23 Mar 2012

FR EE

Kuwait National & Liberation Days

www.kuwaittimes.net

Max 27º Min 12º

NO: 15396- Friday, March 23, 2012

TOULOUSE: French members of the RAID special police forces unit leave after the assault on the besieged flat of self-professed Al-Qaeda militant Mohamed Merah yesterday. Merah died in the assault. — AFP

French siege ends SEE PAGE 11

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Conspiracy Theories

Kaffeeklatsch

Let’s walk...

When angry birds were just that

By Shakir Reshamwala

By Badrya Darwish shakir@kuwaittimes.net

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rowing up in the ‘80s in Kuwait, life was uncomplicated. There was no Internet, no malls and no hi-tech videogames, and for a preteen kid, childhood pleasures did not involve typing in passwords, but collecting things. Collectable cards - of comic characters, TV sitcoms or bands were a hot fad back then. Packets containing three cards each were sold in all baqalas outside schools for 50 fils apiece and hordes of schoolchildren descended on them to buy and later trade doubles with their friends. Some packs had little plastic figurines of comic characters as a bonus, and these were also very popular.

Stamp and coin collecting was another popular hobby that offered an insight into faraway lands and cultures.

When my dad travelled abroad, he used to send postcards so that my brothers and I could collect them. He also brought stamps from the mail received at his office, and we would then soak the envelopes in water to unglue the stamps. We made penpals (how archaic!) from exotic nations so that we could harvest the stamps from the correspondence. When my dad gave us the coins - some from the late

1800s - that he collected in his childhood in the ‘50s, we were mesmerised.

We also collected Kinder egg toys, plastic army men and their assorted vehicles and weapons and comic books. We drooled over the ads in these books - hawking everything from live seahorses, muscle boosters and xray glasses - though we may have extremely disappointed to find they were blatant rip-offs. Panini sticker albums were all the rage too, mainly the football World Cup ones. Sealed packs of three stickers each had to be bought to complete the album. Kids raced to finish it, and stickers of popular players and teams were especially coveted.

I still have the comic cards and somewhat incomplete (Maradona, where were you?) 1990 World Cup sticker album stashed somewhere, along with dozens of double and triple stickers. Panini albums are still sold today, but you will be hard-pressed to find children with the patience to complete it, if they are even aware of it in the first place. The numismatist and philatelist in me is not dead, and I still collect coins and currency notes from my travels, but the disappearance of

stamps really saddens me.

Today when my 4-year-old starts the computer, types in the password, launches the Web browser, selects YouTube from ‘Favorites’, types the string of letters of his favourite cartoon show and sits back to enjoy the antics, I can only shake my head in amazement.

My kids can watch Tom and Jerry, Pink Panther and Looney Tunes on demand, whereas we had to wait the whole day to see them on their evening timeslot on Kuwait TV. If I sound like a dinosaur despite only being in my early 30s, I wonder what my parents’ generation must be thinking when we were kids, and what they think now when they’ve become grandparents. Of course I cannot imagine life without modern-day conveniences. I’m online most of the time, and checking email and Facebook updates are routine tasks. Nearly all my weekends are spent mall-hopping, and my nose is perennially stuck in my smartphone playing Angry Birds or Defender. But it’s hard not to get nostalgic when encountering a childhood memory - we may have become techsavvy adults, but the child in us is still enamoured by those carefree days.

In my view

Sixties’ Kuwait

By Jamie Etheridge

local@kuwaittimes.net

T

he much anticipated fifth season of the US television series Mad Men is scheduled to begin this coming week. The show’s popularity has sparked a surge in all things 1960s including fashion, design, food and other activities which I won’t mention since they are illegal in Kuwait.

When I ask older residents and locals about the region at that time, they always smile with nostalgia and remembrance. Kuwait in the Sixties, they say, was a completely different place. Kuwait was just opening to the rest of the world, exploring itself and the region around it. I hear tales of girls wearing miniskirts and knee-high boots, of a red light district somewhere downtown and of lots of construction, travel and adventure. I’ve even seen a photo of an old Kuwait Airways menu showing that the airline used to offer wine to its passengers.

I am no historian, but it seems the

Sixties were a positive and hopeful time for Kuwait. The country experienced an unprecedented boom in growth and development. Thanks to oil income beginning in the Fifties, Kuwait by the early 1960s was more developed than any of its neighbors. It had a flourishing cultural scene, a modern and architecturally interesting downtown, new schools, ports, hospitals, roads and new residences.

During the 1960s, Kuwait gained independence and adopted a constitution, elected a majlis al ummah (parliament) and set itself on the path of a modern democracy and modern economy. It seems like more than coincidence that the nostalgia for the 1960s comes just at a point in time when Kuwait and the region are going through yet another formative phase of political and social change.

The evolutions and revolutions that the region has experienced have been

nothing short of extraordinary. 2011’s Arab Spring is only the latest in a series of political upheavals across the region - many of them rooted in Arab nationalist movements of the 1960s. Things have definitely changed since then. It’s hard to imagine Kuwait as it must have been then. Impossible to imagine a country once so vibrant and adventurous. Kuwait has aged and like the rest of us, become more conservative and resistant to change. I wonder if it’s possible to recapture some of the enthusiasm and vibrancy of the Sixties.

Recently, there’s been a sort of revival in design and art. More and more art, advertising and design is Sixties-inspired, reflecting the vibe of that era but modernized. I wonder if it would be possible to do the same thing for Kuwait, to remind Kuwait of its youth, its adventuresomeness and daring. I would even wear neon green go-go boots, if that would help.

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

T

he way we live affects our life. It affects us in a big way health-wise. What I have noticed more and more in Kuwait is that we lack any walking habits - be it citizens or expats, old or young, women or men, middle aged or youths. Even expats who come from countries that walk a lot, in Kuwait they lose the habit within a week.

Why is that the case? I asked my friends why this was the case. Many said that it is hot in Kuwait and nobody wants to roam around and survive the heat. We find it easier to hop in the car and go to places. My friends say they drive even if the shop is a five-minute walk away. In another country be it Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the UK, US etc, etc, you will never start the car for a loaf of bread.

Here is my argument. In Kuwait there are four months of savage heat which makes it understandable to prefer to drive. Come June, July, August and even September, temperatures rise exponentially. It is, however bearable to walk around all the other months. The rest of the year I could go on foot to get my groceries, to the baqala, to the laundry or the hairdresser in the neighbourhood.

But then if you decide you want to get energetic, you will face the problem of the pavements. Unfortunately, Kuwait was not designed for pedestrians. The municipality, bless them, did not design the country to connect areas with pavements. Even if pavements exist, they are not repaired. Leave alone zebra crossings. They are nonexistent and not connected. The funniest part is that there are few zebra-crossings in the city and drivers do not respect them.

Drivers are not used to giving the way to pedestrians.

Pedestrians’ life is nonexistent in Kuwait. It is a shame.

Thank God we have the seaside. But this is another story.

To drive yourself to the seaside is like going to a club to do exercise. You have to allocate special time for that after work or in between commitments which could be a luxury for many people. What I am discussing is not walking as an exercise. It is the way of life. Walking should be part of our daily routine and should not be about exercising alone. It should be related to grabbing groceries, taking the laundry or fetching the latest newspaper.

Guys, why don’t we take the will and decide to change our life and start walking. Walking shapes you up, it makes you more energetic. I tried it myself. Once I am back from abroad, where I walk a lot, I feel healthy and fit. Give it a couple of days and I am lazy and sluggish and start gaining weight. Let’s not allow bad pavements, disrespected zebra crossings and a little heat to prevent us from moving around and staying fit.

Have a good weekend and don’t forget to walk!

KUWAIT: A sprinkler shoots up a spray of water on a flowerbed. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Local Spotlight

No respect for the roads

Satire Wire

Dust your shoulders off, Kuwait

By Muna Al-Fuzai

By Sawsan Kazak muna@kuwaittimes.net

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

E

very time I feel that I have had enough of writing about this subject, it comes right back to me! I am forced to address it again. We live in Kuwait, and politics and laws cannot be separated here. A law is never followed if it interferes with someone’s interest! I think there is a law in this country that prevents veiled women from driving. As far as I remember, this law was passed a couple of years ago for the safety and security of drivers and pedestrians. I assume that it was passed because of logical reasoning: when one covers her face, hits someone and causes an accident, no one can recognize you. So the law helps prevent such women from escaping.

I guess it is common sense to ask how we can be absolutely sure that the motorist is female? The truth is, we cannot be sure! Would I share a public toilet with individuals who are veiled? I would not know if they are men or women! I have seen many veiled women driving SUVs and wondered why they drive large cars while talking on their mobile phones, bearing in mind that it is illegal to do so. In Kuwait, you can see men and women driving with babies placed on their laps, so using mobile phones is a trivial issue!

They cannot sense any danger occurring if a child is on their laps, let alone be bothered about a stranger’s life on the road!

Here in Kuwait, everyone complains about traffic and reckless drivers. How much have we done to stop them? When the roads are clogged, some drivers veer to the emergency lane. I thought only ambulances and police cars were allowed to ply on it. Are real violators ever fined? I don’t think so and that’s why they brazenly commit traffic offenses. Also, I have seen some expats who attempt to cross the highway. I wonder what goes on in their minds while attempting something as risky as that.

I am sorry to say that no one respects traffic laws in Kuwait. Most accidents are caused due to lack of awareness. Speeding is a result of the lack of respect to the roads and its users. How can we instill this in the public? NGOs can make earnest efforts, and the public departments of the Ministry of Education and Interior can do their best.

KUWAIT: The Liberation Tower and other high-rises of Kuwait City loom in the distance as cars speed along on a highway. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

T

he dust does not seem to be letting up. It has been weeks now that the Kuwaiti skies are covered with a layer of orange sand, so much so that I almost forgot what the sun looks and feels like. With dark mornings and afternoons, and cold nights in the middle of March, you can almost forget that you are living in a desert country.

Just when we thought we had seen the worst of it, it was announced last week that we will have 170 more dust-filled days to look forward to in Kuwait. Saleh Al-Ojairi, a popular meteorologist in Kuwait, forecast that the summer of 2012 is going to be a dusty one with almost six months of dark, gloomy and grimy days. Anyone who has lived through a Kuwaiti sandstorm knows how scary that fact really is.

Having witnessed the recent dust storms as well as mother nature’s dust attack last year, I am afraid of what is yet to come. When a dust storm hits Kuwait, the whole country changes color; from multi-colored to just light brown. No matter how many doors you close or windows you tape shut, the dust always finds a way in. Within a few hours, a thin, sometimes thick, layer of brown powder covers everything from your tables and chairs in the living room, to the soap and shampoo bottles in the bathroom to the faucet in the kitchen sink. The worst part about all this is that no amount of cleaning ever gets rid of all the dust.

With many days of dust to look forward to, we should

take precautionary measures to protect ourselves and our surroundings from the relentless dust that is going to invade our lives in the near future. First and foremost, I believe that our new best friend and ally against dust will be plastic wrap. To avoid getting dust on the couch, pillows, tables and other items we should wrap plastic on all of our precious items like tabletops, bedposts, fruits and vegetables, and even other family members (just remember to poke a few breathing holes). This will reduce the cleaning time when the dust finally subsides. To protect our lungs from the small, airborne particles we need to prevent them from getting in. The small, paper masks are useless when compared to an industrial gas mask. It might seem like a big investment at first, but it will be worth the money when you and your family are all geared up and connected to oxygen tanks.

Of course, if Al-Ojairi is right and we will be living though 170 days of dust, we might as well go ahead and start living in plastic bubbles. Just think how much fun it could be to roll around from one room to another or through the mall; and just imagine how much fun it will be to exercise on the beach. I think if we take these measures we will survive this summer, but I don’t think the expression ‘what doesn’t kill you will makes you stronger’ will apply here.

In my view

Struck by the strikes

By Lisa Conrad lisa@kuwaittimes.net

T

he recent Kuwait Airways strike left countless travellers wondering how they would manage to reach their destinations and one of those many, many travellers was my mother. Any expatriate in the country will appreciate how difficult it is planning for a family visit: securing time off work, arranging where to go and what to do and, most importantly, hoping and praying that the sandstorms hold off long enough so that their visit won’t be hindered by an allergic reaction so severe that you question whether or not your beloved relative had been severely attacked by a swarm of bees. Since we already covered the severe allergic reaction on her last visit, I assumed that we were on safer ground having paid our dues and ensuring that a back-up supply of antihistamine was on hand at all times.

However, in a bout of optimism, I had forgotten to hope that we get through the visit without getting burnt by the various strikes popping up across the country. The Kuwait Airways strike left my mother in Lebanon with no idea how she would return to Kuwait and, from here, back to England. Both of us called their offices only to be told the exact same answer: call back on the day of the flight. This meant that, prior to her planned day of departure, neither of us knew whether or not she would be back in time. Plus, no bookings or plans could be made because we had no idea when she would be back.

Despite our countless calls and requests for her to be placed on another flight, we had to wait right up until the last minute to find out whether or not she would be trav-

elling. This was the point that I didn’t understand: strikes already anger customers, so why anger them even further by leaving them in travel limbo? Wouldn’t it be better to pay the initial expense and guarantee those with approaching dates seats on alternative flights in an attempt to quell their annoyance? Apparently not.

She did get back to Kuwait in time, but not without considerable stress and panic. When the day finally came and Kuwait Airways at long last agreed to grant us some insight, we were assured that she had been booked a place on an MEA flight for the same day. However, when she arrived at the airport, baggage and weeping relatives in tow, she was informed by MEA that she had not been booked onto their flight but only placed on their waiting list. She wasn’t granted a seat on the flight until she spoke with both Kuwait Airways and MEA again, insisting that she must be on that flight. When you’re already dealing with the stress of travel, the last thing you want to be doing is begging for a service you’ve already paid for.

What if she wasn’t as persistent as she is? What if other passengers, just as annoyed and persistent, had gotten there first and taken her seat?

Emails informing customers of the strike weren’t even sent out, and no contact was made when it ended either.

I do understand that strikes are inconvenient for customers and companies alike, but I don’t understand why more effort isn’t made to try and lessen the inconvenience customers suffer as a result. In this case, however, the customer service disappeared as fast as the staff.

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Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

By Sawsan Kazak

F

or those people who think that there is little creativity in Kuwait when it comes to arts or entertainment, they should refer to the text and WhatsApp messages that have been circulating recently. After a brief but poignant strike that was staged by the General Department of Customs in Kuwait, the country suddenly found itself experiencing a shortage in many items like milk, yoghurt and vegetables. Basically, any item that could perish quickly was missing from the supermarket shelves.

Within a few hours of the strike, the scarcity of items was immediately felt and instead of going into panic mode, the country, as usual, chose to use self-deprecating humor to work through the problem. Within hours, funny text messages, pictures and stories emerged on the Internet mocking the state the country found itself in.

Pictures of fake advertisements displaying milk bottles willing to be traded in for an iPhone 4S, as well as advertisements by people trying to sell halfused dairy products in the classifieds emerged almost instantaneously. The best of all had to be the picture of a man, kneeling on the floor in front of milk cartons and yogurt tubs, with his hands behind his back and his eyes blindfolded, as if to signify he has been apprehended by the cops for smuggling ‘illegal’ items into the country. These were but a few of the many jokes that surfaced during the customs strikes drama. To make fun of a situation with such accuracy takes talent. Composing jokes, digitally modifying pictures and thinking up

different scenarios to mock the circumstances so quickly is a gift.

The country was losing millions of dollars every hour, thousands were stranded at the airport and the strike seemed to be irresolvable, but most people could still see the humor of a country that so quickly felt the sting of the strikes. The pictures and messages highlighted the seriousness of a country that was rendered helpless within a few hours of striking by poking fun at the possible future.

Kuwait often refers to self-deprecating humor to deal with many political stalemates and social issues. Many sitcoms, sketches, plays and TV shows are based on the reality of life in Kuwait. Somewhat of a defense mechanism, Kuwait seems to use humor to better understand the situation it is in and deal through it. Even individuals indulge in back-slapping humor upon seeing each other as a way to break the ice. Friends and family members will make fun of each other’s appearances, mannerisms and actions as a playful way of showing that they care. Humor is part of the culture and seems to serve a purpose. In Kuwait, humor is the best remedy.

Within a few hours of the strike, the scarcity of items was immediately felt and instead of going into panic mode, the country, as usual, chose to use self-deprecating humor to work through the problem. Within hours, funny text messages, pictures and stories emerged on the Internet mocking the state the country found itself in.

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Living by giving

By Ben Garcia

F

atemah Al-Mousawi firmly believes in giving rather than taking. This is her passion. She prefers to share than receive. According to her, the act of giving is a gift from God that should be spread across Kuwait. Her passion has led her to establish the group ‘Spread the Passion, The Art of Giving’ where she encourages volunteer-driven work .

The group which she founded in 2010 has about 600 volunteers. ‘Spread the Passion’ is a charity organization willing to share expertise, time and talents to help others.

Founder and Executive Manager, Al-Mousawi spent most of her years in the United Kingdom, and her altruistic spirit stems from the fact that she was once surrounded by many who were willing to share something with others. Her first idea was to connect volunteers with different charity organizations. She accomplished the task and has not stopped since then. “Volunteering is a new concept in Kuwait. We are working hard to spread the passion of volunteering here. This is our dream, to make volunteer-driven work simple and flexible to suit individual talents and time,” she told attendees of a weekly diwaniya hosted by the Advocate for Western Arab Relations (AWARE) Center in Surra this week.

Spread the Passion comprises of a team of volunteers who aim to spread awareness of different charitable causes in Kuwait by organizing different events. “We want to make the act of giving simple and a way of life. Giving can be done in the form of support, volunteering with your time or talent, or helping to raise funds for a good cause. Our mission is to make giving part of our living,” she said.

Most of the work is done when volunteers are engaged with charitable organizations who in one way or the other promote social consciousness and cultural, environmental and community projects throughout Kuwait. “We are excited about the list of projects and we want you to join us.

Our vision is to build the largest network that connect volunteers, charitable work and businesses from Kuwait,” she added. The idea is to connect the three different networks.

“Eventually, we will create a headquarters that can be called a home for volunteering. We want to gather volunteers in their respective time. We are conducting training programs that talk about basic skills in volunteering. We train volunteers so that they can be more confident when they speak, communicate effectively, and work as part of the team. These are all skills we need to improve later on, we can use them during volunteer work,” she noted.

She announced an upcoming painting/drawing competition to be hosted by ‘Journey of Hope’ where ‘Spread the Passion’ group was roped in to be part of the project. The project, according to Al-Mousawi is dedicated to disabled children. “The first event they plan to hold is a drawing competition. We want to celebrate their achievements. So we help them prepare for the drawing exhibition. The participants are disabled children from special needs schools,” she said. Also, a boat from Kuwait is reportedly going to sail from Kuwait to Washington DC to raise awareness of people with disabilities. “They want to be integrated into society and want equal opportunity. We are the volunteering force behind them and we shall support them,” she noted.

‘Spread the Passion’ Group is also working closely with Bayt Abdullah, a hospice for terminally ill children in Kuwait. When asked what criteria is followed while giving support, Al-Mousawi said, “As long as they are non-governmental or commercial establishments, we support them.

Our heart goes out to charitable organizations that really care for others, and also the environment. We don’t want our volunteers to be taken advantage of. We are turning down others’ offers.” When it comes to funding, AlMousawi noted that she finances the projects, but also accepts funding from interested companies.

Al-Mosawi holds a BSc degree in Molecular Genetics from Kings’s College London and an MSc in Human Molecular Genetics from Imperial College, London. She also holds another MSc degree in Bioinformatics from Birkbeck college in London. She is currently working on her thesis entitled ‘Genetics of Intellectual Disabilities in Kuwait’. For more information, please visit the website: www.spreadthepassion.org.

Wishes get real

By Nawara Fattahova

I

‘I Wish’ Project manager Eisa Al-Eisa (left) and PR Representative Mishari Al-Shalahi are seen at the ‘I Wish’ studio.

n a few months, Kuwait will have its own reality show with contestants competing in four categories. The first episode will be aired on Watan TV shortly. It has been divided into the following - business administration, fashion design, cooking and a category to display musical talent. A winner will be chosen from every category. ‘I Wish’ is not about singing and acting, as most reality-based TV shows are. Therefore, this show focuses on one’s ability to present different skills, explains Mishari Al-Shalahi, PR representative of ‘I Wish’.

Thousands of prospective candidates belonging to all age groups and nationalities have applied to participate in ‘I Wish’ by sending in CVs since the beginning of the year. The organizers shortlisted about 850 participants from four categories by conducting phone interviews. The committee will then meet these participants who qualified for a personal interview and choose six participants for each category. These 24 participants will compete during the seven episode show. One participant from each category will leave the show every week based on judges’ decision.

Participants are chosen based on their skills and personality including charisma and general attractiveness. “Most people expressed interest in the business category, from which about 280 passed the phone interview. The least number of people were accepted to the fashion design category, with 120 participants. Then there were about 240 who applied to the cooking

category and 210 who wanted to be part of the music category,” noted Al-Shalahi.

Many applicants failed to grasp the underlying concept behind the show. “Some thought it’s a competition, similar to the ones shown during Ramadan. Some didn’t possess any qualifications or skills. Also, some were not able to remain in the studio while the six episodes were being shot. We had toughened some categories for participants. For instance, in the fashion designing category, we only accepted those who do the work themselves, and those who sketched a design with the outfit to be made by a tailor,” he explained. The final episode and the closing ceremony will be held at Al Raya Ballroom. The audience will vote for the winner from each category over the phone,” Al-Shalahi told Kuwait Times.

The winners will receive valuable prizes. ‘I Wish’ will help realize the business project of the winner in the business category and help the winner attend a workshop in New York in business administration. The winner in fashion design will be able to display his/her creation for free at the 52 Degrees store for a year, and receive a scholarship to take a fashion design course in the UK. The winner in cooking will be able to join a restaurant, with a percentage of profits going to organizers and also avail of the opportunity to study at the University of Tea in Sri Lanka. ‘I Wish’ will release an album of the winner of the music category and shoot a video, in addition to facilitate his participation in Hala February concerts next year.

The show will be shot at the 52 Degrees studio, Shuwaikh.

It is nearing completion. “The 24 participants will remain at the studio for six hours every day (from 4 pm to 10 pm). There is a coffee shop, cafeteria and other utilities available for participants to spend their time. Every day, a three-minute long trailer will be shown on Watan TV with daily updates about the participants and their work. Every Tuesday, a two-hour long episode will be aired,” Al-Shalahi added.

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

TOKYO: (Left) HH the Amir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (center left), Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito (center right), Prince Akishino (left) and Princess Kiko are seen during a state banquet at the Imperial Palace yesterday. (Right) Sheikh Sabah shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda before their meeting at the latter’s official residence yesterday. — AFP Photos

Amir meets Japanese Prime Minister Kuwait, Japan sign two agreements TOKYO: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the delegation accompanying him visited Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda at the cabinet’s headquarters in Tokyo yesterday.

During the encounter, both parties discussed ways to strengthen the special relations shared between Kuwait and Japan in various fields, and to serve common interests as well as strengthen the existing

cooperation between the two countries.

They also exchanged a number of issues of mutual interest and latest developments on the regional and international arenas.

Friendly relations between both countries’ people were reflected during the encounter, portraying a depth of understanding and friendship that characterized good relations. Later, Noda held a dinner banquet in honor of the Amir and the dele-

Amir heads to Philippines MANILA: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will arrive in the Philippines today on an official visit aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries, according to local reports. The Amir will arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on board a Kuwait government aircraft B747-400, the Philippines news agency (PNA) reported, noting that he will be welcomed by Albert del Rosario, Foreign Affairs Secretary, Jose Rene Almendras, Energy Secretary, Shulan Primavera, Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Jose Angel Honrado and Antonino Calixto, Pasay City Mayor.

After his arrival, the Amir is scheduled to proceed to the Rizal Park for a wreath-laying ceremony and will depart for Malacanang Palace for a welcome ceremony, PNA reported. Following the welcoming ceremony, he will pay a courtesy call on President Benigno S Aquino III at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace. Following this, an expanded bilateral meeting will be held between the two leaders, the agency said.

Joining the president during the courtesy call will be Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo. Aquino and Sheikh Sabah will also witness the signing of several bilateral agreements between the two countries following their bilateral meeting. Aquino will confer the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Collar (Supremo) on Sheikh Sabah. In turn, the Amir will confer on Aquino the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Medal.

In the evening, the president will host a state dinner for the visiting Amir of Kuwait at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall. Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Philippines will hold a dinner in honor of him during the second day of his state visit.

HH the Amir is also scheduled to visit Tagaytay Highlands on the third day of his visit. Sheikh Sabah will then proceed to Clark Export Processing Zone to unveil the Sabah Al-Ahmad Global Gateway Logistics City. He will depart for Kuwait after the event. The agency said that Philippines and Kuwait will seal several agreements during the visit to further cement the growing relations between the two countries.

Among the agreements to be signed by the two countries include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on agricultural and fisheries cooperation, an agreement on the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, an executive program for cultural agreement for 2012-2014, an MOU on cooperation in the recruitment and employment of Filipino household service workers and an MOU in the field of labor cooperation.

The signatories on the Filipino side will be Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and Felipe de Leon, Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

For the Kuwait government, the signatories will include Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled AlHamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs. —KUNA

gation accompanying him at the Cabinet’s headquarters. Two agreements were also signed between Kuwait and Japan to encourage investment and to promote academic exchange. The two agreements were signed in the attendance of Sheikh Sabah and Noda. One agreement dealt with encouraging and protecting investments. It was signed by Khalid Sulaiman Al-Jarrallah Undersecretary from Foreign Ministry and

Ryuji Yamane Japan’s Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. The other agreement was signed with exchanging academic expertise between Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and Japan’s Advanced Institute for Materials Research at the Tohoku University. It was signed by KISR Director Dr Naji Al-Mutairi and Tohoku University’s research center director. — KUNA

Amir gives more aid to Fukushima TOKYO: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- northeastern region. Iwate Governor Takuya Jaber Al-Sabah will make a fresh contribution to Tasso said, “During the meeting with His the disaster-stricken Fukushima prefecture, Highness the Amir, I thanked him and the Khalid Al-Jarallah, Undersecretary of the Ministry Kuwaiti people for their support and generosity, of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The Amir especially the free oil.” Tasso said that the $101 reported the decision to Fukushima Governor million, his prefecture’s allocated share of the Yuhei Sato during his meeting at Akasaka Palace Kuwaiti donation, has been used for various in Tokyo with governors of the three hardest-hit reconstruction projects, including financial assistance for survivors and rehabilitaprefectures of northeastern tion of agriculture and fishery Japan, and Tadateru Konoe, industries.

President, Japan Red Cross “With Kuwait’s aid, we will also Society. be able to restore the severelyAccording to Al-Jarallah, the damaged Sanriku Railway’s railAmir will give $2 million to roads and a train station and purhelp reconstruction efforts of chase new trains,” Tasso said, Fukushima, home to the cripadding that a memorial will be pled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear built at the railway station to mark power plant, as well as $3 milthe Kuwaiti contribution to its lion to rebuild the heavilyrebuilding. “The people in Iwate damaged sea museum Prefecture are deeply grateful for ‘Aquamarine Fukushima’.

Iwate Gov Takuya Tasso the Kuwaiti assistance,” the goverFukushima Governor Sato nor said, expressing keenness to expressed appreciation to the Amir for his fresh grant to restore the sealife promote the relations between Kuwait and his museum, which was very popular among chil- prefecture. Kuwait’s gift of 5 million barrels of dren in eastern Japan but hit by a magnitude crude oil was the largest contribution to Japan 9.0-quake and tsunami in March last year. “The by any country during this critical period. restoration of this popular sealife museum will According to Konoe, who doubles as President become a symbol of revival of Fukushima, as of International Federation of Red Cross and Red well as the relationship with Kuwait.” Sato also Crescent Societies, the donated oil was already thanked the Amir for donating 5 million barrels delivered to four Japanese refiners late last year. of crude oil, value of which was distributed In order to implement visible assistance, the through the Japan Red Cross Society to the three Japan Red Cross Society established a relief fund prefectures of Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate. with money to the value of the free oil worth These suffer from acute financial difficulties fol- some $550 million.

The aid covers eight areas, such as infrastruclowing the March catastrophe. Kuwait’s generous donation was sent upon directives of the ture recovery, support for medical care, educaAmir following the March 11 disasters that left tion, employment, and agriculture in the three more than 19,000 people dead or missing in the hardest-hit prefectures. — KUNA

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

American killed in Egaila flat

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 49-year-old US citizen was stabbed to death at his residence in Egaila, said security sources. Preliminary investigations showed that since blood was found all over the apartment, and the body lay in the bedroom, the deceased must have fiercely resisted the murderer.

A case was filed and further investigations are in progress.

Qatari suspect remanded In a follow up report on the case in which a Qatari national was accused of deliberately running over a citizen during the National Day celebrations, sources said that Mina Abdullah police have confirmed the charges. The public prosecution continues to hear testimonies from eyewitnesses. The Qatari suspect has been remanded in custody pending investigations.

Government to address employees’ grievances Budget needs to be reformulated: Hajraf KUWAIT : Kuwait’s economy is facing everincreasing challenges that place a considerable strain on the nation’s budget, requiring both executive and legislative forces to step back and assess objectively the best course to fine tune the budget realistically, with aspirations of the Kuwaiti people for a prosperous life, said a government official today. Addressing a special session of the National Assembly convened to discuss the pressing issue of demands by government employees for salary raises and better job perks, Minister of Education and acting Minister of Finance Nayef Al-Hajraf noted that

to redress the grievances of a large sector of government employees who recently paralyzed the country with wide-scale strikes, the nation’s budget needs to be reformulated. It is also necessary to boost the role played by the private sector, and remove the stumbling blocks that obstruct a smooth-running economy, among other measures.

He reviewed the fiscal state budget for 20122013, highlighting the many aspects contributing to weakness. Aspects such as the continuous rise in the amount of salaries paid to state workers, direct and indirect government subsidies,

Malfunction hits Ahmadi refinery

Victim escapes rape attempt A Kuwaiti girl escaped a rape attempt after two suspects abducted her in Rumaithiya and made their way to the desert, said security sources. Sources explained that the girl managed to hide her mobile phone and use it to inform police without being noticed by her kidnappers. The girl informed police on important landmarks that the vehicle had passed by, eventually leading them to trace them, arrest the kidnappers and free the victim.

Watchman found dead A citizen filed a complaint with police stating that his Asian watchman was found dead. Police rushed to the scene and the corpse was referred to the coroner to determine the cause of death.

Youth forum to go ahead despite ban

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior yesterday banned a youth forum that was scheduled to be held next week after Islamist MPs labeled it seditious, but the Society of Graduates late yesterday decided to host the event today and tomorrow. The banned 3-day Annahda forum was supposed to bring together youths from various Islamic sects and other religions to discuss social and cultural matters. The forum was already held in Bahrain and Qatar.

But Islamist MPs led by Mohammad Hayef said some speakers at the forum were against the Saudi regime and meant to provoke the youth. Hayef also threatened to take action against NGOs that welcome the speakers.

Another Islamist MP Ammar Al-Ajmi, who was against the forum, later withdrew his opposition, a move that was hailed by the organizers.

Ironically, it was the hotel where the forum was to be held that informed the organizers about the ministry’s decision after it was told to cancel the event. In a challenge to the naysayers, the Society of Graduates vowed that while the cancelled forum was an invitation-only event, the new gathering will be open to the public.

and a lack of diversified sources of income are other pressing issues. Turning to the recent government employees’ rampant strikes that disrupted many of the services the government provides to the public, he expressed the government’s dismay, although he acknowledged the strikers’ right to demonstrate their discontent freely. He affirmed that the government was keen to remedy any existent irregularities in the government pay scale. He invited lawmakers to offer the government any related suggestions, as long as they are aimed at instilling justice and equality among all employees. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and US Ambassador Matthew H Tueller cut the ceremonial cake yesterday. — KUNA

US embassy marks Independence Day KUWAIT: The Embassy of the United States celebrated the country’s Independence Day - which falls on July 4 - yesterday with the attendance of Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

Nearly, 236 years ago, the founders of the United States of America declared that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed, an embassy statement said yesterday. “Celebrating that remarkable event, we also have the opportunity to honor the friendship that brings the people of America and the people of Kuwait together,” US Ambassador Matthew H Tueller said in a speech. “... I am reminded more than ever of the strength of US-Kuwaiti relationship. One thing that strikes me most about Kuwait is the warm hospitality that has been consistently extended to Americans over the last hundred years, beginning with the founding of the Kuwait-American Mission Hospital, now the beautiful Amrecani Center. Of course, that warmth makes sense, given Kuwait’s tradition of openness and tolerance. I can say this from personal experience, as I have benefited from that hospitality each time my family and I have returned to live, work and study in Kuwait,” Tueller said.

The Ambassador added that “American companies have similarly been welcomed to Kuwait, and the result has been incredibly beneficial for both sides. As Kuwait seeks to

diversify its economy, US firms will continue to share their expertise through our Commercial Services section as well as the American Business Council of Kuwait”. “The presence of so many US businesses and products in Kuwait enables development and diversification of Kuwait’s economy while contributing to the people-to-people ties that must remain the foundation of our relationship,” he stressed.

“In that spirit, this Embassy is focused on strengthening the US-Kuwaiti relationship by opening doors for the people of Kuwait.

Our consular and public affairs officers organize events where we advise Kuwaiti students on study options in the United States. Over 3,000 Kuwaiti students studied in the US last year and we hope to see that number grow. Our public affairs officers plan regular speaker programs, in which embassy staff lead discussions with Kuwaiti students on American culture and other topics. We pride ourselves on the efficiency and courtesy with which our consular section processed more than 30,000 visa applications for Kuwaitis this past year.

“Our Commercial Services and Economic Sections are focused on promoting expanded trade with your booming economy. My staff and I look forward to all the future opportunities we will have to strengthen relations with all of you, and with a Kuwait that is advancing confidently toward a better tomorrow,” he concluded. — KUNA

KUWAIT: An electrical malfunctioning in the southern Shuaiba power plant caused a disruption in the flow of electric power feeding most of the units at Mina AlAhmadi refinery, resulting in its shutdown, said an official from Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) yesterday. The malfunction was tackled with the utmost emphasis on safety and security of the field workers attending daily operations of the refinery, said Muhammad Al-Ajmi, KNPC Public Relations Director.

The southern Shuaiba refinery falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electricity and Water, he said, adding that electricity was restored to refinery units half an hour after the power loss. All of the units of the refinery will be operational once the maintenance details are fully taken care of. The malfunction did not disrupt the normal pace of work at KNPC, cause harm to workers, damage the structure of the refinery or disturb loading and shipping operations, said Al-Ajmi. — KUNA

Smoking ban enforced in health centers: MOH KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) has implemented a smoking ban across all of its buildings, and those in the private sector too, Undersecretary Dr Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi said yesterday. The announcement was made after a circular was distributed among ministry staff and private health facilities in the country, according to a law passed. The decision includes places of primary care, health centers, pharmacies and clinics in the public and private sectors.

Dr Al-Abdulhadi stressed on the importance of complying with provisions and ministerial decisions that ban smoking, adding that inspection committees will be carrying out their role and reporting the outcomes of their inspection. He underscored that officials and employees of health centers that flout violations will be subject to disciplinary measures due to the dangerous outcomes of smoking on general health. — KUNA

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Senegal braces for cliffhanger presidential poll

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Afghans working to stop divisive NATO night raids

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Signs hint Beijing may be shifting on HK leader

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TOULOUSE: France’s Interior minister Claude Gueant (C) speaks to journalists yesterday in Toulouse, southwestern France. Self-professed Al-Qaeda militant Mohamed Merah died during a police assault on his besieged flat.—AFP

French terror siege ends Gunman dies in hail of bullets TOULOUSE: A 23-year-old gunman who said AlQaeda inspired him to kill seven people in France died in a hail of bullets yesterday as he scrambled out of a ground-floor window during a gunbattle with elite police commandos.

Mohamed Merah, a Frenchman of Algerian origin, died from gunshot wounds at the end of a 30-hour standoff with police at his apartment in southern France and after confessing to killing three soldiers, three Jewish children and a rabbi.

He was firing at police as he jumped out of the window, Interior Minister Claude Gueant told reporters near the five-storey building, in a suburb of the southern city of Toulouse. Two police commandos were injured in the operation - a dramatic climax to a siege which riveted the world after the killings shook France a month before a presidential election.

“At the moment when a video probe was sent into the bathroom, the killer came out of the bathroom, firing with extreme violence,” Gueant said. “In the end, Mohamed Merah jumped from the window with his gun in his hand, continuing to fire. He was found dead on the ground.” Elite RAID commandos had been locked in a tense standoff since the early hours

of Wednesday with Merah, periodically firing shots or deploying small explosives until midmorning yesterday to try and tire out the gunman so he could be captured. Surrounded by some 300 police, Merah had been silent and motionless for 12 hours when the commandos opted to go inside.

Initially, he had fired through his front door at police when they swooped on his groundfloor flat on Wednesday morning, but later he negotiated with police, promising to give himself up and saying he did not want to die. He told negotiators he was trained by Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and killed three soldiers last week and four people at a Jewish school on Monday to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and because of French army involvement in Afghanistan. President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is running for re-election next month called Merah’s killings terrorist attacks and announced a crackdown on people following extremist websites. “From now on, any person who habitually consults websites that advocate terrorism or that call for hate and violence will be punished,” he said in a statement. “France will not tolerate ideological indoctrination on its soil.”

His handling of the crisis could well impact an election race where for months he has lagged behind Socialist challenger Francois Hollande in opinion polls. Early yesterday, the first opinion poll since the school shooting showed Sarkozy two points ahead of Hollande in the first-round vote on April 22, although Hollande still led by eight points for a May 6 runoff.

Three years of economic gloom, and a personal style many see as brash and impulsive, have made Sarkozy highly unpopular in France, but his proven strong hand in a crisis gives him an edge over a rival who has no ministerial experience. Sarkozy vowed on Wednesday that justice would be done and urged people not to seek revenge. Merah had been under intelligence surveillance and the MEMRI Middle East think tank said he appeared to belong to a French Al-Qaeda branch called Fursan Al-Izza, ideologically aligned with a movement to Islamise Western states by implementing sharia law. He boasted to police negotiators that he had brought France to its knees, and that his only regret was not having been able to carry out more killings. French commandos had detonated three explosions just before midnight on

Wednesday, flattening the main door of the building and blowing a hole in the wall, after it became clear Merah did not mean to keep a promise to turn himself in. They continued to fire shots roughly every hour, and stepped up the pace from dawn with flash grenades. “These were moves to intimidate the gunman who seems to have changed his mind and does not want to surrender,” said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet.

He was tracked down after a no-holds-barred manhunt in France, during which presidential candidates suspended their campaigning.

Immigration and Islam have been major campaign themes after Sarkozy tried to win over supporters of Le Pen, who accused the government of underestimating the threat from fundamentalism. Leaders of the Jewish and Muslim communities have called for calm, pointing out the gunman was a lone extremist. Yesterday, farright candidate Marine Le Pen accused Sarkozy’s government of surrendering swathes of often impoverished suburban districts to Islamic fanatics, demanding that the last month of preelection debate put the focus back on failing security. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Thirty seven people killed in South Yemen ADEN: Thirty-seven people, most of them suspected Al-Qaeda fighters, were killed over the past 48 hours in violence across Yemen’s restive south, local and military officials said yesterday. “The bodies of 29 Al-Qaeda militants were killed in (army) shelling” on their hideouts north and northeast of the southern city of Zinjibar, and buried in the nearby town of Jaar, a local official said.

The Islamist militants came under fire from the Gulf of Aden and ground locations, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The shelling began on Tuesday and intensified Thursday, with some missiles apparently “coming from the sea,” one witness said.

A military official said that a soldier was killed and four others wounded late Wednesday during clashes with extremists who have declared themselves as Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law), near Zinjibar, which they took over in May. In Huta, capital of the southern province Lahij, the army opened fire early Thursday on a car which did not stop at a checkpoint there killing a child and wounding his mother, security officials said. Following the incident, Al-Qaeda suspects attacked soldiers at the checkpoint wounding two, they said. Further east in Hadramawt, five other extremists were killed in clashes with an army unit, a military official said.

Bahrain’s police install cameras to curb abuse MANAMA: Bahrain is installing video cameras in police stations to try to clean up its human rights image after crushing a pro-democracy uprising last year, but activists say off-camera abuse continues in other locations. At Al-Hoora station in Manama, closed circuit television will record police interrogations in rooms with padded grey walls. Rooms without cameras are set aside for detainees to consult lawyers. Other areas of the station are also monitored. “We chose the color grey because it’s an international standard and it calms people.

Anyone in a state of violence has to be calmed down,” said Brigadier Mansour Alhajeri, a police officer conducting a tour for journalists. He said seven other stations were now being fitted with the monitoring system and all 33 stations would be covered by October. But the cameras, introduced after an inquiry led by international jurists uncovered five deaths under torture last year, will not be installed in at least five riot police bases where activists say youths have been beaten. “They don’t detain anyone, any arrests will be handed over to police,” police chief Tareq Al-Hassan said when about the absence of cameras in the bases from where riot police using jeeps and armored vehicles move to handle protests.

The United States, which sees Bahrain as an ally in its conflict with Iran, has held up arms sales, including anti-tank missiles and armored humvees, until the Gulf island state shows progress in implementing human rights reforms. Bahrain has been in turmoil for over a year as opposition parties dominated by the Shiite majority population demand an end to the Al Khalifa family’s hold on power and Shiite youths clash daily with Sunni-dominated riot police, many of them foreign hires.

Banking, tourism and real estate have slowed as the unrest scares off investors and strains the economy, while the clashes have intensified in the past three months.

Police say they show restraint in the face of rioters who attack them with petrol bombs and iron bars, damaging vehicles and wounding personnel. But opposition and rights activists say 32 civilians have died since June, many from the effects of tear gas or direct hits by tear gas canisters and sound bombs. The government questions the causes of death and their attribution to the political conflict. The UN High Commission on Human Rights said this week it was concerned about a disproportionate use of force and excessive Bahraini rights activists list three informal detention centers where Shiite youths are beaten up by riot police before release, while others are beaten in the street. “More than 160 people have been beaten in these places,” said Mohammed AlMaskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, naming one site as a youth hostel in Sanabis which police acknowledge has been transformed into a riot police base.

Maskati said abuse had moved out of the range of cameras.

“In the past four months I never heard of anyone abused in a police station. They are hit before they reach there, that is the technique they use now,” he said, citing 10 teenagers mistreated in an unused building in Dar Al-Kulaib this week. A 16-yearold was abducted on Wednesday in Sanabis and found unconscious several hours later with his hands tied, underpants removed and trousers pulled down. — Reuters

The clashes took place a day after suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen killed an intelligence officer by cutting his throat after kidnapping him at Hadramawt’s capital Mukalla, according to a police official. “Commander Faraj Saeed AlOdsani was snatched (Wednesday) afternoon from a road near Mukalla airport

by Al-Qaeda gunmen who drove him towards the nearby province of Shabwa,” an Al-Qaeda stronghold, the official said. Security forces chased the kidnappers and traded gunfire as they fled, said the official, who added that a policeman was wounded and the extremists’ car was damaged in the exchanges.

“The Al-Qaeda militants escaped into nearby farms while the commander was found with his throat cut in the car, which they abandoned,” he said. A military official confirmed to AFP that “AlQaeda militants” had killed a kidnapped intelligence officer by cutting his throat.

The Islamists have exploited the weakening central government in Sanaa to strengthen their presence in Yemen, launching deadly attacks against security forces especially across the restive south and southeast. The United States says the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, is the most active branch of the global extremist network.— AFP

Syrian deaths pile up despite UN peace call Fierce clashes leave 27 dead BEIRUT: Fierce clashes raged across Syria despite a UN Security Council peace call, with 10 civilians on a bus trying to flee to Turkey among at least 26 people killed yesterday, monitors and activists said. The bus, with women and children on board, was shot up near the town of Sermin in the northwestern province of Idlib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, without identifying the assailants. An opposition activist on the ground, Milad Fadl, contacted by AFP in Beirut, said the civilians were headed for Turkey to escape the bloodshed when regime forces opened fire.

The Britain-based Observatory said earlier that a 17-year-old boy was killed and dozens wounded in an army assault on Sermin itself. Army forces attacked several towns, while rebel fighters struck army posts in several provinces and announced a command structure to coordinate hit-and-run strikes in and around the capital. In the deadliest attack on the army, five soldiers were killed in a raid on a military checkpoint in the region of Latakia, said the Observatory.

The region has a large population of Alawites, members of the minority offshoot of Shiite Islam to which President Bashar Al-Assad also belongs and which forms the backbone of his regime. In the south, rebel fighters killed a soldier and wounded four others near the village of Saida in Daraa province, where Syria’s year-old revolt against the regime erupted, said the monitoring group. Army deserters killed two soldiers in the town.

It added three civilians were killed as troops sprayed heavy machinegun fire in Qusayr, a town in the flashpoint province of Homs, central Syria, where rebel forces killed four soldiers.

The reports could not be confirmed due to restrictions on the movements of foreign media. The escalation came just hours after the Security Council passed a statement urging Assad and his foes to implement “fully and immediately” international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan. Annan’s plan calls for Assad to pull troops and heavy weapons out of

protest cities, a daily two-hour humanitarian pause to hostilities, access to all areas affected by the fighting, and a UNsupervised halt to all clashes. A correspondent at the scene also reported violent clashes in and around Sermin, a village near the town of Binesh in Idlib, as army shelling and tank fire threw up thick plumes of black smoke.

Free Syrian Army fighters and regular troops were locked in close-up street

9,100 people have been killed in a revolt against Assad that started with peaceful protests before turning into an increasingly armed revolt, faced with a brutal crackdown costing dozens of lives each day.

On the rebel side, the Free Syrian Army has set up a military council to coordinate hit-and-run strikes around Damascus, it announced in an online video. “I, Colonel Khaled Mohammed Al-

DAMASCUS: Syrian Christians, read Bibles during a mass prayer at a church for the civilian citizens and security officers who were killed during the last two explosions that targeted the Syrian security departments last Saturday, in Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday.—AP fighting, rebel Sergeant Abu Adel said by telephone from the scene of the clashes, as civilians took shelter in basements. At least four civilians, including two children, were killed and more than 30 wounded, according to FSA sources.

“Tanks have been posted on the SerminBinesh road blocking any evacuation of the wounded or villagers from fleeing the clashes,” said another rebel fighter, Abu Salem. Monitors say more than

Hammud, announce the creation of the military council for Damascus and the region that will be in charge of FSA operations in this region,” an army officer who deserted says in the video.

Rebel fighters, lightly armed, have been on the retreat from cities since the start of March in the face of the far superior firepower of government forces. They have been turning to hit-and-run guerrilla raids.— AFP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

US town longs for relief after mysterious noises CLINTONVILLE: Sleepless families in a small Wisconsin town longed for quiet after mysterious booming noises over the past few nights roused them from bed and sent residents into the street - sometimes still in pajamas. The strange disturbance sounds like distant thunder, fireworks or someone slamming a heavy door. At first, many people were amused or merely curious. But after three restless nights, aggravation is mounting. And some folks are considering leaving town until investigators determine the source of the racket.

“My husband thought it was cool, but I don’t think so. This is not a joke,” said Jolene Van Beek, who awoke early Sunday to a loud boom that shook her house. “I don’t know what it is, but I just want it to stop.” The booming in Clintonville continued Monday and Tuesday nights and into Wednesday morning, eventually prompting Van Beek to take her three sons to her father’s home, 10 minutes away, so they could get some uninterrupted sleep. There

have been no reports of injury, despite some residents saying they could feel the ground roll beneath their feet.

City officials say they have investigated every possible human cause. They checked water, sewer and gas lines, contacted the military about any exercises in the area, reviewed permits for mining explosives and inspected a dam next to city hall. They even tested methane levels at the landfill in case the gas was spontaneously exploding. “People in the area are certainly frustrated,” City Administrator Lisa Kuss said.

The city is also investigating geological causes. Officials plan to bring in vibrationdetection devices to try to determine the epicenter of any underground activity.

Authorities set up audio and video equipment overnight but didn’t capture any evidence of shaking or booming despite at least one loud noise about 5 am Wednesday, Kuss said.

About 300 people attended a public meeting Wednesday night in a local high

school auditorium to get an update on the situation. Kuss assured residents that officials are doing everything they can to determine the source of the booming.

Sharon Binger said the disturbance has left cracks in her basement walls and floor, and that they’re getting worse. She said her insurance company won’t pay for the damage until she knows what caused it. “This is an issue,” she said, demanding answers from officials at the meeting. “There is something else going on.”

Kuss urged Binger to write down when the cracks occurred and promised to send officials to the woman’s home to look over the damage. Debby Ernst has not heard the sound or felt the tremors but said she is still considering going elsewhere until the mystery is solved. “It worries me. I’m scared,” Ernst, a gas station cashier, said in a phone interview. “Who’s to say it ain’t going to get worse?” However, a local scientist said nothing has surfaced that suggests townspeople should be afraid. Steve

Dutch, a geologist at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, said the ground beneath them is solid, and that there are no known earthquake fault lines in the area.

Dutch said he heard some people worrying that a sinkhole might open up and swallow homes. That can happen in areas where the ground is rich with limestone and other rocks that can be dissolved by water, he said. But the rock below Clintonville is mainly solid granite that’s largely impermeable. However, he speculated that water and granite could hold the key to the mystery. Granite has small cracks that water can fill, but if the underground water table falls especially low, water can seep out, leaving gaps that cause the rocks to settle and generate loud noises.

“Maybe the very dry winter caused more water to be removed from the water table, either through pumping or natural flow,” he said. —AP

GOP and Democrats battle for Illinois Illinois features high-profile congressional races

HARVEY: In this Wednesday photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks at Superior Energy in Harvey, La. —AP

The GOP race is now lining up for Romney WASHINGTON: It hasn’t been pretty, but the Republican establishment, the delegate math, the money and more are increasingly lining up in Mitt Romney’s favor in the long and grinding race for the party’s presidential nomination. The race will go on.

Romney’s most dogged rival, Rick Santorum, is all but certain to claim more victories before the primary season ends. And an astonishing admission Wednesday by one of Romney’s top aides - that primary- season policy positions may be no more lasting than squiggles on a child’s Etch A Sketch drawing toy will hardly reassure Republicans skeptical about his commitment to the cause of conservatism.

“Everything changes” for the fall campaign, said Eric Fehrnstrom, prompting Romney himself to try and limit the political damage. “The policies and the positions are the same,” he said. Still, Romney’s Illinois primary victory provided fresh evidence of electoral strength, produced a big delegate haul and paid an overnight dividend in the form of an endorsement from Jeb Bush. “Now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall,” said the former Florida governor, the man most often mentioned as a last-minute savior for the party, who could swoop into a deadlocked convention and emerge with the nomination.

Former Sen. Bob Dole, a Romney supporter, summarized Santorum’s position from the point of view of a man who lost his first try for the nomination before winning on the second. “In every race, Romney is going to pick up delegates. Looking back at my race in 1988 ... I should have gotten out, but I just kept going out there,” Dole said. “When you’re out of money and you don’t have the organization to buy TV, you have to take a hard look at it. As much as you don’t want to do that, sometimes you have to face reality.”— AP

CHICAGO: Illinois Republicans emerged Wednesday from a combative primary in which a freshman congressman ousted a 20-year veteran and pledged to aggressively defend the party’s recent gains, despite a new congressional map that whittles the state into districts favoring Democrats. While GOP leaders expressed confidence they could hold onto most of the seats they won in 2010 during a tea party-backed surge, Democrats eyed Illinois as a prime opportunity to inch closer to control of the US House. “Illinois is going to be absolutely pivotal to what happens in November,” said New York Rep Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Longtime US Rep Don Manzullo was the biggest-name casualty of Tuesday’s primary races, but his seat is almost certain to stay in Republican hands because no Democrat has declared a run in the northcentral Illinois district. US Rep Adam Kinzinger, a former Air Force pilot who received an endorsement from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, defeated Manzullo in a nasty incumbent vs. incumbent battle. The most high-profile fall races solidified during the primary include matchups between tea party firebrand US Rep Joe Walsh and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, longtime GOP US Rep Judy Biggert and former one-term US Rep Bill Foster and the contest for the state’s only open congressional seat.

Israel calls the election between Walsh, who has been in the national spotlight for criticizing President Barack Obama, and former US Veteran Affairs Assistant Secretary Duckworth “one of the most glaring contrasts” among US House races.

Duckworth, who easily defeated a former Illinois deputy treasurer, Raja Krishnamoorthi Tuesday, received early endorsements from US Sen Dick Durbin and Obama adviser David Axelrod. She has

WASHINGTON: Demonstrators hold signs while participting in a protest outside of the Hyatt Regency where Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was sheduled to attend a fundraiser yesterday in Washington, DC. —AFP painted Walsh as extreme and out-oftouch with the Democratic-friendly territory in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Walsh won a surprisingly close contest over three-term incumbent US Rep Melissa Bean in 2010, when four other newcomer Republicans won congressional seats.

But Walsh, who chose to run in the heavily Democratic district to avoid a primary run against another incumbent, said Duckworth is already a Washington insider and thinks voters in the northwest Chicago suburban district will resent it. He has challenged Duckworth to monthly debates until November. “I am extreme and these are extreme times,” Walsh said.

“The Democrats are out of touch.”

Democrats say that another congressional race, forming in far flung suburbs southwest of Chicago, is another shot at a pickup. Biggert, who first took office in 1999,

has to run in expanded territory that’s more Democratic-friendly in the contest against Foster, a scientist.

But Republicans believe that they can defend the other seats and are banking on an anti-incumbency mood. “We are not sitting back and saying, ‘Well this might be difficult,’” said Mike Shields, political director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “We feel very confident.” He said that even with the map, there was only one Republican incumbent vs. incumbent race and that Democrats lost the longest-serving Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation. US Rep Jerry Costello abruptly announced his retirement in October, leaving the state’s only open seat.

Republicans are convinced the area has been culturally conservative and is trending Republican.—AP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Mexico rejects release of Frenchwoman Cassez Case strains diplomatic relations with France

LEON: An urban actor plays Mexican character “Cantinflas” by a poster announcing the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI, on Wednesday in Leon, Guanajuato state, Mexico. Pope Benedict XVI will visit Mexico between March 23 and 26 in his first visit to the country. — AFP

Pope’s Cuba trip should help democracy: Vatican VATICAN CITY: The Vatican’s No 2 has dismissed suggestions that Cuba’s Communist government could exploit Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming trip as a propaganda tool, saying the visit should help promote democracy on the island. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said he expects an outpouring of support for the pope because he is the head of the Catholic Church and that the visit will only make things better for the Cuban church.

“I don’t believe the visit will be exploited by the government,” Bertone told the Turin daily La Stampa in an interview published yesterday. “In fact, I think the government and Cuban people will do their utmost to welcome the pope and show him the esteem and trust that the leader of the Catholic Church deserves.”

Benedict, 84, leaves today for a six-day trip that will take him first to Mexico, then to Cuba on March 26. It’s Benedict’s first trip to Spanish-speaking Latin America, and Pope John Paul II’s shadow will be looming large, given his five visits to Mexico, which claimed the Polish pope as its own, and his historic 1998 trip to Cuba. For starters, there’s the question of a papal meeting with Fidel Castro. When John Paul visited, Castro shed his trademark olive-green fatigues for a suit and tie to greet the pope at the airport and they later met privately. The 85-year-old revolutionary leader has since been replaced as president by his brother Raul Castro, who will handle the official protocol greetings and meetings this time around. While a Benedict-Fidel meeting isn’t on the official agenda, it’s widely expected.

Cuba’s single-party, Communist government never outlawed religion, but it expelled priests and closed religious schools upon Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba in 1959. Tensions eased in the early 1990s when the government removed references to atheism in the constitution and let believers of all faiths join the Communist Party. John Paul’s 1998 visit further warmed relations. But problems remain. Despite years of lobbying, the church has virtually no access to state-run radio or television, is not allowed to administer schools, and has not been granted permission to build new places of worship. The island of 11.2 million has just 361 priests, many of them non-Cubans. Before 1959 there were 700 priests for a population of 6 million.

Bertone cited the school and building bans in the interview, saying it was an issue that had to be resolved. “But after 14 years (since John Paul’s visit) ... there’s no doubt that the current visit of Pope Benedict XVI will help the process of development toward democracy and will open new spaces for the church’s presence and activity,” Bertone was quoted as saying.

In an interview earlier this week with Vatican Radio, Bertone spoke about the Mexico leg of the trip, saying Benedict would be bringing a message of hope particularly to young Mexicans confronting the country’s violent drug war. “The choice of Mexico without a doubt is a great act of love of the pope for Mexico, this great Latin American country, a great Catholic country in full development that is nevertheless confronting formidable problems, above all violence, corruption and drug trafficking,” Bertone said. He said the pope wants to urge young Mexicans to not be discouraged or be taken in by easy ways to make money but to instead “feel committed to making a solid, honest society.” More than 47,000 people have died in drug violence nationwide since President Felipe Calderon began a crackdown on drug cartels in December 2006. — AP

MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s Supreme Court has rejected a bid to release a Frenchwoman serving a 60-year sentence for kidnapping, but it opened a door to a retrial on the grounds her rights were violated before her conviction. A five-judge panel discussed a motion to free Florence Cassez, arrested in 2005 by federal officers at a ranch near Mexico City with her ex-boyfriend, Israel Vallarta, who they accused of heading a kidnapping gang called the Zodiacs. Three of the judges rejected immediately freeing the 37-year-old Cassez, whose case has caused a diplomatic dispute between Mexico and France. But a majority said infringements of her rights and police misconduct meant her case could need to be reheard or a new sentence passed. “We need to establish that the responsible authority, without taking into account the specific factors corrupted by procedural infringement, re-evaluates the evidence,” said Judge Jose Cossio, who voted against Cassez being granted her freedom. In Paris, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said France strongly regretted that Cassez would stay in prison. The case has been followed closely in France, where President Nicolas Sarkozy has pressed for her release.

Cassez, who is at a women’s prison in southern Mexico City, has always maintained her innocence. In a prison book about her experiences, she wrote she traveled to Latin America to stay with her brother, and had a difficult relationship with Vallarta that led to her arrest.

When she was arrested in December 2005, police, instead of first taking her to a prosecutor or advising the French Consulate, forced Cassez to take part in a staged scene of officers freeing kidnap victims in a different location. Cassez was portrayed as a kidnapper in the recreation, which was aired on national television as if it were a real event.

Police have since admitted their wrongdoing. A judge convicted Cassez in 2008 after a closed-door trial with no jury, typical of cases in Mexico.

The most powerful evidence used to convict Cassez was provided by three

MEXICO CITY: Surrounded by media members, Bernard Cassez, center, father of Florence Cassez, from France, speaks to journalists after visiting his daughter at a prison in Mexico City, Wednesday.—AP kidnapping victims, one of whom said she had threatened to cut off his finger.

The motion put forward by Judge Arturo Zaldivar argued that witness statements against Cassez were unreliable and contradictory, and that the rights infringements had denied her a fair trial.

Cassez’s lawyer, Agustin Acosta, said that while she had not been freed, the court’s move was a step forward. “We would have liked the motion to have been approved, but we’re establishing that there were violations. Four judges established that there were violations and a new trial is sure to annul the sentence,” Acosta said.

An official for the court said that because at least three of the judges had ruled that Cassez’s rights had been violated, the Supreme Court by law had to consider a new motion to resolve the case, which could result in a retrial. The official said it could take months before a new motion was put forward.

Procedural hurdles had to be negotiated before any retrial, and other options to settle the case could also be pursued, the official added, without giving details. Cassez’s case has sparked denunciations of Mexican justice both in

France and from Mexican intellectuals.

Those calling for her release say her treatment means the case is no longer about whether the Frenchwoman is guilty - but whether Mexican justice functions properly. Senior officials in President Felipe Calderon’s administration have backed her conviction, and a poll published in a Mexican newspaper this week showed the vast majority of Mexicans wanted her to stay in prison.

Those opposing her release argue it would be an affront to the victims of kidnapping in Mexico, where many of the guilty go unpunished. Elias Huerta, an anti-crime activist at the courthouse, said that even if Cassez were given a retrial, he was confident that the verdict would be the same. “The evidence of the victims is not going to change,” he said. Federal prosecutors have countered accusations that Cassez was not given a fair hearing by saying failings in procedure should not imperil the right of victims to justice.

Mexico suffers from one of the highest levels of kidnapping in the world, with almost 3,000 cases filed to authorities last year. Many more are believed to go unreported.— Reuters

Anti-mining activists claim harassment QUITO: The lands of the Shuar Indians in the Amazon are rich in wildlife such as tapirs, toucans and red howler monkeys.

They also hold treasures more coveted by outsiders: rich deposits of copper and other minerals that the government is eager to cash in on. Projects to build open pit mines that would rip into their forest-covered hills have spawned a protest movement that sets leaders of the ethnic group against the country’s popular president, Rafael Correa, who says development is essential to the future of this nation’s 14 million people.

Hundreds of indigenous people have been marching for nearly two weeks to protest planned mining projects, and on

Wednesday the demonstrators were nearing Ecuador’s capital of Quito.

Earlier protests, including road blockades, have led to conflicts with police and with government prosecutors who have been quick to issue criminal charges. Pepe Acacho, who wore a yellow-and-red feathered headdress during the long days of the hike, said he was undeterred by criminal sabotage charges that he faces from leading a 2009 protest. “A lot of my friends have said, ‘Don’t get mixed up in more fights with the government. Think of your family,’” says Acacho, whose Shuar ethnic group is the largest in southeastern Ecuador’s Amazon with more than

100,000 members. “But I can’t abandon a cause that is an entire people’s struggle.” He is among at least 205 activists who have been criminally charged, mostly with sabotage and terrorism, during Correa’s tenure, according to a study by two human rights groups and an environmental group. Typically jailed for a week or so, the activists then face lengthy legal battles. All but 16 have been cleared, the study found, and none has yet been convicted.

The aim, says Cecilia Cherrez, spokeswoman for the environmental group Accion Ecologica, is to “intimidate those most critical of what the current regime considers to be priority projects.”— AP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Spain left-wing bastion Andalucia to fall to right MADRID: Spain’s Socialists risk losing their last political stronghold Sunday when voters in Andalucia, disaffected by mass unemployment and a corruption scandal, elect a new regional government. The sunny southern farming region, whose large population of laborers has provided a solid base for the Socialists for 30 years, is suffering more than anywhere else in Spain from high unemployment.

Polls published by three leading national newspapers suggest that this, plus a corruption scandal, will drive voters to kick out the Socialists and hand victory to the conservative Popular Party of Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. It would be a historic loss for the Socialists who would be left without a single one of Spain’s 17 regions under its complete control, while Rajoy’s party would seize control of that country’s most populous region, home to 8.4 million people. It would strengthen Rajoy further after his party’s landslide victory

in general elections last November, when it won an absolute majority in the national parliament, delivering the Socialists’ heaviest defeat ever.

“What is being decided next Sunday is whether Andalucia gets a government that changes its course and doesn’t resign itself to more than a million Andalucians not being able to work,” Rajoy said. He vowed “to end the frivolity and unjust management of the money” in the region’s public coffers, in comments at a rally for Javier Arenas, his party’s candidate for president of Andalucia. Andalucia built its economy from the 1960s by welcoming tourists to its sunny Mediterranean beaches.

When dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975, it was less developed than other more industrialized regions, said Francisco Ferraro, president of the Andalucia Economic Observatory, a think-tank.

From the 1990s, it flourished along with the rest of Spain in a building

boom which went bust abruptly in 2008, leaving jobless thousands of laborers who had left the fields for the construction sites. It now has the highest unemployment rate of any region in Spain — 31.23 percent, far exceeding the record-high national rate of 22.85 percent. Unemployment “has never been lower than 12 percent since the beginning of the 1980s”, compared to a national level that has stayed relatively high at a minimum of about 8.0 percent, Ferraro said.

Rajoy has passed national labor reforms that make it easier for firms to hire and fire, which he says will eventually help revive job creation and spur the economy in Spain, bringing relief to regions such as Andalucia. The Socialist administration’s image there has suffered with the arrest of Francisco Javier Guerrero, a former top official in the regional labor ministry.

He was jailed this month pending investigation for alleged embezzlement

of social funds. The outgoing Socialist president of Andalucia, Jose Antonio Grinan, has repeatedly condemned the alleged corruption, but a poll published

by El Mundo newspaper said voters widely associated him with the scandal.

The minority party United Left (IU) looks likely to benefit from the Socialists’ fall from grace, with its leader in Andalucia, Diego Valderas, reaching out to their disillusioned supporters. “I say to the hundreds of thousands of Socialists who are ashamed of policies that are making them bow their heads or close their eyes, to raise their heads and open their eyes: the IU is here for you,” he said. Regional elections last May handed the Popular Party outright control of 11 of Spain’s regions, where it has launched tough spending cuts. If the party grabs Andalucia, it too will face austerity measures. Arenas declared: “I am going to cut spending on everything, except these three: education, health and social care.”— AFP

‘Qaeda suspect’ upends French presidential race Le Pen feels anti-Islam agenda has been vindicated

DAKAR: Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, front, tours downtrodden suburban areas on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, Wednesday.—AP

Senegal braces for cliffhanger presidential poll DAKAR: Senegal votes Sunday in a cliffhanger poll to determine whether 85-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade secures a contentious third term in a bid that has rattled the stability of the west African state. Having failed to deliver a crushing first-round victory a month ago, Wade faces a stiff challenge from his former prime minister Macky Sall, who has gathered the full weight of the opposition behind his presidential bid.

While laden with suspense, this latest preelection period was calm compared to the first round, which had been preceded by a month of riots over Wade’s candidacy that left six dead and over 150 injured. The octogenarian’s efforts to seek re-election by circumventing a two-term constitutional limit earned him stiff rebukes from abroad, and raised fears for the stability of one of Africa’s oldest democracies. Wade polled 34.8 percent in the first round and said he failed to win outright because “the West was campaigning against me”. The odds are in Sall’s favor heading into the election, with all the runners-up spread throughout the country to campaign for him,

including superstar-turned-politician Youssou Ndour. The opposition obtained a total 65 percent of the vote in the first round, but turnout was low and it is not clear whether voters will follow their respective leaders in backing Sall against the incumbent. While Sall won the backing of the opposition, Wade scored the official support of a leading member of the country’s most powerful Islamic brotherhood, the Mourides, seen as key in the majority Muslim nation.

Wade, an intelligent and crafty political survivor who was in opposition for 25 years before his Senegalese Democratic Party unseated the Socialist Party in 2000 elections, has remained defiant in the storm of criticism.

“There is only one hypothesis. I win. The possibility of my defeat is absurd,” he told local television station Africa7 Wednesday. “It is as if I say the sky is going to fall on our heads in one minute. It is absurd because the sky is not going to fall on our heads.” A Wade victory will stoke fears of violence after his mere presence in the race prompted opposition supporters to take to the streets.—AFP

PARIS: French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen says her anti-Islam agenda has been vindicated: The chief suspect in the country’s worst killing spree in years is a French Muslim claiming ties to Al-Qaeda. President Nicolas Sarkozy has borrowed from Le Pen’s playbook in the campaign for the presidential election in April and expected runoff in May, with talk of halving immigration and lamenting widespread availability of halal meat.

The specter of radical Islam’s grip on France worried moderate Muslims and threatened to overturn the presidential race, in which Socialist Francois Hollande has long been the pollster’s favorite to unseat the divisive Sarkozy. Le Pen, the No 3 candidate in polls, said France must “wipe out” the Islamist threat, saying it has been minimized by authorities. It’s too soon to tell definitively how two-day standoff with suspect Mohamed Merah, 23, could affect Sarkozy’s chances for a second term. Merah, who bragged to police about killing seven people in an effort to “bring France to its knees,” died Thursday in a shootout with police in Toulouse.

Still, a poll released Thursday suggested that Sarkozy may benefit politically from the horror of recent days. The survey by CSA suggested Sarkozy would slightly dominate the first round of voting on April 22 but lose to Hollande in the May 6 runoff, by 36 percent to 45 percent. That was the smallest spread yet and the highest score for Sarkozy so far for polls by CSA in this campaign. Support for Le Pen was notably down. The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday, after the rabbi and three children were killed at a Jewish school but before details about the suspect Merah emerged. A total of 1,003 people were questioned by telephone.

In many French minds now lurks the memory of Spain’s 2004 election, which came three days after deadly train bombings in Madrid by Islamic terrorists. In that case the incumbent conservatives lost to the Socialists. In the United States, continued worries about terrorism and security after the Sept 11 attacks had the opposite effect, helping bring George W. Bush a second term in 2004. Le Pen’s far-right National Front claims that so-called Islamization is corrupting the French culture and will change France if no one

acts against the influx of Muslim immigrants and the growing demands of those born on French soil.

The estimated 5 million Muslims in France the largest such population in Western Europe have long worked to defeat chronic and ambient discrimination within French society. AntiMuslim sentiment tends to peak with international tensions like the Palestinian intifada or the Sept. 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda terror attacks. The revelation that the chief suspect in three attacks this month in the Toulouse region in southwest France was a Frenchman of Algerian origin who claimed Al-Qaeda ties and traveled twice to Afghanistan resonated among candidates and put Muslims on the defensive. After authorities identified Merah, a man with a long record of petty crimes, Muslim and Jewish leaders joined in a single voice to warn against any bid to stigmatize Islam.

“Muslims like Jews, Jews like Muslims, and condemn all confusion that might be made between the international political situation in the Middle East and the monstrous act that ... has horrified all French,” the Grand Rabbi of France Gilles Bernheim said Wednesday after meeting with Muslim leaders and Sarkozy.

Mohammed Moussaoui, president of the CFCM, an umbrella group for French Muslims, said the suspect has done “is the very negation of ...

Islam,” on the France-2 TV network. The powerful fundamentalist Muslim organization known as the UOIF asked all citizens “not to succumb to the panic of stigmatizing Muslims, which feeds Islamophobia.”

In the case of Le Pen, it may already be too late. “We have underestimated, I think, the rise of radical Islam in our country,” Le Pen said. “We didn’t want to see it, out of weakness or for electoral reasons, that recruiting is going on in our neighborhoods by political-religious groups who don’t stop trying to make their mark.” Le Pen, who called national attention to the numbers of Muslims who pray in Paris streets for lack of space in prayer rooms, was among six presidential candidates present at Wednesday’s solemn funeral services for the three dead paratroopers in the city of Montauban, near Toulouse.—AP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Renegade Mali soldiers topple the government

Displacement a way of life in East Congo NYAMIBUNGU: Violence of one sort or another has been part of life here in the eastern province of Sud Kivu for virtually as long as Baudoin Baleke Wabuya, a local administrator, can remember. “The violence has been continuous,” he said, sitting under a tree as the first flashes of lightning lit up the evening sky and storm clouds gathered.

“We had the Mai-Mai militia in Mobutu’s day, the Rwandan invasion and now we have pockets of Rwandan rebels in the bush. When people have some grievance they go into the bush and the whole thing starts again.”

The Rwandans he referred to are the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group of Hutu rebel fighters that has been present in the region under one name or another for the best part of two decades. Conflict in the region has tended to be atrocities against the civilian population by diverse armed groups, rather than frontline combat between warring factions.

In Nyamibungu village, down a road so muddy it is accessible only by bike, motorbike or on foot, Pierre Wangozi Lutula, 64, sits in the house provided for him by the local church. He, his wife and their eighty-year-old neighbour Zaina Mombo have fled twice in the past 10 years. They most recently fled the village of Kululu, two hours away from Nyamibungu on foot, following clashes there last year between FDLR and Raia Mutomboki. Prior to that, in 2002, they had fled another village, Mulungu and walked for seven days to reach Kululu after their home in Mulungu was looted.

“We didn’t carry anything with us because everything had been looted,” Lutula explained, his eyes bloodshot from the dust. “At my age I was ashamed to be fleeing and I didn’t have the strength for the walk,” said Mombo, smiling to show missing teeth. Lutula says the local people gave them a good welcome when they arrived carrying their smallest children. Their major problem in Nyamibungu is that they own no land. They therefore either have to buy food or rent land on which to cultivate food. In neighboring Kitutu, Kungwa Kyalwa, a strikingly attractive woman of 23, sits in a hut so cramped that one wonders how she, her mother and her three small children fit into it to sleep.

She fled her home village of Kambulumbulu in 2010 after the FDLR raped her and four other women who were working in the fields before looting the village. “The Hutus came and they burned the village. Five of us were raped.

Some of our neighbors have already gone home. Me I would like to stay here but we don’t have a plot of land,” she said. She said she had initially been stigmatized as a rape victim but that the villagers now accepted her. “It is very clear there is still a flare of violence that affects the lives of people,” the European Union’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva told a press conference at the end of a visit to the region earlier this month.

“People say the number of armed groups is increasing.

People say more than 20 armed groups are operating here. They are mostly in very remote areas and we have no accurate knowledge of how many are affected,” she said.

Constance Mukemba, who also fled to Nyamibungu, had her husband taken by Raia Mutomboki, a new homeland defence militia whose agenda is to get all Kinyarwanda speakers out of DRC, but which also seizes the villagers it purports to be protecting, using them as porters. This situation is leading to “a risk of a build up of IDPs,” Georgieva said. In December and January alone a total of 128,000 people were pushed out of their homes, in a country that counts a total of 1.8 million displaced.— AFP

Soldiers declare power seizure, close borders BAMAKO: Renegade Malian soldiers declared on state television yesterday they had seized power in the West African state in protest at the government’s failure to quell a nomad-led rebellion in the north. Former colonial power France said it was suspending security cooperation with Mali and urged constitutional order to be reestablished promptly, a call echoed by the European Union.

The coup has been fronted by soldiers of the rank of captain or lower and, if successful, will add a new layer of insecurity to a Saharan region battling Al-Qaeda agents and a flood of weapons trafficked from Libya since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. The army has for weeks appealed to the government for better weapons to fight the northern Tuareg rebels, now bolstered by heavily armed ethnic allies who fought on Gaddafi’s side last year but have returned to Mali.

Members of the newly formed National Committee for the Return of Democracy and the Restoration of the State (CNRDR) read a statement after heavy weapons fire rang out around the presidential palace in the capital Bamako throughout the night. “The CNRDR ... has decided to assume its responsibilities by putting an end to the incompetent regime of Amadou Toumani Toure,” said Lieutenant Amadou Konare, spokesman for the CNRDR. “We promise to hand power back to a democratically elected president as soon as the country is reunified and its integrity is no longer threatened,” Konare, flanked by about two dozen soldiers, said in a statement marred by sound problems.

A subsequent statement by Captain Amadou Sanogo, described as president of the CNRDR, declared an immediate curfew “until further notice”. Little is known about Sanogo except that he is an instructor at a military training college. The CNRDR declared all land and air borders shut, but it was impossible to verify whether the mutiny had sufficient support to seal off a country twice the size of France and with seven neighbors. Earlier a Reuters reporter said Bamako airport had been shut down by local police rather than renegade soldiers. While no deaths were reported, an official at the Gabriel Toure hospital in central Bamako said around 20 people had been admitted with bullet wounds, with some in a serious condition. Government and military sources

BAMAKO: Screengrab taken yesterday from ORTM shows group of soldiers announcing a curfew in Bamako starting from yesterday following a military coup. —AFP told Reuters the mutineers entered the presidential palace overnight after it was vacated by Toure and his entourage. A defense ministry source said Toure - a 63-year-old former coup leader due to step down after April polls - was in a safe location but his whereabouts were unknown.

His decade-long rule has been among the most stable in the region.

But the gold- and cotton-producer has struggled to contain a northern rebellion in which dozens have been killed and nearly 200,000 civilians have fled their homes. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for calm and for grievances to be settled democratically. The African Union said it was “deeply concerned by the reprehensible acts currently being perpetrated by some elements of the Malian army”.

Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said in a statement France was suspending some security cooperation with Mali.

“We will maintain our aid to the population, particularly food aid, and we will continue our efforts in the fight against terrorism,” Juppe said. Along with the United States, France has sought to bolster efforts by regional governments to combat local Al-Qaeda agents. Investor nerves over Mali’s gold sector - a key export earner for the country - sent shares in London-listed miner Randgold Resources down 15 percent, despite a company statement that its operations there were not affected.

Sporadic heavy weapons and tracer fire rang out in Bamako through the night and the mutineers, who say they lack the arms and resources to face the

separatist insurgency in the Sahara, temporarily forced the state broadcaster off air. As day broke, a Reuters correspondent saw soldiers shooting in the air on the streets of Bamako where, despite the curfew, there were a number of motorists and motorcyclists. “The people are with the (mutinous) soldiers,” said one Bamako resident, Adama Tiarra. “We want a government that can sort things out,” he added.

Others, however, said they were firmly against the attempt to unseat Toure’s government. In a sign of the breadth of the army mutiny, two military sources in the northern town of Gao confirmed the arrests of several senior officers in the town, a regional operations centre for the military. A military source said a trigger for the mutiny was a visit on Wednesday by the defense minister to a barracks in the town of Kati about 20 km north of Bamako.

“The minister went to speak to troops but the talks went badly and people were complaining about the handling of the crisis in the north,” the source said. A defense ministry official who was at the meeting said a soldier accused the minister of not giving them means to fight the rebels.

Soldiers then began throwing rocks at the minister before taking weapons from the armory and shooting in the air. Tuareg fighters seeking to carve out a desert homeland in Mali’s north have made advances in recent weeks, including the seizure this month of the key garrison town of Tessalit by the Algerian border.—Reuters

Shabaab cedes southern town to Ethiopian troops MOGADISHU: Islamist rebels have pulled out of Somalia’s southern town of Hudur under pressure from Ethiopian and Somali government troops. Hudur is the third major town to be captured by Ethiopian forces who entered Somalia in November to bolster the fight against the Al Shabaab rebels being waged by Kenyan forces in the south and African Union soldiers in the capital. “We left Hudur as a military tactic,” said a statement on the al Shabaab-run www.somaliamemo.net website, echoing the reason it gave for withdrawing in August from Mogadishu, where it has since stepped up a campaign of suicide bombings. “However, the

Ethiopians will not benefit from seizing Hudur. They will face explosions and a ceaseless hit-and-run war just like in Baladwayne and Baidoa,” the group said, referring to the two other towns under Ethiopian control. Mohamed Abdi Mayow, the governor of Bakool region, confirmed the AlQaeda-linked militants had surrendered the capital of Bakool region which lies less than 100 km from the Ethiopian border. “This morning ... we took the town without resistance,” Mayow said by telephone from the liberated town. Mayow entered with the advancing forces after leaving the area three years ago when it fell into the hands

of Al Shabaab. “Ethiopian and Somali troops are now in every corner of Hudur. They are searching houses,” said Hudur resident Fatuma Ali Isak. Underlining the challenges facing troops loyal to the embattled interim government and its allies in securing urban areas, a grenade attack on a recently re-opened government tax office in Baidoa killed four civilians on Wednesday. The militants rely heavily on taxes levied in areas of the Horn of Africa country under their control for funding. Although weakened by internal divisions, Al Shabaab remains a major obstacle to restoring peace in a nation mired in conflict for two decades.—Reuters

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Police say car blast kills 1, wounds 23 in Kashmir SRINAGAR: A bomb exploded yesterday in a car outside the main city of Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing the driver and wounding at least 23 other people in what police said may have been an accident involving suspected rebels. Authorities believe a rebel was transporting the bomb when it went off accidentally in Bijbehara town, some 28 miles (45 kilometers) south of Srinagar, police officer Ramesh Jalla said.

The driver was killed in the blast, which occurred on a busy road. Three paramilitary soldiers guarding the road were among at least 23 people wounded. Nine were taken to a special hospital in Srinagar for treatment of multiple injuries. One victim was in critical condition. “It seems the militant was carrying the bomb to plant it somewhere to target security forces,” he said, noting the car had just passed a police station before it exploded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Separately, Indian troops engaged suspected rebels in a gunbattle for several hours and killed at least one of them in Pattan, a town about 17 miles (27 kilometers) west of Srinagar, police said in a statement. While militants have been fighting since 1989 against Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan territory, violent attacks have largely been suppressed by Indian forces. In recent years, antiIndian protest has mostly been expressed through street demonstrations marked by youths hurling stones. More than 68,000 people have died in the last two decades of conflict and by subsequent Indian crackdowns.—AP

India abandons rail price hikes in latest setback NEW DELHI: The Indian government yesterday scrapped plans to hike most rail fares, underscoring the Congress-led coalition’s growing difficulties in implementing tough policy decisions. “I intend to give relief to the already burdened common man,” the new Railway Minister Mukul Roy told parliament after his predecessor Dinesh Trivedi resigned on Sunday over the controversial issue.

Trivedi had announced the increases in rail fares, a touchstone issue among millions of Indians, only last week but the proposed rises triggered fury from his populist Trinamool Congress party, which is part of the ruling coalition. The dilapidated railways, still the main form of long-distance travel in India despite fierce competition from airlines, run thousands of passenger and freight trains and carry millions of people daily.

G. Raghuram, a transport expert and professor at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, said the network-which is key to the nation’s future economic growth-would suffer after the rollback. “The hike was an important step because it broke the norm that fares cannot be touched because of political compulsions,” he said. “The rollback sets a wrong premise.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has suffered a series of embarrassing policy setbacks in recent months as his fractious coalition government struggles to push through its liberalisation agenda.

The withdrawal of major reforms to the retail sector, slowing economic growth and a series of corruption scandals have beset Singh during his second term in office. The 79-year-old prime minister has been criticised as indecisive and the Congress party fared poorly in recent state elections. Mamata Banerjee, leader of the regional Trinamool Congress party, led outrage against the rail price hikes-the first in nearly a decade-saying that they were a deliberate “anti-poor” policy.

Banerjee, a firebrand former railway minister who is chief minister of West Bengal state, has become a thorn in the side of the government after she also forced the reversal of retail reforms in December. Roy told a noisy parliament that the rail price rises would not be implemented except in the highest class of travel used by wealthier Indians. The proposed modest nationwide hikes would have included the 860-mile (1,400-kilometre) Mumbai-Delhi fare rising by only 28 rupees (55 cents) for bottom-rung second-class customers.

Trivedi had argued that the ticket price rises were necessary to improve safety standards on the crumbling British colonial-era trains. In his budget, he had pledged to spend a record 601 billion rupees ($12 billion) in the financial year 2012-13 on improving safety and tracks, building new lines and introducing new trains. —AFP

Afghans working to stop divisive NATO night raids Ties strained over massacre, Quran burnings KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday his government was pressing to end divisive NATO night raids in negotiations with the United States on a long-term strategic pact, saying some past operations had violated Afghan sovereignty.

The increasingly assertive Afghan leader’s admonition came as US and Afghan officials try to agree on a framework for some American troops and advisers to stay in the country beyond a 2014 deadline for most NATO combat forces to withdraw.

Both countries recently agreed to transfer a US-run prison to Afghan authority. The final sticking point is Western military raids on Afghan homes at night, which both infuriate Afghans and damage Karzai’s popularity. “The fight against terrorism in our country has led to some activities which are against our national sovereignty. We are about to solve it entirely,” Karzai told a graduation ceremony of Afghan army cadets in the capital, Kabul. “The issue of prisons, imprisonment and keeping prisoners is over.

We are working now to halt night raids in Afghan houses. The security of Afghanistan must be provided by the sons of Afghanistan, according to the constitution,” he said.

Afghanistan’s constitution requires a judge to approve searches by security forces. Karzai said his government had presented the Americans with a list of demands in negotiations and US officials had their own conditions, understood to include the ability to carry out unilateral operations against Al-Qaeda militant units. Afghanistan would need about $4.1 billion from the United States and other international backers to fund the 350,000strong security forces in the decade beyond 2014, he said. He also called for the supply of weapons, aircraft and radars. The United States said on Wednesday it seemed to be on track to sign the partnership agreement with Afghanistan, which will chart their ties, before or during a late May summit.

TIES STRAINED This week, Karzai appeared to have

won a major concession from Washington following a deadly shooting spree by a US soldier, with the Obama administration considering curbs on night raids including judicial veto. The US government was discussing options with the Afghans including a warrant-based approach or possibly allowing Afghan judges to review raids before they took place, a US official said on Monday.

Nearly 11 years after the Taleban government was toppled, the United States and its allies face a resilient insurgency, a weak Afghan government, and an uncertain future for Western support after the end of 2014 pullout. At a summit in Chicago in late May, NATO nations are expected to outline their path out of the war and agree on backing for Afghan security forces.

US-Afghan relations have been badly strained by a March 11 incident in which a US soldier is suspected of killing 16 Afghan civilians, and

by the burning of copies of the Quran at NATO’s main base in the country last month. General John Allen, who commands US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said on Tuesday he would present recommendations for Obama on troop levels in 2013 and beyond during the last three months of this year.

A decision late in the year would allow US commanders to size up the strength of the Taleban after the traditional summer fighting season and allow more time to see whether nascent peace talks take hold.

In a blow to NATO hopes of a negotiated end to the war, the Afghan Taleban said last week that they were suspending talks with the United States. The US government, however, has said it remained committed to political reconciliation involving talks with the Taleban but progress would require agreement between the Afghan government and the insurgents.— Reuters

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during the graduation ceremony of Afghan military officers in Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday.—AP

Talks begin with Maoists to free Italians BHUBANESWAR: Indian governmentappointed negotiators began talks with Maoist guerrillas yesterday to secure the release of two Italians a week after the rebels abducted them in a remote region. “The talk has started,” said Santosh Sarangi, one of the government interlocutors. The Maoists have been waging a decades-long conflict against the government. They say they are fighting for the poor and landless and have backed farmers in land disputes with industry, tussles that present one of the main obstacles in Asia’s third-largest

economy to higher growth and more jobs. Italians Paolo Bosusco and Claudio Colangelo were taken hostage last week after, according to the Maoists, they were spotted taking photos of indigenous tribal women bathing in a river in the eastern state of Orissa. Bosusco runs a travel agency called Orissa Adventurous Trekking and has been a regular visitor to India for the last 15 years, Italian media reported. The rebels are demanding that Indian troops halt counter-insurgency operations against them. The state’s chief minister, Naveen

Patnaik, has said security forces had already done so.

The Maoists are not known to have kidnapped foreigners before but tension over what the rebels view as voyeuristic tourism appears to have boiled over. A few weeks ago, a scandal erupted over what the insurgents regard as “human safaris” and the practice of taking tourists to see naked tribal people on India’s Andaman Islands and in Orissa.

Authorities in the state have vowed to stop the practice, but the Maoists said not enough had been done. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Signs hint Beijing may be shifting on HK leader Committee expected to vote according to China’s wishes

YANGON: In this photo taken Feb. 22, 2012, foreign tourists visit Shwedagon Pagoda, a famous landmark of Myanmar, in Yangon, Myanmar. Now that Myanmar is opening to the outside world, good luck getting a room. —AP

Myanmar struggles to deal with visitors YANGON: Now that Myanmar is opening to the outside world, good luck getting a hotel room. Travelers and eager investors are pouring in to explore one of Asia’s most untouched countries, filling hotels to capacity, doubling room rates and spilling flight reservations onto wait lists.

As the country sheds its past as an isolated military dictatorship and taboo travel destination it is becoming a new global hotspot - topping tourism lists as the must-see place to visit in 2012.

Myanmar is eager for the hard currency that foreigners bring, but is struggling to handle the influx. At the same time, it is wondering how widely to throw open the doors - should it become another well-trodden tourist haven like Thailand or should it aim for fewer, less-transformative numbers of visitors to keep its ancient cultural sights and charm intact? For now, Myanmar is the sort of time-warped place that adventurous travelers love. It is an Asian Buddhist wonderland with red-robed monks and bicycle rickshaws where British colonial relics line the streets. There are no Starbucks or McDonald’s or name-brand Western hotels, but some of that will soon change.

New laws are being drafted to make it easier and tax-friendly for foreign hotel chains and others to do business in Myanmar.

Auctions are under way for dozens of colonial buildings that some developers want to restore as boutique hotels and others want to tear down. Tourism authorities say the country needs more restaurants that cater to international tastes, more car rental agencies, more airplanes to shuttle tourists to the sacred temples in Bagan, more English-speaking tour guides, more everything. “We especially need more hotels. We need big chain hotels,” said Kyi Kyi Aye, a consultant to the government’s Myanmar Tourism Board who is helping promote the country abroad and court foreign investment. “Tourism is booming and that means we have many challenges to overcome.”

Travel agents offer these tips for those planning a trip: Bring heaps of cash because Myanmar is a cash-only economy. With rare exception, credit cards are not accepted. Leave iPhones and BlackBerrys at home because foreign mobile phones don’t work here. Be prepared for hot, sweaty sightseeing because taxis are decades-old jalopies without air conditioning. In 2011, the number of tourist arrivals jumped nearly 30 percent. But Myanmar still received only 816,000 visitors that year, a tiny fraction of the 19 million that visited neighboring Thailand.

Yangon currently has 5,000 hotel rooms but only 3,000 that are considered “suitable for tourists,” according to Maung Maung Swe, the vice chairman at the Myanmar Tourism Board, who told The Irrawaddy online magazine that chains like the Marriott and Sheraton have expressed interest in opening branches. That would come as a relief to hotel managers like Ram Nurani of the 330-room Park Royal Hotel, where these days every table is full at breakfast, every sofa is taken in the busy lobby and rooms are booked weeks in advance. “It would be nice to have a hotel you could stretch by a couple of floors,” Nurani said, half-jokingly.

“The city needs to build more hotels quickly.” The scene is the same across town at The Strand, one of the grand colonial hotels of Southeast Asia where Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham slept back when the country was still called Burma.

Rooms now start at $550 a night. “We’re fully booked for the whole month. We try our best to get people rooms at other hotels, but it’s not easy,” said hotel employee Khin Sandar, who sat in the chandaliered lobby on a recent afternoon when a busload of tourists surged in and were politely escorted out. —AP

HONG KONG: Just days before Hong Kong’s elite chooses the southern Chinese financial hub’s next leader, there are signs that Beijing wants to dump its first choice for the winner as it tries to keep pace with public opinion. On Sunday, an 1,193-person committee will vote on the semiautonomous region’s next chief executive, while the rest of Hong Kong’s 7.1 million residents have no vote. The committee is made up of business leaders and other elites, most of whom are expected to vote according to Beijing’s wishes.

The man seen early on as Beijing’s preferred candidate, Henry Tang, is a former financial secretary who is deeply unpopular because of a series of gaffes. There have been hints this week that China’s leaders are now switching their backing to his rival, Leung Chun-ying, a former Cabinet member. A top Communist Party figure recently met with Tang supporters to persuade them to switch sides, and other pro-Beijing officials are reportedly working behind the scenes to do the same.

It’s a signal that Beijing thinks it’s important to be on the right side of public opinion even in a race it controls. The race has been marked by a series of scandals and mudslinging, with Tang hit by allegations of an extramarital affair, an out-of-wedlock child and a huge, illegally built addition to his home. It’s a sharp contrast to previous races, which were the kind of dull, tightly scripted events with prearranged outcomes preferred by Beijing.

The blunders by Tang, the son of a wealthy businessman, tap into wider public revulsion toward the city’s billionaires driven by a yawning rich-poor gap. Leung, whose father was a police officer, has used talk of social reforms to broaden his public appeal. Both Tang and Leung are seen as acceptable to Beijing, but Leung has consistently led in Hong Kong public opinion polls. A former lawmaker said yesterday there have been several signs China’s leaders are changing their minds.

James Tien, honorary chairman of the pro-Beijing Liberal Party, said mid-ranking

staff of the central government’s liaison office have been contacting members of his party this week “to say why don’t you support Leung?” They were trying to “persuasively suggest that Leung is a better candidate” than Tang, rather than issuing an outright instruction, said Tien, adding that even though the comments were not made by senior officials, he interpreted them as such. “Nobody would dare to make comments like that if they were not given instructions by a much higher authority,” said Tien, whose party has 29 votes.

In another sign, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo responsible for key decisions - has been meeting with some Tang supporters to rally support for Leung. Liu Yandong met with them in Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong in mainland China, according to local news reports. Tien said he heard about the meeting from people who were invited. Coverage by Hong Kong’s proBeijing newspapers, which are viewed as the Chinese Communist Party’s mouth-

pieces, also appears to have been subtly shifting to Leung. Analysts noted that the Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po newspapers on Tuesday had larger photos of Leung in their coverage of a TV debate. Yesterday, they carried stories about polls showing stronger support for Leung. China’s leaders have said little directly on Hong Kong’s leadership race. Premier Wen Jiabao spoke about it briefly last week, saying he believed “Hong Kong will elect a chief executive who enjoys the support of the vast majority of Hong Kong people.”

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back in 1997 to China, which promised to use a hands-off approach in governing under the principle of “One Country, Two Systems.” Leung has benefited from his rival’s mishaps but his approval rating has fallen from more than 50 percent after he was hit by accusations of links to organized crime, an eagerness to curb civil rights and secret Communist Party membership.

Tang has bounced from a low of around 17 percent.—AP

HONG KONG: In this March 16, 2012 file photo, former convener of Hong Kong’s Executive Council Leung Chun-ying, left, and former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Henry Tang, both candidates for the March 25 chief executive election, attend a forum in Hong Kong.—AP

Aussie police catch wanted ‘bushman’ SYDNEY: Australia’s most wanted man, who eluded capture for seven years by hiding in dense forests, was captured and charged with murder yesterday, ending a frustrating and at times violent hunt, police said. Malcolm Naden was heavily bearded, barefoot and wearing muddy clothes when New South Wales police found him just after midnight at a remote house near the town of Gloucester, about 260 kilometers north of Sydney. The former slaughterhouse worker has been charged with the 2005 strangling death of a cousin and other violent crimes. A police dog bit Naden in the raid, which was prompted by a tip. Police found a loaded semiautomatic rifle on the property but said no shots were fired during the arrest.

About 50 officers had been searching for Naden around the clock since December, when police say he shot and wounded an officer during a raid at a campsite. “Australia’s most wanted man is behind bars,” New South Wales Police

Commissioner Andrew Scipione said. He called Naden a “master bushman,” an Australian term for a wilderness survival expert. “He has been in this area for a number of years. He knows it better than the back of his hand,” Scipione said.

Naden was taken to a hospital under heavy guard for treatment of the leg wound. The 38-year-old said nothing to reporters as he shuffled, feet shackled and face covered, into a police van after being released from the hospital.

He vanished from the home he shared with his grandparents near the rural city of Dubbo in 2005, shortly after his 24-yearold cousin, Kristy Scholes, was strangled in a bedroom of the house. He quickly became a suspect in the killing and officials, aware of his sharp survival skills, believed he was hiding out somewhere in a vast stretch of unforgiving and heavily forested terrain. Gloucester, where Naden was found, is about 450 kilometers east of Dubbo. He was charged with murder in

connection with Scholes’ death, two counts of aggravated indecent assault related to a 2004 attack on a teen, and shooting with intent to murder in relation to the police officer shooting in December.

Naden is also a suspect in the disappearance of his cousin Lateesha Nolan. Her father, Mick Peet, said a detective called him around 2 am and said, “We’ve got him.” Peet’s four children, roused from their sleep by the ringing phone, ran into his room and joined him in jumping around “like we won the lottery,” he said.

“It made me go all weak in the knees and I just thought, ‘I hope he’s alive, first up, because I need him alive to answer questions,’” Peet told The Associated Press.

“You can always imagine what might have happened to her, but you’d never know until you get the answers.”

Naden’s lawyer, Michael Jones, did not apply for bail. The case was adjourned until April 24.—AP

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Abu Dhabi banks outperforming Dubai for now

Chinese factories slump, euro zone business wilts PAGE 21 PAGE 24

LISBON: People wait for a train at Cais do Sodre train station in Lisbon during the general strike. Portugal’s major cities grounded to a halt yesterday as unions began a 24-hour strike against austerity measures agreed by the government in return for an international bailout. — AFP

Anti-austerity strike paralyzes Portugal Trains, ports, public transport in Lisbon halted LISBON: Portuguese strikers halted trains, shut ports and paralyzed most public transport yesterday in protest at austerity measures and labor reforms imposed as a condition of a 78-billion-euro ($103 billion) EU-IMF bailout. Armenio Carlos, the new Communist leader of CGTP, the country’s largest union, wants its 700,000 members to send a signal to the centre-right government that the country will no longer tolerate the erosion of workers’ rights, lower salaries and record high unemployment. The union could not say how many of its members had responded to the strike call, but said the country’s railway transport was crippled, including the international Lisbon-Madrid route. Lisbon’s underground was shut at midnight. Many hospitals were only accepting emergencies. It also said rubbish collectors, ports and some schools had shut down across the country.

There was little evidence of participation in the private sector, however, with Portugal’s biggest exporter, Volkswagen’s AutoEuropa plant, still turning out cars. Flag carrier airline TAP was flying, and Lisbon airport functioning as normal. Many struggled into work, unconvinced by the call to strike and reluctant to lose money in support of it. “They go on strike and hurt us,” said Ana Maria Verissimo, 53, a cleaning lady, as she waited for one of the few buses still running in Lisbon. “This won’t resolve anything.

They’ll have to find another way. If I go on strike, my pay cheque will be lower at the end of the month.” There was unusually heavy traffic around Lisbon as many were forced to take their cars to get to work.

In the central town of Coimbra there were a few buses on the streets, but the central train station was shut down. Shops were open there, as they were in Lisbon. “I wanted to go to work just outside Coimbra but had no transportation to get there, so I was forced to stay back and am not too happy about it,” said Manuel

Duarte, 47, a social worker. “I don’t blame Europe or Germany for this crisis; they came here, lent us money and need to get something in return. Our problem was our elites, who ate all the money ... And now, as always, the poorer fellows are left to pay the bill.”

The government said it would not provide any figures on participation until the strike is over.

SECOND BAILOUT? The Portuguese have so far shown little inclination for the kind of frequent and violent protests seen in Greece. The 520,000strong UGT, Portugal’s second-largest union, did not join yesterday’s strike and has signed up to labor market reforms required by the European Union and IMF in return for the bailout. The country, facing its worst recession since the 1970s, was forced to take a bailout in May last year after running up large debts. Some economists say it might need a second bailout as the recession deepens, putting its budget targets in doubt and jeopardizing its planned return to the bond markets late next year. Portugal is western Europe’s poorest country and followed Greece and Ireland in seeking a bailout to handle their crippling debts. Spain and Italy are also now facing austerity measures, and Italy’s largest trade union is planning a general strike over labor market reforms.

Portugal’s UGT, which is allied to the opposition Socialist Party, has urged opponents of austerity to show restraint, warning that Portugal could descend into the kind of chaos seen in Greece. The strikers say the new labor laws, which make it easier to hire and fire staff and which cut compensation for workers, mark the biggest step backwards for workers since Portugal’s return to democracy in 1974 after military rule. The strike “will be a sort of a test for the new union leadership”, said Jose Adelino Maltez, a

political scientist at Lisbon Technical University. “They will try to show that they can go beyond the usual stoppages in the public service and transport, that the movement is broader than its Communist supporters.”

COSTLY KISS Posters urging workers to join the strike have sprung up around Lisbon, and big protest marches were planned for yesterday afternoon. “This kiss leaves us penniless,” read one mural in the port area, showing Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho kissing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s backside, and urging workers to strike. Germany, the biggest contributor to euro zone bailouts, has drawn resentment in some bailed-out nations for its insistence on budgetary discipline, with anti-German protests in Athens, but that sentiment appeared to have less traction in Portugal. Luis Antonio, 35, said he was joining the strike because his boss wanted it, but he does not blame Germany for Portugal’s hardship.

“My boss wants us to strike, so I will go for that,” said Antonio, a plumber, adding that his wife and sister-in-law had lost their jobs in the crisis. “The fault of this is those who govern us, not Germany.” This year’s harsh economic downturn has pushed unemployment above 14 percent, and the government expects the economy to contract by 3.3 percent. Portugal’s core deficit tripled in the first two months of 2012, showing that the slump is denting tax revenues and stoking concerns that the country could miss its budgetary targets. But the centre-right government still commands strong support, despite promising tough times ahead when it came to power last year, suggesting many Portuguese believe that the austerity measures will eventually lead to recovery. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Sony to sell chemical unit amid overhaul TOKYO: Sony said yesterday it was selling its chemical products division for a reported sum of nearly $500 million as part of a major overhaul at the struggling electronics and entertainment giant. Sony, which is grappling with giant losses and fierce competition from the likes of Apple, said the Development Bank of Japan was buying the unit, which makes films used in liquid-crystal display (LCD) panels and other products.

Sony did not divulge the sale price but the Nikkei business daily said the government-backed lender may pay as much as 40 billion yen ($480 million) for the unit, which is part of Sony Chemical and Information Device Corp. Sony, which said it was aiming to complete the sale within the year, said its chemicals arm no longer fits into a restructuring plan that includes a management shakeup and the buyout of its Sony Ericsson mobile phone venture. “(Sony) believes that this transaction would be the optimum solution for Sony, DBJ and the chemical products businesses themselves,” it said in a statement.

The unit, which has about 3,000 employees across Japan, the United States, Europe and China, had sales of 111 billion yen for the year to March 2011 - a small fraction of Sony’s 7.18 trillion yen in revenue in the same period. Mizuho Investors Securities analyst Nobuo Kurahashi said Sony was expected to dump more non-core assets. He said “it is important to get rid of what is not necessary, but this (strategy) will not affect core management issues at Sony that have been dragging the company down with losses”. “Sony’s main problem is that it’s unable to increase its earnings by improving the competitiveness of its core businesses,” Kurahashi said.

Some analysts have said the iconic Japanese firm must adopt deeper restructuring measures as it continues to lose money at its mainstay television business, but generates substantial profits from electronics parts.

The planned chemical division sale comes after credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s last month downgraded Sony, citing its poor earnings, falling demand and fierce competition. Sony has blamed difficult trading conditions in developed-country markets, the impact of severe flooding in Thailand, and the high yen for its weak balance sheet.

The credit downgrade followed news the firm was shedding its Welsh-born US chief executive Howard Stringer-replaced by his 51-year-old protege Kazuo Hirai-and said it expected to lose a whopping 220 billion yen by March for a fourth consecutive year in the red. Reports yesterday said Sony was shaking up its US entertainment business ahead of Stringer’s departure, while Hirai would focus on trying to bring its core Japanese electronics division back to profitability. Hirai has given few details about Sony’s future reorganization plans, but he said last month there was a “sense of urgency” and that little would be ruled out in efforts to reshape the company.

During the Stringer years, the firm that made the revolutionary Walkman has suffered a number of setbacks.

Mobile phones are challenging its key games divisionwhich also suffered an embarrassing hacking attack last year. There are huge losses in Sony’s TV business as competition intensifies and profit margins shrink, and piracy threatens its music and film assets. At the end of last year, Sony extricated itself from a joint LCD-making venture with South Korean electronics giant Samsung after about seven years, hoping for greater flexibility in sourcing components. Sony shares closed 0.05 percent higher at 1,734 yen yesterday. — AFP

Kingfisher in growth drive Dividend up 25 pence to 8.84 pence LONDON: Kingfisher, Europe’s biggest home improvements retailer, said new stores and a drive to improve profit margins would help it to cope against a tough economic backdrop, as it beat forecasts with a 20 percent rise in annual profit. The British group, detailing its new “Creating the Leader” growth program, said yesterday it would open 67 stores this financial year and test new formats aimed at making “do it yourself” easier for customers. It will also step up a drive to improve profit margins by buying more products centrally, and directly, from cheap manufacturing countries like China.

This drive helped to boost profit before tax and one-off items to 807 million pounds ($1.28 billion) in the year ended Jan. 28, topping analysts’ average forecast of 799 million.

Sales rose 3.6 percent to 10.8 billion pounds, while the fullyear dividend was lifted 25 percent to 8.84 pence a share. “Whilst

the immediate economic outlook remains uncertain, we face the future in robust shape and with our successful self-help approach now embedded in the way we do business,” said Kingfisher, which runs the market-leading B&Q chain in Britain as well as Castorama and Brico Depot in France and elsewhere.

Many European retailers are struggling as disposable incomes are squeezed by rising prices, muted wages growth and government austerity measures, and shoppers fret over the implications of the euro zone debt crisis. Kingfisher, with about 950 stores in eight countries, announced a management incentive scheme a year ago which aims to lift adjusted earnings per share to 31.2 pence in 2013/14 from 20.5 pence in 2010/11. Earning were 25.1 pence a share in 2011/12. The group’s shares, up 23 percent over the last three months, closed on Wednesday at 300 pence, valuing the business at about 7.2 billion pounds. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Kingfisher airlines aircrafts stand parked at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. India’s top aviation watchdog has ordered troubled Kingfisher Airline to explain dozens of canceled flights as the carrier battled mounting financial troubles. — AP

Investors hope UAE’s Q1 earnings justify stock rally Abu Dhabi banks outperforming Dubai for now DUBAI: As the first quarter of the year draws to a close, investors are looking ahead to the announcement of corporate earnings for the period. In the United Arab Emirates, they are seeking justification for the sharp rally in local stocks over recent weeks. The Dubai and Abu Dhabi markets have been dominated by retail traders and speculative buying, so any disappointment in the quarterly numbers could shake newly acquired confidence.

Dubai’s benchmark is up 22 percent year-todate, although it is still down 74 percent from its peak in early 2008. Abu Dhabi’s index has risen about 8 percent so far this year, leaving it down 49 percent from its peak before the financial crisis.

“In order to build confidence for the equity market rally in the near term, sequential earnings growth from UAE corporations in 1Q12 is important...to show that they have indeed passed the trough,” said a Dubaibased portfolio manager. First-quarter earnings are expected to be released in late April.

Shares in the two sectors that form the backbone of the UAE’s stock markets, real estate and banking, are trading at valuations which are still considered attractive. Banks are expected to post strong quarterly earnings with Abu Dhabi names being favored over

Dubai banks. “The banking sector is solid in the UAE in general, with all banks being well capitalized,” said Rami Sidani, Middle East head of investment at Schroders.

“Given the loan book in Abu Dhabi, which was less affected than Dubai banks, they have turned a corner. And although growth might be subdued for 2012, their balance sheets are in good shape and they will be able to keep up with growth as the market improves. “For Dubai banks, we are reaching the peak in the impairment cycle.

ENBD is well-capitalized and although they continue to take losses, given the high capitalization, they can absorb these impairments.” Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor, expects UAE banks to grow their earnings by 7 percent on average during the quarter compared to a year earlier. “Abu Dhabi banks have a strong capital adequacy ratio and any write-offs in real estate prices will affect Dubai banks more than Abu Dhabi banks,” Adou said.

“In Dubai, there are still concerns with exposures to government-related entities.

There has been a lot done in that regard, but you still have a provisioning cycle and the banks need time to get out of the woods.”

According to Reuters data, Emirates NBD,

Dubai’s largest bank by market capitalization, is trading at 6.5 times this year’s estimated earnings, above a multiple of 4.9 times at the end of 2009 but well below 16.9 times in 2007. Dubai Islamic Bank looks a bit cheaper; it is trading at 6.4 times this year’s estimated earnings, compared to a 2009 level of 6.9. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank is at a forward price/earnings ratio of 8.4 times, against about 12 in 2009.

REAL ESTATE Valuations also appear reasonable compared to historical levels in the real estate sector, where Emaar Properties is trading at an estimated forward price/earnings ratio of 9.6 times compared to 11.35 at the end of 2009. Aldar Properties is trading at 12.7 times compared to 17.2. “Emaar’s numbers will be good because the hotel occupation rates have been strong, not just for the company but across the hospitality sector,” said Loic Pelichet, assistant vice-president for research at NBK Capital. “Visibility is still low on the property development sales. Things are generally getting better in the Dubai real estate sector, but selectively. Rents have started recovering but we will have to see if it’s sustainable.”—Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Romania sees shale gas as boon despite controversy BUCHAREST: Romania is looking to exploit shale gas reserves in a drive for energy self-sufficiency, but critics who organized demonstrations yesterday warn of big risks for the environment. The US oil group Chevron is one of the firms interested in the opportunity but targeted by protestors who point to controversy in other countries where the so-called “fracking” process of cracking rock at the risk of polluting water has been held up. “Shale gas definitely represents the future and Romania must determine if such deposits do exist on its territory,” Alexandru Patruti, the head of the national agency for mineral resources (NAMR) said.

NAMR is in the early stages of a survey to assess reserves but a study in the United States has estimated joint reserves in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary at about 538 billion cubic meters. This puts the reserves among the biggest in Eastern Europe and big enough to give Romanian officials ambitions of freeing the country from costly imports from Russian giant Gazprom.

Canadian group Sterling Resources and Hungary’s MOL are also interested in exploiting shale gas.

Chevron which has a concession covering 600,000 hectares in the eastern Barlad region plans to drill the first exploration well in the second half of 2012, depending on licensing. The company also has three concessions in the Dobroudja region, near the Bulgarian border. “We believe that natural gas from shale rock repre-

sents a significant opportunity for Romania”, Chevron country manager Thomas Holst said, citing energy security, investment and job creation among the benefits.

“Do we believe there is a high probability that resources exist in that (Barlad) area? Yes,” he stressed.

Chevron has yet to choose between three locations before it starts drilling in Barlad, but Holst said it was unwise to name them in order to avoid “undue pressure” on the local community. The exploration technique, known as hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’, is condemned as dangerous by environmentalists and has been blocked by countries such as France and Bulgaria.

The states of New York and New Jersey have also imposed a drilling moratorium. ‘Fracking’ uses high pressure injections of water, sand and chemicals to crack open rock and release oil and gas trapped inside.

“There are major risks associated with it, such as ground water contamination, not to mention the high density of wells to be drilled, up to six per square kilometer,” Miruna Ralea of environmental group Alma-Ro said. Other environmental watchdogs such as Greenpeace and WWF have also voiced concerns.

Geology professor Mihai Saramet of Iasi University said that one risk was that the technique could trigger earthquakes. But “risks will gradually be eliminated as technology progresses,” he added.

Patruti from NAMR said: “Tapping resources is never

Luxury brands target Nigeria wealthy elite LAGOS: Glittering sapphire necklaces, designer suits against perfumed skin and the roar of a speeding Porsche: the five senses in Nigeria, brought to you by luxury brands now trying to tap directly into the country’s market. The wealthy elite in Nigeria - upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians - have a healthy appetite for top-shelf brands, but have previously had to shop for them in Dubai, London and Paris. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm.

“I feel that with some real infrastructure development and opportunity to create luxury envi-

LAGOS: Kabir Wadhwani, displays expensive Amrapali jewelry for sale at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria. The wealthy elite in Nigeria - upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. — AP

ronments for luxury brands to come in, this market has enormous potential to become a key luxury capital of Africa,” said Ozwald Boateng, a top British fashion designer born to Ghanaian parents who recently showed a collection at Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos. “I have some very good clients here but I want to have more,” said Boateng, who has a flagship store on London’s prestigious Savile Row, where bespoke suits start at around $6,500.

Since independence in 1960, wealth flowed into Nigeria as crude oil pumped out. The OPEC nation’s easily refined crude remains a top energy source for the US. However, politicians and military rulers squandered billions of dollars through the corruption choking the nation’s potential. Then democracy took hold in 1999, and other industries have since developed in the country of 160 million, including banking and telecommunications. Billionaire Aliko Dangote, whose net worth is $11.2 billion according to Forbes magazine, built his empire on commodities like flour, sugar and cement. Another billionaire, Mike Adenuga, runs an oil company and Globacom Ltd, one of Nigeria’s largest mobile phone service providers.

Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos, along with four other of Africa’s largest cities, will each have consumer spending of $25 billion or more by 2020, according to a McKinsey & Co. report.

That’s comparable to spending in India’s business hub of Mumbai. That purchasing power is starting to draw new brands into Nigeria. Those include LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, one of the world’s largest luxury brand groups; Amrapali Jewels Pvt Ltd, which makes jewels for Hollywood and Bollywood stars; and Porsche AG. Those businesses often work with partners already established in Nigeria’s difficult businesses environment, where there are no dedicated luxury shopping areas. Luxury companies can run small operations, get little competition and have markups that make the profits high. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the French luxury conglomerate, has doubled its marketing efforts in Nigeria to sell its top-shelf wines and liquors. —AFP

an environment-friendly activity but ... we will make sure that all drilling strictly observes environmental laws and EU rules.” Holst said that Chevron was committed to respecting all European Union and Romanian regulations. “Chevron will use standard techniques to determine if there are resources,” he said. If it discovered commercially viable reserves it expected to invest tens of millions of dollars. But the mayor of Barlad, Constantin Constantinescu, does not want Chevron to drill in fields around the town, putting its 69,000 inhabitants at risk. “As far as I can tell, the negative impact this activity can trigger is far bigger than the pseudo-prosperity the company promises,” he said.

Chevron should have started “by telling us ‘we want to extract shale gas, this can have a negative impact on the environment, pollution can occur, but we are ready to deal with it’,” he said. Instead, in the absence of public debate, “local people now think Chevron will devastate the region,” he added. About 2,000 of them are expected to turn out at a rally organized in Barlad yesterday by Constantinescu and his Social-Democrat Party (PSD, opposition). Similar protests are to be staged simultaneously in several cities, including Bucharest, by environmental groups. Holst said: “When the facts are known, the citizens will agree that, if there are commercial resources, the benefits will far outweigh the risks.”— AFP

Crude drops on European data France, German PMI falls sharply LONDON: Brent crude oil dropped more than $1 a barrel yesterday, after weak Chinese and European manufacturing data sparked fears that slowing growth could dent global energy demand. Brent crude fell $1.08 to $123.12 a barrel by 0938 GMT, after settling 8 cents up at $124.20 a barrel on Wednesday. It was down around 2.1 for the week, on track for its biggest fall in 10 weeks. US crude was down $1.46 at $105.81.

The benchmark rose $1.20 to settle at $107.27 on Wednesday. Chinese factory activity shrank this month for a fifth successive month, with the overall rate of contraction accelerating and new orders sinking to a four-month low, the HSBC flash purchasing managers index (PMI) showed.

“There’s a bit of a China backlash at the moment, and we should expect more turbulence as people assess whether China is heading for a hard or a soft landing,” said Filip Petersson, commodity strategist at SEB in Stockholm.

“There’s a far greater chance of a soft landing but there will be more doubts from time to time, and sentiment has turned quite rapidly bearish today in Europe.” The euro zone’s economy took an unexpected turn for the worse in March, hit by a sharp fall in French and German factory activity that even the most pessimistic economists failed to predict, business surveys showed. Sagging demand in Europe has hit refiners hard as margins for processing crude have slumped, leading to the collapse of Swiss-based independent refinery group Petroplus.

IRAN RISK Investors continue to weigh up the possibility of supply disruptions from Iran, which is putting a hefty premium on the price of crude. The market is balancing Saudi assurances that it would make up for any supply shortfalls against the potential risk of the loss of oil from Iran, amid tighter Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear program.

South Korea would support a release by

industrialized countries of oil from strategic reserves to help stem high prices, but has yet to receive a request from the International Energy Agency or its members to do so, a government source said. Worries that the standoff between the West and Iran, over Tehran’s nuclear program could hit supplies, have lifted Brent prices by around 15 percent this year. Concerns over falling supply have also helped keep prices elevated despite demand which is seen as weak. Data from the Energy Information Administration showed US crude stocks fell 1.16 million barrels to 346.29 million in the week to March 16. A Reuters poll of analysts had forecast a 2.4 million barrel build. — Reuters

MAKASAR: A man runs through burning tires as students hold a protest against the government’s plan to raise the prices of fuel, in Makasar yesterday. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Job gains hint at more spending, hiring in US WASHINGTON: It’s not quite Easy Street, but more money is starting to flow along Main Street. A recent acceleration in US job growth could create a virtuous cycle, lining the pockets of more Americans, leading to more spending, faster growth and further hiring. The pickup isn’t enough on its own to guarantee a robust recovery, but it offers hope that the brighter economic signs in recent weeks will prove lasting. On an annualized basis, the 734,000 jobs created over the past three months probably generated about $360 billion in additional income, when taking into account the modest rise in hourly earnings and longer working hours, economists say.

It’s this expected lift from income that could spur a self-feeding cycle of spending and hiring, and help bolster the tepid US economic recovery. “There is some probability that it will feed on itself and that this acceleration we have seen in employment will translate into stronger GDP growth, stronger income growth and a stronger economy over the quarters ahead,” said Ray Stone, an economist and a co-founder of Stone & McCarthy Research Associates in Princeton, New Jersey. “I would like to wait for a few months before concluding we are on Easy Street here, but I am encouraged.”

RECOVERY’S MISSING INGREDIENTS Strong job growth and healthy income gains have been the missing ingredients in the recovery from the 2007-09 recession.

While growth in per capita wages is still restrained by the huge number of Americans hunting for work, the situation should improve as the labor market strengthens. “With employment gains starting to accelerate, it’s certainly something that will push income growth to be more consistent with employment growth, and therefore it creates a virtuous cycle that we are all waiting for,” said Torsten Slok, a senior economist at Deutsche Bank in New York.

Every gain of 100,000 in payrolls should lead to monthly income growth of 0.2 percent to 0.3 percent, according to Millan Mulraine, senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York. “If the economy generates 225,000 to 250,000 jobs per month for the rest of the year, nominal income growth could accelerate and be sustained at a more respectable 0.4 percent monthly average,” Mulraine said. Over the six months through January, income rose an average of 0.3 percent per month.

A quicker pace of income growth could boost consumer spending - the economy’s main engine - by about 0.2 percent on an inflation-adjusted basis when taking into account a relatively comfortable pad of savings that households could tap, according to Mulraine. With inflation tame, the quicker spending could help push GDP up by about 2.5 percent to 3 percent this year - not gangbusters but hopefully enough to keep whittling away at a jobless rate that’s still running high at above 8 percent. “While this is not an especially strong pace of growth, it will mark a material acceleration in the pace of the recovery, and will place the recovery on much firmer footing going into 2013,” Mulraine said. Last year, the economy grew only 1.7 percent.— Reuters

Obama begins energy blitz as fuel prices rise Rising gas prices could threaten re-election BOULDER CITY: President Barack Obama directed federal agencies yesterday to speed approvals of one portion of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, in a move designed to ease political pressure on the White House as the industry frets about a glut of oil trapped in the region. Republicans, who have made the pipeline a key issue in the presidential election, called the announcement a stunt.

Suffering from voter anger over high gasoline prices, Obama used a stop at a huge solar panel facility in Nevada on Wednesday to accuse his rivals of ignoring renewable fuels that could help wean the United States off foreign oil. He then flew to New Mexico to defend his administration’s record on drilling, standing in front of an oil rig for a brief speech to promote an “all of the above” energy strategy that Republicans deride.

“We’re drilling all over the place,” Obama said. “That’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to reduce our dependence on foreign oil

every year since I took office.” Republicans cite Obama’s support for a now bankrupt solar panel company, steadily rising gasoline prices and the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada as evidence that his energy policies are not working. Yesterday, the president tackled critics of his decision to block the Keystone pipeline head on, going to Cushing, Oklahoma, where TransCanada Corp plans to begin building the southern leg of the project, which Obama supports.

In the Cushing oil hub, an oil surplus has been growing because of a lack of pipelines to get rising crude supplies from the US Midwest and Canada to Gulf Coast refineries.

White House officials said Obama will announce a new order directing the US government to expedite the permitting process for the southern leg of the project.

Republicans said the move was not enough.

“It’s kind of like the Bridge to Nowhere in that it doesn’t connect to Canada,” Republican

MALJAMAR: With oil pump jacks as a backdrop, President Barack Obama speaks at an oil and gas field on federal lands in Maljamar, N M. — AP

presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney said, referring to the Cushing portion of the pipeline.

“If (Obama’s) poll numbers go a little lower of course we’ll be able to get the other half of it done. So let’s get those poll numbers down so we can get our pipeline and get some energy in here.” Romney and fellow Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have made energy a key component of their pitches to become their party’s nominee to take on Obama, a Democrat, on Nov 6. The phrase “drill, baby, drill” became a popular Republican rallying cry during the 2008 presidential campaign.

PHOTO-OP, POLITICAL DIVIDE Standing against a backdrop of shiny solar panels in the political battleground state of Nevada, Obama said drilling for fossil fuels was not the only answer to US energy security, as he said Republicans wanted Americans to believe. “An energy strategy that focuses only on drilling and not on an energy strategy that will free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil, that’s a losing strategy,” he said. “I’m not going ... to cede our position to China or Germany or all the other competitors out there who are making massive investments in clean energy technology.”

Obama is on a two-day, four-state trip to promote plans to reduce US dependence on foreign oil, deflecting Republican attacks while branding critics as “members of the flat earth society” for defending tax subsidies to oil companies. Obama and his advisers have painted Republicans as solely focused on oil and gas drilling to the detriment of other energy sources, while mocking Gingrich without naming him - for promising to bring gas prices down to $2.50 a gallon.

Republicans dismissed his step to speed up the pipeline permit process. “There is only one permit that matters for this pipeline, and the president continues to block it,” said Brendan Buck, spokesman for House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress. “The approval needed for this leg of the project is so minor and routine that only a desperate administration would inject the president of the United States into the process.”

Permits aside, analysts said the trip was a good way for Obama to show he had no silver bullet to deal with gasoline prices, a fact the president has emphasized repeatedly.

“Obviously, with the recent spike in gas prices, energy is an issue weighing heavily on the minds of many Americans,” said David Konisky, a professor at Georgetown Public Policy Institute. “Like any president, there is little that Obama can do in the short-term to bring down prices, which makes it difficult to alleviate public concerns.”

In Boulder City, Obama toured the Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility which, with nearly 1 million solar panels, is the largest photovoltaic plant operating in the United States. His visit there comes one day after the United States imposed duties on solar panel imports from China, adding to trade tension between the world’s two largest economies and risking cooperation in the burgeoning cleanenergy sector. His second stop outside Carlsbad, New Mexico, is an area with more than 70 active drilling rigs. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

China’s slowdown chills Australia surplus hopes SYDNEY: Australia’s mining exports to China saw it all but shrug off the financial crisis, but talk of the Asian giant slowing shook the market this week, casting a pall over Canberra’s surplus hopes. Dubbed the “Wonder from Down Under” for its enviable performance in the global crisis, Australia has been riding the crest of a China-driven commodities boom that has flooded its economy with cash.

It was the only advanced economy to dodge recession during the downturn, quickly rebounding from a brief contraction on bullish demand from Asia to record growth and unemployment said to be the envy of the world. But BHP Billiton’s warning this week that Chinese iron ore demand had plateaued and would soon hit “single digits if it’s not already there” sent the commodities-driven Australian dollar and stock market sliding. Australian forecasts the following day confirmed “moderating growth” in the Asian giant this year and further easing in commodity prices.

The cost of iron ore, Australia’s key export to China for steelmaking, was tipped to drop eight percent from the 2011 average, according to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE). China, the world’s

largest consumer of raw materials, has targeted growth of 7.5 percent for 2012, well off last year’s 9.2 percent and 10.4 percent in 2010. On top of that, Beijing saw a trade deficit of US$31.48 billion in February, while a closely watched HSBC preliminary index of Chinese manufacturing activity hit a four-month low in March as export growth slumped.

BREE said “a dip in (China’s) growth rate in 2012 is expected to moderate demand for some bulk commodities.” This would have “several” implications for Australia, said economist and IMF consultant Tony Makin, who said commodity prices had hit their peak. “I guess the most important thing is that the (AustralianUS dollar) exchange rate will lose some of its strength, which is a good thing for other sectors in the economy,” Griffith University’s Makin said. “A lot of tax revenue has been lost from the non-resource sector, so that means company profits are down. Anything apart from mining is pretty well languishing at the moment and that’s impacting on revenues.”

Though mining accounts for 20 percent of Australia’s economy its inflationary impact on the local dollar has seen trade-exposed sectors such as tourism,

manufacturing and education struggle. Australian growth came in at 0.4 percent in the OctoberDecember quarter-half as much as forecast-as commodity prices eased, leading to a slump in export values against imports for the first time since September 2009. Treasurer Wayne Swan has warned the slowdown would inevitably hit the government’s bottom line while HSBC chief Australia economist Paul Bloxham said Canberra faced a mammoth job in delivering a planned surplus next year. Makin also said he doubts the government could bring the budget back to surplus by 2012-13, warning further measures to meet the target could hurt foreign investment. Australia passed a new tax on mining profits this week, having already approved an emissions tax that comes into effect on July 1 and a one-off levy on taxpayers to help rebuilding efforts after last year’s floods. “There’s a growing perception of some sovereign risk as a consequence of these new taxes popping up unexpectedly,” said Makin. He said any risk to Australia’s economy from its dependence on China was “exaggerated and simplistic” given its strong relationships with other Asian nations including Japan, Korea and India.—AFP

Japan logs surprise Feb trade surplus TOKYO: Japan logged a surprise trade surplus in February, offering a glimmer of hope for its moribund economy, but economists warned that with oil prices heading higher the outlook remained uncertain. The export-led boost reversed a monster deficit in January, largely thanks to a recovering auto industry and signs that the United States’ economy is picking up even though the European market remains weak. February’s trade surplus of 32.9 billion yen ($394 million), the first in five months, was still dwarfed by the surplus of 636.99 billion yen posted in the same period a year ago.

The dollar and the euro weakened against the yen just before the release of the monthly figures, which beat market forecasts of a 110-billion-yen deficit, according to a poll by Dow Jones Newswires and the Nikkei business daily. “It was quite a surprise,” said Taro Saito, a senior economist at Tokyo-based NLI Research Institute. “It was not expected that the decrease in exports would shrink this much.” One of the largest contributing factors was “the US economy, which is picking up much faster than expected,” Saito said, adding however that he expects Japan’s March trade balance to fall back into the red.

Auto exports to the US rose 26.9 percent from a year earlier while sales of steel and construction and mining machinery also expanded, the official data showed. “The auto industry is recovering quickly and doing well also in the domestic market. The upbeat US economy is helping the increase in exports of cars,” Saito said. Auto production is recovering from last year’s earthquake in northern Japan and disastrous flooding in Thailand, which pounded Japanese firms with manufacturing operations in the Southeast Asian nation. Overall Japan’s exports fell 2.7 percent from a year earlier to 5.44 trillion yen in February on weaker demand for products including steel, medical products and semiconductors, the finance ministry data showed.

Imports increased 9.2 percent to 5.41 trillion yen in the month on strong demand for crude oil and liquid natural gas, marking the 26th consecutive month of gains in imports. Demand for fossil fuels has surged in Japan after last year’s earthquake-tsunami disaster sparked the world’s worst nuclear accident in 25 years, leading the government to take many atomic reactors offline.

Japan logged a record trade deficit of 1.48 trillion yen in January as fuel imports rose to meet electricity generation needs, with most nuclear reactors offline since the disaster.

Yasuo Yamamoto, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute, said trade figures in March may dip back into the red on rising crude oil prices. “The figures are likely to hover between small deficits and surpluses for the time being,” he said. Exports have traditionally been a key engine for Japanese growth, but they were hard-hit in 2011, marred by the natural disasters, weakening global demand and a strong yen, which makes exporters products more expensive overseas. This month, Japan’s central bank boosted a lending program to commercial banks by about 2.0 trillion yen to kickstart growth and battle deflation as it said the country’s disaster-struck economy was showing signs of picking up. — AFP

ALLAHABAD: Unemployed Indians stand in a queue to register at the Employment Exchange Office in Allahabad, India yesterday.

Employment offices have been flooded with applicants after the chief minister of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP), Akhilesh Yadav, pledged to give unemployed graduates between the ages of 35 to 40 unemployment benefits. — AP

India govt feels the heat over $211bn coal furor Draft report says govt should have auctioned assets NEW DELHI: India lost up to $211 billion in revenue by selling coal deposits too cheaply, a government auditor’s draft report says, renewing pressure on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is already reeling from a slew of policy missteps. Opposition parties reacted with outrage in parliament yesterday to the report, which was leaked to the Times of India. The assembly session was briefly adjourned and the government said it would respond once it had verified the facts.

“We are examining the news report and I have called for records. After that I will reply,” Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters. The government said the auditor had not yet presented it with the report.

Singh’s government has lurched from crisis to crisis since massive graft in the sale of telecoms spectrum surfaced two years ago.

Voters punished the ruling Congress party in regional elections last month and its coalition partners are increasingly rebellious. The published excerpts of the coal report stop short of direct accusations of graft, but will further drive home the impression of a government in freefall. The

leaked draft from the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) office criticizes the allocation of 155 coalfields to about 100 private and some state-run firms, including a subsidiary of the world’s largest steel maker ArcelorMittal, between 2004 and 2009 instead of auctioning them off to the highest bidder. It said the policy undervalued the coal by at least 10.7 trillion rupees, or $210 billion at today’s exchange rate.

India is the world’s third-largest coal producer in the world after China and the United States. “This is the mother of all scams,” said Venkaiah Naidu, a senior leader in the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The prime minister should reply.” Prime Minister Singh, who himself oversaw the coal ministry during some of the period in question, did not respond to questions by reporters at parliament. The report said the government had extended “undue benefits” to the companies. It said the sale of the blocks was subjective and allowed windfall gains, but appeared to make no direct accusation of illegality or bribe-taking.

The coalfields were allocated mainly to power, steel and cement companies. State-

run power company NTPC told Reuters it had made no windfall profits from the allocations and that the lower costs meant cheaper electricity for consumers. A similar investigation over the allocation of telecoms licenses led to huge protests that rocked Singh’s government last year and landed a minister and several company executives in jail. In the telecoms scandal, officials are accused of taking bribes to favor certain companies.

The Indian subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, and Indian steel makers Tata and Jindal Steel and Power, are among the companies named in the report. Jindal’s controlling shareholder Naveen Jindal defended the policy of direct allocations, saying it had allowed private companies to jump-start production at mines left idle by state-run Coal India Limited, the world’s single largest producer.

Jindal Steel And Power stock fell 5.65 percent at 555.80 rupees yesterday, dragging down an Indian steel stocks index by 0.8 percent.

Coal Minister Jaiswal said he was not serving as minister during the period under scrutiny and that the government policy was now to auction coal blocks. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Ireland officially back in recession DUBLIN: Ireland’s economy sank back into recession in late 2011, despite logging its first annual growth for four years, official data showed yesterday. Irish gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter after a contraction of 1.1 percent in the third quarter, the Central Statistics Office said in a statement, placing Ireland back into a technical recession. The GDP figures include output generated by both domestic and foreign companies based in Ireland.

Excluding the foreign contribution, Ireland’s gross national product (GNP) shrank by 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter after a 1.9-percent decline in the previous three months.

The CSO also revealed yesterday that the economy returned to annual growth last year following its vast international bailout in 2010.

“Preliminary estimates indicate that GDP in volume terms increased by 0.7 percent for the year 2011. This follows three successive annual decreases in GDP during the years 2008 to 2010,” the statement added. However the economy shrank by 2.5 percent last year in GNP terms. GNP is regarded by the Irish government as a more accurate barometer of the country’s economic performance as it strips out substantial profits earned by multi-national companies in Ireland which are then taken out of the country.

Ireland’s once-proud ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy, famed for its double-digit growth for a decade from the mid-1990s, had contracted sharply in recent years, hit by soaring state debt, a property market meltdown and surging unemployment. Back in November 2010, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union mounted a rescue for Ireland worth 85 billion euros as the nation was crippled by massive sovereign debts. Since then, fellow debt-laden eurozone nation Portugal has also been forced to seek an EU-IMF bailout, while Greece has received two massive international rescue packages.— AFP

Gold hovering around $1,650 SINGAPORE: Gold prices were little changed yesterday, hovering around $1,650 an ounce, as investors weighed a recent improvement in the US economy against the continuing shrinkage of Chinese manufacturing activities.

Bullion prices have fallen more than 2 percent so far this month, after the US Federal Reserve dashed hopes for further asset purchases in its latest policy statement and recent data showed the US economic recovery was on track.

But some economists said the global economy remains vulnerable this year, as the euro zone debt crisis faces the risk of resurgence, the US recovery is still in a early stage and China faces slower growth. Economic uncertainties usually benefit gold as a safe haven asset, but a global crisis could easily cause a plunge in the precious metal, together with other financial assets. China’s manufacturing activity shrank in March for a fifth straight month, with the overall rate of contraction accelerating and new orders sinking to a four-month low, the HSBC flash purchasing managers index showed.

Investors are waiting for the euro zone PMI data due later today, to gauge how the economy has fared after Greece managed to avert a chaotic default earlier in the month. “A lot of people are on the sidelines at the moment,” said Yuichi Ikemizu, head of commodity trading, Japan, at Standard Bank. “We saw some bearish signs, but the market seems to be holding well. The upside at $1,800 is still looking quite heavy, and investors are waiting for a cue.” Spot gold was little changed at $1,649.49 an ounce by 0622 GMT, down from an intra-day high of $1,656.01 hit in the early hours. US gold was nearly flat at $1,649.50. Technical analysis suggested that spot gold may remain neutral in the range of $1,643 to $1,671 during the day, Reuters market analyst Wang Tao said.

PHYSICAL MARKET MUTED Asia’s physical market was muted, with the narrow price range drying up interest from both buyers and sellers, traders said. The lackluster China data also fanned concerns about China’s retail gold appetite.

“People are concerned about China’s economic growth.

If growth slows down and inflation eases, people may choose not to buy gold,” said a Hong Kong-based gold dealer. “We have been range bound for a while and people are looking at the possibility of breaking lower rather than higher.”

Gold has been stuck in a range between roughly $1,635 to $1,670 over the past week. In India, the world’s largest gold consumer, jewelers were closed for a fifth day on Wednesday in protest against an import duty hike on bullion. The recent economic optimism helped platinum, which usually moves in tandem with riskier assets, regain its premium over gold earlier in the month. But the spread flipped to a discount again this week, with gold standing $16 above platinum. Spot platinum traded down 0.2 percent to $1,630.69 an ounce, and spot palladium edged up to $682.17. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: Three men take a break for a cigarette on a street in Shanghai yesterday. China’s manufacturing activity fell to a fourmonth low this month, HSBC said adding fuel to concerns over slowing growth in the world’s second largest economy. — AFP

Chinese factories slump, euro zone business wilts China manufacturing slows, spurring growth fears LONDON: Chinese manufacturing slumped for a fifth month in March and the euro zone economy is showing new signs of wilting, according to surveys yesterday that pointed to weakening global demand. Investors were unnerved by the reports, selling riskier assets such as stocks. Yesterday’s batch of purchasing managers indexes (PMIs) suggested China and Europe will not contribute to a global upturn anytime soon, with only the United States showing momentum at the moment among the world’s top economies. Factory activity in China shrank for a fifth straight month in March, hit by declining order books and disappointing exports.

That partly reflects the weakness of economies in Europe, China’s single biggest export partner. The PMIs pointed to a worsening of the euro zone economy with recession there now looking unavoidable. German and French manufacturing, which this time last year spearheaded the euro zone’s economic recovery, suffered a sharp decline this month that even the most pessimistic economists failed to predict. Investors immediately hedged exposures to trades betting on a rebound in global growth. Brent crude oil shed 0.8 percent, while the pan-European FTSE Eurofirst 300 stock index slipped 0.8 per-

cent after the PMI data. “The PMIs give a warning that even if the US economy seems to be doing quite well, that doesn’t necessarily translate to solid growth in every other part of the world,” said Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics in London. The HSBC flash purchasing managers index, the earliest indicator of China’s industrial activity, fell back to 48.1 from February’s four-month high of 49.6, firmly below the 50 mark that divides contraction and growth. The survey added weight to a string of downbeat anecdotes from major corporations on the world’s No 2 economy.

BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest miner, said on Tuesday it was seeing signs of “flattening” iron ore demand from China.

Broad-based weakness in the five key components that generate the Chinese PMI index surprised analysts, particularly those who had anticipated a clear cut rebound in factory activity in March after the Lunar New Year disrupted output in the first two months and distorted the data. “This data suggests there’s something more profound at work, that it’s not just a Lunar New Year problem and that it’s not just affecting exports, but domestic demand,” said Tim Condon, chief economist and head of Asian research at ING in Singapore.

EUROPE FLAGS AGAIN Markit’s Eurozone Composite PMI declined unexpectedly to 48.7 this month from 49.3 in February, a full point below the economists’ consensus of 49.7 and capping the first quarter of the year in disappointing style. Most worryingly, the surveys suggested business activity in economic heavyweights France and Germany is starting to flag, with job losses mounting across the bloc at the fastest pace since March 2010.

“We’re more pessimistic than the consensus on the euro zone over the next year or two, both in terms of the outlook for the economy and also the currency union itself. So in that sense, these numbers give some support to that view,” said Loynes from Capital Economics.

The European Central Bank has pumped more than 1 trillion euros of cheap, threeyear loans into the banking system over the last four months - lowering bond yields - but the PMIs showed the impact of this has yet to be felt in the wider economy. “While we still see a good chance of the recession in the euro zone coming to an end in spring, it seems unreasonable to expect more than an anaemic upward movement in the further course of this year,” said Christoph Weil, economist at Commerzbank in Frankfurt, in a research note. —Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

High gas prices hurting US recovery Pump prices to weigh on inflation, spending Given such weak earnings and the still-high debt levels of many households, as well as the current 8.3 percent unemployment rate and depressed housing market, analysts remain wary about consumer sentiment and purchasing power.

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s politicians squabble over energy policy and question whether to tap America’s strategic oil reserves, two new reports showed how the recent jump in pump prices is starting to hurt the economic recovery.

The government said that its measure of consumer prices in February jumped 0.4 percent from January — the strongest pace since last spring — mostly because of a 6 percent rise in gas prices over the month.

The annual inflation rate for all goods and services held steady in February at 2.9 percent, thanks partly to flat prices for food and medical services. Higher fuel prices also took a toll on consumer confidence. As measured by the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey, consumer sentiment dipped to 74.3 this month from 75.3 in February. The drop ended six straight months of gains and was driven entirely by diminished optimism about the future.

Moreover, the Michigan survey showed consumers’ expectations for one-year inflation rose to 4 percent from 3.3 percent — an increase that, if sustained, could influence their spending behavior and thus the actual inflation rate.

Last Friday’s reports, plus another by the Federal Reserve showing continuing growth in manufacturing production, didn’t change the generally more upbeat outlook for the economy as the recovery looks to be firming up with stronger job growth and solid retail sales recently. But they did point up the potentially serious risks to growth if oil prices keep rising. That threat has increased

PACIFIC: Peggy Wiggins of Liberty, Texas, refuels her tractor-trailer with diesel fuel. “You can’t hardly make it out here with gas prices so high,” Wiggins said. “You don’t make any money from the load, you’re paying for fuel,” in Pacific, Missouri. —MCT

pressure on President Barack Obama to tap the nation’s emergency supply of oil to help stem price increases, even as the president has defended his energy policies against criticisms from Republican presidential candidates.

“The recent jump in gasoline prices has already proven costly, especially to wage gains, and represents the greatest threat to the outlook going forward,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago. Average workers’ earnings, in fact, grew by just 0.1 percent in February from the prior month. After adjusting for February’s 0.4 percent increase in inflation, their real earnings fell 0.3 percent over the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. Compared with a year earlier, real average earnings for all workers fell 1.1 percent in February.

Given such weak earnings and the still-high debt levels of many households, as well as the current 8.3 percent unemployment rate and depressed housing market, analysts remain wary about consumer sentiment and purchasing power.

Thus, the future direction of gas prices is likely to weigh heavily on spending and the inflation rate.

Some top economic analysts are concerned about consumer spending but not inflation. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S Bernanke said it was likely that the energy-related jump in inflation wouldn’t last long, just as when the Arab spring uprisings contributed to a temporary rise in oil prices last year.

Bernanke and his colleagues at the central bank focus more on the so-called core inflation numbers, which exclude volatile energy and

food items. And in February, core prices inched up just 0.1 percent from January and were 2.2 percent higher than in February 2011, close to the Fed’s explicit inflation target of 2 percent.

Indeed, apart from energy prices, Friday’s inflation report was largely seen as positive. Prices for some goods such as apparel and used cars fell last month. Food costs were flat over the month, with vegetable prices falling for the fifth month in a row.

Consumers also got some unexpected relief in their out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Overall, the government’s consumer price index of medical care services was unchanged in February, though it was up 3.4 percent from a year earlier.

The price of professional medical services, which include doctor and dentist services, dipped in February for the second straight month. That’s the first time there has been a backto-back price decline in professional medical services, said economist David Rosnick at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.

The price of hospital services was flat last month, but so-called medical care commodities, which include drugs, rose sharply in February. Uwe E Reinhardt, a health care economist at Princeton University, cautioned against reading too much into statistics covering a month or two of medical care price changes, which are difficult to measure at the consumer level because charges are largely paid by insurance companies.

“It’s conceivable that over the next 10 years prices will stabilize or

actually decline,” he said, “but a three-month run couldn’t tell you that.”

Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman at America’s Health Insurance Plans, said other data indicate that prices for hospital and other medical services were continuing to spiral higher.

Nearly one-third of the nation’s drivers now fork out $4 or more for a gallon of gasoline.

After a 32-cent jump in the past month, regular gasoline averages $3.83 nationwide. But price analysis of major metropolitan areas and 10 states-home to more than 65 million of the nation’s 210 million driversshows even more pain at the pump, especially in heavily populated California, New York and Illinois.

Gas prices have prompted plenty of grousing and political debate in a hotly contested presidential election year. But economists expect surging prices to have only modest impact on consumer spending. Barring a major disruption in supplies from the Middle East, pump prices are expected to top out at about $4 nationally

by Memorial Day weekend-about where they reached in 2011 and below July 2008’s record $4.08.

Prices may have peaked in California, after a 51-cent surge to $4.36 a gallon since mid-February.

“We’re in the ninth inning there, but in the middle innings elsewhere,” says Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service. “Most of the country is going to move a bit higher.”

Prices in California are impacted by costlier formulations mandated under state environmental regulations. A BP refinery in Washington state, shut down by a fire last month,

also pushed prices higher along the West Coast.

Kloza notes that wholesale prices have been falling in California since late February, but pump prices haven’t followed suit. Patrick DeHaan, analyst for price tracker gasbuddy.com, expects prices to stabilize for a few weeks. “I’m worried about another increase in May,” says Chicago-based DeHaan, where prices average $4.60 to $4.95, among the USA’s highest.

Crude oil prices briefly sank nearly 2% early Thursday on short-lived rumors that the U.S. and Great Britain would release some strategic reserves. Benchmark West Texas crude for April delivery closed off 32 cents to $105.11 a barrel.

Speculators, betting on the tensions in the Middle East, continue to keep prices high at a time when US consumption is at 12-year lows.

“An overwhelming avalanche of data tells you (US) prices should be lower,” says energy contract trader Dan Dicker, author of Oil’s Endless Bid: Taming the Unreliable Price of Oil to Secure Our Economy. “But with some of these geopolitical problems, it could get worse.” — MCT

Opinion FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Palestinian security stand guard during a protest by women near the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip on March 20, 2012 demanding the Egyptian authorities to provide fuel for the power station in the Palestinian territory. The Palestinian energy authority in Gaza said recently that it had paid Egypt $2 million towards fuel for its crippled power station, but had yet to receive anything in return. — AFP

Egypt and Hamas: The honeymoon that wasn’t High hopes for a new era of cooperation dashed by mutual distrust and acrimony

By Mohammed Najib

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he high hopes Gaza’s Hamas leaders had in the Egyptian revolution and the ouster of their old nemesis, Husni Mubarak, have been swallowed up by growing acrimony and traditional distrust. Tensions were on display during the fighting between Israel and Gaza-based terrorist groups last week, when Egypt’s efforts to broker a truce were subject to repeated delays and violations. The ceasefire gradually went into effect, and now the two sides are back to sniping over who is responsible for the fuel shortage in Gaza that has been behind weeks of brownouts and blackouts. Over the weekend, Yusef Rizka, adviser to Prime Minister Ismael Haniya, whose Hamas movement has ruled the Mediterranean enclave since seizing power in 2007, charged that the leadership in Egypt is using the fuel crisis for “political extortion.” But Cairo charges that Gaza smugglers are buying subsidized gasoline in Egypt and reselling it at a profit at home.

The latest bickering comes against a background of disappointment on the part of the two neighbors. Cairo accuses Hamas of taking advantage of the lawlessness in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula by turning a blind eye to a flood of 1,300 stolen cars being smuggled into Gaza and allowing drugs grown there to be shipped out. They accuse the Islamic group of being behind the circulation of some $40 million of counterfeit US currency in Egypt. A senior Hamas security source sheepishly admitted

that purloined vehicles had made their way to Gaza, but denied it was on a large scale. “It’s only 15 cars, not 1,300,” he told The Media Line on condition of anonymity.

But Egyptian accusations go deeper. Officials in Cairo say Hamas and other terrorist groups backed by Iran have turned Sinai into a staging ground for attacks on Israel. In fact, Israel says it has repeatedly foiled Sinai operations directed from Gaza. Its air force killed Zuhir Al-Qaisi, heads of the Popular Resistance Committee in a targeted assassination March 9, saying he was planning an attack from Sinai. Cairo has been unhappy that Qatar, the distant, tiny but hugely wealthy Gulf emirate, supplanted it as mediator in the latest attempt to negotiate a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and its rival Fatah movement, which retains control of the West Bank. The talks have failed so far, but Qatar’s involvement was a blow to Egyptian prestige.

Hamas has it grievances, too. Expectations that the interim military government that replaced Mubarak would open the border between Gaza and Egypt and undermine Israel’s blockade have been disappointed; months after it was opened, traffic through the sole crossing point - Rafah Terminal - is severely restricted.

Moreover, Hamas officials themselves have been subject to delays travelling in and out of Gaza through Egypt, their only route to the outside world. Over the past few weeks, dozens of Hamas field commanders were blocked from crossing through the terminal Last month, Atef Edwan, a

Hamas lawmaker, former minister and official in charge of refugees, was denied permission to visit Egypt when he landed at Cairo Airport and was told that he would be taken directly to Rafah, Hamas sources in Gaza told The Media Line. Even Haniya, the prime minister, has been subject to insulting treatment, the security sources said.

When Haniya left Gaza for a tour of the Gulf (including Iran, despite Cairo’s disapproval) his crossing at Rafah was delayed for two hours, allegedly for technical reasons, and his meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal Al-Janzouri was cancelled.

It wasn’t suppose be this way after Mubarak was toppled. But less has changed in Egypt in the 13 months since than Hamas had expected.

Major policy decisions have been frozen while the country undergoes a gradual transition to democratic rule. Meanwhile, the cadre of generals that took over from Mubarak runs the country.

Military Intelligence continues to manage the bilateral relationship, employing the same personnel and observing the same policies it did when Mubarak was still ruling. “There are three sources of power in Egypt these days - the ruling military council, which is anti-Hamas; the parliament, which is dominating by pro-Hamas lawmakers; and the youth movement, which right now remains undecided on its attitude toward Hamas,” Palestinian analyst Hani Masri told The Media Line.

Egypt’s attitude toward the Gaza Strip is influenced by a host of external factor, not the least its

support for Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and is a rival claimant with Hamas for Palestinian leadership. Egypt is also dependent on US military aid and is careful not to upset Washington by getting to close to the Muslim movement, which is considered by the US as a terrorist organization. But Masri said that at the top of Cairo’s calculations is the desire to ensure Gaza remains Israel’s headache, not Egypt’s. On the whole, Gazans enjoy greater freedom of movement today compared to the Mubarak era, he said, “but Hamas is ambitious to get more freedom.”

The movement has not given up hope on Egypt and is now counting on the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated parliament to emerge as the dominant force in Egypt after presidential elections, which are likely to put either an Islamist or other Hamas-friendly personality into Egypt’s highest office. Hamas itself is an offshoot of the Brotherhood, although their ideologies differ in many respects. “Hamas is waiting for the presidential elections in May, and hoping that a government led by the Muslim Brotherhood will be formulated,” Masri said. If not, analysts warn, Hamas has ways of striking back at Egypt, if it feels it is not getting the cooperation it expects.

Egypt’s authority in Sinai has been weakened by the revolution and Hamas could easily use the region to embarrass Cairo by striking at Israel from Egyptian territory or causing direct damage to Egypt and its economy by encouraging local terror attacks. —Media Line

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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

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Years

www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Kristen Bell poses at the 20th anniversary of the Alzheimer's Association "A Night at Sardi's," Wednesday, March 21, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The annual celebrity musical revue and awards dinner benefits the Alzheimer's Association. — AP

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

A question of comfort

The right headsets for sports

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t’s not unusual for joggers to like to listen to some music while they do their workout. But behind that decision lie some pretty tough choices. To be useable, a pair of headphones has to sit firmly in the ear and provide good sound.

Not every device can provide both and many are stuck, unsure of whether to opt for an in-ear model or a headset. Amateur athletes continuously bicker over which is better.

Ugur Ofluoglu says he often ditches his MP3 player if it’s raining during his jog.

“The sound of raindrops is more impressive than the music,” he says. But, if the weather is clear, he always has it. “The music simultaneously relaxes and motivates me. I get into the rhythm better and I feel a little more light-footed,” says the 23-year-old student from the German city of Hagen. But the store-bought earphones are often a nuisance when jogging. “They kept falling out.” That’s why he eventually bought a pair of sports earphones.

Which brings us back to the problems of making a choice. “It depends on your individual preferences and the optimal fit,” says Matthias Luecke, a product manager at Sennheiser, which manufactures such items. But the right fit and level of comfort are very subjective criteria. In-ear earphones are a case in point. Some swear by them. Others won’t go near them.

“Our customers divide very noticeably into two camps, there’s not a lot of space in between,” says Bernhard Rietschel, chief editor of German magazine Audio. It is hard to make a recommendation, adds Juergen Ripperger of VDE, a German testing and certification institute. Theoretically, in-ear buds block off the entire ear canal. But differences in anatomy mean that is often not the case.

“In-ears are an odd experience for some, since they isolate you completely from your surroundings. It’s just like having foam in your ears,” says Rietschel.

That can be especially dangerous to urban runners. “They don’t hear their surroundings, which means they could blunder into traffic.”

But there are also in-ear models with a piece of silicon that keep the buds from completely blocking out outside noise. The alternative is a headset with a band or ear clips. The bands are usually impossible to adjust, they either fit or they don’t.

“That’s why I need to test the headset right in the store,” says Rietschel.

“And the kind of earphone you’ll want will depend a little bit on the surroundings when you work out,” says Luecke. People in a fitness centre might enjoy the isolation an ear bud brings, while people jogging outdoors might want to take in a little bit of their surroundings. However, it’s not enough that the earphones sit well. They also have to deliver good sound. This is not an easy area either. “It’s a little bit of a mixed bag,” says Rietschel. “Some people might be happy with the sound, others not. They might get a similar, but not the same, result.” In short, it’s important to try out the headsets, not just research them.

At least there is a plentiful supply of headsets specifically for athletes.

Manufacturers like Philips, Sennheiser and JVC have a variety of in-ear and headset varieties, starting at 10 euros (13 dollars). However, prices can rise above 100 euros (140 dollars). As for Ugur, he opted for a pair with earclips, which he said fit particularly well. — dpa

New Apple OS brings Macs closer to the cloud

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or many Mac users, it wasn’t that long ago that they switched to the new Lion system. And Apple has already announced a successor in Mountain Lion, which will bring Mac even closer to the iCloud and implement functions from iPhone and iPad. Apple introduced the new operating system OS X 10.7 Lion just eight months ago for its Macs. But the successor OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - is due to hit the market in the summer. “We have so many innovations on hand that we didn’t want to artificially push back the introduction of a new system,” an Apple spokesman told dpa.

The OS X Mountain Lion will connect the Mac much more to the iCloud than its predecessor. And users will notice that right away if they switch to the new system or

buy a new Mac with Mountain Lion installed. The system asks for login information for Apple’s online service straight away in the first boot up of the computer. If you already use iCloud, email accounts, bookmarks as well as calendar entries, documents and other notes will be automatically carried over.

The new iCloud functions allow Mac owners to call up their documents, reminders and notes on iPhones or iPads.

Apple is also providing an API interface so that other software manufacturers can access this system. The application Messages is known from iOS devices, replacing the Mac programme iChat. With Messages, text message-like notes (iMessages) can be sent to iPhones, iPads, an iPod touch or another Mac also running

Mountain Lion free of charge. iOS users will also be familiar with Mac’s Apple Notification Centre. Messages through email, Twitter, calendar reminders or to-do list entries fade in and out. With a single wipe of the touchpad, users can see the entire list of notifications.

The short message service Twitter is also integrated into Mountain Lion just like iOS so that tweets can be sent from all imaginable applications. The Game Centre comes from the world of iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. And it hits the Mac for the first time with Mountain Lion. With AirPlay Mirroring, the contents on the Mac display can appear on a television connected with a small AppleTV box. The system is great for videos or presentations which otherwise would be displayed via a projector.

With Mountain Lion, Apple also reworked its security concept. Gatekeeper offers new options when installing software. The administrators of a Mac can now define from which sources programmes can be installed. Those who don’t want to take any chances can allow only software from the Mac App Store. But Apple does allow for installations from other sources.

Users can buy OS X Mountain Lion from the Mac App Store “in the summer,” according to Apple. Apple has not announced the exact release date or price. Apple charges 24 euro (32 dollars) for the upgrade to Lion.

— dpa

Pets FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

A goat called Snowbird A family’s pet becomes a cause celebre

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ne day last winter the Balunsats carried home a gangly baby goat. They named the fuzzy thing Snowbird, cradled her while she slurped a bottle and allowed her inside to snuggle under a heat lamp. With Chesapeake City, Md., grass, hay and the occasional potato chip, Snowbird filled out into a handsome animal with a thick white coat, ridged horns that curl between her ears and lips that seem ever-pursed in an ironic smile. When she bleats “Meh, meh, meh,” Lisa Balunsat who will tell anyone she raised that goat as a child - hears, “Ma, Ma, Ma.” Cecil County, Md., officials mainly hear a zoning violation. For months now the Balunsats and officials have engaged in a custody battle of sorts over Snowbird - the family wants her to stay, the county says she has to go because their lot is simply too small. After a winter of orders, ultimatums, hearings, petitions and tears, Craig Balunsat sued the county in federal court in February, saying he’s not only constitutionally entitled to Snowbird, but by considering the animal differently than a dog or a cat, the county was discriminating against goat kind.

“The zoning law is not designed to deprive us of the kind of animal we want as a pet,” Craig Balunsat says. “They can say it’s animal husbandry, but that doesn’t make it right.” The Balunsats’ efforts to share their life with a goat leave them squarely though unwittingly - in the middle of a growing national movement to erase the barnyard stigma from certain animals and welcome them into suburbs and even cities.

Advocates preach a preindustrial sensibility, hoping America can return to a time when people and the animals that helped sustain them coexisted without question. It’s the locavores who are pushing for change, craving their fresh eggs and their homemade chevre. Even as rural Cecil County attempts to hold the line between farm and homestead, cities as big as Seattle, Denver and San Francisco have decided goats are welcome neighbors.

Craig Balunsat is 47 years old, and, Lisa, his wife of eight years, is 49. They’re a free-spirited, dreamy pair who met in Las Vegas.

He had headed west on a mission to find himself. She claims she’d been dreaming about him for a year before they ever met.

They’ve made a home these last four years in a worn ranch house on Basil Avenue where the floors are unfinished and holiday lights stay pinned to the walls year-round. Though the couple has no children together, their grandchildren from previous rela-

tionships sometimes live with them, sharing the few rooms with a half-dozen sprightly Chihuahuas and about as many cats.

Last year’s decision to spend a couple of hundred dollars on a goat - a deal arranged through a newspaper advertisement stemmed from the couple’s interest in Native American spirituality. By opening their home to a goat, they figured they’d be closer to nature, maybe even to God. Living as they do in a rural district, their property abutting one expansive farm and sitting across the street from another, the Balunsats assumed theirs was a goat-friendly spot - until one day last fall when an inspector knocked on their door and shortly thereafter a letter on county letterhead arrived in the mail. It said the goat, along with the family’s six hens and two ducks, had to go. Or else.

The family launched an appeal, an effort that caught the public’s attention when Craig Balunsat leashed up Snowbird and began to sit with her, in protest, on the side of Highway 213. His granddaughters would join them some days on the sliver of scrub grass, holding signs they made with watercolors and glitter imploring passing motorists to help “Save Snowbird.”

One sign showed a little girl crying blue marker tears. Another had a little bite out of the top - Snowbird’s imprimatur. It was mainly out there that the family collected about 200 signatures supporting their cause. But in the end, none of that held sway with the appeals board. Zoning administrator Cliff Houston relates the county’s position on Snowbird in the measured, tempered tone of someone who believes too much of his recent life has been spent discussing a goat.

What happened? He’ll tell you. Someone called to anonymously complain. County officials responded, saw farm animals, noted the lot size and that was that. “It’s not an area,” Houston says, “where there’s a whole lot of give and take.” It didn’t matter that the original complaint centered on the Balunsats’ rooster, not the goat, or that the family has since gotten rid of the noisy bird. The family’s insistence that Snowbird was a pet, not an instrument of animal husbandry, didn’t matter either. What mattered was that in Cecil County, since the law was written in 1979, anyone wishing to engage in animal husbandry, even in rural areas, must own at least one acre of land. The Balunsats’ corner lot missed that mark by four-tenths of an acre. So, Houston says, they’re out of luck and out of a goat. — MCT

Lisa Balunsat plays with her goat, Snowbird, and her chihuahuas at her home.

Craig and Lisa Balunsat play with their goat, Snowbird, at their home in Chesapeake City, Maryland. —MCT photos

FOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Everyday cooking

Wasabi

By Sawsan Kazak

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asabi is most popular as being that small mountain of green paste on the side of the sushi plate. Anyone who has eaten sushi has, one time or another, over estimated their capability to handle wasabi’s sharp and stinging taste, and got a punch in the face of wasabi goodness.

Over dressing your rolls can lead to the ultimate nasal clearing experience.

But wasabi is so much more than just a topping for sushi roles. In moderation, wasabi can be used as a flavoring for all kinds of dishes. Wasabi might seem a little intimidating at first, but once you have bought your first tube of wasabi paste, the sky is the limit when it comes to incorporating it into your recipes. In some places in the world you can even find wasabi flavored ice cream or cupcakes. But if you are new to the world of wasabi, let’s just take it one step at a time.

Send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

The health benefits of wasabi I

t is widely known that Japanese cuisine is at the pinnacle of healthy eating. Miso soups and freshly made steamed fish dishes are just two examples of ultra healthy dishes. Many Japanese products are available in stores all over the world so you don’t have to visit Japan to feel the benefits of the food. Wasabi is one particular root vegetable which is used in Japanese cooking and the health benefits of wasabi are outstanding.

The health benefits of wasabi is the protective nature against cancers due to the isothiocyanates, which are anti-cancer chemicals and are also found in cabbage and broccoli. These chemicals help detoxify cancer cells in the liver before the body has time to absorb them and do not affect normal cells.

Wasabi benefits go on: It helps prevent platelet application which makes it a great anti-inflammatory. With this in mind, wasabi can help those who suffer from allergic reactions, asthma and arthritis.

With the platelet aggregation, the chances of strokes and heart attacks are reduced due to the prevention of blood clots thanks to the Health Benefits of Wasabi.

Health Benefits of Wasabi doesn’t stop there. It can prevent the formation of tumors, stop food poisoning from

bacteria on food and it is also used in hand-washes as an antibacterial hand cleaner. It can help kill bacteria in dental caries and although it is expensive due to it being a difficult vegetable to grow, the benefits are immense.

In many Japanese restaurants, such as steak houses or sushi bars, it is customary to have to ask for wasabi to go with your meal, due to the expensiveness. It is used as a mustard, included in horseradish and as a food coloring. Wasabi can be bought from online distributors if you cannot find it in your local grocery store or Asian supermarket for the Health Benefits of Wasabi.

More information on the Health Benefits of Wasabi Many people may discard the idea of growing vegetables but with the health benefits of wasabi being so abundant, the question of how to grow your own wasabi is on many people’s lips. Growing something unusual and different is fun and interesting, so let’s find out how. Wasabi is Japanese horseradish

Wasabi almonds 1 egg white 1 tablespoon water 1 pound whole natural Almonds 2 tablespoons wasabi powder 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons cornstarch Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a sided baking sheet with greased foil or parchment paper. Whisk egg white and water together until foamy. Add

almonds and toss to coat. Transfer to a sieve; toss gently and let drain. Stir together wasabi powder, salt and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add almonds and toss to coat. Spread almonds on baking sheet in a single layer, and bake 30 minutes. Gently stir, reduce temperature to 200 degrees F and continue baking 20 more minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

and is probably very rare to have been grown by any western gardeners. Some people might have tried radishes and other horseradishes but wasabi is a difficult vegetable to grow and this can make it even more interesting to try. As wasabi is an accompanying dish, you don’t need to worry about growing hundreds of them. A small corner in your vegetable patch will do. Here is how to grow your own wasabi at home for the Health Benefits of Wasabi.

In order to grow your own wasabi, you need a shaded and well-drained area. As it is difficult to grow in Japan, where it originates from, you must try and replicate how it grows there. Sunlight is not important, but a plentiful supply of water is.

Many gardeners who have asked themselves how to grow your own wasabi find that hydroponics or an aquaponic set up works the best for a successful crop as it requires a lot of regular water.

Wasabi can take a long time to grow, up to

2 years in some cases. This makes it expensive and the price is generally in the $100 per kilo range. When you ask how to grow your own wasabi, it is important to get the right shaded area and the right seeds, but even that can be difficult. Try Asian stores or Japanese restaurants as they might know a company who can import them for you.

So, at the beginning, two years ago you asked how to grow your own wasabi. Now you are sitting there with a root vegetable and are asking what you do with it. It is best to grind it into a fine powder as the lifespan is only a few months once it is pulled from the ground. Mix the powdered wasabi with water to make a puree and then that is it. You can use it with sushi, sashimi and steaks or anything really for the Health Benefits of Wasabi.

Some people think wasabi is made from peas, but really those peas that are sold have just been marinated in wasabi puree. (www.thehealthbenefitsof.org )

FOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Wasabi salad dressing

Seared tuna 2 tablespoons white vinegar 10 ounces chicken broth 1/4 cup minced shallots 1 tablespoon wasabi paste, or to taste 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed salt and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves 6 (6 ounce) fresh tuna steaks, 1 inch thick

with

wasabi-butter sauce

C

ombine the white wine vinegar, white wine and shallots in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Strain out shallot and discard, return liquid to the pan. Stir the wasabi and soy sauce into the reduction in the pan. Over low heat, gradually whisk in butter one cube at a time allowing the mixture to emulsify. Be careful not to let the mixture boil. When all of the butter has been incorporated, stir in cilantro, and remove from heat. Pour into a small bowl, and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush tuna steaks with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place in the hot skillet, and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook, this fish should be served still a little pink in the center. Serve with sauce.

1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish) 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil Mix soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste; whisk well.

Chill before using.

Wasabi mashed

potatoes 6 potatoes, peeled 4 oz cream cheese 3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons wasabi salt

P

ut the potatoes in a pot and add water to more than cover them. Salt the hell out of the water.

Boil potatoes until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and add the butter and cream cheese and mash.

Add the wasabi, a bit at a time. Add less than you think you might want because if you let the mashed potatoes sit any length of time, the intensity of the wasabi flavor increases. Let the mashed potatoes sit for about 10-20 minutes. Then add two or three tablespoons of milk and reheat them while continuing to mash them (this makes them a bit creamier).

Wasabi-crusted chicken 1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread 4 teaspoons wasabi powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 eggs, beaten to blend 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, flattened to 1/3-inch thickness between plastic wrap 4 tablespoons peanut oil 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce 6 tablespoons low-salt chicken broth 3 green onions, thinly sliced

C

breasts

ombine panko, wasabi powder, salt, and pepper in large shallow dish. Place eggs in pie dish. Dip chicken, 1 breast at a time, in egg, then in panko mixture. Turn to coat completely.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. SautĂˆ 2 chicken breasts until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.

Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

Add teriyaki sauce and chicken broth to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Drizzle sauce over chicken.

Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : fallen mountaineering party -- but at a crucial moment, she loses her nerve.

www.the99.org

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

On K2, the world’s second-largest mountain, Kabeera the Great tries to rescue a

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Answer

The first letter of each answer appears next to its clue in alphabetical order. All the first letters have been entered into the grid. Can you complete the puzzle?

A. Graceful animal (8) A. Fruit (5) D. Found in a calendar (4) D. Writing table (4) D. Female deer (3) D. Bird (4) E. Snakelike fish (3) E. Number (5) E. Large animal (8)

H. Pile (4) I. Ice hut (5) L. Young man (3) L. Limb (3) N. Short sleep (3) P. Writing implement (3) S. Smooth fabric (4) T. Large woody plant (4) V. Snake (5)

Look at the clues below and fill all the numbers you can into the grid. Then start again and use your answers to help solve the other clues.

Across 2. Ninety-one doubled 4. Half of sixty-eight 5. 7 across plus 14 down 7. Sixty-six divided by three 8. 3421 reversed 10. Fifty-two divided by four 12. Number of hours in a day 13. Half of 3536 15. Three times seven 16. Five times thirteen 17. Forty-eight doubled 18. Eight times sixty-four

Down 1. Fifty-four divided by three 2. Number of days in a fortnight 3. Half of 5842 4. 17 across divided by three 6. Four times 15 across 7. 9 down minus ninety 9. 123 reversed 11. Five times 1131 14. Half of 152 15. 10 across doubled 17. Four times twenty-three 19. Seventy-five divided by five

4 letters BEAN LEEK 5 letters ONION 6 letters CARROT CELERY

7 letters CABBAGE LETTUCE PUMPKIN RHUBARB SPINACH 8 letters BEETROOT CUCUMBER MUSHROOM

9 letters ASPARAGUS 11 letters CAULIFLOWER

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal or vertical.

Can you find the hidden numbers? They may be horizontal or vertical.

11363, 14749, 17659, 28273, 36238, 36433, 38473, 49387, 61355, 64848, 66483, 78448, 82993, 83738, 87637, 99938.

BARGE, BATTLESHIP, BOAT, CANOE, CATAMARAN, DINGHY, FELUCCA, GONDOLA, JUNK, KAYAK, LINER, LUGGER, MOTORBOAT, RAFT, SCHOONER, SPEEDBOAT, STEAMER, TRAWLER, YACHT.

Find the Letters

Some letters of the alphabet are missing from the circle.

Can you use the missing letters to find something to play?

T

here are eight numbers in the box between 1 and 100. The numbers increase by nine. Can you work out which numbers are missing?

Books FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Geoff Dyer: The literary establishment and me ‘The important thing is the unspoken assumption that this establishment - whatever it is - is a bad thing’

I

’m going to be talking here about the literary establishment. You know who I mean. Don’t you? Well, even if you don’t, you certainly know what I mean. You don’t?

Come to think of it, neither do I. It’s one of those expressions and concepts whose rhetorical potency and convenience derive, imprecisely, from the fact that no one stops to think whether it means anything at all any more than a squash player pauses to consider why there’s a wall at the back of the court.

Here is a classic example, from a book of criticism published in 1986, in which we learn that “the literary establishment does not see its confusion” - about the status of the writer John Berger - “in these terms”.

The author of these lines detects a whiff of conspiracy without being able to say with any certainty - as is the case with all the best conspiracies - who the conspirators are or, for that matter, exactly what form the conspiracy takes or what it is intended to achieve. I say this with more than usual certainty because the author of these lines was my 27-year-old self.

Bringing things up to date, Jonathan Coe was one of a number of writers invited to pick their books of the year in these pages. He prefixed his choices by praising the Booker judges who “chose a diverse and challenging shortlist and then, having royally offended the literary establishment by excluding so many of their current favourites ... “ Again, who and what, in an admittedly off-the-cuff aside, did Coe have in mind? He didn’t mean himself, presumably, because that would have made no sense, though to be asked to contribute to these lists could be a sign of establishment membership. In fairness to Coe, although he won the Samuel Johnson prize for a lobbying biography of BS Johnson (who, as Coe puts it in the entirely on-the-cuff context of the book’s introduction, “was always angry, and hurt, and unhappy at his treatment by the literary establishment”), he has since retired from book reviewing and critical reputation-making to concentrate on his own fiction (which could be taken as proof that someone has succeeded in ascending/absconding to the loftiest perches of the literary establishment). The important thing is the unspoken assumption that this literary establishment - whatever it is - is a bad thing.

Reflecting on some of the ideas in his great book Culture and Society, Raymond Williams observed that it was only when he “realised that no one ever used [the word] ‘community’ in a hostile sense” that he became suspicious of it. On that basis we should be suspicious of “the literary estab-

lishment”, because it is only used in a negative way - like a squash court wall again, something that exists in order to have stuff hurled against it.

So what are the characteristics of this impregnable wall? At the risk of tautology, the first thing to be said about the establishment is that it is unique to literature.

One does not speak of the music, art or film establishment (“Hollywood” is the preferred target for the cinematically disgruntled and marginalised, shorthand for a lack of the cultural snobbery that is assumed to be one of the hallmarks of the literary establishment). It is taken to mean a cabal

Kelman on stage in 1987. The occasion was the publication of Kelman’s Greyhound for Breakfast, before the Booker-winning How Late It Was How Late. When I asked Kelman about his literary standing, he claimed he had been “marginalised”. But, I responded timidly, his book had been enthusiastically and widely reviewed - and he was speaking to a packed and doting audience at the ICA. Yes, he snapped, “I’ve been colonised.” A superbly balanced answer in the way Linford Christie was famously described as well-balanced by Derek Redmond: because he had a chip on both shoulders.

Unpicking things more closely, the

of aesthetically conservative power-brokers and reputation-makers, preservers and preventers.

If we had to visualise this establishment, it would resemble an Edwardian board of aesthetic censors presided over by a stern TS Eliot-type figure inherently hostile to innovation (the irony, of course, is that Eliot was the greatest revolutionary in modern poetry) and keeping a perpetually wary eye on the likes of a Terry Eagleton or a James Kelman. It is often said to be London-centric, dominated by white males who had the privilege of attending the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge. One of these Oxbridge-educated London-dwellers enjoyed the privilege of interviewing

establishment presumably comprises literary agencies and publishing houses, some of whom have more sway than others. In London these publishers would include Jonathan Cape and Faber; in New York, Knopf and FSG. At a human level there are the editors at these houses, and the literary editors of papers and periodicals (some of which wield more of what my late Italian publisher termed “power-clout” than others), who decide which books to review and who to ask to review them. Then there are the people who get asked to sit on prizegiving panels, who decide which books to honour, and academics within the English departments at universities who decide which books to teach and canonise. Hang

on, I feel sure I’m forgetting at least one other important category of person. Ah, right, stupid me ... the writers!

Clearly, these groups are not entirely distinct and there is a good deal of movement between them. Writers write reviews, serve as judges, even start their own imprints with agents, and send emails to literary editors saying they’d like to review this book, or that another book should be reviewed by someone, or they write to publishers suggesting that a book that has fallen out of print might be considered for reissue. A lot of these people know each other in the same way that bricklayers in a given town will tend to know the other bricklayers (and plumbers and plasterers, and the people who supply building materials).

Membership is not fixed, it changes all the time as new voices and minds emerge and old brains lapse into silence and senility. It is not politically aligned, though it tends to be left-liberal leaning and predominantly atheistic.

Beyond that, I don’t detect anything monolithic or impregnable about this literary establishment except a belief in the importance of spelling and punctuation. It is more that an accumulation of voices some of which make themselves heard more effectively and frequently than others - results in a consensus of opinion that is all the time being tested and contested. Most important, this mythic beast, the literary establishment, consists of people lamenting not only the bias, misjudgments and stupidity of other people who are part of it but - as we have seen - its very existence.

Complaints about the poor taste, flawed judgment and provincialism displayed in the literary world are not the war cries of a lone Apache looking in vain for some weakness in the circled wagons of the establishment - they are the quarrelsome sounds emerging from the scattered wagons themselves. To drop the metaphor, they’re the sounds of people who care about books talking to and about other people who care about books. There is no such thing as the literary establishment. I know this because I am part of it.—Guardian

Books FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Lloyd Shepherd: My parley with ebook pirates When the author of The English Monster found a request to pirate his novel circulating on discussion board Mobilism, he decided to respond himself - and was surprised by the results

M

y novel The English Monster was published on 1 March. A week later, a Google alert dropped into my inbox with a link to a forum post on a site called Mobilism, on which a character called “Fe2” was offering a reward to anyone prepared to produce a free ebook version of The English Monster for him to use.

Most books these days are pirated in some form or another, and having worked on the web before I was a novelist I was anticipating that with a fair degree of sang-froid. But this was the first piratical move on my book, and it was also an oddity - more an incitement to piracy than piracy itself.

This, I discovered, is how Mobilism works. The site is essentially an enormous discussion board. It started, as far as I can make out, as a place where people made “mobile” versions of games and other stuff and offered them to each other. It now offers mobile (read: pirated) versions of movies and music as well as games. And books. Lots and lots of books.

However, I need to be careful about my terminology, because Mobilism is very, very careful about its own. It states, often, that it does NOT host any files of pirated material on its own servers; it only links to them. It also provides a kind of currency mechanism for people to reward each other for producing pirated material; you earn things called “WRZ$” by posting on the site, and you earn a great deal more by producing versions of content and making them available for other users.

But - and I am being careful to repeat this - these versions are NOT hosted by Mobilism. All that Mobilism requires is that

you put your pirated material at a website address where other users can download it, for free, without registration. Mobilism is like a catalogue of links to other people’s warehouses. It’s an index, not a repository.

It’s exploiting a characteristic of the legal arrangements around the internet - that you should be able to link to something without becoming liable for it. This is an essential element of what makes the web work. It also allows Mobilism to create entire cathedrals to pirated content, without hosting any of that content itself.

(As an aside, this legal arrangement is now under some attack. Richard O’Dwyer is right now facing extradition to the US to feel the wrath of the Hollywood entertainment industry for building a site that contained thousands of links to pirated material. It’s hard to understand why O’Dwyer is attracting this kind of legal firepower, while no one seems to be extraditing Mobilism’s owners. Perhaps because, as far as I can see, no one knows who they are.)

Many writers in my position, I know, have gone into a rage when their books are pirated - particularly those with no experience of the legal ways of the internet. How can it be, they yell, that these clowns are stealing my livelihood? And I felt some irritation, of course. But blind anger wasn’t getting us anywhere, and here was an opportunity to ask this guy (in my head, he’s a guy, although she may well not be) what he thought he was doing. I went on to the forum to put it to him. This is what I said: So, I’m the author of The English Monster. Can it be that you’re offering to

pay someone to create an ebook of the book I wrote? I’d be interested to hear your justification for this. For your interest, this book took me two years to write, and represents (on a rough estimate) perhaps 500 hours of work on my part, not to mention the time and effort put in by others to design, print, copy-edit and produce the final version. And you’re proposing to pay someone else - someone who had no part in the making of the book - to produce a copy for you. Is there a good reason why you can’t pay through normal channels for my book?

Please understand me - I am genuinely interested in what you’ve got to say about this. This is my first book, and this is my first experience of someone attempting to produce a pirate version of it (I do not use the word “pirate” pejoratively, mind). Is there any reason why I shouldn’t expect to be compensated for the time I have put into this? To my surprise, this attracted a response.

Mr Shepherd, I can tell by your measured reply that you are trying to be as fair and nonjudgmental as possible, so thank you. I am not sure how to answer you - and our messages will no doubt be deleted soon.

Bottom line is, there is no justification or reason that would or should ever satisfy the author of original content. Anyone that tries to make sense of this process (that publishing houses are greedy; that knowledge should be free ... just two reasons that I have seen bandied about) is just fooling themselves. There is also a Robin Hood aspect to this, that perhaps you may under-

stand. Either way, I don’t think there is a way of putting this digital information era genie back into the bottle. I wish you every luck in future.

This was the point at which I did, I confess, lose it for a moment. This was such a stupid collection of cliche and childishness.

It’s the kind of pseudo-anarchist garbage we’ve come to expect from the more militantly dumb wings of the anti-copyright campaign. I wrote a long reply (you can see the entire discussion here) which said, in summary, that if authors couldn’t get compensation for their work there would be no authors, and didn’t he know that Coleridge and Wordsworth only wrote Lyrical Ballads to fund a holiday in Germany, and why was he blaming this “digital information era genie” for his own bad behaviour. But, you know, friendly-like.

At this point, two things happened. First, the mysterious powers at Mobilism moved the forum thread from its original location under “ebook requests” to a new place called “fulfilled ebook requests”. Meaning, I suppose, that they had recognised I had a problem with what was going on, but didn’t want to delete the topic. For this I give them some credit (perhaps in the form of WRZ$).—Guardian

Beauty FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

7 rules for

wearing stripe M

any guys want to express their style with more than just solid colors, but they worry about bold patterns seeming a little over the top. With such a dilemma, stripes are the perfect solution. As popular as ever, stripes serve as a good compromise by staying conservative while allowing their wearer to separate himself from the masses clad in solid white or blue shirts.

Though still relatively easy for most guys to pull off, you should keep several rules in mind when wearing stripes.

Rule 1- Go vertical You have two fundamental options to consider when choosing between the kinds of stripes to wear: horizontal or vertical. With few exceptions, horizontal stripes are the more stylish choice. Unless you want to look like a Sesame Street character, Waldo or a jailbird, horizontal stripes can be difficult.

Vertical stripes, on the other hand, do not carry many negative connotations, unless you are a Red Sox fan-in which case you’d likely avoid pinstripes.

Vertical stripes make you look taller, which can be great if you’re vertically challenged, but might make you look like Lurch if you’re already tall. Wearing horizontal stripes also comes with the unfortunate side effect of making overweight people look even more overweight. It’s an optical illusion of sorts, but perception is what sticks.

So anyone with a few extra pounds should be extra wary of horizontal

stripes.

If you are intent on wearing horizontal stripes, I would suggest a sweater with one or two horizontal stripes over a solid background. You could also try a sweater in which the stripes have varying weight, such as Dolce & Gabbana’s brown striped cotton cardigan. Such tasteful sweaters can be worn to casual venues.

Rule 2- Keep it thin From this point forward, vertical stripes will be the focus, since there are exceedingly few situations when horizontal stripes will be your best bet.

You must determine the weight of the stripes you want.

As a general guideline, keep them relatively thin.

Whether horizontal or vertical, wide stripes are not stylish.

Instead, I suggest sticking to stripes less than an inch in width.

Again, varying weight is preferable, as in Versa’s charcoal striped dress shirt.

Rule 3- Beware of complementary colors With direction and weight under control, you should next consider color. There are no particular colors that all guys should avoid.

Your own personal style will dictate which colors should work for you.

Certain color combinations, however, should be avoided. In particular, beware of complementary colors. These are colors opposite one another on the color wheel, such as red/green, yellow/purple and blue/orange.

Contrasting colors will generally seem loud and often aesthetically painful when on top of one another.

Rule 4- Consider pants with pinstripes Pinstripe pants have become increasingly popular. They are rather versatile and can be worn anywhere from business meetings to bar hop-

ping. When wearing pinstripe pants out on the town, you might consider pairing them with a solid shirt and a sports coat. This ensemble provides a trendy, sophisticated look.

Rule 5- Don’t wear clown socks This rule is very simple: Do not wear socks with wide horizontal stripes unless you happen to make a living as a circus clown.

Doing so could result in that candy cane look when your socks are showing. If you must wear socks with stripes, stick to a thin gauge with very subtle color contrasts, such as brown and khaki.

Rule 6- Find a nice pinstripe suit Nothing looks better than a nice pinstripe suit by a good designer like Calvin Klein, Valentino or Hugo Boss. The stripes in all well-made suits will connect at the seams.

Try wearing a solid shirt with such a suit, matching the color of the stripe, and a mild-patterned tie that brings it all together. Valentin’s pinstripe wool, three-button suit is a great example of the perfect pinstripe suit.

Rule 7- Mix stripes very carefully Those with old school views on fashion vehemently oppose wearing two articles of clothing with stripes. For example, they would condemn the practice of wearing a pinstripe suit with a striped shirt. In today’s fashion climate, however, such outdated rules do not apply. Still, this doesn’t mean that anything goes-make sure that the two articles of clothing have stripes of different weight.

Stripe it up If you follow these seven basic rules, you can wear stripes with confidence. Of course, these rules will also make you conscious of the common mistakes that many guys make when wearing stripes. Just try not to be too judgmental of a guy wearing those candy cane socks-maybe they were a gift from his blind mother. (www.askmen.com)

Beauty FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Make your

SKIN

naturally glow B

eauty, the saying goes, is only skin-deep. But the importance of skin goes a lot deeper. Most of us think of skin as just our body’s visible outer layer, but doctors consider skin an organ, meaning that it is very much alive and charged with many important duties.

In particular, the skin is the first layer of your immune system, serving as a shield between you and legions of germs such as viruses and bacteria. It also protects your insides from sun, cold, scrapes, cuts, and moisture. And, of course, your sense of touch is crucial for everyday function.

Like any part of your internal body, your skin can be healthy or ill. It can be well nourished or malnourished. It can be exercised, and it can wear down with age or abuse. In particular, as we age, our skin becomes thinner and drier. Plus, other, more unpleasant things happen to our skin. Things like wrinkles, age spots, dark circles, and large pores, which tend to turn up like uninvited guests at a wedding.

While you can’t control your age, you can control numerous other factors that accelerate this aging process, including excessive exposure to sunlight, loss of estrogen during menopause, poor dietary habits, stress, and cigarette smoking.

Unlike the other organs of your body, you can apply medicines, moisturizers, and other healthy potions directly to the skin. For that reason alone, there is absolutely no reason you can’t have healthy, attractive skin throughout your life. To keep your skin and face young and healthy, and to maintain its natural, protective moisture, follow these tips.

1. Skip the long, steamy showers and opt for shorter, cooler sprays. Long, hot showers strip skin of its moisture and wash away protective oils, says Andrea Lynn Cambio, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. So limit showers to 10 minutes and keep the water cool.

2. Check the dryness of your skin by scratching a small area on your arm or leg with your fingernail. If it leaves a white mark, your skin is indeed dry and needs both moisture and exfoliation (that is, removal of the outermost layer of dead skin cells).

3. Treat your neck and chest like an extension of your face.

Your neck and upper chest area is covered by very sensitive skin, making it a prime spot for telltale signs of aging such as dryness, sun spots, and wrinkles, says Susie Galvez, owner of Face Works Day Spa in Richmond, Virginia, and author of Hello Beautiful: 365 Ways to Be Even More Beautiful. To keep this area youthful, use facial cleansing creams that hydrate and cleanse gently rather than deodorant soaps, which can be drying. Top it all off with a good facial moisturizing cream. If this area is extra dry, use a facial moisturizing mask twice a month.

4. Run a humidifier every night in the winter to moisturize the air in your bedroom. Not only will it ease itchy, dry skin, you’ll be able

to breathe the moist air more easily.

5. Take 160 milligrams of soy isoflavones per day or pour soy milk over your cereal. Soy consumption may support skin health by supplying high-quality protein needed for building and maintaining collagen, the material essential to connective tissues, says Aaron Tabor, M.D., CEO and medical research director at Revival Soy in Kernersville, North Carolina. Soy isoflavones may also act as antioxidants to protect collagen from damage caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecules that can weaken or destroy cell membranes. Free radicals can also damage DNA, create age spots and wrinkles, and depress the immune system, increasing the risk of skin cancer.

Good sources of soy isoflavones include soy milk (20-35 mg soy isoflavones per serving) and tofu (20-30 mg soy isoflavones per serving).

6. Switch from a deodorant soap to one with added fat, like Dove, Oilatum, or Neutrogena. Deodorant soaps can be drying, whereas added-fat soaps leave an oily, yet beneficial, film on your skin.

7. Keep your beauty products clean and simple, particularly if you have sensitive skin. Stay away from products with color, fragrance, or those that produce bubbles or have “antibacterial” on the label, says Dr. Cambio. These can all irritate skin.

8. Smooth a couple of drops of olive oil over your face, elbows, knees, and the backs of your arms every evening. The oil contains monounsaturated fat, which refreshes and hydrates skin without leaving a greasy residue.

9. For soft, young-looking hands and feet, slather on moisturizing cream and then slip on thin-fabric socks and gloves while you sleep.

10. Tone your skin with a sage, peppermint, and witch hazel combination. Sage helps to control oil, peppermint creates a cool tingle, and witch hazel helps restore the skin’s protective layer. Combine 4 ounces of witch hazel with 1 teaspoon each of sage and peppermint leaves and steep for one to three days before applying to your skin.

11. Select a moisturizer that contains skin-repairing humectants. Is that a new word for you? Humectants attract water when applied to your skin and improve its hydration. Good ones include glycerin, propylene glycol, and urea. Also look for skin products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), compounds that help reduce wrinkles and improve dry skin, acne, and age spots. AHAs, which naturally occur in grapes, apples, citrus, and sour milk (think buttermilk or yogurt), work by speeding up the turnover of old skin cells, making skin look younger.

12. Use a loofah daily to keep ingrown hairs and scaly skin under control. While in the shower, gently scrub bumpy or scaly skin with a circular motion to remove dead cells. For extra-smooth skin, sprinkle a few drops of an alpha-hydroxy product on the loofah before scrubbing.

13. Take rose hips every morning to help build collagen.

Rich in vitamin C, rose hips (available at drugstores) can help keep skin smooth and youthful. Follow label directions.

14. Pop a high-potency multivitamin every day. Many nutrients are vital to healthy skin, including vitamins C, A, and B. The most reliable way to get them all every day is to eat well, as well as take a daily supplement.

15. Use unscented baby powder to keep areas where skin meets skin - like the inner thighs, underarms, beneath large breasts - clean and dry. This is important to prevent a common skin condition called intertrigo, which occurs when such areas remain moist, fostering the growth of bacteria or fungi.

16. If you’re gearing up for a day in the sun, steer clear of scented lotions and perfumes. Scented products can lead to blotchy skin when exposed to the sun, says Galvez. (www.rd.com)

Health FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

How to vary your training If you want to get fitter, you need to add some variety to your regime

Steady running Steady running, at a comfortable pace, builds your aerobic base - the foundation for the rest of your training, as well as burning calories, strengthening your muscles, ligaments and tendons and helping your body become more efficient at taking in and using oxygen. You should be able to hold a conver-

sation at this pace.

Easy runs/recovery running An easy run is a slow run or jog during which you feel relaxed and can breathe easily.

As a beginner, many of your first runs will be easy runs (although they might not always feel like it!), but they will continue to play an

important part in your overall programme for two reasons: firstly, it’s not possible to run hard all the time and secondly, easy running serves as active recovery.

from a few seconds to a number of minutes and you can change the amount of recovery, the pace of the efforts and the number of reps you do.

Threshold running Threshold or tempo runs are the best way of improving your running economy - your energy expenditure and heart rate at any given effort level. A more efficient economy will enable you to run faster for the same investment of effort.

The way to run these sessions is to find the pace that is just beyond your comfort zone, but not flat out. You will only be able to utter a couple of words at a time, and you’ll need to stay 100% focused. Over time and with the right training, your threshold level will get higher and you will be able to run for longer.

The threshold referred to is the lactate threshold - the pace at which lactic acid builds up in the muscles faster than it can be flushed out, typically at around 85% of your maximum heart rate.

Fartlek Fartlek means “speed play” in Swedish, and is a way of injecting variety into a training session by varying the pace at will, or in accordance with the terrain or your surroundings.

For example, you could run fast between one park bench and the next and then jog to the next one. You could power up the hills, but take it easy on the flats. While fartlek is similar to interval training in that it intersperses hard efforts with recovery, it is much less structured.

Long runs Long runs are all about distance and building stamina or endurance. The idea is to gradually extend the duration, (rather than the speed) at which you cover distance. Your pace should be entirely comfortable. The duration varies according to your level of fitness and your goals. Start by adding between five and 10 minutes to your steady run distance, and gradually build up from there.

Interval training Interval training entails running fast for relatively short bursts of time or distance on a pre-set schedule. The fast bit (effort) can vary

Hill training Hill training builds leg strength as well as stamina. It can either involve running repeats up a particular hill and jogging back down again or running continuously over hilly terrain. The length and gradient of the hill or hills, or the total run time will determine the intensity of the session.—Guardian

Health FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

12 Fat burning foods for faster weight loss

F

at burning foods are foods that you may include in your diet which help to speed up your metabolism. Apart from these foods, regular exercise with lots of cardio, plenty of sleep, reduced stress levels and body detoxification are other factors necessary for faster weight loss. Hot Peppers: Spicy chili peppers such as jalapeno, cayenne and habanero are great for improving circulation and giving a boost to your metabolism. This is mainly due to the capsaicin contained in hot peppers which serves as a stimulant for pain receptors in the body. In fact, research has found that eating hot peppers can give your metabolism a boost of up to 25%, with this spike lasting for up to three hours. Take a look at the complete list of twelve foods that burns belly fat that you should include in your weight loss diet to ensure its

Broccoli Broccoli is generally referred to as a weight reducer because it has extraordinarily high levels of calcium, as well as vitamins C, K and A. a single serving of broccoli is ideal for providing you with large amounts of folate, dietary fiber and antioxidants. In addition to the nutrients it contains, broccoli is one of the most effective fat burning foods for body detox.

Whole Grains: Oatmeal & Brown Rice Whole grains are fat burning foods full of complex carbohydrates that work in stabilizing insulin levels in the body, thereby accelerating the metabolic rate. When trying to lose weight, the last thing your body needs are the spikes associated with foods rich in sugar that raise insulin levels, which in turn trigger the body to begin storing extra fat. Add slow release carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal and quinoa to your diet as these provide you with energy for longer periods of time.

Green Tea Many studies have found that green tea extract works well in increasing the body’s metabolic rate, while also proving various other benefits to your overall health. What’s more, green tea extract is also rich in antioxidants and caffeine. Coffee is also ideal because of its high caffeine content that gives the metabolism a boost.

Soups Scientific research has found that when you eat soup, you are less likely to eat solid foods during your main meal. Studies have found that the liquid element of the soup provides a good combination of solids and liquids. This helps to reduce appetite and the intake of excess food, as well as accelerating the metabolic process for burning fat in the body.

Apples and Pears Research has found that apples and pears

are great fat burning foods for boosting the body’s metabolic rate, while also speeding up the process of weight loss. One study found that women who eat three small apples or pears everyday enjoy greater chances of losing more weight than those who do not.

eye salmon, Chilean sea bass, anchovies, halibut, sardines, tuna, clams, herring, mackerel and trout; eat shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, scallops, crabs, mussels. Other great sources of omega-3 fatty acids include nuts and seeds, as well as flax seed oil and hemp oil.

Spices Spices are fat burning foods great for keeping metabolic rates at a high level. Black pepper, ginger, mustard seeds and powdered onion are some of the more pungent spices known for accelerating the metabolism. Other beneficial spices include garlic and cinnamon.

Studies have found that when an individual uses spices in their diet, they are able to burn up to 1,000 more calories a day, than those who do not eat spices with their food.

Purified Water While purified water isn’t actually a food, it does serve as a great booster for the metabolic rate in your body. Studies have found that when you drink water, this accelerates the body’s ability to burn fat. In addition to flushing out impurities and suppressing your appetite, cold water gives a boost to the metabolism by warming you up as your body attempts to regulate the introduced cold temperature.

Citrus Fruits Citrus fruits such as grapefruit have been found to aid in the burning of fat and keeping metabolic rates high. This is mainly attributed to their high levels of Vitamin C which is great for reducing insulin spikes.

Lean Proteins Lean proteins are also fat burning foods ideal for boosting your metabolic rate. Try some rabbit, goat meat, skinless chicken and eggs from free range chickens or enriched omega-3 chickens. Eat game meat such as bison (buffalo), venison, wild turkey, pheasant and elk; and lean beef that comes from animals that are feed grass such as lean hamburger, sirloin steak, chuck steak, sirloin steak, flank steak and London broil.

Calcium Rich Foods Studies have found that an individual who eats 1,200-1,300 milligrams of calcium daily is likely to lose almost double the weight of those who do not. It is therefore important to eat enough calcium rich fat burning foods such as yoghurt, skimmed milk and other low fat dairy products.

Omega-3’s Rich Foods Another great way to boost your metabolism is by eating fat burning foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids - the acids responsible for reducing the production of the hormone leptin, a natural chemical which reduces the metabolic rate. In addition to oily fish such as sock-

Arts FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude T

hat JMW Turner was profoundly indebted to the French landscape painter Claude Lorrain has never been in doubt.

The influence was obvious from the start. Of the many surprising facts about him - that he owned a pub in Wapping, that he had a secret life with an illiterate woman in Chelsea, where his nickname on the streets was Admiral Puggy Booth - the least shocking was this strong French connection. In his day, Turner was even known as the “British Claude”.

Nor has this been news since his death in 1851. In his immense and complex bequest, Turner left two landscapes to the nation to be hung next to a pair by Claude so that the affinities would be fully apparent to succeeding generations. You can see them in room 15 of the National Gallery to this day.

What Turner took from Claude is all there at a glance: the aerial view, the graceful staging with great trees on either side and the landscape dissolving into the distance in untraceable gradations, the mastery of hazy golden sunrise and the luminous glow of dusk; Claude’s magical light. There is more, of course, but the formula for the ideal poetical landscape Claude more or less invented is clearly established.

Anyone who has already seen this, for free, might well ask what an entire show on the subject is likely to give them for the price of entry. One answer might be a greater familiarity with Claude for those who haven’t had much opportunity, in particular with his wonderfully subtle ink-wash views made on the spot (and, not incidentally, beautiful as any late Turner).

Another answer, alas, might be some glum misgivings about the ultimate value of such shows.

Claude Gellee (1600-82) was born in Lorraine, hence the nickname, but known for short as Claude. That he worked his way up from pastry cook in Rome to supreme European landscape painter is glibly cited here as some sort of parallel to Turner’s rise from barber’s shop to Royal Academy. What they actually share is not humble origins so much as a transcendent vision for the art of landscape.

When Turner saw Claude’s Seaport With the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba with

its dominating sun - so remote, its rays truly seeming to travel through time to reach these classical ruins by the shore -, he was, according to a witness, “awkward, agitated and burst into tears”. The shock of recognition presumably overwhelmed him. But indeed anyone might be moved by this vision of scattered figures watching the slow departure into the faraway light of that world, the sense of an ending is so profound.

And so is the sense of time - or timelessness. Claude paints the Italian countryside as

an ancient land of towering trees and toppled monuments in which you might as easily chance upon Narcissus and Echo as encounter a jig of 17th-century peasants. The pale mountains are as ageless as the dark grottoes, the silver tide could be bearing a boat to Naples or Byzantium.

When Turner sees these works - he didn’t have to travel for there were hundreds of Claudes in British collections by 1800 - his reaction is immediate. It is not just that he produces his own version of Narcissus, nor that he paints Tivoli on Thames, but that he, too, begins to fuse the past with the present.

Linlithgow Palace, for instance, rises like the proverbial fairy castle out of gold-tinged mist.

It is a scene both romantic and to a large extent factual. But in the foreground below, a group of male nudes - shirts discarded like togas - bathe in the warm river as if this was ancient Greece and not 19th-century West Lothian.

It is striking to witness this response in the gallery and certain moods common to both artists emerge more distinctly through the alternating display. But the revelations are swiftly over. Infelicities in Turner - his hopelessly static dancers, say - send you to Claude for comparison (as the show urges) and this feels unfair on both painters.

Nor, by the way, does the exhibition have anything to say about the relationship of figures to landscape, which is surely more interesting than the old lecture about suns and stage-sets. Spectators, mythical heroes, workers, passing angels: none appears rooted in the landscape; at their best, these figures have a curious power of suggestion, inspiring a vision of the landscape when there is nobody there. —Guardian

Arts FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Anthony Caro: A life in sculpture

I

n 1955 the influential art critic David Sylvester identified Anthony Caro as the best British sculptor since Henry Moore.

But by 1963 he was having second thoughts. Shortly after Caro’s groundbreaking Whitechapel Gallery exhibition that year, in which he had taken the then radical step of dispensing with a plinth for his abstract steel sculptures, Sylvester accompanied a group from the Royal College of Art - “in principle, the crËme de la crËme of Britain’s sculpture students” - to see some of Caro’s work at an open-air exhibition.

When they got to Midday - Caro’s 1960 yellow-painted assemblage of bolted-together pieces of steel, now often described as his first masterpiece and later acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York - “one of the brightest of them declared that he wasn’t prepared to discuss the piece, as it wasn’t a work of art”, Sylvester recalled. The “distressing afternoon in Battersea Park” ended with a “perfunctory and embarrassed discussion of Midday during which at least half the class sulked”.

Sylvester told this story - in a catalogue essay for a 1980s Caro exhibition - as an example of how “aesthetic conservatism can manifest itself where we would least expect it”. And the fast-moving relationship between the radical and the conservative in the world of art has been a feature of Caro’s long career as he has oscillated between the cutting edge and the establishment, depending on who you ask, and when.

“It’s very difficult today to imagine what a battle there once was over these ideas and how much we upset people,” Caro says.

“Even over abstraction. Someone would always ask ‘what’s that sculpture for?’ If you said it’s not ‘for’ anything apart from looking at, there’d instantly be a big fight.”

Like many revolutionaries, Caro was always, at least in part, an insider. His first job was as an assistant to Henry Moore, and he conducted his overhaul of British sculpture from a post at St Martin’s school of art in London. For nearly 30 years he had significant influence over how and what art students were taught, but it was also at St Martin’s that he was exposed to the sometimes brutally rapid movement of artistic evolution. Just a few years after his Whitechapel show had set sculpture on a new path and so enraged the conservatives, a new generation of students emerged - Barry Flanagan, Gilbert and George and Richard Long, among others for whom Caro was someone to rebel against.

“That group was very much a reaction against the first group of abstract sculptors,” he explains. “They were trying to find another way. And some of that was interesting. Where does art start? Where does it stop? Does it breathe? But I did also have a sense that the goalposts had somehow been moved.” For all that, he says he was intrigued by some of Long’s work and was “always enormously amused by Gilbert and George. They were lovely people, despite us not having much to say to each other art-wise. I remember seeing them doing their living sculpture thing and I said hello, and they ignored me. A little later they came up to me and apologised if they had appeared rude, but explained they couldn’t speak because they had been busy.”

In one sense, Caro’s subsequent career has been essentially an establishment one.

His work is in more than 175 public collections around the world, and as far back as 1976 he was presented with the key to the

city of New York by the mayor. In the UK he was knighted in 1987 and made a member of the Order of Merit in 2000. But in art terms, he has remained restlessly innovative and has been a productive presence for more than 60 years.

There is now an opportunity to see four decades of Caro’s work in the grounds of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire - itself a piece of radical architecture when built. “I was offered the whole of the estate, but I liked the areas nearer the house because it was formal enough to take the sculptures, and you are never looking from afar and seeing a great big sculpture on the horizon.

I wanted something more intimate.”

He has planned the sitings of the works at Chatsworth. Yet he says: “I always feel my job is to make the sculptures, and curating shows is really for someone else. It feels like looking backwards, and throughout my entire career I’ve always said, ‘what’s next?’, not ‘what’s just happened?’. When I began, being a sculptor might have meant producing statues of generals on horseback. But I always pushed forward, and have had a career that would have been unimaginable even to myself back then.”

Caro was born in Surrey in 1924. His father was a stockbroker, and it was assumed, although not by Anthony, that his son would follow in his footsteps. The family was Jewish and as the persecution of Jews in Germany became increasingly obvious, his mother arranged for a school friend and her three children to come to England, where Caro’s father paid for the children’s education. Caro says the small amount of religious education he had “didn’t mean that much to me. It just seemed to say ‘praise God’ and I didn’t know quite what that meant. I actually preferred Christian hymns and prayers, which seemed more personal. And when I went to university my friends there were mostly practising Christians.” The spiritual strand in his life culminated in 2008, when he completed a nine-year project to restore and install new sculptures in a church in northern France destroyed during the second world war. “Is art so different from religion? It feeds the spirit, and through it you also try to find this inner part of yourself.”

At Charterhouse School Caro did a lot of art “without much encouragement. We were not well taught and while I did do the school certificate in art, I didn’t get a credit.”

In 1942 he went to Christ’s College, Cambridge, to study engineering, which by now his father had identified as another potential career. Art was still out of the question. “But my father knew I was serious about it, so he showed my work to a teacher at, ironically as it turned out, St Martin’s. He said I’d be no good and that I should just do it as a hobby. That suited my father very well as he thought artists were dilettantes and people who didn’t fit in with society. And I suppose he was right there.

But we still battled and battled.” It wasn’t until he was serving in the Fleet Air Arm at the end of the war, from 1944-46, that his father finally relented, and Caro spent the next six years having a “very traditional” art education.

While at art school he met the painter Sheila Girling, a fellow student. They married in 1949 and had two sons. His workshop and her studio still share space in a converted piano factory in Camden, north London. Shortly after getting married, Caro “pretty much just turned up” at Henry Moore’s door and asked for a job. “He didn’t

say yes. But he did ask me in for a cup of tea and told me to come back in six months’ time. Six months to the day later I rang him, and he told me I could start the following Monday.” So in 1951 the Caro family moved to Much Hadham in Hertfordshire, where Caro became Moore’s part-time assistant.

“Henry was wonderful and taught me a great deal,” he says. “We talked a lot about art, and he would look at my drawings and criticize them.” —Guardian

‘I always pushed forward, and have had a career that would have been unimaginable even to myself back when I began’

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

5. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

10. A flexible container with a single opening.

13. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

14. Lower in esteem.

15. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

16. The cardinal number that is the sum of five and one.

17. Of or relating to or containing barium.

18. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

19. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

21. A state in the Rocky Mountains.

23. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

24. Yellow-fever mosquitos.

26. The residue that remains when something is burned.

28. The mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico.

31. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

35. The eleventh month of the civil year.

36. A Hindu prince or king in India.

37. (especially of promises or contracts) Not violated or disregarded.

39. A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element.

41. Made warm or hot.

45. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

46. A port city in southwestern Iran.

49. Greek mythology.

52. A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures.

53. A simple seat without a back or arms.

56. An inn in some Eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans.

57. An accidental happening.

58. French engineer who constructed the Eiffel Tower (1832-1923).

60. Standard time in the 5th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 75th meridian.

61. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

62. Thorn apple.

63. (meaning literally `born') Used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman.

DOWN 1. Any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted.

2. An elaborate song for solo voice.

3. The quarter of many North African cities in which the citadel is located.

4. At right angles to the length of a ship or airplane.

5. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

6. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

7. Of or relating to or near the nares.

8. A line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage.

9. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

10. The dialect of Malay used as the national language of the Republic of Indonesia or of Malaysia.

11. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

12. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

20. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos.

22. A form of rummy using two decks and four jokers.

25. Of or relating to Dante Alighieri or his writings.

27. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

29. A recognizable kind.

30. Roman poet remembered for his elegiac verses on love (43 BC - AD 17).

32. Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.

33. A Loloish language.

34. An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure equal to about a bushel.

38. English writer (1832-1904).

39. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

40. City in northern Austria on the Danube.

41. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

42. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

43. An informal term for a father.

44. Covered or protected with or as if with a case.

47. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

48. Cheeselike food made of curdled soybean milk.

49. A Mid-Atlantic state.

50. Freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort.

51. (prefix) In front of or before in space.

54. Many times at short intervals.

55. (Irish) The sea personified.

59. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

Yesterday’s Solution

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

A visitor looks at a piece of art called “Children of Iraq” by Lebanese artist Robert Helou. — AFP

Y

our mom thinks you make great meatballs and have a knack for making friends. Oh yeah, she also thinks you’re beautiful, the most beautiful person in the room at any time. She’s been saying this since you were born. Is this so wrong?

You’re the friendly, beautiful meatball maker. But it’s that word “beautiful” we women always get hung up on. It’s the word we’ve heard since we can remember while our brothers and guy friends are called “cool” and “awesome”-adjectives more about them as people than their appearance.

Is this an issue? 54 percent of Care.com poll respondents say they typically call their daughter “beautiful” over “sweet” and “smart” when they greet them. So, are the “pretty dress” and “gorgeous hair” comments we hear as toddlers the reason we constantly critique ourselves-and our girlfriends?

“We can barely go anywhere without someone-a waitress, a vendor-referring to my girls as ‘princesses’ or telling them that they are beautiful,” says Sari Fisher of Marlboro, NJ, and the mom of two girls ages 5 and 2.

Sound familiar? “There’s nothing wrong with helping your daughter feel good about her exterior but she needs to know that it is not enough-looks change,” says psychotherapist Robi Ludwig, Ph.D., Care.com’s parenting expert. “There are lots of beautiful people in the world so it’s important to also be a beautiful person.”

In an effort to help you raise the next generation of strong, confident-and yes, beautiful women, Care.com asked the Dr. Ludwig and Boston-based psychotherapist Karen Ruskin, Ph.D, author of “The 9 Key Techniques for Raising Respectful Children Who Make Responsible Choices”-how we raise our daughters to truly know they’re beautiful-so they can focus on the other things.

And here’s the good news: You don’t need to stifle your thoughts about how adorable she looks in that poufy tutu or her gorgeous eyes. It’s true! (But those things are only part of her loveliness.)

People often focus on a little girls’ outfits or how “cute” she is, creating the wrong idea that her worth is tied up with her appearance. — MCT

A visitor takes a picture of a piece of art by Iranian artist Khosrow Hassanzadeh called the “Dome”, which is a combination of ceramic and media, displayed in the sixth Art Dubai exhibition in Dubai on March 21, 2012. The art fair is the largest exhibition of contemporary art in the Middle East featuring 75 galleries from 32 countries showing paintings, sculptures, installations and videos by more than 500 artists. — AFP

1. Tell her she is beautiful. Do not ignore your daughter’s appearance, just talk about in a way that compliments her mind. Instead of saying, “Your hair is pretty” or “Your shirt is pretty,” comment on her choice to create something beautiful rather than just being beautiful, Ruskin suggests. Let her know you love how she put together her outfit or how she chose to style her hair. Depending on her age, you can also impart the knowledge that no matter how stylish or hip you look, the way you carry yourself and the person you are makes the biggest statement and overrides outward appearance.

2. Cater to her. “Hype up things you sense she already feels good about,” Ludwig said. “It shows you have taken the time to figure out what kind of person she is.” When you compliment these aspects of her personality, it reinforces the confidence is she already building for herself. It might be how excited she was to get a solo in the school play or how good a friend she was to give Zoe a hug when she was crying.

3. Praise her. As a parent there are endless things you love about your child. Tell her! It’s so easy to tell her she looks pretty or she did a good job. Now dig deeper and get specific.

“I’m so proud that you finished that book all by yourself but asked for help when you needed it!” “You spoke so nicely with Grandma and Grandpa on the phone and it made themand me-feel so happy. I hope it makes you feel happy, too!”

“Recognize then verbalize what is good about her beyond looks she will incorporate it into her self-esteem,” Ludwig said.

4. Exaggerate your differences. Girls sometimes feel pressure to be just like their moms. And moms might not even realize that they are pushing their desires on their daughters. So point out to her how she is different than you in positive ways. If you are known for keeping a messy desk, comment on how neat and organized she is with her belongings. Does she always remember people’s birthdays while you are the Queen of Belated Emails? Tell her you wish you had the ability to remember dates and to be so thoughtful. When she hears how you wish you had her good qualities, she will strive to expand upon them.

5. Accept compliments. Both Ludwig and Ruskin agree: You can’t stop someone from giving a compliment but you can use the moment to teach your daughter about herself. As much as you want to jump in and add: “She’s not only pretty but she won the spelling bee!” you don’t want to sound like you’re bragging. “Your daughter needs a healthy balance of compliments so let her enjoy them,” Ruskin said. Afterwards, share a special moment with your daughter where you remind her that she is not just pretty, but you know she is smart, too. And if you must, it’s OK to occasionally let the other person know: “Thank you! She’s also an excellent soccer player.” This goes for yourself too, Momma. When someone showers you with a compliment in front of your kids, accept it gracefully. And if the good words are about your looks?

Thank the person and move on. But be sure to talk with your daughter later about how you feel beautiful in ways other

than your face or clothes.

6. Start young. And we mean really young, as in in-utero.

Pregnant women develop relationships with their growing babies and if they know the child’s gender, they talk to them and think about them differently. You might dream about all the pretty clothes you will buy for your daughter and about how beautiful she will be. Ruskin suggests you shake up these expectations. You don’t need to picture your daughter as a rock climbing instructor or a lead scientist finding the cure for cancer, but daydream about all the possibilities she will have in life and all the wonderful personality traits she will have— aside from looking cute in baby jeggings.

7. Change your vocab. Retrain your brain to use the word “smart” from the very beginning. Sure the dress you just put on her is adorable, but did she lift up her arms when it came time to slip the frock over her head? Tell her: “You’re so smart!” Whether it’s figuring out where to put a puzzle piece or identifying her nose, telling her she is smart will start to sink in. Your daughter will become aware of the compliment, learn it about herself and eventually mimic your words, Ruskin said. And then one day she will know it’s the truth.

8. Monitor your self-criticism. It might not seem like your kids are listening when beds never get made, toys aren’t shared and homework is left hanging, but our words really do make it past their iPod ear buds. If you say, “Mommy is putting on makeup to look pretty,” your daughter will come to understand that you are concerned about your looks. Use your words and actions to teach her that makeup and clothes are fun ways to play with your appearance but you don’t need them to be beautiful you simply want to use them in a creative way. And stop asking “Do I look good (fat, pretty, OK, thin)?” when kids are in earshot. You might question your appearance but you don’t have to share it. Plus, curbing these negative thoughts might stop them in your mind all together. Everyone wins!

9. Get everyone on board. Now that you have a game plan, it’s important to share your approach with your nanny, regular babysitters or caretakers. If you have a regularly scheduled meeting with your nanny (like a weekly sit-down) share these words of wisdom or print this article. It’s important for your daughter to see and hear all her role models (especially those college-age sitters!) acting and feeling the same way. — MCT

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

O

In this film image released by Sony Pictures Classics, Ray Sahetapy as Tama, left, and Pierre Gruno as Wahyu are shown in a scene from ‘The Raid: Redemption.’— AP

ne Direction’s Niall Horan was in a taxi when he learned that the group’s first album, “Up All Night,” debuted at the top of the latest Billboard Top 200 albums chart. So he did what any 18-year-old would do in that situation: “I freaked out.” He immediately started spreading the news with phone calls, but wanted to keep the news from his mom to play a joke on her. “I wanted to say we had lost out and that whole thing, but Billboard had posted it on their website so my cover was blown,” he said Wednesday. Horan and his band mates have a right to be excited. They sold more than 176,000 copies of the album in its first week of release to reach No. 1. It makes them the first British act to debut at No. 1 with their first album.

Harry Styles, 18, called the news “humbling” in a phone interview. “We’re just five normal boys from the UK who’ve been given this opportunity, so we’re having a great time working very hard.” The fans of One Direction have been hard at work as well. Thanks to social media, the group’s followers have helped to spread the word about their music. “It’s played a massive part,” said Styles.

“Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have been a large percentage of the reason we’ve been known outside of the UK ... We owe a massive thank you to the fans.”

“Whenever you ask anyone how they know about us, it’s always Twitter or Tumblr or something like that,” added 20-year-old Louis Tomlinson. The success of One Direction and other groups like Big Time Rush (who toured together recently) has led industry watchers to believe the boy band is making a comeback, and the guys are proud to wear that “boy band” tag. “There’s nothing wrong with it,” says Niall. “We are boys in a band. ... People have it in their head that a boy band, that it’s everyone wearing white and sitting on stage. That’s one side of it. We’re trying to do something else.”—AP

T

he film speed of 24 frames-per-second barely outruns the relentless pace of pummelingthat thumps through the Indonesian martial arts flick “The Raid: Redemption.” Hollywood’s eye for talent is acute for nothing so much as an action director, and in Gareth Huw Evans, it hopes to have found a filmmaker to resurrect the fist-flying genre of Bruce Lee. The Welsh filmmaker has mined the Indonesian fighting style of Silat, which he first sought out to document and then fictionalized in the little-seen 2009 film “Merantau.” “The Raid,” fashioned as a prequel to “Merantau,” was made with much of the same team, including Iko Uwais, who both plays our hero, Rama, and choreographed the fighting. After building buzz at festivals, it was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, which has made the subtitled Indonesian film more palatable to American audiences by slapping on a numetal score by Mike Shinoda of Lincoln Park and Joseph Trapanese.

Narrative complexity is not a relevant quality to “The Raid,” which Evans also wrote and edited. Like John Carpenter’s “Assault on Precinct 13,” it’s set almost entirely in one location: a dilapidated, monolithic, 15-story high rise in Jakarta. A 20member SWAT team is storming the building to turn out the crime lord Tama (Ray Sahetapy) who has fashioned an impenetrable lair out of the tall slum. He waits on the 15th floor with henchmen Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian, also a fight choreographer) and Andi (Doni Alamsyah) at his side, an army of gang members at the ready and floors of poor tenants who’ll do his bidding. Rama, who we first see working out and praying before leaving his pregnant wife for the mission, is only a rookie among the police force. They’re led by the graying Wahyu (Pierre Gruno), whose motives quickly come into question from team leader Jaka (Joe Taslim, a former Judo champ).

The siege is immediately overmatched, locked in a maze of grimy hallways and surrounded by psychopathic gunmen who rain bullets on the cowering police.

Tama watches from above through surveillance cameras, giving directives to the building’s inhabitants. As the police numbers dwindle, Rama stands apart for his fighting acumen. The battle ebbs from machine guns to machetes and ultimately to fists and feet. The bad guys (mostly clad in T-shirts and looking downright casual in their violence) carefully observe martial arts movie tradition, coming one at a time.

Small amounts of backstory bleed out of the action, but there’s little propelling things beside the simple kinetic kick of the film’s video game-like plot, the next guy coming around the corner. The claustrophobia of the film’s dingy, byzantine corridors could be taken for a metaphor for escaping omnipresent corruption (Rama may be the only decent one in the building). But any such thought evaporates in the never-ending flurry of combat. The fighting is blisteringly paced, uncluttered by character development. In a director’s statement, Evans acknowledges such a narrow focus, rhapsodizing on giving audiences a “crystal clear shot of a kick to the head.”

In one of the few bits of substantial dialogue, Mad Dog explains his ethos to a captive, as he lays down his gun and implores a hand-to-hand fight. “This is the pulse,” he says, looking at his deadly bare hands. Pulling a trigger, he sniggers, is “like ordering take-out.” “The Raid: Redemption” will offer a full meal to actionstarved moviegoers, but strike most others as - for all its athletic dynamism - lacking nutrition. “The Raid: Redemption,” a Sony Pictures Classics release, is rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, and language. Indonesian with English subtitles.

Running time: 100 minutes. Two stars out of four.—AP

File photo shows One Direction band members Harry Styles, from left, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik attend a CD signing at J&R Music World in New York. — AP

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ctor Robert De Niro on Wednesday apologized for joking at a Democratic fundraiser with Michelle Obama about the possibility of having a “white first lady” at the White House after November’s presidential elections. The Oscar-winning star of “The Godfather: Part II” and “Raging Bull” said he had intended no offense with the remark about the wives of Republican presidential contenders Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney.

“My remarks, although spoken with satirical jest, were not meant to offend or embarrass anyone-especially the first lady,” De Niro

said in a statement. De Niro found himself in hot water after Monday’s fundraiser in New York when he introduced Michelle Obama as the main speaker. “Callista Gingrich, Karen Santorum, Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?” De Niro said. “Too soon, right?” Newt Gingrich called the remarks inexcusable and divisive. Michelle Obama’s office said the joke was “inappropriate.”—Reuters

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 23 , 2012

Hip-hop dance parody ‘The FP’ disappoints

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ne gets the sensation while watching the lowbudget ‘80s parody “The FP” that a bunch of people went trolling at a vintage clothing store one day, found some moon boots, acid-washed jean jackets and neon tank tops and then decided to make a movie about them. “The FP” makes fun of several genres - dance movies, underdog sports flicks, glossy action pictures - and mixes them together in an attempt at kitschy cult infamy. But rather than crafting a movie that’s so bad it’s good, writer-director brothers Jason and Brandon Trost have come up with something that’s just plain bad - and boring, and repetitive. Once you get past the initial, brief laugh factor of the hideous retro trappings - mullets and bandanas and boom boxes, we were so lame! - it’s painfully obvious there isn’t much left.

And this criticism comes from a proud child of the ‘80s. I loved “Breakin’” back then, but no one needs a remake of or an homage to “Breakin.’” We didn’t even need “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” although it did provide us with the greatest sequel title ever. The predominately white characters here talk in the sort of co-opted, clunky hip-hop slang that might have worked for a little while in a sketch but soon grows tiresome. There’s also a certain N-word that gets tossed around casually which “The FP” tries to justify by jokingly claiming it’s an acronym. As an attempt at social commentary, this approach feels half-baked; as comedy, it just feels numbing. Their mantra - “We roll

together, we die together” - isn’t all that amusing the first time, and the committed self-seriousness with which it’s repeated doesn’t sell it any more convincingly.

The film is set for no apparent reason in a futuristic wasteland of trailer parks, run-down shacks and warehouse parties known as “The FP” (actually the Southern California mountain town of Frazier Park) where a turf war is raging between trash-talking dance gangs. Jason Trost stars as JTRO (pronounced JAY-tro), who loses his older brother, BTRO (Brandon Barrera) in a deadly “Beat-Beat Revelation” video game showdown with their gold-toothed rival, L Dubba E (Lee Valmassy).

A year later, JTRO is dragged out of hiding to avenge his brother’s death in a rematch, complete with multiple obligatory training montages. Nick Principe plays BLT, his spiritual, Mr. Miyagi-type mentor, while Art Hsu plays KC/DC, who serves as the competition’s hyperactive emcee and annoying Greek chorus. Meanwhile, Caitlyn Folley co-stars as Stacy, the damaged party girl who’s JTRO’s kinda-sorta love interest. All the women here are drunk, trashy idiots, which might be meant as a pointed sendup of that convention, but it’s not terribly encouraging. Still, Brandon Trost, who also serves as cinematographer, has shot many films before including “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” “MacGruber” and “Crank: High Voltage,” and he gives everything an appropriately

cold, metallic sheen. Sure, “The FP” knows all the steps, but it has no soul.

“The FP,” a Drafthouse Films release, is rated R for pervasive language, sexual content, some nudity and brief drug material. Running time: 83 minutes. One star out of four. — AP

In this film publicity image released by Drafthouse Films, Lee Valmassy, left, and Brandon Barrera are shown in a scene from ‘The FP.’ — AP

Michael Jackson

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he plush Los Angeles mansion where Michael Jackson died is on sale for $23.9 million, and a major celebrity is interested in buying it, according to realtors and the TMZ celebrity website. The seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom property, described as the centerpiece of an “elegant and sophisticated French chateau estate,” includes its own movie theater, a gym and a pool, said the realtors’ website. “The estate... offers a glamorous theater for screenings in a grand style, a magnificent wine cellar and tasting room, elevator, a spacious spa with gym, and an elegant guesthouse,” as well as an “expansive pool and gardens,” it said.

The house, built in 2002 in the Holmby Hills district west of Los Angeles, includes more than 17,000 square feet (1,580 square meters) of living space with 12 working fireplaces, and is set in a “lush and mature landscape” of some 1.26 acres (0.5 hectares). TMZ reported that the property went on sale on Monday, and said a “major celebrity” is set to visit it on Thursday. Realtor Mauricio Umansky, head

of The Agency in Beverly Hills, will only show the property to serious buyers who have pre-qualified, meaning they have the money to buy it.

Pictures on the website appeared to include shots of the bedroom-including what looks like the same bed headboard, if not bed-as the one where the King of Pop died on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50. The realtor’s office did not immediately respond to an inquiry over whether the bed is the same. The contents of the home, which Jackson rented, were sold at auction in December, although the bed and headboard were not included in items for sale, at the request of the Jackson family. Jackson’s personal doctor Conrad Murray was jailed for four years in November after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter of the star, who died from an overdose of the anesthetic drug propofol. —AFP

scar-winning actress Octavia Spencer promised Alabama fans Wednesday that she would do everything possible to make sure some of her future movies are made in her home state. Spencer, who won this year’s best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as the maid “Minnie” in “The Help,” told the crowd in Montgomery that her home would always be in Alabama.

Wearing a purple dress, she rode up to the Statehouse in a pink limousine for the ceremony. She was serenaded by the band from her alma mater, Jefferson Davis High School. She even paused for a moment to lead the band.

The Montgomery native thanked Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, for sponsoring a bill, approved by the state House, to increase the incentives the state offers for movies to be made in Alabama. The bill was approved later Wednesday by the Senate.

Multiple speakers, including Gov. Robert Bentley and leaders of the House and Senate, greeted Spencer at a joint session of the Legislature. Bentley proclaimed Wednesday as “Octavia Spencer Day in Alabama.

“We want to make sure your next Oscar is on a film shot right here in Alabama,” Speaker Mike Hubbard told the actress. The running joke throughout Spencer’s visit concerned Minnie’s famous pies in the movie, including one she made for her boss that included a nauseating ingredient and led to her being fired. “Don’t hand me a piece of pie,” Senate president pro tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, told Spencer. Spencer was guest of honor at a reception at a Montgomery hotel later and Montgomery

Mayor Todd Strange presented her with a key to the city. Strange invited Spencer to return often to her hometown. “But please leave your pies at home,” Strange said as a member of the audience chanted “Don’t bring no pies.”— AP

Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer arrives at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala, Wednesday. — AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

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ermes is the latest luxury products group to show that economic crises can have silver linings, announcing record sales and profits yesterday.The silver lining for Hermes shareholders comes in the form of a bumper dividend. Hermes, a symbol of French chic in accessories such as handbags and silk scarves, reported a record year in 2011 with a 40.9-percent rise in net profit which helped push up its shares 3.01 percent in early trading. The results are a bonus for French luxury giant LVMH, which has also reported an exceptional year and is seen as a predator having built up a holding of 22.28 percent in the face of defensive moves by Hermes.

European companies making luxury fashion clothing, watches and cars have reported strong or record profits and sales outlooks despite the long-running financial and then debt crises. An underlying factor in their dynamic expansion is the appetite of new classes of consumers in emerging countries, notably Asia, for their high quality products which also serve as symbols of wealth, status and modernity. Hermes reported record sales, and a net result of 594.3 million euros ($787 million). The new record was built on a strong performance in 2010 which was also a record year.

Hermes is capitalized at 25.7 billion euros. Chief executive Patrick Thomas told BFM Business radio in France: “We make beautiful objects ... I say this with pride, particularly for the skilled workpeople who make them. It is the only real explanation (for the success).” He also observed, regarding the stake built up

by LVMH headed by French business tycoon Bernard Arnault: “If I were called LVMH, I would try to buy Hermes, I don’t say that it’s a bad decision, but it’s also my job to protect this house.”

The price of shares in the group rose by 3.01 percent to 251.60 euros in initial trading on the Paris stock market. The firm, which began by making leather goods for horse owners, said in addition to a dividend of 2.0 euros and would recommend a special dividend

of 5.0 euros. This points to a total dividend payment by the company of 738.9 million euros. “For years we have been reproached for a low return on the shares,” Thomas said. The firm had also achieved spectacular results in 2010 but the dividend was 1.50 euros.

larly in America and Asia. The company did not provide guidance for performance this year but Thomas told AFP in February that he hoped for growth of at least 10 percent, which would take sales above 3.0 billion euros. Since 2005 the firm, created in 1837 and still

A file picture taken on October 25, 2010 in Paris, shows the frontage of a French luxury goods firm Hermes’ shop. — AFP photos At the beginning of February Hermes reported an 18.3-percent rise in sales to 2.84 billion euros.

Operating profit rose by 32.5 percent from the 2010 figure to 885.2 million euros. Analysts had expected a rise of about 30.0 percent. The operating margin was 31.2 percent of sales, the highest since the company was floated on the stock exchange in 1993. The results included a capital gain of 29.5 million euros from the sale of 45 percent of Jean Paul Gaultier to Spanish firm Puig. Hermes said that sales had risen strongly wherever it sells its products ranging from leather goods to clothing, jewelry, watches and tableware, and particu-

family controlled, has doubled sales. Net profit has doubled in two years. Thomas told BFM Business that the firm was deliberately restraining its growth by volume in the interests of raising standards. Commenting on the Chinese brand Shang Xia which Hermes launched at the end of 2010 and which is to open a shop in Paris at the end of the year, Thomas said it “is destined to be sold worldwide.”—AFP

British athletes, triple jumper Phillips Idowu and heptathlete Jessica Ennis pose with fashion designer Stella McCartney.

Stella McCartney shows her Olympic designs

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esigner Stella McCartney has unveiled her designs for Britain’s Olympic athletes with uniforms that make imaginative use of the familiar Union flag. The first showing of the designs took place yesterday at a gala event at the Tower of London that combined fashion’s razzle-dazzle with the star quality of top Olympic competitors.

McCartney said she hoped the athletes and the nation like the uniforms and are proud of the athletes who will wear them at the Olympics and Paralympic Games. British athletes who modeled the new gear included heptathlete Jessica Ennis, rowing champion Pete Reed and double Paralympic swimming gold medallist Ellie Simmonds. McCartney is adidas’ creative director for the Olympic gear. — AP

British gymnast Louis Smith poses on a pommel horse in the newly unveiled British Olympic Team GB kit.

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

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rom green fashions by a designer who clothed Lady Gaga to a futuristic take on the traditional kimono and a street wear show that drew more than 10,000 people, Japan’s Fashion Week has highlighted the edginess and variety for which Tokyo has long been known. The spring event was cancelled last year in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, which set off a nuclear crisis that led to power cuts, but the October event was held as scheduled, clearing the way for the current autumn/winter extravaganza.

The Tokyo Runway Show highlighted street styles, an effort to shine a spotlight on Japan’s ready-to-wear brands as they also hope to cross into the international scene, in a five-hour production aimed at the country’s trend-setting youth. “I believe that with this show, Japan, as a fashion leader, has the potential to crossover internationally,” said Natsuki Kato, a model and actress who strode the catwalk for the event.

Some 15,000 fans came out for the Tokyo Runway, which fell on a national holiday right in the middle of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week that runs until March 24 and featured designs for “real clothes consumers” rather than avant-garde garb. Among the highlights was an appearance by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, who represented so-called “Harajuku” subculture street fashion, rang-

ing from gothic to outfits that look as if they came straight out of an anime cartoon and is named after the popular Tokyo area popular with youth.

“What makes Harajuku fashion unique is how the girls choose to represent themselves with confidence in a way that’s enjoyable-not just in a ‘cute’ way, but with some edginess as well.”

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu told Reuters. “For example, I have eyeballs and bones on my outfit. It’s not just cute but a bit dark too.”

Kimonos, green and Gaga In a nod to tradition, third generation kimono designer Jotaro Saito unveiled “Futurism,” a collection he hopes will give Japan’s traditional dress a modern twist. Models shuffled along the runway in traditional sandals, and were trussed up in “obi” sashes, but fabrics featured horizontal lines, checks - even the occasional polka-dot.

“Japan has very traditional things, but the world also looks to us for subculture, like anime or computer games. A culture where the new and the classical coexist-well, I think that’s fascinating,” Saito said. Despite the emphasis on fashion, Japan’s new reality of post-disaster concerns intruded. Masanori Morikawa, who created the costume worn by Lady Gaga at the MTV Aid Japan Award

2011, introduced a “green” theme inspired by environmental concerns and the ongoing nuclear crisis at Fukushima, north of Tokyo.

Morikawa, the designer behind the self-directed label “Christian Dada,” showed an autumn/winter collection entitled “Lost.” “I was moved by news such as Chernobyl and similar events, and I wanted to express through this collection the question of whether or not we have a place to return to,” he said.

Models clad mainly in black walked under green lighting as if under a forest canopy. Along the runway were his trademark punk-inspired leather studs that adorned entire vests, with the new additions of body-hugging green mini dresses.

The show included a visual installation at the end featuring a bird cage that transforms into a disappearing angel-a scene that hints at rebirth, according to Morikawa. “I didn’t want the angel wings to be in a specific direction but to show that there is a possibility to go in any direction,” Morikawa said. — Reuters

Models display creations designed by Motonari Ono during his 2012-13 autumn and winter collection in Tokyo yesterday as a part of Tokyo Fashion Week. — AFP

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Lifestyle

Years

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama reads her poem before her huge balloon objects produced as the main feature for a 32-hour art event at Roppongi shopping district in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP

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orwegian chef Orjan Johannessen was crowned champion in the European leg of the Bocuse d’Or contest, known as the Olympic Games of the food world. The award was announced late Wednesday after 20 chefs faced off in a two-day cookout in Brussels, ahead of the worldwide Bocuse d’Or competition to be held in the eastern French city of Lyon next January. Sweden’s Adam Dahlberg and the Danish chef Jeppe Foldager took silver and bronze respectively-an all-Nordic trio of winners, as was the case in the last global edi-

tion. All top 12 contenders in the Europe edition are qualified to run for the global title in Lyon. Egged on like prize-fighters by their coaches and a cheering crowd, the chefs had five hours and 35 minutes to rustle up two dishes-a sole with shrimps, and a poultry dishwith three garnishes each. — AFP

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s the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic nears next month the public’s interest in the tragedy has not diminished. On April 10, 1912, the Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage, traveling from Southampton, England, to New York. It was nicknamed the “Millionaire’s Special”. The ship was fittingly captained by Edward J Smith, who was known as the “Millionaire’s Captain” because of his popularity with wealthy passengers. Onboard were a number of prominent people, including American businessman Benjamin Guggenheim, British journalist William Thomas Stead, and Macy’s department store co-owner Isidor Straus and his wife, Ida. Here is a look at the disaster and its aftermath: •

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• A couple sit it what is expected to be confirmed as the world’s largest deckchair on Bournemouth beach, southern England yesterday. The giant chair was built by sculptor Stuart Murdoch, weighs almost six tones and measures almost 28 feet, 8.5 meters, tall. — AP

The disaster The liner struck an iceberg late on April 14 and sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912.

The ship’s starboard side scraped along the iceberg. At least five of its supposedly watertight compartments toward the bow were ruptured.

After assessing the damage, as the ship’s forward compartments filled with water, its bow would drop deeper into the ocean, causing water from the ruptured compartments to spill over into each succeeding compartment, thereby sealing the ship’s fate.

Of the 2,223 passengers and crew aboard the ship, dubbed “unsinkable” before departure, 1,517 died. Third class suffered the greatest loss - of approximately 710 on board, only some 174 survived. Seventy-six percent of the crew died.

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100 years on US and British investigations proposed various safety recommendations just after the sinking, and in 1913 the first International Conference for Safety of Life at Sea was called in London. The conference drew up rules requiring that every ship have lifeboat space for each person embarked; that lifeboat drills be held for each voyage.

In September 1985, the first underwater images of the Titanic were recorded as its giant boilers were discovered. Later video showed the ship lying upright in two pieces.

In addition to being the subject of numerous books, the ship inspired various movies, notably “A Night to Remember” (1958) and James Cameron’s blockbuster “Titanic” (1997).

Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the 1912 sinking died in June 2009. She was 97. Dean was just nine weeks old when her family sold a pub they owned in London to travel on the maiden voyage of the passenger liner and begin a new life in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States, where her father Bertram hoped to open a tobacconist shop.

Researchers assembled in March 2012 a field map of the wreck. The mapping team snapped 130,000 photos throughout 2010 using two underwater robots and using solar imaging to create the most in-depth picture yet of the 3-mile by 5-mile swath of wreckage. — Reuters

Stars

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) Someone may try to sell you something fantastic today. You may decide that now is the best time to start asking questions that will give you a good idea of quality, quantity and any guarantees. You may be able to save a few dollars today. Watch your driving so as not to exceed the speed limit. You may have to help put an end to a dispute this afternoon—buy a little time to think through your answer. Loved ones may be puzzling today. This is one of those days where it may be best to leave well enough alone. You may have some difficulty speaking or getting your ideas across to others. However, you could gain some insights into future events for this spring. Plan to add to your flower garden with a few vegetables, fruits or a flowering tree.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You intuitively know that things are looking upward! You are entering a phase of emotional directness and impulsiveness now—one marked by powerful feelings. Do not expect to complete a multitude of jobs or you will totally slow yourself down—you are independent and ardent. You will be satisfied by meeting your obligations. Creative and pleasurable interests are high. Get serious about travel plans and include your loved one in your future plans.

Spontaneity is the special word for today. You and a friend talk of investments.

Your fertile mind will be picking up new concepts and inspirations. Another person’s ideas are captivating. Think about investing in the fields of child care, restaurants, home decorating and furnishings, hotels, etc.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

If you have been procrastinating on making a date with someone special, applying for the right job or in some way making yourself known you can set all your worries aside. You will appear more charming and refined than usual. You may find this a time when your career takes a turn and that could require some careful thought and good judgment on your part. Good energies and good luck appear on the horizon. You have the ability to demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the need of others just now and that puts you in a positive place so that you can communicate well with those around you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your attitude toward good health will make a big difference in how you feel physically. A strong intention to change things may be met with opposition—do not push, you will find a compromise. You are entering a phase of emotional directness and impulsiveness—an aspect marked by powerful feelings. However, the energies will be working in your favor if you pace yourself and take plenty of time to think through your argument or methods of persuasion. Your taste in art is heightened. Perhaps this is a good time to select furnishings, paintings, colors, etc. You may also prefer to just sit back and enjoy what you have—to live life. Young people and a special loved one will be plotting to show their appreciation of your generosity.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Today you may be called upon to do a job that might be a little out of the ordinary. There are good energies for most anything you want to become involved with just now. You have good eye-hand coordination and a sustained effort will make almost any task run well. This afternoon you spend time in research—finding answers to long-term quandaries in the workplace. It is hard to satisfy your curiosity. The knowledge you seek is well hidden. You leave no stone unturned to get at the answers you will eventually obtain. Take time to enjoy the results of your labor. A friend has your attention later today. You may want to lend a helping hand. Finding new ways to make your dreams come true is essential.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your sense of humor is pretty apparent today and if you are in a position to work in teams, you may find your co-workers fussing over who gets to be with you! Over the duration of the day, something will capture your attention and keep you amused. You may take a sudden interest in intellectual games such as trivia or quizzes. Later today you could take your skill to the winner’s line and win a little money. Support is there when you need it. You must realize that friends and relatives rely on you as much as you depend on them. This is a time when you can expect some sort of extra support or recognition from those around you. You seek philosophical truths. You must gradually let go of inhibitions and increase your trust in loved ones.

COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) It should be easy for you to push forward, just now, in any project that is before you. Things may seem almost magical in the eventual outcome. It is a great time for getting your ideas across to others. Meetings, lectures and round table discussions are successful and productive. Later today you may have an interest in some tourist attraction. Perhaps you have news that friends or relatives will be visiting soon. You will be making plans for this visit and a cycle of nostalgia and domesticity begins. You enjoy the feeling of belonging and contributing to the happiness of others. Family, home, relatives and real estate play a big part in your life. If you are by yourself this evening, put on some music.

Your home is your safe haven—make it enjoyable.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Keep to your usual routine and if possible, try not to take on anything difficult for now. Refrain from forcing issues in business—especially with an authority figure. A business hunch of yours is right but it may take time to develop.

You will receive good news about a financial or property matter today. You may receive a gift or a favor from a close tie. Unexpected news could lead to a change in some of your appointments. Artistic and spiritual inspiration comes easily at this time—write down your ideas so that they are not forgotten or set them aside. Later today you might run some of those ideas by a loved one or good friend. Good friends enjoy an afternoon visit with you and your family. A sense of support and harmony makes this a happy time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Communicating and getting your message across to others is at a high.

Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you full of energy. You may be sought after for your advice and council regarding some professional or financial issues. Your psychic abilities are high and not one person would dare try to fool you today. Keep up with your physical exercise—an afternoon walk will help you make the transition between work and home. You will want to build your stamina and get in shape for the good things that are ahead for you this spring. Don’t be too surprised when unexpected friends drop over this afternoon. This may be the boost you need—they bring good news. Your love relationship is in great shape now.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You will enjoy a successful day at work. All sorts of opportunities are within reach. Higher-ups, supervisors and co-workers want to see you succeed—anything you ask of them will be granted. This is a good day for making decisions, carrying out plans and communicating to others just where you stand. Make sure the dialogue goes both ways, however. Others have good ideas, too, particularly if you stick to the main subjects and do not become hung up on trivialities. Relationship with a spouse is on solid ground. Expressing affection or appreciation should come easily at this time and can do positive things for your disposition. You are feeling inner peace and smooth sailing regarding your relationships. This is a great time to count your blessings.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You may not be able to lose yourself in your imaginings. Your home or family may demand much of your time today. Quit procrastinating—you know that the needs of these people are important to you. They depend on your intelligent mind and strength to see them through difficult problems. Your creative thinking is fluid and regardless of how busy you are— your ideas benefit everyone. You are determined to achieve whatever is set before you now. This, however, can leave you exhausted toward the evening. Take some time to enjoy your loved ones in a relaxed atmosphere. Involve yourself in something that the whole family can enjoy.

Enjoy a romantic time with your loved one later tonight.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Take care not to push your viewpoint in a work-related situation. Watch for changes or steps that you can do to get ahead. Today brings new inspirations.

Agreements with others are reached as you give the opposition time to think through the options you give them. Basic needs and issues must be met this afternoon. Regular checks around the home front will help keep things in running order. It is time to tend to some important matters now—whether you hire someone or do the work yourself. You could take turns with a friend to check or help with each other’s repair jobs. This evening begins a rather agreeable period. There are smooth relationships with friends and loved ones and travel together may be a consideration this spring.

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 Republic 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 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Kureeppuzha Srikumar in KALA function Future Eye Theatre holds farewell party

F

uture Eye Theatre, Kuwait held a farewell party in honor of Joy Joseph, the theatre group’s Advisor at the Hidine auditorium, Abbassiya. Adv John Thomas, Patron, Future Eye Theatre presented a memento to Joy Joseph who is leaving Kuwait for good

on March 24 after residing in Kuwait for more than seven years. All the members who attended the meeting spoke about the contributions Joseph made to the Indian community in general and to the theatre group as the advisor in particular.

AUK talk: An Energy Model In Trouble

T

he Center for Gulf Studies at the American University of Kuwait presents a distinguished talk entitled ‘An Energy Model In Trouble: The Unsustainable Electricity Policies of the Gulf’.

Cambridge University’s Jim Krane will present his research on the fast growth in energy and electricity consumption in the GCC, and how political factors are simultaneously contributing to unsustainable growth and the blocking of necessary reforms.

Krane is a Ph.D. researcher at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, a member of the university’s Electricity Policy Research Group, and a non-resident fellow at the Dubai School of Government. His work is backed by a 2010 research grant from the Qatar National Research Fund and a full scholarship from the French energy company GDF Suez. He was a longtime journalist in the Middle East, based in Baghdad and Dubai, and he wrote a best-selling book on Dubai titled “City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism.”

Copies of “City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism” will be available for sale after the lecture.

Date: Wednesday 28th March 2012 at 6 pm.

Venue: Auditorium, Liberal Arts Building.

R

enowned poet Kureeppuzha Srikumar will speak in the annual function organized by Kerala Art Lovers’ Association to honor E M S, A K G, and Bishop Paulose Mar Paulose today at United Indian School, Abbassiya at 5:30pm. for details, please contact: 66180229

Chaine des Rotisseurs of Kuwait celebrating 30th anniversary

T

he members of Chaine des Rotisseurs of Kuwait will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary on 24th March 2012. Special Gala dinner and the induction ceremony of new members will take place at Marriott hotel - Arrraya ballroom. Kuwait Chaine des Rotisseurs has been founded on 25 April 1982.

Chaine des Rotisseurs an international gastronomic society established in France since 1248 and brings together professional and amateurs in celebration of the pleasure of the table, its objective is to preserve the culture of fine dining and art of good manner at table and beyond - in spirit of camaraderie and friendship.

Vanithavedi Kuwait celebrates International Women’s Day

V

Overseas Indian Cultural Congress Kuwait volunteers celebrate, in Abbassiya, the victory of Anoop Jacob who won in the recent Piravam election.

anithavedi President Valsamma George presided the meeting which was held at Kala Centre. Shyamala Narayanan welcomed all followed by which Kala Kuwait General Secretary Saji Thomas Mathew inaugurated the event. Valsa Stanly presented the women’s day message.

Shubha Shine read a resolution in which Vanithavedi requested the Indian Railway officials and the Central Government of India to take immediate measures against the harassment and insult and denial of justice suffered by Jayageetha during her train trip in Kerala.

Prasanna Ramabhadran presented a speech on the topic “ Social Empowerment of Women” in which she emphasized that the women indeed have a great role in nurturing the upcoming generation as

well as women should strongly respond in the society against injustice whereas moderator Dr.Vasanthy S. Nair stressed on independent thinking, the pride of knowledge and a open-minded view towards all things. Ambili Pramod, Valsa Sam, Divya Kiran, Charlotte Albert, Tolly Prakash, Naganathan, P.R. Babu and J.Albert spoke on the occasion.

On behalf of Vanithavedi Sumathi Babu honoured the children of Vanithavedi members leaving to India for higher studies by introducing them to the crowd and presenting them mementos. A variety of cultural programs such as Naadanpattu by Vanithavedi members and a quiz competition conducted by Charlotte Albert added color to the day. Bindu Sajeev read the condolence message whereas Sherly Ajith rendered the vote of thanks.

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Announcements Writers forum launched Malayalam Kuwait, the platform for readers and writers among the Keralites in Kuwait was launched during a meeting held at United Indian School, Abbassiya. Sharing of reading and writing, debates and discussions, literary symposia and reinforcement of budding writing talents are the goals of the group.

Bergman Thomas, John Mathew, Kaippattoor Thankachan, Sam Painummood, John Mathews, sathar Kunnil, Lissy Kuryakkose, Swapna Jacob, Bessy Kadavil, Unnimaya Nampoothiri, Shibu Philip, Dharmaraj Madappally, Uthaman Valathukadu, Rafeeq Thayath, Tiju Thankachan, Sunil K Cherian and Harikrishnan participated in the first ever meeting of Malayalam Kuwait. The group will hold its monthly discussion every last Friday at various locations, informed the group’s convener Bergman Thomas. Malayalam members will gather on Friday, March 30 at Successline, Abbassiya to discuss Bergman’s award winning novel, Puramkatal, recently serialized in Kalakaumudi Weekly.

Anyone interested to join the group, please contact: 66556867 Earth Hour In Kuwait March 31, 2012 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Where: Kuwait Sahara Resort (6th Ring Road) Contact: KT4GW.org TES 2012 Spring Carnival March 30, 2012 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Where: TES-The English School (Salmiya, Block 12, Mousaed Al-Azmi Street) The much awaited Spring Carnival at The English School (TES) is coming up soon! Bring your family and friends and enjoy an afternoon of shopping and fun activities. Over 80 amazing stalls selling beautiful handicrafts and knick knacks! Bouncy castles, face painting, magic show and a large array of carnival games and activities for the kids. A fun day for all! See you there!

‘The Golden Age of Arab Sciences’ exhibition Kuwait’s Amricani Cultural Centre will be the destination for a unique cultural event held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of Information and President of the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters. Taking place from March 15 to June 16 at the Amricani Cultural Centre in Kuwait City, ‘The Golden Age of the Arab Sciences’ exhibition will present rare artefacts and texts, as well as informative audio-visual presentations, exploring the Arab world’s pioneering contribution to ancient science and philosophy. Hosted by Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah (DAI), the exhibition is being brought to Kuwait by the Institut du Monde Arabe of Paris (IMA), with the support of Total and the French Embassy. The three-month exhibition will feature priceless items from The Al-Sabah Collection of art from the Islamic world, the private art collection of Sheikh Nasser Sabah AlAhmed Al-Sabah and his wife, DAI director general and cofounder Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. The visiting hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays closed.

ESF SightSavers Members of the English School Fahaheel’s Active Citizenship Club have organized a whole charity event to be held on Tuesday, March 27 in aid of the international Charity ‘SightSavers’ which works in over 30 countries around the world to prevent and cure blindness. Staff and students will be wearing shades for the day. All money raised on the day will be donated to SightSavers.

IOC arts competition Indian Overseas Congress, Kuwait is conducting Arts Competitions-2012 on 11th and 12 May 2012 at United Indian School. The winners of this prestigious competition will be awarded with trophies and medals. The awards will be distributed during the Gandhidarshan Program in October, this year.

The competitions include Elocution, Solo, Poetry Recitation, Dance, Indian Patriotic Song, Mono act, Drawing/Painting and Poster Poetry. Although the competitions are mainly meant for children from various disciplines, Elocution and Indian Patriotic Song Competitions will be held for elders also. For entry forms, please contact the following collection points. Abbassiya Hidine Super Market, Sakina Book Stall; Salmiya - Uduppi Restaurant, Sakina Book Stall; Riggae - Al Dallah Super Market; Fahaheel - Royal Mobile Services and Sales. For details, contact 24316426, 24884175, 24343173, 66110570, 66853100. Filled forms can be sent to fax : 24331461 or Email : iockuwait@yahoo.com Or deliver by hand to Sakina Book Stall, Abbassiya.

Perfumes, cosmetics exhibition in Mishref

By Nawara Fattahova

T

he most renowned perfume and cosmetic companies came together at Kuwait International Fair Ground (KIF) at the International Perfumes and Cosmetics Exhibition which opened yesterday.

More than 120 local and international companies will make their presence felt during the 10-day exhibition. “This exhibition is one of the oldest and most visited. It has been continuously held for about 35 years.

The visitor can find Western, Oriental perfumes and essences. Also, all cosmetic products are available along with the salon tools. The price is affordable, ranging between KD 5 and 2,000,” noted Abdulaziz AlKhaldi Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry during the launch of the exhibition yesterday.

Commenting on the issue of food stuff shortage, AlKhaldi assured that Kuwait has a strategic reserve of basic materials and goods. “The food security situation of the country is good. There is no fear of shortage due to strikes conducted by Customs staff along borders and ports. The Kuwait Mill Company has enough reserves of basic materials in case shortage or emergency occurs. Also, warehouse is stocked every month during normal situations. In addition, merchants have stocked up on essential commodities as well,” he pointed out.

According to Al-Khaldi, the prices of vegetables and fruits have increased due to the fact that they are perishable items. “The Ministry reviewed the price list last year to witness the increase, which was marginal . We took necessary procedures to curb the hike. Inspection teams are sent to co-operative societies and markets in all governorates to check prices. We noticed that the prices are fall within the normal range. Only the prices of fruits and vegetables have risen,” he stated. “We have been cooperating with the Farmer’s Union. We are lucky that this period is the peak time of local agriculture production,” he added.

A revised companies law was proposed to the Parliament to be reviewed. “The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has formed a team of specialists to review the articles of the law of companies. It will then be proposed to the Parliament. Furthermore, the Ministry will soon propose the law to the financial committee,” stressed Al-Khaldi.

Sebamed, a popular cosmetic brand will make its presence felt in this exhibition. “We have been participating in this exhibition for many years. I think it is a good chance for the visitor to find different products.

We offer our products at discounted rates, and will also showcase the latest ones. The visitor also can try our products and choose what best suits him. We have new products on display like the Repair Lotion, Cracked Heel Balm, and the Revitalizing Gel and Cream for Feet,” said Ayman Al-Sharea from Sebamed’s stall.

TV Listings FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

15:35 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:20 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:45 23:10 23:35

00:20 The Snake Buster 00:50 Pit Bulls And Parolees 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 I Was Bitten 03:35 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 04:30 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 04:55 The Snake Buster 05:25 Wild France 06:20 Gorilla School 06:45 Planet Wild 07:10 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 08:00 Orangutan Island 08:25 Pandamonium 09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Project Puppy 10:10 Extraordinary Dogs 10:35 Extraordinary Dogs 11:05 Wild France 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 RSPCA: Have You Got What It Takes?

13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Wild Africa Rescue 14:15 Wild Africa Rescue 14:45 Animal Cops Houston 15:40 Wild France 16:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Growing Up... Wolves 18:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 19:20 Your Pet Wants This 20:15 Orangutan Island 20:40 Wildlife SOS 21:10 Gorilla School 21:35 Xtremely Wild 22:05 Wild France 23:00 Sharkman 23:55 Human Prey

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

Eastenders Doctors Last Woman Standing 2 Point 4 Children Keeping Up Appearances My Family Fimbles Charlie and Lola Jackanory Junior Boogie Beebies Buzz & Tell Tikkabilla The Large Family The Adventures of Spot Fimbles Charlie and Lola Jackanory Junior Boogie Beebies Buzz & Tell Tikkabilla The Large Family 2 Point 4 Children Keeping Up Appearances The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Orang-Utan Diary Coast My Family 2 Point 4 Children The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Orang-Utan Diary Coast The Weakest Link My Family Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Last of the Summer Wine Doctor Who Jekyll Taking the Flak The Cup The Impressions Show The Impressions Show The Weakest Link Doctor Who

00:20 01:15 02:55 03:25 04:10 05:00 06:40 07:05 08:00 08:20 08:45 09:10

Antiques Roadshow Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 10 Years Younger Fantasy Homes By The Sea Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Glamour Puds Glamour Puds MasterChef Australia

Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

00:00 Backstory 00:30 World Sport 01:00 The Situation Room 02:00 World Report 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 05:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 06:00 Erin Burnett Outfront 07:00 World Sport 07:30 I Report For CNN 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 African Voices 11:00 World Business Today 11:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 12:00 Backstory 12:30 Talk Asia 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 The Brief 18:30 News Special 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Inside Africa 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 21:45 CNN Marketplace Africa 22:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

THE RESIDENT ON OSN ACTION HD 09:55 10:20 11:05 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:25 15:10 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:20 18:40 19:00 19:30 20:40 21:00 21:50 22:40 23:30

MasterChef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes Celebrity Fantasy Homes Fantasy Homes By The Sea Holmes On Homes Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Glamour Puds Glamour Puds 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Bargain Hunt

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 06:45

BBC World News America Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today

07:00 Newsday 07:30 Hardtalk 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 World Business Report 11:45 Sport Today 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Hardtalk 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 BBC World News 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:30 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Our World 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World Have Your Say 18:30 World Have Your Say 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:40 Weekend World 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 Middle East Business Report 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Have Your Say Extra 22:40 Weekend World 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Our World

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

Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Scooby Doo Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Pink Panther And Pals Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo

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

Destroyed In Seconds Surviving Disaster Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Fifth Gear Fifth Gear American Chopper: Senior vs

00:40 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10

Man Made Marvels Asia The World’s Strangest UFO Stories The Tech Show Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Trek How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made The Future Of...

Thunder Races The World’s Strangest UFO Stories

How Do They Do It? Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings Verminators Verminators Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Auction Kings How It’s Made How Do They Do It? Cake Boss American Chopper: Senior vs Fifth Gear Fifth Gear Street Customs

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

The Gadget Show The Gadget Show How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Trek Man Made Marvels Asia Thunder Races The World’s Strangest UFO Stories The Future Of...

How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made The Gadget Show The Gadget Show The Tech Show Thunder Races Mighty Ships The World’s Strangest UFO Stories Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Thunder Races Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet

00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:06 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:25 09:35 09:49 10:00 10:25 10:45 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:47 19:10 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Fish Hooks Recess Timon And Pumbaa Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks S2 Splits Fish Hooks S2 Splits Wizards Of Waverly Place Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Recess So Random Have A Laugh Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Jake & Blake Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb So Random Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Halloweentown 2 Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Have A Laugh Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Fish Hooks Recess Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

00:20 00:35 00:50 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:05

Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction

TV Listings FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

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

Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Lazytown Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Hive Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mouk Cars Toons Handy Manny Great Garage Imagination Movers Art Attack Imagination Movers Special Agent Oso Lazytown Handy Manny Jungle Junction Imagination Movers The Hive Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Mouk Mouk Cars Toons Handy Manny Great Garage Lazytown Art Attack The Hive Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Little Einsteins Mini Adventures Of Winnie The

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

Psychic Witness Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared On The Run Forensic Detectives Fugitive Strike Force Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared I Was Murdered I Escaped Death

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30

Departures Food School Bondi Rescue: Bali One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan Exploring The Vine Market Values Making Tracks Making Tracks Dive Detectives Departures Food School Bondi Rescue: Bali One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan Exploring The Vine Market Values Making Tracks Making Tracks

11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

Dive Detectives Departures Geo Sessions Making Tracks Travel Madness Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Word of Mouth Word of Mouth City Chase Marrakech Ultimate Traveller Geo Sessions Making Tracks Travel Madness Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Word of Mouth Word of Mouth City Chase Marrakech

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:15 14:30 16:30 18:00 20:15 22:00

Deadtime Stories 2-PG15 Death Race 2-18 Fade To Black-18 From Paris With Love-PG15 Star Trek: First Contact-PG The Manchurian Candidate-PG15 In The Line Of Fire-PG15 Star Trek: First Contact-PG Altitude-PG15 In The Line Of Fire-PG15 A Perfect Getaway-18 The Resident-18

00:45 Two Lovers-18 02:45 My Name Is Khan-PG15 05:15 Love The Beast-PG 07:15 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 09:00 Prom-PG15 11:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 13:00 50 First Dates-PG15 15:00 Yogi Bear-FAM 17:00 Just Wright-PG15 19:00 True Grit-PG15 21:00 Date Night-PG15 23:00 Nine Dead-PG15

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

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The A Poem Is...

Animated Stories Mouk Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Timmy Time Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

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

Kendra Style Star Beauty Queens Gone Wrong 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood 25 Hottest Hollywood Cougar

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25

Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab Psychic Witness Kidnap And Rescue Fugitive Strike Force Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report The Big C The Ricky Gervais Show The Cleveland Show Melissa And Joey Mad Love Dharma And Greg The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Simpsons Yes Dear Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Dharma And Greg Melissa And Joey The Simpsons The League State Of Georgia Yes Dear The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Dharma And Greg The Simpsons Yes Dear Mad Love State Of Georgia The League The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Late Night With Jimmy Fallon New Girl Happy Endings 30 Rock Perfect Couples The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Neighbors From Hell The Ricky Gervais Show The Cleveland Show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

American Idol Necessary Roughness Psych Justified

05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Live Good Morning America C.S.I. Emmerdale Look-A-Like The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View American Idol Live Good Morning America C.S.I. The Ellen DeGeneres Show Law & Order: Los Angeles Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Survivor: One World Justified

00:00 01:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

White Collar Necessary Roughness Psych White Collar Emmerdale Parks And Recreation Terra Nova Psych Law & Order: Los Angeles The Ellen DeGeneres Show Terra Nova White Collar Law & Order: Los Angeles The Ellen DeGeneres Show Terriers Glee Drop Dead Diva Survivor: One World Any Human Heart

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Mr. Wrong-PG15 Bob Roberts-PG15 Guarding Tess-PG My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend-PG15 12 Men Of Christmas-PG15 Little Secrets-PG Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarStraight Talk-PG15 Mr. Wrong-PG15 Bad News Bears-PG Kung Fu Dunk-PG15 Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee-PG15

00:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 02:00 Crazy On The Outside-PG15 04:00 Mean Girls 2-PG15 06:00 A Lot Like Love-PG15 08:00 Like Mike-PG 10:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG15 12:00 Nanny Mcphee And The Big BangPG 14:00 Love Happens-PG15 16:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 18:00 Away We Go-PG15 20:00 The Fighting Temptations-PG15 22:15 Defendor-PG15

Behind The Scenes E! News Dirty Soap 40 Smokin’ On Set Hookups E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Keeping Up With The Kardashians Style Star THS Behind The Scenes Scouted E! News THS Dirty Soap Chelsea Lately E!es E!es E! News Chelsea Lately Keeping Up With The Kardashians

TWO LOVERS ON OSN CINEMA

01:00 03:00 05:15 07:15 09:00 12:30 14:30 16:30 19:00 21:00 23:15

Blame It On Mum-18 American History X-18 Best Laid Plans-18 MacHEADS-PG15 Spartacus-PG15 The Wronged Man-PG15 The Nutty Professor-FAM The China Syndrome-PG Garden State-18 L’armee Du Crime-18 Henry & June-18

00:30 02:15 PG15 04:30 06:15 08:15 10:00 12:00 14:30 16:45 19:00 PG15 21:00 23:00

Barry Munday-18 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-

00:30 02:30 04:30 06:15 08:00 10:00

Cross-18 The Girl In The Park-PG15 Nowhere Boy-PG15 Relative Stranger-PG15 Invisible Sign Of My Own-PG15 The Girl In The Park-PG15

The Chaperone-PG15 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 Witness To Jonestown-PG15 The Lion King 1 1/2-FAM Iron Man 2-PG15 Life As We Know It-PG15 Witness To Jonestown-PG15 The LXD: The Uprising BeginsUnknown-PG15 Takers-PG15

12:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarInvisible Sign Of My Own-PG15 Knight And Day-PG15 The Fourth Kind-PG15 Unknown-PG15 The Last House On The Left-18

00:00 The Adventures Of Don QuixoteFAM 02:00 The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland-PG 04:00 Barbie In A Mermaid Tale 2-FAM 06:00 The Adventures Of Don QuixoteFAM 08:00 Christmas In New York-PG 10:00 The Lion King 1 1/2-FAM 12:00 Tom And Jerry & The Wizard Of OzFAM 13:45 The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland-PG 16:00 Despicable Me-FAM 18:00 The Lion King 1 1/2-FAM 20:00 Pocahontas & The Spider WomanPG 22:00 Despicable Me-FAM

01:30 02:00 05:30 06:00 09:30 11:30 13:30 14:00 17:30 18:00 21:00 21:30 22:30

Cricket ODI Highlights European PGA Tour Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Premier League Darts Live Super Rugby Live Super Rugby Futbol Mundial Premier League Darts Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live European PGA Tour Volvo Ocean Race Highlights UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live Super Rugby

00:00 00:30 01:30 02:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 15:30 17:30 18:30 20:30 22:45

Total Rugby Super Rugby Highlights Trans World Sport Premier League Darts Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights Trans World Sport ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial Total Rugby NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights ICC Cricket World NRL Premiership NRL Premiership Golfing World Super Rugby Super Rugby Live Top 14

01:30 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 16:00 18:00 21:30 22:00

Golfing World SPL Highlights World Cup of Pool World Cup of Pool Ping Pong World Championship Super Rugby Highlights Golfing World Golfing World Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Total Rugby Super Rugby Super Rugby Premier League Darts Total Rugby Live Pro 12 Celtic League

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter V8 Supercars Highlights Speedway UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Speedway This Week in WWE V8 Supercars Extra Mobil 1 The Grid Live NRL Premiership WWE This Week WWE NXT Power Boats Power Boats Speedway FIM World UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter

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DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines QTR JZR PIA JZR JZR THY UAE QTR DHX FDB ETD RJA GFA MLR ETH KAC THY RBG JZR JZR BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA JZR RBG MEA IYE MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA ABY ALK

Flt 138 185 205 267 539 772 853 148 370 67 305 642 211 1405 3622 544 770 3563 555 529 157 206 53 352 302 332 676 284 344 855 125 132 301 55 619 213 165 3553 404 825 623 610 201 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 788 257 546 134 561 535 213 303 857 215 510 127 227

Arrival Flights on Friday 23/3/2012 Route DOHA DUBAI LAHORE BEIRUT CAIRO ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN COLOMBO ADDIS ABABA CAIRO ISTANBUL ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT LONDON ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI DHAKA CHENNAI DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI LAR BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG CAIRO DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SHARJAH COLOMBO

Time 0:20 0:20 0:25 0:45 0:50 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 3:40 3:45 4:40 4:50 5:00 6:00 6:20 6:40 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 11:20 11:35 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 18:10

JZR RBG FDB KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC SVA MSR MLR DHX GRF FCX MEA GFA QTR JZR UAE SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH

177 3557 63 502 542 744 787 674 975 166 102 774 562 61 572 786 506 618 1407 372 81 304 402 217 136 135 859 441 239 981 215 636

Airlines AXB UAL BBC AIC DLH PIA THY GRF FDB UAE DHX ETD MLR QTR QTR RBG THY JZR GFA RJA JZR KAC FDB KAC BAW JZR KAC JZR KAC JZR UAE ABY

Flt 390 981 44 982 637 206 773 94 68 854 371 306 1405 139 149 3556 771 164 212 643 200 415 54 545 156 256 671 534 787 560 856 126

DUBAI SOHAG DUBAI BEIRUT CAIRO DAMMAM RIYADH DUBAI CHENNAI PARIS NEW YORK RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT Departure Flights on Friday 23/3/2012 Route KOZHIKODE WASHINGTON DC DHAKA AHMEDABAD FRANKFURT LAHORE ISTANBUL DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI COLOMBO DOHA DOHA ALEXANDRIA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN DAMASCUS JAKARTA DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON BEIRUT DUBAI CAIRO JEDDAH SOHAG DUBAI SHARJAH

18:15 18:25 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:45 20:50 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:50 Time 0:05 0:45 1:00 1:05 1:20 1:25 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:40 4:40 5:40 5:40 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:00 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:00 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:40 9:45

ETD KAC FDB QTR KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR ETH KAC RBG KAC MEA KAC IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA FDB ETH KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR QTR ETD JZR UAE GFA ABY SVA RBG JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MSR MLR SVA DHX MEA GFA KAC QTR KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE KAC JZR SAI KAC

302 117 56 133 617 177 214 618 212 3623 541 3558 103 405 501 825 624 176 611 220 58 3623 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 743 773 141 238 135 304 538 858 216 128 511 3554 134 228 64 184 361 62 343 351 571 619 1407 507 373 403 218 381 137 301 554 205 102 860 283 502 442 411

ABU DHABI NEW YORK DUBAI DOHA DOHA FRANKFURT BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR DUBAI CAIRO SOHAG LONDON BEIRUT BEIRUT DOHA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH DAMMAM RIYADH DOHA AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH RIYADH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI KOCHI MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO JEDDAH BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DELHI DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:50 11:00 12:00 12:15 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:05 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:15 23:35 23:50 23:55

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students. Tel: 99410370.

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation two bedroom flat in Abbassiya, two bachelors accommodation from April 1st. Rent KD 40. Contact: 99162583.

(C 3917) Accommodation in Farwaniya near Gulf Mart, big room for bachelor or couple, Filipino only, available April 21. Contact: 94418396.

20-3-2012

FOR SALE Household goods for sale, includes furniture, electronics, kitchen equipments, books, curtains, and other miscellaneous items. All at throw-away prices. Call 99510519 or 66210509.

(C 3919) 21-3-2012 Toyota Yaris model 2011 car, 4 cylinder strong engine km done 35000, registration March 2014, grey color, excellent condition, installment possible, cash price KD 2880, negotiable. Tel: 99105286.

(C 3916) 17-3-2012

MATRIMONIAL Alliance sought for Brahmin boy aged 28, decently employed in Kuwait, from parents of girls preferably employed in Kuwait. Please contact: nagan21@gmail.com 11-3-2012 Proposals invited for a Keralite Marthoma girl 24/154, BBA, working in India (Baroda), seeks alliance from God fearing, well-educated employed boys (Kuwait/ India). Email: sunilvgs73@gmail.com (C 3898) 7-3-2012 An Indian man from Kokan (Ratnagiri) wants to marry an Indian lady (40-45 years) preferably from Kokan (Ratnagiri), Muslim, educated, (divorced or widow alone).

Contact: P.O. Box 41529, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Kuwait 85856. Email: mohd_younas59@yahoo.com (C 3895) 6-3-2012

LOST Lost Indian Passport No. Z1959053, finder please call 99866856 or Indian Embassy 22530600, will be rewarded.

(C 3901) 10-3-2012

SITUATION WANTED Female 26 years post graduate 4 years experience in HR executive, seeking suitable jobs. Mob: 60473639. Email: soumyakt.4u@gmail.com (C 3918) 20-3-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Kandli Qadar Shaikh Ahmed, Indian Passport No: E5351994, hereby change my name to Kadar Ahmed Kundlik. (C 3906) 11-3-2012

SITUATION VACANT Housemaid wanted for a small family in Farwaniya.

Mob: 97514390 21-3-2012 Manager (Asian) in Maidan Hawally looking for a maid.

Part time. Good salary. Call 97263962 for details.

(C 3915) 17-3-2012

TUITION Math teacher for secondary stage, language schools, bilingual schools and intermediate stage: Algebra, Gmath, Geometry, Statistics for arts and science branches. Tel: 66974020.

English language teacher specialized in starting elementary and intermediate, 10th and 11th experienced in starting functions, grammar, set book, vocabulary, notes and model exams available. Tel: 65791555.

Arabic language teacher, masters in methods of teaching for secondary and intermediate students. Tel: 50644685.

Senior Arabic language teacher, elementary and intermediate, long experience in Kuwait curricula, explaining grammar rules and starting those weak in reading and writing. Tel: 99262948.

Senior chemistry and physics teacher. Long experience for 10th, 11th and 12th stages. Intermediate science and applied institutions.

Highly competent. Tel: 99542922.

Mathematics and statistics female teacher for female students in the secondary, intermediate, university and applied institutions female

Female Syrian Arabic language teacher for elementary and intermediate, and starting the weak using Halaby method in her house located in Abdallah AlMubarak area. Tel: 50513699.

Senior biology and science teacher for 12th, 11th and 10th grades, and science for all intermediate classes, religious institutes, nursing, educational experience, simple explanation for fast understanding.

Tel: 66543474.

Senior Arabic language and Islamic studies teacher to help weak and slow learning students in a short time. 20 years experience, teaching all elementary subjects excep E. Arabic and Islamic studies for elementary and intermediate. Tel: 66896088.

Senior mathematics and statistics teacher. Long experience in Kuwait curricula to teach secondary students both science and arts branches, and university admission exams. Tel: 97975096.

Senior chemistry teacher for secondary students and science for intermediate. All reviews and exams, and university qualification chemistry. Tel: 99560268.

Female senior mathematics teacher, 35 years experience in Kuwait for secondary, intermediate and elementary stages, applied, initial university, communications and navigation and special courses. Tel: 97926737.

Elementary stage teacher, 12 years experience, ready to give remedial lessons for all topics in the elementary stage in a simple method.

Tel: 66594901.

English teacher specialized in elementary and intermediate, experienced in grammar, book questions and synonyms. Highly experienced in Kuwait curricula. Tel: 97373301.

French language teacher, specialized in 11th and 12th grades, languages schools, Pakistani and Indian schools.

Long experience in Kuwait curricula.

Senior philosophy and logic teacher for the 12th stage, psychology for 11th grade, with notes and exams solutions. Tel: 99835421.

Senior mathematics and statistics teacher for the secondary and intermediate stages and fifth grade, clear and simple explanation for slow learners and exams method. Tel: 99410112.

FOR RENT Flat in South Surra, 3 bedrooms, 2 of which are master + living room + kitchen + maid room, new, super deluxe. Tel: 97864628.

For rent, commercial flat in Hawally, can be used as workshop, large area. No middle men. Parking. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Bneid Al-Gar, 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + Gym + swimming pool overlooking the sea, central satellite + internet. For families, no middle men. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Salmiya 3 bedroom + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. 4x4 rooms, 4x8 living room for expatriates only. Rent KD 330. No middle men. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Salmiya 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. Families only, no middle men. Tel: 66043961.

A commercial floor in Salmiya. Close to Blajat. Car parking. No middle men. Tel: 66043961.

First floor in Shuhada, 4 rooms + living room + 5 bathrooms + maid room + balcony. Must be small family. Tel: 60308586.

Flat in Zahra, 2 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + laundry room + maid room. Tel: 60308586.

A floor in Zahra, 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms, second floor, elevator. Must be small family.

Tel: 99719887.

Flat in west Jleeb, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 2

No: 15396

bathrooms first floor. No elevator. Must be newlyweds or one child only. Tel:99719887.

Flat in Salam, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + maid room. Must be newlyweds or two children only. 60308586.

First floor in Rumaithiya. 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + maid room + 6 bathrooms. Super deluxe.

Must be foreigners and expats only. Tel: 60308586, 99719887.

Large first floor with the roof in Firdous. No middle men.

Tel: 99490502.

Fully furnished flat in Mahboula 2 rooms + 2 baths + living room + Gym + DSL, Satellite + full sea view. Rent starts from KD 450. Tel: 66060822.

Furished flat in a Salmiya resort 3 rooms + maid room + garden + swimming pool + children play room + DSL. Sea view + hotel service + car parking. Rent KD 800. Tel: 66060299.

For rent or investment, medical clinics in Salmiya. Good location licensed and unlicensed. No brokers. Tel: 66060299.

Flat in Salmiya, 3 bedrooms (2 master) + maid room + 3 bathrooms + 2 balconies + sea view + Gym. No brokers.

Rent KD 550. Tel: 66060299.

Commercial floor in Salmiya, main street, sea view, good location. Can be used for saloon, clinics, lawyer office.

Rent KD 1650. Tel: 66297171.

Complete building in Salmiya, 55 flats. 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + kitchen + living room. Good location + central satellite. Good for company residence.

Tel: 55939470.

Ground floor in Jabriya.

Private entrance, 4 rooms (2 master) + living rooms (10x10) + saloon 11x10 + 5 bathrooms + very large kitchen + guest wash area + 2 maid rooms. Rent KD 950.

Tel: 94463321.

Flat in Zahra, 3 rooms + 3 bathrooms + maid room + spacious living room + shaded parking + electricity and water + DSL, foreigners and expats, rent starts from KD 600. Tel: 66297171.

Villa in Zahra. 4 rooms + 5 bathrooms + maid room + driver room + 2 large balconies. Super deluxe + satellite + DSL. Rent KD 1000. Tel: 66297171.

New first floor in south Surra, 4 rooms + 4 bathrooms + living room + maid room. Not used. For small family. Rent KD 750. Tel: 66694740, 94024242.

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Sabres win over Canadiens NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Wednesday.

Buffalo 3, Montreal 0; Carolina 3, Florida 1; NY Rangers 2, Detroit 1 (OT); Chicago 2, Vancouver 1 (OT); Anaheim 4, St. Louis 3. (OT denotes overtime win)

Y-NY Rangers Pittsburgh Philadelphia New Jersey NY Islanders Boston Ottawa Buffalo Toronto Montreal Florida Washington Winnipeg Carolina Tampa Bay Y-St Louis Detroit Nashville Chicago Columbus Vancouver Colorado Calgary Minnesota Edmonton

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OT GF 46 20 7 201 45 21 6 239 42 23 8 232 42 27 5 201 30 32 11 174 Northeast Division 42 27 3 236 37 27 10 221 35 29 10 190 32 34 8 210 28 33 13 191 Southeast Division 36 24 13 183 37 30 6 198 34 31 8 196 30 29 15 197 32 33 7 202 Western Conference Central Division 46 20 8 192 44 25 5 225 42 23 8 209 42 25 8 229 23 43 7 167 Northwest Division 43 21 9 224 40 30 5 196 34 26 14 183 30 32 10 155 29 36 8 196 Pacific Division 40 28 5 193 36 25 12 172 36 26 12 194 36 27 10 199 32 32 11 189

GA 161 184 206 191 218

PTS 99 96 92 89 71

178 214 207 232 206

87 84 80 72 69

201 208 211 218 247

85 80 76 75 71

146 181 192 214 236

100 93 92 92 53

184 196 201 199 216

95 85 82 70 66

Dallas 195 85 Los Angeles 160 84 Phoenix 192 84 San Jose 191 82 Anaheim 209 75 X—Won Division Title Note - overtime losses (OT) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

BUFFALO: Ryan Miller made 34 saves for a career-high sixth shutout this season and the Buffalo Sabres continued their late-season push for a playoff spot with a 3-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.

Cody Hodgson scored twice and Jason Pominville once to help the Sabres improve to 11-2-4 in their past 17 games and catch the eighth-place Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference standings. Miller improved to 11-1-3 in his past 15 games, a stretch in which he’s allowed only 29 goals.

The shutout was the 28th of Miller’s career, and fifth in his past 23 games.

The Canadiens (28-33-9) blew a chance to move out of last place in the East, while losing in regulation for the first time in seven games (3-1-3). With little to lose, Canadiens coach Randy Cunneyworth pulled goalie Carey Price for an extra attacker with 4 minutes left.

Ducks 4, Blues 3 At Anaheim, Jason Blake scored the tiebreaking goal from behind the St. Louis net with 5:54 to play as the Ducks rallied from a third-period deficit for a 4-3 victory over the NHL-leading Blues.

Devante Smith-Pelly tied it earlier in the third period for the Ducks, who erased three St. Louis leads before Blake banked his seventh goal of the season off the skate of St. Louis defenseman Ian Cole. Jonas Hiller made 35 saves for Anaheim, which won five straight home games over St. Louis.

Cam Fowler and Nick Bonino also scored and captain Ryan Getzlaf had two assists for the Ducks, whose playoff hopes are essentially dead despite a strong second-half surge under new coach Bruce Boudreau.

Rangers 2, Red Wings 1, Ot At New York, Ryan Callahan scored 2:42 into overtime to send injury-riddled Detroit to its sixth straight loss. The Rangers turned up the heat in the extra session and finally got a puck past Ty Conklin, who was recalled from the minor leagues earlier Wednesday because of Detroit’s injury woes. Callahan fired a shot from the slot for his 27th goal, making the New York captain a winner on his 27th birthday.

Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves, and Brad Richards scored in the first period for the Rangers, who lead Pittsburgh by three points in the East. Pittsburgh has 10 games left and the Rangers have nine.

Henrik Zetterberg gave Detroit an early 1-0 lead, and Conklin made 32 saves, but the Red Wings had to settle for just one point. Detroit, 0-4-2 in its last six, moved into sole possession of fourth place in the West, one point ahead of Nashville.

Hurricanes 3, Panthers 1 At Raleigh, Joni Pitkanen had a goal and an assist in his first game in three months to help Carolina end the Panthers’ five-game winning streak.

Eric Staal had his second straight two-goal game - giving him a team-leading 23 - and Cam Ward made 30 saves to help the Hurricanes win their season-best fourth straight and earn points for the 14th time in 17 home games.

Tomas Fleischmann scored for the Southeast Division-leading Panthers, who had

been on their longest winning streak since a club-record seven straight in 2008. They were denied their first season sweep in Raleigh.

Jose Theodore stopped 36 shots for Florida.

He entered 4-0 this season against the Hurricanes.

Blackhawks 2, Canucks 1 At Chicago, rookie Andrew Shaw scored 2:42 into overtime to give the hosts a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Shaw was credited with deflecting Johnny Oduya’s shot from the slot past Roberto Luongo. Oduya fired from between the circles after he trailed in late and took a feed from Dave Bolland on the left boards.

Patrick Kane scored his 20th goal in the second period for Chicago, which has won five straight and is 9-1-1 in its last 11 despite playing without captain Jonathan Toews.

Jannik Hansen scored in regulation for Vancouver - on the first shot of the game - to break a 15-game streak without a goal. The Canucks lost their second straight, and have won just one of their last five.—AP

CHICAGO: Vancouver Canucks right wing Alex Burrows (14) hits Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (left) in the face as Patrick Sharp tries to break them apart during the second period of an NHL hockey game.—AP

Aches and pains now part of the game for Woods

BAY HILL: Tiger Woods stretches after he felt a twinge in his lower back during his tee shot on the sixth hole during the Pro-Am round.—AP

ORLANDO: A twinge here and an ache there are now part of the daily grind for the oncedominant Tiger Woods as he seeks to find his fitness and form ahead of the Masters.

Whether or not Woods gets back to his old best and adds to his 14 majors remains golf’s central talking point but one thing is certain, Tiger is no longer the pristine athlete he once was.

During Wednesday’s Pro-Am, a leisurely warm-up for yesterday’s opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Woods pulled up on the sixth tee.

“I guess one of the so-called professional photographers took a picture right in the middle of my downswing. I stopped it and then felt a pretty good twinge in my back,” Woods told reporters.

“I walked it off and then tried to hit one down there, hit it in the fairway, but it didn’t feel very good. But after a couple of holes it loosened up and I’m good to go now,” he added.

It was nothing too alarming but coming after Woods’ last tour outing, at the WGC-

Cadillac Championship at Doral, when he walked off midway through his final round complaining of an Achilles tendon injury, it was another sign of the former world number one’s physical problems.

Asked if he was now resigned to constantly having to deal with Achilles and knee problems, the four-times Masters winner replied: “Well, I think as we all know as we age...that’s just the nature of things.

“Just kind of monitor things. I’ve changed my practice routine based on that, if things aren’t feeling right, I just won’t hit balls for four or five hours. I’ll go work on something else.”

Woods, who has had four operations on his left knee as well as frequent Achilles issues, says he could no longer afford to keep playing through his problems.

“One of the reasons why I had surgeries is that I would ignore those and just kind of play through it. I had success, but the problem is, it was also detrimental at the same time physically,” he said.

“I did play through it and that’s one of

the reasons why things happened, why I missed tournaments and why I missed majors, just look at last year. I played through those type of things.

“And you know, just trying not to miss tournaments; and it’s hard. It’s really hard, because I want to compete, I want to be out there, sometimes by competing and doing what I did I cost myself a bunch of tournaments I could have played.”

But Woods says that three days of therapy dealt with the ‘tightness’ in his Achilles from Doral and after playing a round at Augusta on Sunday and then at the Tavistock Cup on Monday and Tuesday, he feels as good as he did before his latest setback.

“There’s no doubt, and I feel really good now and that’s just because of treatment, I’ve had some good therapists on board and they have done some really good work. “I feel great and that’s the nice thing about getting treatment for three days, just getting off of it and just working on it two or three times a day, and good to go.”—Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Lakers roll over Mavs

NBA results/standings Orlando 103, Phoenix 93; NY Knicks 82, Philadelphia 79; Chicago 94, Toronto 82; Atlanta 103, Cleveland 102 (OT); Washington 108, New Jersey 89; Golden State 101, New Orleans 92; Oklahoma City 114, LA Clippers 91; San Antonio 116, Minnesota 100; Denver 116, Detroit 115; LA Lakers 109, Dallas 93; (OT denotes overtime win).

Philadelphia Boston New York Toronto New Jersey Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit Miami Orlando Atlanta Washington Charlotte

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Minnesota Portland LA Lakers LA Clippers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento San Antonio Memphis Dallas Houston New Orleans

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 26 21 .553 24 21 .533 23 24 .489 15 32 .319 15 33 .313 Central Division 39 10 .796 26 18 .591 21 24 .467 17 27 .386 16 30 .348 Southeast Division 34 11 .756 30 18 .625 27 20 .574 11 34 .244 7 37 .159 Western Conference Northwest Division 35 12 .745 26 21 .553 24 22 .522 23 25 .479 21 25 .457 Pacific Division 29 18 .617 26 20 .565 23 24 .489 19 25 .432 17 29 .370 Southwest Division 30 14 .682 25 19 .568 27 21 .563 25 22 .532 11 35 .239

GB 1 3 11 11.5 10.5 16 19.5 21.5 5.5 8 23 26.5

9 10.5 12.5 13.5 2.5 6 8.5 11.5 5 5 6.5 20

Schumacher has high hopes for Malaysian Grand Prix SEPANG: Six years on from his most recent Formula One pole position, Michael Schumacher finally has a car that seems capable of putting him on top in qualifying, and at this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix he will also get a track to suit his Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion qualified fourth in last weekend’s seasonopening Australian Grand Prix, only four tenths of a second from pole, indicating the German is closing in on not only a pole position but a belated podium finish which has eluded him since his 2010 comeback.

Mercedes is using a contentious wing system that is the subject of ongoing scrutiny from stewards and rival teams, and should produce even better results on the long straights and flowing turns of Sepang than it did on the Melbourne street circuit.

“We have an innovation that gives us some performance but I don’t think its a huge performance,” Schumacher said. “The nature of the track means there will be another slight advantage. Some get a little bit too excited about this compared to reality.”

As strong as Mercedes’ qualifying performance may be, the team’s problem is race pace. Even before he retired with gearbox failure, Schumacher was struggling to keep up with the leaders in Melbourne, while teammate Nico Rosberg finished out of the points in 12th.

“The basic positive is we have a much-improved car to last year,” Schumacher said. “There is still something to learn but we are positive we can improve in race pace in particular.

“We have got ideas how to improve from what we learned in Melbourne.

Whether that is enough to be on the podium is another story as there are at least four cars which are very strong with two McLarens and two Red Bulls.”

The team that everyone needs to catch is McLaren. Jenson Button won in Melbourne while teammate Lewis Hamilton took pole before being unluckily bumped down to third behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel due to the bad timing of the safety car emergence.

Button saw two main threats to McLaren extending its edge into a second race: how the new Pirelli tire compounds behave in tropical Malaysia, and the ever-present risk of heavy rain. “The temperature and the humidity will be the biggest issue for them (the tires), and it’s one of the places where you really don’t know what the weather is going to do,” Button said.—AP

DALLAS: Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol added 27 points and nine rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers stopped the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks’ four-game winning streak with a 109-93 victory on Wednesday night.

Ramon Sessions contributed 17 points and nine assists in his fourth game for the Lakers since he was acquired in a trade with Cleveland on March 15.

Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Terry scored 23 points for the Mavericks, who fell to 0-3 against the Lakers this season.

Thunder 114, Clippers 91 At Oklhaho City, Kevin Durant had 32 points and nine rebounds and Russell Westbrook added 19 points as the Thunder shut down Blake Griffin to beat the Clippers.

Playing in his hometown, Griffin was held to a career-low seven points in the rematch of a Clippers victory perhaps best remembered for his emphatic dunk over Kendrick Perkins.

Griffin didn’t have any dunks in this one, settling mostly for long jumpers and hook shots, and went just 3 for 11 from the field.

Randy Foye started in place of Caron Butler and scored 23 points to lead Los Angeles, which hit 37 percent on a miserable shooting night from inside the 3point line.

Bulls 94, Raptors 82 At Toronto, John Lucas scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter and Luol Deng had 17 points and 10 rebounds as Chicago rallied to beat Toronto.

Kyle Korver also came up big in the final quarter, scoring all 10 of his points in the fourth as the Bulls came back after trailing by 12 early in the second half.

CJ Watson scored 15 points and Ronnie Brewer had 12 for the Bulls, who won their third straight. The Bulls also won for the fourth time in five games without leading scorer Derrick Rose, who is still sidelined with a sore right groin. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points and James Johnson had 16 for the Raptors.

Spurs 116, T’wolves 100 At San Antonio, Tim Duncan had 21 points and 15 rebounds as San Antonio beat Minnesota despite playing most of the game without All-Star guard Tony Parker.

Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal each added 16 points for the Spurs, who won their fourth straight and fifth in their last six.

Parker left with tightness in his left hamstring with 8:03 remaining in the first half. He spoke briefly with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich before heading to the locker room with two points and six assists.

Knicks 82, 76ers 79 At Philadelphia, Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead New York to its fifth straight victory.

Jeremy Lin scored 18 points and Carmelo Anthony had 10 to help the Knicks pull within three games of the Atlantic Division leaders. Elton Brand

had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers. Jrue Holiday scored 16.

The Sixers shook off a miserable start and a double-digit hole to make a run in the fourth, with Lou Williams nailing a 3pointer to tie it at 63.

Magic 103, Suns 93 At Orlando, Ryan Anderson hit seven 3-pointers and scored 29 points, and Dwight Howard added 28 points and 16 rebounds to help Orlando hold off Phoenix.

Orlando led by as many as 22 before the Suns rallied with under 5 minutes to play. But the Magic, who were 11 for 23 from beyond the arc, were able to string together enough baskets down the stretch to hold on.

The Magic snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the sixth time in

Nets’ All-Star point guard Deron Williams and head coach Avery Johnson.

Williams and Johnson were tossed by referee Josh Tiven with 5:18 left in the quarter for arguing a non-call on a Williams’ drive to the basket seconds earlier. Tiven appeared to call all four technical fouls, getting Williams first and then the coach.

Jordan Crawford added 23 points and John Wall had 12 and eight assists for Washington. Williams had 17 for the Nets.

Warriors 101, Hornets 92 At New Orleans, Klay Thompson scored a career-high 27 points and David Lee added 25 as Golden State beat New Orleans to end a four-game losing streak.

The Warriors trailed 58-51 midway

PHILADELPHIA: New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) gets tangled up with Philadelphia 76ers guard Louis Williams as they chase for a loose ball during an NBA basketball game.—AP seven matchups with the Suns in Orlando. Jared Dudley had 17 points and Robin Lopez added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Suns.

Hawks 103, Cavaliers 102 At Atlanta, Joe Johnson hit a tying 3pointer at the end of regulation and knocked down a baseline jumper with 10 seconds left in overtime, giving Atlanta the win over Cleveland.

The Hawks rallied from a six-point deficit in OT, pulling even on Johnson’s third trey of the night and a three-point play by Josh Smith, who led Atlanta with 32 points and 17 rebounds.

Cleveland had two shots at the end.

Irving missed and Gee botched the follow. Johnson rallied to finish with 22 points for the Hawks.

Irving nearly had a triple double for the Cavaliers, scoring 29 points to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists. Antawn Jamison added 23 points.

Wizards 108, Nets 89 At Newark, Nene had 22 points and 10 rebounds in his debut for the Wizards, who beat New Jersey in a game marred by the third-quarter ejections of

through the third before Thompson sparked a 20-5 run. He hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to give the Warriors a 60-58 lead, and Brandon Rush hit a wide open 3-pointer that gave Golden State the lead for good, 6360. Lee, who also had 11 rebounds, finished the spurt with a jumper that made it 71-63. Jarrett Jack had his first career triple double for the Hornets with 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Nuggets 116, Pistons 115 At Denver, JaVale McGee rebounded a missed free throw following a basket with 5 seconds remaining and dunked to give Denver the win over Detroit.

Not a bad Denver debut for McGee, who completed a four-point possession as the Nuggets held on despite wasting a 25-point lead.

McGee, in his first game with Denver following his acquisition a week ago as part of the trade that sent Nene to Washington, finished with 15 points.

Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 25 points and Arron Afflalo had 23. Ben Gordon scored 45 points for the Pistons, making all nine of his 3-point attempts.—AP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

GERMANY: Bayern Munich’s teammates celebrate after winning the German Soccer Cup (DFB Pokal) semifinal match against Borussia Moenchengladbach. —AP

Bayern down Gladbach to reach final BERLIN: Bayern Munich reached the German Cup final after they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-2 on penalties as Wednesday’s semi-final finished goalless after extra-time. Bayern will now face Borussia Dortmund on May 12 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium following the league leaders’ 1-0 win over second-division Greuther Fuerth in Tuesday’s other semi-final.

With nothing to separate Bayern and Gladbach after 120 minutes of football at the 54,057 sold-out Borussia Park, the game was settled by spot-kicks.

After Bayern converted all four of their

chances, misses by Gladbach’s Brazil defender Dante and Norway midfielder Havard Nordtveit handed Bayern victory as Munich’s Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer pulled off good saves.

“Penalties are always a certain amount of drama,” said Bayern’s relieved director of sport Christian Nerlinger. “I am really pleased that Manuel Neuer saved the deciding penalties. We were able to convert all of our spot kicks, that speaks volumes for the team’s determination.”

With his side third in the Bundesliga behind second-placed Bayern, Gladbach coach Lucien Favre said his main concern now was Saturday’s clash at home to Hoffenheim. “Now Saturday’s

Indian player dies after collapsing on field NEW DELHI: An Indian soccer player has died after collapsing on the field during a local league game in the southern city of Bangalore.

D. Venkatesh, 27, a midfielder for A division club Bangalore Mars, went on as substitute in the 73rd minute and collapsed toward the end of the game, local media reported yesterday.

Domestic media reported there was no ambulance available and Venkatesh was taken to the Hosmat Hospital on Wednesday in a three-wheel auto-rickshaw. Preliminary reports suggested cardiac arrest was the cause of death.

The Times of India newspaper quoted Dr. Ajith Benedict Royan of Hosmat Hospital as saying there were no external injuries and attributing the cause to “Sudden Death Syndrome.”

“Maybe if he had been given oxygen or proper medical care at the time of the incident, he could have stood a chance,” the newspaper quoted Royan as saying.

The incident came days after Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba collapsed during an English FA Cup match against Tottenham after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was taken to London Chest Hospital and remains in intensive care.

The All India Football Federation issued a statement confirming Venkatesh, a former junior state-level representative, had collapsed near the end of the match.

“The AIFF prays for his departed soul,” the statement said. “May he rest in peace.”—AP

next game is all that is important. The cup game is already history,” said the Swiss. “That’s football, we have to now win our next league game.”

Having already beaten Bayern home and away in the Bundesliga this season, Gladbach were chasing a rare treble over the Bavarians, but it was not to be.

This was a typically tense cup semi-final as both sides pushed forward looking for the half chance to take a crucial lead while desperately trying to avoid giving their opponent any opportunities. Bayern hit the post in the first six minutes through Toni Kroos and it turned into a bruising encounter as Gladbach forward Mike

Hanke accidentally kicked Bayern’s Holger Badstuber in the face with 25 minutes gone. At the other end, Neuer had to be alert to save a shot from Filip Daems on 35 minutes having earlier denied Gladbach midfielder Marco Reus.

Both Neuer and Gladbach goalkeeper MarcAndre ter Stegen were busy throughout as Bayern striker Mario Gomez went close while Neuer pulled off a brilliant save to deny Reus with six minutes left.

In extra time, Bayern substitute Nils Petersen squandered a great chance with just two minutes left before his side held their nerve on penalties.—AFP

Napoli in Italian Cup final ROME: Napoli defeated Siena 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the Italian Cup final on a 3-2 aggregate and will face Juventus in the May 20 final where they will look to end their 22-year wait for silverware.

Fired-up by their Champions League exit to Chelsea, Napoli went ahead after just 11 minutes through an own goal from Simone Vergassola. Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani added the second in the 31st minute after a swift counter-attack sparked by Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik.

“I am happy to be in the final and to have a place in a European tournament,” said Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri. “But I am worried for the rest of the season. The team is tired, you could see that tonight and we have probably lost Christian Maggio (who picked up an injury) at a crucial time.”

On Tuesday, Mirko Vucinic’s extra-time strike sent Juventus into their first Italian Cup final since 2004 following a 2-2 draw with AC Milan, giving them a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Milan had forced extra-time by leading 21 after 90 minutes but ultimately paid for their semi-final, first leg defeat at home last month. Veteran Alessandro Del Piero had given Juve a first-half lead but second period goals from Djamel Mesbah, his first for Milan, and Maxi Lopez forced the extra period.

Vucinic’s goal ensured Juve still have not been beaten this season in 32 games, although they would have lost had the match ended after 90 minutes.

It meant first blood to Juve against the

team against whom they’re also fighting for the Serie A title. “Going through means a lot to us, we’re really proud,” said goalscorer Del Piero. “I’m delighted for tonight, as much for my goal as for qualification.

“We’re here fighting on both fronts and we’ll fight to the end.” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said his side had lost it

in the first leg. “I’m happy with the performance, the lads played well,” he said.

“It was a good game, I’m disappointed we haven’t reached the final after a game like this because the lads did everything. “I’m disappointed to go out in this way but we were compromised already from the San Siro result.”—AFP

NAPLES: Napoli’s Edinson Cavani of Uruguay (left) shoots the ball as Siena’s Marcelo Larrondo of Argentina tries to stop him during a Cup of Italy semifinal soccer match. —AP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Mancini expects Tevez to boost Man City’s title bid Man City 2

Chelsea 1

LONDON: Everton’s Royston Drenthe (left) and Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky battle for the ball during their English Premier League soccer match at Goodison Park Stadium.—AP

Gunners shoot down Everton LIVERPOOL: Arsene Wenger warned his Everton 0 resurgent Arsenal players that they cannot afford to relax after moving into the Premier Arsenal 1 League’s top three for the first time this season. The Gunners, 12 points behind Tottenham on February 1, climbed above their north London rivals after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen’s fifth top-flight goal of the campaign earned Wenger’s side a sixth straight league win to move one point above Spurs with nine games remaining. With Arsenal seventh in the table as recently as seven weeks ago, it continued a remarkable transformation by the Gunners. But Wenger insists the hard work is only just starting if Arsenal want to stay in the top three for the rest of the campaign. “We have learned a lot in the last months,” Wenger said. “But it’s important we stay focused and fight for each other if we want to stay where we are.

“Since October we have had only one bad spell because we had no full-backs. But the attitude of the team was always good and I felt we could always bounce back.

“We needed to be strong because we were under a lot of pressure and we need that until the end of the season. Where we come from, we know what suffering means. “In some press conferences earlier in the season I had to answer questions like ‘are you praying you don’t go down?’.

“When you have gone through that you are cured for the rest of the season,. But we know we still have a difficult battle in front of us. “Things change quickly in this league. That’s why it is vital to keep our focused.” On his team’s resilient performance against Everton, Wenger added: “We had a brilliant start and slowly Everton came back into the game.

“For most of the second-half we hung on until the last 15 minutes when we began to create chances. We were resilient and focused with a desire to defend. “We refused to play a little bit because we just wanted to stay ahead. “You have seen a side of us that usually people do not know. I felt it was the only way to get a result against Everton. Overall we never panicked and that’s good.”

Everton have now failed to win their last three games, but Toffees boss David Moyes was furious with the officials after Royston Drenthe had a goal harshly ruled out for offside, “It was a goal,” insisted Moyes. “We have had a sore deal, the last few games we’ve had really poor decisions in games against us. “I can’t do anything about it. I’m not going to get myself into trouble. “It cost us in the end trying to get something back after a really disappointing start.”—AFP

MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini expects Carlos Tevez to go from strength to strength as his side chase the Premier League title.

Tevez inspired a 2-1 win over Chelsea on his return from exile as a second half substitute at Eastlands on Wednesday.

The Argentine forward set up a winning goal for Samir Nasri as his side closed the gap on leaders Manchester United to one point.

A Sergio Aguero penalty soon after Tevez’s introduction had cancelled out Gary Cahill’s opening goal for Chelsea as City also record a 20th consecutive home league win, a record in the Premier League era and only the fourth time in history a top flight club has reached such a landmark.

Tevez’s appearance from the bench had been greeted by boos from sections of City supporters, still angered by the forward’s self-imposed six-month exile from the club following his refusal to warm-up during a Champions League tie in September. But Mancini has no doubt that the player will not take long to win over the dissenting few.

“I think it was important that Carlos made an incredible assist for Samir and all the supporters were happy with that,” Mancini said.

“I think Carlos needs more time, it’s not easy for him but it’s important that he is here now. “Maybe in 10 days, two weeks, he can find good form. I think that will be important for us.

“Carlos is maybe not 100 per cent but he knows football and he was important because he was incredible for us. “I have spoken with Carlos every day this month and he knows he had to come off the bench and play 20 minutes in this game but he can play more in the future.

“He’s an important player, he needs another two or three weeks to have

LONDON: Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez (centre) keeps the ball from Chelsea’s Jose Bosingwa (left) and Ramires during their English Premier League soccer match.—AP good form but when he plays, he knows where to take the ball.”

Mancini also insisted that any ill-feeling between he and Tevez has been well and truly eradicated. “That was finished a month ago when Carlos came back here,” added Mancini. “Now it’s important for Carlo to play some games for us, for him, for his future.”

The feel-good factor extended beyond the manager’s dug-out with Tevez’s team-mates clearly content to have him back in the fold.

“I’m really happy for him,” added Nasri of Tevez. “He’s showed great spirit since he’s been back and showed in this match he can be really important until the end of the season. It’s good that it’s him that gave me this assist.

“At 1-0 we showed great spirit and that is really important as we want to win the title and we know we have to win every game.”

City, who face United at Eastlands in April, remain firmly in the title race thanks to Tevez and Mancini is confident they can still wrestle the trophy from Old Trafford.

“At times this season we have played fantastic football,” he said. “I don’t think we have played well the last three or

four weeks, we have been so-so, but after tonight something can change.

There are nine games until the end and we want to stay there.”

For Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo, the decision to start with Fernando Torres in attack, leaving Didier Drogba on the bench, seemed to backfire and the Spanish striker appeared unhappy, exchanging words with his manager, when he was brought off.

“I just thought to start the game, the dynamic of the team, it was going to be the right decision, he had a very good performance on Sunday,” said Di Matteo of his choice of starting striker.

“There is no problem with Didier.

And no player is happy about being substituted but there is absolutely no problem with Fernando. I communicate with all my players, there is no problem.”

Meanwhile, Di Matteo refused to be too downhearted by the first defeat of his reign as interim boss.

“Two weeks ago we were seven points behind third place, now we’re six so we are going in the right direction,” he added. “We showed we can match the best teams in this league, we’re very disappointed we didn’t get at least a point.”—AFP

Defiant Redknapp won’t give up on third place Tottenham 1

Stoke 1

LONDON: Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has warned Arsenal to expect a fight to the finish in the race for third place in the Premier League.

Redknapp’s side surrendered their grip on third spot, which earns automatic Champions League group stages, for the first time in almost three months after a 1-

1 draw against Stoke on Wednesday.

While Spurs were failing to win for a fourth successive league match, Arsenal continued their revival with a 1-0 victory at Everton which allowed them to leapfrog their north London rivals.

It was another dispiriting 90 minutes for Spurs, who needed a Rafael van der Vaart stoppage-time equaliser to cancel out Cameron Jerome’s opener as football returned to White Hart Lane just four days after Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba’s horrifying collapse there.

Although Spurs have been in freefall over the last month, Redknapp is convinced they will rediscover their peak form in time to pip Arsenal to third.

“We can still finish above Arsenal.

Arsenal can think it’s all over. It’s not all over,” Redknapp said. “There’s a long way to go yet. There’ll be twists and turns. It’s all to play for still.

“They’re not going to win every game, are they, I don’t think.” Redknapp rubbished suggestions his players might have been affected by Saturday’s distressing events, which saw Tottenham’s FA Cup tie with Bolton abandoned after Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest shortly before halftime.

“Nothing affects them - they’ve been ready to play,” he said. “I’d be making excuses if I said that. “I just felt we got a bit panicky. We stopped passing the ball as well. “The crowd want us to get forward and want us to win, which is great.—AFP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Lyon maul PSG in French Cup PARIS: Carlo Ancelotti suffered his first competitive defeat as Paris St Germain manager when the Ligue 1 leaders lost 3-1 at home to Olympique Lyon in the French Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. PSG, unbeaten since Ancelotti took over from Antoine Kombouare in December, took the lead through a Nene penalty but Lyon struck back before the break with goals by Kim Kallstrom and Lisandro Lopez before wrapping it up with a Bafetimbi Gomis penalty in stoppage time. They will travel to GFCO Ajaccio in the semi-finals after the third division side knocked out Montpellier 1-0.

Stade Rennes, who claimed a 3-1 win at 10-man Valenciennes earlier on Wednesday, will visit third division side Quevilly who reached the last four by beating Olympique Marseille 3-2 after extra time on Tuesday.

“It was a great first half. Then we had to sit back in the second half because Paris were really strong but we were disciplined and that’s why we held on. Hats off to the team,” Lyon coach Remi Garde told France 3. PSG went ahead in the 19th minute when the hosts were awarded a penalty after Samuel Umtiti handled the ball.

Brazilian Nene converted from the spot but Lyon were quickly back into contention as Kim Kallstrom fired a 25metre free kick into the top corner to make it 1-1 after 25 minutes. Lyon took the lead six minutes before halftime when Lisandro latched on to a Kalltstrom cross at the far post to double the tally from close range.

France striker Gomis put the result beyond doubt from the spot after Michel Bastos had been brought down in the box

by Christophe Jallet. Montpellier fell to Yohan Bocognano’s crossed shot in the 75th minute after a mediocre performance in Corsica. “It’s wonderful, we just beat a team who are in the race to the French title,” Bocognano told French TV channel France 2. Ligue 1’s top striker Olivier Giroud hit the woodwork with five minutes left but that was all Montpellier had to show for themselves four days after they suffered their first defeat of the year in a 1-0 loss at Nancy.

Rennes prevailed thanks to second-half goals by John Boye and Youssouf Hadji after Valenciennes were down to 10 men following Foued Kadir’s dismissal in the 42nd minute for a rough tackle on Yann Mvila. Valenciennes striker Mamadou Samassa had cancelled out Jonathan Pitroipa’s first-half opener.—Reuters

Real rattled as Barca close in MADRID: Back-to-back draws for leaders Real Madrid have blown the title race wide open in Spain and pursuers Barcelona, who have cut the deficit to six points from 10, will seek to crank up the pressure on Saturday.

Champions Barca could narrow the gap to three points with a win at Real Mallorca (1700GMT) while Real host Real Sociedad two hours later.

Real’s march towards a first league title in four years has stalled in the space of four days and nerves seem to be getting the better of them.

After 11 consecutive wins, Real toiled to 1-1 draws at home to Malaga last Sunday and away at Villarreal on Wednesday after conceding late freekicks.

Jose Mourinho’s side, the league’s top scorers with 90 goals from 28 matches, have been finding it hard to finish off games recently and their frustration was evident after Marcos Senna’s late equaliser on Wednesday.

“Madrid are scared stiff,” Barcelonabased daily Sport said on Thursday, while El Pais pointed a finger at Real’s coach with the headline: “Mourinho makes Madrid hysterical.”

Mourinho, defensive mainstay Sergio Ramos and playmaker Mesut Ozil were all sent off in the closing stages at the Madrigal in a remarkable loss of composure that could yet have more painful consequences if the federation decides to act.

Mourinho’s assistant, Rui Faria, had already been sent off for complaining earlier, his fourth red card of the season.

Referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero, who sent Mourinho off last season, also noted in his match report that Real defender Pepe had accused him of “robbery” and used unsavoury language.

SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Alvaro Arbeloa (right) vies for the ball with Villarreal’s Javier Camunas (left) during their La Liga soccer match.—AP No one from Real attended the postmatch news conference. On paper Real Sociedad should not pose too much of a threat but Real need to raise their game if they are to stop the rot.

Barca have recovered from their shock 3-2 defeat at Osasuna last month to string together six consecutive wins, with La Liga’s leading marksman Lionel Messi (34 goals) in top form.

The World Player of the Year has scored 17 times in his last seven games.

They travel to face a hard-running Mallorca side who are unbeaten in four

outings.

“We are only going to think about our games, there are 10 left and we have to get the maximum points,” Barca’s Thiago Alcantara told reporters on Wednesday.

“Hope is the last thing that dies, we have to maintain our hope.” Thirdplaced Valencia visit Getafe on Saturday (2100) with coach Unai Emery under pressure, a 2-1 defeat to bottom club Real Zaragoza at the Mestalla on Wednesday sparked an angry reaction from home fans.—Reuters

QPR rally to stun Liverpool QPR 3

Liverpool 2

LONDON: Kenny Dalglish admits Liverpool must learn from their stunning meltdown against QPR if they are to avoid their Premier League season drifting to a disappointing end.

Dalglish’s side threw away a two-goal lead in the final 13 minutes to lose 3-2 to struggling QPR at Loftus Road on Wednesday.

And the Reds boss admits he is concerned his side may suffer in the FA Cup semi-final, when they face Everton or Sunderland at Wembley, if they continue to fail to close games out.

But Dalglish was puzzled as to how Liverpool managed to go from being in control thanks to goals from Sebastian Coates and Dirk Kuyt, to leaving west London with nothing after Shaun Derry, Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie had hit back. Dalglish, who had admitted ahead of the game that his side need to win all 10 of their fixtures if they were to hope

for a top four spot, said: “I don’t think anybody saw it coming.

“We started fantastically, the only thing that was missing was a bit of luck in front of goal. “We could have been three or four-nil up by half time. There is not much more we can say, we don’t have any answers as to what happened.

We have to find them if we are to learn from it. “The main thing we have to learn is that it is not over until it’s over.

“There was a fair bit of feeling about how we would approach the game and how the players were feeling after qualifying for the FA Cup semi-final.

“Most of the game we were dominant, professional. They did concentrate for most of the game and we were constructive in so many parts of it. But QPR have walked away with three points.

“We never got what we deserved, but that is life, I suppose. I can’t explain it.” For QPR, both Mackie and manager Mark Hughes believe the result could be the catalyst for survival.

The win was only their second in 17 games and took them out of the bottom three and two points clear of the relegation zone. Hughes said: “It could be a defining moment. I think we have to make sure it is. We might look back at tonight and say this is where it all turned for us. “It’s huge in terms of the

LONDON: Queens Park Rangers’ Bobby Zamora (left) competes with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard during their English Premier League soccer match at Loftus Road Stadium.—AP belief we can take out of it, but it is important we look to the weekend and make sure it doesn’t go to waste.”

Goal-hero Mackie added: “You could see the reaction of the fans, that changes our season now. It was a great performance and we really dug in.”

Liverpool had started the game well and could have been 4-0 up inside the

opening 12 minutes, as Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Kuyt had chances denied.

Coates fired Liverpool in front nine minutes after the break with a spectacular overhead kick, before Kuyt latched onto the rebound from Paddy Kenny’s save off Stewart Downing’s shot to double the visitors’ lead.—AFP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Pakistan wins Asia Cup thriller

DUBAI: Namibia’s Christiaan Opperman bowls during a ICC World Twenty20 qualifying match against Afghanistan.—AP

Afghanistan qualify for World Twenty20 DUBAI: Afghanistan booked their place in the 2012 World Twenty20 yesterday with a 47-run victory over Namibia in the first final of the 16-nation qualifying tournament.

In a battle of two undefeated teams, Afghanistan were bowled out for 146 in their 20 overs before Namibia were dismissed for 99 in the 19th over.

Despite the loss, Namibia will get a second chance of making the World Twenty20 when they face either Ireland or the Netherlands in tomorrow’s second qualifying final. Afghanistan, who also played in the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, saw openers Karim Sadiq (28) and Javed Ahmadi (24) give their side a flying start with a partnership of 57 by the seventh over.

But Namibia slammed the brakes on the scoring rate with skipper Sarel Burger taking with 3 for 16. However, the African side never recovered from a precarious 18 for four by the fourth over with seamer Dawlat Zadran boasting figures of 3 for 1 off his first two overs.

Burger and Nicholaas Scholtz, with 22 runs each, gave a little middle-order impetus, but Afghanistan were simply too powerful in all departments as they coasted to a place in the finals in Sri Lanka in September and October.

Right-arm fast bowler Aftab Alam claimed 4 for 25, sweeping up the tail in the process.

Earlier, Ireland swept past Canada in the play-offs, winning by 10 wickets while the Netherlands edged out Scotland by three wickets.

Ireland will face the Dutch yesterday with the winner of that game taking on Namibia on Saturday for the second available berth in Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan and the winner of tomorrow’s final playoff will meet in the tournament finale on Saturday night.

The winner will be slotted into Group B in Sri Lanka alongside Australia and the West Indies with the runnerup going into Group A against India and defending champions England. —AFP

DHAKA: Pakistan won its second Asia Cup cricket title when it beat Bangladesh by two runs in a thrilling final yesterday.

In a match which riveted fans to the final ball, Pakistan tallied 236-9 in its 50 overs, then stalled Bangladesh on 234-8 in a raucous Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. In a dramatic final over, Bangladesh needed 9 to win. Pakistan messed up when it conceded three runs off the third-to-last ball with a wayward throw and an overthrow. That left 4 to win off 2 balls. But then Abdur Razzak played a slower ball off fast bowler Aizaz Cheema onto his stumps, stranding the in-form Mahmadullah at the non-striker’s end.

New batsman Shahadat Hossain had to hit four runs off the last ball to give Bangladesh its maiden Asia Cup title, but he managed a yorker on leg stump with only a leg bye, causing the Pakistanis to jump around in joy.

Their only other triumph in the 28-year Asia Cup was in 2000, also on Bangladesh soil. While Cheema took 3-46, it was the Pakistan spinners, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi, who tied down Bangladesh’s chase for victory. Cheema made a telling double blow when he bowled the brilliant Shakib Al Hasan for 68 (off 72 balls) and dismissed captain Mushfiqur Rahim for 10 within two overs of each other, leaving Pakistan 190-6 in the 46th over.

Still, Bangladesh almost got there.

Mashrafe bin Mortaza hit 18 off 9 balls, Mahmudullah took 16 balls to finish 17 not out, and Razzak used 8 deliveries to make 6. Tamim Iqbal opened with 60 off 68 balls for his fourth successive half century, but it was Pakistan’s bowlers who shone in the end. Afridi, 1-28 off 10 overs, was named man of the match. Hafeez conceded only 30 in his 10-over allotment, and Ajmal took 2-40. For Pakistan, Sarfraz Ahmed top-scored with 46 not out. Opener Mohammad Hafeez made 40, Afridi 32, and Umar Akmal and Hammad Azam both hit 30. Pakistan made a slow start and was 55-3 due to some tight bowling and fielding by Bangladesh, but a final over of 19 runs helped the team post a defendable

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan bats during their Asia Cup final cricket match against Pakistan yesterday. —AP total. The sloppy final over came from Hossain, who conceded 63 from nine overs and failed to bowl a maiden or take a wicket. His spell was a gift for struggling Pakistan as it also included three no balls

and two wides. Razzak led the attack by taking 2-26 from 10 overs, including three maidens. Shakib and Mortaza each took two wickets after Bangladesh won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat.—AP

SCOREBOARD DHAKA: Complete scoreboard of the Asia Cup final between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dhaka yesterday: Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez c Nazmul b Razzak 40 Nasir Jamshed c Mahmudullah b Mortaza 9 Younis Khan lbw b Nazmul 1 Misbah-ul-Haq run out 13 Umar Akmal c Rahim b Mahmudullah 30 Hammad Azam c and b Shakib 30 Shahid Afridi c Nasir b Shakib 32 Sarfraz Ahmed not out 46 Umar Gul c Shakib b Mortaza 4 Saeed Ajmal b Razzak 4 Aizaz Cheema not out 9 Extras (b2, lb8, nb4, w4) 18 Total (for nine wickets; 50 overs) 236 Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Jamshed), 2-19 (Younis), 3-55 (Misbah), 4-70 (Hafeez), 5-129 (Azam), 6-133 (Akmal), 7-178 (Afridi), 8-199 (Gul), 9206 (Ajmal).

Bowling: Mortaza 10-0-48-2 (w1), Nazmul 8-1-36-1, Razzak 10-3-262, Shahadat 9-0-63-0 (nb4, w2), Shakib 10-1-39-2 (w1), Mahmudullah 3-0-14-1.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal c Younis b Gul 60 Mohammad Nazimuddin c Younis b Afridi 16 Jahurul Islam c Younis b Ajmal 0 Nasir Hossain c Misbah b Gul 28 Shakib Al Hasan b Cheema 68 Mushfiqur Rahim c Jamshed b Cheema 10 Mohammad Mahmudullah not out 17 Mashrafe Mortaza c Jamshed b Ajmal 18 Abdur Razzak b Cheema 6 Shahadat Hossain not out 0 Extras (lb5, nb2, w4) 11 Total (for eight wickets; 50 overs) 234 Fall of wickets: 1-68 (Nazimuddin), 2-68 (Jahurul), 3-81 (Tamim), 4170 (Nasir), 5-179 (Shakib), 6-190 (Rahim), 7-218 (Mortaza), 8-233 (Razzak).

Bowling: Hafeez 10-0-30-0 (w1), Gul 10-2-65-2 (nb1), Ajmal 10-2-402 (w1), Afridi 10-1-28-1 (w1), Cheema 7-0-46-3 (nb1), Azam 3-0-20-0 (w1).

Result: Pakistan win by two runs Man of the match: Shahid Afridi (PAK) Man of the tournament: Shakib Al Hasan (BAN)

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012

Napoli in Italian Cup final Page 60

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Pakistan win Asia Cup DHAKA: Pakistan’s cricketeer Umar Akmal (second right) lifts the trophy following the One Day International (ODI) Asia Cup cricket final match against Bangladesh.(Inset) Pakistan’s cricketers pose for a photo —AFP

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