5 mar 2010

Kuwait Times

March 5, 2010

NO: 14658

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INSIDE

Sea the world through Senyarʼs eyes PAGES 4 & 5

Uganda floods displace 20,000 PAGE 12

Assassins: Death of an era Egyptian court orders retrial in singerʼs killing PAGE 54

England humble Egypt as Spain blank France PAGE 64

JERUSALEM: The killing of a Hamas operative in a Dubai hotel may signal the closure of the old-style assassinations phase: the moment when modern technology finally caught up with the cloak-and-dagger world of disguised assassins and fake passports.

“The last assassination of its kind,” said a headline in the Israeli daily Haaretz. Some believe the fallout — the killers whose faces and aliases were made startlingly public, their movements gone from state secrets to YouTube favorites — could mean a permanent change in the murky world of espionage.

The hit team got into the Arabian Gulf city undetected, pulled off the highly complex killing of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, and escaped unscathed: mission accomplished, or so they must have thought.

But then the photos on their doctored passports were released by Dubai police and published worldwide. So were their 26 aliases, more than half of which turned out to belong to real-life dual nationals living in Israel, whose Mossad agency is widely assumed to have been behind the killing.

Israel saw several of its important friends, including Britain, Ireland and Australia, express displeasure with the killing and the abuse of their passports. Terry Pattar, a security consultant for IHS Jane’s in London, said the details that became public “might represent an unexpected operational risk that had not been planned for.”

In the future, he told The Associated Press, “They will have to decide if the probability of high levels of media coverage after the event is an unacceptable risk that outweighs the potential benefit from a successful assassination.”

The spread of technology of the kind that uncovered the Dubai operation has permanently altered the rules, wrote Yossi Melman, Haaretz’s intelligence correspondent. “The conclusion could be that the era of heroic operations in the style of James Bond movies is close to its end.”

Inspired by Dubai’s success, neighboring Abu Dhabi announced Wednesday that it would spend more than 120 million US dollars to blanket the city with surveillance cameras.

Today, said Gad Shimron, a field operative for the Mossad in the 1970s and 1980s, agents risk leaving electronic footprints everywhere: credit card charges, passport information in airport computers and easily traced cell phone calls. As Dubai demonstrated, they must also plan for the possibility that law enforcement will be able to put the pieces together.

And if the current complications seem daunting, Shimron said in an interview, agents will soon face even greater challenges with the advent of biometric passports, which can feature fingerprint, facial and iris recognition, making them far harder to forge.

But if the spy’s world has become more complicated in some ways, it has become simpler in others, Shimron said. A few decades ago carrying communications equipment would have been a sure giveaway; today cell phones and tiny computers arouse little suspicion.

The Dubai operation shows not that 21st century spies have been vanquished by technology, he said, but that they have accepted the ways it restricts them while taking advantage of the ways it can help.

“The new world definitely limits things,” said the

former Mossad man, “but history shows that every time someone invents something, someone else invents something else to bypass it.”

Jonna Mendez, who spent some of her 27 years in the CIA as the agency’s chief of disguise, believes the Dubai perpetrators took the fallout into account, all of it: the TV footage, the blown aliases and the head shots. The agents, she said, clearly knew they were under surveillance — they had simply decided it was unavoidable and a price worth paying.

“You can be sure they knew they were being surveilled. Likewise, they would assume that the documents they were using would be made available after the fact,” said Mendez. “What does this mean? It means it didn’t matter. The faces and the documents that were captured by the cameras will probably never be seen again.”

The fact that the perpetrators had to take the identities of real people rather than simply invent false identities is a symptom of the new world facing modern-day spies, one of databases and traceable passport information, she said.

The real agents likely don’t resemble the faces in the photos, she said: “Bald? Not really. No facial hair?

Not normally. Blonde? Are you kidding,” Mendez said.

And if they do, plastic surgery, dental implants and hair grafts can ensure they are unrecognizable afterward.

“Steal the identity, disguise the participants, be ready on the other side with another set of identities and documents, and embrace and conceal the protagonists on their return,” she said. “With that goal in mind this may, in fact, be the operation of the future.” — AP

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Confessions of a quitter To walk the less-traveled path takes guts - and money

By Abdullah Al-Qattan

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ometimes, the roads that we take towards our career path lead us to a dead end. Every now and then, we are forced to make decisions that help secure our lives financially,

eventhough the job isn’t our dream job.

The ‘dream job’ fantasy that we have been nurturing ever since we can remember, somehow gets replaced with a ‘whatever pays more’ job when reality slaps us on the face. We understand

that we have to make sacrifices in life and settle for ‘the whatever pays more’ job.

In other par ts of the world, we have often heard about stories about people who take career leaps just because they follow their

dreams and refuse to take up an occupation that isn’t ‘fun.’

Such stories usually start with the person’s graduation project, and ends up as a new business venture that turns into a huge success. A good example of this would be Mark Zuckerberg’s suc-

cess, also known as the creator of Facebook, a wellknown social networking website.

In our society, we aren’t used to taking such risks because we aren’t taught how to. In fact, we are simply trained to per for m cretinous tasks that are unrelated to the field of study that we have majored in. Af ter that, we evolve when a promotion comes along, and surprisingly, find ourselves drifting away from what we had hoped to be.

That job comes with less tasks to manage. But that’s another topic which will be addressed another day.

This stor y is about a Kuwaiti citizen’s experience. He wanted to handle a job that he enjoyed performing rather than follow the same mind-numbing routine repeatedly.

29-year-old Jassim is a graduate from the College of Engineering in Kuwait University. Right after his graduation, Jassim sought employment just like any other graduate would in various fields. He was later on approached by one of the major banks in Kuwait with a job offer that is considered cushy and stable, although it is unrelated to his field of study. This is a typical case, as your academic degree happens to state the size of your pay check though it has nothing to do with the nature of your job.

But for Jassim that was unusual, and af ter three years of working in what he describes as ‘a systematic repetitive job,’ he said “I had more than enough.”

After thinking about it for not more than a week, and consulting some friends and family members, Jassim approached his boss with the intention of handing over his resignation and starting his own business.

Jassim did exactly that a short while later, and began searching for aspects that would attract him to a job.

Little did he know, that he was in need of some stockpiled money to keep him going till he found another job.

“No matter how hard I tried, it seemed like I was stuck in second gear,” he said. “I was in debt shortly af ter I quit my job, and I couldn’t go ask my parents for money because I was 27 and they thought that I had been saving up, but I hadn’t.”

“And like all bad things, all problems descend at once, I even had to leave my apar tment because I

couldn’t afford it,” he said.

One day he offered to sell one of the characters that he had in the online game World of War Craft (WOW) for a decent amount of money. It occurred to him that he could be minting more money by selling more characters.

Af ter putting some thought and doing some market research, he decided to go back to that same bank that hired him and asked for a loan to invest in his upcoming project to alleviate his burdens. The bank agreed to grant the loan without probing any further.

“After I got the money, I went to a computer store in Hawally and I had three fullspecked PCs and I had them delivered to my apartment with large screens,” he said.

“I thought I would begin a computer consultancy agency, but was determined to star t a business that involved a fantasy game where I could sell characters and items.”

“At first work was slow, so I used some of the loan money to place advertisements in local gaming blogs, and when things picked up, I decided to go international and provide my services to people outside of Kuwait,” he said confidently.

Jassim would sell characters based on their levels, and the items that were present in the game. According to him, items like gold, weapon and pets are what were really in high demand.

Some of what the price list included were ‘heroes’ that were priced at KD 150 and could reach till KD 250 depending on what extra items a customer might require. Another sought after item is the Wings of Eladin that costs KD 100.

He also added that a part of his job profile is to help gamers defeat ‘monsters’ in the online game. “My services are very well-priced, and are actually affordable.

That’s why I was approached by people from all over the Gulf. I am really good at this game,” he added.

Jassim landed his dream job, a job that he enjoys doing and generates money.

Taking a cue from his past experience, Jassim has also started saving money and investing it in the stock market. “Of course, I won’t do this till the day I die. I will eventually go and procure a real job that will secure my life properly.

There is no harm in having some fun while I am at it right now,” he added.

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Taboo intersections

HalluciNations

FRIDAY SPOTLIGHT

By Ahmad Saeid

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aboos have always aroused my curiosity.

I’ve always been interested in how they are formed and how people deal with them.

I’ve always believed that studying the taboos of a society can reveal much about it. Knowing what is forbidden can say much more about a nation than knowing what is allowed. Studying the process of how things become taboo can crack the moral code of a nation and vividly illustrate how it reasons.

Taboos in general, and especially in this part of the world, usually belong to one of three major categories; political, religious, and social. Anyone who has lived long enough in the Middle East will have noticed that. Illegal, sin, and shame are the titles of these restricted areas. What I would love to bring to your attention is where these three taboos intersect. This will help us understand how taboos often combine to create the standards, legally and socially, for this part of the world.

For example, let’s compare women who do not wear the hijab to men who smoke cigarettes. Both are sins in Islam but smoking is more socially acceptable than reveal-

There are many examples of these intersections.

What matters the most for us here is how society uses religion to justify creating taboos out of socially unacceptable behavior. ing a woman’s hair. Not wearing a hijab is illegal in countries where a man can legally smoke cigarettes.

Sinfulness alone does not explain why social taboos develop into illegal behavior, otherwise smoking would also be forbidden.

It is the social factor that adds extra restrictions on these activities. It is more shameful for a woman to show her hair in public than a man to smoke in public. The development occurs because not wearing a hijab exists on the intersection between the taboos of sin and shame.

Another very good example is performing prayer and fasting during Ramadan.

Both are ‘pillars’ of Islam and both are required by God of each and every Muslim.

According to the teaching of Islam, prayer is more important than fasting. However, not praying is much more acceptable than not fasting during Ramadan. Eating publically before sunset during Ramadan can land you a few days in prison. At the same time, not praying your whole life will not subject you to any legal accountability. It is only with

the help of social shame that not fasting is more unacceptable than not praying.

There are many examples of these intersections. What matters the most for us here is how society uses religion to justify creating taboos out of socially unacceptable behavior. Ultimately there will be people who are willing to ride this wave and place these taboos into legislation. Taboos that are adopted into law are rarely reconsidered.

I’m not a secular person and I do not support the idea of a religious state. This article is not in favor of either of those perspectives. What I’m trying to say is that even though some taboos appear to be religious, or have rational justification for being illegal, they are still influenced by human judgment.

For that reason, rationality dictates that no taboo should be accepted as a given and every generation should have the right to question its legitimacy. saeid@kuwaittimes.net

SATIRE WIRE

Collecting dust

By Sawsan Kazak

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ou wake up with a dry mouth, a stuffy nose, a weird taste in the back of your throat and completely dehydrated. You stumble out of bed to open the curtains and all you can see is a sea of orange dust. The sun is nowhere to be found, and the whole world is covered in dust.

These days are quite unique to Kuwait and require some adapting to. Firstly, you will be confined indoors as any outdoor activities will result in a trip to the hospital. While indoors, you can take the time to do some cleaning. You can start by cleaning you nasal cavities as they will definitely be full of dust. This can be done with warm water, some salt and any device that will allow you to pour the water through your nostrils (check the Oprah website, she did a whole show on it).

When you are done cleaning the inside of your nose, you can start by cleaning the inside of your house. You will find dust in every nook and cranny, in every corner and on every surface. This, if not cleaning, will eventually be ingested into your lungs. A good trick here is to use a damp cloth as a feather duster only moves everything around.

Since you will be spending so much time inside the house, it’s a great time to catch up on your reading, TV watching and of course, the ever popular, sleeping. The only thing to worry about here is excessive amounts of food you will be tempted to consume out of boredom.

Being in close proximity to the kitchen all day long might cause you to over indulge more than once a day.

By keeping clean, both inside and out, and busy during these depressing dust-filled days, you can ensure to maintain a clean bill of health and your sanity. Hopefully these days won’t go on for much longer and we will be able to make it to the beach soon. sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

KUWAIT DIGEST

Arabian Gulf vs Persian Gulf

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he persisting controversy over referring the body of water located between Iran and the Arabian peninsula as the Arabian Gulf or the Persian Gulf has been brought to the fore again recently, wrote Abdurrahman AlNajjar in his column in Al-Watan.

The countries involved continue to war over naming the water body with the name they prefer.

This forms the basis of the long standing conflict which stems from the fact that both parties aim towards using names that represent their respective heritage. The Iranians reminisce the legacy of the ancient Persian empire, while the Arabs recall the pride of their Arabian and Islamic Empire. ‘That being said, the two sides appear to have forgotten the fact that sparking conflicts over what a body of water that separates their shores should be named, is not of interest to other countries,’ the writer reminds.

In other parts of the world, the water body that separates the United Kingdom and France is referred to as ‘The English Channel’ by the British and ‘La Manche’ by the French. It is also otherwise simply known as ‘The Channel.’ Despite the conflict over naming, this issue has, thankfully, not escalated into a full-scale war. In GCC schools, students are taught that the water body is referred to as the Arabian Gulf. On the other hand, students in Iranian schools are taught that it’s called the Persian Gulf.

It’s a known fact that Iran had seized control over a number of UAE islands, and later annexed them. ‘Would they accept a proposal to return these islands to the Emirates, in exchange of adopting the ‘Persian Gulf’ as the official name for the water body by all Arab countries, and end the conflict?’ the writer questioned.

Teenage issues

By Muna Al-Fuzai

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friend of mine, mother to a 16-year-old daughter, has been complaining about her inability to identif y her daughter’s wants or needs.

They have frequent arguments and sometimes indulge in loud shouting matches over situations, which according to the mother, are not worthy of discussion! The mother claims that her daughter simply ignores her remarks and advises on her dressing sense or her ‘need’ to go out daily. She added that sometimes she feels that her teen daughter doesn’t pay any attention to her.

I do feel sorry for this mother’s concern, but I also think that a mother’s love is greatly exaggerated when it comes to their sons and daughters. I believe that mothers always desire to be protectors even during situations that don’t call for it! Although her selfless act appears to be noble, excessive care can sour relationships and make them strained. Maternal love itself will prove burdensome and a teenager will feel suffocated and begin thinking about running away, deliberately ignore advice, even if they hold true. I have also observed that many parents don’t pay attention to what their children have to say. They tend to accuse their teenage children of indulging in wayward activities!

What are the common concerns that most mothers have about their daughters? When it comes to boys, mothers are worried about them indulging in drugs and dropping out of school. They feel more negatively about the dangers that daughters could face because they fail to heed their mothers’ advices. I feel that mothers don’t trust their teenage children - as much as they would like to pretend the concern stems from love. Let me ask, how can anyone learn about life, if he or she is not exposed to risks?

How can you learn about the moon, if you only see the sun? I think, mothers are adept at fulfilling their wishes.

However, today’s kids belong to a different time. I was born in the sixties. My first boy was born in the eighties and the second one, in the nineties. We all belong to different eras. In order for me to forge a solid relationship with them, I should put in extra efforts to overcome the generation gap. I have to learn more about them, their needs, and maybe keep up with the times. This is my tip for mothers of teenagers. They should know children’s taste in clothes and trends. They may wear not-so decent clothes or go out with friends who you do not approve of. We may feel that they look weird and are out of place. But sadly, who cares about what we think? It is time to let them go. I will be there to hold their basket but I will not have to carry it for long. muna@kuwaittimes.net

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Sea the world through Senyar’s eyes

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By Hussain Al-Qatari enyar environment group is a voluntary work organization that is concerned with marine environmental issues and projects. It was established in 2004, and is chaired by Hussain Al-Qallaf. The word Senyar is an old word used by Kuwait’s seafaring people. It is the name of any group of ships that sail through the ocean as a team on their travels. The duties of the ships in a Senyar is to work together in sync to ensure that they reach their destinations and sail back home safely.

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Q: What about Senyar today?

A: Today, we at Senyar find it our duty to advocate for the co-existence of man and nature. To achieve this co-existence, we have to be like the Senyar ships of the olden days, in sync and harmony with nature and our surrounding environment. We believe that only by doing this we will be able to improve the quality of our life. We, the members of Senyar team think that it is our obligation today to salvage the damage done onto the environment by man.

Q: What are some of the achievements of Senyar?

A: We have numerous achievements to date, thanks to God and to the strong will of our team members and volunteers. For example, we lifted many sunken boats. This reduces the damage done by these foreign objects to underwater life, especially since many of them contain fuel which destroys the lives of many creatures. This also helps return these damaged boats to their owners, giving them a chance to fix them if possible or recycle them if not. We have also lifted many fishing nets that were dumped into the ocean due to accidents. These nets suffocate coral reefs, which disturbs the balance of marine life. We

also built numerous underwater farms to balance the disturbed water life. Our team was also responsible for carrying out several campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of sea creatures and the necessity of treating the ocean carefully since it is a vital part of our life, culture and history. We gave several lectures in schools and education institutes to raise the students’ awareness about this subject matter. We have also managed and participated in the rescue operation of a trapped shark whale at the Marina Crescent boat dock last year. We also had a notable role in solving the recent Mishref sewage problem, which attracted the attention of local and regional news media.

One of our very recent projects concerns the life of sea turtles. It is a joint project with Total Foundation from France, Kuwait’s Scientific Center, and the Kuwait Voluntary Work Center. The aim of our project is to protect these sea creatures from extinction.

Q: What are the goals of Senyar?

A: There are quite a lot of goals; we are very ambitious. The most important is to protect the marine environment. We also aim to let as many volunteers as possible volunteer to

Friday, March 5, 2010

A tete-a-tete with an environmental group concerned with marine life’s preservation in Kuwait

Friday, March 5, 2010

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work in this field. Also, we wish to have a front that would produce university graduates specialized in the field of marine life and environment. The sea is an important part of our life and culture.

Various images show Senyar’s team at work.

Q: Education plays an important role in producing aware citizens. How do you see the status quo in Kuwait in terms of education and environment?

A: We started to give seminars in schools to raise awareness soon after the establishment of our team. We also hold beach cleaning campaigns with the participation of students very often throughout the school year. Recently, we began to work jointly with the Ministry of Education to develop courses about voluntary work in the students’ curriculum, as well as establish extra curriculum environmental activities for them. We want to make it easy for the kids to participate. We also give training courses in diving and marine environment.

Q: How can the readers participate in preserving the environment, on a personal scale?

A: A person can have a substantial effect on the environment. Small things like recycling and not littering, keeping Kuwait clean are very crucial and have a very positive impact on the environment. We are a voluntary team,

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and we can use all the professional help we can get in all fields. We see that people nowadays are more aware of the effects of pollution on our everyday life, but we hope for more participation. We can’t say for sure that people’s current attitude towards the issue is 100 percent positive; there are a lot of people who see that littering for example is still not that much of a deal. But we have hope; we see change that is significant and this keeps us hopeful.

Q: What is the role of companies and governmental bodies in supporting the team and its goals?

A: Companies have a lot to give to the environment. Whether by encouraging employees to recycle or by supporting environmental projects financially, companies can always give back to society. We currently don’t have any joint projects with companies, but we welcome anyone who is willing to help in any way.

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Building self-esteem through muscles

By Ben Garcia yms, fitness centers and health clubs are three of the venues where men and women go to do their best to make their bodies fit, perfect and healthy.

The gym, short for gymnasium (meaning ‘place to be naked’ in Greek), was historically considered an important location for young men’s physical and intellectual education, with the ancient Greeks believing that it prepared them for two things; athletic competition or army service. Physical exercise in ancient Greece was customarily considered a male pursuit to be performed naked, with the belief that men’s bodies should look fit, healthy and strong to gratify their gods.

For the Greeks, physical education was considered as important as academic learning. One can understand why since the earliest records of athletic competition originated in Greece, with the first Olympic Games being held there in 776 BC. This article is not concerned with the Olympic Games, however, but what it takes to get fit in the modern day and why men want to look attractive and muscular.

Meet 29-year-old Kuwaiti Mahmoud Ali, who began attending the gym at the age of 15. Gym became a place where he could realize his burning desire for physical perfection, he says. He never tried any steroids or other enhancement drugs to look good, but he works out daily and, for him, a day without a visit to the gym is incomplete.

Mahmoud began training in a small gym in Maidan Hawally at a time when there were only a few gyms available in Kuwait. “I remember when I was trying to convince my friend to go with me to the gym; he’d tell me

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that I would gain nothing by torturing myself and sweating would result in nothing,” Mahmoud said. “I was a bit disappointed, but I continued because I felt good and they hadn’t tried it anyway.”

Mahmoud began with a program to build muscles in his arms and legs, but concentrated most on his abs. “Each day I looked forward to visiting the gym. When I

cope with stress in his personal life. “If I work out every day, it helps unload heavy burdens in life,” he explained. “When I lift heavy weights I feel that every problem I’ve got in my life is also drained along with my sweat, so I feel satisfied.”

To better manage his time and effort, Mahmoud decided to transfer from the small gym he had been attending to a larger, more

explained. The attention from the opposite sex is certainly a bonus, however! “I feel good when women are looking at me not once but many times! It builds my selfconfidence.”

As with other weightlifters, Mahmoud does use dietary supplements to help him cope with the strenuous efforts involved in lifting heavy weights at the gym, but stresses

‘ What is a better incentive to sweat it out at the local gym? A healthy body or admiring glances from the ladies? ’ started, I didn’t want to stop. Instead I managed to convince some of my friends to work out. I love what I am doing,” Mahmoud said.

Doing well for yourself He noticed some disadvantages in attending the fitness center with friends, however. “When I was alone, I could finish the program quickly. But when I worked out with friends, the seven hours wouldn’t be enough. You know, it’s good to work out with friends, but seven hours in the gym is not good at all!”

Working out so much not only makes him attractive to the opposite sex and keeps him healthy and strong, but also helps him to

expensive one with better facilities. “When I transferred here, I was able to reduce the length of the workout,” he said. “I was able to concentrate on doing my program daily without friends chatting. So the usual seven hours becomes two hours and the seven days a week became five times a week,” he said.

Mahmoud admitted that during his early years attending the gym, his primary objective was to attract women, but says that his current aims are more focused at maintaining his peak fitness level as a professional basketball player. “(As) a professional basketball player, I need to keep my body fit, because if not I’ll be out of this career. My coach advised us to visit the gym to help us in our careers,” he

that he never uses or would use drugs.

“Basically I eat everything, except for sweets and cola; otherwise, I eat and drink whatever I want. I eat meat, fish and chicken.

According to my instructor, it’s okay to take fatty foods, since I usually burn them off during my routine workout.” Mahmoud loves his abs, and never ends his day without lifting weights to maintain them at peak level.

“This is my asset, I feel good when I check it and be actually strong and heavy,” he told the Kuwait Times. Asked whether he had any plans to take part in any bodybuilding competitions, he said, “No, I wouldn’t be interested even if I had the chance. All I want is to satisfy myself and work out every day.”

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Friday, March 5, 2010

MOI advises public to be alert during dusty weather Dust will subside gradually, says meteorologist

KUWAIT: The city was shrouded in a veil of dust yesterday.

— Photo by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) advised citizens and expatriates yesterday to take precautions during dusty weather which the country is experiencing. It cautioned motorists not to overload their vehicles to avoid unexpected motor malfunctions, urged all to abide by traffic regulations, and also urged them to call the ministry’s hotline, 112, when faced with any traffic problem.

Meteorologist Issa Ramadan said yesterday that dust would gradually subside into the night, but fine dust would be back in the morning before clearing altogether late today. He told KUNA a cold dry wind front carried tons of minute dust particles and resulted in visibility below 200 meters. Some parts of the country experienced wind at more than 70 km/h and wave height was above 6 feet, he also said. The region is going through a transitional phase, and northern wind will be replaced by a northwestern wind at 20-45 km/h during the night, he said.

The second part of spring starts early this year,

Bias against women needs to be eliminated BEIJING: Kuwait has said that it was eager to eliminate all kinds of discrimination practiced against women and approve laws that protect them against violence. This stance was emphasized in Kuwait’s speech at the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of WomenFollow-up to Beijing and Beijing + 15 which was presented by member of the Union of Kuwaiti Women Associations, Dr Dhoha AlShaqath.

Al-Shaqath stressed that Kuwait was also keen on implementing Beijing’s principles and development goals according to the Islamic Sharia. Listing the many areas in which women receive care in Kuwait, she said that Kuwait has made elementary education compulsory for both females and males and provided free education at all levels.

The state also provides free health care to its citizens in addition to preventative programs, and recently approved a law on medical examination for those seeking marriage to protect women and children, she added. It was keen on providing decent living for its people and providing financial aid to female divorcees and widows and unemployed, unmarried women who are more than 35 years of age.

Still on economic support, men and women in the same job positions get equal salaries, she stressed.

Kuwait established Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) many years before the Beijing Conference, she also noted. She added that the fund provides loans to many countries in an attempt to

BEIJING: Members of the Kuwaiti delegation are seen at the conference. — KUNA curb poverty. She recalled the suggestion of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on debt write off and interest in helping poor countries’ economies.

Al-Shaqath said that Kuwaiti Constitution states that all citizens are equal in rights and duties regardless of their color or gender.

However, Kuwaiti women were granted political rights in 2006, she added. There are four female parliament members in the Kuwait National Assembly at present, she said, adding that the Education Ministry is led by a female member of Cabinet.

She said that a committee was established for Women’s affairs at the Cabinet and was headed by Sheikha L atifa Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

Kuwaiti women have full

financial independence, as stated upon in Islamic Sharia, and as guaranteed by Kuwaiti law, she reiterated Head of the media committee in the Union of Kuwaiti Women Associations, Fatma Al-Bakir, highlighted that Kuwaiti women have claimed many of their social, economic, and political rights, but still seek more. In statements to KUNA on the occasion of the approaching International Women’s Day on March 8, she pointed out that Kuwaiti women have claimed some but not all their rights, citing the right to serve as judge as an example of things still to be sought.

Al-Bakir and two members of the Union of Kuwaiti Women Association, Dr Dhoha Al-Shaqath and Shaikha Al-Mithin, are attending a meeting on the

occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Conference, and the 54th session of the women’s committee.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Fourth World Conference on Women resolutions. World leaders who attended the conference in the Chinese capital had announced that women should participate in all aspects of social activity, including decision-making and leadership. Al-Bakir said that participants in the 54th session of the women’s committee referred to the Beijing conference resolutions which had many positive outcomes, stressing that Kuwait was one of the countries that had witnessed great development in the field of improving women’s conditions. — KUNA

on March 11, after the country experienced an abnormally warm winter, he said. Although this year witnessed heavy rain, it also saw severe sandstorms, Ramadan said, adding that cracked soil surface was to blame. He called on motorists and people with asthma to be cautious under these conditions and only go out when necessary. Sandstorms could freeze aviation traffic, navigation, and could damage some gadgets as well.

Meanwhile, operations at Kuwait International Airport are still going on normally despite poor weather conditions across the country at present, head of the airport’s operations department Esam Al-Zamil told KUNA yesterday. Al-Zamil said departures and arrivals are still normal and on schedule, with visibility currently at 700 meters. The official assured the public operations are not affected in anyway.

The state currently seems shrouded in a blanket of yellow dust, despite very clear and cool weather in the early morning. — KUNA

Kuwait is elected as Arab side rapporteur by panel CAIRO: Permanent committee of the Arab-African cooperation elected the foreign minister of Egypt Ahmed Abul Gheit as the committee’s African side and a Libyan official as the head of the Arab side. Kuwait was elected as the Arab side rapporteur and Ghana as the African side rapporteur yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah AlSalem Al-Sabah led the delegation of the state of Kuwait at the meeting of the permanent committee of the ArabAfrican co-operation. At the start of this meeting, Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said that preparations for holding the Second ArabAfrican summit due in Libya are going ahead as normal.

He also said that the summit’s agenda will be set by the preparatory committee that held two meetings in Cairo and Addis Ababa and it includes a number of issues on the economic, social, cultural and development co-operation without overlooking the emergency items on the agenda such as climate change, environ-

ment, besides political and security cooperation.

Moussa said in his address that world events pointed out that interests are the same whether they are African or Arab and that the challenges of developing human resources and society in Africa and the Arab world are intertwined on many details, stressing the necessity of strengthening cooperation in order to tackle the challenges, especially as the African regional security is related to the Arab world security.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Gheit called on the head of the African side in permanent committee of the ArabAfrican co-operation to activate the bilateral ArabAfrican cooperation at the economic, social and cultural levels. He concluded by saying that cooperation projects include setting up a preferential trade zone, following up the implementation of the decisions on establishing the joint Arab-African chamber of commerce and reaching a final agreement on holding the first Arab-African development forum in Baghdad this year. — KUNA

Vietnamese official says Kuwait key partner in ME KUALA LUMPUR: A Vietnamese official hailed the Kuwaiti economic and social achievements and said that that Gulf state was an important partner in the Middle East. A release issued by the Kuwaiti Consulate yesterday quoted the senior official of Ho Chi Minh City as saying that Kuwait played a significant role internationally, both on government and public level. The official’s statement came during a ceremony held recently by the consulate to celebrate Kuwait’s National Day. The official said that his country and Kuwait made great efforts to strengthen relations. Kuwait was the first Middle Eastern country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and to establish an embassy in Hanoi and a general consulate in Ho Chi Minh, he stressed. Ties were bolstered through the exchange of visits by the two country’s officials, he said.

In 2009, Vietnam’s Prime Minister visited Kuwait and in 2007, His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah visited Vietnam, he pointed out. The two countries signed joint agreements on investment, avoiding double taxation, agricultural cooperation, energy, culture, and education, he noted.

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Lawmakers plan ‘citizen fund’ for cash dividends MP Enezi calls for revising salaries every three years

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: (Left) The Asian woman who was killed.

(Right) An image of the man responsible for her death.

Asian woman’s corpse identified

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: In a new development to the case where an Asian woman’s corpse was recently found in a dumpster in Hawally, the Egyptian caretaker of a nearby building has identified the body.

The man stated that the woman was a prostitute who offered sexual services to almost all the bachelors that lived in the building he guarded. He also said that the night before the corpse was discovered, he had seen four Asian tenants carry a large object and fling it into the dumpster. During

police interrogation, one of the four suspects confessed to killing the woman. He explained that while engaging in an intimate act with her, she had denied to yield to his wishes entirely, which infuriated him. He then went on to assault her brutally. “I lost control over my senses and only stopped when I noticed that she had fallen to the ground and lay motionless,” said the suspect. The suspect added that out of fear of being arrested, he then decided to dispose of the body. Security sources say that further investigations are still in progress.

KUWAIT: Five MPs yesterday submitted a draft law calling for the establishment of the “citizen fund” by transfering part of the state investments into it and then distribute dividends to Kuwaitis.

The bill, signed by MPs Rola Dashti, Naji Al-Abdulhadi, Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, Maassouma AlMubarak and Faisal Al-Duwaisan, states that Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) will manage the fund’s investments.

The initial resources of the fund will come through deducting 20 percent of shares held by KIA in local companies, 20 percent of funds held by KIA in local banks, 20 percent of stakes held by KIA in funds managed by local banks and investment firms and finally 20 percent of investments held

by KIA and managed by banks and local investment companies.

The bill also stipulates that 20 percent of any future initial public offering (IPO) will go to the

fund. KIA will manage the investments in the fund and t r a n s f e r a n y p ro f i t s i n t o t h e fund. The KIA will distribute 75 p e rc e n t o f t h e f u n d ’ s p ro f i t s every year to all Kuwaiti citizens equally. The lawmakers said they have submitted the law with the aim of boosting the annual income of Kuwaiti citizens to help them cope with the living conditions.

In a related development, MP Askar Al-Enezi submitted a draft law that proposes amendments to a 1982 law that deals with i n c re a s i n g t h e s a l a r i e s o f Kuwaiti civil employees and servicemen. The bill proposes that the gover nment must review once every three years the level of salaries and pensions with the aim to adjust them in relation with the prevailing standard of living. The bill was submitted to make obligatory on the government to increase the salaries and pensions of civil and military citizens at least once every three

Kuwaiti ambassador lauds Pakistan’s efforts ISLAMABAD: The Kuwaiti ambassador has praised Pakistan’s efforts in fighting the global war against terrorism and agreed with the notion to further enhance bilateral collaboration in media and communication.

Ambassador Nawaf Abdul Aziz Alenezi met with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Wednesday and discussed matters of bilateral interests, said an official press statement. Minister Qamar said that winning the war on terror is crucial for the stability of the region and the world.

He said that the terrorists are targeting innocent people including women and children, which Islam does not allow. He maintained that the success in the war is imperative so as to prevent spread of extremism to the world. Ambassador Nawaf Abdul Aziz Alenezi praised the efforts of Pakistan in the war against terrorism. He agreed with the need of enhancing bilateral collaboration with Pakistan in the media and communication sector, said the statement. — KUNA

Nepalese soldiers sought for security

KUWAIT: (Top) Minister of Public Works Fadhel Safar yesterday signed a contract for the expansion of the Kuwait International Airport. The Minister of Communication Mohammed Al-Baseeri was present during the ceremony.

(Above) An image of the proposed blueprint for the new Kuwait International Airport. — KUNA

KATHMANDU: Kuwait has requested the Nepal government to provide 200 serving Nepali soldiers who will be employed to provide security to the country.

The proposal has been forwarded by the Nepal Embassy in Kuwait to the army headquarters through the Foreign Ministry. Reports say that the Defense Ministry has responded positively to the request. The soldiers will have to be less than 35 years of age and should have served in the army for 12 to 15 years with specialized training to provide security to VIPs. “Kuwait has asked for some 150 to 200 incumbent soldiers as body guards. We are positive on that,” the press quoted defense ministr y spokesperson Sreedhar Prasad Pokhrel as saying.

This is not the first time that the services of Nepalese soldiers have been sought by ruling families of nations in Asia. There have been similar instances in the past as well. Four years ago, 55 serving Nepalese soldiers were sent to United Arab Emirates to serve as guards. — Agencies

years.

In the meantime, MP Maassouma Al-Mubarak said yesterday that the assembly’s women affairs committee will organize on March 8 a symposium on the situation of Kuwaiti women and her rights. The symposium coincides with the International Women’s Day and will be patronized by assembly speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi.

Also, the assembly’s alien practices panel asked Minister of Social Affairs and L abor Mohammad Al-Afasi to ban Kuwaiti women spor ts teams from taking part in international or regional tournaments because their par ticipation violates Islamic Sharia law, member of the panel MP Jamaan Al-Harbash said. The committee is controlled by hardline Islamist MPs who normally oppose women’s rights.

Harbash also said that the committee warned the minister of further action if he did not stop the women’s teams.

KPC reports oil spill, says under control KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation yesterday reported a limited oil spill at a line in Al-Abdally, northern Kuwait, on Wednesday, and said all is back under Kuwait Oil Company control now. In a press statement, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Spokesman and Managing Director of Governmental Relations, Parliament and Public and Media Relations Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid Al-Sabah said KOC dealt with the spill immediately and the quantity leaked was assessed at five barrels and no more. He added the line was disconnected and the situation addressed immediately upon report of the incident and the leak was stopped. — KUNA

Minister Al-Afasi to take part in Arab labor summit KUWAIT: Social Affairs and L abor Minister Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi will head to Bahrain today to take part in the 37th session of the Arab labor conference that will be held there. A release issued by the Social Affairs and Labor Ministry said that the conference will discuss the report of the Arab Labor Organization’s director general on the “Arab operation contract” and technical issues related to it. The conference will also discuss a report on economic changes and their effect on the market, in addition to the recommendations and decisions of the general director and the recommendations of the organization’s board, it said.

Moreover, it will follow up resolutions of ALO’s previous conferences, and discuss financial issues, it added.

According to the release, participants in the conference will form a number of bodies including the organization’s board and committees for financial monitoring, freedoms, legal experts, and Arab women affairs. It stressed that Kuwaiti participants in the conference will include the state’s Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Azzam Mubarak AlSabah, and the ministry’s Undersecretary Mohammad Al-Kandiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Labor Affairs Mansour Al-Mansour, and Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Jamal Al-Dusiri. They will also include a number of other officials from the ministry, businessmen, and representatives of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry. — KUNA

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Probe roils empire of Israel’s richest woman JERUSALEM: The business empire of Israel’s richest woman has been rattled by a police investigation announced yesterday into the activities of her investment group’s director. Police say the suspicions against Danny Dankner date back to his time as chairman of Israel’s second-largest bank, Bank Hapoalim, which is owned by shipping heiress

Shari Arison. The investigation has generated negative publicity for Arison, making front-page headlines in all of Israel’s papers.

Dankner was forced to leave Hapoalim in 2009 because of highly unusual pressure from the governor of Israel’s central bank, Stanley Fischer. Fischer never publicly explained why he had forced

Dankner out. Arison, who firmly backed Dankner throughout the spat with the central bank, later put him in charge of her privately held investment group, Tel Aviv-based Arison Investments. The group said in a statement yesterday that Dankner was working “as usual.”

Police did not detail the suspicions driving the investigation. But the

daily Haaretz linked them to alleged conflicts of interest involving loans made by Bank Hapoalim.

Bank Hapoalim distanced itself from the investigation, saying it targeted Dankner, not the bank. In a statement, Danker said he fully trusts police. Forbes Magazine estimates Arison’s personal fortune at $2.7 billion, ranking her 234th on

its list of the world’s wealthiest people.

Born in New York, she inherited most of her fortune from her father, Ted Arison, who founded Carnival Cruise Lines and also owned the Miami Heat basketball team. Arison split the inheritance with her brother, Micky, who is chairman and chief executive of Carnival. — AP

Hamas: Abbas must step aside after failing to deliver DAMASCUS: Hamas yesterday called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resign, accusing him of selling the Palestinians “illusions” by moving to resume peace talks with Israel. Hamas official Izzat Al-Rishq told Reuters Abbas lacked a national mandate to agree to four months of indirect negotiations sponsored by Washington, although the Arab League had given its approval.

GAZA: Palestinian Hamas supporters take part in a rally to protest against Israel’s addition of two West Bank shrines to a list of Israeli national heritage sites, in Gaza City on Tuesday. Israel’s decision last week drew widespread international criticism and heightened Palestinian suspicions of Israel at a time when the US is trying to restart peace talks. —AP

in the news Hamas bans men from women’s hair salons GAZA CITY: Gaza’s Islamic militant Hamas government has banned men from working in women’s hair salons. Yesterday’s announcement comes amid a Hamas campaign to impose Islamic customs on Gaza’s 1.5 million people. Since seizing Gaza in 2007, Hamas has taken gradual steps in that direction while avoiding a frontal assault on secularism. However, the movement is under growing pressure from more radical Islamist groups to prove its fundamentalist credentials. The Hamas Interior Ministry says those violating the new ban face legal consequences, but will not elaborate. Islamic tradition forbids women from showing their hair to men who are not their husbands or blood relatives.

Still, until now allowances were made for male hairdressers working in women’s salons in Gaza City.

250 Alexander the Great era coins found in Syria DAMASCUS: A Syrian archaeologist says more than 250 silver coins dating back to the era of Alexander the Great have been

unearthed in northern Syria. Youssef Kanjo, the head of archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Aleppo, says the coins were discovered by a Syrian man two weeks ago as he was digging the foundations for a house in northern Syria. Kanjo said yesterday some of the coins depict Alexander on one side and the Greek god Zeus on the other. The Hellenistic period dates from the fourth to first.

Officials charged in rare public corruption case AMMAN: Amman’s prosecutor says he has charged four Jordanians with bribery in a $2.1 billion oil refinery modernization project. One of the accused is an ex-finance minister. Corruption cases involving government officials are rarely made public in Jordan. Prosecutor Hassan Abdallat said Adel Qudah, who’s the ex-minister, along with the refinery chief and a government adviser, face charges of bribery and using their posts for personal gains. A well-known businessman is the fourth person charged.

The case involves a tender posted last year to rehabilitate and expand Jordan’s only oil refinery.

The criticism of Abbas by a high-level member of the Islamist group is likely to complicate Arab efforts to mediate between Hamas and Abbas’s Fatah faction.

The schism has weakened the Palestinian cause, with Hamas ruling the Gaza Strip independently of the Palestinian Authority.

“Mahmoud Abbas has to step aside. The Palestinian people want a solid leadership that leads them to their national rights and not a leadership that offers compromise after compromise,” said Rishq, who is a member of Hamas’s politburo.

“Resuming these talks is selling illusions to the Palestinian people and playing with their emotions.

Eighteen years of talks with Israel have achieved zero.

What is there to expect from an extra four months?”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday Israel hoped to begin indirect negotiations with the Palestinians next week during a visit by George Mitchell, the US Middle East envoy.

Palestinian officials said they wanted the USmediated talks to focus initially on defining the borders of a state they hope to establish in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Rishq said Palestinians would not be closer to realizing their aspirations for independence because Abbas had ruled out “resistance” as a tool of struggle with Israel.

“If we don’t have options, Israel will be tempted to mount more aggression and further refuse to give us any of our rights,” said Rishq, who lives in exile in Syria along with other members of the Hamas leadership.

“The decision to go back to the talks gives the Israeli enemy the cover to continue settlements. There will not be anything left to negotiate on,” he added. Abbas has balked at direct talks with Israel until it stops Jewish settlement construction totally. —Reuters

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem yesterday. — AP

Netanyahu awaits talks with Palestinians JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said he hoped to restart the peace process with the Palestinians a day after Arab foreign ministers backed indirect talks. “We welcome the start of talks, even if they are proximity talks,” he said at a weekly cabinet meeting ahead of US Vice President Joe Biden and Middle East envoy George Mitchell’s arrival in the region next week.

“In the end, our goal is to try to reach a peace agreement with our Palestinian neighbours via direct talks, but we have always said that we do not necessarily insist on this format,” Netanyahu said. “If this is what is necessary to start the process, Israel is ready ... This government wants to start a peace process and I tell you that we also want to complete it.” On Wednesday, Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo lent their support to indirect US-mediated

negotiations but expressed strong doubts about Israel’s intentions and said the talks should not exceed four months.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had said before the ministers’ decision that he would abide by it, and was expected to make a formal announcement this weekend regarding the indirect talks.

Washington has been struggling for months to get the two sides to relaunch peace negotiations suspended after Gaza war was launched in December 2008.

The Palestinians have refused to meet face to face with Netanyahu without a complete freeze of Jewish settlement growth in the occupied territories.

In November Netanyahu imposed a 10-month ban on new building starts in the West Bank, but the Palestinians rejected the move as insufficient because it excluded public buildings, existing projects and all of east Jerusalem. — AFP

Three dead, 5 wounded in south Yemen unrest SANAA: Three people including two policemen were killed in southern Yemen yesterday in armed clashes between separatists and police, security sources said.

Fighting broke out in Lahj province when the separatist Southern Movement tried to replace the Yemeni republicís flag at a local government headquarters with the flag of the former South Yemen, they said.

One member of the group was killed and three wounded. In Shabwa province, to the east, police and demonstrators exchanged fire in the town of Mayfah, security officials said. Two policemen died as they attempted to flee but their vehicle overturned.

Separately, a roadside bomb in the Abyan town of Lawdar targeted the local headquarters of the Southern Movement, wounding two people and sparking a protest, a member of the group said. — AFP

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Iran’s Khamenei attacks Israel, seeks Muslim unity TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday Western powers were trying to widen differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims to divert attention from the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

“The enemies of Islam and Muslims want to create discord among Muslims in the world ... so having unity is the most important need of the Islamic world,” he said in a meeting with state officials on the occasion of the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.

Iran is at odds with the West over its nuclear program which Washington and its allies fear could allow it to acquire atomic weapons, something Tehran says it does not intend to do.

Iran’s Sunni Muslim neighbors, many of which, like Saudi Arabia, have strong ties with the United States, are also wary about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Khamenei said the West had a deliberate policy of sowing distrust among Muslim nations.

“Unfortunately, despite agreement on the need of defending occupied Islamic

territories, the Islamic world has been influenced by the American and British propaganda and plots to create discord among Shiites and Sunnis,” he said.

“Bullying powers, America and Britain are fully aware that disunity and discord among Muslim can deviate the Muslims’ public opinion from the important issue of Palestine.”

Opposition to Israel, which sees Iran’s nuclear program as a threat to its existence, has been a cornerstone of the Islamic republic since 1979 and Iran backs Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups opposed to peace with the Jewish state.

“The occupation of the holy land of Palestine and the endless brutality of the Zionist regime towards innocent Palestinian people is a big wound in the body of the Islamic world,” Khamenei said, calling Israel a “dangerous and fatal cancer”. Parts of the speech were carried on state television. Israel has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the nuclear row. —Reuters

Shiite calls for elected Bahraini govt sparks row DUBAI: Bahrain’s largest Shiite parliamentary bloc is demanding that the cabinet be chosen by its elected parliament, sparking a row with Sunni politicians that has drawn in foreign missions as well. The Al-Wefaq bloc, with 17 of 40 seats in the assembly, said during its annual assembly last month that the power sharing envisioned in Bahrain’s constitution had not yet been sufficiently brought to life.

This drew harsh criticism from Sunni politicians, one of whom also assailed the British ambassador for meeting deputies from AlWefaq shortly after its assembly and warned against foreign meddling. Majority Shiite Bahrain, home to the US. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, is ruled by the Sunni Muslim Al-Khalifa family but has an elected parliament. The Shiite population complains of discrimination in jobs and services. Officials deny this.

“The national charter that 98.4 percent of people voted for (in 2002) clearly states that Bahrain is transferring into a constitutional monarchy,” Khalil Al-Marzooq, speaker of the Shiite opposition AlWefaq’s parliamentary bloc, told Reuters.

Marzooq said that as such the cabinet should be formed by parliament. It is currently appointed by Bahrain’s king, with about half the members coming from the royal family.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa started a

reform process in the early 2000s that led to a new constitution and parliamentary elections in 2002 and 2006. Bahrain’s next parliamentary elections are expected in November, and observers say the debate on the constitution is part of arm wrestling between Shiite and Sunni blocs ahead of the polls.

The country’s elected parliament is the only one in the Gulf Arab region besides Kuwait’s assembly, but its bills need to pass an upper house that is appointed by the king. Ultimate power in the country rests with the ruling family. “We’re not challenging the al-Khalifa family, we deny this. Nothing has been said against this family or any other,” Marzooq said. The demands by Al-Wefaq were met with stark criticism from Sunni groups such as the AlMenbar society.

“The current constitution is a national achievement that must not be compromised; it is the legal reference for (relations) between the rulers and the ruled and it needs to be respected and cannot be violated except through the constitutional framework,” it said in a statement. Bahrain’s sectarian balance is a concern to nearby top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, which has a Shiite minority in its eastern provinces. Bahrain has strong commercial and political ties with Saudi Arabia. —Reuters

BAGHDAD: An elderly Iraqi woman who gave her name only as Umm Ali, 75, raises her inked finger after casting her vote at the Medical City hospital in which she works, in Baghdad, Iraq yesterday. —AP

Tensions rising in an already nervous city

17 killed in Baghdad blasts targeting voters BAGHDAD : A string of blasts ripped through Baghdad violence to disrupt the elections, which will help targeting early voters and killing 17 people yesterday, determine who will oversee the country as US forces go authorities said, raising tensions in an already nervous home. It is also a test over whether the country can city as early ballots are cast for Sunday’s parliamentary overcome its deep sectarian divides. Two of the blasts elections. Insurgents have repeatedly threatened to use hit voters outside polling stations.

Baghdad was a tense city yesterday as from a closed polling station, police said. from voting twice , on their fingers.

Many expressed frustration at the thousands of troops deployed across the Early reports said the blast had been government and a desire for change. “The capital, and convoys of army trucks and caused by a bomb hidden in garbage.

The second attack took place in the people who are in government, they did minibuses ferried soldiers and security upscale Mansour neighborhood when a nothing for the country and if they return personnel to and from polling stations.

Many stores were shuttered, and suicide bomber detonated an explosive to power, they will do nothing again,” said normally crowded streets were near vest near a group of soldiers lining up at a Jolan Ali Hossein, a police officer. Others empty as people appeared to be staying polling station, killing six and wounding said they were excited about being able to home on what was a holiday across the 18, police said. The blast left a small crater vote and help usher in a new political era country. A sandstorm blowing into the in the middle of the street, and debris from in Iraq. “In the past we used to make capital also gave the already empty streets the explosion splattered around the crater. change through violence. Now we have an even more eerie feel. “Terrorists Pools of blood and burnt human flesh democracy,” said Hamza Abbas, another wanted to hamper the elections, thus they littered the ground along with broken police officer.

In the town of Nimrod in the northern started to blow themselves up in the glass, rubble from buildings and the province of Ninewa, policeman Anwar streets,” said Deputy Interior Minister remnants of shops signs.

In the third blast, another suicide Khames said he was voting for Prime Ayden Khalid Qader, who’s responsible for election-related security across the bomber blew himself up near policemen Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law country. He said security measures waiting to vote, killing four people and Coalition. “He did one good thing, prevented the bombers from reaching wounding 14 others, according to police overcoming the sectarian violence, especially in Mosul. Before, I was not able polling places so they struck at voters en and hospital officials.

All the officials spoke on condition of to go to Mosul. Now I can go, but I am still route. Many of the victims were believed to be security personnel , the main group anonymity because they were not cautious,” he said. In Saddam Hussein’s casting their ballots early voting since they authorized to speak to the media. US and former hometown of Tikrit, police 1st Lt. work on election day. Yesterday’s voting is Iraqi officials have warned that insurgents Ahmed Abdul-Hamza said he did not vote for those who might not be able to get to could launch attacks in an attempt to in the 2005 election but decided to vote the polls Sunday, including detainees, disrupt the vote. On Wednesday, a string of this time because “this election will be a suicide bombings in the city of Baqouba decisive one in Iraq’s history because the hospital patients and medical workers. coming government will lead Iraq when The United Nations Assistance left 32 Iraqis dead.

Sunday’s elections are only Iraq’s the US forces leave.” There were Mission to Iraq estimated that between 600,000 and 700,000 people could vote second for a full parliamentary term since scattered reports across the country yesterday. About 19 million of Iraq’s the 2003 US -led invasion ousted Saddam yesterday of people showing up at the estimated 28 million people are eligible to Hussein, leading to the eventual creation polls and not being able to find their name vote in the elections, which will also see of the Shiite-dominated government in on the voting records. A senior electoral Iraqi expatriates cast ballots in 16 power today. At a high school in Baghdad’s commission official, Qassim Al-Aboudi, Karradah neighborhood, police and said during a news conference that people countries around the world.

In the first attack, a Katyusha rocket military officials crowded in to the building who are not able to find their names on the killed seven people in the Hurriyah to cast their ballots, displaying the now- voting records will be able to cast a neighborhood about 500 yards (meters) iconic purple ink , used to prevent people provisional ballot. —AP

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Case follows acting president’s pledge to fight corruption

Nigeria charges ex-governor with embezzling $100 million LAGOS: Nigeria’s anti-graft police have charged a former state governor with embezzling 15 billion naira ($101.13 million), court papers showed yesterday, in the first such case since Acting President Goodluck Jonathan assumed executive powers. Abdullahi Adamu, governor of the central Nasarawa state from 1999 to 2007, is also the first senior official under former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration to be charged with corruption in nearly a year.

BEIRUT: Legal consultants at the press confence.

Danish paper apologies to Muslims worldwide BEIRUT: In the first success achieved by the legal efforts regarding the Cartoon Drawings of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), which were published by the Danish Newspapers, Politiken (one of the newspapers had published the Cartoon Drawing) declared its apology for the offence it had caused against Islam, Muslims, and their Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

On Friday, 26 February 2010, corresponding to the 12th of Rabee’ Al-Awal 1431H, Politiken published its apology and the draft of the settlement which has been reached between the newspaper and the Law Firm of Ahmed Zaki Yamani (Lawyers and Legal Consultants) mandated by Corpc Unison Kinsfolk Home Wolq (the International Organization of Ilaf Al El-Bait) which exist in eight countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Qatar, Australia, and Palestine, and has more than (95.000) ninety five thousand members who are the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

Mr. Faisal Ahmed Zaki Yamani, the Executive Partner of the Law Firm of Ahmed Zaki Yamani (Lawyers and Legal Consultants) and the Lead Council of the Prophet Case said: “We thank God for our success in reaching a settlement with the Danish Newspaper which has recognized its mistake, apologized, and indicated

not to reoffend Muslims and their Prophet (peace be upon him). We wished that all the Danish Newspapers which published the Drawings accepted to enter into a settlement as Politiken did, and published an apology to avoid multiple jurisdictional litigations and costly damages in favor of our clients, who have mandated us and our team of international litigators to raise claims against the newspapers on their behalf.

Mr. Faisal Yamani pointed out that on the authorization of Corpc Unison Kinsfolk Home Wolq (the International Organization of Ilaf Al El-Bait) to the Law Firm of Ahmed Zaki Yamani (Lawyers and Legal Consultants) the Law Firm more than once sent letters to the seventeen Danish Newspapers requesting them to apologize in order to avoid multiple jurisdictional litigations against them. The Danish Newspaper Politiken accepted to settle this matter by apologizing and removing the drawings of its websites in order to avoid such litigation.

Mr. Yamani stated: “we have succeeded in reaching a settlement with the newspaper, however, we will continue as mandated by our clients (the organizations) as they are the descendants of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and have been harmed as all Muslims around the world by the publication of the Cartoon Drawings.

Jonathan pledged to fight graft when he assumed executive powers three weeks ago from ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, whose critics questioned his commitment to stopping corruption. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Adamu and 19 other former state officials and contractors with 149 counts of corruption on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, the court papers showed.

No pleas were taken from them because only the exgovernor and one other person were in court. Adamu was granted bail in the sum of 500 million naira and case adjourned to March 15.

More than a dozen former governors and ministers face graft charges in one of the world’s most tainted countries, but Adamu, who was arrested last week, is the first governor to be taken to court since March 2009. He is also a senior member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party.

Nigeria’s 36 state governors wield considerable financial and political power in Africa’s top oil producer, in some cases running budgets larger than neighboring countries. They also enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution while in office.

Yar’Adua was flown back home last week after three months in a Saudi hospital but is still too frail to rule. He came to power in May 2007 pledging zero tolerance for corruption, but progress slowed in a campaign that was welcomed by Nigerians and foreign donors.

Most of the cases against former governors and exministers have stalled in the courts in the last three years. In December, a Nigerian court dismissed corruption charges against the former governor of the oil-producing state of Delta James Ibori, who was instrumental in Yar’Adua’s rise to power in 2007.

The court cited insufficient evidence. —Reuters

BUDUDA: People search for relatives among victims of landslides in the region of Bududa in eastern Uganda, Wednesday. —AP

Uganda floods displace 20,000, slow victim search KAMPALA: Heavy rains in eastern Uganda have triggered flooding that has displaced more than 20,000 people and hampered search efforts to find victims of massive landslides feared to have killed hundreds, officials said yesterday.

Persistent heavy rains since early in the week have flooded more than 30 villages in the country’s east, leading to the displacement of more than 20,000 people, said Joel Aguma, the police commander for eastern Uganda. Villagers have headed to higher ground and are waiting for assistance from aid groups and the government, he said. Rains on Monday triggered massive landslides that buried three villages in the Bududa region, burying what officials believe to be several hundred people.

Rescuers have recovered 92 bodies so far but were unable to continue searching yesterday because of the rain, said Kevin Nabutuwa of the Uganda Red Cross.

“Thousands of people have been displaced by floods. We are advising them to relocate to high, dry areas as we mobilize for assistance,” said Dorothy Florence Hyuha, a member of parliament from eastern Uganda. An official from the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness said a rescue team has been sent to affected areas. The landslides late Monday and Tuesday buried a village hospital where more than 50 students had taken refuge. All are believed to have died. The landslides wiped out whole villages, burying homes, the school and a church. —AP

Voters flock to poll in test of democracy in Togo

LOME: Current Togo President Faure Gnassingbe, center, casts his vote for president amidst a crowd at a polling station in Lome, Togo yesterday. —AP

LOME: Togo’s opposition icon yesterday warned that people would not accept a fraudulent election this year as citizens flocked to voting stations in the second election being held since the death of the country’s dictator.

Gilchrist Olympio cast doubt on the re-election of President Faure Gnassingbe who is pitted against six other candidates.

Gnassingbe, the son of Togo’s long-ruling dictator, has vastly outspent the other candidates and has wallpapered the country with his campaign posters. He hopes to win a second term and erase memories of the reportedly fraudulent election that brought him to power five years ago. But Olympio does not want people to

forget. Although seven candidates are in yesterday’s race, the contest is really between two families: Gnassingbe and Olympio.

Even though the government disqualified Olympio from running in yesterday’s race, the 74-yearold remains front and center in this election. Olympio is throwing his weight behind his party’s general secretary Jean-Pierre Fabre, who is Gnassingbe’s leading contender and who voted across town.

“I want the people who think they can play around with our election results to be very careful,” Olympio told reporters soon after emerging from the voting booth yesterday, his finger stained with purple ink. “The people will not accept it,” he said.

Yesterday, Gnassingbe arrived at the polling station where his father used to vote, encircled by bodyguards who beat back the crowd. “It depends on the will of the people. If the people want me, I will win,” the 43-year-old said.

Known simply as “Faure,” the favorite son of Eyadema Gnassingbe assumed power in a military-backed coup hours after his father’s death on Feb. 5, 2005.

Under intense international pressure, he agreed to briefly step down and hold elections, but the vote was marred by serious allegations of fraud including polling stations where the military burst in and made off with ballot boxes. At least 400 people were killed in the violence that engulfed

the country after the controversial results were announced.

Gnassingbe’s father had come to power after killing Togo’s first president Sylvanus Olympio in a pre-dawn massacre that marked tropical Africa’s first coup 47 years ago. Gilchrist Olympio, the slain president’s son came back to Togo over the weekend to rally support for his opposition party.

Olympio has tried and failed to run in almost every single presidential election in the past two decades, but nearly every time the government finds a technicality to disqualify him, including this year when he was barred from the race because he had improperly filled in his health certificate. —AP

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Page 13

Some Dems are wary of Obama’s final health push WASHINGTON: Many Democrats in Congress remain wary of health care legislation in spite of President Barack Obama’s closing argument for overhauling the system, well aware that success is far from assured and political perils abound in this election year.

Obama’s proposal included some ideas favored by Republicans, although the Democratic president has little hope of winning over even a single Republican lawmaker.

Republicans have demanded that he discard his proposals and start

working with them on a new one.

The White House hopes that by including elements of Republican plans, Obama can win over Democratic lawmakers from conservative districts whose reelection hopes in November could be jeopardized by voting for the bill.

If he can generate stronger Democratic support, congressional leaders can use parliamentary maneuvers to bypass Republican objections.

“I think he has succeeded in prying open a window of

opportunity, but it’s a very narrow window,” said first-term Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly.

“And he and the leadership here had better clamber through that narrow window while they can.” In a speech Wednesday at the White House, Obama called on lawmakers to end a year of legislative struggle and angry public debate and enact legislation ushering in nearuniversal health coverage for the first time in the country’s history.

He called for an “up-or-down vote” within weeks under rules denying

Republicans the ability to block the bill with a filibuster.

“At stake right now is not just our ability to solve this problem, but our ability to solve any problem,” the president said. “And so I ask Congress to finish its work, and I look forward to signing this reform into law.” Appearing before a select audience, many of them wearing white medical coats, Obama firmly rejected calls from Republicans to draft new legislation from scratch.

“I don’t see how another year of negotiations would help,” he said.

“I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote.” Lawmakers were almost finished merging House and Senate versions of sweeping overhaul legislation when a special election in Massachusets last month cost Democrats their filibuster-proof Senate majority, throwing the effort into disarray.

Obama is attempting to revive it with one final push, but with Republicans united in opposition, there is no certainty about the outcome. — AP

Brazil rebuffs US, says it will go own way on Iran Brazilian prez pre-empts Clinton BRASILIA: Brazil rebuffed a US appeal for new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, vowing during a visit from US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton not to “bow down” to gathering

international pressure. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pre-empted Clinton even before she could make the case for new United Nations Security Council penalties.

Silva is an outspoken opponent of sanctions, and his country currently sits on the Security Council, which will be asked to approve its toughest-ever penalties on Iran later this year. “It is not prudent to push Iran against a wall,” Silva told reporters hours before meeting with Clinton. “The prudent thing is to establish negotiations.”

Clinton told a news conference she respects Brazil’s position but thinks if there is any possibility of negotiating with Iran, it would happen only after a new round of sanctions.

Iran has accelerated its disputed nuclear program in the face of previous U.N. penalties, but the United U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, and Brazil’s Lower States and other supporters House President Michel Temer, right, accompanied by Brazil’s President say a renewed demonstration of the Senate Jose Sarney, shake hands as they pose for pictures in of world resolve could finally Iran to the bargaining Brasilia, Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Hillary Clinton is on a two-day push table. “The door is open for official visit to Brazil. — AP negotiations. We never slammed it shut,” Clinton said. “But we don’t see anybody, even in the far-off distance, walking toward it.”

The Obama administration took office last year pledging to reach out to Iran and make the case that Tehran had WASHINGTON: Many districts whose re-election history. He called for an “upmore to lose than gain from Democrats in Congress hopes in November could be or-down vote” within weeks pressing ahead with nuclear remain wary of health care jeopardized by voting for the under rules denying development that much of legislation in spite of bill. If he can generate Republicans the ability to the world suspects is aimed President Barack Obama’s stronger Democratic support, block the bill with a filibuster. at building a bomb. closing argument for congressional leaders can use “At stake right now is not Yet the administration has overhauling the system, well parliamentary maneuvers to just our ability to solve this done an about-face after a aware that success is far from bypass Republican objections. problem, but our ability to frustrating year that saw assured and political perils “I think he has succeeded solve any problem,” the nuclear gains by Iran with no abound in this election year. in prying open a window of president said. “And so I ask sign the country is interested Obama’s proposal included opportunity, but it’s a very Congress to finish its work, in serious talks with some ideas favored by narrow window,” said first- and I look forward to signing Washington.

The two Republicans, although the term Democratic Rep. Gerry this reform into law.” countries have been Democratic president has Connolly. “And he and the Appearing before a select estranged since the 1979 little hope of winning over leadership here had better audience, many of them takeover of the US Embassy even a single Republican clamber through that narrow wearing white medical coats, in Tehran, and there is lawmaker. Republicans have window while they can.” In a Obama firmly rejected calls almost no economic or demanded that he discard his speech Wednesday at the from Republicans to draft new diplomatic contact between proposals and start working White House, Obama called legislation from scratch. them. Iran does have vast with them on a new one. The on lawmakers to end a year of “I don’t see how another business and other ties with White House hopes that by legislative struggle and angry year of negotiations would most of the rest of the world, including elements of public debate and enact help,” he said. “I believe the and Clinton said the oil giant Republican plans, Obama can legislation ushering in near- United States Congress owes is exploiting its relationships win over Democratic universal health coverage for the American people a final to try to avoid new U.N. lawmakers from conservative the first time in the country’s vote.” — AFP penalties. — AP

Some Dems are wary of Obama’s final health push

Chilean businessman Leonardo Farkas distributes food to residents in Iloca, Chile, Wednesday, March 3, 2010. An 8.8magnitude earthquake struck central Chile early Feb. 27. — AP

Chile military rolls out post-quake aid effort CONCEPCION: The Chilean military’s humanitarian aid effort hit the streets, carrying food and water to some areas that had seen little of either since a mammoth earthquake struck five days ago. Soldiers filled trucks with plastic bags of cooking oil, flour and canned beans, and municipal crews delivered the packages Wednesday to areas secured by troops from looters. The humanitarian role for Chile’s army marked a shift for a military long associated with dictatorship-era repression.

Survivors cheered the troops’ arrival and the restoration of order in streets still littered with rubble, downed power lines and destroyed cars. But some criticized that the first place in Concepcion to get an aid delivery was a street of houses inhabited by military families.

“This entire block belongs to the army,” Yanira Cifuentes, 31, said of the houses on General Novoa Avenue. She said her husband is an officer.

Cifuentes said the aid was welcome after days of sleeping in tents and sharing food with neighbors over a wood fire. But she also said the neighborhood hadn’t gone hungry because residents had access to food at the regiment. Military officers who refused to give their names insisted their families were suffering, too, and said

many soldiers have been working around the clock since the quake not knowing how their loved ones fared.

Saturday’s magnitude-8.8 quake and tsunami ravaged a 700-kilometer (435-mile) stretch of Chile’s Pacific coast.

Downed bridges and damaged or debris-strewn highways made transit difficult if not impossible in many areas. The official death toll reached 802 on Wednesday. After days of looting, rifle-toting soldiers occupied nearly every block of hard-hit Concepcion on Wednesday, enforcing a curfew that expired at noon.

With the streets more secure, they focused on aid.

The first aid convoy which left immediately after the curfew expired - was the start of a ground operation throughout the disaster area, army Lt. Col. Juan Carlos Andrades said. Army Cmdr.

Antonio Besamat said local authorities controlled food distribution, with the armed forces providing only security.

Juan Piedra, of the National Emergency Office, said civilian officials must follow military decisions under terms of the state of emergency declared by President Michelle Bachelet.

Some people were angry at the local government for announcing Tuesday that none of the first aid shipments would go to neighborhoods where residents took goods from ruined stores. — AP

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Malaysia won’t punish Muslims for taking Communion KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia won’t prosecute two Muslims who pretended to be Roman Catholics and took Communion, a decision a church leader said yesterday undermines peace at a time of rising tensions between Muslims and the country’s religious minorities.

“The lack of action would appear to legitimize” the behavior of the two men, said Archbishop Murphy Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur, who heads the Roman Catholic Church in peninsular Malaysia.

In a letter dated Feb. 12, Malaysian police informed the church that, following instructions

from the attorney-general’s office, “no further action” would be taken against two men who were investigated after they pretended to be Christians and took Communion at a church service to research a magazine article. The monthly Malay-language Al-Islam magazine indicated the men spat out the Communion wafers because they took a photograph of it partially bitten. Catholics believe the Communion wafer is transformed into the body of Christ by the priest during the Mass.

The crime of causing religious disharmony carries a prison term of

up to five years in Malaysia. The government stance in this case is likely to draw comparisons with its strong defense of Islam, the faith of the majority of Malaysia’s 28 million people.

Most prominently, it has vigorously defended a ban on nonMuslim use of the word Allah. Court rulings in inter-religious disputes generally favor Muslims, and government leaders have on occasion publicly brandished daggers, vowing to defend Islam with their blood. Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail said in a statement that he decided not to prosecute the two

men because “they did not intend to offend anyone. It was an act of sheer ignorance.” He added that he had made the same decision in “previous cases where the circumstances were quite similar involving other religions.” One of the men who attended the church service wrote in the magazine that he found no evidence to support rumors that Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in churches. He described how he and his unnamed companion tasted Communion wafers to blend in with the crowd. Non-baptized persons are not allowed to receive Communion in

the Catholic church. While the church allows non-Catholics to attend Mass, many Catholics in this case were unhappy the two men entered the church under false pretenses.

Pakiam urged the government to rethink its position and file criminal charges against the two men, but the church would not sue the magazine.

“We hope and pray. That’s our religious approach,” the archbishop said. However, the church would cease to pressure the government if the magazine makes a formal apology, he said. “Forgiveness is the main line in our blood,” he said. — AP

Strong earthquake hits Taiwan; 64 people injured Quake triggers large fire TAIPEI: A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake issued. The quake was centered in the same rocked southern Taiwan yesterday, terrifying mountainous region of rural Kaohsiung county that residents, disrupting communications and triggering endured the brunt of the damage from Typhoon at least one large fire. Sixty-four people were injured, Morakot, a devastating storm that killed about 700 the National Fire Agency said. No tsunami alert was people last August. intensity was unusual for the Taiwanese actor Chu area. “This is the biggest Chung-heng said he and quake to hit this region in other passengers were close more than a century,” he said. to panic when the high-speed The quake’s epicenter was train on which they were near the town of Jiashian, traveling was dislodged from especially hard hit by last its track by the quake. year’s typhoon. A Kaohsiung “Many people in my car county official told CTI TV were screaming,” he said. “I news that some temporary was so scared that I couldn’t housing built for typhoon make a sound. The train survivors collapsed. The shook very hard, and I Ministry of Defense said thought it was going to troops were dispatched to overturn.” Rail service in Jiashian to report on the southern and central Taiwan extent of the damage. In was suspended, as was the nearby Liugui an unidentified state-of-the-art subway high school student described system in Kaohsiung city, the quake as terrifying.

Taiwan’s second largest with “Everyone was running out a population of 1.5 million. of the classroom, and some Kaohsiung is about 250 miles people fell in the rush,” she (400 kilometers) south of told ETTV. Taipei.

In nearby Tainan, a fire The fire agency said 64 broke out in a textile factory people had been injured. A shortly after the quake hit, spokesman for President Ma sending huge plumes of black Ying-jeou said authorities had smoke billowing into the air. been instructed to follow the Power outages struck Taipei quake situation closely and and at least one county to the take steps to mitigate damage south, and telephone service and dislocation. Ma was widely in many parts of Taiwan was criticized for his government’s spotty. slow response to last year’s Kuo Kai-wen, director of typhoon. The presidential office the Central Weather said he planned to visit Tainan Bureau’s Seismology Center, afternoon. said the quake was not TAINAN: Firemen battle a blaze at a textile yesterday geologically related to the factory that started shortly after a strong Earthquakes frequently rattle massive temblor that hit earthquake jolted the island yesterday, in the Taiwan but most are minor and Chile last Saturday, but its southern area of Tainan, Taiwan. — AP cause little or no damage. — AP

North Korean executed for sneaking news out SEOUL: A North Korean firing squad publicly executed a factory worker for sneaking news out of the reclusive communist country via his illicit mobile phone, Seoul-based radio said yesterday.

The armaments factory worker was accused of divulging the price of rice and other information on living conditions to a friend who defected to South Korea years ago, Open Radio for North Korea reported on its Web site. The man, surnamed Chong, made calls to the defector using an illegal Chinese mobile phone, the broadcaster said, citing a North Korean

security agency official it did not identify.

The report didn’t say when the phone calls were made.

The execution took place by firing squad in late January in the eastern coastal city of Hamhung, according to Open Radio for North Korea, a broadcaster specializing in the isolated country. The station broadcasts into North Korea, which tightly controls news.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles relations with North Korea, and the National Intelligence

Service, Seoul’s main spy agency, said they could not immediately confirm the report. Mobile phone use in authoritarian North Korea is tightly restricted, though the country introduced an advanced network in partnership with Cairo-based Orascom Telecom in 2008. North Koreans who manage to make illegal international mobile phone calls mostly use networks in neighboring China. Open Radio for North Korea said it believes that more than 10,000 North Koreans living near the border with China illicitly possess Chinese mobile phones. — AP

MANILA: A resident carries his pet dogs as his house is demolished by workers of the Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH) in Navotas City suburban Manila yesterday as part of a road widening project.

Outgoing Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has defended her economic achievements during nine years in power, amid criticism that poverty levels had not improved and her government was corrupt. — AFP

Philippines, Muslim rebels hope for interim peace deal KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippine government and a Muslim separatist group engaged in a decades-long rebellion hope to sign an interim peace agreement in coming months, a Malaysian official facilitating peace talks said yesterday.

The proposed plan commits both sides to work on a peace deal after a new government is elected to ensure talks will not be derailed after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo leaves office in June, said Othman Abdul Razak, the facilitator for the Malaysiahosted talks in Kuala Lumpur. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front proposed setting up task forces to cement cooperation on issues such as constitutional legislation, financing and infrastructure, Othman said.

The 11,000-strong separatist group has been fighting for self rule in the Mindanao region for decades.

More than 120,000 people have died in repeated clashes with government troops, and the conflict has held back

economic progress in some of the Philippines’ poorest regions.

The Philippine government negotiators had “very positive” responses to the separatist group’s proposals and would consult Manila before making a decision, Othman said.

“There is some optimism that we can have an interim agreement before President Arroyo leaves office,” he said.

“It is not a comprehensive deal, but it is better than nothing. This is important for the process of building trust and preserving gains.” Officials have said a comprehensive peace deal is no longer possible under the current government given the time constraint.

Government officials and the rebels resumed talks in January after years of peace negotiations broke down in 2008 when the Philippine Supreme Court declared a preliminary pact unconstitutional.

This led to clashes that killed hundreds and displaced about 750,000 people. — AP

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Friday, March 5, 2010

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All victims women and children

63 die, dozens injured in Indian temple stampede MANCHESTER: Akila Naqqash holds a picture of her five-year-old son Sahil Saeed, in Oldham, Manchester, north-west England yesterday. The mother of a five-year-old British boy kidnapped in Pakistan wept as she appealed for the return of her “sweet little boy,” as the family said it could not pay the ransom demanded. —AFP

British boy kidnapped in Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Robbers kidnapped a five-year-old British boy in Pakistan yesterday as he was about to return home, holding his family at gunpoint and stealing cash and jewellery from their home, officials said. The incident happened in the town of Jhelum about 100 kilometers (65 miles) south of the capital Islamabad at the end of a family holiday spent visiting his grandmother with his Pakistani father.

Police blamed a kidnapping gang for the abduction and said they had launched a full-scale investigation to recover the child without harm. “The family arrived from Britain three weeks ago and arranged their departure with the same driver today,” regional police chief Aslam Tareen told Pakistan’s main private TV channel Geo. “When the taxi came to pick them up for the airport, four to five people barged into their house, looted cash and

jewellery and also took their child with them,” he said.

The attackers probably knew the family and were aware of their imminent departure before dawn yesterday, police said. “We are interrogating the taxi driver and hopefully the culprits will be traced in the next 24 to 48 hours... Our top priority is to recover the child without any harm,” he said. The British High Commission (embassy) in Islamabad confirmed that a British child had been kidnapped in Pakistan.

“We’re currently in touch with the family providing consular assistance and the local authorities are currently doing an investigation,” spokesman George Sherriff told AFP. Kidnappings of Westerners are rare in Pakistan, but criminal gangs, some connected to Islamist militant networks, abduct locals for ransoms or as part of family disputes in parts of the country. —AFP

India, Pakistan’s ‘proxy war’ in Afghanistan NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan, implacable South Asian rivals, are locked in a new struggle for influence in Afghanistan, which analysts say is fuelling attacks on Indian interests there. A suicide bomb assault in Kabul last week killed seven Indians, including government employees, following two bomb attacks at the Indian embassy in July 2008 and October 2009. “The attacks are aimed at forcing India to withdraw from Afghanistan,” Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, a South Asia specialist at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, told AFP. “Both India and Pakistan are trying to limit each other’s influence as they have competing interests.” After more than two decades without sway in Kabul, India swiftly established diplomatic ties with the new government there after the 2001 US-led invasion deposed the extremist Taleban. New Delhi has poured money into the country since, becoming the largest regional donor with 1.3 billion dollars in aid.

About 4,000 Indians are busy building roads, sanitation projects and power lines in the volatile country. Even the new Afghan parliament is being built by Indians. It is this steadily accumulating “soft power” in a country Pakistan sees as its backyard that has stoked insecurities in Islamabad, analysts say. “Pakistan has existential concerns about Indian involvement in Afghanistan, as they see it as a form of encirclement,” J. Alexander Thier of the Washington-based United States Institute of Peace, told AFP in an email. —AFP

LUCKNOW: Sixty-three people, all of them women and construction gate on the perimeter of the temple complex children, were crushed to death yesterday in a stampede came crashing down, police said. “We have now counted at a temple in India when a gate collapsed triggering panic all the bodies and they include 37 children and 26 women among the 10,000-strong crowd. The devotees had who had come to collect free gifts,” assistant gathered in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh to receive superintendent of police S.P. Pathak told AFP by telephone food and clothes from a local holy man when the under- from the scene.

State officials said organizers had been unprepared for the size of the crowd that assembled to meet holy man Kripaluji Maharaj at the Ram Janki temple in Pratapgarh, 650 kilometres (400 miles) southeast of New Delhi. According to his website, Maharaj runs a charitable trust which sets up schools, temples and hospitals and operates five large Hindu ashrams (hermitages), including one in the United States. Police said 125 people had been injured and were being treated at local hospitals or at the scene.

“I want my sister back,” one distraught woman told the IBN7 news channel. “She came here to get clothes and sweets, but now she is dead.”

UTTAR PRADESH: Police officers make records as the bodies of victims are “My wife would come here seen after a stampede at a temple hospital in Kunda, 180 kilometers (112 every day,” another mourner miles) southeast of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh state, India yesterday. —AP said. “Today she came with her friends to participate in the event. She was found dead on the stairs of the temple.”

Stampedes at religious events in India are common as large numbers of excited worshippers pack into congested areas. Panic can KABUL: Thousands of US-led troops deaths and injuries as the militants adapt spread quickly and, with few engaged in a major offensive to secure a their designs to counter heavier armor and safety regulations in place, Taleban bastion in southern Afghanistan are other avoidance tactics. the result is often lethal.

Experts say the bombs are cheap and still facing four to six bomb attacks every The worst recent incident day, a NATO official said yesterday. Crude easy to make, are rigged to timers or remote was in October 2008 when bombs known as improvised explosive controls, can be detonated when vehicles about 220 people died near a devises (IEDs) are the main problem facing drive over pressure plates and are temple inside Jodhpur’s the 15,000 US, NATO and Afghan troops as increasingly linked into a chain of bombs to famous Mehrangarh Fort. they consolidate control of the Marjah and cause maximum damage. Tremblay, who More than 25,000 represents NATO’s International Security Nad Ali areas of Helmand province. worshippers had rushed Taleban insurgents, who for years Assistance Force (ISAF), said between six towards the hill-top shrine to controlled the opium poppy-producing area and eight IEDs were neutralized every day. join in an auspicious moment General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, Afghan of the central Helmand River valley with for offering prayers at the drug traffickers, are still putting up some defense ministry spokesman, said 120 start of Navaratri, a nine-day resistance, said NATO spokesman Brigadier insurgents had been killed, including the Hindu festival.

That General Eric Tremblay. “There are many “shadow” governor of Marjah, whom he stampede appeared to have improvised explosive devices in Nad Ali and named as Mullah Bader, but he stopped started when a wall along the Marjah which have been placed by the short of declaring victory. The Taleban narrow path leading up to the insurgents,” he told reporters. On an routinely assign militants to take proxy temple collapsed, killing average day there were “anywhere between official posts in their attempt to set up several people. Hundreds of four and six (IED) strikes,” Tremblay said, parallel institutions to the government. people were trampled and adding: “Not every strike is causing “The situation is slowly getting back to suffocated to death in the normal,” said Azimi, adding: “The people casualties.” ensuing panic.

The operation in Helmand was launched have almost returned to their normal daily Also in 2008, 145 pilgrims on February 13, the first test of a US-led lives.” were crushed to death in a Tremblay warned the development phase counter-insurgency strategy aimed at stampede after railings ending the war against the insurgents, now of Mushtarak “will take many more weeks collapsed at a popular temple in its ninth year. Billed as the biggest to build up momentum, develop community in Himachal Pradesh state. military operation since the war began councils and plans, and deliver sustainable Religious gatherings, following the overthrow in a US-led invasion services”. Authorities needed “more time” pilgrimages and festivals are a of the Taleban’s 1996-2001 regime, it is also and “patience” to fully establish their hold part of daily life in India and the first against the insurgents since US over the area, he said. Afghanistan’s Indians across the entire social interior ministry said a Taleban commander President Barack Obama’s troop surge. spectrum participate regularly.

There are around 121,000 US and NATO was killed during the operation on The choice is vast, as is the troops in Afghanistan fighting the Wednesday, naming him as “Mullah size of crowds, which can It followed an ISAF insurgents, set to rise to 150,000 by August Bismillah”. range from just a few hundred with most deployed to the south as the new announcement late Wednesday on the worshippers to the tens of battle plan rolls out in Helmand and capture of a Taleban commander in Nad Ali, millions who flock to the neighboring Kandahar. IEDs have become whom it said had “planned and coordinated Kumbh Mela festivals at the the pivotal weapon against international and attacks leading to the deaths of civilians” confluence of the holy Ganges Afghan troops, causing the majority of and troops. —AFP and Yamuna rivers. —AFP

Taleban bombs still a problem for US-led troops in Marjah

BUSINESS

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Banks up ahead of Zain deal

Investment Dar in Islamic wrangle with Blom Bank DUBAI: Kuwait’s troubled shareholding company Investment Dar is refusing to pay Lebanon’s Blom Bank $10.7 million, saying that their original deal did not

comply with Islamic law, in a move that could pressure the Islamic finance industry. Dar’s charter prohibits it from entering into non-Islamic transactions.

According to a legal brief circulated this week and obtained by Reuters, Blom sued the company in a British court last year, asking for the principal it invested plus a 5 percent return, as structured in a deal it conducted with Dar in 2007.

But Dar, in a legal move experts say will get much attention, argued that the deal-which was approved by its sharia board-ultimately did not comply with sharia law and was therefore void.

A judge upheld that while Dar should repay the principal sum, it had an arguable defence regarding the extra profit.

Legal experts have reacted to the case, saying that allowing companies to go back and argue that a deal HYDERABAD: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker (L) and a crew is non-compliant will member proceed to a Boeing 777 for a photo call after the company’s press ultimately hurt the Islamic conference at the India Aviation 2010 show at Begumpet Airport in finance industry.

“This is a very dangerous Hyderabad yesterday. The airline inducted the 15th Boeing 777 to its fleet of defence,” said Sheikh about 80 aircraft. —AFP Muddassir Siddiqui, sharia scholar and partner at law firm Denton Wilde Sapte.

“For people dealing with Islamic financial organizations, it adds sharia risk to all the other common risks out there.”

The issue revolves around the concept of interest and risk-sharing.

Under the deal, known as a LONDON: Oil slid towards $80 yesterday as days in the Delta, where an amnesty wakala, Dar served as an the dollar strengthened, dragging fuel prices off programme last year brought more than six agent and accepted funds seven-week highs after news of another build in months of peace. from Blom that it would The Energy Information Administration said US crude inventories. invest in a sharia-compliant The dollar gained around 0.3 percent against on Wednesday US crude inventories last week manner. a basket of currencies as the euro edged lower rose by a larger-than-expected 4.1 million But the contract called for following comments by the European Central barrels, while gasoline stocks also increased. the company to return the Balancing those figures were data showing Bank that reinforced the view interest rates in principal investment plus a the region would remain low for the foreseeable total US oil demand grew 0.3 percent in the past fixed profit-a deal Dar’s four weeks from a year earlier, raising future. attorneys now say Reports of an attack on an oil facility in expectations for an end to a 1-1/2-year period of constitutes interest, which is Nigeria gave some support to prices, raising sustained consumption decreases. prohibited under sharia law.

China Investment Corp, the country’s worries over production from the Niger Delta Dar defaulted on a $100 sovereign wealth fund, believes commodity after a period of relative calm. million sukuk last year and is Benchmark US crude oil futures for April prices are outpacing the global economic restructuring its debts. fell 30 cents to $80.57 per barrel by 1436 GMT. recovery, fuelled by loose monetary policies, a Experts said that the The contract reached a peak of $81.23 on top official said on Thursday. latest defence from Dar will “Personally, I think the prices are a bit too Wednesday, its highest intraday point since Jan. raise fears among potential 12. London ICE Brent for April was down 30 high, relative to the strength of real economic investors over the long-term recovery,” Jesse Wang, CIC executive vice cents at $78.95. risks associated with “A stronger dollar and a build in US crude president and chief risk officer, said on the entering a sharia-compliant stocks are both negative factors,” said Carsten sidelines of a conference in Beijing. deal.

Oil prices have ranged between $69 and $84 Fritsch, commodities analyst at Commerzbank “The timing is in Frankfurt. “We expect oil prices will come a barrel over the past few months, at a time of unfortunate,” said one down from these levels as fundamentals are not uncertainty over the pace of recovery. But a attorney who asked not to be decline in crude stocks and the surplus held in supportive.” named. “The company is A weaker dollar tends to support oil because floating storage has set the stage for an clearly in financial difficulties it makes dollar-denominated commodities increase towards the $80-$90 range, according and clutching at straws to get cheaper for other currency holders. Currencies to Barclays Capital. out of paying but it may The latest data from the Joint Oil Data have led sentiment in recent weeks, with the cause concern for focus on the euro zone and worries that a Initiative (JODI) implies Asian demand has conventional institutions prolonged economic slowdown would hit been growing by more than 2 million barrels considering entering into a per day from a year earlier, according to demand for energy. sharia transaction.”

Barclays.

News from Nigeria was supportive.

He added that financial “If Asian demand can grow at such rapid A militant faction in Nigeria’s restive Niger institutions that are already Delta said it blew up an oil manifold operated by rates when prices are in the $70 to $80 range, nervous over Islamic finance Italy’s Agip on Wednesday. There was no then prices cannot stay in that range for much may view the move as a longer,” Barclays analysts headed by Paul immediate independent confirmation. reason to steer clear of the The attack would be the second in as many Horsnell said. —Reuters industry. —Reuters

Oil falls towards $80 as dollar rises

Chief of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Ali Al-Ghanim

Ibrahim Dabdoub

NBK gets nod for Syria branch KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait, the country’s biggest lender, has obtained outline approval to operate in Syria, its chief executive was quoted by the state news agency as saying.

“We, in the NBK, have decided to establish a bank in Syria. We have already obtained the initial approval of Syrian and Kuwaiti monetary authorities,” Ibrahim Dabdoub told KUNA late on Wednesday.

Dabdoub did not give a time frame for the move, but told KUNA that it could take at least a year.

NBK has been expanding to offset rising competition at home by buying Al-Watany Bank of Egypt and a 40 percent stake in Istanbul-based Turkish Bank in 2007. It is also active in Qatar through affiliate International Bank of Qatar.

The bank said in January that it plans to raise its capital by 10 percent through a rights issue by the end of the year to fund expansion. —Reuters

Dubai rises, investor focus shifts to other markets DUBAI: Dubai’s index rose for the first session in three yesterday, but volumes fell to a three-month low, with investors switching to other regional markets amid ongoing uncertainty over the emirate’s debt position.

Qatar slipped to a fresh three-week low and Abu Dhabi and Oman also fell, but Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt edged higher.

Dubai climbed 0.7 percent, with bellwether Emaar Properties being the main support, rising 1.7 percent.

Index volumes were barely a sixth of the 18-month daily average.

“You can see from the recent volumes that nobody is building long-term positions - until something major comes out about Dubai’s debts, trading will be short-term,” said Chamel Fahmy, Beltone Financial’s regional senior sales trader.

Government-owned Dubai World is expected to unveil a multi-billion dollar restructuring plan in March.

Abu Dhabi’s index fell for the first session in five as property stocks declined. Aldar Properties fell 2.3 percent and Sorouh Real Estate lost 1.9 percent.

“People would rather be in other sectors than real estate banks have government support and are more solid,” said Musa Haddad, head of MENA equity desk at National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

“Volumes are very low and a lot of money has shifted out of the UAE and into more promising regional markets like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt which also have more depth,”

he added.

Indices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both down year-todate, while Egypt is up 9.3 percent and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have each gained more than 5 percent.

Kuwait’s Zain climbed 1.6 percent. The stock has risen 20 percent since the telecom operator said it was in exclusive talks to sell some of its African assets to India’s Bharti Telecom in a $9 billion deal.

“People are slowly gaining confidence in the banking sector and increasingly believe banks will not have to take further provisions in Q1, especially if Zain’s deal goes through,” said a Kuwait-based analyst who asked not to be identified.

Many investors had used Zain shares as collateral with banks to borrow funds to reinvest in the market, the analyst said. Much of the borrowing was done around when shares peaked at 1.6 dinars in September on expectations of a potential stake sale.

As the deal floundered, Zain’s shares slumped, losing almost half their value and leaving lenders’ reeling, but with the market now convinced Zain’s asset sale will go through and the stock back to up to 1.3 dinars, banks’ balance sheets are looking more favourable, he said.

Shares in Egyptian builder Talaat Moustafa, which had been up as much as 4 percent, ended 4.2 percent lower after a court granted a former chairman a retrial over his murder conviction. —Reuters

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China CB sees inflation, expectations controlled BEIJING: China’s central bank can prevent inflation from spinning out of control this year and is also confident of containing inflation expectations, Su Ning, a deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, said yesterday.

“From the measures we have taken, I feel we can control inflation at a reasonable level this year,” Su said at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a body that

advises the country’s rubber-stamp parliament.

Su said the central bank was closely watching price movements.

Consumer prices rose 1.5 percent in the year to January, down from December’s reading of 1.9 percent.

“Just as we successfully managed deflationary pressure last year, we believe we can successfully manage inflationary pressure this year,” he

said.

Su said the current moderate pace of inflation was exactly what the PBOC had hoped to achieve with its monetary policy.

He said the central bank had anticipated the spike in prices that occurred at the end of last year as early as mid-2009.

The PBOC has raised banks’ required reserves twice since the start

of 2010, but Su said such increases should not necessarily be viewed as a form of monetary tightening.

Rather, the higher reserve requirements were intended to absorb excess liquidity. The M1 measure of money supply, which measures cash and deposits readily available to spend, rose a stunning 39.0 percent in January from a year earlier, he noted.

Asked about the outlook for

interest rates, Su avoided giving a direct answer.

“The PBOC has many monetary policy tools, including the deposit reserve ratio, open market operations and, of course, benchmark interest rates.

“The PBOC hopes it is capable at the right time of using the right tools to achieve its target,” he said. —Reuters

Dollar at a 3-month low against yen

Asian shares fall on Greece, global outlook TOKYO: A visitor walks past a Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius plug-in hybrid model on display at the automaker’s exhibition hall in Toyota, central Japan, yesterday. Toyota’s Prius remains the topselling car in Japan despite the automaker’s global recall woes that included braking problems with the hit hybrid. —AP

Toyota Prius tops Japan sales despite recall woes TOKYO: Toyota’s Prius remains the top-selling car in Japan despite the automaker’s global recall woes that included braking problems with the hit hybrid.

More than 27,000 of the gaselectric hybrids were sold in February, making the Prius the best selling model for the 10th straight month, according to Japan Automobile Dealers Association figures released yesterday.

The continued popularity of the Prius comes despite Toyota’s recall debacle affecting 8.5 million vehicles around the world, including the third-generation Prius in Japan, recalled for a glitch in antilock braking. Sales of the Prius have been boosted by its reputation for delivering superb mileage by switching between a gasoline engine and electric motor as well

as tax breaks and other government incentives.

The Prius, also the world’s top-selling hybrid, has been so popular in Japan that it has a big backlog of orders, with a waiting list lasting about six months.

But Toyota officials have acknowledged some people canceled their orders since the recall. Toyota began offering new software to fix the braking problem since last month.

Toyota’s handling of the quality lapses, which emerged in the US last year, has received widespread media attention in its home market but loyalty to Toyota remains relatively strong because the other defects behind the recalls — sticky gas pedals and faulty floor mats — have not affected any models sold in Japan. —AP

KSE price index ends day up 36.7 points KUWAIT: The price index of Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) was up 36.7 points to 7,435.5 points by end of trade yesterday, while the weighted index put on 3.73 points to read 433.54 points.

Trades came to 8,938 transactions at KD 117.6 million and some 725 million shares changed hands by closing.

The session ended with four gainers out of eight sector indices, with the services index at the top at an up of 235.8 points, followed by the banking sector index which increased 109 points, the investment sector index which was up 6.8 points, and the real estate sector’s index which hiked 2.3 points.

Meanwhile, the insurance sector was the biggest loser, declining 14.6 points. Top share for the day was that of Gulf Petroleum Investment, while top loser was the Kout Food Group stock.

Top five shares in terms of volume were those of International Financial Advisors, Kuwait Real Estate Company, Hits Telecom Holding Company, Al-Deera Holding Company, and Investors Hold Group Company. —KUNA

HONG KONG: Asian shares failed to hold on to their ahead of the key monthly US nonfarm payrolls report early gains yesterday, slipping into negative territory as today. Analysts predict that recent US Northeast snow worries about Greece and the outlook for the global storms have affected today’s data but caution against economy made investors cautious. Confidence ebbed reading too much into it. investors will be Friday’s The worries were also Labor Department data on reflected in European stock unemployment in February. markets which were expected Overnight, Greece to open weaker. announced plans for a further Two key central bank $6.5 billion in pay cuts and tax decisions were expected late hikes to reduce its deficit. yesterday. The European The EU endorsed the Greek Central Bank is set to hold plan but Germany stopped interest rates at a record low short of committing to of 1.0 percent and the Bank of explicit financial support.

England is expected to keep Although market pressure interest rates at 0.5 percent, on Greece has eased in recent also a record low. days, a Reuters poll of Euro STOXX futures, economists showed on Germany’s DAX futures and Tuesday that scepticism France’s CAC-40 futures about the government’s were down between 0.8 ability to meet a goal to slash percent and 1 percent. its deficit by four percentage The euro initially rose points this year still runs against the dollar after deep.

Greece’s planned pay cuts Only 18 of 47 respondents and tax hikes to reduce its said they believed Athens deficit but slid later as would meet that target. investors sought safe-haven “There are still doubts assets. whether Europe as a whole The MSCI index of Asian will be able to go through this shares outside Japan was relatively well because other down 0.5 percent on worries countries in the region are also about the robustness of the in quite difficult fiscal global economic recovery and situations,” said Nicholas Yeo, doubted the debt crisis in investment manager at Europe would end Aberdeen Asset Management. immediately.

Spot gold slipped on profit The MSCI index is down taking after the metal hit a 6about 3 percent to date as sovereign debt worries, HONG KONG: Hong Kong Exchanges and 1/2 week high the previous jitters about stimulus Clearing (HKEx) chief executive Charles Li day following Greece’s new withdrawal and a patchy speaks to the press at the exchange in Hong Kong measures.

The euro fell from an economic picture hurt risk yesterday. Hong Kong’s bourse operator said it intraday peak of $1.3712 to appetite. was looking to attract foreign firms with interests trade as low as $1.3645. After “The rally was not very strong, most probably just a in China, despite the lacklustre performance of the initial relief over Greece it had risen to as high as $1.3736 little bit of short covering at recent initial public offerings. —AFP the open. There are remining biggest percentage fall in five Australia’s BHP Billiton and the previous session, with concerns over the Greek weeks, with investors waiting Rio Tinto which were earlier some stops triggered at sovereign debt situation,” for clues from China’s annual spurred higher by copper’s $1.3700. Earlier this week, the said Andrew Sullivan, a sales parliamentary meetings on jump to a seven-week high, euro had hit a 9-1/2-month low trader with broker MainFirst measures to support industry. retreated after supply of $1.3432 on worries about Securities in Hong Kong.

The dollar fell to its lowest worries about the metal faded the euro zone.

Economists are concerned He added investor worries level in three months against with top producer Chile have remained after data the yen as declines in emerging mostly unscathed about which euro area member showed lending by China’s regional stocks prompted a from an 8.8-magnitude might be the next troubled spot and only five of 65 top banks was down cutback in risky asset weekend earthquake. substantially on the month in positions.

Overnight, US stocks economists now expect the February as it showed the The yen’s strength ended on a mixed note with euro/dollar to reach $1.50 in slowing measures being sparked worries for exporters concerns about bank the next 12 months, compared implemented were having an in Japan with the Nikkei regulation and a setback for to 15 of 62 in last month’s poll.

In contrast, 33 of 65 see impact. average down over 1 percent drug company Pfizer doused Hong Kong’s benchmark reversing early gains made on to some extent by the upbeat the euro at or below $1.30 in Hang Seng Index was down the back of mining stocks. data from the labour market the coming year, compared to just 11 of 62 in the February 1.2 percent, while Shanghai Miners like Japan’s and services sector. shares fell 2.4 percent, the Sumitomo Metal Mining and The main focus for poll. —Reuters

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Mind-reading computers turn heads at high-tech fair BERLIN: Devices allowing people to write letters or play pinball using just the power of their brains have become a major draw at the world’s biggest high-tech fair.

Huge crowds at the CeBIT fair gathered round a man sitting at a pinball table, wearing a cap covered in electrodes attached to his head, who controlled the flippers with great proficiency without using hands.

“He thinks: left-hand or righthand and the electrodes monitor the brain waves associated with that thought, send the information to a computer, which then moves the

flippers,” said Michael Tangermann, from the Berlin Brain Computer Interface.

But the technology is much more than a fun gadget, it could one day save your life.

Scientists are researching ways to monitor motorists’ brain waves to improve reaction times in a crash.

In an emergency stop situation, the brain activity kicks in on average around 200 milliseconds before even an alert driver can hit the brake.

There is no question of braking automatically for a driver-”we

would never take away that kind of control,” said Tangermann.

“However, there are various things the car can do in that crucial time, tighten the seat belt, for example,” he added.

Using this brain-wave monitoring technology, a car can also tell whether the driver is drowsy or not, potentially warning him or her to take a break.

At the g.tec stall, visitors watched a man with a similar “electrode cap” sat in front of a screen with a large keyboard, with the letters flashing in an ordered sequence.

The user concentrates hard when the chosen letter flashes and the brain waves stimulated at this exact moment are registered by the computer and the letter appears on the screen.

The technology takes a long time at present-it took the man around four minutes to write a fivelettered word-but researchers hope to speed it up in the near future.

Another device allows users to control robots by brain power. The small box has lights flashing at different frequencies at the four points of the compass.

The user concentrates on the

corresponding light, depending on whether he wants the robot to move up, down, left or right and the brainwaves generated by viewing that frequency are monitored and the robot is controlled.

The technology is being perfected for physically disabled people, who can communicate and operate other devices using their brain.

“In future, people will be able to control wheelchairs, open doors and turn on their televisions with their minds,” said Clemens Holzner from g.tec. The CeBIT runs until Saturday. —AFP

Athens stock exchange notched moderate gains

Greece issues 10-year bond, fresh strikes brew ATHENS: The Greek government faced rising protests against massive budget cuts yesterday as it tested international support for a Herculean debt-cutting effort by launching a 10-year bond issue. Three hundred

communist union members invaded the finance ministry, and unemployed staff from former state carrier Olympic Airlines occupied the state accounting office ahead of another major rally in Athens against the cutbacks.

ATHENS: Laid-off Olympic Airways employees block the street in front of the General Accounting Office in Athens yesterday. Former employees claim they were given no payoff after being laid-off.—AFP

BOJ’s Noda rebuffs govt, says no policy changes OTSU: Bank of Japan board member Tadao Noda rebuffed yesterday government overtures for looser monetary policy to support the fragile economy, saying he saw no need for further easing now.

He also ruled out increasing the amount of government bond purchases made by the BOJ and reiterated the central bank’s view that an inflation target could undermine its attempts to achieve price stability.

Facing upper house elections expected in July, the fiscally constrained government is pressing the central bank for action to overturn deflation, which some policymakers worry could drag the economy back into recession.

“I can’t observe any moves now that would show much change in the pace of price falls from that I forecast in January,” Noda told reporters. “Thus, I understand that we don’t need any change at all in monetary policy at

the moment from what we set in January and February.”

Instead, Noda urged the government to rein in Japan’s bulging debt burden to avoid the risk of pushing up interest rates and so undermine the central bank’s loose monetary policy.

Highlighting the fiscal problems in Greece, the banking industry veteran said there was no guarantee bond yields would remain low if Japan keeps accumulating debt.

“Markets are increasingly concerned about the risk of deteriorating fiscal balances causing rises in long-term rates and dampening the effect of monetary policy,” Noda told business executives in western Japan. “Sovereign risk is one such risk,” he said. “It’s thus important to secure fiscal discipline, clearly set a path for restoring fiscal policy and implement steps at the appropriate time.” —Reuters

Union members hoisted a banner calling for an “uprising”, a battle cry which highlights the task facing Socialist Prime Minister George Papandreou in selling the landmark reforms at home while straining for support abroad.

On Wednesday, the government announced a new wave of budget cuts totalling 4.8 billion euros (6.5 billion dollars), and early yesterday immediately launched a 10-year bond to raise five billion euros.

A new wave of strikes is looming as Papandreou is to begin a new tour of world capitals in a bid to shore up international confidence, and especially support from the European Union and eurozone.

Greece urgently needs money to pay wages and pensions and other bills, and to redeem old debt.

It is also now expecting European Union bodies to show “solidarity” with some sort of supporting arrangement.

European officials have praised the latest Greek cuts. But so far there is no clear signal that financial help might emerge, and the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund are insisting that Greece must show it is reforming the entire structure of its economy. However, analysts and press reports say rescue plans backed by Germany and France could be announced shortly.

Greece has promised the EU that it will reduce its public deficit this year by four percentage points from 12.7 percent.

The government needs more than 20 billion euros (27 billion dollars) by May to redeem old debt falling due and thereby avoid default. Overall it needs to borrow over 50 billion euros this year.

The overall public debt, the total of past deficits, is about 300 billion euros. When Greece last issued bonds it had to offer a high interest rate of about 6.5 percent, and the government has said it is vital that it manages to borrow at lower rates. —AFP

DUESSELDORF: In this Aug. 31, 2009 file picture airplanes of Germany’s airline AirBerlin stand at the airport in Duesseldorf, Germany.

German airline Air Berlin PLC says that it is returning to negotiations with a union representing its pilots, a move that averts threatened strikes. —AP

Nokia Siemens to lay off 450 workers HELSINKI: Nokia Siemens Networks said yesterday it will lay off up to 450 workers in Finland in a move to cut costs.

The measures are part of company plans to ax 5,700 jobs globally to annually save €500 million ($682 million) by 2011.

The mobile network equipment maker — a joint venture between Finland’s Nokia Corp. and Siemens AG of Germany — said it will make the job cuts mostly in network support services.

“The announced plans are necessary for us to remain competitive and improve our economic performance,” said Pekka Soini, head of Nokia Siemens’ operations in Finland.

As part of a global drive to cut costs, Nokia Siemens has reduced five business units to three and plans to strengthen its business through partnerships and acquisitions.

The savings program could include cutting up to 9 percent of its current global work force of some 64,000 employees, the mobile network equipment maker has said.

Nokia Siemens Networks is based in Espoo just outside Helsinki. It is the world’s second biggest networks manufacturer after L.M. Ericsson of Sweden. —AP

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Charging fees for Hulu comes with its own problems PHILADELPHIA: Hulu’s days as a free online video site could be ending soon.

Comedy Central’s decision to yank two of the most popular shows on Hulu — “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” — in a dispute over splitting ad revenue is the latest blow to the entertainment industry’s attempts to make money off ads that run with free video. Yet Hulu’s most viable alternative — charging for access to some videos — could turn off viewers and crimp the site’s explosive growth.

Ultimately, the remedy to Hulu’s current dilemma could leave the site even worse off, a poor shadow of its former self.

Many viewers are drawn to Hulu because of its ease of use, not because they couldn’t get much of the same content elsewhere. Hulu’s videos simply aren’t exclusive enough — compared with, say, Time Warner Inc.’s premium HBO cable channel.

If Hulu charges for a TV show or movie, the viewer could simply watch it over the air live, be more consistent about recording it to view later or catch the program for free through a video-on-demand service offered by cable TV and other providers.

“There are very few people who would be willing to pay for it,” said Bruce Leichtman, president of the

Leichtman Research Group Inc. in Durham, New Hampshire. He noted that viewers could simply ask themselves, “Why would I pay for it when I can get it on video on demand?” Chase Carey, chief operating officer of Hulu co-owner News Corp., has said that the site would have to start charging for some video eventually, though he and other officials have been mum about when that would happen and what aspects would remain free.

Hulu has had trouble turning a profit because it doesn’t pull in enough revenue to pay for operations. Online ads simply don’t generate as much revenue as broadcast TV commercials.

In the latest blow, Hulu disclosed in a blog this week that Comedy Central would yank its shows from the site beginning next Wednesday.

Comedy Central and Hulu couldn’t come to terms on how to share ad revenue, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on private talks. “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” will still be available on sites run by Comedy Central, letting the Viacom Inc. network reap all of the ad revenue.

About a half dozen other Comedy Central shows will also leave Hulu.

Given that “The Daily Show” is the third most popular show on Hulu, Viacom’s exit is a big blow to the experiment by the entertainment companies that own it — News Corp., Walt Disney Co. and General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal — to see whether they can successfully make money off ads and bypass cable and satellite TV companies.

Traffic will likely take a hit as Comedy Central fans leave the site, and Comedy Central proves with its departure that it doesn’t need Hulu to bring in online traffic and revenue.

The next step in the Hulu experiment will be to decide what and how much to charge. —AP

ECB keeps main interest rate at record low point

Britain’s record low interest rate hits one-year ’versary LONDON: The Bank of England froze its key lending rate yesterday at a record low level of 0.50 percent, where it has been for a year, as Britain looks to strengthen its recovery from a record recession. The

BoE also decided against pumping more new money into the British economy. Both decisions following a regular two-day policy meeting had been widely expected by markets.

FRANKFURT: In this Sept. 2, 2009 file picture the Euro sculpture is seen in front of the European Central Bank ECB in Frankfurt, central Germany.

The European Central Bank has left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1 percent as markets wait to see if it will scale back special lending to banks introduced during the financial crisis. —AP

Obama moves to rein in ‘too-big-to-fail’ banks WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s administration moved to rein in America’s largest banks Wednesday, sending Congress new rules blocking mega-mergers and barring investments seen as too risky.

With Obama’s presidency still dominated by the economic fallout from the banking crisis, the Treasury sent lawmakers proposed new rules that would prevent financial firms from becoming “too-big-to-fail.”

The rules would ban government-insured banks from mergers and takeovers if

the new company would hold more than 10 percent of the sector’s debt, according to the proposals.

Banks would also be barred from trading in stocks or other, sometimes risky, financial instruments for their own benefit-so-called proprietary trading.

The Obama administration was forced to pump hundreds of billions of dollars into the US financial sector to cover losses from complex financial investments linked to the subprime mortgages.

Some commentators have

said the financial meltdown was fueled by the elimination of rules that had forced banks to choose between proprietary activities and traditional activities, like making loans and collecting deposits.

Eyeing lightly regulated funds that are also blamed for spurring the crisis, the Obama administration called for banks to be prohibited from “sponsoring and investing in hedge funds and private-equity funds.”

Firms would have a two year grace period before rules take effect. —AFP

“The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.50 percent,” the central bank said in a statement.

“The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at 200 billion pounds” (221 billion euros, 302 billion dollars).

Also yesterday, the European Central Bank kept its main interest rate at a record low point of 1.0 percent, as markets awaited comment by ECB president JeanClaude Trichet on the bank’s unconventional lending policies.

“With considerable uncertainty still surrounding the economic outlook, the BoE is likely to remain in ‘wait and see’ mode for some time yet, in order to gauge the strength of the recovery and the risks to inflation,” Daiwa Capital Markets Europe economist Colin Ellis said following yesterday’s decisions.

Reasons behind the BoE decisions will be revealed in minutes of its latest monthly meeting to be published on March 17.

The BoE held firm yesterday in the wake of recent official data showing that Britain emerged from a record recession stronger than expected.

Britain emerged from recession in the fourth quarter with growth of 0.3 percent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said last week.

The ONS had originally estimated growth of only 0.1 percent during OctoberDecember 2009 following a recession that lasted six quartersthe country’s longest on record. It revised the data last week.

It is meanwhile exactly one year since the BoE’s monetary policy committee decided to slash British borrowing costs to 0.50 percent — the lowest level since the British central bank was established in 1694. —AFP

HANOVER: An exhibitor uses a mobile phone as a key to open a door, using the Mobile Access system by ELEGATE, at the world’s biggest hightech fair, the CeBIT yesterday in the northern German city of Hanover. —AFP

Insurer Aviva bounces back into black in 2009 LONDON: British insurer Aviva posted a return to annual profits yesterday and said it would seek growth in Europe, in contrast to its larger rival Prudential which is chasing rapid expansion in Asia.

Aviva, the country’s second-biggest insurance group after Prudential by stock market capitalisation, said in a results statement that net profit stood at 1.315 billion pounds (1.449 billion euros, 1.980 billion dollars) in 2009.

That contrasted sharply with a loss after tax of 885 million pounds in the previous year.

News of the strong performance comes just days after Prudential snapped up the Asian division of US peer AIG for 35.5 billion dollars (26 billion euros) in a takeover that will make it southeast Asia’s biggest insurer.

However, Aviva said yesterday that it would concentrate on growing its market share in Europe.

“Our primary focus is on Europe, including the UK,” Chief Executive Andrew Moss told reporters in a briefing after publication of the results.

“The scale of opportunity in Europe can’t be underestimated.

It’s stable, it’s wellregulated and relatively lowrisk.”

Aviva added that it benefited last year from the successful partial flotation of financial services unit Delta Lloyd in Amsterdam, and the sale of its Australian life and pensions business to National Australia Bank.

“2009 was a year of significant progress for Aviva; a year of strong financial performance and delivery against our strategic plans,” said Moss in the earnings release.

“Against a challenging economic backdrop we focused on profitability and made clear choices to optimise our capital and reshape our portfolio through the successful IPO of Delta Lloyd and the sale of our Australian life business.

“We’ve taken out costs by creating simpler, more modern ways of doing business which reflect the changing way customers choose to deal with us.”

He added that the company would seek to tap into the tentative global economic recovery.

“As economies begin to recover we will seek to take market share based on the strength of our brand, products, distribution and customer franchise. —AFP

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‘Avatar’ inspires a high-tech fair in glorious 3D HANOVER: Hot on the heels of the stunning success of James Cameron’s 3D adventure “Avatar,” the world’s top high-tech fair this year was definitely best viewed through 3D glasses.

“It’s completely crazy this year.

3D is all everyone’s talking about,” said visitor Amanda Grossbauer, 52, as she peered hesitantly through her special glasses at a 3D display at the CeBIT fair in northern Germany.

Although “Connected Worlds” was the official theme of this year’s fair, which drew just under 4,200 high-tech firms from around the world, the buzzword on everyone’s lips was “3D”-in games, on the Internet and in the cinema.

The games drew the biggest

crowds. At the NVIDIA stand, a young Michael Schumacher wannabe piloted his Formula One car around a virtual 3D track spread across three screens, making it seem he was really in the hot seat.

Among the most popular gadgets was Carl Zeiss’s “Cinemizer Plus”, which allows the user to view 3D images from a smartphone via glasses connected to a special converter shaped like an iPod docking station.

No glasses? No problem with the new groundbreaking technology developed by German firm EyeT Communications that creates 3D pictures from 2D by projecting eight images at very slightly different angles.

“3D without glasses is the

future,” Frederik Zilly, a scientist working in the sector told AFP. “With glasses, an image is sent to one eye while the glasses act as a filter on the other eye. Without glasses, it’s a whole lot more complicated.”

The Fraunhofer Institute was also seeking to consign the old redgreen glasses to the dustbin of history.

It unveiled a computer screen with two tiny cameras that monitor the user’s eyes and recreate a 3D image for him or her on the screen, that can then be manipulated with one’s fingers.

Whether for business or for pleasure, it seemed that everything at the CeBIT was designed with 3D in mind.

For the business world, Innovatix has produced a miniprojector mixing holographic images and 3D. For fun, Hyundai, Sony and other big firms showcased their latest 3D televisions and gadgets.

But even in the world of surgery and industrial design, 3D was the medium everyone was talking about.

Nevertheless, 3D started with entertainment and the public still flocked to the stands with gadgets that enhanced the 3D experience.

Stan (Steroscopic Analyser), also from the Fraunhofer Institute, was a big favourite. It enables users to take normal 2D film and transforms it instantly into 3D images on a screen.

The Internet too, is rapidly becoming three-dimensional, with a combination of 3D and HTML, named “XML3D”, enabling surfers to view web pages in 3D. Nevertheless, experts warned there were still several obstacles to overcome before the technology is widespread. It is still difficult to zoom in 3D mode and images and films in 3D take up a vast amount of memory.

But Hartwig von Sass, a spokesman for the CeBIT, said he could easily understand the public’s obsession with the technology.

“The crowds go wild for 3D because it’s impressive. If the technology can be made quicker, it will rapidly take over everywhere,” he said. —AFP

Size matters at Geneva Motor Show Manufacturers fitting smaller and cleaner engines in bigger cars GENEVA: For decades, post war Europe and North America had two different ideas of the motor car as Europeans opted for small Beetles, Minis and Cinquecentos while Americans chose something much, much bigger.

“My generation grew up with huge cars, long Cadillacs, things that looked like aircraft carriers going down the road,” explained General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, a 78-year-old industry veteran.

But at the Geneva Motor Show, which opened to the public yesterday, the two continents were set for a meeting of minds, as “downsizing” gained ground in the global motor industry-smaller engines, smaller cars and less fuel.

In the Swiss city, Nissan, Mini and Dacia presented shrunken SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicle) or crossovers that claim to mix offroad style with on road sportiness.

GM’s European affiliate Opel showed off its Meriva compact people carrier for the first time.

Most manufacturers were also fitting smaller and cleaner running engines even in bigger cars, fitted with turbochargers to boost power.

Fiat, Opel, Ford, Volkswagen, even Mercedes and BMW were on trend, with six or even four cylinders replacing eight-and two or three replacing four in the smallest cars.

“The minimum acceptable vehicle size is gradually moving downward and where it’s particularly evident is with engines,” said Lutz.

Audi returned to small cars with the sub four-metre A1 by adding its sporty and luxury twist to parts shared with parent Volkswagen, while Nissan revamped its small Micra with the aim of giving it a global reach.

The Japanese firm wants to sell one million Micras a year across 160 countries by 2013.

Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn called the car “a strategic investment for Nissan’s future growth.

“In the past, Nissan had minimal presence in the compact

GENEVA: A visitor inspects the Citroen world premiere DS3. —AP Photos

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 670 4SV

Peugot BB1 e-car

Toyota shows the e-concept FT-EV II

segment because we did not have a specific platform suited for those customers’ needs,” Ghosn said at the launch.

Unlike the growing range of electric or hybrid powered models touted in Geneva for the coming decade, the downsized option is on sale now, without compromising on cost, range or ease of refuelling in the absence of roadside networks of power sockets, analysts said.

“In the next ten years, the real trend will be downsizing and small cars for big megacities,” said Frank Schwope, a motor industry analyst at German bank NordLB.

In Asia, space and tax restrictions in densely populated Japan have traditionally favoured compact vehicles while affordable, practical runabouts are in demand in fast-growing emerging nations.

Colin Couchman, automotive analyst at Global Insight, said official pressure to cut carbon emissions and fuel consumption, with stringent limits looming in Europe or the United States, was also telling.

“Part of it is a hedge by manufacturers. They have to be seen to be doing something,” said Couchman.

“Increasingly what they want to try and do is downsize but offer products that work everywhere in the world.”

Nissan said its Juke crossover would head to the United States while Mini has similar plans for the Countryman SUV, aiming for largely urban or suburban customers.

For Lutz, while Americans are unlikely to take to the smallest runabouts in big numbers, US habits are clearly shifting towards more compact vehicles and thriftier engines as generations change.

“I would estimate that in another 10 or 15 years there will be very little size difference in the average vehicle in a highly developed wealthy European market like Germany and the United States,” added the GM stalwart.

However, one relic of the gas guzzling era might resist, especially in the US heartland, Lutz predicted.

“The American pickup truck is a workhorse and every time someone tries to do a smaller p i c ku p ... they never succeed.” —AFP

BUSINESS

Friday, March 5, 2010

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Labor fights could disrupt US flights Air travel remains in slump, jobless rate around 10% ir travelers in the United States could face the same type of labor relations-driven flight disruptions that crippled air travel in parts of Europe last week. American, Continental, United, US Airways and Southwest are in prolonged contract talks with various unions.

Several have the potential to boil over, though it’s not an ideal time to strike. Air travel remains in a slump, and unemployment hovers around 10 percent. US airlines have piled up more than $54 billion in losses and shed 170,000 jobs in the last decade, a 23.4 percent decline.

Airline workers “don’t have a strong hand, but they seem to be getting close to the boiling point,” said airline labor expert and retired United pilot Kit Darby of KitDarby.com Aviation Consulting. “It’s like in the movie (‘Network’): They’re as mad as hell, and they aren’t going to take it anymore.”

Last week, pilots at Germany’s Lufthansa walked out for a day over worries some routes will be turned over to partner airlines with lower pay for pilots. British Airways’ attendants voted to strike sometime this spring, and its pilots are in Britain’s highest court, fighting management’s plans to cut vacation pay, as a prelude to a strike. Some Air France pilots walked out Friday to protest costcutting.

Next up? Possibly American Airlines’ flight attendants or mechanics and ramp workers. Both unions say they’ll seek the start of a 30-day clock leading to a strike deadline if talks this week don’t produce a deal to their liking. Other labor groups, including pilots at United, Continental and US Airways, are further from a strike procedurally but may be on the same trajectory.

The last major airline strike in the US was in 2005. Most of the Northwest mechanics who walked out then never returned. Northwest, now a part of Delta, hired temporary replacements and outsourced maintenance work.

Airline strikes are rare. The Railway Labor Act aims to keep planes and trains running because of their importance to the economy. Air and rail unions must go through a long, complex process before a strike can happen. But the process can create frustration and distrust on both sides.

The travel slump adds to tension. “The airlines aren’t in a particularly good financial situation to be facing additional labor costs, which is what the unions, understandably, are demanding,” said consultant Carlos Bonilla at AirlineForecasts in Washington. Bonilla was a transportation and labor policy adviser to President George W Bush. — MCT

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US airlines have piled up more than $54 billion in losses and shed 170,000 jobs in the last decade.

NEW DELHI: Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee holds up budget papers as he leaves the office to present his budget at the Indian Parliament. — AP

Mukherjee’s economic philharmonic Indian FM’s symphony raises tempo towards double-digit growth finale f the end result is an economic symphony that increases the tempo towards a doubledigit growth finale and sounds melodious to all constituencies, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Budget 2010 is a brave statement of intent whose benefits-if the various instruments and their players perform in tune — will accrue over the next few years. Hopefully, irreversibly.

I see seven players, currently solo artists performing to fragmented audiences, who Budget 2010 has attempted to bind into a single symphony. The results, if successful, will be unforeseen productivity gains for the economy. But as with the results, the challenges of turning a cacophony into a wider and deeper symphony that Mukherjee has in his mind are steep. Here are the seven instruments and the players behind who can make or mar his performance.

Fiscal roadmap. With Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC) recommendations accepted, Mukherjee has projected India’s fiscal deficit to fall to 5.5 per cent this year and to 4.1 in 2012-13. The roadmap to this fall lies in TFC in which its Chairman Vijay Kelkar has argued for a calibrated withdrawal of tax sops announced in the past two years.

The opposition here will not be at the Centre, but at the states level.

Goods and services tax (GST). “We are actively engaged with the Empowered Committee (of state ministers on GST) to finalize the structure of GST as well as the modalities of its expeditious implementation,” Mukherjee said. The man to watch in this case is the Committee Chairman Asim Dasgupta-how he manages to get states on board will depend on whether Mukherjee is able to introduce GST in April 2011. The benefits: approximately $500 billion over the next 10 years or an addition to GDP growth by 1 percentage point per annum.

Disinvestment. While the Congress party has given it the go-ahead, not all the UPA allies are in tune. The DMK, for instance, will oppose the disinvestment of Neyveli Lignite Corporation. While the strategic decisions will be fine tuned in 10 Janpath, the execution of raising Rs 40,000 crore by

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selling PSUs will come from New Delhi’s CGO Complex where Disinvestment Secretary Sumit Bose sits.

Direct tax code (DTC). “On the DTC the wide-ranging discussions with stakeholders have been concluded,” Mukherjee said. “I am confident that the Government will be in a position to implement the Direct Tax Code from April 1, 2011.”

One question: if things are so smooth, why has the DTC Bill not been listed in this Budget session? While I don’t get it, action on this front will happen at Mukherjee’s

retired bureaucrats, had the four financial regulators-RBI, SEBI, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, and Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority-had worked in harmony.

Unfortunately, from the consumer’s point of view, IRDA under various heads including the incumbent J. Hari Narayan, has morphed into an industry association and has done nothing to stop mis-selling in the sector. I hope FSDC fixes this and other interregulatory coordination issues, something the High Level Coordination Committee on

The results, if successful, will be unforeseen productivity gains for the Indian economy. But as with the results, the challenges of turning a cacophony into a wider and deeper symphony that Mukherjee has in his mind are steep. Here are the seven instruments and the players behind who can make or mar his performance. colleague Minister of Corporate Affairs Salman Khursheed’s office at Shastri Bhawan.

Unique Identification Authority (UID) of India. In the third leg of Budget 2010, Mukherjee addressed the weaknesses in governance systems and public delivery mechanisms. Taking off from his previous Budget speech, Mukherjee has allocated Rs 1,900 crore for UID such that the first set of numbers to help provide “financial inclusion” and targeted subsidies would be out this year.

The man in charge: Nandan Nilekani, who told me the money is adequate.

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC). This institution would have been redundant, or at best a sinecure for

Financial Markets has repeatedly failed to do.

Politics. Apart from 7 Race Course Road and 10 Janpath, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi live, the political assent to burning issues such as fuel price hike one being opposed by his colleagues-Railway Minister and head of Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee from West Bengal and by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and head of DMK M. Karunanidhi. Both have written to Singh and Gandhi to urge Mukherjee to roll back the hike. Good bye, Kirit Parekh report?

The biggest challenge to Mukherjee, therefore, is to bring these discordant notes together to help him conduct his symphony from North Block. Will he be able to? — MCT

CAREERS

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Not happening mate! e honest with yourself. Is your plate piled too high with deadlines and obligations that you’re trying to squeeze in between meetings? Are you trying to cram too many activities into too little time? If so, stress relief can be as straightforward as just saying no.

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Why say no?

There are countless worthy requests out there just waiting to eat up your free time and increase your stress. It’s easy to create stressful situations in your life if you don’t turn down requests for your time and talents.

If you don’t, who will make costumes for the school play or coach your children’s Little League team? The answer may not be simple, but you should still consider these reasons for making sure it’s not you.

• Saying no can be good for you: Saying no is not a selfish act. In fact, it may be the most beneficial thing that you can do for your family and your other commitments. When you say no, you’ll be able to spend quality time on the things you’ve already said yes to.

• Saying no can allow you to try new things: Just because you’ve always helped plan the company softball tournament doesn’t mean that you have to keep doing it forever. Saying no will free up time to pursue other hobbies or interests.

• Yes isn’t always the best answer: If you’re overcommitted and under a lot of stress, you’ve got a much better chance of becoming sick, tired or just plain crabby, which won’t benefit you or anyone else.

• It’s important to recognize other people: Let those around you come through. Although others may not do things exactly the same way you would, you can learn an important lesson by allowing others to help while gaining yourself valuable free time.

• Find yourself: Saying no helps you prioritize the things that are important to you. You’ll gain time that you can commit to the things that you really want to do, such as leaving work at a reasonable hour to make time for a mindclearing run at the end of the day. Examine your current obligations and overall priorities before making any new commitments. Ask yourself

Learn how to say no and save yourself stress at work if the new commitment is important to you. If it’s something that you feel strongly about, by all means do it.

• Weigh the yes-tostress ratio: Is the new activity that you’re considering a shortor long-term commitment?

Taking an afternoon to bake a batch of cookies for the school bake sale will take far less of your precious time than heading up the school fundraising committee for an entire year. If an activity is going to end up being another source of stress in your life - especially for the long term - take a pass.

• Let go of guilt: If friends want to get together for an impromptu evening out on the town when you’ve already scheduled a quiet evening at home with your partner, it’s okay to decline their offer. Do what you’ve set out to do and don’t veer off that path because of feelings of guilt or obligation. It will only lead to additional stress in your life.

• Keep your current commitments in check: If you have relatives coming over for dinner, don’t go overboard. Order pizza or ask them to bring a dish to share.

• Sleep on it: Are you tempted by a friend’s invitation to volunteer at your old alma mater or join a weekly golf league? Take a day to think over the request and respond after you’ve been able to assess your current commitments as well as the new opportunity. www.mayoclinic.com

Tips to improve resilience

orking on your mental well-being is just as important as working on your physical health. If you want to strengthen your resilience, try these tips: • Get connected: Build strong, positive relationships with family and friends, who provide support and acceptance.

Volunteer, get involved in your community, or join a faith or spiritual community.

• Find meaning: Develop a sense of purpose for your life. Having something meaningful to focus on can help you share emotions, feel gratitude and experience an enhanced sense of well-being.

• Start laughing: Finding humor in stressful situations doesn’t mean you’re in

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denial. Humor is a helpful coping mechanism. If you can’t find any humor in a situation, turn to other sources for a laugh, such as a funny book or movie.

• Learn from experience: Think back on how you’ve coped with hardships in the past. Build on skills and strategies that helped you through the rough times, and don’t repeat those that didn’t help.

• Remain hopeful: You can’t change what’s happened in the past, but you can always look toward the future. Find something in each day that signals a change for the better. Expect good results.

• Take care of yourself: Tend to your own needs and feelings, both physically and emotionally. This includes participating in activities and

hobbies you enjoy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and eating well.

• Keep a journal: Write about your experiences, thoughts and feelings. Journaling can help you experience strong emotions you may otherwise be afraid to unleash. It also can help you see situations in a new way and help you identify patterns in your behavior and reactions.

• Accept and anticipate change: Expecting changes to occur makes it easier to adapt to them, tolerate them and even welcome them. With practice, you can learn to be more flexible and not view change with as much anxiety.

• Work toward a goal: Do something every day that gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Even small, everyday goals are

important. Having goals helps you look toward the future.

• Take action: Don’t just wish your problems would go away or try to ignore them. Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan and take action.

• Maintain perspective: Look at your situation in the larger context of your own life and of the world. Keep a long-term perspective and know that your situation can improve if you actively work at it.

• Practice stress management and relaxation techniques: Restore an inner sense of peace and calm by practicing such stressmanagement and relaxation techniques as yoga, meditation, deep breathing, visualization, imagery, prayer or muscle relaxation.

TECHNOLOGY

Friday, March 5, 2010

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Boys and their toys A glimpse at some of the world’s most expensive gadgets ver wondered what a $100 million can buy you? A posh house? An SUV? How about a gadget? Yes, in fact you will need much more to buy these gadgets than you would to buy a posh house or an expensive car!

With designers extending their Midas touch to the world of gadgetry, you have gadgets like mobile phones, cameras, MP3 players, and more costing over a few hundred million dollars. Sizzling both in features and looks, these gadgets stand for luxury. Here’s over to the gadgets for the deep pocketed.

Ever wondered which is the most expensive PC on the Earth? It is Earth Simulator built by Japanese company NEC. The system was developed for JAXA, JAERI, and JAMSTEC in 1997 for running global climate models to evaluate the effects of global warming and problems in solid earth geophysics. Earth Simulator also held the distinction of being the fastest supercomputer in the world from 2002 to 2004. Located at the Earth Simulator Center (ESC) in Yokohama Japan, the computer is capable of 35.86 trillion floating-point calculations per second, or 35.86 TFLOPS. In March 2009, Earth Simulator was replaced by Earth Simulator 2 which is an NEC SX-9/E system. Price: 206,600,000 pounds.

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Presidential MP3

iPhone 3G Supreme

Tulip E-Go Diamond A British company last year unveiled what is believed to be the world’s most expensive mobile phone — a gold iPhone encrusted with nearly 200 diamonds. Called the iPhone 3G Supreme, it was reportedly commissioned by an anonymous Australian businessman. The phone, designed

by Stuart Hughes for the Liverpool-based Goldstriker International, is made from 22-carat gold. It has 136

Hasselblad H3DII-50 diamonds in the front bezel and an Apple logo made out of no fewer than 53 diamonds. The phone’s front navigation button comprises a rare diamond of 7.1 carats. The phone, which took over ten months to make, ships with a seven kg

chest crafted from a single block of granite, offset with Kashmir gold and lined with Nubuck leather on the inside.

Price:1.92 million pounds.

Italian manufacturer Keymat Industries’ Yalos Diamond bags the title of the world’s most expensive TV. Plated in white gold and studded with 160 diamonds (20 carats), the TV has 1080i and 720p high definition picture formats and has a picture contrast ratio of 1200:1. Made by Japanese designer Takahide Sano, the TV has no visible screws or welds. Launched in Berlin, Germany in 2006, the Yalo Diamonds comes in 32, 37, 40, 46 and 52-inches. Price: 67,175 pounds.

You think Apple makes one of the priciest laptops? Read this. In 2007, luxury manufacturer Luvaglio London announced that it will release by special order the most expensive laptop ever sold, with a price tag of a million dollars. Though the system’s full details are not available, reports say that the laptop has a 17-inch widescreen LED lit screen, a Blu-ray drive, 128GB memory, an integrated cleaning device, and a diamond power button that doubles as the laptop security feature. In 2005, the Dutch company Ego Lifestyle BV released the Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop, which previously held the world’s most expensive laptop title. The notebook has over 80 total carats of diamonds and retailed for $355,000.

Price: $1 million.

You thought media pioneer Apple makes the most expensive media players in the world. You got it wrong. London-based Meng Duo Ltd launched the world’s most expensive media player — Presidential MP3 by Douglas J. Studded with several diamonds, it comes with a VIP membership and will be hand delivered to the buyer anywhere in the world. The player is available in a choice of white or yellow gold exterior casing. The player includes 1GB of memory, a 65k color screen for video playback and support for audio and video file formats. Measuring 2.28 x 1.55 x 0.27 inches, other key features include USB 2.0, an OLED color display and 10 hour battery life. Price: 25,000 pounds. Meet one of

the world’s most expensive cameras - Hasselblad H3DII-50.

The multi-shot full-color camera comes with a 50megapixel CCD sensor that captures four shots in a row, moving the sensor by one pixel between each shot to record full RGB values at each position. Hasselblad H3DII50 MS is said to be an ideal device for high-end photographers who use their pictures for big commercial projects. Price: $34,000.

UK-based designer Alexander Amosu, known for making world’s most expensive gadgets, launched what is being termed as the world’s most expensive BlackBerry. The device is made of out 18 carat yellow gold and is studded with 4,459 diamonds with a net weight of 28.43 carats.

Designer Alexander Amosu’s device is understood to have taken 350 hours to manufacture. The device can be personalized with the owner’s name and company logo. Just like Vertu phones, the phone comes with a concierge service available at any time. Only three editions of the device will ever be made. Price: $200,000.

How about a keyboard costing $4440? Made by PFU, part of the Fujitsu Corporation, Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional, is a made-to-order keyboard handcoated with Urushi lacquer. According to reviews, the keyboard is coated many times using a special brush made from the hairs of virgins and then powdered with gold dust. Happy Hacking Keyboards lack numeric keypad, and keys outside the typewriter key area are mainly accessible through the Fn key. Price: 2,190 pounds.

Ever thought of a computer mouse as a fashion accessory? Made by Swiss manufacturer Pat, this is the world’s most expensive mouse. The device is cast from 18 carat white gold and set with 59 brilliant cut diamonds. The world’s most expensive mouse comes with a 3-button wheel optical mouse design, options for USB or PS/2 connections for either PC or Mac, a 800 dpi Resolution, and a 3 year warranty. What adds to the pricey tag is that it comes in two designs: Diamond Flower and Scattered Diamond layout. Buyers can also personalize the mouse by adding their initials in diamonds, and can choose from yellow, red or white gold with white or black trim. Price: 12,494 pounds.The AudioNote Ongaku is the priciest amplifier in the world till date. The Ongaku has five line level inputs. It employs two NOS VT4-C (211) tubes, an original NOS Telefunken 6463, and two NOS 5R4WGB rectifiers. Audio Note builds its own silver-wired driver transformer on a double AN-Perma nickel C-core. AN tantalum resistors, Black Gate electrolytics, and another silver wired transformer (output this time) complete the innards. Price: 56,000 pounds.

Transmission Audio’s Ultimate system holds the title of the world’s most expensive speaker. Ultimate consists of twelve 500W speakers, an Audio Laboratory BP-1 dual-mono power amp and a BC-1 preamp. In addition, Ultimate also features forty 15” subwoofers and another twenty-four 8” woofers. On the high-midrange and high frequency levels, ribbon technology is employed for high fidelity and reliability. Each Ultimate speaker comes with its own 31,000 Watt power amplifiers. The manufacturer also claims the Ultimate can generate up to 146dB SPL. Price: $2 million. www.infotech.indiatimes.com

Transmission Audio’s Ultimate system

BEAUTY

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Friday, March 5, 2010

How to blow dry your hair hhhh, the perfect blowout.

How is it you never really look as put together as you do when you leave the salon after a professional blow dry? Is there magic to achieving the perfect blowout or is possible, just possible to do it yourself? Actually, it is as long as you follow the right steps.

Straight, glossy hair is rarely out of style and a good blowout can last several days. Once you learn how to do it the right way and you take your time, you should be able to keep the look for several days. If you find hair is getting greasy, a bit of baby powder along the crown not only soaks up oils, it adds body.

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Difficulty: Average Time Required: 15-30 minutes, depending on length and thickness of hair Here’s How: Start with freshly-washed hair.

If you have dry hair, condition in the shower. If you have fine hair, condition only the ends. Blot hair — never rub — with a towel to get rid of excess moisture. You can’t do a blowout with super wet hair or it will take forever.

Apply product to towel-dried hair.

A good styling product is key to the perfect blowout. It adds body to fine, limp hair, while women with thick, curly hair need to keep the frizzies at bay. The secret is to coat every strand of hair with product.

If you have dry hair, work in a leave-in conditioner, a straightening balm or shine serum. Start by coating the ends, working your way

up the hair shaft. Finish by combing the product through hair.

If you have flat, limp hair, spritz a thickening spray (I swear by Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray) or work in a mousse. Stay away from gels.

Break out the blowdryer (see Best Blowdryers).

If hair is still pretty wet, use a dryer to remove excess moisture before you start the blowdry or let hair airdry for a few minutes.

Separate hair into sections.

Divide combed hair into sections and secure with clips or ponytail holders. I find winding hair into mini buns — two in the back and one on each side — works best. If you have super thick or heavy hair, try dividing each of your sections. One above the other helps manage the blowout.

Leave out a section to start with.

Start with your fingers.

Stylists know the secret to the perfect blowout is to start with your

fingers. Pull your fingers through hair starting at the roots. Pull hair out a few inches and hold it while you use the dryer to shoot air at the crown on down. “A brush can only get so close in,” says Manhattan stylist David Dieguez, in the July 2007 issue of Lucky Magazine. Dieguez suggests holding hair super taut, “otherwise, moisture stays in the hair shaft and frizzes it up.”

Move on the round brush.

Now that your roots are dry, it’s

time to move on to a round-barreled brush (Ken Paves prefers a “mixedbristle brush” — a mix of boar and synthetic bristles). Pull the brush through hair as you blowdry, pointing the nozzle downward onto hair (this supposedly helps with frizz). Celebrity stylist Ken Paves likes to start with the ends, because they tend to dry fastest.

See my list of the best hairbrushes Pull hair super taut as you dry.

As you pull the brush through hair, follow the brush with the dryer. I love Dieguez’s tip in Lucky, “Imagine there’s a point six inches in front of your nose. Stretch the hair toward that point as you dry. It sounds crazy, but when you’re done, the tips won’t flip under or up — they’ll just sort of fan out over your shoulders.”

Lock in style with the “cool button.”

The last step for each section is to pull hair taut with the brush and blast it with cool air from your dryer. You can also each dried section up in a Velcro roller.

Continue through all sections until hair is dry.

Finish off with a serum.

Weigh down random frizzy bits with a shine serum or balm. Skip this step if you have limp, oily hair.

What You Need: Styling product for your hair type Wide-tooth comb Clips or ponytail holders Blowdryer, Wide-barrelled brush, preferably a mix of boar and synthetic bristles —About

BEAUTY

Choosing a foundation

Friday, March 5, 2010 hen it comes to choosing the correct foundation for your skin type, most women feel they need to have a PhD in astrophysics to fully understand which is best, when, and why. No worries though, because choosing a foundation to meet your skins’ needs is easier than you think.

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Oily skin Having oily skin means that you can wash your face and it can look shiny or even like an oil slick within 1-2 hours. Most people with oily skin will get excess oil in all areas and not just the T-zone. You can also tell that you have oily skin if your face never gets that complete feeling of being clean. Yes there are steps to take for oil control prefoundation, but once you accomplish that then you will need the right foundation or all of your prep work can be for nothing.

Basically, oilier skins do not need anything with added oils.

Your best bet is to find a waterbased foundation. These foundations will be labeled in various ways such as oil-free, matte, or mattyfying. If you are having problems with excess oil and/or breakouts, then Clinique makes a wonderful Clarifying foundation called Clear Skin Formula (Compare Prices). If you don’t like using a liquid foundation then try a cream to powder foundation.

Most of these are oil-free, but you should check the package to make sure or ask a sales associate.

Combination skin Combination skin can also sometimes be referred to as Tzone. This means that you can feel or look shiny or oily across your forehead, down your nose, and onto your chin. Most people with combination skin have limited oil that can be bothersome by midday, or say 4-6 hours after washing your face. The bad thing about having combination skin is that in the warmer months your skin can be oilier, while in the cooler months your skin may go more normal to dry. This means that you may need two different foundation formulas depending on the season.

People with combination skin can wear either oil-free or a regular oil-based foundation, depending on the amount of oil and if there are any reoccurring breakout areas. To play it safe, if you skin is combination and does not feel tight after washing then you should choose an oil-free foundation. If you don’t like the idea of liquid foundation, then try mineral makeup or oil-free stick foundation. Smashbox makes a great high definition oil-free foundation called Healthy FX foundation (Compare Prices). As with all skin types, a proper skincare regime and prepping products are key to an overall good makeup look.

Dry skin Those of you unfortunate enough to have dry skin that feels like the Sahara, especially in the winter months, I feel for you. You know you have dry skin if you wash your face and

Choosing a foundation to meet your skins’ needs is easier than you think

Page 25 it feels tight after washing it.

Sometimes you may see flaking on your nose or other areas, but this is not solely a sign of dryness since oily skin can flake as well. So you should base your assessment on how tight your skin feels after washing and throughout the day. If you have no shine or very minimal within six hours or more of washing, then you more than likely have dry skin.

Another misconception is that older women all have dry skin.

Age is not always a factor, so it’s always better to go with what your skin feels like and looks like throughout the day.

Dry skin needs the added moisture in order for your foundation and the rest of your makeup to look great. The key is having a great pre-makeup routine that gives your skin the moisture it needs, and then using a foundation that will continue to moisturize.

Some key foundation types for dry skin are oil-based liquid foundations (especially the ones that have natural oils), mousse foundation, tinted moisturizers, creams, or even mineral makeup.

29 Cosmetics makes a wonderful moisturizing foundation called Varietals. If you would rather use a mineral makeup be picky because you don’t want one that will dry up your face and make you look cakey or older than you are. A really great mineral makeup to start with is Neutrogena Mineral Sheers (Compare Prices). It’s affordable, comes in great colors, and can be purchased anywhere. —About

HEALTH

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Friday, March 5, 2010

The right nutrition for exercise Top Tips Carefully plan the amount of food and fluids, the number of meals, and the timing of meals (before, during and after exercise) to get the most out of your performance.

The intensity, duration, mode of exercise, level of conditioning, and how efficiently you move all influence how many calories you’ll need.

Start re-fuelling as soon as you can after training as the muscles’ capacity to refuel is greatest over the first hour after training.

If you have high energy needs don’t restrict yourself to traditional mealtimes - eat smaller but more frequent meals, plus several snacks.

Take a positive interest in food. Take care in planning meals and choosing and preparing food.

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any individuals exercise at different levels. Recommendations for competitive sport are very specialized but individuals who are ‘exercising’ rather than training regularly can get all the nutrients they need from following a balanced diet.

As well as carbohydrate for energy and some protein for muscles, vitamins and minerals play an important role in helping your body to function properly. For example, a lack of calcium and magnesium may lead to muscle cramps. A good iron status is important to prevent exercise-induced anaemia. A varied, wellbalanced diet that includes all the major food groups will normally ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals.

Energy Depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise you do, your body needs some extra energy. The amount of additional calories required will also vary greatly depending on your body size, age, gender and external factors such as climate, ground or air resistance. For example, male Tour de France cyclists may need up to 7,000 calories a day. However, an average man weighing 70kg would only need about 350 calories when jogging for 30 minutes or 400 calories for swimming (3km/h) for 30 minutes.

Which nutrients are best for providing energy?

Muscles use two main fuels - carbohydrate and fat. Carbohydrates provide rapidly available energy and are therefore the most important energy source for short, intense exercise like sprinting. When exercising at full capacity, the energy requirement is so great and needed so quickly, that only carbohydrates can produce energy fast enough. The body stores limited

The right nutrition can not only enhance physical activity and athletic performance but also aid recovery from training. amounts of carbohydrates - enough for approximately 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise. After this, if fat can’t be converted to energy during high intensity exercise, the body becomes fatigued.

The body can use fat for supplying energy during longer periods of exercise at a more moderate pace. For those people exercising to help lose weight, it’s best to exercise for longer periods at a moderate level to burn fat, ie walking or jogging for longer than 30 minutes.

Whatever the intensity of the exercise, some carbohydrates are always used, and it’s important to replenish stores before the next session. It’s best to top up carbohydrates straight after exercising by eating bananas or drinking high-energy fruit juice-water mixes or sport drinks.

‘Carbo-loading’ Athletes preparing for competition sometimes follow a ‘carbo-loading’ diet, which increases carbohydrate stores and their availability during an event. This can improve sports performance for these athletes and delay the onset of fatigue. Exercise time can be increased by 50 per cent following carbo-loading, which is extremely important for endurance athletes. However, these extreme diets are only suitable for serious athletes and should only be used with advice from a qualified coach or sports nutritionist.

Fluid intake Fluid intake is extremely important for exercise to prevent dehydration and to compensate for the loss in minerals and

carbohydrates. Fluids should be consumed before and during long periods of exercise so choose a drink that you like and that satisfies your needs.

Water is not the best choice. Salts will be lost during sweating and it’s important to replace these. The addition of carbohydrate also provides fuel for the muscles, although too many carbohydrates are not good either.

Isotonic drinks can be used for refueling as they contain an ideal amount of carbohydrates.

For rehydrating, hypotonic drinks are ideal as they also provide the body with a lot of fluid.

Plan ahead what you will drink during exercise and drink small amounts regularly.

Alcohol should be avoided when exercising and in the days leading up to a period of prolonged exercise as these beverages may lead to dehydration.

HEALTH

Friday, March 5, 2010

Top 20

Page 27

fitness mistakes beginners make

Don’t let exercise errors stand in your way Take an exercise class or work with a personal trainer to freshen your routine.

14. Getting stuck in a rut. What’s wrong with doing the same exercise routine, day in and day out? “You’re working the same muscles, going at the same speed, and once you get in shape you no longer breathe heavily,” says Isphording. “The muscles become very efficient. They expend less energy, and you burn fewer calories.” Find different types of exercise that you enjoy, and make it a point to vary what you do.

15. Seeking a quick fix. Many people expect dramatic results from a little exercise.

“Current recommendations are for 3 1/2 to four hours of physical activity a week just to prevent weight regain,” says Kasper, who is a professor in the department of kinesiology at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga. “If you want to lose weight and you’re walking 30 minutes, three times a week, without changing your diet, it will take roughly one month to lose a pound.”

re you exercising regularly, yet not seeing the results you want? Or getting sidelined by pulled muscles and other injuries? Feeling tempted to drop out because you’re so bored?

Don’t give up your fitness program just yet.

Maybe the problem isn’t the exercise itself but the way you’re exercising.

Exercisers (especially beginning exercisers) often make mistakes that keep them from getting the most from their workouts. Fitness experts spoke to WebMD about 20 of the most common exercise mistakes, and how you can keep them from derailing your fitness program.

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Cardio Uh-Ohs Doing the “gym slouch.” “We see many people in the gym leaning on equipment,” says Debi Pillarella, MEd, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. “We call it ‘gym slouch’: They’re on the Stairmaster, [elliptical cross trainer], or treadmill, leaning over, and hanging on for dear life.” When your back is rounded, your spine doesn’t get enough support. So stand erect when you’re working out on one of these machines.

Getting a grip. Holding on too tightly to the cardio equipment lets you “cheat” and contributes to slouching. It also keeps you from moving your arms-which can boost your heart rate and burn extra calories. If loosening your grip makes you feel insecure, try this technique Pillarella teaches at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe in Munster, Ind. “Instead of gripping, just rest your fingers, from your index finger to the pinkie, on the bars. As you get more comfortable, drop a finger. Eventually, you may have just the index fingers resting there for security.”

Catching up on your reading. If you’re doing lots of reading on the elliptical machine, you’re probably not getting a good workout, says Julie Isphording, host of the radio shows Fitness Information Talk and On Your Feet.

“If you must read, stop about every three minutes and do a four-minute focus interval,” she says. During this interval, “concentrate on picking up the pace, dropping your shoulders, breathing, and using your arms.”

Walking with weights. Carrying hand weights when you walk might seem like a good way to add strength training to your cardio workout, but it compromises your stride.

“You lean forward, and it stresses the quads, ankles, and shins, and can cause stress fractures,” Isphording says. “Keep your cardio and strength training separate.”

Thinking cardio is enough. Many people think they need only a cardiovascular exercise program. “We begin losing muscle at age 30,” says Isphording. “Strength training builds muscles, which increases metabolism and burns more calories.”

Strength-training slipups Rushing your reps. Doing weight-lifting repetitions too fast raises your blood pressure and increases your risk for joint injury. It also compromises your results. “The safest way to use strength machines or dumbbells is: in lifting phase, exhale for two counts and hold briefly at the top of the contraction, then return as you inhale for four counts,” says Pillarella. “Always exhale during the hardest part of the work.”

Giving your abs a free ride. Many people do

Want to lose faster? Exercise more.

16. Being a weekend warrior. “If you’re only exercising two days a week, you’ll never get where you want to be, and you’ll feel awful every Monday,” says Isphording. “It leads to injury and burnout, and you’re missing the secret to success: showing up.”

17. Taking on too much at first. “Whether on a treadmill at home or working out at an exercise facility, people tend to do too much too soon,” says Kasper. “They put themselves at risk for an orthopaedic injury.” He advises working with a qualified trainer who will do a screening, teach proper techniques, and set up an appropriate fitness program.

8.

9.

crunches or abdominal machine workouts without ever toning their abdomens. The problem is that they’re using the upper torso, neck, and head to do the work. “Do mindful exercise,” says Pillarella. “The contraction should be from the ribcage to the hip bone.

Put your mind into the muscles that are working, and keep all the other muscles quiet.”

Doing lackluster lat pull-downs. On this machine, you’re seated with a bar overhead.

Some people stick their heads forward and pull the bar down behind their heads. But doing it this way could injure your spine or neck-and your back won’t get that coveted “V” look. Instead, “pull the bar down in front of your shoulders and chest, and put your mind into muscle contractions in your back,” says Pillarella.

Using maladjusted machines. Weight machines are made for people of all shapes and sizes. You must adjust them to fit if you want to get results and avoid injury. For example, using an improperly set legextension machine puts stress on your knees, says Mark Kasper, EdD, a spokesman for the American College of Sports Medicine.

“Another problem with improperly adjusted machines is that you don’t work your muscles through the full range of motion,” he says. Have a qualified trainer show you the

proper settings for your physique, and write them down on a card that you carry to the gym.

Flexibility flubs 10. Stretching cold muscles. Stretching before your workout puts you at risk for pulled or torn muscles. “Always stretch at the end of your workout,” says Pillarella.

11. Bouncing. Bouncing during a stretch can increase your risk of straining or pulling muscles, Pillarella says. Instead, “hold a static stretch with no movement at the joints. Your body should feel lengthened but not to the point of pain.”

Routine maintenance 12. Forgetting about fun. “If you’re bored with your routine, and your treadmill has faced the washer since 1980, how much fun is that?” says Isphording, “I’d never want to do your workout, either. ? And why do we call it a workout? It should be a playout.” Exercise with your friends or family, just as you go to movies or dinner with people. “Unless we reframe it in our minds, it will never be fun,” Isphording says.

13. Doing outdated exercises. Still doing the exercises you learned in high school, like windmills and leg lifts? Some of these oldies are a waste of time; others can cause injury.

Sins of omission 18. Skipping the warm-up. “Without a warmup, you’re asking your body to work before the oxygen and blood flow reach the muscles,” says Pillarella. “You increase the risk for injury, and with cardiovascular exercise, you raise the heart rate too fast. Before you exercise in earnest, spend 5-10 minutes going through the motions of your workout at an easy pace to raise your body temperature from the inside out.” If you don’t warm up before lifting weights, meanwhile, you risk torn muscles and won’t be able to lift as much weight, says Isphording. Get your blood flowing by spending a few minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike, or even walking in place.

19. Forgoing the cool-down. Don’t come to sudden stop at the end of your workout. “If you don’t cool down, you risk muscle soreness because you haven’t flushed the lactic acid out of your system,” says Isphording. “It takes five to 10 minutes at a slower pace, depending on your fitness level, to let your heart rate come down.”

20. Skimping on water. Muscles need fluid to contract properly, so if you don’t drink enough, you can get muscle spasms or aches.

“If you’re thirsty, you’re already a percent dehydrated,” says Pillarella. “Drink water before, during, and after exercise.” And, Pillarella says, “unless you’re a high-intensity athlete who’s depleting electrolytes and potassium, you don’t need Gatorade. Water is the preferred drink.”

— www.webmd.com

PETS

Page 28

Friday, March 5, 2010

Antigone rides in a carrier being pulled by Marshall Lee on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 in Merced, California. — MCT

Man and dog peddle message against suicide O

n a recent, rainy Tuesday, Marshall Lee and his traveling companion were taking a rest from their cross-country trek by holing up in a local motel. Lee’s companion was happy as a guy with a dry pair of shoes. She’s a bit road weary, after spending almost every day since the beginning of October seeing the scenery from behind Lee’s bicycle. Lee, 41, is biking from Chicago to San Francisco with his companion and best friend, Antigone the basset hound.

Antigone rides in a little cart pulled behind Lee’s bike. She’s seen it all - from the tourist attractions along historic Route 66 to angry farm dogs chasing the bike and the basset down farm roads. Lee and Antigone are making the ride to bring attention to two goals close to Lee’s heart: suicide prevention and basset hound rescue. Basset hound rescue because that’s where Antigone came from, after being rescued from a puppy mill.

And suicide prevention because that’s where Lee was just a couple of years ago: ready to kill himself - just trying to figure exactly how to do it. (In the ancient Greek play by Sophocles, Antigone - pronounced AnTIG-o-nee - hangs herself in the bloody tragedy.) Lee has been a professor at a college and said he served in the Army during the Persian Gulf War. He has a master’s degree in English and would like to work for a smalltown newspaper one day.

But the loss of his college job, and then the loss of another job, sent Lee into a downward spiral. He was in Chicago, with nowhere to go and no job prospects. “Three years ago, when I lost my job, I sent out 200 resumes and didn’t get one call,” Lee remembered.

“Depression eats at you, it gets you nibble by

nibble.” Facing unemployment and the loss of his apartment, Lee was hit hard by depression. He said it took him two hours to convince himself to get out of bed every

morning.

“I’d start to make a plan on how I was going to commit suicide,” Lee said. “But then there was always Antigone.” Worries about what

With the press of a button the Dog-e-Minder can tell you the last time your dog was fed, walked or medicated. — MCT

would happen to his dog after his death stopped Lee numerous times from carrying through with his suicide plans. “This cute, sweet dog gave me the ability to say no to suicide,” Lee said.

After losing his job and his apartment, Lee decided to pack up his dog, get on a bike and cycle across the country to San Diego. When he got to New Mexico, he changed his mind and is now on his way to San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge holds a special meaning for Lee. He said that every 15 days, someone takes a suicidal plunge off the iconic bridge.

“I am making this ride to bring attention to Out of the Darkness Walk,” Lee said. Out of the Darkness walks are sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The foundation claims that a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes in the US. The walks are held to raise money to help stop suicides.

Since starting from Chicago on Oct 1, Lee has met a lot of people and has found the trip to be easier than he thought. “Facebook has helped me meet people along the way, even helped find me places to stay,” Lee said. After making his way to San Francisco, Lee said he hopes to go on up the Pacific Coast, ending up somewhere in Oregon. I really would like to work at a small-town newspaper, and I have always been fascinated by the Pacific Northwest,” Lee said. As soon as the rain lifted, Lee said last week, he was ready to get back on his bike, put Antigone’s little flowered hat on her long-eared head and finish his trek.

He reached the Pacific and bridge on Thursday.

“I guess part of it is the pioneer spirit to go West,” Lee said. “It’s been a great trip.” You might even call it a life-saver. — MCT

RELATIONSHIPS

Friday, March 5, 2009

Page 29

Girl with diabetes to receive some canine help Dogs can naturally smell high sugar levels.

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ype 1 diabetes, the kind children get, is a frightening diagnosis for any parent, with the threat that an undetected drop in blood sugar could cause a seizure or even a coma during the night when everyone’s sleeping. It’s a double threat for the family of third-grader Nicole Rieser of Sand Lake, Alaska, because she is also autistic, and can’t sense the changes as they happen even when she’s awake.

Autism is a brain-related disability that interferes with a person’s ability to communicate with others and interact socially. Debbie and Mike Rieser have gotten the latest equipment for their daughter, frequently monitor her even into the night, and give her as much training as she can handle.

Now, the Riesers are turning to a dog for an added edge.

The family is awaiting arrival in May of a new type of service dog trained to detect when Nicole’s blood sugar gets high or low and alert the family, a German shepherd from Adobe Kennels in Amarillo, Texas.

“I worry about her all the time,” says Debbie Rieser.

“Will she be able to live independently with having autism and diabetes? Having the dog will help us get through her teenage years.”

Nicole, a thin kid with long, curly brown hair, is quiet with people she doesn’t know well, but demonstrates that she can test her own blood sugar and operate the insulin pump she wears. She loves performing on stage, her mother says. She dances ballet, tap, hip-hop and Irish dancing.

She does gymnastics. She goes to friends’ houses. She rides horseback.

The dog will go everywhere with her but school, where nurses and teachers help look out for her, said the Riesers. Later, in middle or high school when she’s old enough to control the dog alone, maybe it would go along. While dogs have long guided blind people, sniffed out bombs and drugs, and lent a helping paw to people with different disabilities, the idea that they could use their superior noses to read a diabetic’s blood sugar level is relatively new. Like other service dogs, dogs for diabetics are raised to be well-behaved, unafraid of their surroundings and responsive to commands.

Then they are trained to detect by scent whether a diabetic is headed for crisis one way or the other - a fruity smell if blood sugar rises too high. Dog trainers say there’s a faint scent like

Nicole Rieser, 9, holds her insulin pump in her hands and her blood sugar testing kit in her palm. She’s flanked by mom Debbie (left) dad Mike (top) and brother Ryan, 11 (right) at home in Anchorage, Alaska. —MCT fingernail polish remover when a person’s blood sugar is low. Debbie Rieser says they will be the first in Alaska to get one of these dogs. Rieser first heard of diabetic alert dogs about three years ago at a speech therapy session for Nicole.

She and her husband investigated and found long wait lists, in some cases a requirement that a child be at least 12, and in one case, a kennel with a reputation for badly trained animals.

None of the outfits claiming to train dogs for diabetics are regulated. And the idea that a dog can successfully pick up the scent when a particular diabetic person reaches an unhealthy low has not been scientifically tested. A lot of research brought the Riesers to Adobe Kennels, a small, for-profit kennel where Mary Westbrook, 75, raises German shepherds.

Westbrook had been teaching her German shepherds narcotics

detection until a friend got her interested in training therapeutic dogs.

Training the dog The training goes like this: From puppyhood on, Westbrook teaches her dogs “100 percent strict obedience” and trains them to be unflappable - exposed to loud noises, for example, and taught not to get distracted. “They don’t go to pieces ever, ever, ever.”

Discipline is key, said Westbrook. “A German shepherd is either the boss of the family or the family is the boss of the German shepherd.” When a dog is mature enough, Westbrook asks the client to send some clothes the person was wearing at the time his blood sugar dropped to an unhealthy level.

She then teaches the dog to find the garment with that smell attached, and raise a fuss about it. Dogs can naturally smell high sugar levels, which are so obvious

as to be detectable by humans, too, Westbrook says. “The only treats I use is when they detect the lows.

But I don’t want them to learn on anybody but who they’re going to belong to. ...

Once in awhile you’ll have a dog that alerts to every diabetic they come to.

They’ll burn out too quick.

You want them to alert on their children.”

Westbrook has two 2year-old female litter-mates who are ready to begin specific low-sugar alert training, she says, and she just needs to pick one. It should take a few weeks to train the dog to Nicole’s scent. Then Westbrook and the dog, either Josie or Darcy, will travel to Anchorage in May to join the Rieser family. Westbrook will stay a week, and come back as needed, she says. The dog costs the family $10,000 plus travel expenses. However, a nonprofit sled-dog fund created by musher Blake Matray of Two Rivers,

Alaska, has already donated $1,000 toward that expense.

No studies Diabetics’ dogs are so new that the medical community appears to be supportive but awaiting more study. Linda Lau, Nicole’s nurse practitioner, sees maybe 250 diabetic children in her practice, and says most children can begin to be able to tell when something’s off with their blood sugar at the age of 4 or 5.

“They might say, ‘Check my blood sugar,’ or they may say, ‘I’m low,’” she said.

Nicole’s autism probably interferes with her ability to do that, Lau said, and a dog might well be able to help.

Everyone agrees that high sugar levels - which, over time, can lead to other problems like damage to kidneys and eyes - come with a distinct fruity odor that a dog should be able to smell.

Low sugar levels, which raise more acute problems -

a person can faint or have a seizure - produce symptoms such as acting shaky or spaced out or dizzy, that a dog should be able to recognize, Lau says. But Lau is unaware of any scientific studies pinpointing a specific odor for diabetics experiencing sugar lows.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t exist.”

It’s just not something you’ll find an AMA study on, she says.

Even Westbrook warns the dog diabetic alert system can break down. Two of the 10 diabetic alert dogs she placed haven’t worked out with their owners, she said, a fact that she attributes to the owners not following through on training. In Nicole’s case, Westbrook at first thought the situation was iffy - Nicole, at 9, is young. Plus, it’s a long trip from Amarillo to Anchorage for Westbrook. But Debbie Rieser’s persistence won out. “Debbie just kept on and on and on. I saw that she would stick to it.” —MCT

FOOD

Page 30

Friday, March 5, 2010

By Sawsan Kazak

Everyday cooking:

raps are the ultimate in portable foods.

Great for picnics, lunch bags and snacks on the go, wraps are easy to make and to eat. There are endless varieties of wraps as they can be filled with anything your heart desires. Also, they are a great way of keeping your leftovers interesting.

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Please send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

Chewy Flour Tortillas hese tortillas have real body and taste; they are perfect for gorditas, fajitas and eating out of hand.

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2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 3/4 cup lukewarm milk (2% is fine) Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough. It will be sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press). The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. (This dough will not rise, but it needs a rest.)

Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes. Avoid letting them touch, if you don’t want them to stick together.

Dust your work surface with

flour. Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle. With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7- or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. It will begin to blister. Let it cook for 30 seconds, turn it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

Although flour tortillas, like corn tortillas, are best if eaten right

after they are made, these tortillas will freeze well. Wrap them tightly in plastic, and they will keep, frozen, for several weeks. To serve tortillas that have been frozen, let them thaw and come to room temperature, then wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them in a warm oven. Microwaving tends to toughen them.

Here are some tips as to technique: Do not use bread flour. You want flour with a low gluten content.

You don’t want to over-flour your work surface, but you don’t

want your rolled-out tortilla sticking to it either. I found that the dough adhered less to an unvarnished wood surface (like an old cutting board) than any other surface I tried.

A flat dough scraper, known in baking parlance as a “bench knife”, is very efficient in removing the rolled-out tortilla from the work surface.

When rolling out tortillas, dust your rolling pin with flour, and don’t be afraid to apply pressure. Flour tortilla dough is pretty sturdy; but not to the point of rerolling. You don’t want tough tortillas. The

Border Cookbook recommends the use of a tortilla roller (similar to a short piece of broomstick), rather than a rolling pin.

Rolling out tortillas in perfect circles is harder than it sounds; the dough wants to draw up. So if perfectly circular shapes are important, you can trim away the excess with a sharp knife.

Once again, I believe a cast-iron skillet or griddle is practically indispensable for making any kind of tortilla. A dry cast-iron utensil, unlike most other materials, can take high temperatures over a sustained period of time without being adversely affected, although you may have to do a reseasoning afterwards (see How to Love Your Cast-Iron Skillet).

Once you get a rhythm going, you can roll out a tortilla, put it on to cook and, while it cooks, roll out your next tortilla. Seems like an arduous process but, with this method, I could produce 8 tortillas in about 10 action-packed minutes.

Be sure to rewrap your fresh tortillas each time you add another to the stack.

If you like, you can substitute one cup of whole wheat flour for one cup of the all-purpose flour.

— www.texascooking.com

FOOD

Friday, March 5, 2010

Spicy beef wrap

1 pound beef top sirloin, 3/4” thick 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground cumin 6 low-fat flour tortillas, 6-8 inches in diameter 1 cup fat-free sour cream 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 6 cups lettuce, shredded 1/2 large red onion, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped reheat broiler in oven and set rack about 3 to 4 inches below heating elements. Cut all visible fat from sirloin steak. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the beef and let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. Heat broiler; broil steak approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done to your preference using a meat thermometer

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Page 31

Asian chicken wrap 1 whole cooked chicken, about 4 cups of shredded meat 8 flour tortillas (10-inch) 2 red bell peppers 1 tbl spoon of fresh ginger, minced (or grated) 4 c of chopped romaine lettuce or slivered cabbage 1 ts spoon of sugar 1/2 c of vegetable oil 1/2 ts spoon of crushed red pepper flakes or 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, minced 2 tbl spoon of red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1/4 c of soy sauce 2 tbl spoon of peanut butter

ou’re going to want to start by taking the skin off of the chicken and then using a knife or you fingers whatever works better start shredding the chicken.

Put this into a large bowl.

Start to seed the peppers and then

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cut them into long strips.

Add that to the bowl with the lettuce or cabbage.

In your small bowl, combine oil, vinegar and peanut butter and use a whisk or fork to blend evenly.

Then add soy sauce, red pepper

Tangy shrimp wrap

flakes, sugar and ginger.

Stir till well blended.

Pour the dressing over the chicken and mix that real good.

Then you want to start warming up your tortillas and then add the mixture to your tortilla.

Hummus & veggie wrap

1 lb med shrimp, shelled 2 cloves minced Garlic 1/3 cup lime juice /or lemon 4 flour tortilla (9 inch) 1 tbs olive oil 2 lg bell peppers, thinly sliced 1 lg onion, thinly sliced 2 or 3 slices of japaleno peppers (chop up the slices) leafy lettuce fresh diced tomatoes melted white or yellow cheese mayo with Cajun seasoning

tir together shrimp, garlic, and lime/lor lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil and place in a 350 oven until hot (about 15 minutes).

Heat oil in a wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add peppers and onion. Cook,

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stirring occasionally, until limp (about 10 minutes) Remove onions and peppers set aside and keep warm.

Add shrimp mixture to pan, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring often, until shrimp are pink; cut to test (about 3 to 5 minutes)these are med shrimp so don’t over cook them...

Return vegetables to pan, stirring to

mix with shrimp.

To dress the tortilla: • Cajun mayo • leafy lettuce • dice tomato • Spoon shrimp mixture into tortilla (with onions and peppers) • Spoon a little of melted cheese then roll up

1 (12 inch) tortillas 1/2 cup hummus 1/8 cup cucumber 1/8 cup diced tomato 1/8 cup bell pepper 1/8 cup shoestring carrots 3 slices red onions alfalfa sprout lettuce microwave tortilla for a few seconds to make it pliable. spread hummus over tortilla. Add assorted veggies. Add lettuce last. Roll up and slice in half or eat whole.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend.

One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : While The 99 are visiting the Retreat, the remote Himalayan sanctuary for Noor Stone-wielders, a wild tiger wanders in from the mountains. Jami builds a very

www.the99.org

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2010, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

odd machine to capture it...

Page 34

TRAVEL

Friday, March 5, 2010

Shark tales in South Africa placed my mask over my face and checked the regulator. We had made it from the beach through the big surf - it was a rough day - and were now four miles off the South African coast, sitting on the gunwales of an inflatable dive boat that was rising and falling through two metres or more every few seconds.

“Remember,” said Kenny, one of the instructors, “I’m your dive buddy - you stay with me. OK? If we see sharks, we remain calm, we stay upright in the water, we give them space.”

There is something quite comforting about the steady suck and hiss of Scuba apparatus.

Your breathing slows and becomes regular.

You are separated from the world by a sheet of glass. You get that irrational feeling of safety that a mosquito net can bring in maneating lion territory.

And we were in man-eater country. The Indian Ocean coast of South Africa saw 86 shark attacks between 1992 and 2008, with 11 fatalities. Before the trip I went through the species of shark in my copy of Sea Fishes of Southern Africa, noting their characteristics: “may threaten divers”, “positively linked to attacks on humans”, “voracious predator” the word “aggressive” came up time and again.

In Cape Town there is a much publicized thrill available whereby divers are lowered in a steel cage with some bait. Sharks then attack. Sharks, after all, are fiendishly dangerous. They are demons for a secular age. Even snakes have a better reputation.

Nigel Pickering, however, disagrees with all the demonization. A former police diver from England, he came out to South Africa with his wife, Lesley, in 2003 and chose to live in the small and leafy town of Umkomaas, 25 miles south of Durban on the KwaZuluNatal coast. Umkomaas is a quiet, amiable sort of place with a few good restaurants and bars on a long stretch of sandy shoreline.

Nigel and Lesley set up their dive school in a handsome clapboard building with bright comfortable rooms for divers to stay in. There was, however, one other major attraction that drew Nigel to this coast: sharks. About four miles offshore, in the impressively muscular ocean, is a shallow area known as Aliwal Shoal. It is regularly listed among the world’s top dive sites, being home to myriad sea creatures, including several species of shark.

And Nigel is on a mission when it comes to

I

sharks.

“They can be dangerous, of course, but I believe that, with caution and care, they can be appreciated and watched like any other animal.”

On our boat there was a countdown: “three, two, one . . .” and we all rolled backwards and into the water. I followed the rope that led down into the murk. The rough weather had ruined Aliwal’s normally good visibility and we were reduced to about 8m. I couldn’t see any other divers; the leader was already out of sight. After a minute I reached the sea bottom at 18m. I turned to look behind me and got an instantaneous jolt of adrenaline.

The shark was 3m long, and about the same distance from me, cruising effortlessly away. It didn’t seem at all interested, or particularly shy. I found this strangely comforting. It was also comforting to see that it was neither a tiger nor a zambezi shark, both notoriously aggressive species that live on Aliwal at certain times of year.

More divers appeared. I recognised Kenny’s blonde hair. By hand signals he told me to search in the coarse sand patches between rocks. Within a few seconds I’d found several shark’s teeth and tucked them in the cuff of my wetsuit. The ragged-tooth shark, or raggie, loses teeth throughout its life.

Leaving the sandy area, we reached some rocks - and more sharks. They were circling the divers: raggies of two to three metres, moving gently, keeping us at a safe distance.

They looked ferocious, but raggies are not aggressive at all - though their inquisitiveness can look very scary. One made a turn and glided towards me. I kept still. Its eye came past my mask, less than a metre away. I could easily have reached out and stroked its silky skin, but I did not. We merely stared at each other for a moment. There is no response in a shark’s eye, no contact, no telling what lies behind that cold glare.

I remembered Nigel’s words when we talked before the dive. “Sharks are interested in one thing - food. There really isn’t a lot else going on inside their walnut-size brains.

Most people think: it’s an apex predator and it’s out to get me. But that’s not true. There is no evidence that sharks deliberately eat people. Experiments on brain activity in lemon sharks - a supposedly dangerous species - show that they react to fish blood in

the water, but not to human blood.”

The raggie slipped out of sight. Had I held my breath? It’s a cardinal sin in diving, but I couldn’t tell. I moved off, swimming after the group who were exploring the cracks and fissures in a tumble of submarine crags. This was a very different aspect to our dive: tiny creatures of iridescent colour, micro-worlds of soft corals and sponge, and brightly painted orange and blue nudibranchs - a type of sea slug.

Dick, our dive master, was out in front, inspecting a bunch of whitetip reef sharks, a harmless species (although not to be confused with oceanic whitetip, which is known for attack humans). He had told me what to expect while we were on the boat. “This time of year it’s mostly raggies and whitetips,” he’d said. “Tigers come in winter.”

“What about great whites?”

“We do get them. I saw a huge one here a couple of years ago - it swam within inches of me.” “Were you afraid?” Daft question.

“Sharks are like dogs: if you turn and run, they’ll chase and maybe attack. If you stay calm and upright in the water, they can see you’re not food.” The evidence is in favour of conservationists on this. At Aliwal, one of the busiest dive sites in South Africa, there has been just one raggie attack, when a diver accidentally cornered an individual, which then gave her a minor bite on the arm. As for tigers: despite doing daily baited dives for them, Nigel knows of only one incident when a cameraman got himself into a sardine shoal where sharks were feeding. A tiger, swimming at speed through the fish, grabbed him by the bum then, realizing he was not a sardine, let go immediately.

For the shark worldwide, the situation is precarious. A survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that a third of all oceanic sharks were close to extinction and a further third were threatened or vulnerable. The primary culprit was over-fishing: sharks are targeted for their lucrative dorsal fins, which go to Asian restaurants around the world for shark-fin soup, a priceless dish for brainless people.

The EU was the world’s biggest exporter of shark fins until the 2009 ban on “finning”. It remains to be seen if this will have any effect on the estimated 100 million sharks killed annually.

Leaving the whitetips behind, we moved on, taking time to inspect the other fish and

some lovely soft corals. The rhythmic hiss of air combined with the gentle progress was mesmeric: diving, I said to myself, is meditation in rubber. I lost track of time.

Fortunately Kenny was keeping an eye on his watch and signaled the ascent.

The moment when you break the surface is always a sad one. The undersea world is instantly gone, like a dream on waking.

Instead there is the graceless fumble with equipment, the awkward snatch for air above the slapping waves. I pulled the mask down, spat out water, gasped for air, and heard the diveboat’s engine gunning hard about 50m away. But then Kenny was pointing.

“Dolphins!”

They were coming directly towards us.

Rising up in the swell, I caught a glimpse of sleek dark bodies curling neatly from the water. I finned hard to get higher, grabbed the mask and got it back on, got the regulator in. I sank down just in time to see the dolphin pod pass sleekly beneath us. Now they looked silver and utterly graceful, slicing through the water without any apparent effort, then they were gone.

Half an hour later we were back at the dive centre. I rolled back the cuff of my wetsuit to let a dozen shark’s teeth clatter to the table.

In my skin were the scarlet impressions of their triangular shape. It was less than an hour since I had been watching the raggies glide past - feeling a bit sea-sick from the wild weather. Nevertheless I was already starting to wonder: “What would it be like - to be out there with tiger sharks?”

“They can be dangerous, of course, but I believe that, with caution and care, they can be appreciated and watched like any other animal.”

On our boat there was a countdown: “three, two, one . . .” and we all rolled backwards and into the water. I followed the rope that led down into the murk. The rough weather had ruined Aliwal’s normally good visibility and we were reduced to about 8m. I couldn’t see any other divers; the leader was already out of sight. After a minute I reached the sea bottom at 18m. I turned to look behind me and got an instantaneous jolt of adrenaline.

Swimming with sharks The shark was 3m long, and about the same distance from me, cruising effortlessly away. It didn’t seem at all interested, or

Friday, March 5, 2010 particularly shy. I found this strangely comforting. It was also comforting to see that it was neither a tiger nor a zambezi shark, both notoriously aggressive species that live on Aliwal at certain times of year.

More divers appeared. I recognised Kenny’s blonde hair. By hand signals he told me to search in the coarse sand patches between rocks. Within a few seconds I’d found several shark’s teeth and tucked them in the cuff of my wetsuit. The ragged-tooth shark, or raggie, loses teeth throughout its life.

Leaving the sandy area, we reached some rocks - and more sharks. They were circling the divers: raggies of two to three metres, moving gently, keeping us at a safe distance.

They looked ferocious, but raggies are not aggressive at all - though their inquisitiveness can look very scary. One made a turn and glided towards me. I kept still. Its eye came past my mask, less than a metre away. I could easily have reached out and stroked its silky skin, but I did not. We merely stared at each other for a moment. There is no response in a shark’s eye, no contact, no telling what lies behind that cold glare.

I remembered Nigel’s words when we talked before the dive. “Sharks are interested in one thing - food. There really isn’t a lot else going on inside their walnut-size brains. Most people think: it’s an apex predator and it’s out to get me. But that’s not true. There is no evidence that sharks deliberately eat people.

Experiments on brain activity in lemon sharks - a supposedly dangerous species - show that they react to fish blood in the water, but not to human blood.”

The raggie slipped out of sight. Had I held my breath? It’s a cardinal sin in diving, but I couldn’t tell. I moved off, swimming after the group who were exploring the cracks and fissures in a tumble of submarine crags. This was a very different aspect to our dive: tiny creatures of iridescent colour, micro-worlds of soft corals and sponge, and brightly painted orange and blue nudibranchs - a type of sea slug.

Dick, our dive master, was out in front, inspecting a bunch of whitetip reef sharks, a harmless species (although not to be confused with oceanic whitetip, which is known for attack humans). He had told me what to expect while we were on the boat. “This time of year it’s mostly raggies and whitetips,” he’d said. “Tigers come in winter.” “What about great whites?”

“We do get them. I saw a huge one here a couple of years ago - it swam within inches of me.”

“Were you afraid?” Daft question. “Sharks are like dogs: if you turn and run, they’ll chase and maybe attack. If you stay calm and upright in the water, they can see you’re not food.”

The evidence is in favor of conservationists on this. At Aliwal, one of the busiest dive sites in South Africa, there has been just one raggie attack, when a diver accidentally cornered an individual, which then gave her a minor bite on the arm. As for tigers: despite doing daily baited dives for them, Nigel knows of only one incident - when a cameraman got himself into a sardine shoal where sharks were feeding. A tiger, swimming at speed through the fish, grabbed him by the bum then, realizing he was not a sardine, let go immediately.

For the shark worldwide, the situation is precarious. A survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that a third of all oceanic sharks were close to extinction and a further third were threatened or vulnerable. The primary culprit was over-fishing: sharks are targeted for their lucrative dorsal fins, which go to Asian restaurants around the world for shark-fin soup, a priceless dish for brainless people. The EU was the world’s biggest exporter of shark fins until the 2009 ban on “finning”. It remains to be seen if this will have any effect on the estimated 100 million sharks killed annually.

Other wildlife Leaving the whitetips behind, we moved on, taking time to inspect the other fish and some lovely soft corals. The rhythmic hiss of air combined with the gentle progress was

TRAVEL

mesmeric: diving, I said to myself, is meditation in rubber. I lost track of time.

Fortunately Kenny was keeping an eye on his watch and signaled the ascent.

The moment when you break the surface is always a sad one. The undersea world is instantly gone, like a dream on waking. Instead there is the graceless fumble with equipment, the awkward snatch for air above the slapping waves. I pulled the mask down, spat out water, gasped for air, and heard the diveboat’s engine gunning hard about 50m away. But then Kenny was pointing. “Dolphins!”

They were coming directly towards us.

Rising up in the swell, I caught a glimpse of sleek dark bodies curling neatly from the water. I finned hard to get higher, grabbed the mask and got it back on, got the regulator in. I sank down just in time to see the dolphin pod pass sleekly beneath us. Now they looked silver and utterly graceful, slicing through the water without any apparent effort, then they were gone.

Half an hour later we were back at the dive centre. I rolled back the cuff of my wetsuit to let a dozen shark’s teeth clatter to the table. In my skin were the scarlet impressions of their triangular shape. It was less than an hour since I had been watching the raggies glide past -

feeling a bit sea-sick from the wild weather.

Nevertheless I was already starting to wonder: “What would it be like - to be out there with tiger sharks?”

Dick, our dive master, was out in front, inspecting a bunch of whitetip reef sharks, a harmless species (although not to be confused with oceanic whitetip, which is known for attack humans). He had told me what to expect while we were on the boat. “This time of year it’s mostly raggies and whitetips,” he’d said.

“Tigers come in winter.” “What about great whites?”“We do get them. I saw a huge one here a couple of years ago - it swam within inches of me.” “Were you afraid?” Daft question.

“Sharks are like dogs: if you turn and run, they’ll chase and maybe attack. If you stay calm and upright in the water, they can see you’re not food.”

The evidence is in favor of conservationists on this. At Aliwal, one of the busiest dive sites in South Africa, there has been just one raggie attack, when a diver accidentally cornered an individual, which then gave her a minor bite on the arm. As for tigers: despite doing daily baited dives for them, Nigel knows of only one incident - when a cameraman got himself into a sardine shoal where sharks were feeding. A

Page 35 tiger, swimming at speed through the fish, grabbed him by the bum then, realising he was not a sardine, let go immediately.

For the shark worldwide, the situation is precarious. A survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that a third of all oceanic sharks were close to extinction and a further third were threatened or vulnerable. The primary culprit was over-fishing: sharks are targeted for their lucrative dorsal fins, which go to Asian restaurants around the world for shark-fin soup, a priceless dish for brainless people. The EU was the world’s biggest exporter of shark fins until the 2009 ban on “finning”. It remains to be seen if this will have any effect on the estimated 100 million sharks killed annually.

Leaving the whitetips behind, we moved on, taking time to inspect the other fish and some lovely soft corals. The rhythmic hiss of air combined with the gentle progress was mesmeric: diving, I said to myself, is meditation in rubber. I lost track of time.

Fortunately Kenny was keeping an eye on his watch and signaled the ascent.

The moment when you break the surface is always a sad one. The undersea world is instantly gone, like a dream on waking. Instead there is the graceless fumble with equipment, the awkward snatch for air above the slapping waves. I pulled the mask down, spat out water, gasped for air, and heard the diveboat’s engine gunning hard about 50m away. But then Kenny was pointing. “Dolphins!”

They were coming directly towards us.

Rising up in the swell, I caught a glimpse of sleek dark bodies curling neatly from the water. I finned hard to get higher, grabbed the mask and got it back on, got the regulator in. I sank down just in time to see the dolphin pod pass sleekly beneath us. Now they looked silver and utterly graceful, slicing through the water without any apparent effort, then they were gone.

Half an hour later we were back at the dive centre. I rolled back the cuff of my wetsuit to let a dozen shark’s teeth clatter to the table. In my skin were the scarlet impressions of their triangular shape. It was less than an hour since I had been watching the raggies glide past feeling a bit sea-sick from the wild weather.

Nevertheless I was already starting to wonder: “What would it be like - to be out there with tiger sharks?”

— www.guardian.co.uk

BOOKS

Page 36

Friday, March 5, 2010

W

hat if you had only one day to live?

What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High, from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot.

Friday, February 12 should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Fortunately, she gets a second chance.

Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death-and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Jane Bites Back

By Lauren Oliver

Hush, Hush

Before I Fall

Bestselling novels that

By Becca Fitzpatrick

F

or Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her.

Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Free For All

By Michael Thomas Ford

T

wo hundred years after her death, Jane Austen is still surrounded by the literature she lovesbut now it’s because she’s the owner of Flyleaf Books in a sleepy college town in Upstate New York. Every day she watches her novels fly off the shelves-along with dozens of unauthorized sequels, spin-offs, and adaptations. Jane may be undead, but her books have taken on a life of their own.

To make matters worse, the manuscript she finished just before being turned into a vampire has been rejected by publishers-116 times. Jane longs to let the world know who she is, but when a sudden twist of fate thrusts her back into the spotlight, she must hide her real identity-and fend off a dark man from her past while juggling two modern suitors.

Will the inimitable Jane Austen be able to keep her cool in this comedy of manners, or will she show everyone what a woman with a sharp wit and an even sharper set of fangs can do?

Nightlight

By Don Borchert

N

ot long ago, the public library was a place for the bookish, the eggheaded, and the studious-often seeking refuge from a loud, irrational, crude, outside world. Today, libraries have become free-for-all entertainment complexes filled with rowdy teens, deviants, drugs, and even sex toys.

Lockdowns and chaperones are often necessary. What happened? Don Borchert was a short-order cook, door-to-door salesman, telemarketer, and Christmastree-chopper before landing a job in a California library. He never could have predicted his encounters with the colorful kooks, touching adolescents, threatening bullies, and tricksters who fill the pages of this hilarious memoir. Borchert offers readers a ringside seat for the unlikely spectacle of mayhem and absurdity that is business as usual at the public library-cops bust drug dealers who ’ve set up shop in the menís restroom, a burka-wearing employee suffers a curse-ridden nervous breakdown, and a lonely, neglected kid who grew up in the library and still sends postcards to his surrogate parents-the librarians. In fact, from the first page of this comic debut to the last, you ’ll learn everything about the world of the modernday library that you never expected.

By The Harvard Lampoon

“A

bout three things I was absolutely certain. First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe. Second, there was a vampire part of him-which I assumed was wildly out of his control-that wanted me dead. And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.”

And thus Belle Goose falls in love with the mysterious and sparkly Edwart Mullen in the Harvard Lampoon’s hilarious send-up of Twilight.

Pale and klutzy, Belle arrives in Switchblade, Oregon looking for adventure, or at least an undead classmate. She soon discovers Edwart, a super-hot computer nerd with zero interest in girls. After witnessing a number of strange eventsEdwart leaves his tater tots untouched at lunch! Edwart saves her from a flying snowball!-Belle has a dramatic revelation: Edwart is a vampire. But how can she convince Edwart to bite her and transform her into his eternal bride, especially when he seems to find girls so repulsive?

Complete with romance, danger, insufficient parental guardianship, creepy

stalker-like behavior, and a vampire prom, Nightlight is the uproarious tale of a vampire-obsessed girl, looking for love in all the wrong places.

BOOKS

Friday, March 5, 2010

Page 37

you should not miss Take This Bread

By Sara Miles

All Unquiet Things

R

By Anna Jarzab

J

arzab’s strong debut tracks teenage Neily and Audrey’s investigation of the murder of 16-year-old Carly-Audrey’s cousin and Neily’s ex-in an affluent San Francisco suburb one year after Audrey’s father is convicted of the crime. Neily is a bright, cynical senior at Brighton Day School; bitter after being dumped by Carly, he didn’t return her calls on the night of her death and still blames himself.

Audrey, who has returned to Brighton after “a self-imposed exile,” badgers Neily into helping clear her father’s name (“I can tell that behind that weak Holden Caulfield affectation is a spongy, leaking heart desperate for some sort of closure”). The story shifts between Neily and Audrey’s points of view, but only a few times, letting readers sink into each character’s mindset-painful, unhealed wounds are evident underneath both Neily’s clinical, sarcastic exterior and Audrey’s more open, confident manner. It’s a slow-building, slowburning mystery-Jarzab is as interested in probing Neily and Audrey’s emotional states and the ramifications of Carly’s murder as she is in solving it-but the author’s confident, literary prose makes for a tense and immersive thriller.

aised as an atheist, Sara Miles lived an enthusiastically secular life as a restaurant cook and a writer. Then early one winter morning, for no earthly reason, she wandered into a church. “I was certainly not interested in becoming a Christian,” she writes, “or, as I thought of it rather less politely, a religious nut.”

But she ate a piece of bread, took a sip of wine, and found herself radically transformed.

The mysterious sacrament of communion has sustained Miles ever since, in a faith she’d scorned, in work she’d never imagined. In this astonishing story, she tells how the seeds of her conversion were sown, and what her life has been like since she took that bread.

A lesbian left-wing journalist who covered revolutions around the world, Miles was not the woman her friends expected to see suddenly praising Jesus. She was certainly not the kind of person the government had in mind to run a “faith-based

charity.” Religion for her was not about angels or good behavior or piety; it was about real hunger, real food, and real bodies. Before long, she turned the bread she ate at communion into tons of groceries, piled on the church’s altar to be given away. The first food pantry she established provided hundreds of poor, elderly, sick, deranged, and marginalized people with lifesaving food and a sense of belonging. Within a few years, the loaves had multiplied, and she and the people she served had started nearly a dozen more pantries.

Take This Bread is rich with real-life Dickensian characters - church ladies, child abusers, millionaires, schizophrenics, bishops, and thieves - all blown into Miles’s life by the relentless force of her newfound calling. She recounts stories about trudging through the rain in housing projects, wiping the runny nose of a psychotic man, storing a battered woman’s .375 Magnum in a cookie tin. She writes about the economy of hunger and the ugly politics of food; the meaning of prayer and the physicality of faith. Here, in this achingly beautiful, passionate book, is the living communion of Christ.

Pretending You Care

By Normal Feuti

A

h, retail. It has lured in the best of us with promises of employee discounts (a sham), the “fun” of working with people (not so much), and flexible hours (don’t make me laugh).

What we got instead: cranky customers, sadistic managers, idiotic coworkers, and, oh yeah, the hell that is doing inventory.

But there are ways to lessen the pain, and this retail

handbook will show you how.

Inside you’ll learn how to handle the crazies (both customers and coworkers), feign product knowledge, and make the best of working the register, all the while, of course, pretending you care.

This book takes years of retail experience and condenses it into a guide that is as funny as it is useful.

If you work in retail now, have done so in the past, or plan to do so in the future: this is the book for you.

Everything About Me Is Fake

By Janice Dickinson

E

verything About Me Is Fake is a fast, funny, name-dropping, incident-filled, sexy read about how the world’s first supermodel doesn’t even feel close to perfect and never did—despite appearances to the contrary. Even when Janice Dickinson was being stitched into clothing and having her boobs taped together to be a Cosmo cover girl, she heard only the words of her pedophile father, who always told her, “You’ll never amount to anything. You’re a loser because you’re a girl.”

The book explores how women spend their lives striving for the unattainable, trying to look like they walked off the pages of a magazine with Jennifer Aniston stick-straight hair bouncing in the breeze and Cover Girl smiles hiding the pain. Janice tells us what’s real about beauty and

what’s not, and how women don’t have to be slaves to the pictures they see on the glossy pages of Vogue. She discusses why we need to feel perfect, and how our pasts, our unattainable ideas of beauty (thanks to Hollywood), and male expectations all collude to make women feel like they should be working towards the next major makeover before next year’s model steps up to the bed.

Yet she is also convinced that the world does need to glam up a bit, so Janice offers real tips for both men and women, drawing on the bizarre tricks of the trade that she learned while modeling all over the world. She knows what anyone can do to easily fake in order to feel and look as perfect as possible—and without spending a million dollars or living in an operating room. She offers every beauty trick in the book—not the ones you’re used to reading,

but real, concrete tips that will make anyone feel better in a matter of minutes.

Janice also includes more illustrative anecdotes from her personal life that she didn’t include in her first book, No Lifeguard on Duty: she’s the girl who prepped JFK Jr. for Caroline, who stole Trump’s limo, got Bruce Willis to a good plastic surgeon, and made Warren Beatty mad because she was prettier than he was. But along with the wild tales of partying and bedhopping, she tells us what it was like to strive for perfection, and fail. Her way to kill the pain of that failure was pills, booze, sex, and rock stars, until that lifestyle came crashing down around her. When you’ve spent a lifetime trying to be perfect and having it all cave in, the next question is perfectly simple: “Now what?” The answers to that question surprise even Janice, a woman who isn’t easily shocked.

CHILDREN

Page 38

Sudoku for Kids

Friday, March 5, 2010

Solution

Friday, March 5, 2010

CHILDREN

Toys for a big boy R

onit Subramanian was seven years old and he was the tallest student in his class.

It made him feel very proud. But when he remembered some of the things he used to do as a small kid, he felt a little shy. He wished his mother would not tell those stories to her friends again and again.

Last week his mother’s old school friend had come to see her. They were meeting after 10 years. Ronit was just back from school but his ears pricked up when he heard his mother say in that goofy tone, “You know what my Ronit used to do as a baby? He used to think everything and everyone was a part of the Subramanian family.

So he would call the refrigerator ‘frig Subramanian. And he would call the doggy that curled up on our doormat outside ‘doggy Subramanian’”. Ronit heard his mother’s friend say, “cho chweeeet” and he ran out of the house without any lunch. “I wish mother would not do these things,” he said for the thousandth time.

That evening his mother showed him the toys and games her friend had got for him. One stuffed dolphin and a game of blocks. Ronit got angry.

“These are kids toys, kids toys and games. I am a big boy now. My hero is Spiderman. That’s the toy I want for my birthday this year. Spiderman and the spray that makes the spider web.”

“Are you saying you no longer want your favourite stuffed toy - pepper the doggy?” Ronit’s mother asked. “I don’t want kids toys, I don’t want kids toys and games any more. I am a BIG BOY,” Ronit shouted. ‘Okay, okay, we heard you,” said his parents.

A month later, Ronit’s parents bought him a Spiderman kit for his eighth birthday. They bought him a Spiderman T-shirt and trousers, a

shiny Spiderman toy and a glove with a spray bottle attached to it. “Wear the glove and then press the spray button. It will make a web pattern on the wall, Ronit’s father said. Ronit, and even his father, were so excited with the spray that they used it again and again to see who could make a bigger web! There was even a Spiderman cake.

After his friends left, Ronit opened up each gift package. Yesssss! He was a big boy now. He had got so many presents of toys and games and they were all for big boys. He especially like a Lego set that made a battery-powered robot, a snazzy car racing video game, and, best of all, a cool skateboard. Ronit went to sleep clutching the Spiderman. You see he had decided he no longer wanted his favourite stuffed toy, Pepper doggy.

As soon as his head hit the pillow Ronit fell asleep. He now slept in a room of his own. A room with sunny yellow walls. But until yesterday, he had gone to sleep clutching Pepper doggy’s ear.

The softness of the toy always made him happy.

But Spiderman was a metal toy. It was cold to touch. At night, as Ronit’s blanket slipped down the bed, the cold metal of Spiderman poked him.

Ronit dreamt that he was being chased by icy monsters who were out to freeze him into a statue. In his dream he shouted for Pepper. Not finding Pepper, woke up screaming crying.

His mother heard him whimper and came rushing into his room. “I want Pepper. He is my friend. Big boys also have doggy friends” cried Ronit. Pepper has crept back into Ronit’s bed.

Every night, Ronit and Pepper have a new adventure. In his dreams, Ronit sees Pepper in a Spiderman outfit. Isn’t that cool? www.pitara.com

Page 39

Page 40

OPINION

Friday, March 5, 2010

A nation of cowards?

By Michael Haas he world has taken note that America today is a nation of cowards, no longer the home of the brave. Bravery means taking risks in the pursuit of noble goals. Cowardice is a refusal, because of fear, to take those risks. Resigned to fate as never before, Americans cower in fear and no longer set a positive example to the world.

Democrats and Republicans are afraid of closing Guantanamo for all sorts of reasons. They are afraid to grant asylum to prisoners who have been held in Guantanamo for years despite court rulings that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, picked up by bounty hunters, improperly screened, and innocent of any crime against the United States. The land that opened its doors to Albert Einstein has closed its doors even to those escaping from government terrorism in China.

Now, such humble nations as the Bahamas, Palau, and several countries in Europe have compassionately and nobly granted them asylum, while the United States is afraid, cowardly, insensitive, and ignoble.

Democrats and Republicans are afraid to house hardened terrorists in maximum security prisons of Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, South Carolina, and elsewhere. The fear is that they will escape, corrupt others from solitary confinement cells, or provoke attacks to rescue them. Yet nobody has ever escaped from these prisons, solitary confinement by definition rules out communication with others, and the FBI could actually set traps around those prisons to catch more terrorists. In other words, they cowardly have lost confidence in federal prison officials and the FBI. Democrats and Republicans are afraid to put undoubted terrorists, now held at Guantanamo, on trial in New York or any other American city. They fear that the trials will provide a platform for their views, will provoke further terrorist attacks against the city, will corrupt fellow prisoners in federal jails, or even might be found not guilty. Yet they did not raise the hue and cry in the past when other terrorists were tried in New York and elsewhere, even after 9/11, when none of their current fears were realized. In other words, they cowardly have lost confidence in federal courts and jails. Pusillanimous, they are no longer interested in upholding the constitution.

Democrats and Republicans are afraid to use federal criminal courts to try those at Guantanamo who are accused of federal crimes outside of the battlefield, preferring the sophistry that international law applies, namely, the law of warfare. Yet that very international law, the Geneva Conventions, clearly indicates the illegality of such trials. They refuse to consult the dictionary and the law to determine that war involves combat on a battlefield with opposing enemies. They cowardly have lost confidence in federal courts.

They are no longer interested in the rule of law and the constitution.

For those who committed offenses on the battlefields of Afghanistan and were sent to Guantanamo, cowardly Americans are afraid of using existing military courts to try them for offenses against the law of warfare. They want to fabricate military commissions so that they can get quick results with a minimum of Geneva Convention guarantees. They no longer trust American military courts that have stood the test of time for centuries, fearing that they will not convict those for whom evidence is substantial.

They have lost confidence in the American military. They want cowardly kangaroo courts.

T

Examples Other examples abound in a new era of American cowardice. Not so long ago, two American presidents feared military service and sought exemptions, and the American people rewarded them with elective office. As presidents,

they unsurprising lied to the American people about their cowardly misdeeds while in office.

Members of Congress cower before the lobbying power of the banks, which with impunity received bailouts and then awarded bonuses in total defiance. These cowardly banks were

so fearful of risky mortgages that they bundled them together, pressured rating companies to give them AAA ratings, sold them to unsuspecting investors, and then had the temerity to foreclose those who were insufficiently warned of the terms of their mortgages. Now they have the capital, thanks to a recent Supreme Court ruling, to defeat and deter any member of Congress who might respond by demanding reform of the financial sector.

Members of Congress are resigning because they fear that they will have to fight for their principles and just do not have the courage of their convictions. They fear their colleagues and the voters because they do not want to take risks to fight to transform their country a better place in which to live. They have lost confidence in the governmental process and do not even want to correct that process by abolishing earmarks, the filibuster, and procedural bottlenecks because they prefer to use them whenever they want or, in a supreme cowardly manner, resign from office when their votes are needed.

Republican Members of Congress are using those procedural bottlenecks because they fear the majority, the will of the people. Rather than have the majority enact reforms to benefit the people, they use bottlenecks to prevent a president elected by a landslide to do what he promised, fearing that he will succeed in reviving the American dream. They want him to fail because they lost, an example of unmatched political cowardice in American history. In other words, they want the people to abandon the American

Dream by preventing them from relying on their government to help them in time of emergency.

Gulag Many Democrats are perhaps even more cowardly. They supported the Patriot Act, the Iraq War, the Military Commissions Act, and even blocked funds to close Guantanamo. They spinelessly failed to stand up to efforts to repeal the constitution, go to war on a flimsy pretext, flout the rule of law, and maintain an American gulag that serves as a recruiting tool for terrorists (in the opinion of an intelligence estimate under the Bush administration!).

But not all Democrats. Jimmy Carter, John Conyers, Dennis Kucinich, and others have spoken out against those who preach doom unless American democracy is repealed. However, these Democrats have not been supported by cowardly leaders of their own party, who fear defeat at the polls if they stand up for the institutions and values that have made the country great. Generals David Petraeus and Colin Powell, who have established their credentials as paragons of bravery, agree that the prison at Guantanamo should be closed, and torture should never be used.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has espoused the view, developed by Obama, that Americans need to be “psychologically prepared to withstand [terrorism] and grow stronger over time.” During the Blitz, leaders in England united to face a common enemy, and the population followed suit.

Today, Republicans wax hysterical to engender more infantile fear for the sake of political expediency, while decent people have foiled airborne attacks by Richard Reid and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallah.

The biggest coward of all is former Vice President Dick Cheney. He pedals a “one percent doctrine,” which argues that the ideals and very identity of America must be abandoned to catch a few terrorists. No matter that Britain endured decades of terrorism and learned the lesson that cowardly governmental terrorism provokes more terrorists to act bravely.

For Cheney, torture must be used despite constitutional prohibitions, evidence that no important intelligence is ever derived, and how counterproductive are extreme methods in a struggle that primarily psychological, an effort by terrorists to gain support by provoking illegitimate American actions while turning the United States into a cowardly, lawless, and terrorist state. For Cheney, even innocent prisoners at Guantanamo should be tortured, tried, convicted, and held

indefinitely. He even laments that President Bush allowed most of the 64 child prisoners (as young as 10 years old) to leave the naval gulag for home. He wants terrorist criminal acts to be declared “war,” but he is unwilling to carry his fight with bravery and honor. After all, he is yet another draft dodger.

The media are also complicit, refusing to use the words “war crime” to identify the illegality of decisions in Washington. They do not identify the conspiracy to propagandize the public into supporting illegitimate war, the use of banned weapons (including depleted uranium ordinance that is causing leukemia in Iraq today), the existence of thousands of child prisoners cruelly processed at American-run prisons abroad, the disruption of education and health care in Iraq during the occupation, and inhumane conditions in the shantytown outside Kabul created by the war.

Even CNN’s Jack Cafferty was forced by his boss to retract his statement on television characterizing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a “war criminal.” However, Glen Beck takes the prize for crying on the air like a coward out of an unspecified fear of change under the Obama administration.

Yet Rumsfeld’s behavior did not stop the French government from charging him with the war crime of authorizing torture. While in Paris during late 2006, gendarme waited outside the

building where he was giving a talk to take him into custody based on a warrant issued for his arrest. Like a coward, he sneaked out the back door, and was driven to Germany, where he boarded a flight back to the United States.

The illegality of war has not stopped Germany either. After a German soldier refused to be deployed to Iraq on the ground that the war was illegal under international law, a German court agreed with him in 2005. Ehren Watada, an American soldier at a base in the state of Washington, bravely refused deployment to an illegal war. His court martial ended in 2007 without a verdict, and military officers have cowardly refused a re-hearing to decide the issue, fearing that a military court will absolve Watada. Vincent Bugliosi, author of The Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder (2008), similarly, has been unable to locate a single district attorney in the United States with the guts to accuse Bush of homicide for sending brave American soldiers to their death in an illegal war, just as Charles Manson was convicted for ordering others to murder on his behalf.

Mercenaries The bravery of individual American soldiers has even been undermined by the conduct of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Washington has allocated nearly half of the soldiers to force protection in order to minimize casualties. Aerial attacks have been undertaken on many missions resulting in indiscriminate deaths of civilians and extrajudicial executions of terrorist leaders, all in violation of the Geneva Conventions, out of a fear of casualties that might result if foot soldiers were deployed instead. Also in violation of international law, mercenaries from the United States and other countries, have been engaged in combat operations in both countries.

Some top brass have also acted in a cowardly manner. Fear that defeat in Afghanistan would occur on his watch, General Stanley McChrystal waged a media campaign during mid-2009 to increase American troops rather than filing a confidential report with President Barack Obama.

And, charged by Obama to report on compliance with the Geneva Conventions at Guantanamo in accordance with his executive order of January 22, 2009, Admiral Patrick Walsh presented a report one month later on only 27 provisions, ignoring at least one hundred other war crimes.

Walsh even bragged that some prisoners were held in solitary confinement. According to the Geneva Conventions, solitary confinement is punishment for infraction of a prison rule or conviction of a war crime, yet those so confined were never given a hearing, as required. They have defied Obama in a cowardly manner.

Meanwhile, American soldiers continue to fight valiantly. In mid-February 2010, Marine Lt. Col. Matt Baker,

commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, in conducting an important and sensitive operation in Marja, Afghanistan, said, “The people need to be brave. . . . We have to be a strong team.” He was backed up by the district governor, Haji Abdul Manaf, who counseled, “How are you going to guard your area if you’re scared of Taleban and won’t come out of your house?” The same words apply to the cowardly people of Standish, Michigan, who refused to allow an empty maximum security prison to house hardened prisoners now at Guantanamo as well as to legislators in Illinois who have voted to keep them out of their state.

Scholar Giovanna Dell’Orto, analyzing thousands of foreign media articles and government publications about the United States over the years in her The Hidden Power of the American Dream (2007), shows that the essence of America around the world is that the land of opportunity exists and the experiment in democracy works. She notes that after 9/11 newspapers across Europe proclaimed “We Are All Americans” in many different languages. But the cowardly response to 9/11, the fearmongering by the nation’s leaders that has seeped into the consciousness of the people, has destroyed that positive image. Americans abroad now fear that they will be targets of opprobrium by those who wanted to support us, even cowardly sewing Canadian emblems on their backpacks while traveling through Europe. - cowards.

Friday, March 5, 2010

OPINION

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Thinking about the unthinkable nuclear war as China could absorb a few hundred million deaths - was considered, with reason, quite mad. Nevertheless, Nixon, as antiCommunist and anti-Chinese a figure as existed in American politics, understood that an alliance (and despite the lack of a formal treaty, alliance it was) with China was essential to counterbalance the Soviet Union at a time when American power was still being sapped in Vietnam.

Roosevelt and Nixon both faced impossible strategic situations unless they were prepared to redefine the strategic equation dramatically and accept the need for alliance with countries that had previously been regarded as strategic and moral threats. American history is filled with opportunistic alliances designed to solve impossible strategic dilemmas.

The Stalin and Mao cases represent stunning alliances with prior enemies designed to block a third power seen as more dangerous.

It is said that Ahmadinejad is crazy. It was also said that Mao and Stalin were crazy, in both cases with much justification. Ahmadinejad has said many strange things and issued numerous threats. But when Roosevelt ignored what Stalin said and Nixon ignored what Mao said, they each discovered that Stalin’s and Mao’s actions were far more rational and predictable than their rhetoric. Similarly, what the Iranians say and what they do are quite different.

By George Friedman he United States apparently has reached the point where it must either accept that Iran will develop nuclear weapons at some point if it wishes, or take military action to prevent this. There is a third strategy, however: Washington can seek to redefine the Iranian question.

As we have no idea what leaders on either side are thinking, exploring this represents an exercise in geopolitical theory. Let’s begin with the two apparent stark choices.

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Diplomacy vs the Military Option The diplomatic approach consists of creating a broad coalition prepared to impose what have been called crippling sanctions on Iran. Effective sanctions must be so painful that they compel the target to change its behavior. In Tehran’s case, this could only consist of blocking Iran’s imports of gasoline. Iran imports 35 percent of the gasoline it consumes.

It is not clear that a gasoline embargo would be crippling, but it is the only embargo that might work. All other forms of sanctions against Iran would be mere gestures designed to give the impression that something is being done.

The Chinese will not participate in any gasoline embargo. Beijing gets 11 percent of its oil from Iran, and it has made it clear it will continue to deliver gasoline to Iran. Moscow’s position is that Russia might consider sanctions down the road, but it hasn’t specified when, and it hasn’t specified what. The Russians are more than content seeing the US bogged down in the Middle East and so are not inclined to solve American problems in the region. With the Chinese and Russians unlikely to embargo gasoline, these sanctions won’t create significant pain for Iran.

Since all other sanctions are gestures, the diplomatic approach is therefore unlikely to work.

The military option has its own risks. First, its success depends on the quality of intelligence on Iran’s nuclear facilities and on the degree of hardening of those targets. Second, it requires successful air attacks.

Third, it requires battle damage assessments that tell the attacker whether the strike succeeded. Fourth, it requires follow-on raids to destroy facilities that remain functional. And fifth, attacks must do more than simply set back Iran’s program a few months or even years: If the risk of a nuclear Iran is great enough to justify the risks of war, the outcome must be decisive.

Each point in this process is a potential failure point. Given the multiplicity of these points - which includes others not mentioned - failure may not be an option, but it is certainly possible.

But even if the attacks succeed, the question of what would happen the day after the attacks remains. Iran has its own counters. It has a superbly effective terrorist organization, Hezbollah, at its disposal. It has sufficient influence in Iraq to destabilize that country and force the United States to keep forces in Iraq badly needed elsewhere. And it has the ability to use mines and missiles to attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf shipping lanes for some period - driving global oil prices through the roof while the global economy is struggling to stabilize itself.

Iran’s position on its nuclear program is rooted in the awareness that while it might not have assured options in the event of a military strike, it has counters that create complex and unacceptable risks. Iran therefore does not believe the United States will strike or permit Israel to strike, as the consequences would be unacceptable.

To recap, the United States either can accept a nuclear Iran or risk an attack that might fail outright, impose only a minor delay on Iran’s nuclear program or trigger extremely painful responses even if it succeeds. When neither choice is acceptable, it is necessary to find a third choice.

Redefining the Iranian Problem As long as the problem of Iran is defined in terms of its nuclear program, the United States is in an impossible place. Therefore, the Iranian problem must be redefined. One attempt at redefinition involves hope for an uprising against the current regime. We will not repeat our views on this in depth, but in short, we do not regard these demonstrations to be a serious threat to the regime. Tehran has handily crushed them, and even if they did succeed, we do not believe they would produce a regime any more accommodating toward the United States. The idea of waiting for a revolution is more useful as a justification for inaction - and accepting a nuclear Iran - than it is as a strategic alternative.

At this moment, Iran is the most powerful regional military force in the Arabian Gulf. Unless the United States permanently stations substantial military forces in the region, there is no military force able to block Iran.

Turkey is more powerful than Iran, but it is far from the Arabian Gulf and focused on other matters at the moment, and it doesn’t want to take on Iran militarily - at least not for a very long time. At the very least, this means the United States cannot withdraw from Iraq. Baghdad is too weak to block Iran from the Arabian Peninsula, and the Iraqi government has elements friendly toward Iran.

Historically, regional stability depended on the Iraqi-Iranian balance of power. When it tottered in 1990, the result was the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The United States did not push into Iraq in 1991 because it did not want to upset the regional balance of power by creating a vacuum in Iraq.

Rather, US strategy was to re-establish the Iranian-Iraqi balance of power to the greatest extent possible, as the alternative was basing large numbers of US troops in the region.

The decision to invade Iraq in 2003 assumed that once the Baathist regime was destroyed the United States would rapidly create a strong Iraqi government that would balance Iran. The core mistake in this thinking lay in failing to recognize that the new Iraqi government would be filled with Shiites, many of whom regarded Iran as a friendly power. Rather than balancing Iran, Iraq could well become an Iranian satellite. The Iranians strongly encouraged the American invasion precisely because they wanted to create a situation where Iraq moved toward Iran’s orbit. When this in fact began happening, the Americans had no choice but an extended occupation of Iraq, a trap both the Bush and Obama administrations have sought to escape.

It is difficult to define Iran’s influence in Iraq at this point. But at a minimum, while Iran may not be able to impose a pro-Iranian state on Iraq,

it has sufficient influence to block the creation of any strong Iraqi government either through direct influence in the government or by creating destabilizing violence in Iraq. In other words, Iran can prevent Iraq from emerging as a counterweight to Iran, and Iran has every reason to do this. Indeed, it is doing just this.

The Fundamental US-Iranian Issue Iraq, not nuclear weapons, is the fundamental issue between Iran and the United States. Iran wants to see a US withdrawal from Iraq so Iran can assume its place as the dominant military power in the Arabian Gulf. The United States wants to withdraw from Iraq because it faces challenges in Afghanistan - where it will also need Iranian cooperation - and elsewhere.

Committing forces to Iraq for an extended period of time while fighting in Afghanistan leaves the United States exposed globally. Events involving China or Russia - such as the 2008 war in Georgia - would see the United States without a counter. The alternative would be a withdrawal from Afghanistan or a massive increase in US armed forces. The former is not going to happen any time soon, and the latter is an economic impossibility.

Therefore, the United States must find a way to counterbalance Iran without an open-ended deployment in Iraq and without expecting the reemergence of Iraqi power, because Iran is not going to allow the latter to happen. The nuclear issue is simply an element of this broader geopolitical problem, as it adds another element to the Iranian tool kit. It is not a standalone issue.

The United States has an interesting strategy in redefining problems that involves creating extraordinarily alliances with mortal ideological and geopolitical enemies to achieve strategic US goals. First consider Franklin Roosevelt’s alliance with Stalinist Russia to block Nazi Germany. He pursued this alliance despite massive political outrage not only from isolationists but also from institutions like the Roman Catholic Church that regarded the Soviets as the epitome of evil.

Now consider Richard Nixon’s decision to align with China at a time when the Chinese were supplying weapons to North Vietnam that were killing American troops. Moreover, Mao - who had said he did not fear

US vs Iranian Interests Consider the American interest. First, it must maintain the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. The United States cannot tolerate interruptions, and that limits the risks it can take. Second, it must try to keep any one power from controlling all of the oil in the Arabian Gulf, as that would give such a country too much long-term power within the global system. Third, while the United States is involved in a war with elements of the Sunni Muslim world, it must reduce the forces devoted to that war.

Fourth, it must deal with the Iranian problem directly. Europe will go as far as sanctions but no further, while the Russians and Chinese won’t even go that far yet. Fifth, it must prevent an Israeli strike on Iran for the same reasons it must avoid a strike itself, as the day after any Israeli strike will be left to the United States to manage.

Now consider the Iranian interest. First, it must guarantee regime survival. It sees the United States as dangerous and unpredictable. In less than 10 years, it has found itself with American troops on both its eastern and western borders. Second, it must guarantee that Iraq will never again be a threat to Iran. Third, it must increase its authority within the Muslim world against Sunni Muslims, whom it regards as rivals and sometimes as threats.

Now consider the overlaps. The United States is in a war against some (not all) Sunnis. These are Iran’s enemies, too. Iran does not want US troops along its eastern and western borders. In point of fact, the United States does not want this either. The United States does not want any interruption of oil flow through Hormuz. Iran much prefers profiting from those flows to interrupting them. Finally, the Iranians understand that it is the United States alone that is Iran’s existential threat. If Iran can solve the American problem its regime survival is assured. The United States understands, or should, that resurrecting the Iraqi counterweight to Iran is not an option: It is either US forces in Iraq or accepting Iran’s unconstrained role.

Therefore, as an exercise in geopolitical theory, consider the following. Washington’s current options are unacceptable. By redefining the issue in terms of dealing with the consequences of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, there are three areas of mutual interest. First, both powers have serious quarrels with Sunni Islam. Second, both powers want to see a reduction in US forces in the region. Third, both countries have an interest in assuring the flow of oil, one to use the oil, the other to profit from it to increase its regional power.

The strategic problem is, of course, Iranian power in the Arabian Gulf.

The Chinese model is worth considering here. China issued bellicose rhetoric before and after Nixon’s and Kissinger’s visits. But whatever it did internally, it was not a major risk-taker in its foreign policy. China’s relationship with the United States was of critical importance to China.

Beijing fully understood the value of this relationship, and while it might continue to rail about imperialism, it was exceedingly careful not to undermine this core interest.

The major risk of the third strategy is that Iran will overstep its bounds and seek to occupy the oil-producing countries of the Arabian Gulf. Certainly, this would be tempting, but it would bring a rapid American intervention. The United States would not block indirect Iranian influence, however, from financial participation in regional projects to more significant roles for the Shiites in Arabian states.

Washington’s limits for Iranian power are readily defined and enforced when exceeded.

The great losers in the third strategy, of course, would be the Sunnis in the Arabian Peninsula. But Iraq aside, they are incapable of defending themselves, and the United States has no long-term interest in their economic and political relations. So long as the oil flows, and no single power directly controls the entire region, the United States does not have a stake in this issue.

Israel would also be enraged. It sees ongoing American-Iranian hostility as a given. And it wants the United States to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. But eliminating this threat is not an option given the risks, so the choice is a nuclear Iran outside some structured relationship with the United States or within it. The choice that Israel might want, a US-Iranian conflict, is unlikely. Israel can no more drive American strategy than can Saudi Arabia.

From the American standpoint, an understanding with Iran would have the advantage of solving an increasingly knotty problem. In the long run, it would also have the advantage of being a self-containing relationship. Turkey is much more powerful than Iran and is emerging from its century-long shell. Its relations with the United States are delicate. The United States would infuriate the Turks by doing this deal, forcing them to become more active faster. They would thus emerge in Iraq as a counterbalance to Iran. But Turkey’s anger at the United States would serve US interests. The Iranian position in Iraq would be temporary, and the United States would not have to break its word as Turkey eventually would eliminate Iranian influence in Iraq. — Stratfor

SPOTLIGHT

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Art world swoons over Romania’s homeless genius T

he guests were chic, the bordeaux was sipped with elegant restraint and the hostess was suitably glamorous in a canary yellow cocktail dress. To an outside observer who made it past the soirée privée sign on the door of the Anne de Villepoix gallery on Thursday night, it would have seemed the quintessential Parisian art viewing.

Yet that would been leaving one crucial factor out of the equation: the man whose creations the crowd had come to see. In his black cowboy hat and pressed white collar, Ion Barladeanu looked every inch the established artist as he showed guests around the exhibition. But until 2007 no one had ever seen his work, and until mid-2008 he was living in the rubbish tip of a Bucharest tower block.

Today, in the culmination of a dream for a Romanian who grew up adoring Gallic film stars and treasures a miniature Eiffel Tower he once found in a bin, Barladeanu will see his first French exhibition open to the general public.

Dozens of collages he created from scraps of discarded magazines during and after the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu are on sale for more than euro1,000 (£895) each. They are being hailed as politically brave and culturally irreverent. For the 63-year-old artist, the journey from the streets of Bucharest to the galleries of Europe has finally granted him recognition. “I feel as if I have been born again,” he said, as some of France’s leading collectors and curators jostled for position to see his collages. “Now I feel like a prince. A pauper can become a prince. But he can go back to being a pauper too.” That Barladeanu should remain stoical in the face of his sudden stardom is perhaps unsurprising. In 1989, he was one of many Romanians whose delight at Ceausescu’s fall turned to frustration when work dried up. For the next 20 years, he lived on a

Ion Barladeanu lived in the garbage room of a block of flats until mid-2008, when his work was discovered by the art world. —Guardian mattress amid sacks of rubbish in the garbage room of a block of flats, earning money from odd jobs and making collages in secret.

“This was a man living on the border of society and still retaining a sense of self,” said Alexander Nanau, a Bucharest-based director who has filmed a documentary on Barledeanu for HBO Central Europe. “He was lazy in a good way because that was the only way he could make his art - by hiding from a society he didn’t want to get involved with.” Eventually, in 2007, Barladeanu showed his collages to an artist who happened to also be combing through the garbage.

Amazed, the artist called a gallery

owner. From that moment on, Barladeanu’s days in the dump were numbered. “I instantly thought it was something very important, at least for Romania,” said Dan Popescu, whose H’Art gallery specialises in young, little-known contemporary artists. With badly decaying teeth and a face ravaged by over 60 Romanian winters, Barledeanu was not young, and his anonymity would not last long.

Within six months, he was given his first exhibition, a flat of his own and a brand new set of dentures. In 2009, he made his first trip overseas and showed some collages at the Basel art fair. This week, he jetted into Paris, saw the Eiffel Tower for

real and had lunch with the actor and fan Angelina Jolie, in town for her next movie.

Barledeanu describes himself as a “director” of his own films and considers each collage to be a movie in itself. While many are lighthearted, others are darker, infused with black humour and often focusing on the man he calls his “greatest fear”. “I knew that if he knew about my work Ceausescu would not sleep in peace in his grave,” he said. “If people had found out about my work they could have chopped my head off ... But this is my revenge.” Many of the most explosive collages were made after 1989, but those that were made

63-year-old former tramp celebrated for collages made during Ceausescu regime during the regime have already interested collectors. Antoine de Galbert of La Maison Rouge art foundation said he appreciated “the risk involved” in Barledeanu’s work, while Jérome Neutres of the Grand Palais said the artist’s background lent the collages a unique appeal.

“Of course there is a fairytale aspect to his work, but that is not important to me. What I like is that he has been spared the usual artistic circles and his work is refreshing as a result,” he said.

Whatever the world thinks, Barladeanu says he will carry on working regardless. “It’s like eating pie or sandwiches. It fulfils me,” he said in his fast-paced Romanian slang. “If I were reincarnated in another life I would still be making collages, and if I could take them to the moon I would.” — Guardian

ART

Friday, March 5, 2010 his is an exceptional exhibition, even by the high standards the British Museum has established in recent years.

It is extraordinary because it brings together such a large number of masterpieces that have rarely or never been exhibited outside Nigeria before - and when I say masterpieces, I mean artworks that rank with the Terracotta Army, the Parthenon or the mask of Tutankhamun as treasures of the human spirit.

For European artists a century ago, African sculpture was powerful precisely because it did not conform to the smooth idea of beauty that Picasso’s generation had been brought up on - ideas that went back to classical Greece. But they had not seen the art of Ife, a medieval city state that flourished from the 12th to 15th centuries in West Africa, trading across the Sahara with the Islamic Mediterranean world.

The superb sculpted heads in this exhibition statues of sick people, monuments to warriors, royal heads whose strange vertical scars tell of the ceremonies of the court were first rediscovered in quantity in an amazing find on a building site in the modern Nigerian city of Ife in 1938. This art was so different and unexpected, so “un-African”, that one of its first students thought it

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Kingdom of Ife F or European artists a century ago, African sculpture was powerful precisely because it did not conform to the smooth idea of beauty that Picasso’s generation had been brought up on - ideas that went back to classical Greece.

Figure of a king, Ita Yemoo, a copper alloy sculpture dating from the late 13th to the early 15th centuries. —Guardian must be the lost art of Atlantis. But these works were not Greek, let alone from Atlantis. The faces that gaze coolly past you from these cases are challenging and formidable in their beauty. And they are disturbing to anyone

who has any lingering belief in the uniqueness of European art. Sculptors in Ife imitated the human face as accurately and sensitively as any Greek, and matched the Greek feeling for harmony, balance and proportion.

What we see here is an African classical art - by which I mean an art with a strong concept of order that gives it a special authority, whether it comes from Athens, China or Ife. Like that of ancient Egypt, the art of Ife is perfect, remote,

godlike and yet - as with Egypt - when you look again it is highly observational, rooted in the real life of this lost civilisation. Ife remains mysterious. The catalogue admits there’s so much still to learn about this art and

the world that created it.

Hopefully this exhibition will be the starting point for new archaeology. It elicits awe. To behold these royal heads is to travel to a fabled realm far beyond your imagination, a place richer than Atlantis. — Guardian

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Friday, March 5, 2010 CROSSWORD 918

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS 1. (prefix) Within.

5. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

7. A speech defect that involves pronouncing s like voiceless th and z like voiced th.

11. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

12. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

13. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

14. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

15. Having undesirable or negative qualities.

16. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

17. Relating to or accompanying birth.

20. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

23. Measure of the US economy adopted in 1991.

26. Submerged freshwater perennials.

30. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

33. South African term for `boss'.

34. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

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

36. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

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

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

45. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

48. A city in the European part of Russia.

49. Used of a single unit or thing.

51. The most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on.

52. (British) Your grandmother.

53. Any of the Hindu sacred writing.

54. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

DOWN 1. Very dark black.

2. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery.

3. Having relatively few calories.

4. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

5. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

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

7. A long-playing phonograph record.

8. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

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

10. (obstetrics) The number of live-born children a woman has delivered.

18. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

19. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

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

22. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

24. 1/10 gram.

25. An informal term for a father.

27. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

28. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

29. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

31. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

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

37. Type genus of the Ranidae.

38. Divisible by two.

39. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

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

41. A sensation (as of a cold breeze or bright light) that precedes the onset of certain disorders such as a migraine attack or epileptic seizure.

42. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance.

43. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

46. Having leadership guidance.

47. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

50. The eleventh month of the civil year.

Yesterday’s Solution

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Friday, March 5, 2010

COUNTRY CODES

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY A r i e s ( M a rc h 2 1 - A p r i l 1 9 ) To place yourself in smooth alignment with planetary rhythms, do conscientious work on the foundations of your life. Take extra care of the people who take care of you. Make sure you have a good supply of the various resources that keep you strong and steady. Check to see if maybe you need to rev up your emotional connection with the traditions you hold dear. But thats only half your horoscope, Aries. Heres the rest: Invite your most rambunctious playmates over for a raucous home-blessing ceremony.

Ta u r u s ( A p r i l 2 0 - M a y 2 0 ) Two-thirds of people surveyed said they would rather look good than feel good. I hope youre not one of them. The ironic fact of the matter is that if you put the emphasis on looking good in the coming week -- creating favorable impressions, acting dishonest in order to curry favor, wearing uncomfortable but attractive clothes -- you will end up feeling sub-par and looking mediocre. On the other hand, if you put the priority on feeling good -- treating your body like a beloved pet, seeking out encounters that nurture your secret self, and hanging out in environments that encourage you to relax -- you will look good and feel good.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) If youre bogged down in the trance of the humdrum routine, astrology can open your mind and illuminate fascinating patterns that have been invisible to you. It can reveal the big picture of your life story, sweeping away the narrow ideas and shrunken expectations you have about yourself. And it can purge your imagination of its endless tape loops, awakening you to the power you have to create your own destiny. But reliance on horoscopes can also have downsides. If youre superstitious, it might make you even more so. If youre prone to be passive, believing that life is something that happens to you, it might further diminish your willpower. Thats why, as much as I love astrology, Im wary of its potential to deceive and lead astray. Is there anything comparable in your world, Gemini? Something that feeds and inspires you, but only if youre discerning about it?

This is a good time to ratchet up your discernment.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) I dont care whether you call it uncanny intuition or plain old telepathy: In the next three weeks, you will have unusually abundant access to that way of knowing. So please use it. Please call on it. It could steer you away from twisty wastes of time that dont serve your highest good. It might also allow you to ferret out disguised or hiding opportunities. Theres one catch: If you dont believe in them, your psychic powers wont work as well as they can. So I suggest you set aside any dogmatic skepticism you might have about them and proceed on the hypothesis that they are very real.

L e o ( J u l y 2 3 - Au g u s t 2 2 ) Lets poke around to see if we can stir up some good trouble, Leo. The time is right. Youre in need of a friendly disruption or two.

Fortunately, Im sensing theres a forbidden temptation that isnt so forbidden any longer . . . as well as a strange attractor you might find inspiring and a volatile teaching that would turn you inside-out in a good way. Are you willing to wander into a previously off-limits area? Hey, look. Theres one of those mystery spots I was hinting about. I wonder what would happen if you pressed that green button. Go ahead. Dont be . . . Gaaaahhhhh! Unnhhh! Wha?! I mean WOW! That was very interesting. Try it again!

Vi rg o ( Au g u s t 2 3 - S e p t e m b e r 22) You may be prone to overreaction. You could be on the verge of uncorking an excessive response to a modest prompt. On a regular basis, you should ask yourself: "Are the feelings rising up in me truly appropriate for whats happening now? Or are they mostly the eruption of material that I repressed in the past?"

I also encourage you to consider Hoares Law of Large Problems, which says that inside every large problem is a small problem scrambling to get out. Be alert for the possibility that minor adjustments will work better than epic struggles.

Libra (September 23October 22) Temple Grandin is a successful autistic person.

Diagnosed at an early age, she nevertheless went on to earn a PhD in Animal Science and became a bestselling author whose work has led to notable improvements in the humane treatment of livestock. Although she acknowledges that her autism has caused her problems, she also believes it gives her abilities that non-autistic people dont have. For example, her extreme sensitivity and extraordinary visual memory are at the root of her unique insights into the needs of animals. If there were an instant cure for her autism, she says, she wouldnt take it. Shes an advocate of neurodiversity.

Now heres my question for you, Libra: Do you have a supposed weakness or disability thats actually an inherent part of one of your special talents? Celebrate and cultivate it this week.

Scorpio (October 23-November 2 1 ) Self-help author Barbara De Angelis wrote a book that offers to help us learn "how to make love all the time." Maybe Ill read it someday, but right now Im more interested in your take on the subject. How would you make love -- not have sex, but make love -- with your sandwich, with the music you listen to, with a vase of flowers, with the familiar strangers sitting in the cafe, with everything? Your expertise in this art is now at a peak.

Sagittarius (November 22December 21) Its not a good time to treat yourself like a beast of burden or to swamp yourself with dark, heavy thoughts. Youre extra sensitive, Sagittarius -- as delicate and impressionable as a young poet in love with a dream of paradise. You need heaping doses of sweetness and unreasonable amounts of fluidic peace, smart listening, and radical empathy. If you cant get people to buoy your spirits and slip you delightful presents, do those things for yourself.

Capricorn (December 22J a n u a r y 1 9 ) In some of the newspapers that publish my horoscope column, my carefully wrought text is buried in the back pages amidst a jabbering hubbub of obscene advertisements for quasi-legal sexual services. For readers with refined sensibilities, thats a problem. They do their best to avert their eyes, narrowing their focus down to a tight window. I think youll be wise to adopt a similar approach in the coming week, Capricorn. Only a small percentage of information coming your way will be truly useful to you, and it may often be embedded in a sparkly mess of distracting noise. Concentrate hard on getting just the essentials that you want so you wont be misinformed and worn out by the rest.

Aquarius (January 20February 18) Do your own stunts, Aquarius. Dont commandeer a stunt double to do them for you. Accept blame and claim credit that rightfully belong to you. Dont scare up scapegoats or tolerate plagiarists. It will also be a good idea to deliver your own messages and sing your own songs and kick your own butt. No surrogates or stand-ins, please.

Theres just no way, you see, for you to get to where you need to go by having a substitute do the traveling for you. Your only hope of claiming the reward that will be crucial for the next chapter of your life story will be to do the work yourself.

Pisces (Febr uar y 19-March 20) One of the best new bands of 2009 was the Girls. Spin magazine selected their debut CD Album as the fifth best album of the year. After touring for months and selling scads of records, the band came back home to San Francisco in February to do a sold-out show at the Great American Music Hall. For his on-stage apparel, lead singer Christopher Owens wore baggy orange flannel pajama bottoms and a rumpled green flannel shirt, proving that his new-found fame had not rendered him self-important or excessively dignified. I nominate Owens as your role model this week, Pisces. Id like to see you move on up toward the next level in your chosen field of endeavor, even as you remain perfectly comfortable, full of casual grace, and at home in your excellence.

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guyana Haiti Holland (Netherlands) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Ibiza (Spain) Iceland India Indian Ocean Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345 00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689 00241 00220 00995 0049 00233 00350 0030 00299 001473 00590 001671 00502 00224 00592 00509 0031 00504 00852 0036 0034 00354 0091 00873 0062 0098 00964 00353 0039 00225 001876 0081 00962 007 00254 00686 00965

Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Majorca Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar (Burma) Namibia Nepal Netherlands (Holland) Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Nigar Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Ireland (UK) North Korea Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts Saint Lucia Saint Pierre Saint Vincent Samoa US Samoa West San Marino Sao Tone Saudi Arabia Scotland (UK) Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Toga Tonga Tokelau Trinidad Tunisia Turkey Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay

00996 00856 00371 00961 00231 00218 00370 00352 00853 00389 00261 0034 00265 0060 00960 00223 00356 00692 00596 00222 00230 00269 0052 00691 00373 00377 00976 001664 00212 00258 0095 00264 00977 0031 00599 00687 0064 00505 00227 00234 00683 00672 0044 00850 0047 00968 0092 00680 00507 00675 00595 0051 0063 0048 00351 001787 00974 0040 007 00250 00290 001869 001758 00508 001784 00684 00685 00378 00239 00966 0044 00221 00284 00232 0065 00421 00386 00677 00252 0027 0082 0034 0094 00249 00597 00268 0046 0041 00963 00886 00255 0066 00228 00676 00690 001868 00216 0090 00688 00256 00380 00976 0044 00598

WHAT’S ON

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Friday, March 5, 2010

IPS Junior wing holds Thanksgiving day ndian Public School, Salmiya, Kuwait is always in the limelight for various activities and programmes conducted on different occasions.

On 16 Feb, I.P.S held a colorful Thanksgiving Day in its premises. It started with Kuwait National Anthem followed by Welcome dance, Rajasthan dance, Salsa, African dance, Skit of Akbar and Birbal and

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spectacular Fashion show which made people spell bound. Sister Serena, Carmel School, Madam Shanta Mariam James, Principal, Indian Central School and our sponsor Humaidi were our guests who graced this occasion.

Prizes were also awarded by the chief guests for Academics and co-curricular activities for academic year 2009-10 to all

deserving students.

CCA play a vital role in the all round development of the Children. It is very essential that the children are well equipped to keep pace with the changing world.

The guests were very impressed with the programme and congratulated the prize winners and the teachers for their best efforts in making this evening spectacular. The

greetings

Social Media & the Internet

American Corner at AUK presents a lecture

Happy birthday to Mohammed Rafi Kallai!

From a well wisher.

By Angela Powers ngela Powers is a television news reporter for NBC and CBS affiliates. Her Ph.D. in mass media is from Michigan State University. She has 25 years of teaching and research experience and was the recipient of the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award in 1997 at Northern Illinois University.

She has also taught at Arizona State University, University of North Florida, and Loyola University of Chicago. She is a Fulbright Scholar and Senior Fulbright Specialist having spent two semesters at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania in 2001 and 2004. Angela also has past administrative experience as Assistant Director of the Northern Illinois University Honors Program. She is currently Professor and Director of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kansas State University.

A

Date: Tuesday March 9 Time: 2-4 pm Location: American Corner at the AUK Library Contact Person: Dr. George Irani Head Coordinator: girani@auk.edu.kw

programme ended with Indian National Anthem and Vote of Thanks.

Thus the Thanksgiving Day at IPS, was yet another successful event conducted which has left sweet memories of the day for all the teachers, students and parents who attended the programme. K.A.Rodrigues, the Principal of IPS congratulated all the teachers & students for their splendid display.

Announcement Today World Mother tongue day: Ponguthamizh Manram is happy to announce a function to commemorate “The World Mother tongue Day and The International Women’s Day”. Many challenging competitions and interesting events are being planned for the commemoration. The function will be conducted between 0930 hrs to 1300 hrs on the 5th March, 2010 at Kohinoor Restaurant, Fahaheel, to register for various competitions & for further detailed information, visit us at www.pongutamil.org or call us on 66852906 or Email us thro thamizh@pongutamil.org.

PAYYOLEES meeting: Payyoli Association Kuwait (PAYYOLEES) is convening its Annual General Body Meeting on Friday 05 March at 6 pm at Orma Auditorium Abbassiya. President of the Payyoli Association, Adv Razak M Payyoli said that Abu Backer Payyoli will welcome the gathering, Mr Mujeeb Chemmikkatt will present the Report of Activities, Financial Report will be presented by Kalathil Abdurahiman and KK Mehaboob will deliver vote of thanks. Meeting will be presiding over by Adv Razak M Payyoli and a new committee for 2010 will be elected from the General Body. Cultural Activities will be followed.

WHAT’S ON

Friday, March 5, 2010

Vijay Singh, Indian embassy Second Secretary speaking at the ICSK Fare Thee Well function.

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Other dignitaries at the ICSK class 12 farewell event.

SGA works with INJAZ Consulting and Training

he Student Government Association (SGA) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) is working with INJAZ Consulting and Training Company offering a new package of training courses from March and April to all students. SGA is working with INJAZ in cooperation with the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS-Kuwait), Student Association of GUST (SAG) and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) Student Union.

“INJAZ YOUTH” is a project encouraging

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individual progress that offers packages of training courses, targeting university and college students, preparing them for life after university and in attaining a career in the job market.

INJAZ is offering a new package of training courses for March and April, and selling tickets to all students at prices between 35-40 KD. SGA at AUK is going a step further and is making a special offer exclusively for AUK students with a discount of 50% and also handeling the remaining

WARE Announces “Peace Circle Taster” Wednesday, 10th March by Asiya Mohammed, 68pm. Are you interested in changing the world? Or better yet, changing yourself? Join us to experience the very first peace circle in Kuwait to learn how peace is created, how it is destroyed and how to ‘be the change you want to see in the world”. Asiya is a recent graduate from the London School of Economics with her Masters in Comparative Politics. Please note; this is a women’s only forum. Seating is limited. Reservations required.

For reservations contact AWARE by Tel: 2-5335280 or visit us online at www.aware.com.kw emails may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St., Villa 84.

AWARE Announces

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nnnnnnn AWARE Center & Azerbaijan Cultural Evening Wed. 17th March; Sharing Centuries Old Novruz Traditions and Celebrations Join us as the Azerbaijan embassy share the history,

tuitions. The tickets for AUK students will be 20 KD, and are being sold at a booth in the hallway of AUK until Sunday, March 7.

Tickets will also be available during the days of each presentation in front of the hall where the presentation will take place for the same price.

March Courses: March 7-8, 2010 “The Triangle of Excellent Presentation” Dr. Musa Al-Mazidi At AUK

culture and geography of this most remarkable country.

Experience the tastes, sights and sounds of Azerbaijan.

For further details, contact AWARE by Tel: 2-5335280 or visit us online at www.aware.com.kw emails may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St., Villa 84.

Date: Wednesday, March 17 Time: 6:00-9:00pm Open Evening; All are welcome! nnnnnnn First Time Kuwaiti Diwaniya Tour-Monday, 15 March Guided Tour 6:00-9:00pm: Join us on this first-time tour to an elite Kuwaiti Diwaniya after visiting the organization which plans for the complete application of Islamic Law in the State of Kuwait, known as “The Supreme Consultative Committee on the implementation of the provisions of Muslim sharia law.” Seating is limited.

For reservations contact AWARE by Tel: 2-5335280 or visit us online at www.aware.com.kw emails may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St., Villa 84.

March 9-10, 2010 “Organize your Lifestyle” Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan At GUST March 14- 15, 2010 “Business Management” Mr. Azzam Al-Umaim KU- CBA All presentations will commence at 5pm and end at 8 pm.

Date: Monday, March 15 Time: 6:00pm Limited Seating/Reservation Required nnnnnnn Documentary; Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet This documentary film tells the life story of the seventh century prophet who changed world history in 23 years and continues to shape the lives of more than 1.2 billion people. Three years in the making, the film takes viewers not only to ancient Middle Eastern sites where the Prophet’s story unfolds, but into the homes, mosques and workplaces of some of America’s estimated seven million Muslims to discover the many ways in which they follow the Prophet’s example. “a candid, thoughtful, flowing, visually stunning film...that is as timely as documentaries get” - Howard Rosenberg, Los Angeles Times.

For details contact AWARE by Tel: 2-5335280 or visit us online at www.aware.com.kw emails may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St., Villa 84.

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Friday, March 5, 2010

FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

“IN CASE YOU ARE NOT TRAVELLING, YOUR PROPER CANCELLATION OF BOOKINGS WILL HELP OTHER PASSENGERS TO USE SEATS”.

Arrival Flights on Friday 05/03/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 0263 Beirut Gulf Air 211 Bahrain Ethiopian 3406 Addis Ababa Turkish A/L 1172 Istanbul DHL 370 Bahrain Emirates 853 Dubai Etihad 0305 Abu Dhabi Qatari 0138 Doha Kuwait 802 Cairo Falcon 201 Dubai Jazeera 0503 Luxor Cargolux 792 Luxembourg Jazeera 0527 Alexandria Jazeera 0529 Assiut British 0157 London Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok Kuwait 352 Cochin Kuwait 382 Delhi Kuwait 302 Mumbai Kuwait 344 Chennai Kuwait 676 Dubai Kuwait 284 Dhaka Kuwait 362 Colombo Emirates 855 Dubai Arabia 0121 Sharjah Qatari 0132 Doha Etihad 0301 Abu Dhabi Iran Air 603 Shiraz Falcon 203 Dubai Gulf Air 213 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1121 Bahrain Iran Aseman 6791 Mashad Jazeera 0447 Doha Jazeera 0165 Dubai Jazeera 0425 Bahrain Jazeera 0113 Abu Dhabi Wataniya Airways 1021 Dubai Middle East 404 Beirut Airquarius 061 Baghdad/Basrah Egypt Air 810 Cairo Mahan Air 5066 Mashad Kuwait 672 Dubai Saudi Arabian A/L 508 Riyadh Wataniya Airways 2301 Damascus Jazeera 0171 Dubai Egypt Air 621 Assiut Nas Air 745 Jeddah Jazeera 0525 Alexandria Jazeera 0257 Beirut Wataniya Airways 2001 Cairo Nas Air 703 Riyadh Saudi Arabian A/L 500 Jeddah Kuwait 562 Amman Kuwait 552 Damascus Jazeera 0457 Damascus Qatari 0134 Doha Kuwait 544 Cairo Kuwait 546 Alexandria Royal Jordanian 800 Amman Jazeera 0173 Dubai Almasria Uni 109 Alexandria/Assiut Global 061 Baghdad Emirates 857 Dubai Gulf Air 215 Bahrain Saudi Arabian A/L 510 Riyadh Etihad 0303 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 0493 Jeddah Jazeera 0239 Amman Arabia 0125 Sharjah Jazeera 0367 Deirezzor Wataniya Airways 2101 Beirut Jazeera 0497 Riyadh Sri Lankan 227 Colombo/Dubai United A/L 982 Washington DC Dulles Jazeera 0427 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 2003 Cairo

Time 00:05 01:05 01:45 02:15 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:25 04:45 05:25 05:35 05:45 06:10 06:30 06:40 06:45 07:40 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:10 08:15 08:20 08:30 08:55 09:00 09:35 09:40 10:30 10:45 10:45 10:55 11:00 11:05 11:10 11:20 11:20 11:55 12:00 12:55 12:55 13:25 13:30 13:35 13:35 13:55 14:00 14:05 14:10 14:20 14.25 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45 15:00 15:30 15:30 15:40 16:05 16:25 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:15 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:00 18:05 18:15 18:15 18:20

DHL Wataniya Airways Yemenia Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Indian Kuwait Jet A/W Oman Air Jazeera Gulf Air Middle East Qatari Emirates Wataniya Airways Jazeera Jazeera Global Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Rovos Shaheen Air India Express Lufthansa Wataniya Airways Bangladesh Wataniya Airways Pakistan

473 1025 824 502 542 674 618 166 0177 786 614 774 575 102 572 0647 0459 217 402 0136 859 1129 0449 0429 081 0117 0433 0185 0695 548 097 441 393 636 2201 045 1029 215

Baghdad 18:30 Dubai 18:40 Sanaa/Doha 18:40 Beirut 18:45 Cairo 18:50 Dubai 18:55 Doha 18:55 Paris/Rome 19:00 Dubai 19:05 Jeddah 19:10 Bahrain 19:20 Riyadh 19:30 Chennai/Goa 19:30 New York/London 19:35 Mumbai 20:05 Muscat 20:20 Damascus 20:40 Bahrain 21:05 Beirut 21:20 Doha 21:35 Dubai 21:40 Bahrain 22:00 Doha 22:10 Bahrain 22:15 Baghdad 22:20 Abu Dhabi 22:25 Mashad 22:35 Dubai 22:40 Shiraz 22:45 Sharm El Sheikh/Luxor 22:55 Muscat 23:00 Lahore 23:05 Kozhikode/Cochin 23:15 Frankfurt 23:30 Amman 23:40 Dhaka/Doha 23:40 Dubai 23:45 Karachi 23:55

Departure Flights on Friday 05/03/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 0528 Assiut India Express 390 Mangalore/Kozhikode United A/L 931 Washington DC Dulles Indian 994 Mumbai/Chennai Pakistan 206 Lahore Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt Ethiopian 3407 Beirut/Addis Ababa DHL 371 Bahrain Turkish A/L 1173 Istanbul Emirates 854 Dubai Etihad 0306 Abu Dhabi Qatari 0139 Doha Jazeera 0164 Dubai Wataniya Airways 1020 Dubai Jazeera 0524 Alexandria Wataniya Airways 2000 Cairo Jazeera 0112 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 0446 Doha Gulf Air 212 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1120 Bahrain Jazeera 0422 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 2300 Damascus Kuwait 545 Alexandria Jazeera 0256 Beirut Cargolux 792 Hong Kong Kuwait 543 Cairo British 0156 London Kuwait 671 Dubai Kuwait 551 Damascus Kuwait 561 Amman Jazeera 0456 Damascus Jazeera 0170 Dubai Arabia 0122 Sharjah Emirates 856 Dubai Qatari 0133 Doha Kuwait 117 New York Kuwait 173 Frankfurt/Geneva

Time 00:05 00:30 00:40 00:50 01:10 01:20 03:15 03:15 03:15 03:50 04:10 05:00 07:00 07:00 07:20 07:30 07:35 07:40 07:45 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:30 08:35 08:45 08:50 08:55 09:00 09:10 09:15 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:40 10:00 10:00 10:20

Etihad Iran Air Wataniya Airways Gulf Air Falcon Iran Aseman Jazeera Kuwait Global Wataniya Airways Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Middle East Kuwait Rovos Airquarius Kuwait Egypt Air Mahan Air Wataniya Airways Kuwait Jazeera Saudi Arabian A/L Egypt Air Nas Air Jazeera Nas Air Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Saudi Arabian A/L Kuwait Kuwait Royal Jordanian Qatari Jazeera Almasria Uni Gulf Air Etihad Emirates Arabia Jazeera Saudi Arabian A/L Jazeera Jazeera Wataniya Airways Jaazeera Global Jazeera Sri Lankan Wataniya Airways Wataniya Airways Yemenia Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Jet A/W Oman Air Gulf Air Kuwait DHL Kuwait Middle East Jazeera Kuwait Falcon Qatari Kuwait Emirates Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Jazeera

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

0302 602 2002 214 204 6792 0172 541 062 2100 0492 0366 0238 103 405 501 098 060 785 611 5065 1024 673 0496 509 622 746 0176 704 0426 0458 617 547 501 773 613 801 0135 0432 110 216 0304 858 0126 0262 511 0184 0116 2200 0443 082 0428 228 1128 1028 824 0694 283 343 331 571 0648 218 801 171 675 403 0188 203 102 0137 301 860 0636 0526 415 0502

Abu Dhabi Shiraz Cairo Bahrain Baghdad Mashad Dubai Cairo Najaf/Baghdad Beirut Jeddah Deirezzor Amman London Beirut Beirut Muscat Baghdad/Basrah Jeddah Cairo Mashad Dubai Dubai Riyadh Medinah Assiut Jeddah Dubai Medinah Bahrain Damascus Doha Sharm El Sheikh/Luxor Jeddah Riyadh Bahrain Amman Doha Mashad Alexandria Bahrain Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Beirut Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Amman Doha Baghdad Bahrain Dubai/Colombo Bahrain Dubai Sanaa Shiraz Dhaka Chennai Trivandrum Mumbai Muscat Bahrain Cairo Bahrain Dubai Beirut Dubai Lahore Bahrain Doha Mumbai Dubai Aleppo Alexandria Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta Luxor

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

CLASSIFIEDS

Friday, March 5, 2010

ACCOMMODATION Abaraq Khaitan, single room available for executive bachelor / lady opp Kuwait clinic beside the main road, new building, from 1st April. Contact: 97523316/ 24745162.

(C 20411) 5-3-2010 Sharing accommodation available for couples or working ladies in Abbassiya. Please contact: 66538532. (C 20404) Accommodation available for non-smoking bachelor in 2 BR CA/C flat in Abbassiya near Integrated School.

Contact: 97199124.

(C 20407) Sharing accommodation

available for Indian bachelor to share with other Indian bachelors at Salmiya behind Apollo hospital in CA/C building. Contact: 97961405. (C 20405) Room available to share with a working lady at Salmiya, close to Indian Community senior school, working ladies/girls.

Contact: 66231580. (C 20408) 4-3-2010 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya for Keralite couples only KD 50/month.

Contact: 97145592. (C 20402) Sharing accommodation (fully furnished room) available for an executive bachelor with Keralite family, near Classic typing center, Abbassiya. Call 66829585.

(C 20401) Sharing accommodation available with food for 2 Goan or Manglorean bachelors to share with a Goan family in Abbassiya.

Contact: 66269035. (C 20399) Nangangai langan 2 pilipinang bed spacer sa Salmiya, likod ng Gulf Mart. tumawag sa 99101530 or 99132471. (C 20400) 3-3-2010 Furnished room with attached bath and AC available for rent from 1st March 2010 in Farwaniya next to main street. Rent KD 75.

Interested call on 24748837, 66509289.

(C 20396) Room (new central A/C building) available for rent

No: 14658

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on sharing basis in Salmiya near Apollo hospital/Al Rasheed hospital, preference to south Indian family, for more information contact: 97301765. (C 20394) Furnished room with carpet, curtain, bed, cupboard, fridge in CAC 2 BR for nonsmoking executive bachelor in Abbassiya near Integrated School. Rent KD 80. Contact: 60049556.

(C 20398)

FOR SALE Audi TT 2008 convertible black and red turbo mileage 40,000 km with best condition, special order from Al Ghanim. Tel: 99983300. (C 20410) Furniture and household items, flat with two bedroom sitting dining balcony two full toilets extra kitchen table and cabinet, central A/C available near City Center Salmiya. Contact: 97201151. (C 20413) 5-3-2010 1997 Mercedes Benz Class for sale, insurance up to 14th Feb 2011.

Please contact: 99256044.

Corolla 1.8 2003 model, totally maintained by Al Sayer, all 4 tyres new top condition, price KD 1800.

Phone: 97848077.

(C 20403) 4-3-2010 Honda Accord 1999 coupe black, excellent condition, full option, price KD 1,300.

Call: 55522942. (C 20392) 3-3-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, model

1999, silver color, full options, KD 1,900. Mob: 66729295. (C 20393)

photo to: anishvarghese_81@yahoo.co.in

CHANGE OF NAME

SITUATION VACANT Live-in Indian driver required for an Indian family with transferable residence 18 or 20. Contact: 22406645. (C 20406) 4-3-2010

I, Santokh Singh Tung Pritam Singh, holder Indian Passport No: G2644269 hereby change my name to Santokh Singh Tung.

(C 20409) 5-3-2020

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a well qualified Marthomite boy, 28 years and working as an HR - officer at a hospital in Kuwait. BSc nurses working at MOH or any other professionals preferred.

Interested candidates may contact with full details and

SITUATION WANTED Indian male on visit with nine years Gulf experience seeks job as IT consultant/manager experienced in document/project management, pre-sales, technical support.

Call: 60049783. (C 20395) 2-3-2010

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists: Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 5622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 5752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 5321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 5739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 5757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 5732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 5732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT): Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz

4555050 Ext 510 5644660 5646478 5311996 5731988 2620166 5651426

General Practitioners: Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi Dr. Yousef Al-Omar Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem Dr. Kathem Maarafi Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae

4555050 Ext 123 4719312 3926920 5730465 5655528 4577781 5333501

Urologists: Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 2641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 2639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 2616660

Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 5313120 Plastic Surgeons: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari Dr. Abdel Quttainah

2547272 2617700 5625030/60

Family Doctor: Dr Divya Damodar

3729596/3729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

2635047 2613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians: Dr Adrian Harbe Dr. Verginia s.Marin Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly Dr. Salem soso

3729596/3729581 572-6666 ext 8321 2655539 5343406 5739272 2618787

General Surgeons: Dr. Abidallah Behbahani 5717111 Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 2610044 Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 5327148

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra Dr. Mobarak Aldoub Dr Nasser Behbehani

5728004 5355515 4726446 5654300/3

Paediatricians: Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed Dr. Zahra Qabazard Dr. Sohail Qamar Dr. Snaa Maaroof Dr. Pradip Gujare Dr. Zacharias Mathew

5340300 5710444 2621099 5713514 3713100 4334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada) 5655535

2639939 2666300

Endocrinologist: Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 5339330 Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 5658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 5329924 Physiotherapists & VD: Dr. Deyaa Shehab Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

5722291 2666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 5330060 Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 5722290

Dentists: Dr Anil Thomas Dr. Shamah Al-Matar Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

3729596/3729581 2641071/2 2562226 2561444 2619557 2525888 5653755 5620111

Internists, Chest & Heart: Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman 2636464 Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 5322030 Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 2633135

Neurologists: Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 5633324 Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 5345875

Internist, Chest & Heart: DR.Mohammes Akkad 4555050 Ext 210 Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Tel: 5339667 Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Consultant Cardiologist Tel: 2611555-2622555

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Friday, March 5, 2010

TV Listings Orbit /Showtime Channels

00:00 Starter Wife 01:00 Prison Break 02:00 Friday Night Lights 03:00 Dawson’s Creek 04:00 Prison Break 05:00 Sons of Anarchy 06:00 No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency 07:00 Starter Wife 08:00 Without a Trace 09:00 Ghost Whisperer 10:00 Friday Night Lights 11:00 Dawson’s Creek 12:00 No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency 13:00 Sons of Anarchy 14:00 Inside the Actors Studio 15:00 Prison Break 16:00 Without a Trace 17:00 Ghost Whisperer 18:00 Starter Wife 19:00 Tess of the D’urbervilles 20:00 Without a Trace 21:00 Survivor 22:00 The Closer 23:00 Secret Diary of a Call Girl

00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Wolverine 02:40 Untamed And Uncut 03:35 Living With The Wolfman 04:00 Living With The Wolfman 04:30 Animal Cops Miami 05:25 Animal Cops Houston 06:20 Lemur Street 06:45 Monkey Life 07:10 Rspca: Have You Got What It Takes?

07:35 Dolphin Days 08:00 Wildlife SOS 08:25 Pet Rescue 08:50 Animal Precinct 09:45 All New Planet’s Funniest Animals 10:10 All New Planet’s Funniest Animals 10:40 Rspca: Have You Got What It Takes?

11:05 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 Corwin’s Quest 12:50 Wildlife SOS 13:15 Pet Rescue 13:45 All New Planet’s Funniest Animals 14:10 All New Planet’s Funniest Animals 14:40 Wolverine 15:35 Lemur Street 16:00 Monkey Life 16:30 Pet Rescue 16:55 Dolphin Days 17:25 Wildlife SOS 17:50 Rspca: Have You Got What It Takes?

18:20 Animal Cops Miami 19:15 Night 19:40 Night 20:10 China’s Last Elephants 21:10 Animal Cops Houston 22:05 Untamed And Uncut

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 World 03:50 04:20 04:50 05:20 05:50 06:50 07:20 07:40 08:00 08:15 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 09:40 09:55 10:25 10:30 10:40 11:25

Lead Balloon Lead Balloon Little Britain Teen Angels Days That Shook The Green Green Grass Extras Lead Balloon Lead Balloon Teen Angels Cash In The Attic Balamory Fimbles The Roly Mo Show Tikkabilla Yoho Ahoy Little Robots Balamory Fimbles The Roly Mo Show Tikkabilla Yoho Ahoy Little Robots Bargain Hunt A Year At Kew

11:55 12:25 13:15 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:45 16:15 16:45 17:15 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00

A Year At Kew Space Race The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic Red Dwarf Red Dwarf The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders 2 Point 4 Children Green Green Grass Antiques Roadshow

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

Ching’s Kitchen Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes Cash In The Attic Usa Hidden Potential Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow The Week The Women Went The Week The Women Went Cash In The Attic Usa Cash In The Attic Usa Hidden Potential Living In The Sun The Week The Women Went The Week The Women Went Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic Usa Hidden Potential Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes Living In The Sun Antiques Roadshow The Week The Women Went The Week The Women Went Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes Daily Cooks Challenge Daily Cooks Challenge Cash In The Attic Usa Hidden Potential The Week The Women Went The Week The Women Went Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Daily Cooks Challenge Daily Cooks Challenge Masterchef Goes Large Come Dine With Me

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 14:30 17:00 19:00 21:15 23:00

Stories Of Lost Souls-PG15 The Dying Gaul-PG15 A Walk In The Clouds-PG15 Max And Co.-PG When We Were Kings-PG15 Pearl Diver-PG Ensemble C’est Tout-PG15 The Firm-PG15 An American Rhapsody-PG Liberty Heights-18 Transamerica-18 Killing Me Softly-18

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

Untamed & Uncut Miami Ink Street Customs 2008 American Chopper Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Mythbusters How Does It Work Dirty Jobs Extreme Engineering Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Street Customs 2008 How Do They Do It? Mythbusters Ultimate Survival American Loggers How Do They Do It? How Does It Work American Chopper Miami Ink Mythbusters Dirty Jobs American Loggers Street Customs 2008 Destroyed In Seconds How Do They Do It? How Does It Work Fifth Gear

21:30 Fifth Gear 22:00 American Chopper 23:00 Street Customs 2008

00:40 Giant Of The Skies: Building Airbus A380 01:30 Science Of Beauty 02:20 The Future Of...

03:10 Mission Implausible 04:00 Beyond Tomorrow 04:50 Race To Mars 05:45 How Does That Work?

06:10 Green Wheels 06:40 One Step Beyond 07:10 Science Of Beauty 08:00 Thunder Races 09:00 Ten Ways 10:00 The Future Of...

10:55 How Does That Work?

11:20 Stuntdawgs 11:50 Science Of Beauty 12:45 Green Wheels 13:10 One Step Beyond 13:40 Ten Ways 14:35 The Future Of...

15:30 The Sun 16:25 How Does That Work?

16:55 Thunder Races 17:50 Brainiac 18:45 Giant Of The Skies: Building Airbus A380 19:40 Sci-Fi Science 20:05 Sci-Fi Science 20:30 Weird Connections 20:55 Weird Connections 21:20 How It’s Made 21:45 How It’s Made 22:10 Mythbusters Specials 23:00 Sci-Fi Science 23:25 Sci-Fi Science 23:50 Weird Connections

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

My Friends Tigger And Pooh Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Imagination Movers Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Brandy & Mr Whiskers Fairly Odd Parents Hannah Montana I Got A Rocket Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas & Ferb Higglytown Heroes My Friends Tigger And Pooh Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Imagination Movers Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Brandy & Mr Whiskers Fairly Odd Parents Hannah Montana I Got A Rocket Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas & Ferb Suite Life On Deck Replacements American Dragon Kim Possible Famous Five Fairly Odd Parents Phineas & Ferb Replacements I Got A Rocket Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Fairly Odd Parents Phineas & Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana The Replacements Johnny Kapahala Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody

00:15 00:40 01:30 02:20 03:15

Streets Of Hollywood E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Ths Investigates

05:05 Dr 90210 06:00 15 Most Shocking Political Sex Scandals 07:45 Extreme Hollywood 08:35 E! News 09:00 The Daily 10 09:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 09:50 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10:15 40 Celebrity Weddings And A Funeral 11:05 40 Celebrity Weddings And A Funeral 12:00 E! News 12:25 The Daily 10 12:50 Bank Of Hollywood 13:40 25 Hottest Hollywood Cougar Tales 15:25 Behind The Scenes 15:50 Behind The Scenes 16:15 E!es 17:10 Leave It To Lamas 17:35 Leave It To Lamas 18:00 E! News 18:25 The Daily 10 18:50 Streets Of Hollywood 19:15 Battle Of The Hollywood Hotties 19:40 Ths

00:00 00:25 00:50 01:15 01:40 02:05 02:30 02:55 You! 03:20 Bunch 03:45 04:10 04:35 05:00 Pitstop 05:25 05:50 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:45 10:10 10:35 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:15 13:40 Doo

Duck Dodgers Wacky Races Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Dastardly And Muttley King Arthur’s Disasters Popeye Scooby Doo Where Are Help! It’s The Hair Bear Mike, Lu And Og Time Squad Sheep In The Big City The Perils Of Penelope A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Tom And Jerry Popeye Classics Duck Dodgers A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones The Jetsons Looney Tunes King Arthur’s Disasters Top Cat Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-

02:00 Inside the PGA Tour 02:30 Big 12 Men’s & Women’s Swim & Dive Championships 04:30 Pac-10 Men’s Basketball TBA at TBA 06:30 Pac-10 Men’s Basketball TBA at TBA 08:30 FEI Equestrian World 09:00 Golf Central International 09:30 The Golf Channel - TBA 12:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 12:30 Pac-10 Men’s Basketball TBA at TBA 14:30 PGA Tour: The Honda Classic Rd. 1 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 17:30 European Tour Maybank Malaysian Open Rd. 2 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 20:30 World of Athletics

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:10 04:05 05:00 05:55 06:20 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:50

Dr G: Medical Examiner Fbi Files Dead Tenants On The Case Crimes That Shook The World Forensic Detectives Amsterdam Vice Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghosthunters Ghosthunters Forensic Detectives Fbi Files

Beowulf on Show Movies 09:40 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:40 15:30 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Csu The Prosecutors Forensic Detectives Fbi Files Diagnosis: Unknown Solved Mystery Er Forensic Detectives Fbi Files Csu The Prosecutors Forensic Detectives Fbi Files Diagnosis: Unknown Solved Mystery Er Undercover Fugitive Strike Force

02:15 03:50 05:15 06:50 08:40 10:00 11:40 13:15 14:55 16:15 17:40 19:50 22:00 23:30

Sometimes They Come Back The Curse Of Inferno A Woman’s Tale Married To It The Trip Bikini Beach I Could Go on Singing Defiance Napoleon Women Vs. Men Nicholas Nickleby The Pride And The Passion After Midnight Topkapi

00:00 Rita Rocks 00:30 New adventures of old Christine 01:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 03:00 Family Guy 03:30 Entourage 04:00 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson 05:00 Rita Rocks 05:30 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 06:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 07:00 Home Improvement 07:30 Malcolm in the Middle 08:00 Coach 08:30 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 09:00 The Colbert Report 09:30 Drew Carey 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Til’ Death

11:30 Eight Simple Rules 12:00 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson 13:00 New adventures of old Christine 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 14:00 Home Improvement 14:30 Three sisters 15:00 Coach 15:30 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 George Lopez 17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 17:30 Frasier 18:00 Teachers 18:30 Seinfeld 19:00 How I met you mother 19:30 Two and a half men 20:00 Best of Late night with Jimmy

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:30

Bondi Rescue - Bali Bondi Rescue - Bali Surfer’s Journal Surfer’s Journal Bondi Rescue Destination Extreme Surfer’s Journal Treks In A Wild World Madventures Chasing Time Which Way To...

Bondi Rescue - Bali Bondi Rescue - Bali Surfer’s Journal Surfer’s Journal Bondi Rescue Destination Extreme Surfer’s Journal Treks In A Wild World Madventures Chasing Time Perilous Journeys Long Way Down Long Way Down Bondi Rescue Destination Extreme Surfer’s Journal Treks In A Wild World Madventures Chasing Time Perilous Journeys Long Way Down

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00

What’s Good For You 10 Years younger S3 Look A Like S2 The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Monique Show

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Friday, March 5, 2010 04:00 04:30 05:00 Leno 06:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 Leno 23:00

Huey’s Cooking Adventures Fresh The Tonight show with Jay

The Monique Show

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

Special Agent Oso Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Imagination Movers Chuggington Chuggington Chuggington Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso Imagination Movers My Friends Tigger And Pooh Chuggington Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Little Einsteins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jo Jo’s Circus Jo Jo’s Circus Higglytown Heroes Higglytown Heroes My Friends Tigger And Pooh Chuggington Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso Chuggington Chuggington Imagination Movers Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Chuggington

GMA Live GMA Health What’s the Buzz What’s Good For You Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The View The Ellen DeGeneres Show What’s Good For You Chef’s Table Fresh GMA Live GMA Health What’s the Buzz Look A Like S2 10 Years younger S3 The View The Ellen DeGeneres Show Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The Tonight show with Jay

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:15 14:15 16:15 18:15 20:00 22:00

Beowulf-18 Let Him Be-PG15 Before The Rains-PG15 Wall-E-FAM Bottle Shock-PG15 The Mist-PG15 Eagle Eye-PG15 Definitely Maybe-PG15 Bottle Shock-PG15 The Bucket List-PG15 Paul Blart Mall Cop-PG15 The Dark Knight-PG15

01:00 03:00 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 PG15 13:30 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Red Sands-18 The Perfect Witness-18 Thor: Hammer Of The Gods-

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00

PG15 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 18 20:00 22:00

The Mighty Ducks-FAM Lock And Roll Forever-PG Tadpole-PG15 Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy-

Bones Dollhouse Sex and the City Sex and the City Beauty and the Geek The Murdoch Mysteries Parkinson Emmerdale Huey’s Cooking Adventure Life on Mars Parkinson Beauty and the Geek The Beast The Murdoch Mysteries Emmerdale Huey’s Cooking Adventure Parkinson Bones Dollhouse Life on Mars Beauty and the Geek Better off Ted Billable Hours Burn Notice Burn Notice Breaking Bad Life on Mars Sex and the City Sex and the City

01:30 Premier League World 02:00 Barclays Premier League Review 03:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 04:00 Premier League 06:00 Premier League Classics 06:30 Premier League Classics 07:00 Dubai Int’l Horse Racing Carnival 11:00 Premier League Classics 11:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 12:00 Premier League World 12:30 Premier League 14:30 Premier League 16:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 17:30 Fut Brasil 18:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 18:30 Barclays Premier League 20:30 Goals Goals Goals 21:00 Premier League World 21:30 Live Barclays Premier League Preview 22:30 Dubai Int’l Horse Racing Carnival

Mercury Man-PG15 Netherbeast IncorporatedArn: The Knight TemplarThe Invincible-PG15 Netherbeast IncorporatedThe Collective-PG15 The Uninvited-18 Rogue-PG15 Halloween 2-18

Tadpole-PG15 Run Fatboy Run-PG15 The Salon-PG15 Backseat-PG15 Scrooged-PG High Heels And Low Lifes-

Split Ends Clean House Dress My Nest Style Her Famous Ruby

01:04 02:00 02:45 08:04 08:45 13:04 13:50 16:04 16:45 18:00 18:45 19:00 20:04 20:45 23:00 23:45

Hit US Urban Hit Playlist French Only Playlist Urban Hit Playlist Africa Playlist Urban Hit Playlist Trace Video Mix New Playlist Club 10 Playlist

New York City Serenade-PG15 Vegas Baby-18

00:00 The Missing Lynx-PG 01:40 Soccer Dog-PG 08:00 Velveteen Rabbit-FAM 12:30 Barbie Diaries-FAM 14:00 Soccer Dog-PG 16:00 The Jungle Book I-FAM 18:00 Iron Giant-FAM 20:00 Batman And Mr. Freeze: Subzero-PG 21:30 Barbie Diaries-FAM 23:00 Velveteen Rabbit-FAM

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

20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

02:00 Dubai Int. Horse Racing Carnival 06:00 Futbol Mundial 06:30 European Tour Weekly 07:00 Mobil 1 07:30 Premier League World 08:00 ICC Cricket World 08:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 09:30 Live Super 14 11:40 Live Super 14 13:30 Mobil 1 14:00 Live Super 14 16:00 LIVE - FIH Hockey World Cup 18:00 LIVE - FIH Hockey World Cup 20:00 Mobil 1 20:30 European Tour Weekly 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 Premier League Preview Show

The Good German on Super Movies

00:00 Futbol Mundial 00:30 Portugol 01:00 SPL Highlights 01:30 Weber Cup Bowling 02:30 Premier League Darts 07:00 PGA European Tour 10:30 Mobil 1 11:00 Premier League World 11:30 European Tour Weekly 12:00 Live PGA European Tour 15:00 Futbol Mundial 15:30 Super 14 17:30 Mobil 1 18:00 Live Dubai International Horse Racing 22:00 Premier League Darts

02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00

WWE ECW Bushido UFC - The Ultimate Fighter UFC - The Ultimate Fighter NCAA Basketball British Triathlon Series UAE National Race Day FIM World Cup Bushido WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection NCAA Basketball NCAA Basketball WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT WWE SmackDown

01:00 Ten Inch Hero-18 03:00 The Good German-18 05:00 High Noon-PG15

07:00 PG15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Center Stage 2: Turn It UpQuantum Of Solace-PG15 Last Mimzy-PG Made Of Honor-PG15 Bee Movie-PG Happy Go Lucky-PG15 Quantum Of Solace-PG15 Cloverfield-PG15 Fool’s Gold-PG15

00:30 02:05 04:35 05:00 07:30 08:00 09:50 10:20 12:00 13:35 14:05 16:05 17:50 19:40 21:30 23:00

The Last Run How The West Was Won The Screening Room The Dirty Dozen The Screening Room Bachelor In Paradise The Screening Room Echoes Of A Summer Penelope The Screening Room The Yellow Rolls-royce After The Fox Desert Bloom 40 Carats December Bad Day At Black Rock

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:10 04:00 04:55 05:50 06:40 07:30 08:20 09:10 10:00

How the Earth Was Made The Universe 3 Human Weapon Modern Marvels Deep Wreck Mysteries Cities Of The Underworld Dinosaur Secrets How the Earth Was Made The Universe 3 Human Weapon Modern Marvels Deep Wreck Mysteries

10:55 11:50 12:40 13:30 14:20 15:10 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:55 23:50

Cities Of The Underworld Dinosaur Secrets How the Earth Was Made The Universe 3 Human Weapon Modern Marvels Deep Wreck Mysteries Cities Of The Underworld Dinosaur Secrets How the Earth Was Made The Universe 3 Human Weapon Modern Marvels Ax Men 2 Tunnellers The Universe

00:00 01:00 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30

Clean House Peter Perfect Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Dallas Divas And Daughters How Do I Look?

Split Ends Dr 90210 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Area How Do I Look?

Style Star Style Her Famous My Celebrity Home Style Star Dress My Nest Peter Perfect Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Ruby Giuliana And Bill Clean House Clean House Comes Clean Dress My Nest How Do I Look?

Split Ends Dallas Divas And Daughters Style Her Famous Running In Heels Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Angry Planet 01:30 The Thirsty Traveler 02:00 Essential 02:30 Essential 03:00 Raider Of The Lost Snow 03:30 Skier’s World 04:00 Julian And Camilla’s World Odyssey 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 07:00 The Thirsty Traveler 07:30 Angry Planet 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Essential 09:30 Rudy Maxa’s World 10:00 Distant Shores 10:30 Distant Shores 11:00 Chef Abroad 11:30 Entrada 12:00 Food And Wine Special-varun Sharma 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Chef Abroad 14:30 The Thirsty Traveler 15:00 Taste Takes Off 15:30 Entrada 16:00 Essential 16:30 Essential 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Skier’s World 18:30 Hollywood And Vines 19:00 Chef Abroad 19:30 The Thirsty Traveler 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 Globe Trekker 22:00 Intrepid Journeys 23:00 Angry Planet 23:30 Photoxplorers

02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Vh1 Rocks So 80’s Greatest Hits Vh1 Music Chill Out Vh1 Hits Vh1 Music Aerobic Top 10 Dire Straits Music For The Masses Vh1 Pop Chart Vh1 Music Music For The Masses Vh1 Music Vh1 Viewer’s Jukebox Rock Vh1 Viewer’s Jukebox Rock Top 10 Dire Straits

00:15 Out Of Jimmy’s Head 00:40 Chop Socky Chooks 01:05 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 01:30 Cramp Twins 01:55 George Of The Jungle 02:20 Adrenalini Brothers 02:45 Eliot Kid 03:10 Ed, Edd N Eddy 03:35 Class Of 3000 04:00 The Powerpuff Girls 04:15 Robotboy 04:40 The Secret Saturdays 05:05 Chowder 05:30 Ben 10 05:55 Best ED 06:20 Samurai Jack 06:45 Cramp Twins 07:10 Eliot Kid 07:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 08:00 My Spy Family

SPECTRUM

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Friday, March 5, 2010

oesn’t Arterton rterton ddoesn’t A l u f i t u a e b e want to be beautiful b o t want he ‘Quantum of Solace’ actress thinks she is “average looking” but believes her career has been boosted by the fact she doesn’t rely on her looks. She said: “In comparison to many actresses I think I’m really average. When I got the Bond film there was this big hoo-ha about me not being hot enough.

Like, ‘Why her?’ I have to say, I agree. I don’t think I’m in that realm. But I think in a way it might have helped me along.” The 24-year-old British star - who worked alongside actress Olga Kurylenko in the 22nd James Bond film, ‘Quantum of Solace’ - feels lucky to be able to change her look when she needs to. She said: “There are some really beautiful actresses, like Olga Kurylenko who find it difficult. It’s frustrating for her but she’s so beautiful that

Friel uses laser to get rid of wrinkles

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it’s almost like someone having a massive nose: you are going to take that into consideration when you’re casting her. Whereas I can change my look, I can look plain or I can look dolled up.” The actress plays a princess in forthcoming action movie ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’ and admitted she resented having to work on her appearance to get the part. She told Britain’s GQ magazine: “I don’t agree with what they think is beautiful. I don’t think that the tanned, tousled version of me is beautiful, because it’s not me. It’s someone else. But my opinion against 10 producers’ opinions is never going to win. Unless you’re really famous and successful, then they’re going to bully you into going to the gym. It’s a side of the industry that I find uncomfortable.”

he 33-year-old actress claims she has never had Botox and credits her youthful looking skin with using a special Polaris laser. She said: “I do have something called Polaris. “It’s like a laser machine that brings collagen to the surface and reconditions the skin.

You can see an immediate difference.

It’s the best thing around.” Despite not yet having the facial muscle-freezing injections, she admits she wouldn’t rule them out entirely. She told Britain’s InStyle magazine: “I’m not going to say I wouldn’t have anything done because I’d be a liar.

“I’m sure I’ll be one of those people who has bits of tweaking. I haven’t done Botox because I’m scared that I won’t be able to move my face.” Polaris lasers are used to deal with the early signs of ageing, including the smoothing out of smokers lines, crow’s feet and frown lines. It can also be used for unwanted hair removal.

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Simpson’s advice to Mayer J essica Simpson wants John Mayer to “get his life together”. The singer-andactress has revealed she hasn’t forgiven the ‘Gravity’ singer - who she dated for nine months until May 2007 - after he described their sex life as “crazy” and hopes he will sort himself out. Discussing his recent apology over the remarks, she told chatshow host Oprah Winfrey: “I haven’t written back. I don’t accept it... I hope he gets his life together.” Last month, John caused controversy when he gave an interview to Playboy magazine describing Jessica as like “a drug”. He added: “And drugs aren’t good for you, if you do lots of them. Yeah, that girl is like crack cocaine to

me. “Sexually it was crazy. That’s all I’ll say. It was like napalm, sexual napalm.”

Although she was “disappointed” by the remarks, the 29-year-old star has admitted it was out of character for John to be like that. She added: “I was so disappointed in him. That’s not the John I knew.” Jessica who is in between a US dress size four and six - also spoke out about her figure and insists she is happy with her womanly curves and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of her body. She said on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’: “I love my curves. “I finally relaxed and I don’t care what people have to say about my weight. I think I look great.”

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Botox is normal for Cowell imon Cowell claims having Botox is as normal as brushing his teeth. The 50-year-old music mogul admits he regularly uses the age-defying injections as he doesn’t want to look old. Simon - who recently got engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy - said: “Of course I have had it.

I mean, for me, it’s like cleaning my teeth, you know? Something makes your teeth whiter or something stops you having lines.” However, the TV talent judge says he will draw the line at having full plastic surgery because he doesn’t want to look “weird”. He told talk show host Piers Morgan: “I think you’ve got to be very careful as a guy, in particular, that you can end up looking really, really weird.” Despite taking care of his appearance, Simon insists he isn’t vain, he just knows how important it is to live quite a healthy lifestyle. He said: “I look after myself, I eat well and stuff like that but I wouldn’t call myself super vain, no.”

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Reynolds recovering after a heart surgery he 74-year-old actor is currently recovering at home - where he is being monitored 24 hours a day by nurses - after undergoing a dangerous quintuple bypass procedure on his vital organ last week.

His spokesman Erik Kritzer confirmed to Entertainment Tonight: “Mr. Reynolds has been released from a hospital in Florida in which he had a planned bypass operation.

He wants to thank everyone for their good wishes and states that he has a great motor with brand new pipes and he is feeling great.

Doctors plan on a speedy recovery.” Burt was not

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Cindy Crawford: A ge naturally

rushed into the medical centre for emergency treatment and is believed to have planned to have the procedure for some time. His representative added: “All reports that are implying he was rushed to a hospital are completely untrue, as he has had this operation scheduled for over a month.” Last year Burt completed a nine-month stay in a rehabilitation centre for an addiction to painkillers.

The star sought help from rehabilitation clinic Florida’s Hanley Center in West Palm Beach after realizing he had become dependent on prescription medication following back surgery.

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Elizabe th launche + James - re d their c Olsenb new jun ently o io peers. Mye, and wante r range, d workin ary-Kate said input from th g with : our frie “We’ve been eir age and nds wh in a r t oa s “They’v c e helpe hool.” Ashley re our d out w the web added: ith s comme ites and doing the art on rc th line - w ials and the vid e hich is eos.” T aim teenage rs, with ed mainly at he under $ most pr 50 ice t US stor is sold exclus ags ively at e JCPen girls ney with th are thrilled t and the people.c em. Mary-K o be working at o JCPenn m: “All the pe e told ey have op our frie totally le at nd em particip s that have n braced all of ow ate a lot of d in these pr ojects a young t nd ale really e xciting.” nt and I think it’s reveale it’s A s h le d y next se she is lookin also g a huge ad son’s looks as forward to mirer o exagge f the ov she’s not a ra e said: “I ted shoulder lo r’m a fan o shoulde of stron k. She g rs extrem , but I think t e he takes a shoulder, to m e v pull it o ery special pe - it rson to ff. And I to mov e on fro ’m kind of rea dy m that.”

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indy Crawford do esn’t have time to worry about wrinkles. The 44 her -year-old superm odel - who has children, Presley, two Gerber - says fighti 10, and Kaia, eight, with husband Rande ng the ageing proce ss isn’t important because family life to her keeps her so busy.

She said: “When yo have anything intere u don’t sti what you don’t have ng to do, you start thinking too much about any more. When yo u can appreciate ful things like family, wo filling rk, friends or the po people, you will ha ssibility of helping other ve standing in front of a focus. The list could go on. “But to be a mirror and to mo an, ‘Oh my God, I’v found another wrink e just le! that.” The American ’ That’s embarrassing. I don’t have tim e for beauty - who quit mo since gone on to de ling in 2000, but ha design her own fur s niture line - was satisfied by her ph always enomenally succe ssful career, but he successes do not r work compare to the joy s of family life. Sp German newspape eaking to r Welt am Sonntag, she said: “I enjoyed but I’m happy my my life, times as a superm odel are over. I ha time and a lot of op d a great portunities. But I’m a children you see mother. When you the world with dif ha ferent eyes, that’s ve wonderful thing ab out it. “Because the of my children I completely new an live a d different life - for me I still work a lot for my own busines that’s worth a fortune. s though - which is fulfilling.” really

Thurman hides her feelings ma Thurman hides her feelings from her children .The ‘Kill Bill’ actress - who has daughter Maya, 11, and son Levon, eight with ex-husband Ethan Hawke believes she needs to stay “steady” around her kids to stop them from growing insecure. Asked whether the youngsters realize how difficult it is to juggle work and family life, she said: “I hope they don’t. I don’t want them to notice when I’m exhausted or depressed. They need a steady mother who gives them a feeling of security, otherwise they might become even more vulnerable than they, as children, already are.” Uma is particularly keen for her children to view her as a role model and despite admitting motherhood can sometimes be difficult, she wants to share in every aspect of their lives. She added: “I constantly wrack my brains, but unfortunately there’s no manual for it. It’s really important to be a role model. But I always try to explain to my children that their mum is only human, too. “What does being a mother mean to me?

That’s simple - Every day I experience the greatest love I have ever felt. It takes a lot of energy and nerves, but I don’t want to miss a second of it.” The 39-year-old star always looks to her own mother for advice, but admits that hasn’t always been the case. She added to Germany’s OK! magazine: “I can always rely on my mother’s advice.

I rarely used to look for support from her when I was younger though - I wanted to learn from my own experiences. Even when I was a young girl I felt drawn to grown-ups and felt like going out into the world. Did I fail from time to time or make mistakes? Of course I did.

But instead of drawing up walls inside of me, up to today I still meet people benevolently and with trust.”

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Lifestyle

Shakira honored at UN labor agency hakira has received a medal from the UN labor agency for her work to help impoverished children.

The 33-year-old Colombian pop star has worked as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Her Barefoot foundation provides nutrition to more than 6,000 children in Colombia, and she is member of the ALAS foundation that advocates for children across Latin America.

At a small ceremony Wednesday in Geneva, UN labor chief Juan Somavia called Shakira a “true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice.”

Shakira said in a statement yesterday that social, economic and environmental policies must focus on children and their education.

Shakira also spoke last month with President Barack Obama about US policy on children. — AP

Colombian singer Shakira, left, receives the award ‘Social Justice for Peace’ for her support to social justice by Chilean Juan Somavia, right, Director General of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.—AP

Egyptian court orders retrial in singer killing

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he latest party circuit princess to wow the night clubs and festivals of France with her DJ skills is a British granny who took a shine to the decks after going to a birthday disco for her grandson. Clad in her leopard-skin shrug and dark sunglasses, 69-year-old Ruth Flowers has conquered French clubland from the Cannes Film Festival to the top Paris nightspots with a mix of old-school hits, electrobeat and bling-bling style.

“It started really when my grandson had a birthday party ... they always have a little disco, don’t they, after the party,” Flowers told Reuters, lounging on a white sofa in a Paris hotel in a green satin bomber jacket and trademark shades contrasting with her white hair. “I went along quite late and the gentlemen at the door said, ‘I don’t think you want to go in there, Madame’. And I said, ‘Well I rather think I do’,” she said.

“I went in and it was very noisy and the lights were flashing, but there was an awful lot of energy and joy.” While Flowers, a trained singer, was more used to church songs, German lieder and classic pop, she was so taken by the party that she decided there and then to become a disc jockey. “I had no idea at the time of electro music,” she said.

However, as someone with interests ranging from history to theatre and fashion, she was willing to learn. A friend put her in touch with French producer Aurelien Simon who taught her how to spin and helped her to develop a style, sprinkling her techno sets with tunes from Abba, Queen and the Rolling Stones.

“In the beginning it was just a little joke but it became serious,” Simon told Reuters by phone. “It took four years because she had to learn to use the machines. I explained the basics of electro music, and then she created her own style.”

Eye-catching earrings and her sartorial style make Flowers a stand out when she works the turntables, nodding to the beat and clapping her hands above her head. “It’s a little glammy, a bit over the top, but it fits the bill I think,” she said of her outfits. “I mean, if I appeared in a cardigan, a sweater and brogue shoes it wouldn’t be quite the same.”

Flowers is working on a single, due to be released this spring. Some of her friends in London were a little sceptical about her new career at first, but she has drawn encouragement from her family and fans. She remembers how young people from all over the world came up to her when she performed at the Cannes film festival. “They said, “you’re awesome, we want to be like you’,” she said. “I always say-you don’t want to be like me. You want to be you.”— Reuters

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n Egyptian court yesterday ordered the retrial of a real estate mogul sentenced to death for murdering his former lover, a Lebanese pop star, in a case that transfixed the Arab world. The Cairo appeals court overturned the conviction of Hisham Talaat Moustafa prompting cheers and clapping from billionaire tycoon’s relatives in the packed downtown courtroom.

Moustafa was sentenced to death last May after being convicted of paying a retired Egyptian police officer Mohsen el-Sukkary $2 million to kill 30year-old Suzanne Tamim, while she was in Dubai in July 2008.

El-Sukkary will be retried as well.

The case captivated Egyptians as it involved a member of an elite often viewed as above the law. Many had wondered if the 50-year-old real estate mogul tied to President Hosni Mubarak’s son, Gamal, and an influential member of the ruling party, would get away with murder in a region where the rich are often thought to be immune.

The court decision to retry the case is certain to raise charges that Moustafa’s influence will keep him from the gallows. Moustafa, a member of parliament’s upper house, the Shura Council, was also a member the ruling party’s policies committee, which the younger Mubarak chairs.

Tamim rose to stardom in the late 1990s on the force of her good looks and voice, but then hit troubled times, separating from her Lebanese husbandmanager, who filed a series of lawsuits against her.

British granny takes French party scene by storm

Tamim and Moustafa met in the summer of 2004 at a Red Sea resort, according to transcripts of Moustafa’s interrogation that were widely published in Egyptian newspapers.

El-Sukkary, the former security officer, said in the transcripts in the trial that Moustafa was “always with Tamim,” that he kept a hotel suite for her, and that he took her around in his private jet.

During interrogations, Moustafa said he broke up with his former lover Tamim after his mother opposed the couple’s marriage plan. Moustafa comes from a religiously conservative Muslim family. According to Dubai investigators, el-Sukkary stalked Tamim to her apartment in the swanky Dubai Marina complex and entered using an ID of the management company from which she had recently bought her place.

Blood-soaked clothes were found dumped outside the building, and police say the killer’s face was captured on security camera footage. ElSukkary was arrested Aug. 2008 in Egypt. Dubai police traveled to Cairo to present their evidence against him but then turned their attention to Moustafa. Egypt declined to extradite Moustafa to the United Arab Emirates, insisting he be tried at home. That move was initially read by many Egyptians as opening the door for a slap on the wrist for Moustafa, who built a real estate empire of luxury hotels and resorts and was a leading force behind the pricey Western-style suburbs that ring Cairo. — AP

Popular Lebanese pop singer Suzanne Tamim poses during a video clip filming in Cairo, Egypt in this March 2008 file photo. — AP

Boyle nominated for Canada’s Juno Awards usan Boyle is set to live the dream next month at the Junos, Canada’s music awards. The British talentshow sensation’s chart-topping debut “I Dreamed a Dream” will compete for best international album against the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.,” Britney Spears’ “Circus,” Kings of Leon’s “Only by the Night” and Taylor Swift’s

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“Fearless.”

Boyle’s album was the best-selling release in Canada last year, despite being released in November. Another charttopper, Michael Buble’s “Crazy Love,” earned the Canadian crooner a leading six nominations, including best album and single.

Other Juno contenders included

rockers Billy Talent, hip-hop artist Drake and singer-songwriter Johnny Reid, each with four nominations. And teen idol Justin Bieber and indie rock band Metric both earned three nominations.

The Juno awards will be handed out April 18 in St John’s, Newfoundland and will air live nationwide on the CTV networks. — Reuters

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Sotheby’s to sell modern collection in Amsterdam otheby’s will offer more than 160 works of post-war and contemporary art from the Peter Stuyvesant Collection which it expects will raise 4-5 million euros. The collection was started by Alexander Orlow, who in 1960 invited 13 artists from 13 European countries to create paintings for the production hall at the Turmac Tobacco Company in the Netherlands as a way of brightening up the workplace. He specified that the works should be large in scale and with vivid colors and shapes to fit in with his theme of “joie de vivre”. He noted that productivity actually increased after their installation.

The March 8 sale in Amsterdam includes artists who fetched new auction records at a recent sale in London, and Sotheby’s is hoping that demand is as strong next week. Featuring in the auction will be Gunther Uecker and Jan Schoonhoven, two of the stars of Sotheby’s contemporary art sale last month. An Uecker work fetched $1.3 million, more than five times its pre-sale estimate, and another by Schoonhoven raised $1.2 million, about four times expectations. The auction helped launch their names on the international art market, which has seen a strong revival after the downturn caused by the global financial crisis and recession. —Reuters

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Art work from Korean artist Han Young-Wook is on display at the inaugural Korean Art Show in New York, March 03, 2010. — AFP

US bomb expert says ‘Hurt Locker’ stole his story US Army sergeant who is suing the makers of Oscar-nominated film “The Hurt Locker” said Wednesday he felt betrayed because they stole his story.

Master Sergeant Jeffrey S. Sarver, 38, has filed a lawsuit claiming that the film makers turned an account of his tense experiences defusing bombs in Iraq into the highly regarded action-thriller without his consent. Wearing blue jeans and a blue pullover sweatshirt with wrap-around sunglasses pushed up to his crew cut, Sarver told a news conference he would have been happy to serve as a consultant to scriptwriter Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow but was never asked.

“I felt a little bit left out,” Sarver said. “I didn’t know my rights.” Just after Sarver filed his suit Tuesday, the film’s distributor, Summit Entertainment, issued a statement reiterating the movie’s claim that it is a “fictional account” about soldiers in the battlefield. Sarver was the subject of a 2005 article in Playboy magazine under the title “The Man in the Bomb Suit.” The article was written by Boal, screenwriter for “The Hurt Locker,” based on his observations as an embedded reporter with Sarver’s bombdefusing squad in Iraq in 2004.

Sarver’s lawyer, Geoffrey Fieger, said the main character in the film, Will James, was clearly a representation of his client, down to his personal call signal “Blaster One.” “If anyone tells you that Sergeant Sarver isn’t Will James, that’s a laughable statement,” said Fieger. “The Hurt Locker” has been nominated for nine Oscars. It got high marks from critics and has been considered a front-runner for best film when the Academy Awards are given out Sunday.

Fieger declined to say how much Sarver seeking. He said Summit Entertainment, US distributor for “The Hurt Locker” and the film’s producers could have avoided the lawsuit if they had attributed the story to Sarver’s exploits in

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Iraq. “It’s common practice,” said Fieger.

“Now, having been caught, we see the type of things that these movie producers are willing to do to get out of having to pay for their mistakes.”

“The Hurt Locker,” released last June, has grossed about $19 million worldwide and had a production budget of about $15 million. Fieger said he had been in contact for months with Summit Entertainment and producer Nicholas Chartier. He gave reporters what he said was a copy of an email from Chartier from late December saying he had never heard of Sarver.

“Everyone says it’s one of the best movies of the year, did he just not like the popcorn when he watched the movie?”

Chartier wrote. “I haven’t taken any grossly unfair action against him. I’ve never heard of him. ... Did I steal his girlfriend? Never heard of him.” Other emails this week caused trouble for Chartier, who bankrolled the film. In violation of Academy rules, Chartier sent e-mails to Oscar voters asking them to choose “The Hurt Locker” over what he described as “a $500 million film,” read as a clear dig at “Avatar.”

Chartier has been banned from attending this Sunday’s awards ceremony.

He declined comment Wednesday through a spokesman. Boal told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday that he had talked to more than 100 soldiers during his research “and reshuffled everything I learned in a way that would be authentic, but would also make for a dramatic story.” Not at all, said Fieger Wednesday. “For Boal to suggest that he conducted interviews with hundreds of people and this is an amalgam of all sorts of explosive experts is absurd since the only person he was basically with was Sergeant Sarver.” Sarver lived in New Jersey before moving recently to Clarksville, Tennessee. He has served in the US Army for 18 years and is still in active duty. — AP

Master Sgt Jeffrey Sarver is seen during a news conference in Southfield. (inset) File photo, writer Mark Boal, for the film “The Hurt Locker”.—AP

Taxi signs get the finger on South African stamps rom solid fists to raised victory signs, South Africa’s unique finger-twisting hand signals used to hail the country’s notorious minibus taxis have been inked into national postal stamps. The stamps, released in a blind-friendly raisedrelief set of 10 by the South African Post Office, salute the unspoken language that ferries millions of commuters daily along fiercely competitive private taxi routes.

“It was chosen because the hand signs are so unique to South Africa,” said Thea Clemons, graphic

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designer for the post office’s philatelic services which receive around 100 stamp proposals annually. “We always say stamps are our smallest ambassadors, so we are looking for something that we are proud of. It says that we are a creative bunch of people who use different hand signs so that we can show the taxi where we want to go.”

In a nation with 11 official languages, the hand signals are a universal “12th” language that crosses cultural lines. Each signal

pinpoints a specific route in streetside finger lingo that is used to bring jam-packed minibuses to a swift, traffic defying halt.

Knowledge is key to reaching a desired destination: an upward index finger goes to Johannesburg’s inner city, a gun style-point is for Alexandra township, and a splayed hand will go to upmarket Rosebank.

“As soon as you have the wrong sign, they take you to the wrong place. So it’s important to have the right sign,” said Hlile Doshane, 52, who is a daily passenger. —AFP

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Centrepoint’s Splash sets ramp ablaze with fashion show

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ver 3000 fashion lovers got a glimpse of the season’s hottest trends as Splash set ramps ablaze at the elegant Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah. 30 international models showcased the latest trends from Splash’s all new Spring Summer 2010 collection that amongst others captured four key global trends including ‘Country Rodeo’, ‘I went camping’, ‘Apocalyptic Tribal’ and ‘New Safari.

The venue was designed to resemble a scene from the Arizona Desert complete with massive cacti, teepees and even a bonfire. The catwalk was set against a 20 by 7 meter mural backdrop that at first glance looked like a simple sunny sky, but transformed dramatically into a warm summer night under specially fitted UV lighting. This magnificent first-of-its-kind innovation in the region was custom designed and delivered to Dubai by a team of muralists from Hollywood.

Also new to this season’s line up was Splash’s introduction of ‘Strictly Under 21 Show’. Of the two consumer shows that precede the Media show, Splash reserved one show especially for students from schools and universities across the Emirates. This addition is in line with Splash’s commitment to collaborate continuously with the youth as colleges and universities are not only the home of tomorrow’s future leaders, but also home to influential trend-setters of today. Going forward Splash hopes to make this novel idea a permanent feature in their upcoming shows.

The Media show which was followed by one of Splash’s well known afterparties which took place within the Arena in a Rodeo inspired venue appropriately named Wild Wild West. The Media show was attended by all of fashion opinion leaders as well as socialites, and the brand’s key stakeholders from across the region.

Closing the show this season was

Bollywood actresses drive Indian slimming fashion ollywood actresses are slimming down, as an increasing vogue for showing bare flesh on screen and Western ideas about body size and beauty take hold in India’s big cities.

Whereas former leading ladies like Mumtaz and Zeenat Aman once found their curvaceous figures no barrier to success, their modern-day counterparts are as famous for their diet and fitness regimes as their acting and dancing skills. “There’s been a lot of changes in the last decade, whether it’s in modeling or in Bollywood,” said nutritionist and fitness consultant Venu Hirani, who works in India’s entertainment capital, Mumbai.

“Today, the basic requirement for someone wanting to go into either is that they need to be a (US) size zero,” she told AFP. Actress Kareena Kapoor has been the focus of much media attention since appearing in a bikini in the 2008 film “Tashan” (Style) — a significant development in an industry known for its chaste treatment of romantic love.

The 29-year-old star slimmed down dramatically for the role and reportedly collapsed on set. She has since had to deny suggestions that her current weight is unhealthy, instead attributing her smaller size to eating correctly,

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regular exercise and yoga. “My size zero is such a hot topic of discussion... that when Saif (Ali Khan, her actor boyfriend) and I eat out at a restaurant, people don’t stare so much at us as... what is on my plate,” she told the Bombay Times newspaper. “Some even ask the maitre d’: ‘What is she ordering for dinner?’ I love the curiosity element,” she said. Other Bollywood actresses, like Bipashu Basu and Shilpa Shetty, have launched fitness or yoga videos. Some, such as Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, often talk about the importance of sports in their health regime. But while Kapoor and others can turn to their own personal dietician and fitness trainers for expert guidance, some health professionals fear the phenomenon could contribute to dangerous, unregulated weight loss among fans.

Hirani said she has seen an influx of young women coming to her for advice on how to lose weight-even though they may not need it. “Maybe about a decade ago you would have had people come to me for post-pregnancy weight loss, or people with health conditions,” she said. “Now I have more and more of the younger generation who don’t really need to lose weight but tell me they need to knock off five

Priyanka Chopra—AFP

A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) volunteer wears a lettuce dress in Mumbai yesterday. A PETA activist wearing a full-length gown made of lettuce posed with a sign reading, ‘Let Veganism Grow on You’ to urge people passing Flora Fountain to try a vegan diet. — AFP

none other than Srilankan Beauty Queen Jacqueline Fernandez whose recent Bollywood debut has gained her the film industry’s ‘next big star’ status. The Splash Fashion Shows and after-party have become an essential date to mark on the Fashion calendar. Each season the show has been uniquely themed, creative and memorable and season after season it strives to be bigger and better than before. Get your pick of the world’s most sought after trends at pocket friendly prices available in Splash at all Centrepoint stores located at Al Rai, Salmiya, Hawally, Kuwait City, Fahaheel, Jahra, Fintas and at Splash, The Avenues.

kilogrammes (11 pounds).” Hirani and Roshni Pithawala, another Mumbaibased consultant dietician and counselor, said Bollywood and the growth of Internet access, cable television and advertising are changing the way Indians look at their bodies.— AFP

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Fashion

ROCHAS rom sirens of the apocalypse to sixties chic housewives, picture perfect on the arms of their “Mad Men,” Paris had something for everyone on day one of the City of Light’s fallwinter 2010-11 ready-to-wear displays Wednesday. Gareth Pugh, Britain’s angel faced bad boy, served up post-apocalyptic man-eaters in bulky, nuclear holocaustready motorcycle jackets and leather leggings, while designer Marco Zanini’s collection at Rochas looked as if he’d raided the closets of Betty Draper, Joan Holloway or one of the other sixties glamazons from the hit series “Mad Men.” Glamazons of another ilk ruled the catwalk at Dries Van Noten, where the Belgian designer once again earned his stripes as a critical favorite with a collection that seamlessly wove together elements culled from such disparate sources as 1950s-era couture, military gear and menswear.

Emerging French designer Anne Valerie Hash sent out a feather-light collection of layered looks in opalescent jewel tones. Limi Feu, the daughter of Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, went oversized, with a collection of voluminous black pant suits and bulky dresses. Wide cuts and menswear-inspired looks also had the run of the catwalk at CroatianGerman designer Damir Doma’s debut ready-to-wear collection.

A mood of nostalgia permeated the Paris shows, which run through next Wednesday and were supposed to include a catwalk display by British designer Alexander McQueen. The showalways among the most highly anticipated on the Paris calendar-was scaled back into a small, private presentation after the designer’s death by apparent suicide last month. Paris’ shows move into day two on Thursday with displays by two red hot French houses, Balmain and Balenciaga, as well as emerging Indian showman Manish Arora and brooding Californian Rick Owens.

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ROCHAS The soundtrack — “Crimson and Clover” playing, on a loop, over and over-and the towering bouffant hairdos set the tone for the unapologetically old-school bourgeois show, which paired sheath dresses with swingy coats and pencil skirts with little cardigans and skinny belts. “Mad Men” costume designers, look no further. Designer Zanini, who was showing his third collection for the label, used color with abandon, pairing robin’s egg blue with a bruised

plum hue, emerald and leopard, beige and yellow, with plenty of Lurex and gold lame accents.

Even the elbow shields on snugly cardis were in gold lame. Dainty gloves, glittery stacked heels, horn-rim sunglasses and structured handbags topped off the smart looks. With “Mad Men,” a whole generation of young TV viewers is getting a crash course in glamour, sixties style. And with fall-winter collection, Rochas-the once-faltering label known largely for its perfumes-looks primed to swoop in and snatch up those eager young buyers.

DRIES VAN NOTEN Who else could take a long, lean skirt in sumptuous floral-print duchesse silk, pair it with an oversized, sleeveless sweatshirt and make the mismatched ensemble the height of chic?

Forever the magpie, Van Noten weaved disparate elements-from rough canvas fabrics in military drab to fancy, matador-style silver embroidery-into a gorgeous, toned-down collection.

“We started with ‘50s and ‘60s couture, the beautiful shapes, and also looked at other garments, menswear, military uniforms and mixed them together in a rebellious way,” the genial designer told The Associated Press in a backstage interview. “You get the same elegance, but in a really different way.” Models with deliberately unkempt hair wore drab pants cut wide through the hips and pulled tight through the calf with a row of straps. Trench coats were shorn of their sleeves and smart camel blazers looked as if they’d borrowed their own sleeves from a toreador jacket, sparkling with silver sequins. An indigo stain spread down one bottle-shaped cocktail dress with a nipped waist, making the floral silk look as if it had been on the receiving end of a bottle of India ink. (In fact, it had. Van Noten said his team brushed on layer after layer of indigo paint onto the silk.)

Gray sweatshirts topped off the silken skirts. “I wanted to show, ‘look it’s only a sweatshirt with a pair of gloves, but it looks so chic and beautiful,”‘ Van Noten said. Leopard-print scarves, chunky crocodile heels and gloves in butterscotch leather added an extra touch of ladylike class to the looks.

ANNE VALERIE HASH The talented French designer’s delicate collection was all about layered transparencies. Slouchy cropped pants and raw-seamed jackets with see-through paneling were layered over straight-leg pants in shimmering translucent polyester in jewel tones. Abbreviated cocktail dresses in the same opalescent fabrics had delicately draped bodices and short pleated shirts that shone like deep sea jellyfish. Highlights of the airy collection included a cropped kimono jacket in multicolored sequins that shone darkly and a silken jumpsuit that walked the fine line between dressy and casual. — AP

DRIES VAN NOTEN

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Nuggets crush divisional rival Thunder DENVER: The Denver Nuggets took control with a big third quarter to crush the Oklahoma City Thunder 11990 in Wednesday’s NBA action. Carmelo Anthony outplayed Kevin Durant, scoring 30 points, and Nene added 20 points for the Nuggets, who moved 1-1/2 games clear atop the Northwest Division, and 31/2 ahead of the Thunder.

Durant, the NBA’s secondleading scorer, was held to 19 points after averaging 31 points in two previous games against the Nuggets this season. James Harden also had 19 points for Oklahoma City.

Golden Anthony helps Nuggets silence Thunder

WASHINGTON: Results and standings after Wednesday’s National Basketball Association games: Atlanta 112, Philadelphia 93; Orlando 117, Golden State 90; Boston 104, Charlotte 80; Cleveland 111, New Jersey 92; New York 128, Detroit 104; Milwaukee 100, Washington 87; Memphis 104, New Orleans 100; Dallas 112, Minnesota 109; Sacramento 84, Houston 81; Denver 119, Oklahoma City 90; Portland 102, Indiana 79; Phoenix 127, LA Clippers 101.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT Boston 38 21 .644 Toronto 31 28 .525 Philadelphia 22 38 .367 NY Knicks 21 39 .350 New Jersey 6 54 .100

Celtics 104, Bobcats 80 In Boston, Paul Pierce scored 27 points to lead the Boston to a comfortable win over Charlotte. Boston’s Nate Robinson had 16 points, including three 3-pointers in a 90-second span bridging the first and second quarters to key a 16-0 run. The Celtics have easily beaten the Bobcats in all three clashes this season. Tyrus Thomas had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Charlotte, losers of five of six.

Suns 127, Clippers 101 In Los Angeles, Phoenix breezed to its second rout in six days against the Clippers, sweeping the four-game season series for the second straight year.

Amare Stoudemire had 30 points and 14 rebounds and Channing Frye scored 23 points, including four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help Phoenix build its margin to 29 points with 6:45 remaining.

The Suns shot 56 percent.

Chris Kaman had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers.

Grizzlies 104, Hornets 100 In New Orleans, Memphis notched a franchise-record fifth straight road win by edging New Orleans. Mike Conley scored a season-high 26 points, including nine in the final quarter as the Grizzlies overcame a nine-point deficit. Conley missed two free throws with 11 seconds left that gave the Hornets a chance to tie it, but James Posey turned the ball over and Rudy Gay dunked as time expired.

Marcus Thornton scored 24 for New Orleans.

Hawks 112, 76ers 93 In Atlanta, Marvin Williams scored 21 points to power the Atlanta past struggling Philadelphia.

Jamal Crawford added 20 points for the Hawks, who have won five of six. The 76ers, who have lost four in a row, were led by Lou Williams, who had 30 points.

He hit his first 10 shots and finished 11 for 15 from the

NBA results/standings

Cleveland Milwaukee Chicago Detroit Indiana

Central Division 48 14 .774 31 29 .517 31 29 .517 21 40 .344 20 41 .328

16 16 26.5 27.5

Orlando Atlanta Miami Charlotte Washington

Southeast Division 42 20 .677 39 21 .650 30 31 .492 28 31 .475 21 37 .362

2 11.5 12.5 19

Western Conference Northwest Division Denver 40 21 .656 Utah 38 22 .633 Oklahoma 36 24 .600 Portland 37 27 .578 Minnesota 14 48 .226

LA Lakers Phoenix LA Clippers Sacramento Golden State

PORTLAND: Portland Trail Blazers’ Brandon Roy (7) is fouled on a shot by Indiana Pacers’ TJ Ford (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore. — AP field and 7 of 10 on free throws.

Magic 117, Warriors 90 In Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Orlando cruised to a victory over undermanned Golden State.

Rashard Lewis added 17 points to help the Magic win for the fifth time in six games and keep a tight grip on the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed. They lead Atlanta by two games. CJ Watson had 18 points for an injury-riddled Warriors team that dressed the NBA minimum eight players.

Trail Blazers 102, Pacers 79 In Portland, Oregon, Brandon Roy scored 22 points to lead Portland over Indiana. LaMarcus Aldridge

added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Blazers, who have scored more than 100 points in six straight games for the first time since 1997-98. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 30 points.

Mavericks 112, Timberwolves 109 In Dallas, the hosts stretched their winning streak to nine games with a narrow victory over Minnesota. Dirk Nowitzki overcame a slow shooting start to finish with 22 points, including the go-ahead basket in the last quarter.

Jason Terry had 26 points for the Mavericks. Corey Brewer had 24 points for Minnesota, which has lost 10 of its past 11 games.

Cavaliers 111, Nets 92 In East Rutherford, New

Jersey, Cleveland opened a 20point first-quarter lead and cruised to victory over hapless New Jersey. LeBron James had 26 points and 14 assists and JJ Hickson added 20 points and 13 rebounds in his second straight start for the injured Shaquille O’Neal as the Cavaliers won their fifth straight game. The win completed a sweep of the Knicks and Nets over the past three days - two teams that have money to throw at James should he test the free-agent market this summer. Brook Lopez had 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead New Jersey, which has now lost eight straight to the Cavaliers.

Bucks 100, Wizards 87 In Milwaukee, the hosts continued their late-season surge with victory over

GB 7 16.5 17.5 32.5

Pacific Division 46 15 .754 39 24 .619 25 36 .410 21 40 .344 17 43 .283

Southwest Division Dallas 41 21 .661 San Antonio 34 24 .586 Memphis 31 30 .508 New Orleans 31 31 .500 Houston 30 30 .500

Wa s h i n g t o n .

John Salmons scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half.

He is averaging 20.4 points and has scored in double figures in all eight games he’s played since a trade deadline deal with Chicago. The Bucks are 7-1 in that span. Andrew Bogut added 15 points and five blocks as Milwaukee moved into a tie for sixth in the Eastern Conference with Chicago.

Kings 84, Rockets 81 In Houston, Carl Landry had 22 points and 10 rebounds against his former team to lead Sacramento over Houston. The Rockets traded the popular power forward to the Kings in a three-team swap just before the deadline in a deal that sent Tracy

1.5 3.5 4.5 26.5

8 21 25 28.5

5 9.5 10 10

McGrady to New York.

Houston picked up Kevin Martin in the trade, and Sacramento’s leading scorer over the last three seasons struggled against his former team, scoring 14 on 3-for-13 shooting. Beno Udrih scored 13 points for the Kings, who snapped a four-game road losing streak.

Knicks 128, Pistons 104 In New York, the home team handed Detroit its fifth straight loss. Bill Walker was one of four Knicks with 20plus points, scoring a careerhigh 22 in his first career start. Al Harrington scored 26 for the Knicks, who won for just the second time in 12 games and clinched the season series against the Pistons for the first time in nine years. — AP

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Caps spoil Miller’s return

PARIS: Spain open their campaign to clinch the first hat-trick of Davis Cup wins since the United States in 1972 with a home tie against Switzerland yesterday but neither Rafael Nadal nor Roger Federer will be involved. The

BUFFALO: The NHL-leading Washington Capitals upstaged US Olympic goalie Ryan Miller’s return to Buffalo by beating the slumping Sabres 3-1 on Wednesday. Mike Green snapped a third-period tie, Jason Chimera scored and Boyd Gordon added an empty-net goal for Washington, while goalie Jose Theodore finished with 23 saves.

Hours after acquiring four players at the trade deadline, the Capitals ended a three-game losing streak in their first game following the Olympic break. Miller made 37 saves in his first start since leading the United States to a silver medal and being selected the tournament MVP. He received a long pre-game standing ovation from the home fans. Jochen Hecht scored for Buffalo, which has won only one of its past nine.

Canucks 6, Red Wings 3 In Detroit, US Olympian Ryan Kesler scored twice, and gold-medal winning Canadian goalie Roberto Luongo made 28 saves as Vancouver downed Detroit. Alex Burrows, Kyle Wellwood, Sami Salo and Mikael Samuelsson also scored for the Canucks. Jason Williams, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen netted for Detroit.

Avalanche 4, Ducks 3 In Anaheim, California, Colorado snapped Anaheim’s 11-game home winning streak. Matt Duchene scored the go-ahead goal with 11:51 to play and Peter Mueller scored in his Avalanche debut. Chris Stewart and T.J. Galiardi also scored for Colorado.

Teemu Selanne scored his 598th goal, annd Scott Niedermayer and Jason Blake also netted for the Ducks.

Wild 4, Flames 0 In Calgary, Canada, goalie Niklas Backstrom made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season as Minnesota downed Calgary. Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette each had a goal and an assist for Minnesota, while Kyle Brodziak and Martin Havlat also scored.

Blackhawks 5, Oilers 2 In Chicago, the hosts made it five wins in six games by defeating Edmonton. Niklas Hjalmarsson, Dustin Byfuglien and Jonathan Toews all scored in the third period for Chicago. Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland also netted for the Blackhawks, who outshot Edmonton 47-14. Robert Nilsson and Shawn Horcoff scored for the Oilers, who have lost seven of their last eight.

Panthers 7, Flyers 4 In Sunrise, Florida, Florida ended a season-worse seven-game losing streak by dominating Philadelphia.

Michael Frolik scored twice and David Booth had a goal and three assists for the Panthers. Booth also fought with Flyers captain Mike Richards, whose hit in an October game caused a concussion that forced Booth to miss 42 games. Bryan McCabe had three assists and had an empty-net goal, and Steven Reinprecht, Jason Garrison and Stephen Weiss added goals for the Panthers. Daniel Briere, Jeff Carter, Ville Leino and Ryan Parent scored for the Flyers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped. Carter has scored in six consecutive games, tying three others for the longest streak this season.— AP

Spain gunning for Davis Cup hat-trick

Tennis

BUFFALO: Alex Ovechkin No.8 of the Washington Capitals has the puck swept away by Tyler Myers No.57 of the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena. — AFP

NHL results/standings WASHINGTON: National Hockey League results and standings after Wednesday’s games: Washington 3, Buffalo 1; Florida 7, Philadelphia 4; Vancouver 6, Detroit 3; Chicago 5, Edmonton 2; Minnesota 4, Calgary 0; Colorado 4, Anaheim 3.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF New Jersey 38 21 3 166 Pittsburgh 37 22 4 198 Philadelphia 33 26 3 190 NY Rangers 29 27 7 165 NY Islanders 26 29 8 164

GA 147 181 169 170 197

PTS 79 78 69 65 60

Ottawa Buffalo Montreal Boston Toronto

Northeast Division 36 24 4 179 33 20 9 169 30 28 6 168 27 23 11 150 19 32 11 163

183 158 177 158 213

76 75 66 65 49

Washington Atlanta Tampa Bay Florida Carolina

Southeast Division 42 13 8 250 27 24 10 186 26 25 11 162 25 28 10 164 25 30 7 173

178 196 189 185 195

92 64 63 60 57

Chicago Nashville Detroit St. Louis Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 42 16 5 207 34 23 5 174 29 22 12 165 29 25 9 168 25 28 11 169

153 176 172 174 207

89 73 70 67 61

Vancouver Colorado Calgary Minnesota Edmonton

Northwest Division 39 22 2 204 36 21 6 184 30 24 9 156 31 27 4 175 19 38 6 158

158 164 160 178 220

80 78 69 66 44

Pacific Division San Jose 40 14 9 207 157 89 Los Angeles 38 20 4 190 167 80 Phoenix 37 22 5 169 163 79 Dallas 28 22 12 176 191 68 Anaheim 30 26 7 180 193 67 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

Gonzalez endures odyssey to make Israel tie Djokovic to lead Serbia at home to US MADRID: Fernando Gonzalez took three days to travel back from Mexico for Chile’s delayed Davis Cup first-round tie against Israel but is hoping a win can lift his compatriots’ spirits after last weekend’s deadly earthquake.

Because of the transport chaos cause by the disaster, the Chileans’ tie against Israel in Coquimbo will start on Saturday, instead of Friday when the seven other first-round matches begin, the International Tennis Federation said on Wednesday.

World number 10 Gonzalez lost to Spain’s David Ferrer in the semi-finals of the Acapulco event on Friday and arrived in Santiago on Tuesday lunchtime after an odyssey including four flights and rides in a taxi and a

van.

“The Davis Cup issue is a difficult one,” Gonzalez said on his website ( w w w. g o n z a l e z t e n i s . c o m ) , adding that he had not slept properly for three nights. “On the one hand, it’s uncomfortable to have to concentrate on playing when you know there are people suffering. “On the other, I believe that if we manage to beat Israel we will be bringing a little bit of happiness to all the people who have suffered so much in recent days.”

Champions Spain begin the defense of their title against Switzerland on clay in Logrono without world number three Rafael Nadal, who is recovering

from the knee injury that forced him out of the Australian Open.

The Spanish, bidding for a third straight Cup, are also missing world number 12 Fernando Verdasco and in-form Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former number one, has withdrawn due to knee and wrist problems.

With current number one Roger Federer unavailable, Switzerland are led by Stanislas Wawrinka and will attempt to become the first country to beat the Spanish at home in 19 ties stretching back to 1999.

“The strength of this team is that there are a lot of top quality players who are committed,” Spain captain Albert Costa said at a news conference on Wednesday. — Reuters

absence of the two superstars of world tennis is indicative of the current problems facing the supreme team title in tennis that was first contested in 1900. With the physical demands on players more and more acute, the big names in the game are opting out of defending the colours of their respective countries in the competition.

Federer and Nadal apart, this week’s World Group first round ties will be notable for the absences, either through injury or choice, of Juan del Potro of Argentina, Andy Roddick of the United States and Russia’s Nikolai Davydenko. British No 1 Andy Murray meanwhile has declined selection for his country in the zonal third-tier match against Lithuania. Doubts over the future of the Davis Cup were voiced at the Australian Open in January when it was confirmed that discussions were underway to develop a credible alternative to the gruelling three-day format that would be acceptable to the players.

To date, those talks have remained at the exploratory stage but how successful is this year’s competition will be closely watched by all concerned. In the absence of the injured Nadal, Spain have been able to exploit their strength in depth to align a powerful looking claycourt team of David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Nicolas Almagro and Marcel Granollers.

Without Federer, Switzerland will look to Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli, but they face a daunting challenge as Spain are unbeaten in their last 18 home ties dating back to a loss to Brazil in 1999.

The United States are the most successful country in Davis Cup history with 32 titles, but they will also start underdogs away to Serbia who will have World No 2 Novak Djokovic as their spearhead backed up by Victor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic. The Americans, who last won the Davis Cup in 2007, have gone for youth and height in the towering shapes of John Isner and Sam Querrey with the Bryan twins Mike and Bob again holding down the doubles berth. Isner reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and captured his first ATP title in Auckland, New Zealand, last month.

Querrey went 0-2 in his Davis Cup debut against Spain in 2008. US captain Pat McEnroe said he was hopeful of pulling off an upset.

“We are very excited about John and Sam joining the Bryans to lead our Davis Cup team,” he said. “Both guys have really stepped up their games and are more than ready to take on the challenge of going on the road to face Serbia. “We have had great commitment from our players in the past and expect the same from John and Sam in the years ahead.”

Highly-fancied France open with a home tie against Germany with JoWilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils ably backed by a doubles team of Mikhail Llodra and Julien Benneteau.

Germany are without veteran campaigner Tommy Haas. — AFP

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India’s Chandhok secures F1 drive LONDON: India’s Karun Chandhok will make his Formula One race debut with HRT this season, the new Spanish-based team said in a statement yesterday. The 26-year-old Chennai-born driver will partner Brazilian rookie Bruno Senna at the cash-strapped team, who have changed their name from Campos Meta, when the season starts in Bahrain next week. “We have been very impressed with Karun’s performance in GP2,” said team principal Colin Kolles.

“It will be great for the sport to have an Indian driver on the grid for the first Indian Grand Prix.” India, with a circuit under construction near New Delhi, is due to make its debut on the race

USF1 ruled out for 2010, no replacement calendar next year.

The only other Indian driver to have raced in Formula One was Narain Karthikeyan for the Jordan team, at the time also run by Kolles, in 2005. Chandhok also partnered Senna, nephew of the late triple

Motor racing world champion Ayrton, in the GP2 support series.

HRT, also known as Hispania Racing F1 team, changed their name this month after Campos were bought by Spanish businessman Jose

Ramon Carabante. The Cosworth-powered car, which has not been tested ahead of the March 14 season opener, was unveiled yesterday in the southeastern city of Murcia where the first Spanish F1 team will be based.

In another development, Formula One will have 12 teams this season, instead of a planned 13, after a late replacement for the USF1 entry was ruled out by the governing body on Wednesday.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that USF1 had “indicated that they will not

be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.

“Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage.” The decision ended the hopes of Serbian-backed Stefan GP, who were waiting in the wings to take the stricken American team’s place at next week’s seasonopener in Bahrain.

The FIA said it would announce shortly details of a new selection process “to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the

MONTMELO: Renault’s Polish driver Robert Kubica drives during a training session at Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona. — AFP

Alonso joins the Ferrari family LONDON: As a lover of magic tricks and sleight of hand, Fernando Alonso should be just the man to conjure up something special at Ferrari this season. The 28-year-old Spaniard arrives at the Italian glamour team ready to write a passionate new chapter in his Formula One career, with obvious parallels to the debut of Michael Schumacher 15 years earlier. Then, as now, Ferrari were acquiring a driver at the peak of his powers who had won two world championships as undisputed number one at a sometimes controversial team run by Italian Flavio Briatore.

Schumacher, who went on to become the most successful champion in Ferrari’s history with seven titles and 91 race wins, had triumphed with Benetton while Alonso won with their successors Renault. There are also obvious differences between the two, not least the fact that Alonso-who beat the German to the championship in 2005 and 2006 - is a Latin with a fluent command of Italian.

Schumacher, who will be making his comeback with Mercedes at the age of 41, was worshipped by the ‘tifosi’, the loyal Ferrari fans, for his absolute dominance but his Teutonic reserve always created a barrier. With Alonso, the love-in has started already as he prepares to take on Schumacher-in one

of the compelling storylines of the season ahead-with the Maranello team that was once the German’s second family. “I’ve felt comfortable from my first day,” the Spaniard said back in January. “The team has welcomed me like a family. Ferrari, I think, is something unique in Formula One.” LATIN FAMILY He made similar comments this week to Spanish reporters, highlighting the sense of being part of one big Latin family. “They are relaxed and more Latin in everything,” said the passionate Real Madrid fan. “People run, shout, they improvise more, have ideas about everything.

“Maranello is also incredible for any driver, all the history...” added Alonso, who said in October that he wanted to see out his career at Ferrari. “I was more nervous when I got into a Minardi for the first time. “The day I first drove a Ferrari was another fiesta for me. I felt proud and it was more a day to enjoy than of nervousness.” Behind all the cosiness, however, lurk some hard realities not least the fact that the last Latin driver to win a title with Ferrari was Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio in 1956.

Alonso’s Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa, a driver who got the better of 2007 world champion Kimi

Raikkonen for most of the past two seasons, has no intention of settling into a subservient role. Massa, returning from the life-threatening head injuries he suffered at last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, is also a well-entrenched and much-loved member of the Ferrari family. If the Brazilian picks up where he left off, Massa will be the toughest team mate Alonso has had since the champion paired up disastrously for one season with then-rookie Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2007.

SINGLE POINT Headlines suggesting that Alonso could be Ferrari’s savior after a poor 2009 season will be brushed aside by a man who missed out on the championship by a single point to Hamilton the previous year. “He has won the world championship twice and it’s always good to have good drivers in a good team,” Massa told F1 Racing magazine’s March edition. “But, to be honest, me and Michael were doing a great job in 2006 and me and Kimi did the same for three years after that.

Now we have a different driver, but I would say that he’s at a similar level to us really. “To be honest, everybody in Formula One is beatable. And Fernando is definitely beatable too.” — Reuters

start of the 2011 season.”

Charlotte, North Carolinabased USF1 had planned to become Formula One’s first all-American team in more than 40 years but struggled to raise funding during the worst economic downturn to hit America since the 1930s.

Principal Ken Anderson had said on Tuesday that his team, one of four newcomers planning to debut this season, had asked to defer their entry for a year and had meanwhile told employees to stop work at the factory.

USF1 had previously announced a deal for Argentine Jose Maria Lopez to drive for them. Lopez’s management has since terminated the contract.

Stefan GP, run by Serbian

businessman Zoran Stefanovic and encouraged

by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, had agreed a deal with Toyota to use the cars they had built for this season before the manufacturer pulled out at the end of last year.

Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima would have been one of their drivers while Canada’s former world champion Jacques Villeneuve had also been in contact with the team, who had not taken part in any testing.

The absence of USF1 left Virgin Racing, Malaysian-backed Lotus Racing and the renamed HRT F1 (formerly Campos Meta) as the three completely new teams. — Agencies

Button turns the wheel full circle LONDON: Jenson Button was almost a write-off before he seized the Formula One title with Brawn last year and he starts the new season with critics again ready to scrap his chances. The conventional wisdom has it that the 30-yearold Briton is on a hiding to nothing against compatriot Lewis Hamilton, the younger team mate who wants to take back the championship he won in 2008.

Some, such as retired triple champion Jackie Stewart, have warned Button that he is making a big mistake in stepping into the “Lions’ Den”. Four other champions polled in F1 Racing magazine this month all voted for Hamilton as top dog. That may not be the case and it is certainly not how Button sees it. Like 1996 world champion compatriot Damon Hill before him, he is a lot quicker and more accomplished than many give him credit for. In many respects the pressure is off, even if the McLaren line-up is presented as a battle of Britons that has to end up with a winner and loser.

There has been a spring in Button’s step since he started preparing for next week’s season-opener in Bahrain, a smile on his face and a new ring of confidence since he took the crown in Brazil last year. Much is made of McLaren being Hamilton’s second family, a team that has backed the 25-year-old Briton since he was a boy in gokarting. However the first Formula One car that Button ever drove was a McLaren and he has always been a fan of the team, even if it has taken him more than a decade to turn the wheel full circle.

MOST COMPLETE The reason for that has to do with circumstances, early reputations, the fickle nature of the sport and McLaren’s previous reluctance to take on a driver not already a proven winner. Second chances in Formula One are also about as rare as commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone being outfoxed in a business deal. Button was locked into a longterm deal with Honda and did not figure on McLaren’s radar when they needed a second driver to partner double world champion Fernando Alonso for the 2007 season. They ended up signing Hamilton.

“If you take out the recognized top three (drivers), one of whom (Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher) retired, we felt that in looking at the others...there was no-one who really shone,” former team boss Ron Dennis said at the time. At the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that same year, Button had a nightmare in his Honda while Hamilton excelled in the GP2 support series.

“After a terrific win on home soil, one British race star deservedly milked the applause from 80,000 fans,” declared the Sun newspaper’s race report. “And then there was Jenson Button.” Until last season, nobody would have given Button any chance of driving for McLaren. But that was before he won six of the first seven races of 2009 and opinions changed. “In Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the grid but also the two most complete, professional and dedicated drivers in Formula One,” McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said in November. — Reuters

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UAE Khalid Al-Qassimi takes early lead in the Kuwait rally KUWAIT: The UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Ulster co-driver Michael Orr held a 0.1-second overall advantage after a thrilling opening super special stage of the 2010 Kuwait International Rally, round two of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) yesterday afternoon. A large crowd gathered to watch the 27 starters tackle the challenging 3.5km stage, but the Ford Fiesta S2000 driver weathered the sandy conditions to seal the overnight advantage.

Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel completed the stage in second overall in a Peugeot 207 S2000 and the local crew of Meshari and Fares Al-Thafiri rounded off the top three in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Only five seconds separated the top six drivers.

Kuwait’s Meshal Al-Nejadi dropped over 40 seconds to the leading group, but there was better news for Saleh Bin Eidan. He held eighth position after the opening super special stage. Third-placed AlThafiri complained of strange noises emanating from his engine after the special. Cars were flagged away

FIA Middle East Rally Championship, round two

KUWAIT: Leading drivers joined KMSC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Dawood AlSabah and clerk of the course Walid Mihyar at the pre-event press conference for the 2010 Kuwait International Rally. from the start at the Kuwait Towers in Kuwait City by Sheikh Ahmad AlDawood Al-Sabah, President of the KMSC and Chairman of the Organising Committee.

The event is being organized by

the Kuwait Motor Sports Club (KMSC) under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah. Jordanian driver Amjad Farrah withdrew shortly

Tiger’s caddy ‘mad’ at his boss over scandal WELLINGTON: Tiger Woods’ caddy is mad at his golfing superstar boss over a string of adulterous affairs and said he would have blown the whistle if he had known about them. “I’m a straight-up sort of person. If I had known something was going on, the whistle would have been blown,” Steve Williams told New Zealand commercial television network TV3. Williams said he was angry after the revelations about the golfing superstar emerged but said his role was to be a friend to Woods. “Of course I’m mad at him, why would you not be?” Williams said. “I’m close with his wife and he’s got two lovely children and he’s let them down.

“When a guy’s having a tough time, it’s not up to me to beat him with a stick right now.

He’s getting enough grilling from everybody else.

“Tiger’s one of my closest friends and he needs my support right now and I’d never think of walking away.”

The New Zealander said he had not talked to Woods about the scandal since it engulfed the player in November, when reports of infidelity threatened his marriage, destroyed his clean-cut image, and put his spectacular career on hold.

“When I talk to him, I don’t talk to him about what’s happened. I talk to him about the future and about what we’re going to try to accomplish and how we’re going to get over it.” — AFP

MINNESOTA: This file photo shows US golfer Tiger Woods of the US and his caddie Steve Williams looking at a shot on the 18th green during round one at the 91st PGA Championship at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. — AFP

before the start to concentrate on his planning for the Jordanian WRC round later this month and there were three car changes down the field. Michel Saleh opted to drive his older Subaru Impreza N12,

Sheikh Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani wheeled out the ex-Nizar AlShanfari Subaru Impreza N14 and Qatar’s Khaled Al-Suwaidi was forced to take part in his recce Subaru Impreza N12 instead of his original N14, because of engine damage sustained by the newer model. Leading drivers, including Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi, Mufeed Mubarak and Misfer Al-Marri, joined Sheikh Ahmad Al-Dawood Al-Sabah and clerk of the course Walid Mihyar at the pre-event press conference on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, today teams will tackle six gravel and sandy special stages in the Kuwait desert, with competitive action getting underway at 08.56hrs with the 34.72km Al-Salmi stage. Runs through the 33.16km Al-Alatraff and 12.00km Shooting Club stages follow, before crews return to the main service park at the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex. The three stages are repeated today afternoon, with crews tackling a total of 163.26km of special stages. The event finishes tomorrow afternoon.

Never a dull moment around Christina Kim GOLD COAST: Christina Kim began her golf season with a minor bus accident in Thailand, played okay in Singapore last week and missed her flight to Australia’s east coast because she got the departure time wrong.

Just another few weeks in the often wild life of Kim, American-born of Korean parents who says “I can’t be tamed.” Kim, known for her outlandish clothing and outgoing personality, arrived at the ANZ Australian Ladies Masters a day late because she thought her overnight flight from Perth on Australia’s west coast left at 11:50 pm Tuesday. It left at 11:15, without her. “I was pushing it a little bit as it was,” she said. She made the most of her unexpected extra night in Perth, spending it at a rock festival with musician friends, got up at 5 am and went to the airport.

On Feb. 19, her transportation problems took on a more dangerous turn when Kim was shaken but unhurt when the player bus crashed leaving the course near Pattaya, Thailand. The accident involving a bus, truck and a police car happened when Kim was returning to her hotel after the second round. Kim gave her version of the accident on Twitter and posted photos that showed minor damage to the three vehicles involved. Her first tweet read: “OMG the bus I was riding in got into an accident and 3 vehicles (our bus, big rig truck our police escort) were involved, but no one was hurt.”

“I still have the jitters 45 min afterwards.” Kim finished tied for 40th in Thailand, tied for 29th in Singapore a week later and shot a 1under-par 71 Thursday in the first round of the Australian Masters, five strokes behind the leader, American Amanda Blumenherst. “Today I hit a lot of quality shots, ‘c’est la vie’ putts - they didn’t drop, simple as that,” Kim said. “I hit 15 or 16 greens today and just looked like a five-year-old around the greens.” “Just a few degrees off. I’m in a good place right

now where the golf course definitely fits my eye very well. It’s just a matter of getting the ball to go underground.”

Kim seems to be in a good place all the time - on the course, off the course, with whomever she meets.

She’s one of the most popular players in women’s golf due to her honest approach. “I don’t have any time in my life to be dishonest,” Kim said. “I don’t have the energy to exert to be anything than who I am. I’m genuine.

I understand golf tends to be a more reserved game and more traditional if you like, but I can’t change,” She loves to chat to the kids carrying the scoreboards in her group, stops a spectator when she see an unusual piece of clothing or jewelry and is just, well, always happy.

“I like to think that I’m bright and very happy because of the very fortune and blessed life,” Kim says. “I try to see the positives in everybody.”

Kim has a book coming out next month in the United States called “Swinging From My Heels,” but she says it’s unlikely to upset anyone. “I mention a few names, but I’m pretty friendly with most of the players out there,” Kim said Thursday. “So, I do mention a few names and I don’t say anything negative by any means.”

Here’s a few snippets from the book which were published in Thursday’s Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: “If one of the guys on the PGA Tour is feeling lonely, there is always a nice selection of so-called rope hoppers, those pretty young things who show up at tournaments in short skirts and ... heels and preen by the gallery ropes, hoping to attract a wandering eye,” Kim said in the book.

Of the LPGA Tour, she writes: “I’m sure the average golf fan would be shocked to know how much we talk about sex during tournament rounds ...” Her opinion is given on just about anything she’s asked, and that includes players who take too long to hit their shots. — AP

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Resilient Arsenal just will not lie down LONDON: Arsenal have twice looked dead and buried in the Premier League title race this season yet a healthy home win against Burnley tomorrow (1500GMT) could see them back on top with just nine games remaining. First place, though, could be short-lived as Manchester United are in action at Wolverhampton Wanderers later in the day (1730). But whatever happens at Molineux, Arsenal’s resilience this season has been admirable.

A crushing 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea at the end of November left them 11 points off the pace, yet they fought back to top the table seven weeks later. Defeats by

Manchester United and Chelsea again had them nine points back at the start of February and the championship was again seemingly a two-horse race. Yet again though they bounced back and, helped by surprise defeats for their rivals, they are again pushing for their first title since 2004.

“People were saying we were not good enough but we kept the confidence really high because we know we have the players and the quality to do it,” defender Gael Clichy said this week. “Of course, when you find yourself 11 points behind the leaders you ask yourself: ‘It’s going to be really difficult. Are we capable of doing it?’ and a few weeks later you find

yourself back in the title race and that’s a good feeling. “So that shows you the character in the squad and, once again, with the players we have, I’m sure we can do it.” Chelsea lead the way with 61 points ahead of United on 60 and Arsenal on 58. All three teams have played 28 games.

MENTAL STRENGTH Arsenal battled to a 3-1 victory at Stoke City last Saturday in a game overshadowed by the appalling double-leg break suffered by 19-year-old Aaron Ramsey.

“The title race will be tight until the end but this group is so strong mentally and have a unity so Aaron’s injury will give us one more reason to fight until the end

and do it for him,” said manager Arsene Wenger said.

The Frenchman is unhappy at what he feels is a conspiracy designed to try to kick his team off the pitch but is also delighted that his young, talented but generally lightweight side has stood up well to their weekly physical examination.

Burnley, fighting an increasingly desperate battle against relegation, will no doubt do their best to outmuscle their hosts but with 13 defeats and a draw from their 14 away games this season the odds are very much against them. United return to league action following the enjoyable diversion of their 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the League Cup final and they also face a team battling for survival.

Leverkusen happy to settle for 2nd again MUNICH: Bayer Leverkusen, still unbeaten after 24 matches in the Bundesliga, have become famous for finishing second and coach Jupp Heynckes would still be happy to settle for the runners-up spot again.

Leverkusen set a Bundesliga record for the longest unbeaten run in a single season when they drew 0-0 at home to Cologne last Saturday.

However, rather than celebrate the achievement, the team sometimes called Neverkusen, were left ruing two dropped points which allowed Bayern Munich to overtake them at the top.

Leverkusen visit struggling Nuremberg at the weekend hoping to regain the leadership as Louis van Gaal’s Bayern, who are top for the first time in 18 months, have a tougher assignment at Cologne.

Bayern have 52 points from 24 games, two more than their rivals, with Schalke 04, who visit mid-table Eintracht Frankfurt, another two points behind in third spot. “If we finished second but unbeaten, then we would still have had an exceptional season and we would qualify directly for the Champions League,” Heynckes told the Bild newspaper. “We mustn’t forget the type of team we have got in Leverkusen and the possibilities that Bayern have,” added Heynckes, referring to the Bavarians’ greater financial resources.

Leverkusen have never won the Bundesliga, but finished runners-up four times between 1997 and 2002.

In 2002, they famously lost a fivepoint lead in the closing stages of the Bundesliga and were beaten in both the Champions League and German Cup finals. Heynckes, who was also in charge of Bayern when they set the previous record of 23 unbeaten Bundesliga games in 1988-89, added that he was not giving up. “There are still 10 rounds of matches to go and it would be too early to talk about that now,” he added. “Furthermore, we still have to play at home against Bayern, Schalke and Hamburg.”

Nuremberg are 16th in the 18-team table, occupying the relegation playoff spot. Bayern will be missing Argentine defender Martin Demichelis for their visit to Cologne on Saturday after he was injured in his country’s 1-0 win over Germany in Munich on Wednesday.

At the bottom, Hertha Berlin with 15 points, have a tough trip to fourthplaced Hamburg SV while Hanover 96, who are two points above in 17th, visit 15th-placed Freiburg hoping to end a run of nine straight defeats. — Reuters

LEVERKUSEN: Leverkusen’s striker Stefan Kiessling jumps over Cologne’s Brazilian defender Pedro Geromel during the German first division Bundesliga football match in the western German city of Leverkusen. — AFP

Sevilla look to wingers to crack the Bernabeu Real defend perfect home league record MADRID: Sevilla’s pace on the counter-attack is the key to spoiling Real Madrid’s perfect home record in La Liga, Brazilian midfielder Renato has said ahead of their trip to the Bernabeu tomorrow (2100 GMT). Second-placed Real have won every game in front of their own fans, conceding only eight times and racking up an intimidating 41 goals.

Sevilla have only scored 36 in 24 games all season. But the King’s Cup finalists are one of only three teams to have beaten Real this season, along with Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, having won 2-1 at the Sanchez Pizjuan back in October.

Renato, who has a knack of scoring against Real, netted the winner that day and is confident his side can complete a double over their illustrious opponents.

“We have to get everyone in the frame of mind that Real are dangerous, but that we also have to

attack them,” Renato told the club’s website (www.sevillafc.es). “We have players who are very quick on the counter-attack. We have to make Real suffer and show what we are capable of doing.” Flying wingers Jesus Navas, Diego Perotti, and Diego Capel carry Sevilla’s threat down the flanks, and it looks likely former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo will lead the line. Brazil’s Luis Fabiano has been suffering with a chest injury while Mali’s Frederic Kanoute has struggled of late.

DEVASTATING FORM Sevilla lie fourth in La Liga on 43 points, three behind third-placed Valencia, but they are well off the pace in the title race with Real a distant 16 points ahead of them.

Manuel Pellegrini’s team have crushed recent rivals in the league with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain in devastating form. They are two points behind leaders

Barcelona but will have one eye on next week’s Champions League visit of Olympique Lyon, when they need to overturn a 1-0 first leg defeat.

Barca could have opened up a fivepoint lead by the time Sevilla take to the Bernabeu, with Pep Guardiola’s team visiting improving Almeria at 1900 GMT. The south-coast club are climbing away from the relegation places under new coach Juan Manuel Lillo and are unbeaten in five league games. Barca have labored to recent wins and will be without suspended defender Gerard Pique, with Seydou Keita and Eric Abidal out injured. Valencia are hit hard by suspensions to first-team regulars with goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez, defenders Carlos Marchena and Miguel and midfielder Ever Banega all missing for the visit of Racing Santander on Monday (2000 GMT). — Reuters

Wolves were fined for fielding a weakened team in their 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford in December but, with manager Mick McCarthy running out of games to sacrifice if they want to escape the drop, they will come out all guns blazing at home.

Hull City, currently occupying the third relegation position above Burnley and Portsmouth, are behind Wolves on goal difference only but they too have a tough examination with a trip to Everton on Sunday.

Liverpool will hope to take advantage of the absence of their rivals in the battle for fourth when they visit Wigan Athletic on Monday (2000), while West Ham United host Bolton Wanderers tomorrow (1500). — Reuters

Roma’s Toni poised to return against Milan ROME: Luca Toni looks set to make his return from injury for AS Roma at home against AC Milan in tomorrow’s (1945 GMT) battle between Inter Milan’s two closest rivals for the Serie A title. The forward joined third-placed Roma on loan in the transfer window seeking regular action to boost his chances of making Italy’s World Cup squad after falling out of favour at Bayern Munich.

After making a promising start, Toni’s plans were set back by a calf injury in January but he returned to training with his team mates this week and Italian media expect him to feature at some point as Roma bid to pull level with Milan in second place. Chilean midfielder David Pizarro might return from a calf problem too, but skipper Francesco Totti will probably miss out again with the latest of a string of injuries. Roma’s midfield and attack may have been reinforced but coach Claudio Ranieri is likely to be more concerned about the defensive blackouts that have cost his side recently.

The Rome club let a two-goal advantage slip in the closing stages of last week’s 2-2 draw at Napoli, days after conceding three goals in six minutes in a 3-2 home loss to Panathinaikos as they crashed out of the Europa League 6-4 on aggregate. Those lapses could be why Ranieri has said several times that his side had no chance of catching Inter, who are seven points ahead of them. Milan, who are four points behind the leaders, are less coy about their title ambitions. “If we conquer three points against Roma we can really think about winning the championship,” Brazil centre back Thiago Silva was quoted as saying by Thursday’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

A lot is riding on the next few days for Milan, who visit Manchester United in the return of their Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday needing to reverse a 3-2 deficit. In-form Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato looks certain to miss the Roma clash and has an outside chance of playing in Manchester. His compatriot Mancini is expected to come in this weekend, with David Beckham favorite to fill in at Old Trafford against his old club. Milan’s Clarence Seedorf has fitness problems too and fellow midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is suspended this weekend.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho will have to watch Sunday’s home game against Genoa (1945) from the stands as he serves the second part of a three-match touchline ban for a controversial handcuffs gesture made in a draw with Sampdoria two weeks ago. — Reuters

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Friday, March 5, 2010

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Stoke dream of belated semi-final redemption

GLASGOW: Czech Republic’s Roman Hubnik (left) heads the ball towards goal past Scotland’s Alan Hutton (center) and Gary Caldwell, (right) during their international friendly soccer match at Hampden Park, Glasgow. — AP

Scots end home drought Levein off to winning start GLASGOW: Craig Levein’s reign as Scotland manager got off to a winning start on Wednesday with Scott Brown firing them to a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic at Hampden. There had been four managers and 14 years since Scotland last won a friendly at home and it didn’t look like this was going to change in a match where the Czechs who will renew acquaintance with their opponents in the Euro 2012 qualifiers dominated for long spells.

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky created numerous opportunities for his teammates and keeper Craig Gordon was the busiest goalkeeper as he kept Scotland in the game. However a good move just after the hour mark saw Brown lash in from close range to break the Hampden hoodoo. Kris Boyd, making his return from self-imposed international exile, also had the ball in the net in the final minute but it was ruled off-side.

Levein thought the result was important to put a smile on his players’ faces. “We needed to show a certain amount of resilience and a lot of effort to contain a very good Czech side,” Levein said. “We are trying to build some sort of harmony and momentum before the qualification games start.”

His Czech counterpart Michal Bilek believed that his side should have prevailed. “It is quite a shame that we didn’t succeed as I thought we were the better team,” he said. “With one attack the Scottish team managed to beat us.”

There were few survivors from the starting line-up that lost to Wales in Scotland’s last game with Graham Dorrans a late replacement for the injured James McFadden. The Czechs bossed the first-half. Tomas Necid found Jaroslav Plasil early on and the Bordeaux midfielder tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards that Gordon

watched go round the post. Plasil was involved again when he got up in front of Gordon to connect with Michal Kadlec’s free-kick from the right but he flashed his header over.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Kadlec should have done better when Plasil’s floated free-kick reached him at the back post but the ball hit him and went harmlessly wide. A mistake from Darren Fletcher allowed Rosicky to pick out Vaclav Sverkos in the box but Gordon stood up well to block his point-blank shot with his body. Scotland survived a scare when they managed to clear off the line from Roman Hubnik after Plasil had flicked on Rosicky’s corner at the front post.

As the game edged towards the break Scotland began to enjoy more possession. Dorrans picked out Barry Robson whose inviting cross was cleared as Kenny Miller looked to connect with it. Jaroslav Drobny was finally forced into a save on the stroke of half-time when he got a hand to Robson’s curling free-kick from the edge of the box. The Czechs started the second-half strongly and once again had the Scots confined to their own half.

Rosicky was almost unplayable and from his clever cut-back Sverkos drilled a fierce shot at Gordon who made a fingertip save to force it over the bar. A great Czech passing movement ended with a teasing cross from Ondrej Kusnir which somehow evaded Necid and Sverkos in the box as Levein’s side lived dangerously. But it was Scotland who took the lead completely against the run of play through Brown in the 62nd minute. Lee Wallace’s cross from the left was headed back into the box by Darren Fletcher and Brown was there to lash the ball into the net off Drobny. —AFP

Bordeaux to unwrap the surprise package PARIS: Girondins Bordeaux host surprise package Montpellier in a top-of-the-table Ligue 1 clash on Sunday knowing they must keep up the momentum as they struggle to cope with the pressure of battling on three fronts. The champions, who ended Olympique Lyon’s seven-year reign last season and enjoyed a ninepoint lead before Christmas, still top the table on 51 points with two games in hand but are only ahead of promoted Montpellier on goal difference.

The postponement of their last two league games, run to the League Cup final against Olympique Marseille on March 27 and return leg of the Champions League last 16 tie with Olympiakos, which they lead 1-0, means they face a grueling schedule. They are also being chased by improving Lyon and Marseille with the former have recovered their winning touch after a disappointing first half to the season. Lyon could even reclaim top spot with a win at second-bottom Boulogne on Saturday (1800 GMT) and are confident they can play a leading role until the end of the season.

GOOD PHASE “I always said we could only play better. We are going through a very good phase and some people could be on for a big surprise,” international defender Jean-Alain Boumsong told reporters after Lyon beat Nice 2-0 last weekend. It was their seventh game without defeatincluding six wins-since the winter break helping them climb from sixth spot, 13 points off the pace, on Dec. 23 to third place and within two points of the leaders. “This sequence of good results has brought us confidence but we have to keep up the rhythm until the end of the season,” said coach Claude Puel. Marseille, fourth on 48 points after three straight wins, host ninth-placed Lorient on Sunday full of confidence after beating FC Copenhagen in the last 32 of the Europa League and thrashing arch-rivals Paris St Germain 3-0 away last weekend. PSG are now 12th on 33 points and in crisis after one of their fans suffered a life-threatening head injury in a fight between rival groups of supporters before Sunday’s kick-off. Chairman Robin Leproux said on Tuesday that “a new level of urban guerrilla warfare” had been reached and has ordered the club to stop selling tickets to supporters for away games. PSG visit Racing Lens, also with 33 points tomorrow. — Reuters

LONDON: Stoke City fans have had precious little to celebrate in 122 years but victory at Chelsea on Sunday would put them one game away from reaching the FA Cup final for the first time while reviving some painful memories. Having already knocked out Manchester City and Arsenal this season another upset against the holders is entirely possible and the Stamford Bridge clash (1600GMT) has set the Potteries abuzz with nostalgia. Stoke were founder members of the Football League in 1888 yet their only-ever trophy is the 1972 League Cup when they beat Chelsea in the final.

That success came in their all-too brief “glory years” and was sandwiched by two controversial extra-time FA Cup semifinal defeats by Arsenal that still hurt to this day. In 1971 Stoke led 2-0 at Hillsborough only for Arsenal to make it 2-2 with a penalty after a then-unheard of five minutes of injury time and win the replay 2-0 en route to the Double. The following year they drew again - despite Arsenal having to play the last 15 minutes with striker John Radford in goal after an injury to Bob Wilson.

Stoke led in the replay only for Arsenal to level and then win the game with a goal

by Radford. Local legend has it that Radford was miles offside but that the linesman mistook a white -coated programme seller for a white-shirted Stoke defender and allowed the goal. “It beggars belief,” former Stoke winger Terry Conroy recently said of the incident. “I look back on my career with no regrets apart from those two games - it would have meant so much to the club and the area.”

Stoke never reached even the quarterfinals again until this season and although the Cup has nothing like the prestige it carried in those days, victory on Sunday would be huge. At 83 years Reading’s wait for a sixth-round appearance has been far longer and the only non-Premier League side left in the competition will hope to match their 1927 achievement of reaching the semis by beating visiting Aston Villa on Sunday.

Despite struggling near the foot of the Championship (second division) they have accounted for Liverpool, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion this season.

Villa, beaten in the League Cup final by Manchester United last weekend, will be desperate to secure a return to Wembley, where both semi-finals are played.

Portsmouth, adrift in the Premier League and in debt-ridden administration, can briefly forget their woes when they host Birmingham City in the first of the quarter-finals on Saturday (12.30).

The 2008 winners had a moraleboosting 4-1 win over local rivals Southampton in the last round and a place in the semi-finals would be a fitting reward for the fans who have been so impressive despite the chronic mismanagement of their club. Fulham host eight-times winners Tottenham Hotspur in an intriguing all-London clash on Saturday (1720) when Roy Hodgson’s improving side will hope to do better than at the same stage last season when they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Manchester United. — Reuters

LONDON: England’s Peter Crouch (center) jumps for the ball during their international soccer match against Egypt at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. — AP

England humble Egypt as Spain blank France European heavyweights experience mixed fortunes MADRID: World Cup title hopefuls Spain, England and Argentina seized moraleboosting victories in warm-up matches on Wednesday. European champions Spain comfortably saw off France 2-0 in Paris while a double from Peter Crouch helped England fight back to beat visiting Egypt 3-1. Gonzalo Higuain scored a stunning goal as Argentina won 1-0 in Germany and Netherlands beat United States 2-1 in Amsterdam. Uruguay were 3-1 winners in Switzerland but world champions Italy could only draw 0-0 with Cameroon in Monaco. First-half goals from David Villa and Sergio Ramos put a dominant Spain in charge against former world champions France and their hold on the game was rarely threatened.

The hosts continued to look short on confidence after having qualified for the World Cup via a controversial playoff against Ireland and the crowd vented their frustration by whistling under-fire coach Raymond Domenech during and after the

game. “This was a very important game.

To beat a world champion like France gives you confidence,” Spain captain Iker Casillas told reporters. African champions Egypt outplayed England in the first-half at Wembley, a superb goal from Mohamed Zidan giving the visitors a deserved lead.

Crouch helped turn the game around for England after the break with a goal either side of a well-taken effort from Shaun Wright-Phillips.

HIGUAIN GOAL Argentina striker Higuain staked his claim for a place in coach Diego Maradona’s starting line-up with a wonderfully-taken goal against Germany, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper before finishing from 30 metres out. After some unimpressive displays Argentina were the better team against the Germans, who only came to life near the end. The Dutch needed a Dirk Kuyt penalty and a deflected shot from Klaas Jan Huntelaar to ease past the

Americans while in-form Diego Forlan set Uruguay on their way to a 3-1 comeback win in Switzerland.

Other sides warming up for the World Cup with victories were Slovenia, who thumped Qatar 4-1, and Portugal who defeated China 2-0 in Coimbra. Nigeria eased past Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 while World Cup hosts South Africa fielded a weakened team at home to Namibia and needed a goal from Katlego Mphela to grab an unconvincing 1-1 draw.

Midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic shone for Serbia in their emphatic 3-0 victory in Algeria, Ghana lost 2-1 in Bosnia and Ivory Coast slumped to a 2-0 defeat in London against South Korea. Other sides bound for the finals who failed to impress were Greece who conceded late goals to fall 2-0 at home to Senegal. Slovakia were beaten 1-0 by Norway, Denmark lost 2-1 in Austria and Honduras slumped 2-0 in Turkey. In other friendlies, Sweden won 10 in Wales thanks to a superb volley by Johan Elmander. — Reuters

International friendly results Portugal England France Scotland Albania Belgium Germany Netherlands Italy Slovenia Wales Austria Luxembourg Switzerland Poland South Africa Hungary Romania Malta Turkey Algeria Kazakhstan Nigeria Bosnia Angola Cyprus Slovakia Armenia Macedonia Ivory Coast Greece

2 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 4 0 2 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 5 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 0

China Egypt Spain Czech Republic Northern Ireland Croatia Argentina U.S. Cameroon Qatar Sweden Denmark Azerbaijan Uruguay Bulgaria Namibia Russia Israel Finland Honduras Serbia Moldova DR Congo Ghana Latvia Iceland Norway Belarus Montenegro South Korea Senegal

0 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 2 3 0 1 1 2 2 0 3 1 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 2