25 Feb 2013 by Kuwait Times

IPT IO N SC R SU B

150 Fils

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

RABI ALTHANI 15, 1434 AH

No: 15730

Erdogan blasts Assad, calls him ‘mute devil’ Turkey urges world to stand up to ‘cruelty, aggression’

Max 25º Min 13º

Iraqi faction threatens Kuwait port By A Saleh KUWAIT: An Iraqi faction calling itself “Hezbollah of Iraq” has threatened to bomb Kuwait’s under-construction Mubarak AlKabeer port as well as targets in Saudi Arabia. The threats were made through a statement attributed to a person who identiﬁed himself as Wathiq Al-Battat, a self-styled commander of the Al-Mukhtar Army in Hezbollah of Iraq “comprising of nearly a million soldiers”. He also warned Iraqi Kurds from “using the weakness of [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri] Al-Maliki’s government to expand into Kirkuk and Mosul”. The threat comes amidst reports suggesting that Battat had ﬂed to Syria after a warrant was released for his arrest to bring him to face sectarianism charges. The Iraqi government did not comment on the threat.

Palestinian inmate died of torture RAMALLAH: A Palestinian prisoner who died in an Israeli jail was tortured to death, a Palestinian oﬃcial charged yesterday, dismissing Israeli accounts of an apparent heart attack. Arafat Jaradat’s autopsy showed torture resulting from fractures in his body and skull while his heart was in good condition, said Issa Qaraqaa, the minister in charge of prisoner aﬀairs, citing a Palestinian doctor who took part in the autopsy. “These results prove Israel killed him,” Qaraqaa told a news conference. Jaradat died on Saturday in an Israeli jail from what prison authorities initially said appeared to have been a heart attack. The 30-yearold man from Sair near Hebron in the West Bank was arrested last Monday for alleged involvement in a November 2012 stone-throwing incident which injured an Israeli, according to Israel’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. Arafat Jaradat Palestinians said he was a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah movement. Jaradat’s body was transferred to a hospital in Hebron late yesterday after an autopsy at Israel’s national forensic institute near Tel Aviv in which the Palestinian doctor participated. He was to be buried at noon today. — AFP

ALEPPO: Syrians carry the body of a 6-year-old girl found under the rubble of a building in the Tariq al-Bab district of this northern city on Saturday. Three surface-to-surface missiles fired by Syrian regime forces in Tariq al-Bab have left 58 people dead, among them 36 children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said yesterday. — AFP SHARJAH: Turkey’s prime minister denounced Syria’s leader yesterday, calling him a “mute devil” for carrying out attacks on his own people but not standing up to Israel’s occupation of Syrian territory. Recep Tayyip Erdogan received several rounds of applause at a government communications forum in the United Arab Emirates, which has joined other Gulf nations in backing Syrian rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Al-Assad. “We will not remain silent in the face of the cruel dictator, the mute devil, who mercilessly carried out massacres against his own people, but who has remained silent and unresponsive toward those who have occupied his own territories for decades,” Erdogan told the gathering in Sharjah, just north of Dubai. Israel captured the strategic Golan Heights plateau in 1967. Despite hostility between the two countries, Israel and Syria have not gone to war since 1973 and the border region has been generally without major tensions for decades. Erdogan, whose nation watches over teeming Syrian refugee camps, urged

world leaders to denounce attacks on civilians by the Syrian regime, saying “we must to stand up to cruelty and aggression”. The comments came just hours before the new US Secretary of State John Kerry was scheduled to begin his first official overseas trip that will include talks with NATO allies, including Turkey, on ways to end nearly two years of bloodshed in Syria that has claimed at least 70,000 lives. The US and Western allies have resisted rebel appeals to supply heavy arms, fearing the weapons could escalate the civil war and possibly fall into the hands of Islamist militant factions that have joined the fight against Assad. “We cannot remain silent,” said Erdogan, a keynote speaker at the conference to examine government media strategies and outreach. Early in the revolt against Assad’s regime, Turkey broke ties with Damascus and led international calls for his ouster. Ankara has since backed the uprising against Assad by offering shelter to defectors from Assad’s army and hosting oppo-

sition meetings, while some 200,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey, many of them living in squalid camps. On Feb 15, Assad’s government sent a letter to the United Nations blasting Turkey’s “destructive” role in the Syrian conflict. Damascus has systematically blamed foreign powers, key among them Turkey, the West and Gulf countries, for the war in Syria. Erdogan’s statement came as the French foreign ministry confirmed that freelance photographer Olivier Voisin, who was seriously wounded in Syria on Thursday, died of his wounds after surgery in Turkey. A spokeswoman confirmed that Voisin, 38, had died, after he suffered head and arm injuries from shrapnel when a shell exploded near the northwest Syrian province of Idlib. Turkish surgeons has operated on the photographer on Friday in the border city of Antakya. His pictures have been published in major French and British newspapers and he collaborated with AFP in January, providing about a dozen pictures from Aleppo. — Agencies

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

GCC states urged to seek closer integration LONDON: The Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Khaled Al-Duweisan, has urged member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to seek closer integration for preserving security, stability and prosperity of the key region of the Gulf. Speaking at inauguration of the conference of the UK Branch of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS), late on Saturday, the veteran Kuwaiti diplomat said “Despite Kuwait’s location in a turbulent region, it by Allah’s will has enjoyed security, stability and prosperity due to awareness of the natives and wisdom of its leaders. “It has reached current level (of advancement) due to efforts of the natives and their preservation of the national unity.” “We as Kuwaitis boast that we are masterminds of initiatives that have been adopted by many advanced states, such as establishment of the Next Generations Fund.” This fund, which provided income resources during the 1990-1991 Iraqi aggression on the country, continued to play an effective role for service of the higher national interests. At the regional level, Kuwait was mastermind of setting up the GCC, which succeeded in maintaining stability and security of the Gulf states in a region, prevailed by political, economic and social turmoil. Al-Duweisan’s statement marked Kuwait’s current celebrations of the 52nd Independence Day, the 22nd Day of Liberation from the blatant Iraqi aggression and the seventh anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah proclamation as the top leader of the country. Elaborating, the senior diplomat said the Kuwaiti political leaders, since independence, have been calling for optimal investment in the Kuwaiti native, an approach that resulted in developing the educational sector. He urged the Kuwaiti students to persevere for ensuring a prosperous future for the homeland. On another axis, Al-Duweisan noted the crucial visit to the UK by HH the Amir in November last year, which resulted in boosting the historic and friendly relationship between Kuwait City and London. — KUNA

Jailed Filipino to walk free soon Release after 17 years in prison By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Joseph Urbiztondo, a Filipino who has spent almost 17 years in jail after being sentenced to a life imprisonment in Kuwait for killing a Bangladeshi national in July 1996, is all set to walk free since the blood money required for his release has been collected and will be submitted to the authorities here. The blood money collection was completed when the Alliance of Filipino Organizations in Kuwait (ALFILOK) organized a concert to raise the remaining amount KD 2,400 for Urbiztondo’s freedom. Urbiztondo’s tanazul (letter of forgiveness) was already secured from the family of his victim in Bangladesh by the Philippines’ embassy here long back, but it came with a condition of paying KD6000 as ‘dia’ or blood money. The money, as per the Kuwaiti court here, will be required to be paid to the victim’s family. “The amount has been collected and we hope that he will be out soon and be with his family,” said Dr Chie Umandap, the head of the group that invited performers from Manila Ai Ai delas Alas, Bugoy Drilon and Liezel Garcia. The trio held a successful concert here on Jan 25 and the proceeds from the concert were set aside for Urbiztondo. “He has a family back in the Philippines waiting and the greatest gift we can ever give is his freedom,” Umandap said. He explained that the biggest contributor (donation) was received from the Catholic Church. “Bishop Camillo Ballin has given us KD2000 (for Urbiztondo) and the rest

came from the joint effort made by various Filipino organizations. At first, we thought we could raise the amount but we could only gather KD 3,600. So, in order to complete the amount, we thought holding the concert will be a great help. It worked and as a matter of fact, we will be turning over the amount to the authorities soon. We managed to raise KD 2,400 for Urbiztondo.” Urbiztondo, the longest serving Filipino in the Kuwait Central Jail in Sulaibiya, started soliciting help from different non-governmental organizations in the Philippines and even the Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay, but his efforts were hampered for one or the oth-

er reason. “I would like to thank the entire Filipino community in Kuwait which assisted us in this endeavor. We are thankful to the Bangladesh Embassy as well for its cooperation, and, most of all, we thank the supporters of ‘Musika at Tawanan’ (the name of the concert).” Last Friday, the ALFIL-OK had arranged a special gathering to recognize the effort they contributed for the said project. The ALFIL-OK confederation included the Filipino Badminton Committee, Filipino Cultural Club, FILSOK, Oragons in Kuwait, KFMO, PSK, FilAseak, Fitpro and Al Rawan Salon (of Ms Farida).

KUWAIT: The meeting of ALFIL-OK last Friday.

Suspect sought in infant’s death KUWAIT: Preliminary investigations into the death of an infant reported recently in Sulaibikhat have so far revealed that a woman had left the baby outside a mosque where it was eventually found. The baby was already dead when paramedics arrived at the scene on Friday. On Saturday, an Arab man who works at a mosque approached the police, indicating that his coworker had witnessed a woman leaving a bundle wrapped in a white blanket outside the mosque before she sped away in a white SUV. The Indian man failed to note down the license plate number of the woman’s car, but described the car as well as the woman and the man who reportedly drove the vehicle. Based on the latest findings, a case of homicide was filed at the Qairawan police station. Investigations were on. Vengeful arsonist A man working at a carpentry in Farwaniya, who had a dispute with his employer, set it on fire. Police later arrested him and he confessed to his crime. The suspect was summoned after investigations into the Jleeb AlShuyoukh fire revealed that it was a

deliberate act of arson. The man eventually admitted setting the place ablaze as a revenge after his employer refused to pay his commission for the past six months. The man remains in custody pending legal procedures. Teen arrested A teenager was arrested after he duped an old man to steal his money and is undergoing further investigations to find whether he was connected with similar other crimes. Police was first approached by a Kuwaiti man in his sixties who wanted to press charges against a woman he was romantically involved with before she decided to terminate their relationship after collecting at least KD10,000 in gifts that he willingly presented. The man claimed that he never met the alleged woman who used to call him during late night hours. The romantic but telephonic liaison continued over a period of seven months during which she often asked for loans that she collected by sending her “little brother.” Police zeroed in on the user of the phone who turned out to be a 15-year-old boy who was soon arrested from Jahra. The plaintiff identi-

fied the boy as the “little brother” who used to collect the money on behalf of the man’s ‘lover’. Further investigations showed that the boy admitted to have framed the senior citizen by impersonating a female’s voice and making him believe that it belonged to a woman looking for love. He further confessed fooling other victims using the same tactics, and named two accomplices who helped him in his plans. Police are now trying to arrest the accomplices as well as identify the source of some pictures of women which the suspect sent to the old man. (Rai)

Teen assaulted A man stabbed a teenager with a pen during a fight in Al-Na’eem, leaving him in a critical condition. The 18-yearold was brought to the Jahra Hospital in a state of unconsciousness and admitted to its intensive care unit. The diagnoses revealed that he sustained a skull fracture and a concussion after he was stabbed in the forehead. The victim’s two cousins who brought him to the hospital told the police that they were assaulted by a group of thugs without any provocation. A case was filed for investigations.

Reckless drivers Investigations are on in search for seven people accused of reckless driving as well as firing shots outside AlRiqqa police station recently. According to the police report, the suspects were on their way to a wedding when they passed by a police station and decided to perform some reckless maneuvers right there. They fired several shots in the air and then escaped. Police collected empty bullet cases from the scene and filed a case for investigations. (Rai)

Drunk driver A driver was arrested in Salmiya after he told patrol officers that he was driving under influence. The man was first pulled over for swerving but then raised suspicions when he betrayed nervousness. He tried to escape when the officer inquired about drug paraphernalia he noticed lying at the passenger’s seat, but was too intoxicated to continue driving. He stepped out and then told the officers, “Yes, I am drugged... happy now?” The officers were left with little option but to arrest him.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Women conference in Algiers ‘crucial’ ALGIERS: Chairwoman of Kuwait Government’s Women Affairs Committee, Sheikha Latifa Al-Fahad Al-Salem AlSabah, yesterday asserted importance of the 4th Arab Women Organization’s conference that would take place

from Feb 25 to 27. Speaking following her arrival in Algiers to lead Kuwait’s delegation to the conference, Sheikha Latifa said deliberations would be crucial at a time Arab women were under immense international

Opposition Coalition in early March KUWAIT: The Opposition Coalition is set to be officially announced during the first week of March to “spearhead” the political opposition in Kuwait and act as the “backbone” of the public movement. This was stated by former MP Mohammad AlDallal who reiterated that the newly born group was set to include “a large number of labor unions, student associations, non-governmental organizations and political groups,” in addition to members from the Majority Bloc. The latter is a coalition of oppositionists who formed a majority in the scrapped 2012 parliament. The main goals of the coalition, as Al-Dallal explained, would be “improving the political system and achieve more stability.” He said Kuwait needed a “complete parliamentary system and political parties which are elected through their programs and based on which the cabinet and prime minister are selected.” Having an elected cabinet was not the sole objective the coalition sought to achieve, according to Al-Dallal. “We seek stability following years of instability which resulted in obstructing parliamentary work,” he added. Meanwhile, Al-Dallal recognized young activists as being the “main component” of the coalition, saying that they would play a “leading role” in setting up the coalition’s work mechanism. In a related note, members of the public movements reportedly felt concerned that a date for a new procession was yet to be announced on the Karamat Watan Twitter account, as suggested by an Al-Watan report yesterday. The account, which was used to announce the time and place for seven processions held so far across Kuwait and has more than 114700 followers, has not put out any Twitter post for the last sixteen days. In this regard, the activists who spoke on the condition of anonymity expressed concern that the delay in announcing the next protest could have been caused by the situation created after the Popular Action Bloc and Islamic Constitutional Movement defected from the Nahj Group in order to form the Opposition Coalition.

Tehran rejects ‘interferences’ KUWAIT: Iran’s Nuclear Energy Agency said 16 new sites were selected along the Gulf coast and its islands as well as the sea of Oman and Khozistan to build new nuclear stations in addition to the current locations. The organization said more uranium mines were discovered. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council’s Secretary Saeed Jalili said his country rejects any “interference” in its nuclear rights, and will defend its nuclear program just as it will defend all its other rights. Iran’s announcement about building new nuclear stations is set to raise concerns among the region’s countries and the rest of the world. In Kuwait, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) expressed its worries and called for caution. KISR Director General Dr Naji Al-Mutairi said 16 new nuclear stations in Iran will raise the magnitude of risks the region would then be exposed to. He said a study was carried out by the institute about possible risks from Bu Shehr reactor, adding that when a single reactor constituted such grave danger for the region, what could be the impact of 16 new ones? He said the plans would have a negative affect in the long run and the country would face a possibility of total destruction if a nuclear leak were to take place in the Iranian reactors as the impact would spread because of the wind.

pressure amidst regional developments. Sheikha Latifa, received at the airport by the Algerian minister of solidarity, family and women Suad bin Jaballah, said the conference aimed at shedding more light on the growing

role of Arab women in sustainable development and social partnership. The Arab women, said added, have huge contributions to the development of their societies. The Arab women, said Sheikha Latifa, have become a

major partner in decision-making and planning, and played an essential role in development. Participants in the conference, dealing with women businesses in the Arab world, will seek exchange of expertise, said the Kuwaiti official.—KUNA

Local MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

kuwait digest

We are not responsible By Waleed Al-Rujaib

kuwait digest

In defence of the palace By Aziza Al-Mufarej

e know the amount of anger in the hearts of HADAS brothers against the Assembly where every MP has received the complete vote from every voter, as opposed to the earlier Assembly where each voter had given only one-fourth of his vote to an MP, as described by MP Nawaf Al-Fuzaie. We also know how much they hate the new Assembly because they know that it was elected by Kuwaiti people with their own free will, without any pressure from any tribe’s sheikh or interference through strategies like “help me and I will help you” kind of alliances or vote buying. Despite all that, we did not imagine that the anger and hatred will reach a point where Mubarak AlDuwailah will address HH The Amir in one of his columns, saying, “Those who are saying that the opposition is an evil, will be the first to escape if something unpleasant takes place while it has been proven that the opposition and political powers are more committed and loyal to the regime and family, more than any other.” I do not know from where did Al-Duwaila learn that those opposing the opposition and are loyal to the regime will escape from the country while he and his group of opponents will stay back to defend it with their money, lives and children. The invasion-related files contain a lot of information to disprove what he is saying. Those whom he described indirectly as cowards, and expected to escape from the country in case anything bad happened, did not demand, like him and his group, that the Prime Minister be elected from among the common people disregarding the danger that such a demand holds in a society where every group wants its chance, and may fight for it. Those whom he expected to run from Kuwait if times were to turn bad, did not demand that sovereign ministries be taken away from members of the family that has been able to preserve Kuwait’s existence and safety for more than 300 years. This is the

family that was able to retrieve it from the occupier and return it to its people within seven months, thanks to its foreign relations and the links that it had forged over many years. Those whose patriotism and courage Al-Duwaila doubted did not insult the Amir through words or writings. They did not shout “We will not allow you,” and no one wrote a poem that said ‘we will break the stubborn head and would not care.’ They did not remain stubborn, nor did they stand against the ruler of the country when he sought their help. When he decided as a result of his own experience that the one vote per voter was better for Kuwait and its people and also better for stability, they went to the elections and voted for one candidate like all the people around the world do. Thus, they put in place an assembly that was about making achievements, not indulging in loud shouting and arguments. People did not oppose him when some went out to hold a demonstration to embarrass him in front of participants at the Asian Dialogue Conference. He had, in fact, requested the opponents to postpone their demonstration until the conference was over. People backed their leader during Kuwait’s liberation in 1990 when they rejected slogans about not cooperating with the infidels. They did not negotiate the issue of liberation of Kuwait in exchange of a certain amount of money. The common people refused to resort to any foreigner nor did they held out ultimatums to ensure that their demands were met. In general, we know Brother Mubarak that war is a trick, and when the Brotherhood Branch in Kuwait says that it is loyal to the Amir and that they are the ones who will stay back and defend his authority, or, as one of their allies said, “we are the defenders of your palace if the war breaks out.” What we fear is what the proponents of such slogans will do if they manage to reach the Palace. —Al-Watan

t seems that the Kuwaiti government is not only targeting political democracy, something it does by restricting constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms and rights besides prosecuting the activists but has also started targeting social democracy pertaining to notions of equality, social justice, equal opportunities etc. It seems that it is not enough that the government has buckled through the Supreme Council of Privatization before the dictates of the World Bank and other corrupt powers, has gone ahead privatizing public sector undertakings that brought financial resources to the state such as the Kuwait Ports Association and Petrochemical Industries Company. Following that, the government also intends to enforce direct taxes on goods and effect an increase in the services fee under the false pretext of “avoiding the predicted state budget deficit which requires diversifying sources of income.” Has the government asked itself how come a state with huge income from oil revenues and a relatively small population can suffer budget deficit? I am sure those in the government know how public funds are being wasted, and who is benefitting from such largesse. They know very well where corruption is happening and where are the billions of dinars that can transform Kuwait into a modern advanced state are actually going. They know that public funds are being wasted because of a culture of bribery and awarding of tenders to a weak and unproductive private sector that is incapable of managing public and productive departments. The private sector which is living off the public funds is only concerned about increasing its profit at the expense of citizens. The government is sacrificing the interests of the citizens to benefit the failed companies which cannot manage the simplest of the projects. If the government had seriously spent on infrastructure including roads, hospitals, schools, universities and power plants, perhaps it would have had an excuse. But in Kuwait, everything has been turned into a major crisis leading all services to deteriorate, certainly not because of any shortage of funds, but because of the way the funds were spent. The government is trying to shift the burden of its own mistakes on the citizens in order to avoid the expected budget deficit. Yet, it has failed to ask the parasitical private sector to live up to its duties towards the state. It is trying to extract taxes from citizens who are already suffering to meet ends meet but is refusing to seek taxes from companies and wealthy individuals. It is a biased approach that is not only limited to political democracy, but has exceeded to target social democracy which will affect people’s daily lives just as what is happening now in southern countries of Europe. This would certainly lead to a conflict in the future between the people and the government. We are not responsible for the global economic crisis to be asked to pay its price. The responsible party is the capitalist system and its procedures in which the human being is being used for the sake of profit. —Al-Rai

Local MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

kuwait digest

Remember our olden days By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

our members of parliament, namely Badr Al-Bathali, Faisal Al-Kandari, Hamad Al-Harshani and Nasser Al-Merri, presented a proposal to set the minimum monthly wage for a Kuwaiti citizen at KD 1,500 exclusive of the allowances and other financial privileges that citizens are entitled to. Incidentally, KD 1,500 is ten times the minimum wage for a worker in the United States. If we take into account free electricity and water as well as heavily subsidized prices of fuel and basic necessities, we can say that a Kuwaiti employee can employ ten American workers. The four lawmakers did not stop at their ‘more than generous’ proposal, but went on to propose that Kuwaiti citizens - a large number of whom spend their day sleeping and their night hanging out - must have the sole right in matters of appointments to ‘prestigious jobs,’ by which they mean all jobs except those of cleaners and packers. This proposal made me travel down the memory lane to the 1950s when I was about ten years of age. I still remember the day when I went with my cousin who was three or four years my senior to the Indians’ cinema in Ahmadi. Why Ahmadi’s cinema in specific? Because it was free, and so was the ride. All we had to do was to hop on a Kuwait Oil Company truck that ferried people from Safat in Kuwait City to Ahmadi during the weekends. Granted that the truck lacked all safety requirements and we had to suffer nausea having travelled in the rickety vehicle for the hour-long trip, but no

one was complaining since the trip was practically free. The ‘Indians’ cinema’ was so named because entry was open only to Indian nationals who were regarded as belong to a ‘higher class’ than the natives back then. By the way, there was another cinema allocated for “white people” or Europeans back then and for the same reasons. I remember that I, like many other Kuwaitis, had to forcibly enter the theater as soon as the movie started. I think the “authorities” at the time felt it was too shameful for them to take action against Kuwaitis for doing so, and hence they did little to ‘protect’ the theater from ‘intruders’. By the way the movie I attended starred Brigitte Bardot and it was uncensored, but that meant nothing to a ten-yearold at the time. The Indians’ superiority over Kuwaitis at the time was not restricted to the theater. The government or state authorities were not allowed to prosecute Indians or arrest them without prior permission from the British embassy. This meant that the situation of an Indian national back then was similar to that of Musallam Al-Barrak today. Not only that, but I remember that Kuwaiti children used to look at an Indian national as a source of income, as they were seen during holidays and occasions asking them for tips. To put it simply, Kuwaitis used to run after Indians for their money. I just hope that the four aforementioned MPs would read this column carefully and keep it in their minds. —Al-Qabas

Commonalities in Amghara fires KUWAIT: A senior official at the Kuwait Fire Services Department said evidence has been found that the huge fire in Amghara last Thursday involved foul play and warned about a plot to “keep authorities occupied with serious incidents.” The insider who spoke to Al-Qabas on the condition of anonymity warned that recurring cases of arson were “taking their toll” on firefighters, thus hampering their preparedness to tend to accidents reported simultaneously. “More than one third of the country’s firefighting force was engaged in putting out Amghara’s latest blaze,” the source said. “What would have happened had another major incident occurred at a different place in the country?” The source drew parallels between the latest blaze and other major fires reported in Amghara in recent months, saying there were certain commonalities, including the fact that all of these occurred on weekends or days featuring strong winds “to ensure maximum spread of flames.”

‘Fit and healthy’ patient KUWAIT: Informed security sources said that officials at expat labor examination center at the health ministry asked the detectives to

arrest an Egyptian expat working with an optics company after they discovered that she was afflicted with a contagious disease.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

News

in brief

NA-govt cooperation KUWAIT: The Kuwait government was pleased with the cooperation shown by NA council concerning the grilling motions and expressed appreciation that the MPs kept the public interest and development agenda ahead of anything else, sources said. They said the government intends to resolve many of the outstanding issues, primarily the issue regarding loans, naturalization, salary allowances and social allowances. Sources added that the government has prepared some real solutions for securing even more cooperation, including on the issue of naturalization. The MPs want 4,000 people to be naturalized while the government has been insisting on 2,000. However, it can now meet the MPs halfway and agree on a figure of 3,000 persons. Sources pointed out the necessity to increase the children allowance and also hike the housing loan as well as house rent. The moves were part of the Amir’s desire to reduce the burden on citizens. The children allowance will be pegged at KD 350 for up to seven children. Low pressure ground cables KUWAIT: The Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) is all set to execute a special project for maintaining and updating low pressure ground cables and to install the same for new consumers at Ahmadi at a cost of more than KD 1.5 million, sources said. The sources said that the ministry has secured all necessary approvals from different supervising authorities to purchase the required equipment for the chlorine lines at chemical stations to operate and maintain water supply in the ministry in addition to buying spare parts required for the power station. Kuwait has promising future BEIRUT: Lebanese Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Makari acknowledged Kuwait’s promising future under wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah. Makari congratulated Kuwait and wished the Kuwaitis further wealth and stability on the occasion of their country’s National Day and Independence Day, which fall on February 25-26. Kuwaitis are determined to continue building a modern state, through the adopted constitution and diplomacy as well as freedom of press, Makari added. Makari pointed out Kuwait’s leadership in providing prosperity to its people, also forecast to witness a bright future, with the implementation of the development plans. Kuwait and Lebanon have a historic deep-rooted relations, he said, noting Kuwait’s everlasting role in supporting Lebanon “in the darkest times as well as opening its arms for thousands of Lebanese residents.”

Views differ on ‘discrimination’ Morning clinics for Kuwaitis By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Recently, the Minister of Health received many complaints about Kuwaiti patients at the outpatient clinics not being treated by the consultants and specialists doctors. Based on these complaints, some members of the council of health areas directors have suggested reserving the morning period for Kuwaiti patients only. Although it was only a proposal and was not approved as a rule, the issue was extensively debated in the media and was criticized by many people. Dr Adel Al-Asfour, Director of Sabah Health Area, denied that the proposal was approved or applied. “This proposal suggests that the outpatient clinics at the public hospitals located in all six governorates will only accept Kuwaiti patients during the morning period while the evening period will be opened for all nationalities. This proposal is for the outpatient clinics only, and does not include other departments of the public hospitals or the policlinics,” he told the Kuwait Times.

This suggestion is under study, and it will take about two weeks before a decision is taken. “This is not the first time such a suggestion has been made. Two years ago, the Ministry of Health issued a decision to reserve the evening period for Kuwaiti patients only while the morning period was to be for both citizens and expats. That decision was still applicable at all the outpatient clinics and we have not received any complaint. The council members will study the positive and negative aspects of such a decision, and all directors of different apartments in the 24 hospitals will give their opinions on this proposal, and only then the Minister will decide whether to approve it or not. In any case, we do not discriminate against the patients,” explained Dr. Al-Asfour. He also mentioned the reasons behind this proposal. “The consulting doctors are not working during the evening period as they have their own clinics from which they earn much more money. The Kuwaiti patients complained that they were not being examined by the consultants who are only available during the morning period. Some complained that they have

to forego all food till 3:00 pm just to see the doctor as there is a long queue of patients. Hence, the directors of the health areas took this proposal into consideration,” concluded Al-Asfour. The expats considered it as a discriminatory measure. “The medicine does not believe in nationalities. So I see this proposal as discriminating. If the consultants only worked during the morning time, which will be reserved for the citizens, then the expats will not be treated by the consultants and this is not fair,” said 52year-old Mazen. Some Kuwaitis also are opposed to the proposal. “I think that both morning and evening periods should be meant for all the patients, irrespective of their nationality. In fact, I went to one of the outpatient clinics and found it crowded during both the periods, morning as well as evening. So, I do not think there is any difference. Even when only Kuwaitis were being accepted in the evening, it was crowded. I think that the situation would not change if the morning period was reserved only for Kuwaitis,” stressed 26-year-old Khalid, a Kuwaiti citizen.

Spanish official lauds close ties with Kuwait MADRID: A senior Spanish official has commended the deep-rooted “brotherly” ties bounding his country with Kuwait, namely close coordination regarding diverse regional and international affairs. The Kuwaiti and Spanish peoples are bound with solid cultural bonds, said Spanish Foreign Ministry’s Director General for the Mediterranean, Maghreb and Middle East, Ignacio Ybanez, in an interview with KUNA, citing seasonal visits by Kuwaiti tourists to the country and Kuwaiti citizens’ acquisition of properties in the European nation. Depicting sincere desire by Madrid to enhance the level of these bilateral ties, Spanish officials had paid a series of visits to the Gulf country, he said, also noting Spain’s participation in the Kuwait-hosted international conference for donations for Syria, held last January. The Spanish foreign minister and other ranking officials are planning visits to Kuwait and other countries of the region, as soon as possible, he revealed. On the occasion of Kuwait’s National Days, Ybanez extended congratulations to the State of Kuwait and its people, wishing the country further progress and prosperous days. Process of progress and construction, witnessed in Kuwait, reflects determination of its people and leaders to promote their country further, he added, also noting that the elections held in December depicted the people’s confidence in the democratic system. —KUNA

Cleaning drive continues By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: As part of Kuwait Municipality’s continued efforts to ensure cleaning of public places across all governorates in the run up to the National and Liberation Day celebrations, the Hawally Municipality

branch carried out a cleaning drive along the governorate beaches. The campaign, which included Marina beach and other coastal areas, witnessed the officials deploying the most modern equipment available to municipality through the newly signed cleaning con-

tracts. The modern equipment included deployment of vacuuming technology to clean beaches and clear out any remains in the streets and pavements. Twelve abandoned vehicles in Salmiya area were also lifted and carted away during the drive.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Kuwaitis thankful to wise leaders KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait celebrates today the 52nd anniversary of the National (Independence) Day, a patriotic occasion marked with ceremonies reﬂecting the natives’ faithfulness to the homeland and the leaders. Kuwait, since its independence, has passed through phases of tremendous development, thus occupying status among advanced states, under guidance of wise leaders who led the country to advancement and prosperity. On such an occasion, natives recall, in particular accomplishments of the late Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the 11th Amir of the country, also dubbed “father of the constitution and independence,” for Kuwait regained full sovereignty during his era and because he was mastermind of drafting the National Constitution. Kuwait, which succeeded in leaving a stamp at the international quarters and gaining recognition as a sovereign state, became member of the Arab League in 1961 and joined the United Nations in 1963. “We are at threshold of a new era, we aspire that Kuwait start its transformation by cementing ties of brotherhood and

friendship with the sisterly Arab states for sake of unity and service of welfare of the Arab nation,” the late Amir had stated on the glorious occasions. He also noted that Kuwait was seeking UN membership for serving welfare, security and safety of the whole international community Kuwait, during rule of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem, witnessed wide-scale construction. The economy noticeably grew, and in 1952, the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was founded. In 1962, Kuwait Fund for Economic Development was set up. In 1959, Kuwait took delivery of the ﬁrst oil tanked, called “Kathmah, “ and in 1960, the National Petroleum Company (KNPC) was established. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem devoted special care for educating and developing skills of the natives and securing good standards of living for them. During his reign, number of health centers increased. In 1962, AlSabah Hospital was built and ﬁgure of schools swelled to 128. Following demise of Sheikh Abdullah AlSalem, the natives experienced rule of his successor, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem, whom they adored, particularly because of his modest manners.

His era was marked with inauguration of Kuwait University, in 1965. Moreover, the Central Bank of Kuwait was established in 1966, and the Kuwait Center for Economic and Social Planning in the Middle East was born. Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem followed steps drawn by his predecessor, Sheik Abdullah Al-Salem, for boosting democracy. Moreover, during his rule, Kuwait expanded its external relations and worked out agreements with regional and foreign states. As to the late Amir, Sheikh Jaber AlAhmad Al-Sabah, he too was overwhelmed with intimate and warm sentiments by the Kuwaitis and became widely known as “the Amir of hearts.” He was architect of modern Kuwait, a leader who conquered hardships and faced the aggressors with various means, counting on Kuwait’s external ties and weight. In his historic address to the United Nations, Sheikh Jaber urged the natives to be patient and steadfast against the occupation, promising them liberation. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad also worked for development and modernization of Kuwait, thus during his reign, the Civil Service Commission was established, in 1978, and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), was

also founded, in 1980. The late leader was staunch supporter of women political franchise. In 1999, Sheikh Jaber issued an Amiri Decree granting women full political rights. Equally, he was devoted to caring for the youth, thus the Public Authority for Youth and Sports was set up in 1992. At the Gulf level, Sheikh Jaber was architect of founding the GCC, which was proclaimed in 1981. The current Amir, HH Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is also following steps of the predecessors, sparing no eﬀort for sake of advancing Kuwait, for turning to into a business hub and a democratic minaret. During Sheikh Sabah’s era, corner for the KD 335 million Jaber Hospital was laid.Furthermore, work for construction of Jaber Bridge is underway-due to link up Kuwait city with Al-Sabbiah to the north. Due to rise of imports to Kuwait from three million tons in 1933 to 30 million tons in the latest years, strategists planned construction of Boubyan port, due to cost some KD 119 million. Sheikh Sabah has also dedicated special attention to necessity of maintaining national unity and renouncing discords. — KUNA

NBK’s Family shares spirit of National Day with children KUWAIT: On the occasion of Kuwait’s independence and the Anniversary of its liberation, National Bank of Kuwait’s (NBK) Public Relations Family paid a visit to NBK Hospital at Sabah Medical district to share happy moments of Kuwait’s national celebrations with the children and their families. “NBK’s staff have always devoted a considerable part of their time to comfort the children and present them with gifts and a day filled with activities as part of NBK’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program”, said Talal Al Turki, NBK Public Relations Officer. Al Turki added “Sharing the happy

moments with the children is our pleasure. NBK’s commitment to shoulder its corporate social responsibility was the basic motive that led NBK to build its children hospital at Sabah Medical district many years ago”. The visit to the hospital was emotional and overwhelming for both the children and NBK staff. NBK’s visits to hospitals and care centers reflect the Bank’s high sense of duty and responsibility towards the community and helping those in need. It is a well rooted tradition that has been carried out by NBK each year in its efforts to continuously have an active role in Kuwait’s society.

Amir keen on providing all facilities to Kuwaitis abroad LONDON: Head of the Consular section at Kuwait Embassy here, ﬁrst secretary Meshaal Al-Mudhaf said yesterday that all Kuwaiti diplomatic missions abroad have direct instructions from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to provide all the necessary facilities for Kuwaiti nationals to help them overcome their obstacles. Al-Mudhaf said after the open meeting, organized by the National Union of Kuwaiti Students - United Kingdom and Ireland Branch - with the students on scholarships that the meeting is an important occasion to listen and

learn a lot from them on the most important problems and obstacles they face during their period of study. He added that such meetings are held because the embassy believes in the importance of communication between the two sides, pointing out that they also aim at ﬁnding solutions to their problems away from routine work. He added that such meetings often produce tangible results that are in favor of the students which in turn are submitted to the oﬃcials in charge here or in Kuwait to take the necessary action. He described the meeting as “successful”. — KUNA

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

GCC govts facing Public-private partnerships only way out

DUBAI: In the years to come, growing healthcare spending will impose a hefty burden on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Governments. As we enter 2013, healthcare costs continue to increase in the region partly due to the high prevalence of chronic diseases. Today, thanks to systemic transformation, strategic planning, and population screening programs, GCC governments recognize that the current model-in which the state shoulders most of the direct healthcare costs -is unsustainable over the long term. In light of this, management consultants Booz & Company found that these governments must use a PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) approach in order to tame expenditure, improve quality of service, and provide further access to expertise. In recent years, GCC healthcare systems have achieved myriad accomplishments, including widespread provision, rising professional standards and regulation, generous funding, and growing levels of investment. Population screening programs, impressively rapid system-wide transformation programs and long-range strategic planning efforts have also placed these countries at the forefront of the healthcare industry. Furthermore, as part of their national development programs, GCC governments are currently engaged in major efforts to improve accessibility and quality of care. In effect, major expansions in care provision are occurring across the region. These state-funded investments aim to close the supply-demand gap for inpatient and out-

patient services as well as reinforce trust in local healthcare provision and reduce outbound medical tourism. GCC countries have also recently begun to introduce mandatory health insurance.

Industry-Specific Obstacles “Yet, the truth remains that these forward-looking initiatives will be most effective if the region can find a new way to pay for its future healthcare needs and build its health systems’ capabilities,” said Gabriel

Chained, a Partner with Booz & Company.”Their goals can only be reached if adequate and long-term strategic plans are formulated. After all, GCC healthcare systems are still struggling with capacity gaps and inconsistent quality of care. In

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

health challenges addition, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals, limited availability of competent specialized services and an elevated rate of non-communicable diseases.” These ongoing healthcare challenges, and in particular the aging of the current young generation, will force governments to spend more on healthcare services. “While expenditure is currently below international benchmarks when compared to developed countries on a per capita basis, this will undoubtedly change,” explained Jad Bitar, a Principal with Booz & Company. “As a result, governments will logically seek more private-sector participation, but this must be introduced in a controlled manner.” Without proper regulation, private companies will compete with each other and the government for manpower in a market with a limited supply of skilled labor- thereby escalating costs. To avoid such situations, governments must take a regulated, multidimensional, multi-stakeholder approach that will ensure that the private sector brings complementary capabilities to the table. “Given the complexity of the GCC’s healthcare challenge, and how it differs among the six countries, it is important to recognize that there is no silver bullet,” said Dr. Nikhil Idnani, a Senior Associate with Booz & Company.”Instead, the careful and targeted use of partnerships between public and private stakeholders can begin to address the core issues of accessibility, quality, and affordability.” The most effective method for combining the complementary capabilities of public- and private-sector players is through PPPs. GCC countries can use PPPs as a means of managing rising healthcare costs, as a mechanism to enhance the capabilities of the healthcare system, and as part of a program of systemic transformation of the sector. Mutually beneficial The public and private sector each bring different strengths to the table. As the licensors of the health sector, governments can identify healthcare gaps from the perspectives of accessibility and quality. More importantly, they have the power to regulate the market, introduce incentives, and sometimes simply enforce reform. “From its side, the private sector can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health operations by leveraging its expertise in fields such as clinical, administrative, or support services,” added Chahine. “Moreover, the private sector can call on financial resources to inject capital into profitable opportunities, and mobilize entrepreneurship to spur innovation.” The nature of the collaboration between the private and public sector can range from service delivery to full ownership of healthcare assets. “On the lighter end of the spectrum -in terms of what PPPs encompass -are management contracts,” said Bitar. “At the other end of the spectrum, the private partner takes on the financing, building, operating, and ownership of the facility, gradually selling it to the government over the long term. This PPP model allows the government to avoid the large up-front capital costs involved in health-

care investment.” GCC governments should take an approach that customizes PPPs, according to their particular economic circumstances. “They should be careful to ensure that their interests are protected while at the same time consider the privatization of public healthcare facilities,” said Dr. Idnani. “PPPs need to be tailored to the specific requirements of the particular GCC member state and its healthcare system.” A healthcare sector model indicates that the public sector is responsible for regulation, licensing, and monitoring. In turn, the private sector can provide services with commercial value such as cardiac surgeries and medical equipment manufacturing. Services that are the furthest from patient contact and with the greatest commercial value are well suited for PPPs.Services with mostly social value, such as health education for the population, should be retained in the public sector. In terms of healthcare subsectors, opportunities lie in provision, payment, supplies, and education spaces in individual GCC countries rather than across the whole GCC. Opportunities for PPPs across the different players include: * Providers: Healthcare providers have an opportunity to develop robust rural care

systems as well as deliver robust patient transportation systems or emergency medical services. Other provision opportunities exist in areas demanding considerable capital investment; those include specialized care facilities and centers of excellence. * Payors: Private companies looking at payor opportunities will require a minimum volume for the projects to be clinically and financially viable. An important payor opportunity stems from the introduction of mandatory health insurance schemes; these programs will need private companies that can offer services for front, middle, and back office functions. * Suppliers: The private sector’s expertise allows for the supply of reliable and lowcost healthcare necessities to the public sector. An opportunity is carving out diagnostic services for GCC healthcare systems as well as improving services in medical procurement and facilities management. * Educators: They have an important role to play as the GCC needs a large number of healthcare professionals. GCC countries have to meet the demand for provision of care and have more nationals enter healthcare as part of their national education and skills goals. Laying the foundations In actuality, in the GCC, the potential of

PPPs is limited by challenges in the institutional setup, the enabling environment, and the process for developing opportunities. GCC countries often lack the institutional framework to govern the development and promotion of PPPs. GCC governments need more robust processes to identify and advertise PPP opportunities. In order to achieve this, they need to adopt a holistic understanding of healthcare needs. To establish the foundations needed for PPPs, governments must: * Set-up the Institutional Framework: Governments can address these problems through capabilities that ensure optimal governance of PPPs. They also need highly trained cross-sectoral PPP management offices and investment promotion entities that can initiate, execute, and supervise PPPs. * Createa PPP Enabling Environment: Governments need to focus on three areas to create a favorable environment for PPPs in healthcare: the legal and regulatory, the operational, and the financial. Governments should establish the necessary laws and regulations to attract private investors through PPPs. Operationally, GCC healthcare entities will need to decide where to place their efforts to clear the way for private entrants. In terms of financial enabling, governments can provide direct guarantees that allow the private sector to raise financing for projects. Similarly, they can pledge minimum volumes of usage or revenues, which would mitigate any damage to profits should the anticipated level of demand not materialize. And, they may even choose to make low interest rate loans available. * Develop the Opportunity Pipeline: Governments will need a structured process to plan and implement healthcare PPPs. The first phase is a system-level capacity plan that identifies current and future opportunities to fill gaps in healthcare coverage. The second system-level phase carves out a subset of these opportunities for the private sector based on the healthcare sector model. The process then moves to the operational level. The third phase develops a PPP framework that defines the objectives, roles and responsibilities and performance management model. From there, the PPP can move into the fourth and fifth phases of the process: these involve drawing up the implementation plan and then actually executing it. To conclude, the GCC should use the PPPmechanism to cope with soaring and imminent healthcare costs. By determining the role of the public sector and PPP-appropriate opportunities, governments can overcome institutional obstacles, build their own capabilities, and encourage private-sector participation. The task of making PPPs deliver healthcare that is accessible, high quality, and affordable does not, however, fall to governments alone. The private sector should be equally proactive, conduct its own analyses and share market intelligence with the public sector. By feeding into the PPP process in this manner, the private sector can assist governments and create opportunities for PPPs through a cooperative relationship based on trust.

local

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Mulaifi retracts grilling threat KUWAIT: MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi said that he decided to withdraw his earlier threat to grill Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlHmoud Al-Sabah after learning that the minister was soon to be replaced. “I retracted my decision after receiving information that the minister is soon to be relieved of his duties and replaced with another minister,” he said in a statement yesterday. Asked if he would consider changing his mind should minister Al-Sabah remain in his position, Al-Mulaifi simply said, “everything at its own time.” The lawmaker also said that he objected to the grilling filed by MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan against the interior minister. Meanwhile, MP Essam Al-Dabous indicated that the parliament’s decision to

KUWAIT: The Touristic Enterprises Company will participate in the 52nd Independence Festival and Exhibition being held at the Kuwait International Fairground in Mishref. Public Relations and Media Manager Saqr AlBadr indicated that such participation “reflects the TEC’s commitment to participate in national events in order to help the organizers achieve their goal as well as boost cooperation with state departments.” Al-Badr joined other TEC staff members at the company’s pavilion where visitors were given an idea about the company’s different activities.

3D show at New Wataniya Tower KUWAIT: Wataniya has been a pioneer of change always engaging its customers with the most memorable and inspiring experiences. Like every year, Wataniya has left no stone unturned to make the celebrations of Kuwait’s National and Liberation Day unforgettable. Everyone is invited to an extraordinary 3D show that is taking place at the New Wataniya Tower - Kuwait City - from 7pm to 11pm from Feb 22 to 28. The 3D show reflects Wataniya’s patriotic spirit and includes remarkable moments from the rich history of Kuwait. The show will take its viewers on a colorful journey where Wataniya’s new and iconic building will be displayed in 3D. On this auspicious occasion, Wataniya is also preparing to inaugurate its new building which will be another jewel to adorn the Kuwait skyline. Fatemah Dashti, Public Relations Director of Wataniya Telecom said, “We developed this 3D show because we want to offer our customers and the people of Kuwait an experience that is rich and pays tribute to the national spirit. I urge everyone to come with their friends and family to watch the show, it will be an experience that will definitely make an impression.” Wataniya continues to take great strides towards growth, progress and innovation just like Kuwait. It is ready with new technology, offers and services that are in line with the needs and expectations of the people by constantly making their lives easier and enriching their communication.

postpone the debate on grilling motions until the next parliamentary session was “to give the government an opportunity to work” and “prevent the cabinet from using successive grillings as an excuse for executive failure.” MP Abdullah Al-Ma’youf made similar statements in which he said that postponing the interpellations “put the cabinet bear its responsibility to carry out its duties and address the subjects raised by the grilling motions.” Separately, president of the parliament’s human rights committee, Khalid Al-Adwah, promised that “this year is going to feature naturalization of a large number of stateless residents who meet the conditions for naturalization.” In other news, sources revealed that

state authorities were preparing to arrest a number of citizens following the National Holidays for posting remarks on Twitter deemed offensive to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The suspects will be first investigated by the State Security Service before being referred to the Public Prosecution, the sources added. In another note, the Islamic Constitutional Movement released a statement in commemoration of the Kuwait Independence Day and Liberation Day holidays, in which it indicated that “the historical phase Kuwait is currently going through requires from constitutional institutes a reconsideration of their roles and work mechanisms in order to maintain freedoms and rights of citizens and residents.”

Kuwaiti, Asian held for liquor trading By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti man was arrested in Salmiya area for possessing two bottles of liquor. The man, who was heavily inebriated, was taken to the concerned authorities. In the meantime, another Asian expat was arrested for possessing 36 bottles of liquor and was sent to the concerned authorities. •A Syrian expat reported to police that his sister had left house and had not returned for the past two days. A case was registered in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh police station. •A Kuwaiti man reported to the Sabah Al Salem police that he was beaten by an Egyptian expat and his friend in an incident that left him with multiple injuries including a broken nose and a bleeding in his left ear. A case was filed. •An Egyptian expat, who works as an agent for some companies, reported to the police that one of the delegates has been stalling the salaries of three laborers. •A 19-year-old Kuwaiti man reported to the police about the theft of an ATV from his father’s house in Sabah Al Salem area. The thief scaled the wall of the house and stole the ATV. A case was registered. •A Kuwaiti woman reported to the police that a Kuwaiti man offended her through a social media website. A case was registered at the Mubarak Al Kabeer police station. •Security sources said that an Indian expat died after his pickup car met with an accident and turned turtle at Al-Julaiaa Road on Sunday noon. The deceased was 32. His body was referred to the medical examiner. •Two firemen were rushed to the hospital at Farwaniya after an accident between an ambulance and another car. Sources said one of the vehicles had surely crossed the red traffic signal while the ambulance was on its way to deal with a fire reported from a house. The two collided at the crossing. •The Abdally customs officers stopped an Iraqi woman carrying an American passport who tried to smuggle some witchcraft materials. Customs men suspected something fishy and rummaged through her luggage, finding witchcraft material used in black magic with some Kuwaiti family names on it. The woman was referred to the concerned authorities for further necessary investigations.

Items used in witchcraft seized from an IraqiAmerican woman is seen. •A driver and another person were seriously injured in an accident between a saloon car of Camry Toyota make and a trailer at Al-Wafra Road near kilo 4. The driver was admitted to a hospital’s intensive care unit, while his companion who suffered fractures in his limbs was also taken to the same hospital. •A 28-year-old Kuwaiti man fell down while playing football at AlIbdaa yard in Jabriya and fractured his right shoulder. He was taken to the Mubarak Hospital. •A car accident at Subhan Road opposite Al-Qurain market left a 58-year-old Pakistani expat with a head injury and back ache. He was taken to Al-Adan Hospital. •A 25-year-old Indian expat suffered a fall at the Al-Qurain main cooperative society and fractured his left leg. He was taken to AlAdan Hospital. •A 27-year-old Kuwaiti man suffered a head injury while a 29-yearold Saudi man fractured his left leg in a car accident at Al-Wafra Road near the first roundabout. Both were taken to Al-Adan Hospital. •A car accident at Wafra Road along the cooperative society street left a 17-year-old Kuwaiti youth with a broken nose and a fractured left foot while a 46-year-old Syrian expat suffered a head injury and complained of pain in the left shoulder. Both were taken to Al-Adan Hospital.

Solution to loans interest soon KUWAIT: The chairman of the finance committee, Dr. Yousuf Al-Zalzalah, said that the loans interest issue will be finalized soon and a mechanism to resolve it will be announced after reaching an agreement with the government about how it was to be executed. He said the efforts to resolve the intractable issue were progressing in a positive direction which indicated

cooperation between the parliament and the government. In this respect, sources revealed that a meeting was held last Thursday between the representatives of the government and the MPs. An agreement was reached to hold a meeting for the finance minister after the holidays on March 3rd, following which the council of ministers will be briefed about the agreement and the loans

issue will be clinched for once and all before the March 5 session. This is the session during which the grilling motion against the finance minister has been listed on the agenda. Sources said that compound interest accrued on the loans will be scrapped and the amount paid will be deducted from the main loan. The interest will be recalculated at 5% only in order to meet the purposes of justice.

MONDAY, FEBRUUARY 25, 2013

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Frustrated Italians vote in crucial polls

Kerry makes first foreign trip as top US diplomat

Four shot dead in B’desh protest over bloggers

JENIN: Israeli soldiers fire tear gas towards Palestinian protestors during clashes at the entrance of the Jalama checkpoint near this West Bank city yesterday. — AFP

Israel demands curb on protests All Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike JERUSALEM: Israel yesterday asked Palestinian leaders to quell unrest as thousands of detainees in Israeli jails staged a oneday hunger strike a day after an inmate died, and their supporters clashed with security forces. Israel said it made an “unequivocal demand” for calm as protests in the West Bank have been mounting in support of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel - 11 of whom are on open-ended hunger strike - and against settlement expansion. An official said almost all Palestinians in Israeli prisons were on a one-day hunger strike yesterday in protest at the sudden death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat. “It’s 4,500, nearly everyone in fact,” Israel Prisons Service spokeswoman Sivan Weizman told AFP. Jaradat, a 30-year-old father of two, from Sair near Hebron in the southern West Bank, died on Saturday in an Israeli jail from what prison authorities said appeared to have been cardiac arrest. Protesters in his village and around Hebron city yesterday stoned Israeli security forces who responded with tear gas and stun

grenades, Palestinian witnesses said, with clashes erupting across other parts of the West Bank. Amid concerns of the escalating violence, “Israel passed an unequivocal demand to the Palestinian Authority to calm down the territory,” a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. “In order that the non-payment of taxes that Israel collects for the Palestinians should not serve as an excuse for the Palestinian Authority not to calm the territory, Netanyahu instructed the money for January to be transferred,” it added. Israel collects tax revenues on the behalf of the Palestinians but late last year it said it would withhold them as a punitive means. Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the vicinity of Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus and Jenin, AFP correspondents said. Medical sources told AFP that in a demonstration near Ofer prison near Ramallah, three Palestinians were wounded by live ammunition, one of them in serious condition after being shot in the chest. An Israeli military spokeswoman told AFP

that “in Hebron there are 200 Palestinians hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails and rolling burning tyres at security forces.” She noted there were smaller clashes near Hebron, and on the outskirts of Bethlehem. One soldier was lightly wounded by a stone in Hebron, she added. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip marched in solidarity. In Saturday clashes between settlers and Palestinians in Qusra, Hilmi Abdel Aziz was seriously wounded by a live round to his stomach. He was first hospitalised in a Nablus hospital, but transferred Sunday to the Hadassah medical centre in Jerusalem after his condition deteriorated, a hospital spokeswoman told AFP. She was unable to give further details on his condition. Israel’s concerns about possible escalation could be linked to next month’s visit by US President Barack Obama to the Jewish state and to the Palestinians. Israeli media, quoting Palestinian sources, said an autopsy was performed on Jaradat’s body at Israel’s national forensic institute on Sunday and later the corpse was taken to his home in Hebron.

Jaradat was to be buried today, the reports said. Israel’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence service said Jaradat had been arrested on Monday for his involvement in a stone-throwing incident in November 2012 during which an Israeli had been injured. Palestinians said that he was a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah movement. B’Tselem called for an investigation into how how he was treated during interrogation and what techniques had been used. Relations between Israel and the Palestinians had already tense because of a rising wave of protests in solidarity with four prisoners detained by Israel who have been on hunger strike for some months. The Ramallah-based Prisoners’ Club announced Saturday that another seven prisoners had joined them. Prison spokeswoman Weizman said on Sunday that three hunger strikers Tareq Qaadan, Jafar Ezzedine and Ayman Sharawrna - had been taken to hospitals for protective check-ups on Friday and were still there yesterday being monitored. — AFP

International MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

World powers, Iran set for Kazakh showdown MOSCOW: World powers meet negotiators from Iran in Kazakhstan today in the hope of curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by advancing a “significant” new offer, despite low expectations of a breakthrough after years of dashed hopes. The meeting under the shadow of the Tien Shan mountains in the Kazakh city of Almaty comes as sanctions bite against the Islamic republic and Israel still refuses to rule out air strikes to knock out Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons drive. Little apparent progress has been made since the last such session of talks in Moscow in June 2012 ended without any breakthrough and the crux of the dispute remains Iran’s insistence on not abandoning uranium enrichment operations. Western diplomats have said that Iran will be presented with an offer with significant new elements to coax it into a concession and end a stalemate that has lasted almost unchanged since 2002. “We are approaching these talks with a sense of urgency. But this is not necessarily a sprint,” one Western diplomat said. Western capitals have been tightlipped about the nature of the offer but it reportedly may involve an easing of sanc-

tions on Iran’s gold and precious metals trading in exchange for the closure of a major uranium enrichment plant. Iran wants sanctions lifted before it negotiates and demands recognition of its right to enrich uranium to levels that could feed its electricity grid and provide isotopes for a medical research plant. The atmosphere has already been clouded by a UN nuclear watchdog report saying Iran started installing nextgeneration centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear plant, a move Washington said would be “provocative”. “Both sides want a deal, but on their own terms,” said International Institute for Strategic Studies analyst Mark Fitzpatrick. “Neither wants a deal badly enough to make the concessions that would be required.” The United States in particular has suggested through Vice President Joe Biden the idea of direct talks with its arch foe without preconditions. “Right now, the West is coming across as more eager to move the process forward, but without offering anything that Tehran finds valuable,” said Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council and author of “A Single Roll of the Dice - Obama’s

UN ‘deeply concerned’ by Darfur fighting KHARTOUM: The UN yesterday expressed deep concern over the latest deadly tribal violence in Sudan’s Darfur region, which has hampered assistance for tens of thousands of people forced to flee earlier fighting. Residents in the North Darfur town of El Sireaf said an Arab militia firing heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades burned houses and killed more than 50 people on Saturday. Official media reported a toll of 60. “We are deeply concerned by the violence,” Damian Rance of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told AFP. “It’s affected our ability to run a humanitarian operation.” About 100,000 people had already been displaced or severely affected by battles since early January between the Rezeigat tribe and rival Arabs from the Beni Hussein group in the Jebel Amir gold mining area of North Darfur state. The violence caused the largest uprooting of Darfur’s population in years, aid workers said. People were displaced across a wide area but most ended up in El Sireaf town, where Saturday’s fighting occurred. Aid convoys are still moving in the surrounding area but “we don’t have access to El Sireaf town” because of the fighting, Rance said. He added that the violence had forced some people from the town into the surrounding district while others had moved over the nearby border to West Darfur state. A local resident told AFP that displaced people who had sought shelter on the outskirts of El Sireaf, where the heaviest fighting occurred on Saturday, had moved into the town centre. Some were simply staying in the street or under trees, he said, adding that people feared further attacks although yesterday there were no reports of fighting. Residents said the attackers wore uniforms and belonged to a militia of the Rezeigat tribe. A Rezeigat source could not be reached yesterday. On Thursday, OCHA reported that about 65,000 displaced had been given soap, chlorine and other sanitation supplies. “Water is trucked in daily, hand pumps have been repaired, and submersible water pumps and bladders to increase access to safe water have been installed,” OCHA said in its weekly bulletin. In late January Amnesty International said the fighting began when a Rezeigat leader, who is an officer in Sudan’s Border Guard force, apparently laid claim to a gold-rich area in Beni Hussein territory. —AFP

Diplomacy with Iran.” Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last say in all foreign policy matters, has effectively rejected the offer of direct US talks and appeared to order a tough line in Almaty. “Iran is unlikely to accept any deal that requires it to stop enriching uranium, and is unlikely to accept a deal in which it gives away its major bargaining chips but still faces severe sanctions,” said Royal United Services Institute analyst Shashank Joshi. Khamenei defiantly claimed earlier this month that even though Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, the United States could not thwart Tehran if it wanted to. “The positions for the moment are just too far apart,” said a top European diplomat in Tehran. The talks involve the so-called 5+1 world powers on one side - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - and Iran’s team led by top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on the other. The talks also come with the lingering threat of Israel launching a unilateral strike on Iran just as it had done against the Osirak nuclear reactor in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in 1981. Such action would almost cer-

tainly drag the United States into a conflict it clearly wants to avoid and leave the global economy in peril due to the impact on the price of oil. Strikes would also risk sparking a broader Middle East conflict - a danger the region can hardly afford with the violence now raging in Syria. Joshi said Israel’s “red line” would be a decision by Iran to enrich uranium above its current upper limit of 20 percent - within reach of weapons-grade uranium but necessary for Iran’s medical research. Uranium enrichment is of particular concern to world powers as it can be used to make nuclear fuel and the explosive core of a nuclear bomb. Iran already has a nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr - built with Russian help - but Khamenei has described atomic weapons as a “sin”. Analysts said all sides at this stage agree that the cost of all-out war would be too great even if Washington has resolved to keep all options open. “Iran is unlikely to breach the Israel red line,” said Joshi. “And if it does, Israel still has incentives to avoid action and pass responsibility to the United States.” —AFP

Protesters block doors to Cairo administrative hub Workers block rail lines to Cairo

CAIRO: Protesters yesterday blocked the doors to Cairo’s main administrative building as part of a growing campaign of civil disobedience around the country against Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. A group of protesters closed the doors of the Mugamma, a massive labyrinth of bureaucratic offices on the edge of Tahrir Square, leaving only a side exit for employees to leave, employees told AFP. “This is a call for civil disobedience... We want the implementation of the goals of the revolution such as social justice as well as a delay of parliamentary elections,” which is set for April 22, one of the protesters told AFP, declining to give his name. “We must break the monopoly of the state by Brotherhood,” he said of the Islamist movement from which Morsi hails. Since a November decree that pushed through an Islamist-drafted constitution, Egypt has been deeply divided between Morsi’s Islamist supporters and a wide-ranging opposition that accuses the president of betraying the uprising that brought him to office and consolidating power in the hands of his Muslim Brotherhood. Outside the Mugamma, the protesters threatened to extend their protest, adding that the next step could be to close down the television building which also houses the information ministry. A crippling economic crisis has also fuelled the anger. Bakeries across Egypt have threatened to go on strike on Thursday due to rising wheat prices, a potentially devastating move in a country where many rely on subsidised bread as the main food staple. Thousands are employed at the Mugamma, which houses passport offices, tax offices and various other government agencies. “A small group of young people closed the main doors of the building and they are not letting anyone in,” one employee told AFP from inside the building. The protesters “did not

enter the building,” the employee said. “They have left a door open and said employees who finish their shift must leave and that they won’t let anyone in,” a witness said. The Mugamma has been closed before, most recently during protests marking two years since the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising.

myriad problems, and of monopolizing power. The government says political bickering has hindered its ability to manage a serious economic crunch. Khaled El-Hawari, a marketing executive in one of the brick factories, said industrial fuel oil prices increased by 50 percent, threatening the business and the lives of

CAIRO: An Egyptian protester flashes the sign of victory in front a national flag on which is written in Arabic ‘Egypt is more safe without Muslim Brotherhood’ in front of the Mugamma yesterday. —AFP Meanwhile, thousands of brick workers blocked railroad tracks from a southern city to Cairo for a second day yesterday to protest rising industrial oil prices, causing the cancellation of some services, security officials said. The government lifted industrial fuel oil subsidies last week as part of a reform program, prompting labor protests by quarry and brick factory workers. Opponents accuse Morsi and his government of failing to tackle Egypt’s

hundreds of workers who could be laid off. “No one is listening to us or responding,” he said. “We plan to protest outside the Cabinet next.” A security official said negotiations with the brick workers have continued, allowing some trains coming from the capital to get through to the south, but causing a large backlog of trains in Cairo. Nearly 20 train trips to Cairo were cancelled. —Agencies

BUSINESS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Ten Chadian soldiers killed in Mali fighting N’DJAMENA/GAO: Ten Chadian soldiers were killed in combat in northern Mali’s mountainous border with Algeria where Islamist rebels regrouped after losing urban areas to a French-led offensive, Chad’s army said yesterday. The latest Chadian fatalities came in an area of the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains where 13 Chadian soldiers were killed in clashes on Friday that centred around what one senior commander said was a rebel base of “significant importance”. At least 93 rebels have been killed in fighting in the area so far, Chad’s army said. The casualties, the heaviest by African troops since a campaign against al Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels

began six weeks ago, highlight risks that the French-led coalition becomes entangled by guerrilla war as it helps Mali’s weak army. “In the course of the clean-up operations, the bodies of 28 other terrorists were found in the combat zone ... Ten more of our soldiers fell,” said a statement from the army general staff read on state radio. “The final toll from the clashes ... and cleanup that followed is as follows: 93 terrorists ... on the side of the enemy. We deplore the deaths of 23 soldiers and 30 wounded,” the statement said. France intervened in its former West African colony last month to stop a southward offensive by Islamist fighters who seized control of the north last April. After quickly driving

the rebels out of major urban areas, France and its African allies have focused on the remote northeast mountains and desert - an area the size of France - that includes networks of caves, passes and porous borders. They believe some of eight French hostages held by al Qaeda-linked groups are being kept in the area. Rebels have continued to stage bombings and raids mainly targeting Mali’s poorly trained and equipped army in northern cities - including their former strongholds of Gao and Kidal. In Gao, which has seen a series of attacks over two weeks, French and Malian forces showed journalists arms and ammunition seized since the start of operations to retake the north. Laid

in blazing sun at Gao’s airport, now a base for the French, were hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition, from old Russian rockets to shiny Chinese bullets. “This is a campaign to finish off the jihadists once and for all”,” the head of Malian forces Colonel Didier Dacko said. “It’s when the shooting ends, when the population is no longer reporting movements by the jihadists, those will be the signs that the situation has improved.” Troops from neighbouring African nations, including 2,000 Chadians, have deployed to Mali and are meant to take over leadership of the operation when France begins to withdraw forces next month. — Reuters

Doctors: Iraqi prez speaking after stroke BAGHDAD: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is able to speak and understand people around him as he recovers from a stroke he suffered in December, a doctor responsible for his medical care said yesterday. In an interview, Dr Najmaldin Karim described the improvement in the president’s health as encouraging. Karim is a neurosurgeon who is also governor of the Iraqi province of Kirkuk. He oversees Talabani’s medical care when he is in Iraq, although the president is currently in Germany for treatment. “He’s improving. He’s talking. He’s conversing. He understands when he’s spoken to. It’s a good development,” Karim said. “We’re very encouraged and excited by this.” Karim said he is in daily contact with Talabani’s German medical team. He is hopeful Talabani will be able to return to Iraq, but acknowledged that any decision rests with the doctors treating him in Europe. “We’ll have to just take it one day at a time,” he said. The 79-year-old Talabani was rushed to a hospital late on Dec. 17 after suffering a stroke. Few specific details have been released about his health, fueling intense speculation about the seriousness of his condition and his ability to continue with his job. He was flown to a Berlin area hospital for further treatment shortly after his condition was stabilized. No images of Talabani have been released since he fell ill, and he has not been heard from personally. Some Iraqi officials and Baghdadbased diplomats have said he slipped into a coma shortly after the stroke happened, or was otherwise gravely incapacitated. Talabani is overweight and has undergone several medical procedures in recent years, including heart surgery in 2008 and knee replacement surgery last year. On Feb 18, Talabani’s office issued a statement saying the president continues to respond well to therapy. Two presidential officials reached Sunday declined to comment, saying that Karim is the only person authorized to discuss Talabani’s condition. The Iraqi presidency is a largely ceremonial role, with the prime minister acting as the head of government. But Talabani is seen by many Iraqis as something of a unifying statesman, and he has at times played an important role in mediating disputes among the country’s ethnic and sectarian factions. Talabani became ill at a particularly crucial moment in Iraqi politics. His stroke occurred while he was trying to calm an ongoing dispute between the central government and Iraq’s Kurdish ethnic minority, from which he hails. — AP

BANI JAMRA, Bahrain: A Bahraini anti-government protester stands next to a petrolbomb during clashes with riot police yesterday. Clashes erupted in villages nationwide with protesters demanding the release for burial of the body of Mahmoud Isa Al-Jazeeri, 20, who died Thursday from injuries sustained during earlier clashes with police. — AP

Yemen president makes surprise southern trip UN probes Iran-linked arms ship

ADEN: President Abrabuh Mansur Hadi toured yesterday several southern Yemeni cities in a surprise visit, state media said, as police clashed with southern separatists amid calls for civil disobedience. State news agency Saba said Hadi arrived in Aden late Saturday on an “inspection visit”, his first since becoming president in Feb 2012. A security official in the main southern city told AFP that Hadi was visiting to “closely check the situation in Aden following the unrest”. On Sunday, he toured the nearby cities of Zinjibar and Jaar in the Abyan province, which were held by Al-Qaeda linked militants for a year before the army drove them out in an assault in May 2012, the agency said. Protests have intensified in south Yemen since the killing of five people in clashes between police and proindependence demonstrators on

Thursday, when the deeply divided country marked a year since the ouster of strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh. Witnesses said hardliners from the Southern Movement clashed yesterday with security forces in the southeastern city of Mukalla after they blocked roads with burning tyres and rocks. “The army is using live ammunition against protesters,” said Nasser Baqazquz, an activist from the separatist group. One policeman was wounded in the confrontation, according to witnesses. In Aden itself, three protesters were wounded when army troops opened fire to open a main road in the Mualla neighbourhood, witnesses and medical sources said. Protesters had also blocked roads in the neighbourhoods of Mansura, Sheikh Osman and Dar Saad. Three other protesters were wounded in the city of Huta, in Lahj province, when security forces

advanced to clear a blocked road, witnesses and medics said. On Saturday, two protesters and a policeman were killed in clashes that erupted in the south, including in Aden, security officials and medics said. In the city of Sayun in the eastern province of Hadramawt, protesters trying to enforce a programme of civil disobedience set a merchant from northern Yemen on fire, leaving him in a critical condition, witnesses said. The man is in intensive care, a medical source told AFP. The protesters also on Saturday attacked shops in Mukalla owned by northerners, and burnt down two offices belonging to the Islamist Al-Islah (Reform) Party, which backs Hadi, witnesses said. The party issued a statement protesting the attacks on its southern offices and urged its members to “exercise restraint”. — Agencies

INTERNATIONAL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Syria opposition govt will boost credibility

BEIRUT: Plans by Syria’s opposition to form a government in rebel-held zones could help fill a security vacuum in areas where Islamists have the upper hand as well as bolster its global credibility, experts say. Syria’s main opposition umbrella group, the National Coalition, announced on Friday it would set up a government to run areas of the country “liberated” by rebels and would meet in Istanbul on March 2 to name a prime minister. “We agreed to form a government to run the affairs of the liberated areas,” spokesman Walid al-Bunni told reporters in Cairo, adding it was expected such a government would be based in northern Syria, where the opposition controls vast swathes of territory. The announcement comes as the opposition is accused by its detractors of being disconnected from the brutal reality of the conflict on the ground, with no solution in sight to the deadly nearly two-year war. “The opposition wants to establish a presence which may well give them more credibility than they currently have,” said Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Centre. “Right now, they don’t have much credibility and they certainly don’t have much presence. In both cases, it (a government) is to their advantage,” he added. The opposition has slammed the interna-

tional community over its reluctance to intervene and halt slaughter in Syria where the UN says nearly 70,000 people have been killed since March 2011. The Coalition has also cancelled plans to attend international meetings on Syria in Italy, the United States and Russia, saying they wanted action not words from Arab and Western countries to back their revolt against the Syrian regime. Created amid much fanfare in November, the opposition coalition is recognised by most Arab and Western nations but it has been snubbed by powerful Islamist rebel group Al-Nusra Front. Al-Nusra, which the United States lists as a terrorist organisation, has been at the forefront of fighting in the north and east of the country, where regime forces are losing control and basic services are lacking. The group has also claimed a number of deadly car bombings in Damascus. “There is a dramatic security vacuum and the opposition is aware of that,” and realises “that the chaos is undermining its image,” said Agnes Levallois, a Middle East expert based in France. “It is important for the opposition to be on the ground so that it is not overrun by chaos and armed groups,” in a post-Assad period, Levallois said. Shaikh agreed and warned that with the influence of rebels growing, particularly

Citizen journos wonder whether guns trump cams DEIR EZZOR, Syria: Citizen journalists in Syria do much to give the world a picture of the death and destruction in their country, but some wonder whether guns might not trump cameras in the end. “We are the eyes of the world,” says Kinda, the only woman among 10 people working round the clock in a media centre in the eastern oil hub of Deir Ezzor, laid waste by months of intense combat between rebels and troops of President Bashar Al-Assad. “Without us, the world would not know what is happening... because no Western news media has dared come here,” she said. Colleague Abu Hussein, speaking of the horrors that he has witnessed, said he still finds “strength to keep doing this work every day, and I will continue to do it until we liberate Syria or I die.” He echoes a remark made repeatedly by others across Syria, who have turned to citizen journalism as a way to get the story out. “Our weapons are our cameras, and those weapons are more powerful that any AK-47 (assault rifle) carried by a rebel. Our weapons raise awareness, they don’t kill.” But Saad Sulibi is not so sure, despondent that after nearly two years of conflict the war goes on, and “nobody helps us”. Every time he goes to the front with his camera, he takes a rifle along. “I record the fighting with my camera, but if they shoot at me I shoot back... because my life is much more important than any image I might film.” Sulibi said he joined the pro-democracy movement when it first erupted in March 2011, but when he saw so many people being killed in a crackdown by Assad’s regime “I decided to take up arms”. “And many times I wonder whether it wouldn’t be better to stop filming and to fight with the (rebel) Free Syrian Army.” Akram Asaf has already done that, and now takes his rifle and camera along with him. “I fought for seven months... until I joined the (citizen journalists) after realising that there were enough men to fight and that they needed someone filming on the front line.” But that could change, said Asaf, who spends much of his time trying to show newcomers how to cover the story and not get killed in the process. “I go where I’m needed. Today I’m with the activists, but it’s possible that tomorrow I’ll go back to the frontline to fight.” One man who didn’t make it was Abu Omar, whose helmet and flak jacket lie on the chair that he used to occupy in the media centre. —AFP

CAURO: Arab League general secretary Nabil Al-Arabi (right) listens to the president of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC), George Sabra (second left) speaking near SNC chief Abdel Basset Sayda (left) during a meeting at the Arab League headquarters in the Egyptian capital yesterday. — AFP that of Islamist insurgents, the vacuum will “develop and more dangerous elements will take advantage, and that is what is happening.” “The Al-Nusra Front could well be controling de facto three provinces in the next stage,” said Shaikh. “Raqqa, Hassaka and Deir Ezzor are increasingly

going to Al-Nusra Front,” he said referring to three oil hubs in eastern Syria. “They are doing the clever thing, establishing local agreements with tribal elders, administering some of the aid required and getting revenues by controlling some of the oilfields,” Shaikh added. —AFP

Syrian rebels fight for police academy Another setback seen for Assad regime

BEIRUT: Syrian rebels used captured tanks to launch a fresh offensive on a government complex housing a police academy in the north yesterday as they continued to log a string of strategic victories against President Bashar AlAssad’s troops who countered with airstrikes. If rebels capture the complex in Allepo, which also houses several smaller army outposts, it would be another setback for the Assad regime. In recent weeks, the regime has lost control of key infrastructure in the northeast including a hydroelectric dam, a major oil field and two army bases along the road linking Aleppo with the airport to its east. Rebels also have been hitting the heart of Damascus with occasional mortars shells or bombings, posing a stiff challenge to Assad’s regime in its seat of power. On Saturday, opposition fighters in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour overran a site known as Al-Kibar, which was home to what is believed to have been a partly built nuclear reactor that Israeli warplanes bombed in 2007. A year after the strike, the UN nuclear watchdog determined that the destroyed building’s size and structure fit specifications of a nuclear reactor. Syria never stated the purpose of the site. After the bombing, the regime carted away all the debris from the destroyed building and equipment from the two standing structures, analysts said, adding that the rebels were unlikely to have found any weapons in the abandoned complex. “It’s more or less a shell because the Syrians decided to remove everything inside the buildings,” said

ALEPPO: A Syrian man reacts while standing on the rubble of his house while others look for survivors and bodies in the Tariq al-Bab district of the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday. Three surface-to-surface missiles fired by Syrian regime forces in Tariq al-Bab left 58 people dead, among them 36 children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said yesterday. — AFP Mustafa Alani, an analyst with the Gulf Research Center in Geneva. “I don’t think there’s anything left really of any value for the rebels.” Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said rebels have been trying for months to storm the government complex west of Aleppo in the suburb of Khan al-Asal. Assad’s forces have been locked in a stalemate with rebels in Aleppo since July, when the nation’s largest city and commercial hub became a major front in the civil war. Months of heavy street fighting have left whole neighborhoods in the city in ruins, carving it up into areas controlled by the regime and others held by rebels with both sides shelling each other’s

positions. Rebels have also been trying for weeks to capture Aleppo’s International Airport. There were no reports of fighting for the airport yesterday. But there have been battles around a section of the highway the army has been using to transport troops and supplies to a military base within the airport complex. On Friday, regime forces fired three missiles into a rebel-held area in eastern Aleppo, hitting several buildings and killing 37 people, according to the Observatory. It said the strike apparently involved ground-to-ground missiles. A similar attack on Tuesday in another impoverished Aleppo neighborhood killed at least 33 people, almost half of them children. — AP

International MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

ICC trial overshadows Kenya elections NAIROBI: If Kenya’s presidential hopeful Uhuru Kenyatta wins March 4 elections, his first foreign trip along with the vice-president could be to The Hague to face trial for crimes against humanity. For east Africa’s economic powerhouse, the issue of a looming International Criminal Court (ICC) trial for Kenyatta has sparked fear of economic and diplomatic consequences should he win and fail to comply, analysts warn. It raises the prospect that Kenya - a regional diplomatic hub, popular tourist destination and with a growing economy buoyed by foreign investment - could follow the path of pariah state Sudan, the only other country to elect a president indicted by the ICC. The United States’ top diplomat for Africa Johnnie Carson earlier this month warned Kenyans that “choices have consequences”, in an apparent caution over the possible victory of Kenyatta. “We live in an interconnected world and people should be thoughtful about the impact their choices have,” he said, without naming any names. The ICC issue “raises enormously the stakes of the presidential contest”, the International Crisis Group think tank warned in a recent report. Kenyatta and running mate William Ruto - a fellow ICC indictee - “in particular have challenged the ICC proceedings as politically motivated, and used them to rally their respective ethnic communities’ support,” the ICG added. Their trials for their alleged role in orchestrating post-election violence five years ago in which over 1,100 people died are due to open on April 10 and 11, potentially clashing with a widely expected second round runoff vote. In terms of clear policy, little of real substance divides the top candidates. Kenya’s election races have a long past of ethnic campaigning, as well as vio-

lence. That has made many concerned that voters will use the election as a referendum on the ICC. “The people of Kenya - and they alone - have the power and the mandate to determine the leadership of this great country,” Kenyatta said after high court judges

lot, others keenly aware of the possible impact on the country should he win. Richard Dowden, director of Britain’s Royal African Society, has called the ICC issue an “exceedingly dangerous factor supercharging this election”. “Those indicted may feel they have nothing to

NAIROBI: Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Presidential candidate Raila Odinga (right) shakes hands with The National Alliance (TNA) Presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta during an election rally in Uhuru Park yesterday. —AP effectively cleared the way for him to run for office earlier this month. Civil society groups have sought a ruling as to whether Kenyatta and Ruto should be allowed to stand for office due to the looming ICC trial. The high court finally ruled it lacked jurisdiction to make a decision. The case illustrated how the ICC has divided domestic opinion: some believing that Kenyans alone should judge Kenyatta through the bal-

lose and their best bet is to get elected by any stratagem available” in the hope of defying the court once in office, Dowden wrote in a recent article. “A vote in which one candidate has nothing to lose could turn into civil war,” he added, a grim warning many Kenyans might think an exaggeration. At local levels, the issue of the ICC may be less important, with multiple elections for powerful regional gover-

nor positions, members of parliament and local councils potentially having more impact that top level politics. But Human Rights Watch warns the risk of political violence is “perilously high”. At least 484 people were killed and over 116,000 fled their homes due to ethnic violence last year, according to the United Nations. Should Kenyatta win as the latest opinon polls suggest, the country could face the absence of its president and vice-president for several months - if not years - in The Hague. Kenyatta’s and Ruto’s cases “could be as much of an issue in Kenya’s 2018 general elections as they are proving to be in 2013,” warned Gabrielle Lynch in a recent paper for Britain’s Chatham House. Even if a victorious Kenyatta cooperates with the ICC - as he has promised - it could be “difficult for many countries to have normal diplomatic relations” while donors might reduce bilateral assistance, the ICG added. However, diplomats say that legal restrictions only come into play should Kenyatta and Ruto end their cooperation with the court. The same issues remain even if key rival Raila Odinga wins, should he then decide for political expediency - for example, not wanting to rile the supporters of a defeated Kenyatta - to allow the ICC indictees to avoid trial. Some speculate Kenyatta may hope that potential sanctions are just rhetoric, since Kenya - currently fighting Al-Qaeda linked Islamists in Somalia - is of strategic economic, security and political interest to the West, Dowden added. Kenya potentially could rely on other partners, especially China. “Again and again over the last 50 years Kenyan politicians have been able to defy Western diplomatic pressure knowing Washington and London needs Kenya more than Kenya needs them,” Dowden said. —AFP

African leaders sign deal to end east Congo conflict UN to name special envoy to the region

ADDIS ABABA: African leaders signed a UNmediated deal yesterday aimed at ending two decades of conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and paving the way for the deployment of a new military brigade to take on rebel groups. Congo’s army is fighting the M23 rebels, who have hived off a fiefdom in North Kivu province in a conflict that has dragged Congo’s eastern region back into war and displaced more than half a million people. UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, who witnessed the signing in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, said he hoped the accord would bring “an era of peace and stability” for Congo and Africa’s Great Lakes, and added that he would soon name a special envoy for the region. The Great Lakes area, where colonial era borders cut at random through ethnic groups has in the last 20 years been a crucible of conflict that has launched multiple uprisings and invasions. “It is only the beginning of a comprehensive approach that will require sustained engagement,” Ban said of the accord, which did not include any representatives of rebel groups. The agreement

was signed by leaders and envoys of 11 African countries, including Rwanda and Uganda, which have been accused by UN experts of stoking the rebellion. They deny the accusation. Speaking after the signing, Ugandan Vice President Edward Ssekandi said the deal could speed up the deployment of a new, UN-flagged intervention force to take on the rebels. “We should be able to fast-track the ongoing consultation so that the force with a robust mandate and capability is put in place,” he said. African leaders failed to sign the deal last month after a disagreement over who would command the force. A fresh rebellion launched in May 2012 by the M23 group has brought more fighting and displacement to eastern Congo. In November the rebels seized the provincial capital Goma, but left the city to open the way for peace talks, which are being held in neighbouring Uganda. Those separate talks between Congo’s government and the rebels are aimed at reaching an agreement on a range of economic, political and security issues, includ-

ing amnesty for “war and insurgency acts”, the release of political prisoners and reparation of damages due to the war. But the rebels have broadened their goals to include the removal of Kabila and “liberation” of the entire Congo. Bertrand Bisimwa, M23’s spokesman said he had not read the full details of the Addis Ababa deal, but hoped it would not reignite fighting between them and government troops. “What I can say is that if they are choosing the way of peace we are fine with that, but if they are choosing to continue the war then we’re against,” he told Reuters. Uganda’s Ssekandi said the talks in Kampala were now focused on security and that their discussions were so far positive. Congolese President Joseph Kabila said the talks with rebels would continue, but there was little time left before a March 15 deadline to complete them. “What we have done in Addis is just a diplomatic measure. The discussions in Kampala will continue but we need to pay attention to the fact that we do not have a lot of time,” Kabila told a news conference in after signing the deal. —Reuters

ADDIS ABABA: Democratic Republic of Congo’s president Joseph Kabila signs a peace agreement during a summit yesterday. —AFP

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Emotional Pope celebrates final Sunday prayers VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI delivered an emotional last Sunday prayer in St Peter’s Square, saying God had told him to devote himself to quiet contemplation but assuring he would not “abandon” the Church. The final days of his pontificate are being overshadowed by mounting scandal over two cardinals - one accused of covering up paedophile abusers and the other accused of “‘inappropriate acts”‘ - set to take part in the conclave to elect the next pontiff. But tens of thousands of supporters turned out for Benedict’s final Sunday prayers ahead of his formal resignation on Thursday, often interrupting him with their clapping, cheering and chanting. “The Lord is calling me to climb the mountain, to dedicate myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church,” the pope said from the window of his residence in the Vatican, his voice breaking with emotion. “If God is asking me to do this it is precisely so I can continue to serve with the same dedication and love as before but

in a way that is more appropriate for my age and for my strength.” The 85year-old leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics announced earlier this month he will be stepping down because he lacks the strength to carry on. His shock resignation ends an eight-year reign dominated by the priest child sex abuse scandal and efforts to counter rising secularism in the West. He thanked the crowd with a final unscripted call, telling them: “We will always be close!” The Vatican and Rome police estimated the numbers at more than 100,000 people -many times more than usually attend the traditional Sunday prayer. “Holy Father, We Love You”, read one banner, while others said: “Thank You, Your Holiness” and “Dear Father, We’ll Miss You”. “I have come to support the pope and to ask for his blessing,” said Joao-Paulo, a 26-yearold trainee priest from Brazil. Birgit Marschall, 37, a teacher from Germany, said: “He is an intellectual who speaks in simple language, who writes what we have in our hearts.” Claire Therese

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from the window of his apartment yesterday at the Vatican. — AFP Heyne, a 34-year-old theology student own free will in the Church’s 2,000-year from the United States, said the pope history, and the first since the Middle “must have had a very strong reason” Ages. But Gianpaolo, 33, said Benedict to leave. “It is an act of courage and had been “less courageous” than his humility,” she said. Benedict will be predecessors, and stressed the need only the second pope to resign of his for major reforms. — AFP

Frustrated Italians vote in crucial polls

Weak government could destabilise euro zone

MILAN: A topless feminist is arrested by riot policemen outside the polling station where Berlusconi cast his ballot yesterday. — AFP

Topless feminists hurl themselves at Berlusconi MILAN: Three topless feminists lunged at Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi as he arrived at a polling station in Milan to vote in a general election yesterday, an AFP reporter at the scene said. The young women from the Ukrainian women’s power group Femen had the slogan “Basta Berlusconi” (“Enough With Berlusconi”) scrawled on their backs. They were quickly detained by police and dragged away screaming in a chaotic scene as ordinary people queued to vote at the school. “Three Femen sextremists carried out an attack on the idiot Berlusconi just as he was preparing to vote,” the group said on its website. The group said he was “a dirty pervert”, adding: “Italy don’t vote for someone who should be in prison”. The feminists broke through a line of journalists outside the polling station and jumped over some tables toward Berlusconi but did not reach him. The scandal-tainted Berlusconi is leading a centre-right coalition in the election and polls indicate he will come second to the centre-left. Berlusconi is a defendant in two trials - one for tax fraud and the other for having sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power. The Femen women’s power group has been making headlines since 2010 for topless feminist, pro-democracy and anti-corruption protests in Russia, Ukraine and London. — AFP

ROME: Italians fed up with austerity voted yesterday in the country’s most important election in a generation, as Europe held its breath for signs of fresh instability in the eurozone’s third economy. Millions turned out to vote for the first time since billionaire tycoon Silvio Berlusconi was ousted in 2011 during a wave of financial market panic and was replaced by former Eurocrat Mario Monti. “This is a chance to change Italy,” said Ida, a 48-year-old computer company employee, voting at a polling station in a school in Rome where entire families came out to vote, forming long queues. Centre-left Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani is the most likely winner, but analysts say he may fall short of a majority and need to weave together a coalition that could prove unsteady. Bersani has promised to stick to Monti’s budget discipline but says he will do more for growth and jobs as Italy endures its longest recession in 20 years and unemployment hits record highs. “I am voting for the Democratic Party. I don’t want us to end up like Greece,” said Alessandro, a 63-year-old manager, as he cast his ballot in Milan. The scandal-tainted Berlusconi, a three-time prime minister who is also a defendant in two trials for tax fraud and having sex with an underage prostitute, could come a close second. “There’s a lot of confusion in these elections. I’m voting Berlusconi. I know he has his defects but he’s the best,” said Maria Teresa Gottardi, 65. But many Italians disagree, like voter Sara Di Gregori, a 30-

year-old lawyer in Rome, who warned: “If Berlusconi returns, it would be a disaster.” The wild card in third place, according to the polls, could be a new protest party led by ex-comedian Beppe Grillo who has channelled growing social discontent and anger against politicians. The “Grillini” - as Grillo’s followers are known - could be a disruptive force in parliament and Grillo has called for Italy’s debts to be cancelled and a referendum on whether to stay in the eurozone. “Italy votes in uncertainty,” read a headline in La Stampa daily, where editor Mario Calabresi wrote: “The truth is no-one has a magic wand.” An average of the last opinion polls made public gave

Bersani 34 percent, Berlusconi 30 percent, Grillo 17 percent and Monti around 11 percent. Polling stations closed at 2100 GMT yesterday and open again for a second day of voting at 0600 GMT today, closing at 1400 GMT. Exit polls are expected immediately after the close and preliminary official results will begin trickling through later today. Officials have called on Italians to vote amid fears that general disenchantment with politics could mean a much lower turnout than usual. Turnout was around 15 percent at 1100 GMT, lower than the 16.54 percent who had voted by the same time in 2008 elections, the interior ministry said. — AFP

MILAN: Italian former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi leaves the polling station after casting his vote yesterday. — AFP

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Bulgarians rally against political establishment SOFIA: Tens of thousands of protesters rallied across Bulgaria yesterday to denounce poor living standards and corruption plaguing the country, just days after the rightwing government was forced to resign. More than 10,000 protesters marched in downtown Sofia under the slogan “End to illusions, civil action every day!” They shouted “Mafia!” and “All parties out!” near parliament and the presidency, waving whitegreen-and-red Bulgarian flags. President Rosen Plevneliev appeared briefly before the crowd but was greeted with boos and jeers. He said he was willing to meet next week with trade unions and civil groups to hear their demands and seek a way out of the crisis that forced the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Wednesday. “What’s the use of this financial stability when we are as poor as church mice,” an 80year-old pensioner told AFP at the rally in Sofia. “I am fed up with the high bills and the low salaries, I am fed up with the corruption I see everywhere and the promises of the politicians that never materialise,” added 50-year-old Mariana Rachkova, who is unemployed. She said she was all the more angry as she had voted for Borisov’s austerity-minded GERB party in 2009, believing “his promises that he will rid the

country of the mafia”. “Borisov abdicated and the parliament will follow suit. But who will take us out of this chaos?” said Petar Ivanov as he attended the rally in Sofia. Borisov’s surprise resignation came after demonstrations turned violent, with several dozen people injured and two men setting themselves on fire. One of them died and the other remains in hospital in critical condition. But despite his resignation, activists have vowed to continue with the protests. “We need a total change of the system but the politicians will not let this happen,” demonstrator Nikolina Koleva, a former state auditor, said. She said she was sacked from her job for trying to denounce corruption. The Black Sea city of Varna, where the nationwide daily rallies against high electricity bills and deepening poverty began two weeks ago, saw its largest demonstration yesterday, local media reported. Between 20,000 and 40,000 protesters blocked traffic along key boulevards in the city, calling for the resignation of mayor Kiril Yordanov and denouncing “the economic domination of the mobsters”. They burned an effigy outside the headquarters of the local electricity utility monopoly, Czech Energo-Pro. About 3,000 protesters also gathered in the Black Sea city of Burgas and between

SOFIA: Protesters shout slogans during a protest yesterday. — AFP 6,000 and 10,000 joined the demo in Bulgaria’s second-largest city of Plovdiv in the south, media reports said. Rallies were held in numerous other towns across the country. The protests that have swept the European Union’s poorest country over the past two weeks were sparked by anger over mounting electricity bills and frozen public wages. The average monthly salary in Bulgaria is 400 euros ($534) and has not

increased for years. Activists who met at the weekend said they agreed on the need for constitutional changes with majority elections instead of the current proportional system and the possibility to sue and even sack lawmakers if they do not fulfil their duties. They also demanded a moratorium on power bills, no value added tax on electricity and a review of all contracts on privatising the power sector. — AFP

Cyprus votes on new prez to seal bailout Exit poll shows decisive victory for Anastasiades

SOFIA: Bulgaria’s Orthodox Church newly elected Patriarch Neophyte stands among Bulgarian Orthodox bishops at the golden-domed Alexander Nevski cathedral yesterday. — AFP

Bulgarian patriarch enthroned SOFIA: Bulgaria’s new Orthodox patriarch was enthroned in a mass in Sofia yesterday that leaves the soft-spoken theologian the task of restoring the reputation of a church hurt by links to businessmen and communist secret police. Neophyte, Bishop of Rousse, took over the 1,100-year old church, which survived centuries of Turkish domination and decades of communism, just as Bulgaria heads for early elections by May after the government resigned on Wednesday during protests over the cost of living and corruption. Protesters in Sofia kept a promise to stay away from the capital’s main cathedral, St Alexander Nevski, so as not to interfere with the ceremonial mass of inauguration. About 80 percent of Bulgarians say they are Orthodox Christians - the mainstream religion also in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Greece, Romania and Serbia, but only few see churchgoing as important to their lives, recent surveys show. Trust in the Orthodox Church was shaken after a history commission showed in Jan 2012 that 11 of its 15 bishops collaborated with the former communist era secret police. Neophyte, born Simeon Dimitrov, also had a file with the much feared Darzhavna Sigurnost, but while his 16-page entry contained information about him, it preserved no reports made by him to the police. — Reuters

NICOSIA: Cypriot conservative leader Nicos Anastasiades has scored a decisive victory in a presidential runoff vote, exit polls showed yesterday, in a boost for investor hopes of a swift financial rescue for the near-bankrupt nation. Anastasiades, who favours hammering out a quick deal with foreign lenders, took between 57.5 and 61.5 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll by state broadcaster CyBC. Communist-backed rival Stavros Malas, who is more wary of the austerity terms accompanying any rescue, trailed with between 38.5 and 42.5 percent, according to the poll. Other media outlets also reported exit polls showing similar readings. Financial markets are hoping for an Anastasiades victory to speed up a joint rescue by the European Union and International Monetary Fund before the island runs out of cash and derails fragile confidence returning to the euro zone. The 66-year-old lawyer took more than 45 percent of the vote in the first round in the Greek-speaking Cypriot south, easily beating 45-year-old geneticist Malas, who took 27 percent. The winner will take the reins of a Mediterranean nation ravaged by its worst economic crisis in four decades, with unemployment at a record high of 15 percent. Pay cuts and tax hikes ahead of a bailout have further soured the national mood. “I am absolutely confident that as of tonight Cyprus will have a new direction,” clear frontrunner Anastasiades said after voting in his hometown of Limassol on the south coast. His supporters gathered outside his Disy party headquarters in the capital ready to celebrate, as television news crews set up their gear. “We are confident. Change is definitely here. And the new president will be here soon,” Haris Tsingis,

LIMASSOL, Cyprus: Presidential candidate of the Democratic Rally of Cyprus (DISY) party Nicos Anastasiades stabs his finger in the air as he leaves the polling station after voting in the second round of Cyprusí presidential election yesterday.— AFP a 53-year-old lawyer and adviser to the Disy leader, told AFP. “We have to choose between the lesser of two evils,” said Georgia Xenophondos, a 23-year-old receptionist who voted for a third contender in the first round and voted for Anastasiades this time, but is wary of backing more austerity. “We are already damaged by it, and I don’t know if we can take anymore,” she said. “We’ve hit poverty, unemployment and lost respect from the EU - things we didn’t see five years ago.” The third-placed candidate in last Sunday’s first round refused to back either contender in the run-off, boosting Anastasiades’s chances. About a half million Cypriots were eligible to vote, but many abstained or cast blank votes in protest. Talks to rescue Nicosia have dragged on eight months since it first

sought help, after a Greek sovereign debt restructuring saddled its banks with losses. It is expected to need up to 17 billion euros in aid - worth the size of its entire economy. Virtually all rescue options - from a bailout loan to a debt writedown or slapping losses on bank depositors - are proving unfeasible because they push Cypriot debt up to unmanageable levels or risk hurting investor sentiment elsewhere in the bloc. German misgivings about the nation’s commitment to fighting money laundering and strong financial ties with Russia have further complicated the negotiations. European officials want a bailout agreed by the end of March, ensuring no honeymoon period for the new president, who will be sworn in on Feb. 28 and assume power on March 1.

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

After Asia pivot, US turns back to Europe WASHINGTON: After much talk about a US pivot to Asia, signs of a revived American interest in Europe abound, reassuring Europeans worried about their status as Washington’s closest allies. Barack Obama, who has billed himself as “America’s first Pacific president”, seems to have taken a fresh look at the Old Continent during his second term, launching negotiations on an ambitious transatlantic free trade deal. Obama’s new Secretary of State John Kerry departed yesterday on his first official trip to four European capitals before heading to the Middle East. His predecessor Hillary Clinton had chosen Asia for her maiden overseas tour. And when Vice President Joe Biden addressed high-ranking officials, ministers and top military brass at the

Munich Security Conference three weeks ago, he assured Europeans that Washington still values the transatlantic ties. “President Obama and I continue to believe that Europe is the cornerstone of our engagement with the rest of the world and is the catalyst for our global cooperation,” he said. Nicholas Siegel, a scholar with the German Marshall Fund think tank in Washington pointed to a “real reemphasis of the transatlantic relationship”. Tyson Barker, director of transatlantic relations at the Bertelsmann Foundation North America, said that during Obama’s first term “the fascination with Asia was palpable and it permeated all of their strategic thinking”. Now the president acknowledges the need “to consolidate and retrofit some

of our legacy relationships,” he added. A year ago, the White House pressed Europe to combat its sovereign debt crisis, fearing that a financial meltdown on the other side of the Atlantic would drag down the US economy ahead of the presidential election. As markets have calmed in response to action by eurozone governments and the European Central Bank, Washington appears to have turned its attention to opportunities that lie in the transatlantic realm. Facing a slow recovery and high unemployment, Obama announced in his State of the Union address earlier this month that talks on a “transatlantic trade and investment partnership” that would create the world’s largest free trade area. William Galston of the Brookings

Kerry makes first foreign trip as top US diplomat 11-day trip includes 9 nations in Europe, Mideast WASHINGTON: John Kerry views his first trip as US secretary of state as a listening tour, but the leaders he meets will want to hear whether he has any new ideas on Syria, Iran and the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Kerry left Washington yesterday for London, the first stop on a nine-nation, 11-day trip that will also take him to Berlin, Paris, Rome, Ankara, Cairo, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha before he returns home on March 6. It is an introductory trip for a man who needs little introduction abroad after spending 28 years in the US Senate, all of them as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the last four as its chairman. After talks with allies in London, Berlin and Paris, Kerry travels to Rome to meet members of the Syrian opposition as well as a wider group of nations seeking to support them in their nearly twoyear quest to oust Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. While the opposition Syrian National Coalition is willing to negotiate a peace deal to end the country’s civil war, members this week agreed that Assad must step down and cannot be a party to any settlement. The political chasm between the sides, along with a lack of opposition influence over rebels on the ground and an international diplomatic deadlock preventing effective intervention, has allowed fighting to rage on. Almost 70,000 people have been killed in 22 months of conflict, according to a UN estimate. US President Barack Obama has limited US support to non-lethal aid for the rebels who, despite receiving weapons from countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are poorly armed compared to Assad’s army and loyalist militias. Although the Obama administration appears to be rethinking the question of arming the rebels, there are few signs it is on the verge of a new approach toward Syria, said Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and

MARYLAND: US Secretary of State John Kerry boards his plane at Andrews Air Force Base en route to London on his inaugural official trip as secretary of state yesterday. — AFP International Studies think-tank. “I have a hard time imagining that this is the time to float a new American strategy because he (Kerry) still doesn’t have a counterpart in the Department of Defense (and) the new administration is still getting set up,” Alterman said. “I don’t see any sign that there is a new strategy but I do see signs that he wants to be engaged and understand what the options are for moving something in a different direction,” he said. Kerry makes his first foreign trip as senior US diplomats, along with counterparts from Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, will meet Iranian officials tomorrow in Kazakhstan in an effort to persuade Iran to curtail its nuclear program. The United States and many of its allies suspect Iran may be using its civil nuclear program as a cover to develop atomic weapons, a possibility that Israel, which is regarded as the Middle East’s only nuclear power, sees as an existen-

tial threat. Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and making medical isotopes. Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution think-tank said Saudi King Abdullah would regard himself, rather than Kerry, as the listening party and want to hear of any new US approaches on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran and other issues. “The secretary has the tough job of selling as something new an administration (whose) foreign policies are pretty well established,” Riedel said. “There is not a high level of expectation that it is going to be able to break the logjam on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, get Iran to give up its nuclear weapons program and topple Bashar alAssad,” he added. “The Saudis will understand that Kerry will try to put a new face on policies which are now pretty well known but they will be looking for what’s new.” — Reuters

Institution called the multi-trillion-dollar trade deal a “potentially gamechanging policy” that could boost economic growth and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. “The focus on China’s surge during the past decade has obscured the continuing strength of Europe and the United States, and the continuing importance for each other,” he wrote in a recent op-ed. In times of fiscal belt-tightening at home, the United States also hopes that Europe will assume more responsibility on the international scene, especially on its southern flank in North Africa. “We are entering an era where the US is looking for ever more European burden sharing in international affairs,” said Siegel, calling the French military intervention in Mali a “promising sign”. — AFP

Cuba parliament gathers, will select president HAVANA: Cuba’s parliament reconvened yesterday with new membership and was expected to name Raul Castro to a new five-year-term as president. All were watching whether younger politicians might be tapped for other top leadership posts, and provide hints of a possible future successor. Castro fueled speculation on Friday when he talked of his possible retirement and suggested he has plans to resign at some point. It was unclear whether the 81-year-old leader was joking, but he promised his speech Sunday would be ‘interesting’. If a fresh face is named as one of his top deputies, it could indicate that his administration is settling on who might carry the country forward when those who fought in the 1959 revolution can no longer do so. Raul Castro turns 82 this year and would be 86 when a new term ends. His top two lieutenants are also in their 80s. ‘This National Assembly is important because it formally is going to govern the fate of the country for the next five years, which will be decisive for changing personnel - what I call the intergenerational transition,’ said Arturo Lopez-Levy, a Cuban economist and analyst who lectures at the University of Denver. ‘The intergenerational transition cannot be put off any longer.’ The 612 members of parliament are due to be sworn in during the morning and then pick a new National Assembly president for the first time in 20 years, as longtime chief Ricardo Alarcon was not on the ballot this year. The assembly will also nominate the Council of State, Cuba’s maximum governing body, which is made up of the president, a first vice president, five vice-presidents, a secretary and 23 other members. The president also oversees the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet. Castro has spoken in the past of implementing twoterm limits for public officials up to and including the president, as well as the importance of grooming new leaders to take over from his graying generation. This would be his second full term after formally assuming the presidency in 2008. He took over provisionally in 2006 when his elder brother, Fidel, was stricken with a life-threatening intestinal illness. Raul Castro is about halfway through a program of key social and economic reforms that have already seen the expansion of private business activity, legalized home and car sales, an easing of restrictions on foreign travel and the handover of fallow state land to independent farmers. Cuban state media said both Castros received a standing ovation when they arrived at a Havana convention center for yesterday’s parliamentary gathering. Foreign media were not invited to the early parts of the gathering, but were promised access to its closing moments. — AP

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Navy ship to try to fetch Filipinos in Malaysia MANILA: The Philippines is sending a navy ship to waters off eastern Malaysia to bring back some of about 180 Filipinos who became locked in a standoff with Malaysian authorities after traveling to the area to claim the territory, officials said yesterday. The Filipino group, which includes an armed security team of about 30 men, arrived in Sabah state’s coastal district of Lahad Datu about two weeks ago, claiming Sabah belongs to their royal clan based in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. Malaysian authorities regard them as armed intruders and have attempted to persuade them to leave peacefully, initially

giving a deadline of Friday. The deadline has been extended to Tuesday, a Malaysian official said. Philippine and Malaysian authorities have said the group’s demands should be addressed through diplomatic channels. The Philippine ship will be prepositioned off Lahad Datu while talks to persuade the Filipinos to return home continue, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said. It said it notified Malaysia on Saturday of the deployment of the ship, which will carry an entourage including social workers and medical personnel. Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del

Scores cut off by Australian floodwaters SYDNEY: Thousands of people on Australia’s east coast were cut off yesterday by floodwaters which have claimed two lives, while violent thunderstorms and a series of reported “mini-tornados” destroyed homes south of Sydney. State Emergency Services (SES) said the worst of the flood crisis in the north of New South Wales state appeared to have passed, with the waters mostly beginning to subside by Sunday afternoon. “The rivers up north have pretty much peaked or are peaking,” an SES spokeswoman told AFP. “Everything is pretty much on the way down.” The Macleay River peaked lower than had been forecast in the town of Kempsey, 350 km north of Sydney, and the town escaped major flooding. Further south in the town of Port Macquarie some low-lying areas were inundated by the low pressure system which travelled down the coast and has swollen river systems from Sydney to Queensland state. The State Emergency Service said isolation remained a concern “with around 20,000 (people) cut off across the north and mid-north coasts”. “The New South Wales SES is monitoring isolated areas and will provide resupply or medical evacuation if required,” it said in a statement. The SES said it had undertaken 70 flood rescues since the severe weather began, including from stranded cars, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard urged the public to avoid the floodwaters if possible. “Water is a dangerous thing. Deceptively dangerous. Even very low levels of water, if it’s fast moving, can sweep people away,” she said. A 17-yearold boy was swept into a drainpipe on Friday as he stood in waist-high water in Kew, near Port Macquarie, while collecting golf balls. On Saturday the body of a man was found in his submerged car on a road about 20 km northwest of Grafton, also on the New South Wales north coast. Intense storms bringing high winds and heavy rain also tore through eastern Sydney and other areas overnight, ripping off roofs and bringing down trees. “Local intense storms with reported ‘mini-tornados’ in some locations caused... significant damage,” the SES said, adding the worst-hit areas were Sydney’s east, the southern fringe suburb of Narellan and Kiama further south. In Kiama, a coastal town about 100 km south of Sydney, several homes were destroyed by the powerful storm, with a further seven suffering major damage, the SES spokeswoman said. The latest deluge comes just weeks after torrential rains in the wake of tropical cyclone Oswald flooded parts of Queensland and neighbouring New South Wales, and as a cyclone is expected to land on Western Australia within days. Residents between the coastal communities of Port Hedland and Broome, in Western Australia’s north, have been alerted that a tropical low was Sunday about 400 kilometres north of Port Hedland and was likely to become a cyclone. “During Monday the system will continue to intensify and there is a high risk that it will cross the coast as a severe tropical cyclone on Tuesday or Wednesday,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. — AFP

Rosario said the navy ship was on a humanitarian mission to try to pick up five women and some of the other group members. “We urge them to board the ship without delay and return home,” he said. Del Rosario also repeated a plea for the entire group to return home to their families in the southern Philippines while “we are addressing the core issues they have raised”. “Please do so for your own safety,” he said. Malaysian police have not said what kind of weapons the Filpinos possess. Details from the remote area, about 500 km from Sabah’s capital city, have been

scarce. Security along Malaysia’s sea border with the Philippines has been problematic for Sabah, where tens of thousands of impoverished Filipinos have tried to migrate over the past few decades. In 2000, Muslim extremists from the southern Philippines slipped twice into Sabah and abducted people for ransom, including European tourists and Malaysian workers from a diving resort. One of the most recent kidnappings involved two Malaysians snatched from a plantation in Lahad Datu in November. They were believed to have been taken to the southern Philippines. — AP

S Korea’s new leader faces nuclear crisis Park prefers engagement policy SEOUL: Even before she takes office today as South Korea’s first female president, Park Geun-hye’s campaign vow to soften Seoul’s current hardline approach to rival North Korea is being tested by Pyongyang’s recent underground nuclear detonation. Pyongyang, Washington, Beijing and Tokyo are all watching to see if Park, the daughter of a staunchly anticommunist dictator, pursues an ambitious engagement policy meant to ease five years of animosity on the divided peninsula or if she sticks with the tough stance of her fellow conservative predecessor, Lee Myung-bak. Park’s decision is important because it will likely set the tone of the larger diplomatic approach that Washington and others take in stalled efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions. It will also be complicated by North Korea’s warning of unspecified “second and third measures of greater intensity”, a threat that comes as Washington and others push for tightened UN sanctions as punishment for the Feb 12 atomic test, the North’s third since 2006. Park has said she won’t yet change her policy, which was built with the high probability of provocations from Pyongyang in mind. But some aren’t sure if engagement can work, given North Korea’s choice of “bombs over electricity,” as American scientist Siegfried Hecker puts it. “Normalization of relations, a peace treaty, access to energy and economic opportunities - those things that come from choosing electricity over bombs and have the potential of lifting the North Korean people out of poverty and hardship - will be made much more difficult, if not impossible, for at least the next five years,” Hecker, a regular visitor to North Korea, said in a posting on the website of Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation. As she takes office, however, Park will be mindful that many South Koreans are frustrated at the state of inter-Korean relations after the Lee government’s five-year rule, which saw two nuclear tests, three long-range rocket launches and attacks blamed on North Korea that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010. Park’s policy calls for strong defense but also for efforts to build trust through aid shipments, recon-

ciliation talks and the resumption of some large-scale economic initiatives as progress occurs on the nuclear issue. Park has also held out the possibility of a summit with new North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Much is riding on Park’s conclusion. “The overall policy direction on North Korea among the U.S., Japan and South Korea will be hers to decide,” said Victor Cha, a former senior Asia adviser to President George W. Bush. “If Park Geunhye wants to contain, the US will support that. But if Park Geun-hye, months down

Pyongyang in 2002 and held private talks with the late Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un, and her gifts to Kim Jong Il are showcased in a museum of gifts to the North Korean leaders. During the often contentious presidential campaign, she responded to liberal criticism by reaching out to the families of victims of her father’s dictatorship. She said in her 2007 autobiography that she visited Pyongyang because she thought her painful experiences with the North made her “the one who could resolve South-North relations better than

SEOUL: South Korea’s outgoing President Lee Myung-bak and his wife Kim Yoon-ok make a heart shape with their arms before leaving the presidential Blue House yesterday. — AP the road, wants to engage, then the US will go along with that too.” Engagement by Park would provide a sharp contrast with the rule of her father, Park Chung-hee, whose antipathy toward Pyongyang during his 18-year rule in the 1960s and ‘70s prompted a failed attack on the Blue House by 31 North Korean commandos in 1968. In 1974, Park’s wife was shot and killed by a Japan-born Korean claiming he was acting on assassination orders by North Korea founder and then leader Kim Il Sung. Critics say Park Geun-hye’s North Korea policy lacks specifics. They also question how far she can go given her conservative base’s strong anti-Pyongyang sentiments. But Park has previously confounded ideological expectations. She travelled to

anyone else.” She also wrote that Kim Jong Il apologized for the 1968 attack. “I don’t think this latest spike in the cycle of provocation and response undermines her whole platform of seeking to somehow reengage the North,” said John Delury, an analyst at Seoul’s Yonsei University. North Korea wants a return of large-scale aid and investment from South Korea. Before the election, Pyongyang’s state media repeatedly questioned the sincerity of Park’s engagement overture. Since the election, however, although regular criticism of Lee as “human scum” continues, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency hasn’t mentioned Park by name, though her political party is still condemned. Pyongyang sees the nuclear crisis as a USNorth Korea issue, Delury said. —AP

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Four shot dead in B’desh protest over bloggers DHAKA: Islamists demanding the execution of bloggers they accuse of blasphemy clashed with police in Bangladesh for a third straight day yesterday, and at least four protesters were killed when police opened fire. Up to 3,000 protesters, including students from religious schools known as madrassas and supporters of the main opposition party, barricaded a highway at Singair in the central district of Manikganj, police said. “They attacked us with machetes, sticks, bricks and firearms from three sides when we tried to clear the barricade. We fired back in selfdefence,” Mizanur Rahman, deputy police chief of Manikganj, told AFP, adding at least 40 people were injured including policemen. “The imam of the local mosque used a loudspeaker to rally the protesters. They were shouting slogans for the execution of the bloggers, accusing them of being non-believers and atheists,” Rahman said. Khalilur Rahman, residential medical officer of Singair Hospital, said three young people died of bullet wounds there. A fourth person who was shot died after he was transferred to a Dhaka clinic, police said. Among the injured, 18 suffered bullet wounds, the medical officer said. Fifteen people were injured, three by bullets, in another clash between police, ruling party supporters and Islamists in the southeastern resort district of Cox’s Bazaar, said private television Maasranga. The violence broke out as 12 small Islamic parties,

backed by the largest Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami and main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, called a nationwide strike in protest at Friday’s police action against Islamists. Four people were killed, three in police shooting, and about 200 injured during Friday’s protests by tens of thousands of Islamists demanding the hanging of bloggers whom they say blasphemed Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Tensions have risen over allegedly anti-Islamic blog posts by Ahmed Rajib Haider, who was hacked to death last week near his home in Dhaka. In recent weeks Haider and fellow bloggers had launched massive protests demanding a ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, and the execution of its leaders for alleged war crimes in the 1971 independence struggle against Pakistan. Since Haider’s death, Bangladeshi social media has been flooded with his alleged blog posts and with those by other bloggers mocking Islam, triggering protests by a number of Islamic groups and clerics. The government has warned of tough steps against those who incite social tension, and urged newspapers and blogs not to publish defamatory writings against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It has cracked down on antiIslam blogs and also given police protection to some bloggers in the wake of Haider’s murder. Police have yet to comment on a motive for Haider’s killing. But his brother

said Haider was targeted by Jamaat’s student wing for his online activities. The killing of Haider was the second attack in Dhaka in less than a month against a blogger critical of Islam and Islamist groups. — AFP

DHAKA: Leaders and activists of Islamic political parties, denouncing war crimes trials linked to the country’s 1971 independence war, shout slogans before burning effigies of anti-Islamic bloggers inside an Islamic school during a nationwide strike yesterday.— AFP

Suicide bombers hit Afghan cities Kabul attack foiled HYDERABAD: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Kiran Kumar Reddy visit the site of a bomb blast at Dilsukh Nagar yesterday. — AFP

Kabul orders US forces out of 2 provinces KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded yesterday the withdrawal of US special forces from Wardak and Logar within two weeks, accusing them of fuelling “insecurity and instability” in the volatile provinces neighbouring the capital Kabul. “In today’s national security council meeting... President Karzai ordered the ministry of defence to kick out the US special forces from Wardak and Logar provinces within two weeks,” said presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi. “The US special forces and illegal armed groups created by them are causing insecurity, instability, and harass local people in these provinces,” he told a press conference. The announcement would be another blow to the prestige of US-led forces as they prepare to withdraw combat troops from the war against Taleban Islamist insurgents by the end of next year. The bulk of NATO’s 100,000 troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. A US Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) spokesman said he was aware of the reported comments by Faizi. “We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and go to great lengths to determine the facts surrounding them,” he said. “Until we have had a chance to speak with senior (Afghan) officials about this issue we are not in a position to comment further. This is an important issue that we intend to fully discuss with our Afghan counterparts.” More than 3,200 NATO troops, mostly Americans, have died in support of Karzai’s government in the war since the Taleban were ousted by a US invasion in 2001, but relations between the president and the US are often prickly. — AFP

KABUL: Two Taleban suicide bombers killed three members of Afghan security forces yesterday, but a third attack in Kabul’s diplomatic enclave was foiled when police shot dead the would-be assailant, officials said. The attacker in Kabul was armed with a suicide vest and his SUV was full of explosives, but police opened fire when he tried to penetrate deeper into the capital’s diplomatic enclave of Wazir Akbar Khan, the officials said. In the day’s first attack, a suicide bomber rammed an explosivesladen car into a spy agency facility in the town of Jalalabad, 150 km east of Kabul. It was followed by a similar attack on a police base in Puli Alam, 70 km south of the capital, officials said. Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed claimed responsibility for the attacks in Puli Alam and Jalalabad, but denied that the militant group was involved in the foiled attack in Kabul. Authorities had earlier said that two would-be suicide bombers were killed in Kabul. But city police chief Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said only one attacker was involved, dismissing local reports that a second bomber had managed to escape. “We have intelligence about this. The bomber was shot dead and his car bomb is defused. It’s over now,” Salangi told AFP. An AFP photographer at the scene saw a young man laying dead in a pool of blood next to his bullet-ridden car on the side of the road near a construction site. The man was shot in the head. The same construction site was overrun by insurgents as part of a coordinated attack in Kabul and several other provinces in April 2012. Fifty one people, 36 of them insurgents, were killed in those attacks, which besides Kabul hit several other cities. The Taleban are the

main group behind suicide bombings in Afghanistan in a long-running insurgency aimed at toppling the Westernbacked government in Kabul. In Jalalabad, police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said the bomber rammed his sedan car into the gates of the walled compound of a National Directorate of Security branch and detonated his bombs. “There was a suicide car bombing in the intelligence facility in city district two. Two intelligence workers were martyred and three others were wounded,” Mashriqiwal said. Police in Puli Alam, the capital of Logar province, said the attack there hit

the gates of a police base along the highway leading to Kabul and killed one police officer. Logar police chief Abdul Saboor Nasrati said the bombing was carried out in a van and caused “a massive explosion” that broke glass and caused damage to nearby homes. The Taleban have waged an 11-year insurgency against the Kabul government since being ousted from power in a US-led invasion in 2001. The United States and NATO have around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, but the vast majority of them will leave next year, with Afghan forces progressively taking over.— AFP

KABUL: A US soldier and Afghan security forces stand alongside the body of a suspected suicide bomber yesterday. — AFP

INTERNATIONAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Scandals cloud Indonesia party’s poll prospects JAKARTA: A flood of corruption scandals has seriously undermined the Indonesian ruling party’s prospects in 2014 elections and left the outcome of the polls more uncertain than ever, analysts say. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won a second term in 2009 partly on a pledge to fight corruption in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, one of the most graft-ridden nations in the world. But four years on that promise seems hollow, with leading figures from his Democratic Party from the chairman to the treasurer and sports minister - all becoming embroiled in corruption scandals. In the latest case, party chairman Anas Urbaningrum was named last week by the country’s anti-graft body as a suspect in a multi-million-dollar scandal over the construction of a sports stadium near the capital Jakarta. Urbaningrum, who is accused of receiving “gifts or a promise of gifts” in the building of the Hambalang sports centre worth around 1.17 trillion rupiah ($120.5 million), quit his post on Saturday but main-

tained his innocence. It was the same case that forced the resignation in December of sports minister Andi Mallarangeng. As the corruption cases have built up the party’s popularity has plummeted, dropping to just eight percent in polls in December, a far cry from when Yudhoyono was elected with 21 percent of the vote in 2009. He is constitutionally barred from running for a third term and no obvious presidential candidate is yet to emerge from his party. Nevertheless, analysts had expected the Democratic Party to field a strong candidate. But following the corruption scandals, observers question whether there is much hope for them at the 2014 elections and say it is now anyone’s guess who will come out on top, especially as Yudhoyono has not anointed a successor. “In the past two years, the Democratic Party... has often been labelled corrupt, now can Yudhoyono clean this up?” said Kuskridho Ambardi, executive director of private pollster Indonesian Survey Institute.And it not just the Democratic Party that has been implicated in

Maldives denies deal as Nasheed back in action MALE: The Maldivian government yesterday denied any deal to allow former president Mohamed Nasheed to end his refuge at the Indian embassy in the capital and resume election campaigning without fear of arrest. Presidential spokesman Abbas Riaz said Nasheed walked out of the embassy on Saturday afternoon of his own will and there was no agreement with an Indian mediator who rushed to the Maldives last week to resolve a tense standoff. “There is no deal, absolutely no deal with the Indians or anyone else,” Riaz told AFP, in the government’s first reaction to Nasheed leaving the embassy to resume his political work. Nasheed, 45, sought refuge at the embassy on February 13, straining ties between regional power India and its small neighbour Maldives, after an arrest warrant was issued following his failure to attend court. He says his trial is a “politically motivated” attempt to disqualify him from an election due on Sept 7, a charge denied by the government. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said Nasheed was meeting with visiting Western diplomats on Sunday and would start house-to-house campaigning from today. “He is back on the campaign trail,” MDP spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told AFP. “India arranged a deal to give political space for Nasheed to contest... but still there is a risk (of arrest). We don’t trust this rogue regime.” The Maldivian government insists that it will not interfere with a judicial process. India sent its special envoy, senior diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, to mediate an end to the crisis after Nasheed took refuge in its high commission. New Delhi said in a statement shortly after Nasheed left the embassy that it had been working with all sides to “strengthen democracy” in the nation of 330,00 Sunni Muslims and urged all to maintain “peace and calm”. Nasheed, a pro-democracy campaigner, won the first free elections in 2008 in the Indian Ocean holiday destination but was ousted last year following a mutiny by police and troops. His court hearing slated for last Wednesday was postponed because he could not be arrested while he was inside the Indian embassy. During heightened antigovernment protests just before he walked out of the embassy, three journalists were attacked and injured in two separate incidents early Saturday, police said. A journalist from private, pro-opposition Raajje TV suffered serious head injuries after being beaten with an iron rod, police said, adding that he was flown to neighbouring Sri Lanka for specialised treatment. Two female state TV reporters were assaulted while covering an MDP protest and were admitted to hospital locally, but were reported to be out of danger, police said. The US embassy in Male condemned both attacks in a message posted on its website.— AFP

corruption. “It is a fact that all parties colluded... No one is really clean,” Syamsuddin Haris, a political analyst from Indonesia’s Institute of Sciences, told AFP. Indonesia slipped to 118 out of 176 nations in Transparency International’s corruption perception index last year. Some graft-weary Indonesians are now keen on politicians seen as outside elite circles and therefore untainted. One such figure is new Jakarta governor Joko Widodo, a man dubbed the “Indonesian Obama” who has become immensely popular with his down-to-earth style and common touch. In a recent poll by the Jakarta Survey Institute surveying the popularity of 12 leading politicians, he came out on top with 21.2 percent. But he insists he will not run in the 2014 presidential election and his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle has said it may nominate its chairwoman, former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, who lost to Yudhoyono in 2004 and 2009. In the same Jakarta Survey Institute poll, Aburizal Bakrie, one of Indonesia’s richest

men and as yet the only declared presidential candidate, scored just 8.7 percent. Bakrie has been tainted by the so-called “Sidoarjo mud”, when hundreds of thousands were displaced by a mud volcano in Java. Many blame drilling by Bakrie’s energy firm as the cause of the disaster. But the chairman of the Golkar Party, the party of Indonesia’s late strongman Suharto, hopes that a victory last week over British financier Nathaniel Rothschild in a battle to control London-listed miner Bumi will help Bakrie. By seeing off a bid by Rothschild to oust the board, Bakrie should now be able to take back control of thermal coal producer Bumi Resources, seen by many as a vital source of funding for his presidential campaign. For now, the only certain thing is that the outcome of the 2014 elections is more uncertain than ever. “Everything is very liquid, and there is no solid front-runner for 2014,” said Ambardi of the Indonesian Survey Institute, adding that in a recent poll no politician scored more than 10 percent. — AFP

Photo of dead boy ups pressure on Sri Lanka Film inflames sentiments in Tamil Nadu NEW DELHI: The photo shows a boy sitting shirtless by a row of sandbags as he glumly eats a snack. The next photo shows him lying face up in the dirt, a series of bullet holes in his chest. The makers of a documentary on Sri Lanka say the boy was the 12-year-old son of Sri Lankan insurgent leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, and that the photos prove he was captured and then executed by the Sri Lankan military. Sri Lanka denies the charge. The accusation comes as Sri Lanka struggles to fend off a surge of criticism about its conduct in the final days of the war in 2009 and its treatment of government critics and the Tamil minority in the four years since. Last week, Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, accused the country of failing to investigate reports of atrocities and said government opponents were being killed and abducted. The United States has said it will introduce a new resolution on Sri Lanka - urging a full accounting of what happened at the end of the war - when the UN Human Rights Council meets next week. Christian clergy in the country have called for an international inquiry into the final months of the war, and a respected think tank warned the country was growing increasingly autocratic. The documentary, “No Fire Zone”, which is backed by Britain’s Channel 4, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch among others, is to be shown in Geneva during the sitting of the Human Rights Council. It includes testimony from a UN worker trapped in territory controlled by the Tamil Tiger rebels, who says he narrowly escaped being killed by shelling that came from government lines, according to excerpts of the film shown Friday in New Delhi. It showed footage of a Tamil Tiger commander apparently in government custody, and then a series of photos that purport to show him dead of an apparent bullet wound to the face and then his body dragged to a funeral pyre and incinerated.

NEW DELHI: In this Feb 22, 2013 photo, Zoe Sale, producer of the documentary ‘No Fire Zone’ which shows the last violent days of the Sri Lankan civil war, watches a screening of the film. — AP And it accuses Sri Lanka of killing 12-yearold Balachandran Prabhakaran. “The evidence is just mounting,” said G Ananthapadmanabhan, who heads the India chapter of Amnesty International. Sri Lanka denied the allegations, and said the pictures were fabricated as part of a plot against the country. “Why did they wait for four years and why did they wait for a Human Rights Council (meeting)?” asked government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella. “There is a target, the agenda is to tarnish the image of the government. We completely reject the claims.” The director of the film, Callum Macrae, said the timing of the documentary was intended to help inform the debate of the council. “I’m not going to apologize for that at all. That’s not a conspiracy, that’s journalism,” he said. The ethnic Tamil rebels and their leader Prabhakaran fought for more than a quarter-century for an independent state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. A UN report says tens of thousands of civilians

were killed in the final five months of the fighting. Prabhakaran pioneered the use of suicide bombing, conscripted child soldiers into his forces and was feared and loathed by the nation’s ethnic Sinhalese majority. He was killed at the end of the war in May 2009 along with his oldest son, Charles Anthony. The documentary shows a series of photos it says depict his youngest son, Balachandran. In the first two, he is sitting by the sandbags, in the third he is apparently dead. Metadata on the photos showed the last one was taken with the same camera, two hours after the first two, the filmmakers said. Macrae said the photos were authenticated by a forensic pathologist and other experts. Sri Lankan military spokesman Brig Ruwan Wanigasuriya said the military was unaware of the fate of Prabhakaran’s wife, daughter and youngest son, or if they were even in the country at the end of the war. He questioned the identity of the boy in the photographs.— AP

Russian tourists boost Spain’s tourism sector

US recovery is on track with high unemployment

Business

Crude oil corrects and gold meets death cross

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

28 Egypt bourse drops Turkmenistan rebuilds capital into ‘white city’

DUBAI: Egypt’s bourse dropped to its lowest level in more than three weeks yesterday as uncertainty ahead of elections weighed in on local investor sentiment, while Gulf markets closed mixed. Egypt’s government brought forward the date of parliamentary elections but one of the leading liberal politician, Mohamed ElBaradei, said he would boycott the polls. “Most of the major parties have not announced whether they will participate in the elections or not - the length of the period until the elections is an enormous weight on the market,” said Osama Mourad, chief executive officer at Arab Finance Brokerage. “The whole attention is on politics, with the economic agenda sidelined for the next four months.” Parliamentary elections will be held on April 22, with the government likely to avoid making any non-popular economic decisions, in order to avoid antagonising Egyptians. This may include taxes necessary to bring the country’s budget deficit under control and for the approval of a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. Foreign currency reserves in Egypt fell to critical levels recently. The loan is seen necessary to support the falling currency amid a flight of foreign funds. Cairo’s index fell 0.8 percent to its lowest close since Jan. 30. The benchmark is up 3 percent year-to-date. Heavyweight Orascom Construction Industries was the main drag, losing 1.2 percent. Orascom Telecom Holding fell 2.3 percent and Commercial International Bank shed 0.8 percent. Elsewhere, shares in Dubai’s Emaar Properties rallied 4.6 percent to a fresh 51-month high as retail demand surged. “The move today is driven mainly by talk on the dividend - people are generally expecting higher dividends than last year,” said Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor. The property firm’s board is expected to propose dividends today after a board meeting. It paid out 0.1 dirhams per share last year. “If the dividend is maintained at 10 fils, then the yield for Emaar will be at the bottom of UAE universe at 1.9 percent,” said Anastasios Dalgiannakis, institutional trading manager at Mubasher. “If the rally is indeed driven by dividend expectations, we should get a meaningful increase.” — Reuters

business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Crude oil corrects and gold meets death cross COMMODITIES REPORT

Ole S Hansen

he weakness seen during the last month in most agriculture commodities which then carried over to precious metals, spread this week to the growthdependent commodities such as energy and industrial metals. This resulted in widespread losses. Former stalwarts such as Brent crude, platinum and copper all felt the pressure from investors scaling back long exposure which in some commodities had reach overextended levels. This latest round of weakness was triggered by China which drained a record amount of cash from its banking system in response to an explosion in credit growth. This was the first time in eight months that China failed to provide liquidity and it indicates a growing concern about inflation. Worries that the economy is heating up have been supported by data which showed that property prices in most of the major cities continue to rise at a worrying pace. Industrial metals did not like this news as much of the expected demand for metals like copper (housing and infrastructure) and platinum (automobiles) was seen coming from China. If the focus remains on inflation-fighting measures more than growth, demand for these metals could suffer. The upshot this week was that both metals ended down almost four percent. The minutes of the latest US Federal Reserve Meeting were published on Wednesday and repeated the concerns

expressed by some members at the previous meeting in December. In it some, but not the majority, expressed worries about the effect on financial systems of excessive quantitative easing because low interest rates carried the risk of pushing investors into ever riskier investment. The issue of when QE3 would be reduced or stopped rattled the markets, especially gold and silver as it once again raised the question of what can support precious metals once the liquidity injections cease. The two major indices, the DJ-UBS and the S&P GSCI, both suffered losses as all sectors apart from agriculture were sold during the week. The 2013 performance of the two indices varies, with the S&P GSCI showing a positive return helped by its high allocation to energy. The DJ-UBS, meanwhile, moved into negative territory for the year not least because of its more diversified approach which resulted in a bigger exposure to the metals which were particularly hard hit. Looking at performance among individual commodities we see how the losses were concentrated around energy and metals while the agriculture sector, apart from natural gas, provided all the positive returns. Here soybeans in particular stood out because limited rain in Argentina led to expectations of lower production at a time of robust demand from China. Following the sell-off in industrial metals, the energy sector (particularly the two crude oils and gasoline) was the only sector left unscathed. This, however, only lasted until Thursday when talk about rising US inventory levels and signs of a slowing demand ahead of the annual refinery maintenance season, triggered some weakness. This eventually pushed both crude oils through established support levels. The sell-off was further assisted by unconfirmed market talk that a commodity fund was liquidating assets. Through 30 minutes of carnage some 70 million barrels of WTI crude changed owners and after failing to move back above previous support, now resistance, at USD 95/barrel, the weakness continued. Weekly data from the US Department of Energy confirmed that WTI crude oil inventories continues to rise as production has reached the highest level since 1992 and imports remains at the lowest level in over ten years. This once again put some focus on the spread to Brent crude oil which better reflects the price which consumers are paying across the world. The US has increased

supply with limited possibilities for exports while rising demand from especially emerging economies like China is therefore being reflected in a higher price for Brent crude. During this week’s correction, the spread remained elevated as the selling pressure on WTI crude was stronger for the reasons outlined above. Looking ahead, it is too soon to call the end of this 2013 rally, but with the annual maintenance season coming up, demand for crude oil from refineries across the northern hemisphere looks set to be reduced which could help put a cap on prices, at least during the next three months. For now though, it most of all looks like a healthy correction after the speculative net-long positions in both crudes had become close to being overextended. The correction has also brought the price closer in line with current fundamentals after having been running ahead of itself on an expected, though not yet realised, pick-up in demand later this year. Brent crudes correction was halted when support was found at $113.15/barrel at which level two different support features converged. One is trend line support from the June 2012 low, as seen below, while the other is the 38.2 percent Fibonacci retracement of the rally just seen from the November low. A failure to hold onto this support level would open up for a deeper correction potentially back down to $110/barrel. Gold hit by death cross and FOMC wobble The selling of precious metals which for both gold and silver has lasted since October accelerated this past week with gold tumbling to a seven-month low. Once the January low was breached it fell all the way to $1,555/oz. before buyers emerged ahead of the weekend. Longer term and non-leveraged investors through Exchange Traded Products also felt the chill and during the four day week up until Thursday they reduced holdings by 40 tons, the fourth biggest reduction over the last five years. Most of focus remains with the outlook for the US economy as the continued improvement in key economic data helps bring forward the market’s expectations for when quantitative easing will be reduced or come to a halt. Some members of the US FOMC expressed these concerns at the most recent meeting and it added to the nervousness in the market which accelerated at the

emergence of a relatively rare technical signal called the death cross. Such a cross occurs when the 50-day moving average moves below the 200-day moving average and looking at recent history the chart tells us why such a break is making investors nervous. During the past five years, we have only seen such a cross over on three occasions. In September 2008, it resulted in a 15 percent sell-off from the date of crossing until a bottom was established. Last April, another cross over occurred, leading to an 8 percent sell-off before a low was reached the following month. In the interim, a third crossover occurred in February 2012, but it only lasted for 13 days before it was rejected. Gold is now more than ever in need of a catalyst which can propel it away from the danger zone which the area between $1,540/oz and $1,525/oz represents. The speculative community has more or less been washed out which leaves investors ample room to re-engage should such a catalyst be found. Ben Bernanke will deliver the central bank’s semi-annual monetary policy report on February 26 and 27 and given that the recent objections towards extended QE3 are coming from a minority within the US Federal Reserve, he may want to quell speculation about a slowdown or even a halt to quantitative easing. The number of speculative traders who are now trading gold from the short side has risen as they have set their sights on the important $1,525/oz area, below which ultimately could spell if not the end, then a significant halt to the decade-long rally in gold. This could result in a near-term battle of wit between sellers and those who believe that gold should be a natural part of any diversified portfolio. Any change in US economic data which has been improving lately would also support prices. Silver, which had gained a strong following in recent weeks on the outlook for a pickup in both industrial and investment demand, also suffered a sharp setback with the cost of one ounce of gold rising to the equivalent of 55 ounces of silver from a recent low at 52.5. Money managers, who have been busy reducing their long exposure to gold, have been much less inclined to sell silver due to its dual use as an investment and an industrial metal. But once the selling accelerated they were forced to respond and this helps explain why silver underperformed so badly.

India seeks investor confidence NEW DELHI: India’s finance minister will present a belt-tightening budget this week in an attempt to win back investor confidence, steering clear of populist measures even though polls loom, analysts say. Investors have increasingly been giving a wide berth to Asia’s third-largest economy-deterred by corruption scandals, suffocating red tape, high inflation, sharply slowing growth and unravelling public finances. Now Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is presenting his last full budget before Indian voters head to the polls early next year, must persuade markets that the government is serious about nursing the economy back to health. The budget for the financial year to

March to be unveiled on Thursday will likely be “a triumph of prudence over populism”, said Credit Suisse economist Robert Prior-Wandesforde. Chidambaram has already made some austerity moves, cutting spending by nine percent this year, and a 10-percent cut is expected for next year in the budget, said Deepak Lalwani, head of investment consultancy Lalcap in London. “India’s budget is probably going to be the most austere one in many years deep cuts across departments are on the cards,” Lalwani said. Chidambaram assured global investors on an overseas roadshow last month that the left-leaning Congress party-led government would present a “responsible budget”. He has called the

government’s fiscal deficit targets of 5.3 percent of gross domestic product for this financial year and 4.8 percent next year “red lines” that cannot be breached. India must put its financial house in order to avoid a credit ratings downgrade that would deter vital investment needed to upgrade its dilapidated infrastructure from roads to ports, analysts say. “A downgrade would take India to ‘junk” status’-a severe embarrassment for a country aspiring to become a global economic power” and further damage economic recovery prospects, said Lalwani. India is targeting raising $1 trillion in investment over the next five years to spend on infrastructure whose shabby state is seen as a key impediment to economic growth.— AFP

CARACAS: A protester dressed as death holds up a pan during an opposition demonstration against the devaluation of the currency. Venezuela’s government announced that it is devaluing the country’s currency, a long-anticipated change expected to push up prices in the heavily import-reliant economy. — AFP

BUSINESS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

US recovery is on track with high unemployment Bank of Japan governor still to be decided NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT

nvestors’ reactions have dominated the week after the release of the minutes from the January Fed meeting. Indeed, the dollar rally that started in the middle of the week after the FOMC minutes showed a growing division between the members of the FOMC panel. The main underperformer in the currency market was the Sterling Pound, which tumbled to a new cycle lows of 1.5132 before rebounding on traders’ short covering to close the week at 1.5190. The euro also saw a sizable wave of selling, which pushed it to a new low of 1.3144 given the smaller LTRO repayments scheduled on Friday. Indeed, uncertainty in the euro-zone continued to pressure the euro ahead of the Italian weekend elections. As mentioned, the ECB announced this week the repayment details for the second LTRO (Long Term Refinancing Operations) which came as a negative surprise for the market. In Asia, currency markets still await the unveiling of the identity of the new Bank of Japan Governor, which seems to be taken place following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s meeting with President Obama. After reaching a low of 94.20 in the beginning of the week, the Japanese Yen closed the week at 93.38. In the commodity complex, gold prices plummeted this week to reach a low of $1,555. The minutes from the Fed continued pressuring the commodity after a relatively strong start of the year. Gold closed close to the lows of the week at $1,580. Inflation remain subdued in the US The January inflation was unchanged for the second consecutive month, as food prices were unchanged and energy prices fell -1.7 percent. Energy price declines are likely to reverse course in February based on the trend in oil prices. The year-on-year rate of change for headline inflation fell to 1.6 percent from 1.8 percent in December. Core inflation proved to be more resilient, as it posted a +0.3 percent increase. If economic positive momentum remains on track, inflation pressures might resurface later in 2013. For now, policymakers will likely use the cover of benign inflation pressures to justify continued quantitative easing. Downside risks receding with high unemployment The FOMC minutes surprised the market on Wednesday by reminding markets that QE4 was not as unlimited as many had expected. Indeed, the Fed released minutes from their January meeting this week, and market effects were as expected. First, most FOMC members judged that downside risks to the economy have receded and nearly all thought inflation would run at or below the 2 percent objective. Although the FOMC members have expressed hopes that the better housing

market data would spill into other sectors of the economy, they reiterated their concerns over the weakness of the labor market: “The unemployment rate remained well above estimates of its longer-run normal level, and other indicators, such as the share of long-term unemployed and the number of people working part time for economic reasons, suggested that the recovery in the labor market was far from complete.” On a different subject, despite most members agreeing that the economy is following a modest recovery track with high unemployment, many of them expressed concerns about potential costs arising from further Quantitative easing. Indeed, several

discussed the difficulty of eventually unwinding additional purchases; a few mentioned future inflation risks; and some said that additional QE could cause unnecessary market risk-taking. Some members felt the Fed should be prepared to vary the pace of asset purchases depending on the economic outlook. On the other hand, some FOMC members pointed to the risks of ending accommodation too early, observing that “the potential costs of reducing or ending asset purchases too soon were also significant, or that asset purchases should continue until a substantial improvement in the labor market outlook had occurred. A few participants noted examples of past instances in which policymakers had prematurely removed accommodation, with adverse effects” Initial jobless claims slightly higher than expected Initial jobless claims for the week of February 16, which coincides with the survey period for nonfarm payrolls, increased +20k to 362k. The large swings in claims

over the past two weeks were likely due to the snowstorm in the Northeast. In other details of the report, continuing claims increased +11k to 3148k after the prior week was revised up +23k. However, the 4week moving average declined -7k to 3186k-the lowest level since July 2008. Europe & UK Global markets await the ECB decision next week German, French, and Italian Q4 GDP all came in worse than consensus expectations, with Italy being the major underperformer. After a better-than-expected third quarter, the fourth quarter of 2012 removed hopes of an easier-than-expected

path out of the current deep recession. Italy’s GDP fell by 0.9 percent q-o-q in Q4 versus market’s expectations ranging between -0.1 percent and -0.7 percent. According to the European Central Bank governing council member Luc Coene, the current level of the euro represents absolutely no problem. Coene also added that all indicators show it is well below historic highs. Above all, he said that “monetary policy cannot solve the crisis in the euro area. It can only buy time” for essential adjustments to be made, meaning governments must stick to the path of reform. His comments have to be taken in context as the European Commission estimates forecasted France will post almost no economic growth in 2013 and overshoot its fiscal deficit target. Growing disparity between European countries The euro-zone PMI Composite Output Index fell to 47.3 in February from 48.6 in January. The decline signals a general steepening of the economic downturn, contrasting with the easing trend seen in

the previous three months. Output fell at faster rates in both manufacturing and services, though trends were once again much different between countries. Output rose for the third month running in Germany, albeit at a slower rate, contrasting with accelerating, steep rates of decline in both France and across the rest of the euro-zone on average. The German manufacturing PMI rose 0.3 percent to 50.1 in February and the French manufacturing PMI rose 0.7pt to 43.6 in the month. French businesses were particularly weak, reporting the largest monthly drop in output since March 2009. Looking at the sub indices, the euro area manufacturing new export orders component has now seen 6 consecutive months of improvement, from 44.5 in August to 51.7 in February. German GDP decreased 0.6 percent in Q4, compared with 0.2 percent growth registered the previous quarter. The result was in line with market consensus, while the Year-over-year GDP rose 0.1 percent in Q4, down from +0.4 in Q3. Germany’s IFO business climate on the other hand rose morethan-expected last month. In a report released this week, the IFO Institute for Economic Research said its index of German business climate rose to 107.4, from 104.3 in the preceding month whose figure was revised up from 104.2. Analysts had expected the index to rise to 105.0 last month. The data confirmed that despite a temporary rise in Germany’s output, the problems in the rest of the euro-zone is likely to continue eroding the German economy because of the level of trade it “enjoys” with the balance of the region. Rough times for the UK and for the pound Sterling Pound has fallen substantially in the past couple of weeks. It seems for now that more downside is likely to persist over the months ahead as Governor King takes an increasingly loose interpretation of his inflation-fighting mandate. The new Governor Carney’s arrival on July 1 is likely to implement a regime change in the UK’s monetary framework as the UK inflation report painted a particularly disturbing picture for the country. With inflation revised higher and now running above target even beyond the BoE’s traditional 2-year horizon, the central bank is effectively already changing its “price stability” target by lengthening the period of above-target inflation. No other G10 central bank is faced with such a mix of significantly above-target inflation together with disappointing growth. This is a particularly negative combination for the currency. Also, add the pressure that would come from rating agencies, starting with a formal review of the rating shortly after the Budget on March 20, and then followed by a potential actual downgrade a few months later.

BUSINESS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Turkmenistan rebuilds capital into ‘white city’ ‘Palace of Happiness’ costs $140 million

MYANMAR: This picture taken shows the construction of oil tanks at a site operated by China National Petroleum Coporation at an offshore block of Madae Island near the town of Kyauk Phyu of Rakhine State, western Myanmar. — AFP

Myanmar, shining new hope for global oil giants YANGON: While other countries may be more reliable and better equipped, Myanmar has emerged as the new promised land for global oil and gas giants unperturbed by a lack of data on its proven energy reserves. Since political reforms helped Myanmar shed its pariah status and prompted international sanctions to be lifted, the world’s major energy firms have been eyeing the potentially oiland-gas-rich country tucked between China and India. Thai explorer PTTEP, EPI Holdings of Hong Kong, Swiss firm Geopetro International Holding and Petronas of Malaysia were among a slew of companies to strike exploration deals last June. In September, French giant Total bought a 40 percent stake in an offshore exploration venture, soon followed by Australia’s biggest energy firm Woodside while several American and European majors are reportedly poised to join in. The surge in interest is set to continue following Myanmar’s invitation for tenders for 18 onshore oil blocks last month, with offers for a further 50 or so offshore blocks pending. Yangon will host an international conference for the sector in March, as the buzz over the country’s hydrocarbon reserves intensifies-even though very little is known about them. “Due to the impact of economic sanctions on Myanmar for many years, there has been very limited recent investment,” said Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific Chief Economist for IHS Global Insight. “Myanmar’s oil and gas reserves have not been sufficiently explored using modern seismic technology, making it an exciting prospective exploration target.” Myanmar is one of the rare countries in the world that has not been fully surveyed and “there is huge interest in exploring what we call ‘frontier basins’”, said the spokesman of a foreign oil company. “There is very little information. Prospects are wide open,” he added, requesting anonymity. The CIA estimates that Myanmar is sitting on some 50 million barrels of oil and some 283.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas. On its webpage, the state-run Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) cites a 2006 estimate of proven reserves, which stood at 226 million barrels of oil and 457 billions cubic meters of gas. But sources interviewed by AFP admitted that there figures raised more questions than answers. The only widely agreed assumption is that offshore reserves are more promising than onshore, and gas probably supersedes oil. Authorities “have been very cautious lately by not quoting any evaluation of discovered reserves or potential resources yet to be discovered,” said Myo Tin, manager of the Myanmar Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited, which operates an oil field in the centre of the country. Foreign firms must be encouraged to enter the sector, he said, citing the “technology intensive” nature of offshore sites that needs major firms “to transfer knowledge in exploration techniques, drilling and development”. More companies will also reduce the chance of oil giants monopolising territory, he said. In fact, Myanmar has been keenly waiting for interest from the global petrogiants to materialise. — AFP

ASHGABAT: In an extraordinary construction boom, the isolated Central Asian country of Turkmenistan is spending billions of dollars on remodelling its capital Ashgabat into a gleaming white showpiece where even the curbs are made of marble. The gas-rich desert country says that the massive spending spree has already poured in $8 billion in international investment and 4 trillion manats ($1.9 billion) of its own funds since gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. “We are directing the profit from gas exports into improving the quality of life of our people,” President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said. Turkmenistan, on the eastern shores of the Caspian Sea, claims to have the world’s fourth-biggest supplies of natural gas with estimated reserves of more than 24 trillion cubic metres, according to BP. With a population of one million, the city is now a giant construction site as the government demolishes large areas of low-rise brick buildings from the Soviet era. All new buildings for ministries, government agencies and also new apartment blocks are being faced with marble, giving the city the nickname: “White City.”‘The epoch of magnificence’ The 55-year-old president, a dentist by profession, has even ordered that the concrete curbs on central avenues and streets be replaced with marble ones. “In this epoch of magnificence and happiness, our respected president has given us the task of developing the city to create the most comfortable conditions for people’s life,” boasted the city’s chief architect, Bairam Shamuradov. The gleaming facades contrast with the rights record of a country described as “one of the world’s most

repressive” by Human Rights Watch. Berdymukhamedov picked up the gauntlet from his late predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, who unveiled a revolving gold statue of himself. Elected after Niyazov’s 2006 death, Berdymukhamedov last year opened a covered ferris wheel that towers to a height of 95 metres atop a leisure centre. In 2011, he unveiled a 185-metrehigh monument to the Constitution that cost 45 million euros ($60 million), decorated with carpet motifs, which has been heralded as the local answer to the Eiffel Tower. He also opened a giant “Palace of Happiness” for wedding ceremonies that cost around $140 million, topped with a globe. The city also gained a 211-metre television tower that cost 136.85 million euros ($183.7 million). It rises out of a building in the shape of an 8-pointed star, winning a bizarre Guinness record for the world’s largest star-shaped structure.

‘Enough work for many years’ The vast projects are being built by international companies. The dominant company is the Turkish firm Polimeks, which built the constitution monument, the Palace of Happiness and the television tower. Now it has won a contract to build a complex to hold the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017 at a cost of $1.97 billion. The company is also to build a new Ashgabat airport costing $2.25 billion. French company Bouygues has constructed more than 50 buildings including the ministry of oil and gas nicknamed the “cigarette lighter”, while another French company, Vinci, has won a major contract to build a new house of parliament, whose cost has not been made public. “The Turkmenistan economy is stable despite the global crisis. When you get a sense of the construction marathon, you feel sure of this,” an employee at one of the foreign construction firms said on condition of anonymity. — AFP

ASHGABAT: A file picture shows Turkmen people taking part in an inauguration ceremony for the presidential palace complex ‘Oguzkhan’ (background). — AFP

Britain finds new funds for projects LONDON: Whether it’s tackling reoffending or keeping troubled families together, cash-strapped Britain is turning to a new payment-by-results scheme to provide public services-and selling it to the world. Three years after they were first conceived, interest in so-called social impact bonds is growing as a way to encourage private investors to take over services from governments battling the aftermath of the financial crisis. The idea is simple. Philanthropic or business groups put up money for a social project with defined outcomes, such as helping homeless people off the streets, and if it succeeds, the state pays the bill and investors reap the rewards. If it fails, the investors lose their money and the taxpayer is unaffected. Although they were first launched under the previous Labour government, the bonds fit into Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” project, which seeks to transfer government functions to civil society groups. “In the past a huge amount of money has been wasted, and we’re still left with stubborn, difficult social problems,” the government minister for civil society, Nick Hurd, told AFP. “We’re determined to do a better

job in tackling them even though we’ve got less money, so we have to be much smarter about how we spend the money and that’s why we’re changing the culture.” Since the first ground-breaking project in 2010, social impact bonds have spread across Britain and they have also been adopted in the United States. Cameron intends to use Britain’s presidency of the G8 this year to promote the idea, saying earlier this month that developed nations faced a shared challenge of tackling social problems while reducing their debt. “Making this work requires a new kind of financial investment to help grow a bigger, stronger society. Britain is a global leader in this field,” he said. The first social impact bonds were issued in 2010 in Peterborough, an otherwise unremarkable town in eastern England looking for a solution to high rates of reoffending among short-term prisoners at the local jail. Charitable trusts and foundations funded a £5 million ($7.6 million, 5.8 million euros) project to help 3,000 short-term prisoners reintegrate into society following their release from Peterborough prison. — AFP

business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Spanish fashion looks abroad MADRID: With Spain stuck in the economic doldrums, the country’s fashion designers have redoubled their imagination to conquer new markets in Europe, the United States and emerging economies. “Abroad difference, quality and creativity are very much appreciated,” Nuria Sarda, creative director of Catalan lingerie brand Andres Sarda, told AFP at the four-day Madrid fashion week which wrapped up on Thursday. “No two countries are alike, each has its own characteristics and you have to adapt,” added Sarda, whose brand exports mainly to Europe but also to the United States, China and Russia. Andres Sarda, Nuria’s father, presented his latest collection on Tuesday at the twice-yearly fashion industry event which showcased work made by around 30 designers. Among those who showed their works was Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, whose colourful and bold designs have made her one of Spain’s best-known creators. Models for luxury jewelry brand Aristocrazy meanwhile wore sumptious necklaces that descended down to their waists, over black sheath dresses in a cathedral setting. The Suarez Jewelers Group behind Aristocrazy launched the ready-to-wear jewelry line in 2010 in Spain and is preparing to make the leap to new markets. The brand has projects underway in neighbouring Portugal as well as in Chile, Colombia and Mexico to respond to the “global interest” which the line has sparked, said 28-year-old Aristocrazy director Juan Suarez. It promotes itself mostly through blogs. Aristocrazy works with New York-based blogger and fashion photographer Scott Schuman whose fashion website The Sartorialist is considered a major influence on industry trends. “The brand has invested a great deal in this world. You get opinions about the product from people which are very direct and real,” said Suarez. The value of Spanish textile exports hit a new record in 2012, surpassing 10.35 billion euros ($13.6 billion), an increase of 8.0 percent over the previous year, according to the Information Centre for Textile and Confection. Clothing exports were fuelled by the success of companies such as Inditex, the world’s biggest clothing group, and Catalan high-street clothing chain Mango. “We must not forget that the Spaniards, with Inditex, Mango, Desigual and other companies are world leaders in clothing, which brings widespread international recognition,” said Borja Oria, the president of Acotex, an association of textile and accessory companies. “Spanish designers are increasingly recognised beyond our borders,” he said, giving as examples Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Josep Font and Miguel Palacio. — AFP

Russian tourists boost Spain’s tourism sector Direct flights, easy visa rules aid tourism MADRID: Big-spending Russian tourists are flocking to Spain’s beaches and famous landmarks in ever greater numbers, providing a much-needed boost to the recession-hit country’s key tourism industry. They are drawn by the country’s mix of pleasant weather, sandy beaches, historic monuments and cultural attractions such as the Prado museum in Madrid and Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona. Roman Gavrilenko, a 26-year-old elementary school psychologist from Murom in western Russia, visited Barcelona, Valencia, Toledo and Madrid with 11 other Russians during a one week tour of Spain. Spain was the Western European nation he had ever visited and said he now plans to return to the country with his grandmother. “People are very friendly. The Sagrada Familia was really, really impressive. It was psychedelic, it made my head spin,” he said as he sat in the lobby of Hotel Florida Norte near Madrid’s royal palace after completing a tour of the city. The number of visitors from Russia surpassed one million last year for the first time, totalling 1,206,227, a 39.8 percent jump over 2011 and double the amount that arrived in 2010, according to tourism ministry figures. Tourism officials credit a rise in the number of direct flights to Spain, easier visa rules, and the growing appetite of Russia’s rapidly expanding middle class for foreign travel. The Arab Spring uprisings have also

played a role as Russian holidaymakers are shunning cheaper rival sunshine destinations in Egypt and Tunisia. Spain is also reaping the rewards of having been one of the first countries to energetically target the new Russian market that emerged after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, said Igor Rotenshteyn, president of the Terramar Group tourist operator which last year brought about 100,000 Russians to Spain. “During the Soviet era very few Russians had the privilege of travelling abroad. When Russia opened up to the world, Russians did not have any experience of travel and Spain was one of the countries that was most active in trying to capture clients,” he said. Russians top spenders Over half of all Russian visitors to Spain head to Catalonia. During the peak summer season Russians are now the most numerous tourist contingent in many resort towns in the northeastern region, knocking the British from the top spot. “This was unthinkable a few years ago,” said Salou’s town councillor for tourism, Benet Presas. The surge in Russian visitors offset a fall in the number of visitors from Italy and the Netherlands last year and has helped fill hotel rooms at a time when Spaniards are cutting back on travel due to a recession that has driven the unemployment rate to a record 26 percent. While Russians accounted for just 2.1 percent of the 57.7 million foreigners who visited Spain last year, they spent

more than any other nationality. Russians spent an average of 159 euros ($214) per day in Spain, 47 percent more than the average of 108 euros spent by all foreign visitors and far more than the 93 euros per day spent by visitors from Britain, Spain’s main source of tourists. “They are the tourists that spend the most so it is not just a question of the number of visitors, but also of their purchasing power,” said Jose Luis Zoreda, the vice-president of Exceltur, Spain’s main travel industry body. Day trips to Barcelona to go shopping in the city’s high-end stores are popular with Russians staying at Catalan beach resorts. “Good brands are cheaper here and there is more variety,” said Irina Belgova, a 36-year-old office worker from Moscow before heading to a flamenco show with her husband while on a recent visit to Madrid. She bought several handbags and dresses during her vacation in Spain. Menus and signs in Cyrillic letters are common sites at Spanish tourist resorts alongside those in English, and hotels are teaching staff Russian. “All our employees in all sectors, reception workers, waiters, maids, speak a bit of Russian. It’s obligatory,” said Bruno Lopez, the commercial director of the Gran Palas hotel in La Pineda, near Salou, whose clients are now mostly Russians. “National tourism is really hurting due to the crisis and we are taking this opportunity to compensate for the fall with these tourists,” he added. — AFP

Cuts may further slow US economy WASHINGTON: Looming austerity cuts will reduce aid to the poor, cause widespread flight delays and close parts of national parks, further hurting the US economy, government officials and analysts say. Warnings were mounting over the impact of the $85 billion automatic “sequester” spending reductions mandated to start March 1 if warring politicians don’t strike a more modest deficit reduction deal before then. Economists said the cuts would shave 0.5 percent or more from economic growth, as government employees and contractors around the country would tighten their own spending in the face of slowed government disbursements and furloughs. Communities around the country were also being warned of the impact of the cutbacks. The National Park Service said it would be forced to tighten services and close facilities going into the summer, when parks are a tourism magnet that pumps millions of dollars into local economies. And on Friday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Federal Aviation Administration would be forced to furlough workers for two to four days a month starting in April, reducing staffing of airports and traffic control servicesmeaning flight delays of up to 90 minutes at major airports. “Once airlines see the potential impact of these furloughs, we expect that they will change their schedules and cancel flights.” The cuts won’t be a catastrophe, Macroeconomic Advisors said in a report. But

growth this year will fall back to just 2.0 percent from a projected 2.6 percent, and cost about 700,000 jobs through the end of 2014, in layoffs and reduced hiring. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank, estimated the impact would be one million fewer jobs than would have been created. “The higher unemployment would linger for several years,” said Macroeconomic Advisors. The sequester comes from a 2011 poison-pill law to force the government to radically slash spending over the next 10 years if Democrats and Republicans were

unable to craft a more moderate deficit reduction package. The government has to trim $85 billion through the rest of this fiscal year, March through September, and $110 billion each year after that, through 2022. The two sides appeared still far apart days before the law is due to take effect, on March 1. The US economy accelerated last year to a modest 2.2 percent expansion, and economists had been hoping for as much as 3.0 percent this year. The sequester will add to the drag from $200 billion in tax hikes implemented in January to

NEW YORK: Traders work the crude oil options pit at the New York Mercantile Exchange Thursday, Feb 21, 2013 in New York. — AP

narrow the huge government deficit. Douglas Elmendorf, head of the Congressional Budget Office, said that the combination will shave about 1.5 percent from potential growth this year. While growth could then pick up in 2014, he said output would remain “below its potential level” until 2017 if the sequester law remains in place. Washington, the seat of the federal government, could be hit harder than elsewhere by the temporary furloughs and contracting pullbacks. The largest impact will be on the defense sector. The Pentagon employs some 800,000 civilians who could be hit by furloughs and accounts for tens of billions of dollars in contracting to civilian companies. “If furloughs are enacted, civilians will experience a 20 percent decrease in their pay between late April and September,” Jessica Wright, acting under secretary of defense, told a congressional panel. One Washington contractor, who preferred to remain unnamed, said the industry was already suffering because Democrats and Republicans haven’t been able to agree on a full-year budget, constraining Pentagon planning abilities. “We expect that to get worse if sequestration occurs,” he told AFP. That would force small contractors to lay off experts. But the impact will be felt nationwide. “This really and truly affects all 50 states,” said defense expert Mackenzie Eaglen of the American Enterprise Institute, who warned of a weakened US military.—AFP

business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

NORTH CHARLESTON: This file photo shows a new Boeing 787 Dreamliner being built for Air India on the production line at Boeing’s new production facilities in North Charleston, South Carolina. — AFP

Boeing proposes battery fix for 787s WASHINGTON: Boeing attempted a major step toward getting its 787 Dreamliners flying again, proposing a fix for the plane’s troubled batteries that could allow the flights to resume as early as April, congressional officials said. The next question is whether the Federal Aviation Administration will agree to let the planes fly even though the root cause of a battery fire in one plane and a smoking battery in another is still unknown. A Boeing team led by CEO Ray Conner presented the plan to Federal Aviation Administration head Michael Huerta. The airliners, Boeing’s newest and most technologically advanced, have not been allowed to fly since mid-January. The plan - a long-term solution, rather than a temporary fix - calls for revamping the aircraft’s two lithium ion batteries to ensure that any short-circuiting that could lead to a fire won’t spread from one battery cell to the others, officials said. That would be achieved by placing more robust ceramic insulation around each of the battery’s eight cells. The aim is to contain not only the short-circuiting, but any thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that leads to progressively hotter temperatures. The additional spacers will enlarge the battery, requiring a bigger battery box to hold the eight cells. That new box would also be more robust, with greater insulation along its sides to prevent any fire from escaping and damaging the rest of the plane, officials said. The plan will require testing and partially recertifying the safety of the plane’s batteries, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The testing and recertification will take time, with engineers currently estimating completion sometime in April at the soonest, they said. Even after the batteries are recertified, it could take some more time to get the planes back into the air. Boeing will have to send teams to eight airlines in seven

countries to retrofit their planes. It’s up to Huerta to decide whether to approve the plan. But Boeing’s plan is not a surprise, since the company has kept regulators closely informed, the officials said. “The FAA is reviewing a Boeing proposal and will analyze it closely,” the agency said in a statement. “The safety of the flying public is our top priority and we won’t allow the 787 to return to commercial service until we’re confident that any proposed solution has addressed the battery failure risks.” Boeing also acknowledged the meeting, but spokesman Marc Birtel would not discuss what was said. “We are encouraged by the progress being made toward resolving the issue,” the company’s written statement said. Boeing, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board still have not identified the root cause of a Jan 7 fire that erupted in an auxiliary power unit battery of a Japan Airlines 787 about a half-hour after the plane landed at Boston’s Logan International Airport. The safety board is investigating that incident, but NTSB officials didn’t attend themeeting and declined to comment on the proposal. Engineers and battery experts gathered by Boeing developed a list of possible causes for the fire and a plan to modify the batteries to address the spread of a fire created by any of those causes, officials said. Nine days after the Boston fire, an All Nippon Airways 787 with a smoking battery made an emergency landing by in Japan. The FAA and aviation authorities overseas ordered the planes grounded soon afterward. There are a total of 50 of the planes in service worldwide, and Boeing had orders for 800 of the airliners at the time they were grounded. On Thursday, United Airlines cut its six 787s from its flying plans at least until June and postponed its new Denver-to-Tokyo

flights as airlines continued to tear up their schedules while the plane is out of service. United is the only US carrier with 787s in its fleet. The 787 is the world’s first airliner made mostly from lightweight composite materials. It also relies on electronic systems rather than hydraulic or mechanical systems to a greater degree than any other airliner. And it is the first airliner to make extensive use of lithium ion batteries, which are lighter, recharge faster and can hold more energy than other types of batteries. Boeing has billed the plane to its customers as 20 percent more fuel efficient than other mid-sized airliners. That’s a big selling point, since fuel is the biggest expense for most airlines. One question is how much weight Boeing’s proposed fix would add. The heavier the plane is, the less fuel-efficient it is. Having the plane flying as soon as April “would be fantastic news for Boeing,” said Carter Leake, an aerospace analyst at BB&T Capital Markets. If the battery fix ends up being as described, “I don’t think it’s that difficult to retrofit. I think it would be viewed very favorably” by investors, Leake said. If FAA were to approve Boeing’s proposed fix as early as next week, that would be a “home run” for the company, he said. However, the idea of recertifying part of the design is trickier. Getting certification from the FAA for a particular part or design is an involved process - and one that’s likely to make investors nervous. “Recertification suggests time,” Leake said. “Given what most know about aircraft certification processes, six months would be sort of quick.” Leake added: “The FAA takes it slow. You’re talking about statistical testing. You’re proving through testing that this meets very stringent criteria. That usually involves time, and time is not on Boeing’s side.”

Among the many unanswered questions is how the 787 battery problems will affect Boeing’s effort to win FAA permission for the planes to make flights that venture further from the nearest airport, such as those that travel over wide expanses of ocean. The FAA has tighter requirements for such flights in twin-engine planes because it wants to make sure the plane can keep flying if it loses an engine or encounters other problems far away from a safe landing. Until it was grounded, the 787 could fly up to three hours away from the nearest airport. That’s far enough for flights between the US and Europe and some flights over the Arctic, for instance. But Boeing wants permission for flights up to 5.5 hours from the nearest airport. Its 777 is already certified for such flights. Boeing said last month before the grounding orders that it was close to submitting a plan for those longer flights. The grounding has forced airlines that own the 787 to rework their schedules. LOT Polish Airlines has said the grounding of its two 787s is costing it $50,000 per day. Most affected has been ANA, which has 17 of the planes. Boeing has had hundreds of people looking for the cause of the problem and working on possible solutions. The mess comes just as Boeing is boosting 787 production from five planes per month to 10 per month by the end of this year. It has said the speedup will still happen, even though it can’t deliver the planes - or collect most of their $200 milliona-plane list price from airlines - until they’re flying again. “Even with the FAA review/grounding, we believe it’s more likely than not that Boeing continues to build at its planned rate until it’s apparent that a fix for the battery issue will require an extended period of time (more than couple of months),” UBS analyst David Strauss wrote in a note this week. — AP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

‘Silver Linings’ leads Spirit Awards with 4 prizes Page 34

Razzies put bite on ‘Twilight’ as worst picture Page 32

A Filipino student waits during the annual ‘Caracol’ festival in suburban Makati, south of Manila, Philippines. The event aims to promote public awareness on environmental issues and cultural heritage. —AP

Lifestyle MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

This undated file photo provided by Summit Entertainment shows, from left, Judith Shekoni, Tracey Heggins, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Christian Camargo, Peter Facinelli and Casey LaBow in a scene from the film “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.” —AP

Razzies put bite on

‘Twilight’ as worst picture

he “Twilight” team finally has earned some love - or loathing - from Team Razzies. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2” was picked as last year’s worst picture Saturday by the Razzies, an Academy Awards spoof that hands out prizes for Hollywood’s lousiest movies on the eve of the Oscars. The finale to the blockbuster supernatural romance dominated the Razzies with seven awards, including worst actress for Kristen Stewart, supporting actor for Taylor Lautner, director for Bill Condon and worst screen couple for Lautner and child co-star Mackenzie Foy. Adam Sandler was named worst actor for the raunchy comedy “That’s My Boy,” his second straight win after 2011’s “Jack and Jill,” which swept all 10 Razzie categories a year ago. Pop singer Rihanna won worst supporting actress for the action dud “Battleship.” “Twilight” movies had been well represented in Razzie nominations over the years but had not won any key awards there. Razzie voters joke that as with “The Lord of the Rings” finale winning best picture at the Academy Awards, they were waiting for the last “Twilight” flick on which to heap their scorn. “I have a pet theory, which is that the box office on ‘Twilight’ films is

This film image provided by Columbia Pictures shows Adam Sandler, left, and Andy Samberg in a scene from ‘That’s My Boy.’ —AP very impressive, but my theory is that instead of 40 million individual girls going to see it, it’s 8 million girls going to see it five times each. People who love those movies just adore them,” said Razzies founder John Wilson. “I believe the attitude of people who really love ‘Twilight’ movies toward this subject is very similar to the pomposity with which the Academy Awards addresses the whole rest of the world. Our whole existence is all about making fun of pompous, so ‘Twilight’ really is right up our alley.” The “Twilight” finale also won for worst screen ensemble

and worst remake, rip-off or sequel. For worst picture, it beat out “Battleship,” “That’s My Boy,” the family flick “The Oogie loves in the Big Balloon Adventure” and Eddie Murphy’s comedy flop “A Thousand Words.” Stewart’s worst-actress prize came for both “Twilight” and her fairy-tale update “Snow White and the Huntsman.” In the five “Twilight” movies, Stewart stars as sullen teen Bella Swan, who falls for ageless vampire hunk Edward Cullen (worst-actor nominee Robert Pattinson) and finds herself at the center of a love triangle with

In this film image provided by Universal Pictures, Taylor Kitsch, left, and Rihanna are shown in a scene from “Battleship.” —AP him and her childhood pal, werewolf stud Jacob Black (Lautner). Stewart set a consistent standard of emotional stoniness throughout the “Twilight” movies, Wilson said. “Acting should involve having an expression on your face, and she is blank, other than the morose kind of half-Goth thing her character does,” Wilson said. “I didn’t realize Snow White and Bella were soul sisters, because of the very limited range of what she can do. I think it was Dorothy Parker who said about Katharine Hepburn that she runs the ‘gamut of emotions from A to

B.’ Kristen Stewart is so expressionless she might as well be a brick wall.” Sandler’s “That’s My Boy,” which also won the worst-screenplay Razzie, flopped at the box office and continues a gradual decline in receipts for the comic actor’s movies. “He’s an enormous star who is on what I call the ‘down-alator’ of his career,” Wilson said. “He’s about to step off the same cliff Eddie Murphy stepped off about 10 years ago. Eddie Murphy has never come back, and Murphy is more talented.” —AP

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Kerala in the throes of a cultural crisis: Zacharia By Sajeev K Peter

erala is in the throes of a major cultural crisis today with political parties, hand-in-glove with religious groups, undermining secular values by turning the state into a huge commercial marketplace, said renowned Indian writer Paul Zacharia yesterday.

At one point in history, we were about to witness that change during the beginning of a renaissance brought about by Kumaran Ashan, Vallathol, Sree Narayana Guru and the left movement. Modern Malayalam writers like S K Pottekad, Thakazhi, Uroob and Keshavadev enriched the literature and set a new trend. But it was transient and the renaissance movement dissipated. Today we are back to square one. “Our dream of a secular society lies in tatters. Democracy has been virtually hijacked by political parties who have spread their tentacles everywhere like aliens. They are sucking out money from every space with the support of media institutions in the country,” Zacharia told Kuwait Times in an interview.

Chinese dancers perform a dragon dance in the fireworks to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Yongchuan district in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, Saturday. Lantern Festival held on the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar New Year marks the end of the Spring Festival. —AP

The writer, who arrived in Kuwait to attend a literary conference, traced the evolution and emerging trends in Malayalam literature over the last five decades. One of the most illustrious writers in India today, Zacharia started writing in the early 1960s. He has hundreds of works to his credit; most of them are shortstories. His stories contributed significantly in creating the foundation of modernity in Malayalam short-story genre. Zacharia’s candid yet tongue-in-cheek remarks, often bordering on sarcasm, have caused flutters in Indian social and political circles. “It is unfortunate to see today’s angry young men involved in fundamentalist movements. Our politicians and religious groups have taken the state back 50 years when religious and cultural bigotry ruled the roost,” he pointed out. Media hegemony According to Zacharia, the emergence of a powerful but irresponsible media has pushed the state into a cultural abyss. “In 1970s and 80s, Indian media spoke for a cultural renaissance. But today, the media does not address the important issues. The media has become the market leaders and religion and politics its best consumer products,” he said. Democracy is surviving in Kerala because of the unorganized people who are still not swayed by the pressure of a politico-religious and media nexus. A winner of many national and state awards, Zacharia follows an unorthodox style of writing, marked by a deep sense of humor. He stands out amid other writers in India with his daring experiments with craft and narrative techniques. Zacharia writes in both Malayalam and English and many of his works have been translated into other languages. According to him, the Malayalam short

story literature is quite agile and alive with several new writers entering the field though many of them do not get enough space as in the past. Writers like Thomas Joseph, K R Meera, B Murali, R Unni and Pramod Raman are quite promising. No trendsetting “However, the new generation of writers have not become trendsetters or changed the course of Malayalam literature,” he said. Many literary historians dub the writers of Zacharia’s generation like O V Vijayan, M Mukundan, Sethu, Punathil Kunhabdullah and Madhavikutty as postmodernists. “I don’t think I’m a postmodernist. It is just a label. If the society is not postmodern, the writing also won’t be postmodern,” he explained. “In the European context it may be true because the art and literature of the continent truly reflected the post-war crisis and social dilemma.

“Ours is still a feudal society. The religious or casteist deconstruction never happened in our society,” he mentioned. “At one point in history, we were about to witness that change during the beginning of a renaissance brought about by Kumaran Ashan, Vallathol, Sree Narayana Guru and the left movement. Modern Malayalam writers like S K Pottekad, Thakazhi, Uroob and Keshavadev enriched the literature and set a new trend. But it was transient and the renaissance movement dissipated. Today we are back to square one,” he said. “A few writers might have been influenced by Kafka or Camus and their writings might have reflected that. But conventional modernity still continues in our society. It is either left orthodox or right orthodox. There is no fundamental change in the human being. Kerala’s life and culture is going parallel to its literature,” Zacharia said.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

‘Silver Linings’ leads Spirit Awards with 4 prizes

he oddball romance “Silver Linings Playbook” was named best picture Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, Hollywood’s last pre-game show before the Academy Awards. “Silver Linings Playbook” led with four wins, including best actress for Jennifer Lawrence and director and screenplay for David O. Russell. Lawrence is the best-actress favorite at Sunday’s Oscars for her role as a young widow in a shaky new relationship with a man fresh from a mental hospital. “The Sessions” earned two acting prizes, for John Hawkes as a man in an iron lung hoping to lose his virginity and Helen Hunt as the sexual surrogate helping him through it. The award for best supporting actor went to Matthew McConaughey as a flamboyant stripper in “Magic Mike.” In barely three years, Lawrence has risen from a relative unknown to superstar hero of “The Hunger Games” franchise and potential Oscar winner at just 22. Her quick ascent began with another Spirit Awards nominee, “Winter’s Bone,” which won the top honor at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and earned

(From left) Producers Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti and Jonathan Gordon pose with the Best Feature award for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ in the press room during the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Santa Monica Beach in Santa Monica, California. —AFP/AP photos

Director David O. Russell poses with the Best Director and Best Screenplay awards for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’. Lawrence her first Oscar nomination. Lawrence said she loves independent film for the thrill of freezing with the crew in the middle of the night because they all believe in a story. “That’s why I do what I do. I love that feeling. I mean, I’d rather be warm,” Lawrence said. McConaughey, also a best-actor nominee at the Spirit Awards for “Killer Joe,” is a Hollywood Alister but a relative newcomer to key film awards. “I had to take my pants off to win a tro-

phy,” McConaughey said, adding that five of his last six films were independent productions and the “most creative fun of my acting career, hands down.” Hunt, also nominated for supporting actress at the Oscars, was coy backstage about what she’ll be doing before Hollywood’s big night. “I will be eating breakfast and getting dressed,” Hunt said of her day at the Oscars, where she previously won as best actress for “As Good as It Gets.” “I don’t have any plans, but I’m going to put a dress on.” “Silver Linings Playbook” filmmaker Russell noted that his initial trip to the Spirit Awards was 19 years ago, when he won the prize for best first film for “Spanking the Monkey.” His son Matthew, an inspiration for “Silver Linings” because of his battle with bipolar disorder, was a year old at the time, and was in the crowd to watch his father claim his awards. “He gave me this movie, so I want to thank him, Matthew, for this movie,” Russell said. “Silver Linings Playbook” centers on the relationship between a man (Bradley Cooper) just out of a mental hospital and a young widow (Lawrence). The film is up for best picture at the Oscars, where Russell is nominated for adapted

Director David O. Russell accepts the Best Director award for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ from presenters Amy Poehler and Bryan Cranston onstage.

screenplay and director and Cooper and Lawrence are in the running for the lead-acting honors. The film’s producers said they had expected fellow Oscar best-picture nominee “Beasts of the Southern Wild” to win the top Spirit Award and that they have no expectations of winning the big prize at the Oscars, where Ben Affleck’s CIA thriller “Argo” is the best-picture favorite. But they gushed praise for filmmaker Russell. “Your brilliance as a filmmaker is without peer. Your spirit of collaboration knows no bounds,” said producer Jonathan Gordon. Russell said backstage that he was thrilled to go the Oscars, or as he called it, the “World Series,” but he also has no illusions about winning there. “Thank God, Monday, I’m going back to work,” Russell said. “That’s how you avoid the postpartum depression.” Hawkes won the supporting-actor Spirit Award two years ago as Lawrence’s co-star in “Winter’s Bone,” a role that also earned him an Oscar nomination. He missed out on an Oscar slot this time but said that independent film is a “big part of my life, and I’m really happy for that. ... ‘The Sessions’ is a truly independent film made for very little money and shot very quickly.” Austrian writer-director Michael Haneke’s

Actor John Hawkes accepts the award for Best Male Lead onstage.

old-age love story “Amour” won for best international film, a possible prelude to the Oscars, where his film is the favorite to win the foreignlanguage prize and is nominated for best picture. “I have the impression I am the oldest man in the room,” the 70-year-old Haneke joked in a room filled with young filmmakers. The ceremony was hosted by Adam Samberg at the awards’ usual venue, a tent along the beach in Santa Monica just west of Los Angeles. It is presented by Film Independent, a group of filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema buffs. The show was aired later Saturday on IFC. Among other winners: * Best first film: “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” from director Stephen Chbosky, who adapted the picture from his novel. * First screenplay: “Safety Not Guaranteed,” Derek Connolly. * Cinematography: “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Ben Richardson. * Documentary: “The Invisible War,” directed by Kirby Dick. John Cassavetes Award for best film made for less than $500,000: “Middle of Nowhere,” directed by Ava DuVernay. — AP

Director Stephen Chbosky accepts the award for Best First Feature.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Producer Mynette Louie accepts the Producers Award onstage.

(From left) Director Kirby Dick and producers Amy Ziering and Tanner King Barklow pose with the Best Documentary award for ‘The Invisible War’.

List of winners at the Independent Spirit Awards BEST FEATURE “Silver Linings Playbook” BEST FEMALE LEAD Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook” BEST MALE LEAD John Hawkes, “The Sessions” BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE Helen Hunt, “The Sessions” BEST SUPPORTING MALE Matthew McConaughey, “Magic Mike” BEST DIRECTOR David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook” BEST DOCUMENTARY “The Invisible War” BEST FOREIGN FILM “Amour” BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer) “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” BEST SCREENPLAY David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook” BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY Derek Connolly, “Safety Not Guaranteed” BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Ben Richardson, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000) “Middle of Nowhere” ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast) “Starlet” PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD Mynette Louie, “Stones in the Sun” STELLA ARTOIS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD Peter Nicks, “The Waiting Room” — Reuters

Director Michael Haneke poses with his trophy for Best Foreign Film.

(From left) Actors James Ransone, Dree Hemingway, Stella Maeve and director Sean Baker pose with the Robert Altman Award for ‘Starlet’.

(From left) Producer Howard Barish, writer/director Ava DuVernay and producer Paul Garnes pose with the John Cassavetes Award for ‘Middle of Nowhere’.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence accepts the award for Best Female Lead onstage.

Screenwriter Derek Connolly accepts the award for Best First Screenplay.

Cinematographer Ben Richardson accepts the award for Best Cinematography onstage.

Sophie Savides accepts the Special Distinction Award on behalf of cinematographer Harris Savides onstage.

Actress Helen Hunt poses with the award for Best Supporting Female.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Interesting facts about the 1 . The youngest and oldest nominees ever appear in one category, for the first time since the earliest Oscars: nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis is nominated for best actress for “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” while 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva is up for her role in “Amour.” The French star turned 86 yesterday, when the winners will be announced at the 85th Academy Awards. 2 . In fact they’re not the 85th Academy Awards, at least not officially- they’re just the Oscars this year. “We’re rebranding it,” co-producer Neil Meron told an interviewer last week. “We’re not calling it ‘The 85th annual Academy Awards,’ which keeps it mired somewhat in a musty way. It’s called ‘The Oscars’.” An Academy spokeswoman said the name changes from year to year. 3 . Another name change: the venue hosting the Oscars is now officially the Dolby Theatre, not the Kodak Theatre, after the bankrupt camera company pulled out of its sponsorship for the Hollywood Boulevard building. The audio pioneer snapped up the chance to have its name linked to the Academy Awards, officially changing the sign on the front last May. 4 .”Amour” (“Love”) is only the fifth film ever to be nominated for both best foreign movie-for which it is the frontrunner-and best picture overall. The others are “Z,” which won best picture in 1969; “The Emigrants,” nominated for foreign language in 1971 and best picture in 1972; “Life is Beautiful,” which won the

Oscar best picture winners of last 20 years

ere is a list of the Best Picture Oscar winners from the last 20 years, ahead of Sunday’s 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood. Steven Spielberg’s presidential drama “Lincoln” and Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama “Argo” are seen as frontrunners, although it is seen as one of the least predictable Oscars races in recent memory. 2012 - “The Artist” 2011 - “The King’s Speech” 2010 - “The Hurt Locker” 2009 - “Slumdog Millionaire” 2008 - “No Country for Old Men” 2007 - “The Departed” 2006 - “Crash” 2005 - “Million Dollar Baby” 2004 - “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” 2003 - “Chicago” 2002 - “A Beautiful Mind” 2001 - “Gladiator” 2000 - “American Beauty” 1999 - “Shakespeare in Love” 1998 - “Titanic” 1997 - “The English Patient” 1996 - “Braveheart” 1995 - “Forrest Gump” 1994 - “Schindler’s List” 1993 - “Unforgiven” —AFP

best foreign language Oscar in 1998; and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” the foreign language winner in 2000. 5 . The oldest ever Oscar acting nominee was Gloria Stuart, who was 87 when she was nominated as best supporting actress for 1997’s “Titanic.” The youngest acting nominee was Justin Henry, who was eight when nominated as best supporting actor for 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer.” 6 . George Clooney, a co-producer of Ben Affleck’s best picture favorite “Argo,” joins Warren Beatty as the only person having been nominated for best picture, directing, acting and screenwriting. 7 . John Williams, nominated for best original score for Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” has more Oscar nominations than any other living person, with 48. The only person with more overall was Walt Disney, with 59. Woody Allen is the second most-nominated person still alive, with 23. He has won four, but is famously reluctant to leave his native New York to come to Hollywood to collect them. 8 . Jessica Chastain, nominated for best actress for Osama bin Laden manhunt movie “Zero Dark Thirty,” is the only acting nominee who was also up for an Oscar last year-as supporting actress for civil rights-era drama “The Help.” 9 . At the Governors Ball, the formal afterparty immediately following Sunday night’s show, there will be 1,500 guests, 1,500 bottles of drinks, 12,000 glasses, 6,500 Oscar statuette-shaped flat

Oscars

File photo shows actress Quvenzhane Wallis attending the 85th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. —AFP

File photo shows French actress Emmanuelle Riva holds her trophy after receiving the Best Actress award for film “Amour” (Love) during the 38th Cesar Awards ceremony.

breads, 1,300 farmer oysters, 600 Maine lobsters, 10 pounds of white truffles from Alba, Italy, 10 pounds of black truffles from Burgundy, France, 5,000 mini chocolate Oscars and 10 pounds of edible gold dust. 10 . The hors d’oeuvres include Smoked Salmon Oscars, Duck Wontons, Mini Kobe-Style Burgers or Assorted Pizzas. Among main dishes are Baked Potato

and Caviar, Steamed Red Snapper with Thai Spice, and Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. Desserts include Mango Crumble, Huckleberry Macarons, and Bon Bons. There are also Concord Grape Lollipops, Violet Velvet Truffles, and Everyone’s Oscar Favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Pop Rock Pop, which is vegetarian.— AFP

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Oscar, the golden statuette coveted by Hollywood H

Oscar statues are viewed in preparation one day before the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. — AFP

A woman photographs statuettes in the likeness of the Oscar award displayed across the street from the Hollywood and Highland complex.

e stands only 13.5 inches (34 centimeters) tall and weighs just 8.5 pounds (3.85 kilos) — but Oscar, in all his bald gold-plated glory, is the holy grail of Hollywood. The iconic statuette was created in 1929, two years after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, by the head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios, Louis Mayer. The idea came from MGM’s artistic director, Cedric Gibbons, and it was a Los Angeles artist, George Stanley, who sculpted the first statuette of a knight standing on a reel of film gripping a crusader’s sword. Although there are only 24 categories at yesterday’s ceremony, the Academy always has more made just in case of multiple recipients-notably for producers, who receive the Oscar for best picture. Engraved on the base of each Oscar is the statuette’s individual serial number, together with a plaque telling the owner that it cannot be sold, given or transferred to anyone else without having been offered to the Academy. The Academy has the right to buy them back for $10, and won a legal battle in 2008 with Mary Pickford’s heirs, who wanted to sell the prestigious award. In 1993, the Oscar won in 1945 by Joan Crawford for her role in “Mildred Pierce” was sold at auction for $68,500, and last December, Orson Welles’ statuette for iconic movie “Citizen Kane” sold for $861,000. Initially the little figures were made of gold-plated solid bronze, but that was abandoned after a few years for britannia metal, a pewter-like alloy which is then plated in copper, nickel silver, and finally, 24-karat gold. Due to a metal shortage in World War II, Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years-recipients were invited to redeem their statuettes for gold-plated ones after the war. They have been made since 1982 by Chicago company R.S. Owens, and cost about $18,000 each. The obvious question: where does the name come from? They are officially called Academy Awards of Merit, but the story goes that Academy librarian (and eventual executive director)

Florists decorate a statue of Oscar in front of the entrance to the Dolby Theatre. Margaret Herrick remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar. The Academy did not adopt the nickname officially until 1939, but it was widely known enough by 1934 that Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used it in referring to Katharine Hepburn’s first best actress win. — AFP

Dozens of stars rehearse day before Oscar ceremony

ome dressed down in jeans and hoodies. Others looked camera-ready in suits or chic dresses and spiky stilettos. But no matter how they looked, all of the stars who rehearsed Saturday for the 85th Academy Awards seemed excited about being a part of the big show. They paraded through the Dolby Theatre in 15-minute increments: Meryl Streep. Ben Affleck. Reese Witherspoon. Richard Gere. Jennifer Aniston. John Travolta. Nicole Kidman. Jack Nicholson. And dozens more. Each practiced their lines in front of an audience of show workers and awarded prop Oscars to rehearsal actors. They also scanned the theater from the stage, searching for their show-night seats. “Oh, wow. That’s a very dramatic picture of me,” best-actress nominee Jessica Chastain said after spotting her seat-saving placard. “I’m

looking at everyone’s headshots. It’s kind of incredible.” Affleck confessed his excitement from the stage as he looked out at all the famous faces. “This is like the most memorable aspect of the Oscars,” the “Argo” director said. “You see all these place cards (at rehearsal), then you come back and they’re all here!” Affleck also chatted backstage with the college film students who won a contest to serve as trophy carriers during the ceremony. “I love that,” he said. “It’s super cool.” Travolta spent time with the students, too. “I was there when that idea was born and I said it was the best idea they could possibly come up with,” he told the aspiring filmmakers backstage. “And here you are!” Travolta plans to bring his 13-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu, to the ceremony. Kidman made rehearsals a family affair. Husband Keith Urban and their eldest daughter,

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones attends rehearsals.

Actor Hugh Jackman appears during rehearsals. Actor John Travolta appears during rehearsals. Sunday, watched from the audience as Kidman ran through her lines. She looked impeccable in a wine-colored dress and tall metallic shoes, but other stars were decidedly more casual.

Kristen Stewart arrived in jeans, sneakers and a backward ball cap. (She also limped on an injured right foot.) Renee Zellweger also opted for comfort in jeans and running shoes. The cast of “Chicago,” including Gere, Zellweger, Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones, injected their rehearsal with silliness.—AP

Actress Kerry Washington, left, laughs while talking to Hawk Koch, president of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, during rehearsals.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

This publicity film image released by Magnolia Pictures shows Mads Mikkelsen, left, and Alicia Vikander in a scene from ‘A Royal Affair.

From left to right, director Joachim Roenning, actress Alfre Woodard and director Espen Sandberg pose together.

Oscar foreign film nominees reveal movie magic A

few old-school video cameras, a cloned apartment, a sea of digital sharks, and an actress who helped herself to craft services were just a few tricks that international filmmakers employed in their Oscar nominated films. The five directors nominated for this year’s foreign language film Academy Award revealed on Saturday how they used movie magic: “No,” an account of the advertising tactics used in the 1988 campaign to oust Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, was filmed with U-Matic video cameras to give the film a grainy VHS aesthetic similar to the political commercials it depicted. “We got used to it, and we just started loving it,” said director Pablo Larrain, who noted that the vintage cameras had less resolution than an iPhone. “When we get to see

This publicity image released by Item 7 shows a scene from ‘War Witch.’

regular movies now, they look so sharp!” Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke based the apartment where much of his relationship drama “Amour” takes place on his parents’ own home because it felt comfortable and inspired him when crafting the film about an elderly French couple. The apartment was built on a soundstage and digital effects were used in windows to make the cityscape come alive. “It was an exact reproduction,” said Haneke through a translator. “Not because their story had anything to do with what was happening on screen, but it gave me ideas and helped me find solutions when writing the script.” The 18th century Danish period piece “A Royal Affair,” which centers on the forbidden romance between the Queen of Denmark and royal physician and minister Johann Struensee, was filmed in Prague, not Denmark. “No street in Copenhagen looks remotely like it used to look in the 1760s,” said director Nikolaj Arcel. “But you can actually go to Prague, and they’ve quite beautifully kept some of these old streets and restored them.” Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, the directors of the Norwegian film “KonTiki,” digitally recorded their historical drama about the treacherous 1947 sea voyage of adventurer Thor Heyerdahl so they wouldn’t run out of film. Ronning said the filmmakers shot 140 terabytes worth of material - roughly about the size of 6,000 Blu-ray discs. They captured the boatload of footage because “Kon-Tiki” was shot in both Norwegian and English and included over 500 special effects shots. Kim Nguyen, the Canadian director of “War Witch,” said his Congo-set drama about a young woman who becomes embroiled in an African rebellion was filmed chronologically, and that Rachel Mwanza, the film’s 16-year-old star from the Congo, gained weight during production. It wasn’t an issue because her character becomes pregnant in the film. “She actually gained like 15 or 20 pounds during the film, which was perfect,” said Nguyen. “Best special effect ever.” — AP

This publicity film image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows Jean-Louis Trintignant in a scene from the Austrian film, ‘Amour. — AP photos

Director Alexander Payne, left, and director Michael Haneke pose together during The Oscars Foreign Language Film Award Directors Reception.

Director Michael Mann, left, and director Kim Nguyen pose together during The Oscars Foreign Language Film Award Directors Reception at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Dresses

Oscars: that changed the red carpet E

ver since the inimitable Audrey Hepburn posed with her best actress Oscar (for 1953’s “Roman Holiday”) in an Edith Head dress tweaked to look like it was designed by Hubert de Givenchy (referred to as “Givenchy-fied”), designer frocks and the Academy Awards have belonged to together. Hepburn, said to be “under the sway” of Givenchy (then the protege of legendary designer Cristobal Balenciaga), wore a nearly identical dress in the movie but had spaghetti straps added to the whiteon-white floral dress and the back lowered. It is said the then-starlet considered the dress “lucky.” The dress sold at auction for $130,000 in 2011. Givenchy went on to dress Hepburn for all her red carpet appearances and eventually even designed her film wardrobe-notably for “Sabrina” in which some of the most beautiful dresses in cinema are featured-cementing the relationship between fashion and film for all time. (No, really; the black, full skirted, Vback dress toward the end of “Sabrina” is a revelation. Really.) Here are our picks for the most memorable Oscar looks for the past decade: Jennifer Lopez, 2012: For better or worse this look personifies La Lopez. Delicate as it is, this white Zuhair Murad sheer spider web of a dress incorporates everything the diva requires in a dress-deep V front and back, curve hugging and sparkly-to maintain her status as the woman who brought old Hollywood glamour back. Halle Berry, 2002: Elie Saab’s wine colored gown featured a sheer bodice with strategically placed embroidered flowers and a satin train; Berry won best actress that year for “Monster’s Ball” and raves for the gown, which showed her flawless figure and face to maximum advantage. Sadly, she has been riding that style train ever since and has begun to look a tad cheap (anyone see that Caribbean cut-out mermaid mess she wore to the Golden Globes? That’s what I’m talking about). Angelina Jolie, 2004: Marc Bouwer white silk halter. Too white and a bit boring, but this dress is important for one reason; it marks the first time designers wooed Jolie to wear their design on the Red Carpet and the simple, classic monochromatic silhouette-all Hollywood glamour with an edge, the way only Jolie does it-came to define her inimitable red carpet style. Cate Blanchette, 2005: Valentino buttercup yellow asymmetric dress with a burgundy belt. She was nominated for “The Aviator” and did not win. But her dress was seminal in that it was the first time legendary designer Valentino Garavani designed a dress for a specific actress. Blanchette is one of the few actresses who never

make a red carpet mistake-hard to do with friends like Valentino. Hilary Swank, 2005: Swank won the best actress Oscar that night for “Million Dollar Baby” and the best dress award as well. The navy Guy Laroche dress is iconic for three things: it was long sleeved when most actresses wore sleeveless and strapless; it was navy silk jersey in a sea of black and sparkly bold color and it had no back, proving once and for all that your mom was right when she told you stand up straight.

Penelope Cruz, 2007: Nominated as best actress for “Volver,” the lovely Cruz wore a blush Versace confection with a satin bustier bodice and full feathered skirt. The gown, fitted per-

Gwyneth Paltrow, 2012: A transformational red carpet moment for its simplicity and drama. Penelope Cruz, 2007: Nominated as best actress for “Volver,” the lovely Cruz wore a blush Versace confection with a satin bustier bodice and full feathered skirt.

Michelle Williams, 2006: Nominated for her role in “Brokeback Mountain” with her fiance, the late Heath Ledger, Williams’ yellow Vera Wang was her break-out red carpet moment. Michelle Williams, 2006: Nominated for her role in “Brokeback Mountain” with her fiance, the late Heath Ledger, Williams’ yellow Vera Wang was her break-out red carpet moment. Youthful and light as a feather, yet beautifully structured at the bodice with a flanged train, most people say it was the bold, sunny color contrasted with her bright red lips and adorable side chignon that made this one work. But look at the whole thing; the fit of the dress, the lovely framing of the collar around the deep V neckline, the ruby lips, delicate tendrils of hair and that AMAZING colortake away one of those things and it’s just another pretty dress on a pretty actress Nicole Kidman, 2007: Kidman made a splash in a red Balenciaga gown with the giant bow at the neck. Lots of people didn’t love the dress, but it was a standout red carpet moment for the color, fit and the way she was styled around that bow: simple hair and glowing makeup. Five years later, another redhead, actress Emma Stone, wore a look-alike Giambattista Valli bow-necked dress, proving the skeptics wrong: this dress was no flash in the pan; it has staying power.

fectly over her torso, was equal parts sexy and innocent and has been imitated over and over again. The color kicked off five years of blush or pale colored gowns floating down the red carpet. Marion Cotillard, 2008: The actress won that year for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.” It was the world’s first real look at Cotillard’s red carpet style and she treated us to the ultimate “mermaid” gown by wearing a white and silver Jean Paul Gaultier halter gown covered in glittering scales. Flawless, game-changing; Cotillard’s choice set the tone for what would be one stunning and fashion forward red carpet look after another. Tilda Swinton, 2008: This dress is not well-loved but the look is iconic and all Tilda. The black washed silk Lanvin is a Frankenstein of a frock: all baggy and long-sleeved on one side and straight up and down sleeveless on the other side. But Tilda (somehow referring to her as “Swinton” seems too formal) wore it proudly with her red pompadour as she collected her best supporting actress Oscar for “Michael Clayton.” Tilda will be forever remembered for the “Hefty bag” dress and for one unanswered question torturing fashionistas the world over: Why didn’t she at least wear the cuff on the sleeveless arm? Zoe Saldana, 2010: Saldana wore Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci. Another Franken-frock, it is loved and hated still, and therein lies its fascination. An amalgam of styles: classic glam-strapless-silhouette on

Marion Cotillard, 2008: The actress won that year for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.”

Nicole Kidman, 2007: Kidman made a splash in a red Balenciaga gown with the giant bow at the neck. top and a froth of purple ombre ruffles on the bottom. The dress barely misses tacky (and a sure bet to be knocked for a feature in Prom Gown magazine) but was aided by Saldana’s flawlessly elegant and simple styling — proof that you do not have to play it safe on the red carpet. Gwyneth Paltrow, 2012: A transformational red carpet moment for its simplicity and drama. The modern white on white Tom Ford ensemble (she wore a gown, a matching cape and sheath ... it was a whole outfit!) was accented by two glittering, intricate, giant diamond and platinum cuffs and cocktail ring and simple hair-perfection. Memorable for what it wasn’t: ruffled, candy colored, tight or sparkly. A year before she had wiped the image of her ill-fitting cotton candy pink taffeta prom gown from our minds with a clean-lined heavily beaded Calvin Klein sheath that was widely lauded for its freshness. —MCT

Angelina Jolie, 2004: Marc Bouwer white silk halter.

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Michelle Obama

America’s first lady of fashion S

he has, in the space of little more than four years, become America’s favorite fashion plate: First Lady Michelle Obama is without doubt the nation’s trend-setting arbiter of taste and style. From her breezy new bangs to her elegant inaugural gowns, the entire country sits in breathless anticipation of what new look Obama will come up with next. And for the obscure fashion designer, nothing catapults a career into the stratosphere like having Obama wear one’s clothes. This week, that stroke of good fortune was enjoyed by Reed Krakoff, whose classic azure dress and cardigan

January 21, 2013 file photo shows US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attending the Inaugural Ball at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in Washington.

were worn by Obama in the first lady’s official portrait unveiled by the White House. The first lady also chose Krakoff’s designs for President Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony last month-an unanticipated two-for-one stroke of luck that still has him pinching himself. “I knew there was a chance, but I didn’t know for sure,” he told AFP. “It’s a great honor; it is an amazing thing for any designer.” Obama boasts a law degree from Harvard, but clearly earned an honorary doctorate in fashion sense, with her penchant for cinched waistlines and classic silhouettes, but the willingness to mix things up with bold colors and edgy designs. “She wears contemporary fashion, sometimes avant-garde fashion, but never in such a way that she looks like

a fashion victim or looks too wild,” said Patricia Mears, deputy director at the Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology. “She wears a lot of American labels, but she is not afraid to wear something designed by someone who is from overseas or a foreign company. “She embraces that modern trend of wearing things that are very high-end and also things that are very affordable,” Mears added. “This blending of high and low is what keeps her modern. There is also a very glamorous edge, and I think she does that on purpose, as part of giving the White House this blend of high style and modernity.” Last week, it was one of Obama’s go-to fashion favorites, Jason Wu, who lucked out, when the first lady donned one of his confections for the president’s annual State of the Union address. Obama first put the young Taiwan-born designer on the map four years ago when she selected his one-shouldered, draped chiffon ball gown for her husband’s first inaugural ball. One of the most closely held secrets in Washington was which designer would hit the jackpot this year and have Obama wear his or her design at last month’s inaugural ball. In a move that surprised veteran style watchers, that honor went for a second time to Wu, who designed for Obama a show-stopping, regal sensation in brilliant red that bared her sculpted arms. But it’s not just in the world of high fashion that she has made her mark. Michelle Obama, 49, has become famous for her knack at pairing high-end and low-end style, mating a $20 belt purchased online from J.Crew with a couture ensemble for her own signature brand of chic. For J.Crew, the association with Obama has produced a windfall of great publicity and a bump in sales. “People feel so connected to us through Michelle Obama,” said Jenna

This January 21, 2013 file photo shows US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama reviewing troops before departing from the US Capitol after the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in Washington, DC. — AFP

Lyons, creative director at the casual contemporary wear company. “That people outside of New York City and the US are talking about what she is wearing and recognize J.Crew for thatthat’s incredible.” And now Obama’s two daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, are also getting in on the act, showing some of their mother’s talent for pulling together an eye-catching ensembles with a casual flare to spare in their recent public appearances. Given her status as fashion industry kingmaker, fashionistas were paying extra close attention at New York’s Fashion Week last week to get a glimpse of what a few of Obama’s favorite designers were showing. Wu was still on a cloud, after having had Obama choose his inaugural ball gown design again, and said he hopes their client-designer affiliation will continue long into the future.”Having the first lady of America being a fan is something I am so honored to be a part of,” Wu said in an interview. “Certainly I’m very excited to continue our relationship for many, many more years to come.” — AFP

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Marni decks out winter looks with fur T

he Marni woman is decked out in fur for next winter. And what imaginative uses designer Consuelo Castiglioni has employed in the winter 2014 collection previewed yesterday, the fifth day of Milan Fashion Week. Skirts and coats have wide fur hems, enriching the tailored and constructed looks. There also were sumptuous shaggy fur coat-dresses, one in glowing gold and gray

blend. And there were fur-accented arm warmers and furry clutches. But the real piece de resistance are the fur wraps: fur stoles that coil around the neck and fall down the front or crisscross over the shoulders to provide some cover for strapless dresses, and two-tone fur shawl collars that zip snugly up the back. Though the collection had a firmly cold-weather feel - particularly expressed in the stiff materials like tweets and velvets that characterized the line - Marni challenged the season in many ways: Sleeveless coats. Shorts. Mini miniskirts. And flat, trekking sandals, worn with bare legs. The silhouette was mostly modest, with skirts falling to the knee and below, but Castiglioni also teased at what she called “puritanical rigor,” tucking transparent panels inside her pleated skirts. Colors were, in keeping with Milan trends, on the urban harsh side, with blacks, grays and deep blue, offset by golden yellows and deep red. The collection finished up with some fabrics printed with inviting wooded scenery, just the place to disappear into with Castiglioni’s creations. The designer offered a range of footwear choices. Besides the sandals, there also were simple flats or riding boots in calfskin or a heartier beaver fur for texture and warmth. Bags were larger than the norm this season, including big leather backpacks with padded straps for the serious traveler, and geometric duffels. Hair was worn flat, sculpted in a gelled/wet look that would stand up to the cold rain mixed with snow that has dampened Milan this fashion season. — AP

Models display creations as part of Marni Fall-Winter 2013-2014 Women swear collection yesterday during the Women’s fashion week in Milan. —AFP

technology

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

The near impossible battle against hackers everywhere SAN FRANCISCO: Dire warnings from Washington about a “cyber Pearl Harbor” envision a single surprise strike from a formidable enemy that could destroy power plants nationwide, disable the financial system or cripple the US government. But those on the front lines say it isn’t all about protecting US government and corporate networks from a single sudden attack. They report fending off many intrusions at once from perhaps dozens of countries, plus well-funded electronic guerrillas and skilled criminals. Security officers and their consultants say they are overwhelmed. The attacks are not only from China, which Washington has long accused of spying on US companies, many emanate from Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Western countries. Perpetrators range from elite military units to organized criminal rings to activist teenagers. “They outspend us and they outman us in almost every way,” said Dell Inc’s chief security officer, John McClurg. “I don’t recall, in my adult life, a more challenging time.” The big fear is that one day a major

company or government agency will face a severe and very costly disruption to their business when hackers steal or damage critical data, sabotage infrastructure or destroy consumers’ confidence in the safety of their information. Elite security firm Mandiant Corp on Monday published a 74-page report that accused a unit of the Chinese army of stealing data from more than 100 companies. While China immediately denied the allegations, Mandiant and other security experts say the hacker group is just one of more than 20 with origins in China. Chinese hackers tend to take aim at the largest corporations and most innovative technology companies, using trick emails that appear to come from trusted colleagues but bear attachments tainted with viruses, spyware and other malicious software, according to Western cyber investigators. Eastern European criminal rings, meanwhile, use “drive-by downloads” to corrupt popular websites, such as NBC.com last week, to infect visitors. Though the malicious programs vary, they often include software for recording keystrokes as com-

puter users enter financial account passwords. Others getting into the game include activists in the style of the loosely associated group known as Anonymous, who favor denial-of-service attacks that temporarily block websites from view and automated searches for common vulnerabilities that give them a way in to access to corporate information. An increasing number of countries are sponsoring cyber weapons and electronic spying programs, law enforcement officials said. The reported involvement of the United States in the production of electronic worms including Stuxnet, which hurt Iran’s uranium enrichment program, is viewed as among the most successful. Iran has also been blamed for a series of unusually effective denial-of-service attacks against major US banks in the past six months that blocked their online banking sites. Iran is suspected of penetrating at least one US oil company, two people familiar with the ongoing investigation told Reuters. “There is a battle looming in any direction you look,” said Jeff Moss, the chief information security officer of ICANN, a

group that manages some of the Internet’s key infrastructure. “Everybody’s personal objectives go by the wayside when there is just fire after fire,” said Moss, who also advises the US Department of Homeland Security. Industry veterans say the growth in the number of hackers, the software tools available to them, and the thriving economic underground serving them have made any computer network connected to the Internet impossible to defend flawlessly. “Your average operational security engineer feels somewhat under siege,” said Bruce Murphy, a Deloitte & Touche LLP principal who studies the security workforce. “It feels like Sisyphus rolling a rock up the hill, and the hill keeps getting steeper.” In the same month that President Barack Obama decried enemies “seeking the ability to sabotage our power grids, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems,” cyber attacks on some prominent US companies were reported. Three leading US newspapers, Apple Inc, Facebook Inc, Twitter and Microsoft Corp all admitted in February they had been hacked.—AP

Samsung unveils 8-inch tablet with phone capability

BEIJING: This picture shows Dan Serfaty, founder and CEO of social networking company Viadeo, speaking to staff at their office in Beijing.—AFP

Business network giants face China ‘guanxi’ battle BEIJING: Professional social networking websites such as LinkedIn trying to tap into China’s vast business world are finding a formidable domestic foe-the ingrained system of personal connections known as “guanxi”. Two leading sites, California-based LinkedIn and the French company Viadeo, are targeting networkers in the world’s most populous country, but acknowledge the challenges they face. China has the world’s biggest online population at 564 million web users, but the history of Western Internet giants looking to establish themselves in it is littered with failures and disappointed retreats. Google relocated its servers to Hong Kong over censorship and hacking and now has only a small share of China’s search market, while Yahoo! has had a troubled relationship with partner Alibaba. Groupon’s entry was turbulent from the start, and it closed several offices and laid off hundreds of staff just months after launch. Business network sites face a huge extra obstacle of their own: guanxi, China’s system of personal relationships reinforced by mutual favors which plays a vital role in conducting business and navigating a messy government bureaucracy. Wei Wuhui, a professor at Jiaotong University in Shanghai, says that online alternatives will have a hard time supplanting its deeply embedded role. “I don’t think the Chinese middle class has the same needs in terms of professional networks as people in the West, because of the concept of guanxi,” he said. “In China people do not want to meet with people they don’t know. The Chinese have a culture based on relationships among family members and close friends.” —AFP

SEOUL: Samsung yesterday unveiled an eight-inch tablet with phonecall capability to rival Apple’s recently launched iPad mini and to cement its market dominance by offering devices in a variety of sizes. The Galaxy Note 8.0 features an eight-inch screen and, where it may steal a march on its rival which measures 7.9-inches, the ability to make phone calls. The new device, now being marketed by Samsung as a “tablet”, is powered by Google’s Android software and will be showcased at the four-day Mobile World Congress in Barcelona beginning today, the company said in a statement. Like previous incarnations of the Galaxy Note, the device comes with a stylus pen allowing the user to write or draw on the screen, which can be split in two to run various programs at the same time. Global sales will begin in the second quarter, the firm said. Samsung is the world’s top maker of smartphones and mobile phones in general. The latest device-the first from the company to feature an eightinch screen-is set to fill a gap in the firm’s wide product lineup, which ranges from the flagship smartphone Galaxy S to the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 and the 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab tablet PC. The firm has recently shifted its focus to its Galaxy Note, which turned out to be far more popular than the larger Galaxy Tab, offering the Note in various sizes in a move that blurred the lines between smartphones and tablet PCs. Samsung said the launch of the Galaxy Note 8.0 will “reignite the mid-size tablet category”-a segment increasingly crowded by rival products including the iPad mini that launched last November and Google’s seven-inch Nexus 7. Samsung and

Apple accounted for more than half of all smartphone sales in the final quarter of 2012 — 29.0 percent for

Samsung and 22.1 percent for Appleaccording to research firm Strategy Analytics.—AFP

SEOUL: A handout photo released yesterday shows a Samsung Electronics Galaxy Note 8.0, the latest version of its oversized smartphone lineup.—AP

technology

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

EMC VSPEX drives momentum in Europe, Middle East and Africa

MC announced yesterday that its VSPEX Proven Infrastructure has gathered significant momentum in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) since its launch in April 2012. By the end of 2012, 558 EMC authorised Velocity resellers across the regionwere enabled to sell EMC VSPEX, withmore than 1,300 deals closed with customers worldwide. The simple, efficient and flexible reference infrastructure is based on EMC’s award-winning VNX and VNXe unified storage systems and EMC’s Data Domain and Avamar next-generation backup products, along with best-of-breed virtualisation, server and network technology from EMC alliance partners Brocade, Cisco, Citrix, Intel, Microsoft and VMware. EMC channelsselling and distributing VSPEX have noted a positive response from end-customers, while themselves benefitting from the rapid installation times and cost efficiencies that the solution delivers. Key implementations by EMC channelsinclude: Bull, a major EMC channel operating globally in over 60 countries, recently helped the Amsterdam Trade Bank build a robust disaster recovery solution based on VSPEX embarking Bull’s bullion enterprise servers. Using the solution alongside EMC VPLEX, to replicate the bank’s datacentre 30km outside of its Amsterdam operations, Bull was able to achieve effective duplication with a near zero recovery time objective and a zero recovery point objective,enabling the bank to avoiddata loss in the case of disruption to its main datacentre. As a prequalified, pretested solution, VSPEX provided Amsterdam Trade Bank with a risk-minimised solution, which took less than one month to implement. Such a rapid deployment cut the costs associated with implementation. MTI, a reseller that has workedwith EMC for over 15 years, deployed VSPEX for Car Expert. As a part of its operations based in Germany, Car Expert is responsible for reviewing and processing insurance claims made in respect ofmotor vehicles, amounting to around one million transactions per week. MTI was charged with replacing its legacy infrastructure (which was sub-optimal and lacked sufficient capacity) with a best-of-breed solution. The VSPEX platform it implemented, based on components from EMC, VMware and Cisco, provided this and was responsible for a 10x performance boost. The solution was also much easier to manage for Car Expert, allowing them to spend more time on strategic IT initiatives while redeploying resources to new projects. For MTI, VSPEX has also proved highly beneficial; reducing the time it takes to complete a sales cycle by 70 per cent. Avnet Technology Solutions has become the preeminent VSPEX Value Added Distributor for VSPEX in EMEA both in terms of deals registered and deals won. Avnet is also the first EMC authorized distributor in EMEA to offer assembly services for VSPEX. The assembly services element of the VSPEX package allows Avnet to support many of its resellers by delivering pre-built, multi-vendor solutions that include EMC technology. Through its data centre expertise, Avnet will now be able to support its business alliesin assembling VSPEX as well as integrating this technology with other data centre components - tailoring solutions for such business allies and their end-customers. EMC has plans to further develop VSPEX to ensure that it meets both channeland end user demands. Recent updates have seen new configurations for virtualised Microsoft SharePoint environments which can now help end-customers tune SharePoint storage performance in 80 percent less time, shorten SharePoint provisioning by up to 4x, and reduce time to manage backup by 81 percent.

WASHINGTON: Peter Faris, CEO of Szabo Faris LLC Transportation Solutions, stands in front of one of his vehicles while holding a smart phone with an app that orders up his sedan service February 14, 2013 in Washington, DC.—AFP

Mobile apps reshape urban taxi landscape WASHINGTON: Before the smartphone, riders summoned a taxi by waving an arm or calling a dispatcherbut mobile apps are changing that, helping both drivers and passengers. A number of new services have sprung up in recent years that enable smartphone users to locate and request taxis with GPS. Drivers confirm they’re on the way, and payment is made by mobile phone, with no cash changing hands. “It gives the passenger control and incentivizes the driver to provide excellent service,” said Yonis Benitez, general manager in Washington for MyTaxi, a German-based firm which has recently expanded to the US market. “It’s no longer anonymous. They know the driver’s name and the driver’s rating,” from customer reviews which can be seen on the app. MyTaxi was founded in 2009 in Germany, and in October began service in Washington, one of 30 cities worldwide where it operates. The apps offer the promise of increased business, especially in areas where vehicle and cab traffic is low. “We’ve been wellreceived in DC,” Benitez said. “Our numbers have doubled month over month in terms of numbers of people joining and passengers.” San Francisco-based Uber offers a mobile app connecting passengers and taxis in six cities, including Washington, and operates in 27 cities worldwide with a “black car” service, which it says costs more than taxis but less than comparable limousine services. Uber founder and chief executive Travis Kalanick said drivers like the system because “they make more money, they can fill out their downtime and can invest and grow.” Like other services, Uber has no cars of its

own but partners with taxi or limousine drivers who agree to use the app. “We are like Open Table for restaurants or Expedia for travel,” he said. Uber has faced some well-publicized regulatory hurdles, and in New York temporarily suspended taxi service, while maintaining its limo operations, as city officials consider regulations on the “e-hailing” of cabs. In Washington, the city council approved a measure last year to clear the way for appbased taxi and limo services. “The DC law is cutting edge, it’s pro-innovation, and a lot of cities are starting to follow,” said Rachel Holt, Uber’s manager in the city. Uber, which has venture funding from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Goldman Sachs, has been expanding globally to cities like Paris, Melbourne and Stockholm while competition heats up in the United States. Washington driver Peter Faris said he has been able to build a car service with three vehicles around the Uber app. “We’ve grown as Uber has grown in DC,” he said. “There’s an amazing vibe. It’s hard to communicate the enthusiasm it has created. It has filled a need.” Hailo, launched in London in 2011, claims to be the largest taxi app, with some 30,000 drivers in Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Dublin. This year it plans to launch in New York, Tokyo, Madrid, Barcelona and Washington. “The drivers have 30 to 60 percent down time, depending on the city, and customers find it difficult to get a cab,” Jay Bregman, the New York-born founder of the Britainbased company, told AFP. “This is a pattern you find all over the world. It’s one of the last bastions of inefficiency,” said Bregman, who launched the idea after studying at the London School of Economics.

Hailo says it has grown to more than $120 million in annualized sales, and has raised $50 million in venture capital, including from Twitter-backer Union Square Ventures and British mogul Richard Branson. Bregman said Hailo only launches in a city after it has recruited enough drivers to provide an adequate supply. He said the app helps drivers by serving as a kind of social network, alerting other cabbies about traffic or accidents, and of events or neighborhoods where taxis are needed. Hailo has some 5,000 cab drivers in New York ready to roll, assuming city authorities resolve regulatory issues and lawsuits challenging app-based services. “This is a positive technology with almost no drawbacks,” he said. “It doesn’t destroy the other industries, it makes them more competitive.” Bergman said Hailo works with regular taxis, and is not seeking “to upsell a more expensive luxury service.” The apps can offer the convenience of fast service for the rider and allow the driver to waste less time. “I spoke to a driver in New York who said he took someone to the Bronx and for the first time in 20 years had a ride back,” Uber’s Kalanick said. “It’s a really good outer borough story.” But Kalanick said efficiency is not just a matter of luck. “People see they can push a button and a car magically appears. But they don’t realize all the math and logistics in making that occur,” he said. He said Uber’s technical team includes “two nuclear physicists” and others who crunch numbers to ensure “that you get the ride quickly but the driver always has a customer. “We have to develop algorithms for this, and calculate things like traffic congestion.”—AFP

TV listings

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

05:50 Alli Presents 06:40 World Combat League 07:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2008 08:00 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 09:00 Ticket to Ride 2010/11 10:40 Cape Epic 12:20 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 14:00 Carpocalypse 14:50 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 15:40 Sports Jobs 17:20 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 18:10 Clay Marzo: Just Add Water 19:00 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 19:50 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 21:30 Carpocalypse 22:20 Clay Marzo: Just Add Water

00:50 Untamed & Uncut 01:45 Bear Feeding Frenzy 02:35 Animal Cops Houston 03:25 Wildest India 04:15 Running With Wolves 05:05 Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan 05:55 Animal Cops Houston 06:45 Wildest India 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 The Really Wild Show 08:25 Bad Dog 09:15 Dogs 101 10:10 Pandamonium 11:05 Wildest Arctic 12:00 Animal Cops Houston 12:55 Rescue Vet 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Vet On The Loose 14:15 Vet On The Loose 14:45 Animal Precinct 15:40 Wildest Arctic 16:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Dogs 101 18:25 Crocodile Hunter 19:20 Too Cute! 20:15 Monkey Life 20:40 Wild Africa Rescue 21:10 Rescue Vet 21:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 22:05 Wildest Latin America

00:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 00:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 01:20 Gok’s Fashion Fix 02:10 Design Rules 03:00 MasterChef 06:00 Design Rules 06:25 Design Rules 06:50 Gok’s Fashion Fix 07:40 New Scandinavian Cooking 08:10 Homes Under The Hammer 09:00 Bargain Hunt 09:45 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 10:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:10 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:55 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 13:30 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 14:20 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 15:10 Bargain Hunt 15:50 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 16:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:00 Homes Under The Hammer 18:50 The Hairy Bikers USA 19:15 Rick Stein’s Spain 20:10 New Scandinavian Cooking 20:35 Come Dine With Me: South Africa

00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 11:50 12:45 13:40 14:35 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Outlaw Empires Outlaw Empires Outlaw Empires Outlaw Empires Outlaw Empires Outlaw Empires Guns: The Men Who Made Them Mythbusters The Will: Family Secrets Revealed Outback Truckers Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Fast N’ Loud Jesse James Outlaw Garage American Chopper Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Life On A Wire Wheeler Dealers Mythbusters American Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Auction Kings Auction Hunters Gold Rush Gold Divers Around The World In 80 Ways

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:40 01:35 02:25 03:15 03:45 04:35 05:25 05:50 06:20 06:45 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:30 11:25 11:50 12:15 13:10 14:00 14:50 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:25 17:55

Finding Bigfoot Weird Or What? Dark Matters Mean Green Machines Mighty Ships Da Vinci’s Machines Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Food Factory Food Factory Scanning The Skies Meteorite Men Mega Builders Prototype This Sport Science The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Meteorite Men Mega Builders Prototype This Mean Green Machines Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Weird Or What? The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Sport Science

00:10 00:35 01:25 02:15 03:05 03:55 04:20

Stitch A Kind Of Magic Replacements Emperor’s New School A Kind Of Magic Replacements Replacements

04:45 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:35 09:45 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05

Emperor’s New School A Kind Of Magic Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T Farm Phineas And Ferb Jessie Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mouk Jonas So Random Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Kim Possible Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Austin And Ally Art Attack A.N.T. Farm Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire Shake It Up Austin And Ally Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally Phineas And Ferb A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie That’s So Raven Cory In The House Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie

22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

00:30 Opening Act 01:30 E!es 02:00 Live From The Red Carpet 05:00 E!es 06:00 THS 08:00 E! News 08:55 THS 09:20 Married To Jonas 09:45 Married To Jonas 10:15 THS 12:05 Ice Loves Coco 12:35 Ice Loves Coco 13:05 Giuliana & Bill 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 E!es 16:00 THS 18:00 E! News 19:00 THS 20:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:00 Live From The Red Carpet

00:00 00:50 01:40 02:05 02:30 03:20 04:10 05:00

TNA: Greatest Matches M1 Selection 2010 Dr Danger Dr Danger World Combat League TNA: Greatest Matches M1 Selection 2010 Alli Presents

00:40 01:30 02:20 02:45 03:35 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:30 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 Basics 10:55 11:20 11:45 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:35 Basics 18:00 Basics 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 Feasts 23:25 Feasts

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Andy Bates Street Feasts Unwrapped Iron Chef America Iron Chef America Kid In A Candy Store Unique Sweets Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Iron Chef America Unwrapped Unwrapped Food Network Challenge Kid In A Candy Store Unwrapped Food Crafters Barefoot Contessa - Back To Cooking For Real Easy Chinese Easy Chinese Mexican Made Easy Mexican Made Easy Iron Chef America Symon’s Suppers Unique Sweets Unique Sweets World Cafe Asia Easy Chinese Easy Chinese Food Crafters Chopped Barefoot Contessa - Back To Barefoot Contessa - Back To Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Symon’s Suppers Charly’s Cake Angels Guy’s Big Bite Chopped Chopped Iron Chef America Andy Bates American Street Andy Bates American Street

00:15 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 00:45 Ultimate Traveller 01:40 Walking The World 02:35 Roam 03:00 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 03:30 The Green Way Up 03:55 Graham’s World 04:25 The Frankincense Trail 05:20 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 06:15 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 06:40 Food School 07:10 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 07:35 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 08:05 Ultimate Traveller 09:00 Walking The World 09:55 Roam 10:20 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 10:50 The Green Way Up 11:15 Graham’s World 11:45 The Frankincense Trail 12:40 Ultimate Traveller 13:35 One Man & His Campervan 14:00 Food School 14:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 15:25 Ultimate Traveller 16:20 Walking The World 17:15 Roam 17:40 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 18:10 The Green Way Up 18:35 Geo Sessions 19:05 Reverse Exploration

00:00 Anaconda: Queen Of The Serpent 01:00 Snake Underworld 01:55 Journey Into Amazonia 02:50 Kenny And Zoltan’s Venom Quest 03:45 Asia’s Deadliest Snakes 04:40 World’s Wildest Encounters 05:35 Expedition Wild 06:30 Journey Into Amazonia 07:25 Kenny And Zoltan’s Venom Quest 08:20 Asia’s Deadliest Snakes 09:15 Big Cat Odyssey 10:10 Snow Leopard of Afghanistan 11:05 Crimes Against Nature 12:00 Planet Carnivore 13:00 Kingdom Of The Forest 14:00 Anaconda: Queen Of The Serpent 15:00 Snake Underworld

00:00 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:05 23:30

Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Almost Naked Animals Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies Slugterra Scaredy Squirrel Ultimate Spider-Man Zeke & Luther Kick Buttowski I’m In The Band Rekkit Rabbit Rated A For Awesome Iron Man Armored Adventures American Dragon Kick Buttowski Pair Of Kings Zeke & Luther Rekkit Rabbit I’m In The Band Phineas And Ferb Kickin It Rekkit Rabbit Pair Of Kings Almost Naked Animals Crash & Bernstein Slugterra Kickin It Scaredy Squirrel Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Mr. Young Slugterra Zeke & Luther I’m In The Band Rated A For Awesome Rekkit Rabbit Phineas And Ferb Ultimate Spider-Man Kick Buttowski Scaredy Squirrel

00:15 The Speak-18 02:00 13 Assassins-18 04:15 True Justice: Blood Alley-PG15 06:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 08:00 Reign Of Fire-PG15 09:45 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 12:00 Walled In-PG15 14:00 Reign Of Fire-PG15 16:00 Judge Dredd-PG15 18:00 Walled In-PG15 20:00 RoboCop-PG15

01:00 Larry Crowne-PG15 03:00 Arrietty-FAM 05:00 The Warlords-PG15 07:00 Ceremony-PG15 09:00 Larry Crowne-PG15 11:00 Blackthorn-PG15 13:00 Nothing Like The Holidays-PG15 15:00 Teen Spirit-PG15 17:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer-PG 19:00 Super 8-PG15 21:00 Tyrannosaur-18 23:00 The Best Exotic Marigold HotelPG15

TV listings

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

00:00 Breaking In 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 Family Guy 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Baby Daddy 04:00 Gary Unmarried 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Brothers 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 Hope & Faith 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Gary Unmarried 08:30 Brothers 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 Modern Family 10:30 Hope & Faith 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 12:30 Gary Unmarried 13:00 Brothers 13:30 Hope & Faith 14:00 Baby Daddy 14:30 Modern Family 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Seinfeld 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Malibu Country 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 19:30 Modern Family 20:00 The Cleveland Show 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 06:00 08:00 08:30 12:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 21:00 22:00

Eureka Grimm Scandal Top Gear (UK) Good Morning America Emmerdale Coronation Street Eureka Top Gear (UK) Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Private Practice Once Upon A Time Banshee

01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Scandal Grimm Justified Grimm Emmerdale Coronation Street Alphas Scandal Eureka Emmerdale Coronation Street Alphas Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Once Upon A Time Banshee Justified

06:00 08:00 10:00 PG 12:00 14:00 16:00 PG 18:00

Beware The Gonzo-PG15 Best In Show-PG15 How The Grinch Stole ChristmasSleepless In Seattle-PG Robots-PG How The Grinch Stole ChristmasIt’s Kind Of A Funny Story-PG15

01:00 The Company Men-PG15 03:00 What’s Wrong With VirginiaPG15 05:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15 07:00 Spooky Buddies-PG 09:00 Once Brothers-PG15 10:30 Johnny English Reborn-PG15 12:30 Yogi Bear-FAM 14:00 The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall-PG15 17:00 Once Brothers-PG15 18:45 Captain America: The First Avenger-PG15 21:00 The Ides Of March-PG15 23:00 Final Destination 5-18

01:00 The Ugly Duckling In The Enchanted Forest-FAM 02:45 Toyz Goin’ Wild-PG 04:30 A Monster In Paris-PG 06:00 The Adventures Of Tintin-PG 08:00 Quest For A Heart-FAM 10:00 Jelly T-PG 11:30 The Ugly Duckling In The Enchanted Forest-FAM 13:00 Marco Antonio-PG 14:30 The Adventures Of Tintin-PG 16:30 From The Crib-FAM 18:00 Jelly T-PG 20:00 Battle For Terra-PG

02:00 Trans World Sport 03:00 Super League 05:00 Top 14 07:00 PGA Tour 11:30 HSBC Sevens World Series Highlights 12:00 Super Rugby 14:00 Super Rugby 16:00 ICC Cricket 360 16:30 World Club Challenge 18:30 Futbol Mundial 19:00 PGA Tour Highlights 20:00 Super Rugby 21:00 ICC Cricket 360 21:30 Super League 23:30 Premier League Darts

01:00 01:30 03:30 05:30 06:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 15:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 23:30

Futbol Mundial Super Rugby Super Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Trans World Sport Super League Top 14 Trans World Sport Premier League Darts Dubai World Cup Carnival ICC Cricket 360 Futbol Mundial PGA European Tour Weekly Super Rugby Trans World Sport

00:30 02:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00

Pro 12 Premier League Darts Total Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World Top 14 Highlight

08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

ICC Cricket 360 World Pool Masters World Cup of Pool Pro 12 Trans World Sport Golfing World World Pool Masters World Cup of Pool Trans World Sport Golfing World Pro 12 Top 14 Highlight Futbol Mundial World Pool Masters World Cup of Pool

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NHL UFC 157 WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience Ping Pong World Championships US Bass Fishing NHL UAE National Race Day Series WWE NXT WWE SmackDown Ping Pong World Championships US Bass Fishing UFC TUF UFC 157 Prelims UFC 157

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Our Mother’s House-PG Forbidden Planet-FAM Friendly Persuasion-FAM Green Mansions-FAM The V.I.P.S-FAM Blackboard Jungle-PG The Great Lie-U

00:00 Reginald D Hunter Live-18 02:00 The Waterboy-PG15 04:00 Sleepless In Seattle-PG

REIGN OF FIRE ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

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Mister Buddwing-PG Lone Star-FAM The Sandpiper-PG A Patch Of Blue-PG Ice Station Zebra-FAM Something Of Value-PG

00:00 00:30 01:00 Kong 01:30 01:45 02:00 Kong 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

World Report World Sport CNN Newsroom Live From Hong

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Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Duck Dodgers Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Dastardly And Muttley Popeye Wacky Races Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones The Jetsons What’s New Scooby Doo? Taz-Mania The Looney Tunes Show Tom & Jerry Tales Dexter’s Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Jelly Jamm Ha Ha Hairies Baby Looney Tunes Lazy Town Krypto The Superdog Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Bananas In Pyjamas Ha Ha Hairies Lazy Town Krypto The Superdog Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Krypto The Superdog Lazy Town A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Tom And Jerry Tales Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries Johnny Bravo Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries Tom And Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Moomins Pink Panther & Pals The Garfield Show Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries Tom And Jerry Tales Moomins Dexters Laboratory Johnny Bravo Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries

Winning Post The Gateway CNN Newsroom Live From Hong World Report World Sport Backstory Talk Asia Fareed Zakaria GPS CNN Newsroom Sanjay Gupta MD News Special World Sport Inside Africa World Report World Report World Sport News Special World Business Today Backstory African Voices World One Fareed Zakaria GPS News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport African Voices International Desk Quest Means Business Amanpour CNN Newscenter

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Chowder Bakugan Battle Brawlers Bakugan Battle Brawlers Foster’s Home For... Foster’s Home For... Courage The Cowardly Dog The Amazing World Of Gumball Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Adventure Time The Powerpuff Girls Generator Rex Ben 10 Ben 10 Angelo Rules Casper’s Scare School Casper’s Scare School Mucha Lucha Johnny Test Adventure Time Total Drama World Tour Total Drama World Tour Ben 10: Omniverse Young Justice Thundercats Regular Show The Amazing World Of Gumball Foster’s Home For... Foster’s Home For... Courage The Cowardly Dog Powerpuff Girls Angelo Rules Batman: The Brave And The Bold Young Justice Ben 10: Omniverse Transformers Prime Johnny Test Level Up The Amazing World Of Gumball Adventure Time Regular Show Mucha Lucha Total Drama World Tour Total Drama World Tour Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Hero 108

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Kidnap And Rescue I Faked My Own Death Disappeared Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? True Crime With Aphrodite Jones Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives True Crime With Aphrodite Jones Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? Murder Shift Disappeared Forensic Detectives Street Patrol True Crime With Aphrodite Jones Stalked: Someone’s Watching Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Fatal Encounters Ghost Lab

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Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Ancient Aliens Mountain Men Grave Trade Miracle Rising: South Africa Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Storage Wars Mud Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Grave Trade Mountain Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Mud Men

03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 East 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 Resto 16:00 Salva 17:00 Men 18:00 Alien 19:00 19:30

W h a t ’s o n MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Greetings

any, many happy returns of the day to Shaikh Mohammed Parvez. Best wishes from father Shaikh Anwar Basha, mother Sajida Begum, Brother Ashraf, Ayaan, sister Faiz Uncle Shaikh Aslam Basha, Omar (Haji), aunty Tabasum Begum and grandfather Mohd, Khasim, Chan Basha grandmother Khatunbee, Nasirun and Khader Basha, Abida, Arshad, Asif, Munawar Basha, Famida, Mubashir, Thamanna, Mohd Rafi, Ayesha, Anisa, Anas and near and dear ones from Kuwait and India.

Al-Mulla Exchange brings Sanath Jayasuriya to Kuwait

orld famous Cricket sensation Sanath Jayasuriya will be visiting Kuwait on Feb 28, 2013 on an invitation from Al-Mulla International Exchange Company. This initiative of bringing Jayasuriya to Kuwait is undertaken by AlMulla Exchange as part of their customer engagement programs. The master swashbuckler is currently MP in Sri Lankan Parliament and also presently the Chairman of the Sri Lankan Cricket Selection Committee. Al-Mulla Exchange has made investments in modern technology and thus enabling Server to Server facilities where credit is made to the account of the beneficiary in Sri Lanka within 3 seconds in a completed secured manner. Al-Mulla Exchange has always been in the forefront to also organize many events free for their customers. It has thus been a story of most efficient services at most attractive rates and freebies like events, loyalty points, free insurance and attractive promotions to name a few. Sanath Jayasuriya will also be inaugurating Al-Mulla Exchange Jleeb branch on March 1. First 100 customers would be rewarded with free T-shirts signed by none other than Jayasuriya. Al-Mulla Exchange is also organizing a lunch where 25 lucky customers would get the opportunity to have lunch alongside Jayasuriya.

Fairytales come alive at Bhavans Annual Day

he much-awaited occasion, in the agenda of any school is undoubtedly the Annual Day. Scripts to be written, the cast to be selected, recordings to be done, costumes to be stitched, props to be done, the entire school is agog with excitement. Children and teachers are on their feet, trying to come up with their best, the creative juices flowing all around. Not to be left behind are the prize winners, who reap the rewards of their hard work through the entire year. Everyone doing their bit, the whole unit working as one, with one mission - a spectacular show, and that was what it was. IES, Bhavans completed six glorious years In Kuwait, with each passing year gaining a new height. This year’s Annual Day celebration added a new feather in its cap as technology prevailed and the whole presentation got a new facelift with the digital backdrop instead of regular background curtains. Only schools with talent and qualified personnel can venture into this sort of technique and produce a motion picture effect on the stage. The theme for the Annual day for the Primary was fairytales which is obvious from the title “Once upon a time.” As Albert Einstein said it once “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairytales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairytales.” The proceedings of the day began with the recitation of the verses from the Holy Quran followed by Lighting of the Ceremonious Lamp by the Chief Guest, P N Santhanagopal, Joint Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, India, Guest of Honour, Kalyani Mukherjee Principal Kuwait Indian School, Krishnadas Menon, Director, Bhavans Kuwait, N K Ramachandran Menon, Chairman, Bhavans, Middle East and Madame Sudha Ramachandran. The privilege to extend a warm welcome to the chief guest for the day was vested on

the Junior Head Boy, Master Daniel Thomas and Junior Head Girl Sana Nazim Parkar. Principal T Premkumar made a humble beginning by a warm and heartfelt welcome speech. The Vice Principal Lalitha Premkumar presented the Annual school report tracing the progress made in the last few years and said that during these years of existence, the school has taken long strides and has made commendable progress. The Bhavan’s shimmering success ranging from 100 percent results in the board exams to earning numerous awards and gold medals in countless international assessments were highlighted. Lalitha Premkumar recounted the various initiatives that the school has initiated for the upliftment of the standard of academics and extracurricular activities. A briefing on the CBSE-i curriculum at Bhavans and it success story was enumerated during the report reading. Then there was a surprising documentary video created and produced by BVB Kuwait to commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of the founding father of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which received thunderous applause from the capacity crowd that assembled at IES. The allrounder of each class from grade 1 to 4 was presented with a glittering medal by the Chief Guest. The Chief Guest, the veteran educationalist and one of the key policy makers of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan P N Santhanagopal echoed his concern about the present generation. He said that the idea of education is to unsettle the minds of the young and inflame their intellects. It is the duty of the teacher to create thoughtful citizens, to help children to gain self esteem and confidence. The teacher is just a facilitator and helps the students to learn how to learn. The cultural fiesta began as the compeers of the day held the audience spellbound by their confidence and flawless per-

formance. The cute kids of grade1 showed how important it is to maintain the balance of nature and to protect the animals through the depiction of “Jungle book”. The children dressed up as Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera showed how the animals took care of the abandoned child, looked after him and brought him back to his people .The play was a gentle reminder to mankind that we cannot survive without animals. The budding artists enthralled the audience by their talent and set the evening rolling. “The Shoemaker and the Elves,” a play presented by the students of 2nd std based on the well read story by the same name brought back the theme of the generosity of the poor and how the world depends on the goodness of the good people. A French dance by the students of class 3 and 4 was applauded by one and all as a scintillating performance. The students of class 3 and 4 recited the poem “Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe in such unison that the stage reverberated with vociferous applause. An inspirational song in Hindi “Lab pe aati hai dua” by the famous poet Iqbal mesmerised the audience .The children dolled up as lively dancers from the land of camels and sand dunes presented a graceful Arabic dance. “The great lesson of the play ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ that a thing must be loved before it is lovable.” was echoed well by the students of class 3. The audience was taken to the incredible journey along the yellow brick road with Dorothy, Toto and other characters form the play the Wizard of Oz presented by Class 4 students. Grand Finale was something to be cherished for long where the characters from all the plays joined hands together and reiterated the importance of the habit of reading among children. The curtain was drawn after the vote of thanks by Rupali Sharma and the singing of the Indian National Anthem.

W h a t ’s o n MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Embassy Information

GUST MBA students complete course at Florida International University

he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) MBA class successfully completed the Real Estate/International Marketingclass (MRKT 595) at Florida International University (FIU) Graduate School which covered the core principles of Real Estate and International Marketing. Through this course, the 23 GUST graduate students were introduced to the principles and latest trends in Real Estate and achieved a higher level of education. They also were given techniques to understand the current real estate arena as a whole and develop a clear understanding of various industries. Participants received a certificate of completion to enhance their resumes. According to Issam Moghrabi, Director of the MBA and Director of the Course Abroad Program, “GUST is committed to graduating globally competent leaders, which means supplying them — through on-campus and study abroad instruction — with the knowledge and skills they will need to thrive

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EMBASSY OF CANADA he Embassyof Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca†or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00†until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

T in tomorrow’s increasingly interconnected economy. Students get to take courses they can’t take here, earn credits, travel, mix with different cultures, and grab a flavor of the professional world.”

FAIPS celebrates Sports Extravaganza

he spirit of youth reached for the sky, perched atop the wings of the pigeons, on February 4, 2013 at KOC Stadium, Ahmadi as FAIPSDPS Sports fiesta opened in a grand manner. Organised for the students of 6,7 & 8 grades, the mega event was attended by supportive parents, teachers and students. After the rendition of Kuwait and Indian National Anthems ,the event, graced by the Chief Guest Mohammed Al-Shuaibi, CEO, Al-Rayan Holding Company and the Guest of Honour, Hemant Agarwal, Chief Finance Officer of Al-Rayan Holding Company declared the meet open and released multi coloured balloons merging with the azure February sky. The participating students of grades 6,7 & 8 put up colourful displays. Taekwondo performance, a combination of Martial arts and sport by grade 6 students was appreciated by the audience. A spectacular Gymnastics display by the 6,7 & 8th graders showcasing flexibility and balance enthralled everyone immensely. This was fol-

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com. ■■■■■■■

lowed by a March Past parade by the four houses viz Faith, Harmony, Peace and Truth in which the Faith House was adjudged the Best for its display. Other sporting events included Flat race, Relay race, Cycling etc. It was an exhibition of strength, stam-

ina and speed. The young athletes embracing the Olympian motto, “The most important thing is not to win but to take part!” participated enthusiastically. The Principal, Anju Dheman highlighted the importance of sports in one’s life, stressing on the

concept of ‘Health is Wealth’. She praised the efforts of teachers and the P.E. Department for the well conducted Sports Day. Certificates and medals were awarded to the winners. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Vice-Principal Ravi.

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com. ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk.

Health MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Needling away chronic pain Acupuncture an effective pain reliever MASSACHUSETTS: When you’re hurting, you might not necessarily think of getting relief from a needle stick-let alone several needle sticks. Yet research is finding that acupuncture-the traditional Chinese medicine practice of placing needles into the skin at strategic points throughout the body-is an effective way to ease some types of chronic pain. “There are a lot of data showing that acupuncture is effective at reducing pain in many chronic conditions, such as back pain, neck pain, headache, and even fibromyalgia,” says Dr. Lucy Chen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and attending physician in the department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. A study published online last October in Archives of Internal Medicine reviewed 29 high-quality studies that included nearly 18,000 patients. Researchers found acupuncture more effective at relieving pain from osteoarthritis, chronic headaches, and shoulder, neck, and back aches than either sham acupuncture (needles that do not pierce the skin or are inserted in nontherapeutic points on the body) or no treatment. “In acupuncture theory, it is believed that human health is maintained by an inner balance between yin and yang, between several organ systems, and in the qi [pronounced “chee”] flow, which is the energy flow. Any imbalance of the yin

and yang system can disrupt or block the flow of qi and lead to a state of disease or pain. It’s a completely different theory than Western medicine,” Dr. Chen says. During a treatment session, the acupuncturist places very thin needles at various points on your body. These points, which correspond to different aspects of your health, run along pathways called meridians. Inserting needles into these points is believed to correct imbalances in qi, which runs through the meridians. How exactly acupuncture relieves pain isn’t known, but its effect may stem from several different mechanisms, including the release of chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), the body’s natural opioid pain relievers, and hormones, according to Dr. Chen. It’s also possible that a placebo effect is responsible for at least some of the pain relief participants have noted in acupuncture studies. In other words, you feel better because you expect to have that result from the treatment. This effect is illustrated by a large German study that found that both real and sham acupuncture relieved low back pain. Regardless of how or why it occurs, acupuncture does appear to reduce pain when compared with no treatment or conventional treatments (such as medicine, physical therapy, and exercise). It can also improve function and well-being in people with chronic pain, Dr. Chen

says. Plus, acupuncture offers some advantages over drugs and other pain treatments-particularly in that it carries a very low risk of side effects. The disadvantage to acupuncture is its cost, which can range from $65 to $125 per session and isn’t generally covered by insurance. What’s more, you’ll need to keep returning for treatments to maintain pain control. “Acupuncture is not a one-time treatment that will cure you forever,” Dr. Chen says. “If you stop the treatment, the effect will slowly go away.” Before you try acupuncture, see your doctor, who can evaluate the source of your pain. “You definitely need to have a physician see you first to make a correct diagnosis,” Dr. Chen says. “Then you can talk with the physician about your treatment options and see if acupuncture is an option for you.” Although acupuncture is generally safe, in rare cases there can be serious side effects, such as infection or organ puncture, especially if you’re in the hands of an untrained practitioner. Before visiting any acupuncturist, check to see that the person is licensed in your state. You can also look for a practitioner who has a diploma from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, which is required for licensure in many states. Some acupuncturists are also medical doctors, which you may prefer. —MCT

Weight loss for better sleep WASHINGTON: More proof that dropping pounds can improve health. If you’re overweight, particularly around the middle, you may sleep better if you drop a few pounds. A recent study presented at an American Heart Association meeting found that losing weight, especially in your belly, improves the quality of sleep for overweight and obese people. Researchers found that people who spent six months following either a combined diet and exercise program or a diet program alone lost an average of 15 pounds, with 15% of it in their bellies. Both groups also experienced improved sleep quality. Excess body weight, especially in the neck, increases the likelihood of developing obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your airway becomes blocked, either completely or partially, while you sleep. It causes you to wake frequently, putting you at risk for a number of other conditions including stroke and high blood pressure. “So one possibility with the study results is that weight loss reduced sleep apnea and improved sleep quality,” says sleep expert Dr. Lawrence Epstein, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Another possibility is linked to diabetes. “Weight loss improves blood glucose control and reduces the chance you might get diabetes. Diabetes is a risk factor for restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorders. So weight reduction might also reduce the frequency of those sleep disorders, which also improves sleep quality,” says Dr. Epstein. We don’t yet know why losing belly fat in particular is associated with improved sleep. We do know, however, that certain belly fat, called visceral fat, is associated with heart disease, dementia, breast and colon cancers, and asthma. So losing weight in the belly would seem a logical way to

improve not only sleep but also overall health. Unfortunately, losing only belly fat isn’t possible. “Where you lose weight is partly determined by genetics,” says Dr. I-Min Lee, an epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and an expert on physical activity’s role in promoting health and preventing chronic disease. “Generally, if you lose weight, some of this will occur in belly fat. You just can’t predict how much.”

YANGON: Myanmar men carry chickens as they come back from a bazaar in Yangon yesterday. A state-run media on Saturday carried a reminder urging the public to be careful and to take measures to prevent bird flu outbreak during this season when migratory birds come to Myanmar as there are some outbreaks in neighboring countries, after an announcement by the livestock ministry. —AP

AMRITSAR: An Indian Sikh boy receives polio vaccination drops from a medical volunteer during an immunisation drive outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar yesterday. The number of polio cases worldwide reached a record low in 2012, giving experts confidence that the disease can finally be eradicated, according to presentations made November 2012 at a major US conference. —AFP

Social engagement enhances health HARVARD: A rich web of human relationships enhances your health and stimulates your mind and memory. Most health-conscious men know their blood pressure and cholesterol. But can you recite your Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) score? (Take the brief test below to find out what yours is.) The score reflects your level of “social engagement,” or the richness of your social network-including close friends and family. How connected you are to other people can be as important to healthy aging as not smoking or maintaining a good weight. Social engagement may also help to preserve your memory. “For helping to prevent memory loss, social engagement is very important,” says Dr. Suzanne E. Salamon, associate chief for clinical geriatrics at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “Talking and interacting with people takes energy and makes you work harder, which stimulates your brain.” Add the number of points indicated for each answer: FAMILY: The people to whom you are related by birth, marriage, adoption, etc. 1. How many relatives do you see or hear from at least once a month? 2. How many relatives do you feel enough at ease with that you can talk about private matters? 3. How many relatives do you feel close to such that you could call on them for help? FRIENDSHIPS: All of your friends, including those in your neighborhood. 4. How many of your friends do you see or hear from at least once a month? 5. How many friends do you feel at ease with that you can talk to about private matters? 6. How many friends do you feel close to such that you could call on them for help? If your combined score for all six questions is 12 or lower, you may be socially isolated. Dangers of isolation Research shows that socially isolated older adults are at greater risk of sickness, disability, and even premature death. One of the most telling signs of isolation is not having someone you can turn to for help during a crisis-for example, someone to help with shopping or get you to medical appointments during an illness. “You need to have a web of family and friends to be responsive to your needs,” says James Lubben, developer of the LSNS and director of the Institute on Aging at Boston College. Researchers use various versions of the LSNS to conduct studies of the health impacts of social isolation. But you don’t have to be sick to benefit from social ties. Socially engaged people are less likely to decline mentally. “So far nothing has been found to prevent dementia except exercise and social engagement,” Dr. Salamon says. The connection between brain health and social engagement isn’t entirely clear yet. “I don’t think we’ve teased out yet what comes first-the social isolation or the dementia,” Dr. Salamon says. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, progresses slowly, possibly over decades, before it’s noticeable. During this “pre-Alzheimer’s” phase, do people withdraw from social life because of the disease? If so, it might be that social withdrawal is a symptom of dementia, not a cause of it. —MCT

health & science MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

ACCOMMODATION

Al-Madena Al-Shohada’a Al-Shuwaikh Al-Nuzha Sabhan Al-Helaly Al-Fayhaa Al-Farwaniya Al-Sulaibikhat Al-Fahaheel Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Ahmadi Al-Mangaf Al-Shuaiba Al-Jahra Al-Salmiya

22418714 22545171 24810598 22545171 24742838 22434853 22545051 24711433 24316983 23927002 24316983 23980088 23711183 23262845 25610011 25616368

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

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Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Sharing accommodation available in a 2 bedroom, 2 toilets, CA/C, new building in Farwaniya for Indians only for Mumbai, Goa or Delhi from 25th of Feb. 2013 for single lady/executive bachelors. Contact: 66625901. (C 4327) 23-2-2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, Abul Hasansa Duli, holder of Indian Passport No G3925520, issued at Kuwait, on 13.11.2007 permanent resident of 3 81A, Middle Street, SP Pattanam P.O. Ramnad Dist, Tamil Nadu and presently working at Sharq-Kuwait, do hereby change my name to ABUL HASAN with immediate eﬀect. (C 4328) 25-2-2013 MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for a Marthomite boy, age 29 years/182cms graduate born and bought up in Kuwait, currently working in Kuwait for American Drilling Company as a Logistic Controller. Invites proposal from God fearing well educated/employed girls. Email:

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Industrial Shuwaikh

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Ayoun Al-Kibla

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Mirqab

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Sharq

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Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

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Bayan

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Financially sound Ex. NRI Orthodox parents invites proposal for their daughter 29/152, ME+MBA, from parents of God fearing professionals with good family backgrounds. Email: gracegeevar@gmail.com (C 4325) 20-2-2013 Proposals invited from parents of Urdu speaking Indian girl - from Karnataka for a boy aged 26 years old/ 5.9ft, working in Kuwait. Interested please contact: kasim@clicq8.com (C 4321) 19-2-2013

Kuwait

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SHARQIA-1 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) NO TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

SHARQIA-2 THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) THE SHOCK LABYRINTH SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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SHARQIA-3 FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) MAMA (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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MUHALAB-1 BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) JABARDASTH (DIG) (TELUGU) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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MUHALAB-2 FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG)

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (21/02/2013 TO 27/02/2013) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) NO TUE+WED

NO TUE+WED

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MUHALAB-3 SNITCH (DIG) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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FANAR-1 SNITCH (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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FANAR-2 MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) MAMA (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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MARINA-1 6 BULLETS (DIG) MAMA (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) MAMA (DIG) 6 BULLETS (DIG) NO TUE+WED MARINA-2 A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG)

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MARINA-3 THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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AVENUES-1 FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (DIG) SAVE YOUR LEGS! (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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AVENUES-2 MAMA (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

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360 º- 1 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO TUE+WED

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360 º- 2 BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG) BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (DIG)

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information MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers use seats Airlines JAI PIA THY JZR JZR QTR ETH QTR GFA UAE ETD AFG FDB MSR QTR DHX THY JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA FDB KAC JZR MSC IRC MPH MEA KNE MSR UAE KAC FDB KAC KNE SVA KAC QTR FDB JZR KAC JZR QTR OMA JZR KAC UAE ETD FDB RJA GFA SVA JZR QTR ABY UAL KAC JZR

Arrival Flights on Monday 25/2/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 205 LAHORE 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 6130 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 416 JEDDAH 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 855 DUBAI 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 352 COCHIN 213 BAHRAIN 8055 DUBAI 344 CHENNAI 165 DUBAI 403 ASSIUT 6521 LAMERD 97 AMSTERDAM 404 BEIRUT 482 TAIF 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 57 DUBAI 672 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 140 DOHA 8055 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA 645 MUSCAT 535 CAIRO 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 303 ABU DHABI 8063 DUBAI 640 AMMAN 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 777 JEDDAH 144 DOHA 127 SHARJAH 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 542 CAIRO 177 DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:15 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:45 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:45 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:55 8:40 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:15 10:40 11:20 11:30 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:00 12:45 12:50 12:55 13:50 14:10 14:15 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:50 14:50 14:55 15:05 15:30 15:40 16:25 16:35 16:40 16:50 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15

KAC FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSR ABY MSC ALK QTR MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR DHX FDB JZR AIC TAR JZR GFA PIA JZR UAL BBC DLH

786 63 405 618 742 104 674 774 647 61 572 389 618 129 401 229 146 402 136 221 307 859 135 372 59 175 975 327 239 217 205 185 981 43 636

JEDDAH DUBAI SOHAG DOHA DAMMAM LONDON DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI MANGALORE ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO DOHA BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI CHENNAI TUNIS AMMAN BAHRAIN LAHORE DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA FRANKFURT

Airlines AIC KAC JAI UAL DLH PIA ETH THY QTR FDB UAE ETD AFG MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR JZR KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD

Departure Flights on Monday 25/2/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 283 DHAKA 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWAR 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 6131 DOHA 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 416 JEDDAH 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 560 SOHAG 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI

18:30 18:45 19:15 19:20 19:30 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 22:00 22:00 22:00 22:30 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:25 23:45 23:55

Time 0:05 0:10 1:05 1:10 1:20 1:35 2:45 2:55 3:15 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:00 4:10 4:50 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:35 7:45 8:15 8:25 8:45 9:05 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:45 9:55 10:00 10:05

QTR GFA FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC MSC IRC MEA KAC MPH KNE MSR JZR UAE FDB KAC KNE FDB SVA KAC QTR KAC KAC OMA JZR JZR FDB ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA GFA JZR SVA ABY JZR QTR JZR UAL FDB MSC FDB OMA KAC KAC KAC JAI ABY MSR MSC DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC FDB UAE DHX KAC QTR JZR TAR GFA KAC

133 214 8056 541 165 776 103 406 6522 405 785 97 483 611 176 872 58 673 473 8058 501 617 141 773 741 646 174 238 8064 304 538 135 858 641 216 184 511 128 266 145 134 982 64 404 62 648 331 361 351 571 120 619 402 171 230 403 308 137 222 301 60 860 373 205 147 502 328 218 411

DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO ROME JEDDAH LONDON SOHAG LAMERD BEIRUT JEDDAH AL MAKTOUM TAIF CAIRO DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM MUSCAT DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ASSIUT DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO KOCHI MUMBAI SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DOHA LUXOR DUBAI BAHRAIN BANGKOK

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

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stars

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Word Search

Yesterdayʼs Solution

C R O S S W O R D 1 1 1

ACROSS 1. Relating to only part of a whole. 5. A fee paid for instruction (especially for higher education). 12. Not reflecting light. 15. (Greek mythology) God of love. 16. The slender spear of the Bantu-speaking people of Africa. 17. Gone by. 18. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 19. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else. 21. Type genus of the Aceraceae. 22. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 24. Toward the mouth or oral region. 25. An extreme state of adversity. 27. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae. 30. Tag the base runner to get him out. 32. The exclusive right of a country to control the air traffic within its borders. 37. Any plant of the genus Caragana having even-pinnate leaves and mostly yellow flowers followed by seeds in a linear pod. 42. A drug (trade names Atarax and Vistaril) used as a tranquilizer to treat anxiety and motion sickness. 43. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. 44. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples. 46. A bluish-white lustrous metallic element. 47. A folded part (as a fold of skin or muscle). 49. A low triangular area where a river divides before entering a larger body of water. 51. Towards the side away from the wind. 52. Animal food for browsing or grazing. 53. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 54. Excessively fat. 56. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people. 59. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 60. Any of a group of antidepressant drugs that inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase in the brain and so allow monoamines to accumulate. 63. System of measurement based on centimeters and grams and seconds. 65. Large scissors with strong blades. 68. A woman's shoe with a very high thick sole. 73. High quality grape brandy distilled in the Cognac district of France. 75. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine. 76. A shape that sags. 77. Leisure time away from work. 80. A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch. 81. The bureau of the Treasury Department responsible for tax collections. 82. Generalized edema with accumulation of serum in subcutaneous connective tissue. 83. The fatty flesh of eel.

4. The wife or widow of a czar. 5. A hard gray lustrous metallic element that is highly corrosion-resistant. 6. North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. 7. (Old Testament) The second patriarch. 8. An alloy of copper and zinc (and sometimes arsenic) used to imitate gold in cheap jewelry and for gilding. 9. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins. 10. An island of central Hawaii (between Molokai and Kauai). 11. A hard malleable ductile silvery metallic element that is resistant to corrosion. 12. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion. 13. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey). 14. Scottish chemist noted for his research into the structure of nucleic acids (born in 1907). 20. A parenteral cephalosporin (trade names Fortaz and Tazicef) used to treat moderate infections. 23. A soft silver-white ductile metallic element (liquid at normal temperatures). 26. A motley assortment of things. 28. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 29. Botfly larva. 31. The cry made by sheep. 33. A small cake leavened with yeast. 34. (botany) Of some seeds. 35. God of wisdom or prophesy. 36. Go beyond. 38. Muslim name for God. 39. An Indian side dish of yogurt and chopped cucumbers and spices. 40. A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin nicotinic acid. 41. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer. 45. A thrusting blow with a knife. 48. Alligator-like reptile of Central and South America having a more heavily armored belly. 50. Small South American marmoset with silky fur and long nonprehensile tail. 55. An oil port in southern Iraq. 57. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively. 58. A permanent council of the United Nations. 61. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given orally. 62. An Oscan-speaking member of an ancient people of Campania. 64. A physician who is not a specialist but treats all illnesses. 66. Showing characteristics of age, especially having gray or white hair. 67. Oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food. 69. Dense growth of hairs covering the body or parts of it (as on the human head). 70. A language unit by which a person or thing is known. 71. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. 72. The activity of persuading someone to buy. 74. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes. 78. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light. 79. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group.

Yesterdayʼs Solution

DOWN 1. Large dark brown North American arboreal carnivorous mammal. 2. Any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts. 3. Dressed or clothed especially in fine attire.

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

sports

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Daytona Speedway crash injures 28 fans Crash sent driver Larson’s car airborne FLORIDA: A pile-up at the Daytona speedway on Saturday injured at least 28 fans after a 10-car crash sent car debris, including a tire, flying into the crowd in the final lap of the Nationwide NASCAR race. Race officials said 14 fans were sent to nearby hospitals and another 14 were treated at the Florida track, which will host the prestigious Daytona 500 race yesterday. “Stuff was flying everywhere,” spectator Terry Huckaby, whose brother was sent to the hospital with a leg injury, told the ESPN sports network. “Tires were flying by and smoke and everything else.” Among the injured were a 14-year-old boy in critical but stable condition, and a man who was in surgery for a life-threatening head injury, according to ESPN.com. Joie Chitwood, president of the Daytona International Speedway, said Sunday’s main race would go ahead despite the incident as crews were repairing the track and the grandstand. “First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with our race fans,” Chitwood said. “Following the incident, we responded appropriately according to our safety protocols and had emergency medical personnel at the incident immediately.” Tony Stewart won the race at Saturday’s event, which is the curtain-raiser for American stock car racing’s biggest event on Sunday which will feature Danica Patrick as the first woman to start on pole position. Saturday’s wreck happened after driver Regan Smith, who was leading the race,

attempted to block another driver as they were nearing the checkered flag and hit the other car, a report on NASCAR.com said. “My fault,” Smith, who finished 14th, told NASCAR.com. “I threw a block. I’ll take the blame for it. But when you see the checkered flag at Daytona, you’re going to block, and you’re going to do everything

The crash sent driver Kyle Larson’s car airborne and ripped out its engine, although he climbed out of the wreckage afterward unhurt. “I was getting pushed from behind, it felt like,” Larson told ESPN after the crash. “By the time my spotter said, ‘Lift,’ or to go low, I believe, it was too late and I was in

DAYTONA BEACH: Nationwide Series President Scott O’Donnell holds a news conference prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway yesterday in Daytona Beach, Florida. — AFP you can to be the first car back to the stripe. It just didn’t work out today. Just hoping everything is okay, everyone who was in the wreck and all the fans.”

the wreck. Then I felt like it was slowing down, and it looked like I could see the ground, and had some flames in the cockpit. Luckily, I was all right and could get out

Real Betalbatim

of the car quick,” he added. The injured were carried away on stretchers from the chaotic scene in the stands. They were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center and Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach. NASCAR’s vice president of race operations, Steve O’Donnell, said that the fencing, which was ripped through by the flying debris, was being replaced and the incident would be reviewed. “We’re very confident that we’ll be ready for tomorrow’s event with the 55th running of the Daytona, but as with any of these incidents, we’ll conduct a thorough review, we’ll work closely with the tracks as we do for all our events, learn what we can and see what we can apply in the future,” he said. It is rare that spectators get hurt in American racing, but it has happened before. In 2009, Carl Edwards’s car slammed into the catch fencing at Talladega and injured nine fans. Three were killed in Charlotte, North Carolina, a decade earlier in the IndyCar Series, and three others were killed in 1998 in Michigan during CART’s U.S. 500. Driver Michael Annett of the Richard Petty Motorsports team was treated at the Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for bruises to his chest and sternum received in a crash on the 116th lap of the 120-lap race. He was given a CT scan and was being kept in for observation, the team said in a statement.— Reuters

Kerala Challengers

Kerala Challengers, Betalbatim in finals G.O.A Rolling Trophy KUWAIT: Real Betalbatim made it to their first ever major final when they upset United Friends Club 2-0, while in an earlier match Kerala Challengers subdued a strong AVC Sports & Cultural Association 1-0 in the semi finals of the 19th edition of the ongoing G.O.A Rolling Trophy organized by Goan Overseas Association (Goa Maroons) and played at the MOH Grounds in Shuwaikh on 15th February 2013 under the auspices of Kuwait Indian Football Federation. On a cold morning in a chaotic semi-final, with tampers flying high, and where referee Pascoal had to give marching orders to one players from either side, Kerala challengers scored in the 14th minute of the first half

when Fajillu Maveli’s feeble attempt in a goalmouth melee saw the ball rolling in the AVC goal with goalkeeper Alvaro caught off guard and his defenders flatfooted. The second half saw AVC make a number of attempts with Savio, Anthony and Sydney coming close to scoring, but the strong Kerala defence led by Sumesh Valappil and Arun Appukuttan ensured the scored remained 1-0 in their favour. Kerala Challengers also won a few fans when they came back on the field to play out the last five minutes of the game when the referee had accidentally ended the match five minutes before time. The match was officiated by Pascoal and

he was assisted by Sharma and Tiago on the lines. In the second semi-final title favourites United Friends Club suffered a shock defeat when Real Betalbatim fielding a couple of extremely talented youngsters and led by their crafty and experienced defender Theodore Pinto plummeted them into submission 0-2. Real Betalbatim playing tidy soccer with Denzil, Bradley, and Assemcao feeding off each other, scored the first goal in the 10th minute when a UFC defender handled the ball in the penalty area and Bradley Rogtao coolly slotted past a diving Martin Dias in the UFC goal. In the second half, although Jamnas and Hemanth of UFC made a couple of attempts, the Real Betalbatim

defence held firm with their keeper pulling of a couple of excellent saves. The second goal that virtually killed off the UFC challenge came in the 15th minute of the second half when an attempt by a Real Betalbatim forward deflected off defender Teotonio into the UFC goal. The referee had to caution as many as six players, three from either side to keep the game from getting out of control. The match was officiated by Julio Cardoso and he was assisted by Sharma and Tiago in the lines. The final of this prestigious tournament now into its 19th edition between Kerala Challengers and Real Betalbatim will be played on 8th March 2012 at 8:45am.

SPORTS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Maze clinch overall title Super-combined race

SOFIA: This picture taken on on February 23, 2013 shows Bulgaria’s gymnast Jordan Jovtchev performing on the rings at the Arena Armeec hall in Sofia. Bulgaria’s recordbreaking Olympic gymnast Jordan Jovtchev mounted the rings for the last time in Sofia on Saturday on the eve of the silver-haired athlete’s 40th birthday. — AFP

Bulgaria’s record-breaker gymnast Jordan bows out SOFIA: Bulgaria’s record-breaking Olympic gymnast Jordan Jovtchev mounted the rings for the last time in Sofia on Saturday on the eve of the silver-haired athlete’s 40th birthday. At London 2012 Jovtchev became the first male gymnast to compete at six Games - and he heads into retirement with three bronze and one silver medal, and a further 22 world and european championship medals. Jovtchev made his Olympic debut at the age of 19 in Barcelona in 1992 but it took another eight years before he won his first two Olympic bronzes on rings and floor at the age of 27 in Sydney in 2000. Four years later he took silver on rings and a bronze on floor in Athens in 2004. The curtain came down on his long and decorated career at a grand farewell in front of 12,500 fans that raised money for developing childrens’ gymnastics. The hour-and-a-half spectacle called “My Way” blended gymnastics, dance and live music to trace back Jovtchev’s medalstudded career from the time he first entered the gym as a boy to his last appearance in London. A visibly moved Jovtchev, who turns 40 yesterday, told AFP: “This show is my big “Thank you!” to you, the people who backed me all these years... “Medals bring joy but my biggest joy has always been the feeling that people love me.” Blowing kisses and bowing to fans chanting his name he added: “I have always though about my sports career as a road on which I stride, as far as I can. “I worked hard, I had faith that I could do it and, I don’t know, maybe I had some talent that helped me succeed.” Perceived by Bulgarians as their biggest modern-day gymnastics star, he said he never though of himself in this way. “The greatest what? No, no. Bulgaria has its Olympic champions in gymnastics, several of them, I am not one,” he said, his face darkening at the memory of the Athens Games, when he narrowly missed out on the rings gold to Greece’s local favourite Dimosthenis Tampakos. —AFP

MERIBEL: Tina Maze of Slovenia clinched the overall World Cup title with nine races left by winning a super-combined race yesterday for her eighth victory of the season. Leading from the downhill section, Maze coasted home in the slalom after rival Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out of contention. She also tied the single-season record for most podiums with her 18th of the season, matching the record previously held by Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden and Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein. “I’m an emotional person, I didn’t want to cry (on the podium),” Maze said, adding that she felt sick before the slalom. “I went to the toilet six times before I started.” It’s the first overall World Cup title for Maze, who already has 1,844 points and looks all but certain to smash the all-time single-season record of 2,000 held by former Austrian great Hermann Maier on the men’s side. “It’s really special, because it’s so difficult to win. For me it’s special to continue this level of skiing,” Maze said. “To be on the top is amazing. It’s a great season for me. Even if there have been ups and downs I have always come back.” Hoefl-Riesch is second in the overall standings but is 958 points behind and has no chance of closing the gap. Each victory is worth 100 points. Lindsey Vonn, the American four-time overall winner and defending champion, fell out of contention after she was forced to take a month-long break because of an intestinal illness and then suffered a season-ending knee injury at the world championships. Vonn is still third overall with 740 points. “I’m really tired now, especially after a long day like today,” the 29-year-old Maze said. “Today was so tough, I didn’t know where I was, I almost went off the course twice. But I just managed to catch the gates. It’s crazy.” Nicole Hosp of Austria, the world championship bronze medalist in supercombi, finished second, while countrywoman Michaela Kirchgasser took third place with a superb slalom run. “Kirchy came to me straight away and told me I’d won a globe, a big one,”

MERIBEL: Winner Tina Maze of Slovenia (C), second-placed Austria’s Nicole Hosp (L) and third-placed Austria’s Michaela Kirchgasser (R) celebrate on the podium of the FIS World Cup Alpine Women’s Super Combined yesterday, in Meribel, French Alps. — AFP said Maze, who is also in contention to win all discipline titles. “My target is to be focused until the end of the season, because there are many small globes that are open and possible to get. I want to keep this level of skiing until the end, I don’t want to go down, I want to keep it at the high level.” Hosp, the World Cup winner in 2007, was quick to praise Maze. “There are no words to describe Tina’s amazing season,” Hosp said. “She was so consistent and deserved to win it.” American skier Julia Mancuso went close to clinching only the fourth supercombi podium of her career, and her first in six years, but she made a small mistake midway through, falling forward on her skis. It seems only an injury can prevent Maze from breaking Maier’s points record, set in 1999-2000. Vonn holds the women’s record with 1,980 points from last season. “It has been an extraordinary season for Tina,” Kirchgasser said. “To be so far ahead in the points. Last time it was a man who won with more than 2,000

points and I don’t think Tina will be far off.” Maze’s phenomenal season also includes three gold medals from the worlds in Schladming, Austria - gold in super-G and silver in super-combi and giant slalom. She lost out on a second gold to Hoefl-Riesch and felt Sunday’s win somewhat made up for that. “I had that in mind because in Schladming I didn’t do a good slalom,” she said. “I didn’t risk a lot (then) and today I did different, so at the end it’s a revenge, too, but the priority was better skiing from my side. “It’s a good slope, I had some troubles yesterday in downhill,” Maze said. “I had some trouble on the top. But the rest of the hill is like a dream.” She is also seeking to become only the third woman to have at least one win in all five disciplines in one season, and only lacks a downhill victory. She had a chance on Saturday but finished fourth, and now has two downhills remaining, starting next week in the German resort of GarmischPartenkirchen. — AP

Maiden giant slalom win for Pinturault GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Gifted Frenchman Alexis Pinturault confirmed his all-round skills with a first Alpine ski World Cup giant slalom victory yesterday. Probably the most versatile skier produced by France since Jean-Claude Killy, Pinturault clocked two minutes 32.42 seconds on the Kandahar course to beat Austrian World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher and triple world champion Ted Ligety of the United States. It was Pinturault’s fourth World Cup victory, all in different disciplines as the 21-year-old from Courchevel has also won a slalom and a super-combined this winter and a parallel slalom last season. “It’s a very important victory because giant slalom is the discipline in which I had

my first podiums,” said Pinturault, who was twice junior world champion in the speciality. “I was not far, I was always close but I finally found my way to the top of the podium,” added the Frenchman, who straddled the final gate in Val d’Isere in December as he was comfortably leading a giant slalom. Below par in the morning run and suffering from influenza, slalom world champion Hirscher fought back in the second leg to finish 0.60 seconds adrift. The Austrian increased his overall World Cup lead, heading Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal, who finished sixth in the German resort, by 209 points. Perhaps a little tired after his three

world golds in Schladming this month, Ligety had to be content with third, 0.63 off the pace. “It’s hard to be disappointed by a podium spot but I frankly didn’t come to Garmisch to finish third,” Ligety said. “I might have been a little tired after the worlds but I was also surprised by the soft snow and was never able to deliver one of my usual runs,” said the American, who admitted that Pinturault was above the rest on the day. “It’s a great honour to receive such plaudits from the man who has been our inspiration since the start of the season, pushing us to give our very best. I’m extremely flattered,” the Frenchman responded. —Reuters

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: France’s Alexis Pinturault celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men’s world cup giant slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, yesterday. — AP

Sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Hammer, Botticher and James get second golds Botticher defeats Dmitriev to complete sprint double

SOCHI: In this photo taken on Saturday, Emily Sweeney of the United States falls down during a women’s race at the Sliding Center Sanki during the Luge World Cup in Krasnaya Polyana resort, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of Sochi, Russia. —AP

Loch clinches overall luge World Cup title SOCHI: Felix Loch of Germany clinched the overall title yesterday at the final luge World Cup meet of the season won by Germany’s Andi Langenhan. The two-day meet, an Olympic test event at Sochi’s Sanki track that endsed yesterday with the team relay, has tested both athletes and spectators with above-freezing temperatures and steady rain. Langenhan, the world silver medalist, finished his two runs with a combined time of 1 minute, 47.335 seconds, just 0.004 seconds ahead of Russia’s Albert Demchenko. David Moeller of Germany finished third.Loch, the current world and Olympic champion, finished sixth in the meet but that was enough to claim the overall World Cup title. Langenhan and Moeller were second and third, respectively. In the team relay, which will be an Olympic event for the first time at Sochi next year, Langenhan joined Tatjana Huefner, Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, who had won gold in the women’s and men’s doubles competition Saturday, to win in 2:51.553, ahead of the Russian team by 0.156 seconds. Canada was third. Germany won the team relay overall World Cup as well, with Italy in second place and the United States third. With memories still strong of the death of Georgian’s Nodar Kumaritashvili in a training run for the Vancouver Olympics, the Russian luge track has been under strong scrutiny for safety. Sliders in the two-day test event consistently spoke well of the track. “Everyone’s really enjoying it,” Canada’s Samuel Edney said after his second run yesterday. Josef Fendt, head of the international luge federation, said Sunday that the test event left observers happy with the track’s safety and ice condition. “We are very happy that here we see an interesting, fast and at the same time very safe track,” he said. The track contains three counterslopes, uphill runs aimed at keeping speeds within control. “Nothing can be found like that on other tracks,” Fendt said, though he acknowledged that the rising runs make “this quite a difficult goal for the athletes.” Many of the sliders praised the order in which the curves are arranged. “The rhythm of the track is good. It’s very easy to get a flow,” said American Joe Mortensen. —AP

MINSK: Britain’s Rebecca James won the last event on the track for her fourth medal and second gold to become the most successful rider of the world cycling championships yesterday. The 21-year-old from Wales, who claimed the women’s sprint crown on Saturday, took the lead midway through the eight-lap Keirin race and maintained her advantage all the way to the finish. China’s Jinjie Gong won silver and Cuba’s Lisandra Guerra the bronze after German Kristina Vogel, one of the prerace favourites, crashed just before the final lap. “It was a lot of pain (riding from the front),” said James, who goes home with two golds and two bronzes she earned earlier in the week in the team sprint and the 500 metres time trial. “I would have been glad to find someone’s wheel but there was no choice, but I just kept going and it paid off.” Earlier, experienced American Sarah Hammer and young German Stefan Botticher also clinched their second golds, prevailing in the women’s omnium and the men’s sprint respectively. Hammer, who sealed her fifth world title in the individual pursuit on Wednesday, beat her main rival Laura Trott on the last day of the five-day championships to avenge her Olympic defeat to the British rider. “This is my sixth gold (overall) and I’m so excited with my win,” the 29-year-old Californian, the only American who made the trip to the Belarus capital, told reporters. “At the Olympics Laura was ahead of me but I always try to win, that’s why I trained hard. Now I’m really, really happy. “I pursued three events here - it was a bit crazy, so I’m delighted to get two gold medals,” added Hammer, who also contested Friday’s 10-km scratch race.

Hammer, the overnight leader after the first three events on Saturday, extended her advantage after winning, as expected, her speciality - the pursuit. She was fourth in the scratch race and sixth in the final discipline - the time trial but had built up enough of a lead to win

team sprint, but after we won the gold there I had less pressure on me during the individual competition. The second gold was a nice bonus.” Vivien Brisse and Morgan Kneisky of France claimed gold in the 50-km Madison race, consisting of 200 laps

MINSK: US Sarah Hammer celebrates a gold medal in UCI Track Cycling World Championships Women’s 500 m Time trial event of the Omnium in Minsk yesterday. —AFP by four points over Trott, who took silver just ahead of Australian Annette Edmondson. Botticher beat Russian Denis Dmitriev in the final to complete a sprint double after winning the team title with Rene Enders and Maximilian Levy on Thursday. “Honestly, I’ve never even imagined winning two gold medals,” said the 21year-old Botticher, who was competing on the junior circuit two seasons ago. “My main objective was to do well in the

around the wooden oval of the newlybuilt Minsk velodrome. Spain’s David Muntaner and Albert Torres won silver thanks to finishing first on the final spurt, with German duo of Theo Reinhardt and Henning Bommel taking bronze. Britain topped the overall medals table with five golds, two silvers and two bronzes ahead of Germany, who had three golds, three silvers and two bronzes. Australia, France and the United States won two golds each. —Reuters

Illegal dump tarnishes ‘green’ Sochi Games SOCHI: Away from the construction bustle of Sochi’s Olympic Park, where Russia will host the Winter Olympics next February, residents of a small community north of central Sochi have seen only the filthy side of preparations. Uch-Dere, a village about 40 kilometres up the Black Sea coast from the Olympic Park, is the site of greater Sochi’s only waste site. And despite years of promises to close it as part of the Sochi Olympics environmental programme, locals fight a nightly war with illegal dump trucks that bring garbage from all over the city. “Just when the Olympic preparations began, we started having this problem,” said Khamsat Kravchenko, a resident and activist in Uch-Dere. “Waste began to be brought here from the entire Sochi area.” Locals of Uch-Dere and three other villages have complained about the health hazards, but the pile of trash just kept growing. Despite a new waste treatment plant built under the Olympic

plan in Sochi, many of trucks still unload trash less than 200 metres from the nearest houses. What before was a small compost pit in the valley used by local farmers is now a site of over 12 hectares, a 50-metrehigh mountain of waste with trucks and people moving about ant-like on its stinking plateau. Lack of insulation or walls around it leads to constant erosion while the darkbrown stream running through the area delivers pollutants straight to the Black Sea shore one kilometre away, where several health resorts are located. Russian authorities have proclaimed the 2014 Winter Games “green”, and vouched to solve the Black Sea coast’s waste problem. In June, Sochi’s mayor declared the dump closed, and regional authorities announced a programme to turn it into a park. But with one year to go before the Games, no work appeared to have been done. Instead, dump trucks kept arriving on a recent morning, and the giant heap

smouldered even on a rainy day. ‘The problem of waste is solved’-One hundred years ago, Uch-Dere, a spectacular cape on Russia’s Black Sea coast covered by lush greenery, was picked by the Russian tsarist family for dachas. Maria Feodorovna, the mother of Russia’s last tsar Nicholas II, built a special resort for the country’s orphaned girls there in 1913. The building was later made into a Soviet tuberculosis clinic. Today the dump sits only about 1.5 kilometres away from the clinic, scaring tourists away from the beach below and raising fears about the potential health dangers for its 10,000 residents. “I don’t understand how it could come to this,” Kravchenko said, raising fears of a link to two recent child cancer cases. “Why can’t the city sort the waste, as it’s done in civilised countries?”. When asked by AFP about Sochi’s waste problem at a press conference this month, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak denied its existence. —AFP

sports

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Two major scalps put Day into last four MARANA: Jason Day found it nerve-racking at the end but he could not keep the smile off his face after beating the Masters CHAMPION and a former US Open winner on Saturday at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The 25-year-old Australian stunned Bubba Watson 4&3 in the morning with an impressive five-birdie display before battling past 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell 1-up in the afternoon at Dove Mountain. Having previously beaten US Ryder Cup player Zach Johnson and PGA Tour rookie Russell Henley this week, Day was able to celebrate his first appearance in the semi-finals of the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event. “It says my game is moving in the right direction, that I beat the reigning Masters

champion and a former US Open champion,” Day told reporters after earning a spot against American Matt Kuchar in the last four at Dove Mountain. “I’ve been playing great, and I’m just really, really excited to get into the matches tomorrow. I know Matt’s very slow and steady, hits a lot of fairways and greens and can roll the rock when he can, and I’m looking forward to that.” Day, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship, has slipped from a career-high seventh in the world to 43rd and he is eager to break back into the upper reaches by producing the form he has shown so far this week. “I have goals, and one of them is to get back into the top 10,” he said. “I really think that I belong there. “It’s just a matter of

how hard I want it and how hard I need to work to get it, that’s all it comes down to, the commitment and dedication that I put into my game will hopefully get me there. “But obviously this is a good start. I’ve had two (PGA Tour) top 10s prior to this (in 2013), and those are great for world ranking points. And I’m in the final four tomorrow, and that’s regardless of where I finish.” For the Australian, Saturday produced two very different matches as he outplayed Masters champion Watson but then found the going tough against gritty Northern Irishman McDowell. “The funny thing about match play is that it’s so up-and-down,” Day said. “If you get up to a good lead like I did on Bubba, it’s very, very tough to get those holes back. “I started off great against Bubba,

and luckily enough I finished it off pretty quick. G-Mac, on the other side, we were going back and forth. It was very, very stressful. I’m glad I got it done.” McDowell went 2-up on Day in their quarter-final after just three holes but then surrendered that advantage with bogeys at the fifth and seventh. Day went 1-up with a birdie at the parfive 11th but the Northern Irishman got back to all square by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th. McDowell again faltered with a bogey at the par-four 17th, missing the green to the left with his approach to go one down, and Day held on to seal the win as both players parred the 18th. “I feel like my mind is going every which way right now,” Day smiled. — Reuters

Poulter and Mahan to meet in semi-final MARANA: Defending champion Hunter Mahan and 2010 winner Ian Poulter set up a mouth-watering showdown in the last four of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship by winning their quarter-finals on Saturday. American Mahan triumphed 1up after a tight match with U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson while Briton Poulter advanced with a commanding 3&2 victory over American veteran Steve Stricker. The other semi-final will be contested between American Matt Kuchar and Australian Jason Day. Kuchar became the first player to reach the last four, beating compatriot Robert Garrigus 3&2, before Day battled past Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell 1up in a closely contested encounter. Most eyes, however, will be firmly focused on the battle between Mahan and Poulter who are both bidding to reach the Match Play final for a second time. Poulter will be a little fresher, having gone 4up on Stricker after 12 holes before wrapping up his win by sinking a 10foot par putt at the short 16th. The flamboyant Englishman, who is renowned for his matchplay grit and superb putting, went ahead for the first time at the par-three third where he sank a double-breaking 40-footer for birdie while Stricker missed his attempt from seven feet. “It looks like Steve is going to be going up right there, and I hole, he misses,” a smiling Poulter told reporters after recording six birdies and an eagle in 16 holes. “And from then on I sort of took over and got myself in front.” Stricker, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Saturday, had reached the quarter-finals with a sizzling eight-birdie display earlier in the day when he beat fellow American Scott Piercy 1up. In the last quarter-final match out, Mahan and Simpson were all square after four holes before Mahan sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-four fifth to go 1up. Simpson got back to level with a birdie at the eighth, where he struck a wedge to three feet, but Mahan again edged in front when he rolled in a 26-footer to birdie the 10th. — Reuters

MARANA: Hunter Mahan watches his tee shot on the second hole during the semifinal round of the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play at the Golf Club at Dove Mountain yesterday in Marana, Arizona. — AFP

PATTAYA: Moriya Jutanugarn, left, wipes her younger sister Ariya Jutanugarn’s tear after the final round of the LPGA Thailand golf tournament in Pattaya, southern Thailand, yesterday. — AP

PATTAYA: Inbee Park of South Korea holds the winner’s trophy after the final round of Honda LPGA Thailand golf tournament in Pattaya resort yesterday. Inbee Park finished at 12 under-par for a total of 276. — AFP

Park wins in Thailand, tears for teen Ariya PATTAYA: Inbee Park won the Honda LPGA Thailand yesterday in a day of high drama as local teen star Ariya Jutanugarn suffered heartbreak after fluffing a two-shot lead at the final hole. The Korean world number four, who made a final-round 67 to finish the tournament 12-under at 276 (6771-71-67), looked on in shock from the locker room as 17-year-old Ariya triple-bogeyed the last to lose by a single shot. Overnight leader Ariya finished 11under (69-66-70-72), with world number one Tseng Yani a shot further back (75-68-72-63) in joint-third with Korea’s So-Yeon Ryu (68-68-74-68), American Stacy Lewis (63-69-76-70) and Beatriz Recari of Spain (68-68-7270). It was the cruellest of outcomes for the young Thai who captured hearts with courageous golf-even making a hole-in-one on the 12th-before tears

as she left the final green to be consoled by her older sister and fellow pro golfer Moriya. “I don’t know what to say... I’m still shocked,” said Park, who watched stunned as Ariya’s misery unfolded at the final hole. “Nobody expected this, but it’s golf. She (Ariya) has played incredible golf over the last few days. I feel really bad for her to lose on the final hole... but it will be a big lesson to her.” Three up at the start of play Ariya, who only turned professional last month, looked set for a famous home victory as she clung onto a two shot advantage into the par five last. She hit a solid fairway, but found the lip of the bunker and then missed the green as the pressure cranked up and her advantage slipped away stunning a partisan crowd into silence. Needing a miracle putt to rescue the title, she scuffed from the rough and was then left horrified as her ball

curled across the rim of the hole to leave her title dream in tatters. But speaking to reporters the teen was sanguine in the face of the narrowest of losses. “I enjoyed playing here today... it was so much fun, it was a great experience,” she said. “To make a hole-inone... it just made me feel confident because before that hole I wasn’t very confident. I just had one really bad hole on 18.” It was a day of flamboyant lowscoring golf with world number one Tseng Yani continuing her return to form by equalling the tournament best round of 63 to finish at 10-under. The two-time defending champion said her “game is pretty good right now” after a dreadful 2012 which left her clinging to her number one status. “I’m much more relaxed than last year... it’s bringing an improvement. I’m smiling more and being more relaxed on the course.” — AFP

SPORTS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

NZ name uncapped trio for first England test WELLINGTON: New Zealand will head into their first test against England on March 6 with an new opening partnership after the recall of Peter Fulton and inclusion of the uncapped Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham in their squad yesterday. New Zealand’s opening batsmen have struggled against the England new ball attack of James Anderson and Steve Finn in the lost limited over series and the selection panel were forced to look elsewhere after a thumb injury to Martin Guptill. Fulton, who has played 10 tests as a top or middle order batsmen but averaged just 20.93 with one half century,

went to South Africa last year before a knee injury forced him home, though a strong first class season where he has averaged more than 50 had prompted his recall. “We picked Peter to tour South Africa and he would have played there if he hadn’t been injured,” New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. Rutherford, the son of former New Zealand captain Ken, is expected to join Fulton for his debut on his home ground at Dunedin’s University Oval, though Latham is also in contention for the spot, Hesson said. Rutherford and Latham have both played limited overs cricket for New Zealand but never played a test match.

Left arm spinner Bruce Martin is also expected to make his debut after the 32-year-old toured South Africa late last year but did not play in the Test series. Martin, who replaces the dropped Jeetan Patel in the squad, is likely to play due to an Achilles’ injury to Daniel Vettori that is expected to keep him out of action until the tour of England in May. Tim Southee, who missed the South African tour due to a thumb injury but was recalled to play the final two one-day internationals against England after a side strain to Mitchell McClenaghan, will again link up with Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell in a young pace attack.

Captain Brendon McCullum, who suffered a side strain in the final oneday match in Auckland on Saturday, will bat at number five with BJ Watling to resume the wicketkeeping role in the longer form of the game and bat at seven. A fast bowler will be added to the squad after the match in Queenstown between a New Zealand XI and England, which starts on Wednesday. Squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, Bruce Martin, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson. — Reuters

SCOREBOARD CENTURION, South Africa: Scoreboard yesterday after South Africa beat Pakistan by an innings and 18 runs in the third and final test at Supersport Park: South Africa 1st Innings: 409

CENTURION: The South African Cricket squad poses after their victory over Pakistan during the third day of the third Test match between South Africa and Pakistan yesterday at Super Sport Park in Centurion. — AFP

SA beat Pakistan by an innings Africa complete Pakistan series clean sweep CENTURION: South Africa completed a series clean sweep when they beat Pakistan by an innings and 18 runs on the third day of the third and final Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park yesterday. Pakistan were bowled out for 235 in their second innings, an improvement on their first innings total of 156. But the margin of victory and the series result was a fair reflection of the dominance of South Africa, the world champions, playing in their home conditions. Dale Steyn took four for 80 and was responsible for the run-out of Azhar Ali which sparked a collapse of the Pakistan middle order. For the only time in the series, the Pakistan lower order showed some resistance and Steyn was frustrated in a final spell of eight overs after tea as the last pair, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Irfan, played and missed or edged the ball

out of reach of the fielders. At the other end Kyle Abbott was unable to complete a ten-wicket haul on his Test debut, finishing with two for 39 after taking seven for 29 in the first innings. Finally, captain Graeme Smith turned to left-arm spinner Robin Peterson who trapped Rahat leg before wicket with his sixth ball. South Africa won the first Test in Johannesburg by 211 runs and the second in Cape Town by four wickets. None of the matches went to a fifth day. An early finish seemed in prospect when Pakistan lost four wickets quickly after lunch to be floundering at 114 for six, but Sarfraz Ahmed (40) and Saeed Ajmal (31) batted enterprisingly and with a modicum of luck to put on 69 for the seventh wicket. Azhar Ali and Imran Farhat defied the South African bowlers for most of a morning

during which only the wicket of Younis Khan fell. They saw Pakistan through to lunch at 87 for two, with Azhar on 27, eked out over 110 balls. But Azhar did not face another ball before he was run out by a superb throw from fine leg by Dale Steyn after being sent back by Farhat, who had initially been seeking a second run. Pakistan’s hopes of avoiding an innings defeat crumbled as three more wickets fell in quick succession. Farhat was caught behind, slashing at first innings bowling hero Kyle Abbott for 43 and without addition to the score Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq edged an away-swinger from Rory Kleinveldt to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers. Asad Shafiq made only six before he drove Kleinveldt to mid-off. But Sarfraz and Ajmal showed spirit in batting through until tea. — AFP

Pakistan 1st Innings Mohammad Hafeez c Elgar b Abbott 18 Imran Farhat lbw b Philander 30 Azhar Ali b Philander 6 Younis Khan lbw b Abbott 33 Misbah-ul-Haq c Petersen b Abbott 10 Asad Shafiq lbw b Steyn 6 Sarfraz Ahmed c Smith b Abbott 17 Saeed Ajmal c Smith b Abbott 0 Ehsan Adil c du Plessis b Abbott 9 Mohammad Irfan c Elgar b Abbott 0 Rahat Ali not out 0 Extras: (17lb, 8w, 2nb) 27 TOTAL: (all out) 156 Overs: 46.4. Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-56, 3-56, 4-75, 5-95, 6-132, 7-132, 8-149, 9-149. Bowling: Dale Steyn 12-5-25-1 (1w), Vernon Philander 10-2-30-2 (1w), Rory Kleinveldt 12-1-49-0 (1nb, 1w), Kyle Abbott 11.4-4-29-7 (1nb, 1w), Robin Peterson 1-06-0. Pakistan 2nd Innings Mohammad Hafeez b Steyn 0 Azhar Ali run out Steyn/De Villiers 27 Younis Khan c Smith b Steyn 11 Imran Farhat c De Villiers b Abbott 43 Misbah-ul-Haq c De Villiers b Kleinveldt 5 Asad Shafiq c Philander b Kleinveldt 6 Sarfraz Ahmed c Elgar b Steyn 40 Saeed Ajmal lbw b Steyn 31 Ehsan Adil c Kleinveldt b Abbott 12 Rahat Ali lbw b Peterson 22 Mohammad Irfan not out 6 Extras: (9b, 10lb, 11w, 2nb) 32 TOTAL: (all out) 235 Overs: 78. Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-39, 3-93, 4-107, 5-107, 6-114, 7183, 8-202, 9-202. Bowling: Dale Steyn 23-5-80-4, Vernon Philander 15-432-0 (6w), Kyle Abbott 17-7-39-2 (2nb), Rory Kleinveldt 13-2-33-2 (5w), Robin Peterson 10-2-32-1. Toss: won by South Africa. Series: South Africa won 3-0.

Sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

LA Clippers complete first sweep of Jazz in 34 years Wizards fend off Rockets’ 3s for 105-103 win LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Clippers completed their first season sweep of Utah in 34 years by beating the Jazz 107-94 on Saturday, restoring their 6-1/2 game lead in the NBA’s Pacific Division. Caron Butler scored 21 points and Los Angeles rode a big third quarter to victory. In other key games, Miami’s winning streak hit double figures with a victory over Philadelphia, Indiana comfortably beat Detroit for the second night in a row, and Atlanta edged Milwaukee by a single point. Los Angeles’ Blake Griffin and Lamar Odom scored 18 points each for the Clippers, who have won six straight over Utah dating to last year. Reserve Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 23 points. Miami’s LeBron James had 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his 35th career triple-double as the Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-90. Dwyane Wade had 33 points for the defending NBA champions, who have won 10 in a row to assume a handy 4-1/2 game lead in the Eastern Conference. Jrue Holiday scored 21 points for Philadelphia, which remained 3-1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the last playoff spot in the East. Indiana’s David West scored 16 points and Paul George added a double-double to help the Pacers beat the Detroit Pistons 90-72; making an aggregate of 50 points in winning margin over the two games. After trailing by as many as 43 in Indiana on Friday, the Pistons started the second game of this set by missing 16 of their first 17 shots. Will Bynum led Detroit with 15 points before getting ejected for striking Tyler Hansbrough in the groin in the fourth quarter. Atlanta’s Al Horford sank a hook shot with

5.9 seconds remaining to give the Hawks a 103-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in a game that was close throughout. Horford had 23 points and 11 rebounds while Jeff Teague also scored 23 and added nine assists for the Hawks, who rallied from a late seven-point deficit. Ersan Ilyasova had 19 points for Milwaukee. Denver’s JaVale McGee

LOS ANGELES: Derrick Favors No 15 of the Utah Jazz blocks a shot by Eric Bledsoe No 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Saturday in Los Angeles, California. —AFP had 17 points, including seven dunks, as the Nuggets snapped a four-game road losing skid with a 113-99 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Washington’s Emeka Okafor had 17 points, 11 rebounds and made the go-ahead free throw with 5.2 seconds remaining to help the Wizards overcome a 3-point barrage by the Houston Rockets and win 105-103. Cleveland’s Marreese Speights scored 18

NBA results/standings Washington 105, Houston 103; Denver 113, Charlotte 99; Cleveland 118, Orlando 94; Miami 114, Philadelphia 90; Indiana 90, Detroit 72; Atlanta 103, Milwaukee 102; LA Clippers 107, Utah 94. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 32 20 .615 Brooklyn 33 23 .589 Boston 29 26 .527 Philadelphia 22 31 .415 Toronto 23 33 .411

Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

Central Division 35 21 .625 32 23 .582 26 28 .481 22 36 .379 18 37 .327

Southeast Division Miami 39 14 .736 Atlanta 31 23 .574 Washington 17 37 .315 Orlando 15 41 .268 Charlotte 13 43 .232

GB 1 4.5 10.5 11

points as the Cavaliers used a big fourth quarter to run past the Orlando Magic and win 118-94. Bradley Beal scored 21 points, and Emeka Okafor had 17 points, 11 rebounds and made the go-ahead free throw with 5.2 seconds remaining to help the Washington Wizards overcome the Houston Rockets’ 3-point bar-

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 40 15 .727 Denver 35 22 .614 Utah 31 25 .554 Portland 25 30 .455 Minnesota 20 32 .385 Pacific Division 40 18 32 23 27 29 19 37 18 38

2.5 8 14 16.5

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

.690 .582 .482 .339 .321

8.5 22.5 25.5 27.5

Southwest Division San Antonio 44 13 .772 Memphis 36 18 .667 Houston 31 27 .534 Dallas 25 29 .463 New Orleans 19 37 .339

6 9.5 15 18.5

6.5 12 20 21

6.5 13.5 17.5 24.5

rage for a 105-103 win on Saturday night. Trevor Ariza added 18 points and John Wall had 12 points and 11 assists for the Wizards, who came back from a 17-point deficit for their second straight win. Washington scored 54 points in the paint and has won 10 of its 12 home games. James Harden scored 27 points and Chandler Parsons had 24 with five of the 19 3-

pointers by the Rockets, who had won their first two games after the All-Star break. Houston attempted 46 3-pointers, the most in the NBA this season. The Rockets made 13 from beyond the arc in the first half, one off the NBA record they tied against Golden State on Feb. 5. Trailing 94-88 with 6:21 remaining, the Wizards scored seven straight points, taking the lead on Nene’s layup, one of six lead changes in the final 4:58. Wall broke a 101-101 tie with two free throws with 1:13 remaining, but Harden’s layup tied the score with 21.4 seconds left. Fouled after receiving the ball in the low post, Okafor made his first free throw attempt, but missed the second. Beal sneaked in for the rebound and was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining. After Beal split the free throws, Harden’s half-court attempt was blocked by Ariza. Patrick Beverley scored a career-high 15 points with three 3-pointers and Carlos Delfino had four 3-pointers and scored 12 points for the Rockets. The Rockets hit from long range in the first quarter, sinking 8 of 14 3s for a 32-22 lead. Parsons made his three attempts, and Harden added one during an 11-4 run to close the quarter. Three more 3-pointers came during a 14-0 spurt as Harden’s bomb put Houston ahead 48-31. The Rockets led 57-46 at halftime, but the Wizards fought back with a 19-6 run highlighted by seven points from Ariza and Wall’s jump shot for a 73-72 lead with 3:14 remaining in the quarter. The Rockets regained the lead and entered the fourth quarter up 83-77. Wall and Okafor each posted double-doubles in Friday’s 119-113 win over Denver. Houston won the first meeting at home 99-93 on Dec. 12. —Agencies

Pistorius’ brother faces trial in woman’s road death JOHANNESBURG: Oscar Pistorius’s elder brother faces trial for killing a woman in a traffic incident five years ago, the family said yesterday, confirming a report that dominated South African media two days after the “Blade Runner” athlete was bailed for murder. Carl Pistorius is charged with culpable homicide in the death of a motorcyclist in 2008; the case is unrelated to the Valentine’s Day shooting of his younger brother’s girlfriend. However, it was not widely known of until local television e-News Channel Africa reported it on Sunday. A family statement said Carl appeared before a judge on Thursday and would be in court again in late March. His younger brother was freed on bail on Friday after a week of hearings watched by the world’s media. Carl Pistorius declined comment as he entered the home of an uncle in Pretoria on Sunday. The house is where Oscar, 26, has been staying since being granted bail on Friday until his trial for the premeditated murder of model Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14. The family statement quoted lawyer

Kenny Oldwage as saying: “There is no doubt that Carl is innocent and the charge will be challenged in court. Carl deeply regrets the accident. “Blood tests conducted by the police at the time proved that he had not been under the influence of alcohol, confirming that it was a tragic road accident after the deceased collided with Carl’s car.” Contacted by Reuters, Oldwage declined further comment. The family statement said charges had at one stage been withdrawn but then reinstated. Carl Pistorius attracted little publicity until the arrest of his younger brother propelled the family into the glare of a global media spotlight. He and their younger sister Aimee and father Henke, appeared in court to support Oscar, who denies the charge, saying he believed he was shooting at an intruder. The younger Pistorius brother was born lacking bones in his lower legs, leading to amputation and carbon fibre blades. As the Paralympian “Blade Runner”, who competed with able-bodied athletes at last year’s London Olympics, reaching the semifinal of the 400 metres, he became a symbol of triumph over adversity. —Reuters

sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

NHL results/standings Washington 5, New Jersey 1; Philadelphia 5, Winnipeg 3; Edmonton 3, Phoenix 2 (SO); Los Angeles 4, Colorado 1; NY Islanders 4, Buffalo 0; Montreal 3, NY Rangers 0; Ottawa 3, Toronto 2; Tampa Bay 5, Carolina 2; Detroit 4, Nashville 0; St. Louis 2, Columbus 1; Dallas 3, San Jose 1; Calgary 3, Minnesota 1.

Pittsburgh New Jersey Philadelphia NY Rangers NY Islanders

W 12 10 9 8 8

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division L OTL GF 6 0 60 4 4 46 10 1 58 7 2 41 9 1 54

Montreal Ottawa Boston Toronto Buffalo

12 11 10 11 6

Northeast Division 4 2 52 6 2 46 2 2 41 8 0 53 12 1 48

39 36 33 44 63

26 24 22 22 13

9 8 7 5 6

Southeast Division 7 1 66 7 1 46 9 1 44 8 4 41 10 1 48

53 49 55 61 55

19 17 15 14 13

Chicago St. Louis Nashville Detroit Columbus

14 10 8 8 5

Western Conference Central Division 0 3 57 6 2 55 6 5 39 7 3 49 11 2 40

35 52 43 51 55

31 22 21 19 12

Vancouver Minnesota Edmonton Colorado Calgary

10 8 7 7 6

Northwest Division 3 4 49 7 2 37 7 3 40 8 1 39 7 3 43

40 42 46 47 55

24 18 17 15 15

Tampa Bay Carolina Winnipeg Florida Washington

GA 45 45 62 44 60

PTS 24 24 19 18 17

Pacific Division Anaheim 12 2 1 53 39 25 Phoenix 8 6 3 46 44 19 San Jose 8 6 3 41 39 19 Dallas 9 8 1 47 48 19 Los Angeles 8 6 2 40 39 18 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Greening’s late goal gives Senators 3-2 win over Leafs OTTAWA: Colin Greening felt a little conflicted in what should have been a moment for celebration.Greening batted a puck out of midair for a goal with 24 seconds remaining to give the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The goal is a career-highlight for Greening, who just a week ago was a healthy scratch against the Leafs, but scoring on a good friend is tough. Greening and Leafs goalie Ben Scrivens were teammates and roommates at Cornell University. “Being able to score on Ben is one of those weird situations,” Greening said. “You always want him to do well, but not too well, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. “He played well over there and deserves a lot of accolades for his play of late.” Scrivens was clearly aggravated by the result and struggled to offer Greening any accolades. “It’s frustrating, he’s a good player, but you want to play a few of those better,” Scrivens said. “Definitely not happy for him right now.” Despite the loss Scrivens was looking to catch up with Greening before he left Scotiabank Place. The goal came as a result of Ottawa winning the faceoff in Toronto’s end, which left Jay McClement, who was on the ice for the play, shaking his head. “We didn’t get the job done,” McClement said. “That’s a game we’ve got to get a point out of. Mika Zibanejad and Erik Condra also scored for the Senators), who got 26 saves from Ben Bishop. The win extends Ottawa’s four-game winning streak. The Senators have put together their best winning streak of the season without three key injured players - Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson or Milan Michalek. “It feels great,” captain Daniel Alfredsson said. “To be able to put a streak together like this. We had a

tough game in Toronto last week and since then we’ve been playing pretty good. We’ve had guys step up.” The trio of Greening, Zibanejad and Condra combined for seven points and earned rave reviews from coach Paul MacLean for their efforts.”They had a big night,” MacLean said. “Offensively they were the best line so we tried to give them every chance.” Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur scored for Toronto. Scrivens, who made his seventh straight start, stopped 32 shots. Trailing 2-1, the Leafs tied the game on a power-play goal at the seven-minute mark of the third period. With bodies sprawled in front of Bishop, MacArthur managed to find the puck and shove it in. The Senators took a 2-1 lead with 41 seconds remaining in the second period

on Condra’s third of the season. The play was reviewed after Scrivens had little chance as Condra, who was pushed by Korbinian Holzer, fell into the Leafs netminder.”The ref explained it to me and I may not agree with it, but I can sure respect what the referee decides,” Scrivens said. Derek Grant missed a wide-open net for the Senators, while Leo Komarov couldn’t jump on Jay McClement’s rebound quick enough to beat Bishop. Toronto took the lead at 3:32 of the first as Grabovski’s shot made it through traffic and beat Bishop through the legs. The Senators tied it midway through the first on Zibanejad’s third of the season. Zibanejad crossed the blue-line, passed to Greening who put a shot on goal, but it was Zibanejad who tipped it in as he made his way to the net. —AP

OTTAWA: Leo Komarov #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs crash into Ben Bishop #30 of the Ottawa Senators, during an NHL game at Scotiabank Place on Saturday in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.— AFP

England stays on course for Six Nations Grand Slam LONDON: England took a giant stride toward the Six Nations title by battling past France on Saturday, but defending champion Wales could push its old rival all the way after beating Italy to maintain its resurgence. The Grand Slam is still on for England thanks to a 23-13 win at Twickenham, with Manu Tuilagi’s fortunate 54th-minute try helping to turn the tide after the winless French went into halftime 10-9 ahead. Wales looks like the only team able to stop the English juggernaut from a first clean sweep in the competition since 2003.A 26-9 win in torrential rain in Rome earned the Welsh a second straight victory, with Jonathan Davies and Alex Cuthbert scoring their second-half tries and fullback Leigh Halfpenny kicking 16 points. Wales’ home match against England on the final weekend looks set to decide the destination of the title. “The Grand Slam doesn’t cross peo-

ple’s minds, our feet are firmly on the ground,” said England captain Chris Robshaw. “We are in a good place.”France is simply looking to avoid the humiliation of being awarded the wooden spoon for last place. With three straight losses, Philippe Saint-Andre’s team props up the standings and things could yet get worse with an away match against Ireland next up.”It was much better than the last two games, but again we have lost and we can’t accept this,” said Saint-Andre, whose side lost its way in the second half after a string of strange substitutions. England showed character and maturity to turn around a match that seemed to be in France’s grasp at halftime. Saint-Andre’s drastic decision to make eight changes - one position - to his lineup paid off initially, with center Wesley Fofana scoring a marvelous try from the halfway line to add to a penalty by Morgan Parra. The English wrested back the initia-

tive in the second half, though. Tuilagi sprinted over for a 54th-minute try in the left corner after flanker Tom Wood kicked a loose ball out of a ruck and England’s replacements then wore down France. Toby Flood replaced the injured Owen Farrell, who had kicked 12 points with four successful attempts from six, and slotted over two late penalties to see England home. “Our players know they have been through a very tough 80 minutes,” England coach Stuart Lancaster said. “France brought their A game today and put us under a lot of pressure. “We kept our composure and our discipline and our defense grew. If you’d said to me at the start of the day we’d get a 10-point win, we would have taken it definitely.” Like England, Wales has impetus after following up victory over France in Paris with another away win to keep the defense of its title alive. Wales led 9-6 at the break in rainy

Rome but did all the damage in the second half, with Davies collecting a chip through that bounced awkwardly for Italy’s covering defense for the first try before Cuthbert raced through a small gap to dive over in the corner. “We adapted really well to the conditions and the deluge,” interim Wales coach Rob Howley said. “We showed patience and composure and we took our opportunities.”Without suspended captain Sergio Parisse, Italy’s chances nosedived when replacement skipper Martin Castrogiovanni was sent to the sin-bin in the 59th minute for an infringement in a scrum. The score was 19-9 at that point and Cuthbert went over two minutes later. “Unfortunately, we struggled in an area that is usually one of our strongpoints,” Castrogiovanni said of Italy’s scrum. “As captain it’s my responsibility.” Flyhalf Kris Burton scored all of Italy’s points with three penalties. Scotland hosted Ireland yesterday. — AP

sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Djokovic aims to take Federer’s title DUBAI: Novak Djokovic’s first tournament since his successful defence of the Australian Open title offers him a chance to show why he could remain the world number one for the forseeable future. The 25-year-old Serbian’s triumph in Melbourne saw him avenge a defeat in the US Open final to his most contemporary rival, Andy Murray, making him an even stronger favourite to win back the title at the Dubai Open, which starts on Monday. To do that Djokovic will probably need to overcome the man who took it away from him-Roger Federer, the world number two, who has a home in Dubai, often plays outstandingly well here, and

has won the title five times. Even if Federer were to triumph for a sixth time, it is hard to see him making up his 3,000-point gap with Djokovic because he has settled on a more limited schedule to preserve himself in his 32nd year. Neither Murray, nor Rafael Nadal, whose future remains uncertain, are competing in Dubai this year, which means a continuation of the DjokovicFederer rivalry, which shows a 16-13 head-to-head in favour of the older man, is the most likely scenario. “I’ve had an incredible run here over the years but I have got to be really focused and confident about my own

form and hope to start well,” Federer said, referring obliquely to his Dubai debacle five years ago. Then, as defending champion, he was landed with a first round against Murray, and fell at the first hurdle. This time he has a more fortunate-looking openeragainst Malek Jaziri, a wild card player from Tunisia. It may quickly get tougher though, for Federer has a possible quarter-final with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, his conqueror at Wimbledon in 2011, and a possible semifinal with Tomas Berdych, who beat him at Wimbledon in 2010 and at the US Open last year. Djokovic has appeared very relaxed in

Dubai, swimming with turtles while not training, but he could have a dangerous semi-final with Juan Martin Del Potro, the former US Open champion from Argentina. Del Potro though does not arrive until the early hours of Sunday, having flown from the Marseille Open, and will have a far-from-easy start against Marcos Baghdatis, the former Australian Open finalist. Other last moment arrivals from Marseille will be Tsonga, who must meet his compatriot Michael Llodra in the first round, and Berdych, who may meet the winner of that match in the last eight. —AFP

Tsonga defeats Berdych to take Marseille Open

MEMPHIS: Marina Erakovic, of New Zealand, right, and Sabine Lisicki, of Germany, left, pose with their trophies following their final round tennis match at the US National Indoor Championships on Saturday in Memphis. Erakovic won the championship match after Lisicki retired. — AP

Erakovic wins Memphis title over ailing Lisicki MEMPHIS: Marina Erakovic became the first New Zealander since 1989 to win a WTA title on Saturday, lifting her first career trophy with a truncated triumph over thirdseeded German Sabine Lisicki in Memphis. Erakovic confidently raced to a 6-1 first-set victory, and the title was hers when the struggling Lisicki retired. The big-hitting German had been battling an undisclosed illness for several days. In men’s action in this combined ATP and WTA event, fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan advanced to the final after a short day’s work. He had won the first set against Marinko Matosevic 6-4 when the Australian retired with a bone bruise on the bottom of his right foot. “He was playing well from the beginning,” Nishikori said. “It’s lucky for me to play just one set and feel fresh for tomorrow.” Nishikori will take on Spain’s Feliciano Lopez for the title. Lopez beat Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Erakovic, who was runner-up to Sofia Arvidsson in Memphis last year, fired four aces and converted both of her break point opportunities in racing through the first set in 27 minutes. Her run to the championship match had included a second-round revenge victory over Arvidsson. While she was sorry the match didn’t go the distance she still savored her first WTA crown, which she said she planned to celebrate by going sky-diving with her coach. “This is my first title and unfortunately it did go like this,” she said. “But Sabine congratulations .... I hope we really do play a lot more finals in the future.” Lisicki offered apologies to the fans. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to finish the match,” she said. “I was sick the last few days... I just couldn’t do better today. Marina played a great match.” The last New Zealander to win a WTA title was Belinda Cordwell in Singapore in 1989. — AFP

MARSEILLE: Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga saved a match point before beating world number six Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-6 6-4 in the Marseille Open final to claim his 10th ATP Tour title yesterday. World number eight Tsonga, who saved five match points in his quarter-final against Australian Bernard Tomic, was trailing 5-6 in the second-set tie-break but hit back-to-back aces to push the Czech to a decisive set. The Frenchman eventually put an end to his losing run against the top-seeded Berdych, having lost their three previous encounters including the latest in the ATP World Tour finals round-robin in November. The local favourite had two break points in the third set’s third game and broke serve to clinch his second title in Marseille after his 2009 triumph. Tsonga said after the game he was proud of his resilience having struggled in the two first sets. “I only focused on survival,” he told a news conference. “Nothing was going my way. He played far better than me in the first part of the match. He was serving well and my position on the court was bad. But I deserve credit because I never gave up. A lot of players would have done so.” Tsonga, who lost an epic Australian Open quarter-final to world number two Roger Federer in January in his first event under new coach Roger Rasheed, said this successful week has shown he was on the right path. “I have been working hard for some time, I make sacrifices. I do everything I can to be on top and I still improve.” — Reuters

MARSEILLE: France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga poses with the trophy after defeating Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych during their final match at the Open 13 tennis tournament in Marseille, southern France, yesterday. — AP

Jankovic lands Bogota WTA title

BOGOTA: Serbian top seed Jelena Jankovic won the $235,000 WTA tournament in Bogota yesterday with a routine 6-1, 6-2 dismissal of unseeded Argentine Paula Ormaechea.

Former world number one Jankovic, now ranked 24 in the world, landed her 13th career title but first of the season after outclassing her 198th-ranked opponent.— AFP

Sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Priority elsewhere as Barca and Real meet in Cup MADRID: With crucial Champions League games looming, Barcelona and Real Madrid could have done without the distraction of playing each other twice in five days, starting with a King’s Cup semifinal second leg tomorrow (2000 GMT). The two “Clasicos” - the second a La Liga clash at the Bernabeu on Saturday will provide rich entertainment for fans but they are relatively insignificant compared to Barca’s game at home to AC Milan on March 12 and Real’s match at Manchester United a week earlier. The King’s Cup is never a priority for Spain’s dominant pair as long as they are still alive in Europe’s elite club competition and the domestic league, and Real have all but given up on a second consecutive La Liga title after slipping 16 points behind leaders Barca with 13 games left. Barca are still reeling after going down 2-0 to Milan at the San Siro in Wednesday’s last-16 first leg, though

they picked themselves up and fought back from a goal down for a 2-1 La Liga win at home to Sevilla on Saturday. Real, held to a 1-1 draw by United at the Bernabeu On Feb. 13, also came from a goal down to win on Saturday, beating bottom side Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 at the Riazor with Cristiano Ronaldo coming off the bench to set up Gonzalo Higuain for the winner. Assistant Barca coach Jordi Roura, standing in for Tito Vilanova who is recovering from throat surgery, praised his players for putting Wednesday’s shock reverse behind them. “You can lose a match but the really important thing is the reaction,” he told a news conference after the Sevilla game. “It was a really tough game and they scored against us while we had the match more under control,” he added. “But once again the team rose to the occasion and showed the pride needed

Zola impressed by gritty Watford

LONDON: Gianfranco Zola insists Watford’s gritty 2-1 win over Derby proves his side can hold their nerve as the race for promotion to the Premier League heads for a tense finale. Zola’s team moved into the second automatic promotion place in the Championship table thanks to Matej Vydra’s 20th league goal of the season and a Joel Ekstrand strike at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Jamie Ward’s penalty set up a nervous finish but Watford dug deep to preserve a crucial victory that allowed them to take advantage of Hull’s 4-1 defeat at Bolton. “We came out with three points that are very, very important, especially because we were playing against a good team and it was the third game in a week,” former Chelsea star Zola said. “The third game in a week is always tough, especially for teams like us who did very well in the first two. If you look around you can see the others had problems.” Third placed Hull’s stumble was caused by a woeful start at the Reebok Stadium as Darren Pratley, Mark Davies and Craig Dawson all scored for the hosts within the first eight minutes. Robbie Brady reduced the arrears with a deflected 67thminute free-kick only for Dawson to wrap up the points with his second goal. Hull boss Steve Bruce was stunned by his side’s meltdown, saying: “I’ve had better days. That start is something you see at school. How can you explain it? “It’s one of those freak things. I have never been involved in something like that and I don’t think it will happen again for a long time. “You have to erase it and say ‘it happens’. Sometimes a kick up the backside doesn’t do anyone any harm now and again. “We have been rock solid for seven months. The one thing we needed after that was a response and I think you saw there was one.” Blackpool manager Paul Ince admitted he needs time to get his new team back on track after a 0-0 draw against promotion-chasing Leicester at Bloomfield Road. Ince, who lost his opening game in charge against Leeds on Wednesday, marked his home debut as boss with a point and the former Manchester United and England midfielder acknowledged he is still adjusting to his new surroundings. “It’s going to take probably two or three weeks to assess the whole situation and if we can do that and keep winning games it makes the situation easier,” Ince said. “We do need a few players in just to freshen things up. The players have been fantastic since I got here but it’s been a difficult couple of months for them.” Brighton boosted their play-off hopes with a 1-0 win over Burnley, Middlesbrough dropped out of the top six after a 21 defeat against Millwall and Nottingham Forest won 2-0 at 10-man Charlton. —AFP

to secure a very important victory for the league campaign. Their reaction was splendid.” Cup holders Barca have a slight advantage ahead of Real’s visit to the Nou Camp, which will be the 224th meeting between the arch rivals in all competitions, after they secured a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu in last month’s first leg. Cesc Fabregas fired Barca ahead five minutes after halftime and Raphael Varane nodded in an equaliser for Real nine minutes from the end. Real beat Barca 1-0 to win the Cup in 2011 and Barca eliminated them in the last eight last term. The successful side after tomorrow’s showdown will meet Atletico Madrid or Sevilla in May’s final. The pair meet at Sevilla’s Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Wednesday (2100) with Atletico holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg at the Calderon.

Barca struggled to create scoring chances against both Milan and Sevilla, leading some to question their slavish adherence to a possession-based playing style and ask whether they had an effective “Plan B” when faced with ultra-defensive sides. They have also found it tough to keep a clean sheet in recent outings and Roura said it was something they needed to improve if they were to keep alive their hopes of a treble of trophies this term. “It’s true that we are having the odd problem in that sense and it’s something to improve on, above all in our positioning in defence,” Roura said. “Obviously it concerns us and we want to improve that and other things,” he added. Barca’s World Player of the Year Lionel Messi can equal the record goal tally for “Clasicos” of 18 held by former Real great Alfredo Di Stefano with a goal tomorrow. —Reuters

United not home and dry yet, warns Ferguson LONDON: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says the Premier League title race is far from over despite seeing his side move 15 points clear of Manchester City after a 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers. With 11 games remaining, and City due to face third-place Chelsea, Ferguson’s side are in a dominant position, but the manager refused to declare his side to be champions-elect. “We’re in a better position today (Saturday) than we were yesterday,” he said. “It’s one game less and it’s really important and the way we can approach it is by winning the next game and then trying to win the next game and seeing where it takes us.” Rafael da Silva set United on course for victory at QPR with an outstanding opening goal before Ryan Giggs marked his 999th appearance in senior football with the second 10 minutes from time. Ferguson praised the contribution of Rafael, the young Brazilian full-back, who is emerging as a key figure in the league leaders’ line-up. “He has three goals for us this season. The lad has had an absolutely magnificent season and is maturing all the time,” Ferguson said. And he added: “Ryan’s got a good record of scoring here. This is maybe his fourth goal here. It was a crucial time because anything can happen with 10 minutes left-it only takes a second to score a goal. “David de Gea made a great save from (Loic) Remy maybe 10 minutes before that but Ryan’s goal put it to bed nicely.” QPR manager Harry Redknapp insists his side still have a chance of avoiding relegation despite lying at the foot of the table, seven points adrift of safety with just 11 games left. He said: “I’m an optimist and I hope the players are, too. There is everything to play for still and every game is important. “Everyone else has written us off but I haven’t. I think we still have a chance.” Redknapp included Jose Bosingwa in his starting line-up for the first time since

the full-back was disciplined for refusing to sit on the bench against Fulham in December. “He’s probably got two and a half years left on his contract and I can’t just pay his wages and not have him play,” Redknapp said. “I took him to Swansea and didn’t use him just to test his attitude and he has responded well.” United’s top scorer Robin van Persie suffered an injury scare at Loftus Road but Ferguson hopes it will not keep the striker out of the club’s forthcoming Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Van Persie was forced out of the game in the 41st minute after falling into a television camera pit located behind one of

the goals in the build-up to Rafael’s opener. The forward suffered a bruised hip but Ferguson is confident he will recover in time for the visit of Jose Mourinho’s side to Old Trafford on March 5. With the last-16 tie delicately balanced following the 1-1 first-leg draw in Spain, van Persie’s absence would be a major blow to United’s plans. “He collided with a camera in a sort of a dug-out piece of ground. He collided with the base of that, which has given him a sore hip,” said Ferguson. “I would imagine he will be very tender and sore for a few days but hopefully he will be all right, particularly for the Real Madrid game.” —AFP

LYON: Lyon’s French forward Alexandre Lacazette (C) vies with Lorient’s French midfielder Enzo Reale (L) and Lorient’s Gabonese defender Ecuele Manga Bruno during the French L1 football match Lyon vs Lorient yesterday at the Gerland stadium in Lyon. —AFP

Sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Focus on Parc des Princes for Beckham bow PARIS: David Beckham is due to make his widely anticipated Paris SaintGermain debut at Parc des Princes later yesterday, his presence adding extra spice to the Ligue 1 leaders clash with arch-rivals Marseille. The iconic former England captain was included in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s provisional 19-man squad for the 2000GMT encounter - referred to as “Le Classique” in France - marking the first time Beckham has featured in the Italian’s plans since his arrival at the end of January. France’s L’Equipe newspaper headlined the game Sunday on their front page, but elected to downplay the Beckham angle, focusing instead on the significance of the game in terms of the Ligue 1 leadership battle. Ancelotti is ready to unleash Beckham on France, the Italian saying:

“He will be available but I don’t want to reveal the team. “He has worked well (in training) and is in a good state physically and mentally. He wants to play and he is in a condition to start.” “He is capable of playing a full match,” added the PSG boss, quashing concerns over Beckham’s fitness despite the midfielder’s last competitive outing coming on December 1 when his former side Los Angeles Galaxy dispatched Houston Dynamo 3-1 to defend their MLS Cup title. Ancelotti also went on to dismiss suggestions that the club’s hierarchy could pressure the Italian to hand Beckham a starting berth. “I know that (he) has a great image to everyone but for me, if a player deserves to play, he will. If he doesn’t deserve it, he won’t play,” summarised Ancelotti. A product of the Manchester United

youth academy where he starred at Old Trafford for the best part of a decade before moving on to Real Madrid, Los Angeles and AC Milan, Beckham is more than accustomed to intense rivalries that are the focus of much media scrutiny. “I have played in a lot of big matches in my career, games like AC Milan against Inter, Real Madrid against Barcelona, and the (Los Angeles) Galaxy against Chivas,” Beckham told PSG’s official website. “For me, it is very exciting to play in another very special match.” Beckham, who at 37 will be the oldest outfield player in the French top flight, is destined to come up against fellow Englishman and midfield general Joey Barton, a subplot that represents both extremes of the country’s footballing culture. Reputable magazine France Football, the publication responsible for distribut-

ing the Ballon d’Or award prior to its merger with the FIFA World Player of the Year prize three years ago, were quick to jump on the significance of the duel. The magazine highlighted the contrasting public perception of both players by adorning Beckham, the “angel”, with wings and a halo and depicting Barton as the “devil” with a mocked-up red-faced, horned image on the front page of its weekend edition. Beckham, who did his cause no harm by agreeing to donate his estimated 800,000-euro ($1 million) monthly salary to a children’s charity, admitted he was relishing the prospect of his latest adventure. “The league is full of talented players and teams, and it is pretty close at the top just now. It’s a difficult league. I know it will be a challenge but it is one I’m really looking forward to.” —AFP

Juventus bounces back with 3-0 win over Siena

CAGLIARI: Cagliari’s Radja Nainggolan, of Belgium, left, and Torino’s Giuseppe Vives fight for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Torino, in Cagliari, Italy, yesterday. —AP

Seven goals, three penalties and no fans in Cagliari win MILAN: Cagliari scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to beat Torino 4-3 in Serie A yesterday after their opponents had two men sent off, including one after only a minute on the pitch. Abou Diop came on in the 88th minute but was dismissed almost immediately for elbowing an opponent. Angelo Ogbonna had also been dismissed for Torino two minutes earlier after giving away the penalty which led to Cagliari’s third goal. The goals also flowed as eighth-placed AS Roma won 3-2 at Atalanta in heavy snow while leaders Juventus enjoyed a routine 3-0 home win over Siena, which took them seven points clear of Napoli who play at Udinese today. The midtable action in Cagliari took place behind

closed doors on safety grounds following the latest episode in the long-running saga over the their move to the scandal-plagued Is Arenas stadium. Club president Massimo Cellino was arrested on this month on charges of embezzlement and false representation in the rebuilding of the tiny stadium, which has three temporary stands and one permanent structure. A Marco Sau penalty gave the Sardinians a halftime lead, but Alessio Cerci and Alen Stevanovic put the visitors 2-1 up within 10 minutes of the restart. Daniele Conti levelled in the 75th minute, Mauricio Pinilla put Cagliari back in front with an 87th minute penalty after Ogbonna had tugged the Chilean’s shirt. Rolando Bianchi

equalised for Torino with another spot kick in the 92nd minute before Conti won it for with a swerving, deflected shot. Vasilis Torosidis scored Roma’s winner with a 71st minute strike at Atalanta after the teams shared four goals in the first half, Marquinho and Miralem Pjanic scoring for Roma and Marko Livaja netting twice for the hosts. Stephan Lichtsteiner gave Juventus the lead on the half hour and they had to wait until the last 20 minutes to wrap the game up as Sebastian Giovinco rifled in from a difficult angle and Paul Pogba netted with a low shot from 25 metres. The main action is later yesterday with Inter Milan due to face arch-rivals AC Milan. —Reuters

MILAN: Serie A leader Juventus bounced back from a loss to Roma with a convincing 3-0 win over visiting Siena yesterday. Switzerland midfielder Stephan Lichtsteiner gave Juve the lead in the 30th minute after Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo redirected a pass from Mirko Vucinic directly into Lichtsteiner’s path. Sebastian Giovinco doubled Juve’s lead in the 74th from a sharp angle, with Pegolo again responsible, deflecting the shot off the bar and in. France midfielder Paul Pogba added another for Juve in the 89th with a shot from beyond the area, his fifth this season after joining from Manchester United. Siena’s best chance came in the 76th when Innocent Emeghara, the Switzerland forward who has scored four goals since coming over on loan from French club Lorient last month, threatened with an impressive header that Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did well to tip off the bar. Juventus moved provisionally seven points ahead of second-place Napoli, which visits Udinese today. Elsewhere, Roma won 3-2 at Atalanta under the snow, which at times made the pitch in Bergamo completely white. On loan from Inter Milan, 19-year-old Croatian forward Marko Livaja scored twice for Atalanta but Roma responded with goals from Marquinho, Miralem Pjanic and Vasileios Torosidis - the Greece defender who scored the winner in the 71st with a header from a sharp angle for his first goal since transferring from Olympiakos last month. Roma, which beat Juve 1-0 last weekend with a blistering strike from Francesco Totti, is eighth, 18 points behind the leader. Later, Mario Balotelli faced his former squad when his new team AC Milan met Inter in the Milan derby. Catania stayed two points ahead of Roma with a 2-1 win at Parma, getting goals from Francesco Lodi and Spanish forward Keko. Also, Cagliari edged Torino 4-3 in a match behind closed doors at Cagliari’s Is Arenas stadium, which has safety issues. Cagliari captain Daniele Conti scored the winner in the fifth minute of added time with a long shot that deflected in off a defender, two minutes after Rolando Bianchi had equalized for Torino with a penalty. Earlier in the lunchtime fixture, Sampdoria moved safely into the middle of the table with a 2-0 win over Chievo Verona, extending its unbeaten streak to five matches. Andrea Poli put Samp ahead in the 33rd with a precise, angled shot, then Brazilian forward Eder sprinted past three defenders to finish off a counterattack in the 83rd. Sampdoria protested to no avail for a last-man foul on Chievo goalkeeper Christian Puggioni in the 55th after Puggioni charged forward from his area and tripped rising Argentine standout Mauro Icardi. Icardi remained on the pitch and was eventually replaced by Eder. —AP

Sports MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Celtic crush 10-man Dundee, go 21 points clear GLASGOW: Joe Ledley grabbed a double as Celtic easily saw off ten-men Dundee 5-0 to open a 21 point gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League and move ominously closer to retaining their title. The Welsh midfielder took advantage of an error from Rab Douglas to give Celtic, who had made five changes for the match, a 13th minute lead. However, Dundee would have felt unfortunate not to have gone in level at the break after Gary Harkins had a fifth minute strike from a free-kick ruled out for a tight offside decision before the striker hit the bar with a header. Dundee defender Matt Lockwood came on at the break but the defender’s appearance was limited to just over three minutes after he was sent off for hauling down Gary Hooper in the box, with James Forrest converting the

penalty. The visitors then collapsed and Dylan McGeouch headed in a 57th minute header before Ledley got his second in the 73rd minute. Gary Hooper finally ended his four game goal drought as he fired in a fabulous fifth in the 83rd minute as Celtic moved to within four wins of the SPL title. “That performance was a bit Jekyll and Hyde. The first half we weren’t great and in the second half we were excellent,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said. “It was a good all round performance and a clean sheet. Dundee can feel a bit aggrieved as I’m sure the turning point was the penalty and the sending off but it looked pretty clear cut to me.” Dundee first team coach Ray Farningham felt his side equipped

themselves well in the first half. “I couldn’t fault the boys and I though they had chances in the game. Our possession and organisation was good in the first half,” Farningham said. “Obviously the sending off kills the game for us.” As a former Rangers player Dundee’s new interim manager John Brown was afforded a hot reception by the home support before the match. But his side soon silenced the crowd in the fifth minute when Harkins looked to have given Dundee the lead after Forster bundled in his low free-kick from a tight angle on the left-wing at his near post. However, referee Kevin Clancy cut short the celebrations as he ruled out his effort after he adjudged a Dundee player had strayed just offside. Celtic’s new look line-up were taking their time to gel together but took the

lead after a mistake from Douglas. The former Hoops keeper flapped at Emilio Izaguirre’s cross and could only palm it out as far as Ledley who fired it in from close range. Dundee were belying their lowly status and nearly found an equaliser in the 36th minute when Baird teed up Harkins with the forward sending in a looping effort that Forster had to scramble to tip over the bar. There was to be more bad luck for Harkins as his glancing header from the resulting corner bounced off the turf and then hit the crossbar before the Hoops cleared the danger. Substitute Lockwood quickly saw red after the break for hauling Hooper down in the box with Forrest sending Douglas the wrong way as he buried the resultant spot-kick low into the bottom right-hand corner. —AFP

Man City down Chelsea to keep title hopes alive Man City 2

Chelsea 0

MANCHESTER: Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez kept Manchester City’s title hopes alive after Frank Lampard’s penalty miss cost Chelsea in their 2-0 defeat at Eastlands yesterday. Roberto Mancini’s side were languishing 15 points behind leaders Manchester United after their rivals’ win over QPR on Saturday, but they still retain a faint chance of retaining the title after Joe Hart’s save from Lampard’s penalty sparked City into life. Lampard, seeking his 200th goal for his club, was presented with the perfect opportunity after 51 minutes when City goalkeeper Hart brought down Demba Ba as he attempted to round him following a Branislav Ivanovic through ball that was misjudged by Kolo Toure.

Hart escaped even a yellow, let alone red, card for the infringement and made the most of his reprieve by producing a superb save to keep out Lampard’s spot kick low at the foot of his right-hand post. Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure added to Chelsea’s frustrations after 62 minutes, appearing on the end of a slick passing move and a short David Silva pass to curl the ball into the bottom corner of the goal from a dozen yards. And with five minutes remaining, Silva and Sergio Aguero toyed with the opposition with neat passing on the edge of the area before teeing up Argentine forward Tevez, whose 18-yard shot flew into the goal. While City can still dream of a title miracle, third placed Chelsea are now only two points clear of fifth placed Arsenal and face a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Still, despite ending a run of three league games without victory, second placed City will need a major meltdown from United to make up the vast gap at the top. As befitting their desperate position

MANCHESTER: Chelsea’s English midfielder Frank Lampard (L) takes his penalty, saved by Manchester City’s English goalkeeper Joe Hart (not pictured) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England, yesterday. — AFP

in the title race, City started the contest with a sense of urgency, Yaya Toure testing Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal inside the opening seconds. Silva’s 14th minute corner was met by Matija Nastasic whose firm header drew an acrobatic reflex save from Cech. Chelsea began to enjoy some possession of their own, without troubling Hart in the City goal, and Lampard, seeking his double century in goals for the club, wasted one such opening as he planted a free-kick harmlessly over from 35 yards. Former Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell then unleashed a 25-yard shot which Cech tipped over his bar before steering a header from the resulting corner directly at the Chelsea goalkeeper. Silva, exchanging passes with Yaya Toure early in the second half, darted down the left flank and crossed for Aguero to hook an off-balance shot just wide from 15 yards before, finally, Hart was forced into his first meaningful action after 50 minutes. Eden Hazard was allowed time and space outside the City area to test the England international from 20 yards, with Hart comfortably smothering the shot at the foot of his post. The penalty drama followed a minute later with Hart making a fine stop to deny Lampard’s powerful low strike. In response, Mancini brought on Tevez from the City bench and Aguero almost greeted his arrival by opening the scoring, running away from the Chelsea back line but seeing his chip not only clear Cech but the crossbar, also. Yet the impression that Chelsea might pay for their penalty miss was underlined when Ramires failed to convert on a dangerous counter-attack and the miss proved especially costly when City took the lead seconds later thanks to Yaya Toure’s superb solo effort. Ramires almost made amends for his earlier error when, after seeing a shot saved by Hart, he clipped a follow-up effort against the bar. — AFP

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye, right, scores his goal from a penalty kick during their English Premier League soccer match against Southampton at St James’ Park, Newcastle, England, yesterday. — AP

Newcastle edge Southampton NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United Newcastle 4 o v e r c a m e Southampton 4-2 in an end-to-end encounter at St James’ Park yesterSouthampton 2 day to move six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. Newcastle rebranded the day ‘French Day’ in honour of the swelling numbers of French players in their ranks and there was a distinct Gallic feel to the hosts’ performance, as they came from behind to sink their relegation rivals. Southampton’s French midﬁelder Morgan Schneiderlin broke the deadlock in the third minute, but Moussa Sissoko equalised and a brilliant goal from Papiss Cisse put Newcastle ahead at the break. The visitors responded through Rickie Lambert but another Frenchman, Yohan Cabaye, restored Newcastle’s lead from the penalty spot before a Jos Hooiveld own goal put the game beyond Mauricio Pochettino’s side. It was only Southampton’s second defeat in 10 games, but left them just three points above the bottom three in 16th place. Newcastle made seven changes to the team that beat Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League on Thursday but the returning big guns could not prevent Southampton from taking an early lead. A high ball into the Newcastle box from Jack Cork was headed down by Lambert and Schneiderlin swivelled to send a half-volley into the bottom-left corner from 10 yards. — AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Sports

SA beat Pakistan by an innings

LONDON: Swansea City’s players spray champagne as they celebrate with the trophy on the pitch after the League Cup final football match between Bradford City and Swansea City at Wembley Stadium in London, England yesterday.— AFP

Swansea claim League Cup crown LONDON: Swansea City ended Bradford City’s League Cup fairytale with a record-breaking 5-0 victory in the final at Wembley Stadium yesterday to crown the club’s centenary year with a first major trophy. Bradford had accounted for Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wigan Athletic en route to the final, but they fell well short in their bid to become the first team from England’s fourth division to lift one of the game’s most coveted prizes. Goals from Nathan Dyer and Michu gave Swansea a 2-0 half-time lead, with Dyer doubling his tally early in the second half before Jonathan de Guzman added a fourth with a penalty after Bradford goalkeeper Matt Duke was sent off. De Guzman made it five in injury time as Swansea broke the victory margin record set by Manchester United against Wigan Athletic in the 2006 final. “As a player, I had the luck to play in the biggest teams in different countries,” Swansea manager Michael Laudrup told BBC radio. “Swansea is not the biggest team in the Premier League, but we are here winning a trophy and that is fantastic. To win a trophy with a smaller club is

outstanding.” Bradford mustered just one attempt at goal over the course of the 90 minutes, but their fans nonetheless revelled in the achievement of being the first English fourth-tier side to reach a major Wembley final. “We will dust ourselves down,” said Bradford coach Phil Parkinson. “We have enjoyed the whole experience and we will go back up to Bradford and enjoy the last 15 league games. We have a chance of promotion (from League Two) so we will make a go of it.” Ki Sung-Yueng made sure Swansea manager Michael Laudrup’s selection gamble paid off as the South Korean helped his club win their first major trophy with a 5-0 rout of 10-man Bradford. With regular centre-back Chico Flores sidelined through injury, Swansea manager Laudrup needed a new partner for Ashley Williams at the heart of his defence and he sprang a surprise by asking former Celtic midfielder Ki to perform the role in front of an 82,000 crowd at Wembley. Ki had played at centre-back only once since joining Swansea from the Scottish champions in August, and that was a relatively undemanding run-out against League One minnows Crawley in the early stages of the

club’s League Cup campaign. Ben Davies was unable to convert Swansea’s first chance of note, leaping well to head wide from Angel Rangel’s high cross in the 14th minute, but two minutes later, Laudrup’s men took the lead. Bradford had ventured forward en masse for the first time, but when the move broke down midway inside the Swansea half, the minnows were exposed. Wayne Routledge drove forward before slipping the ball wide to Michu, and when the Spaniard’s low shot was palmed away by Duke, Dyer slid in to put Swansea ahead from close range. The advantage procured, Swansea seemed in no hurry to extend their lead. Leon Britton sliced a half-volley wide after a corner was half-cleared in the 31st minute, and Swansea did not have another attempt at goal until Michu doubled their advantage five minutes before half-time. Pablo Hernandez threaded a pass into his countryman’s feet and with Bradford’s defenders standing off, Michu had time to turn and take a touch before prodding a left-foot shot into the bottomright corner. Shortly afterwards, Britton sent Routledge scampering down the inside-right chan-

nel, but his shot was pushed over the bar by Duke, who comfortably caught a subsequent shot from Hernandez. Any hopes Bradford had of mounting a second-half comeback vanished in the 47th minute when Dyer sped down the right flank and exchanged passes with Routledge before lashing a shot inside the left-hand post. Improbably, things went from bad to worse for Bradford in the 56th minute when Duke was shown a straight red card for felling Dyer in the penalty area. De Guzman had to brush aside the claims of hat-trick-hunting Dyer to take the resulting spotkick, but the Dutchman was unnerved, whipping a confident shot into the bottom-left corner following a short run-up. Michu shot narrowly wide moments later, but the game was over as a contest and Bradford’s fans resorted instead to waving their flags and shouting their love for their club into the London sky. Swansea were not quite finished, however, and after Dwight Tiendalli hit the bar with a curling shot, De Guzman touched home Rangel’s low cross in injury time to complete a record-breaking rout. — AFP