07 April by Kuwait Times

ON SC RI PT I SU B

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Amir launches Mubarak Al-Kabir seaport project

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JAMADI ALAWWAL 4, 1432 AH

Advantage United as Rooney stuns Chelsea

Back to square one: Oppn set to quiz PM MP Waalan calls for severing ties with Iran

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By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Kuwait and only Kuwait By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

heikh Nasser is back on track. I don’t know whether I should congratulate the prime minister for being the permanent PM or whether I should express my sympathy as this will be the seventh time for him to take office. Every time the government faces a serious grilling, the only solution seems to be a Cabinet resignation and reinstatement of the prime minister. By now we know the drill and we expect it. This, by the way, is the norm in many countries. What is not normal in the country is that the same prime minister is coming back every time. Myself, I do not mind him being in office. I like Sheikh Nasser. In fact I feel sorry for him because whatever he does, he is still rejected by most of the MPs. They pin Kuwait’s many failures for many years on Sheikh Nasser. In all fairness, Sheikh Nasser cannot take the blame for the piling up of wrongdoings and unsolved problems for the past 30 years. MPs do the same with every minister who comes in. Be it the minister of finance, oil, electricity and water or education. The minute a minister sits on that chair, immediately grilling threats start pouring in. Mind you, I am not against grillings. The parliament is there to investigate and grill when necessary. But for God’s sake! For example, the guy has just taken the health ministry’s portfolio and he would need a minimum of a year to study all his ministry’s mistakes, pluses and minuses. The same applies to the minister of education, electricity and power or any minister who the minute he/she sits on that chair, MPs do not give him or her a chance at all. He is immediately held responsible for his predecessors’ decisions and wrongdoings. By the way, I have never heard of good-doings. Don’t these guys do any gooddoings ever? I am sure they do, but that is not the priority of the parliament. Sheikh Nasser has not formed a government yet and grilling threats from some MPs have been on the way. MPs make you feel as if they have an agenda when they insist on such grillings. There is the other option which can save the country all the headaches, the grillings, the resigning of the Cabinet, the reappointment of the prime minister again and maybe the dissolving of parliament. The solution is for both sides, the government and MPs, to reach a consensus. I don’t think we in Kuwait or in the Gulf region are in a good position to go after self-interests. The interest at this time should be Kuwait and only Kuwait.

RIYADH: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is received by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah as Ambassador to the US Adel Al-Jubair (center) translates at the king’s Riyadh palace yesterday. — AP

Gates meets Saudi king Strapped Saudis shun politics RIYADH: US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates held talks in Riyadh yesterday with Saudi King Abdullah, with both sides concerned by Iranian intentions in the region and spiralling unrest in Yemen. “We talked about developments all over the region, obviously talked about Iran,” Gates said following the meeting. “We talked about how to prevent disruptive actions and extremist organisations trying to take advantages of the turbulences in the region,” he added. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states have traded accusations with Iran of meddling and interference, especially over the tiny Sunni-ruled, Shiitemajority kingdom of Bahrain that lies to Saudi Arabia’s east, and is a key US ally and home to the US Fifth Fleet. “We already have evidence that the Iranians are trying to exploit the situation in Bahrain and we also have evidence that they’re talking about

what they can do to create problems elsewhere,” Gates said. Saudi Arabia led a joint Gulf force that deployed there last month, enabling Bahraini authorities to quell Shiite-led protests calling for democratic reforms. On Sunday, foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), of which Saudi Arabia is a leading member, accused Iran of interference in the aﬀairs of Bahrain and Kuwait in a campaign to destabilise the region. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded by saying that the United States and its allies pressured the Gulf Arab states to make the accusations against Iran, and demanded Saudi forces leave Bahrain. The meeting was Gates’ ﬁrst with King Abdullah since the monarch returned home in February after months of treatment abroad Continued on Page 14

Weird and wacky at Geneva show

Sudan accuses Israel of fatal strike on car KHARTOUM: Foreign Minister Ali Ahmad Karti accused Israel yesterday of carrying out an air strike a day earlier on a car on Sudan’s Red Sea coast that killed two people. Karti’s charge came as a number of Israeli newspapers spoke of the same thing, but the Israeli military and foreign ministry both declined to comment. “From yesterday, we have indications that the attack was carried out by Israel. We are absolutely sure of this,” Karti told a news conference in Khartoum. The minister said that in recent days “there have been allegations from Israel that Sudan is supporting some Islamic groups”. “This is not true. When Israel makes these allegations, it is trying to justify what it did yesterday.” In response to a question, Karti said he did not know the identities of the people who had been killed, but insisted they were ordinary Sudanese citizens traveling from the airport. “We don’t know why Israel targeted these people,” he added. On Tuesday evening, at around 10:00 pm (1900 GMT), an unidentified plane flew in from the Red Sea and fired a missile at a small car travelling from the airport to Port Sudan, killing both passengers and destroying the vehicle, the head of the state assembly told AFP. A police spokesman confirmed the attack, which took Continued on Page 14

KUWAIT: Opposition MPs said yesterday that two grillings will be submitted against Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah after the formation of the new Cabinet. Spokesman for the Popular Action Bloc MP Musallam Al-Barrak said the grilling the Bloc has threatened to submit before the Cabinet’s resignation still stands and will be submitted soon after the new Cabinet is formed. Barrak said the grilling request will be reviewed with various parliamentary groups and MPs and will be based on reports of the Audit Bureau, the accounting watchdog. The lawmaker claimed that the return of Sheikh Nasser is a return to the political crisis because he has failed in six previous cabinets. Barrak said the timing of the grilling will be determined after a meeting with the Reform and Development Bloc expected to take place today, and said the bloc is ready to combine the two grillings of the Popular and Reform blocs into one. MP Waleed AlTabtabaei of the Reform Bloc told reporters that the Popular Action Bloc will file to grill the premier immediately in the first parliamentary session after the new government takes the oath in the National Assembly. The second grilling will be filed later by the Reform Bloc Sheikh Nasser along with MP Mohammad Hayef, Tabtabaei said. The Popular Bloc warned to grill Sheikh Nasser if he was asked to form the new Cabinet. Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Tuesday asked Sheikh Nasser to form the new Cabinet less than a week after it quit after three grillings were filed against three senior members of the ruling family. The Reform Bloc grilling is about why the Kuwaiti government has not dispatched troops to Bahrain as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) force to help the government of Bahrain against Shiite-led protests. The grillings if submitted are expected to trigger a new political dispute between the opposition and the government of Sheikh Nasser which will be his seventh Cabinet since he was appointed to the post in Feb 2006. Islamist MP Khaled AlSultan predicted in press statements yesterday that the new government and the Continued on Page 14

ABIDJAN: Soldiers loyal to Alassane Ouattara prepare to deploy at a checkpoint at one of the principal entrances to Abidjan yesterday. — AP

Ouattara forces move in on Gbagbo’s bunker ABIDJAN: Forces loyal to Ivory Coast’s internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara attacked Laurent Gbagbo’s residence yesterday, determined to remove him from his bunker and end his hold on power. Gunﬁre erupted near Gbagbo’s home and the presidential palace, witnesses said, amid a fresh assault to force him to end his decade-long rule of the world’s number one cocoa producer after losing November elections. “We are going to take Laurent Gbagbo out of his hole and hand him over to the president of the republic,” said Sidiki Konate, spokesman for the pro-Ouattara forces. “We are going to his residence to fetch him and

put an end to this comedy... This charade must end because the country is collapsing,” he said. Gbagbo was holed up with his wife Simone and a few others in his residence in Abidjan’s northern suburb of Cocody, defiantly refusing to acknowledge he had been beaten at the polls by his longtime rival. After hours of fighting in the morning, the heavy weapon fire stopped in the early afternoon and two United Nations mission (UNOCI) helicopters flew low over the districts housing the palace and Gbagbo’s residence. In France a government source said Ouattara forces had launched a final assault after Continued on Page 14

GENEVA: Inventors from 45 countries are laying out their weird and wacky wares at the world’s biggest inventions fair in Geneva this week. Creations include intelligent footwear and a kangaroo tail for humans. Peyman Sarhadi of Iran says his “smart boot” uses sensors to collect data such as the wearer’s pulse and temperature and send them to base camp. He says the boot can also measure radiation levels and is already being tested by Iran’s army. Italian Emanuele Lopopolo hopes his portable backrest will catch investors’ eyes. It allows the wearer to take a break from standing by leaning back onto a retractable pole. Other designs include a mouthwash dispensing toothbrush, a Braille photocopier, a foldable tandem and a vertical garden. The fair opened yesterday and runs until April 10. — AP

GENEVA: Iranian Payman Sarhadi presents his “super smart boots” at the 39th International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and Products yesterday. — AP

Gulf between Gulf rivals gets stormy CAIRO: Inside a Kuwaiti palace, military brass hosted senior NATO envoys to discuss closer ties and possible joint naval maneuvers. At the same time in Tehran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was belittling the Western-allied Gulf states for casting Iran as a regional menace. The contrasting events this week highlight much more than the Gulf ’s well-

known tensions between Iran’s regional ambitions and the close Gulf Arab bonds with Washington and other Western allies. This is a lesson in the new tone of the Gulf after the jolt of the Middle East uprisings: louder, more confrontational and pulling the region’s Western-backed militaries out of their Continued on Page 14

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

LOCAL

‘Free cancer treatment for expats the best news ever’

Kuwait Digest

Regular consultations!

Expats represent 40% of cancer patients at KCCC By Ben Garcia

By Ahmed Essa

KUWAIT: The oﬃcial memo from the

fter trying all possible options to prolong its tenure as the longest cabinet in office, the government finally made up its mind and resigned. Although longevity in office is not the way for a political evaluation, it ought to be taken into consideration in Kuwait. The final days of the previous cabinet witnessed various grilling motions filed against ministers that are the descendants of the Sheikh Mubarak the Great. They chose to leap into resignation to avoid the unsafe tunnel of sectarianism. However, since Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad AlSabah announced his willingness to face the grilling motions in a public session he will have to fight his way back into the same offices he once held and be ready to face future grilling so as to not be accused of fleeing from a confrontation. While appointing Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah to his seventh term as a prime minister, there seems to be indications that future ministers will fall into three categories; members of the ruling family, specialists or tribal and political bloc representatives. Soon, Kuwait’s skies will be filled with ministerial test balloons, including names of possible nominees for certain portfolios of whom some are worthy of trust and respect while others will make one laugh his heart out. This means that the new cabinet will be formed according to the late Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah’s formula; replace five ministers, reshuffle five and appoint five new ones. On its first day, after taking the oath before the parliament, the new government will announce that it came to finish some important issues, vow to protect national unity, enforce the law, respect the constitution and cooperate with the parliament. Meanwhile, the cabinet will justify its resignation by failing to cooperate with MPs that are abusing their constitutional tools. “This tension placed personal interests ahead of public ones and made it impossible to cooperate,” they will say, and the parliament will be dissolved to announce new parliamentary elections. Each time a new cabinet is formed we gather up our hopes and dreams for a better Kuwait where laws are applicable and not only heard of in statements, where fighting corruption becomes a reality and not merely a motto or slogan - hand them to the new cabinet and wait to see them realized. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: The second Kuwait Services and E-Systems Conference got underway at Kuwait University yesterday, with the event taking place under the auspices of the country’s caretaker education minister, Dr Moudhi Al-Humoud.

Kuwait Ministry of Health (MoH) concerning the waiving of medication fees for expatriate cancer sufferers undergoing treatment here had still not been issued as of yesterday. Dr Murali Gopal, consultant and oncologist at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) told Kuwait Times, however, that whilst the health ministry has not yet issued the oﬃcial notiﬁcation of its policy to waive medical fees for cancer medication for expatriates, many expatriate patients have already been receiving free or virtually free cancer medication for some years. “The cancer patients here have been receiving virtually free treatment for a long time,” he explained. “They’ll only start paying for followup and payment for some expensive medications available only for Kuwaitis. Even this is sometimes free because charity organizations are willingly helping those cancer patients.” Dr Gopal said that the new directive is great news for the expatriate patients receiving cancer treatment at the KCCC who receive some help from charities to help defray treatment costs, who make up almost 40 percent of the total number of patients there. “There are some medicines and

procedures that are absolutely very costly, but even those amounts are being shouldered by some nongovernmental organizations who are helping cancer patients. So expat cancer patients here virtually get their treatment also free,” he explained. Cancer patients receive the necessary ﬁnancial assistance from the Patient Helping Fund and other charitable and non-governmental organizations operating in Kuwait, most of which are run by members of the Kuwaiti ruling family, explained a Kuwait Times source. Dr Gopal asserted that the health ministry’s new directive would give an immense boost to the morale of expatriate patients and give a new impetus to the ﬁght against cancer. Caretaker health minister Dr Helal Al-Sayer issued the directive last week ordering that cancer medication fees for expatriates, especially those with valid residency visas, should be waived. This means that the MoH will no longer charge expatriates for cancer diagnosis and treatment at any of Kuwait’s state hospitals or medical centers. “For me the news is absolutely the best news I have ever heard in Kuwait so far,” exclaimed one expatriate cancer patient, speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity. “I have paid for several procedures already since some of the

services are free only to Kuwaitis,” the patient continued. “For us expats, we have to pay several procedures like CT-Scans, ultrasound and MRI. But now, hearing the good news makes it absolutely worth living. That news is really good since even back home [in his home country] I have to pay huge amount of money and if the Kuwaiti government waives the fees, it will help us a lot, especially those patients on low income.” The patient further explained that other medication and follow up treatment for cancer can be prohibitively expensive. “There is one injection which cost KD800 per shot. Where do you think a poor patient can get that amount just for one injection?” he asked. “Some patients will just wait for a miracle to happen because they can’t afford the cost of medication. Some patients won’t come back any more and will await their destiny at home. With this new decision, they’ll definitely wish to live longer again!” he said ecstatically. As part of the new directive, members of Kuwait’s bedoon (stateless) population will also be exempted from having to pay fees for medical services at state hospitals and medical centers so long as they have valid identification cards issued by the Executive Committee for the Affairs of Illegal Residents.

Minister affirms vital role of labor unions KUWAIT: Labor unions play a signiﬁcant

role at the level of expanding basis of participation and achieving legitimate rights for their members through the legal and official channels, affirmed Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr. Mohammad Al-Afasi yesterday. The minister, speaking during a broad meeting with the board of the labor union of the ministry and a number of representatives of other unions, called for promoting the demands of these bodies through democratic means and dialogue,

without exerting pressures on the employers. He praised the government support for the workers’ unions aﬃrming their rights for freedom of expression and playing their role in the shadow of the laws and legislations. The minister discussed with the members of the federation a number of issues concerning the employees. For their part, the members of the union presented some demands of the employees and raised a number of problems facing them in the e-government project. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi with labor union officials.

MoE to celebrate Earth Day

KUWAIT: The Institute of Banking Studies awarded Boubyan Bank for sponsoring a TV show that they made and aired on Kuwait TV (KTV). During the ceremony the bank’s CEO and Managing Director, Adel AlMajid, was recognized and given an award for his participation in the program. IBS began airing the weekly show ‘Financial Highlights’ on KTV last October. The show, which is 16 episodes long, focuses on subjects related to daily banking and includes topics such as loans and online shopping.

Relief all round as sandstorms subside KUWAIT: Kuwaitis and expatriate residents of the country can breathe a sigh of relief as the wave of sandstorms which has blanketed the country finally shows definite signs of subsiding, with weathermen predicting fine weather for the next few days. Mohammad Karam, the head of Kuwait’s National Meteorological Center, said yesterday that the recent sandstorms had died down, with the last of the series taking place at around dawn yesterday following light showers. Karam explained that the sandstorms were caused by a low depression front from the southeast meeting with a high depression front from the northwest, which saw a fall in temperatures, along with high winds blowing large amounts of sand for some distance. — KUNA

Amiri Hospital to hold diabetes day KUWAIT: The Amiri Hospital is set to hold an open day to raise public awareness of diabetes at the Marina Mall this Saturday, April 9. Talking about the ‘For Lasting Health’ event in a press release issued yesterday, Dr. Abdul-Nabi Al-Attar, the senior clinician at the hospital’s diabetes unit, said that the activities will include lectures and the distribution of leaﬂets and advice about the best ways for diabetics to cope with the condition in both its Type 1 and Type 2 forms. All those visiting the stall set up at the mall for the occasion will be oﬀered free diabetes tests and medical checkups. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Education (MoE) is set to celebrate World Earth Day today by hosting an educational convention, which is to take place under the patronage of the Secretary General of the UNESCO Kuwait National Commission, Abdullatif Ahmed AlBaijan. The high-level event will shed light on the environmental protection campaigns undertaken at Kuwait’s state schools, explained the head of the ministry’s sciences division, Barrak Al-Barrak. The convention, which parents are welcome to attend, will also feature the performance of a play, as well as an exhibition of environmentally-friendly inventions created by the students. The event is being held ahead of Earth Day, which takes place on April 22, in order to ensure that it does not coincide with the period of local school examinations, AlBarrak added. This is the ﬁrst time that the ministry itself has marked the annual event, with schools celebrating it individually in previous years, whilst the ministry limited its contribution to awarding prizes for the best related projects by pupils. The ministry has again organized related competitions this year, with the best projects to be displayed during the convention. — KUNA

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Amir launches Mubarak Al-Kabir Seaport project

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah patronized and attended the foundation-stonelaying ceremony of Mubarak Al-Kabir Seaport that took place at Boubyan Island earlier yesterday. Upon arrival at the site of the ceremony, HH the Amir was received by Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Dr. Fadhel Safar, along with members of a welcoming committee. In a speech on the occasion, Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of State for Development Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad thanked HH the Amir for inaugurating the project, which, according to Sheikh Ahmad, bears great potentials and will achieve aspirations of the Kuwaiti people that had always desired the construction of this port in such a strategic and vital site in a bid to turn Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub. On his part, Minister Safar said, in his speech, that the idea of strategically-developing Boubyan Island and benefiting from its location and unique nature came out of

a vision to develop urban areas in Kuwait in order to transform the country into a regional and international ﬁnancial center, with all economic and infrastructural aspects taken into account. “ The port project will be executed through four phases; as we have already begun with phase-1, which includes establishing expressways and railways connecting all parts of the island, as well as building bridges for cars and trains. “Number of berths is expected to reach 60 with a depth of 20 meters each in order to accommodate large vessels. This would enable the port to receive incoming ships and stimulate cargo traﬃc, which would create new investment and job opportunities,” Minister Safar concluded. On his part, Hyundai E and C CEO Kim Joong-kyum said “this year marks the 50th anniversary of Independence of the State of Kuwait, the 20th anniversary for Liberation and the 5th anniversary of Your Highness the Amir assumption of power. “On this joyful occasion, I am pleased and honored to speak to you on behalf of contractors for the groundbreaking cere-

mony of Boubyan Port. Hyundai EC was founded in 1947 and have served as a driving force for Korea’s economic growth for the last 60 years. “With the experiences and technology thus accumulated, we will go out and turn the Mubarak Al-Kabir Seaport into the most representing, eco-friendly and multifunctional hub for harbor logistics, as well as the most pleasant residential area,” Kim said. He concluded by saying “I look forward to the continued support and encouragement from Kuwait’s government for the successful completion of the project”. Then HH the Amir electronically launched the project before leaving the ceremony. The ceremony was attended by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi, senior sheikhs, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and senior state officials. —- KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, senior sheikhs and officials at the foundation-stone-laying ceremony of Mubarak Al-Kabir Seaport yesterday.

145 movies, 31 video games banned in 2010 KUWAIT: The Ministry of Information last year banned a number of items, including copies of 145 movies and 31 video games from entering the country after the material in question was deemed offensive to Kuwait’s religious or moral values by ministry officials. The figures were revealed in the information ministry’s latest report released yesterday by its artistic works division responsible for monitoring cinematic and other media products. The report further noted that a total of 870 other items were also returned to the customs department after ministry inspectors deemed them undesirable for local consumption. It also revealed that the ministry collected more than KD13,000 in fees for licensing activities related to audiovisual production. — Al-Qabas

Japan food ban law KUWAIT: The Kuwait Municipality Food Safety Department yesterday tasked the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to issue a decision to ban the import of all foods from Japan and to analyze those from surrounding countries. The precautions are to be discussed in a meeting, and have been taken in consideration of the safety of the public on the dangers of food affected with radioactive pollution, Head of the ministry committee tasked with the issue, Mohammad Al-Otaibi said in a statement. This comes after Japan was struck by a large-scale earthquake and tsunami that caused damage to a nuclear plant, thus leading to radiation leakage. The committee will also discuss lifting the ban off the import of poultry from France. Meanwhile, a ban on Canadian beef will not be lifted, added the official. — KUNA

KNPC to celebrate golden jubilee on April 13 KUWAIT: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) said yesterday it would be celebrating its 50 year golden jubilee on April 13. KNPC has been carrying out the role of refining crude since 1960, Deputy Board Chairman and Deputy Managing Director, Asaad Al-Saad said in a press conference to announce the occasion. Its roles also include liquefying gas and marketing oil products on the local scale through the three refineries of Ahmadi Port, Shuaiba and Abdullah Port. The joint refining capacity of Kuwait is around 940,000 barrels-per-day, while the production capacity of liquefied gas is 1,680 million sq feet a day, he added. Thanks to modernized equipment used at these refineries, KNPC produces around 30 different types of petroleum derivatives, like kerosene, petrol and diesel, among others. The state-run company’s total commitment to providing the highest standards has resulted in exceptional accomplish-

ments in recent years, he said, in addition to significant improvements regarding its regulations on health, safety and the environment, Al-Saad noted. KNPC has luckily not been affected by any serious accidents lately, which has helped ease the assessments of it by insurance firms in spite of its considerably long timespan in operation. The company is currently planning to execute several large-scale dynamic projects, namely a fourth refinery, the production of environmentally-friendly fuel, a further two pipelines for liquefied gas, the removal of acidic gases project, and others on the way. KNPC’s sales are currently raking in KD 12 billion, with estimated profits of around KD 500 million following the financial year which ended on March 31. This presents a hugely significant rise since the first year’s minute profits of KD 830,000, Deputy Managing Director for Financial and Administrative Affairs, Fahad Al-Ajmi said. — KUNA

8,200 bedoons apply for birth certificates KUWAIT: More than 8,000 birth certificate applications have been submitted by bedoon (stateless) residents as of Tuesday this week after individuals in this group were recently given the opportunity for the first time to obtain official documentation of this nature. Speaking to local daily Al-Qabas, a security official said that 8,200 birth certificate applications had been submitted to the Ministry of Health’s births, deaths and marriages registry office by bedoon residents within the past couple of weeks. The official also revealed that a large number of bedoon people have registered their names with the Central System for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR), the body established by the government to resolve the problems facing Kuwait’s bedoon population. The security insider further explained that preparations are underway to enable the issuing of birth certificates to children whose parents are not registered with the CSRSIR.— Al-Qabas

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LOCAL

NA will be dissolved in two months after new premier reappointed: MP Al-Sultan blames govt for failures KUWAIT: Following the reinstatement of His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah as Prime Minister, a prominent anti-government MP has warned that parliament is likely to be dissolved within two months of the next government’s formation, as MPs present new interpolation and noncooperation motions against it. “Political tensions will be resumed, while a grilling motion with majority support and a non-cooperation motion will all lead to dissolving the parliament and holding early parliamentary elections,” predicted MP Khalid Al-Sultan following His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s reappointment of the premier to the same post. Al-Sultan also ridiculed rumors that HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed was being targeted by some ruling family members, insisting that Kuwait needs a PM capable of leading the country forward amidst a tense regional situation, principally concerning issues related to Iran after a spy network was sentenced last week. Whilst stressing his support for any grilling motion against the premier once the new cabinet is formed, Al-Sultan added that he “would not take part in such a grilling.” The MP also blamed the government and the National Assembly (parliament) speaker for other failings, saying, “The speaker, Jassem Al-Khorafi and the government were the main reasons behind delays in parliamentary sessions through lack of quorum,” and adding that the government had sometimes been represented at parliamentary sessions by only one minister. Al-Sultan further suggested that HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed’s return to the premier’s post would create more tension between the government and parliament, which could even extend to public marches taking place to protest against the premier’s reappointment. “I expect him to be grilled in no time, and

this time, it will be supported by a majority and then a lack of cooperation motion will be filed leading to dissolving the parliament,” he reiterated. Meanwhile, HH Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah is not expected to announce his new cabinet lineup before the end of this month after HH The Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah reportedly advised him to take all the time necessary to properly form his seventh cabinet, following his reappointment to the post. Either way, the premier’s decision about the new cabinet isn’t expected to be made until after a parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, returns from a foreign tour scheduled to begin this Sunday and to end on April 23. In the meantime, the circumstances which preceded HH Sheikh Nasser’s reinstatement are seen to be different than in previous cases. The conflicting political arguments and the circulation of a public petition calling for his replacement are considered by a number of political experts to be a violation of the constitutional regulations which give HH the Amir the sole authority to appoint or dismiss a Prime Minister. One high-level insider who’s familiar with the events that preceded HH the

Amir’s decision to reappoint the prime minister indicated that the Kuwaiti monarch is “disappointed” at the strategies used by some to oppose HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed’s reappointment to the post, including the circulation of a public petition. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the insider said that many see the reinstatement of the premier as HH the Amir expressing his rejection of “the violation of constitutional authority.” In the meantime, another source revealed that a group of anti-government MPs approached the Amiri Diwan prior to the announcement of the decision to reappoint HH Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed to the premier’s post with a request to meet with HH the Amir in order to explain their viewpoint and reassure the monarch that they do not have any personal grudge against HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed. The source explained that the delegation was set to be led by Ahmad AlSaadoun, fellow Popular Action Bloc (PAB) members Musallam Al-Barrak, Ali Al-Deqbasi, and Khalid Al-Tahous, as well as Development and Reform Bloc (DRB) members Faisal Al-Mislem, Jamaan Al-Harbish, Falah Al-Sawagh, and Walid Al-Tabtabaie, in addition to independent MPs Shuwaib Al-Muwaizri,

Salem Al-Namlan, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Daifullah Buramya, Khalid Al-Sultan, Husain Mizyed, Mohammad Hayef and Saifi Al-Saifi. The source added, however, that members of the National Action Bloc (NAB), the third main parliamentary antigovernment bloc, had been undecided on whether or not to join the delegation. In the meantime, said the source, Dr. Hassan Jowhar was reportedly waiting for the NAB to make a decision in order to make one in accordance. There may be one glimmer of parliamentary hope for the new government, with the recently-founded Constitutional Unit Bloc (CUB) suggesting that so long as the new government has a clear plan that it follows accurately to achieve national unity and meet the people’s aspirations it will have the CUB’s support. In its first official statement, the new bloc also called for young people’s ability and potential to be harnessed more, in order to utilize this group’s enthusiasm and capability. It also called for the appointment of an official government spokesperson and stressed that the cabinet members should be selected according to their skills and qualifications for the posts rather than for any other reasons. —Agencies

One dead, ten hurt in road accidents Teacher assault

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

CAIRO: Officials pictured with the second Kuwaiti aid shipment to Libya, sent by Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), which arrived in Libya yesterday through the eastern borders with Egypt.

Call to reject salary proposal By A Saleh KUWAIT: Official sources at the Civil Service Commission said a request has been prepared by the commission to ask the new council of ministers to disapprove of the requested salary structures being proposed by several government bodies, including that of teachers, that is currently being encouraged by the parliament. They said such a move would only open the door for similar demands and additional violations. The sources said the commission urged the new cabinet not to adopt the Civil Service Council’s decision, which called for a KD 100 increase for areas that do not have salary structures as a compromise.

1,000 Kuwaitis still to receive Amiri grant KUWAIT: Whist over 1,150,000 Kuwaiti citizens have received their KD1,000 Amiri grant awarded to all Kuwaitis on the occasion of this year’s major national anniversaries, a further 1,000 citizens have yet to receive the monies due to their failure to previously update their data with the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI). This was revealed on Monday by the chairman of the Government Performance Follow-up Apparatus, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, who is also the head of the commission established to supervise the payment of the Amiri grant. Speaking at an event held to honor the members of the working group responsible for the distribution of the monies, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah said that the individuals who have yet to be paid will received their funds shortly, explaining that a number of individuals studying in nations outside Kuwait have yet to collect their funds, which have been distributed in their bank accounts in the country. —Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: An 18-year-old Kuwaiti boy died, whilst a 31-year-old Indian man was injured in a car crash yesterday on Fahaheel Road near the Bayan turnoff. The injured man was taken to Mubarak Hospital, whilst the body of the deceased was removed for autopsy. In a separate incident, a 48-year-old Indian woman was rushed to Mubarak Hospital after suffering multiple injuries when she was hit by a car whilst crossing the road near the Salmiya fire station. In another accident, a pregnant 29year-old Kuwaiti woman was rushed to Sabah Hospital after complaining of stomach and back pain following a crash in Shuwaikh. Three others involved in the incident were also taken to the hospital with various injuries. Meanwhile, a nine-year-old Kuwaiti boy complained of pain in his back and left knee after he was hit by a car in Fintas. He was taken to hospital. In a separate incident, two men - a 20-year-old Kuwaiti and a 60-year-old Iranian - complained of severe neck pain following a collision on the Second Ring Road near the Qadisiyah turnoff. Both were taken to Amiri Hospital. In a sixth incident, a 43-year-old Indian tanker driver escaped with heavy bruising to his chest and left hand when his vehicle overturned on a road near the Fahad Al-Ahmad area after he lost control of the steering. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

A Kuwaiti schoolboy reportedly suffered severe injuries, including a perforated eardrum and swelling around and under one ear at the hands of a teacher, also Kuwaiti, at the school he attends, the Humoud Al-Barghash Intermediate School in Surra. After the boy returned home and told his parents what had happened, his father immediately took him to a local hospital where they obtained a medical report, which the enraged parent then took to the local police station to file a complaint against the teacher in question. The father has warned that if action is not taken against the teacher, he will pursue a case against the caretaker education minister, Dr. Moudhi AlHumoud.

KUWAIT: The Kuwait International Film Retreat started yesterday with a day of movie screenings and will continue with a number of film workshops before culminating in the Kuwait Young Film Contest awards ceremony on Friday evening. Films in competition for the Kuwait Young Film Contest (KYFC) will be screened at Al-Kout Mall Cinemas. According to the competition’s website, the KYFC is a way to support the art of film in Kuwait, nurture local talents, and help “develop their skills in everything related to the cinema industry.” According to Marwa Marafie, one of the Kuwaiti filmmakers whose film ‘Twist’ is being screened, the competition gave her the push she needed to show her film to the public. “The decision to join the competition wasn’t easy for me, especially as a Kuwaiti girl, because I worry about the perception of people and society,” Marafie explained. “There are, in fact, only two female directors participating in the contest but I hope that by taking part I can help encourage more people to participate in the future.” Musaed Al-Adwani, who acted in four of the short films being

Ship of the state on stormy seas By Sami Al-Nisf he constitution is a complete text, one cannot agree with part of it and disagree with another part. It clearly indicates that choosing the Prime Minister is the sole right of His Highness The Amir, as he has all the necessary information that may not be available to someone else. Additionally, these days we have an experienced leader who spent 40 years doing diplomatic work and being engaged in international politics, which qualifies him to know the region’s requirements. The quality of the incoming government should not depend solely on the government’s performance; it should be extended to citizens and the voters, who should look out for more than just their own interests. They should also urge MPs (the ones who represent them) to suggest what is good for the state as a whole. The same understanding should also go to the MPs. They should support the new government, regardless of who the prime minister is and who his cabinet members are. In the end they must remember that they are the sons of Kuwait, similar to the MPs. The ship of the state is going through some hard times these days, imposed upon by contentious international and regional subjects. This requires each of us to put more effort into ensuring that the ship sail in the right direction towards safe ports and a bright future. Media outlets also needs to respond positively. One should not sacrifice the interests of the state in return for small, personal gains. Playing it cool is required on board a ship that is sailing amidst stormy weather. Journalists should gather around this understanding and realize that protecting it is their top priority. At last, Kuwait is a small state and it is not in its interest to be an enemy with anyone. We should not fight the international community, led by the USA, a friendly country to whom we are indebted. The same thing goes to fellow Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) states. The desire to make friends and not enemies should be extended to our two neighbors, Iraq and Iran. We should not escalate matters with them. We should discuss their problems and work together to solve them. We should play a role similar to that of Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden and other countries. —Al-Anba

Farwaniya fall A 27-year-old Indian woman was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital after suffering a broken spine when she fell from a high window in the area.

Fight club A 30-year-old bedoon (stateless) man sustained lacerations to his nose and scalp in a fight in Sulaibiya. He was taken to Sabah Hospital.

Fire trouble A 28-year-old Kuwaiti man was treated by paramedics at the scene for breathing difficulties after being overcome by heavy smoke during a house fire in the Sabah Al-Nasser area.

KIFR hosts film competition, contest at Al-Kout Cinema By Sarah Alzouman

kuwait digest

screened, said that Kuwait has a real need for the retreat and film contest. “For years now Kuwaiti actors and filmmakers have had to travel around the Gulf and the Arab World for a chance to see each other’s work,” he said. “This interaction with peers, audience members and critics is an important part of filmmaking and it’s great to have that locally,” he said. The 27 short films in competition will be screened in three groups throughout the three days of competition and a detailed timetable can be found at the retreat’s official website, kuwaitfilmretreat.com. The films run the gamut from comedy to horror, action to romance. Some are fun and light hearted while others express religious, political or social messages. Filmmakers see the retreat as a first step towards the future of a Kuwaiti film industry. Meqdad AlKout, whose film ‘Shanab’ (Kuwaiti for moustache) is being shown explained, “Kuwait doesn’t really have any kind of film industry or infrastructure yet and an event like the film retreat help bring us closer to both. I think the workshops being offered as a part of the retreat are especially important in helping filmmakers grow.” Workshops will take place on

Thursday and Friday and include seminars on producing and releasing film by Gabriel Khoury and Hisham Al-Ghanim and a workshop on screenwriting and story development will be led by Mohamed Hefzy. Also, Sony’s latest cinematic digital camera will be unveiled at the event and presented by Aziz Al-Jasmi and Omar AlMasab. In addition to film competitions, an international feature film will premiere at the Kuwait International Film Retreat each evening at 7:00 pm. Yousef Al-Malek, General Manager of Cinemagic, said that each premiere is a red carpet, invitation-only event, attended by the director and stars of each film. Yesterday evening featured the premiere of the Egyptian film ‘Microphone.’ The British film ‘Made in Dagenham’ will be shown this evening and the Italian film ‘Il Padre e Lo Straniero’ will screen tomorrow following the KYFC Awards Ceremony. Four international films chosen by the Kuwait National Cinema Company (Cinescape) will be screened out of competition alongside the KYFC entries at Al-Kout Mall Cinema. The selected films are ‘The Aquarium’ (‘Genenat Al-Asmak’), ‘Never Let Me Go,’ ‘Source Code,’ and ‘Son of Babylon.’

KUWAIT: Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Abdullah Abdulhassan arrived in Benin yesterday to attend the inaugural ceremony for the countr y ’s new president, Boni Yayi, which Abdulhassan is attending as the official envoy for His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

‘Economic diplomacy’ used to promote Kuwait globally KUWAIT: In light of the global embrace of globalization and free trade, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is to incorporate a new ‘economic diplomacy’ strategy into its future policies in order to promote Kuwait as an international financial and commercial hub. In a report released yesterday by the MoFA’s economic unit, the ministry explained that, utilizing the new strategy, it will focus on building economic alliances with foreign countries and blocs, attracting foreign investment and persuading Kuwaiti businesspeople to invest their money in Kuwait. This approach aims to diversify the state’s income resources, enhance development and fur ther strengthen the economic and commercial relations between Kuwait and the other nations of the world, said the ministry’s statement. Through adopting this strategy, Kuwait is trying to create a more productive and competitive economy that is not based on oil only, the statement continued, adding that through this new policy direction, the country will also introduce economic, financial and administrative reforms to its economy and take all the necessary steps to improve the labor market. The new report also incorporates a long list of nonpetroleum-related investment oppor tunities in Kuwait. —KUNA

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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New Kuwait govt - seventh during era of Sheikh Sabah KUWAIT: The new government, to be formed after conclusion of current consultations by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will be the 28th to be formed since the declaration of independence on June 19, 1961 — the seventh during the era of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Provision 56 of the National Constitution, proclaimed in November 1962, states that HH the Amir shall name a prime minister following traditional consultations. HH is to relieve the premier of his post, along with the ministers, upon recommendations of the premier. Ministers are to be picked up from among the members of the National Assembly, others, and their number must not be larger than a third of the number of the members of the parliament. The first government was formed on Jan 17, 1962, during the era of the late Amir Sheikh Abdullah AlSalem Al-Sabah. It comprised 14 ministers and served for nearly a year. During the period between Jan 28, 1963, and Nov 17, 1965, three governments were formed under the chairmanship of the late Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem

Al-Sabah. The first one grouped 15 ministers, the second, 14 and the third, 13. Following demise of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem AlSabah, the 11th ruler of the country, and Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah’s accession to power, five governments were formed between Dec 4, 1965 and Jan 22, 1987 — under chairmanship of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The first one comprised of 13 ministers, the second and third, 14, the fourth 15, and the fifth 18. The 10th Cabinet was formed after the death of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and take-over of the top post by Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah-whose era was distinguished with the formation of 11 governments under chairmanship of the Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem AlSabah, and that was for 25 years between Feb 16, 1978, and July 6, 2003. The 10th government grouped 19 members. The 11th and 12th governments comprised 15 executives. The 13th one that was set up on July 12, 1986, was made up of 21 ministers, the 14th, formed only two months ahead of the Iraqi aggression, had 22 ministers. The 15th government, formed after the liberation

of the country, and was tasked with re-construction, grouped 15 ministers. The 16th, formed on Oct 17, 1992, comprised 15 executives, and 17th, 14 ministers, the 18th, the 19th and the 20th, 15 ministers. In the period between July 13, 2003, and January 2006, HH the Amir chaired a 15-member Cabinet. Following demise of the Amir Sheikh Jaber AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the take-over of the power by Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on Jan 29, 2006, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah headed six governments between Feb 9, 2006 and (the last) March 11. Sheikh Nasser’s governments grouped 15 members. The seventh, formed on February 2, 1971, was the smallest with only 11 members. Eight months after its formation, three more ministers were named, bringing the number to 14. The broadest government in the history of Kuwait was the 14th, formed on June 20, 1990, with 22 ministers. In the seventh legislative term of the parliament, elections of which were held on Oct 5, 1992, the largest number of the elected ministers were represented at the 16th line-up, with eight members. Sheikh Nasser is Kuwait’s fifth prime minister. — KUNA

8 Kuwaiti projects in World Summit Award

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior officially reopened the Jaber Al-Ahmad and Saad Al-Abdullah police station buildings that were temporarily closed for renovations. The reopening was attended by Assistant Undersecretary for Assisted Services Affairs, Maj Gen Eid Abu Slaib as well as the Managing Director of the Maintenance and Construction Department Abdul-Hakeem Abdullatif.

Kuwait Radio boosts national unity, renounces violence KUWAIT: State-run Kuwait Radio stations and their programs play a key role in spreading the concepts of national unity, and eschewing sectarianism along with featuring the cultural aspects of the country, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information Mohammad Abdulmohsen Al-Awaash said yesterday. A statement, made by undersecretary’s bureau yesterday, said that AlAwaash asserted during a meeting which he held with managers of radio stations the pioneering role played by Kuwait Radio in the Arab Gulf region and the Arab region as a whole through disseminating its media message and providing listeners with the biggest possible amount of information and updated news. He added that the meeting mulled the mechanism of the new radio program session for broadcasting stations which start as of next May and ends by the beginning of next month of

Ramadan. Further, he stressed giving full play to the civil servants at the Radio sector within such radio programs sessions whether when it comes to presentation, preparation or production, “in implementation of the principle of according justice to all staff,” along with stressing the role played by media experts and specialists who represent, “a gain to the radio field.” He also asserted the importance of paying attention to the human resources in radio whether through intensifying specialized training courses in various radio fields inside and outside Kuwait, adding that this helps upgrade the performance of the radio’s working staff. Finally, he commended the support lent by the Minister of Oil, Minister of Information Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah AlSabah, and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information Sheikh Faisal Al-Malek AlSabah for the radio sector. — KUNA

TEC extends deadline for discount offers center located on Gulf Road near the Company (TEC) has extended the period Sultan Restaurant. The offers include 50 visitors can make use of percent discounts on special discount offers tickets to the Ice Skating on entrance tickets for Rink and TEC’s swimits facilities until April ming pool complex. The 14. tickets also include 30 TEC marketing manpercent discounts on ager, Fahad Al-Masoud sea clubs memberships explained in a press in addition to KD 2 release that the decision entrance tickets to to extend the offer was Entertainment City. made due to popular Moreover, on April 14 at demand from citizens TEC’s information center and residents. The offer there will be a raffle allows people to obtain drawing for a 2011 Kia a 50 percent discount Cadenza as well as for on entrance tickets at Fahad Al-Masoud many other prizes. the TEC information

KUWAIT: The Touristic Enterprises

KUWAIT: Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS) announced Tuesday that eight Kuwaiti projects would be partaking in the E-Content and Creativity World Summit Award (WSA) scheduled in Hong Kong this month. Secretary General of Kuwait EAward Competition Engineer Manar Al-Hashash said that such competition, held every two years, chose the Kuwaiti project through a selection process that was carried out by five members of the judging committee of Kuwait E-Awards in 2010 and 2011. The Kuwaiti projects focused on E-Government, EEducation, E-Culture, E-Science, E-Content, E-Health, and E-Commerce categories, indicated Al-Hashash, adding that the WSA was recognized by the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) since the first event was launched in Geneva 2003. The final results of the is expected to be announced on April 18. — KUNA

Kuwait Digest

We need more than assurances By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

irst of all, I have to give credit to the Iranian foreign ministry for the civil way they dealt with Kuwait’s allegations of espionage activities, which perhaps were best represented by president Ahmadinejad’s evident assurances on maintaining the good relations between the two countries. That said - and while also bearing in mind that the Iranian approach could also be an attempt to cover up certain facts - the Iranian foreign ministry, as well as anyone trying to deny an Iranian intervention in Kuwait’s affairs, are encouraged to consider the fact that the allegations made by Kuwait are backed by proof; the court order is based on investigations from the public prosecutor and State Security Services. Not only is it unlikely, but it’s impossible that those three institutions are conspiring against Iran, the same way it is impossible that American intelligence services are conspiring against Iran as Ahmadinejad usually claims. The accusations of spying were first brought up a year ago but the Kuwaiti authorities decided to remain silent about it until the investigation’s results and judicial reports were released. After the court found evidence that convicted Iranian officials of espionage charges, and given the place from where the charges were issued, it must be recognized as honest and unbiased. Until proven other wise in the appeals’ court, the accusations against Iran remain a fact. Therefore, the Iranian foreign ministry is currently required to investigate the issue in Iran and look within the Iranian regime for those responsible for damaging their relationship with Kuwait. Kuwait is keen on mending the bilateral relations between the two countries. However, it must be hard for the country to ignore spying activities or for Iran to try and prove that they weren’t involved in espionage activities within Kuwait. — Al-Qabas

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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Asian trio arrested for medical clearance certificates forgery Attempt to abduct Kuwaiti woman foiled

AACC head hails Kuwaiti-Austrian cooperation VIENNA: The Secretary General of the Arab-Austrian Chamber of Commerce (AACC) Mouddar Khouja yesterday described the current level of cooperation between Kuwait and Austria as taking progressive steps forward. Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of a forum concerning the outlook for the Tunisian economy after the revolution there, Khouja said that the AACC has always sought to support Arab nations’ economies, and to encourage business ties between them and the Austrian economy. He also stressed the role played by the chamber in further increasing the volume of trade exchange between Arab countries and Austria, voicing hope that such economic ties would see the attain-

ment of brighter horizons, though he explained that the level of trade exchanges is still weighted toward the Austrian side. Khouja also stressed the signiﬁcance of the existing economic dialogue between the AACC and the State of Kuwait, saying that this helps bolster Kuwaiti-Austrian economic ties and bring them to a new height, further adding to the distinctive political relations binding the two nations. In conclusion, Khouja recalled last year’s invitation from the AACC to the Kuwaiti Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), inviting the KCCI members to pay a visit to Austria, noting that the KCCI chairman is a board member of the Arab-Austrian Chamber of Commerce. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Security officers have arrested three Asian men who forged medical clearance certificates, selling them for large amounts of money. After police received a tip-off about the men’s activities, an undercover officer posing as an expatriate wanting to buy a counterfeit license sought them out and arranged to buy one. The licenses are required by all expatriate workers seeking jobs in Kuwait, particularly in the public sector, in order to demonstrate that they have undergone the necessary medical tests and are clear of any infectious diseases. After the ringleader of the trio was arrested whilst handing over the counterfeit certificate to the undercover officer, he gave police the whereabouts of his two accomplices, who were also quickly detained. On searching the men’s residence, officers found a number of forged certificates together with counter feit stamps to authenticate them. Fraudster fiance A bedoon (stateless) man has been arrested after being charged with deceiving a Kuwaiti woman into having a sexual relationship. The woman told police in Hawally that she had been intimate with the man, who led her to believe that he was Kuwaiti, after he promised to marry her. On checking the man’s identity, police informed the accuser that her lover was actually bedoon. He has been referred to the Public Prosecution Service for legal action. Honey hustler Police are hunting for an Iranian man who fled from police who were about to arrest him for selling goods without a license. Police were called to a diwaniya in Shamiya where the man had been selling honey to guests without a license. On seeing the police, the vendor got

into his vehicle and drove away, passing several police vehicles. Although he was chased by police, the man managed to abandon his vehicle and escape on foot. On searching the car, police found a forged ID card and later discovered that the vehicle was registered to an Iranian resident who passed away some time ago. Attacker arrested A Kuwaiti man has been arrested for attacking a passerby with a knife whilst under the influence of alcohol. Police were called to the scene by other members of the public, who informed the officers that the knife-wielding assailant had approached a number of people in a belligerent manner before launching his attack on the innocent bystander. On arresting the attacker, police discovered that he was extremely drunk and had inflicted a number of minor injuries on himself with the knife. The injured man was taken to Mubarak Hospital and the assailant was taken into custody. Abduction foiled A Kuwaiti woman filed charges at Saad AlAbdullah police station against a male compatriot, who she said had stopped her vehicle before attempting to abduct her. The woman told officers that the accused man had forced her to the side of the road before attempting to drag her out of the car. Thankfully, other motorists responded to the woman’s cries for help and rushed to her assistance, forcing the would-be assailant to get back into his own car and flee the scene. A hunt is underway for the man. Blinded in bust-up A Pakistani construction worker was blinded

in one eye in a fight with an Arab colleague at a building site in Sulaibikhat. Witnesses said that following a verbal altercation between the two men, a physical fight ensued, with the Arab man punching his colleague in one eye, resulting in his coworker losing his sight in that eye. The Arab man fled the scene before the police arrived and a hunt is underway for him. The Pakistani man was taken to hospital for treatment. Conwomen captured A female Kuwaiti employee at a Government Mall center in Jaber Al-Ali has been arrested for abusing her position to forge residency visas in exchange for money. An investigation was launched after a Kuwaiti client discovered that twenty residency visas had been registered without his knowledge in the name of a business he owns. The investigations eventually led to the female officer, who was also discovered to have carried out several other similar transactions. She has been referred to the relevant authorities for legal action. In a separate case, an Asian woman was denied entrance to the country shortly after her arrival at Kuwait International Airport when customs officers discovered that she was attempting to use a forged passport in order to get into the country despite being previously issued with a banning order. The woman was taken aside for questioning after a check on her fingerprints showed that she had been deported from Kuwait on March 24 for involvement in prostitution activities. The woman subsequently admitted that she had put her picture in the passport of another woman who had never previously visited Kuwait in an attempt to circumvent the banning order. She was quickly deported back to her homeland. — Al-Qabas, Al-Rai, Al-Watan

Kuwait Digest

The sad reality of public education By Abdul-Aziz Al-Fadhli

D Governor of Hawally, Lt Gen Abdulla Al Faris (retired) with Gulf Bank’s team at the Bank’s stand

Students from the Autism Center with Nassour at the Gulf Bank stand

Gulf Bank sponsors autism annual charity bazaar KUWAIT: Gulf Bank recently sponsored the 5th Autism Annual Charity Bazaar, which was organized by the Kuwait Center for Autism and took place from March 31 until April 2, in line with International Autism Day. The event was held under the Patronage of the Governor of Hawally, Lt Gen Abdulla Al-Faris (retired), as part of a program to raise awareness about autism and autistic children amongst the community. Nassour, Gulf Bank’s well known cartoon character was present at the stand to entertain the children while they had their faces painted, and staﬀ handed out gift bags to all the visitors. On Saturday, April 2, International Autism Day, famous international chef, Adla Al-Sharhan created a number of delightful mouthwatering delicacies which was dedicated to children with autism. In addition, there was a viewing of a ten minute international

video about autism and how it affects people’s lives, which was dedicated to Kuwait. Hadeel Al-Fadhli, Manager, Marketing Dept at Gulf Bank said: “We are very proud to be so closely associated with this event. Autism is something which affects every community but is not always understood. This was a good opportunity to show people some of the many different aspects of autism and what it really means for the children, young people and their families. “We see Gulf Bank as a committed and socially responsible leading financial institution which is able to provide leadership, practical support and encouragement to all groups within Kuwait’s diverse community. Supporting this event reinforces our commitment not only to children with autism, but to the community.”

The Center’s students with Nassour at the Gulf Bank stand

Kuwait, Mexico discuss boosting relations MEXICO CITY: The Kuwaiti Ambassador to Mexico Samih Jowhar Hayat has discussed with Minister of Water and Public Works Dr David Korenfeld Federman, at the Kuwait embassy, means of boosting relations and coordination in all fields, according to an embassy statement released yesterday. The Kuwaiti ambassador, in the meeting with the Mexican minister, stressed on the importance of cooperation with Mexican companies regarding water and electricity to develop a plan to enhance this field in Kuwait. For his part, the Mexican official affirmed the deep-rooted relations with Kuwait, noting that these close ties would pave way for enhancing further the economic, investment, and commercial relations between the two states. —KUNA

A group of children getting their face painted at Gulf Bank’s stand

Kuwait Riders getting their hands painted at the Gulf Bank stand

Kuwaiti diplomat, LA sheriff discuss bilateral cooperation WASHINGTON: Kuwaiti Consul in Los Angeles, Abdulatif Ali Al-Yahya met yesterday with Los Angeles Sheriﬀ Leroy D. Baca, where they discussed ways to develop bilateral cooperation and overcome obstacles facing students. LA sheriﬀ expressed readiness to assist all Kuwaiti nationals, as the department also includes Arabic speaking assistance that are able to answer any enquiries and help over-

come any problems facing Kuwaiti students. Sheriff Baca presented a brief review of his participation in the conference on exchange of security information in LA in 2009. He added that he discussed during the conference ways to intensify international cooperation among States participating in review of laws on police and the exchange of information in the field of security and confi-

dence-building and work to understand the diﬀerent religions. He explained that it was agreed to convene a conference on this matter in the city of Abu Dhabi in the current year and welcomed the State of Qatar to host the conference in 2012. Al-Yahya and Sheriﬀ Baca took a short tour aboard a helicopter of the LA police which included a brief explanation of most vital facilities in Los Angeles. — KUNA

espite the fact that I am not a generally pessimistic person I still find so many reasons to feel depressed about the deteriorating situation of the country’s education sector, which for so long has suffered from neglect. A visit to a public school will put you face to face with a sad reality; that the country’s educational system is suffering. In some schools headmasters rarely repor t to their officers and instead attend to other activities that either regard the ministry or their other businesses. In such cases the assistant headmaster is left to handle all the school’s escalating problems, which the headmaster is usually just unaware of. When you move out of administration, the first thing that’ll catch your attention is the level of chaos spreading in schools, with kids walking around hallways and yards during class while others violate cultural customs or various rules. The reason such incidents occur is because of the level of neglect from various schools’ administrative staff who often fear what will happen if they try to take action against violators. Some walls and desks in public schools have obscene languages written all over them by students, including insults against teachers. In most cases the writing is left behind and no action is taken to determine who is responsible for the offense. The same thing often happens when students disrespect their teachers and are able to avoid being punished due to outside intervention commonly referred to as wasta. In the meantime, there are teachers that don’t commit to their duties the way they are supposed to. They either fail to attend class or fail to prepare for the class before they arrive. They also lack any sort of commitment to the educational or teaching process or are unjust in the way they assess students. Even when some school administrators want to reform their efforts they are stopped by officials in various Ministry of Education departments who often side with offensive students against the school. The sad reality at public schools have left many looking for alternative solutions, such as private English and bilingual schools. However, the fact that the fees of the majority of those schools cannot be afforded by many families leaves them no other choice but to stick with public schools despite knowing how they are deteriorating. Being a rich community we in Kuwait need highly qualified teachers in our public schools. We also have to adopt quality standards that include enforcing the law against violators. I personally hope that the new proposed salar y structure for teachers is enforced so that teachers can be encouraged to give more. At the same time however I urge the ministry to put stricter measures against teachers that fail to commit to their duties. — Al-Rai

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Japan stops nuclear plant leak; crisis far from over Page 12

SANAA: Anti-government protestors shout slogans during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh yesterday. — AP

Tens of thousands rally in Taiz, police fire shots Yemenis mass against Saleh in flashpoint city SANAA: Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis swarmed the flashpoint city of Taez yesterday in a fresh call for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign, as world anger mounted over a bloody crackdown on protests. “Leave Ali, leave” and “The people want to overthrow the regime,” the protesters chanted after converging on Al-Huriya (Liberty) Square, where regime opponents have been holding a sit-in since February. The protesters erected more tents in the square, blocking the city’s main road after more than 20 demonstrators were gunned down in clashes across the Arabian Peninsula country this week. Yesterday’s rally came a day after police shot dead one protester and wounded 30 during a demonstration in Taez, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of the capital, witnesses said. Following the latest bloodshed, strong statements condemning the violence were issued by the United Nations, European Union, and United States, which has considered Saleh a key ally in its fight against Al-Qaeda. But the death toll mounted as Saleh and his foes welcomed a proposal by Gulf states to mediate in their demands for the veteran president to resign and end his three-decade grip on power. Dissident General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar accused forces loyal to the president of trying to kill him on Tuesday in a deadly ambush in Sanaa. “Thanks to God and the vigilance of General AlAhmar, this plot was unmasked,” said a statement from his office. Security officials said the firefight between the rebel general’s armed forces and tribesmen loyal to Saleh’s regime killed five other people. On Monday, clashes with security forces had killed 19 people in Taez and Hudaydah on the Red Sea, prompting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to condemn the “disproportionate and excessive” use of force. “We are very alarmed by reports of disproportionate and excessive use of force, including machine guns, against peaceful protesters

by government security forces,” said Navi Pillay’s spokesman. White House spokesman Jay Carney said: “The United States strongly condemns the use of violence by Yemeni government forces against demonstrators in Sanaa, Taez and Hudaydah in the past several days”. “We call upon the government of Yemen to conduct full investigations into these events and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” Carney added.

In a further sign of ebbing support for Saleh, the statement called on him to resolve the political deadlock so that “meaningful” political change could take place in an orderly and peaceful manner. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited neighboring Saudi Arabia-like the United States, a close Saleh ally-yesterday for talks with King Abdullah on the situation in the region. Saleh “welcomed” an offer by Gulf Arab monar-

chies to act as mediators between his regime and its opponents, a statement said. Opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan agreed to Gulf mediation if it was meant “to discuss a transfer of power only”. But other figures in the opposition remained cautious. “We welcome any effort that would lead to (Saleh’s) immediate departure, but we haven’t received anything to discuss yet,” said Mohammed al-Sabri, anoth-

er top opposition official. According to medics and witnesses, about 125 people have been killed in Yemen’s crackdown on protesters, who launched nationwide demonstrations in late January to unseat Saleh, in power since 1978. Yesterday, Yemen’s authorities arrested eight anti-regime activists in the main southern city of Aden, as thousands also took to the streets of Hudaydah. — AFP “We announce our full

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Islamist campaign against Egypt shrines shows fears Shrine attack awakens old Salafist-Sufi tensions QALYOUB: Wielding crowbars and sledgehammers, two dozen Islamists arrived at the Sidi Abdel Rahman shrine in the middle of the night aiming to smash it to pieces. Word spread quickly through the narrow, dirt roads of the poor Egyptian town of Qalyoub. Within minutes, the group were surrounded and attacked by residents who rallied to defend the site revered by their families for generations. “They say the shrine is haram (something forbidden in Islam), but what they are doing is haram,” said Hussein Ahmed, 58, describing the shrine attackers as Sunni fanatics, at least two of whom witnesses said were then badly beaten. Acts of hardline vigilantism in Egypt are fuelling debate and concern about the role Islamists will play after the demise of President Hosni Mubarak, who suppressed Islamist groups which he saw as a threat to his rule. Seeking to ease concerns among moderate Egyptian Muslims, secularists and the Christian minority, the ruling military council has said it will not allow Egypt to turn into an Iran-style theocracy. The gang of bearded youths did limited damage to the Sidi Abdel Rahman shrine. The locals who thwarted their attack blame a break down in state control for allowing them

religious practice. Some of Egypt’s most famous shrines are also revered by Shi’ites. The attacks have spread beyond Qalyoub: arsonists set fire to a shrine in the Nile Delta town of Tala on Sunday, security sources said, widening the scope of a campaign that has echoes of Pakistan. Sunni hardliners have blown up shrines there. Some accuse the media of exploiting a handful of cases to scare-monger: playing on fears of Islamists suppressed by Mubarak to strengthen the case of conservatives seeking a return to the authoritarian ways of his regime.

by the attack on the Sidi Abdel Rahman shrine say Egypt’s new freedoms have gone too far. Some talked nostalgically about State Security, the internal spying agency which Mubarak used to suppress Islamists and other dissidents. Notorious for human rights abuses, it was dissolved in March in line with reformists’ demands. “ There is no government. Whoever wants to do something can do it,” said Ahmed, speaking next to a pile of splintered timber that was once part of the shrine. “It’s the first time it’s happened in Qalyoub and the government is doing nothing.”

CAIRO: In this file photo, hundreds of opposition Muslim Brotherhood supporters alleging electoral fraud chant during a standoff with riot police outside a counting center in the Shubra elKheima neighborhood. —AP to even try to impose their ideas on how Islam should be practiced. They say five other shrines have disappeared in Qalyoub on the northern outskirts of Cairo in the weeks since Mubarak was toppled from power, part of what Egyptian media has declared a campaign by ultra-orthodox Salafists. The head of Al-Azhar, Egypt’s most prestigious seat of Islamic learning, has called for efforts to confront hardline doctrine. “We’ll be up to our knees in blood,” Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyib warned, as quoted by Shorouk newspaper. The recent acts have awoken old tensions between Salafists and Sufis, followers of Islam’s mystical tradition to whom shrines are an important part of

Others see acts of Islamist vigilantism as a warning sign about the intentions of hardliners, including groups with a violent past which have resurfaced for the first time in years, though these appear to have nothing to do with recent attacks. Reports of other acts of hardline vigilantism include an arson attack on the home of a woman deemed of “ill-repute” and a punishment attack which involved a man’s ear being cut off. Hardliners were also suspected of vandalizing night clubs in the weeks after Mubarak was toppled, though some bar owners now blame those attacks on criminals rather than Islamists. In Qalyoub, residents angered

Dotted across Egypt, shrines dedicated to revered figures from Islamic history have played a part in popular religious practice for centuries. Pilgrims believe they offer spiritual blessing. But shrines are the subject of controversy among Islamic scholars, especially when they are in or near mosques. To hardline Salafists, they represent a form of heresy. The campaign against the shrines has drawn severe criticism from Egypt’s Mufti. In a Friday sermon, he accused the perpetrators of having a “narrow understanding” of Islam and “causing strife in society”. Leaders of Sufi movements, whose followers are estimated to number in the millions in Egypt,

are forming groups to protect shrines, according to local media reports. Saeed Darwish, a 63-year old Sufi sheikh who lives a short distance from the Sidi Abdel Rahman shrine, said Salafists have been ever more apparent in the weeks since Mubarak was toppled. “These people were never seen. Today they are a big group,” he said. “Our grandfathers’ grandfathers knew this shrine.” At one Qalyoub mosque, turquoise tiles mark the spot where the shrine of Sidi Gamal AlDin had stood until last month. “It was here for as long as I can remember and now it’s gone,” said a resident, adding that he didn’t know who had removed it. Ahmed Hussein, a local activist with the Nasserite Party and a witness to the Sidi Abdel Rahman attack, said Salafists had removed all five unilaterally: “After state security was dissolved and the regime fell, Salafists started to relax.” There have been efforts to contain tensions. Sheikh Sayed Abdel-Hayy, a leading Qalyoub cleric who describes his own doctrine as Salafist, said he led prayers in the Sidi Abdel Rahman mosque after the attack. He blamed the attack on misguided youths who were not part of any organization. They had gone astray due to Mubarak-era policies that prevented clerics from engaging and teaching the youth. “What happened was wrongwrong in its execution,” he said. “They read books themselves and this could lead to mistakes. They say ‘Enough, we’ll implement God’s law ourselves’. This mistake is being inflated and exploited and rumours are being circulated around it.” Abdel-Hayy, a state-appointed imam, said he supports the idea of removing shrines in mosques, but in an official way and only with local support. There can be no coercion, he added. Addressing the wave of vigilantism, he said: “There is no doubt that there are mistakes but there are also exaggerations.” Eight Qalyoub shrines had been removed peacefully with official coordination in the last two years, he added. The five others that had disappeared in recent weeks had also been removed peacefully by ordinary people, he said. “In this security vacuum people took matters into their own hands.” —Reuters

Cultural heart beats on Baghdad bookseller street BAGHDAD: “We have a saying: Cairo writes. Beirut prints. Baghdad reads,” says Abdul-Wahab Mizher Al-Radi, proprietor of the House of Scientific Books, one of countless bookshops crammed along Baghdad’s Mutanabi Street. Reading books, buying books and discussing books are the defining pleasures of being a Baghdad intellectual, and for generations the life of the mind has orbited around this lane, the booksellers’ market of the Iraqi capital. Four years ago, in a blow felt deeply by Iraq’s intelligentsia, a car bomb killed 26 people here. Now, the street is again open, guarded and seemingly safe, and jammed every Friday with students, professors and professionals. The street begins, overlooking the Tigris, at a statue of Mutanabi, a 10th century poet and one of the towering figures of Arabic literature. It runs past ransacked Ottoman-era government buildings into the heart of Baghdad’s old town. “Mutanabi Street is the cultural catharsis point for Iraqis,” says Al-Radi. “Mutanabi is a place where intellectuals of Iraq come, not just to buy books but to see the new place, to see the statue of Mutanabi, to meet friends on a Friday.” —Reuters The book business, which dwindled to nothing at the height of Iraq’s sectarian violence from 2006-07, is now booming like never before, he says. “There has been a jump forward in demand for buying books, from students, intellectuals, the youth. Young people are looking for youthful books. Intellectuals are buying cultural books. Professionals and students are buying reference books.” Baghdad is still not a normal city: explosions hit somewhere in the Iraqi capital every day, usually around dawn. But the black-masked militiamen of three or four years ago no longer control its neighborhoods and the US armored con-

voys are off its streets. Families now stroll in its riverside parks. Crowds turn out for bingo night at the social club. But there is perhaps no better sign of the city’s hunger to return to what it once was than the rebuilding of Mutanabi Street. At the Shabandar Cafe, a landmark at the street’s end, old men puff on water pipes, sipping thick tea and scouring newspapers below portraits of Iraq’s old royal family. Parakeets languidly tweet in wooden cages hanging from the ceiling. Black ribbons on portraits on the wall commemorate people killed in the explosion, but otherwise, says Hussein Ali Ismail, it is the same as he recalls from his youth, before dictator Saddam Hussein and Iraq’s wars sapped intellectual life. “This is not a place where you gather. Here, it is the place that gathers you,” he explains in soft-spoken English with a faint Texas twang acquired in years working as an oil engineer. “You are happy to see a writer from the newspaper. You like his column. And you are happy to talk to him, to exchange ideas. Anything that’s on your mind. To see your friends. To see the latest book issued,” he says. Hassan Abbas, 61, who has worked in the cafe fetching tea and tending the coal in customers’ water pipes for 30 years, was out running an errand when the bombers struck. He ran back and found the sons of the cafe owner lying dead in the street. “It was a criminal attack against humanity, against culture, against heritage,” he says. Today, the cafe is again as busy as it ever was, although it now closes at 3:00 in the afternoon instead of 10:00 at night as in the old days. Many of the Mutanabi Street bookshops also function as publishing houses, printing up copies of whatever they think will sell. —Reuters

BAGHDAD: Journalists chant anti-Libyan government slogans while holding pictures of detained journalists, at the Iraqi journalists syndicate yesterday. The banners in Arabic reads, “No to arrest journalists” and “Journalists messengers of peace” and “Free Al-Jazeera journalists.” —AP

Algeria Islamists urge release of imprisoned former fighters ALGIERS: Two prominent Algerian Islamists called on the president yesterday to release up to 7,000 Islamists from prison, a move they said would draw a line under a conflict that killed an estimated 200,000 people. Most of the thousands jailed during Algeria’s nearly two-decade conflict between Islamist insurgents and government forces were freed under an amnesty but a hard core did not qualify for release. A letter asking for the prisoners’ release was sent to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika by Sheikh Abdelfateh Zeraoui, a well-known Salafist preacher, and Sheikh Hachemi Sahnouni, one of the founders of the banned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). “Please accept our request to pardon Islamist prisoners ... to dry the tears of children, give hope to the widows, to families and to solve the problem in a definitive way,” said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters. “In return, the prisoners have signed a commitment to reject violence, and abandon political activity,” it said. —Reuters

ROUMIEH: The father of a Roumieh inmate who was killed during the raid late Tuesday at Roumieh prison, holds up his son’s identity card as he reacts at the main entrance to the prison compound yesterday. —AP

Lebanon jail stormed to end riot, 2 inmates die BEIRUT: Two inmates at Lebanon’s largest prison died early yesterday when security forces stormed the complex to end a four-day riot by prisoners protesting against overcrowding, security sources said. One inmate was killed when a percussion bomb exploded near him as he tried to throw it at security forces, the National News Agency said. Another inmate apparently died from a heart attack, the agency said. Security sources confirmed two inmates had died. Nine inmates and four policemen were wounded. The prisoners started rioting at the weekend, setting mattresses on fire and burning buildings in the Roumieh prison

complex, east of Beirut. Many were protesting against lengthy detention without trial at the jail, where some have been held for up to two years. Security forces stormed the jail after prisoners took three guards hostage on Tuesday. Lebanon’s caretaker interior minister said he sympathised with prisoners’ concerns and ordered the establishment of a police office within Roumieh to address complaints. Roumieh was originally built to hold 1,500 inmates but is now crammed with about 3,700 prisoners, some of them members of Fatah al-Islam, an Al-Qaeda-inspired group that battled the Lebanese army in a Palestinian refugee camp in 2007. —Reuters

JEBALIYA: Relatives of Palestinian Mohammed Shalha react during his funeral in Jebaliya refugee camp. Palestinian authorities said that Shalha, 21, was killed by Israeli fire along Gaza’s volatile border with Israel. —AP

Israeli Gaza strikes wound 4 Palestinians GAZA CITY: Israeli aircraft attacked two targets in the Gaza Strip yesterday, wounding four people, among them a pregnant woman, Palestinian medics and witnesses said. They said the targets were a group of militants and a plastics factory, both east of Gaza City. All of the wounded were at the factory, they added. Gaza medical official Adham Abu Selmiya told AFP that the expectant mother was one of two women hurt in the attacks, but described the injuries of all four as “moderate”. An Israeli military spokeswoman told AFP that aircraft hit “two terror tunnels”, a phrase the army uses to refer to tunnels being prepared by Gaza militants to launch cross-border raids. On Tuesday, as Palestinian factions met to discuss tensions with Israel along the Gaza border, Israeli army fire killed a man in the north of the strip. “A Palestinian was killed by an Israeli tank shell near Erez,” Gaza medical official Abu Selmiya said at the time, identifying him as 21-year- old M ohammed Ziyad Shalha. Earlier, witnesses reported seeing Israeli troops firing at two men in the same area who were said to be collecting gravel, in what was understood to be the same incident. The Israeli army confirmed firing at someone near the border fence, but a spokeswoman mentioned only one person, who she said was armed and had been hit. “The IDF identified an armed man near the security fence in the north-

ern Gaza Strip and fired towards him,” she said. “ They identified a hit.” The area along the Gaza border has been declared a no-go zone by the Israeli militar y for fear of attacks, and troops often fire on Palestinians who venture into it. But residents often risk injury or death to enter the zone in search of gravel, which they can sell to builders. Later, two mortar rounds were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, but exploded in a field without causing casualties or damage, Israeli media said. An Israeli army spokeswoman said late Tuesday that a projectile or projectiles had fallen inside Israel, but she had no further details. Such cross-border fire routinely draws retaliatory air strikes from Israel. Gaza’s Hamas rulers met Tuesday with representatives of all Palestinian factions to discuss “the situation on the ground”, officials told AFP. The meeting was called a day after a Gazan engineer, who was allegedly k idnapped by Israeli agents from Ukraine in February, was indicted for building rockets for Hamas militants. Several days earlier, three Hamas militants were killed in an Israeli air strike in what the army called a pre - emptive attack against a cell planning to kidnap Israelis from Egypt’s Sinai. The move prompted vows of revenge, despite a fragile ceasefire on rocket attacks that has been declared by militant groups. —AFP

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Berlusconi’s sex trial ends soon after start Premier resists calls to resign

PRIPYAT: A graffiti is pictured on a wall in the ghost city of Pripyat near the fourth nuclear reactor (background) at the former Chernobyl Nuclear power plant, site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. — AFP

Ghost city symbolizes cost of nuke disaster PRIPYAT: “Careful-do not touch anything with your bare hands!” warned the guide as we entered the kindergarten and our Geiger counter hissed like an angry rattlesnake. On the floor and shelves were plastic cubes and teddy bears and kiddies’ books, just the things you would expect to find in a children’s playgroup. But these toys were coated in a thick leprous white dust, for they had lain undisturbed for almost a quarter of a century. And scattered among them were infant-sized gas masks. Something terrifying had made the toddlers flee their innocent corner of the world. Their home, Pripyat, once a model city, had become the set for a true-life apocalypse movie. Cursed by the winds that blow from Chernobyl a few kilometers (couple of miles) away, Pripyat is a snapshot of the astronomical cost of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. And its fate stirs chilling thoughts for Japan, grappling with its own nuclear crisis in Fukushima. Pripyat’s entire population of nearly 50,000 fled after Chernobyl’s No. 4 reactor exploded in a devil’s brew of caesium, strontium,

iodine and plutonium on April 26, 1986. “Pripyat was considered to be one of the best places to live in the Soviet Union,” said Nikolai Fomin, a young Ukrainian who escorts visitors into the 30-kilometre (18-kilometre) exclusion zone around Chernobyl. “It was considered a very happy place. It had good housing and schools, lots of young families, and the shops were ﬁlled with things you couldn’t get elsewhere.” Today, trees thrust through the tarmac of the long-untended roads. Grass grows between cracks in pavements, where dry leaves click metallically in the sour wind. Apartment windows stare down on the streets like dark, lidless eyes. “Everything here was new, everything was modern,” said Fomin. “Pripyat was only 16 when it died.” Occasional visitors come by bus for a lightning tour, equipped with radiation dosimeters, hand wipes and water with which to decontaminate boots and clothing when they leave. But other than that, there is not a soul. “Animals come, but they are not afraid of humans,” said Fomin. The

city’s swimming pool echoes to the crunch of broken glass and tile underfoot. In a fairground, the yellow gondolas of a Ferris wheel-due to have been inaugurated on May Day in 1986 but never used-creak in the wind. Dodgem cars rust at the spot where they stopped after their last ride. In the main square, a rusting Soviet hammer and sickle overlook the Hall of Culture. In a back room of what seems to be a community hall are stacked placards of Lenin and Soviet leaders that had been prepared for the May 1 parade but were never used. Resettling the people of Pripyat and other villages in the exclusion zone, sealing the crippled reactor, cleaning up the power plant, monitoring regions contaminated by fallout... the bill for Ukraine has been almost incalculable. Even today, around ﬁve percent of its annual budget is devoted to Chernobyl-related beneﬁts, including payment of a small sum, known darkly as “funeral money”, to help people in contaminated regions buy clean food. —AFP

MILAN: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s trial on charges he paid an underage teenager for sex opened yesterday and was adjourned until May 31 after a hearing that lasted just 10 minutes. Berlusconi, who has suffered relatively limited political damage from the “Rubygate” case, did not attend the session, preferring to chair a ministerial meeting in Rome. Crowds of critics and supporters sparred verbally outside the court over whether the 74year-old should go to prison over his connection with Moroccan-born teenager Karima El Mahroug, a nightclub dancer with the stage name of Ruby. Berlusconi is accused of giving Ruby cash and jewels in exchange for sex when she was 17 years old and thus too young under Italian law to be paid as a prostitute. He is also accused of abusing the powers of his office to have her released from police custody over unrelated theft allegations to try to prevent details emerging in official evidence. He denies the charges. El Mahroug, who is a witness, also did not attend but her lawyer made repeated denials that she had ever slept with Berlusconi. “Ruby confirms that she has never had sex with the prime minister,” Paola Boccardi told reporters outside the court. Some 100 television crews from as far away as Australia vied for space in front of the courthouse after the three female judges ruled they could not enter. About 100 journalists were packed inside the court. Critics of the prime minister, who is also facing other trials for corruption and tax fraud, said they doubted what the Italian media has dubbed “Rubygate” would ever be concluded. “I am angry because they will never sentence him. The law is not equal for everyone. If I steal an apple, I go to jail,” said Aldo Giassi, 86, who wore a Berlusconi mask. His supporters, who set up a gazebo outside the court, said the prime minister was being pursued by leftists determined to destroy him politically, echoing Berlusconi’s own words. “It’s just dirt. They are trying to throw dirt at our prime minister,” said Giovanni Esposito. Already hit by a party revolt last year that nearly sank his centre-right government, Berlusconi has certainly been hurt by the affair, which has drawn condemnation from women’s groups, the Catholic Church and the country’s main business lobby. Many Italians believe he has focused too much on his legal problems and not enough on issues such as the sluggish economy, high youth unemployment and security. But public opinion in Italy, traditionally forgiving in questions of private morality, has not been as damning as it would be in many countries and his parliamentary majority has been strong enough to see off opposition calls on him to resign. The long-term consequences are unclear and legal maneuvering may push the case into the kind of judicial limbo that has seen many past trials of politicians run into the sand. Even by the turbulent standards of Italian politics, the accusations are extraordinary and would almost certainly have ended the career of any other European leader, especially given the raft of unsolved problems facing the government.

MILAN: A man wearing a mask of Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi holds a placard reading “Arcore by night”, a reference to Berlusconi’s villa in the village of Arcore, where he allegedly hosted parties, during a protest yesterday. — AP

Newspapers have given their readers a lurid picture of life at Berlusconi’s palatial private residence outside Milan, describing “bunga bunga” sex parties with dozens of girls who would leave carrying envelopes stuﬀed with bundles of cash. Berlusconi, one of Italy’s richest businessmen, admits a fondness for young women but has dismissed the scandalous stories, saying the dinners he regularly holds are elegant, convivial occasions where guests eat, tell jokes and sing songs. He says the presents of cash, jewels, cars and houses investigators say were given to the young women who attended were no more than generous gestures. He has pledged to ﬁght the accusations and his supporters believe that the months of scandal mean he has little to fear from any new revelations. Outside the court, Milan resident Roberto Missiroli took a view increasingly typical of a jaundiced Italian public. “Everyone seems to say what they want. But when you reach a certain level of power you can do pretty much what you want.” — Reuters

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Migrant boat sinks off Italy, up to 250 missing Overloaded boat capsizes

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama talks about the budget, on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at the White House. — AP

Obama ups ante in budget debate with Republicans WASHINGTON: A US government shutdown loomed closer after a dramatic intervention by President Barack Obama failed to break political deadlock in a high-stakes battle to clinch a budget deal by tomorrow. Obama upped the ante after he met top Republican and Democratic leaders at the White House on Tuesday, warning it would be “inexcusable” not to resolve the standoff this week. His administration has already warned agencies to prepare to shutter the government. “The only question is whether politics or ideology are going to get in the way of preventing a government shutdown,” Obama said at an impromptu White House press conference. A government shutdown could see hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed, national parks closed and non-essential services halted when the money approved by Congress for their operations runs out at midnight tomorrow. Shutdowns have unpre dictable political consequences and Obama and his Republican foes are playing a game fraught with risk and uncertain results. The last major US government shutdown caused by a political row, in 1995, helped reinvigorate the fortunes of then Democratic president Bill Clinton, who was locked in a fierce showdown with a conservative Republican Congress. Obama’s Democrats argue they have already offered $33 billion in cuts from current spending-a figure Republicans dispute-but a row is raging over where exactly they should be made. The president, who has ruled out cuts in some spending on education, medical research and on environmental projects, called on all sides in Washington to “act like grownups”, saying everybody should give “a little bit” to get a deal. “It would be inexcusable for us to be not able to take care of last year’s business,” Obama said. “What we can’t do is have a ‘my way or the highway’ approach to this problem.” Republicans have made deep spending cuts a bedrock principle of this Congress, hitting expenditures on foreign aid and other domestic programs in legislation that has passed the House. The situation is complicated by Republicans’ control of the House and the Democratic majority in the Senate, meaning a deal must be made before a budget can be endorsed by Congress. After Obama’s remarks, the action shifted back to Capitol Hill and a 40-minute meeting between Senate Democratic

Majority Leader Harr y Reid and Republican House Speaker John Boehner. “They agreed to continue working on a budget solution,” said Boehner’s spokesman Michael Steel. Obama said that if there was no deal, he would get the two leaders and their negotiating teams back to the White House for more talks. It was not clear whether he would cancel or delay a planned trip to the Philadelphia area and New York to get back to the negotiating table. Boehner earlier told reporters there never had been an agreement between the sides on the $33 billion figure and accused the White House of using “smoke and mirrors” accounting to get to the number. “We’ve made clear that we’re fighting for the largest spending cuts possible,” he said. But after the meetings Boehner acknowledged that “the White House is proposing cuts that are far beyond the things that we would imagine, so we want to get an agreement and we want to keep the government open.” On the Democratic side, Reid sought to score a political point by suggesting that House Republican leaders were stretched by the conservative Tea Party movement, which wants dramatic spending cuts. “I hope the Republicans do what the country needs, not what they believe the Tea Party wants,” Reid said. The Pentagon was closely watching the debate and “engaged in prudent planning” in case of a government shutdown, press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. Even with a shutdown, the Pentagon would still be able to fund military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as well as humanitarian efforts in Japan, he said. But it remains unclear whether paychecks would be delayed for service personnel, including the more than 140,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The row over last year’s budget is Obama’s most critical test of will yet with Republicans, who seized the House last year, and it comes with the political world buzzing after Obama launched his reelection bid on Monday. The current short-term funding measure, which keeps the government open through tomorrow, is the sixth since the dawn of the 2011 fiscal year. The Republicans separately unveiled a plan to slash government spending by $6 trillion over the next decade-setting the stage for a future showdown between the White House and Capitol Hill. — AFP

Making room for Roma in Hungary’s schools CSOBANKA: Fewer and fewer non-Roma faces smile down each year from the framed graduation pictures that adorn the walls of the primary school in Csobanka, a village near the Hungarian capital. Young Roma started to fill the graduation shots from 1989, when a new law made it possible for Hungarians to choose where to send their children to school instead of being assigned by area. But as the Roma children arrived, the non-Roma left: just one remains in the one-storey school in Csobanka, and an institution aiming to promote integration has become de facto segregated. “We are an institution open to all,” said Andrea Papp, headmistress for three years. “But the local non-Roma do not bring their children here anymore.” Segregation of children from the underprivileged Roma minority and the better-off non-Roma majority is against the law but, in a country of hardened attitudes, the number of segregated schools is growing, said Social Inclusion Minister Zoltan Balog. Around a third of the country’s primary schools are segregated, a number that has risen by 30 percent since 2005, he said. Closing the education gap between the estranged communities is a priority of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government during Hungary’s six-month chairmanship of the European Union. It is also the aim of the nongovernment Chance for Children Foundation which even brings court action against primary schools where Roma youth are grouped in separate classes, or where all pupils are Roma. Schools that separate the two communities produce Roma underperfomers that

head not to secondary education but to joblessness, the head of the foundation, Erzsebet Mohacsi, told AFP. “Segregation is forbidden by law. It is bad for the economy, as Roma kids will become unemployed benefitclaimers,” she said. “Segregation is harmful on a pedagogical level too: the children see no other example but that of their parents and peers.” Thanks to the group’s work, 3,000 Roma children have found their way to integrated institutions, Mohacsi said. But discriminatory attitudes in Hungary mean that growing numbers of Roma children in a school are often met with the rapid exodus of nonRoma, who look down on their minority compatriots. “We can achieve nothing if we do not convince at least part of the majority of the importance (of Roma integration),” Balog noted. The Roma community’s 70-percent unemployment rate, which can go up to 100 percent in the poorest northeastern parts of Hungary, is partly due to poorer education. Only five percent of Roma youngsters finish secondary school and just 1.2 percent have a higher education, according to statistics. Underprivileged Roma children require special effort from teachers, experts say. For this reason segregation has its uses, said Papp, the headmistress in Csobanka with more than 30 years of teaching experience. “It is useful to have children with the same social and educational problems together, because we can better address their special needs with tailor-made programs,” she said. But she is hopeful about a special curriculum she has developed for Roma children, although the program has yet to be tested due to a lack of financing. — AFP

ROME: Between 130 and 250 people were missing and at least 15 appeared to be dead after a boat carr ying refugees from Libya capsized south of Sicily early yesterday, coast guard officials and aid workers said. Rescuers picked up 47 people, including a heavily pregnant woman after the overloaded boat, which left Libya two days ago, sank at about 4:00 am (0200 GMT) 40 miles (64 km) south of the island of Lampedusa. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a migrant assistance agency which has officials on Lampedusa, an Italian fishing boat rescued another three people. Between 15 and 20 bodies were seen in the water, officials said but high winds and rough seas made it difficult for coast guard boats and a police helicopter to operate. Coast guard officials said the boat had originally been carrying around 200 people but the IOM put the figure as high as 300, of whom it said some 250 were missing. The incident provided a stark illustration of the dangers run by desperate people who pay about 1,000 euros ($1,427) for a place on one of the overloaded fishing vessels carrying refugees and migrants from Africa. “The vessel, which was laden beyond capacity, had left the Libyan coast with migrants and asylum seekers from Somalia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad and Sudan,” IOM said in a statement. “Some 40 women and 5 children were on board. Only two women survived the shipwreck.” On Monday, the United Nations refugee agency said more than

LAMPEDUSA: A man is carried on a stretcher upon his arrival yesterday. Italian coast guard officials were trying yesterday to rescue migrants lost at sea after their boat capsized off the coast. — AP

400 people fleeing Libya on two boats were missing. Thousands have crossed so far this year after the collapse of the former Tunisian regime and fighting in Libya brought down strict border checks that had previously barred the way into Europe. Most have been young men from Tunisia, seeking to get to France but in recent days there have been growing numbers of arrivals from Libya, underscoring Italian fears the fighting there could set off a new exodus. IOM said that 2,000 mostly African migrants and asylum seekers had landed in Lampedusa from Libya in the past 10 days. Lampedusa, rough-

ly midway between Sicily and Tunisia, has been the focal point for the crisis, with some 20,000 illegal migrants arriving this year and over whelming the infrastructure of the tiny island, which normally lives on fishing and tourism. Thousands were forced to shelter in makeshift tent camps until Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sought to end the weeks-long emergency by sending ferries to clear the island. However, that has simply shifted the problem to other areas in Italy and caused arguments among regional governments over where to set up migrant holding centers. Italy

has also been at odds over the issue with France, which has turned back migrants trying to cross the border. Berlusconi is due to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on April 26 in Rome, when the issue will probably be discussed. On Tuesday, Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni signed an agreement with the Tunisian government to try to halt the flow, pledging aid, increased police cooperation and possible compulsory repatriation for illegal immigrants. The accord was confirmed yesterday by a cabinet meeting in Rome which set up an inter-ministerial contact group to monitor progress. —Reuters

Nigeria electoral body hopeful on delayed elections

TUNIS: In this picture, children play in a narrow alley in Jabal Al-Ahmar, a slum in Tunisia. — AP

Fears of illegal migration propelled by Arab turmoil TUNIS: A steady stream of TV images of a tiny Italian island being overrun by North Africans has stirred European fears of a new surge of illegal migration driven by antigovernment uprisings in the Arab world. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who has met with Tunisian leaders to try to fix the problem at the source, has even warned of a “human tsunami” about to hit Europe’s shores. Some critics say Berlusconi and other European politicians have blown the crisis out of proportion for domestic needs. But there are signs the turmoil in the Arab world, coupled with harsher economic times in the region, will provide impetus for more young people to seek a better future in Europe. The latest wave of illegal migration from North Africa - about 23,000 people - began after Tunisians expelled their longtime ruler, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, in a popular uprising in mid-January. Tunisia set off prodemocracy movements across the region, with Egyptians ousting longtime leader Hosni Mubarak and Libyans rising up against dictator Moammar Gaddafi in a revolt that has spiraled into civil war. Gaddafi recently warned that “thousands of people will invade Europe from Libya” if the international community, which is backing an uprising against him, succeeds in toppling him. For European leaders, that’s not idle Gaddafi rhetoric they know the Libyan has been key to keeping migrants out of Europe in the past. In Tunisia, Ben Ali had also clamped down on illegal migration, in part to curry favor with the West, but the caretaker government replacing him has largely looked the other way. That encouraged jobless Tunisians to embark on the dangerous two-day trip to Lampedusa. In recent weeks, they have been cramming into small fishing vessels, paying smugglers from §1,000 to §1,400 per person. From the island, they are taken to holding centers for document checks. A 27-year-old Tunisian factory worker, who makes 10 dinars (§5) a day, said he had saved for the passage for two years and

boarded a fishing vessel last month in the Tunisian port of Zarzis, one of 130 passengers. The boat turned back when one of the motors broke down, the man said on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions. The smugglers did not return his fare, he said. On Wednesday, the Italian coast guard was trying to rescue migrants whose boat had capsized near Lampedusa. Officials said they had so far saved 48 out of 200 people believed to have been on board, but several corpses were also spotted at sea. Even before the uprising, Tunisia had 14 percent unemployment. It’s now likely higher because the revolt devastated Tunisia’s tourism industry, a mainstay of the economy. Berlusconi has said repatriation of the migrants is the main solution to the crisis. However, in a deal struck with Tunisia on Tuesday, Rome agreed to give shortterm residency papers to 20,000 illegal migrants, but remains intent on deporting new arrivals. Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni told reporters that the measures would allow Italy “to turn off the faucet” on illegal immigration. The Tunisian government may be reluctant to accept large-scale repatriation, said Jean-Pierre Cassarino, a professor at the European University Institute. It would be an unpopular policy at a time when Tunisia’s interim leaders are seeking legitimacy, he said. In Rome, the new wave of migration has caused a huge political row. Berlusconi’s chief political ally, the antiimmigrant Northern League, said the country should not put out the welcome mat for the new arrivals, while the opposition said the government has failed in handling the crisis. Italy has asked fellow European nations to take in some of the migrants. The EU border agency has sent a team, but Italy wants more tangible support from individual nations. In France - the final destination of many migrants from Frenchspeaking former colonies in North Africa the far-right National Front has taken advantage of the renewed immigration worries.— AP

ABUJA: Voting materials have arrived in many of Nigeria’s 36 states ahead of a postponed parliamentary election on Saturday but there could still be problems in isolated polling wards in Africa’s most populous nation. Logistical chaos forced Nigeria’s election organizers to abandon last Saturday’s vote after results sheets and ballot papers failed to arrive in many parts of the country. There were also reports of names missing on the new electoral roll. The I ndependent National Elec toral Commission (INEC) delayed a series of elections by a week-including a presidential vote, now set for April 16, and state governorship polls ten days later-to buy time to clear up the glitches. Some reports have said there may be further postponements to the vote in some areas, including parts of the commercial capital Lagos, although it should only impact a small fraction of more than 73 million registered voters. “No decision on that has yet been taken,” said INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu. “At the last count, things are looking good for Saturday.” INEC chief Attahiru Jega said the first election attempt wasscrapped after he was let down by suppliers who blamed shipping problems caused partly by the tsunami in Japan for failing to get ballot papers to Nigeria on time. One Western diplomat said earlier this week the logistical challenges identified by Jega were “just the tip of the iceberg” and that several hundred tonnes of ballot papers and results sheets for the presidential polls alone were yet to arrive. Nigeria has failed to hold a single credible election since the end of military rule in 1999 and these polls are seen as a test of how-well entrenched democracy really is. Regional electoral commissioners in nine states told Reuters on Wednesday they had received all the voting materials, which they were storing either at INEC offices or in central bank lock-ups. Four others were awaiting remaining items. “We still have a shortfall in ballot papers for some federal constituencies, as well as collation sheets, but this is not something that cannot be done. For now, we are hopeful,” said Gabriel Ogbudu Ada, electoral commissioner in Delta state in the southern oil-producing Niger Delta. The bungled attempt at the first of three nationwide elections in Africa’s largest crude exporter is a huge embarrassment for a nation hoping to break with a 12-year cycle of votes marred by ballot-stuffing and intimidation. An abundance of conspiracy theories have circulated on social media platforms, ranging from a concerted bid to discredit the electoral commission by those scared of a free poll, to an attempt by the ruling party to cling on to power. There are also fears that last week’s chaos undermined the electorate’s faith in the process and that fewer people will turn out for the second attempt. But preparations are further ahead than a week ago and INEC officials are optimistic. “All the materials will be distributed. Everything is in place except the human beings,” said C.E. Onukaogu, electoral commissioner in the southeastern state of Anambra. — Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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

Pakistan making little progress on rebels: US Pak govt unable to resolve problems

KABUL: Bodies of alleged Taleban militants lie at a hospital yesterday. — AFP

Afghan woman killed in NATO convoy crash KABUL: A woman was killed in a road accident involving a NATO military convoy in the Afghan capital yesterday, with tensions high following fatal protests against the burning of the Holy Quran in the United States. The accident triggered a protest that saw angry protestors throw stones at the international forces, said by police to be British. But a spokesman for the Kabul force retracted an initial statement that he made saying that two people were killed in the road accident and a third was shot dead by foreign forces in resulting demonstrations. “We gave out information we received right after the incident which was based on the witness accounts which happened to be inaccurate,” spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said. He said a road accident involving foreign forces left one woman dead, and another woman and child wounded. “The wounded were taken to hospital. People gathered at the accident site and started throwing stones at the military convoy. After the crowd started forming and throwing stones, the convoy left the area,” he added. ISAF confirmed that one civilian had been killed and two wounded in the

road accident but stressed: “No shots were fired by ISAF service members.” It did not comment on the nationality of the troops involved. The incident comes at a tense time in Afghanistan following the deaths of at least 24 people, including seven UN staff, in a wave of recent protests against the burning of a copy of the Quran by a pastor in the United States. Around 130,000 international troops, some two-thirds of them from the United States, are in Afghanistan fighting a nearly 10-year Taleban insurgency. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, seven insurgents were killed overnight after launching a rocket attack on a military airport in the eastern city of Jalalabad, where the local provincial governor was present. Limited international troop withdrawals are due to start from July in a handful of areas where Afghan forces will take responsibility for security. One of the places set to be handed over is Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand province, flashpoint of the Taleban insurgency. Yesterday, hundreds of people demonstrated in Lashkar Gah against mobile phone companies that offer only limited coverage in the area due to Taleban intimidation. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s government has made little progress in the past year in battling militants, and there is “no clear path toward defeating the insurgency” in the country, according to a White House report that comes as the United States struggles to build its often shaky relationship with Islamabad. While sections of the report speak of military gains in Afghanistan, it says the security situation in parts of Pakistan’s border regions has deteriorated since fighting resumed in the last part of 2010. It also raises concerns about current political and economic problems on which Pakistan’s government cannot make progress. US officials agree that Pakistan is critical to US efforts to defeat Al-Qaeda, since the terror group’s leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are believed to be hiding in havens along Pakistan’s mountainous border. The Pentagon has worked to bolster the Pakistani government’s counterinsurgency program with money and training, and to encourage cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan. Persistent efforts by US leaders, including repeated visits to the country by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm Mike Mullen, have improved relationships between the two nations. The report describes recent setbacks, including the recent detention of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, but notes that efforts to overcome them have been somewhat successful. Davis, who was arrested for shooting and killing two Pakistani men in the city of Lahore, was freed eventually after $2.3 million in “blood money” was paid to the families of the deceased. The report concludes that much more cooperation is needed between Afghanistan and Pakistan to eliminate insurgent havens and more definitively degrade Al-Qaeda and other terror groups there. It points to Pakistan’s failure to set up long-

US Quran burning ignites explosive Afghan cocktail KABUL: Afghan fury over the burn-

ing of a Quran in the US has been fuelled by disillusion with the West over the war, public outrage by President Hamid Karzai, and the rising voice of radicalism, experts say. While there has been little violent reaction in the rest of the Islamic world to the stunt by an obscure Florida pastor, at least 24 people have been killed in Afghanistan in recent days, including seven United Nations employees. The wave of bloody demonstrations started with last week’s UN attack in the relatively peaceful northern city of Mazar-iSharif, eight days after Karzai condemned as “disrespectful and abhorrent” the burning of the Quran. There had been scant coverage of the burning of the holy book in Afghanistan before Karzai, who has a history of anti-Western outbursts, launched his fresh salvo against the United States. Some experts suggest he drew attention to the incident in a bid to boost his own popularity in his country, which has declined during nearly 10 years of a US-led war. Karzai’s spokesman Waheed Omer has defended his boss by saying that people in Afghanistan would have found out about the Quran burning even if Karzai had not spoken about it. But political analyst Haroun Mir said: “Suddenly after the Afghan president... talked about it, then there was a wind in Afghanistan.” Mir added that since Karzai’s reelection in 2009, the president’s criticism of Western institutions had increased, while the voices of radical elements at work in Afghanistan have become louder. It is these ultra-conservatives who have been at the forefront of the protests, while moderates have not dared to venture out to make public statements against the mob anger. “A number of groups are using

KABUL: This photo shows Afghan university students chanting as they take part in a demonstration against the recent burning of the Quran by a US pastor, at Kabul University. — AFP

this event, I mean the burning of the holy Quran, in order to incite violence,” Mir added. “And unfortunately, there is a total absence of moderate voices in the country right now that could counter this.” That is also linked to rising antiWestern feeling in Afghanistan, where 130,000 international troops, around two-thirds from the United States, are stationed fighting the Taleban insurgency, other experts say. Thomas Ruttig of the Afghanistan Analysts Network said there was a “general frustration about what the international community has achieved and not achieved in this country.” He highlighted little improvement in the lives of most ordinary Afghans, who still live in grinding poverty, in the past decade. In addition, mistaken killings of Afghan civilians in military operations by NATO-led forces have been high on the news agenda recently, along with reports of an alleged rogue US army unit “kill

team” targeting civilians. Both have been sharply and publicly condemned by Karzai. Ruttig added that the intense sensitivity of religious issues in Afghanistan should not be overlooked as a factor in why the protests have snowballed. “Afghanistan is not a secularized society,” he said. “This kind of provocation and attacks on the holy book are taken very seriously and are very sensitive.” The attacks have been widely condemned, while the White House has criticized the Quran burning as “un-American” and Karzai has ordered an investigation into violence in Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar, where the worst incidents happened. More demonstrations are feared-several hundred people gathered in Kabul Tuesday although that passed off peacefully. However, Mir sounded a note of warning, saying: “It doesn’t mean that if until now there’s nothing going on in Kabul, nothing will happen.” — AFP

NEW DELHI: Supporters of Indian social activist Anna Hazare rest during Hazare’s fast unto death against corruption yesterday. Hazare on Tuesday began a fast-unto-death demanding enactment of a stronger Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill through greater involvement of civil society in its drafting. — AP

promised border control centers, much like Afghanistan has on its side of the border. Using as an example efforts to clear the Brekhna region of militants, the report notes this is the third time the Pakistani military has tried to control that area. But the military has been hindered by bad weather, a stubborn insurgency and the discovery of large caches of explosives, and has been unable to hold onto its gains or build on them. “What remains vexing is the lack of any indication of ‘hold’ and ‘build’ planning or staging efforts to complement clearing operations,” the report said. “As such, there remains no clear path toward defeating the insurgency in Pakistan despite the unprecedented and sustained deployment of over 147,000 forces.” The report compiled by the administration’s national security advisers evaluates US strategy and policies for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The unclassified version was released Tuesday. It updates reports from last year that claimed gains had been made in the Afghan war, and it says those advances are continuing, although they remain fragile. On the political side, the report says Pakistan’s government has been unable to resolve serious economic problems, including fuel price increases, tax reform and budget problems. And it criticizes Islamabad for failing to revamp the controversial blasphemy law. Last month, Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was assassinated for supporting changes to the blasphemy law, which make it a capital offense to insult Islam. The report calls the government response “muted,” and said it “has increased the political space for extremist voices to dominate the public debate.” Separately, members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee voiced deep skepticism Tuesday about US policy in Pakistan, saying that

News

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Explosives kill 4 Pak kids PESHAWAR: An explosive device killed four Pakistani children and wounded three others while they were playing at a pond in warm spring weather yesterday, police said. Police said the device exploded on the outskirts of the northwestern garrison town of Kohat in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Taliban insurgents have been fighting against government troops. The victims were aged seven and nine, police said. “Four children have been killed and three others were wounded. The bomb disposal squad informed me that the blast was caused by a mine,” Masood Khan Afridi, a senior police officer, told AFP. “Some children were swimming in the pool and some were playing there. Perhaps a child stepped on the mine and it exploded,” he said. “I talked to the bomb disposal officers at the scene and they said it was some type of explosive, maybe a mine, maybe a grenade. They are investigating,” Zafar Iqbal, police official in Kohat said. More than 4,200 people have been killed across Pakistan in attacks blamed on Taleban and other Islamist extremist networks, which are based in the tribal belt, since government troops stormed a radical mosque in Islamabad in 2007. Yunus case could hit ties WASHINGTON: The United States warned anew Tuesday that Bangladesh’s row with microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus could hurt growing ties, after the Nobel laureate lost a final appeal against his dismissal. Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for South Asia, said the United States had a “strong interest in maintaining close relations” with Bangladesh, which he called “a democratic and moderate Muslim country.” But he said he raised concerns during a visit last month to Dhaka over the treatment of Yunus, who was removed from the helm of Grameen Bank after a feud with the government. “I warned that a failure to find a compromise that respects Dr Yunus’s global stature and maintains the integrity and effectiveness of Grameen could affect our bilateral relations,” Blake told a congressional hearing. Yunus pioneered microfinance, in which Grameen bank has offered small loans to some 24,000 people-the vast majority of them women living in rural villages who would rarely have access to traditional banks. While his work won him the Nobel Peace Prize, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year accused him of “sucking blood from the poor” and pulling a financial “trick” to avoid paying tax. Many of Yunus’s supporters in Bangladesh and overseas believe he is being targeted by the government after he flirted with running for politics in the deeply polarized nation. Rights concerns hold back Lanka ties: US WASHINGTON: The United States said Tuesday that future cooperation with Sri Lanka depended on improvements in its human rights record and an accounting of the bloodshed at the end of the island’s civil war. With its strategic location and contributions to global peacekeeping, Sri Lanka “is poised to be a capable and willing partner to effectively combat violent extremism, trafficking and piracy,” said Robert Blake, the assistant secretary of state for South Asia. “But the government’s worrying record on human rights, its weakening of democratic institutions and practices, and the way in which it conducted the final months of its conflict against the Tamil Tigers hamper our ability to fully engage,” Blake told the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. “We continue to stress the importance of reconciliation and accountability for the future civility and prosperity of that country,” Blake said. Sri Lanka’s relations with Western nations soured in 2009 when human rights groups accused the island’s military of abuses as it dealt a death blow to the Tamil Tiger leadership, ending a nearly fourdecade separatist insurgency.

despite billions of dollars in aid, most people there still hate America. They also questioned the chances of building democracy in the tribal society of Afghanista. Daniel Feldman, deputy special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said AlQaeda was under pressure as never before at the Afghan-Pakistani border, and the Taleban’s momentum has been reversed in south Afghanistan. He also said Pakistan’s government is increasingly exerting control over its territory. Rep Gary Ackerman, D-NY, said: “After hearing the same sales pitch for 10 years, I doubt it.” Feldman acknowledged the distrust that lingers on both sides of the US-Pakistan relationship. But he said despite the added strains during the recent detention of Davis, the CIA contractor, the US was deepening its ties with Pakistan’s civilian government through dialogue and aid. He said the US had dispersed $1.5 billion in civilian aid in the past year under a bill authorizing $7.5 billion over a five-year period. “A difficult partnership with Pakistan is far better than a hostile Pakistan,” Feldman said, adding that a political and economic collapse in that country would affect the United States’ vital national security interests. Republican Rep Steve Chabot said, however, that aid had failed to translate into progress on key security issues by Pakistan or a warmer view of the United States in that country. “We spend all this money and they still hate us,” Chabot said. Rep Dana Rohrabacher, another Republican, said money the US has spent on nation-building in Afghanistan “has been a waste” and radical Islam driven out after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and the overthrow of the Taleban regime, was instead posing a growing threat to American security. “It’s not becoming more stable,” he said. — AP

US female troops challenge male domain FOB DELHI: They may be banned from fighting the Taleban on the front line in Afghanistan, but teams of American female troops are leading the battle for the hearts and minds of Afghan women. When Female Engagement Teams (FETs) go out on patrol in Afghan villages, they are fully armed with guns, helmets and body armor. If they are invited into someone’s home, however, they lay their weapons at the edge of the room and don headscarves to discuss family, health and security. The aim is to boost support for pro-government forces fighting insurgents in some of the most strategically important parts of Afghanistan, ahead of a planned transition to Afghan control of security by 2014. In some villages, “they’re like, ‘I don’t care if you’re a female, you’re not going to talk to my women’ or they’re scared of you” but in others, people are “excited” to see women troops, said US Marine Sergeant Savanna Malendoski, a FET member in southern Afghanistan. Afghan women are rarely seen or heard outside the confines of their homes in deeply conservative parts of the countryside. Although it is often hard to persuade local women to talk, there is common ground with those who do invite them in, added Malendoski, who is stationed in Garmsir district in Helmand province. “They question why I’m away from my son but when I get to explain this is how I provide for my family... it’s just ‘you’re a mom, I’m a mom and those are our kids’,” said Malendoski, who carries a picture of her three-year-old with her on patrol. The FETs aim to isolate the Taleban by building a rapport with locals through discussions about social issues like health and encouraging women to develop economically useful skills in, for example, sewing. They also sometimes pick up intelligence snippets. Some members say locals have used them to report locations of improvised bombs, although the troops do not directly broach this or other sensitive issues-such as domestic abuse-with the women. More than 40 women serving with the US military have volunteered to be based in the volatile provinces of Helmand and Nimroz as part of the program, which started two years ago. The volunteers previously served in military support units like catering, engineering and logistics. Most are in their 20s and are from the US Marines or Navy. It is not easy work. Although the teams do not take part in direct combat, they are sometimes shot at and face skepticism about their jobs from the male troops they live and serve with. “This is the closest that females can get to the front line... I guess it’s something a lot of female marines have an interest in,” said Corporal Ashley Cardona, another FET member. “It’s a very male-dominated job-it’s a male-dominated world, though, so I guess I’m used to it.” Women tell tales of how the men sometimes make them carry heavier packs and make patrols longer to test them. But they insist they stay the course and eventually win them over. The officer in charge of all troops in Garmsir and two other districts, Colonel David Furness, is convinced of their value. “Women have influence over men, any woman knows that, any guy who’s married knows that,” he said. “If you don’t try to have access to that element, you’re dealing with only half the population.” But some experts question how effective FETs can be in a country as conservative and male-dominated as Afghanistan. Candace Rondeaux of think-tank International Crisis Group said that while engaging Afghan women was a “really important part” of military strategy, there are risks in trying to do so in an area as conservative as the south. “It may be right idea, wrong place, wrong time at this stage,” she said. — AFP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Japan stops nuclear plant leak; crisis far from over Sea radiation angers Japan’s fishermen

SEOUL: In this photo, an unidentified former North Korean defector holds up a placard showing photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (center) his late father Kim Il Sung (left) and his youngest son Kim Jong Un, during a rally against the North’s succession. — AP

North Korea’s new post likely for leader’s son SEOUL: Nor th Korea’s rubber-stamp assembly will meet today amid reports that leader Kim Jong-Il’s son will likely be given a key post in the powerful National Defense Commission to further consolidate his position as leader-in-waiting. The Supreme People’s Assembly is one of the country’s three main governing bodies that formally approves the budget and other decisions by the leadership. Key officials of the ruling party and the military are typically its elected members. The defense commission is the pinnacle of power in the secretive North and leader Kim Jong-Il rules the country as its chairman. His top lieutenant on the commission died last year after a long illness, leaving the post vacant. The Chosun Ilbo daily quoted a unification ministry official as saying last month that Kim Jong-un will need the title if he is to visit China as his father’s heir and meet Xi Jinping, who is widely tipped as the next Chinese president. China, the North’s main ally and main benefac tor, has formally invited the younger Kim but it was not clear when Kim Jong-un would make the trip, the South’s spy agency says. The North’s Supreme People’s Assembly, when it met in June last year, named Kim’s brother-inlaw and a close confidant, Jang Songthaek, to the defense commission in a move seen as shoring up support for the

succession. Jong-un, the ailing leader’s youngest known son believed to be in his late 20s, was officially anointed as the reclusive state’s leader-in-waiting last year when he was named a four-star general and given a key post in the ruling Workers’ Party. Today’s meeting is the first major gathering of the North’s political elite since the bombing of a South Korean island that killed four people. That attack in November came eight months after a South Korean warship was sunk. In between the attacks, Pyongyang revealed a uranium enrichment program, opening a second route to make a nuclear bomb along with its plutonium program. Following months of hostile rhetoric and threats of war and retaliation, the two sides have recently sought to engage in dialogue, although the first meetings by their militaries in February broke down. North Korea has called for the resumption of international talks aimed at compensating it in return for the elimination of its nuclear programs, but South Korea and the United States have been reluctant to return to the table, saying the Nor th lacks sincerit y. Nor th Korea is believed to be pushing ahead with work at its nuclear site for a possible third test, which could come as early as this spring, analysts have said. — Reuters

TOKYO: Japan stopped highly radioactive water leaking into the sea yesterday from a crippled nuclear plant and acknowledged it could have given more information to neighboring countries about contamination in the ocean. Despite the breakthrough in plugging the leak at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, engineers need to pump 11.5 million liters (11,500 tons) of contaminated water back into the ocean because they have run out of storage space at the facility. The water was used to cool over-heated fuel rods. Nuclear experts said the damaged reactors were far from being under control almost a month after they were hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said it had stemmed the leak using liquid glass at one of the plants six reactors. “The leaks were slowed yesterday after we injected a mixture of liquid glass and a hardening agent and it has now stopped,” a TEPCO spokesman told Reuters. Engineers had been struggling to stop leaks from reactor No 2, even using sawdust and newspapers. Neighbors South Korea and China are getting concerned about the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986, and the radioactive water being pumped into the sea, newspapers reported. “We are instructing the trade and foreign ministries to work better together so that detailed explanations are supplied especially to neighboring countries,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference. Experts insisted the lowlevel radioactive water to be pumped into the ocean posed no health hazard to people. “The original amount of radioactivity is very low, and when you dilute this with a huge body of water, the final levels will be even lower than legal limits,” said Pradip Deb, senior lecturer in Medical Radiations at the School of Medical Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University. The government is preparing to revise guidelines for legal radiation levels, designed for brief exposure to high levels of radiation in emergencies and not cumulative absorption, for people living near the damaged plant. Workers are struggling to restart cooling pumps-which recycle the water-in four damaged reactors. Until those are fixed, they must pump in water to prevent overheating and meltdowns, but have run out of storage capacity for the seawater when it becomes contaminated. Radioactive iodine detected in the sea has been recorded at 4,800 times the legal limit, but has since fallen to about 600 times the limit. The water remaining in the reactors has radiation five million times legal limits. “What they are going to have to release is likely to be highly radioactive. The situation could politically be very ugly in a week,” said Murray Jennex at San Diego State University, who specializes in nuclear containment. Japan’s fisher-

KITAIBARAKI: Japanese women sort through freshly caught fish at the Hirakata fish market yesterday. — AFP men, who are part of the politically powerful agricultural lobby, made it clear they were not assuaged by assurances that ocean radioactivity levels were low and safe. “(The release of radioactive water into the sea) is unforgivable in any circumstance,” Ikuhiro Hattori, chairman of the Japan Fisheries Cooperatives, told NHK state television. “From now on, our fishermen will never cooperate with or accept nuclear power generation. I would like them to stop even those reactors that are now in operation right away.” Japan is facing its worst crisis since World War Two after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami left nearly 28,000 people dead or missing and thousands homeless, and rocked the world’s third-largest economy. It will likely take months to finally cool down the reactors and years to dismantle those that have been damaged. TEPCO has said it will decommission four of the six reactors. An opposition lawmaker from Fukushima told reporters antipathy in the area would make it difficult to resume operations at the nearby Fukushima Daini plant, where operations have been halted since March 11. The two Fukushima plants together provide four percent of Japan’s electric power. “Nuclear power plants can run only with local consent. I see

Thailand private eye lifts curtain on cheating spouses BANGKOK: Amnuaiporn Maneewan imparts the wisdom of her more than 15 years working as a private detective in Thailand: “The only man you can trust is a dead one. “If they’re still alive, still breathing, then you can’t trust them,” she says. With her James Bond-inspired gadgets including spy cameras and tapping devices, Amnuaiporn specializes in digging up evidence to expose cheating spouses for a law firm in Bangkok. The 42-year-old has become a master at tailing the unfaithful, catching them in compromising situations with the use of tiny cameras and recording equipment hidden in pens, car keys, buttonholes and even calculators. Her work has made her a minor celebrity in Thailand, where having a “mia noi” or “little wife” on the side of a marriage is seen almost as a right by some. This “mistress detective” said there are more and more extra-curricular affairs in the country. “It’s just increasing the whole time; it’s not slowing down at all. Now, they don’t just have one mistress, they have two or three mistresses,” Amnuaiporn said. “It’s like a fashion. It’s normal. No man leaves the house without a mistress.” Unsurprisingly then, business has never been better. Three or four new clients, mostly women between the ages of 20 and 60, contact her every day. Government officials are apparently

particularly likely to have mistresses, traditionally exploiting their positions to net minor wives. “They have their status, they have power, they have money. It’s quite easy for them to pay for another woman,” said Ronnachai Kongsakol, psychiatry professor at Ramathibodi hospital in Bangkok. His research on extramarital affairs by officials suggests that opportunity, intimacy and sympathy are the main motives for men to seek mistresses. But it’s not just Thai men who are tempted to stray. Amnuaiporn esti-

mates that three out of 10 calls are now from suspicious husbands. Tales of infidelity abound in Thai society. Panaa had been living with her partner for seven years when she found out he was secretly seeing another woman. She tracked down the suspected mistress and confronted her, only to be faced with a surprising revelation. Her rival produced a marriage certificate that proved she was actually married to Panaa’s partner-meaning Panaa was the mistress. “I was

BANGKOK: Amnuaiporn Maneewan, 42, shows her spy camera at her office. — AFP

shocked as I never thought that I would be the mistress. I never had any idea. I thought I was morally superior but it turned out I wasn’t at all,” said Panaa, whose asked that her real name be withheld. While she did not need a detective to reveal the scandal, many people do seek help to find the truth. “If there was no one like me, these people would have to suffer for a long time. Me, my job, helps people to open their eyes. I let them see the truth,” said Amnuaiporn. Her job has got her noticed in Thailand where her good looks, chatty demeanor and anecdotes of sordid transgressions have been lapped up on television and in print. She has even produced her own book-”The Private Eye: They ask me to investigate adultery”-which is billed as the first in-depth account of the work of a female private detective. Featuring images of her in various disguises she uses for workincluding a native American Indian outfit complete with feathered headdress-the book includes true stories from her years tracking the unfaithful. In one instance she was hired by a wealthy man who suspected his wife was straying. When he pretended to go on a business trip, his wife lost no time in meeting a man and going with him to a “short stay hotel”, with Amnuaiporn and the husband in hot pursuit. —AFP

Philippines says tribal gunmen free 13 hostages MANILA: Philippine tribal gunmen have freed 13 hostages they held in a remote jungle area for four days to demand the release of a jailed relative, the government said yesterday. Negotiators convinced the near-illiterate gunmen from the Manobo tribe late Tuesday to let the group of 11 teachers, a student and a driver go on pledges of fair treatment for a relative awaiting trial for kidnap, a government statement said. “We are happy to announce that at six o’clock this morning, all of the 13 hostages had been recovered and are already safe with us. Our troops found the hostages abandoned by their captors,” it added. The statement was read out by Alvin Magdamit, the mayor of the nearby town of La Prosperidad on the largely lawless southern island of Mindanao, at a news conference broadcast live on national television. President Benigno Aquino welcomed the peaceful end of the crisis, his spokesman Ricky Carandang told reporters. “Throughout the ordeal, the safety of the victims was President Aquino’s paramount concern and he is happy to know that they are safe and free,” Carandang added.

Five Manobo gunmen seized 16 teachers and children on Mindanao and held them at their jungle hideout for just over four days in a bid to get the government to free Ondo Perez, a jailed relative. Perez is awaiting trial for murder and for kidnapping a group of 79 people, including teachers and schoolchildren, in La Prosperidad in 2009. Perez’s crimes stem from a longstanding feud with another Manobo clan. The gunmen, whom police said did not understand Philippine legal processes, earlier freed three of the hostages on Sunday and Monday and later received assurances from the government that Perez would be tried fairly. No ransom was sought and their demand for an outright release was rejected, while the gunmen were warned the government would use force if the hostages were not freed soon, Interior Minister Jesse Robredo said. “They will be made to account for what they did,” Robredo said in a radio broadcast. “President Aquino had standing orders to be patient in negotiations, but he was very firm in saying that certain things cannot be negotiated,” Robredo added. Resource-rich but impov-

erished Mindanao makes up roughly the southern third of the Philippines. Communist and Muslim insurgencies have claimed thousands of lives on the island over recent decades. Senior members of a Mindanaobased Muslim clan and nearly 200 members of their government-armed militia force are on trial for the November 2009 abductions and murders of 57 people including political rivals and journalists. Robredo said the kidnappers were former members of local militia forces that were given guns to help defend remote communities in Mindanao and elsewhere from guerrilla attacks. “After they were separated from the (government-backed militia force), their guns were not recovered and that is why they are armed,” he said. He said he had ordered the police to take steps to disarm former militiamen so they could not use government-issue weapons to commit crimes. Education Minister Armin Luistro called for more protection for teachers and schools. “The safety of our schools should not be left to (the education ministry) alone but should be an effort of the whole community,” he said in a statement. — AFP

it as being quite difficult to resume operations,” said Masayoshi Yoshino of the Liberal Democratic Party. Concerned over a possible buildup of hydrogen gas in reactor No 1, engineers will inject nitrogen gas into the reactor yesterday night to prevent an explosion, TEPCO said. Hydrogen explosions ripped through reactors 1 and 3 early in the crisis, spreading high levels of radiation into the air. The key to bringing the reactors under control is the extent of damage to the plant’s cooling system, said analysts. In a sign the cooling systems may be severely damaged, the Sankei newspaper reported that the government and TEPCO were considering building new cooling systems for three reactors to operate from outside the reactor buildings. “To put the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe in perspective, Chernobyl involved a single operating reactor core,” said Kevin Kamps from Beyond Nuclear, a US radioactive waste watchdog. “Fukushima Daiichi now involves three reactors in various stages of meltdown and containment breach, and multiple (spent fuel storage) pools at risk of fire,” said Kamps. Kamps said the spent fuel rod pools, which are on the roof of the damaged reactors, alone have more irradiated nuclear fuel than that which exploded and burned at Chernobyl. —Reuters

Ai Weiwei’s mother worries he could face prosecution BEIJING: The mother of detained Chinese artist-activist Ai Weiwei said yesterday she feared the government was preparing to prosecute him for his criticism of the state, while a Chinese newspaper attacked Western governments for urging his release. The editorial in the Global Times was the first time that state-controlled media have taken up the controversy over Ai, who was stopped on Sunday from boarding a flight from Beijing to Hong Kong and taken away by police. The move drew condemnation from Western governments and Chinese human rights advocates who see the case as marking a deepening crackdown. “The law will not stray off course or make concessions for some ‘special persons’ because of criticism from the West,” said the newspaper. Ai, 53, has not been in contact with his family since Sunday and his mobile phone remained off yesterday morning. There is little doubt that Ai, a combative critic of the ruling Communist Party and a well-known contemporary artist, has joined a list of dozens of dissidents and activists put in detention or informal custody recently. Officials and police have made no comment on his case. The Global Times suggested the burly, bearded Ai, who had a hand in designing the Bird’s Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had been testing the bounds of official tolerance. His mother, Gao Ying, said she had been given no information about him, and that the authorities appeared to be gathering a case against him because of his outspoken criticism. “How can a country with laws do this? If someone is detained for 24 hours, you should at least get an explanation. This was a big step, and they certainly took a long time preparing it,” said Gao, a 77-year-old retired official for the national writers’ association. “I think they detained him for a reason. If they think they have something, it’s certainly a fixed case, an injustice,” she told Reuters said in a telephone interview. “I think they’ll concoct some things against him,” she said, adding that the family has put out a missing person’s note. Since February, the Chinese government’s fears of challenges to one-party rule have been magnified by online calls for “Jasmine Revolution” protest gatherings inspired by the political flux across the Middle East and North Africa. Even feeble efforts to act on those calls were smothered by police, but the threat of protests has triggered an unusually broad crackdown on dissent. At least three activists have been formally arrested on broad subversion charges often used to jail dissidents. Gao said she feared Ai could join them. She said officials appeared increasingly angry after he used a team of volunteers to make a list of the names of children buried in a devastating earthquake in southwest Sichuan province in 2008, many in schools that he and others said were poorly built. “From that time on, I was always filled with a bit of dread. I felt he was very unsafe,” she said, adding that she had urged him not to throw so much energy into controversial causes. “I urged

him not to tackle so much,” she said. “But he answered, ‘If I was crushed to death, wouldn’t you go looking for me too?”“ The Global Times, China’s most popular tabloid, took a sharply different line. It said Western governments were using the “maverick” Ai’s case to attack China’s human rights record, even though they had no details about what may have happened to him or what laws he may have violated. The United States, Britain, Germany and other governments have denounced Ai’s detention and China’s growing use of extra-judicial detentions against dissidents. Western critics were “vehemently launching critical attacks against China, and this is a hasty assault on China’s fundamental judicial sovereignty,” the newspaper said. While it is not an official reaction to the mounting criticism over Ai’s detention, the editorial gives some idea of how propaganda officials may want to handle a dispute which could turn into a diplomatic row. The paper’s message was that this was a case of Western bullying, not Chinese oppression. “Ai Weiwei himself probably understands that by doing whatever he pleases, and often daring to do what others dare not, while drawing together others like him, he often strays close to the red lines of Chinese law,” said the editorial. “So long as Ai Weiwei is constantly charging forward, it’s very likely that one day he will hit the boundary.” History will render its own verdict on people like Ai Weiwei, and before then they may pay some price for their own special choices.” Ai’s mother, Gao, said she had also received many calls and messages offering support, but she did not think the government would heed those voices. “It won’t have much effect, because China has its own special ways - we’ll do what we like and what can you do about it?,” she said. — Reuters

BEIJING: This file picture shows Chinese artist Ai Weiwei at his home. — AFP

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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New atomic risk strategy needed By Alister Doyle ew ways need be found to communicate to the public the true risks of radiation from crises like the one at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant without fanning overblown fears of an “apocalypse”, scientists say. Communication has to get across statistics about risks and at the same time address peoples’ real fears, especially when they concern atomic power which has associations with the Cold War and the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many experts say Japan’s March 11 tsunami, which has so far left 28,000 people dead or missing, is likely to have a greater impact on public health in Japan than radiation leaking from the stricken plant. Part of the problem is that many scientists are giving both good news and bad news - and that can sound contradictory. They admit they find it hard to express risks in a way that can guide both governments and individuals. “On the one hand, scientists are saying ‘yes, it is very severe,’” said Jim Smith of the University of Portsmouth and an expert on the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. “On the other, I personally don’t expect the health effects to be very severe from the radiation.” As an illustration of the problem between personal and public reactions, the risk of a person living in a developed nation getting cancer is about one in three over a lifetime. A dose of 170 millisieverts - a level found on two workers exposed to radiation at the plant and taken to hospital might raise the risk of getting cancer by about 1 in 100. Yet in coming decades, millions of people in Japan who develop cancer are bound to wonder if they might have prevented it by moving further from Fukushima. So for peace of mind, getting away altogether may make sense even when risk levels are tiny. On the other hand, the stress of uprooting a life and family to move elsewhere may have a greater health impact. Studies of previous nuclear accidents have found the psychological impact of anxiety about radiation, and the rush to try to get away from it, is very real. And scientists presenting a study on heart attack rates in the years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in the United States say there may be lessons for Japan, where anxiety about radiation may add to psychiatric problems. The UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation reckons that the average dose from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in contaminated areas of the former Soviet Union works out as equivalent to a CT medical scan in a hospital. Those doses “should not lead to substantial health effects in the general population,” it said. It said there have been 6,000 thyroid cancers among people under 18 at the time - an unusually high number. Another UN report estimated that Chernobyl might eventually cause 4,000 to 9,000 deaths from cancers. Greenpeace, which opposes nuclear power, has estimated 93,000. Little surprise then that people get confused and find reason to doubt almost all information. In the case of Fukushima, many Japanese doubt the government; some scientists who say the health risks are slight have been denounced as stooges of the nuclear industry; and environmentalists may want to exaggerate risks as part of wider campaigns against nuclear power. “We worry about things where we don’t trust the authorities. The nuclear industry has a long legacy of being fairly secretive since it grew out of the Cold War,” said Nicholas Pidgeon, a professor of psychology at Cardiff University in Wales. But experts should still try to get risk message across. “Don’t be afraid to use statistics,” said Pidgeon, noting as an example that people fleeing Japan might be exposed on an intercontinental flight to doses of solar radiation higher than those they might have received by staying put. Talking about less closely related risks, such as the risk of dying from smoking or driving, is less convincing, he said. R Rajaraman, an Indian nuclear scientist, said Fukushima was “an industrial disaster but not a ‘nuclear apocalypse’.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel is among politicians who has referred to it as an “apocalyptic event”. “All these fears are grossly exaggerated,” he said, even with bad news from Japan almost daily about the reactors. And there are also disputes among scientists. Japan has rated the worst reactors at Fukushima as level 5 accidents on a 1 to 7 scale where 7 is the worst.Helmut Hirsch, a scientist commissioned by environmental group Greenpeace, has rated them as 7s - on par with the Chernobyl accident. The crisis, and disentangling science from emotion, will complicate efforts to assess nuclear power amid competition from renewables, said Johan Rockstrom, head of the Stockholm Resilience Centre which assesses risks to the environment. “It appears ... there is a politically driven agenda here that seems to go far beyond what science would recommend,” he said of some of the reactions. —Reuters

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Ivory Coast faces many worries By Peter Apps aurent Gbagbo may be on his way out in Ivory Coast but Alassane Ouattara will inherit a divided country, an unsolved massacre and potential chaos in Abidjan. Incumbent leader Gbagbo has not surrendered yet but has suggested he wants to do so and has requested United Nations protection after days of fighting, a UN official told Reuters on Tuesday. A UN document seen earlier by Reuters said he had already given himself up. After Gbagbo, cocoa and bond investors hoping for a swift return to normal could well be in for a bumpy ride. A disputed November presidential election led to outright warfare between the rival presidential claimants, reigniting a civil war that had left the world’s largest cocoa grower mostly partitioned de facto since 2001. Sanctions imposed after Gbagbo refused to yield to the U.N.certified winner barred him from deposits at the regional central bank, pushed his government into default on its debt and left cocoa decaying in warehouses. Commercial activity all but ceased and the economy is on the brink of collapse. Despite questions over the killing of some 800 people in the western town of Duekoue as Ouattara forces advanced last week, the outside world is keen to help secure his rule. United Nations helicopters and French forces targeted Gbagbo’s heavy weapons in the battle for Abidjan, but analysts say a greater threat comes from pro-Gbagbo urban militia who will retain their weapons if the incumbent president goes. “In the short term, I think it will be very messy,” said Hannah Koep, Ivory Coast analyst for consultancy Control Risks. “Even if Gbagbo goes, his supporters are still very heavily armed and they will be very frustrated. The security situation in Abidjan is likely to be very unpredictable for some time to come. Beyond that, the challenges are monumental.” Exports could resume relatively quickly, analysts say, but only after sanctions are lifted. An EU spokesman said that could happen as soon as power was transferred to Ouattara, a former prime minister and senior IMF official. “If you look at the way cocoa prices have fallen and the bond has rallied, you can see there is a market expectation things could get back to normal relatively quickly,” said IHS Global Insight analyst Martin Roberts. “Ouattara has always said his priority will be to put the country back together as quickly as possible... But Gbagbo has probably tried to leave things in as much of a mess as he can.” Ivory Coast defaulted on interest payments on a $2.3 billion bond earlier this year. The bond rose to its highest level since December on Tuesday on investor hopes that a Ouattara victory could pave the way for repayment. “That’s a bit optimistic,” said Graham Stock, chief strategist at Insparo Asset Management. “The cost of the conflict is going to undermine the fiscal position for the new government. It’s not obvious that debt servicing is going to be a priority.” Ouattara’s first objective will be securing the main city using his relatively new forces, analysts say - a task that requires him to keep divisions among his fighters to a minimum. Northern rebels have

backed him in the recent battle for control of the country, but strains could emerge once he is ensconced in the presidential palace or whatever remains of it. The machinery of central government had been gradually returning to rebel areas in recent years, but it is unclear how much the recent conflict has set that process back. Abidjan - both the commercial and

political centre - has become a divided city with Gbagbo’s forces effectively kept out of Ouattara areas by sniping and occasional hit-and-run attacks. In the short term, the danger is that that situation is simply reversed, rendering reconstruction almost impossible. International banks pulled out of Abidjan earlier this year and many other foreign firms have effectively ceased

A picture taken on Nov 26, 2010 shows Ivory Coast’s president and incumbent Laurent Gbagbo at a campaign meeting in Abidjan. — AFP

operations. Tempting them back will be a major challenge. In the longer term, much will depend on the outcome of investigations in Duekoue, where the United Nations says it found a mass grave. Analysts say it is too soon to judge what happened in an area long prone to ethnic divisions and the activities of Liberian mercenaries. “In terms of how much international support Ouattara enjoys, a lot will depend on what the end game itself actually looks like and what happens with the investigation into the massacre,” said Control Risks’ Koep. “Ouattara has always been careful to try to keep his distance from the northern rebels but if his new Republican Forces are implicated in atrocities it will make things much more difficult.” In the short term, most investors not already exposed to Ivory Coast are expected to hold back to see how events develop. But those already based in the country -including mining and telecom firms - may return quicker, anxious to build bridges with Ouattara and those around him. “It’s going to be a very uncertain situation for quite some time,” said Mandy Kirby, regional analyst at political risk consultancy Maplecroft. “In the next three months or so, I think there will need to be a real focus on building the foundations of the rule of law.... But Ivory Coast is a very attractive investment destination because of its natural resources, and it will still be appealing for the right kind of investor.” — Reuters

Haiti needs command performance By Joseph Guyler Delva and Pascal Fletcher s the carnival music star “Sweet Micky”, Haiti’s shavenheaded Michel Martelly captivated audiences with an engaging style, provocative on-stage antics and satirical lyrics. As president, he will have to lift up a country prostrated by a 2010 earthquake and decades of poverty and corruption, chained to foreign aid and mined by explosive politics. “You voted for change ... things will change,” Martelly told Haitians, speaking at a news conference on Tuesday. This will require a performance of a lifetime from the 50-year-old iconoclastic entertainer and political outsider with no government experience who won a landslide run-off victory, according to preliminary results on Monday. These results are subject to possible legal challenges before they can be declared definitive later in April. “Martelly has asked Haitians to take a tremendous leap of faith that he can transform himself from entertainer to national leader,” said Robert Maguire, director of the Haiti Program at Trinity University in Washington. “Apparently, a significant majority of voters are willing to give him that chance,” he added. Analysts believe the margin of Martelly’s victory - nearly 68 percent of the March 20 vote compared to just under 32 percent for his rival, Mirlande Manigat will head off the threat of violent protests against the election outcome. At a news conference on Tuesday, former first lady Manigat thanked her supporters but complained their vote was “stolen” with the complicity of electoral authorities. She presented no evidence. A campaign spokesman said she would not immediately challenge the results and the country appeared calm. This is good news for the United Nations, with its more than 12,000strong peacekeeping mission in Haiti, and for the United States, which does not want an imploding Caribbean state on its doorstep spilling more poor migrants on Florida shores. Martelly’s forceful head-on message promising change - hammered home by his Creole campaign slogan “Tet Kale” meaning both “shaved head” and “all the way” - scored with voters. But he may need a more conciliatory approach as president. Outgoing President Rene Preval’s INITE party, irked by the removal through international pressure amid fraud charges of their candidate from the March 20 run-off, looks set with allies to maintain a dominant position in Haiti’s parliament. “(Martelly’s) task will be especially difficult since he will have to get support

from a Parliament that is chiefly loyal to Preval,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington. “The risk of ungovernability is high, so Martelly will have to strike deals, forge alliances and produce results,” he added. The negotiation may have to start immediately, over the choice of prime minister to lead the government. Martelly told reporters on Tuesday he would cooperate with the refreshed parliament and he repeated promises to improve Haitians’ access to jobs, education, healthcare and justice. As self-styled “President of Konpa”, the catchy Haitian carnival music, Martelly’s past on-stage antics have included wearing wigs, diapers and baring his backside. He will need to convince foreign donors that he is a serious interlocutor. Disaster-prone Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and - more than ever after the 2010 earthquake - is dependent on international aid for its development. Martelly wooed voters with a nationalistic discourse about Haiti “standing on its own feet”, but analysts said he knows his government cannot realistically survive in the near future without development aid and the presence of UN peacekeepers. “The question for Martelly is whether he can renegotiate Haiti’s dependence on better terms,” said Robert Fatton Jr, a professor in the University of Virginia’s Politics Department. Law and order is also a major challenge in Haiti, a small but volatile state with a bloody history of upheaval and violence since a slave revolt led to independence from France in 1804. Kidnapping and armed banditry still exist, although at levels greatly reduced by the presence of UN peacekeepers. Martelly has said he favors the possible restoration of a Haitian army, an institution accused in the past of many abuses that was disbanded in the mid-1990s by ousted ex-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who returned home in March from exile. “(Martelly’s) position on restoring the Haitian army is not a confidence builder,” Maguire said. Questions have been asked about Martelly’s friendships with military and political figures from Haiti’s past. Rival Manigat denounced attacks on her rallies by Martelly supporters she called a “pink militia” - his official party color. But the biggest pressure Martelly will face will be from Haiti’s disenfranchised masses, including hundreds of thousands of quake victims still clamoring for jobs and housing, who believed in his shining promise to give them a better life. They will be the first to call him to account if he fails to deliver. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Sudan accuses Israel of fatal strike on car Continued from Page 1

BREGA, Libya: A Libyan rebel runs on sand dunes for reconnaissance at the frontline yesterday. — AP

NATO ‘careful’ over air strikes AJDABIYA, Libya: NATO, accused of mission failure by Libyan rebels, admitted yesterday it has to be “particularly careful” with its air strikes as government troops are using civilians as human shields, but vowed to do everything to protect civilians in Misrata. France pledged to open a sea corridor to the besieged Mediterranean port and rebels played down losing considerable ground to government forces as just the usual stakes in desert warfare. “NATO forces have been particularly careful to avoid injury to civilians who are in close proximity to the fighting, often precisely because of the tactics of government forces,” the deputy commander of operations, Rear Admiral Russell Harding told journalists. “Libyan government forces have increasingly shifted to non-conventional tactics, blending in with road traffic and using civilian life as a shield for their advance,” he said at the base in Naples overseeing operations. The mandate to protect the civilian population was more challenging because of the stipulations of the UN Security Council resolution approving the mission, which explicitly rules out the use of ground troops. “Because we are not allowed forces on the ground, there is a physical limit to what we are able to do in that respect,” he said. Libyan forces using these new tactics were moving eastwards “in the direction of Ajdabiya, posing a direct threat to that city and beyond that to Benghazi”, he said. “In response, NATO has pursued direct strikes on advancing forces and their logistics and munitions supply chains,” he said. “NATO has also used surgical air strikes to sever the main supply route between Ajdabiya and Misrata,” he said, referring to the city of 500,000 in western Libya that has been besieged by Gaddafi’s forces for more than a month. After the NATO alliance was forced on to the defensive after rebels urged the alliance to do more to protect Misrata, Harding said a “substantial number” of heavy vehicles and tanks had been destroyed in the area

on Tuesday. But he said it was very difficult to destroy tanks in built-up areas without harming residents who were being used as human shields. “If you’re trying to protect human shields when there is a tank with dozens of people around it - innocent civilians - the best thing at that stage is probably not to drop a bomb on that tank,” he said. When quizzed over rebel reports that NATO ships blocked boats carrying aid and arms from arriving in Misrata Tuesday, Harding said the rumours were false: “I think you’ll find at the end of the day no vessels were detained by NATO.” The rebel tirade against NATO came as they sustained their first significant loss of territory to Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in almost a week, after they were sent fleeing from the edge of the oil town of Brega in a major assault. The top commander of rebel forces, Abdelfatah Yunis, accused NATO-led aircraft of doing nothing while loyalist forces kept up their 40-day long artillery bombardment of civilians in Misrata, 215 km east of Tripoli. NATO “is letting the people of Misrata die every day”, Yunis told reporters in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi late on Tuesday. “If NATO waits one more week, there will be nothing left in Misrata,” he added. “If NATO wanted to break the blockade of the city, they would have done it several days ago... Every day, civilians - elderly people and children - are dying in Misrata. NATO has done nothing, they have just bombed here and there.” Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed in Misrata, Libya’s third largest city, since the uprising began on Feb 15. The figure is likely to have risen in recent days. A Turkish aid ship at the weekend brought out scores of wounded from the city, who told harrowing tales of the bombardment of residential areas by loyalist artillery. NATO insisted that the pace of air strikes against Gaddafi’s forces has not slowed down since the 28-nation alliance took command on March 31 of a Western bombing campaign that had been led by the United States. —AFP

Gates meets Saudi king Continued from Page 1 for a back ailment, and came amid mounting international anger over bloodshed in the kingdom’s southern neighbour Yemen and pressure on its president to stand down. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a close US and Saudi ally, has faced months of protests calling for his departure, in which around 125 people have been killed. Despite Saleh being a key US partner in its fight against Al-Qaeda, the White House on Tuesday issued an unusually personal warning to him about violence against Yemeni protesters. “The Yemeni people have a right to demonstrate peacefully, and we remind President Ali Abdullah Saleh of his responsibility to ensure the safety and security of Yemenis who are exercising their universal right to engage in political expression,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said. The GCC is seeking to mediate between the Yemeni government and the opposition in a bid to find a way out of the country’s political impasse. Saleh yesterday welcomed the mediation offer, according to a statement on Saba state news agency, which said he “affirmed the necessity of a serious and fruitful dialogue to overcome the current crisis”. An article on the defence department’s website quoted Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell as saying that “discussion with the king about the US-Saudi military-to-military relationship will center on progress in finalising a recent $60 billion arms sale agreement”. The United States announced last year that it plans to offer Saudi Arabia $60 billion worth of hi-tech fighter jets and helicopters, in the largest US arms deal ever. “We talked about the breadth of our bilateral relationship and about military to military relations”, Gates said following the meeting. “It was an extremely cordial, warm meeting, I think the relationship is in a good place,” he said. Meanwhile, Saad Al-Dosri can only dream of owning a house on the 5,000 riyal monthly ($1,333) salary he earns from his day job as a school teacher in Saudi Arabia. Despite being a citizen of one of the world’s richest countries, the world’s top oil exporter, Dosri works nights as a taxi driver to make ends meet. “I have two jobs because I want to earn more money,” sighs the 28year-old father of one as he steers his car through heavy evening traffic in Riyadh.”I’m more interested in my financial circumstances than political life.” Saudi Arabia is six times richer than Egypt and generated per capita GDP of $16,641 in 2010, according to IMF data, but most of that wealth is concentrated in an elite clustered around the large royal family that founded the country. The enormous wealth at the top does not trickle down, and ordinary Saudis contrast their situation with the consumerism of the wealthy with their multiple maids, cars and holidays abroad. Political activists and reformists were disappointed that a package of lavish handouts announced by King Abdullah last month failed to include any concessions on political rights let alone mention a much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle. But like many young Saudis, Dosri cares little for the winds of political change sweeping through much of the Arab world and was happy with the array of pay rises, health boosts and other financial incentives the king has offered. Economists and experts say between 30 and 50 percent of Saudis own homes, but the majority of young Saudis do not because the minimum salary required to obtain a mortgage in the kingdom is out of reach for most. Meanwhile, property prices are rising, making it ever tougher for Saudis to own their own home. Abu

Bakr, 32, an investment services worker at a Saudi bank in the capital, earns a monthly salary of 7,000 riyals but complains that he has only had two pay rises in five years. Working in a private firm, he is excluded from many of the gifts pulled out of the king’s goodie bag last month. “It’s too expensive in Riyadh. You need a minimum of 500,000 riyals for a small house and 300,000 riyals for a flat,” he says, typing away at his computer. Saudi Arabia, a US ally, has not seen the kind of mass protests that have toppled the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia this year, and now threaten Ali Abdullah Saleh in neighbouring Yemen. In the face of a massive security presence around the country, almost no Saudis in major cities answered a Facebook call for protests on March 11. “I believe there was no plan for a protest, no movement or network,” said Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi. “Things in Saudi Arabia to begin with are not that bad compared to other countries in the region. The demand for political change is carried by intellectuals and the elite rather than the majority of the population.” Saudi Arabia is a country where public space is dominated by the royal family. Political parties and protests are banned and there is no elected parliament. Senior princes hold main posts in the cabinet and some of them have been in their jobs for more than four decades. Demonstrations have mostly been confined to the kingdom’s oil-producing east, where minority Shiites have staged a series of largely peaceful protests in support of Shiites in Bahrain and political freedoms at home. Saudis have also gathered outside the Interior Ministry in Riyadh to demand the release of jailed relatives. Saudi Arabia’s rulers have recognised poverty as an issue in the kingdom since Abdullah, as crown prince, visited a poor district of Riyadh in 2002. The handouts prompted by the Arab uprisings are the latest effort to engage in some redistribution of wealth in a vast land that includes poor mountainous and desert regions as well as the urban sprawl of Riyadh, with its endless villa suburbs. The government had hoped that encouraging Saudis into share ownership of state and private companies floated on the stock market would give a boost to ordinary Saudis, but market crashes in 2006 and 2007 wiped out many people’s savings. “Irrespective of the political situation in the region, the economy is far more important and is the core of the problem,” said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi. “Saudi Arabia has no option not to reform economically and it’s not a matter of when but how fast.” Despite its wealth, the Gulf Arab state has faced high unemployment as an outdated school system focused on religion and Arabic language produces graduates who struggle to find jobs at private firms. Many Saudis are forced to work as taxi drivers, private security guards or other low-paid jobs to make ends meet. The kingdom offers its 18 million nationals social benefits, but they are considered less generous than those provided by other Gulf Arab oil producers such as Kuwait and Qatar, which have smaller native populations. A security guard in one of the capital’s shopping malls, who gives his name as Ahmed, slumps in his chair as he ponders his future. Originally from Jizan in the kingdom’s south, he supports his mother and jobless brothers in rented accommodation on a meagre 2,250 riyal monthly salary and dreams of finding a wife. “Sometimes I don’t think I will get married because I am only a security guard. Marriage is so expensive and I don’t have a house. A house is the least I can offer her,” he said. “Politics isn’t my priority.” — Agencies

place 15 km south of Sudan’s main port city, and said a team had been sent to investigate. “IDF (the Israeli military) carried out an attack in Sudan” read the front page story in Israel’s top-selling Yediot Aharonot. “Planes which approached from the Red Sea assassinated wanted men in Africa,” read the strapline. News of the attack was also carried on the front pages of Israel HaYom, a freesheet considered close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which billed it as “Liquidation in Sudan”. It also appeared as a last-minute bulletin in the left-leaning Haaretz. In the past, Israeli officials have expressed concern about suspected arms smuggling through Sudan, whose government has close ties with Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Tuesday’s attack has revived memories of a similar strike, by foreign aircraft, on a truck convoy in eastern Sudan, near the Egyptian border, in Jan 2009. US and Israeli media reported that the trucks were carrying weapons to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, to supply Palestinian militants during Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against the territory. Sudanese officials claimed the convoy had been transporting illegal immigrants to Egypt. Hamas has close ties with Khartoum and has long maintained a base in Sudan, where the group’s exiled chief Khaled Meshaal is a frequent visitor. Speaking at a con-

ference in Khartoum last month, Meshaal hailed the sweeping political changes in Egypt, which he said had given the Palestinian people their lives back, and called for renewed struggle against the Jewish state. Just a few days later, a private Egyptian TV channel broadcast unconfirmed reports that the Egyptian army had shelled a convoy of vehicles laden with arms near the Sudanese border. The United States maintains a counter-terrorism base in Djibouti which has been active against AlQaeda suspects on both sides of the Red Sea but its reported strikes against jihadist targets are all said to have involved drones. The Sudanese foreign minister made the accusations shortly after meeting with the new US special envoy to Sudan, Princeton Lyman, on his first trip to Khartoum since being appointed late last month. Osman Merghani, editor-in-chief of the independent Al-Tayyar paper in Khartoum, said the strike appeared to be one Israel had the capability to execute and that the target was likely to be a weapons trafficker for Hamas who used Sudan’s east. “It’s very serious for the government because now Sudan is getting into the domain of the ‘terror’ region,” he said, referring to neighbouring states. “They have to get some help from within the (Middle East) region to stop this because if they get help from outside the region they could themselves be targeted by the terrorists,” Merghani said. —Agencies

Ouattara forces move in on Gbagbo’s Continued from Page 1 negotiations to persuade Gbagbo to give up power had failed. “Gbagbo was still refusing to sign a document recognising Ouattara’s victory ... and Ouattara concluded that he was not being honest,” the source said. “He therefore decided to intervene militarily to try to resolve the problem, to capture Gbagbo alive.” Gbagbo’s camp condemned the move as an “assassination attempt” and accused Ivory Coast-based military units from former colonial power France of providing aerial and ground support, which they immediately denied. UN peacekeeping department spokesman Nick Birnback told AFP Gbagbo remained in contact with international representatives. “Discussions continue with the UN using its good oﬃces to the fullest extent possible,” he said. After calling for a ceaseﬁre and retreating to the bunker Tuesday with a handful of people including his wife, Gbagbo insisted in a radio interview late Tuesday he would not accept he had lost the vote. “I do not recognise the victory of Ouattara... Why would you want me to sign this?” Gbagbo told France’s LCI news channel, referring to the document in which France and the United Nations urge him to quit. “I’m not a kamikaze. I love life. My voice is not the voice of a martyr, no, no, no, I’m not looking for death. It’s not my aim to die,” Gbagbo, told the channel by telephone. “For peace to return to Ivory Coast, I and Ouattara, the two of us have to talk,” he added. Gbagbo said that while he did not regard himself as a “martyr”, he was prepared to die. “If death comes, it comes,” he said. Ouattara’s forces were ordered not to kill Gbagbo. “Alassane Ouattara has given formal instructions that Gbagbo is to be kept alive because we want to bring him to justice,” Ouattara spokesman Patrick Achi told Reuters. France, whose helicopters joined UN forces in attack-

ing Gbagbo’s bases earlier in the week, had indicated earlier that an exit deal was all but finalised. “We have asked the United Nations to guarantee his physical security and that of his family... and to organise the conditions of his departure. That is the only thing left to negotiate,” Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told France Info radio. Concern grew at claims of massacres over the past week when Ouattara’s army mounted a lightning offensive into areas held by Gbagbo forces, capturing several towns on the way to the main city, Abidjan. The United Nations said it believed “several hundred civilians” were killed in the western town of Duekoue and one mass grave had almost 200 bodies. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis MorenoOcampo, announced he was collecting information on the allegations and planned a formal investigation. Several hundred people have been killed in violence linked to the months-long presidential standoff, while up to a million had fled their homes to escape clashes, according to UN agencies. The Elders group of eminent world leaders, including Nobel laureates Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan, said both warring parties must be accountable for killings. Gbagbo “must bear primary responsibility for the violence, which was sparked by his refusal to accept the election results and step down,” they said in a statement yesterday. “His term is over and he must depart the political stage,” they said. Pope Benedict XVI made a “new, heartfelt appeal to all sides to launch peace and dialogue effort in order to stop further bloodshed”. The European Union meanwhile imposed new sanctions on Gbagbo, banning the purchase of bonds from his “illegitimate government”. Gbagbo was elected in 2000 and postponed polls due in 2005 several times before allowing them to go ahead last year, only to reject the result issued by the election authority and backed by the United Nations. —Agencies

Gulf between Gulf rivals gets stormy Continued from Page 1 long-standing background roles and into complicated conflicts in Bahrain and Libya. The immediate message is that the Mideast upheavals have thrust the Gulf Arab rulers into self-preservation mode. But nearly all their key decisions also are shaped by long-range concerns about Iranian influence. Now, a growing confidence and unity on how to confront Iran may be among the main policy shifts within the Gulf states after years of letting Washington take the lead, experts say. “The Gulf will no longer be passive observers but active participants in regional events,” said Mishaal AlGargawi, a commentator on Gulf affairs based in Dubai. Adding to the Gulf’s new swagger is the concern - led by heavyweight Saudi Arabia - that Washington cannot be counted on to fully support the Gulf regimes against pro-reform protests and they need to protect the regional status quo on their own. It was on display Sunday when the Gulf’s main political bloc took a hard swipe at Iran. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council said it was “deeply worried about continuing Iranian meddling” - a jab that spans several countries. Kuwait’s leaders claim they have broken an Iranianlinked spy ring. Saudi authorities worry that Shiite powerhouse Iran could be urging pro-reform calls from the kingdom’s Shiite minority. In Bahrain, a Saudi-led military force moved in last month to aid the embattled Sunni dynasty against a Shiite-led revolt that Gulf authorities believe could open the door for Iranian sway. Iran has derided the Gulf force in Bahrain an “occupation”. “It’s putting pressure on Iran by saying, the game has changed and we are here and the balance of power is different now,” said Al-Gargawi. Jean-Francois Seznec, a Gulf specialist at Georgetown University in Washington, called the Bahrain military intervention a twin objective for Saudi Arabia and its partners. It was a rescue mission for a fellow Sunni regime and a “show of strength” directed at Iran. In Tehran, the deputy head of Iran’s powerful foreign policy commission claimed yesterday that the Gulf regimes are using Iran as a scapegoat for their own failings. “The dictators and authoritarians in the region have no idea who to blame,” Hossein Ebrahimi was quoted by the Fars News Agency. “If anything happens

in the region, the authoritarian regimes put the blame on Iran.” Iran’s president also fired back Monday, describing the Gulf leaders as Western “lackeys” being manipulated into denouncing Iran and sending troops into Bahrain. “We have extended the hand of friendship ... do not fall into the American trap,” Ahmadinejad told a news conference that was broadcast on Iranian state television. Instead, the Gulf states appear to increasingly be crafting their own agendas that closely follow Western goals. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have contributed warplanes to the international coalition striking Moammar Gadhafi’s forces in Libya. The Gulf bloc also has offered mediate in the two-month-old bloodshed in Yemen between rebels and the US-backed president. “What you are seeing is the Gulf being far more assertive on the foreign policy stage,” said Theodore Karasik, a regional affairs expert at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. “This all carries a strong message to Iran - both on the Arabian peninsula theater but also in Libya to show a wider reach and wider alliances.” In Kuwait, a delegation led by NATO’s chief of the southern naval command, British Adm Jonathan Westbrook, held talks Monday over closer cooperation and a possible joint naval exercises that would take ships close to Iranian waters. It would further cement Western military ties in a region that already hosts major US airbases and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. A Kuwait commentator, Nasser Al-Mutairi, wrote Monday in the Alaan news website that the Gulf states must move beyond “routine protocol statements” to challenge Iran. “We need measures that marginalize the role of Iran within the (Gulf ) and reduce diplomatic representation,” urged Al-Mutairi. Bahrain’s state news agency went even further with its anti-Tehran barrage. The Bahrain News Agency claimed Gulf leaders have exposed “the whole conspiratorial scheme” by Iran to undermine the Arab monarchs and sheikhs from Kuwait to Oman. “The turmoil across the Middle East has changed the Gulf policies on Iran 180 degrees,” said the Dubai analyst Karasik. “The Gulf leaders feel they are under threat and facing a whole new security environment. This harder line toward Iran is the new normal for the Gulf.” —AP

Back to square one: Oppn set to quiz PM Continued from Page 1 opposition will collide very soon and this would lead to dissolving the Assembly and holding fresh elections within two months. Shiite MP Saleh Ashour also wrote on his Twitter account yesterday that if a number of grillings are ﬁled against the new government and MPs do not cooperate with the Cabinet, “dissolving the National Assembly will be inevitable within one month”. Another Shiite lawmaker Adnan Abdulsamad however believes that the grillings will not secure enough votes to shake the government because a number of MPs who supported the previous grillings against the prime minister are not expected to support a fresh grilling. He also said

that he does not expect the Assembly to be dissolved after two months. The Islamic Constitutional Movement said in a statement that it will not participate in the new government, recalling that it had decided to practice “positive opposition” since 2008. In another development, MP Mubarak Al-Waalan called on the government to sever diplomatic ties with Iran after a publication close to the elite Revolutionary Guards strongly attacked Kuwait. Waalan also called for expelling Iran’s charge d’aﬀaires from Kuwait. Relations between Kuwait and Tehran have strained since Kuwait’s Criminal Court last week sentenced two Iranians and a Kuwaiti to death for being members of a spying ring for the Revolutionary Guards. Two others, a Syrian and a bedoon, were handed life terms.

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Five wickets in one over WELLINGTON: Otago fast bowler Neil Wagner became only the fifth bowler in first-class cricket to take five wickets in an over when he equalled the world record against Wellington yesterday. The South African-born left-armer reduced Wellington from 136 for four to 136 for nine in the final over before lunch. Wagner joins a select list which includes Bill Copson (Derbyshire v Warwickshire, 1937), William Henderson (Northern Transvaal v Orange Free State 1938), Pat Pocock (Surrey v Sussex, 1972) and Yasir Arafat (Rawalpindi v Faisalabad 2004). “It was freakish stuff, everything I bowled just came out right,” a delighted Wagner told Reuters by telephone. “Once I got the first wicket I could see the ball was swinging so I just tried to bowl full and straight. The yorkers came out perfectly.” Opening batsman Stewart Rhodes was Wagner’s first victim, caught by Neil Broom in the gully for 77. —Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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Stosur to skip Fed Cup LBOURNE: World number six Sam Stosur has opted out of Australia’s Fed Cup World Group playoff against Ukraine to concentrate on preparing for the clay-court season. Stosur, who lost both her singles ties in Australia’s first round loss against champions Italy in February, said tuning up for the French Open was more important. “I love representing Australia and it has been difficult to prioritise my immediate schedule,” Stosur, who was beaten in last year’s final at Roland Garros by Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, said in release from Tennis Australia yesterday. “But it is extremely important to

me to focus on the clay-court season and get the best possible preparation for the French Open.” Australia has named world number 29 Jarmila Groth, 64th-ranked Jelena Dokic, Anastasia Rodionova (74) and Sophie Ferguson (124) for the April 16-17 tie in Melbourne. “We are obviously disappointed that our No. 1 player, Sam, will not be coming home for this tie but we respect her decision and I have faith in the other girls to get us back to the elite eight,” Fed Cup captain David Taylor said. Australia beat Ukraine 5-0 last year to progress to the top tier for the ﬁrst time since 2004. —Reuters

Pedrosa surgery successful MADRID: Dani Pedrosa came through surgery on his troublesome collarbone successfully and the Repsol Honda rider is aiming to return for the Portuguese Grand Prix on May 1, his team said yesterday. The Spaniard, second in the MotoGP standings behind champion and compatriot Jorge Lorenzo after two races, used a break in the MotoGP calendar due to the postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix to have the operation at a clinic in Barcelona. He had surgery on a collarbone fracture last October after a crash in Japan but doctors said numbness and lack of strength in his left arm were being caused by “intermittent compression of the subclavian artery” and recommended another operation. “In order to release the arterial compression, the titanium plate and the screws fixed to the collarbone have been removed,” Repsol Honda said. —Reuters

Winless Red Sox lose again CLEVELAND: Josh Tomlin outpitched Boston’s Josh Beckett and Cleveland came up with just enough timely hits as the Indians kept the Red Sox winless so far this season with a 3-1 victory Tuesday. Tomlin (1-0) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, taming a star-studded Boston lineup that came in batting just .200. Tony Sipp worked a perfect eighth before Indians closer Chris Perez made things interesting in the ninth. He gave up a one-out single to Dustin Pedroia and a two-out walk to Kevin Youkilis before retiring David Ortiz on a liner to left for his ﬁrst save. CINCINNATI: Reds’ Brandon Phillips (right) slides safely across home past the tag by Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero in the first inning. — AP

Reds pound Astros 8-2 CINCINNATI: Chris Heisey drove in three runs as the Cincinnati Reds took a patient approach at the plate in improving to 4-0 for the first time since their 1990 World Series championship season, beating the Houston Astros 8-2 on Tuesday. Heisey walked with the bases loaded, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and singled home a run off J.A. Happ (0-1), who helped the league’s top offense immensely. Mike Leake (1-0) allowed three hits and a pair of runs in six innings. The Astros fell to 0-4, the second year in a row they’ve foundered at the start. Brewers 1, Braves 0 At Milwaukee, Yovani Gallardo threw a two-hitter as Milwaukee snapped a fourgame losing streak to begin the season.Gallardo (1-0) walked two and struck out two for the third shutout of his career. Two of the base runners were erased by double plays and no Braves runner reached second. It was the best start by a Brewers starter since CC Sabathia threw a one-hitter in Pittsburgh on Aug. 31, 2008. Juan Nieves has the only no-hitter in franchise history in 1987. Mets 7, Phillies 1 At Philadelphia, Chris Young pitched effectively into the sixth inning and became the first Mets pitcher with two hits in an inning, fueling a six-run rally and helping New York beat Philadelphia. The fourtime National League East champion Phillies were trying for their first 4-0 start since 1915, but Cole Hamels (0-1) suffered through the second-worst start of his career and became the first of Philadelphia’s four aces to lose this season. David Wright tied a career best with four hits and Young (1-0) had a career game at the plate with three hits for the Mets, who are off to a 3-1 start — all on the road. Padres 3, Giants 1 At San Diego, Aaron Harang pitched six strong innings in his debut with his hometown Padres, who won their home opener against skidding San Francisco. The defending World Series champion Giants, who eliminated the Padres from playoff

contention on the last day of the 2010 season, have lost four of five. Nick Hundley had three hits for the Padres and Heath Bell earned his second save. Rockies 3, Dodgers 0 At Denver, Jhoulys Chacin scattered five hits over seven sharp innings and Troy Tulowitzki broke out of a hitting funk with a solo homer as Colorado blankedLos Angeles. Chacin (1-0) struck out four in his season debut as the hard-throwing righty outdueled Clayton Kershaw (1-1), who lasted six innings and allowed three runs. The left-handed Kershaw also gave up homers to Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta, something he rarely does. Kershaw allowed just 0.57 homers per nine innings last season, one of the lowest marks in the NL. Cardinals 3, Pirates 2 At St. Louis, Albert Pujols had the leveling and go-ahead RBIs, and Kyle McClellan rebounded from a shaky beginning to win his first career start for St. Louis. Three-time NL MVP Pujols hasn’t seemed comfortable at the plate in the opening homestand, grounding into three double plays in one game and entering 2 for 16 with a solo homer. Lyle Overbay hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh. Marlins 3, Nationals 2 At Miami, Florida overcame a night of poor hitting when Donnie Murphy delivered a bases-loaded, two-out single in the 10th inning. An error by right fielder Jayson Werth led to the unearned run. The Marlins came from behind twice but began the 10th inning 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position. The Nationals went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. After Gaby Sanchez’s single loaded the bases against Drew Storen (0-1), Sean Burnett took the mound for Washington, and Logan Morrison popped out and John Buck struck out. Murphy then singled on an 0-1 pitch.

Texas 3, Mariners 2 At Arlington, Texas, Alexi Ogando pitched six scoreless innings in his first major league start and Josh Hamilton hit an RBI double as Texas remained undefeated. The defending American League champion Rangers are the first team to five wins. The only other undefeated teams are Baltimore (4-0) and Cincinnati (4-0). Ogando (1-0), a standout reliever last season, struck out four and allowed only two hits in a matchup of first-time major league starters. Angels 5, Rays 3 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Jered Weaver won his second consecutive start, and Torii Hunter and Alberto Callaspo both had two RBIs as Los Angeles kept Tampa Bay winless. Weaver (2-0), the Angels’ opening day starter, allowed one run and three hits in 6 2-3 innings. It is the first time since his rookie season in 2006 that he has started a year with consecutive victories. Hank Conger hit his first career home run, connecting against Jeff Niemann (01). The defending AL East champion Rays fell to 0-4. Twins 5, Yankees 4 At New York, Joe Mauer hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning as Minnesota broke through in the Bronx, rallying past New York and overcoming a dominant outing by CC Sabathia. Delmon Young blooped a three-run double in the eighth to tie it and Minnesota took advantage of five walks by Yankees relievers in the last three innings. Matt Capps (1-0) got six straight outs and Joe Nathan earned his second save since missing last season following Tommy John surgery on his elbow. Royals 7, White Sox 6 At Kansas City, Melky Cabrera’s RBI single scored Chris Getz from second in the 12th inning to give Kansas City its fourth straight win in its final at-bat. Chris Getz singled leading off and was sacrificed to second and then Cabrera

CLEVELAND: Indians’ Jack Hannahan (top) looks toward first base after forcing out Boston Red Sox’s Dustin Pedroia in the fourth inning or a baseball game. — AP

MLB results/standings Major League Baseball results and standings on Tuesday. Chicago Cubs 6, Arizona 5; San Diego 3, San Francisco 1; LA Angels 5, Tampa Bay 3; Cleveland 3, Boston 1; NY Mets 7, Philadelphia 1; Cincinnati 8, Houston 2. American League Eastern Division W L PCT Baltimore 4 0 1.000 Toronto 3 1 .750 NY Yankees 3 2 .600 Tampa Bay 0 4 0 Boston 0 4 0 Central Division Kansas City 4 1 .800 Cleveland 2 2 .500 Chicago White Sox 2 2 .500 Minnesota 2 3 .400 Detroit 1 3 .250 Western Division Texas 5 0 1.000 Seattle 2 3 .400 LA Angels 2 3 .400 Oakland 1 3 .250

GB 1 1.5 4 4 1.5 1.5 2 2.5 3 3 3.5

connected of Tony Pena (0-1) for his third hit of the game. Jeremy Jeffress (1-0) got two outs for the win in Kansas City’s first four-game winning streak since September 2009. The Royals bullpen threw six shutout innings after the White Sox scored four in the first off Luke Hochevar and took a 6-4 lead in the sixth. Paul Konerko hit a three-run homer for Chicago and Alex Gordon had a homer and two doubles for Kansas City.

National League Eastern Division Philadelphia 3 1 .750 NY Mets 3 1 .750 Atlanta 3 2 .600 Florida 2 2 .500 Washington 1 3 .250 Central Division Cincinnati 4 0 1.000 Pittsburgh 3 2 .600 Chicago Cubs 3 2 .600 St. Louis 2 3 .400 Milwaukee 1 4 .200 Houston 0 4 0 Western Division San Diego 3 1 .750 Colorado 2 1 .667 LA Dodgers 3 2 .600 Arizona 1 3 .250 San Francisco 1 4 .200

0.5 1 2 1.5 1.5 2.5 3.5 4 0.5 0.5 2 2.5

Blue Jays 7, Athletics 6 At Toronto, Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to win it for Toronto. Josh Willingham hit a leadoff homer in the top the 10th to give Oakland a 6-5 lead. But Rajai Davis led off the bottom half with a single against Grant Balfour (0-1) and Escobar followed with a first-pitch homer that landed in the right field bullpen, his first of the season. Blue Jays right-hander Jason Frasor (1-0) earned the win despite allowing Willingham’s homer. — AP

Cubs 6, D’backs 5 At Chicago, Marlon Byrd had three hits, doubling in a key run in the seventh inning, as Chicago held on for a victory. —AP

BOA halt court action in 2012 cash row LONDON: The British Olympic Association halted court action against London 2012 organisers yesterday, a day after the country’s sports minister called their cash dispute an embarrassment. A BOA spokesman said the Swissbased Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had been asked to suspend indefinitely a request for it to rule on the division of any surplus from the 2012 Games. LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe told reporters at the Sportaccord international convention that new talks were planned. “It is a distraction but the BOA have suspended their activity with CAS this morning, they will be meeting us at the end of the week with a proposal and our door has always been open,” he said. “I don’t know what is contained in the proposal, I’m certainly not speculating.” The dispute has hung over a visit to London by IOC officials, with IOC president Jacques Rogge and his executive board in town this week, while also baf-

fling many in the world outside British sports politics. “It is an embarrassment and we need to get it sorted out,” Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said on Tuesday at a Question Time event organised by Britain’s Sports Journalists Association. “But the key point about this is that it’s not central to the delivery of the Games. Nothing that happens in this row will stop our athletes being brilliantly prepared and our Olympic Park being built on time and to budget.” The IOC has backed LOCOG, insisting there can only be one budget for both the Olympics and Paralympics and saying that the CAS has no jurisdiction over the case. The BOA, facing a funding shortfall, wants their share of any surplus money to be calculated before the Paralympics are taken into account. Coe, who last week dubbed the BOA’s case “spurious”, said he did not even consider it a dispute and LOCOG certainly would not be loosening any purse strings. —Reuters

Yousuf Al-Qana’ei and contestants seen before the marathon’s start.

Kuwaiti runner completes 2nd round of ‘World’s Toughest Marathon’

A general view of the contestants during the marathon.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti runner Yousuf Faisal Al-Qana’ei completed the second round of the Marathon Des Sables which is tak ing place at the Moroccan desert over a 243 kilometers total distance and is set to end this Saturday. Al-Qana’ei was able to walk the 38 km distance of the second round, after being able to complete the first round’s 34 km distance.

The third round of the marathon which is considered the toughest in the world of its k ind, is set for a 38 k m distance. Al-Qana’ei is the only participant out of the 800 other contestants in the marathon from Kuwait. His par ticipation is sponsored by the Ali Abdulwahab and Sons Co. the official sponsors of ‘Nike Store’ brand in Kuwait.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

S P ORT S

Penguins see off Devils PITTSBURGH: Pascal Dupuis had two goals as the Pittsburgh Penguins moved closer to clinching home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Jordan Staal and Chris Kunitz also scored for the Penguins, who won their regular season home finale to move three points ahead of fifth-place Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference standings with two games to play. The Lightning lost 4-2 at Buffalo. Pittsburgh remained three points behind conference-leading Washington, which won 3-2 in a shootout at Toronto. David Steckel and Brian Rolston scored for the Devils, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their defeat to Montreal on Saturday. Red Bull X-Fighters in action

World’s best riders kick-off Red Bull X-Fighters season DUBAI: In an atmosphere of suspense,

thrill, and excitement, 12 of the best riders in the world will compete and demonstrate their spectacular styles in 6 amazing locations across 4 continents. The Red Bull X-Fighters season kicks off from Dubai. For the first time in the UAE, and the Gulf region, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, the first round of Red Bull XFighters World Tour will be held against the backdrop of the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex on April 15th. A track will be built on site with the capacity of 15000 spectators, including ramps suitable for the most challenging jumps. It will be surrounded by dirt spots to boost the spirit of adventure when the engines roar-. Red Bull XFighters 2011 in Dubai is supported by du as part of the “du Live!” initiative which brings the best of live entertainment and music to the UAE, including the first-ever du World Music Festival held recently. During the past years, this international event visited the Pyramids of Egypt as well as Rome, and moved from London to bullfighting arenas in Spain and Mexico. The coming season is loaded with novelty and exhilaration. It will be launched in Dubai on April 15th, moving afterwards to Brasilia, Rome, Mardrid, and Warsaw before the grand finale in Sydney. Red Bull X-Fighters Spor ts Manager, Tes Sewell, explained the reasons as to why the coming championship will be the best ever, and confirmed that many countries are requesting to host this unique event. However, the organizing committee selected 6 locations that reflect the international spectrum of FMX tours. “Competitors’ qualifications and high levels were obvious last year, therefore, the challenge will be at its most and the final result will probably not be set before the grand finale. The riders’ long experience added to the enthusiasm and spirit of adventure, will allow the guys to challenge themselves and perform unprecedented jumps to satisfy the

crowds” stated Sewell. “Following the success of our recent du World Music Festival event, we are proud to present this exhilarating ﬁrst round of the 2011 global tour of the Freestyle Motocross Championship, held

Capitals 3, Maple Leafs 2 At Toronto, Mike Knuble scored in the four th round of the shootout to lift Washington past Toronto. Alex Ovechkin and John Erskine scored in regulation for the Capitals, who clinched the Southeast Division title for the fourth straight year and moved into first overall in the Eastern Conference. Knuble had the only goal in the shootout. Nikolai Kulemin and Joffrey Lupul scored for the Maple Leafs, whose postseason push ended when Buffalo beat Tampa Bay 4-2. Canadiens 2, Blackhawks 1 At Montreal, PK Subban scored a powerplay goal at 1:19 of overtime and Montreal clinched a playoff spot. Carey Price made 42 saves for Montreal, which went on a 4-on-3 advantage 37 seconds into the extra period when Chicago captain Jonathan Toews was called for hooking Subban in the Canadiens’ zone. Subban drove a slap shot past Corey Crawford after Montreal coach Jacques Martin used his timeout going into the overtime. The rookie Canadiens defenseman turned and skated towards Price, who checked Subban to the ice as the Canadiens gathered around their teammates to celebrate their return to the postseason. Michael Cammalleri scored in the second for Montreal.

Dany Torres in action

in Dubai for the first time ever. This event continues our successful engagement with Red Bull - previously on F1 and Air Race campaigns, and it is as thrilling an association as our unprecedented mobile broadband speeds of up to 42.2 Mbps, the fastest in the country.” said Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du. As to riders’ news, Lance Corey will take for Mat Rebeaud. The American rider is 21 years old and started racing locally in South California, winning his first championship at only 11. By participating in the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, he aims at moving his freestyle skills forward to a better level through exciting competitions against this year’s FMX heroes, starting from Dubai. The FMX Tour features 12 of the world’s best motocross heroes such as the everenthusiastic Nate Adams (USA), Robbie Maddison (AUS), Andre Villa (NOR), Dany Torres (ESP), Levi Sherwood (NZL).

Predators 6, Thrashers 3 At Nashville, Tennessee, Jordin Tootoo and Sergei Kostitsyn each had two goals and an assist as Nashville moved closer to clinching a playoff berth. The Predators jumped to fourth in the West with 97 points, and they need only one more point in their final two games or a Dallas loss to clinch their sixth playoff berth in the past seven seasons. Matt Halischuk had a goal and an assist, Mike Fisher added a power-play goal and Patric Hornqvist had three assists for Nashville. Blake Wheeler scored twice in the third, and Nik Antropov also added a goal to pull the Thrashers within 6-3 at 17:10. Senators 5, Flyers 2 At Ottawa, Jason Spezza had a goal and three assists to lead Ottawa over Philadelphia. Ryan Shannon and Bobby Butler each had a goal and an assist, and Nick Foligno and Milan Michalek also scored for Ottawa. Craig Andersen stopped 27 shots and Filip Kuba added two assists. Mike Richards scored both goals for the Flyers, who failed to clinch the Atlantic Division title. Philadelphia lost its fourth straight and fifth in the last six.

MONTREAL: Michael Frolik No. 67 of the Chicago Blackhawks shoots the puck wide past Carey Price No. 31 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre. —AFP

Stars 3, Blue Jackets 0 At Dallas, Kari Lehtonen made 23 saves for his 17th career shutout, Steve Ott scored his second goal in 25 games on the power play, and Dallas pulled closer to the final Western Conference playoff spot. Loui Eriksson and Brenden Morrow had empty-netters in the final 53 seconds to secure the win for Dallas, which improved to 91 points, tied with idle Calgary for the No. 9 seed in the conference. The Stars and Flames are two points behind Chicago and Anaheim, tied at No. 7. Blues 3, Avalanche 1 At St. Louis, Kevin Shattenkirk had a goal and an assist against his former team, and Andy McDonald added a goal and two assists as St. Louis beat Colorado. David Backes also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in the last seven games. Kevin Porter scored his career-best 14th goal of the season for the Avalanche. Shattenkirk converted on a 5-on-3 power play early in the second period to give the Blues the lead for good 2-1. McDonald added an empty-netter with 40 seconds to go in the third. Sabres 4, Lightning 2 At Buffalo, New York, Thomas Vanek scored three times to lead Buffalo within a point of clinching a playoff berth. Tim Connolly had a goal and two assists and Jhonas Enroth made 23 saves to improve to 3-0-1 in filling in since starter Ryan Miller was sidelined after taking a shot off the collarbone last week. Buffalo moved a point ahead of the seventh-place New York Rangers and five up on ninth-place Carolina. Vincent Lecavalier and Ryan Malone scored for the Lightning, who had a five-game winning streak snapped and lost for the first time in four road games. Oilers 2, Canucks 0 At Edmonton, Alberta, Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves, and Ryan Jones and Magnus Paajarvi scored as last-place Edmonton beat first-place Vancouver for the second consecutive game. Dubnyk got his second shutout of the season for the Oilers, who won 4-1 at Vancouver on Saturday to snap an 11-game winless streak. Edmonton now has 61 points, topping the franchise-worst 60 it had in 1992-93. —AP

Malaysian GP to answer key F1 questions KUALA LUMPUR: This week-

end’s Malaysian Grand Prix promises to answer many of the questions raised by the Formula One season opener in Australia. Chief among those questions is whether the clear superiority of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel in qualifying will be a pattern for the early part of the season. Vettel dominated qualifying in Australia, and though his race pace was not quite as superior, it did not need to be as he maintained a comfortable buﬀer throughout to claim victory. Red Bull may use the KERS power boost system in Malaysia — something the team did without in Australia — which may further improve its speed, providing it can be successfully integrated into the chassis. The team decided KERS would weigh the car down too much in Australia, but with the Sepang circuit featuring two very long straights, it would be more useful at this weekend’s grand prix, even if it compromised cornering speeds. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said the team would test KERS in Friday practice and only then make a call on whether to use it in qualifying. Another major question to be answered this weekend will be how long the Pirelli tires last in hot temperatures. Australia had unseasonably cool weather, so the predicted rapid degradation of the tires did not occur. Indeed Sauber’s Sergio Perez managed to complete the entire race with one pit stop, while the leading cars had

two or three tire changes. “We said all along that we would be seeing two to three pit stops in Australia, but in Malaysia, that figure is likely to increase to three to four,” Pirelli motorspor ts boss Paul Hembery said. Red Bull’s main rivals, McLaren and Ferrari, did not appear to have any edge in terms of tire management in Melbourne, so that poses another question: Will their aerodynamic upgrades for this weekend’s race be enough to close the gap to the defending champion? McLaren’s managing director Jonathan Neale described Lewis Hamilton’s second-place finish in Australia as a “confidence boost” after the team’s troubled offseason, but ack nowledges there is still some way to go to match the Red Bulls. “There is still a reasonable amount of work to do,” Neale said on a teleconference for sponsor Vodafone. “There are some areas of the car that we are satisfied with, but clearly at this stage it is all about how we exploit the tires and we get the downforce on the car.” Ferrari was concentrating on improving its qualifying performance, reckoning that if it could get ahead of the blue cars on the grid, it would be able to translate that into race success. “After the opening round in Australia, we have spent a lot of time analyzing all the data acquired in Melbourne and one clear fact is that our race pace there was definitely better than the one we had in qualifying,”

MALAYSIA: Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher (left) of Germany and his teammate and compatriot Nico Rosberg (right) wave during a meet the fans session ahead of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. —AP

said Ferrari technical director Nick Fry. “A major part of the analysis has focussed on looking at our one-lap performance, when compared to long run performance in the race.” Fry said Ferrari had added “three or four test items” that will be used in Friday’s practice sessions, with more upgrades to come in Shanghai, which will come only a week after the Malaysian Grand Prix. Another question the Australia race posed was of the performance of Mercedes. The German team was predicted to be a big improver this season after a mediocre 2010, but left Melbourne without a single

point. Both its drivers were forced out of the race as a result of accidents in which they were the innocent party, but Michael Schumacher’s failure to make it into the final session of qualifying, and Nico Rosberg’s lessthan-stunning race suggested that improvement had not been made. “ There is absolutely no doubt we want to do better than in the opening race, which was a disappointment for all of us,” said Schumacher. “ We clearly see that as a challenge and it is much too early to write us off. Everybody in the team remains positive and is in a fighting mood.” —AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Tuesday. Buﬀalo 4, Tampa Bay 2; Washington 3, Toronto 2 (SO); Pittsburgh 4, New Jersey 2; Ottawa 5, Philadelphia 2. (SO denotes shootout win) Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTLGF X-Philadelphia 46 23 11 249 X-Pittsburgh 47 25 8 229 NY Rangers 43 32 5 228 New Jersey 36 38 5 165 NY Islanders 30 37 12 220

GA 215 194 193 200 250

PTS 103 102 91 77 72

Northeast Division 44 24 11 238 43 30 7 210 41 29 10 236 37 32 11 215 31 39 10 188

189 205 222 243 245

99 93 92 85 72

SOUTHEAST DIVISION X-Washington 47 22 11 219 X-Tampa Bay 44 25 11 237 Carolina 38 30 11 225 Atlanta 33 34 12 217 Florida 29 38 12 190

194 236 232 258 220

105 99 87 78 70

Western Conference Central Division X-Detroit 46 23 10 255 Nashville 43 26 11 215 Chicago 42 28 9 247 St. Louis 37 33 10 235 Columbus 34 33 13 210

231 191 216 230 249

102 97 93 84 81

Northwest Division X-Vancouver 52 19 9 254 Calgary 40 29 11 242 Minnesota 37 34 8 198 Colorado 29 42 8 219 Edmonton 25 43 11 188

183 233 224 278 256

113 91 82 66 61

X-Boston X-Montreal Buﬀalo Toronto Ottawa

Pacific Division X-San Jose 47 23 9 240 202 103 Los Angeles 45 28 6 214 191 96 Phoenix 42 25 12 224 217 96 Anaheim 44 30 5 228 231 93 Dallas 40 28 11 217 224 91 X - clinched playoﬀ spot Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Red Bull expecting Malaysia fightback SEPANG: Red Bull chief Christian Horner has warned his team not to expect an easy run in this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix and to be ready for a backlash from big rivals Ferrari and McLaren. Red Bull’s world champion driver German Sebastian Vettel won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix convincingly two weeks ago, leaving the chasing pack in his wake. But Horner believes that race was not an indicator of what lies ahead and said he expects to see Ferrari’s Spanish two-time champion Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s British former champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton back to their best. “Anyone who thinks otherwise would be making a mistake,” said Horner. “These other guys don’t want to be left behind and they will push hard to be as competitive as possible. We are in for some very tough and competitive races.” Red Bull won both the drivers and constructors championships last season and started their 2011 campaign in style with Vettel triumphant at Albert Park and his disappointed team-mate Australian Mark Webber finishing in fifth place. “Mark was not happy with that but we have found a few pointers about things with the car and I expect him to be back up the front,” said Horner. Hamilton, too, believes he has a chance to win another title this year and was hugely encouraged by the performance improvement in his McLaren car in Australia, where it ran with a revised exhaust layout, floor and rear wing configuration. “I feel we are right back in it, on the pace and capable of competing

this year,” said Hamilton, 26. “We are back at it and it feels great.” Button said he also felt encouraged by his car’s performance but warned that in a long season anything may happen and, agreeing with Horner, suggested that the contest may well unfold like a long arms war with the teams working on revisions all season long. “It will be another very close fight and I think it could go all the way down to the wire again,” he said. In a race of four or more pit-stops, according to new tyre suppliers Pirelli, the weather and an ability to conserve tyres could prove decisive. It is expected to be sweltering with high humidity. “It is always important to be properly hydrated at Sepang,” said Button. While he did that, Ferrari were working overtime in analysing the statistics that followed Alonso’s drive to fourth place in Australia, a disappointing result after the team had set the pre-season pace. They have concentrated their efforts on improving their qualifying performance. And Germany’s seventime champion Michael Schumacher, 42, made clear he intends to push hard this weekend for a good result after such a disappointing start for the Mercedes team in Melbourne. Both he and compatriot and teammate Nico Rosberg failed to finish. “Don’t write us off, it is much too soon for that,” said Schumacher. His team chief Ross Brawn said: “It was a bad start but we have been doing a lot of homework and I am sure we will be more competitive this time. Now is a test of the strength and resolve of the whole team.” —AFP

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Vinokourov wins Basque Tour stage

CHARLSTON: Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns a shot against Irina Falconi during the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament. —AP

Lisicki advances at Family Circle Cup CHARLESTON: Sabine Lisick i beat Renata Voracova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Tuesday in her first match at the Family Circle Cup since she won the Charleston tournament two years ago for her first tour title. Lisicki missed last year’s tournament when she was sidelined for several months with an ankle injury that forced her to hobble around on crutches. “Basically I had to learn to walk again,” she said. “ That’s why this match means so much to me, you know, after all that I went through and I came back and won my first match.” The German wild card is down to No. 182 after her tour ranking dropped more than 150 places with last year’s injury. Play on the green clay at Daniel Island was delayed several hours as a line of thunderstorms passed through. No. 5 seed Shahar Peer of Israel beat Sofia Ar vidsson 6-1, 6-3, and No. 6 Yanina Wickmayer o0f Belgium, No. 9 seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia, 10thseeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia

and No. 11 Peng Shuai of China also advanced. But 26th-ranked Alisa Kleybanova, the No. 8 seed, was eliminated by American Christina McHale, who called the 6-1, 6-0 victory “definitely one of the biggest” wins of her career. Kirilenko beat American Var vara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-0, Hantuchova defeated Alla Kudryavtseva 6-1, 7-6 (3), and Peng advanced past Ayumi Morita 6-2, 6-1. No. 12 seed Julia Goerges of Germany and No. 15 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova also moved on. Zahlavova Str ycova outlasted Czech countr ywoman Andrea Hlavackova 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (6), and Goerges was leading 1-6, 7-5, 20 when Czech qualifier Eva Birnerova retired with an ankle injury. Americans Melanie Oudin, Jamie Hampton, Jill Craybas and Vania King all lost. Tamira Paszek beat Oudin 6-1, 7-5, Edina Gallovits-Hall edged Hampton 76, 7-5, and Chanelle Scheepers defeated Craybas 6-3, 6-2. Sania Mirza rallied past King 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-2 in a match that lasted 2 1/2 hours. —AP

MADRID: Kazakhstan’s Alexandre Vinokourov launched a daring attack just two kilometres from the finish to win yesterday’s third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, while Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez grabbed the leader’s jersey. The stage, a 180-kilometre ride from Villatuerta to Zuia-Murgia in northern Spain, was marked several breakaways. But with minutes to go, Astana breakaway specialist Vinokourov pulled away from the field and went on to stay eight seconds clear of the pack when he reached the line. Behind him, Spain’s Oscar Freire headed the sprint by the peloton to claim second. Team Katusha rider Rodriguez, who finished in 10th with the same time as the chasing pack, took over the race leadership from Germany’s Andreas Kloeden, who was 19th. On Thursday, the riders take on a tough 179-kilometre ride from Amurrio to Eibar, which includes two first categor y mountain climbs. Meanwhile, Britain’s Mark Cavendish sprinted clear of the field to claim his third career victory at the Grand Prix l’Escaut yesterday. The HTC-Highroad sprinter, a 15-time stage winner on the Tour de France, steered clear of danger in a crash-marred finale to finish ahead of Russian Denis Galimzyanov and Belarussian Yauheni Hutarovich. Cavendish has endured a mediocre start to his season, so the Isle of Man rider was only too happy to find success at the scene of his maiden professional victory, in 2007. “ This race is special for me because it’s here that I took my

Alexandre Vinokourov celebrates his win in this file photo. first professional win,” said Cavendish, who also won here in 2008. “It’s been a frustrating season so far. I’m racing a lot this season, and I’ve had some bad luck, so it’s good I can get the wins in, too.” Cavendish added: “The team did a perfect job, chasing down the break and then getting me to the front as they always do. “( Team-mate) Leigh Howard worked very hard in the last few kilometers, then I came past him and went for the win.” Cavendish’s only other win this

season was in the sixth stage of the Tour of Oman. The GP de l’Escaut is held over 200km and is usually controlled by the sprinters’ teams in anticipation of a bunch finish. Cavendish finished ahead of Russian sensation Galimzyanov, of Team Katusha, with plenty of room to spare. Moments before then American rival Tyler Farrar was taken out of the equation after clashing with Belgian Wouter Weylandt. Another Belgian, Tom Boonen, had started as one of the race favourites but was not in

Sochi 2014 Games to have six new events LONDON: The 2014 Sochi winter Olympics will have six new events, including women’s ski jumping that long campaigned for inclusion, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday. Women’s ski jumping, team events for figure skating and luge, ski halfpipe for men and women and biathlon mixed relay were included in the programme for the Olympics at Russia’s Black Sea resort. Several other events, including a team Alpine event, would be monitored in the coming months before a decision on their

inclusion was taken, the IOC ’s spor ts director Christophe Dubi told reporters. Dubi said the decision on which sports made the cut was based on what they were bringing to the Olympics. “Figure skating for example is an incredible sport. It is extremely popular among various cultures and age groups. (The figure skating team event) is an incredible proposition. It is something that will add huge value to the Olympic programme.” Women ski jumpers, who were not included in last year’s Vancouver Games,

Egyptian team Al-Zamalik to play two matches in Kuwait By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The popular Egyptian soccer team Al-Zamalik will be playing two soccer matches in Kuwait with part of the revenues generated from the match going to support the Egyptian economy. The activities come as part of the ‘For the Love of Egypt’ festival and is being sponsored by the Sorouh Company. A press conference was held yesterday morning at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Salmiya to talk about the upcoming match. The festival is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, State Minister for Development Affairs and State Minister for Housing Affairs. The first match will be held today at 7:00 pm between Zamalik and the Kuwaiti soccer team Al-Tadhamun. They will play at the Tadhamun Sports Club on the occasion of launching their new soccer stadium. The second match will be held on Saturday with Zamalik playing against the Kuwaiti soccer team Al-Qadsiya at K azma Spor ts Club on the occasion of the retirement of the Kuwaiti player Saqer Khuhdayir. All par ticipating teams will be honored on Saturday at the Holiday Inn Hotel. The festival comes with a

KUWAIT: A press conference being held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Salmiya to announce the ‘For the Love of Egypt’ festival. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

message. “We want to tell the world that Kuwait and Egypt are one nation and the relations between the two coun-

contention for the finale after crashing twice during the race. Boonen will line up for the gruelling Paris-Roubaix this Sunday hoping to do better than his fourth place finish at the Tour of Flanders last week. Cavendish, too, will ride the cobbled one-day classic known as the ‘Hell of the North’. “My next race will be ParisRoubaix and then I’ll build up for the Tour de France, with the Tour of Italy and the Tour de Suisse before then as well,” added the Manxman. —AFP

tries is very close,” said Khalid Al-Khashaab, the festival’s general coordinator during the press conference yesterday.

“We want to make this festival a success.” Dr Shireen Fawzi, head of the Zamalik delegation assured

that Zamalik was prepared for the upcoming match. “I’m very happy to be here again in Kuwait as I was born here,” Fawzi said. The festival coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Zamalik Club. “We prepared more celebrations but had to delay them because of the January revolution,” he added. Khalid Al-Mahdi, a representative of Sorouh, the company sponsoring the event, said that the festival will also help support the economy. “With this festival we hope to highlight how safe of a country Egypt is,” he said. “We also want to connect Arab nations together, especially because football is a spor t that brings people together.” The Zamalik players will be staying at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Salmiya. The Operation and Sales Manager of the Hotel, Majid Hanna said that they will provide all of the team’s facilities so that they can feel comfortable. “The Hotel will hold a ceremony to honor the team, which will be attended by members of the Egyptian community and officials of the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza,” he said. Famous Zamalik players will attend the matches, such as Shik abala and Meedo. According to Fawzi, Zamalik will also play against Real Madrid on May 24, 2011 in Egypt.

said they were delighted to finally win a spot on the Olympic programme. “I am thrilled the IOC decided to add our sport,” said 2009 ski jumping world champion Lindsey Van. “ Women’s sk i jumping has been growing for the past 10 years but inclusion in the Olympics is what our sport needed to take the next step,” added the American. The only remaining winter Olympic event that does not have both male and female representation is Nordic combined. —Reuters

Putin tells RFU to work on making 2018 WCup peaceful MOSCOW: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged the Russian Football Union (RFU) yesterday to work with fan groups to ensure the 2018 World Cup is free of the violence and ethnic tension that has plagued soccer in the country. Days after the world’s largest country was awarded the right to stage the sport’s biggest event for the first time in December, some 7,000 fans and nationalists rioted in central Moscow, chanting racist slogans such as “Russia for Russians”. “We’ve promised FIFA, the world and sporting communities that Russia will hold the tournament under the principles of tolerance and goodwill,” Putin told government officials responsible for organising the event. “And these basic principles must be followed without any doubt or compromise.” He added the RFU should “immediately begin active work with various fan organisations on creating a peaceful and friendly environment leading up to the 2018 tournament”. More than 30 people were injured in December’s violence, which came after a Spartak Moscow supporter was shot dead in a street fight with natives of Russia’s largely Muslim North Caucasus. Putin, widely credited with helping Russia beat England and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands to stage the tournament, also told the Finance Ministry to report on the costs of hosting the soccer extravaganza by June 1. “We have no problems with some of the stadiums, such as in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan,” said Putin, who last month named himself to head the World Cup supervisory board. “But in other regions there is still much work to be done in accordance with FIFA requirements.” Russian officials estimate it would cost about $10 billion to stage the event, although some experts say the figure could reach more than $50 billion as the country faces the huge task of building much of the infrastructure from scratch. Putin also entrusted the country’s soccer chiefs with the task of preparing a strong national team for the 2018 event. “This task cannot be solved in just one or two years. We still have seven years ahead and we must do daily, painstaking work with our young players as they will have to uphold the honour of our flag in 2018,” he said. “I would like to stress to both the Sports Ministry and the RFU that the preparation of our national team for the (2018) World Cup is the most important part of their work.” —Reuters

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A year later, Woods may still be in denial AUGUSTA: The circus is largely gone and so, mostly, are the questions about his personal life. Tiger Woods returned to the Masters this week without feeling the urge to apologize for anything, even the poor state of his game. A year ago, the chairman of Augusta National lectured him about his conduct and what it meant to the game of golf. On Tuesday, he was welcomed back to his 17th Masters as a four-time champion who means so much to golf. A lot has changed for Woods in the year since he emerged from self-imposed exile following his sex scandal. What hasn’t changed is that some of his play has been almost as embarrassing as the revelations about his personal life.

The man who once wowed fans with booming drives and precision irons now struggles to keep up with his playing partners. The player who never used to miss a 6-footer now can only shake his head as the putts don’t come near the hole. Woods says it’s nothing more than finding his way through a new swing change. Others who know something about human failings believe it may go a lot deeper than fairways and greens. “He’s got experience coming back from technical problems, but he doesn’t have experience coming back from shame,” said Sharon Chirban, a Harvard sports psychologist who coaches athletes in her private practice. “Until the shame is managed, he will never come back to the level of play he

had before.” Just what is going on in Woods’ private life is mostly a matter of conjecture, though some things are obviously different since he surprised many by finishing fourth at the Masters last year in his first tournament since the scandal. He’s divorced now with two young children and is preparing to move into a new mansion — complete with a short game course — near where his ex-wife recently bought a new home herself. What is going on in his golf game seems just as murky, though Woods insisted again Tuesday that his only problems are refining his new swing and figuring out a way to make more putts. It’s been his stock answer since he came out of seclusion here last

year amid a circus that included planes flying overhead carrying banners taunting him, tabloids stalking him, and so many reporters wanting to ask him questions that tickets had to be issued for his pretournament press conference. Woods resisted efforts to link his personal life with his bad golf, deflecting questions with the ease he used to hit his driver. Is he in a better place this year? He said he felt “almost ready to tee it up Thursday.” Has he grown personally even while struggling with family and golf issues? He barely budged. “As far as being a better person, I try to do that each and every day,” Woods said. “That will and always will be the case.” Famously controlling even

before the scandal, Woods signaled early in his comeback he has no intention of answering anything that doesn’t have to do with golf or the state of his game. That leaves others to speculate, and there’s no lack of theories about what is wrong. Amateur psychologists debating the issue in bars might think it’s as simple as a loss of confidence in his swing or the lack of a steady female companion, but the professionals have other ideas. “This has nothing to with his swing,” Chirban said. “He’s an emotional work in progress and the strategies he’s used before are not going to fix his failings now. You fix it by continuing to work on understanding what led him to the behavior that caused shame and that’s an ongoing process.” —AP

Celtics surge past 76ers BOSTON: Rajon Rondo scored 16 points with 13 assists as the Boston Celtics moved into a share of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 99-82 on Tuesday. With the win, the Celtics and Heat were tied at 54-23 with four games left. The Celtics would win the tiebreaker because they beat Miami in their first three meetings this season; the teams play again in Miami on Sunday. Paul Pierce scored 18 points, Kevin Garnett had 14 and Ray Allen had 13 for Boston. Nenad Krstic scored eight points in 18 minutes after missing two games with bruised right knee, and Jermaine O’Neal had nine points in 12 minutes as the Celtics try to find big men to fill in for Shaquille O’Neal.

LOS ANGELES: Lakers center Andrew Bynum (center) is defended by Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap (left) and forward Derrick Favors during the second half of an NBA basketball game. —AP

Thunder 101, Nuggets 94 At Denver, Kevin Durant scored 32 points as Oklahoma City beat Denver in a possible first-round playoff preview. Russell Westbrook added 18 points and James Harden 13 as the Thunder all but secured home-court advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs, building a four-game lead over the Nuggets with five games left, including a rematch Friday night in Oklahoma City. Jazz 86, Lakers 85 At Los Angeles, rookie Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 22 points and hit the go-ahead free throw with 6 seconds to play as Utah snapped an eight-game losing streak with a victory over Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant scored 20 points and hit a tying 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, but fumbled the ball away on an ill-conceived drive at the buzzer. With their second straight loss following a 17-1 stretch, the Lakers might have lost the chance to catch San Antonio atop the Western Conference standings. The Spurs have a 3 1/2-game lead with five games left for Los Angeles. Paul Millsap scored 22 points for the Jazz. Warriors 108, T Blazers 87 At Portland, Oregon, David Lee had 29 points and a season-high 20 rebounds as Golden State beat Portland. Monta Ellis added 30 points for the Warriors, who led by as many as 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who clinched a spot in the playoffs just before the half when the Houston Rockets lost 104-101 to Sacramento.

PORTLAND: Portland Trail Blazers’ Brandon Roy (left) fouls Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (right) in the third quarter during their NBA basketball game. —AP

NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Tuesday. San Antonio 97, Atlanta 90; Cleveland 99, Charlotte 89; New Jersey 107, Minnesota 105; Orlando 78, Milwaukee 72; Washington 107, Detroit 105; Boston 99, Philadelphia 82; NY Knicks 131, Toronto 118; Chicago 97, Phoenix 94; LA Clippers 82, Memphis 81; Sacramento 104, Houston 101; Oklahoma City 101, Denver 94; Golden State 108, Portland 87; Utah 86, LA Lakers 85. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB X-Boston 54 23 .701 X-Philadelphia 40 38 .513 14.5 X-NY Knicks 39 38 .506 15 New Jersey 24 53 .312 30 Toronto 21 56 .273 33 Central Division X-Chicago 57 20 .740 Indiana 35 43 .449 22.5 Milwaukee 31 46 .403 26 Detroit 26 51 .338 31 Cleveland 16 61 .208 41 Southeast Division X-Miami 54 23 .701 X-Orlando 49 29 .628 5.5 X-Atlanta 44 34 .564 10.5 Charlotte 32 45 .416 22 Washington 21 56 .273 33

Western Conference Northwest Division X-Oklahoma City 51 26 .662 X-Denver 47 30 .610 4 X-Portland 45 33 .577 6.5 Utah 37 41 .474 14.5 Minnesota 17 61 .218 34.5 Pacific Division X-LA Lakers 55 22 Phoenix 37 40 Golden State 34 44 LA Clippers 31 47 Sacramento 23 54

.714 .481 18 .436 21.5 .397 24.5 .299 32

Southwest Division X-San Antonio 59 19 .756 X-Dallas 53 24 .688 5.5 New Orleans 44 33 .571 14.5 Memphis 44 34 .564 15 Houston 41 37 .526 18 X - clinched playoﬀ spot

Spurs 97, Hawks 90 At Atlanta, Tony Parker scored 26 points as San Antonio moved closer to home-court advantage in the playoffs by ending a four-game road losing streak. Manu Ginobili had 18 points and Tim Duncan had 17 for the Spurs, which began the night 2 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Joe Johnson had 21 points and Jamal Crawford had 20 for the Hawks. Bulls 97, Suns 94 At Chicago, Derrick Rose finished with 19 points and Luol Deng scored 18 as Chicago continued to close in on the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over Phoenix. The Bulls lead Miami and Boston by three games, with the Celtics visiting Thursday. The Bulls led by 13 at the half and 22 in the third, only to see Phoenix whittle it to two in the fourth quarter, before pulling out their 16th win in 18 games. Joakim Noah added 12 points, including eight in the third quarter, after missing three games with a sprained right ankle. Carlos Boozer scored 12, and Ronnie Brewer and Taj Gibson scored 10 each off the bench. Vince Carter scored 23 for the Suns, while Grant Hill and Channing Frye scored 13 each, and Steve Nash had 16 assists. Knicks 131, Raptors 118 At New York, Toney Douglas scored 28 points, and Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire

each added 23 as New York closed within a half-game of sixth place in the Eastern Conference by routing Toronto for its fourth straight victory. Chauncey Billups had 13 points and nine assists for the Knicks, who can move ahead of the 76ers for the No. 6 seed when they travel to Philadelphia on Wednesday. It’s a rare big game in the springtime for the Knicks, usually long out of contention by now but headed back to the postseason for the first time since 2004. Nets 107, T’wolves 105 At Newark, New Jersey, Deron Williams capped a career-equaling 21-assist performance by hitting a game-winning jump shot with 1.7 seconds to play to lead New Jersey over Minnesota. Williams finished with 18 points as the Nets snapped a six-game losing streak. The game wasn’t decided until Michael Beasley had a 3-pointer bounce off the rim at the buzzer. Brook Lopez had a game-high 30 points and 12 rebounds and Sasha Vujacic added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets. Beasley and Anthony Randolph had 20 points apiece for Minnesota. Wizards 107, Pistons 105 At Washington, John Wall scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as Washington has its first threegame winning streak since 2008. Wall also had 12 assists and six rebounds for the Wizards. In the final minute of the first half, he hurdled over two rows of seats along the baseline to save the ball, then ran back onto the court to knock the ball away from Will Bynum while landing atop the scorer’s table on the sideline. Kings 104, Rockets 101 At Houston, Marcus Thornton and Samuel Dalembert scored 21 points apiece, and Dalembert and DeMarcus Cousins each grabbed 15 rebounds asSacramento hurt Houston’s playoff hopes with a win. Tyreke Evans scored 18 points and Cousins scored 15 for the Kings. Kevin Martin scored 30 for the Rockets, who blew a big chance to gain ground on Memphis in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Kyle Lowry had 15 points and nine assists and Luis Scola had 18 points for the Rockets. Clippers 82, Grizzlies 81 At Memphis, Tennessee, Mo Williams scored 16 points and keyed a fourth-quarter rally as Los Angeles snapped Memphis’ four-game winning streak. Blake Griffin added 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, while Chris Kaman finished with 14 points. Eric Gordon finished with 11 points. Mike Conley scored 20 points to lead the Grizzlies, while Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol had 14 points apiece, Gasol added 15 rebounds. Sam Young scored 13 points. Cavaliers 99, Bobcats 89 At Cleveland, Ramon Sessions scored 18 points to pace seven players in double figures, leading Cleveland over injury-depleted Charlotte. Charlotte, which is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, trails Indiana by 2 1/2 games for the final playoff spot. The Bobcats, losers of three straight, have five games remaining while the Pacers have four games left. Magic 78, Bucks 72 At Orlando, Florida, Dwight Howard had 18 points and 17 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson scored 17 as Orlando beat Milwaukee. Coupled with Atlanta’s 97-90 loss to San Antonio, the Magic clinched the No. 4 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Orlando won three of four in the season series to improve to 16-5 in its last 21 meetings against the Bucks. Drew Gooden led M ilwaukee with 18 points and Keyon Dooling added 10. —AP

AUGUSTA: Sergio Garcia of Spain leaps over Rae’s Creek during a practice round before the Masters golf tournament. —AP

Major anticipation for Masters drama AUGUSTA: An all-star cast of golf ’s greatest players challenge legendary Augusta National in the 75th Masters starting today with the world number one ranking and a major title up for grabs. Defending champion Phil Mickelson made himself the favorite with a victor y last Sunday at the PGA Houston Open, rising to third in the world with his first triumph since claiming a third Masters green jacket 51 weeks earlier. “Guys gear their game for this event and it can be one of the toughest tournaments to win because so many guys are playing well,” Mickelson said. “I would never discount any single player that’s in this field.” There’s a Lion and a Tiger in the Masters field of 99 as well as memories of a Golden Bear on the 25th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus capturing his sixth Masters title and the last of his record 18 career major titles at age 46. “That’s part of what people remember when they think back over previous Masters,” said England’s Lee Westwood. “That’s part of the charm of it.” “Oh my” moments figure to come from such crafty shotmakers as World No. 1 Martin Kaymer of Germany, second-ranked West wood, No. 4 Luke Donald of England and Nor thern Ireland’s No. 5 Graeme McDowell, the reigning US Open champion. Together with Tiger Woods, the 14time major champion who has not won in almost 18 months since his infamous sex scandal began, the top five players in the world could all move atop the rankings by winning the year’s first Major. “I feel like ever ything is coming together,” Westwood said. “If it all clicks into place this week, I know if I’m on my game it’s good enough to win.” Lion Kim, a South Korean-born US amateur, is among 20 first-time Masters star ters who figure to see Augusta National at her fiercest, with warm and sunny weather forecast through the weekend. “It’s going to be one heck of a test this week,” Woods said. “The course is playing really long, fairways are as lush as I’ve ever seen them and the greens are absoultely perfect.” McDowell expects Augusta National officials to set up the course in similar conditions to those that produced a 16-under par 72-hole winning score by Mickelson last year, among the lowest in Masters history. “I t seems this week that scoring looks to be on the minds,” McDowell said. “They want to see 15-, 20-under par win this week and from what I can see so far, it’s not the scary Augusta test. It’s going to be a fun test. “It’s going to have a mixture. There’s

holes out there you’re happy with par but there will also be some birdie chances this week.” Mickelson says that while long drivers have an edge in places, the short game magician could be the man to beat. “You don’t have to be a big hitter to win here. You have to play away from your weak nesses and to your strengths,” Mickelson said. “If your short game isn’t sharp, you really need to strike it exceptionally well. Anybody, whether you are long or short, if you’re on your short game, you have a good chance.” West wood finished second to Mickelson last year and has yet to win a Major even though he did claim the World No.1 slot for a time. Mickelson, whose run as “Best Player Never to Win a Major ” ended in 2004 at Augusta, knows the pain. “Last year I sat in the scoring cabin and he just said, ‘Just keep doing what you are doing and it will happen for you sooner or later,’” West wood recalled. Woods, not a Masters favorite for the frst time since a record-crushing 1997 Masters victory brought his first major title said he felt ready to win this week and that “everything” about his game gave him confidence. Saying his best golf is yet to come, Woods said he remains confident of overtaking Nicklaus for the all-time major record. “I believe in myself,” Woods said. “There’s nothing wrong with believing in myself. The whole idea is that you can always become better.” Woods has been working on swing changes with coach Sean Foley for nearly a year with no victory to show for it. “I t takes time,” Woods said. “Taking a step back, or sometimes two, there’s nothing wrong with that if I’m going to make three, four, five steps forward and become better in the end.” Mickelson, who has never been atop the rankings, is ranked ahead of Woods for the first time since Woods won the 1997 Masters. “It would really mean a lot if he was No. 1 at the time when I passed him,” Mickelson said. “But he and I both have some work to do on our games to move back up there.” The player mentioned most as one to beware from outside the top-ranked contenders is American left-hander Bubba Watson, whose combination of long-driving power and skilfull shotmaking creativity could be formidable. “Bubba is the most underrated player,” Kaymer said. “Everybody knows he hits the ball long but he is very talented at shaping the ball, any side, and I think that is his biggest strength. You should always watch out for him.” —AFP

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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Solar power brings night-time soccer to Kenya slum NAIROBI: It is eight in the evening and amateur teams of youngsters drawn from one of Nairobi’s toughest slums are locked in a five-a-side soccer match. Normally they would have gone home long before dark to avoid the unsafe night-time streets of Mathare. But that was before the stadium became the first in Kenya to get solar-powered floodlighting, an incentive to stay on. “We have already begun to see the changes. There is a big turn-out of teams who want to use the pitch for training in the evenings,” said Stephen Muchoki, manager of the Mathare Football for Hope Centre. The development is a direct legacy of the first football World Cup in Africa held in South Africa last year: governing body FIFA afterwards chose 20 African groups to house a Football for Hope Centre to promote the sport, as well as health and education. One was the Mathare Youth Sports Association

(MYSA) to which the new solar lighting system was donated by China’s Yingli Green Energy Holding Company, quoted on the New York Stock Exchange. On top of the extra four hours of light a night provided by the new system, football players welcome the chance to practise away from the glare of the powerful equatorial sun. “During the day, the sun is too direct but at night it is (now) easy to see the ball without straining,” said 16-year-old Edwin Ivusa, a Kenya under-17 international who aims to enter the national team in five years. “Training at night is good for our fitness,” added striker Kevin Irungu, a former ball boy. “We run a lot-always on the ball-and we don’t get tired.” “I didn’t think I would ever have a chance to play in a field like this. But the centre has made us believe in ourselves and think we can do even better and that good things will come,” he said. Muchoki expects the newly flood-lit pitch to attract more players, and also to be rented out for

events to raise funds for the association. “We are targeting kids between the ages of eight to 18 and also the retired former players who are too busy in the oﬃces during the day and want to train at night,” he said. MYSA was founded in 1987 and prides itself on having transformed the lives of more than 20,000 Kenyan youths living in the slums through training drills and courses ranging from football coaching to life-saving. “These drills are very educative because they touch on every aspect of the daily life in the slum areas. They require a lot of concentration and skills from the participants,” said games coordinator Robert Chege. Programmes are based on those of Streetfootballworld, a non-proﬁt Berlin-based organisation which uses the sport to promote development and gender and social equality in disadvantaged areas.

The Mathare association has a strong showing in ranks of street football - a low-budget version of the game that can be played barefoot in the street without referees-and dominated the previous two street football World Cup competitions in Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010. Alongside its sport training, it runs programmes on HIV/AIDS education and organises clean-up groups to help prevent the spread of disease in Mathare, which is a collection of mud and corrugated iron shacks without sanitation or infrastructure. Its pick as one of FIFA’s “20 Centres for 2010” was a boost for its years of work. This centre as well as ones in South Africa, Mali and Namibia have progressed well and are already hosting young sportspeople. The Mathare stadium is the only sports facility in Kenya with a ﬂoodlighting system outside the two stadia in Nairobi-Nyayo National Stadium and the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasaraniwhich are powered by the national grid.—AFP

Europa League Preview

Portugal teams dominate

ITALY: Inter Milan’s Brazilian coach Leonardo Araujo gestures during the quarter finals of the Champions League match between Inter Milan and Schalke on April 5. —AP

Little peace and quiet in store for Leonardo MILAN: Inter Milan coach Leonardo suggested his players needed rest and some quiet but that is the last thing he and his team are likely to be afforded after a second three-goal defeat at the San Siro in four days. The Brazilian’s tactical failings were exposed again as his team collapsed to a 5-2 defeat at home to Schalke 04 in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final, just as they were in the 3-0 Serie A defeat to neighbours AC Milan four days earlier. “The first thing we need is to rest our heads,” said Leonardo, looking surprisingly relaxed after the game. “We have a very mature squad and we need calm and rest. we need to use our energy on the pitch.” With Lucio suspended, Leonardo repeated Saturday’s makeshift central defensive partnership of Andrea Ranocchia and Cristian Chivu, with equally disastrous results. Left helpless by a lack of defensive cover, Ranocchia scored an own goal and the hapless Chivu was sent off for the second game running. Inter looked capable of scoring with every attack but looked in even more danger of conceding a goal when their opponents swept forward. Such gung-ho excitement would have been unthinkable under the revered Jose Mourinho, who led Inter to a Champions League, Serie A and cup treble last season. Last season, Inter beat Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate in the last 16 and overcame CSKA Moscow 2-0 in the quarter-finals, the four games producing fewer goals than Tuesday’s extravaganza which Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick said could have ended 10-5. It sparked criticism from Gazzetta della Sport, coming after the previous round’s 3-3 aggregate draw with Bayern Munich when a last minute

away goal sent Inter through. “The sink or swim philosophy which saved the title defence in Munich has this time misfired,” said Gazzetta, harking back to the days of ‘Special One’ Mourinho. “The fact is that the midfield gave their opponents too much room to play in, something that would never have happened in Mourhino’s days. “Mourinho always said that the Champions League is a question of details. The impression is that not enough attention has been paid to them in the absence of the Portuguese guru.” After falling five points behind Milan with seven games left in Serie A, the talk had before the match before the match had been of concentrating on defending their Champions League title. Now, the Serie A looks a more realistic target than winning the second leg in Gelsenkirchen 4-0 or 6-3. “I don’t like to make excuses,” said Leonardo. “All is not lost, we are five points behind and we have seven games left. “We have to change this situation. We lost two important games but we must stay together and try to forget these heavy defeats.” The coach, who helped Inter cut the gap between themselves and AC Milan from 13 points after replacing Rafael Benitez, was given support by club president Massimo Moratti-for the time being at least. “We have to stay calm,” said Inter captain Javier Zanetti, echoing Leonardo’s sentiments. “Calm so that we can understand what the problems were and then start again, as we have many times in the past. We’ll do it again this time. “We certainly aren’t going to throw away the good things we’ve done so far because of these two defeats. “Together we’ll look forward.” —Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: Ecuador’s Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito’s Neicer Reasco (left) fights for the ball with Argentinaís Independiente’s Patricio Rodriguez during a Copa Libertadores soccer match. —AP

Independiente draw at home BUENOS AIRES: Record champions Independiente’s chances of reaching the Libertadores Cup knockout phase hung by a thread after a 1-1 draw at home against LDU Quito that handed Penarol their qualification on Tuesday. Striker Leonel Nunez gave the Argentine side the lead midway through the first half when he converted a penalty but an own goal by defender Julian Velazquez from a low cross by LDU striker Hernan Barcos handed the Ecuadorean side a point. “It was a strange and difficult match. They were awarded a doubtful penalty but we managed to take at least a point which is what we were looking for,” Argentine Barcos, voted man of the match, told Fox Sports.

Independiente, who won the seventh of their titles in 1984, are bottom of the group with five points from five matches, four points behind Uruguayan leaders Penarol with LDU and Argentina’s Godoy Cruz both on seven. To snatch a berth in the last 16 next Tuesday, Independiente need a massive victory away to Penarol in Montevideo and hope 2008 champions LDU and debutants Godoy Cruz draw in Quito. If there is a winner in the match in Quito, where LDU hold an advantage in the rarefied air 2,800 metres above sea level, that winner would finish top of the group with 10 points and go through with Penarol whatever happens in Montevideo.—Reuters

LONDON: With FC Por to, Benfica and Braga all through to the quar ter finals of the Europa League, Portugal has a great chance this season of adding to its sole success in the continent ’s second-tier club competition. A Porto side led by an upand- coming coach Jose Mourinho beat Celtic 3-2 to win the then UEFA Cup in 2003. Eight years on, the club, which is the runaway leader of the Portuguese league, has an opportunity to repeat those exploits and meets Spar tak Moscow in the last eight, with the first leg at the Estadio do Dragao. Elsewhere today, Braga is away for the first leg of its quarterfinal against Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev and Benfica, competition runner-up in 1983, hosts PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands in a repeat of the Europan Cup final in 1988. Dutch champion FC Twente takes on Villarreal in the other last- eight match, with the Spanish team at home first as it looks to stay on course for its maiden trophy. For the first time since 1993-94, three Portuguese teams are vying for a place in the semifinals. Porto appears best placed to go all the way after extending its lead in the domestic league to 16 points on Sunday by beating Benfica, its nearest

challenger, 2-1 away. “Porto are not easy opponents. They are the favorites to win the whole tournament,” Spar tak coach Valeri Karpin

said. “It would have been better to play against them in the final.” Porto saw off another team from the Russian capital, 2005 winner CSKA Moscow, 3-1

KIEV: Sporting Braga coach Domingos Paciencia, during a news conference. Sporting Braga will play against Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League soccer match today. —AP

in the last 16 and is unbeaten in the competition after winning five and drawing one of its six group-stage matches. The winner of the Por to Spartak series will play either Villarreal or Twente in the semifinals. For the first time in the history of the competition, no side from England, Germany, Italy or France features in the last eight and Villarreal is flying the flag for the so-called big five European leagues. Spanish teams have won four of the last seven UEFA Cups/Europa Leagues, with Sevilla (twice) and Valencia both successful before Atletico Madrid’s triumph last season. Villarreal dropped to fourth in the Primera Liga after a 1-0 home defeat to leader Barcelona on Saturday but is happy to turn its focus to Europe. “We feel like a strong team in Europe,” captain and center back Gonzalo Rodriguez said. “We go in with a lot of belief and with the right mentality. (But) we don’t feel like a favorite against Twente and it’s clear it’s going to be a tough series.” In Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi, Villarreal has the competition’s top scorer with eight goals. The United States-born for ward has also scored 15 times in the Spanish league this season.—AP

Real mountain too high for comeback kings Spurs LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s debut Champions League season has been a story of unlikely comebacks but even the staunchest believer will hold little hope they can recover from Tuesday’s 4-0 thrashing by Real Madrid. Way back in August Spurs, dipped their toe into the Champions League so tentatively that within 30 minutes of their qualifying round first-leg match at Young Boys of Berne they were 3-0 down. However, setting their tone for the competition, they pulled two goals back and then won the second leg with a convincing 4-0 scoreline. In the group stage things were even more dramatic as they trailed Inter Milan 4-0 at the San Siro only for Gareth Bale’s spectacular hat-trick to make it 4-3 and give them the confidence to beat the holders 3-1 back in London. At the Bernabeu on Tuesday the 15th-minute dismissal of Peter Crouch for two wild sliding tackles made Tottenham’s task near-impossible. But even if they were to play with 12 men at White Hart Lane next week another turnaround looks beyond the realms of possibility. “You need a miracle playing here with 10, better teams than us would have struggled,” said Spurs manager Harry Redknapp after the club’s heaviest European defeat. “We’ve got a mountain to climb but we’ll give it a go. “It’s been a great experience and we still have a game to play at White Hart Lane. It won’t be tough to lift them- what ’s tough is the injuries.” Spurs have 13 players unavailable, not including Aaron Lennon,

whose last-minute withdrawal through illness on Tuesday did much to disrupt Redknapp’s carefully-designed game plan. “I’ve got to try to find 11 for Saturday against Stoke City,” Redknapp said. Spurs’ season, though likely to live long in the folk memory in the pubs along the Seven Sisters Road, is in danger of sliding towards an anti-climatic end. The Champions League adventure looks over and, thanks to their poor Premier League form in recent seasons, the next one will not be coming around for at least another year. Since their famous 1-0 win over AC Milan in the San Siro on Feb. 15, Spurs have lost to Black pool and drawn with Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and Wigan Athletichardly the stuff of potential European champions. They now trail fourth-placed Chelsea by five points with eight games remaining and need to pick up their domestic form to hold on to fifth and a place in the Europa League next season. Bale, however, showing the same self-belief and enthusiasm as in his scintillating wing play this season, has not given up on either front yet. “We are not going to sit back and take another beating from them in the second leg,” he said af ter Tuesday ’s mauling. “Hopefully we will win and hopefully that win will be enough. “We have to pick ourselves up for the rest of the season. We can still finish fourth or higher maybe. We have to keep going. We still have the second leg and the league. “ We are a young team that is learning and I think we can definitely learn from this.”—Reuters

MADRID: Real Madrid’s coach Jose Mourinho from Portugal tries to stop a ball after it went out of play, during a quarter final, 1st leg Champions League soccer match against Tottenham. —AP

Winless Red Sox lose again

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Vinokourov wins Basque Tour stage

Al-Zamalik to play matches in Kuwait Page 17

Champions League

LONDON: Chelsea’s Michael Essien (right) competes for the ball with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (left) during the Champions League Group F soccer match at Stamford Bridge.—AP

Rooney’s strike stuns Chelsea LONDON: Wayne Rooney scored the only goal as Manchester United put one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League yesterday with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea. Rooney-who has been at the centre of a furore over his foulmouthed tirade at a television camera last weekend-shrugged off the controversy to fire United ahead on 24 minutes. The victory was United’s first over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge since 2002 and left Sir Alex Ferguson’s side firm favorites to progress from the quarter-finals ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg at Old Trafford. But the defeat has left Chelsea with a daunting task if they are to achieve their dream of winning the only piece of silverware that has eluded them since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s 2003 takeover of the club. Only twice before in the Champions League knockout rounds has a team recovered from losing a first leg match at home to advance to the next round. The match ended in controversy as Chelsea were denied a clear penalty after Patrice Evra brought down Ramires in the area in injury time. A scrappy first half saw both sides struggle to establish dominance early on, 50 million pounds signing Fernando Torres testing United keeper Edwin van der Sar with a low shot after only seven minutes. Chelsea’s early pressure almost resulted in a goal on 19 minutes when clever play released Didier Drogba inside the penalty area. The Ivorian striker’s shot was firm but van der Sar was equal to the challenge, tipping over for a corner. United meanwhile appeared happy to soak up the pressure and look for openings on the break, and on 24 minutes they took the lead with their first meaningful foray into Chelsea territory. Michael Carrick swung a pass out to the right flank and the evergreen Ryan Giggs, 37, roared up on the

left flank to beat Jose Bosingwa on the outside before cutting back to Rooney, whose low shot went in off the post. The goal stunned Chelsea and for much of the remainder of the half they looked out of sorts against an increasingly composed United. Torres gave United a brief scare on 35 minutes when he raced into the area and tumbled over under pressure from Vidic, but Spanish referee Alberto Undiano was unimpressed with half-hearted appeals for a penalty. Moments later United boss Ferguson was off his bench in protest after young striker Javier Hernandez was flattened by a high boot from Chelsea fullback Yuri Zhirkov, who was booked for the challenge. Yet as half-time neared Chelsea began to trouble United, and should have levelled when a cross from Drogba came back off the post and fell to Frank Lampard, whose close-range shot was cleared off the line by Evra. Chelsea enjoyed the better chances of the second half, Ramires heading wide on 50 minutes after good work by Drogba down the right. An overhead kick from Drogba went wide on 57 minutes, but United rarely looked in difficulty despite Chelsea’s territorial dominance. A fractious encounter saw referee Undiano brandish his yellow card with regularity, Ramires and Essien both getting booked. Chelsea thought they had equalised on 74 minutes when Torres guided a fine header to the back post but van der Sar pulled off a wonder ful save to preser ve United’s lead. As injury time wound down Chelsea had loud appeals for a penalty waved away after Evra brought down Ramires, but Undiano was unimpressed. To add insult to injury, Torres was then booked for diving after going over too easily in the penalty area.—AFP

Japan bounce back in Asia

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Daniel Alves from Brazil, reacts after scoring against Shakhtar Donetsk during a quarter final, 1st leg Champions League soccer match at the Nou Camp. —AP

Barca blast Shakhtar BARCELONA: Barcelona took a major step towards the Champions League semi-finals with a commanding 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk as clinical finishing proved the difference between the sides. Andres Iniesta gave Barca a lead right from the start but Shakhtar spurned a number of good chances to draw level before Dani Alves and Gerard Pique extended the lead. Yaroslav Rakitskiy pulled a goal back for the Ukrainians but Seydou Keita immediately responded for the home side and then Xavi Hernandez gave the Catalan side a resounding win. There were no real surprises in the Barcelona starting line-up with Pedro Rodriguez only fit enough for the bench and so Iniesta was pushed into attack with Keita providing a more defensive feel in midfield. At the back as in the 1-0 victory over Villarreal at the weekend, Sergio Busquets started alongside Gerard Pique with Carles Puyol injured. For Shakhtar, Dmytro Chygrynskiy missed the chance through injury of a return to the Nou Camp and show the home fans what he can really do after an ill-fated season where he failed to justify his big money move. Ahead of the game Barca coach Pep Guardiola warned against complacency as Shakhtar are a team which has improved season upon season. They have added to a solid base with a forward line of quality attacking Brazilians. The last time the teams met in the 2009 Uefa Super Cup it took Barcelona until the 115th minute to score the only goal of the game but thanks to a lucky deflection they were ahead yesterday after just

two minutes with Iniesta calmly slotting passed the keeper. Experienced Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu has always been an exponent of attacking football and in an action packed opening spell they showed they had a forward line to hurt Barca. In particular it was the pace of Luiz Adriano that was causing a danger and he had several excellent opportunities but his composure let him down. He failed to take the ball in his stride after being put through and then after a delightful pass from Douglas Costa he prodded wide of the post. While Leo Messi was a constant threat playing through the middle, Shakhtar were also causing problems for themselves. A careless back pass from Mykola Ishchenko allowed in Messi, whose finishing for once let him down and his attempted lob was caught by the keeper. Barca did double the lead when Alves timed his run to perfection to keep on side and collect an Iniesta pass before finishing in an empty net. After the break Shakhtar were rueding their misfortune when a Pique shot from a corner went in after striking Rakitskiy and wrong footing the keeper. Rakitskiy made amends at the other end by flicking a free-kick passed keeper Victor Valdes but any hope of a comeback was short-lived. From the restart Barca attacked and Messi found Keita in oceans of space and he powered a shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the area. There was to be no joy for Adriano as he hit the inside of the post for Shakhtar and then in the final minutes Xavi was left unmarked to convert a Dani Alves cross and put Barca on the verge of the semi-finals. —AFP

SINGAPORE: Japan’s J-League teams shrugged off the chaos caused by last month’s horrific earthquake to grind out valuable draws yesterday, completing a successful AFC Champions League week for the nation. Kashima Antlers, whose stadium was damaged in the disaster and which sent home foreign players as a nuclear crisis unfolded, earned a crucial away point with a 1-1 against Group H table-toppers Suwon Bluewings. And J-League champions Nagoya Grampus held FC Seoul 1-1 to cost the Group F pace-setters their first points of the campaign. On Tuesday, Japan’s Cerezo Osaka beat 2006 champions Jeonbuk Motors of Korea 1-0. The results come despite a suspension of the JLeague until mid-April, to avoid sucking electricity from the crippled national grid, while Japan have provisionally withdrawn from their guest spot at South America’s Copa America. In Suwon, Yeom Ki-Hoon put the Bluewings ahead on 67 minutes only for veteran Koji Nakata, whose “Hand of Koji” handballed goal controversially helped Japan win the 2004 Asian Cup title, to equalise four minutes later. Elsewhere, Nagoya coach Dragan Stojkovic was left purring over a sweet debut goal for Kensuke Nagai which put the home team one-up against FC Seoul at Mizuho Athletic Stadium. Meanwhile, Australia’s Sydney FC had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Shanghai Shenhua in an entertaining clash at Sydney Football Stadium which leaves both teams winless in Group H. China’s Hangzhou Greentown drew 0-0 with Al Ain of UAE but remained second in Group F behind FC Seoul. In Group B, Iranians Esteghlal claimed their first win of the campaign after overcoming an early opener from Uzbekistani visitors Pakhtakor to win 4-2 at Azadi Stadium. Saudi Arabians Al Shabab moved up to second place in Group D after bouncing back from from an early opener by Nabil Daoudi of Emirates to run out 4-1 winners at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium. Thirty-two teams play home and away in eight groups to qualify for the knock-out stages. The event has recently been dominated by East Asia with no West Asian winners since Al Ittihad completed back-to-back wins in 2005.—AFP

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CAIRO: An Egyptian woman carries garlic on her head as she walks in the street in the Bola’a neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt. Foreign direct investments into Egypt are projected to fall by over 40 percent, the country’s investment chief said yesterday, in another sobering reminder of how the unrest that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak is battering the economy. — AP

Traders doubt Qatar, UAE will get upgrade Low trade, regional unrest dampen expectations DUBAI: Qatar and the UAE have failed to meet key requirements to be upgraded to emerging market status, potentially denying the lackluster markets access to multibillion dollar liquidity. Influential index compiler MSCI will announce its verdict in June and may snub the two countries for a third time, with Qatar failing to raise foreign ownership limits and UAE bourses yet to say when they will switch to a new settlement system. Low trading volumes and regional unrest are also dampening prospects for Qatar and the UAE to be raised from frontier markets. Some traders and bourse officials had talked up the UAE’s prospects, so another failure could hurt markets as they slowly recover from March’s milestone lows. At its 2010 review, MSCI said both Qatar and UAE must move away from dual account structures, with delivery versus payment (DvP) the global settlement standard. Qatar will switch to a DvP system

from April 11, but UAE domestic bourses-Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market - have to yet to do so, despite the latter previously saying it would introduce DvP by the end of the first quarter. An ADX official said it was awaiting approval from the regulator, while the DFM declined to comment. “It’s not yet a concern DvP has yet to be introduced, but it will increasingly be so as we get nearer to the June review - market participants will need time to give their feedback and allow for any potential problems to appear,” said Fahd Iqbal, EFG-Hermes strategist. Foreign ownership restrictions are another worry for MSCI. UAE companies limit foreign holdings to about 49 percent, but many strategic firms allow little or no non-UAE involvement. Etisalat, the Middle East’s largest telecoms operator by value, is off limits to foreigners, while Dubai’s top bank Emirates NBD caps foreign involvement at 5 percent. Qatar

limits stocks to maximum 25 percent foreign ownership. Stocks already on the frontier market index would be best placed to join its emerging market counterpart. In the UAE, this includes Emaar Properties and DP World, while Doha’s top names include Industries Qatar and Qatar National Bank. Qatar and the UAE would move on to the radar of dedicated emerging market funds were they upgraded. The UAE could get a 0.3 percent weighting and Qatar 0.8 percent on the emerging markets index, said EFG’s Iqbal, with the latter’s larger weighting based on the assumption it will raise foreign ownership limits to 49 percent. He forecast UAE daily average trading volumes could rise to $118 million from $83 million last year, while Qatar trade would more than double to $126 million. This may have a multiplier effect as more local and regional money enters in a virtuous circle of increased trading. An

upgrade would draw in international funds, boosting local equity valuations, said Ma’an Al Awlaqi, manager asset management and product development at Dubai Bank. Other analysts were more wary, warning UAE stocks may be of little interest to emerging market funds, with Dubai’s index down about 75 percent below a 2008 peak. It has failed to participate in a worldwide equity rebound because of a heavy skew towards real estate. Property prices have fallen 60 percent from a 2008 high and further double digit declines are forecast, while Abu Dhabi’s bourse has similar troubles. “Nothing would force an investor to invest but good returns,” said Mohammed Yasin, CAPM Investment chief investment officer. “If we will only represent 0.5 percent of the index, international funds can afford to give the UAE a miss if they didn’t believe the returns or the trading volumes are

there, and it will not affect the performance of their funds.” With bourses unrepresentative of the local economy, investors have little scope to play the UAE’s recovery - GDP is forecast to expand 3.4 percent in 2011 and a Tuesday Reuters poll showed business conditions are at a 20-month high - potentially deterring dedicated emerging market funds. Low trading volumes will also be a factor, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi markets in protracted merger talks as turnover slumped to a six-year low in 2010. Many heavyweight stocks remain more than 60 percent below 2008 peaks. “I think in reality it disappeared with the volumes in the market-the volumes are just too low to justify it,” said Robert McKinnon, ASAS Capital chief investment officer. “MSCI would risk alienating the big managers by including the region before there is really liquidity in the market.” EFG’s Iqbal said low volumes were a worry,

Euro gains as stocks climb LONDON: Differing prospects for interest rates sent the euro to a 14-month high against the dollar and extended the yen’s steep decline yesterday as investors prepared for the launch of a tightening cycle in the euro zone. World shares ticked higher, with emerging markets leading the way-a reflection of renewed interest in the sector prompted in part by higher expectations for interest rates in developed markets. Wall Street looked set to open higher. Focus was also on battered euro zone peripheral economy. It successfully sold six- and 12-month treasury bills but had to pay a steep price in interest. The European Central Bank meets on Thursday and is widely expected to raise its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points from a record low 1.0 percent to curb inflation pressures. The prospect of the euro zone’s first rise in rates since July 2008 pushed the euro to its highest level against the dollar since late January 2010. It rose as high as $1.4317 and also hit a high of 121.96 yen , its strongest since May 2010. It was later slightly weaker than these levels. The Bank of Japan also meets on Thursday but if anything it will ease monetary conditions rather than tighten, adding to the attraction of higher-yielding currencies such as the euro. The generally brighter picture of the world economy that lies behind the trend towards rising rates has pushed stocks steadily higher this year and there were more gains, briefly lifting European shares to a four-week high. World stocks as measured by MSCI were up a third of a percent. Emerging market stocks gained around three quarters of a percent. The latter are up more than 10 percent since a mid-March low. Europe’s FTSEurofirst 300 gained 0.4 percent. “Optimism continues to rule even though there are

still ...clear and present dangers. Portugal needs to find some financing fast,” said Philippe Gijsels, analyst at BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets. “The market will continue to be well supported as long as the US Federal Reserve continues to put liquidity into the system. Only when the Fed stops printing will we be able to see the real strength of the economy and markets. And then markets may be disappointed.” Portugal sold a total of 1.005 billion euros ($1.43 billion) in 12-month and six-month T-bills, but yields rose sharply from previous auctions last month. The 12-month T-bill yield rose to 5.902 percent from 4.331 percent in the previous auction three weeks ago, while the yield on the shorter maturity rose to 5.117 percent from 2.984 percent in a sale in early March. Demand, however, outstripped supply by 2.6 times for the 12-month t-bills and by 2.3 times for the six-month T-bills. “The bill auctions show that Portugal is able to fund itself in the bill markets, but the cost is substantially higher than previous auctions,” said Peter Chatwell, rate strategist at Credit Agricole. “I suspect that as far as the market is concerned, funding at these levels can only be viewed as a temporary measure.” Portugal is struggling hard to avoid being overwhelmed by its debt burden. Moody’s cut the credit ratings of seven Portuguese banks yesterday, pointing to the lenders’ weakened financial state and the likelihood a government struggling with debt would limit support for them. The decision, including downgrades by one or more notches of the senior debt and deposit ratings of seven banks, and downgrades of the standalone credit assessment for five of those banks, comes after Moody’s cut Portugal’s sovereign rating on Tuesday. — Reuters

but not necessarily decisive. “It’s not as easy as looking at the daily trading figures, it’s more complicated than that, so it’s difficult to know how serious an issue low volumes are,” said Iqbal. The Arab world has been rocked by unrest, toppling veteran rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, while Saudi Arabia troops entered Bahrain to stamp out protests by the island’s Shiite majority against its Sunni monarchy and there were also deadly demonstrations in Oman. “There’s too much going on in the region, which continues to have its fair share of political issues that remain front page news, so I doubt many investors are looking at MSCI as a potential catalyst right now,” said Akram Annous, MENA strategist at Al Mal Capital. “You would think that MSCI would probably pass on the decision this time, so if it did upgrade the UAE it would be a pleasant surprise.” — Reuters

Kuwait eyes Iraq gas

ATEHNS: Pigeons fly in front of Athens City Hall as a banner reads in Greek occupied. Protesting municipal workers, fearing job cuts after municipal labor contracts expired, have occupied the Greek capital’s City Hall since March 21. — AP

KUWAIT: Kuwait is in negotiations with international oil companies to import gas from Iraq, unidentified sources said in published remarks yesterday. “Kuwait is not negotiating with the Iraqi government in this regard, but with International oil companies in Iraq that are developing oil and gas fields there,” Kuwaiti newspaper AlJarida cited one source as saying. The sources told the paper that Kuwait hoped to start importing Iraqi gas in the next 12 to 18 months but that the amount it would purchase had not yet been determined. The Gulf Arab state does not have enough natural gas to meet power demand and burns a large volume of oil products at power stations. Like its oilexporting neighbors, Kuwait has been slow to develop its gas reserves to meet domestic demand. Kuwait said last year it planned to produce more than 4 billion cubic feet per day (cfd) of gas by 2030. On Tuesday, Hashim al-Rifai, Kuwait Petroleum Corp’s planning director, said Kuwait had increased imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help meet local demand. Rifai said the county will import 0.5 billion cfd of LNG from March to November this year. A number of international energy firms are working in Iraq to redevelop the country’s aging oil fields and expand natural gas production to help meet local power demand. — Reuters

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Total’s Yemen LNG not hit by turmoil Global output target for 2011 unchanged PARIS: Unrest in Yemen is not disrupting output at Total’s Yemen LNG project, the group’s chief executive said yesterday, adding widespread protests in the Middle East had not changed its 2011 output target. Yemen’s only liquefied natural gas pro-

ducer, Yemen LNG, warned its customers last month of potential supply curtailments and a possible force majeure on exports, as violence spreads across the nation. “For the time being, it is not hurt, we produce normally,” Christophe de

Margerie told reporters at an oil summit in Paris. Asked whether protests in the Arab world had changed the French major’s production target for 2011, he said: “It hasn’t changed”. Total said in February its output target would be stable in 2011.

Yemen has the capacity to supply up to 6.7 million tons of LNG per year. Last year Yemen LNG, the 16th largest seller of the gas, shipped more than half its supplies to Asia, with the rest going to the Americas and Europe. The project delivers

LNG under long term contracts to GDF Suez, Total and Korea Gas Corp. Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh urged the opposition to join talks in Saudi Arabia to try to end weeks of turmoil and violence in which at least three more people were

killed on Tuesday. Faced with mass demonstrations demanding an end to his 32-year rule, Saleh is clinging to power in the poorest country in the Middle East, from which al Qaeda has planned attacks on the United States.— Reuters

Ford Kuwait records 50% increase in Q1 Ford posts 52% increase in GCC sales By Ben Garcia

CHEONGWON: South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak (center) looks at an electric car during a dedication ceremony for LG Chem’s car battery plant at the town of Ochang in Cheongwon county yesterday. —AFP

LG completes world’s largest battery plant SEOUL: South Korea’s LG Chem yesterday completed what it described as the world’s largest battery plant for electric cars and vowed to become a major producer by 2015. The company said its factory in Ochang, south of Seoul, is the world’s largest lithium-ion battery plant, with the capacity to produce batteries for around 100,000 electric cars each year. LG Chem, part of the LG group, said it would spend two trillion won ($1.84 billion) on building one new battery plant in South Korea and another in the United States over the next two years. The plants, when completed in 2013, will help LG Chem produce batteries for 350,000 vehicles annually. LG Chem aims to increase its share of the global electric-car battery market to more than 25 percent by 2015. The company has

secured deals to provide batteries for General Motors electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt, as well as Hyundai and eight other automakers. President Lee Myung-Bak said at a ceremony in Ochang that South Korea’s future depended on its performance in environment-friendly technologies. Lee said green growth was an “unavoidable choice” in the times of climate change. The battery plant is a key plank of Lee’s drive to develop renewable and substitute energy sources as new growth engines for South Korea’s economy, the president’s office said. It predicts the global market for electric car batteries is expected to grow rapidly to 16 trillion won in 2015 from the current 1.5 trillion won amid soaring oil prices and tougher environmental rules on emissions.—AFP

Rolls-Royce and Daimler woo Tognum investors FRANKFURT: Daimler and Rolls-Royce tried to woo Tognum shareholders by offering them a dividend on top of their bid valuing the diesel engine maker at 3.2 billion euro ($4.6 billion). The German carmaker and British engine maker Rolls-Royce are offering 24 euros per share to buy at least half of Tognum, a price that the target company has said is too low. Yesterday, the bidders said that shareholders who tender their Tognum stock will also be entitled to a proposed 0.50 euro-per-share dividend for 2010, adding as

much as 65 million euros to the deal’s value. Tognum shares were little changed around 25.55 euros at 0921 GMT, still above the offer price, indicating investors have not yet given up on a better deal. ING Groep, which holds 9 percent of Tognum shares, said this week it would be “extremely disappointed” if the diesel engine maker’s management recommended that investors accept the offer. The Dutch bank said it sees Tognum’s fair value, including a portion of expected synergies from a tie-up, at 30 to 32 euros per share. — Reuters

KUWAIT: The Ford Motor Company ’s Middle East Sales Executive said that the company has been unaffected by the region’s recent political turbulence. Answering questions from Kuwait Times at a press conference at the Marina Hotel in Salmiya, Hussein Murad noted the 52 percent sales increase in the GCC market during the first quarter of the year speaks for itself. “Businesswise we are not affected,” Murad said. “During the first quarter we were able to sell enough vehicles to get, or at least cover, the slow sales in Bahrain and Syria in Q1. Ford products showed continued strength during the first quarter of 2011, posting an outstanding overall 52 percent increase in Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) sales compared to the same period last year.” Murad explained that the big markets in the region, like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, are all politically stable, socially and economically. Even in Kuwait sales registered a 50 percent increase during the first quarter, he pointed out. The increase in sales was driven by increased retail as well as fleet businesses. In a statement to the press, Ford announced that the upswing in sales continued because of the growing popularity of Ford’s new generation of strong products that were introduced to the region in the last quarter of 2010. The announcement said that sales of the new 2011 Ford Edge, Mustang, Taurus and Fusion are leading the charge. “It is a flying start for Ford in 2011, with a dynamic lineup of award-winning, high quality products that customers have been giving great response to,” said Murad. “Ford is truly on the fast track. Our continued growth is a testament to the increased preference of our products in the region as we

KUWAIT: Hussein Murad (right) poses with Mohammad Salah, General Manager of the Arabian Motors group, after a press conference held at Marina Hotel on Tuesday.— Photo by Joseph Sharga

offer our customers not only world class, award winning models that they desire but also industry leading technologies and some of the richest packages - all at an unbeatable value.” Murad cited Saudi Arabia as the highest performing market for the GCC, with sales of Ford and Lincoln products increasing by a staggering 75 percent in 2010’s first quarter. In the UAE, sales saw an impressive 32 percent increase with growth registered across passenger cars and utility vehicles alike. “The new Ford Edge, Mustang, Taurus and Fusion have been outstanding performers and have started the year with the best possible footing,” Murad added. Ford powers ahead in Q1 on the back of its worldwide success in 2010 after posting a strong 1.935 million sales in the US, up by 19 percent compared

to 2009, mark ing the largest increase of any full line manufacturer. Market shares increased for the second year in a row - the company ’s first back-to-back increase since 1993, a success largely accredited to a wave of new fuel efficient, high quality vehicles. Ford also posted the industry’s highest growth rate in market shares by a full percentage point for the second consecutive year. “Clearly, this reinforces the success of our ‘One Ford’ strategy as we continue to focus on offering great products that our customers want and innovate technologies that set the benchmark across the industry,” Murad said. Ford is expected to launch four major products this year addressing quality, performance, dependability, technology and affordability. “In the second quarter we are launching the

Ford Figo,” he added. Murad explained that following the launch of the Figo the Explorer, a midsized SUV, and the Ranger, will be released. In the last quarter the Focus, Ford’s highest selling product, will be launched. “Besides these four major products we are also launching the highest selling truck in the world, the F150 truck,” he said. “The F150 is known for its high performance engine and gives a boost to our sales everywhere. People are appreciating our technology, we are number one in quality, safety, technology and value. We are building cars according to customers desires and our philosophy is for everyone to own a car. We want everyone to own a car, but in order to do this, we have to create small and big products at the same time in an attempt to satisfy all income brackets.”

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2751050 .4485170 .3935380 .3008910 .2870760 .2857240 .0062670 .0025010 .0749300 .7302050 .3891160 .0733810 .7151160 .0063980 .0466280

.2804090 .4571640 .4011250 .3066920 .2926110 .2912320 .0063870 .0025490 .0763740 .7442830 .3966180 .0747960 .7289020 .0065210 .0475270

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2758000 .2794000 .4496510 .4555200 .3945320 .3996820 .3016520 .3055890 .2878010 .2915580 .0529080 .0535990 .0437440 .0443150 .2864460 .2901850 .0354700 .0359330 .2188540 .2217110 .0032410 .0032840 .0000000 .0063640 .0000000 .0025400 .0000000 .0032970 .0000000 .0039080 .0751190 .0761000 .7320500 .7416060 .0000000 .3951910 .0735660 .0745270 .7169220 .7262800 .0000000 .0064980

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.279 6.276 3.260 2.514 3.936 221.020 35.764

Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.814 6.433 9.218 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 74.144 Qatari Riyal 76.402 Omani Riyal 722.230 Bahraini Dinar 738.350 UAE Dirham 75.700 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 49.500 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.613 Yemen Riyal 1.272 Tunisian Dinar 202.880 Jordanian Dinar 392.670 Lebanese Lira 184.400 Syrian Lier 6.003 Morocco Dirham 35.957 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 398.580 Sterling Pound 455.280 Canadian dollar 290.440 Turkish lire 182.500 Swiss Franc 304.100 Australian dollar 288.150 US Dollar Buying 276.750 GOLD 20 Gram 272.000 10 Gram 136.000 5 Gram 70.000

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar

SELL CASH 291.800 738.810 4.000 292.000 546.600 14.100 53.700 167.800 49.270 400.000 36.410

SELL DRAFT 290.300 738.810 3.815 290.500

221.700 46.695 398.500 36.260

Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal 10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

6.480 0.033 0.250 0.246 3.360 394.250 0.188 94.110 47.200 4.360 217.800 1.883 51.300 721.500 3.340 6.630 76.850 74.170 221.710 43.940 2.696 457.500 44.900 303.200 6.000 9.530 198.263 75.800 278.200 1.270 GOLD 1,515.730 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 455.500 277.800

6.280 0.032

392.650 0.187 94.110 3.940 216.300

721.410 3.270 6.445 76.420 74.170 221.710 43.940 2.514 455.500 301.700 6.000 9.380 75.700 277.800

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees

Selling Rate 277.700 290.250 454.725 398.290 300.352 734.993 75.584 76.255 74.023 392.280 46.667 2.512 6.282

Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

3.264 3.818 6.424 681.183 3.390 9.303 6.057 4.016 91.329

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 277.700 3.270 6.290 2.535 3.825 6.470 75.710 74.260 738.300 46.655 460.400 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 394.500 5.750 401.700 295.600

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 277.350 399.300 455.800 290.300 3.290 6.275 46.605 2.512 3.810 6.425 3.258 738.500 75.600 74.100

*Rates are subject to change

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Qatar Airways unveils biggest promotion in history Carrier celebrates 100th Destination Launch - ‘2 Tickets For Price Of 1’ KUWAIT: Taking the level of excitement to new heights, Qatar Airways yesterday unveiled the long-awaited highlight of its 100th destination launch campaign - a ‘two for the price of one’ ticket offer marking the biggest promotion in its 14-year histor y. The Doha-based carrier will reach the historic milestone of 100 destinations on April 6 with the start of flights to the Syrian city of Aleppo. In celebration of the significant achievement, Qatar Airways will launch the 48hour global promotion from midnight tomorrow. Starting from 6 April 2011 (at 00:01 hrs) to 7 April 2011 (at 23:59 hrs) customers from around the world can book two tickets for the price of one on qatarairways.com/100. Terms & conditions apply*. Bookings are based on the time zone they are booking from. This never-seenbefore Qatar Airways offer is valid for travel between 1st May 2011 and 10th June 2011, with travel to be completed by 11th June 2011. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Office Akbar Al Baker said: “The launch of our 100th destination is a great milestone in the success story of Qatar Airways. Since our re-launch just over 14 years ago, the airline has grown from strength to strength at a phenomenal pace, and this remarkable achievement of reaching 100 destinations would not have been possible without the loyal support of our customers, who have supported our business over the years. “Our 100th destination launch is a perfect opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all our customers, valued partners, corporate and leisure travelers for mak ing Qatar Airways their airline of choice. “ Through this

amazing global promotion, we are pleased to give back and to share this historic moment with our customers. It is also a great way for those who have never flown with Qatar Airways before to try our service and see how our Five Star service sets us apart from others,” added Al Baker. The fabulous offer is the ultimate highlight of an array of promotions for travelers around the world to celebrate Qatar Airways’ 100th destination launch. In addition, to the “two for one” offer, Qatar Airways is running an online compet i t io n unt i l 16t h A p r il 2011 on qatarairways.com/100 for which customers may sign up for a chance to win one of 100 pairs of free tickets to any destination of their choice on Qatar Airways’ network. Customers have extra

chances to win free tickets if they refer the offer to friends. Furthermore, the airline’s frequent flyer loyalty program, Privilege Club, is offering members 10,000 bonus Qmiles and a special discount of 25 percent on award tickets redeemed a t qmiles.com. For Qatar Airways’ QNB co-branded credit card holders, up to 3,000 additional bonus Qmiles are on offer. Further details on these offers are available at qatarairways.com/100 Qatar Airways Holidays, the airline’s tour operating division, is introducing an attractive Doha stop-over package at special rates giving travelers a chance to explore the sights of Qatar before continuing to their onward destinations. These p ack a g es are ava ila ble v ia

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker qatarairways.com/100-offers Today, Qatar Airways flies to a wide range of key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America with a modern fleet of 97 aircraft. Qatar Airways is ranked the third best airline among the top 10 carriers in the world in the prestigious annual Skytrax audit of global passenger travel. Ranked Five Star for excellence by Skytrax, the airline’s competitive product focuses on comfort, cuisine, in-flight entertainment, award-winning in-flight service and a fleet of aircraft that is young and modern averaging just less than four years old.

Bahrain Financial Exchange to launch conventional trade Bourse to remain in Bahrain despite unrest DUBAI: The Bahrain Financial Exchange (BFX) expects to begin trading on its conventional platform in the next two weeks af ter delaying a scheduled launch because of political unrest, its top executive said. BFX, owned by India’s Financial Technologies Ltd, was launched in Februar y this year as a multi-asset exchange aiming to offer trading in both conventional and Islamic products in equities, derivatives, commodities and currencies.

It launched its Islamic platform on Feb 7 and was planning to begin trading of conventional assets a month later, but had to scale back on the plans as violence erupted in the tiny non-OPEC oilproducing country. “We have a date in mind and we should launch the platform in a couple of weeks,” Arshad Khan, managing director and chief executive of BFX said. BFX will remain in Bahrain despite the political situation which was a shortterm event, the executive said. “When our

shareholders set up this exchange, they did it with a long-term plan. We are licensed in Bahrain and we have a lot of support from the government here,” Khan said. BFX had planned to begin operations in the first quarter of 2010 but delayed its launch last year citing sluggish market sentiment. It aims to compete with the Bahrain Stock Exchange and other bourses in the region such as Nasdaq Dubai. The bourse had also signed an agree-

ment with Bursa Malaysia to study a common platform on which Islamic finance products such as commodity murabaha can be traded. Bahrain’s waning status as a financial hub took another blow this year when sweeping political unrest in the Gulf Arab region spread to the Gulf nation. Its main exchange, which handles minuscule amounts of trades compared with other regional exchanges, was forced to shut down and move to a different location amid the protests. — Reuters

ADB: Inflation a threat to sustained Asian recovery KidZania partners with Alshaya KUWAIT: M H Alshaya Co this week announced that it has entered into a partnership with KidZania, the award winning family entertainment and education brand, to develop and manage a 5,000 sqm KidZania State at The Avenues in Kuwait. Expected to open in 2012, KidZania will be a major new tenant in phase three of the mall, which is currently under development. KidZania, or ‘The Land of Cool Kids’, is a unique concept in family entertainment, helping children understand and manage the world they are growing into. Designed as a real city with streets, buildings and even an airport, everything in KidZania is scaled down to kid’s size. Children can experience what it is like to become a doctor, a banker, a policeman, a DJ or one of over 90 other adult roles in a fun and safe environment that helps nurture their creativity, stimulate their imagination, and expand their experiences as they play and learn at the same time. Commenting on the new agreement KidZania CEO and founder Xavier Lopez said: “Alshaya has a remarkable legacy of commerce leadership and innovation. We could not have asked for a better partner as we seek to introduce the world of KidZania to children throughout Kuwait.” “We are really excited about bringing the KidZania brand to Kuwait,” added Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman of MHAlshaya Co. “KidZania is a wonderful brand which I know Kuwaiti children and their parents will love to come and explore. It will be a wonderful new addition to The Avenues and we look forward to developing the brand over the coming months.”

House prices in UK inch higher LONDON: House prices in Britain returned to modest growth in March after a fall in the previous month, although worries about the economy and household finances are likely to push prices lower in 2011, Halifax said yesterday. The mortgage lender said house prices rose by 0.1 percent on the month in March after a 0.9 percent drop in February, slightly below the 0.2 percent forecast. Prices fell by 2.9 percent in the three months to March compared with a year ago, worse than the -2.7 percent forecast. “Uncertainty over the general economic outlook and individual financial circumstances are likely to constrain housing demand, resulting in some modest downward pressure on prices,” said Halifax economist Martin Ellis. Halifax said the average price of a house stood at 162,912 pounds ($266,300) in March. It expects prices to fall by 2 percent during 2011. Most economists agree that house prices will dip this year as tight credit conditions, high unemployment, low wage growth, public cuts and the fragile economic recovery deter homebuyers. Mortgage approvals are still running at around half their long-run average, despite record low interest rates of 0.5 percent. Economists expect the Bank of England to keep rates on hold on Thursday to try to bolster the recovery, despite inflation running at more than double its 2 percent target. — Reuters

MANILA: Some of Asia’s emerging economies are showing signs of overheating, underscoring the need for further policy tightening and more flexible foreign exchange rates to tackle growing inflationary pressures, the Asian Development Bank said yesterday. Developing Asia, a diverse group of economies including China, India, Azerbaijan, Thailand and Fiji, is expected to grow 7.8 percent in 2011 and 7.7 percent in 2012, robust rates albeit slower than the 9 percent seen in 2010, the ADB said in its latest Asian Development Outlook report. At the same time, inflation is expected to quicken to an average 5.3 percent this year from 4.4 percent in 2010, before easing to 4.6 percent in 2012, the ADB said. Some countries such as Vietnam and Pakistan could see inflation rates climb well into the double digits. “There is some sign of overheating, some need for more policy tightening in future,” ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee said at a media briefing in Hong Kong, speaking generally of Asian inflation. “Developing Asia is home to two-thirds of the world’s poor and it is they who are most vulnerable to the effects of price increases,” he said. “Policymakers must therefore consider preemptive action to control inflation before it accelerates.” Higher interest rates alone may not be enough to tamp down price pressures, Rhee added, urging policymakers to use a variety of measures to curb inflation, including allowing greater flexibility in their currencies and capital controls. “The region’s outlook is for continued strong growth in 2011- 2012, but with the threat of inflation looming closer,” the ADB said in its report. “When weighing their macroeconomic policy choices, many of developing Asia’s policy makers see that the balance has tipped toward avoiding overheating.” Besides rising food and fuel prices, other risks to regional growth included soft job and housing markets in the United States, Europe’s debt problems, and the economic impact of last month’s massive earthquake in Japan and nuclear crisis, the ADB said. The ADB, which said its report was generally based on data available up to March 16, said the impact of Japan’s disaster was hard to quantify, but was likely to impact negatively on the country’s economic growth for the next two quarters, with minimal spillover disruptions to other Asian

economies. “The impact on Japan in the short run will be large . in the next two quarters for example, but I think the long run economic prospects will be less dire and the impact on other regions will be contained. I don’t think there will be a very significant threat to other regions at this moment,” said Rhee. China, in particular, could do more to tighten monetary policy, the ADB said, even after Beijing raised interest rates on Tuesday for the fourth time since October. Inflation in China is running at around 5 percent and could accelerate further in coming months. “Unless the Chinese government sees the stabilization of inflation in a short period of time, I think they may have to consider more tightening,” Rhee said. A surge in inflation, particularly food price inflation, could pull down those who are currently just above the poverty line, making it a social as well as economic concern, the ADB said. The report said recent estimates showed a 10 percent rise in domestic food prices would raise the number of poor in developing Asia by about 64 million, or more than 7 percent. “High inflation is a direct threat to stable and inclusive growth since rising domestic prices can lead to social tensions,” the ADB said, singling out Vietnam as among the most at risk from rising prices. Inflation in Vietnam could reach 13.3 percent this year, the second highest in the region after Pakistan, which could see inflation of 16 percent, the ADB said. But tackling inflation driven by global and supply-side factors can put policymakers in a difficult position. Steps such as tariff cuts and export bans have varying success, and there could also be problems with local infrastructure or domestic supply chains that exacerbate price pressures. Raising interest rates can also attract more foreign inflows, which adds to pressure from currencies to appreciate and creates greater liquidity in domestic money supply, compounding problems for policymakers. Allowing currencies to appreciate was effective when dealing with a sustained surge of inflows, but could cause problems if the inflows are temporary, the ADB said. “Unfortunately, distinguishing between permanent and temporary capital inflows is difficult, so countries will have to decide on the nature of problem while taking the necessary actions.”— Reuters

Al Babtain Annual Customer Forum KUWAIT: As part of its continuous support and appreciation to its loyal customers, ABDULMOHSEN ABDULAZIZ AL-BABTAIN CO, exclusive distributor for Nissan vehicles in Kuwait, organized the Annual Customer Forum at the Crowne Plaza Hotel recently, under the auspices of Ghazi Al-Babtain - Business Development Manager and Mohamed Shalaby - Group COO. A wide spectrum of clientele attended from various segments such as government, insurance companies, fleet customers, and wholesale customers. The focus of the event was to celebrate

Nissan Al-Babtain achieving top rank in customer satisfaction through independent regional survey and recognize with awards loyal customers from various segments in the market on their continued support and commitment shown towards Al-Babtain and the Nissan brand. Ruwan Wickramasinghe National Parts Manager asserted “that AlBabtain’s main objective is to offer Nissan Genuine Parts at a very competitive and affordable price during the ownership period. Thereby maintaining a high loyal customer retention ratio.

NBK Capital organizes seminar ‘Mezzanine Financing’ KUWAIT: NBK Capital organized a seminar last week entitled “Mezzanine Financing - A Regional Financing Solution” at the JW Marriott. The seminar focused on the key benefits of mezzanine financing and its uses in various situations. The session was presented by NBK Capital’s Alternative Investments team and by the international law firm, King &Spalding. The audience consisted of top leaders from the business and legal community. The event was part of the “NBK Capital Seminar Series”, which is an ongoing private event where thought leaders from the financial industry share insights, knowledge and innovation with interested professionals and investors across the region. This is

the fourth installment of the series following highly successful events in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Amjad Ahmad, Senior Managing Director of Alternative Investments, opened the session with a detailed explanation of mezzanine financing and its key components. Faisal AlHamad and Walid Cherif, Executive Directors - Alternative Investments , presented several case studies to highlight the different structures utilized to achieve shareholder and company goals. The final session of the day was presented by Jawad Ali, Office Managing Partner - King & Spalding, in which he addressed the major legal and structuring considerations of mez-

zanine financing in Kuwait. These seminars are part of NBK Capital’s continuing effort to maintain an open dialogue with the business community and to provide a platform for discussion and debate on key business issues. NBK Capital Mezzanine Fund I, managed by NBK Capital as part of the Alternative Investments Group, is a $160 million fund focusing on mezzanine financing for companies in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey with the objective of providing growth and expansion capital. The fund has provided growth and expansion financing for companies in several sectors including education, logistics, utilities, food and healthcare.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

business

Kuwait market edges higher GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT

KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the end of the marketing campaign organized between the Bank and Electrozan for holders of credit cards and prepaid cards. As such, and within its strategy which aims at providing the best offers and benefits to its customers, the Bank provided to its customers a unique bouquet of benefits and ideas through this campaign. On this occasion, Ramzi Al Sabbour y, The Executive Manager of Marketing and Sales said that based on the Bank’s ongoing endeavours to render unsurpassed offers with value added benefits, there came such synergy with Electrozan to the offer titled, “Receive up to 20% Cash Back of your Purchases” during the period from 15/2/2011 till 31/3/2011. It is worth noting that the Campaign witnessed considerable demand and commended by CBK customers, in that Electrozan sales were beyond expectations throughout the campaign. It is to be noted also that the Bank shall credit the amounts due to customers into their accounts in the coming days and they will be announced later. Al Sabboury concluded that such campaigns aim to enhance the constant communication

KUWAIT: Kuwait market continued to edge higher yesterday staging their fourth straight winning session. Five out of eight indices reported gains for the day. A retreat in selected banking stocks sent large caps lower, whilst small caps were buoyed by gains in the selected services and real estate sectors. Zain closed flat for the first time this session at KD1.380 after three gaining sessions. Still 29 companies have been suspended from trading for failing to disclose their FY2010 results by March 31, 2011. Market Indices Global General Index (GGI), market weighted, ended the day up by 0.11 percent, at 203.12 point. Market Capitalization was also up for the day at KD33.01bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,326.5 point, adding 22.90 points (0.36 percent) to its previous close. Market Breadth During the session, 100 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards advancers as 47 equities advanced versus 20 that retreated. Daily Trading Activity Yesterday’s performance was accompanied by growing trading activity with most of the trades conducted in the Real Estate sector. Total volume traded was up by 42.07 percent with 124.87mn shares changing hands at a total value of KWD39.87mn (34 percent higher compared to the day before). The Real Estate Sector was the volume leader yesterday, accounting for 30.67 percent of total shares. Services sector was the value leader, with 59.93 percent of total traded value. Zain was the most value traded in the market with KWD21.75mn traded on the scrip. Zain share price closed flat at KWD1.380.

CBK concludes marketing campaign with Electrozan

Ramzi Al Sabboury between the Bank and its customers over the years for meeting their shopping needs. Furthermore, the Bank continues this type of strategic plans to satisfy the customers’ requirements and for their entire convenience. The Bank has plans in hand to organize new diverse campaigns which will continue until the end of the year through synergy with different retailers and stores.

Markaz selected as the ‘Best Investment Bank in Kuwait’ Sectors Wise On a sector-by-sector basis, the Global Industrial Index spearheaded gainers during the day, climbing by 2.23 percent. National Industries Group (Holding) clocked 1.96 percent in gains. Gulf Cables & Electrical Industries Company and Kuwait Cement Company too were notable advancers, adding 5.00 percent and 3.23 percent respectively. Real estate stocks also performed robustly during the day with the sector index adding 0.13 percent. The biggest percentage advancer during the day was First Dubai For Real Estate Development Company, recording a 10.00 percent jump in its share price. Elsewhere, Kuwait Real Estate Company said its board has proposed that the company

reduce reserves to write off accumulated loss worth about KD28.6mn ($103.3mn) as at the end of 2010. The board has proposed that voluntary reserves be cut by KD20.3mn and legal reserves by KD8.3mn, the property developer said. The proposal requires the approval of the company’s shareholders, it added. The scrip closed flat at KD0.051. On the other side of the spectrum, Banks and Non Kuwaiti stocks pulled back by 0.17 percent and 0.70 percent respectively during the day. Corporate News Salhia Real Estate Company reported the following: The ordinary and extraordinary shareholder

meetings, held on April 04, 2011, gave a nod to lifting capital by 25 percent through issuing 101,481,326 shares at KD0.100 fils par value plus KD0.075 issue premium each. Thus, the board set the period of secondary capital call to be from Sunday, April 10, 2011 through Sunday, April 24, 2011, to shareholders of record on April 07, 2011. Oil News Kuwaiti crude oil prices were up by USD1.46 in Tuesday’s trading to reach $113.65 per barrel, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said yesterday. The increase of oil prices in early trading coincided with the heightened tension on the Middle East arena.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Financial Centre S A K with creative investment banking solu“Markaz”, one of the leading investment tions, and our ability to execute mandates banking and asset management company under various market conditions. Our in the Middle East, won the team of dedicated profesBest I nvestment Bank in sionals possesses in-depth Kuwait award by Global expertise in a wide spectrum Finance magazine. Ali H of sectors to successfully Khalil, Chief Operating manage investment banking Officer at Markaz, said “We mandates, and is well poised are proud to have won this to capture the attrac tive prestigious award as the opportunities that exist in “Best I nvestment Bank in the market.” Kuwait” by Global Finance in Markaz investment bankits 2011 listing of the World’s ing services include equity Ali H Khalil Best Investment Banks. and debt financing, M&A Markaz has executed over advisory service, and capital $1.5 billion of debt and equity mandates restruc turing and disposition. since 1997, and is becoming the financial Additionally, Markaz expertise spans variadvisor of choice for leading companies ous sectors including real estate, infrain the Middle East region due to our structure, oil and gas, logistics, manufacproven record in providing our clients turing and financial services.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

business

Japan farmers brave radiation to feed livestock TOKYO: Farmers forced to flee Japan’s leaking nuclear plant are braving high levels of radiation inside the exclusion zone in a desperate bid to save their cattle-and their way of life. But with more than 10,000 animals largely left to fend for themselves since the tsunami knocked out the Fukushima plant’s cooling systems, causing the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, the future for many breeders looks grim. Dairy farmer Hiroaki Hiruta has returned to feed his cows regularly since his village was evacuated, but rarely has enough time to hand-feed the younger animals. On Monday “I found five calves dead in their pens, their bodies just skin and bones. They had died from hunger and their bodies had been ravaged by wild animals,” the 43year-old said. “Their organs were ripped out, their ears chewed off. Ravens had poked their eyes out. I didn’t have time to bury them, so I laid out them the best way I could and left them there.” In their haste to flee a government-mandated 20-kilometre exclusion zone, most farmers abandoned their livestock, locked in their sheds and unable to feed themselves. A few have ignored the ban and returned to feed their animals, the cornerstone of their lives. Some farmers have reportedly refused to leave the area at all, but their numbers cannot be confirmed as phone lines remain down. Once the pride of Fukushima prefecture, prized for their mar-

bled beef and rich milk, most of the 10,000 or so cattle in the exclusion zone are feared dead, a local farm official said. Thousands of pigs, chickens and other livestock probably also died in their cages or pens with no food or water, he added. The luckier ones escaped electric fences into the wild when the power went out. Hiruta is a third-generation farmer who owns 130 Holstein cattle in the picturepostcard town of Naraha, some 14 kilometers south of the plant. “These cows are like family. I owe my life to them. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t accept this situation,” he said by telephone. “When I enter the shed the cows start mooing. At times they sound like cries for help, at others as if they were saying how much they had waited for me. You have to hear them to understand,” he added. “Before I leave them for the day I tell myself that this may be the last time I see them alive, and I take my cap off and bow. I think the cows understand me. Once, they all fell silent as I bowed. It was very strange.” Hiruta takes the back roads when he returns, hoisting hay onto his truck and heading out to his farm to fill up feed troughs. He says Nahara is a “ghost town”, where he sees no one except the occasional worker in a white protective suit driving to or from the plant. Granaries outside the exclusion zone are the only way officials have of keeping track of activity in the area,

with farmers arriving to pick up feed for their animals, said Masahiro Oka, an official at the Fukushima prefecture dairy association. “The farmers tell us, ‘When cows are our lives how can we just get rid of them and leave?’ “Although we plead with them that their lives are more important we understand how they feel and so can’t ask the Self-Defense Forces to forcefully evacuate them.” Mitsuhide Ikeda, 49, was spared the gruesome discovery of dead animals on his only return to his farm in Okuma town, five kilometers from the nuclear plant. After only a few hours inside the zone, Ikeda’s exposure to radiation was measured at five millisieverts-five times the normal annual level. All 32 of his cattle had disappeared, probably through broken electric fences. But he fears the nuclear accident may put paid to the 130-year-old family farming history as a producer of the region’s famed Japanese Black breed. Income from his farm and a side -job as a company employee supported his parents, his wife and two sons-one of whom is sick. That income now looks like it has gone. A third of his cattle were new-born calves and six others were due to give birth soon. “I can’t image how they are. I am worried about the little ones who need to be hand-fed,” he said. Even if he finds the cows again, he fears he will not be able to sell them. “No one will want to buy them because they will

FUKUSHIMA: A 49-year-old farmer Mitsuhide Ikeda (unseen) shows some of his cattle at his farm in the town of Okuma in Fukushima prefecture. — AFP

be highly contaminated. Unfortunately I think they will need to be slaughtered,” he said. But farmers have not given up-many say they are ready to return to their land as soon as the government allows, and if plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co offers enough compensation. TEPCO said Tuesday it had offered “consolation payments” of an

initial 20 million yen ($236,000) to 10 municipalities in Fukushima. However, the overall compensation scheme for farmers remains unclear. “This situation may continue for several weeks but it is unsustainable,” said Hiruta. “I only have feed until end of June, and beyond that I have no hope for the survival of my cows.” — AFP

Anglo’s senior bonds at risk: Irish regulator Deadlines for capital raising due within 10 days

LISBON: Brokers in the trade room of a Portuguese bank follow the Portuguese government’s Treasury bill sale yesterday. — AP

Portugal pays high yield to sell short-term debt LISBON: Yields rose sharply in Portugal’s

shor t-term debt auction yesterday, intensifying pressure from local lenders and ratings agencies to seek a bailout. The sale of a billion euros in 6- and 12month treasury bills brought temporary relief for the caretaker government in its effort to withstand having to request international aid as the country grapples with soaring rates, political uncertainty and rating downgrades. But the yield on 12-month T-bills spiked to 5.902 percent from 4.311 percent three weeks ago, and on six-month bills to 5.117 percent from 2.984 percent, highlighting the precarious position ahead of big redemptions this month and in June. “I suspect that as far as the market is concerned, funding at these levels can only be viewed as a temporary measure,” said Peter Chatwell, rate strategist at Credit Agricole. Portugal’s borrowing costs have soared since the minority Socialist government resigned last month after a parliamentary defeat on tougher austerity measures, casting the country into political limbo. An early general election is set for June 5. Moody’s rating agency, which cut the country’s sovereign creditworthiness by one notch on Tuesday, downgraded seven local banks by one or more notches, citing concerns over both the banks’ own situation and government’s ability to support them. Banking executives delivered an unprecedented warning to the government on Monday that the country’s public debt crisis, and the falling value of the sovereign bonds they hold, is weakening the position of the banks themselves. “There has been a very important signal from the banks for the future,” said BNP Paribas analyst Ioannis Sokos. “Portugal can still make it through April, but probably won’t get to June without a bailout.” EU finance ministers meeting in Budapest at the end of this week will seek clarity from the caretaker administration on what sort of support, if any, it can seek ahead of the election. The European Commission said yesterday there were no discussions about releasing aid because Lisbon has not applied for assistance. The caretaker government has said it will resist any bailout or a loan as they would impose tough conditions on the country. Lisbon’s partners are anxious lest the financing problems reach a point of no return before a new government is in place, sapping confidence in the euro zone, but they cannot for Prime Minister Jose Socrates’ hand. IMF Managing Director Dominique StraussKahn told Spanish daily El Pais yesterday the country needs to show it is taking

the right steps. “The situation is in the hands of the Portuguese government... it has to prove to its creditors that it is taking the right steps,” Strauss-Kahn said. HIGH YIELDS Two business newspapers said the public social security fund has been selling overseas financial asets in the last few days to help finance the state by buying sovereign debt at auctions. Jornal de Negocios and Diario Economico said the Social Security Financial Stabilization Fund planned to buy T-bills in yesterday’s auction. No one was available for comment at the fund. The Portuguese banks suggested the government should seek a bridging loan, but neither the EU nor the IMF is likely to offer such temporary finance without negotiated formal conditionality. Analysts say the high yields, which have already topped 10 percent for fiveyear bonds, are unsustainable. The fall in the value of the bonds also undermines its banks, who have been substantial buyers of government debt. “The rating actions follow the downgrade of Portugal’s debt ratings and also reflect the weakened standalone credit profile of most Portuguese banks,” Moody’s said in a statement. The banks concerned included Caixa Economica Montepio Geral, Caixa Geral de Depositos, Banco Comercial Portugues, Banco Espirito Santo, Banco BPI, Banco Santander Totta and Banco Portugues de Negocios. Portugal has to repay over 4.2 billion euros in maturing bonds on April 15, and then another 4.9 billion euros in June. Including coupon payments and deficit financing, its requirements until June are put at 12 to 15 billion euros. “From the pure cash perspective, April should be OK, even with coupons and deficit financing, but then if the domestic bid disappears, there’s not much room for maneuver,” Commerzbank’s Schnautz said, referring to the local banks’ threats. He expected the six-month T-bills to yield between 5.5 and 6 percent-about double the 2.98 percent average yield in the previous auction on March 2 - while the borrowing cost for the 12-month paper should rise above 6 percent compared to 4.33 percent in mid-March. The October 2011 T-bill issue to be auctioned yesterday yielded 6.68 percent bid in the secondary market on Tuesday, but the ask yield was just 3.55 percent, making the secondary market an unreliable reference, traders said. The March 2012 issue was at over 7.5 percent bid, 4.6 percent ask. Portugal’s benchmark 10-year bond yield hit a euro lifetime record of over 9 percent on Tuesday. — Reuters

LONDON: Ireland may try to impose losses on senior bondholders in two defunct lenders if they need more capital, the banking regulator said yesterday, potentially putting the country on a collision course with the ECB. The Frankfurt-based European Central Bank, which is helping keep Irish lenders afloat, is opposed to Ireland hitting senior bondholders with any losses in case it sparks contagion within the euro zone, exacerbating the bloc’s debt crisis. Matthew Elderfield, head of financial regulation at Ireland’s central bank, said the government accepted the ECB view that it should not impose losses on senior bondholders in the countr y ’s four remaining lenders, but Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide, which are being wound down, were being viewed differently. “Anglo and INBS (Irish Nationwide Building Society) possibly something will happen in the future but for the principle four banks going forward the government’s position is quite clear,” Elder field told a Reuters Newsmaker event yesterday. Anglo Irish and Irish Nationwide are at the heart of Ireland’s

financial crisis, having swallowed over 34 billion euros ($49 billion) of capital between them, and Elderfield said any move to impose losses on their senior bondholders would be subject to consultation with the ECB. “I do not think the Irish government would want to take action on its own,” he said. Ireland put a 70 billion euro price tag last week on bailing out its banks when the results of a new health check showed they required an additional 24 billion to protect them against future shocks. Elderfield signaled there would be an announcement within 10 days about the timetable for capital raisings at the four main banks being kept afloat and merged into two. Authorities are considering whether there should be a common timeline for capital raising or a staggered one tailored to the different banks, he said. Ireland’s stress test of its banks is seen as tougher than a similar exercise being conducted by the European Union on 90 banks across the bloc. Elderfield said the Irish tests needed to be rigorous to overcome market skepticism after four previous attempts to recapitalize the banks failed

to draw an end to the crisis. “Ireland is in a class of its own I am afraid. It is probably going to set a record for the worst banking crisis or close to it, the top two or three, and there is still a long way to go.” While concerns about the sector’s level of capital should abate over the next 12 months, Elderfield said the process of shrinking their assets and improving their funding base would take much longer. “That is a project that will take years.” Elderfield said he will be far more intrusive in the banking sector in future. In particular, there will be regular checks on how much liquidity or cash-like assets banks have to ride out short-term turbulence in markets. Irish banks will have to submit a “detailed point-intime liquidity profile” every quarter starting at the end of June. Ireland’s financial crisis was not solely caused by weak international bank capital and liquidity standards, he said. “There were home grown elements too, where it is important that the central bank is prepared to act with more rigorous standards than prevail internationally,” Elderfield said. — Reuters

Jazeera Airways to take delivery of four brand new Airbus A320s FREEDOM TOWN: Jazeera Airways Group, parent company of Jazeera Airways and Sahaab Aircraft Leasing yesterday announced that it will receive four brand new Airbus A320s between 2012 and end of 2014 as part of the airline’s fleet modernization program. The airline had already taken delivery of one A320 in January 2010 as part of this order. Chairman Marwan Boodai said, “Having one of the Middle East’s youngest fleets is a core component of our customer offering. Our target is to phase out aircraft that have more than 6 years of operation, and we have already begun phasing out aircraft as part of this program.” The airline also announced that it has revised the order it placed for A320s in 2007 from 40 aircraft to 15 aircraft. Boodai said, “The decision to resize our fleet is the right decision for Jazeera Airways at the time being, given the overcapacity we’ve seen in the market in 2009 and 2010 when we saw close to half of the seats offered by our peers on the routes we operated were being flown empty. However, we might revisit this decision in the future as Airbus introduces new A320 models to the market”. The decision to adjust the short-term fleet size was part of an internal business enhancement plan called the ‘TurnAround Plan” that began rolling out in May

2010. Adjusting the fleet size was one of the objectives of the plan. Since then, our financial performance has beaten analyst expectations for every quarter. Jazeera Airways reported a third quarter (Q3) net profit of KD4.4 million, the airline’s best Q3 on record, and a fourth quarter (Q4) net profit of KD2 million, making the second half of 2010 the airline’s best second half since 2008. Boodai said, “As we look forward to announce a good first quarter 2011, we thank our most valued partner Airbus for their continued support for the airline since 2005, and look forward to their continued support for years to come.” Established in 2005, Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchangelisted company with over 12,000 sharehold-

ers. The company has 11 fully-owned Airbus A320s in operation, distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (6 aircraft), and its fully-oned leasing business, Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (5 aircraft). Sahaab has assets placed with Virgin America, Sri Lanka Airlines, and Jazeera Airways. In 2010 the airline carried 1.3 million passengers in total, or 15% of Kuwait International Airport passengers, on a 14,156 flights across its network that includes highdemand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as, Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Doha, Assiut, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Luxor, Mashhad and Sohaj, Jeddah and Riyadh.

Commerzbank unveils plans to repay debt FRANKFURT: Germany’s second biggest bank, Commerzbank, unveiled plans yesterday to raise billions of euros in equity to pay back most of the state aid it received in 2009 to withstand the global financial crisis. Commerzbank said it would redeem 14.3 billion euros ($20.4 billion) in silent participations held by the government by June, and pay the rest by 2014 at the latest. The government’s silent participation means it does not hold voting rights normally associated with the stake. “The time for major operations has come,” Commerzbank chairman Martin Blessing told reporters. “It is in the interests of our shareholders because it will give us greater flexibility to grow,” he added. If all goes well, Commerzbank will only have to pay interest to the state this year on a residual silent participation worth 1.9 billion euros. “The federal

government welcomes the announced measures,” a finance ministry spokesman said. The government has raised pressure on Commerzbank, in which it owns a stake of 25 percent plus one share, to begin paying back the state aid as soon as possible. In February, Blessing had said he wanted to pay back “at least 10 percent” of the government aid this year, without providing details. Once relieved of the interest payments to Berlin, Commerzbank plans to start paying a dividend to shareholders in 2012 and reinforce shareholder equity in line with future regulations known as Basel III, Blessing said. The bank should pass upcoming European stress tests without a problem, he forecast. Investors were cheered by the news, and Commerzbank shares shot up 3.62 percent to 5.80 euros in midday trading on the Frankfurt stock exchange, while the Dax index of lead-

ing stocks was 0.70 percent higher overall. The bank will go to capital markets for 8.25 billion euros in fresh funds via the sale of conditional mandatory exchangeable notes to be converted into shares after the operation is approved at a bank meeting that has been moved up to May 6. A second, classic capital increase would be held from late May. Germany’s Financial Market Stabilization Fund (SoFFin) will convert part of its silent participation into normal shares worth 2.75 billion euros. That will allow the state to maintain the current level of its stake, which provides Berlin with a minority blocking position. German insurance company Allianz, which owns close to 10 percent of Commerzbank, has already said it will take part in a capital increase, Blessing noted. Another major shareholder, the Italian insurer Generali, has not indicated its intentions. — AFP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

BUSINESS

UK non-food sales down 3.9%; Food up 3.4% Marks & Spencer defies UK retail gloom LONDON: Marks & Spencer defied the gloom around UK retail, beating sales forecasts and winning market share with innovative products like stormproof suits, new food ranges and staples like lingerie. Shares in Britain’s biggest clothing retailer, which also sells upmarket foods and homewares, rose 6 percent after it said it had not seen the drastic fall in sales posted by others. “Despite some of the things that we’ve heard ... we have not seen any dip or blip or wall. Customer confidence is low but held stable,” CEO Marc Bolland told reporters yesterday. But Bolland expected trading to get tougher as consumers are hit by government cutbacks, rising prices, muted wage growth and concern about likely interest rate rises. A raft of tax rises and welfare benefit cuts came into force yesterday aimed at tackling the UK’s record deficit. “We see an environment out

there that for the coming year will be absolutely challenging because commodity pricing is up and we know that discretionary spend will be down,” he said. M&S forecast gross profit margins would be flat to 25 basis points higher in 2011-12, as it cuts costs and improves purchasing and distribution in order to offset an expected 5 percent rise in operating expenses. British retailers including household goods group Home Retail, electricals retailer Dixons, mother and baby goods chain Mothercare, and music and books group HMV have issued profit warnings in recent weeks, raising fears ahead of M&S’s trading update. Bolland said M&S was benefiting from falling sales elsewhere. “Instead of buying a big ticket item, people buy something that is an affordable treat but is quality,” he said. M&S’s average selling prices for spring were up about 6 percent, reflect-

ing a rise in VAT and shoppers trading up. “People have started to buy more quality, we’ve seen a move from good to better to best (prices),” said Bolland, noting that innovation was increasingly key to getting shoppers to spend. He highlighted a 70 percent jump in sales of comfort-focused Insolia high heels on the back of an advertising campaign starring model Lisa Snowdon, and a 27 percent rise in sales of Stormwear men’s clothes since a campaign featuring former soccer player Jamie Redknapp was launched. But he said the firm had also benefited from holding opening price points on key staples such as tights, selling 115,000 five-pack pairs at 2.50 pounds in its fourth quarter. He said shoppers, weary of austerity, also wanted more than ever to celebrate occasions such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. Bolland highlighted sales of 500,000 “Dine in for 15 pounds” deals for Mother’s Day, which

augured well for trading ahead of the Easter holiday and the Royal Wedding. M&S shares, which have lagged the STOXX Europe 600 retail index by 6 percent over the past year, were up 20.1 pence, or 5.9 percent, at 360.3 pence at 1210 GMT, valuing the business at about 5.7 billion pounds ($9.3 billion). “Consumers are becoming picky, and M&S’s offer of affordable quality is the best for two years, in our view, driven by foods innovation and more focused buying of best sellers in clothing,” said Nomura analyst Fraser Ramzan. The 127-year-old group, which serves 21 million Britons a week from around 700 stores and has over 350 mainly franchised shops abroad, said sales at UK stores open over a year rose 0.1 percent in the 13 weeks to April 2, its fiscal fourth quarter. While down on a 2.8 percent increase in the third quarter, that was well above ana-

Gold vaults to record-high Silver hits 31-year peak LONDON: Gold rallied to a second successive record high yesterday, powered by a slide in the dollar and by ongoing investor demand for safe-haven assets, while silver hit fresh 31-year peaks. Unrest across the Arab world and unease over the euro zone’s debt finances are encouraging inflows of cash into gold, which has risen by more than 2 percent this week. This has more than offset the potentially damaging impact of China’s latest increase in interest rates and a less pessimistic take on the US economy from the Federal Reserve. The focus this week is today’s three central bank policy meetings, at which the European Central Bank is almost guaranteed to raise rates, thereby boosting the euro against the dollar, while the Bank of Japan and the

“Six months from here, we think (the strength) is sustainable for both gold and silver, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a short-term pullback because a lot of this is driven by the euro, which is pretty strong against the

not contain anything to suggest the central bank would end its $600 billion bond buying program ahead of time. “With gold close to its highs, there could be some reluctance to buy at these elevated levels, especially given

KARACHI: A Pakistani jeweler waits for customers at his shop in Karachi yesterday. —AFP Bank of England are expected to hold their fire. Spot gold was last up 0.4 percent at $1,456.25 an ounce by 0834 GMT, having hit an all-time high of $1,458.80 earlier in the day. Gold has rallied by more than 5 percent in the past three weeks. COMEX June gold futures were last up 0.4 percent at $1,457.80, having touched a contract high of $1,460.00.

dollar,” said Standard Bank analyst Walter de Wet. The dollar fell to 14-month lows against the euro, which rallied to an 11month peak against the yen ahead of the first rate rise from the ECB since July 2008 to tackle rising inflation pressures. The minutes from the US Federal Reserve’s most recent meeting, released on Tuesday, did

the uncertainty surrounding US monetary policy and the expected ECB rate hike tomorrow,” said UBS strategist Edel Tully. “While a move to monetary policy tightening is not necessarily gold-positive, the inflation risks spurring the euro zone tightening are supportive of gold,” she said. Record-high food prices and oil prices at 2-1/2 year highs have

stoked inflationary pressures around the world, adding to the case for owning gold, which can help mitigate the impact of rising price pressures on an investment portfolio. The world’s central banks are tackling inflation by tightening monetary policy-a potential negative to gold, which bears no yield. But most benchmark interest rates, when adjusted for inflation, will remain in negative territory, including those in China, which raised rates on Tuesday for the fourth time since October. Reflecting the pick-up in investor demand for gold was the first inflow of metal into the SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest exchange-traded fund, since March 16. Global holdings of gold in the largest ETFs are down 3.3 percent, or 2.09 million ounces, so far this year, but have risen by nearly 200,000 ounces in the last month alone. Silver has reaped the benefits of investor demand for safe-haven assets and protection from inflation and yesterday rose to its highest level since January 1980. Spot silver was last at $39.33 an ounce, having risen earlier by as much as 0.6 percent to $39.48. Holdings of silver in the world’s largest ETF, the iShares Silver Trust are at a record 11,162.45 tons, having risen by more than 240 tons so far this year. Platinum and palladium were both up on the day, lifted by strength in other industrial commodities such as copper and crude oil, which held near 2-1/2 year peaks. Spot platinum was last up 0.5 percent at $1,793.00 an ounce, while palladium was up 0.1 percent at $787.22.—Reuters

Seven companies announce their participation in Real Estate Expo KUWAIT: Several real estate companies from Kuwait and the region announced their participation in the Real Estate and Investment Exhibition which is organized by the Top Expo Group (TEG) for Organizing Exhibitions and Conferences and is hosted in cooperation with the Kuwait International Fair company at Hall 8 in the KIF Fairground at Mishref, during the period between April 11th and 16th, and under the patronage of Ministry of Commerce and Industry undersecretary Abdul-Aziz Al-Khaldi. One of these companies is the Rawaj Real Estate Marketing Company, whose business development manager Iyad Al-Qaddoumi explained the success of their participation in the previous real estate expo last October encouraged them to take part again. Mr. AlQaddoumi noted at the same time that his company’s participation this time will be restricted on offering real estate projects in Cyprus in cooperation with a Cyprian real estate company. Meanwhile, the MAS International Company, the exclusive seller of the sukuk (legal instruments) of the Burj Zamzam in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, announced that they are also tak ing par t in the exhibition. Regional sales manager Salah Al-Abdaly indicated on that regard that special offers will be provided during the event, including special sukuk for the Holy month of Ramadan.

Also, CEO of the Amtar Real Estate Company Ali Al-Kazmi indicated in a press statement that his company’s participation in the exhibition will give people the opportunity to become aware of their real estate investment in France and Switzerland,

which include a residential complex Cercier, France, as well as the planned residential project in Evian, France Hassan BuAbbas, CEO of Alhayyat Real Estate Company, said that his company’s participation in the exhibition will showcase real estate projects in the Sultanate of Oman which the company builds for

Kuwaiti investors. Also, CEO of Al-Saltanah Real Estate Company Faisal Al-Fadhli announced that his company offers through the exhibition a number of apartment in Muscat, Oman with a guaranteed annual rent income that reaches 10%. Al-Deqa Real Estate Company CEO, Waleed Al-Safraan, also announced that his company will display during the exhibition a number of projects they have in several countries, mainly Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates., in addition to other investments in Al-Khafji near the Saudi border in special prices. In the meantime, CEO of the Focus International Real Estate Company announced that his company will showcase in the expo a group of lands for residential, commercial and industrial purposes in Oman, mainly the Sahar district. Al- Omaraa I nternational Real Estate Company CEO Husain Dashti announced that his company’s participation in the exhibition will focus on displaying projects they have in Hungary, which currently has great chances for investment due to the considerable pay since the country isn’t expected to replace its local currency with the Euro until 2014. The company also has investment in Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Jordan, Syria, Oman in addition to their projects in Kuwait.

lysts’ forecasts for a 2-4 percent fall. Stripping out adverse calendar effects, underlying sales were up 2.2 percent, and M&S said it gained 30 basis points of market share in non-food goods and 10 basis points in food. Like-for-like non-food sales fell 3.9 percent, less than expected, as strong sales of menswear and lingerie helped to mitigate the negative calendar effects. Food sales rose 3.4 percent on the same basis, helped by over 320 new products and strong sales of healthy meal brands “Count on Us” and “Simply Fuller Longer”. Bolland, who joined M&S from grocer Morrisons last year on a 15-million-pound pay deal, put innovation at the heart of a strategy plan announced in November, which also focused on revamping stores and expanding online and abroad. On Friday the firm announced a return to France, 10 years after abandoning Western Europe. —Reuters

IMF gives thumbs up to PA financial policy RAMALLAH: The International Monetary Fund has given the Palestinian Authority a strong vote of confidence, saying it is capable of running a national economy just as it pushes for UN recognition. The Washington-based body said the Westernbacked PA, which governs in the occupied West Bank, had a solid track record of financial reforms enabling it to be less dependent on donor aid. “(It) is now able to conduct the sound economic policies expected of a future well-functioning Palestinian state,” said the IMF staff report released this week. The latest direct peace talks aimed at ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke down almost as soon as they began last September in a dispute over continued Jewish settlement building in the West Bank. Efforts to revive the negotiations have so far failed and the Palestinians are focusing their efforts on building international support for recogni-

tion of a Palestinian state on all of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, lands Israel has occupied since 1967. Palestinian leaders say they are considering a push for recognition of statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad embarked on a two-year plan in 2009 to construct the full institutional framework of a state by mid-2011, and the IMF endorsement is likely to encourage the PA in their UN drive. The report said reforms in public-sector finance management had enabled the PA to control spending tightly, apply rigorous budget preparation and establish fiscal transparency and accountability in line with international standards. This, along with a “prudent fiscal policy”, had contributed to a reduction in donor aid to $1.2 billion in 2010 from $1.8 billion in 2008, with a view to a further cut to below $1 billion this year, the report said. —Reuters

IKEA launches ‘Kitchen Campaign’ KUWAIT: IKEA Kuwait has announced the launch of its Kitchen campaign, offering 15 year guarantee on its full range of kitchens, along with a free delivery and assembly, all within 7 days of purchase. IKEA store has 27 different expressions of its high quality wooden kitchens to suit every taste and budget and is ready to meet the requirements of individual customers and projects by offering customers a wider range and options to design their kitchen. Customers visiting the IKEA store can enjoy purchasing IKEA

kitchens, as setting up a new IKEA kitchen is easy with IKEA Kitchen designers advising what fittings would best suit the shoppers home or project, keeping in mind the requirements, family size, lifestyle, floor space and budgets. Once all the kitchen elements have been finalized, IKEA will deliver the kitchen to your home, assembled and installed, all free of charge, and in only 7 days. IKEA Kuwait has a dedicated projects department to service projects and corporate companies. The promotion runs from 1 April-30 April.

Incredible exchange offer at Joyalukkas Exchange old gold jewelry for brand new one KUWAIT: Joyalukkas, the world’s favorite jeweler, has announced an incredible offer for 3 days only. This exciting offer gives customers the opportunity to exchange their old gold jewelry without any deduction in gold rate and weight for any brand new jewelry. The offer will be valid for only 3 days (7, 8 and 9 April, 2011) across all the Joyalukkas showrooms. The exchange offer will be valid only on purchase of diamond jewelry, Polki jewelry, Pearl jewelry, Precious Stone jewelry and Branded gold jewelry. “We have planned this initiative to give our valued customers the chance to upgrade to new and contemporary jewelry designs in diamond, precious

stone, pearl, polki and gold. To top this we will ensure a zero deduction on the exchange value of the old gold jewelry to make it a win-win offer for them”, said John Paul Joy Alukkas, Director, Joyalukkas Group. The 3-day initiative will cover all the Joyalukkas showrooms across UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar to ensure all customers across the Middle-East benefit from it. “We are very grateful for the trust placed in us by our customers, which has enabled us to become such a renowned brand in the Middle-East and we would like to thank them through such unique initiatives and schemes from time to time,” added John Paul Joy Alukkas.

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technology

The long road to a zero emission hydrogen future first fuel cell vehicles to hit market in 2015

Online shopping

Online sites vie for video viewers SAN FRANCISCO: Google is courting Hollywood’s A-listers to lend their names to channels on its YouTube video site, it was reported yesterday. The move raises the possibility of stars curating videos devoted to their pet interests: Mel Gibson could showcase world-class anger fits, and Lindsay Lohan could select snippets from famous jewel heist movies, while Charlie Sheen might have to go to an X-rated site to portray his favourite work. Google’s idea, as reported by the Financial Times, is to offer the as-yet unnamed stars a cash advance against a share of the increased advertising revenues their sponsorship would bring. The proposal is one of several initiatives rolling out across the web that underscore just how far the internet has advanced in challenging television as the viewing media of choice for modern consumers. For instance, Facebook and Warner Bros on Monday announced the expansion of their fledgling video rental deal, which started earlier this month with the release of the Batman film The Dark Knight. Now, the Hollywood giant is releasing five more movies to Facebook customers, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Inception, Life as We Know It and Yogi Bear. Meanwhile, Video rental leader Netflix is aggressively expanding its online video offerings. The company built its success and buried old-school rental chains like Blockbuster by allowing people to choose their videos online and sending them DVDs through the mail. Now, Netflix is rapidly increasing its online video offerings and recently inked a 100-million-dollar deal for its first ever mini- series, House of Cards, featuring Kevin Spacey.

Retail giant Amazon is getting into the online video business, offering free streaming movies and TV shows to its Prime members. Redbox, which operates 30,000 automated supermarket kiosks renting movies for 1 dollar a day, announced its own plans to enter the streaming world. While the television industry insists there is no evidence of cord-cutting - people giving up their cable connections to watch TV shows and movies purely over broadband internet it’s clear that all these online video initiatives are dramatically changing viewing habits. A study last summer by the Pew Research Project found that more than 50 per cent of adult viewers in the US watched comedy videos online, while the number of adults watching movies or TV shows online doubled from 16 to 32 per cent. A separate study by Magid Associates found that 13 per cent of all internet users watch online videos at least once a day. Another study by Knowledge Networks found that 35 per cent of Americans said they streamed network TV shows. The trends were largely driven by 18-29 year olds, and among younger teenagers the Facebook generation, who have grown up in a wi-fi, broadband world - the numbers are thought to be far higher. Their motto could be “We watch what we want, when we want, how we want,” which means that this very minute they’re watching the season finale of Jersey Shore on their laptops even as they’re tweeting, facebooking, facetiming, homeworking, sulking and doing their nails all at the same time. It’s not just teenagers who are customizing their viewing habits online, and don’t mind the targeted personalized advertising that can make ads far more effective on the internet than on the impersonal TV. —dpa

KABUL: Afghan girls attend a computer class at the Afghan Women Professional Training center, funded by the Italian Cooperation in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday. In the past four years the Italian Cooperation has provided professional training for Afghan women to become selfsufficient in the war stricken country. — AP

Cell carriers to roll out ‘mobile wallets’ in Utah SALT LAKE CITY: A joint venture between three of America’s four largest cell phone carriers will soon offer the nation’s first commercially available mobile fare payment program to a public transportation system. Isis, a mobile commerce joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, announced Tuesday it will roll out the pilot program in Salt Lake City in 2012, offering an alternative to credit and debit cards for Utah Transit Authority fare payments. The industry has been talking about including Near Field Communications wireless technology in phones for years, largely to do just what Isis is proposing, turn them into “electronic wallets.” But beyond a few trials, not much has come to fruition except in places like Japan where a similar technology is in place and most cell phones are equipped with the needed chips. The Isis program is also set to work for pointof-sale purchases at retailers in the area. “This is the evolution of moving off of plastic,” Isis CEO Michael Abbott said in an interview Tuesday. “This is the future of payments.” Abbott said the idea is to eventually make Salt Lake City, and other cities across America, places where consumers don’t need to carry their wallets anymore, communities where your cell phone is as good as cash or credit. The idea sounds simple: Hop a train, swipe your phone, payment made. Grocery shopping? No cash? No problem. “Salt Lake City: The Place You Can Leave Your Wallet At Home,” exclaims a company news release. Not so fast, say industry watchers. “This is simply a silly claim on the part of these vendors,” said

Charles Golvin, a principal analyst with Forrester Research, Inc. The chips needed to make the so-called Near Field Communications wireless technology work aren’t yet available in most cell phones. Many carriers will be rolling them out next year, but it will take time to get them in the hands of consumers. And while the Utah Transit Authority is already equipped with the necessary technology to read the phones, retailers will also have to begin upgrading their systems. “There are some out there already but not the majority and it won’t be the majority for quite some time,” Golvin said. “This is almost certainly going to be like most technology adoption, a slow and steady build over a long period of time.” However, the fact that three of the four largest wireless carriers are now supporting the program means it should gain momentum in the coming years. “They have their own incentives now to see profit and improve their business through NFC, and that means they will most likely demand that many of their suppliers include that function in the phones they sell,” Golvin said. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd., has said most new BlackBerrys will have NFC chips by later this year. Google Inc.’s Nexus S already has one, and the company’s latest Android software for that and other phones has NFC support. Nokia Corp., the world’s largest maker of phones, has committed to putting NFC chips in all its next-generation smart phones.—AP

BERLIN: Fuel cell technology is tried and tested. It is the ideal fuel clean, silent and powerful - but it remains a distant dream because of a lack of hydrogen filling stations that power the fuel cells. Mercedes is currently taking its F-Cell-powered Mercedes B-Class on a round-the world tour while Volkswagen and Chevrolet are testing similar vehicles on the streets of Berlin. The fuel cells convert hydrogen into an electric current that powers electric engines. A small cloud of water vapour is all that is emitted. So why is the technology not implemented? Even the ecologically-orientated German traffic association ( VCD) believes that the chances of “a speedy mass production are small.” VCD spokesman Gerd Lottsiepen cites the lack of filling stations and the issue of how much energy is actually needed to produce hydrogen as two of the key issues that need to be resolved. After more than two decades of research, major car makers including Mercedes, Honda and Kia have solved most of the technical problems. The fuel cell that channels the hydrogen through membranes, producing electricity and water vapour, today fits into a normal medium-sized car. The technology also works almost faultlessly in all temperature zones. The range of several hundred kilometres is similar to conventional combustion engined vehicles. Even the price would be affordable and find itself more or less in the category of a dieselhybrid if mass-produced, according to Daimler project manager Christian Mohrdieck. Such progress has prompted some manufacturers to move

Zero-emission bus at a hydrogen fueling facility. ahead. “By the year 2015 we will have the first fuel cell vehicles on the market,” Toyota President Akio Toyoda announced at the Detroit Motor Show in January. Daimler’s CEO Dieter Zetsche, in referring to the B-Class currently being tested, says “our vehicles are ready to go.” The test vehicle has an output of 100 kW/136 hp and a top speed of 170 km/h. In comparison to a batter ypowered electric vehicle the fuel cell has two major advantages. It has a range of 400 kilometres or more and needs only a few minutes of refuelling time at a hydrogen filling station compared to several hours for an electric car, according to Honda exper t Thomas Brachmann.

But when it comes to hydrogen filling stations there are perhaps only about 100 worldwide, according to the fuel cell experts. Zetsche therefore dampens the optimism by pointing out “that we need only the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen.” Both government and industry has instead focused on promoting the electric vehicle (EV) that stores the energy on board in a battery. According to VCD spokesman Lottsiepen this is probably the more realistic option. “Production of hydrogen is so energy intensive that it is better to put the energy into the battery directly rather than using it up for fuel production,” he says citing research done by the Institute for

Energy and Environmental Research (ifeu) in the south-western German city of Heidelberg. The institute concluded that in order to utilise 100 per cent of the energy on the road the EV needed 150 per cent of energy at the source while the figure for a fuel cell vehicle was some 600 per cent. Despite this, Lottsiepen sees some advantages in the technology: “The fuel cell could be an alternative for trucks and buses where a battery would be too big and expensive.” But all of it depends on the crucial issue of the oil price. As long as conventional fuels remain fairly cheap the alternative fuels have little chance of becoming a massmarket product. — dpa

Reppler helps Facebook users look good SAN FRANCISCO: Startup Reppler launched a service yesterday to help people shine on Facebook pages that have become resources checked by employers, college recruiters and even potential mates. Reppler warns Facebook users about pictures or written posts that might hurt their images, highlights public information best kept private and rates how members of the leading social network look online. “People are concerned about overall perception from the outside world,” said Vlad Gorelik, who worked at cyber security firm AVG Technologies before starting Reppler in the Silicon Valley city of Palo Alto. “They are worried about things like security and privacy, but also how what they share on social networks impacts their jobs and careers.” It is increasingly common for job recruiters or hiring managers to check Facebook profiles of candidates and search online to influence decisions. Free Reppler software analyzes digital content people put on their Facebook pages along with material about them posted by others. “Your wall on Facebook is not only your posts, it is posts by your friends or by applications such as games,” Gorelik said, referring to spaces on Facebook profile pages where friends can leave comments. Reppler checks the tone of messages and lets people know if they come across sounding perpetually angry or unhappy. The software also notes when timing of posts might reveal unflattering behavior, such as having

popular online game “Farmville” continuously running during work hours or if people are busy posting to Facebook on the job. Reppler also flags seemingly inappropriate profile content such as strong language, derogatory remarks or references to booze or drugs. “If you work in a bar, references to alcohol are perfectly normal,” Gorelik said. “If you work at a conservative law firm, it might not be something you want on your wall.” Reppler points out potentially troublesome material and then takes people to the Facebook tools for removing the information or adjusting privacy settings. “Sometimes, we post a little too much,” Gorelik said. “If you are connected to your mom on Facebook, and your mom’s maiden name is a security question used to reset passwords, someone could use that to hijack your account.” Reppler software detects over-sharing of information as well as spam links posted to Facebook walls by hackers out to lure people to websites rigged with malicious software. Gorelik said Reppler differs from online image services such as Reputation.com in that it is tailored for social networks. “We are specifically targeting social networks because this is where most people live,” Gorelik said. The growing reality is that comments made online might as well be shouted in public streets. “The microscope is coming to a theater near you and everyone is going to live under a microscope,” Reputation.com chief executive Michael

Fertik told AFP in a recent interview. That “microscope” is astonishing in power, drawing on everything from blog entries and Facebook postings to food orders and search histories. Fertik rattled off data a typical person reveals online: “Your musical preferences, who your friends are, what you buy, where you live, where you travel, where you surf on the Internet, what your health hazards are, what you eat, what exercise, what size clothes you wear, what the names of all your family members are, your political affiliations.” That’s without the drunken photos, sexual boasts, online rants or other lapses in judgment at popular Internet venues such as Facebook, Flickr, YouTube or Twitter. People’s pasts are lingering to haunt them in the Web’s vast archives of data. For advertisers, that sea of Web data is a goldmine allowing them to target millions of people with ads tailored to their online profiles. For bosses and the simply curious, it’s a giant keyhole to peep through. Hiring managers routinely search for information about applicants on Google it’s dubbed the Google handshake-and a Microsoft survey found that 70 percent of company representatives had turned down candidates after finding something they didn’t like. Fertik’s company can clean up a person’s Internet history, deleting some unwanted posts and burying the rest in more positive information so that at least an initial Google Handshake comes up clean. —AFP

The tech helper

Batch processing your digital images WASHINGTON: Most people have digital camera files - and lots of them. The challenge with all of those files is not just in keeping up with the ever-growing storage demands but in figuring out how to process dozens or even hundreds of photographs - referred to as “batch processing” - without spending hours or days at the computer. The good news: There are tools that can help. Q: I need to rename a bunch of files. Is there a free utility that can help me to do this? I use Windows 7. A: If you use Windows, there’s really no need for a separate utility to rename a bunch of image files - or any files - if they are all located in the same folder. Here’s what you do. Open the Windows Explorer file manager, and navigate to the folder that’s full of digital photo files that you want to rename. Select all of the files in the folder by pressing Ctrl+A or, if you have the menus activated, by opening the Edit menu and choosing Select All. Now that all the files are selected, rightclick the first file, and from the pop-up menu, select Rename. The name of the first file is now highlighted, ready to be edited. Move the cursor to the beginning of the file name, and type something descriptive, such as “vacation 2011.” Press Enter, and “vacation 2011” will be added to the beginning of all of the files in the folder. If you want to rename files that are scattered throughout several folders, then a thirdpar ty file renamer is in order. The free IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com) has a powerful batch renaming feature - accessible

simply by pressing the letter B from within the program or by opening the File menu and clicking Batch Conversion/Rename. With it, you can add photos from multiple directories and then perform the renaming operating to your specification. Q: The files from my digital camera are huge. I need to shrink them before uploading them to an online forum. Is there a tool that will do this for me without changing the originals? A: You’re looking for an image resizing tool. Actually, image resizing is a function built in to most image browsers these days, including the popular Google Picasa. But there are dedicated resizing tools as well, and often they’re easier to use because they have just one primary function. BD Sizer (http://www.photofreeware.net/bdsizer.php) is one such tool. You simply point it to the folder full of images that you’d like to resize, fill out the resizing parameters in the left-hand pane, and then click the Apply in Batch button to start the procedure. BD Sizer can also apply simple frames to the photos in one pass. FastStone Photo Resizer (http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm) is another free tool that performs the same functions as BD Sizer, minus the framing option. Q: I’ve started to enjoy seeing my digital photos in black and white. I have a black and white mode on my camera, but I would rather take the pictures in colour and convert them later. Is there some way to convert a folder full of photos to black and white without changing the originals? A: You’re wise to shoot your images first in

colour. After all, even though there’s a blackand-white setting on many digital cameras, converting your images later through software allows you both to keep a colour copy in case you want it and to have more control over how the black-and-white images look, once converted. Most image browsing applications, including IrfanView, can batch convert a folder full of colour images to black and white. In IrfanView, open the Batch Conversion dialog box by pressing the letter B from within the application or opening the File menu and clicking Batch Conversion/Rename. From the Batch Conversion dialog box, clicking the Options button will open a Save Options dialog box, from which you can select the checkbox labeled “Save as grayscale JPG.” Then just proceed to convert a folder full of images, and they will be transformed into black-andwhite versions. Q: I’m interested in converting a lot of image files from one format to another. Is there a free tool that can help? A: Bulk (or batch) file format conversion is a feature built in to many image viewing applications. But you can also turn to a free tool such as Photo Magician (http://bit.ly/ar3ejo) for quick format conversions. This tool offers both a “full” and a “quick convert” mode, with the latter being just a small magician’s hat, similar to a desktop gadget, into which you can drop photos that you would like to convert. The full mode is the one you’ll want for batch conversions, however. — dpa

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

health & science

Gel reduces preterm births in some women WASHINGTON: A simple treatment — a hormone-containing vaginal gel — significantly reduces premature births among pregnant women who are at high risk because of a problem with the cervix, the US government researchers reported yesterday. Many factors can lead to premature birth, but the study released Wednesday deals with one subset: the thousands of women who develop an unusually shortened cervix, the gateway to the uterus. The findings may prompt more doctors to begin routinely measuring cervical length, using an easy and fairly inexpensive ultrasound scan, midway through pregnancy. “There will never be ‘the’ solution to preterm birth,” cautions lead researcher Dr. Roberto Romero of the National Institutes of Health. “There will be multiple solutions, and we believe this is one important solution.” This treatment is not related to an injection called Makena, a synthetic hormone that is controversial because of its high

price tag. That drug is aimed at women who’ve already had one premature infant and now are pregnant again. But women may have a short cervix during any pregnancy, and the question was whether applying a gel form of natural progesterone — known as Prochieve — directly onto the problem area could stave off an early delivery. It worked, cutting by nearly half the rate of particularly early preterm births, those before 33 weeks of gestation who are at particular risk for death or long-term health problems, concluded Romero, who led the study at 44 medical centers around the world. The study was a collaboration between NIH and Prochieve maker Columbia Laboratories Inc. of Livingston, New Jersey, which plans to seek Food and Drug Administration approval for the drug for women with short cervix. “This is very good news, and very timely,” said Dr. John Larsen of George Washington University, a spokesman for the American College of Obstetricians and

Gynecologists who wasn’t involved with the research. “People have been using vaginal progesterone for a while, and it’s not been in the highpriced stratosphere.” Although the company didn’t address price, vaginal progesterone already is sold to treat different conditions, for roughly $20 for a day’s dose. It makes sense that a vaginal gel would work because “you’re giving it right to the area you want to affect,” added Dr. Alan Fleischman, medical director of the March of Dimes. The cervix naturally shortens as pregnancy progresses, but at issue here is one about half its usual length during the second trimester. How many women develop that? The study screened 32,000 otherwise healthy pregnant women and found 2.3 percent did, which Fleischman said would equate to about 100,000 US women in a year. In the new study, 458 women with a short cervix were given either the progesterone gel or a dummy version in a tampon-like applicator, to use

daily starting in the second trimester. Sixteen percent of the women given the dummy gel gave birth before 33 weeks, compared with 9 percent who received the drug, researchers reported in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Infants born to the progesterone users were healthier, too, with less respiratory distress and higher birth weights. The women experienced no significant side effects. Treating 14 women with a short cervix prevented one preterm birth, comparable to or better than some other well-accepted obstetric treatments, the researchers said. A standard pregnancy ultrasound exam can give a clue about a cervical abnormality but a good measurement requires a transvaginal ultrasound exam, common with standard equipment, said Romero. He wants them to become routine in pregnancy — also valuable, he says, for reassuring women who aren’t at risk. — AP

Higher bleeding risk seen in clot drug Doctors cast doubt on approval for acute illness group

TOKYO: A customer eats shellfish at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo Tuesday. The government set its first radiation safety standards for fish after Japan’s tsunamiravaged nuclear plant reported radioactive contamination in nearby seawater measuring at several million times the legal limit. — AP

Space X planning biggest rocket since man on moon WASHINGTON: A high-tech entrepreneur revealed plans Tuesday to launch the world’s most powerful rocket since man went to the moon. Space Exploration Technology already has sent the first private rocket and capsule into Earth’s orbit as a commercial venture. It is now planning a rocket that could lift twice as much cargo into orbit as the soon-to-be-retired space shuttle. The first launch is slotted for 2013 from California with follow-up launches from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Space X’s new rocket, called Falcon Heavy, is big enough to send cargo or even people out of Earth’s orbit to the moon, an asteroid or Mars. Only the long retired Saturn V rocket that sent men to the moon was bigger. “This is a rocket of truly huge scale,” said Space X president Elon Musk, who also founded PayPal and manufactures electric sports cars. The Falcon Heavy could put 117,000 pounds (53,070 kilograms) into the same orbit as the International Space Station. The space shuttle hauls about 54,000 pounds (24,500 kilograms) into orbit. The old Saturn V could carry more than 400,000 pounds (181,440 kilograms) of cargo. The old Soviet Union had a giant moon rocket bigger than the Falcon Heavy, but it failed in all four launch attempts. Another Soviet rocket, also bigger than Falcon Heavy and designed to launch its version of the space shuttle, had one successful flight more than 20 years ago. While the new Space X rocket is designed initially for cargo, it satisfies NASA’s current safety requirements for carr ying humans, and after several launches it could carry people, Musk said. He has said that if NASA does buy rides on commercial rockets, he would be able to fly astronauts to the space station in his smaller Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule within three years. Potential customers for the new larger rocket are NASA, the military, other governments and satellite makers. Musk said Falcon Heavy will be far cheaper than government or private rockets. Launches are about $100 million each. He said the Air Force pays two older more established aerospace firms about $435 million for each of its launches. Over its 40 year design history, the space shuttle program has cost about $1.5 billion per launch, according to a study by the University of Colorado and an Associated Press analysis of NASA budgets. Musk, who has a contract to supply the space station with cargo using the smaller Falcon 9, said his pricing is more fixed than traditional aerospace firms. He joked: “ We believe in everyday low prices.” To get costs that low, Musk said he needs to launch about four Falcon Heavy rockets a year but plans on launching about 10. He does not have a paying customer for his first launch, but is in negotiations with NASA and other customers for flights after his company proves the new rocket flies. “It would be great if it works, if it’s

safe,” said Henry Lambright, a professor of public policy and space scholar at Syracuse University. “I don’t want to come across as skeptical, but I am.” Lambright said companies have often made big claims about private space without doing much. But, he said, Musk has some credibility because of his successful Falcon 9. If Musk’s plans work, it will give President Barack Obama’s space policy a needed boost, Lambright said. Obama has been battling some in Congress over his plans to use more private space companies, like Space X, for getting people to orbit with NASA concentrating on missions to send astronauts to new places, such as nearby asteroids. Several companies are vying to launch private rockets that could replace the shuttle. NASA is now paying Russia to send astronauts to and from the space station on Soyuz spacecraft. Howard McCurdy, a space policy expert at American University, said of Musk: “If he’s not in the lead, he’s well positioned for the finish.” McCurdy said NASA’s space shuttle was a technological marvel, but had a bad business model and was not cost effective. He said Musk, who is using his own money in his privately held firm, has incentive to be more financially savvy. — AP

This undated artist rendering provided by Space Exploration Technologies (Space X), shows Space Exploration Technology’s new rocket Falcon Heavy. On Tuesday, Elon Musk, CEO and chief rocket designer of Space X unveiled plans to launch the world’s most powerful rocket since man went to the moon. — AP

NEW ORLEANS: A blood clot preventer from Johnson & Johnson and Bayer caused a surprisingly high rate of bleeding in a trial of patients with acute illnesses, representing a setback for the drugmakers. Bayer AG shares fell 3.6 percent, while J&J slipped 0.6 percent after the data were presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans on Tuesday. Industry analysts had predicted the trial of the drug rivaroxaban, if successful, would create a potential $2.8 billion annual market among the study’s population of patients who are susceptible to blood clots while hospitalized for illnesses such as cancer and pneumonia. “This will surely impact the chances of admission of the drug and is a serious disappointment,” said Markus Huber, a senior trader at ETX Capital, adding that it could have financial repercussions for Bayer. A lead investigator for earlier North American trials of rivaroxaban in patients getting knee replacements also took a pessimistic view of the new data. “The data today would not be approvable .... Why approve something with no overall benefit” for patients like those in the trial, said Alexander Turpie, professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Turpie and industr y analysts said the results do not preclude other big opportunities for the drug, which is already sold in Europe by Bayer under the brand name Xarelto to prevent blood clots in patients undergoing hip and knee surgery. The drugmakers are developing the pill to prevent stroke in patients with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. Analysts see that market having the potential for $3 billion in annual sales. Development of new blood clot preventers has been one of the hottest areas in cardiology. Several pharmaceutical companies are

vying to come up with a drug of choice to displace decades-old warfarin and other medicines. Potential rivals to rivaroxaban include apixaban by Pfizer Inc and Bristol-Myers Squibb, edoxaban from Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo and Pradaxa, already being sold by privately held Boehringer Ingelheim. The 8,101-patient study released on Tuesday compared the bleeding risk and effectiveness of rivaroxaban with that of the standard injectable treatment enoxaparin in patients hospitalized for acute medical conditions, including heart failure, infectious disease and breathing difficulty. Injections of enoxaparin, sold by SanofiAventis under the brand name Lovenox, are typically given in the hospital, with treatment lasting no more than two weeks. After 10 days of treatment in the study, rivaroxaban and enoxaparin were deemed equally effective in preventing dangerous blood clots in the extremities and in the lungs. Although enoxaparin is not typically used for long periods, J&J wanted to assess its longterm effectiveness compared with rivaroxaban. To set up a comparison, patients took enoxaparin for 10 days, and then took placebos for the subsequent 25 days, while rivaroxaban was given for 35 days. By that measure, rivaroxaban proved significantly more effective than enoxaparin. But patients taking the J&J/Bayer drug had a significantly higher rate of bleeding. Some 2.8 percent of patients taking rivaroxaban had clinically relevant bleeding at 10 days, compared with 1.2 percent of those receiving enoxaparin. At 35 days, 4.1 percent of the rivaroxaban group experienced bleeding, versus 1.7 percent taking enoxaparin. Although there was a disparity in risk, researchers said the overall rate of serious bleeding was small for both drugs.

“This is a setback for rivaroxaban because its efficacy is counterbalanced by the risk,” said Dr. Catalin Balan of University Emergency Hospital in Sibiu, Romania, who had no role in the trial. “It worsens the overall view of the drug.” Lead researcher Alexander Cohen of King’s College Hospital in London said the drug fell short because safety was assessed not only by major or fatal bleeding, but also by minor bleeding such as nosebleeds, big bruises and blood in the urine. Had the trial only included serious bleeding, he said the benefit of rivaroxaban would have outweighed its risks. Seven patients taking rivaroxaban died from major bleeding, versus one for enoxaparin. But 30 patients taking enoxaparin died from lung clots, versus 19 taking the J&J drug. Peter DiBattiste, vice president of cardiovascular development for J&J, said the company will conduct additional analyses to see if rivaroxaban can be used more selectively in patients hospitalized with acute medical illness. DiBattiste said that compared to enoxaparin, a higher bleeding risk was not seen for his drug in earlier successful trials among patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. “This is a different population than we’ve seen before, with different organ systems involved,” he said. “And they’re probably more predisposed to bleeding because of multiple illnesses and multiple medicines.” Wall Street expects the drug to be approved this summer to prevent clots in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery, with approval by Fall for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients. Under their marketing agreement, J&J will market the pill in the United States and pay royalties of up to 30 percent of its revenue to Bayer. Deutsche Bank analysts estimate that Bayer stands to retain 61 percent of worldwide sales in 2015. — Reuters

The key secrets to happiness BERLIN: What is the key to happiness? Friends, humour, sex, money? Conventional thinking says there is no sure formula. Or is there? For many years now the number of scientists grappling with the definition, the genesis and the effects of happiness on individuals and on society has been steadily growing. Their work takes into account the social, economic and psychological aspects of happiness and all of them are looking for a formula for something that is very difficult to pin down. However, it does appear that there are a couple of essential ingredients for happiness that apply to everyone, irrespective of their personal and cultural background. That’s according to a newly published book, “ The World Book of Happiness,” which analyses the theses of 100 of the world’s best researchers in this field. Professor Ruut Veenhofen of Erasmus University in Rotterdam is an expert in the area of positive psychology. Veenhofen defines happiness as the “subjective appreciation of life” and he has posed the question “How happy are you, taking everything into account, with your life at the moment?” to people in 148 nations. Using a scale of one to 10, Veenhofen has identified the happiest nations on earth as Costa Rica (8.5), Denmark (8.3), Canada and Switzerland (both 8.0). The least happiest countries are Togo (2.6), Tanzania (2.6) and Zimbabwe (2.8). Most researchers emphasize

that being on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world is no guarantee of having a happy and fulfilled life. Happiness does not grow along with material wealth as shown by the example of Norway. Researchers have spent years studying happiness levels in Norway, a very materially wealthy nation, that scores 7.9 on Professor Veenhofen’s scale. “When people put the poverty threshold behind them, higher income does almost nothing to make them more happy,” says Professor Robert Lane of Yale University. Being happy while owning less means not comparing yourself to others who are materially better off. “Free yourself from envy,” recommends Professor David Watson of the University of Iowa while Professor Claudia Senik at the Sorbonne in Paris advises: “Do not compare yourself to others, concentrate on your own plans and be ambitious.” However, it’s at this stage that opinion among researchers divides. Depending on their cultural background, the researchers either place more importance on individual development, inner life and an active drive to achieve happiness or they focus on service to the greater good and the desire to achieve a functional society that is made up of sometimes contradictory elements. That last aspect is more often shared by Asian researchers as the key to happiness. “By balancing Ying and Yang, you can achieve an inner harmony that will encourage an inner feeling of happiness,” says Professor Daniel

Shek of Hong Kong University. There are also diverse opinions on how great a role faith and religion play in happiness. Many researchers, however, do agree that spirituality does play at least a role. Fully rational people, they believe, are less likely to be happy. But is the ability to be happy just a matter of fate? “Fifty per cent of our potential to be happy is born within us. Ten per cent is linked with our living conditions but 40 per cent lies within our own hands,” says social psychologist Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University of California. She has spent 20 years researching the subject. Many of her colleagues believe it is possible to train and learn the ability to be happy. That’s done, for example, by focusing on the positive

and interpreting failure as good experience. Others stress the importance of exercise, humour, work, health and sex as factors that play a big role in happiness. Another element is the ability to be more thoughtful about your time. It’s also worth your while attempting to train yourself to be more fun loving, although how to do that may not be so obvious if you are an introverted type. One Australian researcher even believes that some day in the future brainwave stimulation will lead to major advances in achieving happiness. Until that day arrives another school of thought holds out the promise of success for everyone around the globe. That theory says you should nurture the ability to live your life as a social being.

ASUNCION: A pregnant woman suffering dengue symptoms lies in a bed surrounded by a mosquito net at Barrio Obrero public hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay, April 5. Authorities confirm more than 10,000 people are infected with dengue, and 22 have died this year. — AP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

H E A LT H

Worried about a radioactive ocean? A reality check NEW YORK: Workers at the stricken Japanese nuclear plant dumped radioactive water into the ocean to make room for storing even more highly contaminated water on the site. The water dumping came after earlier leaks of radioactive water that had already raised concerns about its effects in the ocean, raising questions about health and safety. Here are answers to some of those questions. Q. Can you see radiation? A. No, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see, taste or smell it. Q. How does radiation travel? A. In the air, it moves as energy waves. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how an X-ray machine looks inside you. At the Japanese nuclear plant complex, workers have been exposed to such waves, as well as radioactive particles. Over long distances, tiny radioactive particles on dust are blown by the wind. It can come back down to Earth with rain. In the water, microscopic radioactive particles are carried along by the currents. Q. How dangerous is radiation? A. We live in a world of radiation. It is in the water we drink, the food we eat, the very air we breathe. Most of the radiation we are exposed to comes from outer space, the decaying of uranium in the earth, and medical procedures like X-

rays and CT scans. Q. How is radiation measured? A. Radiation is often measured as a dose or exposure â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the amount of radiation absorbed over a certain time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generally measured in millirems in the United States, and millisieverts elsewhere. The average place on Earth exposes people to about 300 millirems, or 3 millisieverts, every year. A chest X-ray exposes a patient to about 10 millirems, or 0.1 millisievert. Q. How can radiation hurt us? A. Too much radiation in a short time can cause deadly radiation sickness, with its signature symptoms of nausea, dizziness and hair loss. High doses can also cause cancer decades later. It can lead to congenital defects in future children of exposed adults. Q. So how much radiation is too much radiation? A. Natural background radiation in the environment varies greatly at different places on Earth, depending on altitude, geology and other factors. In theory, any increase in radiation can lead to a higher risk of cancer. I n prac tice, though, population studies find no apparent elevated risk of cancer even at the highest levels of background radiation. And the most respected

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radiation experts say people can tolerate at least 10,000 millirems (100 millisieverts) in a short period with no discernible harm. On the other hand, much larger doses â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like 400,000 millirems or 4,000 millisieverts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will cause radiation sickness and cancer in many people. That would be the rough equivalent of 40,000 chest X-rays.

half-hour to an hour. But swimming near the plant is banned, and radiation levels of water dumped in the ocean decline quickly with distance from the complex.

Q. Can the radioactive water leaking from the Japanese nuclear plant eventually reach the US and be hazardous? A. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to say how that water will move, because it will spread not only on the surface but downward in deep layers of the Pacific Ocean. If it does reach the West Coast, it would probably take at least 18 months to three years, by one estimate. In any case, nobody expects it would pose a radiation hazard upon arrival because of tremendous dilution along the way. Airborne radioactive particles have already reached the United States, but federal authorities say the measured levels arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dangerous.

Q. What radioactive elements are leaking and what are the risks? A. Measurements so far have focused mostly on iodine and cesium, which were responsible for most of the radiation dose to the public at the Chernobyl disaster. Radiation from iodine-131 dissipates quickly, falling by half every eight days, so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s virtually gone in 80 days. Its danger is that if inhaled or swallowed, it can concentrate in the thyroid and cause cancer. Cesium radiation sticks around much longer, taking 30 years to decline by half and 300 years to virtually disappear. Cesium can build up in the body and high levels are thought to be a risk for various other cancers. Still, researchers who studied Chernobyl could not find an increase in cancers that might be linked to cesium.

Q. Werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the workers at the nuclear plant treated for burns after coming into contact with radioactive water? What if someone swam in the ocean off the coast of Japan? A. The kind of radiation levels the workers experienced cause sunburn-like burns in about a

Q. Will ocean creatures be harmed by the discharges of the radioactive water? A. Experts say animals very near the plant may face problems like higher rates of genetic mutations, but that this would probably happen within only maybe a half a mile or so â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

w h at ’s o n Announcements Blood needed Mrs. Titiana D Sousa is in need of B-ve blood very urgently. She is suﬀering from lever malfunction and admitted in Adan hospital ICU. Her contact person is Mr. Casino Periera, Mob: 60972597. Dear friends this is time to respond.

Al-Amal Indian school graduation ceremony

he much awaited graduation ceremony marking the young graduates successfully completing their kindergarten, was held in Al-Amal Indian School 27th March. it was a great moment for the school junior wing to have a joyful day with the young graduates who would be soon joining the school mainstream. On the occasion, a fabulous program was organized by the teachers and kids of the junior wing. It all started with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by Kuwait national anthem. The two welcome speeches by Mrs Celine and Ibrahim in English and Arabic respectively more quite emboldening to the young graduates. The teachers Mrs Aqeila, Mrs Swarna Peter and Mrs Vijay presented welcome songs, that

were symbolical to the whole surrounding. There were dances as well performed by LKG and std. II kids, that were enjoyed by all present there. Parents, who were invited to witness the ceremony, equally shared the fun and excitement. In his address to the young graduates, the principal, Baldwin Faife emphasized on the importance of education and told them that they should always yearn for education, to become signified and successful. The program was concluded with the vote of thanks by Vice Principal Mrs Shahjahan Jaffery. At the end, the Principal, Faife and the Vice Principal, Mrs Shahjahan gave away the certificates to the young graduates.

3rd Multi lingual poetry reading Writers’ Forum Kuwait is proud to present its 3rd Multi Lingual Kavi Sammelan / Mushaira / Poetry Reading (along with English translation). Poets shall present their poetries in varied Indian languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Urdu, Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Konkani, Punjabi, English, Malayalam, Telugu etc. The Forum, in its unique way, attempts to bring All Indian languages under one fora and weaves a multi-layered fabric of national integration with the spirit of unity amongst its members and the people in general. Honourable Chief Guest: Ajai Malhotra, the Ambassador of India to Kuwait Date: April 6, 201 1 (Wednesday) 7.00 pm onwards. Venue: Indian Community (Senior Girls) School, Salmiya. All Indians Are Welcome. For further details, please contact: Maimuna Chougle, (President) 25623513 or Sunil Sonsi (General Secretary) 66846654. NAFO to present Soorya’s ‘Sangamam’ National Forum Kuwait (NAFO Kuwait) is all set to bringing a spectacular, well conceptualized, a jewel in crown super cultural show ‘Sangamam’ for the art lovers of Kuwait, according to a press release. Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra will inaugurate the first of its kind super show, scheduled for the evening of Friday, May 13, 2011 (6.00 PM) at the American International School Auditorium, Maidan-Hawalli.

Bharatanatyam Arangettam & Nritotsavam rithanjali Dance Academy, Mangaf, is conducting the Arangettam for the ﬁrst batch of students tomorrow, in Camebridge English School, Mangaf, Kuwait. Nrithanjali was found in the year 1992 in India and later in Kuwait. Trissur Dinesh is the Director of the Academy, who is the ﬁrst prize winner of Bharatanatyam in the Kerala state youth festival and also the recipient of prestigious ‘Kalaprathibha’ award in the Inter university youth festival. He is also the second prize winner of GCC dance festival, held in Bahrain in 2010, for Kuchipudi. Nrithanjali have already trained more than 1000 students, both in India and Kuwait, out of which several of them are recipients of ‘Kalaprathibha’ & ‘Kalathilakam’ awards for the State & District levels of the School Competitions back in India. The program will be starting at 5:30 pm, which will be inaugurated by Syamala Divakaran, Principal, Gulf Indian School Fahaheel. For more information, please contact dinu444@yahoo.com

Celebrating Vishu on April 15 Seva Darshan Kuwait will be celebrating this Vishu on April 15th, 2011 as Seva Dinam at the Indian Central School in Abbasiya, in the true spirit of our philosophical thought, seva dharma param dharma. Our families will be offering Visukkaineetam to the scores of children and parents who have no one to take care of them and have been residing in various shelters across the country.

The Human Epic

rom expression to reality: The experiment of Egyptian artist Alaa Hegazi. The course of the exhibition seeks to capture the truest moments of humanity through a celebration of characters and portraiture. Under the title “The Human Epic”, we will follow the artist’s works through a rhythm established by his strokes of watercolor on paper and canvas. The exhibition opens from April 11-19 from 10 am - 2 pm and 5.30 - 9.30 pm. At Shuwaikh, Jahra Road 40, Al Tilal Complex, M3-M4.

Football Fest-2011

he sports wing of Kerala Art Lovers Association (Kala-Kuwait) will be conducting a one day Football Tournament named “Football Fest-2011” on 7th April, 2011 at Fahaheel Souk Sabah Flood Light Stadium. The tournament in which members from various units of Kala will participate will be held in the presence of Kuwait Indian Football Federation Oﬃcials as well as other prominent guests. Sports wing Secretary Johnson George informed that all the required preparations have been done and the tournament will commence at 5:30 pm in the evening and end by 9:30pm.

Voice Kuwait 6th Anniversary Voice Kuwait celebrating its 6th anniversary “VISWAKALA 2011” on May 20th Friday from 4 pm to 9 pm at Carmel School Khaitan. The program presided over Voice Kuwait president P.G.Binu formed new program committee for Viswakala 2011. P.C.Sukumaran (Chairman),Baiju Vijayan (Gen: Convener). Leelamma Lakshmanan (Joint convener), C.K,Pradeepan, M.Sreenivasan (Refill), V.Shanil,Surendran Mathur, Gireev.P.Kumar, (souvenir), Raghunathan Achari, Deepa Baluchandran (finance), Saritha Rajan, K.Shajan (Arts), Pramod Kakkoth, Balasubramanyan (Stage), Pramod Manukkara, P.Sasidharan (food), Mohanan Achari,

Unnikrishnan(transportation), N.Raveendran(Volunteer Captain), Satheesan Kunneru (Vice captain), Keloth Vijayan, Mini Krishna, M.T.Haridasan, K.S.Sajeev, Gireeshwayanad, V.U.Rajan, A.K.Vilasini, Sreekala Vipin,Salini Raju(reception) are the members of program committee. Voice Kuwait is giving award to its member’s children who got highest mark in last S.S.L.C. either from Kuwait or from Kerala. The students those are eligible should give attested copy of their mark list to Area conveners or sent copy to voicekuwait2004@gmail.com General Secretary K.Chandramohanan gave welcome speech and Treasurer Raghunadhan Achari gave vote of thanks. For more information please contact 66950482,94419371. Keraleeyam, Sambasivan award tomorrow A variety entertainment program “Keraleeyam 2011” is scheduled at 3.30 pm on Friday, 8th April at Indian Central School, Abbasiya. The program has been scheduled with an event of giving away “Kala Kuwait-Sambasivan Award” to the famous Malayalam Drama Artist Karivallur Murali and a stage presentation of Karivallur Murali’s famous One Act Play ‘Aboobakkarinte Umma Parayunnu’ is performing by Mrs Rejitha Madhu. Also have variety entertainment by other distinctive artists, traditional dances, fancy dress competition for Students etc. To attribute the occasion, we have also scheduled to release a multi colour souvenir. “Kala Kuwait-Sambasivan Award” was instituted in memory of eminent ‘Katha Prasangam’ artist late V. Sambasivan. The award comprises Rs 25,000 and citation. Karaivallur Murali was selected for the prize in view of his outstanding contribution to Malayalam Drama Play. Karivallur Muralai has to his credits more than 50 Dramas including, Cheguvera, Kuruthippadam, Aboobakkarinte Ummaparayunnu, Agrayanam, Sangaganam, 100s Drama Lyrics, Sumeekko (Noval), Ente Chonna Manninte Pattu, Oru Dheera Swapnam (Lyrics) and Sahanangalude Pathayil Gopuram Pole (autobiography).

‘Kathakali 2011’ Arpan Kuwait, an Indian socio-cultural organization, will present ‘Kathakali 2011’ on Saturday, April 30 at 6.00 pm at the Indian Community School (Senior Girls), Salmiya as part of its initiative to promote Indian classical art and culture in Kuwait. It was Arpan that brought Kathakali for the ﬁrst time to Kuwait way back in 2005. Now, Arpan is presenting the unique classical dance drama once again before the Kuwait’s elite audience on popular demand. For details, contact: 99716105, 97277151, 66872372 or 94063428.

Basketball academy at ESF

tarting on Saturday 9th April The English School Fahaheel will play host to a series of basketball camps run by the Kuwait Basketball Academy. The camps will be split into two age groups; 8-11 year olds and 12-15 year olds with the primary focus of learning skills and techniques. Children be exposed to a series of training methods which improve essential fundamental skills of the game and children will learn what it takes to be a complete oﬀensive and defensive player. The camps will run for eight consecutive Saturdays commencing on Saturday 9th April with the 8-11 year old age group playing between 9am and 10.30 am and the 12-15 year old category playing between 10.30am and 12pm. Each player will receive an exclusive camp T-Shirt and DVD which provides an analysis of their own performance. There will many opportunities for players to win prizes during the 8 weeks with awards going for Most Valuable Player (MVP), Most Improved Player (MIP), Best Defensive Player, 1 v 1 Champion and Hot Shot Champion. The Kuwait Basketball Academy camps will be coached by Chris Horrocks. If you wish to register your child on the camps or want any further information, please email kuwaitbasketballacademy@hotmail.com

National, Liberation Day and HH the Amir’s assumption of Power Events

Direct video conference at AMIDEAST/Kuwait

MIDEAST/Kuwait held a Direct Video Conference (DVC) event on March 30 with students currently living and studying at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in the United States. The event was open to the public and interested students were present at AMIDEAST oﬃce to ask the Penn State students about admission requirements, university programs, and student life at Penn State. DVCs are held regularly at AMIDEAST/Kuwait with accredited universities in the US.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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Embassy Information EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca. Effective Januar y 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed. To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website. As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The forms are available on the internet at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IM M5257E.PDF. A guide explaining the process can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/5 256E.PDF.

Global awareness day at KNES nnnnnnn

he children at Kuwait National English School in Hawally, held a Non-Uniform day in order to raise money and awareness of the human suffering in Japan. The children in Early Years showed an acute awareness of the natural disaster and had spoken all week of the need for Charity. The children spent the day celebrating their participation in Global events as

future Citizens of our Earth Home. Early Years children are young and often don’t understand tragedy in the world but they are learning that they have a responsibility to their community and their world. On behalf of the Early Years Department, we would like to thank all those parents who helped contribute on this day of awareness.

Sports Heroes Day

he English School Fahaheel will hold a Sports Heroes Day on Thursday 7th April. Students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite Sport personality, to further encourage sport at ESF.

NAFO releases raffle coupon

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n connection with the scheduled mega program Soorya’s “Sangamam” on May 13, 2011, at the American International School, Maidan-Hawalli at 6pm, National Forum Kuwait (NAFO Kuwait), has released its raﬄe coupon. Ramesh, Country Head, Gulf Mart

released the coupon by receiving a booklet from B.S. Pillai, President, NAFO. M.S. Nair Program Convener, Subbaraman Co-Convener, O.N. Nandakumar, Treasurer, Anil Kumar, Secretary, EC members Raj Kartha, V.R. Anilkumar, and Madhu Menon, were present on the occasion.

EMBASSY OF BRITAIN Should you come into contact with British nationals in or transiting Kuwait requiring consular assistance please have them contact us at the following new consular inquiry numbers: 972 71877 or 972 71922. Our new temporary switchboard number is 999693651 For the latest FCO travel advice please visit: w w w. fc o. g ov. u k / e n / t r ave l - a n d - l i v i n g abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-eastnorth-africa/kuwait The Embassy is open Sunday to Thursday 7:30am to 14:3Opm.

Chechamma Sunu, Philips Daniel, Lukose Mathai & A.M. Mammen gave felicitation speech. James Varghese (General Convenor) gave vote of thanks. Closing prayer was done by John Thomas (Issac) & P.G. Jacob. Choirs of Salmiya Zone, Sevika Sangam, Edavaka Mission, Sunday School - Sang a Song and diﬀerent prayer groups of’ Salmiya performed diﬀerent programs. Skit & magic show were also arranged.

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Cinemagic Saturday, April 9th at 7:30pm

Country: USA Release: 2009 Genre: Comedy | Drama Running time: 98 minutes Language: English | English Subtitle Awards: Nominated Best Actors, Best Film

SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE Director: Chan Wook Park Country: South Korea Release: 2002 Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller Running time: 129 minutes Language: Korean | English Subtitle Awards: Best Actor, Best Film, Best Director Thursday, April 14th at 7:30pm

THE WIZARD OF OZ Director: Victor Fleming Country: USA Release: 1939 Genre: Adventure | Fantasy | Musical | Family Running time: 101 minutes Language: English | English Subtitle Awards: 2 Oscars, 5 other wins and 8 nominations Saturday, April 16th at 7:30pm

AWAY WE GO Director: Sam Mendes

Thursday, April 21st at 7:30pm

JAR CITY Director: Baltasar Kormakur Country: Iceland Release: 2006 Genre: Thriller Running time: 93 minutes Language: Icelandic | English Subtitle Awards: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Cinematography Saturday, April 23rd at 7:30pm

WATER Director: Deepa Mehta Country: India Release: 2005 Genre: Drama

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy. We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area - Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316. nnnnnnn

Kuwait Marthoma Salmiya Zone conducts Kudumba Sangamam he Kuwait Marthoma Salmiya Zone conducted its 4th annual Kudumba Sangamam at Indian Public School, Salmiya. Soman P. Mathai gave the presidential address. The program started by the opening prayer of Samuel Varghese. Parimanam Manoj (program convener) welcomed the guest & members. Adv. P. John Thomas inaugurated the function. A.T. Varghese, Rachel Oommen, Celin Mary Mammen,

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy encourages all Australians to register their presence in Kuwait through Smartraveller Online (see link below). Australians who are registered are asked to update their details. The information provided will assist us in contacting you in an emergency. www.smartraveller.gov.au Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas to Australia online at www.immi.gov.au. This usually takes two working days. All others visa applications are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre Tel. 22971110. Witnessing and certifying documents are by appointment only, please contact the Embassy on 2232 2422. The Australian Embassy is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Sunday to Thursday.

Running time: 117 minutes Language: Hindi | English Subtitle Awards: Best Film, Director, Cinematography, Script Thursday, April 28th at 7:30pm

THE HEADLESS WOMAN Director: Lucrecia Martel Country: Argentina Release: 2009 Genre: Drama | Mystery | Thriller Running time: 87 minutes Language: Spanish | English Subtitle Awards: Cannes, in competition, Best ﬁlm, director, actress Saturday, April 30th at 7:30pm

THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST Director: Daniel Alfredsson Country: Sweden Release: 2010 Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller Running time: 147 minutes Language: Swedish | English Subtitle

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

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on Thursday, April 14, 2011 on account of birthday of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The Chief Electoral Officers of the states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry, where elections have been declared, have issued notification under Rule 8A of Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, allowing overseas electors to submit registration forms to exercise their franchise in their respective constituencies. Relevant application forms, guidelines for filling them, as well as postal addresses of the Electoral Registration Officers of all constituencies in India are on the website of the Election Commission of India (http://eci.nic.in) and Indian nationals in Kuwait desirous of exercising their franchise are advised to access the website. It is clarified that the attestation of Form 6-A and other documents relating to the election process are to be done by the applicant himself/herself (i.e., self attestation) and not by the Embassy of India, Kuwait.

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00:45 Untamed And Uncut 01:40 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 02:35 Life In The Undergrowth 03:30 Mutant Planet 04:25 Buggin’ With Ruud 05:20 The Most Extreme 06:10 Must Love Cats 07:00 Lemur Street 07:25 The Really Wild Show 07:50 Baby Planet 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Extraordinary Dogs 09:35 Cats Of Claw Hill 10:05 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Animal Cops Philadelphia 13:45 RSPCA: On The Frontline 14:10 Vet On The Loose 14:40 The Most Extreme 15:30 Planet Wild 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Pandamonium 17:25 Dogs 101 18:20 Life In The Undergrowth 19:15 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 20:10 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 21:05 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 22:00 Pit Bulls And Parolees 22:55 Crime Scene Wild 23:50 The Most Extreme

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

00:30 02:10 02:55 03:25 04:35 05:30

Keeping Up Appearances The Weakest Link Casualty Paradox Eastenders Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Me Too Tweenies The Roly Mo Show The Adventures Of Spot The Large Family Buzz And Tell Me Too Tweenies The Roly Mo Show Buzz And Tell The Large Family Me Too Tweenies The Roly Mo Show The Adventures Of Spot The Large Family Buzz And Tell Me Too Tweenies The Roly Mo Show The Adventures Of Spot The Large Family Buzz And Tell Keeping Up Appearances Dinnerladies The Weakest Link Robin Hood Doctors Eastenders Casualty Dinnerladies Robin Hood The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Casualty Robin Hood Doctor Who Confidential The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Casualty Full Circle With Michael Palin My Family

Antiques Roadshow Eating With The Enemy Cooked Chuck’s Day Off Daily Cooks Challenge Antiques Roadshow

06:20 07:20 08:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:30 14:10

Fantasy Homes In The City Trish’s French Country Kitchen Daily Cooks Challenge Glamour Puds Trish’s Mediterranean Kitchen What Not To Wear Trish’s Mediterranean Kitchen Fantasy Homes In The City What Not To Wear Trish’s Mediterranean Kitchen Antiques Roadshow Fantasy Homes In The City Glamour Puds

00:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 BBC World News 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Asia Today 02:00 BBC World News America 03:00 BBC World News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Asia Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Asia Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Asia Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Hardtalk

00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:10 04:35 05:00 05:35 06:00 06:25 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Tom And Jerry King Arthur’s Disasters Popeye Classics The Scooby Doo Show Tom And Jerry Kids Looney Tunes The Flintstones Dastardly And Muttley Hong Kong Phooey Droopy: Master Detective A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Tom And Jerry Kids Looney Tunes The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Addams Family Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Tom And Jerry Dastardly And Muttley The Scooby Doo Show

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

TV PROGRAMS 11:10 Wacky Races 11:35 The Jetsons 12:00 Popeye Classics 12:20 Looney Tunes 12:50 Top Cat 13:15 Droopy: Master Detective 13:40 Hong Kong Phooey 14:05 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 14:30 King Arthur’s Disasters 14:55 Tom And Jerry 15:20 Dastardly And Muttley 15:45 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop 16:10 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 16:35 Pink Panther And Pals 17:00 Duck Dodgers 17:25 Popeye 17:50 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 18:15 Looney Tunes 18:40 Pink Panther And Pals 19:00 The Garfield Show 19:25 The Addams Family 20:00 Johnny Bravo 20:30 The Scooby Doo Show 20:55 Tom And Jerry 21:20 Wacky Races 21:45 Dastardly And Muttley 22:10 The Scooby Doo Show 22:35 Top Cat 23:00 Popeye 23:25 The Jetsons 23:50 Duck Dodgers

00:05 Cow And Chicken 00:30 Cramp Twins 00:55 George Of The Jungle 01:20 Adrenalini Brothers 01:45 Eliot Kid 02:10 Ed, Edd N Eddy 02:35 Ben 10: Alien Force 03:00 The Powerpuff Girls 03:15 Chowder 03:40 The Secret Saturdays 04:05 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:30 Ben 10: Alien Force 04:55 Best Ed 05:20 Skunk Fu! 05:45 Cramp Twins 06:10 Eliot Kid 06:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 07:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 07:25 Cow And Chicken 07:50 Best Ed 08:15 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 08:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 09:05 The Secret Saturdays 09:30 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 09:55 The Powerpuff Girls 10:20 Robotboy 10:30 Hero 108 10:55 Ben 10 11:20 Chowder 11:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:10 Camp Lazlo 12:35 George Of The Jungle 13:00 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 13:25 Codename: Kids Next Door 13:50 Ben 10 14:15 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:40 Squirrel Boy 15:05 Eliot Kid 15:35 Ed, Edd N Eddy 16:00 Cow And Chicken 16:25 Chop Socky Chooks 16:50 Skunk Fu! 17:15 Chowder 17:40 Best Ed 18:05 Hero 108 18:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:55 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 19:20 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:45 The Secret Saturdays 20:10 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 20:35 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 21:00 The Powerpuff Girls 21:25 Ed, Edd N Eddy 21:50 Robotboy

00:40 Dirty Jobs 01:35 Deconstruction

ANGELS AND DEMONS ON OSN ACTION HD

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

Deconstruction Ultimate Survival Man Made Marvels Asia Mythbusters How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made Dirty Jobs Man Made Marvels Asia American Chopper How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Mythbusters Border Security Chop Shop Ultimate Survival Mythbusters La Ink Dirty Jobs Chop Shop Mythbusters Deadliest Catch Cake Boss Border Security Deconstruction How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made

00:30 00:55 01:45 02:35 03:25 03:50 04:45 05:40 06:10 07:00 07:55 07:58 08:25 08:55 09:45 10:35 11:25 11:50 12:40 13:05 13:55 14:45 15:35 16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 20:45 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Gadget Show Mega World How It’s Made How Stuff Works How Stuff’s Made Thunder Races Brainiac One Step Beyond Engineered Scrappy Races Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections How The Universe Works The Gadget Show What’s That About? Green Wheels Scrappy Races One Step Beyond How Stuff Works Eco-Tech Mega World The Gadget Show Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections Brainiac How The Universe Works The Future Of... Invisible Worlds Sci-Fi Science Cool Stuff And How It Works The Gadget Show The Future Of... Invisible Worlds The Colony

HD 00:05 Unwrapped 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 00:55 Paula’s Best Dishes 01:45 Unwrapped 02:35 Fantasy Food Camps 03:25 Chopped 04:15 Good Eats - Special 04:40 Unwrapped 05:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 05:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 05:50 Paula’s Party 06:35 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Chopped 07:50 Guy’s Big Bite 08:15 Boy Meets Grill 08:40 Good Deal With Dave Lieberman 09:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 09:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 09:55 Barefoot Contessa 10:20 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 10:45 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 Paula’s Party 12:25 Good Eats - Special 12:50 Paula’s Best Dishes 13:15 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 13:40 Ultimate Recipe Showdown 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 14:55 Unwrapped 15:20 Boy Meets Grill 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Paula’s Best Dishes 17:00 Barefoot Contessa 17:25 Good Deal With Dave Lieberman 17:50 Ten Dollar Dinners 18:15 Paula’s Party 19:05 Good Eats - Special 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:20 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 21:10 Ultimate Recipe Showdown 22:00 Unwrapped 22:50 Throwdown With Bobby Flay Special 23:40 Good Eats - Special

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

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperors New School Phineas And Ferb Kim Possible Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Fairly Odd Parents Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Imagination Movers Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Jonas La Fairly Odd Parents Phineas And Ferb Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Have A Laugh A Kind Of Magic Jonas La Kim Possible Hannah Montana Forever Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks

17:35 18:00 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Forever Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Suite Life On Deck Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Fairly Odd Parents Replacements Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas

06:00 Kid Vs Kat 06:20 Kick Buttowski 06:40 Pokemon 07:05 Phineas & Ferb 07:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:40 Phineas & Ferb 08:05 American Dragon 08:30 Kick Buttowski 08:50 Kid Vs Kat 09:00 Zeke & Luther 09:50 I’m In The Band 10:15 The Super Hero Squad Show 10:40 Suite Life On Deck 11:30 Escape From Scorpion Island (Cema) 11:55 Phineas & Ferb 12:40 Have A Laugh 12:45 Kid Vs Kat 13:50 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 14:40 Zeke & Luther 15:05 Suite Life On Deck 15:25 Z 15:35 Kick Buttowski 16:00 I’m In The Band 16:25 Suite Life On Deck 16:50 Zeke & Luther 17:40 Phineas & Ferb 18:30 Escape From Scorpion Island (Cema) 18:55 Pokemon 19:20 American Dragon 19:45 Aaron Stone 20:05 Z 20:15 Kid Vs Kat 20:40 Phineas & Ferb 21:05 I’m In The Band 21:30 Zeke & Luther 21:50 Phineas And Ferb 22:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 22:20 The Super Hero Squad Show

00:15 Kendra 00:40 Then and Now 01:30 E!ES 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:45 Behind the Scenes 08:35 E! News 09:25 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 10:15 40 Smokin’ On Set Hookups 12:00 E! News 12:50 Fashion Police 13:15 Extreme Close-Up 13:40 Keeping Up with the Kardashians 14:05 Kendra 14:30 30 Most Outrageous Celebrity Feuds 16:15 Behind the Scenes 17:10 Married To Rock 18:00 E! News 18:50 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 19:40 THS 20:30 Fashion Police 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:20 Kourtney and Kim Take New York 22:10 E! News 23:00 Chelsea Lately 23:25 Kendra 23:50 Kourtney & Khlo√© Take Miami

00:15 Fantasy Factory 00:40 Carpocalypse 01:30 World Combat League 02:20 Fantasy Factory 03:10 Aiya TV 04:00 I’ll Do Anything 04:50 Carpocalypse 05:40 World Combat League 06:30 iEX 2009 08:00 Quattro Events 2009 08:25 Summer Dew Tour 2010 09:15 Lucas Oil Ama Motocross Championships... 10:55 Glutton For Punishment 11:45 Untracked 12:35 Fantasy Factory 13:25 Carpocalypse 14:15 World Combat League 15:05 Glutton For Punishment 15:55 Untracked 16:45 Quattro Events 2009 17:10 Summer Dew Tour 2010 18:00 Lucas Oil Ama Motocross Championships... 19:40 Untracked 20:30 Fantasy Factory 21:20 Crusty Demons: Night Of World Records 22:10 World Combat League 23:00 Aiya TV 23:25 Aiya TV

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:50 04:45 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:10 12:00 Jones 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40

Ghost Lab A Haunting I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghosthunters Ghost Lab Mystery Diagnosis Forensic Detectives Solved Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Extreme Forensics FBI Files True Crime With Aphrodite On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Extreme Forensics Forensic Detectives Solved FBI Files Mystery Diagnosis

FACE OFF ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 19:30 19:55 20:20 Jones 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls True Crime With Aphrodite On The Case With Paula Zahn On The Case With Paula Zahn True Crime Scene Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 Bondi Rescue 1 00:30 Bondi Rescue 2 01:00 Lonely Planet- Roads Travelled 02:00 Warrior Road Trip 03:00 Meet The Natives USA 04:00 First Ascent 05:00 Danger Men 06:00 Bondi Rescue 1 06:30 Bondi Rescue 2 07:00 Lonely Planet- Roads Travelled 08:00 Warrior Road Trip 09:00 Meet The Natives USA 10:00 Graham’s World 11:00 Long Way Down 12:00 Bondi Rescue 1 12:30 Bondi Rescue 2 13:00 Lonely Planet- Roads Travelled 14:00 Banged Up Abroad 16:00 Graham’s World 17:00 Long Way Down 18:00 Bondi Rescue 1 18:30 Bondi Rescue 2 19:00 Lonely Planet- Roads Travelled 20:00 Banged Up Abroad 22:00 Graham’s World 23:00 Long Way Down

Less

00:00 Rage: Carrie 2-PG15 02:00 Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans-18 04:00 Paranormal Activity-PG15 06:00 Lost In Space-PG15 08:15 Arlington Road-18 10:15 Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen-PG15 12:45 Angels And Demons-PG15 15:00 Arlington Road-18 17:00 The Faculty-18 18:45 Angels And Demons-PG15 21:00 From Hell-18

01:00 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 10:45 12:45 15:30 17:15 19:15 21:00 PG15 23:00

Mother And Child-18 The Cake Eaters-PG15 The Wild Thornberrys Movie The People Speak-PG15 My Bollywood Bride-PG15 Run Papa Run-PG15 2012-PG15 Ball And Chain-PG15 Preacher’s Kid-PG The Ramen Girl-PG15 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice-

15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The Drew Carey Show 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Just Shoot Me 18:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 19:00 Rita Rocks 19:30 Community 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Sarah Silverman Program 22:30 Entourage

01:00 The Order-PG15 03:00 XXX-PG15 05:00 Knife Edge-18 07:00 Virtuality-PG15 09:00 Appaloosa-PG15 11:00 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-PG15 13:00 Face Off-PG15 15:15 Appaloosa-PG15 17:15 Scream 3-18 19:15 Penny Dreadful-18 21:00 Blindness-18 23:00 Halloween 2-18

00:00 Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian-PG15 02:00 Marci X-PG15 04:00 Can’t Buy Me Love-PG15 06:00 The Cable Guy-PG15 08:00 Mystery Men-PG15 10:00 Paul Blart Mall Cop-PG15 12:00 I Spy-PG 14:00 Leave It To Beaver-PG 16:00 Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian-PG15 18:00 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 20:00 Role Models-18 22:00 Women In Trouble-PG15

00:45 The Outlaw Josey Wales-PG15 03:00 Dead Man Walking-18 05:00 You Don’t Know Jack-PG15 07:15 From Mexico With Love-PG15 09:00 Witness: The Kidnapping Of Patty Hearst-PG15 11:00 Meet Bill-PG15 13:00 The Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond-PG15 15:00 A Shine Of Rainbows-PG15 17:00 October Sky-PG15 19:00 Cry Baby-PG15 21:00 The Hours-18 23:00 The Waterdance-18

01:00 In America-18 03:00 Someone Like You-PG15 05:00 Mean Girls-PG15 Harry Brown-18 07:00 Fantastic Mr. Fox-FAM 09:00 Hannah Montana Movie-PG 11:00 Delgo-FAM 13:00 12 Rounds-PG15 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 15:00 Rugrats Go Wild-FAM 16:30 Hannah Montana Movie-PG Stewart 18:30 Sherlock Holmes-PG15 01:00 The Colbert Report 21:00 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice01:30 Family Guy PG15 02:00 The Big C 23:00 Inglourious Basterds-18 02:30 Entourage 03:00 Just Shoot Me 03:30 Kath And Kim 04:00 Family Guy 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 00:00 Dennis The Menace: Cruise 05:30 Coach Control-FAM 06:00 Yes Dear 01:45 Pocahontas And The Spider 06:30 The Drew Carey Show Woman-PG 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 03:45 Pete’s Dragon-PG 08:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 06:00 The Princess And The Frog08:30 Dharma And Greg FAM 09:00 Just Shoot Me 08:00 Steven Spielberg Presents 09:30 Coach Animaniacs Wakko’s Wakko-PG 10:00 Yes Dear 10:00 Pete’s Dragon-PG 10:30 Rita Rocks 12:15 Dinosaur Island-PG 11:00 The Drew Carey Show 14:00 Pocahontas And The Spider 11:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Woman-PG 12:30 Dharma And Greg 16:00 Homeward Bound II: Lost In 13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne San Francisco-FAM 13:30 How I Met Your Mother 18:00 Cars-PG 14:00 Yes Dear 20:15 Groove Squad-FAM 22:00 Pocahontas And The Spider 14:30 Community Woman-PG 15:00 Rita Rocks

00:00 Boarding Gate-18 02:00 The Shock Doctrine-PG15 03:45 Che Part Two: Guerilla-PG15 06:00 Did You Hear About The Morgans?-PG15 08:00 Daddy Day Care-PG 10:00 The Building-PG15 12:00 Did You Hear About The Morgans?-PG15 14:00 Maneater: Part I-PG15 16:00 The Building-PG15 18:00 Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel-FAM 20:00 Valentine’s Day-PG15 22:00 Zombieland-18

01:00 European Tour Weekly 01:30 Super League 03:30 AFL Highlights 04:30 Super 15 06:30 European Tour Weekly 07:00 Aviva Premiership 09:00 Total Rugby 09:30 Trans World Sport 10:30 AFL Highlights 11:30 Total Rugby 12:00 NRL Full Time 12:30 Trans World Sport 13:30 European Tour Weekly 14:00 NRL Premiership 16:00 World Hockey 16:30 Total Rugby 17:00 Scottish Premier League 19:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 19:30 ICC Cricket World 20:00 Futbol Mundial 20:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 21:00 Live Premier League Darts

00:00 Premier League Darts 03:30 NRL Full Time 04:00 Golfing World 05:00 AFL Highlights 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Highlights 09:00 Super 15 11:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 12:00 Golfing World 13:00 Total Rugby 13:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 14:30 European Tour Weekly 15:00 Total Rugby 15:30 AFL Highlights 16:30 Golfing World 17:30 European Tour Weekly 18:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 19:00 Trans World Sport 20:15 AFL Highlights 21:15 Total Rugby 21:45 Live European Challenge Cup

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 16:30 17:30 18:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

UFC Wired UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter Sports Adventure Full Throttle UAE National Race Day Series UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line V8 Supercars Championship WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown Full Throttle UAE National Race Day Series Adventure Sport V8 Supercars Championship WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed

01:30 03:15 05:05 06:45 08:15 09:50 11:25 13:30 15:05

Hendrix-PG Impromptu Cold Heaven Secret Screams Billy Galvin-PG Absolute Strangers-PG The 60’s-PG The Aviator-PG Convicts-PG

Classifieds THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Room available for Muslim couple with attached bath, in Qurtaiba Street, Hawally. Call: 99333160. (C 3249) C-A/C furnished big room available for Indian bachelor to share with Goan, Hindu small family on Amman Street, Salmiya. Contact: 99408202. (C 3250) 7-4-2011 Two bedroom flat available

with window A/C, household items, dish antenna, car parking space inside compound in Chithra Studio building, next to Asia Store in Abbassiya from 1st June 2011. Contact: 97973657. (C 3248) 6-4-2011 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya, Neethi Store building, from May 1st. 2 bedroom flat, share with Kerala family, executive bachelors or ladies or couples only. Contact: 66944127/

67709169. (C 3240) Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya near High Way center with Indian family, double bedroom flat with separate bath room, preferred working lady or family from India. Contact: 99509436. (C 3246) Sharing accommodation available for a Goan or Manglorean bachelor to share with a Goan bachelor with all facilities in Salimya at Prime location. Call: 97226273/ 99318340. (C 3247) 5-4-2011

FOR SALE Toyota Corolla model 2004, golden color 1.8 engine, registration till 2702-12 excellent condition. Price KD 1,950 negotiable. Contact: 99105286. (C 3251)

7-4-2011 Toyota Corolla model 2011, color golden pearl, 4000km only, new car, leaving Kuwait price KD 3,850 only.

Tell: 60951195. (C 3242) Toyota Corolla 2007 1.8 XLi, white color, excellent condition, very low mileage, well maintained, price KD 2650. Contact: 66015265. (C 3243) We buy used cars. Contact: 66104141. (C 3245) 5-4-2011 Harvard sports pool table (Made in U.S.A) in excellent condition for sale. Call: 99777004. (C 3238) 4-4-2011 Mercedes E280, model 2007, 27,000kms, silver grey owned by Indian expat, price KD 8250. Contact: 99874399, 97886119. (C 3233) Lancer Ex 2008 model, 2000cc, very low mileage 37000km, excellent condition, alloy wheel, CD player, single owner doctor leaving for good. Passing Oct 2011, full insurance. Expected price KD 2950. Phone: 67087427. Email: johnjmaveli2@yahoo.com (C 3234) 2-4-2011

LOST

SITUATION WANTED

Policy No. 633001406 issued by the state life insurance corporation of Pakistan Gulf Zone on the life of Mr. Waseem Ali is reported to have been lost. Anyone finding the same or claiming any interest in it should communicate with the Manager (PHS) state life P.O.Box No: 11278 Dubai, UAE within one month from this date. Tel: 22452208/9. (C 3239)

Finance professional (Indian) well experienced in all areas of accounts & finance, of Single Corporation & Multinational Group seeks suitable placement. Contact: 66126258. (C 3241) 5-4-2011 Young smart first class B.Com graduate knowing Tally and

Peachtree Accounting worked in Indian and Kuwait, seeking immediate employment as Accountant. Tel: 65179245.

SITUATION VACANT American family looking for living maid. Contact: 66104141/ 65023811. (C 3244) 5-4-2011

No: 15051

MATRIMONIAL Egyptian Engineer, 49 old needs an Asian wife, working, serious and decent who recently coming to Kuwait. Email: fathitemsah@yahoo.com (C 3236) Proposal inviting for RC boy (Syro Malabar) fair/ 28 yrs, hgt 165cm, wgt 70 kg, B.Com/ working as accountant, seeking alliance from girls working in Kuwait. Please contact: arjunjacob23@gmail.com (C 3231)

2-4-2011

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

Flt 642 205 267 772 620 853 370 305 67 211 138 503 201 555 412 157 206 382 605 302 332 53 352 284 362 855 132 125 301 213 9410 404 165 121 561 672 610 982 640 621 1782 57 645 341 357 500 552 745

Arrival Flights on Thursday 7/4/2011 Route AMMAN DAMASCUS BEIRUT ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA LUXOR DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA / BANGKOK LONDON ISLAMABAD DELHI ISFAHAN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI COCHIN DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN ESENBOGA BEIRUT DUBAI BAHRAIN SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO WASHINGTON DC DULLES AMMAN ASSIUT JEDDAH DUBAI MUSCAT DAMASCUS MASHAD JEDDAH DAMASCUS JEDDAH

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

KAC JZR QTR KAC KNE KAC MLR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR JZR ABY ALK JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC SIA IRA KAC FDB VOS OMA JZR MEA JAI KAC MSR DHX KLM UAE GFA JZR QTR UAL AIC JZR JZR MSR DLH AXB BBC PIA

788 257 134 546 789 118 403 303 857 215 510 777 239 127 227 177 104 502 542 618 786 614 774 674 458 617 562 61 93 647 179 402 572 178 618 372 445 859 217 203 136 981 981 135 185 612 636 389 43 205

JEDDAH BEIRUT DOHA ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH NEW YORK COLOMBO / DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH AMMAN SHARJAH COLOMBO / DUBAI DUBAI LONDON BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI SINGAPORE / ABU DHABI AHWAZ AMMAN DUBAI KANDAHAR / DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI BEIRUT MUMBAI GENEVA / FRANKFURT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DAMASCUS DOHA BAHRAIN CHENNAI / AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT KOZHIKODE / MANGALORE DHAKA LAHORE

14:50 15:10 15:15 15:30 16:00 16:15 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:00 18:35 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:45 19:50 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:10 20:15 20:40 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:10 23:45 23:55

Airlines AXB DLH AIC KLM PIA THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD QTR JZR JZR RJA GFA JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC IRA FDB KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD GFA KAC MEA KAC JZR SVA JZR KAC KAC JZR MSR RJA FDB MSR UAL KAC

Flt 394 637 976 447 216 773 620 854 68 371 306 139 560 164 643 212 356 120 1781 156 545 606 54 787 671 551 256 101 856 126 133 302 214 165 405 541 776 3507 238 501 785 176 611 641 58 622 982 561

Departure Flights on Thursday 7/4/2011 Route COCHIN / KOZHIKODE FRANKFURT GOA / CHENNAI AMSTERDAM KARACHI ISTANBUL BAHRAIN / ADDIS ABABA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DOHA SOHAG DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN MASHAD BAHRAIN JEDDAH LONDON ALEXANDRIA MASHAD DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI DAMASCUS BEIRUT LONDON / NEW YORK DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI BAHRAIN ROME / PARIS BEIRUT CAIRO JEDDAH JEDDAH AMMAN BEIRUT JEDDAH DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN DUBAI ASSIUT BAHRAIN AMMAN

Time 0:15 0:40 0:50 0:55 1:10 2:15 2:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 5:00 5:55 6:55 7:00 7:10 8:20 8:20 8:20 8:25 8:35 8:40 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:10 9:30 9:40 9:50 10:00 10:15 10:20 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:05 12:10 13:00 13:30 13:40 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45 14:45

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

OMA SYR KAC KNE KAC JZR SVA JZR KAC QTR KAC KNE VOS ETD MLR UAE GFA ABY JZR JZR SVA ALK JZR KAC KAC FDB IRA KAC KAC OMA MEA SIA JAI MSR DHX KLM KAC JZR UAE GFA FCX QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR JZR UAL KAC KAC

646 342 673 746 617 178 505 202 773 135 613 790 82 304 404 858 216 128 184 266 511 228 134 283 361 62 616 331 351 648 403 457 571 619 373 445 677 206 860 218 102 137 301 205 502 554 222 981 411 415

MUSCAT DAMASCUS DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH DAMASCUS RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN JEDDAH BAGHDAD ABU DHABI DUBAI / COLOMBO DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT RIYADH DUBAI / COLOMBO BAHRAIN DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI AHWAZ TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT ABU DHABI / SINGAPORE MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM DUBAI / MUSCAT DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA ALEPPO WASHINGTON DC DULLES BANGKOK / MANILA KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA

15:00 15:00 15:10 15:30 15:35 16:00 16:00 16:05 16:05 16:15 16:20 16:45 17:00 17:35 17:40 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 19:10 19:10 20:00 20:20 20:40 20:45 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:40 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:25 23:40 23:40 23:50

star CROSSWORD 280

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) More and more you will be hearing how to keep your spending down and save and stop the excessive spending. Most important for you is to stand in front of that desired product and ask yourself if you really want to spend the time and energy it takes to earn the money that will pay for that product. Of course, food is one thing but the pretty twinkle or unusual product may be the basic subject to re-consider. You will be able to give good advice when others ask how you manage so well. Although of short duration, you may find yourself puzzled or blocked with regard to some problem solving situation in the workplace. After lunch, you will be able to gather your thoughts into finding the solution. A stranger brings you luck on your way home.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) As much as you like to be unencumbered, you may find yourself slowed from making any real progress as far as goals are concerned. At this time you will find that your greatest successes come in conquering your doubts. You will succeed by your willingness to complete whatever you have begun. Your intuition is strong—let it guide you. Understanding more about your individuality can be one of the most positive experiences in your life and it empowers you to learn more about other people as well. This is all a question of balancing yourself through mind, body and soul. This is a quest that is truly worthwhile. Children have an extraordinary ability to love unconditionally. If possible, allow a child’s spirit to occupy your time this evening.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural). 4. Snarled or stalled in complete confusion. 9. A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward. 13. United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters. 14. A game played with playing cards. 15. (informal) Being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition. 16. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods. 17. A member of a Turkic people of Uzbekistan and neighboring areas. 18. Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68). 19. Title used for a married Frenchwoman. 21. Innumerable but many. 23. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite. 24. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity. 28. Follower of Rastafarianism. 32. Submerged freshwater perennials. 35. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code. 36. A software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database. 37. United States musician (born in Japan) who married John Lennon and collaborated with him on recordings (born in 1933). 38. Basic principles of the cosmos. 42. Common house and field crickets. 44. A Scottish word. 46. Thigh of a hog (usually smoked). 47. A pilgrimage to Mecca. 50. The bureau of the Treasury Department responsible for tax collections. 52. Long green edible beaked pods of the okra plant. 56. Having the leading position or higher score in a contest. 58. Harsh or corrosive in tone. 61. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine. 62. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research. 63. A covered passageway. 65. A master's degree in fine arts. 66. The compass point that is one point south of due east. 67. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread. 68. A unit of pressure. DOWN 1. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World. 2. Obvious and dull. 3. Wearing or provided with clothing. 4. The application of very thin coat of color over the surface of a picture. 5. A cape at the southern tip of Norway. 6. Someone who engages in arbitrage (who purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential). 7. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products. 8. Capital of modern Macedonia. 9. Famous chief of the Ottawa who led an unsuccessful rebellion against the British (1715-1769). 10. Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its fragrant flowers and colorful fruits. 11. Articles of the same kind or material. 12. A city in east-central France on the Rhone River. 20. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 22. Small bitter fruit of the marasca cherry tree from whose juice maraschino liqueur is made. 25. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 26. The capital and chief port of Qatar. 27. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 29. Footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material. 30. A portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs). 31. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns. 33. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization. 34. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else. 39. A Hindu prince or king in India. 40. The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet. 41. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942). 43. Group insurance that entitles members to services of participating hospitals and clinics and physicians. 45. Athenian lawmaker whose code of laws prescribed death for almost every offense (circa 7th century BC). 48. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC). 49. United States labor organizer who ran for President as a socialist (1855-1926). 51. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 53. God of love and erotic desire. 54. A flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers. 55. The biblical name for ancient Syria. 57. A light touch or stroke. 59. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank. 60. A young woman making her debut into society. 64. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You may find yourself guiding a young person in matters of importance this Wednesday. Your influence can be helpful in the forming of future plans. Through helping this young person, you may perceive how to proceed with plans of your own. You may not be able to keep your mind on your job or whatever you are doing just now. If you are involved in the leadership of some project in the workplace, you may have to call in a few more people to help slap on the finishing touches in order to meet a deadline. Your dreams have been very insightful recently and you may seek out a good friend that will help you decipher the meaning of your dreams. This is a time where you may glean some insight into your own psychic abilities and the lessons of life.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You are at your mental best with sharp ideas. This is an excellent time to make decisions and take care of any incomplete work. It is not yet your time to shine in the limelight, however, so be content to perform any necessary functions without the fanfare or outward enthusiasm from others just now. This should be an extraordinary time for expressing your creativity. A class in creative writing, glass etching, bead work, etc., could be a lot of fun and brings in a little extra money as well. All in all this is a very good day for accomplishing whatever you set out to do, as well as to be creatively expressive. If you ask, a friend or mate might enjoy taking a class at the same time, allowing the both of you to visit and talk about your new craft.

Leo (July 23-August 22) There could be questions coming your way today concerning how you maintain your cheerfulness or how you cope with certain difficulties. You seem to have a grasp on the ability to create a balance in your life and you have the energies and determination to stay with your strong standards—the energies of the universe work in your favor. You could easily become a mentor to others. Opportunities to expand your thinking through further education may excite you and a chance to join with a friend or teammate confirms any question about you carrying through with this endeavor. This could be a time to make changes in your environment. You may have insights or breakthroughs with regard to your life circumstances. Others value your enthusiasm.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You may read about some profound changes in the legal system or in world affairs or in space exploration. You could spend quite a bit of time catching up on all the news that is available to you this morning. Some new information can be useful in the workplace. A recent psychological study confirms what was already obvious to you: the sound of the human voice indicates mood, demeanor and intention in many situations. You are good at deciphering the truth of your customers’ search and are able to help with suggestions for purchase difficulties. The voice indicates satisfaction or frustration and you are able to create a positive outcome. Learn how to relax periodically and clear your thoughts through art or music.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You could be asked how you keep a cool attitude in difficult situations. Your attitude is that life is too short to worry for very long and this attitude, although it may seem carefree, actually brings about confidence in careful decision making. You are a fine mentor to others and can help guide many people into positive directions. Today seems like one of those days where you are asked to guide others more than usual. This helpful action of yours does not assuage you from picking and choosing. Time is important to you and since no one person is given any more time in a twenty-four hour period than anyone else, you set the example of how to allocate your time. Round table discussions are positive and much progress is made in planning and developing new ideas.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This is a good day. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others. You could feel great support from those around you, or circumstances could dictate action. You feel healthy and natural. This is a very lucky day for making plans and finding your way through just about any problem you may discover. This is also a good time for dealing with the elder members of your family. Be aware of the tendency to become overconfident as you give your elders information or ideas. You feel successful and able to solve problems. Good advice from a guide or older person, however, may be given some thought. There is no place like humble! Someone has tickets to some entertainment and the evening turns happily romantic.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is one of those very busy days. Some may have called you four-eyes, nerd or a dork in your youth . . . now, you are the one that everyone needs to talk with and from whom they need an opinion. You may also find yourself in a variety of surroundings. You may travel around town to different homes and businesses in order to fix technical problems. If you are working within a company building, you will find that new projects and proposals keep you active with interesting co-workers. You will be quite pleased as the day progresses and work keeps you busy. You should squelch a tendency to overindulge in foods that you know are fattening or otherwise unhealthy. You gain more of an interest in diet and nice clothes that fit well.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Moving and working with the flow, instead of against the flow will be easy to accomplish. You can count on assistance from others for whatever projects you want to work on. Your instincts for success are strong and you will notice that you have more energy now than usual. You may actively be concerned over the welfare of others. Try listening to their needs before deciding how best to help them. You have such a pleasant and calm way to solve problems that you are often sought after for your insight and calming ways. Tonight, you and your family work on a plan for improving the finances. This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation. Any young people in the family need to learn budgeting and under your tutelage they will do well.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You could find that you are appreciated and valued for your feelings and abilities to act and get things done. Your mind could be quite clear and natural just now. This is a time when the desire for material success and considerable monetary gain is great. Stay wise in the choice of work that you do. You may be spending a great deal of time communicating with co-workers as well as people outside the workplace. This is a great time to reflect and understand the profession you have chosen as well as the people that work around you. A balance in your emotional life may provide insights into yours and your loved one’s needs today. A gift to your loved one made by your own hands will bring much joy and you enjoy exercising your creative abilities.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

There may be some conditions to meet if you are to receive a raise or promotion, but higher-ups have been aware of your good works for some time. Financial matters will have your attention in a positive way today. The need to be respected is an emotionally charged issue in your life at this time. You are at your most practical—you know just what to do and can act without hesitation. You are called on to make use of your natural abilities and common sense. Incomplete communication with co-workers can be misconstrued today. Do not take it for granted that other people know what you are saying. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Tonight is a good night to socialize with loyal pals. Perhaps you will add to your friendship list.

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Years

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

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22418714

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22545171

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24810598

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22545171

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24742838

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22434853

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22545051

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24711433

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24316983

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23927002

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24316983

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23980088

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23711183

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23262845

24812000

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25610011

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22450005

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25616368

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24843100

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25312700

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24849400

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24892010

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23940620

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24840300

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24846000

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24874330/9

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22517733

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24848075

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24814507

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22549134

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22526804

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22515088

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22532265

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22531908

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22518752

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22459381

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22451082

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22456536

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22465401

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25746401

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25316254

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25623444

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25388462

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25381200

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22630786

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24810221

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24770319

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24575755

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24772608

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24775066

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24775992

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24311795

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24884079

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24892674

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24719048

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24710044

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3900322

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22547272

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22617700

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25625030/60

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23729596/23729581

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22635047

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22613623/0

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23729596/23729581

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2572-6666 ext 8321

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25710444

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25713514

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23713100

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24334282

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22655539

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25620111

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25654300/3

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22633135

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25722291 22666288

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25339330

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25655535

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25330060

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25722290

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24555050 Ext 210

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Years

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

lifestyle

tops reality list

Seacrest

G O S S I P

Campbell plans Japan fundraiser N

yan Seacrest has topped the Hollywood Reporter’s fourth annual Reality Power List. The radio and ‘American Idol’ presenter, whose company Ryan Seacrest Productions produces a number of reality TV shows including ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution’, takes over the top spot from last year’s winner Simon Cowell. ‘American Idol’ creator Simon Fuller said: “Ryan absolutely has his finger on the pulse because he’s talking to America every day through his radio show. He knows what people are thinking about, and as a producer that really gives him a leg up. “He’s the unsung hero of ‘American Idol’. Ryan is one person I would not want to lose.” Ryan added: “I work best inundated with things when it’s like raining information.” President of alternative entertainment at Fox Broadcasting Company Mike Darnell, Jennifer Bresnan Executive VP of alternative programming at CBS, Senior VPs for alternative series, specials and late-night at ABC Entertainment John Saade

aomi Campbell hopes to help earthquake-hit Japan through fashion. The 40-year-old supermodel is hoping to arrange an event with her Fashion for Relief charity through which she previously staged a show to help disasterstricken Haiti - next year and is in the early planning stages for the benefit, which she hopes will place in the South of France. Speaking on ITV1 show ‘Lorraine’, she said: “We are going to continue. It’s not 100 per cent confirmed, but we are in talks right now. Hopefully we should know by the end of the week if we’re doing Fashion for Relief: Japan. “But not in Japan, we’re hoping to try and do it in Cannes.” Naomi - who walked for Marc Jacobs’ Louis Vuitton collection in Paris last month has also revealed she has no plans to give up the catwalk as long as she is still offered work. She said: “I still enjoy working and if friends ask me to do a show, I’d always do it for a friend, and Marc Jacobs is a friend.” Last night Naomi opened a popup shop at London’s Westfield shopping centre, which will sell dresses donated by celebrities and designers to raise money for the Prince’s Trust through Fashion for Relief. Speaking about the venture, she told the Evening Standard newspaper: “It’s for charity - but this also keeps me in the industry I’ve been in for 26 years. Getting to know all the people I have over the years means I get to go and ask them to help and to get involved, and everyone wants to be.”

and Vicki Dummer, Nancy Dubuc President at Lifetime and History completed the top five with Simon Cowell taking sixth place. Other noticeable entries include ‘Jersey Shore’ producer SallyAnn Salsano at number 10, British chef Gordon Ramsay at 20 and Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner who appears on the list at number 50. Hollywood Reporter’s Reality Power List Top 10

Seyfried: Long-distance romances are tough

1) Ryan Seacrest 2) Mike Darnell 3) Jennifer Bresnan 4) John Saade & Vicki Dummer 5) Nancy Dubuc 6) Simon Cowell 7) Cecile Frot-Coutaz 8) David Goldberg 9) Paul Telegdy 10) SallyAnn Salsano

Michelle Williams:

Ronan excited about college

I wanted to fight Tyson ichelle Williams says her childhood dream was to take on Mike Tyson in a fight. The 30-year-old American actress is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand leading ladies, having received vast critical acclaim for her roles in films such as I’m Not There, Shutter Island and Blue Valentine. Michelle says performing has always been a passion of hers, although as a youngster she harboured ambitions to make it in the realm of boxing, and was especially keen to enter the ring with American heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, who is often cited as one of the greatest fighters of all time. “I started doing plays when I was eight. I always wanted to act. First I wanted to be a boxer, though. I don’t know why but I wanted to fight Mike Tyson. That was the dream,” she told Stylist. Michelle always enjoys rising to a challenge, and not all of her ambitions have been quite so violent. The star says she was particularly proud when she mastered the art of cookery during a break from making films in 2008. The star is mother to five-year-old Matilda, and admits the little girl didn’t at first appreciate her mom’s skills in the kitchen. “I’ve never really been much of a cook and at the beginning I would put dinner on the table and both Matilda and I would sort of [turns her nose up]. She would gamely take a bite and then say, ‘Not so good’ and I’d go ‘You’re right, it’s terrible,’” laughed Michelle. “It would take me three hours to make something really simple. But by the end of the year I had a few things in my back pocket.”

Aniston thinks she should marry Clooney

ennifer Aniston has joked that she should marry George Clooney because they are Hollywood’s most famous singletons. The ‘Just Go With It’ actress is so bored with the endless speculation about her love life that she thinks she should call up Hollywood’s most famous bachelor George - who is also a close friend of her ex-husband Brad Pitt - and propose. She said: “That would definitely shut up the world! I could call up George, say, ‘Hun, let’s just get hitched and have kids.’ I should take George to lunch and we can figure out how to put an end to all this. Ha! Well, no.” The ‘Up In The Air’ actor is currently in a relationship with Italian model-and-actress Elisabetta Canalis, while Jennifer is not dating anyone. The 42-year-old star would not rule out getting married again, but she insists it is also important to love yourself, and at the moment her pals - including her former ‘Friends’ co-star Courteney Cox - are the most important people in her life. Jennifer told this month’s Red magazine: “You have to have a balance in life. You have to also have your own personal love: what inspires you, what excites you when you wake up in the morning. “Where would you be without friends? Where would you be without people to pick you up when you need lifting? As we know, myself and a lot of my friends, we’ve come from homes that were far from perfect, so you end up almost parent and sibling to your friends, and vice versa. Your own chosen family. There’s nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing.”

aoirse Ronan is looking forward to going to college so she can “figure out” who she is. The 16year-old star Irish actress shot to fame with her role in 2007 movie Atonement, which was directed by Joe Wright. She has teamed up with the filmmaker again for Hanna - which sees her play an assassin who is sent on a mission across Europe. Even though Saoirse has a promising acting career ahead, she is keen to take a break from the spotlight and continue her education by studying art history. “It’s wonderful being on a film set, but essentially you’re pretending to be someone else for like half the time,” she told USA Today. “So to go to a place for like, two years when you’re at a really impressionable age and figure out who you actually are, I think that’s just something that I definitely want to do.” Saoirse filmed Hanna in freezing temperatures in Finland and Germany. Her co-star Eric Bana, who plays her ex-CIA agent father in the movie, was impressed with the young star’s work ethic despite the difficult conditions. Saoirse spent months in the gym and learned martial arts for the role, so she could master the complex fight routines and Eric has revealed her dedication paid off. “I’d never shot in conditions like that before,” Eric said. “You really have to hop to a little tent that had a heater to stop getting hypothermia. For her to pull it off in the way that she did it was really incredible.” Saoirse went on to reveal she is hoping to land a role in a teen comedy soon and is keen to test her ability to make people laugh. “Like, say, Juno or, back in the day, Ferris Bueller ’s Day Off,” she explained.

manda Seyfried claims you start playing tricks on yourself when you are in a long-distance relationship. The star split from Dominic Cooper last year, after meeting him on the set of 2008 movie Mamma Mia! She was based in America for much of the romance while he was in the UK, which made things tough. Although being apart wasn’t easy, Amanda thinks it actually helped drive the relationship in some ways. “It was just a certain time in my life and a particular age, and that kind of clashed in a way. And also, actual physical things, like location. Someone who can tease you and your heart is something we inevitably find attractive,” she explained. “When you can’t have something, sometimes it feels like you want it more. It’s a trick you play on yourself.” Amanda used to lack self-confidence and worry about the direction of her life, but she is now much happier. The 25-year-old tries to find the positive in all situations, and says relationship break-ups have helped her realise what she wants from love. Although she and Dominic are no longer together - and she has moved on with Ryan Phillippe - she has seemingly praised him for being a “great” boyfriend. The star didn’t specifically name the star, but didn’t deny she was referring to him when asked. “I’d describe the ultimate bad boy as spontaneous and who does what he wants. A good guy is always true, knows who he is, thinks about what he’s going to say and considers everyone else,” she told Look magazine. “I had a great [good guy], and I found him to be the most incredible soul - the person who will always remain true to himself and to everybody.”

Karadsahian would accept marriage proposal im Karadsahian would “probably say yes” if her boyfriend asked her to marry him. The reality TV star has been dating basketball star Kris Humphries since last December and while they haven’t been together that long, Kim thinks he’s the one for her. When asked what she’d say if he proposed, Kim said: “I probably would say yes. But it’s a personal thing. I don’t really want to talk about it.” Kim, 30, recently said she can’t find fault with Kris and is absolutely smitten with him. She revealed: “I think I haven’t found one thing wrong with him, let’s just put it like that.” However,

while she is extremely happy with him, the stunning socialite said she doesn’t have plans to start a family in the near future. When asked about her plans to have kids, she: “Not anytime soon. But I never know what the future holds.” Kris also spoke out about Kim, saying he loves “everything” about her. He said: “Kim is a great girl. Everything about her is terrific.” “You know I play basketball and she has all her things that she does that makes it busy. But you just have to have fun every opportunity that you have with each other.” — Bang Showbiz

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle MUSIC & MOVIES

hops to top of UK film chart

“H

op,” the story of the Easter Bunny’s teenage son in Hollywood, was Britain’s most popular film over a quiet weekend for UK box offices, earning 1.39 million pounds ($2.27 million), according to Screen International yesterday. The part-animated film with the voice of comedian Russell Brand pipped Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan who could only manage 1.30 million pounds with the debut of their action thriller “Source Code.” Last week’s chart-toppers, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in the story of a writer with superhuman powers, “Limitless” were down to third. “Sucker Punch,” with Emily Browning as a young girl using her imagination to escape from a mental home, was new at four, just above the search for a lost emblem in Roman Britain, “The Eagle” which was down two places to five. The animated 3D “A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures,” slipped four places to six while Johnny Depp’s Wild West chameleon movie “Rango” was down at seven from four. Liam Neeson as a botanist in search of his own stolen identity in “Unknown” slipped three spots to eight. Gang movie “Anuvahood” was down two at nine with Matthew McConaughey in “The Lincoln Lawyer” down one at 10. —Reuters

In ‘Hop,’ the new live action/CG-animated comedy from the producers of Despicable Me and the director of Alvin and the Chipmunks, EB. —MCT

Third

‘Dark Knight’ to film in Pittsburgh

Bob Dylan makes China debut C

ounter-culture legend Bob Dylan made his long-awaited China debut yesterday, finally getting approval to bring his charged songs of protest and struggle to a nation bent on quelling dissent. Dylan played the Worker’s Gymnasium in central Beijing before heading to Shanghai on Friday and Hong Kong for two more shows next week-commemorating his first major performance on April 11, 1961 in New York, promoters said. After Dylan was reportedly banned from playing here last year, China’s culture ministry said last month he could perform, but only “strictly according to an approved program”-which means his songs will be vetted by censors. Dylan is best known for the politically-inspired songs of his early career, including “ The Times They Are AChangin’” and his anti-war anthem “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Wearing a grey

panama hat and black suit, he switched between playing guitar, keyboards and harmonica in a blues-heavy set, getting especially loud cheers for his protest song “Hard Rain”. “Bob Dylan is very famous in China, especially among music fans-his albums have been on sale here for years,” Zhou Yan, a spokeswoman for the promoters of the Beijing and Shanghai shows, told AFP. But for most of the show, the audience-mostly young Chinese and expatriates in their 50s-gave a lukewarm response and only about 80 percent of the seats were filled. State media are widely covering Dylan’s concerts, with the current edition of the influential Lifeweek magazine running a cover story on the soon-to-be 70-year-old singer entitled “ The Answer Is Still Blowin’ in the Wind”. The article follows Dylan’s career as a folk singer influ-

enced by Woody Guthrie and continues through his influential role in the American civil rights movement and anti-Vietnam war era in the 1960s. “Bob Dylan is playing in Beijing, an iconic voice of dissent in a nation that values harmony,” the English-language Global Times said in its take on the singer’s appearance. “The subject of Dylan’s songs, from drugs to racial equality to human dignity to war, are not on the radar of the average Chinese person.” An eight-page article on Dylan in the Beijing News yesterday documented the singer’s failed attempt to perform here last year, while naming other “counter-culture” rock bands who have been banned in China. Chinese authorities are widely presumed to be squeamish about Western rock and its counter-culture references to politics and sex. —AFP

In this undated file image released by Warner Bros, Christian Bale is shown as Batman in a scene from “The Dark Knight”. — AP

riminals beware, Batman will be on the beat this summer in Pittsburgh. Film director Christopher Nolan, who has helmed the two previous Batman films — starring Christian Bale as the caped crime fighter and his alter ego, Bruce Wayne — said Tuesday the Pennsylvania city will host filming for a third film for at least a month. The film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” is scheduled to be released in July 2012, and stars Bale, Gary Oldman, and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. The previous two films include “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” “Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. We have been able to find everything we

were looking for here and I am excited to spend the summer in Pittsburgh with our final installment of Batman,” he said in a statement, adding that he finally settled on the city because of its architecture and diverse sampling of locations. Mayor Luke Ravensthahl said the decision was “another example of the growing film industry in our community and we will be rolling out the red carpet for them.” The city is no stranger to film productions, having been the location for more than 100 film and television products since 1990, including “I Am Number Four” and Kevin Smith’s “Zack & Miri Make A Porno.”—AP Chinese paramilitary personnel rehearse their morning drills outside the venue for US music legend Bob Dylan’s first concert in China where large numbers of paramilitary and security personnel can be expected to maintain order. —AFP

A minute with: Robbie Robertson about his new album

obbie Robertson has just released his first album in 13 years, but the former guitarist/songwriter for The Band was far from a gentleman at leisure in that time. The 67-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer worked as an executive at the now-defunct DreamWorks Records, composed movie soundtracks for his friend director Martin Scorsese, and oversaw various Band reissue projects. For “How To Become a Clairvoyant,” his fourth solo album since 1987, Robertson collaborated with Eric Clapton on seven of the tracks. Steve Winwood, pedal-steel guitarist Robert Randolph, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor also put in appearances. He spoke to Reuters about the album, playing guitar and his collaboration with Clapton. Q: “In the past 13 years, Eric Clapton released about six records, John Fogerty and Bob Dylan each did about three. And you had a grand total of zero. Did it ever occur to you that you

In this CD cover image released by 429 Records, Robbie Robertson’s ‘How to Become Clairvoyant,’ is shown. —AP might want to release a few records in that time? A: “Of course it crossed my mind, but I was really caught up in what I was doing. I didn’t say, ‘Oh my God, I’m sitting around gathering dust. I should be keeping myself busy.’ It was never like that. I really like the idea of making a record when I’m inspired to do so, not

because I should or somebody else thinks it would be better.” Q: Did (estranged former bandmate) Levon Helm’s recent creative burst, fueled by a Grammy-winning album, also spur you on? A: “I didn’t think of it like that. I was just glad because I knew Levon had come through throat cancer and that he was making a record. I just thought it was great that he was able to do that and that he does good work.” Q: Did you ever consider making this record a full-fledged collaboration with Eric, in much the same way he paired on albums with B.B. King and J.J. Cale? A: “When we were working on this record we didn’t know if it was going to be an Eric record or a duet record, like what you’re talking about whatever they call those, or a Robbie record. We were just going to see what happened. I liked that idea too that there were no boundaries, nothing specific. Let’s see how it flows and where it leads us. —Reuters

Bryan Ferry has health tests

Bryan Ferry

oxy Music singer Bryan Ferry has undergone tests in hospital after feeling unwell, a spokesman said yesterday. The 65-year-old, also renowned for his solo career and trendsetting fashion sense, did not suffer from a heart attack as suggested in some newspaper articles, the spokesman added. According to reports, Ferry had been expected to attend a sports function at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday evening but pulled out. The British star has recently toured with Roxy Music in Scotland, England, Australia and New Zealand, and is due to open his international solo tour in Israel on April 19. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle Features

A work of art entitled ‘Madonna and Child’, which represents Michael Jackson dangling his baby son out of a window, by Swedish-born artist Maria von Kohler is pictured in east London yesterday.—AP

Jackson ‘baby dangle’ statue in Britain angers fans

statue of Michael Jackson dangling his baby son out of a hotel window has been erected in Britain, sparking anger yesterday from die-hard fans of the late pop icon. The life-sized sculpture, entitled “Madonna and Child”, depicts the notorious incident when the singer held his youngest son

Prince Michael II out of the window in Berlin in 2002 in front of hundreds of shocked fans. Fans of Jackson, who died in June 2009, were swift to condemn the work by Swedish-born artist Maria von Kohler, which is mounted in a window at The Premises Studios, a music studio in east

London. “Michael Jackson fans get angry because this is the kind of thing they have to deal with day in and day out-the slams, the lies, the tabloid mentality,” said one comment on the studio’s website by a fan called Paul. Another person posting on the site, called Layne4, blasted the work: “This ‘creation’ reflects ignorance,

cruelty, lack of compassion.” But the studio’s chief executive Viv Broughton defended the sculpture, which he said was a “thought-provoking statement about fame and fan worship.” The uproar came hot on the heels of controversy over a Jackson statue put up by Fulham chairman Mohammed Al Fayed at

Many brides and grooms get creative with personalized wedding-cake toppers

he only part of a wedding cake that doesn’t get eaten, preserved in the freezer, or smudged across a bride or groom’s face is the cake topper. Why not make it something worth saving? From wooden figurines to monogrammed eggs in a nest to teacups from Grandma’s china cabinet, cake toppers at weddings have become more personalized. Increasingly, couples are working with artists to design the perfect cake topper, unique to them. “The cake topper is one of the few things that will be part of the wedding that the couple will take home afterward and maybe display in their house,” said Portland, Ore.-based artist Hilary Pfeifer, who designs customized cake toppers. “It’s not just a plastic topper that they use for that day; it becomes an icon in their house afterward,” she said. Pfeifer sells her cake toppers out of her online shop, Bunny with a Toolbelt (www.bunnywithatoolbelt.com). The figurines are made of reclaimed wood and painted with acrylic. They are typically animals, and often are customized to fit a couple’s taste and interest. Pfeifer’s creations have run the gamut from colorful elephants for a circus-themed wedding, to a pair of robots with a robot dog, to a duck bride and groom wearing Converse sneakers. She has made cake-topper alligators, deer, squirrels, giraffes, flamingos, turtles, penguins, monsters, space monkeys, flying pigs and more. Often they are turned into sports mascots. “Having customers bring you ideas is great,” Pfeifer said. “It takes me places I wouldn’t have gone on my own.” Another artist who has worked with brides and grooms to customize cake toppers is Heather WardMigner, based in Asheville, NC Through her online store, Star House (www.urastarhouse.com), WardMigner sells a variety of figurines made of local poplar wood that are then cut, burned and painted with

watercolors to create specific images. Her cake toppers have included couples on double bicycles, pairs of love birds, and a bride and groom in a yellow canoe. Typically, her wooden characters are based on a photograph, and closely resemble the actual couple - a far cry from the standardized cake toppers of yore. The effort that goes into creating such a personal memento contributes to its ultimate staying power. “I love thinking about how 100 years from now some bohemian college students might have their grandparents’ cake toppers displayed in their apartment,” Ward-Migner said. The customization of wedding cake toppers is still a niche trend, but one that has been growing, according to Anja Winikka, senior editor at TheKnot.com. “Your wedding cake as a whole is such a great way to add your own personality, and it’s a great way to make a statement at your wedding without going over the top,” Winikka said. “The cake topper falls into that category as well.” She has seen various handcrafted toppers recently. Love birds are a popular choice, she said, including options made out of felt, fabric, wood or other materials. Winikka has also seen the vintage craze enter the wedding-cake-topper arena. Couples are repurposing their parents’ and grandparents’ cake toppers as their own. You can also creatively use trinkets from your grandparents or tiny teacups from their china cabinet as your cake topper, she suggested. In the case of a cake or cupcake tower that isn’t suited to having a topper, the bridal couple can turn the entire cake table into a sort of display area with mementos or figurines that add personality, Winikka said. “I’ve definitely noticed that when a normal person thinks of a wedding cake topper, they think of the plastic bride and groom,” said wedding planner Laura Auer, whose com-

pany is about to plan its 300th wedding. “But I’ve probably seen that only five out of the 300 times. People want different skin tones, or they aren’t malefemale couples, or they just don’t want old-school traditional bride-and-groom cake toppers.” Auer started her Brooklyn, NY -based company, Blue Canary Events, in 2005, and has seen a trend toward unique cake toppers. In addition to art pieces custom-designed for the couple, she has noticed a lot of monogrammed cake toppers, sometimes very ornate - made of crystal or pretty much any other material.—AP

File photo shows a cake topper by Heather Ward-Migner.—AP

hile Paris’s Left Bank is famous for its fine restaurants and bustling cafes, Palestine’s West Bank is not. But that might be about to change. The hilly city of Ramallah, which lies just to the north of Jerusalem, has undergone a massive boom in recent years on the back of Western donor support, with new smart eateries and bars mushrooming alongside a plethora of pristine office blocks. Latest data says Ramallah and the adjacent town of AlBireh that it has utterly engulfed have more than 120 coffee shops and some 300 restaurants, with 50 new diners opening in 2010 alone. “When I started, I was competing with three to four other places, now I compete with many,” said Peter Nasir, who turned an abandoned family house into a bustling restaurant in 2007, which draws around 150 customers a day. “Restaurants are good business,” said Nasir, whose popular Azure restaurant lies close to the city centre. Until recently a small town in the occupied West Bank, Ramallah has seen its population double in the last decade to around 100,000, and plays host to a growing army of NGO workers, diplomats and an increasingly wealthy, middle-class elite. “These people need food, need to sit down and talk, need to hold receptions. This explains the increase in restaurants,” said Mohammad Amin, head of Ramallah Chamber of Commerce. The Palestinians dream of establishing a capital for their longed-desired independent state in nearby Jerusalem. But that city is fully controlled by Israel and with no Middle East peace deal in sight, Ramallah has rapidly risen to the fore. The Palestinian Authority set up camp here when it was created in 1994 and is determinedly building an array of state institutions in the city in readiness for a wildly expected unilateral push for independence later this year. Not everyone is happy with the accompanying boom in the service sector, and some long-standing businesses say there are not enough clients to go around. “Ramallah is over-saturated with restaurants,” said Nidal Hassan, who opened his establishment ‘Stones’ in 1999, a year before the outbreak of the second Intifada, or uprising, against the Israeli occupation that nearly destroyed the local economy. ‘Stones’ survived that dark period, only to suffer in the upturn, says Hassan, with his income plunging 40 percent in 2010 because of the “mad increase” in competition. “There are new restaurants but we have the same number of restaurant goers. People should think twice where to invest their money,” he added. But other investors are more upbeat and see a rosy future for restaurants in a place which offers little competition when it comes to other forms of entertainment, with only one cinema to boast of and no public parks for picnics. In addition, many Palestinians from adjoining East Jerusalem prefer to head into the liberal Ramallah for a relaxing evening, rather than stay in their own, tenser neighborhood, which has seen little development in recent times. “This is a small country. We have no places for fun and entertainment besides the restaurants,” said Jaber Khader, who opened ‘Karaz’, featuring French and Italian cuisine, in March. The ever-expanding sector is also a good thing for local gourmets, ensuring that restaurateurs constantly have to up their game or else risk closure. Many places at present offer similar menus of unadventurous Middle Eastern fare or bland international food and have no chance of winning a coveted Michelin star should the famous French restaurant guide ever come to town. The growing number of eateries is not only bringing more variety but also a discernible rise in quality. “Competition is good. It pushes us to be more creative,” said Azure’s Nasir, who nonetheless admits that the clientele is not growing as quickly as the number of new bistros. “When there are few customers at my restaurant I know that it must be crowded elsewhere as the same people rotate around.”—Reuters

Cafe culture blooms in West Bank’s Ramallah

US actress and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie, left, talks with Tunisian Foreign Minister Mouldi Kefi, yesterday in Tunis. Jolie traveled on Tuesday morning to the Tunisian-Libyan border to urge greater international support for people fleeing Libya.—AP

the London football club’s Craven Cottage stadium. Al Fayed, a tycoon who was a close friend of Jackson, has told fans of the club they can “go to hell” if they don’t like the statue after critics said it resembled a toy action figure.—AFP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle Fa s h i o n

(From left) Anna Chapman, who was deported from the US on charges of espionage, showman Alexander Revva, producer Yana Rudkovskaya, Evelina Voznesenskaya, front, professional boxer Natascha Ragosina, designer Ilya Shiyan, a model, Russian pop singer and Eurovision 2008 contest winner Dima Bilan display a creation by Russian designers Shiyan & Rudkovskaya during a Fashion Week in Moscow, Russia.—AP

Colors for spring: daffodil, grass and sky blue

A model walks the runway at the 9th Annual “Dressed To Kilt” charity fashion show. Miss Scotland Nicola Mimnagh

Actor Matthew Settle

TV personality Sara Gore walks the runway at the 9th Annual “Dressed To Kilt” charity fashion show at Hammerstein Ballroom . —photo credit

Designer Christophe Decarnin leaves Balmain

File photo shows a model wears a creation by French fashion designer Christophe Decarnin for Balmain’s Fall-Winter 2010-2011 Ready to Wear fashion collection. —AP

almain is parting ways with Christophe Decarnin, the designer who transformed the dusty, musty old fashion house into a red hot label, coveted by jet-set party girls worldwide. The Paris-based house made the announcement in a statement yesterday, but did not give any details about the reasons behind the decision. Rumors about Decarnin’s health have swirled since the notoriously shy designer failed to appear for a bow after his fall-winter 2011-12 ready-to-wear show last month. At the time, a spokesman for the house dismissed rumors that he was in a mental hospital, saying that he was resting on doctor’s orders. Decarnin, the mastermind behind Balmain’s now-hallmark peakedshouldered jackets and ultra-minidresses, joined Balmain in 2005.—AP

File: French fashion designer Christophe Decarnin acknowledges applause at the end of his Fall-Winter 2010-2011 Ready to Wear fashion collection, in Paris.—AP

veryone knows that black is the fashion world’s favorite color, except in the spring. Especially this spring. After a winter that pummeled many regions with snow, ice and cold, the chic set has agreed that it is time to break out the daffodil yellow, grass green and sky blue. “When the concept of spring came to fruition, it was the dead of winter,” says J Crew’s head of women’s design, Marissa Webb. “Everyone’s mood is just waiting for warmth and the color that comes with it.” Joanna Coles, editor-inchief of Marie Claire, has been eyeing a bright blue cobalt jacket, and maybe an orange or green scarf. The scarf alone allows you to update an outfit and feel good at the same time, she says. Meanwhile, Elle creative director Joe Zee is considering breaking out a tropical-hue tie. “I’m a guy who wears black, navy blue and gray every day, but I’m waiting for that ray of sunshine. And I’m waiting for that girl to step out on the street in a yellow skirt and white T-shirt so I can tell her she looks great.” The girl in yellow might be on to one of the season’s trends: Both Webb and Los Angeles-based designer Trina Turk say cheerful yellows are an important color family. The thing to remember, Webb says, is that sunshine is delivered in several shades. Find the one that works best with your skin tone, or, if you’re still wary of a color that isn’t typically easy to wear, move it away from your face. Turk loves to see sun-streaked Southern California blondes in yellowespecially when they pair it with crisp white. But, she says, it can work for other hair colors and climates as long as you embrace the optimism and wear it with confidence. “Customers are responding to it because it makes them happy.” Brights are a signature of designer Matthew Williamson, and, he says, women are ripe to wear them this year as they look to tap into an uplifted spirit in a bohemian shape. He is launching a limited-run line with Macy’s next month, and it is a partygirl palette, he says. “This collection is linked to ‘summer is coming,’ so it’s a J Crew is offering more lighthearted approach.” Turquoise, pink intense greens, purand red are signs for an “instant buy,” ples and reds.—AP according to Macy’s vice president of ready-to-wear, Nicole Fischelis. Shoppers will buy a new basic T-shirt just because of the positive vibe attached to it, she says. “If it makes you smile on a rainy day, you see it, you want it, and it works.” The best-bet value, says Coles, are brightly colored cardigans. “They’re very doable, very manageable and you’ll wear them every day,” she says. (They also are easily worn over any LBD or LWD-little black dress, little white dress-already in the closet.) Turk ships new stock to stores each month, but a whole season’s worth of styles has a complementary palette so it all looks good together on the racks. Inspired by Palm Beach for her current collection, she has a mix of the yellow, swimming-pool blue and coral. More subtle, sun-washed shades are part of J Crew’s heritage and are offered this season as always, Webb says, but she will be wearing the more intense greens, purples and reds. “You can mix almost any two colors together, although it all depends on your style. I like to see a pop of neon with a bigger statement in a bright colA girl in yellow is onto or. But, you don’t want to clash,” she one of the season’s says. biggest trends. Some of her favorite bolder pairings are pink and red, yellow and green, and purple with green. You won’t catch her in pink with blue. “That’s a personal thing, and other people might love it, but I personally never put those two colors together.”—AP

Bob Dylan set to make China debut

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Middleton likely to be an influential one 71 file photo 1. This May 12, 19 es frontman on St ng shows Rolli s hi bride, Mick Jagger and ena de Macias, or M z Bianca Pere ing in the during their wedd in Saint el ap ch e Sainte-Ann Tropez, France.

t Bill s former Presiden os otography show ot Ph ph io an AP M — . de NY e k, Geneviev Rhinebec r her wedding in photo released by e fo fil sle 10 ai e 20 , th 31 wn ly do sea This Ju his daughter Chel Clinton walking

hen Kate Middleton walks down the aisle later this month to marry Prince William, the would-be brides watching out there will almost certainly home in on her dress. Bridal industry insiders expect her gown to be copied many times over as soon as the public gets its first glimpse. Some wedding dresses leave a legacy beyond the nextday knockoffs: Princess Diana’s grand gown, Grace Kelly’s glamorous one, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s simple tank - and especially Queen Victoria’s white ball gown - changed the way brides dressed for years to come.

“A royal element makes it more dreamlike, and a wedding day is your time to look like a princess,” says Kimberly Lee Minor, chief fashion strategist of the bridal label Priscilla of Boston, which made gowns for the daughters

This June 12, 1971 file photo courtesy of the White House shows Tricia Nixon in her wedding gown at the White House in Washington.

Middleton’s is likely to fall into that category. “Kate’s dress will be an important dress, one that will be talked about for the rest of time,” says Millie Martini Bratten, editor-in-chief of Brides magazine. Diana’s dress helped define the grandeur of fashion in the early 1980s, Martini Bratten says, but Middleton’s might be even more influential because women relate to her as a 29-year-old with a developed sense of style, compared with the 19-year-old Diana, whose gown likely was chosen by committee. Also, pictures of Middleton’s gown will immediately be posted online for discussion and critique, notes Darcy Miller, editor in chief of Martha Stewart Weddings. “It’s amazing how much brides are influenced by what other people wear, especially royals, celebrities, presidents’ daughters. Before Chelsea Clinton’s wedding was over, every bride saw that Vera Wang dress and wanted some version of it,” Miller says. Celebrity red-carpet looks are adapted for the aisle, says Marchesa co-founder and designer Georgina Chapman, but many women have been thinking about their fantasy gowns for a long time and don’t turn on a dime. “Wedding gowns are unlike any other dresses,” she says, because brides’ decisions “are often less trend-driven, and more personally focused on how they want to look and feel on their wedding day.” Still, a princess holds particular sway because of the fairy-tale aspect of weddings.

shape, and pleating details fashioned into flowers and a tiered hemline suited her, says Miller. The bit of skin showing at the neckline also fit the image of the socialite marrying a dashing young senator, ushering in a new guard. But the dress might have been “too couture” and not princess-y enough for the masses, making it less influential at the time, Martini Bratten says, although she sees hints of this dress on the runways now.

40 file image 4. This Feb 10, 18 n of the tio shows an illustra ctoria and Vi n ee Qu of wedding apel Ch e Prince Albert in th ce in la Pa ís es m Ja Royal at St England.

in this sophisticated spirit - and they continue to be best-sellers. They aren’t a direct copy of the dress, says Minor, but the idea that you can be glamorous without frills has wide appeal.

* Grace Kelly Kelly ’s gown, made by costumer Helen Rose and the wardrobe department of MGM, was “truly designed by Hollywood,” says Martini Bratten. There was a high neckline, a cinched waist and a big ballskirt - all befitting a new royal. But the collar, sleeves and overlay were lace, so there was still a glimpse at the more revealing sweetheart bodice, more in line with what one would expect from a movie star. “The silhouette was so classic and beautiful,” observes Marchesa’s Chapman. “It’s just as breathtaking today as it was over 50 years ago. “ The illusion lace trick also was featured on Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding gown in the 1950 film “Father of the Bride.” Rose also designed that.

This undate file photo shows Jacqueline Kennedy in her wedding gown. of Presidents Johnson and Nixon. Some famous brides who set fashion trends: * Queen Victoria This was the game-changer - quite the feat in 1840. Until then, white hadn’t been THE color of wedding dresses, explains Miller. Women wore their best dress, no matter the hue. White was sometimes seen as a sign of affluence because it meant you could afford to get the dress dirty, but brides didn’t run out and get one just for this occasion until Victoria. * Jacqueline Kennedy Kennedy “was a major fashion influence her whole life,” so Ann Lowe’s dramatic portraitneck gown with an exaggerated hourglass

* Bianca Jagger Neither a princess, presidential relative nor movie star, Jagger created a sensation as a fashion rebel when she married Mick Jagger in a Savile Row-made pantsuit, also in 1971. She represented the other end of the spectrum from Nixon: Jagger was a cool jet-setter, not a princess bride. “If you were into the ‘70s and hippies, fashion people looked less at what everyone else was doing and made it about trying something new,” says Mitchell. Some brides still like to make that statement, says Martha Stewart’s Miller, calling out a sleek suit on the spring Douglas Hannant runway, worn without a shirt a la Jagger. * Princess Diana A princess couldn’t wear the prairie, bohemian bridal looks that closed out the ‘70s, and Diana’s 1981 gown by Elizabeth Emanuel helped usher in an era of opulence and formality. The shoulders were exaggerated, the skirt full and the sleeves pouffy. The train was 25 feet long. Minor remembers watching the wedding on TV and thinking, “That dress must weigh 100 pounds!” * Carolyn Bessette Kennedy The extravagance of the mid-’80s largely

* Ivanka Trump Her 2009 wedding wasn’t a global news event, but her lace gown by Wang became a sensation because it showed a fresh, feminine way to wear sleeves - which had largely fallen out of favor. Trump’s dress, with its illusion lace neckline, was inspired by Kelly’s, although this had a cleaner, more contemporary silhouette. “The way Ivanka Trump presented herself was, ‘Even when you have all the money in the world, and you’re glamorous, you can present yourself at your wedding as demure, understated, ladylike and beautiful,’” says Mitchell. “It was so refreshing.”

* Tricia Nixon Her White House wedding in 1971 - and the Priscilla Kidder gown she chose - became the fantasy of young women across America, says vintage fashion expert Shareen Mitchell, whose TV series “Dresscue Me” launches on Planet Green later this month. It’s not necessarily what was expected of a president’s daughter. There was little pomp and circumstance to the sleeveless, V-neck gown, which was covered in lace but still showed a slim-cut line underneath. “She wore what every woman wanted to wear,” says Mitchell, who still fields requests for this style today.

In this Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 file image released by Fred Marcus Photography, Ivanka Trump, right, and Jared Kushner are shown at their wedding at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ.

92 file photo 2. This Oct 18, 19 Barack Obama t en id shows Pres elle Obama and first lady Mich y in da g in dd on their we Chicago. 81 file photo 3. This July 29, 19 s and le ar Ch ce shows Prin their on a an Di ss ce Prin ndon. Lo in y wedding da

went out with the stock-market crash in 1987, and wedding gowns started becoming simpler and chicer. Bessette Kennedy’s bias-cut Narciso Rodriguez gown in 1996 became the quintessential wedding dress of the era, says Martini Bratten. “It was sexy, unadorned but beautifully cut. It was modern - and it came about just the time the destination wedding was picking up steam - which it was perfect for,” she says. “It was the dress worn by the woman who captured the heart of America’s prince, John Kennedy.” Priscilla of Boston continues to make gowns

* Michelle Obama Obama’s long-sleeve, portrait-collar wedding dress was one of her few fashion decisions that didn’t move the needle. That was back in 1992, though. Her one-shoulder, white inaugural gown by Jason Wu, however, turned into a bona fide bridal-gown sensation, says Miller. It came at the right time, as designers continued to move away from all strapless all the time, Miller observes, and Obama wore it with the happy, confident attitude that brides strive for.

* Chelsea Clinton No one, including Clinton and designer Wang, expected the media circus that accompanied last year’s wedding, says Miller, but all those photos and attention meant that a lot of gowns coming out now were inspired by the delicate strapless with a jeweled waistband. “It was copied in the industry immediately. It’s the classic, romantic, fairy-tale dress on a modern woman,” says Miller. Clinton might not normally be considered a style influence, but in that dress, she became a trendsetter, agrees Minor. —AP

Royal wedding fever grips TV trade show B

ritish broadcasters are offering their international counterparts an array of royal-related products at the MIPTV trade show this week ahead of the much-anticipated royal wedding. Up for sale at the world’s premier market for buying and selling programming are documentaries about Prince William and fiance Kate Middleton to historical shows about royal weddings over the decades. A one -off special production by Britain’s BBC Worldwide, “William and Kate: A Royal Engagement”,

has already been snapped up by 32 broadcasters in over 24 markets from the United States and Italy to Thailand and Australia. With contributions from historians, biographers and friends of the couple, it promises viewers an insight into Wills and Kate’s very different backgrounds and upbringings, and tracks the events leading up to their engagement. The BBC is also pitching a two-part documentary, “Britain’s Royal Weddings,” that reaches deep into

the archives of the world’s biggest public broadcaster to explore footage of royal marriages since 1923. In doing so, the program reveals how social attitudes and national circumstances have influenced what the public has come to expect from Britain’s royal nuptials. “Inside the Royal Wedding” goes behind the scenes to follow the preparations for the April 29 wedding, following VIP guests, florists and outfitters to the royal household and charting the excitement

and nightmares surrounding a wedding that the world will be watching. Britain’s main commercial broadcaster ITV is offering foreign buyers a onehour film in high definition of all aspects of the big day, from the excitement of the crowds to the full ceremony itself and the couple’s balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace. From Canada, the Global Telemedia group is offering a 50-minute retrospective, “The Royals”, with footage of historic moments in the lives of the royal family. —AFP