations

of “prompting jihad in Syria,” according to US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence David Cohen in a recent report. Al-Ajmi later clarified that he took part in fundraising campaigns for Syria on humanitarian basis.

Antiterrorism lectures Separately, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs prepares to hold lectures in cooperation with the Interior Ministry to spread awareness against extremist and terrorist ideologies.

Experienced clerics will be invited in order to speak about the risks of luring people, especially youths, into jihad calls.

The ministry has prepared large halls in different places around Kuwait to

accommodate at least 4,000 people who are expected to attend each lecture, said Undersecretary Dr. Adel AlFalah.

Syria fundraising In other news, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs informed imams and muezzins at local mosques to make sure that all fundraisers for the Syrian people are licensed.

There are six charitable organizations who have licenses from the Awqaf and social affairs ministries to collect donations for Syria. They are the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, the Social Reform Society, the Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity Society, the Direct Aid Society, the Najat Society and the Patients Helping Fund Society.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Photo from the compound of the building.

KUWAIT: Protest in progress in front of the building.

KUWAIT: Protesters signing their demand letter. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Architects seek preservation of building in Mubarakiya ‘Hands off historical structures’

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A building featured in old Kuwaiti postal stamps will only become a memory if its demolition goes ahead. Yesterday, Kuwaiti architects and design students organized a protest in front of the former Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industr y building in Mubarakiya against razing the structure. A backhoe already started to demolish the building a day before the protest took place, and it looks like it created significant damage to the structure.

“This building has been featured in many Kuwaiti history books and postal stamps in Kuwait. It is one of the best architecturally designed buildings in Kuwait, so we call on the government to do something and preserve it,” said Deema Al-Ghunaim, an architect and a proponent of the protest yesterday.

She said the responsibility of preserving old structures is a shared effort by the government and public. “It’s not only the responsibility of the government to protect old structures, but also of the owners, investors and especially the general public. The Municipality and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters have shared responsibility to urge stakeholders on the importance of heritage. If we continue

to demolish historical structures, we are afraid there would be gaps and evidence will be deleted in our history, so we want such structures to be preserved,” Ghunaim added.

“We have made efforts to preserve pre-oil

Deema Al-Ghunaim structures, but what about the post-oil era? We also need evidence of this period. We want to amend the Amiri decree issued in 1961 pertaining to preserve historical buildings. We also want them to form an independent authority

accredited by relevant bodies in both private and public sectors to review and update historical buildings, and the authority should have priorities like establishing an assessment unit to check all demolition license applications presented to the Municipality and do the demolition under the supervision of Kuwait’s architects,” Ghunaim mentioned.

“Our action and effort today is probably late since they have started the demolition, but we are hoping we can still salvage the building. If not, our protest today hopes to send a strong message to the government that we care for old architecture and we demand action from the government to do something about the continued demolition of old post-oil era buildings that are historically significant structures,” Ghunaim said.

Jassem Al-Saddah, also an architect, said his group can help preserve the structure if they are asked. “I didn’t even know until yesterday when I saw a post on Instagram that they are demolishing this old building. It is very sad as I love this building, and I hope we can still do something to salvage it,” said Saddah, who is the owner and creative manager of Bab.nimnim. Saddah’s dream is to redesign but keep the old city, and transform it into a modern but vibrant town.

Heavy schoolbags a ‘hot topic’ for parents

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The weight of schoolbags is a hot topic for most parents who have complained from this problem repeatedly. They complain that their children have to carry heavy bags daily, especially since some schools are multistoried and students have to climb flights of stairs to reach their classrooms.

A mother of a 9-year-old boy complained of the heavy weight of her son’s schoolbag. “It’s very heavy even for me and I’m an adult. Ayoub is in fourth grade, and he has to carry about 19 books every day, so I bought him a trolley bag.

But during the last few days, he is carrying it on

his back as he has pain in his hand and can’t pull it,” she told Kuwait Times.

Carrying such heavy weights at young ages may cause many health issues, especially if the kid is already suffering from health problems.

Some doctors have warned of the possibility of negatively affecting the spine or the joints by carrying heavy bags. The solution may be in using trolley bags, but some schools have banned such bags as they claim the wheels may damage the granite floors. Other schools defend the ban over the possibility of using the bags in fights between children and causing serious harm. Some students also refuse to use trolley

bags, saying they are not stylish.

This problem is not a local one. The media in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other Gulf states have run reports about the problem of heavy schoolbags too. According to India’s Hindustan Times, a schoolbag should ideally weigh 10 percent of the weight of the child. But nobody is enforcing this. In 2008, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) asked the state government to conduct a survey on whether students were burdened with heavy schoolbags. This was two years after RG Sindhakar, a retired high court judge, filed a case with the MSHRC arguing that forcing students to carry heavy schoolbags was a violation

of human rights. Two years ago, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued a directive that students up to Class 2 should not have bags.

In Australia as well, parents are concerned about the same problem. The education and health website of Queensland provides advice and solutions for heavy schoolbags. According to this website, carrying heavy schoolbags is a concern for some students and families. The prevention of back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries is important for students’ current wellbeing and their long-term health.

Installation of lockers at schools is often tout-

ed as a solution to carrying heavy schoolbags.

One limitation is that lockers will not eliminate the carrying of books to and from school if required for homework or study. The installation of lockers is a school-based decision dependent on funds, space, supervision, security and maintenance. The website also mentioned trolley bags with extendable handles and wheels, and the increased use of electronic learning tools, which offer alternatives to heavy textbooks. CDs and Web-based information are also other solutions. Europe as well has the same concerns. The National Parents Council of Ireland highlighted the problem of heavy schoolbags. They posted that workers are not expected to lift heavy weights, yet our children lug overloaded schoolbags on one strap, as research suggests most will not wear the schoolbag correctly. Teachers often favour textbooks which cover several aspects of a subject, and consequently these books are heavy. The problem can be solved if schools provided lockers, a second set of schoolbooks, and considered all these factors before setting homework. The education minister has left the schools to manage the problem locally, and refused to legislate it. Some European countries have legislated to control the weight of schoolbags. However one weight for all schoolbags will not be a sensible solution, as children grow stronger through their school years.

Dr Tareq Sinan, a radiologist at Mubarak Hospital, said for normal kids, the heavy weight of schoolbags doesn’t have a permanent effect unless the student is suffering from congenital deformations. “In fact in most cases, healthy kids carrying heavy bags only suffer from pain that will later disappear. When we were kids, we also used to carry heavy bags too. But kids with wrong flexures or congenital spine deformations may be affected by carrying heavy bags, which may cause even worse flexures and deformations. Such deformations will then need surgeries to correct,” he told Kuwait Times.

Sinan advised students to use trolley bags that will relieve their backs from the heavy weight and avoid carrying bags on one shoulder or only one hand. He said the best solution by the Ministry of Education would be to apply electronic learning, and swap books with tablets.

This will save the kids from carrying any books, and will solve the problem of heavy bags,” added Sinan.

Heritage mosques keep memories alive KUWAIT: Heritaga mosques are seen around in the capital of Kuwait, as well as all governorates. They are considered as masterpieces that keep memories alive of the old times, namely remarakable efforts of the ancestors who built them.

Many of these mosques have been renovated and expanded by the State, making them more comfortable for worshippers and and visual treat for visitors.

Features of the Kuwaiti old mosques are simple, derived from the surrounding environment. They are marked with low minarets, a courtyard in addition to beautiful columns that lead to the entrance.

Worshippers in the past used to pray inside the mosque in winter and at the yard during the summer, due to lack of electricity and air-conditioning.

All Kuwaiti mosques nowdays are equipped with air-conditioning to accomodate the worshippers during the country’s long summer season. — KUNA

One of the mosques in Kuwait.

Ahmad Al-Nowaibt from VIVA’s PR team along with Bader Alenzi from GUST’s Management Club.

VIVA sponsors GUST’s Management Club KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, announced its sponsorship of Gulf University for Science and Technology’s (GUST) Management Club and its activities in 2014.

VIVA’s sponsorship falls under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy which is committed to youth development by assisting bright and enthusiastic young students with the necessary knowledge and practical skills for them to succeed in their future careers.

GUST’s Management Club is a newly established students club that focuses on helping management students in their studies by assisting them to improve their overall understanding of management, educate students about the different forms of management techniques, and support entrepreneurship.

VIVA will continue to look for unique opportunities to contribute to the welfare of the society and help serve the youth best and shed the light on its ongoing corporate social commitment.

VIVA is the fastest-growing telecom operator in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things possible for its customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through its customer centric approach.

VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice in Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling. VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service.

91,000 expatriates in the public sector KUWAIT: Around 91,000 expatriates are working in the public sector, and more than half of them are nationals of one country according to official statistics released by the Civil Service Commission.

The figures published by Al-Qabas yesterday indicate that there are an estimated 331,000 public sector employees in total, including over 39,000 Egyptian labor forces and 15,000 workers from India.

The numbers also show that more than 41,000 expatriates employed by state departments have university degrees, whereas 1,454 have PhDs and 2,529 high school diplomas. The statistics are calculated as of the end of last week. They do not however include expatriates in the public

sector hired through private companies, whose number reaches 30,000.

Meanwhile, a CSC source quoted in the report claimed that expatriates hired under the ‘use of services’ clause are entitled to benefits that makes their monthly pay exceed that of Kuwaitis with the same qualifications. For example, an expat can be hired for a basic salar y of KD400, but receives up to KD2,000 in monthly allowances.

“The KD2,400 that an expatriate hired under the use of services clause is almost double the monthly pay of a Kuwaiti employee with the same academic qualification,” said the source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Bullet shatters windshield

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A female member of the ruling family told police that a bullet shattered the windshield of her car, while she was inside the vehicle. The incident took place in Mangaf.

In another incident in Maidan Hawally, a citizen accused a person she knows of luring her to his flat, and served her a juice laced with a sleeping pills. She said that when she woke up she found out that he had raped her.

In Taima a citizen accused a Bangladeshi of touching the sensitive parts of his daughter’s body. In Sabah Al-Salem, a citizen accused a social worker of kidnapping his son to an unknown place, and the boy remained with the alleged kidnapper for 15 minutes. An Arab expat accused a “beautiful” woman of stealing his car. He said that the woman asked him to meet her in Fahaheel and went with him to Shaab area.

She asked him to buy cigarettes and cold drinks, and as soon as he entered the grocery, she drove away.

Labor Authority to cancel sponsorship KUWAIT: Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs, Jamal Al-Dousari stressed Kuwait’s keenness on stabilizing the situation of expatriate labor in local labor market and that law number 6/2010 had included many privileges and rights for both expatriate labor and employers.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Human Rights Watch researcher, Belqis Waly, Al-Dousari said that the domestic labor issue was at the top of a priorities list at MSAL’s domestic labor department and the ministry of interior. He added that MSAL had recently built a new center to shelter domestic laborers and that it is considered one of the best ones in rehabilitating and taking care of labor in the Middle East. “The center

can house 700 laborers where they are psychologically and socially rehabilitated before they go back to their home countries” , he explained inviting the Human Rights delegation to visit the center to check the services it provided more closely.

Responding to a Human Rights question about cancelling the sponsorship system, AlDousari said that the recent decision to establish a ‘Public Authority for labor’ would cancel the word ‘sponsor’ because the authority would be responsible for recruiting expatriate laborers according to applications and demands to be made by employers in the private and oil sectors. He also noted that GCC states had collectively recommended setting special legislations that respect international treaties on protecting expatriate labor rights.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

LOCAL kuwait digest

OP-ED

Three factors to succeed in life

Rules for the police

By Dr Sajed Al-Abdali

I

f you ever allow yourself to stop working on realizing your dreams with the excuse of the long way you have to go, reaching retirement age, hardships and obstacles, not having enough funds or any other, this means you have made one of the worst decisions one can ever make in his lifespan, and probably the worst ever. However, you have the right to decide what you want. After all, each of us is responsible for planning his own life and the way he lives it!

However, I will give the ‘elite’ that has real wish to work hard on making their dreams come true three golden rules that will help them unlock closed doors, confront hardships and conquer them on the way to realizing dreams.

The first key is passion. Those after achieving dreams must be passionate, strong-willed and determined to succeed. This is absolutely true because otherwise, one would give up hope and trying right at encountering the first obstacle. Here, one has to remember that unless he enjoys what he is doing, he will quickly and easily give it up because nobody works hard on something unless he likes what he is doing and sacrifices for it, which takes us to the second key factor.

The second key factor is enjoying what we do, which is the secret of successful people. They do like what they do and that is why they can carry on working hard even if it takes more effort and time. It is only because they find what they do enjoyable that they can accomplish things others see as impossible or unachievable. Yes, indeed we might not enjoy every part of our jobs, but we can start with things closer to our souls and be creative doing them so that they can act as incentives to carry on further to other less enjoyable parts. The focal point here is once you find out you do not enjoy any part of your job duties, one must ask himself if this was the right career for him, if that was the job he had to do and whether he should start over and seek another more enjoyable one.

The third key factor is being equipped with necessary tools needed for a certain career because this plays a major role in differentiating between success and failure to achieve dreams. Yes, it is very important to possess the skills needed in your line of work, but it is also very crucial that you have other administrative and social tools needed to face potential difficulties.

Learning time management principles, the skills of prioritizing and sound planning in addition to being in control of the skills of communication, persuasion and negotiation with different types of people and practicing creative thinking in pursuit of solving problems are the most important tools we need to face life. —Translated

by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida

The handicapped law local@kuwaittimes.net

W

Al-Anbaa

The first key is passion.

Those after achieving dreams must be passionate, strong-willed and determined to succeed.

By Talal Al-Ghannam

kuwait digest

Kuwait and charity works

By Osama Al-Shaheen

K

uwait has always been characterized with a blessed industry ever since it was established in 1756, which is charity. During the pre-oil era, pearl diving provided the main source of income. The pearl diving industry vanished, the same way oil will eventually go away.

Only charity works have remained ongoing in Kuwait under all circumstances, reflecting the Kuwaiti people’s constant faith in Allah Almighty and commitment to the great teachings of Islam.

And here we are today celebrating two great occasions in this field. The first is the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Rahma (mercy) International, a subsidiary of the Social Reform Society. The charitable committee celebrates three decades of achievements carried out by Kuwaiti philanthropists, including building 7,048 mosques, 143 developmental centers, 275 universities and colleges, 27,134 hospitals and clinics, 121 bakeries that provide bread free of charge, and other humanitarian projects.

What makes this celebration exceptional is the fact it marks 30 years of philanthropist work characterized with administrative transparency and financial integrity. All it received were false accusations made by enemies of charitable work without evidence.

The second occasion is the decision made by the general assembly of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait to turn the institution which was established in 1960 and currently has an estimated KD 3,900 million in assets to become an Islamic bank. This continues a beautiful trend we have

In my view

Why should we travel?

kuwait digest

Top priority to human dignity

By Mubarak Fahd Al-Duwailah

W

hen America sends a drone to Waziristan province in north Pakistan, kills a man labeled as a terrorist and kills several children and women in the process, it is called self defence in the American understanding! And when a respected cleric like Ajeel Al-Nashmi is present in a diwaniya where donations are being collected for Syrian refugees in Jordan and Turkey to rescue women and children from cold, hunger and illness, then the shaikh is described as a terrorist!

The matter does not stop here, as everyone deals with him on this basis - if he is employed, he will be fired; if he is a student, his scholarship will be revoked; and if he is a businessman, he will be placed on the blacklist.

When a sectarian party enters Syria to join the battles there, it is not considered on the list of terrorist organizations, rather it is supported by three Arab countries

Terrorism is terrorism deliberate killing of children and women is the worst form of terror and is not justified by the goals of George W Bush’s campaign, which he started nearly 13 years before.

been seeing in our beloved Kuwait, which is the creation of Islamic banks and transformation of traditional banks into Islamic ones, after the country had only one Islamic bank for many years.

The decision is a slap to the face of those who questioned the feasibility of ‘Islamic finance’ and its ability to compete in accordance with the modern era’s requirements. It also promotes a solid ground that transforms Kuwait to be the world’s capital of Islamic banking, a project that once completed can be very beneficial for the country in general.

It is a good thing to see people condemning evil things such as the recent events that happened following a celebrity’s visit to a local mall, but it is important that these negative practices are not generalized as general characteristics of the Kuwaiti people. Thank to Allah Almighty, charity work surpasses that negative trait by many levels, which is a fact that the media fails to shed light properly on.

In the end, I salute all who have sponsored charitable work and Islamic finance, and those who legislated the law to establish Kuwait Finance House in 1977, the law to organize Islamic banks in 2003 and the law to collect zakat from shareholding companies in 2006. We need similar legislations in order to continue this process, such as laws to protect charitable work in Kuwait and making Kuwait a capital of Islamic finance. —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Rai

By Saad Al-Dossari

A

irports are chaotic places. They are noisy, stressful, and unorganized. It is where people bump into each other filled with different hopes, dreams, fears, and feelings. It is where scents collide; languages mix, and sounds form an orchestra of endless tones.

Despite waiting in queues, uncomfortable planes’ seats and hotels’ beds, jet lag and expensive meals, we long to travel, to escape the monotony of daily routine.

Why do you travel? Ask this question and expect to be overwhelmed with a long list of reasons: To reduce stress, change environment, for adventure, to meet new people, and to study arts and history. We travel “to escape into open solitudes, into aimlessness, into the moral holiday of running some pure hazard, in order to sharpen the edge of life, to taste hardship, and to be compelled to work desperately for a moment no matter what,” says George Santayana in his beautifully written letter “The Philosophy of Travel.”

Arabs love to travel. We may not make top the list like Germans, Britons, Americans, Japanese, Chinese, and Australians but if you talk about the Middle East, we are all over the place. Just ask Cairo (back in the days), Beirut (before its politics went crazy), Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain, Casablanca, and London about Arabs roaming their streets, malls and cafes.

We do share some of the reasons of why we choose to travel with the rest of world; breaking routine and changing scenery tops the list. Add to it some simple pleasures like going to the cinema and you might sum up all the reasons of why majority of Arabs travel. Art, history and engaging with cultures are not usually part of our travel plans that if we have a plan to start with! I know those who visit Egypt regularly and what they know about the pyra-

mids is only that pharaohs built those structures, those who know the Harrods but not the British Museum, the Times Square but not the plays on Broadway, the Galleria Vittorio but nothing about the Colosseum.

We did establish that people travel for different reasons, and it is a matter of personal freedom to decide how to spend your entire trip. Arabs tend to spend their trips moving from one shopping mall to another, from cafes to restaurants. I wonder if it doesn’t feel like a waste of time to spend a trip after another, moving between cities and different cultures, without showing any interest in opening one’s mind and soul to those places. To learn new things, to be touched by people and history and customs, to realize that despite our enormous ego, deep in the core, we are just a drop in a sea of different views and lifestyles.

The Arab world would be a different place if all of us came back with something new we learned during our tours. We might have seen public transportation much sooner, given more respect to history and art, or at the very least, respected traffic laws and knew how to stand in a queue.

As the travel season is approaching, and you may soon be engaged in preparing for a trip, try to spend some time with the whole family, in learning something about the country you are planning to visit; its history, language, and people. That might ignite the flame of curiosity that would push you to go places, meet people, and engage in adventures that you did not think of before.

The experiences you would accumulate from being exposed to different cultures will find its way to your soul; you will find yourself engaged in another journey, a one into yourself, reflecting and scrutinizing your beliefs and concepts about people and life. —Arab News

kuwait digest

Fight against iqama traders and rewards are given to the families of those who are killed among them in Syria, and the state guarantees that it will take care of his family after him! Yet when a young man volunteers to enter Syria to fight next to the Syrian rebels who are fighting the “tyrant of the Levant”, he will be placed on terror lists and will be met by state security and intelligence at the airport.

Terrorism is terrorism - deliberate killing of children and women is the worst form of terror and is not justified by the goals of George W Bush’s campaign, which he started nearly 13 years before, during which he killed many more civilians than were killed on Sept 11.

To a point where the blood of a Yemeni, Afghani and Iraqi has become cheaper than water! What is worse is the orders dictated on leaders to take precautionary measures to agree with America’s views. The issue is of dignity, and our governments should explain to the Americans and others that human dignity for us has priority and consideration, and the era of subordination is gone for good! — Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

By Waleed Al-Ghanim

S

ocial Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Al-Subaih dropped a bombshell when she announced that the ministry knows about iqama traders but lacks the courage to take the decision to bring them to account. The minister gave us the information directly unlike the ministers who preceded her, when they entered the ministry and left without taking any decisions in favor of the country and citizen. We thank the minister for her frankness in revealing the reason behind the former ministers’ inability to solve the iqama problems, as she explained that the decision needs courage to shoulder the responsibility.

A friend at the social affairs ministry told me once that one of the ministers attempted to stand against iqama traders. He asked for a list of those whose iqamas are suspicious, and promised them that he will take whatever measures necessary to remove the manipulators and put a stop to their practice. When he received

the requested list, he lost power and could not fulfil his promise because his ministerial job became compromised, so he preferred safety until he left and no one remembers him today.

Every time a social affairs minister comes, he says I will do this and I will do that.. I will reform the co-ops sector... I will support sports activities... I will develop the society’s care sector... I will destroy iqama traders and other media stories to boast in front of his employees. Soon after that he eats his words and becomes satisfied with cutting exhibitions’ ribbons and celebrations until he is replaced without any tangible achievement.

Today the minister renews her intention to fight iqama corruption and we hope that she succeeds in her efforts, or at least submit her resignation if she discovers that reform is banned in her place. Your Excellency, go ahead as all people are with you if you fulfill your promise. —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

elcome back my honorable readers and first of all I thank all of you for your sincere remarks and feedback on my previous article. In this article I will tackle the issue of traffic in Kuwait and will propose some solutions to this dilemma. In my opinion, traffic jams are caused by the traffic department of the Interior Ministry itself. I will tell you how. When the Interior Ministry stipulates that no driving license is to be given to those who do not have a university degree or their salaries are below KD 400, we still notice that many of the expatriates driving on the road consist of painters, carpenters, escapee houseboys, jobless drivers and many, many more.

The driving license in some cases can be bought as well for KD 300 if you know some tea boys at the department. So the problem lies with the ministry itself as it is not enforcing the law correctly on everyone. Those who deserve it must take it, and sorry to those who do not - they can commute using public buses if all facilities are provided such as decent and air-conditioned bus stops like those in Dubai, affordable bus tickets, clean buses and good mannered bus drivers who do not compete with each other on the roads putting all lives in jeopardy. Police cars and policemen standing still on the highways must be activated rather than sitting in the cool atmosphere playing with their smartphones. They need to enforce the traffic law and ensure that all cars drive at an appropriate speed instead of having cars exceeding 200 km/h and others driving in the middle of the road at only 60 km/h.

I applaud the Interior Ministry’s Traffic Department Undersecretary Maj Gen Abdulfattah Al-Ali for being strict in reenforcing the traffic law represented in using seatbelts and not using mobiles while driving. There is a big difference now when we see the majority of drivers are abiding by these laws which are made primarily for their protection and safety. I feel so disappointed when I see a father or mother putting his or her child on their lap while driving. If this was in the United States, it is considered a big crime and they can be imprisoned for it, but here in Kuwait, I guess they are training the child to drive before turning 18.

Policemen on motorcycles ought to use their bikes more often rather than parking them in the traffic department with dust on them. They need to monitor tiny roads and school intersections in order to stop crazy drivers from driving maniacally and exposing our children to the risk of being hit.

Policemen also need to enforce the traffic law in terms of completely stopping at the STOP sign, reversing on the highway, driving on the shoulder of the road, fining cars with loud noises, honking unnecessarily and most importantly, glass tinting that exceeds 100 percent.

Policemen need to show more respect, particularly to expatriates and not to put them down when they are fined. I see many of them being harassed at checkpoints and some are insulted just because they are foreigners, while Kuwaitis are more respected because of their fancy cars or the style of their ghutra and egal (traditional headdress). Treat them humanely and respectfully as you treat the Kuwaitis.

I studied in the United States for six years and I don’t exaggerate when I say that no one ever honked at me at a traffic light because they understood there must have been a problem in the car or I was not paying attention. Secondly, no one ever flashed his headlights at me at night on the highway or on a small road, knowing that this may be dangerous or may affect my sight.

Thirdly, everyone there stops at the STOP sign even in the middle of the night when there aren’t any cars because those people respect the law.

Till the next article inshaAllah.

kuwait digest

Push citizens to work

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

J

udging from press statements, it looks like MP Faisal Al-Shaya is until now the only lawmaker who expressed concern over the collapse of the economy and budget deficit that the government warned of during the weird closed session held recently to discuss a proposal to increase children’s allowance. In other words, Shaya is the only parliament member who believed in and accepted the government’s presentation. There is no doubt that there are other lawmakers who share the same concerns that Shaya has, but he is the only one who until now has announced his concerns publicly.

But Shaya proposed the same routine solutions that we heard many times before, about the need to adopt ‘austerity’ measures and limit spending in order to avoid looming deficit. Overspending in this case refers to the government’s spending and ‘squandering’ that state officials are often accused of. In the meantime, citizens are considered people with limited income who have nothing to do with overspending.

Austerity and curbing overspending that is falsely accused of harming the state budget is not the solution to address budget deficit, and this is for only one reason - the fact that overspending is not the cause of the problem in the first place. The state is required to elevate the status of citizens and provide aspects of decent living for all people alike. In return, people need to work and ‘earn’ the decent living they aspire for.

The sad thing here is that no one wants to work. It seems that Shaya and others who took it upon themselves to care for our affairs have either surrendered to this fact or accepted it as part of this nation and its fate. That is why they resort to delusional solutions and false promises to address the inevitable crisis.

Everyone is trying to ‘escape’ from facing the painful truth, which is the fact that the real causes for the imminent crisis are citizens’ laziness, the despise the majority of them have for work and the diseases of the rentier society that the rest are subjected to.

Therefore, the only way to avoid falling into budget deficit is to push citizens to work. And work here does not result in production and financial earnings alone. It also means saving energy, materials, health and even life itself that the unproductive Kuwaiti citizen currently wastes. —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

LOCAL

Two in custody for death of Sulaibiya woman, newborn Forty wanted fugitives caught KUWAIT: Two people were arrested and charged with the murder of a woman and her newborn baby whose bodies were found recently in the Sulaibiya desert.

Investigations in the case reported Friday revealed that the Sri Lankan woman was escorted by three men to a remote location the day before for aborting a pregnancy that happened out of wedlock. The woman eventually died after suffering severe bleeding, prompting the three men to escape.

Circumstances behind the baby’s death and whether it was stillborn or killed after birth are not mentioned in the report. Police identified the Sri Lankan suspects and arrested two of them on Sunday, but discovered that the third had already fled the country. The two were referred to the authorities for further action.

Fugitives caught Forty fugitives were arrested during the first day of a mission by a security team tasked with the duty of finding the reportedly 6,000 people sentenced to jail.

According to the security source, the detainees include 3 people sentenced to life in prison, 5 men sentenced to 10 years, 5 sentenced to 7 years, 4 sentenced to 5 years, 3 sentenced to 2 years, while the rest are sentenced to one year or less. The suspects include Kuwaitis, Gulf nationals and bedoons from various places across Kuwait. They were taken to the Central Prison to serve their sentences.

Prison riot Special task forces were called to control a group of inmates who rioted Sunday afternoon in protest against solitary confinement. The unspecified number of inmates reportedly created an uproar after each of them was locked up in solidarity confinement, prompting jail security to call for back up after failing

to put the prisoners under control. An investigation was opened.

Wife beaters Kuwait City police are looking to summon a man accused of assaulting his wife physically and verbally during a domestic dispute. Officers were approached Sunday by a Jordanian woman who asked to press domestic violence charges against her husband. She provided a medical report of bruises she sustained as a result of the assault. The woman did not provide details about the dispute that saw the Jordanian man lose his temper then beat and verbally assault her, according to her testimonies. Investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti woman filed a case at Abu Halifa police station, and accused her husband of physical assault, stealing jewelry worth KD 75 from her as well as attempting to run her over with his car. The woman provided a medical report for neck pain and scratches. She gave police the identity of her husband as well as the identity of a woman who she said had accompanied the man at the time.

Policeman charged A police officer faces multiple charges after he was caught drunk during a party at his apartment in Maidan Hawally. Police headed to the scene after a Kuwaiti man reported noises coming out from a 7th floor apartment at a late hour of the night. A man who answered the door refused to cooperate with police when they asked for the IDs of the men and women inside. He closed the door, prompting police to request permission from the public prosecution to enter the apartment. After police knocked on the door again, a man came out and identified himself

as a sergeant in the Interior Ministry. The man, who was reportedly drunk, told officers to leave since he would not allow them into his apartment. The citizen who made the emergency call told police at the scene that the suspect verbally assaulted him and threatened him with harm. Officers informed the Hawally prosecutor who gave instructions to file a case against the sergeant and charge him with intoxication, verbal assault and public nuisance.

Body found A middle-aged man was found dead in Fahaheel Sunday for reasons that remain unknown.

Emergency medical technicians and police arrived at the man’s apartment in response to an emergency call made at 9:00 am by a relative who found him motionless. The 48-year-old Indian man was pronounced dead at the scene before criminal investigators were called. Police are waiting for the autopsy report to confirm the time and cause of death.

Harassers in hospital A woman used hairspray to fend off two harassers who were hospitalized with serious eye injuries Saturday night. The incident happened at the Fahd Al-Salem Street in Salhiya around 7 pm when two boys aged 17 and 13 starting harassing the Filipina woman repeatedly. Fed up with their actions, the woman took a bottle of hairspray out of her bag and sprayed the teens on their faces. They were taken in ambulances to the Amiri Hospital while suffering temporary blindness as a result of exposure to chemical substances. Doctors said that the Kuwaiti and Saudi boys were not expected to suffer permanent eye damage.

Human development ‘ineluctable to judiciary’ KUWAIT: The graduation ceremony of fire sergeants (airport machine operators) was held under the patronage of Director General of Kuwait Fire Services Directorate Maj Gen Yousuf Al-Ansari, who was represented by Deputy Director General for Fire Fighting and Human Resources Development Brig Khalid Al-Mikrad. He said that work at the airports should be developed by training on the most modern equipment while performing duty honestly. —By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Winners of last year’s Arab Women Awards

Judges of last year’s Arab Women Awards

Arab Women Awards gain great prominence KUWAIT: For the second consecutive year, Arab Woman Awards will pay tribute to the inspirational, high achieving women of Kuwait. The 2014 Awards will take place at the Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers on April 30.

Launched by ITP in 2009, the Arab Woman Awards is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards ceremony that recognises Arab women achievements in the different fields of business, arts, medicine and charity. Since its launch the Arab Woman Awards have gained great prominence over the years, with a well-founded presence in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and KSA. To date the awards have recognised the achievements of over 180 women and have paid homage to the ambitious personalities who, through their exceptional determination and self-dedication, provide positive role models for younger generations. The Arab Woman Awards Kuwait was launched back in 2013 and was co-founded by Dr Labiba Temmim; Executive Director & Medical Affairs at the Hayatt-Ruqayah AbdulWahhab Alqatami Breast Cancer Foundation, Dr Labiba is the considered as the driving force behind this year’s awards as well.

This year’s esteemed Judges Board members will be chaired by Sheikh Mubarak Fahed Al-Salem Al-Sabah; Undersecretary of Department of Protocol Affairs at the Amiri Diwan and will include Dr Moudi Al-Humoud; Minister of Higher Education in Kuwait, Laila Abdullah Alghanim; President of Breast Cancer Foundation & CEO of Gulf Trader, Mona Al Ghanim; CEO Cameo Spa, and Nadine El Chaer, Editor in Chief of Ahlan! Arabia.

Sheikh Mubarak Fahed Al-Salem AlSabah said: “I am honoured to be part of

the Arab Woman Awards again this year to celebrate the accomplishments and abilities of Kuwaiti women. The awards are a testament to the development of women in our society and the recognition of their achievement is an important step in encouraging greater empowerment. Arab Women have now played an instrumental role in their respective societies and have earned all the recognition they so heartily deserve.”

The winners of this year’s Arab Woman Awards Kuwait will be nominated by the members of the Judges Board that have been selected by ITP based on their integrity, their expertise in their particular field and being respected members of society. The Judges Board will follow the strict criteria provided by ITP which includes the nominees’ achievements in the past twelve months and the impact of their work to Kuwait in order to make their final selection of winners.

The Arab Woman Awards Kuwait will be presented by Trafalgar Company and the winners will be awarded at a glittering red carpet dinner ceremony which will be held at the Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers in association with Tanagra, The Hayatt Breast Cancer Association, Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers, Five Levels Production and Sayidaty magazine.

ITP publishes more magazines serving the Middle East’s business and consumer markets than any other company. The group’s activities include magazine publishing, Internet ventures and online publishing, contract and corporate publishing, event management and digital printing services. ITP Consumer, a division of ITP, is the largest publisher of English language women’s magazines in the Middle East with leading brands.

KUWAIT: Minister of Justice Nayef Al-Ajmi underlined here yesterday the significance of human development and human skill acquisition to the judicial space.

In a keynote speech at the 22nd conference of senior Arab judicial officials, Al-Ajmi, who also doubles as Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, said human development is the key

to all types of development and even the judicial body so as to address the impacts of new technology.

He also called for revamping and boosting training courses for judicial staff in order to cope with new advancements.

During the three-day gathering, the conferees will hold discussions and debates on this vital issue and

put forward a host of serious and fruitful thoughts and suggestions in this regard, he said.

On his part, Director of Kuwait Institute of Judicial and Legal Studies Adel Al-Isa said the conference stressed the importance of training in the judicial field, saying trainee skill acquisition and justice management come within judicial values and tradi-

tions. The genuine concept of independent judiciary requires necessary training for judges, he said, emphasizing that training should be given enough attention.

Several lawmen and jurists are to present specialized research papers during sessions and debates to be held on the sidelines of the conference. —KUNA

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

LOCAL

Arab youth keen to embrace modernity Importance of family remains strong DUBAI: Young people across the Arab World are embracing modernity as digital technologies and media reshape behaviour, however it is the opinions and influences of family, friends and religion that still matter most to Arab youth. These are the headline findings of the 6th Annual ASDA’A Burson-MarstellerArab Youth Survey released yesterday.

When asked whether they agreed with the statement, “Traditional values are outdated and belong in the past; I am keen to embrace modern values and beliefs,” 46 per cent of young people in the region were in agreement.Although the modernists remain a slight minority, this is the closest results have come to parity in the survey’s history, up from just 17 per cent in 2011.

However family, friends, and religion remain the greatest influences on the lives of young Arab nationals - with two thirds of survey respondents citing their parents (67 per cent) as their first source for advice and counsel, followed by family (58 per cent), religion (56 per cent) and friends (46 per cent).In the region’s increasingly urbanised economies, the importance of family, and particularly parental ties, remains strong. However, external forces are increasing their sphere of influence, with community leaders rising from 33 per cent in 2013 to 38 per cent and social media and bloggers reaching 35 per cent.

The Arab Youth Survey is an annual initiative of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, the leading public relations consultancy in Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The survey was developed to provide reliable data and insights into the attitudes and aspirations of the region’s 200 million-strong youth population - where 60 per cent is below the age of 25 - with the aim of informing policy and decision-making of both government and the private sector.

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller’s sister agency, international polling firmPSB, which officially established its Middle East officesin January of this year, completed the largest survey to date for the sixth annual edition. PSB conducted 3,500 face-to-face interviews with exclusively Arab national men and women aged 18-24 in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain), Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Yemen and, for the first time in 2014, Palestine. Research was conducted between December 2013 and January 2014.

High optimism This year saw 2012 and 2013’s high levels of optimism in the outcomes from the Arab Spring wane,but confidence in national governments’ abilities to deal with a wide range of issues including living standards, economic stability and unemployment - increase. Just over half (54 per cent) of respondents agree ‘a lot’ with the statement “Following the uprisings across the Arab

DUBAI: Officials announcing the findings of the 6th Annual ASDA’A Burson-MarstellerArab Youth Survey yesterday. world, I feel the Arab world is better off”,significantly down from 70 per cent in 2013 and 72 cent in 2012.

But the buoyancy and optimism of youth remains. Across the region, more than two thirdsare either ‘very’ or ‘somewhat confident’ in their government’s ability to deal with the rising rates of unemployment (68 per cent) while similar numbers are optimistic about their ability to deal with war (67 per cent) and enhance living standards (66 per cent).

Though optimism is high across a broad spectrum of issues, youth are less confident long term. Over half of young people polled (58 per cent) are ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident in their government’s ability to address wealth creation, while a similar number (57 per cent) are uncertain about the ability to tackle environmental issues.

Cost of living This year the rising cost of living and unemployment were identified as the two biggest concerns for Arab youth. More than three in five (63 per cent) say they are ‘very concerned’ about rising living costs- constant with results over the

previous three years’ survey findings and with almost identical levels of concern among youth in the more affluent GCC markets (63 per cent) as in the wider region (62 per cent).

With youth unemployment an issue across much of the globe including the Arab world it comes as little surprise that survey respondents cite the spectre of unemployment as their second most pressing concern. Across the region, half (49 per cent) are concerned about the issue, demonstrating a steady increase over the last four years, up from 44 per cent in 2013 and 2012 and 42 per cent in 2011, broadly in line with rising unemployment rates.

Concern about unemployment is strongest in the non-GCC countries, where governments are struggling to provide jobs for their growing populations with 55 per cent citing it as their biggest concern. Though still high at 39 per cent, youth in the Gulf are less concerned than their counterparts in the rest of the Arab world, with oil-rich governments providing some reassurance.

Entrepreneurial spirit Two thirds (67 per cent) of young Arabs believe people of this generation are more likely

to start a business than in previous generations, as access to higher education improves the skills of youth, and governments and banks provide much-needed funding to help set up private companies.The split is similar across the Arab world with 66 per cent agreeing with the statement in the Gulf and 66 per cent in non-GCC countries.

Meanwhile, favourability towards the private sector is also steadily rising across the Gulf with 31 per cent of respondents saying they would like to work in the private sector, up from 24 per cent in 2013 and 19 per cent in 2012. In contrast, the preference towards the private sector in nonGCC countries is declining at 31 per cent in 2014, up from 28 per cent in 2013 and 36 per cent in 2012.

A model nation When asked to name a country, anywhere in the world, where they would like to live, for the third successive year, Arab youth cite the UAE as their top choice ahead of 20 other countries, including the UK, US and Germany. Among all respondents across the 16 countries polled, two in every five (39 per cent) young people would

like to live in the UAE, up from three in ten (31 per cent) in 2013.

Looking at model systems of governance, when asked which country they would most like their home nation to emulate, the same percentage of respondents (39 per cent) name the UAE. The Arab Youth Survey 2014 findings are consistent with the 2013 World Happiness Report, commissioned by the United Nations which indicated that the UAE was the happiest Arab country and the 17thhappiest nation globally.

UAE nationals were also the most optimistic among all those polled about the future of their country, with seven in ten (69 per cent) agreeing with the statement “I feel optimistic about what the future holds for my country” compared to just more than half (55 per cent) of respondentsoverall. Young Emiratis are also the most confident about their future prospects with half (50 per cent) believing they have more opportunities now than they did a year ago, compared to two in five (40 per cent) overall.

Commenting on the survey findings, Don Baer, Worldwide Chair and CEO of BursonMarsteller and CEO of PSB, said: “This annual snapshot of the thoughts and concerns of Arab Youth is a reference point not just for the region’s policy makers and decision makers, but also for anyone with an interest in our shared future. This survey has the power to challenge stereotypes about an often misunderstood region and demographic. In volatile times, the power of data should not be underestimated.”

Joseph Ghossoub, Chairman and CEO of the MENACOM Group, the regional parent company of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, said: “Recent years have been testing times for the region - from the impact of the global recession to the Arab Spring, and now, its aftermath, our region has been through tumultuous change and social, political and economic challenges. What inspires me most is that despite this uncertainly, our young people show resilience, optimism and a sense of pride that fill me with hope for our futures despite the continued uncertainties that face our wider region.”

Sunil John, Chief Executive Officer of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, said: “Today’s young people cannot and should not be viewed simply as ‘tomorrow’s leaders and consumers’. Increasingly they are today’s leaders and society shapers, creating their own spheres of influence not just among their immediate peers but also across the wider region through social media platforms.

Understanding the needs, wants and aspirations of this group, the region’s largest demographic, is hugely important - for governments, for businesses, for brands, for communities. As a business that was born in the region, I feel it’s an important contribution for us to make, and to share these important research findings with Arab governments and with business and industry.”

Al-Ghanem stresses GCC coordination MUSCAT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem said here yesterday that the GCC parliaments coordinate their positions at regional and international forums.

Al-Ghanem said in press statements following talks with Omani Shura Council Chairman Khalid bin Hilal Al-Maawali that there is a great development in the relations among the GCC parliaments and Shura Councils, adding the region is going through a critical time that requires cooperation and coordination.

On his two-day visit to Muscat, he said it reflects distinguished relations between Kuwait and Oman and the sentiments of people represented by parliaments.

During their meeting, the two parts also discussed preparations for a meeting of the joint committee of the GCC Parliaments and Shura councils in Oman, Al-Ghanem added.

Also during the talks, Al-Ghanem

conveyed greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Speaker Al-Ghanem was accompanied by a parliamentary delegation that included MPs Dr. Yousef AlZalzalah, Rakan Al-Nesif, Humoud Al-Hamdan, Abduallah Al-Timimi, Dr. Khalil Abduallah, Sadoun AlOtaibi, Dr. Mohammad Al-Huwailah, and National Assembly Secretary General Allam Al-Kandari.

Al-Ghanem’s visit is part of a tour that will also take him to Germany.

Unification of laws Meanwhile, the GCC countries are eager to unify their legislation and laws, according to Omani Shura Council Chairman Khalid bin Hilal Al-Maawali.

Oman proposed forming a specialized legislative committee between GCC parliaments and Shura councils, Al-Maawali said on the sidelines of receiving Kuwaiti

Assembly speaker Marzouq AlGhanem who arrived in the Sultanate yesterday upon an invitation from his Omani counterpart.

The committee will include three members of each GCC state, in order to exchange experiences and knowledge mainly in economy, said Al-Maawali. The chairman noted the importance of resolving any issues in the GCC Customs Union through joint-laws.

The chairman praised OmaniKuwaiti bilateral ties and his strong relations with Al-Ghanem, noting that the invitation aims at creating more development between the two countries.

The Kuwaiti MPs, who will conclude their visit tonight, will discuss with AlMaawali issues of mutual interest and cooperation between their councils.

The delegation will also meet with Sultan Qaboos’ Representative Asaad bin Tariq Al-Saed and Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousef bin Alawi. —KUNA

Uniqueness to help Gulf carriers thrive ABU DHABI: The three major Gulf carriers - Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways - are not a threat to each other and can survive the pressures of operating hubs in a small market, said Etihad’s top executive. “ What ’s ver y clear for the roadmap we’ve created is that we can’t have the same model. We can’t have the duplication of the same overhead structures,” said James Hogan, Etihad Air ways’ president and CEO. Hogan was speaking at the Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi yesterday. He said the global market is big enough for the three airlines but said his airline would not grow by duplicating the business models of its neighbours. “We as a Gulf hub compete against the rest of the regions,” Hogan said.

The longevity of having three major global airlines operate within less than an hour’s flying time of each other - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha - has often been questioned. However, the three

airlines continue to grow and expand their operations - albeit with different approaches.

Etihad Airways has entered into a number of equity stake par tnerships with airlines in Europe, India, the Seychelles as well as with Virgin Australia.

Emirates, however, has looked to organic growth and has entered into a revenue-sharing codeshare agreement with Qantas.

Qatar Airways, on the other hand, is the only major Gulf carrier to have joined one of the three global airline alliances, oneworld.

“We’re an achievement of what a non-legacy airline can achieve,” Hogan, adding that “our model is how do we achieve competitive scale.”

Etihad has been able to use its equity stake partnership and its relationship with fellow Abu Dhabi-government-owned Mubdala Development Company to negotiate fleet orders.

At the Dubai Airshow, where Etihad announced fleet orders

that included equity stake partner Air Serbia, Mubadala announced $5 billion in contracts to supply parts to Airbus and Boeing.

Hogan said the ability to negotiate as a group ensures a great deal for the airline.

The Etihad chief also touched on the closeness of its relationship with its equity partners. He said that Etihad has worked with Air Berlin to reconfigure their business class, ensuring that whether passengers fly on Etihad or Air Berlin, they will still have the same experience.

Etihad has also retrained cabin crew staff at Air Serbia and Air Seychelles, Hogan said. The airline is also looking to boost its equity stake partnerships.

It will reportedly soon move to lift its stake in Air Berlin from almost 30 per cent to 49.9 per cent and delist the German carrier. Etihad also recently lifted its stake in Ireland’s Aer Lingus to 4.1 per cent and is at present in due diligence talks to take a stake in Italy’s Alitalia. —Gulf News

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

Wails and sobs as Rwanda marks genocide ‘versary

Russia trying to ‘dismember Ukraine’: Kiev Page 9

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ASSAM: An elderly Indian voter, seen sitting on her son’s bicycle, gestures her inked-marked finger as others wait in line to vote outside a polling station in Koliabor, in Assam state’s Nagaon district yesterday. — AFP

India kicks off world’s biggest election Voters to inflict heavy defeat on ruling Congress Party DIBRUGARH: Indians began voting in the world’s biggest election yesterday which is set to sweep the Hindu nationalist opposition to power at a time of low growth, anger about corruption and warnings about religious unrest. India’s 814-million-strong electorate are forecast to inflict a heavy defeat on the ruling Congress party, in power for 10 years, and elect hardliner Narendra Modi from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Voting began at 7:00 am in six constituencies in tea-growing and insurgency-wracked areas of the northeast, an often neglected part of the country wedged between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar.

“I want the government to reduce poverty and do something for the future of my children,” said 30-year-old tea plantation worker Santoshi Bhumej at a polling station in Dibrugarh in the state of Assam.The marathon contest, to be held over nine phases until May 12, got under way after a bad-tempered campaign which reached new levels of bitterness at the weekend. Religious tensions, an undercurrent to the contest which has mostly focused on development until now, burst into the open on Friday when the closest aide of Modi was accused of inciting sentiments.

Amit Shah faces a judicial investigation after he reportedly told supporters to see the election as “revenge” against a “government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed Hindus”.

Rahul Gandhi, leading Congress into his first national election as scion of the famous dynasty, used the comments to underline his message that a victory for Modi threatens India’s religious fabric.

“Wherever these people (the opposition BJP) go they create fights. They’ll pit Hindus and Muslims against each other,” he warned on Sunday. The BJP said talk of “revenge” was normal ahead of an election and said the other remarks were taken out of context.

Prime ministerial front-runner Modi, the hawkish son of a tea seller whose rise has split his party, is a polarizing figure due to his links to anti-Muslim religious riots in 2002. He urged voters on Sunday to give him a majority in the 543-seat parliament in defiance of surveys which repeatedly show the BJP are likely to need coalition partners when results are published on May 16.”I need your blessings for a strong government and strong government means not less than 300 Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) seats,” he said. The party released its delayed manifesto later which included core Hindu nationalist policies such as building a temple for the god Ram on a disputed religious site in northern India and protecting cows.

Disgruntled voters In Assam, a Congress stronghold, some disgruntled voters told AFP they had been swayed by Modi’s promises of better infrastructure, strong leadership, jobs and a clean administration. “The current Congress government is corrupt. They have not been able to control rising prices in the country. I believe that Modi will give us a corruption-free government,” local voter Deepa Borgohain said. Despite a decade under Congress when growth has averaged 7.6 percent per year, a sharp slowdown since 2012 has crippled the public finances and led investment to crash. Coupled with a widespread perception that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s second term was largely lost to indecision and scandal, Modi has been able to tap into a groundswell of discontent.

The election will be the biggest in history and is a mind-boggling feat of organization as voters travel to nearly a million polling stations. In 2009, officials walked for four days through snow to deliver voting machines in the Himalayas, while yaks, camels and even elephants were pressed into action elsewhere in the vast country. Such is India’s population growth that 100 million people have joined the electoral rolls since the last vote five years ago. More than half of the country is aged under 25. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

Absentee Bouteflika dominates Algerian poll Algerians wary of unrest after 1990s civil war CHLEF: At a packed sports hall in western Algeria, portraits of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika gaze down on supporters rallying for his re-election. But the leader himself, weakened by a stroke a year ago, is a no-show. Throughout campaigning for the April 17 polls, Bouteflika has remained mostly out of the public eye apart from brief television appearances, as he has done since falling ill. His absences, and his health, have raised doubts about what will happen after the election in an OPEC oil exporter that supplies a fifth of Europe’s gas, and plays a significant role in the Western war on Islamist militants.

For now, Bouteflika is campaigning by proxy. With his former prime minister and allies crisscrossing Algeria in his name, the 77-year-old independence veteran is almost assured of a fourth term after 15 years leading the nation. They promise that Bouteflika, who is credited with ending a civil war in the 1990s between the state and domestic Islamist militants, can keep Algeria stable. This is a powerful message in a country still traumatized by the conflict that killed 200,000 and left little appetite for the turmoil unleashed on its neighbors after the revolts of 2011 in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.

It is a theme that goes down well at the sports hall in Chlef. This is deep in loyalist territory, the farming provinces ravaged by the war where Bouteflika is hailed as the man who delivered peace, and who can keep delivering it. “He is like a father to us,” said Fatima Benahou, a public administrator at the rally. “He means stability, security. We supported him yesterday, and we are loyal so the least we can do is recognize what he has done.”

Opponents dismiss Bouteflika’s bid as the last breath of the old guard from the ruling Front de Liberation Nationale party (FLN) which has dominated Algerian politics since 1962 independence from France.

With the backing of the political machinery of the FLN, army factions and business elite, Bouteflika faces little challenge from rival candidates despite his

TIZI OUZOU: Algerian students hostile to the President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s reelection scuffle with police during a demonstration in Tizi-Ouzou, east of the capital Algiers. —AFP

us a lot, time for us to be loyal” and “My Oath for Algeria” drove home the message that Bouteflika equals stability.

“I am a veteran of the independence war. The only choice I have is to vote for someone like me, someone I can trust,” said Bourezag Bgillali, 83, dressed in traditional robes and turban. The president’s allies point to instability in the region.

Turmoil blamed on militias over the border in Libya worries Algeria, as well as Western powers who support the central government in Tripoli struggling to impose security. “Look at the neighborhood around us, make a comparison,” Sellal said. “Algeria is like an island of peace.”

Militant violence, while rarer now, is not absent. Last year 40 oil workers, most of them foreigners, died in an Islamist attack on the Amenas gas plant. Some of the fighters had slipped over the border from Libya’s southern deserts. And despite the lack of an “Arab spring”-style revolt, there are occasional anti-government protests: police on Saturday fired tear gas to disperse groups of youths who tossed rocks and burned a hall where Sellal was due to speak in Bejaia, a Berber-speaking area east of Algiers where anti-government sentiment runs high. Two police were injured, security officials said.

Stability above all Bouteflika, a hero of the independence war against France, was first elected in 1999. In office, he helped negotiate a truce ending the civil war that broke out after the FLN cancelled elections which Islamists were poised to win. In Chlef, many still credit Bouteflika with making Algeria more stable, peaceful and rich.

Several thousand supporters and youths rallied at the hall to hear former premier Abdelmalek Sellal praise his credentials, and offer housing, and a new sports stadium. Horsemen in traditional garb carrying hunting shotguns greeted Sellal outside the hall where banners reading “He gave

Opposition struggles Opposition critics accept Algeria may be more stable, but they also see a country mired in corruption, and political and economic torpor. After decades of state economic controls, a legacy of post-independence socialism, Algeria needs reforms to ease restrictions on foreign investment. Energy output, which makes up more than 90 percent of state revenue, is stagnating. The five main opposition candidates running against Bouteflika seem to have little hope in a political system critics say has hardly changed since independence, and is still dominated by the FLN and its network of allied parties.—Reuters

absences. On Thursday, state television showed him greeting the Emir of Qatar, and talking and joking in French with US Secretary of State John Kerry, his longest public appearance in a year. Algeria resisted the upheaval of the Arab Spring,

largely due to the aversion to instability.

With $200 billion in reserves built up from oil and gas exports, state spending on social programs, credits and housing eased any unrest.

Instead, Algeria’s struggles go on behind closed doors between the independence-era clans - the FLN elite and the army intelligence agency DRS - which see themselves as guardians of stability. Since Bouteflika’s illness his allies have strengthened their hand, transferring and firing generals to curb DRS influence over politics, and placing loyalists in top posts.

Once Bouteflika wins another term, however, rival clans may again stake their

claims for power under him, positioning for the day they expect he will step aside.

“They are preparing for what comes next.

The struggle to see who will succeed will resume after April 17,” said one diplomat.

Militants out of control in Darfur EL FASHER: Beware of the men with the hard faces. Look at them the wrong way and you might end up dead, residents of the besieged capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state say. The arrival of government-linked militia more than a month ago has gripped El Fasher with fear, residents say, as Sudan’s western region experiences its worst violence in a decade. “They are uncontrollable,” and have a heavy presence on the city’s east side, said a man who gave his name only as Mustafa, 52.

“They start shooting for no reason, especially in the evening and early morning. We stopped going to the mosque for dawn prayers because if you go out, you might get shot.” With ammunition belts strapped to their waists and their heads swathed in traditional cloth, the uniformed men speed through the streets in pickup trucks mounted with machine-guns. They blare their horns and shout, but what they are saying is unintelligible. “They even target the police. Two days ago a policeman was shot and killed,” Mustafa said. Some of the militias carry the insignia of regular paramilitaries but residents say others are from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The RSF is a counter-insurgency unit that has “perpetrated attacks on communities”, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who heads the African Union-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), told the United Nations Security Council last week. He said the RSF is of particular concern but other factors have also contributed to an alarming escalation in violence in Darfur this year. Rebel attacks, criminal activity and inter-communal fighting over access to resources have also increased, said Chambas, whose mission is based in El Fasher. Ibrahim Ghandour, chief assistant to President Omar Al-Bashir, has dismissed as “nonsense” suggestions that government-linked forces were behind the abuses.

He said the RSF is a component of the Sudan Armed Forces tasked with protecting Darfur’s major cities. Unrest and a soaring number of displaced have evoked comparisons with the early stages of the Darfur war, which shocked the world more than a decade ago. The conflict led to arrest warrants for Bashir and his Defense Minister Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein. Both are wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. The UN says close to 200,000 people have been displaced this year, on top of about two million who had already been uprooted during years of unrest.

‘Worse’ than Janjaweed Thousands have converged on Zam Zam camp for the displaced on the outskirts of El Fasher, where they shelter in the desert sand under shacks built of sticks and strips of cloth. A tribal leader, who asked not to be named, told AFP that militiamen looted two villages just outside El Fasher on Friday. He introduced a reporter to one victim with a leg wound who, the leader said, had been shot when militia opened fire at random during their thieving. The victim declined to comment. “I believe these militia are worse than what the Janjaweed did in the old days,” the tribal leader said. “They are well-equipped with fast vehicles and heavy weapons. The Janjaweed only had horses and camels.”

Rebels from Darfur’s black tribes rose up in 2003 seeking an end to what they said was the domination of Sudan’s power and wealth by Arab elites. In response, government-backed Janjaweed, recruited among the region’s Arab tribes, shocked the world with atrocities against civilians. Since then the dynamics of the conflict have changed.

Analysts say the government can no longer control its former Arab tribal allies, whom it armed against the insurgents. A February report by UN chief Ban Ki-moon said some paramilitaries whose salaries were disrupted because of Sudan’s economic crisis have sought “alternative sources of revenue”.

An AFP reporter in El Fasher observed dozens of militia gun-trucks moving about the city, each with several men standing in the back. A more formal security presence is also felt, with armed police and national intelligence agents stationed outside banks, after rebel attacks in the state’s southeast. The Central Reserve Police, a paramilitary unit, has set up tented posts around the town, but a prominent local businessman said the regular forces are no match for the less-disciplined militia. “These militia are stronger than professional soldiers,” he said, declining to be named. “These people can kill you just for your mobile phone.”—AFP

ADRA: A handout picture shows bodies lying on the ground, allegedly of rebel fighters after they were killed by Syrian government forces in Adra, on the eastern outskirts of Damascus. — AFP

Assad to seek re-election; danger ‘over’: Hezbollah Hezbollah claims border attack on Israeli patrol BEIRUT: Syrian President Bashar AlAssad will stand for re-election this year and no longer faces a threat of being overthrown, the head of his Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah said in an interview published yesterday.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose fighters have been supporting Assad inside Syria, also said that after three years of conflict the danger of the country fragmenting was receding. Assad has lost control of large swathes of northern and eastern Syria to Syrian Islamist rebels and foreign jihadis. But his forces, backed by Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite Muslim fighters and Iranian military commanders, have driven rebels back from around Damascus and secured most of central Syria.

“In my estimation, the phase of overthrowing the regime and overthrowing the state is over,” Nasrallah told Al-Safir newspaper, adding that he believed Assad would put himself forward for a third presidential term in a vote due by July. “It’s natural that he nominates himself, and I believe that will happen,” Nasrallah said of the planned vote expected to take place despite ongoing conflict and massive displacement within Syria. Assad’s international foes have said the poll would be a “parody of democracy”.

Rebels “cannot overthrow the regime (but) they can wage a war of attrition,” Nasrallah said. “The real danger was, and still is to a certain extent, the end of Syria, its fragmentation.

The danger was real and serious... I think we have passed the danger of fragmentation.” More than 150,000 people have been killed in Syria’s civil

war, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. A third of those were pro-Assad forces, including 364 Hezbollah fighters, it said. Nasrallah dismissed rebel gains over the last two weeks in the coastal province of Latakia - a stronghold of Assad’s minority Alawite faith where rebels have seized the Kasab border crossing - as little more than a distraction.

“We can’t call what is happening in Latakia and Kasab a big battle ... it’s a limited operation,” he said, adding that talk of a big rebel offensive in the southern province of Deraa on the Jordanian border had also been overstated. As the military threat against Assad eased, so too would the political pressure “starting with Saudi Arabia and Qatar”, Nasrallah said, pointing to two Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states who have backed the mainly Sunni rebels battling Assad.

“I’m not saying they have changed their positions, but the strength of their stances, the level of their intervention and the hopes that they had, have changed a lot,” he said - in contrast to what he described as the unflinching support Assad enjoyed from his own allies.

Syria war fuels tensions Shiite Hezbollah’s intervention in Syria, alongside the flow of Sunni fighters and weapons from Lebanon to support the rebels, has fuelled sectarian tensions inside Lebanon.

Radical Sunni groups have claimed responsibility for car bombs which targeted the southern Beirut suburbs where Hezbollah holds sway, and

rockets have also struck Shiite and Sunni towns in the Bekaa Valley.

Lebanese Sunni politicians have criticized Hezbollah, which was set up three decades ago to fight Israeli occupation forces in the south of the country, for wading into an Arab conflict. But Nasrallah denied that his group’s military role in Syria was losing it popularity, saying its campaign against Syrian rebels near the Lebanese border was helping reduce the risk of bombings inside Lebanon.

Even some members of Lebanon’s anti-Hezbollah March 14 coalition tacitly supported the group’s actions, he said. “There is a strong popular mood which supports Hezbollah’s intervention in Syria. Many Lebanese, even within March 14, deep down they believe and accept that intervention in Syria protects Lebanon from these terrorist groups.”

Nasrallah also said Hezbollah was responsible for a bombing of an Israeli border patrol in March, saying the attack was in response to an Israeli air strike against a Hezbollah target on the Syrian-Lebanese border a month earlier. “The Shebaa Farms bomb ... was the work of the resistance, the work of Hezbollah,” he said. “The is not the (full) response, but part of the response to the Israeli raid.” He appeared to be referring to a March 14 incident when Israel’s military said an explosive device was detonated against Israeli soldiers patrolling the border with Lebanon. Israel shot six mortars into southern Lebanon in response, but no one was wounded on either side, security and military sources said.—Reuters

News

in brief

Southern Libya now militia ‘viper’s nest’ PARIS: Southern Libya has become a “viper’s nest” for Islamist militants and the only way to tackle it is with a strong collective response from neighboring countries, France’s defense minister said in remarks published yesterday. “We are increasingly worried.

It’s a viper’s nest in which jihadists are returning, acquiring weapons and recruiting,” Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an transcript of an interview provided by the ministry. “It is dangerous and the conditions are not in place to find a solution.” Two-and-a-half years after the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, the oil-rich North African state is struggling to contain violence between rival forces, with Islamist militants gaining an ever-stronger grip on the south of the country. With no desire to get involved militarily, Western countries have pledged for months to train Libyan security forces so they can better protect borders, but with few actually doing so. France had been due to begin training 1,000 Libyan police officers at the end of March, but that plan appears on hold. “The only possible response is a strong collaboration between neighboring states to ensure border security because there is no state in Libya,” Le Drian said. “We are ready to train policemen, but there are no volunteers.”

MERS death toll rises to 66 in Saudi Arabia JEDDAH: Saudi health authorities have reported the deaths of another two men from the MERS coronavirus, bringing the death toll from the respiratory disease in the worst hit country to 66. A 70year-old national, who died in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, had also been suffering from chronic illnesses, the health ministry said in a late Sunday statement. The second victim was a medic, also in Jeddah, where the ministry reported four new cases of the disease. The latest deaths brought the total number of cases in Saudi Arabia to 167 people since Middle East Respiratory Syndrome first appeared in the kingdom in September 2012.

Experts are struggling to understand the disease, for which there is no known vaccine. A study has said the virus has been “extraordinarily common” in camels for at least 20 years, and may have been passed directly from the animals to humans. MERS is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died. The World Health Organization said at the end of March that it has been told of 206 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS infection, including 86 deaths.

2 foreign UN workers shot dead in Somalia MOGADISHU: Two foreign UN workers, one of them a Briton, were shot dead yesterday at an airport in Galkayo, central Somalia, officials and witnesses said. A United Nations source confirmed the two men were international staff members with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “Two white men have been shot inside the airport as they got off a plane,” local security official Mohamed Mire said. An airport official said the attacker was dressed in a police uniform. “One of them died inside the airport and the other one was rushed to hospital where he later died of the injuries. Both of them were white men,” said witness Hassan Ahmed. Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that one of the two victims was a Briton. “We are aware of the death of a British national in Somalia on 7 April. We stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family at this difficult time,” a spokesman said. The two staffers had reportedly flown into Galkayo to meet with Somali officials on the issue of regulating the money transfer services that replace a formal banking system in Somalia. Some accounts from the airport said the two had been shot close to the immigration office and the killing seemed to be a targeted assassination carried out by two assailants. Other accounts said the two were shot by one policeman who appeared to be mentally disturbed.

72 die as vigilantes and Fulani herdsmen clash KADUNA: Clashes in northwest Nigeria between suspected Fulani cattle rustlers mounted on motorbikes and local youth vigilantes from the rival Hausa ethnic group left at least 72 people dead, police said yesterday. Dozens of gunmen raided a meeting of youth vigilantes and local hunters who had gathered from different areas at the remote village of Yar Galadima, in northwest Zamfara state, on Saturday. “The attackers came in large numbers on motorcycles and shot sporadically,” police spokesman Lawal Abdullahi said by telephone. “At the end 72 people were killed including the bandits, because the vigilantes and hunters fought back.” Hundreds have been killed in the past year in clashes pitting the semi-nomadic, cattle-herding Fulani people against more settled communities that practice a mix of farming and cattle rearing, driven by disputes centered around land use. The unrest is often seen as sectarian in nature since Fulanis are Muslim and the communities with which they are in conflict in central Nigeria’s “Middle Belt” - where the country’s mostly Christian south and Muslim north meet - tend to be Christian. Gunmen, suspected to be Fulanis, killed more than 100 people in an attack on three mostly Christian villages in central Nigeria late last month.

Iran’s missile material export plan shattered MADRID: Spanish police say they have arrested four people who allegedly planned to send to Iran industrial machinery that could be used to make missiles. A Civil Guard statement yesterday said officers seized two Leifeld metalworking machines that had been imported illegally from Britain last year. The statement said the machines are classified as “dual use” - meaning they can be used in both civilian and military industry - and their shipping to Iran would violate UN sanctions. It said three Spaniards and one Iranian were arrested in the cities of Barcelona, Tarragona and Palma de Mallorca. They were charged with membership of a criminal gang, trafficking dual-use goods and money laundering. The statement said police also confiscated 10,000 euros ($13,700) and documents on exporting dual-use technology.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

After Crimea, Western spies, armies to raise Russia focus LONDON: As Western states enter a new era of potential confrontation with Moscow, they face an awkward reality. A quarter-century after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the level of expertise on Russia in intelligence agencies, armed forces and governments has diminished drastically. Rising concern over Russian government espionage - including increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks and computer spyware - had sparked some modest renewed interest in recent years, primarily in counterintelligence.

But the way Washington and its allies were so blindsided by President Vladimir Putin’s military seizure and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, is seen demonstrating a dramatic need for renewed focus. The bottom line, current and former officials say, is that with the post-September 11, 2001 focus on Islamist militancy and the Middle East and later the rise of China, the former Soviet Union was simply not seen a career enhancing speciality.

Compared to the Cold War era, when most of Russian territory was off-limits to Westerners, regional specialists say there is no shortage of expertise among academics and in the business community today. But it has so far gone untapped.

“There is a good supply of Russia experts out there - people who have lived there with lots of good experience - but the demand has just not been there from government,” says Fiona Hill, U.S. national intelligence officer for Russia in 2006-9 and now director for the Centre for the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution. “The Pentagon in particular has lost a lot of its Russia expertise, as has the White House.” More of those outside experts are now likely to find work in defense ministries and intelligence agencies, current and former officials say. But in an era of constrained budgets, focusing on Russia is likely to mean redeploying resources from elsewhere.

Until the Ukraine crisis that did not seem a natural choice, people with knowledge of internal discussions say. “The main problem is one of capacity at a time when counterterrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Arab awakening have taken up so much energy,” said one former Western intelligence officer on condition of anonymity. Russia is primarily a threat to its immediate neighborhood only, officials and analysts say, but still one requiring greater vigilance that over the last two decades.

Those who know most Capacity alone is far from everything. The West’s legions of Soviet specialists, with few exceptions, missed the warning signs of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. Still, officials and analysts say there is a growing feeling that the West should have done more to increase its Russia focus particularly as Moscow’s defence spending rose some 30 percent after its 2008 war with Georgia.

“The people who know the most about Russia’s defense capability have tended to take it the most seriously,” says former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, now a senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security.

Some central and east European and Nordic states have long focused much if not all of their intelligence and defense resources on Russia.

Poland and Sweden in particular are seen leading the pack. Others are now catching up.

One reason Washington and its allies were so surprised by events in Crimea was that during Russia’s military build-up in the region, there was little or no signals chatter indicating an imminent takeover, intelligence sources say. Still, Moscow had very publicly mobilized its forces several days earlier ostensibly for an exercise. That such obvious clues were missed, some say, suggests analysts had lost their edge in assessing and predicting the actions of the Russian leadership. While US officials are now monitoring closely a Russian troop buildup along Ukraine’s eastern border, Western experts differ over whether Putin plans to invade the region.

Spy ring, spyware For the United States, two espionage incidents in the last decade helped draw counterintelligence attention back to Moscow’s suspected activities.

The first was the 2008 discovery of sophisticated spy software dubbed Agent BTZ that infected Department of Defense computers after apparently entering from a USB drive later found in the car park of a US military base in the Middle East.

Pentagon officials spent months cleaning systems and the attack is still seen one of the most serious breaches of US government IT security. Although Washington never officially laid blame for the intrusion, several US officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Moscow was the prime suspect.

Much higher profile was the 2010 arrest and expulsion of 10 “deep cover” spies in the United States including Anna Chapman, who became a Russian television presenter and celebrity. That followed information from a Russian defector and a major FBI investigation. There is little evidence the spies were hugely successful. In Britain, security agencies began paying more attention to Russia after the 2007 death of Putin opponent Alexander Litvinenko from radioactive poisoning. Until recently, however, military intelligence specialists were simply too busy with operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Russia’s Crimea annexation may revive military specialisms such as tank and submarine warfare neglected during the decade-long campaign in mountainous, landlocked Afghanistan.

“Antisubmarine warfare is something that has been far too sidelined for the simple reason that the Taleban do not have submarines,” said one former senior European officer. Some of the problems in understanding Russia, however, may be societal rather than military. “For a country that is so patriotic, we can be highly intolerant of others’ patriotism,” former Pentagon official Colby said of the United States. “We just don’t see their patriotism as particularly legitimate.” — Reuters

Kiev: Russia trying to ‘dismember Ukraine’ Pro-Moscow protesters declare separatist republic KIEV: Pro-Moscow protesters occupying a government building in eastern Ukraine declared the creation of a separatist republic yesterday, in a move Kiev described as part of a plan to justify a Russian invasion to dismember the country. Kiev said the seizures of state buildings in three cities in eastern Ukraine’s mainly Russian speaking industrial heartland were a replay of events in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow annexed after its troops occupied it last month. “An anti-Ukrainian plan is being put into operation ... under which foreign troops will cross the border and seize the territory of the country,” Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk told a cabinet meeting in Kiev. “We will not allow this.”

Pro-Russian protesters seized official buildings in the eastern cities of Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk on Sunday night, demanding that referendums be held on whether to join Russia like the one that preceded Moscow’s takeover of Crimea. Police said they cleared the protesters from the building in Kharkiv, but in Luhansk the demonstrators had seized weapons. In Donetsk, home base of deposed proRussian President Viktor Yanukovich, about 120 pro-Moscow activists calling themselves the “Republican People’s Soviet of Donetsk” seized the chamber of the regional parliament.

An unidentified bearded man read out “the act of the proclamation of an independent state, Donetsk People’s Republic” in front of a Russian flag. “In the event of aggressive action from the illegitimate Kiev authorities, we will appeal to the Russian Federation to bring in a peacekeeping contingent,” said the proclamation. The activists later read out the text by loud hailer to a cheering crowd of about 1,000 people outside the building. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 1, a week after Yanukovich was overthrown, that Moscow has the right to take military action in Ukraine to protect Russian speakers, creating the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War. The United States and EU imposed mild financial sanctions on a limited number of Russian officials over the seizure of Crimea but have threatened much tougher meas-

DONETSK: Pro-Russian activists guard the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk yesterday. — AFP ures if Russian troops, now massed on the frontier, enter other parts of Ukraine.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said yesterday the main regional administration building in Kharkiv had been cleared of “separatists”. But police in Luhansk said protesters occupying the state security building there had seized weapons. Highway police had closed off roads into the city. “Unknown people who are in the building have broken into the building’s arsenal and have seized weapons,” a police statement said. Nine people had been hurt in the disturbances in Luhansk.

Mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine has seen a sharp rise in tension since Yanukovich fled the country, and Kiev has long said it believes Moscow is behind the unrest. Unlike in Crimea, where ethnic Russians form a majority, most people in the east and south are ethnically Ukrainian but speak Russian as a first language.

Influential businessmen in eastern regions

who once supported Yanukovich have mostly thrown their weight behind the government in Kiev, and the unrest there is a test of their ability to assert their control.

Yanukovich’s call Yanukovich, in exile in Russia, has called for referendums across Ukrainian regions on their status within the country. Ukraine’s defense ministry said a Russian marine had shot and killed a Ukrainian naval officer in Crimea on Sunday night. The 33-year-old officer, who was preparing to leave Crimea, was shot twice in officers’ quarters. It was not clear why the Russian marine had

opened fire. Ukraine has declared that it is pulling its troops out of Crimea after Russian forces seized it. Yatseniuk said that though much of the unrest had died down in eastern Ukraine in the past month there remained about 1,500 “radicals” in each region who spoke with “clear Russian accents” and whose activity was being coordinated through foreign intelligence services.

But he said Ukrainian authorities had drawn up a plan to handle the crisis. “We have a clear action plan,” he said, adding that senior officials would head to the towns concerned. Avakov on Sunday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating the “separatist disorder” and promised that disturbances would be brought under control without violence.

Russia has been pushing internationally a plan proposing the “federalization” of Ukraine in which regions of the country of 46 million would have broad powers of autonomy.

Ukraine, while drawing up its own blueprint of constitutional changes for “de-centralization”, in which smaller municipalities would be able to develop their own areas by retaining a portion of state taxes raised, says the Russian plan is aimed at breaking up the country. Referring to the Russian plan, Yatseniuk said: “It is an attempt to destroy Ukrainian statehood, a script which has been written in the Russian Federation, the aim of which is to divide and destroy Ukraine and turn part of Ukraine into a slave territory under the dictatorship of Russia,” he said. “This is not going to happen,” he said. “I appeal to the people and the elites of the east. Our common responsibility is to preserve the country and I am sure that noone wants to be under a neighboring country. We have our country. Let’s keep it,” he said. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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Wails, sobs as Rwanda marks 20th anniversary of genocide Diplomatic row breaks out over ‘France’s complicity’ KIGALI: Solemn commemorations marking the 20th anniversar y of Rwanda’s genocide yesterday bore reminders of a festering anger as a major diplomatic row broke out over allegations of France’s complicity in the 1994 massacres. The French ambassador to Kigali said he had been barred from the commemorations after Paris decided to cancel a ministerial visit in response to the renewed accusations by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo also told France that it had to face up to the “difficult truth” over its involvement in the murder of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis two decades ago.

Official mourning, which began three months ago with a flame of remembrance touring towns and villages across the small central African nation, culminates on Monday when the torch arrives at the national genocide memorial.

Kagame will light a flame that will burn for 100 days, the length of time it took government soldiers and “Hutu power” militiamen to carry out their plan to wipe out the “Inyenzi”-a term meaning “cockroaches” that was used by Hutu extremists to denigrate and designate the minority Tutsis.

The well-planned and viciously executed genocide began on April 6, 1994, shortly after Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down over Kigali. Roadblocks were set up, with Tutsi men, women and children of all ages butchered with machetes, guns and grenades. Custodians of the memorial say it contains the bones of a quarter of a million people now carefully stored in vast concrete tombs.

French ‘participation’ Wreathes were also laid, before ceremonies in Kigali’s football stadium where UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon and several African leaders are due to attend along with several top diplomats from the United States and European nations. French officials, however, were absent.

“Yesterday night the Rwandan foreign ministry telephoned to inform me that I was no longer accredited for the ceremonies,” the French ambassador, Michel Flesch said. French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira had already pulled out of the events after Kagame repeated his accusation of French “participation” in the killings.

He said French soldiers-who helped train the Hutu nationalist-controlled Rwandan army prior to 1994, as well as being accused of aiding the killers to escape-were both accomplices and “actors” in the bloodbath. “For our two countries to really start getting along, we will have to face the truth. The truth is difficult, the truth of being close to anybody who is associated with genocide understandably is a very difficult truth to accept,” Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said on Sunday. France has repeatedly denied any direct involvement in the genocide,

KIGALI: Performers re-enacting some of the events, enter a public ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, at Amahoro stadium in Kigali yesterday. — AP and unlike former colonial power Belgium has refused to apologize or express any regret.

‘Shook world’s conscience’ The UN chief has said the commemorations were a chance to remind the world to do all it can to ensure such crimes never happen again. The UN was also heavily criticized in 1994 for not doing more to stop the killings. “The scale of the brutality in Rwanda still shocks: an average of 10,000 deaths per day, day after day, for three months,” Ban said. He said the impact of the massacres are still being felt across an “arc of uncertainty in Africa’s Great Lakes region-and in the collective conscience of the international community”.

“People everywhere should place themselves in the shoes of the vulnerable, from Syria to the Central African Republic, and ask themselves what more they can do to build a world of human rights and dignity for all,” Ban said.

US President Barack Obama also paid tribute to the vic-

tims, saying the genocide “shook the conscience of the world”. “The horrific events of those 100 days-when friend turned against friend, and neighbor against neighborcompel us to resist our worst instincts, just as the courage of those who risked their lives to save others reminds us of our obligations to our fellow man,” Obama said in a statement.

“The genocide we remember today-and the world’s failure to respond more quickly-reminds us that we always have a choice.” Many ordinary Rwandans said the events were bringing back painful memories. “It is the day when the faces of all those I loved and died come back,” said Marie Muresyankwano, a mother in her thirties, adding that she would watch events on television, but would otherwise spend time “with my own thoughts”. Rwanda’s Red Cross has boosted its support staff for those hit hard by the memory of trauma. The official “Kwibuka” mourningmeaning “remember” in Kinyarwanda-ends on July 4, Rwanda’s liberation day.— AFP

Race for top EU jobs turns murkier before elections PARIS: The race for the European Union’s top leadership jobs has turned murkier with news that Finland’s prime minister is stepping down to seek a European role while France is touting its former finance minister as its nominee for a European Commission post. That undermines the chances of two potential compromise candidates - both French - to head the executive body, in what is expected to be a tough fight between national governments and the European Parliament in June, with the added spice of a eurosceptic Britain following its own agenda.

The European Parliament, the EU’s directly elected body, wants the next Commission president - the big prize - to be the leading candidate of the political group which wins the most votes in next month’s European parliamentary election. The floor leaders of the three biggest political parties said as much on Thursday in a joint statement, declaring: “The next elected Commission president will be the result of a transparent process, not the product of back-room deals.” But if no party wins a clear victory, and if Britain objects to the official frontrunners as too integrationist, the top job may go to a dark-horse third candidate, as it did in 2004, when Portugal’s Jose Manuel Barroso was picked to break a deadlock.

One potential compromise candidate, centre-right Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, 42, threw his hat in the ring on Saturday, though he does not plan to stand in May’s election. Katainen said he would resign this summer after three years in office and was available for EU or international roles. Two other frequently mentioned compromise figures are French: International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and former World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy. Both are regarded as competent, market-friendly technocrats with a track record of running complex bureaucracies.

But a candidate must be put forward by his or her home country and France can only name one Commission member. So if Socialist outgoing Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici has indeed been promised that slot, as he and government sources said when he lost his cabinet seat last week, that would appear to rule out either the centre-right Lagarde, herself a former finance minister, or Lamy, a moderate Socialist seen by some on the French left as too supportive of globalization.

Even if Moscovici ends up in the planned role of full-time chairman of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers rather than in the Commission, it is highly unlikely that France could land two top jobs. But one seasoned EU diplomat said it was conceivable that other EU leaders could appeal to President Francois Hollande to change his nominee for Europe’s sake. Katainen, a highly regarded modernising ex-finance minister who has held together an unwieldy left-right coalition, might also be a contender for the Eurogroup chair. But his country’s sceptical hard line on bailouts in the euro zone crisis may make him unattractive to heavily indebted southern EU states.

Carve-up Diplomats say British Prime Minister David Cameron has told some EU colleagues privately that neither of the current “Spitzenkandidaten” (frontrunners) to lead the Commission - German Social Democrat Martin Schulz and centre-right Luxembourger Jean-Claude Juncker - is acceptable to London. Both are seen as old-fashioned federalists, anathema to Britons seeking to erase the EU’s treaty aim of “ever closer union” and a liability when Cameron plans to renegotiate membership terms and put the result to a referendum in 2017. Previous British prime ministers vetoed federalist Belgian favorites for the Commission presidency in 1994 and 2004. Although London has no veto this time over a decision now subject to qualified majority voting, it might find enough allies to block either man, and anyway the EU does not normally outvote a big member state on a matter of national interest.—Reuters

HOMS: Photo shows the lifeless body of Dutch Father Francis Van Der Lugt, 72, in his coffin at a church in Homs province, Syria yesterday. — AP

Dutch priest shot dead in Syria’s besieged city BEIRUT: Dutch priest Frans van der Lugt, who gained renown for his insistence on staying in Syria’s besieged city of Homs, was shot dead there yesterday by an unknown gunman. His death was reported by the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syria’s state news agency SANA, and was confirmed by the Dutch Jesuit Order. The motive for his murder was unclear. Van der Lugt, 75, had become a well-known figure in the Old City of Homs, respected by many for his solidarity with residents of the rebel-held area under a government siege for nearly two years.

He refused to leave despite constant shelling and dwindling supplies, insisting that Syria was his home and he wanted to be with the country’s citizens in their time of need.”I can confirm that he’s been killed,” Jan Stuyt, secretary of the Dutch Jesuit Order said. “A man came into his house, took him outside and shot him twice in the head. In the street in

front of his house.”Stuyt said he was not aware of particular threats to van der Lugt, adding that the priest would be buried in Syria “according to his wishes”. Van der Lugt spent nearly five decades in Syria, and told AFP in Februar y that he considered the country to be his home.

“The Syrian people have given me so much, so much kindness, inspiration and everything they have. If the Syrian people are suffering now, I want to share their pain and their difficulties,” he said. He stayed on even as some 1,400 people were evacuated during a UN-supervised operation that began on February 7 and also saw limited supplies of food brought into the city. Homs’s Old City has been besieged by government forces for nearly two years, creating increasing dire circumstances for those unable to leave.”The faces of people you see in the street are weak and yellow. Their bodies are weakened and have lost their strength,” Van der Lugt told AFP before the UN operation.

What should we do?

The siege and continued shelling in the city whittled away the Old City ’s population, including a Christian community that shrunk from tens of thousands to just 66, according to the Dutch priest. A Jesuit, Father Frans arrived in Syria in 1966 after spending two years in Lebanon studying Arabic. He lived in a Jesuit monastery, where he ministered to the area’s remaining Christians and tried to help poor families-Muslims and Christians alike. “I don’t see people as Muslims or Christian, I see a human being first and foremost,” he told AFP in February. In a statement, the Vatican praised van der Lugt as a “man of peace,” and expressed “great pain” over his death.

“This is the death of a man of peace, who showed great courage in remaining loyal to the Syrian people despite an extremely risky and difficult situation,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. —AFP

Survivors drag Dutch govt to court THE HAGUE: Survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre opened a civil suit against the Dutch government yesterday, saying Dutch peacekeepers should have protected the victims of Europe’s worst massacre since World War II. “They did not prevent the murder of thousands of civilians,” the group’s lawyer Marco Gerritsen told the Hague court, where the case is finally being heard. The suit was first brought in 2007 by victims’ group the Mothers of Srebrenica, in connection with the massacre during Bosnia’s bloody three-year war in the early 1990s.

The tiny Muslim enclave of Srebrenica was under UN protection until July 11, 1995 when it was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces under the command of General Ratko Mladic. Mladic’s troops

brushed aside the lightly-armed Dutch peacekeepers, called the Dutch battalion or Dutchbat, in the “safe area” where thousands of Muslims from surrounding villages had gathered for protection. In the subsequent days, almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered and their bodies dumped in mass graves in the worst bloodshed on European soil since World War II. The Dutchbat troops failed to intervene and subsequently withdrew. Lawyer Gerritsen said “the protection of civilians is an over-riding principle.”

The Mothers of Srebrenica, which represents some 6,000 widows and victims’ relatives, have been seeking justice for several years for the massacre, which the UN’s highest International Court of Justice has ruled was genocide. “The

Mothers of Srebrenica want the responsibility of the Dutch to be recognized and then compensation, even though this is less important to them,” Semir Guzin, another victims’ lawyer said. Dutch courts have previously refused to hear a request by the Mothers of Srebrenica to prosecute the United Nations for the killings saying the international organization had immunity. Last year the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights agreed with that immunity decision. The civil proceedings against the Dutch state, being heard yesterday, had been put on hold pending the outcome of the case against the UN. In 2002 the entire Dutch government quit after a report was released blaming the unit and senior military officials from preventing the killings.—AFP

News

in brief

Philippines detains an Italian diplomat MANILA: Philippine police said yesterday they have detained a vacationing Italian diplomat and filed complaints of human trafficking and child abuse after he was allegedly found in the company of three underage boys at a resort. The diplomat was based in Turkmenistan, said police Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula. Members of the child rights group Bahay Tuluyan who were on an outing in the same resort in Laguna province south of Manila became suspicious and alerted authorities, he said. Catherine Scerri of Bahay Tuluyan said she and her colleagues saw the foreigner at the resort with three young children aged 9 to 12 clearly not related to him. The Italian Embassy in Manila was aware that Philippine police had taken the man into custody, said an embassy staffer, who refused to give her name. The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Italian Foreign Ministry in Rome did not immediately comment either. According to a police press statement, Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno visited the police station in Binan, Laguna, to ensure that legal assistance was provided to the diplomat. The complaints were filed before a prosecutor, who will determine if there is enough evidence for formal charges to be brought against the diplomat.

‘Tortured’ Indonesian returns to Hong Kong HONG KONG: An Indonesian maid allegedly tortured by her Hong Kong employer returned to the city yesterday for a medical examination to help the investigation of a case which sparked angry protests. Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, 23, was whisked through the airport surrounded by a dozen police officers, as several activists shouted “Justice for Erwiana!” The Indonesian consulate said she would undergo a full medical examination during her visit lasting about a week and stay in accommodation provided by Indonesian authorities. “We will provide full assistance to Erwiana. It is the duty of the consulate of her own country,” said Sam Aryadi, vice consul for public affairs. Sulistyaningsih was reportedly abused over a period of eight months while working in Hong Kong and was in critical condition on her return to Indonesia in January. One of her doctors there said at the time the mistreatment included having her head smashed repeatedly against a wall.

The case sparked renewed concern, including from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, about the treatment of domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Thousands of them took to the streets in January to demand justice for Sulistyaningsih. Her former employer, 44-year-old Law Wan-tung, has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Sulistyaningsih.

20 killed as Pakistan’s Taleban factions clash MIRANSHAH: Clashes between two Pakistani Taleban factions have left at least 20 dead, security officials and militant sources said yesterday, in a sign of the intense rivalries within the umbrella grouping. The fighting took place in the tribal regions between supporters of Khan Said Sajna, a senior commander once tipped to lead the group, and those of former leader Hakimullah Mehsud who was killed in a US drone strike last November. A security official in Islamabad said that at least 15 militants were killed in a overnight clash between the groups along the border of the North and South Waziristan tribal agencies. Another security official and two militant sources in North Waziristan confirmed the clash. Fighting broke out once again on Monday, killing a further five militants. “At least five people including a commander of Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a rocket attack on a vehicle in South Waziristan,” a local security official said, naming the commander as one “Shadeed Mehsud”. “The dead bodies were severely burnt in the attack carried out in Shaktoi area and complete identification of the militants was difficult,” he added. The second attack was confirmed by a militant source. The reason for the clashes was unclear. But the umbrella Tehreek-eTaleban Pakistan (TTP) group which was formed in 2007 has long been riven by infighting.

US to send F-16 jets to Romania BUCHAREST: The United States will deploy F-16 fighter jets to Romania this month as part of planned joint exercises, the NATO member’s defense minister was quoted as saying, amid rising tensions in neighboring Ukraine after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Last month, a US guided-missile destroyer conducted naval exercises with Romania and Bulgaria in the Black Sea, just a few hundreds miles (km) from Crimea, in a show of Washington’s military reach. “American F-16 jets will be in Romania ... because we have planned joint exercises in Romania’s air space during this time, and they will stay for a pretty long period,” Romania’s Defense Minister Mircea Dusa was quoted by Mediafax news agency late on Sunday as saying. Last week, the Pentagon said it would send 175 new troops to a Romanian base near the Black Sea as part of plans to bolster the size of its Europe-based Africa crisis response force. President Barack Obama has said NATO needs to boost its presence in eastern European countries that feel vulnerable to Russia after its annexation of Crimea. The small Baltic states are particularly nervous about a more assertive Russia.

Police boss suspended after reporter’s death MANILA: The police chief of a Philippine town was suspended after a national newspaper reporter who he argued with was murdered, in the latest of a string of media killings, authorities said yesterday. Rubylita Garcia, 52, a reporter with a popular tabloid, was shot dead on Sunday in her home about 30 kilometers from the nation’s capital, Manila, national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Sindac said.

Sindac told reporters the police chief of Tanza town, which is close to where Garcia lived and worked, was suspended yesterday “so he can not affect the ongoing investigation”. “ This is administrative relief because of reports the Tanza police chief figured in an altercation with the victim before the incident,” Sindac said. However Sindac emphasized this did not necessarily mean the local police chief, Superintendent Conrado Villanueva, was a suspect. The altercation between the pair was allegedly a heated verbal argument at a press conference, according to Antiporda, although the details were not immediately clear.

Garcia had worked for the ‘Remate’ newspaper for 10 years covering police and local government issues, according to its publisher, Benny Antiporda. “She was a hard-hitting veteran news reporters, always going after perceived corruption and anomalies wherever she was assigned,” he said.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

Rivals cry foul; preliminary results put Abdullah ahead Abdullah, Ghani in the lead, runoff likely KABUL: Preliminary tallies from Afghanistan’s presidential election showed former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah leading in parts of Kabul yesterday but, with ballot counting likely to last weeks, it was far too early to predict a winner. The two other frontrunners complained of fraud in the April 5 vote, which is meant to lead to the first democratic transfer of power in Afghan history as incumbent Hamid Karzai prepares to step down after more than 12 years as head of state.

Trucks stacked with plastic ballot boxes began to trundle into the capital where officials will tally votes from across the rugged country of around 30 million people. The United States plans to withdraw most of its troops by the end of 2014, so the longer Afghanistan has to wait for the installation of a new leader, the bigger the risk of instability from a Taleban insurgency and from rivalry between factions in a country divided along ethnic and tribal faultlines.

“We are trying to start the process as soon as possible,” Noor Mohammad Noor, a spokesman for the Independent Election Commission, said of the count.

“It’s a long process ... It will take time.” If none of the eight candidates gets more than 50 percent, a runoff will have to be held, at the earliest in late May, considerably prolonging the wait for a winner to be declared. A tour of Kabul polling stations showed that Abdullah was firmly in the lead, confirming the popularity of the suave former anti-Soviet resistance fighter in the capital city.

Runoff vote However, although official preliminary results are not due till April 24, it looks increasingly likely Abdullah will face a runoff with Ashraf Ghani, an exWorld Bank official with a programme of radical economic reform. Ghani, a former finance minister, should score well in the north as his running mate Abdul Rashid Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek former guerrilla leader, holds sway over much of the region.

According to informal preliminary tallies from around the country, ex-foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul may come a distant third. He is believed to have Karzai’s backing and is expected to do better in the ethnic Pashtun-dominated south, where the Karzai family has strengthened its influence over the

KANDAHAR: Afghan election commission workers unload ballot boxes at the IEC (Independent Election Commission) in Kandahar yesterday. — AFP years. Rekindling memories of the mass Kandahar but the attack did not appear fraud that marred the previous presi- to be linked to the election.

As part of efforts to make the elecdential election in 2009, the Ghani and Rassoul camps both said they had tion more transparent, polling stations received reports of violations and had at schools and offices across the counsubmitted them to the Election try post results on their doors for the public to see. A result sheet from Complaints Commission (ECC).

“There are reports of serious fraud in Sayed Jamaluddin High school in several locations but all is documented Kabul, for example, showed Abdullah and will be passed on to ECC for investi- had received 190 ballots, Ghani 23 and gation,” Ghani posted on his Twitter Rassoul 11. The picture was similar at account. The extent of the suspected about a dozen other schools visited by fraud was not immediately clear and Reuters in the west and north of Kabul. the ECC was expected to take weeks to Three polling stations in Helmand check the allegations. Abdullah’s camp province visited by Reuters also put also alleged violations. “Unfortunately Abdullah in the lead. So did one electoral fraud took place in many polling station in the remote province places. In many places observers were of Ghor and two centers in Herat. not allowed in and people were inside Kabul is home to at least 20 percent of stuffing ballots,” said Mohammad Khan, the electorate, so a strong result in the Abdullah’s running mate. “In Charchino capital could be key to the outcome.

Rassoul’s strong base is in the district of Uruzgan, police took voting cards from voters and told them that a south, but even there voters appeared fight (with Taleban) was about to start, to be divided, with signs that tribal go home and we will vote for you,” he influence in the deeply traditional region is starting to matter less. Many told reporters. people, especially young city-dwellers, defied the custom of voting for one of Transparency International and Afghan leaders their own and said they backed Ghani, have praised the Saturday vote as a suc- a Pashtun with roots in east cess because of a higher-than-expected Afghanistan, or even Abdullah, a halfturnout - estimated at 60 percent of the ethnic Tajik with a stronghold in the 12 million eligible voters - as well as the north. Haji Ehsaan, a Pashtun tribal failure of the Taleban to disrupt it signifi- elder, said he supported Abdullah and cantly. But some fear insurgents are accused authorities of favoring preparing to disrupt the lengthy ballot- Rassoul. “In the districts of Kandahar, counting process and to stage attacks there was not a fair election,” he told around the country once security Reuters. “The observers were not able arrangements have eased. Yesterday, at to go there to monitor the situation least 13 civilians were killed in a road- and that’s how the government took side bomb near the southern city of advantage.” — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

US sending 2 warships to Japan to counter N Korea Hagel delivers a two-pronged warning to Asia Pacific nations TOKYO: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel delivered a two-pronged warning to Asia Pacific nations Sunday, announcing that the US will send two additional ballistic missile destroyers to Japan to counter the North Korean threat, and saying China must better respect its neighbors. In unusually forceful remarks about China, Hagel drew a direct line between Russia’s takeover of Ukraine’s Crimea region and the ongoing territorial disputes between China, Japan and others over remote islands in the East China Sea.

whether it’s in small islands in the Pacific or large nations in Europe.”

Hagel, who will travel to China later this week, called the Asian nation a “great power,” and added, “with this power comes new and wider responsibilities as to how you use that power, how you employ that military power.”

He said he will talk to the Chinese about having respect for their neighbors, and said, “coercion, intimidation is a very deadly thing that leads only to conflict. All nations, all people deserve respect no matter how large

ongoing springtime military exercises

by Seoul and Washington. North Korea says the exercises are rehearsals for invasion. North and South Korea also fired hundreds of artillery shells into each other’s waters in late March in the most recent flare-up. Standing alongside Onodera at the defense ministry, Hagel said they discussed the threat posed by Pyongyang. He said the two ships are in response to North Korea’s “pattern of provocative and destabilizing actions” that violate UN resolutions and also will provide more pro-

QINGDAO: US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (left) is welcomed by Rear Admiral Guan Youfei (right), Director of Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry and US Ambassador to China, Max Baucus (2nd left), upon his arrival at Qingdao International Airport yesterday. —AFP “I think we’re seeing some clear evidence of a lack of respect and intimidation and coercion in Europe today with what the Russians have done with Ukraine,” Hagel told reporters after a meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera. “We must be very careful and we must be very clear, all nations of the world, that in the 21st century this will not stand, you cannot go around the world and redefine boundaries and violate territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations by force, coercion and intimidation

or how small.” Still, he said he looks forward to having an honest, straightforward dialogue with the Chinese to talk about ways the two nations and their militaries can work better together. The announcement of the deployments of additional destroyers to Japan came as tensions with North Korea spiked again, with Pyongyang continuing to threaten additional missile and nuclear tests.

In recent weeks the North has conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches that are considered acts of protest against annual

tection to the US from those threats.

On Friday, North Korea accused the US of being “hell-bent on regime change” and warned that any maneuvers with that intention will be viewed as a “red line” that will result in countermeasures. Pyongyang’s deputy UN ambassador, Ri Tong Il, also said his government “made it very clear we will carry out a new form of nuclear test” but refused to provide details. The two additional ships would bring the total to seven US ballistic missile defense warships in Japan, and it continues US efforts to increase its focus on the Asia

Pacific. The ships serve as both defensive and offensive weapons.

They carry sophisticated systems that can track missile launches, and their SM-3 missiles can zero in on and take out short- to medium-range missiles that might be fired at US or allied nations. They can also carry Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can be launched from sea and hit highvalue targets or enemy weapons systems from afar, without risking pilots or aircraft. Hagel is on a 10-day trip across the Asia Pacific, and just spent three days in Hawaii meeting with Southeast Asian defense ministers, talking about efforts to improve defense and humanitarian assistance cooperation. Japan is his second stop, where he said he wants to assure Japanese leaders that the US is strongly committed to protecting their country’s security.

Japan and China have been engaged in a long, bitter dispute over remote islands in the East China Sea. The US has said it takes no side on the question of the disputed islands’ sovereignty, but it recognizes Japan’s administration of them and has responsibilities to protect Japanese territory under a mutual defense treaty. Onodera said he and Hagel talked about the islands, known as Senkaku by Japan and Diayou by China, and the concerns about any changes to the status quo there.

Hagel said the US wants the countries in the region to resolve the disputes peacefully. But he added that the United States would honor its treaty commitments.

The ships are just the latest move in America’s effort to beef up Japan’s defenses. Last October, the US and Japan agreed to broad plans to expand their defense alliance, including the decision to position a second early warning radar there by the end of this year. There is one in northern Japan and the second one would be designed to provide better missile defense coverage in the event of a North Korean attack. The US will begin sending long-range Global Hawk surveillance drones to Japan this month for rotational deployments. They are intended to help step up surveillance around the Senkaku islands. —AP

MH370 ‘mystery’ KUALA LUMPUR: One month after flight MH370 vanished, there is still no proof of what happened to the plane or where it ended up, despite an intensive international search now focused on the Indian Ocean. But authorities believe they may be zeroing in, after ping signals possibly emanating from the plane’s “black box” of flight and cockpit voice data were detected deep down in the search area. Here are answers to some key questions: Are ‘pings’ from MH370?

That remains to be determined, but Australia’s search chief said yesterday one of the country’s naval ships had twice detected signals “consistent” with aircraft black boxes, the strongest indication yet that the hunt for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was on the right trail. The Ocean Shield is towing a US Navy deep-sea device designed to detect signals from “black boxes”, moving slowly back and forth across the ocean to try to pin down a location. Australian search coordinator Angus Houston said if further readings can be obtained, it could be possible “to establish whether the detections can be confirmed as being from MH370”. But the signal beacon on the black box has an average battery life of around 30 days, and could expire any day now. And numerous undersea factors can distort such signals and their location.

What happens next?

If the pings are confirmed, authorities would deploy a submersible device to scan the seabed for debris. If found, the difficult task of reaching and recovering the black box in ocean depths ranging from 4,000-5,000 meters would begin. Seafloormapping and recovery is “a very intense and timeconsuming process”, said Anthony Brickhouse, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States. But lessons were learnt during the two-year search for the data recorders from the 2009 crash of Air France flight 447, which contributed greatly to today’s body of knowledge, he said. “We know a lot more now that we did before Air France about how to do this,” he said.

Back to square one?

If the pings are confirmed not to be from MH370, the search is back to square one, raising the daunting spectre of an open-ended surface search for floating debris or painstaking seafloormapping. But Air France showed that success is still possible. Its black boxes were not located before their signals expired, necessitating a two-year search using submersible drones and other means to locate a debris field. A Remotely Operated Vehicle which can recover items in extreme depths was eventually sent down to pluck the recorders from the seabed. But authorities had a better idea where the Air France crash occurred. Houston warned that in any scenario, “the recovery operation will take a long, long time” for MH370.

Hijackers or terrorists?

This theory gained early attention due to the

revelation that two Iranian passengers boarded using stolen passports, and after Malaysian authorities said the plane appeared to have been deliberately diverted. But Interpol said the Iranians were apparently just illegal immigrants heading to Europe, and Malaysian police last week said investigations had “cleared” all of the plane’s 227 passengers. “I think the possibility of this theory is pretty low,” said Terence Fan, an aviation expert at Singapore Management University. “No one has claimed responsibility or made any demands or any specific threats that we know of to Malaysia Airlines or Malaysia in general. I think we are looking more at technical problems on the plane.”

Did pilots go ‘rogue’?

Malaysian authorities have said a knowledgeable flyer likely diverted the plane and that its communications systems appear to have been shut off around the time MH370 went missing, suggesting deliberate action in the cockpit. All of this has led to intense scrutiny of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, and First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, but no evidence has yet emerged to suggest either held extremist views, had psychological problems or any other motive. Zaharie, a 33-year veteran of Malaysia Airlines, was a respected senior pilot and evaluator of younger aviators. Questions were raised about Fariq when a young South African women said she and a friend were invited into the cockpit of a 2011 flight that he served on in breach of cockpit security rules. But those who know Fariq have attested to his good character. He was engaged to be married, according to reports, and was considered a promising pilot.

MH370 a ‘ghost plane’?

This idea gained traction after Malaysia announced on March 15 - a week after MH370’s disappearance-that the plane apparently flew for nearly seven hours after vanishing from radar.

“Ghost planes”-in which the crew is incapacitated, leaving the plane to fly on aimlessly-have occurred before. In 2005, a Greek Helios Airways plane with 121 aboard flew for hours after a sudden lack of oxygen incapacitated the cockpit crew. It crashed, killing all aboard. Some believe MH370’s pilots diverted the plane due to such an event-possibly attempting to return to Kuala Lumpur airport-but were subsequently incapacitated, leaving the plane to fly on autopilot. The shutting off of communications systems may have been an attempt to stem a fire caused by faulty electrical circuits. The stretch of ocean where the plane is believed crashed is also about the distance it would have travelled before running out of fuel, the airline has said. “For pilots, when something bad happens it’s ‘Aviate, navigate, then communicate’,” said Brickhouse. “If ‘communicate’ is the third step, in a catastrophic failure your job is to fly the plane first. That may be one reason why we don’t know what happened.” —AFP

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

US Navy converting seawater into fuel WASHINGTON: The US Navy believes it has finally worked out the solution to a problem that has intrigued scientists for decades: how to take seawater and use it as fuel. The development of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel is being hailed as “a game-changer” because it would signficantly shorten the supply chain, a weak link that makes any force easier to attack. The US has a fleet of 15 military oil tankers, and only aircraft carriers and some submarines are equipped with nuclear propulsion.

All other vessels must frequently abandon their mission for a few hours to navigate in parallel with the tanker, a delicate operation, especially in bad weather. The ultimate goal is to eventually get away from the dependence on oil altogether, which would also mean the navy is no longer hostage to potential shortages of oil or fluctuations in its cost. Vice Admiral Philip Cullom declared: “It’s a huge milestone for us.”

“We are in very challenging times where

we really do have to think in pretty innovative ways to look at how we create energy, how we value energy and how we consume it. We need to challenge the results of the assumptions that are the result of the last six decades of constant access to cheap, unlimited amounts of fuel,” added Cullom.”Basically, we’ve treated energy like air, something that’s always there and that we don’t worry about too much. But the reality is that we do have to worry about it.”

US experts have found out how to extract carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas from seawater. Then, using a catalytic converter, they transformed them into a fuel by a gas-to-liquids process. They hope the fuel will not only be able to power ships, but also planes. That means instead of relying on tankers, ships will be able to produce fuel at sea.

The predicted cost of jet fuel using the technology is in the range of three to six dollars per gallon, say experts at the US Naval

Research Laboratory, who have already flown a model airplane with fuel produced from seawater. Dr Heather Willauer, an research chemist who has spent nearly a decade on the project, can hardly hide her enthusiasm.

“For the first time we’ve been able to develop a technology to get CO2 and hydrogen from seawater simultaneously, that’s a big breakthrough,” she said, adding that the fuel “doesn’t look or smell very different.”

Now that they have demonstrated it can work, the next step is to produce it in industrial quantities. But before that, in partnership with several universities, the experts want to improve the amount of CO2 and hydrogen they can capture. “We’ve demonstrated the feasibility, we want to improve the process efficiency,” explained Willauer.

Collum is just as excited. “For us in the military, in the Navy, we have some pretty unusual and different kinds of challenges,” he said.— AFP

Kuwait oil output rises to 3.3m bpd Continued from Page 1 “There is an urgent need to seek the assistance of foreign companies given the technologies and expertise that will contribute to the rationalization of the use of the natural reserves we have,” he said.

He later told reporters that Kuwait was evaluating bids for the first phase of a project to extract heavy oil in the north of the country. Kuwait hopes to choose a winning bid this month for the Heavy Oil Phase One project, which is worth around $1.1 billion-$1.2 billion, he said, adding that this would be from a consor-

tium. Officials will also start a tender for a planned new oil refinery next month, he said. The Al-Zour refinery, a major part of Kuwait’s economic development plan to upgrade its infrastructure, is expected to cost around KD 4 billion ($14.18 billion).

Contracts for another $12-billion project to upgrade two of the three existing refineries, awarded in February, will be signed next week with three consortia led by British, US and Japanese companies. Kuwait has been working to modernize its oil sector which provides around 94 percent of public revenues. Former CEO of KPC Farouq Al-Zanki said in Nov 2012 the state had earmarked $100 billion to spend on oil projects. — Agencies

MEW may reduce power subsidies Continued from Page 1 He also confirmed that “a solar energy project would be finalized soon”.

Separately, the Cabinet asked the fatwa and legislation department to take necessary legal procedures to send a report on the slipshod work and delays that have marred the Jaber Al-Ahmad Stadium project to the public prosecution for investigation. The public prosecution will examine the case and bring anyone found guilty to account.

The Cabinet also approved draft decrees appointing Lt Gen Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as Hawally governor, Gen (Retd) Fahd Ahmad Al-Amir as Jahra gover-

nor, Gen (Retd) Ahmad Al-Rujeib as Mubarak Al-Kabeer governor, Sheikh Faisal Al-Humoud Al-Sabah as Farwaniya governor, Sheikh Fawaz Khaled Al-Sabah as Ahmadi governor and Maj Gen Thabet Mohammad Al-Mahana as Capital governor.

The Cabinet consented to a draft decree promoting 37 officers from the rank of colonel to major general and 106 others from the rank of colonel to brigadier upon a request from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The ministers also approved the promotion of directors-general of several authorities and state bodies to the post of assistant undersecretary.

WASHINGTON: This handout image shows a beaker of fuel (right) made from seawater by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory. — AFP

Emirati tourists hurt in London hammer...

Continued from Page 1 A group spokesman told AFP: “Our thoughts are with the guests that have been affected by this, both immediately and our other guests, and we are cooperating with the police to make sure they have everything they need.”

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers added: “This was an unusually violent attack on three women and I am very

keen to speak with anyone who was in or around the hotel between 1:00 am and 2:00 am on Sunday morning.”

The UAE, a former British protectorate, has long ties with the United Kingdom. Flights link multiple cities in the two countries several times a day and Emirati tourists pay frequent visits to London. Britain recently introduced an electronic visa waiver system for citizens of the UAE, Qatar and Oman. — Agencies

Sheikh Ahmad testifies over ‘conspiracy’...

Continued from Page 1 In another court case, the court of appeals yesterday delayed until May 10 the trial of former MP and opposition leader Musallam Al-Barrak after Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh failed to appear before the court to testify for the second time. Barrak is being tried on charges of insulting the authorities of HH the Amir in a speech at a public rally on Oct 15,

2012. The criminal court had sentenced him to five years in prison but the appeals court scrapped the sentence and decided to conduct a new trial itself. More than three months ago, the court accepted Barrak’s request to invite the premier and the finance minister to testify in the case. After the session, Barrak strongly criticized the prime minister for ignoring the court summons.

In another development, MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah yesterday submitted a draft law proposing to

amend the law of the Audit Bureau in order to allow the bureau to refer suspected corruption cases to the public prosecutor directly. Under the existing law, the Audit Bureau can only highlight the suspected crime and send its recommendations to the Assembly and the government, which should take legal action against suspected cases. The proposed amendment also requires the public prosecutor to launch an investigation into cases referred to him by the Audit Bureau.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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Issues

Harley bets big on small bike

By James B Kelleher

T

o catch a glimpse of Harley-Davidson Inc history, visit its Milwaukee headquarters, housed in the 111-year-old company’s first real factory. Or tour its York, Pennsylvania, plant, which has cranked out motorcycles since the early 1970s and builds some of its biggest cruising bikes, including the Road King and Electra Glide. But for a look at the company’s future, head for its vehicle and power-train plant in Kansas City. Opened in 1998, the 435,000-squarefoot factory produces several of Harley’s most popular bikes, including the Sportster and V-Rod. Earlier this year a motorcycle unlike any Harley has made in decades began coming off the line. Known as the Street, it is the company’s first entirely new bike in more than a decade and the first US-built small bike bearing the Harley name in nearly 50 years. With an expected retail price of $6,500 to $7,500, the Street is the most affordable bike Harley has brought to market under its name in decades and an unapologetic effort to bring young riders around the world into the company’s two-wheeled fraternity.

“This basically targets a whole new market of people who want to try a Harley-Davidson but don’t have the money to try one of the bigger bikes with all the bells and whistles,” said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar. The Street, which will arrive in dealerships this spring, is a stripped-down bike built for urban environments - a major departure Harley, known for heavy touring bikes built for the open highway. It is also proof, according to Chief Executive Officer Keith Wandell, that a company whose products have been dismissed as “geezer glides” has no plans to shamble off into the sunset along with the baby boomers who built the brand.

Symbolic “Street is really symbolic,” Wandell said. “It’s the first new product we’ve brought to market under the HarleyDavidson badge that is intended to bring new riders - and even younger riders - into the Harley-Davidson family.” It also illustrates Wandell’s commitment to transform the company into a leaner, more nimble manufacturer. The last time Harley introduced a new bike, in 2002, it spent big bucks - it refuses to say how much - building a new line in Kansas City dedicated to the motorcycle. This time, Harley did it on the cheap, incorporating its new bike into an existing line. The Street’s introduction is not without risks. It puts Harley in direct competition with Japanese bike makers, which have strong brands of their own. The yen’s current weakness against the dollar will also help the Japanese defend their small-displacement, sport-bike turf. Meanwhile, Harley faces a unique problem: convincing its core customers that the new bike does not undermine the brawny, muscular quality of the Harley brand. Company executives insist they aren’t worried.

“It’s a Harley that just happens to be a little smaller,” says Mark-Hans Richer, Harley’s top marketing executive. The Street’s exhaust, he noted, was specifically tweaked to make generate the distinctive Harley “potato-potato-potato” rumble. “We worked really hard on that,” he said. The debut will also make it harder for investors to understand where profit margins on motorcycles will settle after years of restructuring under Wandell. Harley has acknowledged that the Street may pull buyers away from higher-margin entry-level heavyweight motorcycles in its line, like the Sportster. “As that mix shifts, it could hurt gross margins - at least temporarily,” said Morningstar’s Katz.

Harley saves considerable cost by building the Street on the same line, and often at the same time, as its larger V-Rod. Changeover from V-Rod to Street production can take place on the fly, several times in a 24-hour period. The process could easily devolve into chaos, said Steve Wiggins, manager of the Kansas City plant, but factory workers quietly choreograph the changeover, swapping components and tools in and out and just in time. Workers on the line, who are briefed during a pre-shift huddle on the day’s production schedule, “don’t see anything happen (during the changeover) except they look up, see we’ve switched to Streets, and the parts and tools they need are there.” Wiggins said. “So we do not lose any build time. There’s not a single skipped carrier or anything.”

Small Flops The last US-made, Harley-badged small bike, the 1966 BTH Bobcat, was an underpowered flop, discontinued after a year.

More recent efforts to break into the market with the Buell and MV Agusta brands also ended badly. The Street’s stripped-down design and low price - it costs just a bit more than some Vespa scooters - reflect the need to find a new generation of buyers. The Street is the simplest motorcycle Harley has offered since it discontinued the Buell Blast, a bike ridiculed by Harley stalwarts as the “Be-Last.” —Reuters

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.

Anger, disarray could bring change in Bissau

By Bate Felix and Alberto Dabo

D

isarray in Guinea-Bissau’s political parties and frustration among voters could open the way for a Harvard-educated political outsider to win a presidential election next week aimed at turning the page on years of coups and crime. Guinea-Bissau - a transit route for South American cocaine into Europe which has been dubbed Africa’s first ‘narco-state’ - was plunged into chaos two years ago when soldiers stormed the presidential palace days before an election for that post. Long-delayed presidential and parliamentary elections to complete a transition back to democracy are due on April 13 - the fruit of months of pressure from the United Nations and West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS, which has been bankrolling the interim government. A successful vote could unlock 110 million euros in European Union aid, frozen after a 2011 military uprising, and possibly help to attract investors to Guinea-Bissau’s untapped mineral resources, including bauxite, phosphate and offshore oil.

Yet the poll is widely seen as a last chance for Guinea-Bissau, as donors tire of turmoil in the impoverished nation of 1.6 million people.

No elected president has completed a fiveyear term since a war of independence from Portugal ended in 1976. “The transition government and the military have tested the patience of the international community and donors to the limit,” said Vincent Foucher of the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank. “If the vote is a mess, ECOWAS will have to take a strong stand.”

New Generation of Politicians Military chief Antonio Injai launched the 2012 coup to foil then-Prime Minister Carlos

Gomes Junior - his long-standing enemy who was poised to win a second-round presidential runoff against Kumba Yala of the Party for Social Renewal (PRS), the champion of the Balanta ethnic group that runs the army. This time, Gomes Junior is in exile, having failed to win the candidacy for his African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Yala is dead, succumbing to a heart attack on Thursday, months after retiring from politics.

Injai, meanwhile, is keeping a low profile, having been indicted by Washington on drug trafficking charges last year and unsuccessfully targeted by US counter-narcotics agents in a dramatic sting operation. That has opened the way to a new generation of politicians among the 13 candidates for the presidency. Chief amongst them is Paulo Gomes, a former World Bank executive who holds a Masters in economic policy from Harvard University.

With the electoral roll boosted by around a quarter to nearly 800,000 following a recent census, many young people will be voting for the first time, hungry for change.

“Young people are very disappointed with Guinea-Bissau’s political leaders because of their mismanagement,” said Suazilene da Costa, 18. “My father, a policeman, and other civil servants have not received their wages in five months.”

Open Race Former finance minister Jose Mario Vaz saw off several challengers to win the nomination for the PAIGC, the country’s dominant party. However, his candidacy is clouded by accusations from Bissau’s attorney general of suspected involvement in the embezzlement of a $12.5 million budget grant from

Angola. The party machinery of the PAIGC makes it almost certain to win the ballot for Bissau’s 100-seat parliament and ensures Vaz is a frontrunner for the presidential vote.

But, faced with anger at traditional parties and a strong challenge from independent candidate Gomes, Vaz’s victory is far from certain, Foucher said. Many in the army regard Vaz as a puppet of Gomes Junior, in whose government he served. “Both the military and pro-transition parties are suspicious of Vaz. And Gomes has both strong connections in West Africa, and an image as a potential reformer,” Foucher said.

Gomes, 50, benefits from a strong reputation as a technocrat and is untarnished by connections with traditional parties. “The population is very young and committed to changing the course of the country so there will be some surprises,” he told Reuters. “My chances are strong.” Another independent candidate, Nuno Gomes Nabian, the former chair of Bissau’s civil aviation agency who comes from the Balanta ethnic group, has garnered the support of the army’s top brass.

However, the Balanta vote - some 25 percent of the electorate - will be divided by two other candidates, weakening his chances.

Difficult Reforms Ahead To tackle rampant graft and a sclerotic administration, whoever wins the election must undertake sweeping reforms in almost every ministry, particularly finance and interior, according to a U.N. strategy document obtained by Reuters. The plan - backed by ECOWAS, the African Union and the United States - calls for a tough governance program modelled on post-conflict Liberia, which would hand power over government spending to technical advisers in key

departments. It was not immediately clear if any of the candidates would be willing to agree to such surrender of national sovereignty.

The most important reform is to curb the sway of the army over Bissau’s politics. Since multiparty elections began in 1994, GuineaBissau has witnessed a civil war, two coups, an attempted coup and the assassination of a president by the army. The new president also faces the daunting task of tackling drug smuggling by South American cartels transiting cocaine to Europe with the suspected complicity of corrupt officials. Some experts suggest trafficking has risen again after the April 2013 DEA sting which missed Injai but seized a former naval chief.

The new government will also have to jump-start the flagging $2 billion economy and tackle rampant unemployment. The IMF forecasts output will shrink by 2.7 percent this year, after contracting by 3.5 percent in 2013. Part of the problem is that Bissau remains reliant on cashew production which accounts for around 90 percent of exports and employs 80 percent of the population. A slump in cashew prices has combined with political uncertainty to stymie growth. Chronic underinvestment in power infrastructure - which has seen capacity collapse from 25 megawatts in 2000 to just 5.5 megawatts - means only a fifth of the population has access to electricity.

Underscoring the problems facing a new head of state, thousands of civil servants went on strike on Wednesday, saying they had not been paid in months. “In GuineaBissau, our problem is not the election but post-electoral period,” said political analyst Fode Mane. “The next head of state will face a lot of challenges.” —Reuters

Thousands of Jerusalem Arabs without water

By Jon Gerberg

T

ens of thousands of Palestinians living in east Jerusalem have been without running water for more than a month, victims of a decrepit and overwhelmed infrastructure and caught in a legal no-man’s land caused by the divisions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The residents of the Shuafat refugee camp are technically part of the Jerusalem municipality. But they live outside the massive West Bank separation barrier that Israel has built. So Israeli services are sparse, yet Palestinian authorities are barred from operating there or developing the water system.

The local Israeli water authority says the existing system of pipes cannot handle the rapid population growth of the area and it is scrambling to solve the problem.

Last week, the Israeli Supreme Court gave officials 60 days to find a solution. But with the scorching summer season approaching, residents are growing increasingly desperate. Basic tasks like brushing teeth are a challenge. Showers have become a luxury. Families often send their clothes to relatives elsewhere in the city to wash them. “Sixty days - that’s a lot of time for us,” said Hani Taha, a local butcher. “There will be chaos here.”

Israel captured then-mainly Arab east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. After the war, it redrew Jerusalem’s municipal boundary, expanding it into the West Bank to encompass what were then small Palestinian communities, and annexed the lands that were made part of the city. The annexation was never internationally recognized. Israel considers all of east Jerusalem, including Shuafat, to be part of its capital, building a ring of Jewish districts in the city. Some 200,000 Israeli Jews and 300,000 Palestinians now live in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians demand as the capital of a future nation.

Palestinians have long complained that the city neglects roads, schools and public services in Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem. The situation has worsened for areas like Shuafat since Israel built its separation barrier last decade. The barrier, which Israel says is needed to keep attackers from entering the city, has cut some neighborhoods in half, leaving thousands of people on the outside. Anyone entering or exiting

Shuafat, for instance, must pass through an Israeli military checkpoint.

Water Crunch Residents said they first began to feel the water crunch last month, when the water cut out on March 4. Since then, service has been scarce and often non-existent.

Residents buy bottles or large jerrycans of water to get by.

A lack of hydraulic pressure from the month-long shortage has forced desperate residents to lower rooftop tanks to ground level and fill them by hand. On one block, three large black tanks sat stagnant in a pile of rotting trash and empty plastic bottles. Six pumps and a snarl of tubing had been rigged to force water upward.

But faucets in the adjacent building were running dry.

Young men could be seen lugging large plastic containers up flights of stairs into a home. A young girl held a bag of water bottles for her family. “When my kids want to go to school, there’s no water to wash themselves. My husband goes to work and it’s the same thing,” said Umm Osama alNajar, pointing at a pile of dirty dishes in her kitchen sink.

“Sometimes I go into the bathroom and I am disgusted, especially when so many people use the bathroom and there is no water to flush. It’s very important that we get the water back here. It’s breaking my heart.”

Israeli officials are at a loss to explain the cause of the crisis. The neighborhood has suffered from water shortages in the past, but residents say this year is the worst they can remember. Officials speculated that an exceptionally dry winter - the only time the region experiences rainfall - may be to blame.

Much of the problem stems from Israel’s construction of the separation barrier. Arab residents of east Jerusalem, in contrast to Palestinians in the neighboring West Bank, have Israeli residency rights, giving them the ability to move freely inside Israel and qualifying them for Israeli healthcare and social benefits. With residents fearful of losing these rights if they leave the city limits, Arab neighborhoods on the Israeli side of the barrier have seen real estate values skyrocket in recent years.

Outlying areas like Shuafat have experienced a wave of unregulated construction as people search for cheaper housing within municipal boundaries. Israeli work crews rarely venture into these areas, fearing confrontations

with the local population. “It’s kind of the classic east Jerusalem trap,” said Ronit Sela, a spokeswoman for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which has led the legal battle on behalf of Shuafat residents. “We’re talking about an area that was cut off from the rest of the city by a wall, where the Israeli authorities don’t go in, an area that was neglected even before the wall was set up, no water connection, no infrastructure. And of course the number of people continues to rise,” she said. “Now the whole water system collapses. And when it collapses, no one takes responsibility.”

‘Pirated Pipes’ Hagihon, the local water carrier in Jerusalem, said there is little it can do. It said the rapid growth, lack of proper urban planning and rampant use of unauthorized “pirated” pipes have overwhelmed the infrastructure. Eli Cohen, a deputy director at the company, said the system was built to serve about 15,000 people. He believes the population has swelled to 60,000-80,000. Few homes have water meters, meaning that some 97 percent of the population doesn’t pay for its water, he said. “Unfortunately, this whole burden falls on Hagihon,” he said. “We have a national, political problem here. This is beyond our jurisdiction, but we are the only government body left to deal with it.”

Israel’s National Water Authority denied responsibility and said it is supervising Hagihon in finding a solution. “I can’t tell you right now what the plan will be,” Cohen said.

“The issue is to find a solution that is sustainable.” The nearby Jewish area of Pisgav Zeev, just a few hundred meters away inside the wall, suffers no such problems.

Cohen said Pisgat Zeev has a recognized infrastructure and residents pay for their water like other Israeli customers.

The Palestinian Authority, the self-rule government in the West Bank, provides water to people in the areas it governs but is barred from operating inside Jerusalem’s city limits. In the meantime, residents are forced to buy expensive water and wait out the drought. “Without water, can we live?” said Aida Subhi Hamoud, a mother of 11 who has lived in the camp for 40-years. “We can afford to buy water to drink, but what about the rest, the laundry, the showers? Water is the lifeblood of the home.” —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

S P ORTS

Sherwood to be replaced LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s rapidly unravelling season took another twist yesterday with first team coach Tim Sherwood set to be replaced in the summer, according to media reports. The former England midfielder, a Premier League title winner with Blackburn Rovers, was handed an 18-month contract in December following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas but results since have been inconsistent. Tottenham would not comment on Sky Sports report that the 45-year-old Sherwood would be relieved of his duties in the summer, although more light should be shed on the matter later when Spurs host Sunderland in the Premier League. Sherwood’s future has been the source of much speculation since he publicly slated his team for a “lack of guts” after a 4-0 thrashing by London rivals Chelsea last month.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has been linked with the Tottenham job once his World Cup duties are over. “It’s just one stage at a time and I’ve got six cup finals between now and the end of the season,” former Spurs midfielder Sherwood told reporters ahead of the Sunderland match.

“It’s really important to me that we show the fans something to make them optimistic about next season. —Reuters

Rookies a Masters threat

Malinga in ICC team

AUGUSTA: Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell believes a rookie could burst from the pack and win this week’s Masters for the first time since Fuzzy Zoeller’s shock victory on his Augusta debut in 1979. With Tiger Woods absent injured, the tournament is expected to be one of the most open for years and Northern Ireland’s McDowell would not be surprised to see some of the game’s lesser lights stealing the limelight.

“Some of the rookies today have a great chance,” McDowell said in his BBC column. “I played with Harris English a few weeks ago at Bay Hill. There’s a kid making his Augusta debut and if he was on the leader board come the weekend I would not be shocked. “He’s long, hits his irons very high, very cool, and has a good short game and putter.

“You know he’s got the tools to win around Augusta. These young players are just so well equipped nowadays. “They are better athletes and they’re fearless. They’re growing up in an era where they’ve watched Tiger Woods do things with a golf ball that seemed impossible.”

First-timer Zoeller famously won the 1979 Masters but it has not happened since at a tournament which usually ends with a big-name champion.

“The belief level globally now for a young professional is so much better than it used to be,” McDowell said. “The Zoeller-type first-time, rookie champion could happen in any of the majors now - this one included. “It could be an amazing week for the game, with one of the new breed making a name for himself and coming out of the shadow of Tiger.—Reuters

MUMBAI: Paceman Lasith Malinga was the only member of Sri Lanka’s World Twenty20-winning side to earn a place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) team of the tournament, as vanquished Indian players dominated the selection.

Sri Lanka broke a finals-losing jinx to lift a maiden World Twenty20 title on Sunday with a comfortable six-wicket victory over 2007 champions India.

However, only the blond-mopped Malinga, who led the side after Dinesh Chandimal opted to keep himself out of the starting lineup, made the ICC team named yesterday. Four Indian players made the side, captained by wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with two from South Africa and West Indies, and one representative each from Australia and the Netherlands besides champions Sri Lanka.

“It was a very difficult task for the panel to pick a team of 11 from the exciting players who featured in this tournament,” former Australia batsman David Boon, the chairman of the ICC selection panel, said in a statement.

“As the selection criteria for the team of the tournament are the performances of players in the conditions during the ICC World Twenty20 2014, some of the best players in world cricket had to be left out of the team.

“Bowlers, in par ticular, per formed strongly throughout this tournament and the side we have selected includes three of the most impressive bowlers in Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree and Lasith Malinga.” —Reuters

Blues fall to Blackhawks CHICAGO: Rookie Jeremy Morin scored and set up Patrick Sharp’s go-ahead goal in the second period as the injury-depleted Chicago Blackhawks held on to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Sunday for their third straight win. The Blackhawks ground out the victory despite skating without injured star forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane for the third game. Forward Brandon Saad was a last-minute scratch.

Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith also scored for Chicago. Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Sobotka had goals for St. Louis, which lost its second straight and remained two points behind idle Boston for the NHL’s overall points lead. The Blues and Bruins have four games remaining. Chicago’s Corey Crawford made 21 saves and St. Louis’ Brian Elliott made 31. The Blues, who were shut out by Colorado on Saturday, have scored two goals or fewer in eight of 10 games.

FLYERS 5, SABRES 2 Brayden Schenn scored two goals as Philadelphia broke a four-game losing streak with a win over lowly Buffalo. Philadelphia maintained third place in the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of Columbus, and won for the second time in eight games. With four games remaining, the Flyers trail the second-place New York Rangers by two points, but have a game in hand. Schenn, Vincent Lecavalier and Zac Rinaldo scored second-period goals to put Philadelphia ahead 4-0. Matt Read also scored and Mark Streit had three assists. Cory Hodgson and Mike Weber scored thirdperiod goals for Buffalo, which lost its sixth straight road game and fell to 2-13-1 in its last 16 overall. The Sabres, assured of finishing with the fewest points in the NHL, have scored eight goals during their road skid.

TEXAS: Matt Jones holds the championship trophy after winning the Houston Open golf tournament. — AP

Jones bags Houston Open HOUSTON: Australian Matt Jones executed two near-miracles in quick succession to win the $6.4 million Houston Open in a playoff on Sunday.

He dramatically earned a last-minute ticket to the Masters when he sank a 40-yard birdie to beat American Matt Kuchar at the first extra hole at the Golf Club of Houston.

“I told my caddie I would chip it in, so it was nice to do it,” Jones told NBC TV after an Australian won in Houston for a ninth time.

“It’s been a while coming. I’ve been out here for seven years now so it’s good to finally get one. I’ve had a few chances.”

Minutes earlier, Jones birdied the same par-four 18th by sinking a 45-foot putt that at the time seemed like it would be too little, too late. But Kuchar, playing behind, pulled his approach shot from 216 yards into the water hazard at the same hole and, after taking a penalty stroke, did well to salvage a bogey thanks to a deft pitch and force a playoff. Jones earns $1.152 million for his first PGA Tour victory and becomes the fourth player from his country to win in the past seven weeks, joining Jason Day (WGC Match Play), John Senden ( Tampa Bay Championship) and Steven Bowditch (Texas Open).

The 33-year-old from Sydney has never played in the Masters, and he needed nothing less than a victory in Houston to secure the final spot in the first major of the year next week. Jones started the final round six strokes behind Kuchar and fell further adrift when he bogeyed the first hole. He also bogeyed the 17th after driving into a hazard, but still carded a 66, while Kuchar shot 72.

They finished at 15-under-par 273, two strokes ahead of Sergio Garcia.

MCILROY SHOOTS 65 Spaniard Garcia, the halfway leader, will arrive at the Masters with confidence. So will Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, whose closing 65 matched the low round of the tournament. He finished equal seventh on eightunder, while Phil Mickelson also had a solid week, a further stroke back heading to a tournament he has won three times.

Kuchar also will travel to the Masters in good form, though mindful he has failed to close the deal the past two weeks.

The six-time PGA Tour winner led halfway through the final round of the Texas Open last week but finished equal fourth, and took a four-shot advantage into the final round in Houston. Kuchar needed only to par the parfour 18th to win in regulation but his second shot, with a hybrid, was doomed for a watery grave the entire way.

“That’s in the water. Golly, Matty,” Kuchar said angrily while his ball was still in the air.

He subsequently sank a three-foot putt to stay alive.

In the playoff, Jones drove into a fairway bunker and then sprayed his second shot short and right of the green, his ball stopping in light rough.

As a steady rain fell, he calmly pitched over a greenside bunker and his ball rolled forward inexorably into the hole.

Kuchar had a chance to extend the playoff, but his bunker shot came up well short.

“I’ve been working hard on the chipping and putting. As soon as it came out, it was exactly where I wanted,” Jones said of his winning shot. Jones will have to change his travel plans to Augusta, but he has no complaints.

“I have a lot of tickets to buy right now,” he said. — Reuters

BLUE JACKETS 4, ISLANDERS 0 Boone Jenner and Mark Letestu each had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots for his second shutout of the week to lead Columbus past the New York Islanders.

The Blue Jackets, desperate to hang on to a playoff spot in the East, matched a season high with three power-play goals. Jack Johnson and Ryan Murray ended long droughts with goals, and Brandon Dubinsky had two assists. Bobrovsky, who won at Philadelphia 20 on Thursday, earned his fifth shutout of the season.

Anders Nilsson made 29 saves for the Islanders, who had their seven-game point streak end. Columbus won at home after going 1-4-2 in its last seven games at Nationwide Arena.

PENGUINS 3, AVALANCHE 2 Jussi Jokinen skated across the front of the crease and roofed a shot over sprawling goalie Semyon Varlamov to give Pittsburgh a shootout win over Colorado.

After Jokinen’s goal, Marc-Andre Fleury made a pad save on Gabriel Landeskog’s shot, ending Colorado’s six-game winning streak and denying Varlamov franchise records for most home and overall wins in a season. After falling behind 2-0 on Brandon Sutter’s first multiple-goal game this season, Colorado scored twice in the third period to tie it.

Fleury had 39 saves, including one in the closing seconds of overtime. Locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins sat several of their regulars, including Sidney Crosby, who missed his first game of the season because of an unspecified injury.

OILERS 4, DUCKS 2 Taylor Hall had a goal and two assists, and Edmonton beat Pacific Division-leading Anaheim.

David Perron, Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz also scored for the Oilers, who have won two in a row. The Oilers beat the Ducks 4-3 in overtime on March 28, and Anaheim edged Edmonton 3-2 on Wednesday.

Jakob Silfverberg and Corey Perry scored for the Ducks, who have lost two straight and remained just one point ahead of the idle San Jose Sharks in the Pacific.

PANTHERS 3, STARS 2 Sean Bergenheim scored with 4:31 left to break a third-period tie as Florida broke a five-game losing streak in a win over Dallas.

Bergenheim put the Panthers ahead for good when he redirected Colby Robak’s drive from the left circle into the net. Scottie Upshall and Brandon Pirri also

DENVER: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson (top) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Brian Gibbons against the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game.— AP

NHL results/standings Chicago 4, St. Louis 2; Florida 3, Dallas 2; Columbus 4, NY Islanders 0; Philadelphia 5, Buffalo 2; Pittsburgh 3, Colorado 2 (SO); Edmonton 4, Anaheim 2.

Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF Anaheim 50 20 8 251 San Jose 49 21 9 239 Los Angeles 45 28 6 197 Phoenix 36 28 14 209 Vancouver 35 32 11 187 Calgary 33 38 7 200 Edmonton 28 42 9 197 Central Division St. Louis 52 19 7 245 50 21 7 239 Colorado Chicago 45 19 15 259 Minnesota 40 26 12 195 Dallas 38 29 11 227 Nashville 35 32 11 198 Winnipeg 35 34 10 220

GA 202 192 166 221 210 228 261

PTS 108 107 96 86 81 73 65

177 209 207 194 221 231 232

111 107 105 92 87 81 80

scored for Florida, and Roberto Luongo made 35 saves and beat Dallas for the first time in five starts.

Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn had goals for the Stars, and Kari Lehtonen stopped 21 shots. The Stars

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Boston 53 18 7 251 167 113 Montreal 45 27 7 212 199 97 Tampa Bay 42 27 9 229 211 93 Detroit 37 27 14 211 222 88 Toronto 38 33 8 229 248 84 Ottawa 33 31 14 226 261 80 Florida 28 43 8 188 258 64 Buffalo 21 48 9 150 234 51 Metropolitan Division Pittsburgh 50 24 5 240 197 105 NY Rangers 43 31 5 212 190 91 Philadelphia 40 29 9 220 220 89 Columbus 40 31 7 219 207 87 New Jersey 34 28 16 191 200 84 Washington 35 30 13 222 236 83 Carolina 34 33 11 196 215 79 NY Islanders 31 36 11 215 258 73 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L). still hold a one-point lead over the Phoenix Coyotes for the second Western Conference wild card spot. Florida erased a 2-0 deficit on goals by Upshall and Pirri in the second period. — AP

Thompson wins LPGA major

RANCHO MIRAGE: Lexi Thompson holds up the trophy after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament. — AP

RANCHO MIRAGE: Teenager Lexi Thompson became the second youngest winner of an LPGA major when she emphatically outplayed Michelle Wie at the $2 million Kraft Nabisco Championship to triumph by three strokes on Sunday.

Thompson, who turned 19 in February, and Wie were both child prodigies at different times and many fans of women’s golf were hoping for a compelling heavyweight final round duel at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.

The two Americans started the day tied for the lead but it turned out to be a mismatch as Thompson, five years younger than Wie, displayed more aggression, greater composure and a better touch on the greens.

She sank a series of 10-foot putts to deliver a proverbial knockout by taking a five-shot lead at the turn, an advantage which she never looked remotely in danger of blowing as she cruised to her first major title. “I’ve worked my whole life to win a major and this was my

main goal coming into this year, so I’m excited and so grateful,” Thompson told Golf Channel after carding 68 to finish at 14-under-par 274.

“I drove it pretty well this week but I did make a few good putts so overall a pretty solid week.” Only Morgan Pressel, who won the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship at the age of 18, has won a women’s major at a younger age. Wie had a golden chance to seize her first major title and justify the media hype that has followed her for more than a decade.

She played conservatively off the tee for the most part, however, and was unimpressive on the greens with her unusual stooped putting style. Not for the first time, she missed several short putts, including a two-footer at the eighth hole, and her timidity ultimately cost her any chance of winning.

Trailing by four strokes at the 13th hole, she inexplicably left a five-foot birdie chance short, surrendering any faint chance of making it a contest.

“I think I got to a point I tried too hard to

make birdies and I was forcing everything,” Wie said after shooting 71 to finish on 11under. “If I’d just let it happen, I think I would have rolled a couple more putts in. I wanted to make those putts so badly. At the same time, Lexi played amazing today.”

English teenager Charley Hull started the day two strokes off the lead but a demoralising four-putt double bogey at the eighth ended her chance. She shot 76 to tie for seventh on four-under.

Thompson seemed destined for greatness after qualifying for the US Women’s Open at the age of 12, and winning her first LPGA event at 16. At the time she was the youngest ever LPGA winner but, as Wie has shown, there are no guarantees that youthful promise will turn into major success. Thompson has proved no flash in the pan, though, and her power and poise suggest she will be winning tournaments for a long time. Wie, on the other hand, still has to prove herself on the biggest stages in women’s golf. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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UConn, Notre Dame advance to title game NASHVILLE: Women’s basketball came away a winner Sunday night. After a season-long buildup, the NCAA tournament will be decided by the perfect championship game.

The undefeated titans of the sport this season will meet tonight in an historic championship game when UConn plays Notre Dame. It will mark the first time in NCAA basketball history that unbeaten teams will play for a title when the former Big East rivals face each other.

“It is pretty amazing,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw told The Associated Press after her team beat Maryland 87-61. “So many of the media and fans have been looking at this all season long. It’s great that we’ve made it this far.

“Both of us remaining undefeated. See who the best team is.” Said UConn guard From Moriah Jefferson: “Now we can finally talk about it. That has been the talk of this whole tournament and I guess it is finally here.”

The teams didn’t play during the regular season this year for the first time since 1995 as Notre Dame moved to the ACC. That helped set up the championship showdown that will put the sport in the spotlight. “It looked to me like as the season went on it almost looked like it was inevitable to happen,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said.

“It was supposed to happen. Our sport doesn’t have enough significant moments. ... To have the spotlight on Tuesday on two teams that one is going to lose for the first time this year, it’s pretty remarkable when you think how hard it’s to do for one team much less two.”

Notre Dame (37-0) is one of the rare teams that has had success against the Huskies in recent history, winning seven of the past nine meetings, includ-

ing beating UConn twice in the national semifinals.

McGraw drew attention to that fact during the tournament selection show. The Huskies (39-0) won the

last one though, topping Notre Dame in the Final Four last season en route to the school’s eighth national championship. A UConn victory Tuesday

NASHVILLE: Connecticut guard Bria Hartley (14) shoots against Stanford guard Amber Orrange (33) during the second half of the semifinal game in the Final Four of the NCAA womenís college basketball tournament. — AP

night will be a record ninth for Auriemma, breaking a tie with Pat Summitt for most all-time in the women’s game. It will also cap the fifth perfect season for the Huskies and make them only the second team ever to go 40-0, joining Baylor which did it two seasons ago. Auriemma has never lost a championship game.

Notre Dame will be trying for its second national championship. The Irish have had chances lately to win their first title since 2001, advancing to the national semifinals in four straight seasons. They lost in the championship game twice during that span. They advanced to tonight’s game with a convincing 87-61 victory over Maryland behind 28 points from senior All-American Kayla McBride.

Notre Dame played without senior Natalie Achonwa, who suffered a torn ACL in the regional final victory over Baylor.

Even without their star forward, the Irish dominated the Terrapins on the boards, outrebounding them in record fashion. Notre Dame had a 50-21 rebounding advantage, including a 19-4 mark on the offensive end. It was the widest rebounding margin ever in a Final Four game, shattering the previous mark of 19 set by Louisiana Tech in 1989.

Maryland broke the national semifinals record for fewest rebounds in a game of 25 set by Minnesota in 2004.

They’ll need a similar effort against UConn and its imposing front line of Breanna Stewart and Stefanie Dolson.

The Huskies got off to a sluggish start against Stanford before taking control in the second half in a 75-56 victory. They probably can’t afford the same thing to happen for a fourth straight game if they hope to win that record title. — AP

Bahrain sees bright future for night race

NEW YORK: This image released by Starpix shows professional wresting personalities Hulk Hogan (left) and John Cena on top of the The Hard Rock Cafe during a news conference for Wrestlemania 30. — AP

Hogan hosts ‘WrestleMania 30’ NEW ORLEANS: The Hulkster showed he can host, 30 years later. Three decades after he took part in the first “WrestleMania” at Madison Square Garden, Hulk Hogan presided over the 30th version of World Wrestling Entertainment’s signature event at the Superdome. The 60-year-old sported a sleeveless red T-shirt that showcased his still-considerable pythons, and a red bandanna with “Hulkamania” on it in bright yellow letters. “ This all started with me and Mr. T,” Hogan said. Vince McMahon had the vision to make this entertainment as big as he did,” Hogan said. “Fast forward to 30 years later and now I’m the host? I would have never believed that 30 years later I would still be here and people would be treating me in New Orleans like I’m still the champion.” The man who helped popularize the athletic spectacle when he bodyslammed all 500plus pounds of Andre the Giant was there with a microphone in his hand, overseeing the mayhem for 75,000-plus fans, and countless more watching on TV.

And what a scene it was. Cesaro won the Battle Royal - named for Andre the Giant this year for the first time - by heaving the sizeable Big Show over the top rope.

In the night’s shocker Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker, ending his 21consecutive match Wrestlemania winning streak. In other events, The Shield also beat the team of the New Age Outlaws and Kane in a six-man tag team match and A.J. Lee defending the WWE Divas Championship.

John Cena got his second consecutive WrestleMania victory with a defeat of Bray Wyatt. WWE superstar Triple H, McMahon’s son in law, was defeated by crowd favorite Daniel Bryan in opening match of WrestleMania 30.

Hogan was joined in the opening by a pair of other WWE legends in “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin - who ribbed him for flubbing the name of the stadium. The event was shown on the fledgling WWE Network by-subscription streaming ser vice, which launched Feb. 24. — AP

Leg spin placates master blasters at World T20 MIRPUR: Now that the dust has settled on Sri Lanka’s maiden World Twenty20 triumph in Bangladesh, leg-spinners across the world can raise a toast to a craft that shone against a barrage of power-hitting over the past three weeks.

Modern powerful bats, field restrictions and the brevity of the format instilled fears in many minds that Twenty20 cricket would reduce the rarest of slow bowlers to cannon fodder.

Yet, after the batting-fest in Bangladesh, three ‘leggies’ squeezed themselves among the tournament’s top five wicket-takers with South African wrist spinner Imran Tahir (12 wickets) sharing top spot with Ahsan Malik, despite playing two games less than the Dutch paceman.

Three of the four semi-finalists included a leg-spinner among their ranks and 2012 winners West Indies, once famed for their pace battery, regularly opened with Samuel Badree, who finished with 11 victims in five matches.

Amit Mishra (10 from six) walked away with two successive man-of-the-match awards in India’s victories against Pakistan and West Indies to prove leg spin was in rude health.

Sri Lankan Seekkuge Prasanna and 20year-old Australian James Muirhead also shone in limited opportunities to provide a glimpse of what appears a bright future for the esoteric art.

There was something common in their success. All it took was some backing from their captains, who realised an attacking leg-spinner was a better option than a run-restricting off-spinner. Mishra’s success would not have been possible had his captain not backed him to banish negative thoughts and bowl his full

repertoire. “I personally felt he was feeling a bit of nerves in the first game against Pakistan,” Dhoni said after India’s victory against their arch-rivals.

“I just went up and told him: ‘You are known for turning the ball, you’re someone who flights the ball, varies the pace. You’ve variations. So just don’t keep bowling the straighter one or try to bowl just back of a length so that batsmen can’t hit’.

NEW BALL “I told him: ‘Your bigger strength will be to flight the ball and use that extra bit of bite in deceiving the batsmen’. I was really comfortable with the way he bowled after that.

“There will be odd games where, like other bowlers, he would also get hit but it’s important that he backs his strength and his strength will always be using the flight and using the variations that he has got.” West Indies skipper Darren Sammy displayed the same trust in Badree, consistently tossing the new ball to the lanky tweaker, who rarely let his captain down.

Even Australia skipper George Bailey acknowledges what a leg-spinner brings to the table. “I like the option of having leg-spinners in the side because they are match-winners and wicket-takers. They force batsmen to do something different,” said Bailey, whose team landed in Bangladesh seeking the only trophy eluding them but crashed out of contention after a hat-trick of defeats. Team mate Brad Haddin agreed, the wicketkeeper having watched the leg-spinners from the vantage point behind the stumps. —Reuters

MANAMA: Bahrain believes its Formula One circuit has a bright future after the country’s first floodlit grand prix turned out a thriller on Sunday.

Sakhir Circuit chairman Zayed Alzayani told Reuters the decision to turn the 10th anniversary event into a night race was a statement of intent for the future of motorsport in the Gulf kingdom. “There’s more to come,” he said in an interview at the Sakhir desert circuit. “We want to branch out. Not just the racing aspects of motorsports but the other stuff that goes around it.

The development of teams, research and manufacturing relevant to the motorsport industry.

“A racing school, to develop talent. The missing pieces of the puzzle to make motorsport happen.” Another piece of that jigsaw was fitted into place on Sunday with the announcement that Bell Racing Helmets would be relocating its global research and development and manufacturing operations to a facility within the circuit grounds from 2015. Bahrain is an important stakeholder in Formula One, with state investment fund Mumtalakat owning the circuit as well as half of the McLaren team. The country also has considerable influence within the governing International Automobile Federation, with FIA president Jean Todt making Sunday’s race the first he has attended this season.

By installing floodlights, Bahrain intends to keep activities running at the circuit throughout the year and at more fan-friendly times.

“The floodlights will definitely open up a bigger spectrum for us,” said Alzayani. “We will be able to use the track throughout the summer now, whereas in the past we had to shut down practically from mid-May to September because of the heat.

“In the past the only thing that was running through the summer months was the drag championship because it’s a floodlit strip. We will take advantage of the lighting now.”

Sunday afternoon, the traditional slot for races in Europe, is the middle of the working day

BAHRAIN: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Formula One Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, April 6, 2014. — AP in the Middle East and when temperatures reach their peak. The shift to evening opens up far more possibilities. The circuit said the race drew its biggest crowd yet with 31,000 attending on Sunday. This year’s grand prix was the third round of the season but Bahrain has opened the championship before and Alzayani was coy on whether the race might seek that slot again next year. “We are in constant talks with Bernie (Ecclestone),” he said. “It’s premature now to talk about next year’s calendar. Towards the end of the year we’ll talk and exchange ideas and see what suits better.

“They also have to look at logistics and team movements and cargo movements. But I think we did well this year by securing testing before the season. “It’s not out of reach. But it’s something we have to agree mutually with Bernie.”

Alzayani painted an upbeat picture for the future, despite a continuing backdrop of civil unrest - which led to the event being cancelled in 2011 and has triggered subsequent calls by human rights activists for the race to be cancelled.

“In terms of public perception, I don’t think our image was affected,” he said of 2011 and its bloody aftermath. “I think 2012 wiped out the misery of 2011. We had a fairly good attendance, good support and the race went on despite all the speculation and negative media.

“In 2004 we had Humvees at the gates with machine guns. That was because of concern from the F1 travelling family that because of the Iraq war we wanted extra security. We had cement blocks ... we don’t have any of that today.” — Reuters

Play the Messi way with AdizeroTM f50 Messi boots KUWAIT: Adidas is proud to celebrate Leo Messi’s record-breaking streak this month just weeks after the Argentinian star debuted his new AdizeroTM f50 Messi boots in the UEFA Champions League.

Upon breaking the record to become Barcelona’s leading goal scorer, Leo Messi said: “ When I was a little boy growing up in Argentina I always dreamt of a career as a professional footballer. From that point onwards, each goal I have ever scored has been special in its own way. It’s important to mention that I never would have broken the record without the talent and dedication of my teammates who have been with me every step of the way.

Being the all-time top goal-scorer for such an amazing club is a true honor”.

Now an extension of the deadly forward’s game, the new Adizero f50 Messi boots feature a sleek color scheme of green, blue, pink, orange and white, along with the iconic Adidas three stripes, and combine revolutionary technologies with the precision engineering befitting of a four-time Ballon d’Or winner. At only 165g, the Adizero f50 Messi is one of the lightest shoes on the market.

Four-time Ballon d’Or winner Leo Messi has truly torn up the history books over the years and in the last month alone, he has become: * The first Barcelona player in El Clasico history to score two hat-tricks * The highest goal scorer in El Clasico history * The top foreign La Liga goalscorer with 236 goals, breaking a Hugo S·nchez record of 234 that stood since 1994 * Barcelona’s all-time leading goal scorer, surpassing Paulino Alcantara’s record of 369 goals in 357 appearances between 1912 and 1927 Earlier this month, Adidas announced the exclusive and limited edition “Messi 371”. A

bespoke series of 371 pairs of Adidas Adizero f50 Messi boots to celebrate the Argentinian’s record-breaking 371 club goals in all competitions. In an Adidas first, each pair of boots will feature a different design on the left and right foot, inspired by Messi’s goal scoring stats, separating the percentage of goals he’s scored with his left foot, right foot and head. The boots also carry the unmistakable Messi boot customisation with the name of his son Thiago and date of birth printed on the side of the product. Each pair will be uniquely numbered No. 001 - No. 371.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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Nationals get past Braves WASHINGTON: Ian Desmond led off the seventh inning with a home run — the only run of the game scored on a hit — as the Washington Nationals and their makeshift lineup avoided a sweep Sunday with a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in the National League.

Desmond ripped a down-the-middle fastball from Alex Wood (1-1) well into the left field bleachers, the Nationals’ first hit since the first inning. But it was enough to win on a day when four Washington pitchers combined to allow eight hits. Taylor Jordan allowed one run over 6 2-3 innings, working out of several jams along the way, and Jerry Blevins (1-0) retired two batters in the seventh to get the win. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his first save.

PIRATES 2, CARDINALS 1 Tony Sanchez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning as Pittsburgh edged St. Louis. Sanchez’s

ninth to convert his first save. St. Louis managed just three hits.

tions. Manny Parra retired all six batters he faced for his first career save.

PADRES 4, MARLINS 2 Pinch-hitter Alexi Amarista celebrated his 25th birthday by delivering a goahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning to lift San Diego. Ian Kennedy (11) allowed one run and three hits in six innings for the Padres. He struck out five. Four relievers then helped the Padres end a four-game losing streak, including two against the Marlins to begin the series. Huston Street pitched the ninth for his second save. Amarista’s home run came off Nathan Eovaldi (1-1), who held the Padres scoreless through six. Eovaldi struck out eight and allowed six hits. The Marlins completed their opening homestand with a 5-2 record.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, ROCKIES 3 Mark Trumbo homered for the fourth straight game as Arizona averted a sweep. Wade Miley pitched eight strong innings to extend his mastery over the Rockies. He also had a career-best three hits, including an RBI single and benefited from a defense that turned five double plays as the Diamondbacks won for just the second time in nine games this season. Miley improved to 7-0 with a 2.52 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against the Rockies, matching the longest winning streak against Colorado to start a career. The winning pitcher in Arizona’s only other victory this season, Miley (2-1) allowed two runs and seven hits. Addison Reed gave up a leadoff single to Carlos Gonzalez in the ninth and Gonzalez stole second and went to third on catcher Miguel Montero’s throwing error. Troy Tulowitzki walked to put runners on the corners.

REDS 2, METS 1 Alfredo Simon pitched seven impressive innings in his first start in more than

CUBS 8, PHILLIES 3 Ryan Kalish hit a two-run double and an RBI triple and Chicago avoided a sweep. Cubs starter Carlos Villanueva (12) allowed a run in five innings in his first start and third outing of the season.

AJ Burnett (0-1), who signed a oneyear, $16 million contract with the Phillies after he spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowed eight runs, four earned, in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out three but walked six. The Cubs scored four runs in the first and sixth innings. Kalish opened up the scoring with an RBI triple in the first. It was his first hit since Sept. 11, 2012, when he played for the Boston Red Sox. MIAMI: San Diego Padres’ Chris Denorfia (left) safely steals second base as Miami Marlins second baseman Derek Dietrich (right) is unable to field a bad throw by catcher Yasmani Grandal in the eighth inning. — AP double to deep center field with two two years and began the go-ahead rally outs came off Cardinals ace Adam with his second career hit, helping Cincinnati salvage a win in the threeWainwright (1-1) and broke a 1-1 tie.

The hit by the rookie reserve catch- game series.

Joey Votto had a sacrifice fly and er scored Pedro Alvarez, who led off the inning with a walk, and was Ryan Ludwick a tiebreaking single off Sanchez’s second game-winning hit of Jonathon Niese (0-1), who was making the week after he singled home the his first start of the season after a being winning run in the 16th inning of slowed by shoulder and elbow injuries Wednesday’s victory over the Chicago this spring.

Simon (1-0) made 99 relief appearCubs.

Tony Watson (1-0) retired all four ances for the Reds since his previous batters he faced, striking out three, start, on Sept. 28, 2011, for Baltimore, and ran his string of consecutive score- but manager Bryan Price tapped the less innings to 24, dating to last sea- right-hander because Mat Latos is son. Jason Grilli pitched a scoreless rehabbing from knee and elbow opera-

DODGERS 6, GIANTS 2 Matt Kemp hit his first two home runs at Dodger Stadium since late in 2012 and Hanley Ramirez slugged his first two homers this season, helping Los Angeles avoid a three-game sweep.

Zack Greinke (2-0) pitched six innings, allowing two runs and six hits including Brandon Belt’s fourth homer leading off the sixth and the first of the season by Hunter Pence three batters later. The right-hander struck out eight and walked none. Matt Cain (0-1) gave up five runs and six hits in six innings with three strikeouts and no walks. It was the eighth time the right-hander has surrendered three or more homers in a game during his 10-year career, and the first time since May 16, 2013 at Colorado in an 8-6 win.— AP

Springboks to begin 2014 schedule against World XV JOHANNESBURG: South Africa confirmed yesterday that they will kick-off a 14-match 2014 schedule on June 7 against a World XV in Cape Town.

The non-cap game at Newlands stadium precedes Tests against Wales (three), Argentina, Australia, New Zealand (two each), England, Ireland, Italy and Scotland.

A decision on the proposed World XV fixture had been delayed while the South African Rugby Union (SARU) negotiated financial deals.

Profits from the game will help fund training camps for the Springboks ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. SARU said the World backs would include Francebased Australians James O’Connor, Matt Giteau and Drew

Mitchell, former All Black Hosea Gear and Frenchman Francois Trinh-Duc. Forwards already chosen include two props, South African BJ Botha and New Zealander Carl Hayman, English loose forward Steffon Armitage and French No. 8 Julien Bonnaire. SARU said they would release further statements during April regarding the composition of the squad.

Former South Africa and Italy coach Nick Mallett, a Johannesburg-based television pundit for the 2014 Super 15 season, has been named coach of the World XV. Mallett will come up against Heyneke Meyer, one of his assistants when he coached the Springboks during the late 1990s. — AFP

‘I’m scared to sleep’, Pistorius tells court PRETORIA: His voice cracking with emotion, Oscar Pistorius took the witness stand in his own defence yesterday, saying the Valentine’s Day shooting of his girlfriend last year had left him sleepless, terrified and plagued by nightmares.

The disabled South African track star, on trial for murder, also apologised to the mother of model Reeva Steenkamp, saying he fired four times through a toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home in the belief he was defending her from an intruder.

PRETORIA: Oscar Pistorius gestures as he listens to evidence by a pathologist in court. Pistorius is charged with murder for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentines Day. — AP

Steenkamp, a law graduate and model, was hit by at least three rounds fired by Pistorius, one of which - to the head - killed her almost instantly, the court has heard.

“I was simply trying to protect Reeva,” Pistorius told the court at the start of his testimony. Reeva’s mother June Steenkamp, sitting in the public gallery of the packed Pretoria courtroom, bowed her head and remained steely faced. Since the shooting, 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic star Pistorius, who faces life in prison if convicted of murder, testified he had been on anti-depressants and sleeping pills because of his disturbed state of mind.

“I’m scared to sleep. I have terrible nightmares about things that happened that night,” he said. “I can smell blood. I wake up to being terrified.”

He recounted one occasion when he woke up so scared in the middle of the night that he crawled into a cupboard before calling his sister, who came round to sit with him. “I wake up in a complete state of terror to the point that I would rather not sleep,” he added. Earlier, during graphic forensic testimony from a defence pathologist, Pistorius sat in the dock, retching into a bucket.

OBSESSION WITH GUNS The distraught figure in the witness stand was a far cry from the gun-obsessed, fast-living hot-head that prosecutors sought to portray during the first 16 days of the trial.

As well as murder, Pistorius is accused of firing a pistol through the sun roof of a friend’s car while on a public road, and discharging a handgun underneath the table of a packed Johannesburg restaurant.

He has pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all charges. The trial, now in its 17th day, has gripped South Africa and millions of sports and athletics fans around the world who saw in Pistorius a symbol of triumph over physical adversity.

The sprinter’s lower legs were amputated as a baby but he went on to achieve global fame as the “Blade Runer”, a nickname derived from the carbon fibre prosthetic limbs he wears on the track.

After winning gold medals at the Beijing and London Paralympics, he stunned the world by reaching the semifinals of the 400 metres in the London Olympics against able-bodied athletes.

His defence hinges on his assertion that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder hiding in the toilet when he shot her on Valentine’s Day last year.

However, several witnesses have testified to hearing the terrified screams of a woman before and during a volley of shots. — Reuters

Photo of the day

Chris Pfeiffer and Abdo Feghali perform during the Red Bull Show Run in Kuwait City.

—www.redbull.com

Orioles tame Tigers

DETROIT: Chris Tillman outpitched Justin Verlander, allowing one run while working into the ninth, as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 Sunday in the American League to avoid getting swept.

Tillman (1-0) gave up five hits, including Torii Hunter’s solo homer in the fourth, in 8 1-3 innings. Tommy Hunter entered with one out in the ninth and Victor Martinez on second base and retired the last two batters for his second save.

Baltimore won for the first time since its opener against Major League Baseball’s last undefeated team. Verlander (0-1) gave up two runs on five hits and two walks over eight innings. He struck out three, moving past Tommy Bridges and into fourth place on the franchise’s all-time list with 1,674 in his career. Adam Jones drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly after Nick Markakis tripled.

RANGERS 3, RAYS 0 Yu Darvish allowed seven hits over seven innings in his season debut, Elvis Andrus hit a two-run homer, and Texas avoided a three-game sweep.

Darvish (1-0) struck out six and walked one. Sidelined by neck stiffness, it was his first outing since a spring training game on March 16.

Darvish got his 500th career strikeout, coming in 401 2-3 innings, by fanning David DeJesus and Wil Myers in the first.

According to the Rangers, it is the fewest innings for a starter to reach 500 strikeouts in MLB history.

Andrus put the Rangers up 2-0 with his homer off Joel Peralta (0-1) in the eighth. Donnie Murphy made it 3-0 on an RBI infield during the ninth.

YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 4 CC Sabathia pitched six innings for his first victor y of the season and Brett Gardner hit a two-run home run for New York. Sabathia (1-1) allowed four runs and seven hits, walked none and struck out six. He was hit hard in Tuesday’s opening day loss at Houston, allowing six runs and eight hits, including two home runs, in six innings. The left-hander was taken deep again Sunday when Melky Cabrera connected in the first inning. The homer was Cabrera’s third of the season and third this series.

Maicer Izturis followed with an infield single but was erased on a fielder ’s choice. Sabathia retired 16 of the next 17 hitters before running into trouble in the sixth.

TWINS 10, INDIANS 7 Chris Colabello drove in four runs and Brian Dozier scored three times as Minnesota outslugged Cleveland.

Colabello broke a 6-6 tie with a three-run double in the sixth inning off Blake Wood (0-1). He leads the AL with 11 RBIs after six games. Joe Mauer had three hits and scored twice for the Twins, who took two of three in the series and will play their home opener Monday against Oakland.

Anthony Swarzak (1-0) picked up the win

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

American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Miami 5 2 .714 Tampa Bay 4 3 .571 4 2 .667 0.5 Atlanta 3 3 .500 0.5 NY Yankees Washington 4 2 .667 0.5 Toronto 3 4 .429 1 Philadelphia 3 3 .500 1.5 Baltimore 2 4 .333 1.5 NY Mets 2 4 .333 2.5 Boston 2 4 .333 1.5 Central Division Central Division Milwaukee 4 2 .667 Detroit 4 1 .800 Pittsburgh 4 2 .667 3 3 .500 1.5 White Sox St. Louis 3 3 .500 1 Cleveland 3 3 .500 1.5 Chicago Cubs 2 4 .333 2 Minnesota 3 3 .500 1.5 Cincinnati 2 4 .333 2 Kansas City 2 3 .400 2 Western Division Western Division San Francisco 5 2 .714 Seattle 4 2 .667 LA Dodgers 5 3 .625 0.5 3 3 .500 1 Houston Colorado 3 4 .429 2 Oakland 3 3 .500 1 San Diego 2 4 .333 2.5 Texas 3 3 .500 1 LA Angels 2 4 .333 2 Arizona 2 7 .222 4 in relief of Ricky Nolasco. Glen Perkins worked a perfect ninth for his second save. David Murphy had four hits, Jason Kipnis had three RBIs and Yan Gomes hit a two-run homer for Cleveland.

ASTROS 7, ANGELS 4 Scott Feldman threw seven strong innings and five Astros homered as Houston ended a three -game losing streak. Feldman (2-0) did not allow a hit until two outs in the fourth, when Josh Hamilton dribbled one toward first base that went under the glove of Feldman, who charged at it off the mound.

The right-hander allowed his first run in 11 1-3 innings this season in the fifth on a groundout to second by Erick Aybar that cut the lead to 4-1.

Chad Qualls got the last two outs for his first save of the season. Jason Castro, Matt Dominguez, Jesus Guzman and Alex Presley homered off Jered Weaver (0-2).

Jonathan Villar added a two-run shot in the seventh off Matt Shoemaker.

WHITE SOX 5, ROYALS 1 Chris Sale gave up four singles in eight scoreless innings for Chicago. Alexei Ramirez and Tyler Flowers each drove in a pair of runs as the White Sox won the series finale after dropping the first two games.

Sale (2-0) struck out six and walked one. In his previous four starts against the Royals, the White Sox had backed him with one run, enough to beat James Shields 1-0 in the 2012 opener.

Shields (0-1) took the loss in this one, too, giving up a run on five hits, striking

out six, walking none and hitting two batters in seven innings.

ATHLETICS 6, MARINERS 3 Jim Johnson struck out two and closed it out after losing back-to-back outings to begin with his new team, saving Oakland’s victory. Brandon Moss hit a three-run homer, Yoenis Cespedes connected in the eighth and Josh Donaldson beat out an infield single in the fifth to drive in the goahead run. Sonny Gray (1-0) allowed one earned run and six hits, struck out three and walked two in six innings. In the ninth, manager Bob Melvin went back to Johnson, who delivered his first save despite allowing two baserunners.

Johnson, who converted 50 of 59 save opportunities in 2013, was acquired from Baltimore to replace departed All-Star Grant Balfour.

INTERLEAGUE BREWERS 4, RED SOX 0 Yovani Gallardo made his second straight scoreless start as Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep. The World Series champion Red Sox, who never had a losing record last year, fell to 2-4 and matched their longest skid of 2013. They were swept just once last season, in a three-game series against the Texas Rangers from May 3-5. But the Red Sox couldn’t score against Gallardo (2-0), who pitched six innings in Milwaukee’s 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves in the season opener, and have lost their first three home games for the first time since 1984.

Jon Lester (0-2) pitched well for his second straight start but received little support again. — AP

DETROIT: Tigers’ Victor Martinez (41) safely slides into second as Baltimore Orioles second baseman Ryan Flaherty (left) misplays the throw from right fielder Nick Markakis during the ninth inning of a baseball game. — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

S P ORTS

‘Ronaldo of knees’: Surgeon saves football careers PORTO: Renowned as the “Ronaldo of knees”, pioneering Portuguese surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha is saving the careers of top world football players who feel the dreaded, career-threatening crack of a torn ligament.

A tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, one of the main stabilisers at the centre of the knee joint, is a potential career killer and one of the most feared injuries among footballers.

But Noronha was credited in the world’s sporting press with performing a “miracle cure” when he operated on Real Madrid’s Pepe in December 2009 and the Portuguese international recovered in time for the 2010 World Cup. Now Colombian international Radamel Falcao is hoping for a similar reprieve after going under Noronha’s knife for the same injury on January 22 this year, less than five months before the opening of the World Cup in Brazil.

Noronha is one of the world’s foremost practitioners of a new “keyhole” surgical repair, which

allows players to get back to fitness-and the pitch more quickly. He does about 100 of the operations a year, working ever y Monday in the private Trindade Hospital in Porto, a city on Portugal’s northern coast.

CALMLY CUTS INTO KNEE Today, he is operating on a young amateur footballer who got injured over the weekend. After adjusting his mask over his mouth and nose, the surgeon calmly cuts into the knee of his patient, who is under general anaesthetic.

In one hand, Noronha holds an endoscope-an optical tube with a light to guide him-which is inserted into the body through an incision. In the other, he wields his surgical instruments.

Each surgical movement within the joint is relayed to a television monitor. With small, precise movements, Noronha removes a section of the patellar tendon, which lies over the knee cap, and uses it as a graft to repair the torn anterior cruciate

ligament in an operation lasting barely half an hour.

“I think the secret of a quick recovery is in the placing of the graft,” Noronha explains. “It needs to be fixed at the base of the torn ligament,” he said.

It is the same technique the surgeon used on the 28-year-old Falcao who ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during a French Cup match in January.

Noronha’s fame first began to spread after he operated on Cesar Peixoto, a veteran Portuguese international who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in 2003. “Without him, I would certainly have had to stop playing a long time ago,” Peixoto said.

“It’s not for nothing that they call him the Messi or the Ronaldo of knees.”

TRAUMATIC INJURY The injury is a traumatic event for a professional player. “I will never forget the day it happened to me,” said Peixoto. “It was in Marseille in 2003, during a Champions League match with my club at the

time, FC Porto. Just after the 60th minute, I felt a crack.”

He had to be rushed off the pitch. After a quick examination, it was obvious he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament and would need urgent surgery.

“Ten years ago, it would, very often, have meant the end of a career,” said the midfielder, who now plays for top-league Gil Vicente but who played for Benfica until 2012.

His doctors decided to call Noronha, who at that time was not treating famous players. Six months later, however, Peixoto was ready to play again and Noronha’s name was being spoken of in football teams around the world.

The surgeon now works both with the Porto team and GestiFute, a management agency with players including Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

Noronha plays down his success, however. “It’s just the fact of working in the world of football, that has brought me a certain fame,” he said. — AFP

Dortmund pray for Real miracle

MEXICO: Cruz Azul’s Ismael Valadez (left) competes for the ball with America’s Francisco Rodriguez during a Mexican soccer league match. — AP

Cruz Azul reaches playoffs with victory over America MEXICO CITY: Cruz Azul became the first team to qualify for the playoffs in Mexico’s first division with a 2-1 victory over Mexico City rivals America.

Toluca remains in second and on the brink of reaching the playoffs despite a 3-1 loss to Tijuana, while Pumas moved into third position with a 2-1 win against Chiapas.

In other results this weekend, Santos Laguna drew 2-2 with Monterrey, Chivas defeated Pachuca 3-1, Atlas drew 0-0 with Puebla, Tigres won 2-0 against Atlante, Leon drew 1-1 with Queretaro and Morelia drew 1-1 with Veracruz.

Argentine Mauro Formica was left free in the penalty area and put Cruz Azul into the lead with a header in the 18th minute on Saturday.

Julio Cesar Dominguez then deflected a Marco Fabian free kick into the net for the second goal two minutes before halftime.

Raul Jimenez pulled one back for America four minutes from the end. Tijuana got second-half goals from Javier Guemez and Cristian Pellerano to defeat Toluca on Friday.

Jorge Sartiaguin had equalized for Toluca in the 39th after Dario Benedetto

put Tijuana into the lead in the 28th. Dante Lopez scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the first half for Pumas on Sunday, but they had to hold on for the win after Chiapas’ Andres Hurtado pulled one back with an overhead kick in the 79th. Santos Laguna’s Oribe Peralta salvaged the draw against Monterrey by equalizing with a header in the 89th.

Monterrey had taken a 2-0 lead after getting first-half goals from Lucas Silva and Candido Ramirez. New Chivas manager Ricardo La Volpe got off to a good start, with Giovani Hernandez, Carlos Fierro and an own goal by Efrain Cortes helping his team come from behind to beat Pahuca.

Reigning champion Leon went ahead in its match against Queretaro when Miguel Sabah converted a penalty, but Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo leveled for Queretaro five minutes later.

Cristian Martinez put Veracruz into the lead in the 51st, but Morelia took advantage after Oscar Mascorro was sent off in the 62nd, with Ignacio Gonzalez equalizing 15 minutes later.

Atlante looks to be heading for the second division after Tigres’ Alan Pulido scored twice to give his team the win. — AP

‘Japanese Only’ banner sparks intolerance debate SAITAMA CITY: For nearly two decades Shunji Usui has been a fixture at Urawa Red Diamonds matches at the Saitama Stadium in the suburbs of Tokyo, a face in the crowd among the most avid - and sometimes rabid - fans of any Japanese soccer club.

In recent weeks, though, Usui’s pride in the former Asian champions has been tempered by embarrassment that the team he loves has been held up as a symbol of the kind of intolerance critics say has been emboldened by the conservative politics of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On March 8, a banner with “Japanese Only” scrawled on it was hoisted on a stadium gate behind one goal, an area packed with thousands of the club’s hardcore fans.

Despite complaints from onlookers, it remained in place until the end of the game.

In response, the Mitsubishi Motors-owned club was given the harshest punishment in the two-decade history of professional football in Japan - a J-League order that it play before an empty stadium.

That cost Urawa over $1 million in lost ticket sales. In addition, more than 10 Reds supporter groups, including UB Snake, the group responsible for the banner, were disbanded. When the Reds returned home for a domestic cup game this week, flags and drums were banned, essentially putting fans on probation. The only banner allowed was one held up by a club official warning fans against discriminatory behavior.

“There are people who hate foreigners in Japan, and there are people who hate foreigners in this stadium,” said Usui, 53, a teacher at a local school.

“By quietly standing by, we gave them a platform to voice such views. So it’s fair enough that now we have to pay for this.”

Although Japanese football has not suffered from the sort of hooliganism that has so often blighted the game in Europe and South America, Reds fans have a record of rowdiness. In 2008, the club was fined nearly $200,000 after a scuffle involving Gamba

Osaka fans. In November, Urawa were fined $96,000 after fans set off firecrackers near the bus of a rival team.

Supporters have also displayed the Rising Sun flag, a symbol used by the Japanese army during its colonization of Asia in the first half of last century which is seen by many as a painful reminder of Japan’s militaristic past.

But the most recent incident in Urawa, which comes as Japan begins preparations for the 2020 Olympics, reignited a debate about Japanese identity and attitudes towards foreigners.

ZERO TOLERANCE Many Urawa fans - and players - were quick to denounce the exclusionary banner.

Last week, more than a quarter of the 20,000 Reds fans who turned up for the first opendoor home match since the incident signed a declaration condemning discrimination.

Urawa centre back Tomoaki Makino tweeted a picture of the controversial banner to his 177,000 followers and criticised fan behavior. “My biggest regret is we didn’t take the flag down quickly enough,” Urawa president Keizo Fuchita said last week, vowing a zerotolerance policy in the future.

Critics, however, see a worrying trend that goes beyond soccer. Last year, hundreds of nationalists marched through the streets of Tokyo’s Korean district, Shin Okubo, with signs labelling Koreans as “cockroaches” and saying “Sink Koreans in the Tokyo Bay”.

Some human rights lawyers say Abe’s December visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan’s wartime leaders, and controversial statements about history by those in his circle have created a climate that encourages far right sentiment.

The chairman of public broadcaster NHK, Katsuto Momii, made remarks, later retracted, that appeared to justify Japan’s wartime military brothels, saying all warring nations had similar institutions. —Reuters

BERLIN: Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit to terrorise Borussia Dortmund’s defence today despite a niggle in his knee, and build on Real Madrid’s 3-0 first leg advantage to book a spot in the Champions League last four.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti rested the Champions League top scorer for Saturday’s 4-0 La Liga win at Real Sociedad that helped them keep pace with leaders Atletico Madrid and second-placed champions Barcelona. The Portugal captain, who has a recordequalling 14 goals this season in Europe’s elite club competition, has complained of discomfort in his left knee but Ancelotti said he should be available for the second leg in Germany after a few days’ rest and treatment. Ronaldo made his 100th Champions League appearance in the first leg at the Bernabeu and his goal matched Lionel Messi’s single-season record set in 2011/12. Ronaldo’s overall tally in the Champions League is 64 goals, three behind Barcelona’s Messi, and he has 54 in his last 44 outings for Real and Portugal, including five hat-tricks.

Real have a slight doubt over the fitness of record signing Gareth Bale after he sustained a small gash to his right knee in Saturday’s win in San Sebastian. The Wales winger, who scored with a brilliant long-range strike to make it 2-0, needed a couple of stitches in the wound, local media reported. Ancelotti did not sound too concerned at his post-match press conference.

“This victory strengthens us and we also avoided injuries and were good physically,” the Italian said. “We played very well, intelligently. We started at a very high pace and had more intensity in the second half.

“Everyone had a good game and I’m pleased because it wasn’t easy. I’m very proud to manage this team. I have players who like to fight and we’re going to fight until the last match.”

AGGRESSIVE REAL It is this fighting spirit this season that has turned things around between the Germans and the Spaniards after Dortmund ousted Real at the semi-final stage last season.

Dortmund, however, boosted their own confidence with a 2-1 comeback win over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday that tightened their hold on second place in the Bunsdesliga and took pressure off the team as they chase an automatic Champions League spot for next season. “This win was very good for us,” said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp. “Had we lost we would have had to surrender to the murderous pressure. It was important to win and go into Tuesday’s game with a good feeling. “We will not give anything away for free. We want to have two good halves on Tuesday and then we

DORTMUND: Real’s keeper Iker Casillas exercises during the training session prior the UEFA Champions League second leg soccer match against Borussia Dortmund. — AP

Ronaldo doubtful against Dortmund DORTMUND: Cristiano Ronaldo is doubtful for Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final, second-leg against Borussia Dortmund after breaking off yesterday’s final training session with a knee injury. Ronaldo completed just 20 minutes of Reals final training session on the eve of today’s match at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion having sat out Real’s 4-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday to recover from the problem.

The 29-year-old suffered the knee injury after scoring Real’s final goal in their 3-0 win over Dortmund at Madrids Bernabeu Stadium last Wednesday and sought treatment in Dortmund can see what comes out of it.”

Klopp will have top scorer Robert Lewandowski back for the game after the Poland international sat out the first leg with a suspension. Lewandowski was on target in the win over Wolfsburg and his fire power will be crucial on Tuesday if the Germans are to have any chance of progressing.

immediately after breaking off training.

Madrid’s Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti has said he will delay making a decision on Ronaldo and will not risk the world player of the year.

‘Cristiano always wants to play and I want him to play, but he is a professional and knows when he can’t,’ said Ancelotti before overseeing the final training session.

‘We have to wait until after training, but we’ll take our time with the final decision and we dont want to take any risks.’ Portugal star Ronaldo is Reals top-scorer this season having hit the net 45 times in all competitions. — AFP Dortmund came from a goal behind and scored twice in the second half to win against Wolfsburg with Marco Reus, who scored the winner, saying a performance like that against Real was what was needed. “We are a long way from surrendering this tie,” Reus said. “If we play like we did in the first half then it will be difficult,” said the Germany international. —Reuters

Even ‘without strikers’ Blues could be too strong for PSG LONDON: Jose Mourinho has been claiming his side have no decent strikers but whatever he may think, Chelsea still have the firepower to beat French champions Paris St Germain and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League today.

PSG, without injured spearhead Zlatan Ibrahimovic, do not actually need to score any goals at Stamford Bridge to knock Chelsea out following their 3-1 first leg win in Paris. It probably will not be as simple as that though, as Chelsea know a 2-0 win will see them through on the away goals rule.

Even if his strikers again fail to impress Mourinho, Chelsea have an array of midfielders capable of swinging the tie in favor of the London club. PSG do, though, start the match with a healthy advantage after Javier Pastore’s goal with the last kick of the game at the Parc des Princes last week gave them a buffer. However, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge are a different proposition to the team that have lost their last three away matches in all competitions.

On Saturday they brushed Stoke City aside 3-0 in the Premier League, with all three goals coming from midfielders: Mohamed Salah, Willian and Frank Lampard, who has now scored 250 club goals for West Ham United, Swansea City and Chelsea. He also has another 29 for England. Saturday’s match was also their eighth successive home game with conceding a goal, and kept them two points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race. It was their 77th unbeaten home league match in Mourinho’s two spells at the club, and they have also proved in the past in Europe, most recently against Napoli two seasons ago, that no task is to large for them to overcome at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho was not in charge of Chelsea when they overturned a 3-1 first leg defeat by Napoli in the round of 16 in 2012, winning 4-1 at home in the return match before going on to win the trophy in Munich.

While he has never lost a quarter-final tie with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan or Real Madrid, he has also never overturned a two-goal first leg deficit in European competition.

HAZARD BELIEF “We know it won’t be easy at home but we can turn the tie around,” midfielder Eden Hazard, who scored from the penalty spot and hit the woodwork in the first leg, said. “We have proved we can do this before, and we can do it again next week.” Winger Andre Schurrle, preferred to 50 million pounds ($82.95 million) striker Fernando Torres in Paris, agreed they were down after the defeat, but not out.

LONDON: Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore (centre left) stretches his arms out flanked by Edinson Cavani (left) as they take part in a training session with their teammates at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium. — AP “It’s the worst time of the season to get results like this (but) we are a different team at Stamford Bridge with our fans behind us. It will be difficult but it is not impossible.”

There is some comfort in the absence of Ibrahimovic, who has scored 25 league goals this season in 30 appearances and played under Mourinho in Italy. He is missing after hurting his hamstring in the first leg. PSG, who beat Reims 3-0 on Saturday without Ibrahimovic, are 13 points clear of Monaco at the top of Ligue 1 and are confident they can overcome Chelsea without their talisman. Ezequiel Lavezzi put on a manof-the-match display at the Parc des Princes against Chelsea and Edinson Cavani scored the opener against Reims. Both players were in the Napoli team that went out to Chelsea 5-4 on aggregate in 2012. With Ibrahimovic sidelined, coach Laurent Blanc will field Cavani as number nine with Lavezzi and Lucas on the left and right flanks respectively.

Blanc insisted PSG will stay true to their style even without Ibrahimovic. “Our philosophy and our tactics will not change,” he said. The only uncertainty is regarding who will start as right back, although Gregory van

der Wiel appeared comfortable after returning from a knee injury against Reims, providing the cross for Cavani’s opener. — Reuters

Today’s Matches UEFA Champions League Chelsea v PSG beIN SPORTS 2 beIN SPORTS 4 beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 4 HD

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Dortmund v Real Madrid beIN SPORTS 1 beIN SPORTS 3 beIN SPORTS 1 HD beIN SPORTS 3 HD

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Hughton sacking highlights game’s diversity issues LONDON: Norwich didn’t sack Chris Hughton because he’s black. It fired him because it is petrified of dropping out of the Premier League and the millions in revenue that would be lost. Still, the result is the same: Every manager leading his team out next weekend will be white.

Not just in the Premier League, but across England’s top five divisions. While English football prides itself on progress made largely eradicating racism from grounds and its footballers from every corner of the world, it is an alarming anomaly that more than a quarter of Premier League players are black but none of their managers are. It reinforces for Herman Ouseley, the long-standing chairman of English football’s anti-racism body, Kick It Out, just how much the game remains “institutionally racist.”

“There isn’t the drive and collective feeling of responsibility to become diverse,” Ouseley told The Associated Press yesterday from the British parliament where he sits in the House of Lords.

“That’s because of the way they do business, the way they make decisions ... it’s harder to be black and successful in a process where there is no proper process and accountability.”

Norwich’s commitment to tackling racism is indisputable. It backed police action against online abuse Hughton faced earlier this season.

But while the club is unlikely to ever win the Premier League, its legitimate ambitions of staying in the top flight have been jeopardized by four losses in its last six matches. With the team five points above the relegation zone with five matches remaining, Delia Smith, the co-owner who made her name and fortune from cook books and television shows, will fear missing out on at least $60 million in television revenue next season if Norwich falls to the second tier.

But 55-year-old Hughton’s dismissal Sunday followed a depressingly familiar pattern: no job advert was posted; no line of candidates appeared to be interviewed. Instead youth team coach Neil Adams was hastily promoted to his first senior managerial job. Critics argue that not throwing open jobs to a wider pool of talent, and simply going with football’s known - and overwhelmingly white - managers makes it much harder for aspiring black coaches to get top jobs.

English football has been exploring whether to

emulate the NFL and its Rooney Rule, which forces clubs to at least interview ethnic minorities for top jobs. “It would be a huge step forward in England in terms of giving coaches and managers from ethnic minority backgrounds an opportunity to at least put their case forward,” said former Blackburn and West Bromwich Albion striker Jason Roberts, who retired from playing last month and has campaigned on race issues.

The Rooney Rule was named after campaigning Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney. A survey this season of 200 professional players in England found 62 percent backed the mandatory shortlisting of black and ethnic minority candidates for all non-playing jobs.

But not all are convinced the NFL rule would work in English football. Even Ouseley accepts: “You can’t transplant the same thing over here.”

There has been investment in courses for aspiring coaches - both male and female - from black and Asian backgrounds which can lead to the UEFA licenses required for top management jobs.

David Gold has been a football owner for more than 20 years, first at Birmingham and now at West

Ham. He is white. He said a non-white manager has never approached him about a job.

“When I hear this constant thing - it’s been going on for a number of years - this concern about ‘Where are the black managers?’ ... I have never interviewed a black candidate because a black candidate has not applied,” Gold told a football diversity seminar for lawyers last year attended by The Associated Press. “ The applicants are just not there.”

But ex-England striker Les Ferdinand, who is black, thinks his skin color is slowing his progress up football’s ladder. While coaching at former club Tottenham, he has been studying corporate governance, along with 13 other former black professional players, including Roberts. “I’ve always felt as a black person I’ve never been able to hold a position of authority,” Ferdinand said.

“I felt I needed to do this course in the hope I can go one step further and break into the boardroom. We talk a lot about how we are going to get more black managers. Unless we can break into those boardrooms and show we can have positions of authority it won’t happen.” — AP

Brazil falling short in rush to revamp WCup airports

ORDIZIA: Team Tinkoffís Alberto Contador celebrates after winning the first stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, a 153.4km ride around Ordizia, northern Spain. — AFP

Contador wins Tour of Basque stage MADRID: Former two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) won the first stage of the Tour of the Basque Country yesterday following a 153.4km ride around Ordizia in northern Spain.

The 31-year-old Spaniard came home 14 seconds clear of Movistar rider and compatriot Alejandro Valverde after the two men broke clear of the pack 8km from home.

Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski, 23, riding for Omega-Pharma claimed third spot, 34 secs behind Contador. Contador, who won the race in 2008 and 2009, is coming off victory in the Tirreno-Adriatico and a second place finish in the Tour of Catalonia.

Along with Valverde, the two Spaniards made their move on the final category two climb at Gaintza before Contador took off alone 2km further along the climb.

Earlier an escape of four riders including

Italian pair Davide Villela (Cannondale) and Mateo Montaguti (Ag2r) had opened up a lead of 4min 40secs before being caught by the peloton on the final climb. It then came down to the final attack and eventual victory by Contador who continues his impressive buildup for the Tour de France which begins on July 5 in Leeds, England for the first time. Contador won the fabled Tour de France in 2007 and 2009 before being stripped of his narrow 2010 victory over Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck, due to a contested positive doping test.

Stage two today is a 155.8km ride from Ordizia to Dantxarinea and features a series of four climbs including a category one slog 50km from home that could shake up the overall rankings. The race culminates on Saturday with the sixth stage, a 25.9km individual time -trial around MarkinaXemein. — AFP

Formula One still has a licence to thrill LONDON: Those who feared the wheels were about to fall off Formula One had better think again. The sport has come in for a fuel tank full of criticism lately, much of it self-inflicted, but Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix broke the negative spiral with a race that lit up the track in more ways than one.

The cars were too quiet and not quick enough, likened ludicrously to golf buggies with cautious ‘taxi drivers’ more preoccupied with saving fuel and sparing the tyres than overtaking. Listening to some people, racing had become boring and the glamour sport had lost its mojo. Or maybe not. “Unless I am very much mistaken,” as retired British television commentator Murray ‘pants on fire’ Walker would no doubt have opined had he been at the microphone on Sunday night at the floodlit Sakhir circuit: “And I AM very much mistaken...”

After a dull race in Malaysia the previous weekend, Sunday was suddenly showtime again. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg seized the sport by the scruff of the neck and, in a superbly illuminated night race, gave it full throttle. And some. They, and other team mates duelling down the field, demonstrated that the sport is still in full possession of its licence to thrill and eager to use it. Hamilton’s win, after being chased by his team mate all evening in a wheel-to-wheel battle that left them separated by barely a second at the finish, provided the perfect riposte to the critics.

“That made me happier than anything really,” commented Mercedes technical head Paddy Lowe as he celebrated his team’s third win in three races this season and second successive one-two finish.

“It’s a great result for Mercedes and the team, but more than that it’s a great result for Formula One because there has been so much negative stuff going on around, generated perhaps by some of our competitors putting in doubt the nature of this new formula.”

HOLDING COURT Only hours before the race, Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo - whose cars have plenty of catching up to do and slunk home ninth and 10th - had sauntered into the Sakhir circuit to hold forth in front of the television cameras.

He referred again to the famous ‘taxi drivers’ and spoke firmly of the need to bring back the lost ‘music’ of the engines and allow

flat-out racing from lights to chequered flag.

International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt, attending his first race of the season, met the major players while commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone told reporters the public wanted change and it had to happen.

The sound will be altered, with a general agreement to come up with a way of raising the decibels after the first European race in Spain next month, but Sunday evening gave Formula One something else to shout about.

For that, Mercedes must take much of the credit by allowing their drivers to race each other all the way rather than forcing them to back off with the sort of dreaded ‘team orders’ that kill the contest.

Lowe said there had never been a moment’s thought about it. “Mercedes-Benz has a very long history in motorsport and I think this is just part of the philosophy that we want to follow,” he said. “I think it’s the spirit of Formula One and motor racing generally. Team orders, putting in artificial constraints, is just such a terrible thing for the entertainment, the spectacle.

“So we believe that we should let the guys race, particularly in a situation where we have a pretty dominant car - it’s become clear of that now- it’s all the more important to keep providing that entertainment and excitement for all of us. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.

Mercedes had won comfortably enough in Australia and Malaysia but Bahrain showed just how much of a performance advantage the team have.

Hamilton and Rosberg were in a race of their own, almost a minute clear of the rest before the safety car was deployed and pulling away again rapidly once it came in.

Such domination might be a recipe for boredom but with two evenly-matched drivers going wheel-to-wheel, this year could really be back to the future and a classic in the making. In 1988, during the last turbo era, McLaren team mates Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna won all but one race between them in an epic title battle.

Boring? Predictable? Not a bit of it. “It was a massive fight out there and that’s what I’m here for. For racing like that,” said Rosberg on Sunday night. “I think it was a good day for the sport, which is important, because of recent little bits of criticism. I think they (the critics) are all going to be rather quiet tomorrow - which is a very good thing.” — Reuters

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA: With less than 10 weeks until the start of the World Cup, work on crucial new airport terminals has fallen behind in most of the dozen Brazilian host cities, heightening the risk of overcrowding and confusion during the tournament.

A temporary canvas terminal will be used instead of a planned airport expansion to receive fans in Fortaleza, which will host six matches including Brazil’s game against Mexico and a quarter-final. Officials are already preparing alternatives for other cities.

“Other airports have not said anything yet, but they will probably have to come up with contingencies,” said Carlos Ozores, a principal at aviation consultancy ICF International who has consulted for Brazilian airlines and airport operators. Concern over Brazil’s airports is especially acute since they represent some of the tournament’s most lasting investments. A host of other transportation projects have been scrapped or postponed, adding to criticism that the World Cup will leave few longterm benefits for ordinary Brazilians.

Quick fixes and last-minute deliveries are a recipe for chaos in the complex aviation industry, analysts say. Bungled openings of terminals from London to Denver took months to straighten out.

The stakes will be high in Brazil as more than 600,000 visitors arrive for the World Cup starting in June, one of the biggest sudden influxes the country has ever seen.

“People coming to Brazil are going to be shocked, especially Americans, by the how bad the airports are,” said Paul Irvine, who runs travel agency Dehouche in Rio de Janeiro. “There won’t be any catastrophic issues ... but they will be chaotic and ugly as heck,” he said.

Any air travel chaos could be especially embarrassing for President Dilma Rousseff, who made a bold political bet by privatizing a handful of key airports to ready them for the tournament, accelerating work that had languished under state control. The move broke with the ideology of her leftist Workers’ Party.

If those airports fail to deliver the smooth service that helped to justify the privatizations, the issue could quickly become an election campaign issue as Rousseff seeks a second term in October.

The airport concessions are a closely watched first step in her more than $100 billion plan to draw private investment to public infrastructure projects.

Construction delays at publicly administered airports have been far more dramatic. At the start of last month, airport overhauls in seven World Cup host cities were only half finished or worse, according to Infraero, the government agency that oversees airport operations.

Still, the privately run projects are drawing scrutiny. Civil aviation authority ANAC has redoubled its inspections of three privatized airports since learning at the start of this year that work was behind proposed timelines.

ADJUSTING EXPECTATIONS At the international airport serving the capital Brasilia, the racket of jackhammers rings through

LISBON: Brazilís national football team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari gives a press conference about the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup 2014 will be held in Brazil from June 12 to July 13, 2014. — AFP an open concourse, where passengers riding up an escalator can see a six-foot wide hole in the floor behind a boarded-off area.

One new terminal is set to open in weeks and the private operator promises another by May, although municipal authorities are downplaying that possibility.

At Guarulhos Airport outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, the glistening facade of the new Terminal 3 hides an interior still missing several walls, ceilings and basic operating systems.

“Guarulhos is where we expect to get the most blowback,” said one government official briefed on the airpor t ’s progress, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue.

The automated baggage check and immigrations systems originally promised will not be ready for the World Cup. The new international terminal is set to open at a fraction of its eventual capacity, handling just one in four foreign flights - less than 10 percent of overall traffic at the airport.

“At Terminal 3 in Guarulhos, they have already shifted from more airlines to fewer for the World Cup, and one could imagine further announcements ahead,” said Ozores. “ There’s clearly a correction going on, an adjustment of expectations.” By most accounts, construction at the privatized airports has moved at a relentless pace, with as many as 8,000 workers on shifts around the clock at each site.

Operators say they will deliver new terminals by the deadlines they promised. But the timelines for the airports were tight from the start. After winning auctions in February 2012, paperwork and regulations held up construction until the second half of the year, leaving airports with as little as a

year and a half for their overhauls. Viracopos, another privatized airport outside of Sao Paulo where several national teams will be chartering flights, was 82 percent finished with its promised expansion in January, about three months before its deadline. Its operator declined a request to visit the site.

By contrast, several World Cup stadiums were finished late, but organizers have now held test matches in all except one of 12 scheduled to host games: Sao Paulo’s Arena Corinthians, where the deaths of three construction workers have slowed work amid investigations.

Brazil’s need for new airport terminals is unmistakable, with three in four airpor ts stretched beyond intended capacity since 2010 after air traffic more than doubled in a decade, according to Infraero. However, the scramble to finish construction on the eve of the World Cup has created the potential for snags in a system with little margin for error.

The Brazilian Air Force has further complicated things by declaring no-fly zones over stadiums during matches for security reasons, disrupting flights in several cities for as much as five hours at a time. Brazilian airlines have also been cutting costs and slashing payrolls after two years of heavy losses, and travel headaches are common in the country even without the crush of a major sporting event.

During a recent visit to the Brasilia airport, for example, one airline’s computer system crashed for hours, sending queues snaking out the door and along the curb. “It will be chaotic and strange situation for most travelers,” said travel agent Ir vine of Dehouche. “But they will muddle through.” — Reuters

Flamengo and Vasco draw

SAO PAULO: Flamengo drew rival Vasco da Gama 1-1 in the first leg of the final of the Rio de Janeiro state championship on Sunday and is a draw away from winning its first state title in three years.

Defender Rodrigo put Vasco da Gama ahead with a header from a corner in the 11th minute and forward Paulinho equalized for Flamengo with a long-range right-footer in the 60th. Vasco, seeking its first state trophy since 2003, played a man down from the 55th at the Maracana Stadium.

In the Sao Paulo state championship, Ituano upset Santos 1-0 in the first leg of the final at the Pacaembu stadium. The minnow club will play for a draw next week to try to win a top title for the first time in its history. Flamengo, focusing on the Copa Libertadores, didn’t play with all of its regular starters. But it took advantage of the sending off of striker Everton Costa after a second yellow card early in the second half to keep pressure on its rival and earn the equalizer.

Flamengo has won four Rio titles in the last seven years, the last in 2011. Vasco da Gama lost the last four finals it played against Flamengo, including in 2004, the last time it reached the decisive match.

Flamengo has the tiebreaker for next week’s finale at the Maracana because it had a better campaign during the competition.

Only about 27,000 fans were at the game on Sunday, in one of the worst attendances for a state final in the famed stadium.

In Sao Paulo, Ituano came away with a surprising 1-0 win over Santos thanks to a goal by midfielder Cristian in the 20th minute. Midfielder Cicero missed a 35th-minute penalty kick for Santos to the disappointment of its nearly 30,000 fans packing the Pacaembu.

“They pressured us in the end but we were able to hold on to the result,” said Ituano coach Doriva, a former Brazil midfielder. “But we know it’s not over yet.

The final match is going to be very difficult.”

Santos is playing in its sixth straight state final, the

first after Brazil star Neymar left for Barcelona. It won three titles in a row from 2010-12. Last year it lost to Corinthians, which didn’t advance past the first stage this time.

With the tournament’s best attack, the team from the coastal city of Santos had lost only once and had scored goals in all but one match.

Ituano hasn’t conceded a goal in five straight matches and has the competition’s best defense with 10 goals in 18 games. The team from the interior city of Itu had stunned Palmeiras 1-0 in the one-leg semifinal last weekend at the Pacaembu, which was also packed with the rival’s fans.

Ituano, whose general manager is former Brazil midfielder Juninho, escaped relegation in the last round of the regional tournament last year. It has been playing in the first division since 2002.

In the Minas Gerais state championship, rivals Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro drew 0-0 in the first leg of the final. Atletico played without former Brazil star Ronaldinho because of a right-foot injury.

In a friendly in the southern city of Porto Alegre, Argentine midfielder Andres D’Alessandro scored twice as Internacional defeated Penarol of Uruguay 21 in the first major test at the Beira-Rio stadium, which will host five World Cup matches in June. —AP

RIO DE JANEIRO: Youngsters practice boxing during British Finance Minister George Osborne’s visit to the Fight for Peace NGO, run by his schoolmate in England Luke Dowdney at the Favela da Mare shantytown.The NGO’s project offers a variety of sport opportunities for more than 2,000 young people. — AFP

Jones bags Houston Open

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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Dortmund pray for Real miracle

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‘Ronaldo of knees’: Surgeon saves football careers

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PHOENIX: Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (center) collides with Phoenix Suns forward PJ Tucker (17) during the first half of an NBA basketball game as Suns’ Eric Bledsoe watches on. —AP

Heat survive Knicks barrage MIAMI: LeBron James scored 38 points and Mario Chalmers added 15 as the Miami Heat survived a 3-point barrage from New York’s JR Smith on the way to dealing the Knicks’ playoff hopes a big blow with a 102-91 victory on Sunday.

Chris Bosh added 14 points and Ray Allen had 12 for the Heat, who are a full game ahead of Indiana and two up in the loss column in the Eastern Conference race.

Smith made a Knicks-record 10 3pointers, on an NBA-record 22 attempts, and finished with 32 points. Raymond Felton scored 14 for New York and Carmelo Anthony managed only 13, on 4 for 17 shooting.

Anthony had two points after halftime, while James had 22. The Knicks are two games behind Atlanta in the race for the final playoff spot, three in the loss column.

TRAIL BLAZERS 100, PELICANS 94 LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds as Portland clinched its first playoff appearance in three seasons with the win over New Orleans.

Wesley Matthews added 21 points, Damian Lillard 20 and Nicolas Batum had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who are in fifth place in the Western Conference with four games remaining.

Reserve Anthony Morrow had 17 for New Orleans and Anthony Davis had 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. Memphis’ loss to San Antonio earlier in the evening cleared the way for Portland to clinch. It appeared the Trail Blazers might fumble the chance when New Orleans took a 10point second quarter lead. But the Blazers blew past the Pelicans with a 25-6 third quarter run and never trailed again.

SUNS 122, THUNDER 115 Kevin Durant scored 38 points, his 41st consecutive game of 25 or more, but Phoenix got 26 points from Goran Dragic and 24 from Gerald Green to beat Oklahoma City.

Durant moved ahead of Michael Jordan with the third-longest such streak in NBA history and longest since Oscar Robertson did it for 46 in a row in the 1963-64 season.

PJ Tucker scored a career-high 22 points, including a career-best four 3pointers, for the Suns, who pulled a game ahead of Memphis for the No. 8 playoff

spot in the West and took the season series from the Thunder 2-1. Eric Bledsoe added 18 points. Russell Westbrook had 33 points and eight assists for Oklahoma City.

HAWKS 107, PACERS 88 Jeff Teague scored 25 points in Atlanta’s rout of reeling Indiana, which was held to a franchise-low 23 points in the first half of an embarrassing performance on its home floor.

The Hawks have won three of four and extended their lead over the Knicks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference to two full games.

The Pacers have lost four of five and fell a full game behind Miami in their quest for the No. 1 seed in the East. Paul George scored 18 points and David West had 17 on a night All-Star center Roy Hibbert did not play the final 30 minutes.

Atlanta jumped to a 9-0 lead, extended the margin to 33-11 after one and 55-23 at the half.

ROCKETS 130, NUGGETS 125 James Harden had 32 points and Chandler Parsons scored eight points in overtime to lift Houston over Denver.

Denver led by one in overtime when Houston made three consecutive 3-pointers, two of them by Parsons, to make it 130-122 with less than two minutes left.

The Rockets trailed by eight late in reg-

ulation before using a 9-1 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Harden under heavy pressure from Randy Foye, to tie it at 117 with 7.1 seconds remaining. Evan Fournier scored 26 points and Aaron Brooks added 24 points and 15 assists against his former team.

GOLDEN STATE 130, JAZZ 102 Klay Thompson scored 33 points and Stephen Curry added 31 points and 16 assists as Golden State rolled past Utah to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race.

The streaky shooting backcourt tandem helped the Warriors eclipse last season’s win total with its 48th victory and move 19 games over .500 for the first time in 20 years. Golden State remains 11/2 games behind fifth-place Portland and 11/2 games ahead of seventh-place Dallas in the crammed conference standings. Trey Burke had 24 points and 15 assists, and Alec Burks added 24 points and five assists in the latest lopsided loss for the Jazz, who are in last place in the West.

SPURS 112, GRIZZLIES 92 Kawhi Leonard matched his career high with 26 points and Manu Ginobili had a season-high 26 as San Antonio eased past Memphis after losing Tony Parker to injury. Parker’s status is unknown after he was forced to leave

NBA results/standings Miami 102, NY Knicks 91; LA Clippers 120, LA Lakers 97; Dallas 93, Sacramento 91; Atlanta 107, Indiana 88; Houston 130, Denver 125 (OT); San Antonio 112, Memphis 92; Golden State 130, Utah 102; Phoenix 122, Oklahoma City 115; Portland 100, New Orleans 94.

Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Northwest Division W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 55 21 .724 Toronto 45 32 .584 Portland 50 28 .641 6 Brooklyn 42 34 .553 2.5 Minnesota 38 38 .500 17 NY Knicks 33 45 .423 12.5 Denver 33 44 .429 22.5 Boston 23 54 .299 22 Utah 24 53 .312 31.5 Philadelphia 17 60 .221 28 Pacific Division Central Division LA Clippers 55 23 .705 Indiana 53 25 .679 Golden State 48 29 .623 6.5 Chicago 45 32 .584 7.5 Phoenix 46 31 .597 8.5 Cleveland 31 47 .397 22 Sacramento 27 50 .351 27.5 Detroit 28 49 .364 24.5 LA Lakers 25 52 .325 29.5 Milwaukee 14 63 .182 38.5 Southeast Division Southwest Division Miami 53 23 .697 San Antonio 60 17 .779 Washington 40 37 .519 13.5 Houston 51 25 .671 8.5 Charlotte 39 38 .506 14.5 Dallas 47 31 .603 13.5 Atlanta 34 42 .447 19 Memphis 45 32 .584 15 Orlando 22 55 .286 31.5 New Orleans 32 45 .416 28

with back spasms early in the first quarter.

The All-Star point guard took a hard fall as he drove the lane, landing squarely on his back near the free throw line after being fouled by Memphis’ Mike Conley with 7:38 left. Parker remained on the court for about a minute, but rose and continued playing before exiting with 2:41 remaining in the first.

Tim Duncan added 13 points for San Antonio, which bounced back after its franchise-record, 19-game winning streak was broken Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

James Johnson had 20 points and Conley added 18 points for Memphis, which is chasing a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

CLIPPERS 120, LAKERS 97 Blake Griffin and Chris Paul scored 23 points apiece as the Los Angeles Clippers hung another rout on the Lakers to take three of four games this season from their beleaguered Staples Center co-tenants.

It wasn’t quite the blowout of the Clippers’ previous two wins - 48 points on March 6 and 36 points on Jan. 10 - but they were easily in command as the designated home team.

JJ Redick added 15 points and DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacific Division-winning Clippers, who improved to 32-6 at home.

The injury-plagued Lakers were down to just eight players after guard Kent Bazemore got hurt in the second quarter.

Jordan Hill led them with 22 points and Nick Young added 18 points.

MAVERICKS 93, KINGS 91 Monta Ellis scored eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas kept its playoff position by beating Sacramento for its third straight win.

The Mavericks won for the fourth time in five games to maintain seventh place in the Western Conference. It was Dallas’ fifth straight road win.

Rudy Gay had 32 points and tied a career high with eight assists for the Kings, and DeMarcus Cousins added 28 points and 10 rebounds.

The Kings played their sixth straight game without starting point guard Isaiah Thomas (right quadriceps contusion), who is averaging 20.7 points and 6.4 assists. Vince Carter scored 17 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 15 points on 5-of 17 shooting for Dallas. — AP

Juventus restore eight-point lead MILAN: A brace from Spanish striker Fernando Llorente gave Juventus a 2-0 win over Livorno to restore their eight-point lead over Roma and edge the champions closer to a third consecutive scudetto yesterday.

Roma’s faint hopes of a first Serie A title since 2001 were given a boost by Juve’s shock 2-0 loss to Napoli last week. But a day after a Mattia Destro hat-trick inspired a 3-1 win away to Cagliari and helped close Roma’s deficit to five points, Antonio Conte’s men underlined their title credentials with a solid display in Turin which did little to boost Livorno’s survival hopes.

Juve have now amassed 84 points and, with six games remaining, remain on target to become the first team in Serie A to win the title with 100 points.

Livorno, meanwhile, remain third from bottom, two points adrift of the safety zone. Following Roma’s win in Sardinia, Llorente had posted a defiant Twitter message which read: “We either have to win or win.” But despite a high-octane start the Bianconeri had to wait 32 minutes before finally breaching the Livorno defence.

Innocent Emeghara tested Gianluigi Buffon with a long-range drive after just two minutes while at the other end Carlos Tevez forced Francesco Bardi to block from close range before sending a header from the rebound astray.

Stephan Lichsteiner then glanced an effort wide with the outside of his boot after Kwadwo Asamoah’s delivery from the left after being set up by Andrea Pirlo.

Juve were building momentum and Llorente finally broke the deadlock in clinical fashion when he spun on Tevez’s short pass from the left of the area to plant the ball in the roof of Bardi’s net.

Three minutes later Llorente met Pirlo’s corner from the right with a firm header which squirmed inside Bardi’s near post.

Moments before the interval a Pogba drive spun off Lichsteiner, while at the other end Emeghara skipped past Martin Caceres and into the box before Leonardo Bonucci came to the rescue.

Juve countered after the resulting corner and Tevez was given time to send a 25-metre drive curl just wide of Bardi’s far post.

Llorente almost had his third 10 minutes after the restart but pushed Pogba’s through ball out of reach while to the right of goal.

Livorno were given a glimmer of hope by Ghanaian Alfred Duncan’s drive, which brought a spectacular diving save from Buffon. But Domenico Di Carlo’s side were showing little threat of scoring, never mind causing an upset. — AFP

Business

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India’s Sun Pharma buys troubled rival Ranbaxy

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

Page 25 Holcim, Lafarge create global concrete giant

Toyota Avalon 2014: Elegant style with a touch of youth spirit Page 26

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BANGKOK: A general view of the Chao Phraya river on the outskirts of Bangkok. The World Bank yesterday said developing countries in East Asia will grow 7.1 percent in 2014 as they benefit from a stabilizing global economy and withstand the impact of US stimulus cuts. — AFP

WB trims China, E Asia growth forecasts Region seen growing at 7.1% in 2014 SINGAPORE: The World Bank trimmed its 2014 growth forecast for developing East Asia but said the region’s economies were likely to see steady growth in the next couple of years, helped by a pick-up in global growth and trade.

The Washington-based development bank expects the developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region to grow 7.1 percent in 2014 and 2015, down from the 7.2 percent rate it had previously forecast for both years. Growth in 2016 is also seen at 7.1 percent, staying slightly below the 2013 growth rate of 7.2 percent.

“Stronger global growth will help most developing East Asia Pacific (EAP) countries grow at a steady pace while they adjust to tighter global financial conditions,” the World Bank said in its latest East Asia Pacific Economic Update report.

“The tailwinds from improving global trade will offset the headwinds from the tightening of global financial markets.”

Emerging markets, including those in Asia, had been roiled by capital outflows from around May to September last year as investors began positioning for the US Federal Reserve to start tapering its monetary stimulus. While financial markets in the East Asia Pacific region have shown a

muted reaction to the Fed’s actual decision in December to begin scaling back its quantitative easing, the possibility of capital flow reversals remains a concern for developing countries in the region, the World Bank said.

“Going forward, higher global and domestic interest rates, rather than more volatile capital flows and financial markets, may be the greater concern,” it added.

The prospects for a normalization of US policy rates will put upward pressure on interest rates and could trigger more sizeable capital outflows from weaker economies, as well as make debt management more difficult in countries where leverage has risen, the bank said.

“Overall, as interest rates rise, developing countries will face higher capital costs, which will weigh on investment and growth in the medium term,” it added.

China growth The World Bank trimmed its 2014 growth forecast for China to 7.6 percent, from 7.7 percent previously. It kept the 2015 growth forecast for China steady at 7.5 percent, down slightly from 7.7 percent actual growth in 2013. The new

2014 outlook reflected “the bumpy start to the year,” it said, noting that China’s industrial production and exports had been weak in the January-February period.

“While the growth rate of industrial production has slowed, and exports contracted in the first two months of 2014, the trend is nevertheless strengthening, and we expect quarterly growth to rise at midyear as external demand from the high-income countries solidifies,” the World Bank said.

Among Southeast Asian economies, the biggest changes in the World Bank’s economic forecasts were for Thailand and Myanmar. It cut its forecast for Thailand’s economic growth to 3.0 percent in 2014 and 4.5 percent in 2015, from its previous forecasts of 4.5 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively.

The World Bank said a recovery in external demand would lift growth in Thailand compared with the 2.9 percent actual growth in 2013. Domestic demand in Thailand, however, remains dampened because of the ongoing political unrest, which has affected tourism receipts, public investment and investor confidence, it said. “If the political

UAE, Qatar rally; Egypt edges lower MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Property and banking stocks lifted markets in the United Arab Emirates yesterday and Qatar’s blue-chips rallied further, while petrochemical and retail names weighed on Saudi Arabia’s bourse. Dubai’s bourse rose 1.4 percent to 4,654 points, recovering from a minor pull-back on Sunday.

Bourse operator DFM gained 0.6 percent on above-average volumes after a top Dubai economic policymaker said an agreement to merge it with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange had been reached in principle, although nothing had been finalized. DFM also said last month its trading volumes this year had grown 425 percent year-on-year, which was likely to translate into higher income. HSBC forecast DFM’s first-quarter profit will jump 647 percent to 202 million dirhams ($55 million).

“I think investors are starting to price in (expected) first-quarter numbers,” said Sanyalak Manibhandu, manager of research at NBAD Securities. Dubai Islamic Bank added 2.2 percent. The bank owns a 41 percent stake in developer Deyaar, whose shares have soared following its decision to allow foreign ownership of the stock.

Developers Emaar Properties and Union Properties along with contractors Arabtec and Drake and Scull were among Dubai’s other notable gainers. Residential property prices in the emirate grew 33 percent yearon-year in the first quarter, according to a report from property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle yesterday. It forecast further price and rent increases across all property sectors this year.

Real estate investment trust Emirates REIT will further test investor appetite for the sector when it starts trading on NASDAQ Dubai today. The trust priced its initial public offering at a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.2, slightly below Union Properties’ 5.6. Bigger names Emaar and Aldar Properties trade at 25.6 and 10.3 respectively, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Abu Dhabi’s bourse scaled the psychologically-important level of 5,000 points, rising 0.9 percent to 5,012. Aldar rose 4 percent to a fresh four-year high, up for a second day after unveiling tentative plans to float its property management unit Khidmah.

National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels jumped its daily limit of 15 percent ahead of the April 9 shareholder registration

deadline for its 50-percent cash dividend payout.

Qatar, Saudi Doha’s bourse rose 1 percent to 12,217 points, its highest finish since June 2008, as blue-chip stocks led gains. Qatar’s adoption of a record $60 billion state budget late last month sparked the latest rally. The benchmark is now up 18 percent in 2014 and is the second-best performing Gulf index behind Dubai, which has gained 38 percent.

Saudi Arabia’s bourse slipped 0.3 percent to 9,508 points. Heavyweight petrochemicals producer SABIC fell 0.6 percent as global oil prices eased on expectations of increased Libyan supplies. Other petrochemicals also dipped.

But the biggest loser was the retail sector, which dropped 1.1 percent. Jarir Marketing fell 1.2 percent after its first quarter profit slightly missed analysts’ forecasts.

Kuwait’s Stock Exchange index climbed 0.2 percent to 7,600 points.

Egypt’s bourse, which has been in profittaking mode since late March, edged lower in early trade but then recovered to close up 0.1 percent at 7,530 points as telecom stocks led. — Reuters

situation stabilizes sufficiently ... growth will be stronger in 2014,” the bank said.

Growth in Myanmar is likely to stabilize at 7.8 percent in 2014-2016, after the government made progress in 2013 on macroeconomic reforms, it said. The World Bank had previously forecast 6.9 percent growth for Myanmar in both 2014 and 2015. The World Bank said downside and upside risks to growth in developing East Asia Pacific countries were evenly balanced.

“At the global level, a slower-than-expected recovery in advanced economies or a steady rise in interest rates, coupled with increased volatility in commodity prices due to recent geopolitical tensions could mean a less hospitable environment for growth,” it said.

A steady global recovery, however, could help open the way for deeper reforms, such as steps needed to create the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, it said. A disorderly rebalancing in China could hurt the growth outlook for commodity exporters, while a successful rebalancing could give a boost to regional trade partners, the bank said. — Reuters

Tech stock sell-off spreads through world markets LONDON: A sell-off of Internet and technology stocks that started on Wall Street spread around the globe yesterday, with tech companies hammered by worries about excessively high valuations.

Renewed concerns over Ukraine also unsettled investors, particularly in Europe.

Pro-Russian separatists who seized a provincial administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk proclaimed the region independent - an echo of events prior to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Ukrainian authorities called the move an attempt by Russia to sow unrest.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 1.1 percent at 6,623 while Germany’s DAX fell 1.8 percent to 9,521. The CAC-40 in France was 0.8 percent lower at 4,448.

In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.5 percent at 16,338 while the broader S&P 500 index fell 0.4 percent to 1,859. The latest bout of nerves started last Friday when mainstays of the Internet economy such as Google and Netflix that have surged over the past year were hammered as investors had a change of heart and decided prices were too high. The technology-heavy Nasdaq had its biggest one-day drop since February.

“Sentiment remains tricky for investors looking purely at valuations of companies, particularly within the tech-focused sectors,” said Joao Monteiro, analyst at Valutrades. “Therefore the upcoming earnings season, which begins in earnest today when aluminum maker Alcoa reports, is crucial.”

Earlier in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 led regional declines, dropping 1.7 percent to close at 14,808.85. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 0.6 percent to 22,377.15, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.1 percent to close at 1,989.70. Markets in mainland China were closed for a holiday.

Investors this week will be looking ahead to some key releases for further clues on the economic outlook. Today, they’ll be awaiting a policy statement from the Bank of Japan that may reveal whether the central bank will provide further stimulus. Tomorrow, they’ll be scrutinizing minutes from the Federal Reserve’s policy setting committee. The mood was less choppy in other markets. Among currencies, the euro was up 0.3 percent at $1.3743 while the dollar fell 0.1 percent to 103.19 yen. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark New York crude was 6 cents higher at $101.19. — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

BUSINESS

Holcim, Lafarge create global concrete giant Construction boom in emerging markets in focus GENEVA: Swiss cement group Holcim and French rival Lafarge are merging to create the biggest global concrete group worth 40.0 billion euros, with an eye to booming construction in emerging markets, they said yesterday.

The deal, a major event in the global construction industry described in a joint statement as “a merger of equals”, will be based on the offer of one Holcim share for one Lafarge share.

The two groups together have a stock market value of 40 billion euros ($55 billion), Holcim chairman Rolf Soiron told a press conference. The companies made a commitment to sell assets to pre-empt anti-trust objections from competition authorities.

Soiron said these disposals would account for annual sales of 5.0 billion euros, two thirds of which would occur in Europe. Lafarge assured that the deal would not lead directly to plant closures.

On the Swiss stock market, the price of Holcim shares jumped 3.37 percent to 82.90 Swiss francs in morning trading.

In Paris, Lafarge shares were up 3.06 percent to 66.05 euros.

Their stocks had already risen sharply on Friday to rumors of merger talks. The new company will be called LafargeHolcim and “will have a unique position in 90 countries and will be evenly balanced between developing countries and countries with strong growth,” the firms said in a joint statement.

They highlighted the match of their activities since Lafarge has a strong presence in Africa and Holcim in Latin America.

However they both have big and competing interests in Europe. In Zurich, stock analyst Ute Haibach at brokers J. Safra Sarasin said the deal should result in “more balanced exposure in emerging markets.” At stock brokers Aurel BGC in Paris, analysts said that the merger would be “long and complex but was technically possible”.

Figures in the statement show that the new giant will employ 136,000 people across the countries where it operates, have annual sales of 32 billion euros and underlying profits of 6.5 billion euros. The deal would generate economies of scale of 1.4 billion euros over three years.

LafargeHolcim will be in a powerful position as a supplier of cement for concrete, a key material in the construction of buildings and infrastructure. It is a sector in which new technologies are being used increasingly in materials, including cement. Building supply companies have been expanding in emerging countries where they see huge opportunities for growth from the construction of buildings and infrastructure.

But both companies are facing sluggish conditions in the European construction industry. Soiron said the merger offered “a once in a lifetime opportunity to deliver substantially better value to customers with more innovation, a wider range of products and solu-

tions” and to raise returns for shareholders.

‘The most-advanced group’ The combined group would be “uniquely positioned to take advantage of growth in developed markets and the world’s fastest growing economies,” he said. Lafarge chief executive

but Lafont told the press conference that the new entity would not pull out of France, where the downsizing of industrial companies is a hot political issue. The companies are aiming to complete the deal by the first quarter of 2015. Shares in the new firm will be listed on stock exchanges in Paris and Zurich. Founded in Switzerland in 1912, Holcim employs

in brief

Bahrain Q4 growth slows to 5.4 pct y/y DUBAI: Growth in Bahrain’s inflation-adjusted gross domestic product slowed to 5.4 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of last year from a revised 5.7 percent in the third quarter, data from the state statistics body showed yesterday. GDP rose 0.7 percent from the previous quarter. The mining sector, which includes oil production and accounts for over a fifth of GDP, led growth in the fourth quarter, expanding 14.6 percent from a year earlier. Most other major sectors grew much more slowly, with construction edging up 1.5 percent and financial services also growing 1.5 percent.

IFR-JPM, BofA Merrill to join Morgan Stanley LONDON: JP Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch are to join Morgan Stanley on the syndicate for Emaar Properties’ upcoming IPO of its retail and malls business, bankers said. Last month, Dubai’s biggest property firm hired Morgan Stanley to manage an 8-9 billion dirham ($2.18-2.45 billion) listing of its shopping mall and retail unit, a deal that promises to be the largest ECM transaction in the region since 2008.

Emaar has now appointed JP Morgan to the topline along with Morgan Stanley, while Bank of America Merrill Lynch will be one step below as joint bookrunner. The listing, which was first contemplated before Dubai’s real estate and stock market collapsed in 2009, underscores the extent of the emirate’s recovery over the past few years. Residential property prices increased by more than 20 percent last year and Dubai’s main equity index - the best performing bourse in the world in 2013 - is up 18.8 percent so far this year. Emaar is 31 percent-owned by the Dubai government, which is set to earn a dividend of about $750 million from the listing.

PARIS: CEO of the world’s biggest cement maker, French Lafarge, Bruno Lafont (right) and Rolf Soiron, Chairman of the Board of Directors of its Swiss rival, Holcim, gesture as they pose before a press conference yesterday in Paris. —AFP Bruno Lafont said the merger would “set up the most advanced group in the construction industry, for the benefit of our clients, our employees and our shareholders.” The new firm’s chairman will be Holcim’s Wolfgang Reitzle, with Lafarge’s Lafont becoming its chief executive officer. Holcim and Lafarge will each have seven seats on the new firm’s board.

The headquarters of the company will be in Switzerland

71,000 people, with production sites in about 70 countries and a market presence on every continent. In notched up net sales of 19.7 billion Swiss francs (16.1 billion euros, $22.2 billion) in 2013.

Lafarge began as a French limestone-quarrying company in 1833, and now employs 65,000 people in 64 countries, with annual sales of 15.8 billion euros ($21.7 billion). —AFP

Morocco to give Islamic finance a second try RABAT: Morocco is set to give Islamic finance a second try, counting on closer regulation and a clearer legislative framework to resolve problems which plagued its first attempt.

Banks in the country began introducing a range of Islamic finance products in 2007, calling them “alternative finance”, but they drew little response from the majority Muslim population. Both consumers and the banks themselves were unfamiliar with the products, while the lack of a detailed legal framework for Islamic finance also kept uncertainty and costs high.

This time, the environment is different.

Morocco’s parliament is considering a detailed bill that would regulate Islamic banks and issues of sukuk (Islamic bonds), and its passage - which could occur this year is expected to prompt some Moroccan banks to establish dedicated sharia-compliant subsidiaries. Meanwhile, Morocco’s central bank plans to set up a central sharia board to oversee the sector. Sources aware of the plan told Reuters that seven scholars and financial experts had started training to become members of the board.

The political momentum behind Islamic finance has increased since a moderate Islamist-led government took power through elections in late 2011, and as the government struggles with a large budget deficit; sukuk

News

issues could attract money from wealthy Islamic funds in the Gulf. Said Amaghdir, chairman of the Moroccan Association for Participative Finance Professionals, an Islamic finance business association, said the tax treatment of sharia-compliant products would be crucial for the industry’s development.

“We are fighting to get fair taxation for the participative products - that’s how their prices would be closer to conventional ones,” he said. “It is a matter of political will.” In its current form, the proposed legislation appears to address the tax issue well. It provides for the use of special purpose vehicles (SPVs), while transfers of real estate between sukuk originators and SPVs would not face double taxation, said Houda Chafil, managing director at Maghreb Securitization, a financial firm.

This is expected to favour the use of ijara sukuk based on sale and lease-back arrangements.

Potential As several countries in the Middle East, including Oman and Libya, open up to Islamic finance, Morocco appears to be one of those with the most long-term potential; almost half of the population of about 33 million is believed to be outside the formal

role in developing the market; Moroccan authorities may guide them towards partnering local banks rather than establishing fully owned Islamic subsidiaries, bankers believe.

Gulf banks from Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have expressed interest in entering the market when the bill comes into force, said Lhassane Benhalima, the central bank’s deputy head of banking supervision. “We remain open-minded in our vision, and joint ventures between local banks and foreign investors are encouraged.”

One banking industry source, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said he expected the Moroccan central bank to approve the creation of only four to six Islamic banks, to avoid crowding in the sector.

“Most of the Moroccan banks interested in Islamic finance have already started talks with foreigners to make up joint ventures,” the source said.

The ventures will face considerable obstacles, however, in particular a lack of consumer awareness of Islamic financial concepts, seen in consumer surveys conducted by BMCE. “I think that it is natural to say that they want Islamic products, but nobody knows what Islamic finance is: they think that Islamic finance is qard hasan (benevolent interestfree loans),” Maarouf said. —Reuters

banking system. A Thomson Reuters study of Morocco, released this month, estimated Islamic banks could account for between 3 and 5 percent of its total banking assets by 2018, or about $5.2-8.6 billion - still far below the proportion of roughly a quarter seen in the developed markets of the Gulf.

Moroccan banks have expressed cautious interest in the opportunities. AttijariWafa, Morocco’s largest bank and the first to establish an Islamic unit, has said it will expand the unit after the bill passes. Local lenders BCP, BMCE and BMCI , a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, may launch Islamic units of their own once the legislation is in place. BCP, Morocco’s second largest bank, aims to open an Islamic subsidiary alongside a partner with Islamic banking expertise, said Laidi El Wardi, BCP’s general director for retail banking. “First we want the new bank to create its own network, even though it will not be very large. I believe in the next four to five years, we will have at least 60 branches. For the second phase we will start using the conventional bank networks.”

BMCE Bank, Morocco’s third largest, is eyeing opportunities in sharia-compliant investment banking, takaful (Islamic insurance) and sukuk, said Mohamed Maarouf, director of participatory development finance at BMCE. Foreign banks look likely to play an important

RAKBANK eyes 40% foreign ownership limit DUBAI: Shareholders of National Bank of Ras AlKhaimah (RAKBANK) will meet on May 1 to decide whether to allow foreigners to hold up to 40 percent of its shares, the lender said in a bourse statement yesterday. The bank, which is listed in Abu Dhabi, currently has a 20-percent cap on foreign ownership. Foreigners currently own 19.3 percent of the bank’s shares.

Egypt pound rises on official market CAIRO: The Egyptian pound strengthened at a central bank dollar auction yesterday after sinking to a six-month low last week, but it weakened on the black market. The central bank sold dollars at a cut-off price of 6.9649, slightly stronger than the 6.9651 pounds at its last auction on Thursday. But the dollar sold on the black market for 7.45 yesterday, weaker than Thursday’s rate of 7.43 pounds. It traded around 7.30-7.40 for the last two months. The central bank sold $38.3 million at its dollar sale yesterday. It had offered $40 million. Egypt’s foreign currency reserves stood at $17.414 billion in March. That compares with $17.307 billion in February and $36 billion before the uprising that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Pope approves Vatican bank reform proposal VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has approved a reform proposal keeping the Vatican bank operative, ending a year of speculation over whether the pontiff would close the institution that has embarrassed the Church for decades. The bank’s stated purpose is to manage funds for Roman Catholic orders of priests and nuns, charitable institutions and Vatican employees and retirees. But it has been dogged by episodes of malpractice by people authorised to hold accounts there and murky dealings with Italian financial institutions. “The IOR will continue to serve with prudence and provide specialized financial services to the Catholic Church worldwide,” the Vatican said yesterday in a statement announcing that Francis had approved recommendations for the future of the bank, known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR). Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, a former senior Vatican accountant who had close ties to the IOR, is currently on trial accused of plotting to smuggle millions of dollars into Italy from Switzerland as part of a scheme to help rich friends avoid taxes.

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal transfer Irani Riyal cash Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.737 4.708 2.880 2.161 2.945 226.380 36.453 3.636 6.290 8.712 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.430 77.721 734.800 751.300 77.033

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 39.700 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 39.920 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.320 Tunisian Dinar 179.350 Jordanian Dinar 399.450 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.898 Syrian Lira 2.016 Morocco Dirham 35.521 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.750 Euro 390.760 Sterling Pound 471.770 Canadian dollar 259.880 Turkish lira 134.040 Swiss Franc 320.400 Australian Dollar 265.500 US Dollar Buying 281.550 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 240.000 121.000 62.500

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 264.56 260.21 323.32 392.17 282.00 473.37 2.77 3.633 4.621 2.158 2.940 2.881 76.85 750.57 39.83 401.36 733.38 77.87 75.33

SELL CASH 261.56 261.21 321.32 393.17 285.00 476.37 2.79 3.903 4.921 2.593 3.475 2.790 77.31 752.64 40.43 407.01 740.68 78.42 75.73

2.955 3.910 86.990 45.905 9.690 133.930

Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar South African Rand Sri Lankan Rupee Taiwan Thai Baht

0.000069 0.220725 0.020747 0.001850 0.009226 0.008372

0.000075 0.226725 0.029247 0.002430 0.009406 0.008922

Bahrain Exchange Company

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

Arab 0.743544 0.036855 0.000078 0.000181 0.394580 1.0000000 0.000137 0.024394 0.001195 0.728383 0.076954 0.074763 0.001753 0.174650 0.132776 0.076001 0.001284

0.751544 0.039955 0.000079 0.000241 0.402080 1.0000000 0.000237 0.048394 0.001830 0.734063 0.078167 0.075463 0.001973 0.182650 0.139776 0.077150 0.001364

Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit Chinese Yuan Renminbi Thai Bhat Turkish Lira

COUNTRY Belgian Franc British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Romanian Leu Slovakia Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Turkish Lira

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 282.500 260.195 469.120 388.830 317.180 751.900 76.890 78.475 75.605 398.125 40.444 2.158 4.702 2.876 3.631 6.271 693.875 3.730

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar America Canadian Dollar US Dollars US Dollars Mint

Bangladesh Taka Chinese Yuan Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Korean Won Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso

SELL CASH Europe 0.007349 0.461441 0.006087 0.047764 0.381493 0.043063 0.08094 0.008094 0.039045 0.310235 0.132776

SELLDRAFT 0.008349 0.470441 0.018087 0.052764 0.389493 0.048263 0.181094 0.018094 0.044045 0.320435 0.139776

Australasia 0.253658 0.236450

0.265158 0.245950

0.251923 0.278650 0.279150

0.260423 0.283000 0.283000

Asia 0.003251 0.044362 0.034360 0.004467 0.000020 0.002657 0.003256 0.000257 0.082651 0.002944 0.002619 0.006400

0.003851 0.047862 0.037110 0.004868 0.000026 0.002837 0.003256 0.000272 0.088651 0.003114 0.002899 0.006680

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) 282.200 389.450 469.150 258.100 4.700 39.910 2.158 3.629 6.288 2.875 751.400 76.850 75.350

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

BUSINESS

Investment inflows, spending spur Sub-Saharan GDP growth FDI flows to weaken but oil, metals to attract flows

KANO: Shoppers at the new South African retail giant Shoprite outlet in Kano, northern Nigeria. Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as the continent’s largest economy. —AFP

Nigeria growth jump shows Africa is rising: South Africa PRETORIA: South Africa welcomed yesterday new growth figures showing that Nigeria has overtaken it as the continents biggest economy, saying they indicate that Africa is rising. The recalculation of output by Nigeria showed that the economy of the country, Africa’s most populous nation, grew to $453 billion in 2012, compared with South Africa’s $384 billion, according to the World Bank.

“The announcement gives concrete expression to the fact that Africa is indeed rising,” said the ministry of finance. The new data was boosted by the contribution of new industries such as mobile telephones, music and the film industry.

According to Pretoria, South African firms played a “big role in the growth and development” of some of Nigeria’s growing industries like retail and telecoms. Shoprite, South Africa’s

largest grocer and Vodacom are some of the companies with a presence in Nigeria. It said the South African government and the private sector “continue to play no small a part in the growth and development of the continent”.

Nigeria last updated its gross domestic product figures in 1990. While South Africa’s economy continues to attract modest growth, with a 2.7percent expansion forecast for this year, Nigeria estimates for 2013 indicated further expansion to $510 billion, according to official statistics.

Dogged by low productivity and high unemployment rates, South Africa’s growth lags behind many of the world’s developing economies.

However, the oil-rich west African country with a 170 million population is battling poor infrastructure and endemic corruption. —AFP

Euro-zone recovery edges ahead, jobless rate high: Surveys PARIS: The euro-zone economy is expected to recover steadily in the first quarter of this year with growth of 0.4 percent pulled by industrial production, but then flag slightly, three top forecasting bodies said yesterday. Threats to this outlook came from a slowing of demand from emerging economies, and tension over Ukraine.

But this improvement will have scant effect on high euro-zone unemployment, largely because consumers’ buying power has been crimped by austerity measures in some euro-zone countries and by the effects of unemployment. Consumer spending would remain sluggish, the German Ifo, French Insee and Italian Istat institutes said.

But amid concerns that deflation may be stalking the euro-zone, the institutes said

that inflation was set to pick up slightly.

“Although improving, the pace of the recovery will remain insufficient to significantly reduce the unemployment rate,” they said in a joint report. “This is expected to stay at record highs in the short term and to decrease only moderately going forward.”

Output in the 18-member euro-zone could grow at a rate of 0.4 percent in the first three months of the year. That would be twice the rate of 0.2 percent in the previous quarter, after 0.1 percent in the quarter before that.

Industrial output was set to expand by about 0.4 percent in the next three quarters, they said, except for output in the construction sector where investment would remain low.

However, the downturn in construction had ended. —AFP

NAIROBI: Growing investment in Africa’s natural resources and rising household spending will accelerate economic growth in SubSaharan Africa to 5.2 percent in 2014 from 4.7 percent last year, the World Bank said yesterday.

New oil and gas discoveries in countries including Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania have underpinned rising capital inflows into the region, and growth will speed up to 5.4 percent in both 2015 and 2016, the bank said. The risks to the region’s outlook include lower commodity prices brought on by weaker growth in emerging markets, and the reversal of capital flows, it said. The bank also saw “domestic risks from political unrest, security problems and inflationary pressures.” Francisco Ferreira, the World Bank’s chief economist for Africa said the bank was concerned that although numbers were rising, the growth was not being reflected on the ground.

“We do see these high headline numbers.

We’ve been talking about growth rates of 4.5-5 percent, with some countries hitting 6 or 7 percent ... But we don’t necessarily see

LAGOS: Nollywood directors and investors yesterday hailed the industry’s inclusion in Nigeria’s economic data for the first time, calling it a recognition of the sector’s growing power and influence.

Africa’s most populous nation and leading oil producer became the continent’s largest economy on Sunday when the government announced the long-overdue recalculation of gross domestic product.

When the last revision was carried out in 1990, Nollywood’s contribution to the economy was negligible. But statistics indicated that the industry, which has a huge following across Africa, was now worth some 853.9 billion naira ($5.1 billion, 3.7 billion euros) or 1.2 percent of GDP. “It is significant that the economic importance of Nollywood is being better recognized,” Zach Orji, one of

Berlin strikes conciliatory tone with French on economy reduced to one single issue”, of deficit reduction.

France has promised to reduce its public deficit from 4.3 percent of national output last year to under 3.0 percent next year in line with EU rules. But Sapin said last week that he would discuss the “pace” of deficit reduction during talks with EU partners in comments seen as a sign that Paris wants more time to cut spending amid a prolonged economic downturn.

Sapin came to the capital of Europe’s top economy to outline the “difficult” reforms due to be addressed by new Prime Minister Manuel Valls to lawmakers today.

France is seeking to reduce the tax burden on households, lower social contribution payments for businesses and implement 50 billion euros ($69 billion) of savings.

Describing himself as a “French Schaeuble”, Sapin pledged to go on straightening out France’s public finances. He stressed France had already made “considerable efforts” which it would “amplify” but not at any cost.

He said he sought a “balance” between respecting commitments

$43 billion as foreign firms exploited hydrocarbon finds, including those in eastern Africa where massive gas finds have been made in Tanzania and in Kenya where commercial quantities of oil have been struck.

“FDI flows are expected to be lower in 2014 due to weaker commodity prices and slower growth in emerging markets. Still, new discoveries of oil, gas and metals are expected to attract substantial FDI flows to the region,” the bank said.

On capital flows, the bank said that as the Federal Reserve continues to taper its assetbuying program and financial conditions in the United States and other developed economies tighten, capital inflows are projected to fall in 2014. The bank said that fiscal deficits widened in 2013 and debt to GDP ratios rose across the region. “ The largest deterioration of fiscal balances occurred among oil expor ters and lowincome countries,” the report said.

Debt to GDP ratio for the region rose to 34 pct in 2013 from 29 pct in 2008, with significant differences across countries. —Reuters

Nigeria’s Nollywood hails economic ‘approval’

BERLIN: German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (left) and his new counterpart from France Michel Sapin arrive for a news conference during a meeting at the Finance Ministry in Berlin yesterday. —AP

BERLIN: France’s new finance minister travelled to Berlin yesterday to defend budget plans to his German counterpart who was upbeat about Paris’ efforts to tackle its budget deficit and spur growth.

Wolfgang Schaeuble, Germany’s veteran finance minister, struck a conciliatory tone in a press conference with Michel Sapin but both said they had not addressed headon the thorniest issue of France’s public finances during their talks.

“Germany needs a strong France,” said Schaeuble, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s fellow conservative champion of budgetary rigor.

“France is on a very good path,” he added, referring to reforms announced by the French government to tackle its stagnant economy and rising unemployment.

Schaeuble described his meeting with Sapin, who was appointed last Wednesday in a government reshuffle, as “very good” and said he had been “convinced” by the new minister’s explanations. He limited his comments on budgetary discipline to saying that he assumed Paris was “aware of its responsibilities” but that “everything mustn’t be

that growth, which takes place let’s say in the oil sector in Angola or Equatorial Guinea, translating into improved living conditions for most people,” Ferreira said. “ That is fundamentally our concern.

Growth is not necessarily taking place where the poor people are working.” A chronic energy deficit and poor transport links continued to curb growth levels regionally, the bank said.

“Poor physical infrastructure will...continue to limit the region’s growth potential,” Makhtar Diop, the World Bank’s vice president for Africa, said in a statement.

“Significantly more spending is needed in most countries in the region if they are to achieve a lasting transformation of their economies.”

In its Africa Pulse report, the Washingtonbased body said capital flows into SubSaharan Africa rose to an estimated 5.3 percent of regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013, outpacing the global developing-country average of 3.9 percent.

Net Foreign Direct Investment into the region jumped 16 percent to a near-record

and greater economic growth, although he acknowledged that he expected “difficulties”, an implicit reference to talks with the European Commission. A German newspaper yesterday cited government sources as saying Berlin faced a certain “dilemma” between concern for preserving the credibility of EU budgetary rules and a wish to support Paris’ efforts. “It also doesn’t help us if, for the sake of principle, we stay tough but France in the end is economically washed-up,” the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily said citing government sources in Berlin. France’s new economy minister Arnaud Montebourg, who has made headlines in the past with his outspoken criticism of EU-backed austerity measures and of Germany, was also in Berlin to meet his counterpart.

Ahead of his talks with Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Democrat in Merkel’s power-sharing government, he said he would discuss issues affecting Europe. “The EU is a shared asset, the best way to defend it is to make it evolve and to respond to popular aspirations,” he told reporters. —AFP

the industry’s most prominent and accomplished artists, said. The founder and chief executive of video-on-demand firm iROKOtv, Jason Njoku, said he was not surprised by the data and it reflected Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s leading film production centres.

“It (Nollywood) has been growing steadily for the past 20 years and can legitimately be uttered in the same breath as the likes of Hollywood... when it comes to movie output data, with some 1,500-2,000 movies being made every year,” he added. The Britisheducated entrepreneur Njoku, whose firm has been dubbed the African Netflix, said the inclusion in economic data was a “landmark” and reflected Nollywood’s dynamism. Nigeria’s revision of GDP data saw the size of the economy jump from $264 billion in 2012

to $453 billion, with projections of a further increase in 2013 to $510 billion. The exercise was carried out to factor in changes in production and consumption over the last 24 years and showed a significant shift in the structure of the economy, according to the government.

Telecoms, for example, was also included to reflect the explosion in mobile phone ownership in recent years. The United Nations said last May that Nollywood is estimated to employ some one million people and had the potential to create one million more in the future if properly managed.

Its release of about 50 films a week puts it in the same bracket in terms of production with moviemad India, although revenuesthought to be about $590 million a year-are considerably less.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck

Jonathan last year announced a three billion-naira cash injection to develop Nollywood, which was seen as a recognition of the sector’s importance. Orji said problems remained, not least film piracy, but added that planned improvements to distribution would help ensure revenues generated would get back to those involved in production.

Nollywood films are as loud, brash and argumentative as the country itself, frequently tackling social and cultural issues and relying heavily on melodrama. They are thought to cost as little as $25,000 — a fraction of the $250 million on average that it takes to make a film in Hollywoodand can be turned around within a month from filming to sale. Most films are sold as DVDs at the roadside, either at market stalls, from wheelbarrows or by hawkers at traffic lights. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

BUSINESS

World stocks plunge from 6-year high; euro yields fall

TOKYO: Women eat ice cream in front of an electronic stock price indicator in Tokyo yesterday. Internet and technology stocks tumbled across Asia yesterday as a sell-off spread from Wall Street where investors knocked down such companies over worries about excessively high valuations. — AP

LONDON: World stocks slipped yesterday from last week’s six-year high as technology shares tumbled again, while speculation the European Central Bank will ease policy further pushed down European bond yields.

The Nasdaq suffered its biggest decline since February on Friday as investors extended a recent sell-off in high-flying and high-growth shares, mostly in the tech and biotech sectors, on fears that they are overvalued. The negative sentiment spilled into Asia yesterday, hitting Japanese tech stocks.

The pull-back came after the Dow and S&P 500 indexes hit record highs following March US jobs data that soothed concerns about the health of the economic recovery there but eased fears of an early interest rate hike. World stocks, as measured by MSCI, had enjoyed three weeks of straight gains as easing tensions in the Crimea region of Ukraine encouraged investors to add risks.

“Markets are overbought over the short term. We have seen a decent run after the Crimean situation cool down a little bit and now it’s quite natural to see a breather from that level,” said Gerhard Schwarz, head of equity strategy at Baader Bank.

The MSCI world equity index fell a third of a percent, having hit levels not seen since late 2007 on Friday. US stock futures were pointing to a weaker start on Wall Street later. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.6 percent, led lower by index heavyweight Softbank which fell over 4 percent in brisk turnover.

SoftBank shares have become very sensitive to moves in US tech stocks ahead of Alibaba’s IPO, which is expected to become one of the largest offerings in history.

SoftBank holds around a 37 percent stake in the Chinese e-commerce giant. European stocks were down around 0.8 percent while emerging stocks outperformed with a

decline of just 0.15 percent following three weeks of gains.

The dollar was slightly lower against a basket of six major currencies. The euro rose 0.1 percent to $1.3726. Euro-zone bonds rose broadly on expectations the ECB may undertake a program of asset purchases, known as quantitative easing or QE, this year to support the economy.

Greek debt yields hit a four-year low and German and Italian bond futures rose, extending Friday’s rally after a German newspaper said the ECB had modelled the effects of buying a trillion euros of assets to ward off deflation. That followed comments

by ECB President Mario Draghi that policymakers were unanimous that asset purchases might be needed to tackle persistently low inflation.

“Investors are just looking for yield pickup with the ECB’s accommodative stance at this juncture,” RIA Capital Market strategist Nick Stamenkovic said.

US crude oil fell half a percent to $100.66 a barrel after worries about supply disruption eased as Libyan rebels occupying four eastern oil ports agreed to gradually end their eight-month-old blockade.

The 10-year US Treasury yield stood at 2.720 percent, having fallen on Friday after the jobs report eased concerns about an early interest rate hike. Short- and mediumterm Treasury yields had surged after Fed Chair Janet Yellen suggested on March 19 that the central bank could raise interest rates earlier than expected. Yellen was more dovish in a speech on March 31, when she defended the Fed’s supportive measures.

Short- and medium-dated Treasuries notes are viewed as most vulnerable to a hike in overnight interest rates, which are currently near zero. — Reuters

Oil slips below $106 as Libya deal eases supply worries LONDON: Brent crude oil fell below $106 a barrel yesterday, snapping a twoday rise, after Libyan rebels occupying four eastern oil ports agreed to end an eight-month blockade, raising the prospect of increased supply to world markets. The end to the port standoff, a major advance for the north African exporter, is taking some of the supply worries off the market that had helped push prices to as high as $112 for the year.

Brent crude fell $1.32 to a low of $105.40 per barrel before recovering to around $105.72 by 1050 GMT, down $1.00. Brent ended last week 1.2 percent lower. US oil was down 50 cents to $100.64 by 1050 GMT. Libya’s Zueitina and Hariga ports, held by federalist rebels demanding more autonomy from Tripoli, will open immediately, while the larger ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider will be freed in two to four weeks after more talks. “The sell-off follows the Libyan news, but it is a little surprising, because only two small ports will reopen at first and the more important ones will stay closed for some time,” said Carsten Fritsch, a senior commodities analyst at Commerzbank.

Morgan Stanley analysts were cautious over the prospects for higher Libyan oil production, saying any rebound in output would reinforce a bearish outlook for oil this year.

“We are sceptical of any interim, let alone long-term, agreement,” Morgan Stanley said in a note to clients. “Some ports could reopen briefly, especially with budget and payroll issues, but previous announcements have disappointed. We believe market optimism will quickly fade without a sign of progress.”

Further losses in oil were, however,

checked by renewed tension in Ukraine, which raised concerns over the possibility of a deeper diplomatic rift between Russia and the West.

Pro-Russian protesters broke into state security headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, seizing weapons, and highway police closed down entrances into the city, local police said yesterday. “If the Ukraine tension rises again, it could lead to an escalation of sanctions, which would could be bullish for oil,” Fritsch at Commerzbank said.

Markets were also keeping an eye on Iran, which is hoping to get Western sanctions lifted, allowing it to sell more oil. The United States dismissed suggestions that Iran was exporting much more oil than it is allowed to sell under a preliminary nuclear deal and predicted that aggregate Iranian oil sales would meet targets set for Tehran.

The remarks from a senior US official came ahead of a new round of seniorlevel negotiations between Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia in Vienna on April 8-9.

Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying by Press TV that Iran hoped progress would be made at talks this week to allow for the drafting of an accord to settle a dispute over its nuclear program. Economic data was also supportive.

Strong US jobs growth added to a range of indicators from manufacturing and services sector activity to automobile sales signalling strength as the first quarter ended. The promising economic indicators boosted expectations of strong gasoline sales as the world’s top oil consumer, the United States, enters the peak summer driving season. — Reuters

Gold steady as US data eases rate hike fears LONDON: Gold inched lower yesterday, steadying around $1,300 an ounce following its biggest one-day jump in three weeks, as investor worries about an early US interest rate hike eased after a monthly jobs report failed to meet market expectations. Bullion rose 1.2 percent on Friday after March non-farm payrolls came in slightly below the consensus estimate for a 200,000 jobs increase at 192,000.

Investors had speculated that a strong jobs figure, which followed a recent string of positive economic data, could prompt a quicker tightening of US monetary policy. Gold had endured heavy selling ahead of the data, hitting a seven-week low of $1,277.29 today. “Gold rallied after the data on Friday and is still steady because the numbers were below expectations, but growth in the US seems to be quite positive and is still expected to improve,” Standard Bank analyst Walter de Wet said.

Spot gold was down 0.2 percent to $1,299.70 an ounce by 1009 GMT, after recording its biggest one-day percentage increase since March 12 on Friday, when it hit a one-week high of $1,306.50.

Gold futures for April delivery lost 0.3 percent to $1,299.20 an ounce. “Further buying seen on Friday is viewed as a recovery phase to unwind the overex-

tended downside conditions of March,” UBS technical team said in a note. In wider markets, the dollar was down 0.1 percent against a basket of six major currencies, while the euro was under pressure from expectations the ECB may undertake a program of asset purchases this year to support the economy.

The state of the US economy will continue to be the prime factor driving gold prices in the near term, while monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank should impact prices in the longer run, analysts said. The next market focus is the Fed minutes for the March FOMC meeting tomorrow.

“The Fed minutes are out this week and I think gold is going to look at that ... obviously the focus will be on when the rates will be raised, which people may start analyzing,” De Wet said.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated on March 19 that the central bank could raise interest rates in the first half of 2015. Yellen was more dovish in a speech on March 31, when she defended the Fed’s supportive measures. Low interest rates, which cut the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion above other assets, had been an important factor driving bullion higher in recent years. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

BUSINESS

Japan, Australia clinch basic trade deal

TOKYO: Japan and Australia clinched a basic trade deal yesterday to cut import tariffs, as US and Japanese officials stepped up efforts to reach a parallel agreement that would re-energize stalled talks on a broader regional pact.

The agreement between Japan and Australia comes as the United States and Japan push for their own two-way trade deal - a key component of a broader US-led TransPacific Partnership (TPP) pact before a visit this month by President Barack Obama. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed a basic agreement on the deal at talks in Tokyo, and agreed to work towards signing it as soon as possible, the two sides said in a statement.

“The Japan-Australia EPA (economic partnership agreement) is an extremely important framework that promotes bilateral trade and investments,” Abe later told a news conference with Abbott.

“This basic agreement has historical significance for getting the two countries closer together.”

The bilateral deal, expected to be finalized when Abe travels to Australia in July, features cuts to Japanese tariffs on Australian beef including a halving of the levy on frozen beef to 19.5 percent with deep cuts in the first year - and an end to an Australian duty on cars.

A deal with Australia that lets

Japan keep even reduced tariffs on politically sensitive agricultural products such as beef gives Japan ammunition against US demands to scrap tariffs in the TPP deal, which aims to remove import levies, experts said. Such a deal means “Australia gets preferential treatment over the US, and America will be under pressure to strike a TPP deal short-term that puts it on a level playing-field with Australia,” said Aurelia George Mulgan, a professor of Japanese politics at the University of New South Wales.

Australia had a lower hurdle on tariffs for Japanese cars after Australia’s three remaining carmakers - Toyota Motor Corp, General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co decided to quit Australian domestic production by 2017 due to high costs and a strong Australian currency.

US-Japan ‘game of chicken’ US Trade Representative Michael Froman left yesterday for Tokyo, his office said. He will meet Economy Minister Akira Amari tomorrow, Japanese media said, in a bid to break a bilateral stalemate bogging down the 12-nation TPP talks.

Washington and Tokyo are each urging the other to be more flexible on the sticking points of access to Japan’s farm and car markets and US tariffs on imported cars and trucks.

TOKYO: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (second right) speaks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (second left) during summit talks at the Akasaka State Guesthouse in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP The TPP is a centrepiece of Obama’s push to expand the US presence in Asia. The talks have entered their fifth year. The Japanese and US economies dominate the grouping, which encompasses one-third of global imports

and exports.

“What is going on is a game of chicken,” Mulgan said. The US and Japan “want an agreement but they are not prepared to pay a high price. Japan knows that America wants it on board because TPP

without Japan is not worth all that much. Japan is playing hardball.”

The United States wants Japan to open its rice, beef and pork, dairy and sugar sectors - areas Abe has vowed to defend. Japan wants a timetable on US promises

to drop tariffs of 2.5 percent on imports of passenger cars and 25 percent on light trucks. Advocates say the TPP could accelerate global economic growth, boost US exports and level the playing-field between emerging and rich nations in. The TPP talks, including Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia and others, missed a deadline for an agreement by the end of last year. Abe and Abbott also stressed close security ties as Japan seeks tighter relations with regional partners to cope with a rising China. They agreed to start talks on cooperation in defense technology and equipment, following Japan’s recent overhaul of a decades-old ban on arms exports. “The relationship between Australia and Japan is about much more than economics and trade and growing wealthy together,” Abbott said at the news conference. “It’s about respect, it’s about values and that’s why this is such a very strong partnership.”

In a symbolic gesture, Abbott became the first foreign leader to attend a special session of Japan’s National Security Council, set up last year to coordinate policies. “I think this fact that we are having this session with you signifies the fact that there is a strong bond of trust between Japan and Australia,” Abe told Abbott at the beginning of the session. —Reuters

India’s Sun Pharma buys troubled rival Ranbaxy $3.2bn deal to end Japanese firm’s ownership

HAMBURG: The interior of the economy class of the new Airbus A350 XWB is pictured during a presentation in Hamburg, northern Germany yesterday.

European aircraft manufacturing company Airbus presented the interior of its future A350 which - according to the company - will offer “more personal space, flexibility and comfort” than other aircraft in its class. —AFP

China to steer clear of stimulus for economy BEIJING: China is going to avoid going down the “familiar path” of resorting to large stimulus measures for the economy, and there is no sign of a shift in monetary and fiscal polic y, state news agenc y Xinhua wrote in a commentary yesterday.

Flagging growth has unnerved global investors and fuelled speculation about a modest stimulus package to boost activity. But Xinhua, in an English-language piece, dismissed speculation about any stimulus package in the offing. “A ‘mini stimulus’ theory has been widely circulated after the State Council announced a set of policies on Wednesday,” it wrote.

“However, any talk about an incoming stimulus package is misleading and those anticipating the kind of stimulus China unleashed following the 2008 global financial crisis are likely to be disappointed,” Xinhua added. Such commentaries are not official policy statements, but can be read as a reflection of government thinking.

China acted for the first time this year to steady its stumbling economy by cut-

ting taxes for small firms last Wednesday and announcing plans to speed up the construction of railway lines. The government also said it would lower tax rates for smaller companies by relaxing the criteria that allows them to halve their income taxes. The measures mark the first concrete action being taken by China this year to boost its economy, and come after Premier Li Keqiang sought to reassure jittery markets that Beijing was ready to provide support.

Xinhua said that China’s economy needed “a little stimulation but not a fully fledged stimulus”.

“There is no need to panic, not least because China’s growth rates remain high compared with the recent sluggish standards of Western nations,” it added. “The smart ones have got it. There is no sign of a monetary and fiscal policy shift.” The Chinese government said in March that it aims to grow the economy by around 7.5 percent this year, and a minority of analysts believe growth will ultimately fall short of 7.5 percent. —Reuters

German industrial output grows more than expected BERLIN: German industrial production grew more than expected in February despite a small drop in the construction sector, pointing to a robust start to the year, official data showed yesterday. Industrial output, a central driver of the German economy, expanded by 0.4 percent in February from output in January, the economy ministry calculated in preliminary data. That was better than the 0.2percent forecast by analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. It followed a 0.7-percentrise in January which was revised slightly down from the figure that was initially released.

“Full speed ahead,” commented Carsten Brzeski, of ING-DiBa, noting that despite the slight fall “the German construction sector is booming”. “All in all, today’s numbers confirm once again that a strong growth performance, at least in the first quarter, is in the making.

“The German economy is powering ahead.” Economic activity slipped 0.1 percent in the construction sector after bounding 4.4 percent a month earlier thanks to a milder winter, while manufacturing output grew 0.5 percent. The economy ministry highlighted in a separate statement that at the start of 2014 “industrial economic activity continued to intensify”.

Taking December to February, industrial production grew by 1.9 percent compared to the previous three-month period to November. Industrial orders, a key measure of demand for German-made goods both at home and abroad, also rose in February, driven primarily by strong domestic orders, data showed on Friday.

Christian Schulz, of Berenberg bank, said the relatively mild weather had contributed towards “a super-strong winter quarter”.

But he cautioned: “Emerging market wobbles and the Ukraine tensions could still catch up with the economy in March and limit the upswing at least a little bit.”

Meanwhile, the powerful BDI industry federation voiced optimism for growth in 2014 based on the first months of the year. Its president Ulrich Grillo told reporters at an industrial fair in the northern city of Hanover that he believed it “possible” that gross domestic product could grow this year by 2.0 percent, or even “a smidgen more than 2.0 percent”.

Official forecasts currently are for 1.8 percent growth this year. The BDI also foresees German exports increasing by five percent this year driven by a recovery among several of its euro-zone partners. —AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s third-biggest drugs company Sun Pharma announced yesterday a $3.2-billion deal to buy larger domestic rival Ranbaxy from Daiichi Sankyo, ending the Japanese company’s costly run as owner.

Despite Ranbaxy’s huge US safety regulatory problems, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said the transaction offered “tremendous growth opportunities” thanks to Ranbaxy’s “significant presence” in the US market as well as in India and other high-growth emerging markets.

“Sun Pharma and Ranbaxy will have a diverse, highly complementary portfolio of specialty and generic products,” Sun Pharma managing director Dilip Shanghvi, who founded the company in 1983, said. But the immediate winner from the deal, analysts said, was Daiichi which extricates itself from its troubled ownership of Ranbaxy while striking a strategic partnership with Sun Pharma.

Daiichi Sankyo’s shares were up 3.3 percent at 1,813 yen in yesterday’s trade. Daiichi bought New Delhi-based Ranbaxy, India’s biggest drug firm by sales, in 2008 for $4.6 billion, believing its dominance in cheap generic medicines would boost the Japanese firm’s revenues.

But the Indian company created a huge drain on Daiichi’s finances after US regulators slapped import bans on Ranbaxy drugs over quality concerns, and a year after its purchase, the Japanese company announced a $3.84-billion loss on the deal. “There’s no doubt the biggest beneficiary of this (latest) deal is Daiichi,” Surya Patra, pharmaceutical analyst at Mumbai’s PhillipCapital, said.

The Japanese company will hold about 9.0 percent of the new firm and have a right to nominate one director to Sun Pharma’s board under the deal, which involves purchase of $3.2-billion in Ranbaxy shares and the assumption of $800 million in debt which Sun said made the total transaction worth $4 billion. The agreement would create India’s largest drugs manufacturer and the fifth-biggest worldwide by sales while Ranbaxy shareholders will get a nearly 20 percent premium to the average 30-day share price.

Daiichi’s President Joji Nakayama acknowledged that his company came out a loser financially, but added that “we’ve learnt a lot of things and got lots of ideas”.

“Today, we have a partnership with a worldleading generic pharmaceutical firm,” he told reporters in Tokyo. “And we’re aiming to achieve a great result that will overwhelm our past investment.”

US safety concerns India, known as “pharmacy to the world” because of its vast generics market, supplies medicines to more than 200 countries and is the

second-largest US drugs supplier after Canada.

Ranbaxy’s shares were down nearly five percent at 437.65 rupees in afternoon trade. Sun Pharma stock was up 1.36 percent at 479.65 rupees as the company said the deal would give it access to Ranbaxy’s pipeline of generic drugs and vast Indian rural distribution network. Sun, based in financial hub Mumbai, said it expected the deal to close by the end of 2014, pending regulatory approvals.

demands. Ranbaxy last year pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of making adulterated drugs and agreed to a record $500-million settlement, after a whistle-blowing employee revealed a “complicated trail of falsified records and dangerous manufacturing practices”.

Aditya Khemka, pharmaceutical analyst at Ambit Capital in Mumbai, said the deal looked attractive despite Ranbaxy’s regulatory troubles.

“We need to now see what savings and incre-

MUMBAI: Indian employees of the country’s third-biggest drugs company Sun Pharma walk outside its research and development centre in Mumbai yesterday. (Inset) President of Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo, Joji Nakayama speaks during a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP The purchase comes just months after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) slapped an import ban on Ranbaxy’s fourth plant in India for failing to meet “good manufacturing practices” after bans on the other three. Sun Pharma, some of whose products the FDA also banned last month over safety concerns, said it intended to work hard to get the banned Ranbaxy facilities re-certified as safe.

“The first focus will be on compliance,” managing director Shanghvi told analysts in a conference call, referring to the FDA quality

mental revenues Sun Pharma can generate from Ranbaxy,” he said. Sun said the acquisition was expected to add to its cash earnings per share in the first full year.

Ranbaxy’s net loss narrowed to 1.59 billion rupees ($25.6 million) for the quarter ended December 2013 from a 4.92-billion-rupee loss a year earlier, thanks to rising sales in key markets and currency gains. The combined entity will have operations in 65 countries, 47 manufacturing facilities across five continents and annual revenues of $4.2 billion. —AFP

Bank of Cyprus revises offer to offload Ukraine unit NICOSIA: Bank of Cyprus said yesterday it is looking “positively” at a revised offer to sell its loss-making PJSC Ukrainian unit to Russia’s Alfa Group as part of a restructuring drive.

In January, BoC, the island’s largest lender, said it had agreed to sell its 99.77 percent stake in the subsidiary to ABH Ukraine, which is part of Alfa Group, for 225 million euros ($308 million).

But Cypriot media reported the Russians are now offering 10 percent less than the original figure due to the worsening political and economic crisis in Ukraine.

Moscow

annexed Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula last month, and Western powers accuse the Kremlin of fomenting further unrest in the country’s mainly Russian-speaking east. “Bank of Cyprus announces that a revised consideration has been offered by the Alfa Group that is viewed positively by the board of the directors,” said BoC. “The sale is expected to be finalized in the near future and is subject to approvals from the relevant regulatory authorities,” it said in yesterday ’s statement.

The sale is part of the liquid-

ity-strapped group’s strategy of focusing on core businesses and markets, and disposing of other operations. “Upon the completion of the sale, the bank will issue an announcement providing information as to the financial impact of this transaction,” said BoC. The Cypriot bank acquired PJSC Bank of Cyprus in 2008. It operates a network of 42 branches, focusing both on individuals and businesses in Ukraine.

As at September 30, 2013, the bank had total assets of about 245 million euros and equity of 70 million euros.

Cyprus agreed in March to a 10-billion-euro rescue package with the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund to bail out its troubled economy and oversized banking system. The deal included the closure of the island’s second-largest bank, Laiki, and a 47.5 percent “haircut” on deposits above 100,000 euros at BoC. Many of those large BoC depositors were Russian and in return they got shares in the lender with six Russians now represented on the 15-member board. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

BUSINESS

Toyota Avalon 2014: Elegant style with a touch of youth spirit KUWAIT: Avalon 2014 is one of the masterpieces of Toyota Sedan, which was a result of Toyota’s continuous research and development to build a luxurious masterpiece, inherited in the attractive youth spirit and promising future to paint a future vision for cutting edge cars. Toyota started to manufacture Avalon in 1994 in its quest to provide its fans with a luxurious Toyota car followed by three other generations of the same to be crowned recently with the fourth generation of “Avalon 2014” model to complete a series of unique elegancy with a new sporty design expressing the vital youth spirit and reliable efficiency known by Toyota for a long time ago.

Athletic style The fourth generation of “Avalon 2014” was designed with a promising youth style combines the sports dynamic and the attractiveness that embody a unique experience of the delight of driving a sport car which presented a new standards in the design of Sedan cars, and the sculpted exterior design add more ele-

gance and luxury. The rear side was designed to merge with the rear lights showing its lightness, while the front bumper is equipped with daytime running lights (DRL) to add a touch of beauty.

Luxurious interior elegantly equipped The Interior design of Avalon is highly delicate and elegant with luxurious touch of wood in a combination of high quality, spaciousness and pleasure offered to the passengers. It was taken into consideration the craft jobs through its polished interior surfaces made professionally, seats in multiple colors made with luxurious natural leather and separate heating and cooling system for the highest standards in comfort and luxury.

Innovative technology The compartment of “Pleasurable Avalon” is equipped with easy to use Central Operation System that work through touch screen fitted with CDPlayer that support different musical format in addition to AUX, USB and

Bluetooth, with modern technology that suit mobile devices. The system can also control the JBL Surround Sound System of 11 speakers, Heating and cooling systems in addition to accurate navigation system and rear camera.

Three different modes The Super electronic 6-speed transmission (ECT) simulates the heart and mind of the Avalon 2014 driver’s by providing them with three driving modes: “Sport” mode for an enjoyable and outstanding sport experience, “Normal” mode and “Eco” mode, which participate in improving fuel efficiency, which enhance the environment friendly relationship. The modes support the Avalon engine V6 with 3.5 liter capacity which uses VVT-I technology to generate 274 hp.

Protection systems The Avalon is available with new systems for the safety of the driver and passengers , which includes Vehicle Stabilit y Control ( VSC ), Trac tion Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System

Radar cruise control with pre-crash safety system (ABS), Elec tronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), in addition to a protection system to avoid collision, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control uses a radar sensor to help control speed and keep a safe distance from the vehicle traveling ahead and 10 SRS air bags to mitigate the effects of impacts and reduce injuries in case of any accident.

Effective control The steering wheel was designed to enable the driver to control all the available features starting from cruise control switch to audio switch and telephone switch.

Models and colors variation The new Avalon is available in five different models and diverse colors according to client’s needs.

Gulf Bank announces Allam Shadid as winner of first 2014 KOC draw KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has announced Allam Shadid as the winner of the first 2014 KOC quarterly draw for a brand new GMC Yukon. Shadid received a 2014 GMC Yukon delivered off the floor at the GMC Yukon dealership by Yaser Sulaiman, Executive Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank.

Gulf Bank’s KOC quarterly draws are exclusive to KOC employees who have a Gulf Bank salary account and comprises of a tailored banking package specially designed for KOC employees.

The KOC salary banking package provides a non-interest bearing current account and several other benefits such as; vouchers from X-cite by Alghanim Electronics, free issuance charges for Visa and MasterCard Credit Card, and special discounts when using Gulf Bank cards at over 100 outlets in Kuwait

Gulf Bank welcomes new KOC salary customers, who transfer their salary to the Bank, with gift vouchers ranging between KD 50 to KD 100 to spend at any X-cite by Alghanim store in Kuwait.

The three remaining quarterly draws will be conducted throughout the year, the second draw on 24 June, third draw on 23 September and the fourth draw will take place on 23 December. All draws will take place in the Banks’ branch located at the KOC Head Office.

Gulf Bank is the only Bank available at the KOC Head Office and all KOC employees that transfer their salary and hold a valid Gulf Bank credit card are eligible to enter the quarterly draws making the Bank the premium establishment for KOC employees to receive great prizes and enjoy high quality financial services.

KUWAIT: KBT Chairman of Board Salem Khudhur Al-Hasawi highlights the achievements of the company during the year 2013 during the AGM.

KBT reports KD4.3m net profit for 2013 Kuwait firm returns to strong financial position

KUWAIT: Yaser Sulaiman, executive manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank handing over the car keys to the winner Allam Shadid.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Business Town Real Estate Company (KBT) is a distinguished real estate development company established in 1999 and became a publically traded company at the Kuwait Stock Exchange on the 16th December 2008. With a paid up capital of KD 78 million equivalents to $ 280 million, this company provides various comprehensive real estate products and services in the local and international market. KBT held its Annual Generally Assembly at KBT Tower on 30th March 2013. Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of Board Salem Khudhur Al-Hasawi said KBT made remarkable achievements during the year 2013. He along with Eng Yousef Al-Saqabi, Vice-Chairman & CEO, highlighted the achievements of the company during the year 2013.

Achievements of the year 2013:

VIVA launches New 4G LTE mobile broadband offer KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, announced yesterday the launch of its latest postpaid mobile broadband offer, presented through a specially tailored package, fit to meet all customers’ needs.

Upon subscribing to this offer, VIVA’s customers are presented with a daily capacity of 3.5 GB and a free 4G LTE mini router. The monthly postpaid plan will be for only KD 9 with a 12 month contract.

For existing postpaid customers, their plans have already been upgraded automatically; customers on the KD 18 can now enjoy 10 GB daily while customers on the KD 13 customers will enjoy 5 GB daily.

VIVA continuously presents its customers, both prepaid and postpaid, with the exciting packages that offer excellence in quality of service with added value for money. As a market leader, VIVA is committed to providing differentiated ser vices that grants its customers a unique experience.

To find out more about VIVA’s competi-

tive promotions, products and packages, visit one of the 53 VIVA branches, or the VIVA website at www.viva.com.kw, or call VIVA’s 24 hour call center on 102.

VIVA is the fastest-growing telecom operator in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for its customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through its customer centric approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice in Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling. VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service. VIVA offers internet speeds of more than 100 Mbps, due to the implementation of the most advanced fourth generation (4G LTE) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

• The Company has continued the leasing of Tower No 5 of Kuwait Business Town Project. At the end of the year on 31 December 2013, the Tower ’s occupancy rate was 90 percent.

Moreover, the Company continued leasing of

the labor accommodation in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company achieved 100 percent occupancy rate for the labor accommodation at Jebel Ali and residential properties in Kuwait.

• Furthermore, during General Assembly held on 29 May 2013, the Company obtained the approval from the shareholders on the Loan settlement agreement between its subsidiary and a local bank concerning subsidiary’s debt amounting to KD49,228,875 owed to the Bank and it has been settled accordingly.

• In 2013, the Company took necessary actions to comply with Companies Law Decree No 25 of 2012 as amended under Law No 97 of 2013, its Executive Regulations and Corporate Governance rules pursuant to Decision No 25 of 2013 issued by the Capital Markets Authority.

The Company has applied for the convening of an Extra-ordinary General Assembly to obtain the approval regarding the required amendments.

• In 2013, the Company repaid the loan of a financial institution amounting to KD 2,000,000.

The following are the key financial indicators for the fiscal year ended on 31 December 2013.

The Company net profits were KD4,301,745, earnings of 5.48 fils per share, whereas during the same period in 2012, the losses were KD12,438,642, a loss of 15.85 fils per share. As of 31 December 2013, the book value was 66 fils compared to 65 fils per share for the same period in 2012. On 31 December 2013, the total liabilities amounted to KD 7,897,257 compared to KD62,594,354 for the same period in 2012, a decrease of 87.38 percent; ie KD 54,697,097.

During the financial year 2014, Kuwait Business Town Real Estate Company will continue to comply with the laws of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Capital Markets Authority. Moreover, the Company will study the decrease of the Company’s capital and will obtain the approval of the regulatory authorities in the best interests of its shareholders.

Finally they thanked everybody who contributed to these achievements during the past period and hoped to meet shareholders expectations, in future.

Oman, Sweden strengthen cooperation in ICT sector MUSCAT: A broad consensus for the broadband sector in Oman was reached concerning the importance to improve Broadband access and enhance the Information and Communication Infrastructure (ICT), at a meeting that included

some of the most influential leaders in the ICT industry in Oman. The meeting was organized by Swedish Trade and Invest Council and the Embassy of Sweden in Riyadh in collaboration with Omani Ministry of Transport and Communication

and Ericsson.

The event was headed by Dr Hamad Bin Salim Al-Rawahi, CEO of Telecom Regulatory Authority and Ambassador Jonas Hafstrom, Special Advisor to the Swedish Minister for Trade.

The closed conference, which was held in connection with the ICT Conference and Exhibition, COMEX Oman 2014, was also attended by key officials and leading companies from Sweden and Oman.

Information and Communication Technology, ICT, is transforming the way of living and creates new opportunities for development. Drawing on the similarities in challenges faced when developing their broadband infrastructure, both relating to geographical and population sizes, coverage of rural areas and the ambi-

tious targets established, Sweden and Oman have strong mutual interests in knowledge-sharing.

At the conference, speakers from companies and organizations from both Sweden and Oman discussed ways to evolve and transform the development of broadband infrastructure in the Sultanate and how what services can a wellestablished network of high and stable capacity enable. The panels will consist of companies and organizations from both Sweden and Oman.

Sweden is the highest ranked country globally in terms of connectivity, digital economy and egovernance and has a strong tradition in innovation particularly in the ICT industry. Swedish companies are perceived as innovate, reliable and good partners.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

technology

Internet firms’ growing dreams spook Americans Google invests in self-driving cars, robots, drones

TKOUROU: This image shows Sentinel-1A satellite as it lifts off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. —AP

ESA launches weather monitoring satellite BERLIN: The European Space Agency said Friday it has successfully launched the first in a series of satellites that will form the nucleus of its new Copernicus monitoring system, which is aimed at providing better and quicker information about natural disasters and other catastrophes. The Sentinel-1A satellite, which lifted off on a Russian Soyuz rocket launched from French Guiana late Thursday night, unfolded its antennae and locked them into place early Friday morning and has been accurately placed into orbit, the agency said.

It and five other satellites, which will be launched in the coming years, will collect data and share it with ground stations for immediate distribution where it’s needed, such as government ministries or even local rescue workers. They will carry out a broad range of tasks, including monitoring oil spills at sea, assisting in ship routing, and providing information on disasters like forest fires, landslides, floods and volcanic eruptions.

The Sentinel-1A will initially communi-

cate directly with ground stations based in Europe. Next year, however, ESA is due to put into place a stationary space-based hub through which the satellite can relay information using a new ultra-fast laser data transfer. That means that even when the satellite is out of sight of a ground station when orbiting on the other side of the world, it will be able to provide data quickly through the hub, which can then be relayed back almost immediately to Earth.

Francois Auque, head of space systems for Airbus Defense and Space, which developed Sentinel-1A’s radar, called the launch the beginning of a “new era in Earth observation.” “With the satellite’s powerful radar instrument - the heart of the mission - and its all-weather and round-the-clock capabilities, Airbus Defense and Space is making a decisive contribution to even more effective operational Earth observation that will benefit humans and nature more than ever,” Auque said. “The instrument will also deliver unprecedented data to scientists.” —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: The personal data gathering abilities of Google, Facebook and other tech companies has sparked growing unease among Americans, with a majority worried that Internet companies are encroaching too much upon their lives, a new poll showed. Google and Facebook generally topped lists of Americans’ concerns about the ability to track physical locations and monitor spending habits and personal communications, according to a poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos from March 11 to March 26. The survey highlights a growing ambivalence towards Internet companies whose popular online services, such as social networking, ecommerce and search, have blossomed into some of the world’s largest businesses.

Now, as the boundaries between Web products and real world services begin to blur, many of the top Internet companies are racing to put their stamp on everything from home appliances to drones and automobiles. With billions of dollars in cash, high stock prices, and an appetite for more user data, Google, Facebook, Amazon and others are acquiring a diverse set of companies and launching ambitious technology projects.

But their grand ambitions are inciting concern, according to the poll of nearly 5,000 Americans. Of 4,781 respondents, 51 percent replied “yes” when asked if those three companies, plus Apple, Microsoft and Twitter, were pushing too far and expanding into too many areas of people’s lives. This poll measures accuracy using a credibility interval and is accurate to plus or minus 1.6 percentage points.

“It’s very accurate to say that many people have love-hate relationships with some of their technology providers,” said Nuala O’Connor, the President of the Center for Democracy and Technology, an Internet public policy group which has received funding from companies including Google, Amazon and Microsoft. “As technology moves forward, as new technologies are in use and in people’s lives, they should question ‘Is this a fair deal between me and the device?’”

Fears about the expanding abilities of tech

companies crystallized when Google acknowledged in 2010 that its fleet of StreetView cars, which criss-cross the globe taking panoramic photos for Google’s online mapping service, had inadvertently collected emails and other personal information transmitted over unencrypted home wireless networks. Yet many Americans remain ignorant of the extent to which Internet companies are trying to extend their reach.

Google is one of the most aggressively ambitious, investing in the connected home through its $3.2 billion acquisition of smart thermostat maker Nest. Google is also investing in self-driving cars, augmented-reality glasses, robots and drones.

Almost a third of Americans say they know nothing about plans by Google and its rivals to get into real-world products such as phones, cars and appliances. Still, roughly two thirds of respondents are already worried about what Internet companies will do with the personal information they collect, or how securely they store the data. “We’re getting to a point in society where basically everything’s going to be tracked,” said Richard Armitage, a 46-year-old budget analyst in Colorado who participated in the survey.

“They have access to so much data that they could use inappropriately in my opinion.” Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook had no immediate comment. Amazon and Twitter did not respond to requests for comment. But all have said protecting customers’ privacy is a top priority, or published strict policies restricting the use of personal data if needed. For instance, storing select data can make online searches and services more reliable.

Embracing the real world Public sensitivity about privacy was heightened by revelations of US surveillance activities by the National Security Agency, as leaked by former spy contractor Edward Snowden, said Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington who recently wrote a paper about the legal and social implications of robotics.

Those concerns will become even more pressing

Tech Tips

Startup looking to poach workers at tech bus stops SAN FRANCISCO: Where some see a queue of engineers awaiting private commuter shuttles, one San Francisco startup sees an opportunity to lure talent from top Silicon Valley tech firms. Software company Bigcommerce has spent the last two weeks trying to recruit talent from San Francisco’s numerous techie shuttle stops and says it’s since seen more traffic to its career website.

Bigcommerce executives say they want to poach employees from Google, Facebook and other tech giants, The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday. They come bearing a clever hashtag (#poached), poached egg sandwiches and a $40 million Series C round of funding raised from former AOL chief Steve Case’s venture capital firm. “Are you interested in changing the world of e-commerce?” recruiter Steve Donnelly recently asked some men waiting for the Facebook bus. They declined. Bigcommerce, based in Austin, Texas, is not the first firm to try to poach people from the bus stops. Roku tried to hire Google employees in Saratoga, Calif, who were waiting for a shuttle. The company is opening a San Francisco office and needs to hire more than 40 engineers and product developers. Since starting its recruiting campaign at the bus stops, company officials said traffic to its career site has increased by 54 percent and application volume has grown by 150 percent.

Meanwhile, the shuttles have grown controversial in the last year, with some residents who see them as a symbol of neighborhood gentrification protesting their use of municipal bus stops for $1 per stop each day. Bigcommerce plans to keep the effort up until it fills all of its San Francisco slots, West Stringfellow, the company’s chief product officer told the Chronicle. He said he came up with the idea at a previous job when he commuted within the city, passing shuttle stops on the way. “Every day, I would just see all this top talent hanging out on the sidewalk,” he said. —AP

Getting started with Twitter

By Scott Mayerowitz

SEOUL: In this file photo, a model poses with an LG Electronics’ 105-inch ultra-HD TV with a curved screen in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics Co, which is preparing for the global launch of the Galaxy S5 smartphone on April 11, 2014, said it is making “concentrated efforts” to ensure its communications around the world respectfully portray women. —AP

Wall Street orders up GrubHub NEW YORK: Wall Street has a major craving for takeout. Investors sent shares of GrubHub Inc up more than 30 percent Friday in an initial public offering that gave the online food ordering service a market capitalization of nearly $2.7 billion. GrubHub is one of four companies to go public Friday in what has been a very hot IPO market, especially for businesses in the cloud software and biotech industries. There have been 71 IPOs priced so far this year, up 115 percent from the same time last year,

as Internet companies expand the scope of their activities, said Marc Rotenberg, director of EPIC, a privacy advocacy group.

“The links between the online world and the offline world are growing tighter,” he said. “It’s no longer unplugging your laptop and walking away and rejoining the physical world, because the online world is now following you,” he said, citing examples like Google’s acquisition of home appliance maker Nest. Google has said it will not combine user data from Nest products with the data it collects about it users of its other online services, but some privacy advocates remain concerned.

New wearable devices, like fitness bracelets and smartwatches that monitor heart rates and other biological information, will increasingly allow companies to collect biological data, said Jonathan Zittrain, the director of Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society. “The whole can become more than a sum of parts,” when it comes to personal information, said Zittrain. “Little bits of innocuous data...can add up to very revealing, and sometimes intensely private, insights,” about people, he said.

As Internet companies expand their scope of activities, they may not be able to count on the same level of public goodwill they enjoyed as smaller companies. Twenty-seven percent of the survey respondents said they did not think Google adhered to the “Don’t Be Evil” slogan that has long been its unofficial motto. Of the respondents to the survey, 42 percent said they had negative feelings about Internet companies developing drones which both Amazon and Facebook have said they are investigating, while 29 percent felt negatively about robots, which Google thrust to the forefront with its acquisition of Boston Dynamics. Only 13 percent of respondents indicated negative feelings about Internet companies offering home appliances however. “It happens to be that there’s a constellation of technologies that are next, that are new, that are transforming, and they are unsettling,” Calo said. —Reuters

according to IPO investment adviser and research company Renaissance Capital.

“Investors are looking for growth in a slow-growth economy,” says Kathleen Smith, a Renaissance Capital principal. Smith said she is seeing signs of investors getting more cautious, though, after some hot debuts quickly cooled off. One such company is Castlight Health Inc. Shares of the cloudbased health care software company more than doubled on their first day of trading last

month. But the stock is now down about 50 percent from the high of $41.95 that it reached during its March 14 debut.

Whether GrubHub can hold on to its gains remains to be seen. The company is attractive to investors because of its potential to grow in a new field, says Smith. GrubHub is trying to change the way people order takeout from restaurants. Instead of calling in an order, people can order meals online or through a few taps on a smartphone app, and can search

NEW YORK: Costume characters representing GrubHub walk the New York Stock Exchange trading floor before the company’s IPO. —AP

through many restaurants at once by cuisine or other specifications. The Chicago-based firm makes money by taking a percentage of each order. The company doesn’t say how much it charges, but restaurant owners have said it’s about 15 percent. The more that a restaurant pays, the higher it appears in GrubHub’s listings.

CEO Matt Maloney said most people in the country are still ordering food with a paper menu and a telephone call. “It’s ridiculous,” he said. “That’s where the growth is.” GrubHub launched national TV campaigns last year to convert people to online ordering. The company also owns Seamless, another online takeout company. GrubHub and Seamless merged in August, but both still operate separately. While more people use GrubHub, Seamless is popular along the East Coast.

“It’s like a religion in New York,” said Maloney. GrubHub also owns Allmenus.com and MenuPages, which posts menus from restaurants across the country. The company has 3.4 million active users and had revenue of $137.1 million in 2013, up 67 percent from the year before. The company does have competition. Rivals Eat24 and Delivery.com compete in some of the same major cities as GrubHub. Even online review site Yelp Inc. allows users to order takeout from its site, thanks to partnerships with Eat24 and Delivery.com.

Maloney said restaurants can use multiple services if they choose, since the business owners don’t have to pay anything upfront.

“It’s irrelevant for my business,” he said.

GrubHub raised $192.5 million Friday after pricing more than 7.4 million shares at $26 each. That was better than the company’s previously expected range of $23 to $25 per share. The stock is trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GRUB.” Shares surged $8, or 31 percent, to close at $34, and hit a high of $40.80 earlier in the session. —AP

NEW YORK: With Twitter in the news recently because of a public stock offering, you might be deciding it’s finally time to start tweeting. But what exactly is Twitter, a tweet and the etiquette for using the popular communication tool? Here are the basics.

To begin your presence on Twitter, you first need an account, which is free. Go to Twitter.com or its mobile app to create one. Pick a username, or handle, which is how people will refer to you. Try to find something unique that tells the world a little bit about you. I like to travel, so I picked @GlobeTrotScott as my handle.

Once the account is set up, just click in the box that says “Compose new Tweet...” and type whatever is on your mind, up to 140 characters. On the mobile app, look for the small box with the feather to compose your tweet. But Twitter isn’t just about broadcasting what you had for lunch - though you can do that. It’s about learning what other people are up to. You can start following other people by using the “find friends” feature. You can also search for various celebrities, news sites or whatever else might catch your interest.

You don’t have to know somebody to follow that person. Just click the little follow button. It’s very voyeuristic. This is probably a good point to talk about privacy. There really isn’t any on Twitter.

Unless you lock your account, anybody can follow you and see what you have tweeted. And those you follow know that you are following them. (As for locking your account, you can do that by checking “Protect my Tweets” in the settings, but that defeats the point of Twitter, which is to give you an audience for your musings, whether brilliant or inane.) @whoever or @wherever There are a few ways to engage in a conversation on Twitter. The first is to just mention somebody in a tweet. Just precede the Twitter handle with the “at” symbol. For instance: “It was nice to catch up with @GlobeTrotScott today.” If you want to be fancy, throw in a reference to the bar you were at: “I t was nice to catch up with @GlobeTrotScott today over drinks and snacks @TheSpotted.”

If you mention me in a tweet, I will see it on the @Connect tab of Twitter.com or the @ tab on the mobile app. You can then reply to the tweet. The person who tweeted and anybody else mentioned in it will see the message in their feeds. But remember: Although it is just aimed at them, anybody on Twitter can see that message.

You can also retweet a message, often referred to as RT. This is a way to share something somebody else posted on Twitter with all of your followers. If you hit the “Retweet” button, it will just repeat the message to your followers. You can also write “RT,” copy the person’s handle and the message. Feel free to add your own thoughts before the RT to show why you thought it was worth sharing.

Finally, there is a way to send a private tweet known as a direct message, or DM - to somebody following you. The easiest way to do it is to go to that person’s profile summary. On the pull down menu next to “following,” there is an option to send a direct message. You can also just start a tweet with “d” and then a person’s handle, and it will send a direct message. You want to make sure you do this right: Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress after sending a sexually suggestive message that he thought was private. It wasn’t. —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

Carbon cuts possible for manageable warming BERLIN: The world, acting urgently, can curb carbon emissions enough to avert worst-case scenarios for climate change, UN experts said yesterday as envoys met in Berlin to weigh the options for action.

“The literature here shows that deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to limit warming to 2 C... remain possible,” said Ottmar Edenhofer, who helped oversee the latest volume in a report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). But achieving this goal, Edenhofer warned, will require a break from today’s relentlessly upward trend in emissions.

It will entail “challenging technological, economic, institutional and behavior change,” he said. Envoys and scientists

from the panel’s 195 member countries are meeting after the IPCC issued its starkest-ever warning about the perils of a ravaged climate system for future generations. The risk of conflict, hunger, floods and mass displacement increase with every upward creep of the mercury, the IPCC said.

“The impacts of climate change will leave no part of the world untouched and unaffected,” IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri told yesterday’s opening session.

The upcoming volume is the last major piece of the Fifth Assessment Report the first overview by the Nobel-winning climate panel since 2007. The product of four years’ work by over 200 experts, it aims at providing governments with the

latest scientific knowledge and informing the struggling effort to forge a worldwide pact on climate change by the end of next year.

A draft summary of the report, seen by AFP, expresses no preferences for how to tame the problem, nor does it state what a safe level of warming would be. But it says there is a 15-year window for affordable action to safely reach the UN’s target of limiting warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial times.

The goal remains attainable if “all countries” act quickly to ease carbon emissions, it says. “Delaying mitigation through 2030 will increase the challenges.” In raw terms, global carbon emissions of 49 billion tons

of CO2 equivalent in 2010 will have to be pegged to 30-50 billion tons in 2030. Most scenarios that meet the 2 C target entail a “tripling to nearly a quadrupling” in the share of energy from renewable and nuclear sources and the capture and storage of emissions from fossil fuel plants, according to the draft. Government representatives and scientists will go through the summary line by line over the next few days.

“In the plenary, all countries can voice their concerns and all of them are heard,” said co-chairman Youba Sokona. “In the end, it is scientific accuracy that decides.”

The summary will be publicly released in the German capital on Sunday, and the full 2,000-page report-authored by scien-

tists and not subject to this week’s scrutiny-will be released shortly afterwards.

Green group Friends of the Earth International said the science demanded a reduction in the use of fossil fuels, coupled to a massive investment in renewable alternatives.

“So far, world leaders have sorely lacked the political will to make the shift to low-carbon societies,” it said. Oxfam, for its part, said climate change would have a severe impact on hunger. “It is estimated there could be 25 million more malnourished children under the age of five in 2050 compared to a world without climate change - the number of all underfives in the US and Canada combined,” it said. — AFP

Stressed out Americans seek peace Mindfulness akin to anti-depressant medication

MUNICH: The 16-week-old polar bear twins Nobby and Nola play in their enclosure in the zoo yesterday. — AFP

Save the caribou, save the boreal forest: Ecologists WASWANIPI: Endangered woodland caribou face increasing encroachment on their Canadian habitat, and foot-dragging by the federal government to try to halt this advance could now doom the species. The cervidae, with its large snout and narrow antlers, called reindeer in Eurasia, has seen colonists, and later forestry, mining and oil and gas exploration companies carve out larger and larger swaths of its vast habitat for human activities. As a result, its numbers in Canada have fallen steadily over the past 150 years. In Quebec province, only pockets of caribou remain, largely in the north.

This population nosedive led the federal government in June 2003 to list the boreal woodland caribou as threatened, which requires the environment minister to prepare a recovery strategy. But that did not happen. Frustrated by multi-year delays in sorting out how to save the caribou and other species at risk, lawyers acting on behalf of five environmental groups-the David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, Sierra Club BC, Wilderness Committee and Wildsight-sued the government.

Canada’s diversified economy is still heavily supported by the exploitation of its abundant natural resources, and the plaintiffs accused Ottawa of delay tactics that benefited these industries. The federal court agreed. “It is... apparent that the delay encountered in these four cases are just the tip of the iceberg,” Federal Court Justice Anne Mactavish said in her decision.

“There is clearly an enormous systemic problem within the relevant ministries, given the respondents’ acknowledgement that there remain some 167 species at risk for which recovery strategies have not yet been developed.” Mactavish also ordered court oversight of the process to ensure that recovery strategies are produced in a timely fashion. In response to the lawsuit, the government unveiled a humpback whale strategy, and issued proposed recovery strategies for the white sturgeon, murrelet and caribou, which have yet to be finalized.

Forest industry lobby Quebec is home to about a quarter of Canada’s woodland caribou herds, which

are menaced not only by federal inaction but also by successive provincial governments that see wildlife protections as hurdles to job creation and economic growth.

Quebec’s forestry sector employs nearly 70,000 people and contributes almost three percent to the province’s gross domestic product. And the industry is not shy about throwing its weight around.

Liberal leader Philippe Couillard is hoping for re-election in his hometown district of Roberval, a hotbed of forestry activities, when Quebecers vote Monday.

His party currently leads in the polls and is predicted to unseat the ruling Parti Quebecois. On the campaign trail, the former neurosurgeon commented that saving the caribou would risk “thousands of jobs, millions of cubic meters of wood and (several) pulp mills.” The Parti Quebecois appears to be equally apathetic about the animal’s fate, pledging to invest Can$675 million ($615 million US) over three years to boost provincial logging.

Insisting that it is possible to both save the caribou and increase forestry activities, outgoing Quebec Natural Resources Minister Martine Ouellet told AFP that the current data on the number of caribou and their range in the province is flawed. She added that until the numbers are updated, the province has no plans to create a nature park for the caribou that would be off limits to forestry firms.

A 2012 report for the government, however, contradicts the minister’s assertions, providing clear numbers and where the animals roam. Cree tribesmen in Broadback Valley region, about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) north of Montreal, have been lobbying over the past several years for the creation of a 13,000-square-kilometer nature park on their traditional lands, to protect the caribou.

Cree hunters have also stopped this year hunting the animal because, they say, of a sudden and dramatic decline in the local caribou population. “We only need some political leadership to protect this virgin forest before it’s too late,” said local Greenpeace chapter head Nicolas Mainville. Isaac Voyageur, an environmental official with the Cree tribe, said: “ They should draw a line between job creation and environmental protection.”—AFP

Community taking a dive for young cancer patient KANSAS CITY: An effort to help the family of a 5-month-old Missouri boy with cancer has inspired thousands of people across the US and even abroad to take a plunge into cold bodies of water. Organizers of the Facebook-based Plunge for Landon fundraiser said they have lost count of how many people have posted videos of themselves taking a dive for Landon Shaw, an infant from Tarkio, Missouri, who was diagnosed in late February with a rare form of cancer. People are jumping in, from chilly farm ponds north of Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico and the Potomac River in Washington, DC. “I can’t believe how viral this is going,” said Alyssa Shaw, Landon’s mom. “My son has been such an inspiration to everybody and opened up people’s eyes that you can’t take life for granted.” Before they jump into the water, participants record themselves challenging three other people to do the same, with monetary pledges for each person who completes the challenge. The effort had raised more than $30,000 by

Friday evening, only five days after notice of the fundraiser was first posted on the popular social networking site.

Entire schools, police departments and businesses around the region have posted videos of participants taking the plunge.

Landon was 4 months old on Feb 23 when his parents took him to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City to find out why he was vomiting and losing weight. Doctors found a tumor on his left kidney, which they removed, and later discovered a large mass on his brain.

Landon’s heart stopped during an operation to remove the brain tumor, his mother said, and he lost so much blood that doctors gave the family little hope their baby would survive. “The surgeons came into the room and said they would be surprised if he made it through the night,” Shaw said. Landon did make it through, and his condition improved enough that on April 1, Shaw and her husband, Brandon, were able to bring their baby home.—AP

WASHINGTON: “Make yourself comfortable, eyes closed, take a few full breaths,” a woman’s voice says softly. “If you find that your mind has wandered, this is good news.” Twelve professionals have gathered in a conference room much like any other in downtown Washington.

But this is no ordinary meeting. This is “mindfulness,” a form of meditation that is growing fast in the Western world, including in the United States, and has been hailed for its benefits in reducing anxiety and depression.

In January, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that said in some cases mindfulness could be as effective as tak ing anti- depressant medication.

“Mindfulness is the friendly awareness of the present moment,” Klia Bassing, 38, an instructor since 2004, tells AFP. “Usually our mind goes into default mode, thinks about anything other than the present moment, usually leaning forward into the future about what could happen, worrying, planning or ruminating about something in the past that’s already happened. “With mindfulness, we come into the present moment and sense what’s actually happening right now. The breath is only in the present moment.”

Tangible benefits Bassing is founder of Visit Yourself at Work, bringing mindfulness to the workplace-and there have been plenty of takers, from the World Bank in the US capital to the offices of law firms and insurance companies. She has a dozen people on their lunch breaks seated around a conference table at the American Psychological Association (APA).

Her voice quiet but firm, Bassing instructs them to sit comfortably and breathe in deeply several times. “Feel the place where your body makes contact with the chair, the back on the seat, on the seat of the chair, where your back makes contact with the back of the chair, where your back doesn’t make contact with the back of the chair...” Patti Delande, 42, an application interface designer, says she has felt tangible benefits since starting to practice mindfulness with Bassing four years ago.

“I had a lot of racing thoughts right before bed and it was very difficult to fall asleep, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve had that, so I think that is the direct result of just over the years trying to be more mindful, more aware of what’s going on in my head.” Laura Labedz, a technical information analyst, 29, uses the technique in her work. “If I catch myself getting annoyed by something, I can name it as being annoyed, which helps distance myself from it,” she says.

“I can take deep breaths, and I have also learned that emotions don’t last forever-good ones and bad ones-so if you take the time to acknowledge your feelings in a certain way, you can get over the emotions faster.” Although meditation is associated with Buddhism, Bassing stresses that you do not need to be religious to do mindfulness exercise. Jon KabatZinn, a professor of medicine and widely hailed as a mindfulness master, founded a mindfulness stress reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979.

‘More engaged’ Susanna Galle, a neuropsychologist, explains

that mindfulness modifies the activity of the amygdala, an area of the brain involved in emotions. “There is a shift in the paradigm of medicine towards more acknowledgement that the body and the mind are connected,” she says.

“People are going to their doctors and saying, ‘I’m taking this mindfulness course and I’m feeling so much better.’ The Buddhist and the yogi knew that a long time ago.”

Holly Siprelle, assistant executive director, staff initiatives, at the APA, has witnessed firsthand the benefits of providing mindfulness, yoga, massage and other “alternative” techniques for workers. “The employees are happier at work, they are more engaged, we have a lot of longevity of employees here because the work is compelling,” she says.

“But if we make it a healthy place to work, they will work better, they will be happier at work and they will be less likely to go elsewhere. “More and more companies are beginning to understand that they too have a role in helping their employees be healthy, to help them to be more engaged.” Bassing says that, contrary to the popular misconception that meditation involves sitting on the floor, legs crossed, mindfulness can be deployed “at any time-and the more often, the better.”

“We can be mindful when walking down the hall at work, just being aware of the soles of the feet as they touch the floor or bringing the awareness to the breath,” she says. “When having a difficult conversation with a colleague, just think, still breathing. Even as we pay attention to the breath, we can still hear what the other person is saying, in fact we are even more present for the conversation.” — AFP

Britons: European kings of anti-cholesterol drugs LONDON: As the home of cooked breakfasts and pints of beer, it is perhaps no surprise that Britain is the European king of anti-cholesterol drugs with some seven million users. But recommendations to widen the use of “statins”-the class of drugs used to battle cholesterol-has sparked a national debate about their merits and whether they are really a silver bullet to stave off heart attacks.

Britain is the heaviest country in Europe, and the seventh fattest of developed countries worldwide, with OECD data showing 24.8 percent of adults are obese.

Britons also drink more than most rich nations and despite exercising more than most, the incidence of heart attacks is only slightly below the OECD average.

Alwyn Daniel, a 53-year-old from London, was put on statins two years ago after a visit to the doctor revealed a sudden jump in his cholesterol levels. “My father died at 62 of a heart attack, so I started taking it because the doctor thought it might be a good idea,” Daniel told AFP. LONDON: British man, Alwyn Daniel poses with a tablet of the anti-cholesterol drug Statins. — AFP

Seven million and counting Statins inhibit HMG-CoA, an enzyme in the liver involved in producing cholesterol. Ten years ago, statins were only prescribed to people in Britain who had a 30percent chance of suffering a heart attack in the next decade, but their use has become more widespread. The threshold is now 20 percent and NICE, the body responsible for regulating standards in the state-run National Health Service, recently recommended it be lowered to 10 percent.

This would increase the number of patients from seven to 12 million, or one in four adults.

Britain already consumes more statins than any other European nation, and only slightly less than Australia, which has the highest rate of use among OECD nations. “ The main reason they are so widely prescribed is because the evidence shows that they are ver y effective,” said Maureen Talbot, nurse manager at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity.

The risk of suffering a heart attack is calculated using a wide range of variables, from age,

weight and height, to family history and lifestyle factors, including cholesterol. During a recent medical consultation in London, an AFP reporter was told he had a 12-percent risk of having some cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years. “It would lower to nine percent if you were on statins,” the doctor said. “But before (taking them), stop smoking-it would lower to 7-8 percent.” Critics say statins are being prescribed too easily, and that people should be asked to change their behavior before turning to medication. “I’m sure there would be a group of people that think that statins cure all evils and they can do what they like,” the BHF’s Talbot said.

“But I would say they are a small minority. The majority of people, if they are taking a tablet, will make changes in their lifestyle.” Daniel, the Londoner, insisted he did not see statins as a license to eat whatever he wanted. “I don’t have a cream cake just because I am taking statins,” he said. There are concerns about the potential side effects of the drugs, which range from nosebleeds, joint pain and nausea, to liver

problems and an increased risk of diabetes. Christophe, a 54-yearold Frenchman who declined to give his surname, starting taking statins six years ago but stopped a few months later after being diagnosed with hepatitis-which he says was unrelated to the statins.

After the problem with his liver was resolved, he went back on statins because his cholesterol was very high. “I have had a bit of nausea, but nothing major. Two months after taking them, my cholesterol was down to normal levels, so it works,” Christophe told AFP. English breakfast ‘is OK’ The new NICE guidance has reignited the debate in Britain over the merits of statins. Two articles appeared in the British Medical Journal questioning the use of the drugs, only to be condemned as a “disservice to British and international medicine” by leading statins specialist Rory Collins, of Oxford University.

Meanwhile a vascular surgeon, Haroun Gajraj, wrote an article explaining why he had given up statins after eight years-and

believed cholesterol levels were “all but irrelevant”.

“Yes, it may, in some circumstances, be an indicator of heart disease but there is no evidence of a causal link,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. Gajraj said that since coming off statins, he had cut out sugar but increased his intake of butter, eggs and red meat-the components of a good English breakfast, and all blamed for high cholesterol. His levels had stayed down.

He has come round to the view of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a charity which advocates a natural diet and warns that the real evil is processed food and hydrogenated fats. Eggs, milk and cheese were “foods that our ancestors considered important for having healthy children and avoiding disease”, but have now been demonized by the “dietocrats”, foundation spokesman Philip Ridley said. While the debate rages, many patients are sticking by their medication. “It doesn’t take much to take a pill every day, does it?” said Daniel, while Christophe added: “I think it is better to take preventive pills than have a heart attack.” — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

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

Bats find shelter at German defense line in Poland MIEDZYRZECZ: An awe-inspiring Nazi defense line in western Poland has taken on a new role in peacetime as home to tens of thousands of bats in what is Europe’s largest artificial roost. The 37,000 winged mammals sleep elbowto-elbow in the well-sheltered tunnels of the Ostwall fortification, a largely forgotten war site near the town of Miedzyrzecz, not far from the German border.

Adolf Hitler had it built on the eve of World War II in what was then German land to protect the Third Reich from a hypothetical attack by Poland or the Soviets, though it proved fairly useless. Today, it doubles as a tourist site and massive bat reserve, and since 2011 has been home to what is likely the world’s only combined fortification and bat museum.

“Europe’s largest bat hibernation site is in a Romanian cave. But here we have the largest man-made one,” said Jan Cichocki, zoologist at the nearby University of Zielona Gora. “The bats really have it good here. They have nothing to fear,” he told AFP. The defense line-which was also known as Festungsfront im Oder-Warthe-Bogenspans 60-plus kilometers (40 miles) and includes more than 100 bunkers,

obstacles and other fortifications, according to museum director Leszek Lisiecki.

The whole could accommodate 24,000 soldiers, though staffing was never that high and by the end of the war only a few hundred men remained. A middle section features several large bunkers that are connected by 33 kilometers of tunnels hidden up to 40 meters (130 feet) underground-a fine bedroom for a bat.

“The area is perfect because of a steady temperature and humidity,” said Cichocki, who is carrying out a bat census and observation project in the pitch-black corridors. The temperature hovers between seven and 10 degrees Celsius (45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit), while the humidity reaches 90 percent in certain places-both ideal conditions for bats wanting to catch some Zs. Cichocki says their number varies from year to year, but for the past two years there have been around 37,000 from a dozen or so species to hit the sack here from October to April.

“Spring came early this year, so some of the species have already flown up to the surface to look for food and form breeding colonies,” he said of the flying mammals. But some of the greater

mouse-eared bats-scientifically known as Myotis myotis-are still roosting in the tunnels, huddled together with their heads down in clusters of several thousand.

Let sleeping bats lie In snooze mode, a bat’s body temperature falls to a low just above that of its surroundings. Vital functions also slow, with the heart beating just a couple of times a minute. From time to time one of the bats will stretch in its sleep or yawn, showing off a mouthful of pointy fangs. Rousing the nocturnal creature prematurely is inadvisable: the tremendous energy required for it to restore its functions to a wakeful state may cause it to drop dead.

That is why many of the Ostwall tunnels are closed off during the winter, made inaccessible to humans by padlocked gates. “It’s a reserve. You need a permit to enter. It’s our way of protecting the bats against vandals and tourists,” Cichocki said. The fortification’s awe-inspiring size, advanced design, and attention to troop comfort have attracted ever-increasing numbers of visitors in recent years.

“Each soldier had his own bed.

There were bathrooms, medical sta-

MIEDZYRZECZ: Bats hang upside down on a tunnel wall at the so-called Ostwall fortification in Miedzyrzecz in western Poland. — AFP tions, all of life’s basic necessities. The kitchen was equipped in such a way that it would pass a health inspection even today,” said Lisiecki, the museum director. Like France’s Maginot Line, Ostwall had but a bit part in the war.

Overtaken by evolving military designs and lacking the necessary staff, it quickly fell into the hands of the Red Army. After the war it served as a firing range for the Polish army, as well as a mecca for looters and adventurers.

Communist officials planned to build a nuclear waste repository there in the 1980s but abandoned the idea when local residents protested. It was around then that zoologists began noticing the bats. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

ASK boys team tournament winners with AUK admissions staff.

ASK girls team tournament winners with AUK President.

ASK wins AUK 4th annual High School Football Tournament

Fahad Al-Rezahan-GES, winner of Golden Boot Award

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he Office of Admissions at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) organized the 4th annual High School Football Tournament (HSFT) for private high school students in March. This year, male and female teams from eight schools across Kuwait participated in the tournament. Finalist teams met at the AUK campus’ football field on March 24 and March 30 to compete for the tournament titles.

Female finalist teams included the Gulf English School (GES), Kuwait International English School (KIES), the Lycee Francais du Koweit (LFK), American International School (AIS), as well as 2 teams from the American School of Kuwait (ASK).

AUK President Nizar Hamzeh

The two ASK teams won the first and second places in the girls finals, AIS won the third and LFK came in fourth.

Marine Villefranche from LFK was awarded Most Valuable Player of the tournament for the skills she displayed on the field. The Golden Boot Award went to Bibi Al-Bader, who scored seven goals for ASK throughout the tournament, and Dina Noamani from GES was recognized as Best Goal-keeper.

Participating schools in the boys’ tournament included GES, KIES, ASK, LFK, Dana Bilingual School (DBS), Arab Bilingual Academy (ABA), and the British School of Kuwait (BSK). ASK won the tournament title, GES came in second

Mohammed Bin Haji, ASK, winner of the Most Valuable Player Award

Maher Dabbouseh, AUK Admissions Director hands medals to the winning team.

place, BSK came in third, while LFK came in fourth. The Golden Boot Award went to Fahad Al-Rezahan from GES for scoring 17 goals in the tournament. Mohammed Bin Haji from ASK was recognized as Most Valuable Player, and Ziad Al-Fulaij, also from ASK, was awarded Best Goal-keeper for his skills.

AUK President, Nizar Hamzeh presented the medals to the winner teams, as well as to the title awardees at the different categories. The Football Tournament is held annually to engage high school students in different activities, and to provide a venue to promote healthy competition among stu-

dents. “We would like to thank all of the private high schools that participated in this year’s event. It is a great experience to see the competitiveness and sportsmanship of the football tournament every year. We look forward to seeing these great athletes on campus playing for AUK in the upcoming years,” said Maher Dabbouseh. 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.

President Hamzeh hands the Best Goalkeeper Award to Dina Ziad Al-Fulaij, ASK, winner of Best Goalkeeper Award Noamani from GES.

President Hamzeh hands the Golden Boot Award to Bibi Al-Bader from ASK.

President Hamzeh hands the Most Valuable Player Award to Marine Villefranche from LFK.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

W H AT ’ S O N

Baroue celebrates Discovery Mall, Liwan Mall Stores anniversaries

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aroue - Let’s Play! celebrates the anniversaries of both Discovery Mall and Liwan Mall stores by launching a Mega-Week promotion, offering up to 70 percent off our most popular lines, as a ‘thank you’ to all our loyal cus-

tomers (and their parents!) Celebrate with us, and take advantage of our spectacular savings, by visiting our Discovery Mall and Liwan Mall stores, as well as our flagship store at The Avenues Mall before April 12. “On this special

occasion, we’d like to thank all our loyal customers for their support and have planned a surprise for them on Thursday, April 10, at 7 pm in both Discovery Mall and Liwan Mall stores” Baroue’s Marketing Manager, Ragheb Khourshid stat-

ed. “Make sure to follow our Instagram account (@Baroue_Kuwait) to find out all the details!” he adds. Baroue, Discovery Mall, turns 5 years old this week and Baroue, Liwan Mall, turns 2 years old. Happy birthday, Baroue!

Marina Hotel Kuwait concludes LOYAC internship program 2014

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or the fourth consecutive year, Marina Hotel Kuwait organized an internship program and hosted four Lothan Youth Achievement Center (LOYAC) students for an extensive training program which lasted for two months. The annual initiative reflects the hotel’s proactive contribution to the development of the youth.

The internship program at Marina Hotel aims at empowering the interns and to provide them with better opportunities upon entering the job market by offering theoretical and practical components as well as a number of team building and recreational activities. The four students who received the training this year were: Manfred Augusto Fernandes, Ali Shaverdi, Merlyn Melchiades Pereira, and Ahmed Nedal Ibrahim.

During the training period, the interns understood the fundamentals of working within a hotel and in particular the housekeeping and front office departments.

Nabil Hammoud, General Manager of Marina hotel said: “A core element of Marina Hotel’s corporate social responsibility agenda is towards encouraging youth initiatives. We are proud to train a number of students over the years in our hotel’s different divisions and departments.”

“Students get first-hand experience of being part of a team, and that helps them develop in character, confidence and prepare them in the future for whatever decision they make. We are lucky to have the opportunity to host such talented and ambitious students and wish them all

success in their careers.” concluded Hammoud.

The interns were allotted tasks and provided with hands on experience of a professional ambience with its daily functionalities. They gained invaluable insight into work-life and environment, while benefitting from a professional service orientation. At the end of their

internship period, the interns were assessed and given feedback on their performance by their direct mentor. This collaboration is an annual internship program which offers college, university and high school students the opportunity to acquire first-hand experience in the hospitality industry.

Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa introduces Arabic Nights

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umeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa is pleased to announce the start of its Arabic Nights offering authentic cuisine and culinary traditions of the Middle East. The dinner experience will feature live cooking stations, BBQ, mezzes, khoshari and a dessert buffet including the traditional Umm Ali. The Arabic-themed feast also features local Kuwaiti dishes, freshly made saj, tabboule, and shawarma, as well as fresh seafood cooked according to guests’

preferences. Guests will be welcomed with homemade Arabic drinks. To complete the Arabic feel and ambience of the evening, guests can enjoy the relaxed Arabic seating at the entrance with a dedicated shisha corner. Ladies can enjoy henna hand paintings and traditional coffee or tea. The team in Garden Café will wear Arabian dishdash and abayas to welcome the guests every Thursday from April 8 until May 8 from 7 pm until 11:30 pm.

Urdu workshop

National Bank of Kuwait hosts KNES students

yderabad Muslim Welfare Association (HMWA) in association with Federation of Indian Muslim Associations (FIMA) presents Lean Tajweed - the easy way - workshop in Urdu on Friday and Saturday, April 18, 19, 2014 at 3:30 pm at Jamiat Al-Islah auditorium Roudha, Kuwait. The program will be presented by eminent scholars Dr Abdulazeez Abdulraheem and Qari Imran Khan. Dr Abdulazeez is the founder of Understand Quran Academy. He also performs on Peace TV, Guides Us TV and Paigham TV etc. Qari Imran Khan is a world renounced orator and Peace TV fame. Study material will be provided at the event venue. Separate arrangements are made for ladies. All are welcome to the program.

ational Bank of Kuwait hosted a deputation of Year 11 students from Kuwait National English School at their headquarters building in Sharq. Ahmad Abul and Farah from the bank’s PR Department were most helpful in explaining the workings and procedures of the bank. The students spent some time in the museum section of the bank. Relics, artefacts documents and photographs dating to the bank’s founding in 1952 were on display. The students also enjoyed interacting with the largest touch-screen display in Kuwait, forming part of the central display which covered a multitude of events and various types of information.

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Soorya India Festival on April 10

Birthday Greetings

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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.

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ishing our gorgeous little Amaya a wonderful 14th birthday! May all good things come your way giving you a bright and successful future! Take on all the challenges to come and never ever lose that lovely smile... With lots of love, Amma, Appi, Achchiamma and two Akkis.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Shark Fight 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Shamwari: A Wild Life 03:15 Too Cute!

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 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 07:00 Escape To Chimp Eden 07:25 Panda Adventures With Nigel Marven 08:15 The Animals’ Guide To Survival 09:10 From Pound Pups To Dog Stars 10:05 Shamwari: A Wild Life 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Escape To Chimp Eden 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 Swimming With Monsters: Steve Backshall 14:40 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 19:15 Animal Clinic 20:10 Animal Maternity Ward 21:05 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:00 Animal Clinic 22:55 Animal Maternity Ward 23:50 Animal Cops Philadelphia

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

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00

Doctors Waking The Dead Only Fools And Horses Rev. The Children Spooks Me & Mrs Jones Tweenies Teletubbies Bobinogs Show Me Show Me Tweenies Teletubbies Bobinogs Show Me Show Me Only Fools And Horses Me & Mrs Jones Rev. Eastenders Doctors Upstairs Downstairs The Weakest Link Only Fools And Horses Me & Mrs Jones Rev. Eastenders Doctors Upstairs Downstairs The Weakest Link Me & Mrs Jones New Tricks Eastenders Doctors The Weakest Link Last Of The Summer Wine Me & Mrs Jones Upstairs Downstairs Mistresses The Omid Djalili Show Five Daughters The Weakest Link Eastenders

BBC World BBC World BBC World BBC World

00:30 Crime Stories 01:30 My Ghost Story 02:30 Serial Killer Profile 03:30 Jeffrey Dahmer 04:30 Private Crimes 05:00 Beyond Scared Straight 06:00 The First 48 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

00:30 Gold Rush 01:20 Klondike 02:10 Gold Divers 03:00 You Have Been Warned 03:50 Border Security 04:15 Storage Hunters 04:40 Game Of Pawns 05:05 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 06:00 Surviving The Cut 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 Game Of Pawns 10:45 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 11:35 Gold Rush 12:25 Klondike 13:15 Gold Divers 14:05 Border Security - Series 6 Specials 14:30 Storage Hunters 14:55 Game Of Pawns 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 Surviving The Cut 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

00:20 00:45 01:10 02:00 02:45 03:35 04:30 05:20 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:55 08:45 09:40

The Gadget Show How Do They Do It? Mega Builders Kings Of Construction Mythbusters Sci-Trek Space Pioneer Scrapheap Challenge Strangest Weather On Earth Strangest Weather On Earth Penn & Teller Tell A Lie You Have Been Warned Sci-Trek Strangest Weather On Earth

10:05 Strangest Weather On Earth 10:30 Mega World 11:20 Space Pioneer 12:10 Scrapheap Challenge 13:00 How Do They Do It? 13:30 Sci-Trek 14:20 Mythbusters 15:10 Scrapheap Challenge 16:00 Mighty Ships 16:50 Strangest Weather On Earth 17:15 Strangest Weather On Earth 17:40 Kings Of Construction 18:30 Mega Builders 19:20 The Gadget Show 19:45 How Do They Do It? 20:10 Mythbusters 21:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 21:50 Rocket City Rednecks 22:15 Rocket City Rednecks 22:40 Sci-Trek 23:30 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman

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

Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Disappeared Fatal Encounters Couples Who Kill Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared On The Case With Paula Zahn Murder Shift Extreme Forensics I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Extreme Forensics Disappeared Dr G: Medical Examiner On The Case With Paula Zahn Murder Shift Extreme Forensics I Was Murdered Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared On The Case With Paula Zahn Dates From Hell Dates From Hell Swamp Murders Deadly Women

00:00 Chelsea Lately 00:30 The Dance Scene 00:55 The Spin Crowd 01:25 Style Star 01:50 Style Star 02:20 E!ES 03:15 Extreme Close-Up 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 E! Entertainment Special 05:05 E!ES 06:00 E!ES 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 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 E!ES 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 Ryan Seacrest With The Kardashians

00:00 01:00 02:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00

Q&A: Steve Coogan on 23 years of Alan Partridge

S GIRL IN PROGRESS ON OSN MOVIES HD 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:30 23:30

#RichKids Of Beverly Hills Giuliana & Bill Giuliana & Bill Fashion Police Chelsea Lately

00:00 China’s Great Wall 01:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 02:00 Hunter Hunted 03:00 Megastructures 04:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 05:00 Animal Intervention 06:00 Helicopter Wars 07:00 My Dog Ate What?

08:00 China’s Great Wall 09:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 10:00 Hunter Hunted 11:00 Helicopter Wars 12:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 13:00 Animal Intervention 14:00 Helicopter Wars 15:00 My Dog Ate What?

16:00 Quest For The Megafish of The Amazon 17:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 18:00 Hunter Hunted 19:00 Air Crash Investigation 20:00 Mega Breakdown 21:00 Engineering Connections 22:00 Air Crash Investigation 23:00 Virgin Galactic

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

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD

AFL Premiership Highlights Trans World Sport Live NHL NRL Premiership Golfing World PGA Tour Highlights NRL Premiership

11:00 Premier League Darts 14:30 Sevens World Series Highlights 15:00 Golfing World 16:00 PGA Tour Highlights 17:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 18:00 NHL 20:00 Golfing World 21:00 Super Rugby 23:00 Super Rugby

Wild Case Files Monster Fish World’s Deadliest Killer Three Animal Intervention Python Hunters Crocodile King World’s Deadliest Killer Three Animal Intervention Python Hunters Expedition Wild Dangerous Encounters Man v. Monster Built For The Kill Shark Men Hyena Queen Animal Intervention Python Hunters Expedition Wild Dangerous Encounters Man v. Monster Night Stalkers Hyena Queen Animal Intervention Python Hunters Expedition Wild Dangerous Encounters Man v. Monster

00:00 Parks And Recreation 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Girls 02:00 Getting On 02:30 Ja’mie: Private School Girl 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 My Name Is Earl 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 My Name Is Earl 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 My Name Is Earl 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 Eastbound & Down 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

00:10 Psych 01:00 Game Of Thrones 02:00 The Blacklist 03:00 Breaking Bad 12:00 Emmerdale 12:30 Coronation Street 16:00 Emmerdale 16:30 Coronation Street 19:00 Once Upon A Time In Wonderland 20:00 Grey’s Anatomy 21:00 Unforgettable 22:00 True Detective 23:00 Breaking Bad

01:00 04:00 05:00 14:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Good Morning America Rescue Me Good Morning America Live Good Morning America 24 Red Widow Zero Hour Rescue Me Hemlock Grove

00:00 Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines-18 02:00 Silent House-PG15 04:00 The Blood Bond-PG15 06:00 Jesse Stone: Benefit Of The Doubt-PG15 08:00 The Presence-PG15 10:00 The Apparition-PG15 12:00 Metal Shifters-PG15 14:00 The Presence-PG15 16:00 Abandoned-PG15 18:00 Metal Shifters-PG15 20:00 Sudden Death-PG15 22:00 Born To Raise Hell-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

A Few Best Men-18 Pineapple Express-18 Dating Coach-PG15 Daddy Day Camp-FAM Rookie Of The Year-PG Damsels In Distress-PG15 Dating Coach-PG15 The Three Stooges-PG15 Damsels In Distress-PG15 Mad Buddies-PG15 Revenge Of The Nerds-18 A Few Best Men-18

00:45 A Christmas Kiss-PG15 02:15 Emperor-PG15 04:00 Quiet Flows The Don-PG15 07:00 A Woman-PG15 09:00 A Christmas Kiss-PG15 11:00 Emperor-PG15 13:00 Another Harvest Moon-PG15 15:00 Reviving Ophelia-PG15 17:00 Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You-PG15 19:00 Flying Lessons-PG15 21:00 360-18 23:00 Nobody Walks-PG15

00:00 01:30 03:00 06:00 08:00 09:30 11:15 13:15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

The Daughter-18 Meeting Evil-18 Casino-18 The Gospel-PG15 The Wild Girl-PG15 Kathmandu Lullaby-PG15 School Ties-PG15 Love Takes Wing-PG15 Stomp The Yard-PG15 School Ties-PG15 The Iron Lady-PG15 Mad Love-PG15 The Forgotten-PG15

01:00 Jeff, Who Lives At HomePG15 03:00 Hyde Park On Hudson-PG15 05:00 Girl In Progress-PG15 07:00 Wild Card-PG15 09:00 The Words-PG15 11:00 One Life-PG15 13:00 Blue Lagoon: The Awakening-PG15 15:00 Dream House-PG15 17:00 The Words-PG15 19:00 Hope Springs-PG15 21:00 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2-PG15 23:00 Savages-18

00:00 A Dark Truth-18 02:00 Bernie-PG15 04:00 Pizza Man-PG 06:00 Standing Ovation-PG15 08:00 Rewind-PG15 10:00 Dr Seuss’ Cat In The Hat-PG 12:00 Clear History-PG15 14:00 From Prada To Nada-PG15 16:00 Rewind-PG15 18:00 Haywire-PG15 20:00 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone-PG15 22:00 The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia-18

02:30 ICC Cricket 360 03:00 Super Rugby 05:00 PGA Tour Highlights 06:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 07:00 AFL Premiership 09:30 ICC Cricket 360 10:00 HSBC Sevens World Series 13:00 Super Rugby 15:00 Super Rugby 17:00 Sevens World Series Highlights 17:30 ICC Cricket 360 18:00 NRL Premiership 20:00 NHL 22:00 NRL Full Time 22:30 Futbol Mundial 23:00 AFL Premiership Highlights

teve Coogan has been playing Alan Partridge, his vain, tasteless British radio host, for 23 years.

Initially born on British radio as a sports commentator who didn’t know anything about sports, Partridge has for more than two decades been a bumbling showbusiness failure and an ongoing parody of media haplessness. His afflictions are well known (anything egoinflating, a Toblerone candy bar addiction), as is his steady fall from a TV talk show to local radio in Norwich.

In “Alan Partridge,” in domestic theaters Friday after its release last year in the UK, Coogan’s unparalleled comic creation makes his big screen debut after years of TV series, specials, a stage show, a Web series and a memoir. In the film, where a fired colleague takes his radio station hostage, Partridge (when not introducing Fleetwood Mac as “soft-rock cocaine enthusiasts”) effectively hosts the siege, performing for news cameras and onlookers. It’s a return to Coogan’s roots just as he’s growing in a new direction spawned by the Oscar-nominated “Philomena.” He co-wrote, produced and starred in the Catholic drama alongside Judi Dench, showcasing a far subtler kind of performance. Though Coogan later this year stars in “ The Trip to Italy,” Michael Winterbottom’s sequel to the adored, impressionsheavy “The Trip,” the 48-year-old says he wants to expand from being “a comedy guy” as he gets older. But, he says in a recent interview with The Associated Press, “I’ll never neglect Alan.”

AP: Was it jarring to go straight from making “Philomena” to shooting “Alan Partridge”?

Coogan: In some ways, it was good to readjust to people judging it on laughs-per-page and any subtext is going to be a nice bonus. But the priorities are very, very clear. “Philomena,” it’s all about nuance and you can have laughter here and you have to move people and carry them on this journey. This is more simple, but it’s more brutal.

AP: To have played Partridge for this long, he must be some kind of outlet for you.

Coogan: Alan became more and more refined as sort of a dysfunctional alter ego. Definitely, it’s a way of me exercising my frustrations by putting them into the character. In sort of an inverted way, I’ll have him say stuff which is me raging against the stupidity of the media. I just shove it all into him, and that gets it off my chest. But ultimately, you have to have empathy. It can’t just be a freak show. Which it sort of was, early on. It was very much mocking the fool. The reason I think people like it is: Everyone feels they’re only one step away from being Alan.

AP: Are you?

Coogan: With me, I’m very comfortable with it.

There’s a natural human instinct to say, “I’m not like that.

I don’t have imperfections. If you criticize me, I will defend everything.” Counter intuitively, the reverse is true. If you acknowledge, “I’m not perfect. Sometimes I get things wrong. Sometimes the things I think are wrong.” Once you do that, it’s liberating. So Alan is close to me. And it’s OK. AP: In your testimony in the phone-hacking scandal involving the News of the World (among others, Coogan has been a vocal critic of British tabloids, which he says have reported unethically about his personal life), you called one editor “Partridgesque.”

It’s an interesting intersection of your media parody and real life.

Coogan: It is true Alan represents, in some ways, that kind of lazy thinking. He does represent what we call the Little Englander. What Napoleon described as “Your nation of shopkeepers.” That sort of myopic, slightly philistine mentality, which is what historically differentiated the British from our European cousins.

Germans, the French and especially the Italians were slightly more aware of high art than the British who are a bit more meat and potatoes. Alan is the apotheosis of that. It’s that idea of being on the wrong side of cool.

AP: Partridge is enormously popular in Britain but a very cult thing in America. What are your expectations for the film in the US? Coogan: I don’t think it’s going to break any boxoffice records, but I want it to not disappoint those people who already know who he is. I hope it’s on the radar of people. I don’t know how it’s going to go down in Kansas. But I don’t mind about that. I’d rather do something that stays true to its roots than water down the DNA of the character to appeal to Americans.

AP: You seem content, generally.

Coogan: I’ve sort of arrived where I want to be. I want to produce more movies. I like doing comedy but “Philomena” was a real epiphany for me because I found I could do what I wanted to do, which is dovetailing both aspects of my personality - which is to talk about important things but not in a way which is tedious. ...

This sounds terrible, but I want to be the school teacher that everyone thought was great fun because he made learning fun. That sounds horrific. — AP

Classifieds TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

SITUATION WANTED

Kuwait

Senior accountant with five years of work experience in Kuwait seeking suitable position in reputed company. Contact: 97528519.

(C 4690) 7-4-2014

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (03/04/2014 TO 09/04/2014) SHARQIA-1 NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

12:45 AM

SHARQIA-3 Seats-225 BLOOD TIES (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG)

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 TOKAREV (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:30 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-2 AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) THU+FRI+SAT NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) NO THU+FRI+SAT ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-3 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

12:30 AM

FANAR-1 AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) NON-STOP (DIG) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) AL MAHARJAN (DIG) (Arabic) NON-STOP (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-2 TOKAREV (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM

1:30 PM 4:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM

NEED FOR SPEED (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG)

8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-3 MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG) THE RAILWAY MAN (DIG) THE RAILWAY MAN (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

FANAR-4 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG-3D)

12:45 AM

FANAR-5 ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MARINA-1 NON-STOP (DIG) BLOOD TIES (DIG) NON-STOP (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG) ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

1:45 PM 4:30 PM 7:15 PM

Indian female (MBA), more than 10 years experience in HR & Admin functions.

Specializing in recruitment, payroll, indemnity calculation. Transferable visa 18.

Can join immediately.

Please contact: 60636328.

(C 4685) 6-4-2014

10:00 PM

MATRIMONIAL Well employed Post Graduates/Engineers for Malayalee Christian Orthodox girl Microbiologist (M.Sc Microbiology) 27/170, Adan hospital (M4 Marry: 2187923). Send details with photo to samuelk24@yahoo.com (C 4686) 6-4-2014 CHANGE OF NAME

MARINA-2 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

12:05 AM

MARINA-3 NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) SABOTAGE (DIG) NEED FOR SPEED (DIG-3D) TOKAREV (DIG) TOKAREV (DIG) SABOTAGE (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-1 DIVERGENT (DIG) DIVERGENT (DIG) LEGEND (DIG) (Telugu) DIVERGENT (DIG) CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (DIG)

Looking for job, 65 years Jordanian, 41 years in admin, insurance, HR, stores, marketing, organizing, company, training.

Contact: 96653664.

(C 4687)

1:00 PM 3:45 PM 6:30 PM 9:15 PM

1:15 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:45 AM

I have changed my name from Vishal Tulshidas Ghadi to Vishal Tulsidas Pereira.

Henceforth, I shall be known as Vishal Tulsidas Pereira for all purpose, holding Indian Passport No. K0626972 H.No. 376/5, Xetmalem, Carmona Salcete, Goa-403717.

(C 4688) 6-4-2014

97523316/24745162.

(C 4689) 7-4-2014

ACCOMMODATION Abraq Khaitan full room and bed space available for decent Goan/Indian bachelor from May 1st with kitchen and Internet facility.

Beside main road and bus stop. Contact:

FOR SALE For immediate sale Volvo — model 2003 - S 40, 4 cylinder, price KD 1,100, run 114,000 km, black color, engine, gear AC excellent condition, interior and

exterior neat and clean, no accidents, well company maintained car, computer test ready for inspection anywhere on your expense.

For serious buyers call 99072651. (C 4684) 3-4-2014

112

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 8/4/2014 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 8/4/2014 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

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

s ta rs CROSSWORD 511

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) A sense of humor is good for today. The appreciation of humor is what a sense of humor is all about. You are good at creating little bits and pieces of humor but sometimes just laughing at somebody else’s joke is fun and relieves a lot of stress. Be a humor detective and check out the typing goofs from advertisements, signs or the newspaper. In many cases you and your friends and family have a sort of a psychic link.

They just about know what you will say or do in many situations. This joke sharing is one time when they never know what to expect and will end up laughing and carrying on in a most delightful manner, thanks to you. Of course, the best way to carry through on a joke is to not laugh at your own story-enjoy. Happy birthday!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You will receive compliments today not only from a loved one, but from someone at work. You may have a special glow about you today that just draws kind comments. You may find yourself lunching with co-workers and enjoying conversations about past love relationships and lessons learned. Differences in social expectations and personal expectations may be a topic of discussion as well. You may be able to enjoy and value your own life situation or feel especially kind towards a friend or loved one. Perhaps planning a vacation or a move is in order now. There is a cycle of romance and longing for the comfort of home-emphasizing a need for security and roots. Family, home, relatives and real estate play a big part in your life now.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A bachelor's degree in naval science.

4. Stock again.

11. (Sumerian) Water god and god of wisdom.

15. A small piece of cloth.

16. A republic in northwestern South America.

17. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on land.

18. A defensive missile designed to shoot down incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles.

19. Someone who walks at a leisurely pace.

21. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.

23. Large edible mackerel of temperate United States coastal Atlantic waters.

24. With the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe.

25. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

27. A landlocked mountainous republic in southeast central Asia north of Afghanistan.

29. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Clinoril).

33. The cry made by sheep.

36. A translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color.

37. A painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt.

40. part of the peritoneum attached to the stomach and to the colon and covering the intestines.

42. A soft silver-white ductile metallic element (liquid at normal temperatures).

43. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

45. Food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing.

46. A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures.

47. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

49. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

51. An informal term for a father.

53. Relating to or derived from a glacier.

56. The region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis.

58. Having been taken into the mouth for consumption.

59. A subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in order to prove another proposition.

61. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

62. A state in the Rocky Mountains.

64. An early form of modern jazz (originating around 1940).

67. The cardinal number that is the sum of four and one.

70. A hormone secreted by the pancreas.

75. A local computer network for communication between computers.

76. The capital of Eritrea.

79. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.

80. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

81. A state in the southeastern United States on the Gulf of Mexico.

83. A notable achievement.

85. A region of Malaysia on northwestern Borneo.

86. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

DOWN 1. (informal) Exceptionally good.

2. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

3. (computer science) A standardized language

for the descriptive markup of documents.

4. 40th President of the United States (1911- ).

5. Electronic warfare undertaken to prevent or reduce an enemy's effective use of the electromagnetic spectrum.

6. (biology) A taxonomic category below a class and above an order.

7. An account describing incidents or events.

8. A European river.

9. French painter of Italian landscapes (17961875).

10. A colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses.

11. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

12. Indian religious leader who founded Sikhism (1469-1538).

13. Strike sharply.

14. Not in action or at work.

20. A Hindu prince or king in India.

22. A promontory in northern Morocco opposite the Rock of Gibraltar.

26. A public promotion of some product or service.

28. In bed.

30. A city is east central Sweden north northwest of Stockholm.

31. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

32. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language.

34. A member of a nomadic Berber people of the Sahara.

35. A town in northern Michigan on an arm of Lake Huron.

38. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

39. A woman of refinement.

41. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

44. (Old Testament) Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve born after the Fall of Man. 48. Consistent with or based on or using reason.

50. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

52. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

54. Give over.

55. A three-year law degree.

57. Used as a Hindi courtesy title.

60. United States baseball player and manager (1873-1934).

63. A unit of magnetic flux density equal to one weber per square meter.

65. South American wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers.

66. A genus of Ploceidae.

68. A Loloish language.

69. South African term for `boss'.

71. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

72. A Gaelic-speaking Celt in Ireland or Scotland or the Isle of Man. 73. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

74. A quantity of no importance.

77. The month following February and preceding April.

78. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

82. A state in northwestern North America.

It is easy for you to get your message across to others today. You may exhibit independent and excitable tendencies when your work is criticized, however. You may rise to the opportunity to demonstrate your abilities to compromise and solve problems. Your management abilities are in high focus. Your ideas can change things for the better in the workplace, but others may not be ready to merge their ideas with yours-patience. You are constantly in pursuit of new and different ways to improve moneymaking skills and this may be a good time to consider your own business. A clear-minded insight into your own plans and methods is available now. Your charm and outgoing personality will draw others to your point of view.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You are hopeful concerning money matters this day. There is a desire to excel in the workplace. To complete an important project earlier than expected, you will find sources equipped to solve problems and give you information. Noontime may find you at a library, researching ways in which to beautify the furniture you now have-restoring perhaps. With self-confidence you create good luck all around you. Your powers of perception are particularly sharp and you would do well now to work out the details of any plans that you have previously made. Combined interests between you and your partner may find you both planning a trip or a weekend outing. Young people may take precedence this evening. Your attention moves to new tools.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Changes could occur in your environment that will shock you. You could find yourself becoming quite thrilled to finally see positive changes take place. Perhaps your city or workplace has finally decided to pick up trash that can be recycled. In the workplace you are moved by high achievers and may learn some new work techniques.

Committing yourself to a purpose creates a positive focus in your direction. Balance between your sense of duty to the world and your sense of duty to yourself is an important lesson to learn now. Others are impressed by your productivity today. Your nature may be calm, as you take a serious attitude to just about all aspects of your life. A little scholastic help for a youngster may be needed tonight.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There is no stealing the glory from you. You have the ability to accomplish whatever you set out to do today. This afternoon you could be pulling out your hidden, creative ideas in order to decide about some changes or develop some new methods. Perhaps this is just talking over a new plan with co-workers, but you are full of ideas. Your personal authority has improved and you are not only able to express yourself better, but you are understood and respected. You may be learning to master frustrations through activities that will help you think through situations. Whatever the reason for this growth, others will notice. If you work at a computer or a desk you would be wise to practice good posture. You and family members talk about an upcoming trip.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Misunderstandings and confusion may happen this morning. With some effort, you can work past any problem by busying yourself in your work. Be cautious in promising more than you can deliver; however-timing is everything. Any desire for the new and the different should be listed for future reference and not necessarily begun today. You impress someone at the top of the corporate ladder. Be sure to take your breaks and walk after lunch. There is talk of a social gathering with co-workers after work and you may enjoy helping to plan an after work get-together. You will often draw emotional sustenance and a sense of security from ideals, friends and a social involvement. Soft lights and sweet music are relaxing later this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You may have to hold your breath and count to ten before you answer someone today. We all have times we would like to say what we think, but you will be happier with the outcome when you go with the count-to-ten method. This also may not be a time to make business or work decisions. It is, however, important to keep a close eye on your systems and schedules and stick to them! The work you do and the way you take care of health and other mundane obligations are important keys to your best potential, in many respects. This is an ideal time to kick off a new fitness routine or accelerate a current one. What a wonderful time it is this evening to spend with loved ones and family. Smile!

Relationships are most meaningful at this time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Sales in real estate as well as the import-export business can be very lucrative at this time. If any part of your job involves writing, you are about to open up into a wondrous path of discovery. You have a natural writing talent, and the way you put words together makes potential customers into permanent ones. You begin to know yourself better and all sorts of creative avenues open up to you now. You need to serve, perform, receive and express yourself each day in order to feel complete and useful.

This can be a real feat for most of us, but you are competent and will strike this balance when you make a determined effort. Visiting with friends helps you to be even more expressive. Don’t forget the family member that might like to hear a story this evening.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Harmonize yourself with the job demands in order to strengthen your present job course. Religion, philosophy and world affairs may influence your work. There could be some challenges today but your attitude will show your willingness.

Some sort of temporary obstacle may appear and you could feel frustrated-have patience, you will have everything running smoothly once again. Your words have as much effect as the example you set. Your thinking is lucid and grasping. You may unknowingly help a close friend later today. On a personal level, you are in touch with your feelings and can restore any hard feelings that may have occurred in the recent past. Laughter is good medicine. Someone treats you to dinner tonight.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Your feelings at work may take on a positive, get-it-done attitude. However, you may find interruptions that impede your progress. Circumstances could cause you to be firm with co-workers. However, suggesting a time to talk later will help appease the situation. What you value in life is how you form your goals. Do some deep thinking, perhaps even a little note taking about the progress of these goals. If your money and your goals are not going in the direction of what you value in life, do some reassessing. It could be you are trying to reach someone else’s dream. Your friends may want you to join them in their activities this afternoon. You will find deep conversations between friends will turn a short visit into a long one.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Interactions with teammates or co-workers go well today. You may find that you are more talkative and easygoing than most times. A lighthearted dialogue with a supervisor or senior in command may take place today-all is positive. Connection with people on a grand scale plays a big part in your life. Perhaps some new technology has entered your life and you are learning to communicate with someone in another country or place. Education or advertising becomes important to your work. Your communications with others find you most spontaneous and alive. This is a time when you should enjoy great success. Being in the spotlight is common to you during this time and you find ways to best help others.

Yesterday Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

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Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 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

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2013

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

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This CD cover image released by Vinyl Recordings shows ‘Everlasting,’ by Martina McBride.—AP Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar, Mohit Marwah and Kiara Advani talk to media during a promotional event for the forthcoming Hindi film ‘FUGLY’ directed by Kabir Sadanand in Mumbai yesterday.—AFP

Review: Tenors Florez, Brownlee offer new albums awrence Brownlee, “Virtuoso Rossini Arias” (Delos) For more than a decade, Peruvian Juan Diego Florez and American Lawrence Brownlee have been the world’s leading bel canto tenors, thrilling audiences with their high notes and technical agility in operas by Rossini, Donizetti and other early 19th century composers. Now in their early 40s, they have released new albums that show them in elegant form and offer a chance to savor the differences between the two light-voiced marvels.

Florez’s first new album in four years is a compilation of arias from French opera, ranging from Adrien Boieldieu’s obscure “La Dame blanche” to Offenbach’s still-popular “La Belle Helene.”

Especially noteworthy are three forays into romantic repertory usually associated with bigger voices - two selections from Jules Massenet’s “Werther” and one from Charles Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette.” Though Florez’s sound may be a bit warmer and fuller than in the past and he sings with grace and sensitivity, his voice still seems small for such fare and still bears the penetrating nasal quality that his detractors have always found

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off-putting. And he clearly has to push the limits of his resources on the climactic high notes. How well he can handle such roles on stage remains a question to be answered when he debuts as “Werther” in a couple of years.

For many fans the album’s highlight will be an irresistibly jaunty rendition of “Mes amis, Ècoutez l’histoire” from Adolph Adam’s “Le Postillon de Lonjumeau.” This aria is notable for ascending to a climactic high D, which Florez hits beautifully. He is ably accompanied by the Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, conducted by Roberto Abbado. Brownlees’s album - his first compilation of arias with orchestra - is all Rossini and all splendid. There’s an ardent sweetness to his voice that contrasts strikingly with Florez’s more astringent sound. And he is no less a technical magician. Note his repeated daring lunges to high C in “Che ascolta” from “Otello,” or the astonishing 16 seconds he holds the final B-flat in a selection from the one-act “L’occasione fa il ladro.” Constantine Orbelain conducts the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra of Lithuania.—AP

This CD cover image released by Decca shows ‘L’Amour,’ by Juan Diego Florez.—AP

This CD cover image released by Delos shows ‘Lawrence Brownlee Virtuoso Rossini Arias.’—AP

McBride offers her take on soul classics f all contemporary country singers, Martina McBride seems the most well-suited to interpret classic soul tunes. The four-time Country Music Association female vocalist of the year has shown repeatedly that she can wail with sass and find the depth in emotionally complex material. Still, on her new album, “Everlasting,” McBride begs comparison with such giants as Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke by taking on their most potent performances and material. Working with producer Don Was, who brings an understated R&B pulse to the songs, McBride leans on vulnerability and purity of tone rather than the growling, rapturous release of the originals.

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This CD cover image released by Rounder Records shows ‘Carter Girl,’ the latest release by Carlene Carter.—AP

Carlene Carter leans on family ties

Review: Wilko Johnson, Roger Daltrey rock on ilko Johnson, former guitarist of rabble-rousing 1970s British rockers Dr Feelgood, is enjoying a bittersweet late-career surge. Johnson’s jagged playing and menacing stare helped give Dr Feelgood’s bluesy rock an infectious, raucous energy. The band was briefly a sensation and foreshadowed punk’s anarchic spirit. Then the group imploded and Johnson spent years as a cult hero, cherished by a tight coterie of fans. Last year Johnson was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer; vowing to rock until the end, he set out on a farewell tour.

And finally the world is taking notice. There have been sold-out shows, a slot at this summer’s Glastonbury Festival and now an album with Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who. Inspired by a shared love of early British rockers like Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, “Going Back Home” is deliberately rough-edged and retro - even the label, Chess Records, is a heritage brand resurrected for the release.

Recorded in a week with producer Dave Eringa and Johnson’s touring band, its 11 tracks include 10 Johnson compositions, from the Feelgood days through his solo career.

The title track sets the tone of robust, rocking R&B. Daltrey growls lustily over Johnson’s choppy riffs and it’s spiced with lashings of dirty harmonica from Steve Weston and galumphing piano from ex-Style Council keyboardist Mick Talbot. Songs like “Keep it Out of Sight” and “All Through the City” have a swaggering energy and raw yearning. “Some Kind of Hero” is a meaty slice of the blues on the evergreen topic of a cheatin’ woman, but the lyrical bravado is laced with British self-deprecation: “I wish I was some kind of hero.” The album’s rough-hewn quality is less of an asset on a ballad like “Turned 21” or a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window.”

“Going Back Home” is not going to win awards for innovation, but it’s feisty fun and a rousing testament to a distinctive figure in British rock history.—AP

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This CD cover image released by Chess Records shows ‘Going Back Home,’ by Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey.—AP

McBride presents several impressive performances, turning Little Walter’s “My Babe” into a funky, sexy love song and Fred Neil’s “Little Bit Of Rain” into a tender treatise on separation that lightens the dark tones of versions by Linda Ronstadt and Karen Dalton. That said, these takes lack the fierceness of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” or the ecstatic joy of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night” and Diana Ross on The Supremes’ “Come See About Me.” McBride offers up pleasantly listenable versions of baby boomer standards on “Everlasting,” an album that will please her fans and spice up her concerts but won’t replace any of the originals on the mixtapes of R&B fans.—AP

arlene Carter proves just how personal, and powerful, a tribute album can be with “Carter Girl.” The album focuses solely on songs with family ties as she retools classics by country music pioneers the Carter Family (“Gold Watch And Chain,” “Little Black Train”), the Carter Sisters (“Poor Old Heartsick Me”), her mother June Carter Cash (“Tall Lover Man”) and her stepfather Johnny Cash (“Troublesome Waters,” performed as a duet with Willie Nelson). The one original, “Me And The Wildwood Rose,” is a song Carlene wrote about her late sister, Rosie, and first recorded in 1990.

The material gains poignancy because

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Carter is the sole survivor of all those she looks to for material. She has recorded Carter Family material in the past, but “Carter Girl” has a rare power, drawn from memories, tears and years of finding strength in these songs of blood and legacy. Produced by Don Was, Carter transforms each song to increase its emotional and musical heft. Standouts include a duet with Vince Gill on “Lonesome Valley 2003,” on which Carlene adds personal verses to a Carter Family classic, and a stark duet with Kris Kristofferson on “Black Jack David.” Like the songs she’s recorded, this is an album for the ages.—AP

Comedian John Pinette found dead in Pittsburg hotel room ohn Pinette, a stand-up comedian who guest-starred as the victim of a carjacking in the final episode of the comedy show Seinfeld, has died at age 50, an official said on Sunday. Pinette was found dead inside a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hotel room on Saturday, an official with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said. Pinette died from natural causes and was discovered by family members, the official said.

A native of Boston, Pinette was known for making jokes about his weight during his stand-up performances whose titles included “I’m Starvin’!” and “Show Me the Buffet.” In 2011, his “Still Hungry” special premiered on Comedy Central. Pinette also appeared in movies like “Junior,” “The Punisher” and “Dear God.” In the final episode of Seinfeld, Pinette portrayed an overweight man who gets carjacked at

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John Pinette gunpoint. The show’s stars stand by and watch the incident and make fun of the man’s weight before they are arrested by a police officer for violating the “Good Samaritan Law.” The medical examiner’s official said Pinette was in Pittsburgh to attend a wedding.—Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

lifestyle M u s i c

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M o v i e s

Hollywood legend

Mickey Rooney dies at 93 M

ickey Rooney, the child actor who danced with Judy Garland, married Ava Gardner and made more than 250 movies, died Sunday at his home in North Hollywood. He was 93. Celebrity website TMZ said Rooney had been ill for some time and died of natural causes. Police in Los Angeles said members of his large family were at his side. “It is with sadness that I say my father has passed today,” his son, choreographer Michael Rooney, said on Twitter. “I loved him and so did the world. He inspired so many. RIP dad.”

Rooney rose to fame alongside Garland as the plucky diminutive ladhe was 1.6 meters tall-in the “Andy Hardy” movies of the late 1930s and early 1940s. He also had notable turns as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935) and in “National Velvet” (1944), opposite Elizabeth Taylor, then 13. More recently the still energetic Rooney appeared in the 2006 comedy “Night at the Museum,” and in the 2011 movie “The Muppets.” A four-time Oscar nominee, Rooney was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1982 for lifetime achievement. While professionally successful, Rooney had a rocky personal life. He made and lost millions of dollars, married eight times and legally separated from his last wife, Jan, in June 2012. Along the way he fathered nine children. “Mickey Rooney got all the best babes despite being short as hell. #RIP beautiful man,” said Lena Dunham, creator and star of the hipster TV series “Girls,” on Twitter.

In this Sunday, Jan 27, 2008, file photo, Mickey Rooney takes the stage to make an award presentation at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Los Angeles.

In this Monday, April 26, 2004, file photo, Jan, left, and Mickey Rooney pose for photographs after having unveiled their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

A lifetime of acting The son of vaudeville performers who divorced when he was three, Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, and went on the road with his parents’ act, in which he appeared as a midget in a tuxedo. Rooney made his big screen debut in the 1926 film “Not to Be Trusted,” and from 1927 to 1933 he went on to make about 50 silent comedies playing the comic-strip character Mickey McGuire. Later, after meeting Garland at an acting class, he appeared with the popular young actress in a string of successful films, including the “Andy Hardy” series, starting at age 17.

Hollywood called him a “triple threat”-someone who could act, sing and dance with amazing aplomb. “The audience and I are friends,” he once said. “They allowed me to grow up with them. I’ve let them down several times, they’ve let me down several times. But we’re all family.”

Rooney was the number-one US box office draw between 1939 and 1941, besting big names like Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. He even won a special youth Oscar in 1939.

But after serving in a morale-boosting entertainment unit in the US military in World War II, he found it difficult to relaunch his career. He reinvented himself as a character actor, picking up small roles, and eventually landed his own television show, “The Mickey Rooney Show,” in 1954.

In the 1960s, he made the rounds of nightclubs and the theater circuit while playing secondary roles in movies like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963). He also shined as a horse trainer in the 1979 movie “The Black Stallion”-for which he received an Oscar nomination-and later in the 1990-1993 TV series “The New Adventures of the Black Stallion.” In the 1970s he took to the Broadway stage, earning a Tony best-actor nomination for “Sugar Babies.”

In this June 26, 1963, file photo, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney put their heads together over a television script for their first onstage reunion in 18 years, for the taping of the first of 32 variety shows which Garland will do for CBS next season.

In this March 19, 1957, file photo, actor, singer and dancer Mickey Rooney, wearing spats and a pinstriped suit, performs a dance routine during rehearsal for the television show “George M Cohan Story” in Hollywood, Calif.

Eight marriages Speaking in an interview once about his multiple marriages, which included a trip down the aisle with sultry Hollywood legend Gardner, Rooney quipped: “When I say ‘I do,’ the Justice of the Peace replies, ‘I know, I know’.” He added: “I’m the only man in the world whose marriage license reads, ‘To Whom It May Concern.’” “I had bad luck in marriage,” Rooney said in a 2003 interview with a Florida newspaper, “but I’m grateful that they left me with seven sons and four daughters and seven grandchildren.”

His final wife, Jan Chamberlin Rooney, said she “didn’t want to marry him because of his track record, but I really fell in love with him. We’ve been married 30 years, and it’s the ups that count.” Alas, the couple separated in 2012. In 2011, Rooney filed elder abuse and fraud charges against stepson Christopher Aber, the son of his last wife, and Aber’s wife. A court issued a restraining order against the Abers, and the case was settled in 2013 in Rooney’s favor. And yet Rooney kept up his acting chops-and his career was set to take a novel turn when he was cast as Mr Louis in a film version of “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” by director B. Luciano Barsuglia, which is currently in production. “I’ve been working all my life,” he once said, “but it seems longer.”—AFP A picture taken on July 21, 1992, in Paris shows US actor Mickey Rooney joking with flowers on his head during a press conference.

Actor Mickey Rooney portrays ‘Pinnochio,’ in this September 1957, file photo. Rooney, a Hollywood legend whose career spanned more than 80 years, has died.—AP photos

Child actor Mickey Rooney, 7, is shown as a performer in this undated photo.

Actor Mickey Rooney is shown in this file photo as G.I. Dooley in the 1956 Hollywood movie “The Bold and the Brave.”

Springsteen closes out Final Four music festival

‘Vampire Diaries’ actor Williams joins Johnson’s earthquake movie

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odd Williams, who’s best known for his work on Fox’s “The Chicago Code” and the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” has been cast alongside Dwayne Johnson in New Line’s action-packed earthquake movie, “San Andreas,” TheWrap has learned. Brad Peyton is set to direct the film, which is being produced by Beau Flynn and co-financier Village Roadshow.

When “The Big One” strikes California, a special ops firefighter (Johnson) and his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) must make the treacherous journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco to rescue his daughter, who will be played by Alexandra Daddario (“True Detective”).

Archie Panjabi (“The Good Wife”) co-stars as a reporter investigating the natural disaster. Williams will play Marcus Crowlings, an old Army friend of Johnson’s and fellow member of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s rescue squad. Williams is a TV veteran who has multiple episodes of “Chicago Code,” “Vampire Diaries,” “In Plain Sight” and “Switched at Birth” under his belt. He co-starred with Kevin Hart, Laz Alonso and Anthony Anderson in the 2006 drama “The Last Stand,” and previously shared the screen with Kerry Washington in the 2001 indie movie “Lift.” Williams is represented by Talentworks, Trademark Talent and attorney Darren Trattner.—Reuters

Child star Mickey Rooney poses for a promotional photo at age 5 in this photo dated about 1925.

Bruce Springsteen walks onto the stage before performing with the E Street Band during the 2014 NCAA March Madness Music Festival - Capital One JamFest, Sunday, April 6, 2014, in Dallas.—AP photos

ruce Springsteen took the stage holding basketball on the last day of a three-day music festival in Dallas for the NCAA Final Four. “This has something to do with basketball. Am I right?” he asked the crowd Sunday before he and the E Street Band launched into Van Halen’s “Jump” at the NCAA March Madness Music Festival.

They followed that up with some of their own hits, including “Hungry Heart,” “Glory Days,” and “Dancing in the Dark.”

It was raining and chilly for most of Sunday. Nate Ruess, the lead singer of the pop band fun., rolled around on the stage, soaking himself, and said, “Dare you to do that, Boss” - later adding that he didn’t think Springsteen would because he was “smarter than that.” Fun. sang hits including “Carry On” and “We Are Young” before an encore featuring “Some Nights.” Later, as a light rain fell, Springsteen told the crowd: “I need help. We gotta stop this rain.” He then played his cheerful song “Waitin’ on a

Sunny Day.” Texas-based artists Pat Green and the duo The Wind and The Wave also took the stage at Reunion Park, an outdoor venue in downtown Dallas that was the site of Reunion Arena before it was demolished in 2009. Reunion Arena hosted the Final Four in 1986. This year’s Final Four is being held at the massive stadium in nearby Arlington where the

Dallas Cowboys play. The music festival started out as a one-day event in 2006 and has expanded to three days of offerings, which in recent years have included Jimmy Buffett, Sting and Kenny Chesney. Concerts on the first two days this year included performances by acts including Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, The Killers, the Eli Young Band and LL Cool J.—AP

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform on stage.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

lifestyle A W A R D S

Strait wins entertainer of

the year at ACM Awards

Singer/songwriter George Strait accepts the Entertainer of the Year award onstage during the 49th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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eorge Strait won his second entertainer of the year - 25 years after he won his first - and Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban teamed up to earn top honors Sunday night at a jam-packed Academy of Country Music Awards that had a little something for everyone. Strait’s victory was not unexpected. The 61-year-old is a few months from retiring from the road and won the same trophy at the rival Country Music Association Awards five months ago. But the ACMs entertainer award is fan-voted and some wondered if Strait’s older fan base might vote.

“I’ve always said I have the best fans in the world,” Strait told the crowd. “I heard this was a fan-voted thing, so I rest my case.” No one will begrudge Strait the win, including co-hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, who were also nominated in the category with Lambert and Taylor Swift. “Our hero,” Shelton said in a genuine moment. “Our hero won tonight!” Until that point Bryan and Shelton had overshadowed much of the ceremony, held in Las Vegas. Urban and Lambert tied for the most trophies but it was Lambert’s husband, Shelton, and Bryan who were on a winning streak.

They deftly stole the show with a mix of self-deprecating, celebrity-skewering jokes and two performances apiece. And as Shelton noted, he also gets to share Lambert’s bed. “Honestly, I think we’re the biggest celebrities in the room,” Shelton said during the show’s funniest

George Strait, left, and Miranda Lambert perform on stage. with a lot of energy and way too much confetti on “Chainsaw,” and Strait receiving a standing ovation for “I Got a Car.” Lambert also participated in a tribute to Merle Haggard. But perhaps the most moving performance was by the audience at the MGM Grand, which broke into “Happy Birthday” as Haggard walked to the stage on his 77th birthday to receive the academy’s Crystal Milestone Award. “Country music has been great to

moment - a recreation of Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie moment at the Oscars and it may just be true. Shelton is the star of “The Voice” and a platinum-selling hitmaker with 11 straight No. 1s. Bryan was the reigning entertainer of the year, and both were up for that award again this year with Lambert, Taylor Swift and George Strait, the genre’s top stars.

‘Medicine’ with Shakira They zinged Eric Church over the likelihood of finding marijuana in his dressing room, poked fun at Britney Spears (who performs on the Las Vegas strip) and ribbed Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, in the audience, about his team’s disappointing playoff record (Shelton and Bryan announced the 50th edition of the ACM Awards will be held at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium next year). Each performed twice with Shelton offering a subdued but powerful version of his song “My Eyes,” playing an acoustic guitar while seated with Gwen Sebastian at his side, before returning flanked by Shakira on their duet “Medicine.” Bryan performed “Play It Again” while standing on a revolving replica of a vinyl album, then teamed with vocal duo of the year winner Florida Georgia Line on “This is How We Roll.”

Lambert did her best to upstage her husband, who gave her a peck on the forehead after she won single record of the year for “Mama’s Broken Heart,” cowritten by Kacey Musgraves. Lambert

me all my life and it’s great again tonight,” Haggard said. Musgraves won album of the year for “Same Trailer Different Park” two months after taking the Grammy for country album of the year. Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck” won song of the year and Justin Moore won new artist of the year. It’s one of two fan-voted awards along with top honor entertainer of the year. Jason Aldean - a target of his good friend Bryan and Shelton - won his second straight male vocalist of the year award. “This is really unexpected,” a black-hatted Aldean told the crowd. “It was a shock last year to win it and even a bigger shock this year, I think. ... It’s been one hell of a ride, so I hope it doesn’t end any time soon.” — AP

Singer Jason Aldean accepts the Male Vocalist of the Year award. also won her fifth straight female vocalist of the year award. “I was just hanging out with (presenter) Trisha Yearwood back there, holy crap, and I was standing next to Sheryl Crow, a complete and utter rock star,” Lambert said of Crow, a fellow nominee. She also spoke about others in the category: “Kacey Musgraves, I grew up with her. She wrote the single of the year this year. And Carrie Underwood’s my buddy, y’all, and she’s a phenomenon. I can’t believe it, I’m so grateful and humbled. I love my job.”

‘18 trophies’ forLambert Lambert teamed with Urban to win vocal event of the year for their “We Were

Us” collaboration, for which Urban won trophies as producer and performer.

Urban won video of the year with Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift for “Highway Don’t Care.” The three wins Sunday night gave Lambert 18 trophies at the ACM Awards since she first won best new female artist in 2006. She followed up her single record of the year win with a performance of her song “Automatic,” one of several powerful moments on the night.

Lady Antebellum and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks teamed up on “Golden” and “Rhiannon,” a graceful Faith Hill helped out husband Tim McGraw on “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s,” vocal group of the year winner The Band Perry opened the night

Singer George Strait per forms onstage.

Taylor Swift presents the vocal duo of the year award to Florida Georgia Line.

Singer Hunter Hayes performs onstage.

Singer Miranda Lambert accepts the Single Record of the Year award for ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ onstage.

Singer Miranda Lambert accepts the Female Vocalist of the Year award onstage.

(From left) Singer Lee Brice accepts the Song of the Year award for ‘I Drive Your Truck’ onstage.

The Band Perry perform onstage.

Singer Stevie Nicks performs with singers Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum onstage.

Singer Lee Brice performs onstage.

Merle Haggard accepts the Crystal Milestone award.

Garth Brooks speaks on stage.

Singer Miranda Lambert poses in the press room with the Best Female Vocalist award and Single Record of the Year award.

Actors Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J speak onstage.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

lifestyle A W A R D S

Luke Bryan, left, and Blake Shelton take a selfie in the audience at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday in Las Vegas. — AP photos

Six things to remember about entertaining ACM Awards T

Carrie Underwood presents the award for Male Vocalist of the Year.

Winners at the Academy of Country Music awards

he Academy of Country Music Awards was jam-packed with a little bit of everything, encompassing today’s rockand pop-inflected sounds, traditional sounds from the genre’s bedrock - and a lot of humor to boot. George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Kacey Musgraves carried home the best trophies Sunday night in Las Vegas, but Lambert’s husband, Blake Shelton, and his co-host Luke Bryan may have been the biggest winners. At one point, Shelton joked that the show was their tryout for David Letterman’s job, and they backed it up with some truly funny moments. So we’ll book-end a six pack of highlights from the 49th annual awards with their best two moments: 1- The selfie: At one point, Shelton and Bryan, who have given themselves the celebrity name “Bluke,” suggest they recreate Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie moment from the Academy Awards. They went down the front row rejecting one star after another. They rejected Jason Aldean because he isn’t “big enough” and said of Tim McGraw in singsong unison, “Boring!”“Honestly,” Shelton said, “I think we’re the biggest celebrities in the room.”

2- Merle Haggard, on hand to receive the ACM’s Crystal Milestone Award, already knew he would receive the star-packed tribute treatment during the show with Lambert and Strait scheduled to sing and Garth Brooks presenting. But Brooks announced to the crowd that it was Haggard’s 77th birth-

day Sunday and exhorted the crowd - full of the world’s top country stars - to sing “Happy Birthday” to the legend.

3- Stevie and Shakira: Sometimes the cross-genre celebrity pairings at these award shows are ... ill-advised. The ACMs pulled off two strong mashups, though, teaming Lady Antebellum and Stevie Nicks on their songs “Golden” and “Rhiannon” and Blake Shelton

and Shakira on their duet “Medicine.” The first performance helped frame what makes Lady A’s high harmony so appealing and the second showed the soft side of the jokester Shelton.

4- The Band Perry put on one of the night’s most memorable performances for a couple of reasons. The show-opening performance of “Chainsaw” by the brother-sister

Musicians Blake Shelton and Shakira perform onstage.

trio was among the night’s most energetic. It also was accompanied by so much confetti that it looked like snow was drifting across the first three rows of celebrities. “There’s $20 million in hairdos down here and it all has confetti in it,” Bryan joked. The group also won vocal event of the year, a pretty great bookend to the night.

5- ACMs head to Jerry’s World: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones got a mixed reaction when he appeared on the show to help announce the 50th anniversary of the ACM Awards next year at his AT&T stadium in Dallas. He was initially booed by some fans - a day after he was also booed at the NCAA Final Four - and took the brunt of a joke from Bryan about his team’s checkered playoff history. “Is he laughing?” Bryan asked. He will be next year when his stadium will be the centerpiece of what’s already being billed the world’s largest awards show.

6- Daft Punks: Bryan and Shelton channeled another pop culture moment brilliantly when they arrived on stage as “Get Lucky” played in the background wearing Daft Punk-style helmets and tuxedos - just like the Pharell Williams-accompanied electronica stars did at the Grammy Awards. After a few seconds to let the effect settle in, the duo ripped off their helmets and pretended to be out of breath. “Man, where the hell is Pharrell at,” Shelton said. “He was supposed to read the nominees.” Bryan responds: “How the hell you supposed to get lucky in that thing. I couldn’t even breathe.” — AP

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR George Strait MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Jason Aldean FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Miranda Lambert ALBUM OF THE YEAR Kacey Musgraves - “Same Trailer Different Park” SONG OF THE YEAR Lee Brice - ‘I Drive Your Truck’ (Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary) SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR Miranda Lambert - “Mama’s Broken Heart” (Producers: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf ) NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR Justin Moore VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR Florida Georgia Line VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR The Band Perry. — Reuters

Singer Shakira

Singer/songwriter Keith Urban performs onstage.

Fourth from right, Shawna Thompson and second from right, Keifer Thompson, of the musical group Thompson Square with the musical group Blues Traveler pose on the red carpet.

Cassadee Pope arrives at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Justin Moore poses in the press room with the New Artist of the Year award.

Musicians Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum perform onstage.

Singer Kacey Musgraves poses in the press room with the Album of the Year award.

Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney dies at 93

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TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014

This image provided by the Art Institute of Chicago via Art Everywhere shows Edward Hopper’s 1942 “Nighthawks.”

American art to flood US billboards this summer

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ive museums say they are organizing the largest outdoor art show to showcase American art nationwide this summer. Beginning today, curators are asking the public to vote online to choose which artwork will be featured on 50,000 displays for the “Art Everywhere” initiative in August. Members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of

America are donating the space.

Museums have nominated 100 artworks to choose from.

They include Jasper Johns’ “Three Flags,” Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” Gilbert Stuart’s “George Washington” and Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks.” Other artists include Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol.

This image provided by The Art Institute of Chicago via Art Everywhere, shows Grant Wood’s 1930 ‘American Gothic.’

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Participating museums include the Art Institute of Chicago, Dallas Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.—AP

This image is provided by the Whitney Museum of American Art via Art Everywhere and shows Jasper Johns’ 1958 ‘Three Flags.’

was “hallucinogenic and highly toxic”. A report by the Mission of Vigilance against Sectarian Abuses (Miviludes) from 2007 called Bwiti a form of cult ritual that is dangerous “both physically and mentally”. Tatayo himself concedes that “you must be closely watched when you ingest iboga”.

But Bwiti shamans like Tatayo believe that when they eat iboga, they are granted the power to see the future, heal the sick and speak with the dead. Users say it helps them to break away from negative habits, and an extract from the root is now being used in Western medicine to treat drug addicts and alcoholics. Like many foreigners before him, Causse turned to “Tatayo”, who is originally from southwest France, at his beachside concession next to the president’s quarters in Gabon’s capital Libreville.

ome in Gabon believe the bitter iboga root comes from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Others elsewhere have derided it as a dangerous drug. Today a growing number of Westerners are travelling to the central African country to sample it themselves as part of an ancestral rite called Bwiti, one of Gabon’s official religions. Among them is Remy Causse, who at 45 made the long journey from France in hopes that the ritual would help him to “see more clearly”.

Bwiti combines worship of ancient forest spirits with elements of Christianity. It is practiced regularly and involves ingesting the powerful psychoactive root, iboga, which has effects similar to LSD, mescaline or amphetamines. “Iboga cleans the insides,” says Tatayo, a French-Gabonese spiritual guide who receives many of the Western “bandzi”, or candidates for initiation. “The bandzi empties himself of everything bad that is buried inside before coming face to face with himself.”

But the deaths, deemed accidental, of two Western initiates saw the practice come under sharp scrutiny, notably in former colonial power France where health officials warned it

By the torchlight Under the light of the torches, initiates, their faces painted white, intone traditional chants over the music of the Ngombi, a form of sacred harp, or the Mogongo, an instrument made of a chord strung across an arc that the musician strums with a

Participants carry out dance steps during a Bwiti rite in a temple in Mouila in the south of Gabonho.—AFP photos

European women (front) rest in a temple after taking iboga during an initiation to the Bwiti rite in Libreville.

This image provided by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art shows Roy Lichtenstein’s 1963 ‘Cold Shoulder.’

This image provided by The National Gallery of Art via Art Everywhere shows Gilbert Stuart’s c 1821 oil painting “George Washington.”

pulsating rhythm. Causse starts to eat the iboga, crushed into powder, which Tatayo feeds him by the spoonful until he is overcome by visions amid the deafening noise of singing and dancing by “escorts”. Lying on a mat, he seems to be sleeping as his spirit “roams”.

Ingested in high doses, iboga causes anxiety, extreme apprehension and hallucinations, which are enhanced by the darkness and music. Sometimes Causse rouses and begins to vomit. The visions last all night, and it’s not until the early hours of the morning that Causse wakes up. Still groggy from the experience, he is unable to walk for several hours. Despite being “a bit scared”, he said he was happy two days after shaking off the lethargy caused by the iboga root. After this he will bear the name “Moukoukou”, which means “spirits”. “The ritual has given me an understanding that cannot be explained in words; it has answered many of my questions,” he says.

Risks of initiation Few people in Gabon doubt the effectiveness of the iboga root, which is considered an important part of the country’s national heritage. The country’s first president was an initiate.

Outside the country, a dozen or so deaths have been reported in the United States and Europe among people who experimented with iboga, though the exact circumstances have not been clarified. Medical reports said the victims’ nervous systems and hearts appear to have been affected and the deaths generally occurred more than 20 hours after taking the root.

In Gabon, neither the French embassy nor the Gabonese health ministry would comment on the bwiti ritual, given that it involves a recognized religious practice and use of a product authorized in the country. Yet despite the dangers and the high price that Westerners must pay for their new experiences-Causse paid 2,800 euros ($3,800) for his three-week journey-more and more are coming. Tatayo says that he now receives around 20 to 25 new foreign initiates-mainly Europeans-a year.—AP An iboga or ‘Holy Wood’ plant in Libreville.