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THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 JAMADI ALAWAAL 28, 1433 AH www.kuwaittimes.net
Japan study
raises hopes
of cure
for baldness
28
MP slams swollen ‘corruption file’ of finance minister
JERUSALEM: Israeli police yesterday
evicted a Palestinian family from their
home in annexed east Jerusalem after
Jewish settlers won a court battle over
ownership, police and rights groups said.
The eviction of the 14-member Natshe
family from two houses in Beit Hanina
was the first successful attempt by settlers
to secure a property in the wellheeled
Arab district in the northern part
of east Jerusalem, rights groups said.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri confirmed
the eviction, telling AFP it was in
line with a recent court ruling which
found settlers had legally purchased the
property.
“The court decided a while ago that
the two houses belong to the Jews. One
of those houses was voluntarily evacuated
a few weeks ago while police units are
now helping forces from the eviction
department to evacuate the other
house,” she said. Speaking to AFP, Lubna
Al-Natshe said all of the family’s furniture
had been removed and that police had
arrested her husband. “They came at 8:00
am (0500 GMT) to evict us and when my
husband tried to resist, they beat him
and they arrested him,” she said. “They
say the settlers bought this house 73
years ago.”
Arye King, head of the Israel Land
Picture perfect:
Filipino
architect bags
grand prize
38
Fund, a right-wing group dedicated to
purchasing properties in Arab east
Jerusalem, told AFP the land had been
“bought by a Jewish buyer decades ago”
and that his group was reclaiming it. He
said Palestinian claims to the land were
“forged”. Hagit Ofran, who works with
Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now,
said both the Palestinians and the settlers
were claiming ownership of the
land, but that a court had ruled against
the Palestinians. “There were Jews living
here before 1948 and some of them purchased
parcels of land in the West Bank
and east Jerusalem,” she said, adding the
plots fell into Jordanian ownership after
the war that accompanied Israel’s establishment.
“But the Palestinians also say
they bought it from the owner at around
the same time,” she said.
“It could be true that the land was
purchased by a Jewish buyer but I
believe it is against Israel’s interests to
establish a new settlement in Beit
Hanina, and it is against Israel’s interests
to acknowledge Jewish property rights
before 1948 when we don’t allow the
Palestinians to do the same, because that
would be permitting the right of return.”
But there was a political twist to the story,
she said, indicating the individual who
Continued on Page 13
Drogba grabs
winner as
Chelsea beat
Barca 1-0
20
Barrak targets under-fire
Shamali with new queries
conspiracy theories
History and facts
By Badrya Darwish
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
This week I read an article in Al-Qabas daily in
which the writer criticized the education system
in Kuwait. I do not blame him about this.
I often criticize it myself. The writer, however, was
more specific in his criticism of history books in
particular. He said that what is taught to students
in Kuwait, according to his study, is misleading and
inaccurate in many ways. He said that the textbook
provides wrong facts and terminology.
In many instances the terminology used in the
textbooks, he insisted, was misused. Wrong terminology
could give a different interpretation from
the original meaning. The accurate thing, which by
the way was astonishing, in his study were some
figures. He claimed that in one history book, the
population of the world was estimated to be
around 650 million. At this point I was laughing out
loud. I thought to myself that maybe the writer of
the textbook had written it in 1700 when Kuwait
was established. Maybe 300 years ago the population
of the world was around that number. I have
no idea.
Then, other statistics popped up. The book he
was referring to said that the geographical area of
the Arab world is 10 percent of the whole world,
the area of which he wrote was 14 million sq m.
Actually the whole world is around 150 million sq
m. Do the math yourselves! At this part I laughed
my head off. Whether the book was written in 1700
AD or BC, the size of the Earth could not have
changed. The population could have shrunk or
expanded but the Earth: No. Even in Moses’ times
the size of the Earth was the same.
The writer of the article pointed many mistakes
in the textbooks but I will focus on a few that
attracted my attention. Austria, he said, was
described in the textbook as a city. A well-travelled
nation like Kuwait knows that Austria is one of the
important countries in the European Union. Vienna,
the capital, is well-known for music and arts.
The writer of the study also referred South
Sudan as Sudan. At this point I took this as a trivial
mistake. Of course the textbook was not written in
the last six months when Sudan split in two. Maybe
the textbooks for next year will have that historical
event corrected. You never know, maybe the war in
Sudan will split Sudan in four or unify it into one.
Maybe Khartoum will become a country on its own.
Or Darfur can also claim independence. Don’t forget
good old Libya post Muammar Gaddafi. It
could also disintegrate into four states - Amazigh
on one side, Tawareq on the other and Tripoli and
Benghazi on their own. If the plan for Syria continues
maybe you will see Damascus turning into one
state and Aleppo into another. Don’t forget good
old Iraq. Nobody knows if Kurdistan will go on its
own and if Maliki claims Baghdad as a sovereign
state on its own. I do not know.
But I am sure that the future history of Kuwait
will be full of intrigues and conspiracies especially if
history focuses on the era of our democracy and
parliament. Unfortunately, the writer won’t be living
to fact-check the data. Do we all then have to
rewrite the history of the Arab world? Then every
year a textbook has to change. Especially with the
Arab Spring still ongoing. Have a good day!
Wary UAE tightens
screws on Islamists
ABU DHABI/RAS AL-KHAIMAH: Wary of the Muslim
Brotherhood’s growing influence in the Arab world, the
United Arab Emirates is clamping down on Islamists,
anxious they could be emboldened to challenge a government
that has weathered “Arab Spring” uprisings
unscathed. Long confined to the margins of the political
scene or thrown in prison to ensure they stayed that
way, Islamists have emerged as key actors in Tunisia,
Libya and Egypt following the overthrow of their autocratic
rulers. Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood now holds
more seats than any other party in parliament and has
fielded a candidate for the presidency, and the Islamist
Ennahda party won Tunisia’s first free election last year.
Continued on Page 13
MANAMA: Bahraini anti-government activist Zainab Al-Khawaja (second right) gestures and chants slogans
in front of riot police during a protest in downtown Manama yesterday. — AP
Clashes hit Bahrain F1 exhibit
Wave of arrests as activists vow ‘days of rage’
MANAMA: Security forces fired stun
grenades yesterday at anti-government
protesters who swarmed into
a cultural exhibition for Bahrain’s
Formula One race, setting off street
battles and sending visitors fleeing
for cover. It was a blow to the Gulf
nation’s efforts to project stability,
returning to the Grand Prix circuit a
year after the race was canceled
because of unrest. The demonstration
was the most direct attempt by
protesters to bring their demands
into events linked to Sunday’s race,
Bahrain’s top international showcase.
The resumption of the top-level
auto race is being touted by
Bahrain’s rulers as a sign they have
the upper hand after 14 months of
clashes and crackdowns.
Continued on Page 13
By B Izzak
Max 33º
Min 18º
High Tide
10:42 & 23:09
Low Tide
04:12 & 16:58
KUWAIT: Opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak, who has
threatened to grill Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali,
yesterday sent a series of questions to the minister
about transfer of public funds to officials and state institutions.
In his questions, Barrak demanded a list of all
sums exceeding KD 20 million transferred during four
fiscal years to individuals, companies, establishments or
state officials. The fiscal years extend from 2006/2007 to
2009/2010.
Barrak also demanded the names of beneficiaries,
their positions, the date of transfer and supporting documents
in addition to the names of local or foreign
banks that the transfers were made to through the
Central Bank of Kuwait. He asked Shamali if the finance
ministry transferred through the Central Bank amounts
exceeding KD 20 million directly into the local or foreign
accounts of government officials, the names and
account numbers of beneficiaries and the supporting
legal and constitutional documents.
Barrak also demanded to know all the amounts
exceeding KD 20 million that had been transferred to
government departments which in turn transferred the
amounts to other beneficiaries (officials), in addition to
the names of those beneficiaries and the legal justification
for the transfers. The lawmaker said that these
transfers by the finance ministry are a very serious matter
and could be as grave as the alleged foreign transfers
by the former prime minister which was exposed by
Barrak himself last September which eventually led to
the resignation of the former premier and dissolution of
the National Assembly.
Barrak claimed the “corruption file” of the finance
minister has swelled and must be held to account, saying
that he did not take any action on the Seimens corruption
scandal. Trial reportedly began yesterday in
Germany over charges that Seimens paid bribes to senior
Kuwaiti electricity officials to win a power plant contract.
Kuwait has not initiated any investigation into the
allegations.
Continued on Page 13
Settlers force into home in Beit Hanina
JERUSALEM: Israeli police arrest a member of Khaled Natshe’s family as they are
forced to hand over their home to Jewish settlers in the Israeli annexed east
Jerusalem neighbourhood of Beit Hanina yesterday. — AFP
US Muslim tortured
at FBI behest in UAE
STOCKHOLM: A Muslim American
seeking asylum in Sweden claimed
yesterday he was detained at the US
government’s request while in the
United Arab Emirates last summer, tortured
in custody and interrogated
about the activities of a Portland
mosque. Yonas Fikre told a news conference
yesterday that he was held for
106 days and was beaten, threatened
with death and kept in solitary confinement
in a frigid cell. The 33-yearold,
a naturalized US citizen born in
Eritrea, says he had attended the same
mosque in Portland as a man who has
been charged in a plot to detonate a
bomb in the northwestern US city. He
moved to Sudan in 2009 and later to
the United Arab Emirates. He went to
Sweden, where he has relatives, after
being released from detention on Sept
15.
Fikre, who converted to Islam in
2003, is the third Muslim man from
Portland to publicly say he was
detained while traveling abroad and
questioned about Portland’s Masjidas-Sabr
mosque. Mohamed Osman
Mohamud, a Somali American who is
awaiting trial on a charge of plotting
to set off a bomb in downtown
Portland in Nov 2010, occasionally
worshipped there. A decade ago, seven
Muslims with ties to the mosque
were arrested following a failed effort
to enter Afghanistan and fight US
forces. Fikre says he met Mohamud a
handful of times, but wouldn’t call him
a friend or even an acquaintance.
Fikre says he was arrested on June 1
in the United Arab Emirates and taken
to a prison in Abu Dhabi, where he
was questioned about the activities of
the Portland mosque and its imam,
Mohamed Sheikh Abdirahman Kariye.
When he first suggested that his UAE
interrogators were working for the FBI,
they became very upset, he said. “They
Yonas Fikre
got very angry and they said: We don’t
work with the Americans, we are an
independent country,” he said.
However, in the final days of his confinement,
Fikre said that one interrogator
acknowledged that the FBI
had been involved in his questioning.
“He confirmed to me that the FBI was
there. Also when I was getting beaten,
they did admit that the FBI knew
exactly what was happening and they
were working with the FBI,” Fikre said.
Beth Anne Steele, a spokeswoman
for the FBI office in Portland, said she
could not discuss specifics of the case.
“I can tell you that the FBI trains its
agents very specifically and very thoroughly
about what is acceptable
under US law,” she said. “To do anything
counter to that training is counterproductive
- we risk legal liability
and potentially losing a criminal case
in court.” The Council on American-
Islamic Relations has called upon the
US Department of Justice to investigate
whether Fikre was tortured at the
behest of the FBI. “Barack Obama said
that America doesn’t torture,” said
Gadeir Abbas, the group’s attorney.
“We didn’t see the footnote that
Continued on Page 13

LOCAL
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah graced the awards
ceremony of the third Kuwait International
Prize for the recitation of the Holy Quran at
Bayan Palace.
The ceremony was also attended by His
Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Parliament Speaker
Ahmad Abdelaziz Al-Saadoun, former speaker
Jassem Al-Kharafi, senior sheikhs, Deputy Chief
of the National Guard Sheikh Meshaal Al-
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh
Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His
Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-
Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and a host of senior
state officials.
The ceremony commenced with a recitation
of the Holy Quran. Then Minister of Justice and
Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs,
Jamal Ahmad Al-Shehab, addressed the gathering.
He expressed gratitude to HH the Amir for
sponsoring the competition and attending the
award-giving ceremony.
“The patronage by HH the Amir of this competition
shows his permanent interest and support
for everything related to the Holy Quran,”
Al-Shehab said. “The life of the people and the
nation includes days that are not matched.
Perhaps the most beautiful days are of the
Kuwait International Award for memorizing,
reciting and tajweed of the Holy Quran. Here
we meet the people of the Quran, the reciters
and the institutes and individual teachers of the
Quran. We also meet the blessed segment of
the Muslim youth, who came to the state of
Kuwait from the countries of the Islamic world,
and from Islamic communities in non-Islamic
countries.”
Al-Shehab described the competition
among the 120 contestants, from 61 countries,
as fierce. Most participants were almost neckto-neck
in their ability to memorize and recite
the Quran. Othman Mohammad Al-Siddiqi,
Head of the Judging Panel, extended warm
thanks and gratitude to His Highness the Amir
for sponsoring this competition.
He expressed appreciation for the warm
reception with which both officials and the
public received the scholars, judges and participants
in the competition.
Al-Siddiqi applauded the contestants’
impressive mastering of diverse readings and
performances of recitation of the Quran.
He said the awards are divided into four
branches: memorizing the whole Quran with
Tajweed, memorizing the whole Quran with
seven recitations, recitation only, and the best
technical project to serve the Holy Quran.
Following the speech by Al-Siddiqi, a documentary
about the award was screened.
Then HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah presented
awards to the winners and received a token to
commemorate the event, upon which he left
the venue. —KUNA
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the awards ceremony of the third Kuwait International Prize for the recitation of the Holy Quran at Bayan Palace yesterday.
Amir graces awards ceremony of Kuwait Quran Prize
Stage set for Gulf Jazz Festival
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: Radisson Blu Hotel will be
hosting the two-day Gulf Jazz
Festival on April 25 and 26 in the Al-
Hashemi II Grand Ballroom from
8pm onwards. This festival is organized
by the Cracovia Music Bureau
in partnership with the Radisson Blu
Hotel.
This festival has been held for
many years. “The festival first started
in 1997 and was called the Kuwait
Jazz Festival as it was only held in
Kuwait. After a few years, it developed
into the Gulf Jazz Festival. It
was also held in other GCC countries
such as Bahrain, Qatar, and the
United Arab Emirates. This is the
eighth year for the Gulf festival, and
it will also be held in Qatar at the
Grand Hayat Doha on April 29,” said
Witold Wnuk, Director of Cracovia
Music Agency during a press confer-
KUWAIT: Odile Groot, Witold Wnuk and Ramadan Ali during the press
conference held at the Radisson Blu Hotel yesterday. — Photo by
Joseph Shagra
ence held yesterday morning at the
Radisson Blu Hotel.
“This is the only regional music
festival held in several GCC countries.
During this festival we are presenting
popular musicians from the
United States and Europe.
Sometimes we also present musicians
from Arab countries. This year
we have musicians from three countries:
Austria, Sweden and Poland,”
Wnuk said.
The festival will include:
Full Drive - an energetic funk/jazz
Polish Quartet led by a charismatic
saxophonist.
Vivian Buczek - a top young
Swedish jazz singer with a colorful
voice. Michaela Rabitsch and Robert
Pawlik Quartet - a charming easy-listening
Austrian singer and trumpet
player.
The opening concert on April 25
will feature the Full Drive Quartet
from Poland with Vivian Buczek
from Sweden, and a barbeque dinner.
A special concert on April 26
will be performed by Michaela
Rabitsch and the Robert Pawlik
Quartet from Austria.
The concert tickets are available
at the Viking Club and at the
Rangoli restaurant in the Radisson
Blu Hotel, Kuwait. Reservations can
also be made online.
Visit the website www.gulfjazzfest.com
for more information.
Municipality plans six
sites for solid waste
KUWAIT: A Municipal technical committee recommended
yesterday setting up six sites of 50,000
square meters of space for dumping solid waste in
Salmi area, due to the closure of the Rehaiya dumping
site.
The committee agreed, at a meeting held today
under the chairmanship of Farz Al-Mutairi, to establish
10 sites for installing communication towers on
highways and approved a proposal to build prayer
corners on highways, spacing every two corners at 25
kilometers apart.
Members of the commission set a date to hold a
special meeting to discuss issues related to the
industrial city, located in Salmi area. They also
approved a proposal to build a new sub-street in
Rabiya, to be parallel with the main street.
However, they did not approve a plan to remove
external staircases in housing districts, as this matter
will be tackled by the special sub-committee tasked
with removing construction infringements on state
property. —KUNA

Khadija Mouhajer at the Exhibition.
local
(From left) Reem Hraki, Troy Coldrick, and Khadija Mouhajer at the HCA booth in
Medica Exhibition. — Photos by Joseph Shagra
Medica conference
‘a big success’
HCA in contact with govt for more than 36 years
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: The HCA group of International Hospitals
is a main participant in the Third Kuwait Medica
Conference and Exhibition held at Al-Rayya
Ballroom from April 16 to 18. The group is making
its presence felt for the second time, representing
seven international hospitals operating in London.
Top ministry officials, healthcare professionals
involved in different aspects of hospital planning,
design, building, management and operations
made their presence felt in the event. “Such events
are very important and are useful for work. We
meet officials from the Ministry of Health and other
institutions related to our work. I think such events
are the best place for networking,” Khadija
Mouhajer, Director of International Relations and
Marketing, HCA International Hospitals told Kuwait
Times.
HCA has been in contact with the Kuwaiti government
for more than 36 years, “We share a great
relationship with all medical health officers, both
private and public sectors in Kuwait. in appreciation
to the Kuwaiti government, we send our best
doctor specialists to Kuwait on exchange visits .
They present lectures, operate patients and
exchange medical knowledge between two countries.
They hold these visits according to the hospitals’
request,” added Mouhajer.
“Specialist doctors — orthopedist, ENT, and
neurosurgery (spine and brain) visit often. We also
receive patients coming from Kuwait,” she added.
HCA officials met with former patients and new
ones. “We spoke with former patients to read the
Municipality
busts 230 kg
of spoiled fish
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: The Municipal Council team in the capital district
busted here yesterday 230 kg of spoiled fish at the
Souq Sharq’s fish market.
Head of the team Faleh Al-Shimmari said that the
campaigns would continue to prevent spoiled products
from reaching customers, adding regular inspections of
fish-stands in the market were conducted to make sure
people get fresh fish.
The spoiled fish was disposed of and those responsible
for selling were referred to the authorities for questioning,
said the official.
Spoiled food seized
Ahmadi Municipality Director Fahad Dughaim Al-
Otaibi said that an inspection campaign has been carried
out in the governorate, at central markets and other
outlets that deal with foodstuff, as well as restaurants
and butcher shops. The campaign resulted in 47 citations
issued for selling frozen meat passed off as fresh
meat, in addition to selling food items that do not meet
specifications.Food stuffs weighing 145 kg was
destroyed .
Street naming
Rumors circulated in social media websites stating
that the municipality has stopped naming streets. In
response to rumors, the municipality’s Public Relations
Department announced that it has stopped naming
streets after VIPs until proper guidelines are laid down
to choose names as per certain standards. Once a study
is completed, it will be referred to the Municipal Council
so that a decision is made on it.
progress made in Kuwait. We also met with relatives
of patients who have health concerns, and
gave them a second opinion provided by experts
in London within 24 hours,” explained Mouhajer.
This conference is committed to provide a platform
for healthcare organizations to showcase,
exhibit and market the latest trends, innovations
and technological advancements in healthcare at
one specific event that is dedicated to the ongoing
development of healthcare sector in Kuwait,
GCC and the Middle East.
The primary objective of the Kuwait Medica
Exhibition is to provide stakeholders in healthcare
an opportunity to interact on variety of business
platforms and to encourage health contractors
beyond the international borders to participate in
the development of healthcare in Kuwait bridging
the gap between the ever-growing demand and
provision of quality healthcare services.
“The Medica was well-attended which signifies
its success. Also, the lectures presented at this conference
were very useful and informative. Our company
is glad to participate in this event, and we are
looking forward to participating next year as well. I
would like to thank Dr Naser Al-Anezi, Chairman of
the organizing committee of Universal Group, the
organizer of Medica in cooperation with the
Ministry of Health for giving us this opportunity,”
concluded Mouhajer.
HCA International
HCA International is committed to the care and
improvement of human life. In recognition of this
commitment, they strive to deliver high quality,
KUWAIT: Municipality officials inspecting shops.
cost effective healthcare in the communities they
serve. They welcome patients and their families
from all over the world to benefit from their specialist
services.
HCA International Ltd is part of HCA, Inc.
(Hospital Corporation of America) the world’s leading
independent hospital company with 173 hospitals
and 108 outpatient centers in the USA and the
UK.
HCA International is the largest private hospital
group in London, with six world-class hospitals
located in and around Central London. We also
have a unique partnership with the NHS located at
UCLH, Queen’s Hospital Romford, and Christie’s in
Manchester and outpatient diagnostics and medical
centers in London. Additionally, we operate
Leaders in Oncology Care (LOC) in Harley Street
and the Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI),
one of the largest clinical research organizations.
They are the private hospitals of choice for the
successful treatment of serious and complex medical
conditions supported by over 3000 of London’s
leading specialists. They also achieve some of the
highest patient outcome and survival rates in the
UK and our hospitals are virtually MRSA-free.
Their International Marketing Department will
be able to assist by advising on an appropriate
Consultant, Specialist and facilities, coordinating
appointments as well as arranging admissions and
transfer to an HCA facility. The office liaises on a
daily basis with all London based Embassies,
Medical Health Offices, individual patients,
International Insurance Companies and other
organizations.
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: An unidentified male body
was found on Shuwaikh beach early yesterday
morning. The death was caused
by drowning in the sea. The corpse was
left for the medical examiner.
Street fight
A fight broke out between a number
of people on the 7th Ring Road
crossing with Kabd, resulting in a head
injury to a 48-year-old Bangladeshi
expatriate who was taken to Farwaniya
Hospital.
Car accidents
A car accident on King Fahad
Highway near Shuaiba Scrap yard
resulted in a direct hit in the head to a
32-year-old Kuwaiti man, who died on
the spot. His body was left for the medical
examiner.
A car accident on the Seventh Ring
Road towards Jahra, near the gas station,
resulted in a broken left arm to a
43-year-old Indian expatriate, a neck
injury to a 28-year-old Indian expatri-
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Body washes ashore
ate and back pain to a 32-year-old
Filipino expatriate. Casualties were taken
to Mubarak and Farwaniya
Hospitals.
A car accident on the Fourth Ring
Road near the crossing with Tunis
Street resulted in neck pain to a 36year-old
Egyptian expatriate and pain
in the right hand to a 35-year-old Iraqi
woman. Both were taken to Mubarak
Hospital.
A car accident on Fahad Al-Ahmad
roundabout resulted in different minor
injuries to four Kuwaiti women whose
ages ranged from 25 to 38 years old.
Three of them were taken to Adan
Hospital.
A car accident in Salmiya, on
Amman Street, resulted in injuries to
the head of a 37-year-old Kuwaiti
woman and face injuries to a 70-yearold
Kuwaiti man. Both were taken to
Mubarak Hospital.
A motorcycle accident in Al-Salem,
in front of a house in Block five, resulted
in twisting the left foot of a 26-yearold
Egyptian expatriate who was taken
to Mubarak Hospital.

LOCAL
Impatient Kuwaiti blinds
hotel waiter in Salmiya
Two dead in road accidents
KUWAIT: A citizen was arrested in Salmiya
recently after causing permanent eye damage
to a restaurant waiter during a dispute
over the time it took to be served his food.
Police rushed to the scene after a fight was
reported, and found the victim writhing in
pain on the floor. The angry customer had
thrown a foreign substance in his face.
Investigations later revealed that the substance
contained a mixture of detergents
that caused the Indian waiter permanent eye
damage, according to doctor’s diagnoses. The
Kuwaiti attacker was taken into custody to
face charges, as investigations revealed that
the fight happened after he blamed the waiter
for taking too long to serve him his order.
Traffic accidents
Two people were killed and another was
seriously injured in two separate accidents
reported Tuesday on King Fahad Highway.
Paramedics and police rushed at 8:00 am to a
location near Bnaider (south) following a
report about an accident. A Kuwaiti man was
pronounced dead at the scene as preliminary
investigations revealed that his vehicle lost
balance and overturned. Investigations are
still ongoing to reveal the circumstances
behind the accident. An hour later, police and
paramedics headed to a location before
Wafra Bridge where a collision involving two
vehicles was reported. A young Kuwaiti man
was pronounced dead at the scene, while the
other driver, also Kuwaiti, was rushed to Adan
Hospital in critical condition. An investigation
was opened into the accident.
Child molester
Police have summoned for questioning a
shopkeeper accused of molesting a child in
Nugra. A middle-aged Lebanese man on
Tuesday reported to officers at the area police
station that his 12-year-old daughter was sexually
harassed by a worker inside a small convenience
store near his building. The man
reportedly learned about the incident when
he became alarmed after his daughter
returned home from the shop terrified. Police
obtained information about the suspect and
issued a warrant to summon him for investigations.
Friends help fugitive
An attempted murder suspect managed to
escape arrest after he was freed from police
custody by friends. Patrol officers grew suspicious
of a group consisting of two men and
four women, who were making their way out
of an apartment building in Salmiya. While
checking their identities, police discovered
that one of the men is charged with attempted
murder and is wanted for investigations.
According to a security source, the man was
able to escape shortly after he was put inside
the patrol vehicle, as one of his female companions
managed to open the door for him.
Police arrested the other man in the group,
who reportedly helped the fugitive escape,
while all four females reportedly fled back
into the building. Officers went back to
Rumathiya police station and filed a case for
investigations.
Work mishap
A construction worker was critically
injured after falling from a height in Bneid Al-
Gar recently. The victim was found unconscious
after falling from the second floor of a
building under construction. He was admitted
to the intensive care unit at a nearby pri-
vate hospital where he was diagnosed with
serious injuries. A case was filed at Daiya to
investigate the circumstances behind the
incident.
Manhunt for fraudster
Hawally investigators are currently trying
to identify a suspect behind multiple fraud
cases which left many people largely indebted
to telecom companies. At least 20 people
of different nationalities reported to police
stations within Hawally governorate that they
are required to pay phone bills for numbers
registered to their names which they know
nothing about. According to a security source
with knowledge of the case, the debts range
between KD250 and KD650. They were mostly
discovered at the airport, when complainants
were told they could not travel due
to unpaid dues. It is believed that the suspect
was somehow able to obtain photocopies of
the victims’ ID cards and used them to buy
cell phone lines.
Reckless youths held
Two teenagers were arrested in Jahra following
an escape attempt, during which they
managed to steal a handheld police transceiver.
The suspects were in a car that was
pulled over. Patrol officers decided to take
them into custody. At that point, the Kuwaiti
youths resisted apprehension and were eventually
able to run away after snatching a wireless
device held by an officer. The two were
taken into custody after the officers pursued
them on-foot. The duo denied the theft
charges during investigations at the police
station, where they were held before being
referred to the Juvenile General Department.
—Al-Rai, Al-Watan
KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait organized a cultural night at the American University of Kuwait recently. A lecture was delivered
by keynote speaker Khalid Al-Rasheed. The event was held as part of the CBK’s cultural campaign which began in February and will
continue until early next month.
Kuwait inherited humane work from
one generation to another: Al-Barjas
KUWAIT: Chairman of Kuwait
Red Crescent Society (KRCS)
Barjas al-Barjas has stressed
importance of Arab and foreign
envoys acquaintance of KRCS’s
humane and developmental role,
noting that Kuwait inherited the
support of humane work from
one generation to another.
In a speech he gave while
receiving the permanent delegation
to the UN, Al-Barjas said that
KRCS is supplemental and organ-
izer of Kuwait humane work,
pointing out Kuwait’s efforts in
areas of aid it has provided to
affected countries due to natural
disasters such as Indonesia, Haiti,
Lebanon, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Libya, Philippines, and Thailand
which valued KRCS’s humane
role.
KRSC aspires to do a bigger
role in the future, out of its commitment
to its humane responsibility,
Al-Barjas noted, adding that
the Society has responded to
calls from its international partners
in humane work to extend a
hand of help and aid countries
affected by disasters that are
caused by either nature or
humans.
He explained that the Society
works under the framework of
international authorities and
agencies that are specialized in
humane issues such as
International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies
in order to boost abilities of those
affected by disasters to face their
current situations.
Moreover, he stressed that voluntary
work in Kuwait has
attained huge popularity on institutional
and singular levels due
to its value in developing society,
alleviating suffering of others,
and participating seriously and
effectively in building and developing
march. —KUNA
KUWAIT: Farwaniya Municipality inspectors shut down three food stores in Khaitan during a recent crackdown. Several citations were
issued for committing violations related to failure in meeting minimum hygiene standards. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun
VALLETTA: Kuwaiti Ambassador to
Malta, Faisal Al-Msaileem, said yesterday
that he met with the Deputy Premier and
Foreign Minister of Malta, Tonio Borg, at
his office in the Foreign Ministry. He
added that the meeting was part of his
efforts to increase communication and
interaction with the officials and institutions
in Malta to bolster bilateral relations.
The diplomat remarked that the
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
VALLETTA: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Malta, Faisal Al-Msaileem, pictured with the
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister of Malta, Tonio Borg, yesterday.
Maltese FM, Kuwaiti ambassador
discuss bolstering relations
BEIRUT: Visiting Kuwaiti Minister of
Communications, Salem Al-Utheina disclosed
yesterday that a final recommendation
to amend the privatization law of
Kuwait Airways will be submitted to the
Cabinet on Sunday.
This legislation stipulates that the
KAC be transformed from a shareholding
company into a private firm, affiliated
with the Public Investment Authority.
Employees’ privileges and rights will be
secured according to the privatization
law, adopted by the National Assembly
(Parliament) in 2008.
Meanwhile, the minister said, on sidelines
of the 35th general assembly of
ARABSAT, the Arab Satellite
Communications Organization, a special
budget was set aside during yesterday’s
meeting for the project of transferring
numbers among the three major
telecommunication companies in
Kuwait.
A special team of experts has been
formed to examine the technical aspects
of the project, due to be fully executed in
the coming eight months. This process
will enable a client to retain his (her)
phone number while transferring subscription
from one company to another
HAVANA: Kuwaiti Ambassador to
Cuba Bader Al-Awadhi stressed keenness
on bolstering cooperation and
interaction with Cuba in the areas of
tourism and culture, and met with
director of the “Arabian House” museum
in Old Havana Prof Rigoberto
Menendez, Tuesday evening.
The ambassador presented the rector
with an authentic miniature
Kuwaiti dhow, a Boom, which he
stressed reflected the country’s cultural
and trade history. He expressed a
desire for more cooperation with the
historical office and said the gracious
reception of Kuwaiti visitors of Arabian
House reflects the friendly relations
between the two peoples. He also
expressed Kuwait’s readiness to
engage in cultural and investment
projects in Havana.
Prof Menendez presented the
ambassador with a book he authored
in 2007 on Arabs in Havana, which had
won several awards in Cuba and had
been translated into Arabic in 2010.
The Arabian House is a main tourist
attraction which reflects all aspects of
the influences of Arab culture and
Arabs’ presence on Cuba and Havana
in particular and in Latin America in
general. It is supervised by the city’s
KUWAIT: The Financial and Economic
affairs committee at the National
Assembly yesterday discussed the proposed
amendments to the public tenders
law, which was recently approved
by the parliament during its first session
of debate.
MP Ahmad Lari, committee rapporteur,
said the panel listened to the
Government’s suggested amendments
to the law in presence of Minister of
Electricity and Water and Minister of
Municipality, Minister of Public Works
and Minister of State for Planning and
Development Affairs, Minister of Oil
discussion concentrated on various
means to boost cooperation and bolster
relations in all fields. The Maltese official
also expressed his eagerness in this
regard, he said.
The ambassador also relayed the
greetings of the Deputy Prime Minister,
Foreign Minister and Minister of State for
Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid
Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. — KUNA
Recommendation to amend
KAC privatization law
— with the aim of facilitating development
of services by the three top
telecommunication service providers.
Al-Utheina said profits of ARABSAT
grew by nine percent this year compared
to the past year despite dramatic events
in the Arab world. Al-Utheina disclosed
launch of the fifth satellite, which would
cover Africa, large parts of Europe and
Asia.
Member states unanimously agreed
on writing off debts of Palestine, in
response to a proposal by Jordan, he
said, adding that they also reached an
agreement on putting restrictions on the
channels to compel them refrain from
airing programs that may threaten
national unity or foment sectarian sedition.
Moreover, the conferees discussed
matters related to the planned sixth generation
of the satellites, plans for further
expansion of the service and financial
issues.
The meeting grouped, in addition to
Al-Utheina along with accompanying
Kuwaiti officials, ministers and officials
from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE,
Oman, Libya, Sudan, Morocco and
Algeria. — KUNA
Kuwaiti diplomat stresses
keenness on boosting cultural
interaction with Cuba
historical office, chaired by professor
Eusebio Leal. The house displays an
array of Islamic artifact, and the State
of Kuwait had previously contributed
several pieces to the exhibition.
Ambassador Bader Al-Awadhi
Professor Menendez invited the
Kuwaiti ambassador to attend a series
of lectures the Arabian House is organizing
on Middle East history. — KUNA
NA financial panel debates
public tenders law
and Minister of Commerce and
Industry.
MP Lari said the discussion over the
law (of item 13) was “practical and
objective.”
The committee requested that the
Government present actual statistics of
bidding on tenders to “ensure the
accuracy of applying the law before it
is approved of in its second session of
discussion.”
The debate over the public tenders
law will continue today in the presence
of Government officials and concerned
bodies. —KUNA

local
Kuwait must stop introduction
of death penalty for blasphemy
Amendment massive step backwards: Amnesty
KUWAIT: A proposed legal amendment that
would make blasphemy a crime punishable
by death in Kuwait would be a massive step
backwards by the country’s authorities, if
passed by parliament, Amnesty International
said yesterday. The draft law was quickly introduced
and passed by the Kuwaiti Parliament’s
Law and Legal Affairs Committee following
the arrest of a man accused of insulting
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on Twitter.
Hamad Al-Naqi, a member of Kuwait’s Shiite
Muslim minority, is being held in pre-trial
detention charged with “defaming the
Prophet” in tweets posted on the social-networking
website last month. He has denied
making the posts, saying that somebody
hacked into his Twitter account.
Kuwait’s parliament voted in favor of the
amendment on 12 April. Before it is passed,
the amendment must go to a second vote
two weeks after the first and then be
approved by the government and Kuwait’s
ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.
“We urge Kuwait’s parliament to reject
such an amendment which would constitute
a flagrant breach of the country’s international
human rights obligations,” said Ann
Harrison, Deputy Director of Amnesty
International’s Middle East and North Africa
Program.
“All eyes are on Kuwait’s recently-elected
legislators. They must immediately scrap any
plans to introduce the death penalty for blasphemy.”
Article 111 of the Penal Code prohibits
defamation of religion, currently providing for
up to one year’s imprisonment and a fine.
Under international law, “religious” offences
do not fall under the category of “most serious
crimes”, the minimum threshold prescribed
for crimes carrying the death penalty.
In November 2011, the United Nations
Human Rights Committee called on Kuwait to
“revise its legislation on blasphemy and relat-
Court adjourns verdict on
electoral contestations
KUWAIT: The Constitutional Court,
presided by Justice Faisal Al-Mershed,
yesterday adjourned till the 20th of
June all contestations that have been
submitted against the 2012 National
Assembly (parliamentary) elections.
A verdict is scheduled to be issued by
the tribunal by June 20. Meanwhile, any
other complaints or memoranda can be
filed within two weeks from now.
Most of the petitions, during yesterday’s
session, were submitted by voters
KUWAIT: The private sector has a
national responsibility to import and
provide medical commodities that
are up to global standards and accessible
for the masses, the Minister of
Health Dr. Ali Al-Obeidi said yesterday.
The Ministry stated that the minister
met with representatives from the
Union of Medication Importers to dis-
in the First, Third and Fourth constituencies,
requesting that membership of
some elected MPs be declared null,
arguing that they lacked “good reputation,”
in line with the court verdict No. 8
(2008) regarding electoral contestations.
The tribunal is due, at a follow-up
session today, to look into other pleas,
contesting some results of the polls in
the First, Second, Third and Fourth districts.
— KUN
Private sector responsible
for providing medication
cuss means of bolstering mutual
cooperation.
The meeting also focused on implementing
international standards and
regulations on imported medication
from abroad, the ministerial statement
said, adding that the involved parties
agreed to hold regular meetings to
further coordinate efforts within the
pharmaceutical domain. — KUNA
ed laws [...] to ensure their strict compliance
with the [International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, or ICCPR]” to which Kuwait is a
state party.
Article 15 of the ICCPR prohibits states
from imposing a heavier penalty than the one
applicable at the time an alleged offence was
committed.
“If it emerges that Hamad Al-Naqi’s Twitter
account was indeed hacked then he has no
case to answer; otherwise he is being held
solely for exercising his right to freedom of
expression and, unless charged with an internationally
recognizable offence, he must be
released immediately,” said Ann Harrison.
“On no account should he be sentenced to
death.” Amnesty International opposes the
death penalty in all cases without exception,
as a violation of the right to life as recognized
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and
degrading punishment.
Arab Parliament
moving to Cairo
CAIRO: Head of the Arab Parliament Ali Al-Degbasi
said yesterday that moving the Arab Parliament
headquarters from Damascus to Cairo is a natural
reaction to the ongoing massacres and human
rights violations committed by the Syrian regime,
which makes it impossible for the parliament body
to function there.
Al-Degbasi told the press, after a meeting with
the Chairman of Shura Council Ahmed Fahmi, that
moving the Arab Parliament to Egypt is “ a positive
step to fulfill its goals.”
The Arab Parliament would never interfere in any
country’s internal affairs, he pointed out. However,
it always strives to solve any obstacles the Arab
countries face, especially poverty and diseases.
He even warned against real security threats that
can be clearly seen in Syria, Somalia, Sudan and
Palestine.
Ahmed Fahmi, meanwhile, stressed that Egypt’s
Shura Council will hugely contribute in setting up a
prestigious headquarters suitable for an Arab
authority of such caliber.
It is of utmost importance to give full moral and
financial support to the Arab Parliament because it
is tool to “achieve the best interests of the Arab
nations,” he noted. — KUNA
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
KUWAIT: The dump site after the fire was extinguished yesterday.
Massive tire fire
finally extinguished
KUWAIT: Firemen finally extinguished a
massive fire that had been burning in
Rhayya on Tuesday, the Kuwait Fire
Services Directorate (KFSD) announced.
The fire blazed among the dump, which
housed over 5 million tires. KFSD
Director of Public Relations and Media Lt
Colonel, Khalil Al-Amir, said that fire
fighters had successfully put out the
huge fire. He commended the collaboration
of the Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) Department, the traffic department
and the media.
In a statement, Al-Amir said that the
tires were either separated or covered
with sand in attempts to extinguish the
fire. Meanwhile, the EMS Department
Director General Dr Faisal Al-Ghanem
said that medics treated 10 people for
smoke inhalation. Al-Ghanem said that
a field clinic and five ambulances were
brought in to treat any cases. The EMS
Department coordinated with surrounding
hospitals in case emergency beds
were needed, he added.
Kuwait Fire Service Directorate’s
Deputy Chief of firefighting services and
human resource Brig Yusuf Al-Ansari
said that the location of the fire, a
graveyard for disposable tires, was
secure, adding that the area was in the
process of being filled with sand so such
an incident would not happen again in
the future.
He thanked all those who participated
in the effort to put out the fire, saying
that all government sides involved
helped to save a lot of lives. — KUNA

Taking the tube
in Kuwait
T he
Rights mask
of Al-Qaeda
S audi
in my view
By Labeed Abdal
promising development plan, which is worth
$145 billion, must be supported strongly by the
new Parliament and Government and must
become a priority.
This plan includes the building of new cities for the
growing population, which has reached over 3 million.
It will include more schools, hospitals, hotels,
educational institutions and health cities. Then the
transportation system must be upgraded with a modern
underground system.
It has been a great move, as the GCC are building a
railway network that will be cross international borders
and will interlink cities and capitals in an easy
way to move people, services and products from one
GCC country to another.
However, those countries with a high Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) mostly use luxury vehicles.
Each family has around four to ten cars, either to drive
personally or by drivers. They definitely need more
environmentally friendly means of transportation. We
should reconsider a new culture of using modern
public transportation in the region, and that surly
needs advanced urban planning given the congested
roads and the small size of the city.
in my view
By Tariq Al-Homayed
television recently aired a recorded telephone
conversation between an alleged member of Al-
Qaeda in Yemen and the Saudi ambassador to
Sanaa, during which Al-Qaeda revealed that it had kidnapped
the Saudi deputy consul in Yemen, and stated its
conditions for the safe release of the kidnapped diplomat,
one of which was the release of all prisoners in
Saudi Arabia affiliated to the terrorist organization.
Of course, this is not the whole story. Interestingly,
the Al-Qaeda member identified the names of some
prisoners, including some Saudi women, who the terrorist
organization wants released and then sent to Yemen!
Amazingly, the Al-Qaeda member during the telephone
conversation identified the names of the female prisoners,
who are as follows: Najwa Al-Saidi, Arwa Baghdadi,
Hanan Samkari, Najla Al-Roumi and Haifa Al-Ahmadi!
This is amazing for one simple reason, namely that
most of those women’s names identified by Al-Qaeda
are already the subjects of major campaigns undertaken
on their behalf on the Internet, and social networks such
as Facebook and Twitter, under the guise of human
rights demands.
Indeed, some human rights activists and institutions
claim that they, i.e. the female prisoners, have been
incarcerated because of their opinions, and the Saudi
government is suppressing them!
Of course, these campaigns in the name of human
rights garnered great support at the time because of the
surplus emotion generated by the so-called Arab Spring.
Matters soon became intertwined to the extent that
those prisoners, accused by Saudi Arabia of being affiliated
to Al-Qaeda, became equated to the activists who
had been arrested in the states that recently witnessed
revolutions or uprisings. All this confusion, of course, was
thanks to the frenzied online campaigns and the
inflamed Arab sentiments about what was happening in
the region, particularly with regard to Tunisia and Egypt,
and likewise thanks to increasing Western media attention
toward Saudi Arabia, particularly last year during
the day of incitement that was falsely branded the “day
of rage”.
Today, according to the recording aired by the Saudi
Interior Ministry, it is clear that those who were previously
thought to have been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia
“because of their opinions,” defended in turn by those
who described themselves as human rights activists, are
nothing more than affiliates of Al-Qaeda. Furthermore,
Al-Qaeda does not only demand their release, but wants
them transferred from Riyadh to the terrorist organization’s
headquarters in Yemen!
Here the outstanding question is: Has Al-Qaeda
become affiliated with human rights activists? Or have
human rights activists become affiliated with Al-Qaeda?
This is an important and indeed essential question,
because it is clear that our confusion is not a coincidence,
nor does it stem from ignorance, but rather it is a
result of these organized campaigns that are aimed at
incitement and pushing matters toward chaos, for whatever
reasons.
If it is true that one of the achievements of the socalled
Arab Spring was the renouncement of a series of
lies and false slogans that plagued our region for
decades, whether politically, religiously or culturally,
then today we are instead witnessing great confusion at
the level of politicians, intellectuals and senior media figures.
Today we are even witnessing further lies being
exposed, namely those of human rights advocates in
Saudi Arabia, as it becomes clear that those who they
championed as innocent, imprisoned for their opinions,
are nothing more than affiliates of Al-Qaeda, a terrorist
organization that calls for their release today, and even
wants them transferred to Yemen! This really is the year
that the mask finally fell.
6 LOCAL
Rectify the chaos created
T he
democratic system of governance chosen
by Kuwaitis has been constantly distorted ever
since the foundation of the modern state was
laid. At first, the ‘deformation’ was carried out in the
dark as the government, exercising restricted
authority as a result of
the democratic system’s
implementation,
took the lead in trying
to destroy it.
Since then, the
government has
stopped manipulating
they system after presumably
becoming
successful in achieving
its goal of constricting
it, thereby
limiting the practice
of many of the fundamental
principles.
While being content
with what they’ve
achieved, the government
overlooked the
fact that its manipulative attempts spawned political
groups that further proved detrimental to
democracy, but gain some independence and control.
These groups are now the key players in the
political scene, and the only parties that actively
attack the democratic system.
Among these parties are the Islamist political
groups which currently assume the prominent role
in the democracy-stifling mission. But unlike in the
Four days detention
There is a very famous song by the star Abu
Baker Salem named “24 hours”. It is the first of
his songs that introduced him to his audience
in Kuwait and the Arab Gulf. Thereafter, he took off
into the sky to the stars.
I did not remember this song, but now I know it
by heart since the Ministry of Interior refused to
reduce the detention period for enquiring about a
suspect from four days to 24 hours, as demanded
by National Assembly members.
The Government justified the refusal for the suggested
decrease through the Interior Minister, who
said that 24 hours is not enough to investigate the
background of a detainee. It would be a reasonable
excuse if it was given
during the sixties of
last century. Then we
would have believed
it. We even would
have asked to double
the period to eight
days and not only four.
In the sixties, communication
methods
were basic.
Investigations and
thumb prints and verifying
identities
required that the suspect
toured all police
stations before they
could verify whether
or not he was wanted
for other cases.
Today, it is 50 years after the law allowing four
days in detention for investigation, (standby detention).
Since then the fax machine was invented in
the seventies, the computer in the eighties, and
internet invaded in the late nineties. Since then the
internet has expanded until it has reached our
pockets, through smart cell phones which we carry.
With all of these great advances in information
The government acts as if it isn’t concerned
with the subject, since the parties
responsible were elected by the people,
and therefore reflect the point of view of
the public. This wouldn’t be true, had the
government never interfered - both violently
and cunningly in the past. While the
government is technically not responsible
for the undemocratic situation we are facing
today, incidents such as interfering in
election results and parliament sessions,
make them responsible for the mess.
kuwait digest
By Abdullatif Al-Duaij
beginning, manipulation of democratic principles
and constitutional articles is taking place openly.
Direct efforts limit principles of democratic practice
in favor of enforcement of religious and tribal rules.
In the meantime, the government, which has the
authority to protect
the state’s interests,
watches in silence as
sabotage continues
to target Kuwait’s
democratic set up.
The government acts
as if it isn’t concerned
with the subject,
since the parties
responsible were
elected by the people,
and therefore
reflect the point of
view of the public.
This wouldn’t be true,
had the government
never interfered -
both violently and
cunningly in the past.
While the government is technically not responsible
for the undemocratic situation we are facing
today, incidents such as interfering in election
results and parliament sessions, make them responsible
for the mess. Therefore, the government alone
has the duty to rectify what it created. It should
return to people, the authority that was taken away
with forged election results, manipulation practiced
in constituencies.—Al-Qabas
kuwait digest
By Thaar Al Rashidi
technology, it is not possible to accept that 24
hours is not enough to check the identity of a person.
If it is not, then what is the use of the millions
which we have spent on computer programs and
finger print equipment and courses and an internal
net for the Ministry of Interior?
By entering the Civil ID number of any person
living in Kuwait, we can even know the name of his
aunt in less than an hour and not 24 hours.
Therefore, the refusal by the Ministry of Interior
is not justified, unless officials in the Ministry of
Interior or the whole Government do not accept
technology and are still living in the past?
Far from the logical answer I gave above for the
Ministry of Interior
excuses, the only
reason for the
Government to keep
the four day detention
period is that
the Government
wants to keep an
arm of authority to
hold whoever
opposes it now or in
the future. There is
no other reason.
I did not find any
logical reason for
the refusal by the
Government to
reduce the standby
detention period.
Note: The law has to be applied to everyone
without exception, and not through a four day
standby detention from what I know. Those who
are detained for the four day standby detention are
the poor public who have no power.
I have never heard of an influential person being
jailed on standby detention for even two hours.
Four days detention is especially for the general
public only. — Al-Anbaa
Today, it is 50 years after the law allowing
four days in detention for investigation,
(standby detention). Since then the
fax machine was invented in the seventies,
the computer in the eighties, and
internet invaded in the late nineties. Since
then the internet has expanded until it
has reached our pockets, through smart
cell phones which we carry. With all of
these great advances in information technology,
it is not possible to accept that 24
hours is not enough to check the identity
of a person.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Local Spotlight
House owners
discriminate
A ccording
Muna Al-Fuzai
muna@kuwaittimes.net
In Kuwait, discriminating against each other is a
way of life! I know this may sound weird, but it is
true. If it were otherwise, a daily protest would
have been staged against wrongdoers. They
unabashedly place ‘ads’ in newspapers papers, and
there is no one to prosecute them! Here, it is commonly
seen some house owners are interested in
renting out flats to foreigners. They don’t hesitate in
placing newspaper ads or boldly printed notices outside
their home stating: ‘Foreigners Only.’
They do not feel an iota of remorse when doing
this. They don’t rent out flats to Kuwaitis, their own
kin! Let’s see what reasons they give.
Some house owners assume that as long as foreigners’
rent allowances are paid for by the company,
they can be charged any atrocious amount! Others
claim that Kuwaitis have noisy children who cause a
lot of nuisance. I think this is ludicrous. I have seen
many foreigners who have three and four children
and stay in flats because they can’t buy a house in
Kuwait. Most Kuwaitis with children have their own
homes, by the time the third child is born!
Some house owners believe that foreigners will
not delay rent payment. It is easier for them to evict a
foreigner from a flat than a Kuwaiti, who would file a
court case.
Finally, I think some house owners believe that no
matter how well-behaved Kuwaitis are, foreigners
are better! I think such Kuwaitis are a curse for their
compatriots. Here is my question to them and I challenge
Kuwaiti house owners to answer me! How
would you feel if you went abroad and tried to make
a reservation at a hotel, but your request was denied
because they reserve it for their citizens or westerners?
Surely, you would feel it is an insult and would
claim that it is an act of discrimination! This is what
you have been doing for so long without even flinching
for a second.
I know that some Kuwaitis who avoid flying
Western airlines because of the random security
checks they are subjected to by airlines security. They
don’t want to be stared at by curious Western passengers
owing to their typical Arab appearance! If this is
perceived as being discriminatory, why do you repeat
similar practices back home? I don’t mind going
through security checks at the airport. I would feel
more safe that way. It is ironic that those that break
the law or do something to hurt others, don’t like
being accorded the same treatment!
What goes around, comes around!
We should not ignore such issues because it only
reinforces the public perception that discrimination
is tolerated in this country! If you ever came across
something like this, write to me and we can all
make a change.
kuwait digest
Waiting for
a tragedy
By Waleed Al-Ahmad
to news report, the instrument landing
system (ILS) at the Kuwait International Airport is
dysfunctional - like the Kuwait Airways fleet.
Staff at the Directorate General for Civil Aviation
(DGCA), mainly air traffic controllers, have been warning
for years that the system, which is necessary to
assist planes land in poor weather conditions, has
been out of order for two years.
A recent sandstorm forced seven planes to change
from landing at their original destination at Kuwait
International Airport to other airports in nearby countries.
It is hard to even imagine what will happen during
the summer, which is predicted to be deep in sandstorms.
Unfortunately, authorities do not seem willing to
do something until after a tragedy happens. Is the
Government waiting for an aircraft to fall before they
act? Are lawmakers holding their grilling motions until
after something bad occurs? Then will they start putting
pressure on the Government to update the outdated
devices at the airport?
There are also reports suggesting that many air traffic
controllers moved to work in less demanding positions
at the DGCA, where their pay is similar to what
they made in their original stressful jobs. Not only are
controllers paid half as much as their peers in Qatar
and the United Arab Emirates, but are also made to
operate malfunctioning machines. This puts their
careers at risk should a tragedy happen in the future.
This should be the last warning before DGCA officials
make efforts to change the ILS and other malfunctioning
devices at the airport regardless of the
expense, which is definitely less than the cost of
human lives.
There was a time when Kuwait International Airport
had the finest technology in the Gulf and Arab region.
It is sad that development at the airport, as well as to
the KAC fleet, has since stopped.—Al-Rai

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
N Korea threatens retaliation, nuclear test expected
DAMASCUS: Syria sought yesterday to reassure the United
Nations over its willingness to implement a ceasefire despite
violence and casualties still reported in various parts of the
country. Foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi told AFP a
protocol outlining a UN mission to oversee the fragile six-day
ceasefire was nearly completed and that discussions with an
advance team of UN observers had been positive.
“We are about to finalise it,” Makdisi said, referring to the
protocol. “Discussions with UN observers have been constructive
and both parties agree on 90 percent of the points,” he
added. Makdisi said talks with the advance team would continue
yesterday afternoon. The protocol will pave the way for UN
observers to fan across the country to monitor a truce aimed at
ending 13 months of violence that monitors say has left more
than 11,000 people dead. UN chief Ban Ki-moon was due to
report to the Security Council later yesterday on progress
made by the advance team.
He has made it clear the UN mission could not go forward if
Damascus does not cooperate and guarantee the observers
safe access across the country. The team arrived in Damascus
on Sunday and is to be expanded to 30 in the coming days.
Approved under a UN Security Council resolution, it is to be
reinforced in the longer term with up to 250 international
monitors, but this will require a new resolution. France said 14
foreign ministers would attend a meeting on Syria in Paris
today to send a strong message to Bashar al-Assad’s regime to
implement the peace plan.
“The obstacles to the UN observers’ mission that Damascus
is putting in place and the Syrian regime’s continued repression,
contrary to its commitments, calls for a strong reaction
from the international community,” French Foreign Minister
Alain Juppe said in a statement. Juppe said the foreign ministers
of the United States, Germany, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar and
Saudi Arabia would be among those taking part. Washington
earlier warned that hopes of a larger mission in Syria were
being jeopardized by the persistent violence, which saw at
least 14 people killed yesterday, seven of them civilians,
according to monitors.
Three civilians were killed as regime forces launched a fresh
bombardment of rebel neighborhood of the flashpoint central
city of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Four others, including a nine-year-old, were killed elsewhere,
the Britain-based watchdog added. Seven government troops
were also killed in a roadside bomb on the outskirts of the
northwest town of Idlib, where fighters of the rebel Free Syrian
Army have been active.
“The violence is escalating. It will be very difficult for the
council to send unarmed observers into a hot war,” US
Ambassador Susan Rice told CNN television in a new sign of
Western doubts about Assad’s intentions. Another senior UN
diplomat said that if Damascus did not complete the protocol
by the end of the week then the Security Council could not
allow the full mission of 200-
250 observers envisaged by
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi
Annan. He said there was a
risk the Syrians would not
agree to give the monitors
“full, unimpeded and immediate
freedom of movement
and access.”
Damascus ally Moscow
has pointed the finger at the
rebels, accusing them of trying
to provoke violence in a
bid to torpedo Annan’s plan
and pave the way for foreign
military intervention. “There
are plenty of those who
would like to see Annan’s
plan fail in hopes of then
demanding other optionsprimarily
meaning the use of
(outside) force,” Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov told
reporters. Russia and China
courted Western and Arab
anger by vetoing two UN
Security Council resolutions
that would have blamed the
Assad regime for the violence.
But they have backed
Annan’ peace efforts and
voted in favour of Saturday’s
text approving the observer
mission. Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Muallem was
in Beijing yesterday for talks
with his counterpart Yang
Jiechi. —AFP
Spanish king apologizes
for elephant hunting trip
DAMASCUS: A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Moroccan advance team leader Colonel Ahmed Himmiche (C- left), a member of a UN monitors team tasked with monitoring the UN-backed ceasefire in
Syria, and two other UN monitors as they visit a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus yesterday.—AFP
Syria bids to reassure
UN over shaky truce
Violence, casualties still reported
Page 12
Page 10

8
INTERNATIONAL
Barred Islamist says Egypt
army wants to keep power
Mubarak’s former vice president also barred
CAIRO: A leader of Egypt’s Muslim
Brotherhood said yesterday his
removal from the presidential ballot
showed the army wanted to cling to
power, a charge that turns up the
heat between generals and
Islamists, who both say they back a
transition to democracy. Khairat al-
Shater, a wealthy businessman and
top official in the Brotherhood,
Egypt’s biggest Islamist group, had
been a frontrunner for next month’s
first round of voting - until the election
committee rejected his bid
over a criminal record he acquired
during political persecution under
Hosni Mubarak.
“The military council does not
have the serious intention to transfer
power,” he told a news conference
in Cairo, accusing the officers
who pushed out fellow general
Mubarak after street protests last
year of reneging on promises to
make way. “We must wake up,
because there is an attempt to
hijack the revolution.” The
Brotherhood, which built up a mass
following despite its suppression by
Mubarak’s security apparatus, has
already taken a dominant role in the
new parliament elected in
December, but it fears full power
might elude it if excluded from the
presidency.
A degree of accommodation
between the Islamists and their old
foes in the army in the immediate
aftermath of Mubarak’s fall dismayed
secular liberals and others
who had wanted faster and more
sweeping political change after the
revolution. That relationship has
frayed in recent weeks, although
there is little sign for now of a return
of the kind of street violence that
has blighted the transition at frequent
intervals. Shater’s remarks
point to a broader debate among
Egyptians about where real power
lies in the country run by a council
of army generals since Mubarak was
toppled in February last year and
just how much control the new
head of state will have.
The ruling army council has
vowed to hand power to civilians by
July 1, after two rounds of voting on
May 23-24 and June 16-17. But analysts
expect the military to wield
influence from behind the scenes
long after the formal transition and
many now see the army’s hands at
work in determining who will run.
The armed forces, which have essentially
run Egypt since the king was
toppled in 1952 and which also has
extensive and shadowy commercial
interests, insists it will oversee a free
and fair vote, hand over political
power, then return to barracks.
Shater’s bid for the presidency
began less than three weeks ago in
a surprise U-turn by the
Brotherhood, when it decided to
field a candidate. It ended almost
as abruptly with a decision by the
election committee that Shater
called a “crime”. He has called for a
demonstration on Friday against
the decision. Shater’s ejection,
along with disqualifications of a
popular ultra-conservative Islamist
and Mubarak’s former spy chief,
have turned the spotlight back on
Amr Moussa, an ex-foreign minister,
and moderate Islamist Abdel
Moneim Abol Fotouh, who campaigned
longer than others but
who were being overshadowed in
CAIRO: Followers of Egyptian Muslim cleric and a former candidate for the Egyptian presidency
Hazem Abu Ismail protest the disqualification of their leader outside the Presidential Election
Committee in Cairo, Egypt yesterday. —AP
the race. The Brotherhood has
been forced to field its reserve
presidential candidate, Mohamed
Mursi, who is head of a political
party set up by the movement following
the removal of a Mubarakera
ban on its participation in
Egyptian politics. He, however, has
much less of a popular profile than
Shater.
As well as being a businessman,
Shater was a political heavyweight
in the Brotherhood and spent years
in jail, often drawing up strategy
from his cell. He was freed shortly
after Mubarak was ousted, but the
committee said his name had not
been cleared, a prerequisite to run,
despite a military pardon. Mursi
was then nominated for election as
the group’s fears mounted that
Shater would be pushed out. But
Mursi, a 60-year-old engineer, lacks
the political clout of Shater and
may struggle to make such a big
impression on the race, despite
having the Brotherhood’s potent
grassroots network behind him. “Is
this the man that never smiles?
Why would I vote for someone I’ve
never heard of and who I know
nothing about?” Sobhy Ahmed, a
39-year-old Cairo security guard,
said about Mursi.
Omar Suleiman, Mubarak’s intelligence
chief and briefly at the end
his vice president, made a lastminute
announcement that he
would run. He was backed by some
Egyptians who saw him as a strongman
who could restore security
and by some who fear the rise of
Islamist politicians, who swept the
parliamentary vote. But Suleiman
also sparked a big protest last
Friday by those who said the former
general’s bid showed remnants
of Mubarak’s regime were seeking
to reverse the gains of uprising that
sought to end six decades of rule
by ex-military men like Mubarak.
Suleiman said in remarks published
by the state-run Al-Ahram
daily that he would respect the
decision of the committee.
Suleiman’s rival, Shater, had been
stressing his Islamist credentials on
his few days on the campaign trail,
striking a tone that could have galvanised
support from the ultraorthodox
Salafi movement which
also did well in the legislative election.
A Salafi preacher, Hazem Salah
Abu Ismail, had hoped that same
constituency would launch him
into the presidency. But he too is
now out of the vote, disqualified
because his late mother had
obtained a U.S. passport - something
he strongly denies.
The Brotherhood, which had
until lately not planned to field a
candidate at all, may not seek to
impose voting discipline and push
its members to back Mursi now that
its prime candidate is out. That
could benefit Abol Fotouh, who was
expelled from the movement last
year when he decided to launch his
own campaign. “He will get many
of the votes that were going to go
to Shater and Abu Ismail as many
will not be convinced by Mursi,
who has been away from the
Egyptian media in the last period,”
said Nabil Abdel Fattah, a political
scientist. —Reuters
Holocaust survivor finds
haven as Muslim in Israel
UMM AL-FAHM: For more than five decades,
Leila Jabarin hid her secret from her Muslim
children and grandchildren - that she was a
Jewish Holocaust survivor born in Auschwitz
concentration camp. Although her family
knew she was a Jewish convert, none of them
knew of her brutal past. It was only in the past
week that Jabarin, who was born Helen
Brashatsky, finally sat down and told them the
story of how she was born inside Auschwitz,
the most notorious symbol of Nazi Germany’s
wartime campaign of genocide against
Europe’s Jews.
In an interview with AFP to mark Holocaust
Memorial Day which began at sundown yesterday,
Jabarin, now 70, chuckles as she talks
about what to call her. Her Muslim name is
Leila, but in this Arab town in northern Israel
where she has lived for the past 52 years,
most people call her Umm Raja, Arabic for
“Raja’s mother” after her first-born son. Like
most Jewish children, she also has a Hebrew
name - Leah - but she just likes to be called
Helen. She was six when she came to live in
Mandate Palestine with her parents, just
months before the State of Israel was
declared in May 1948.
They arrived in a ship carrying Jewish immigrants
from the former Yugoslavia, which was
forced to anchor off the coast of Haifa for a
week due to a heavy British bombardment of
the northern port city, she says. Despite the
war which broke out as soon as the British
pulled out, it was a far cry from the savage reality
the family had witnessed inside Auschwitz,
says Jabarin who is dressed in a hijab and long
robes, but whose pale skin and blue eyes belie
her Eastern European parentage.
Her mother, who was from Hungary, and
her father, who was of Russian descent, were
living in Yugoslavia when they were sent to
the Auschwitz with their two young sons in
1941. “When they took them to Auschwitz,
she was pregnant with me, and when she
gave birth, the Christian doctor at Auschwitz
hid me in bath towels,” she says, explaining
how the doctor hid the family for three years
under the floor of his house inside the camp.
Her mother worked as a maid at the doctor’s
home, while her father was the gardener.
“They used to come back at night and sleep
UMM AL-FAHM: Helen Brashatsky, who converted to Islam after surviving the
Holocaust, poses for a photo with her Palestinian husband Ahmad Jabarin and their
grandchildren on Tuesday at their home in this Arab-Israeli city. —AFP
under the floor and my mother used to tell us
how the Nazis were killing children, but that
this doctor saved us,” she says, recalling how
her mother used to feed them on dry bread
soaked in hot water with salt. “I still remember
the black and white striped pyjamas and
remember terrible beatings in the camp. If I
was healthy enough, I would have gone back
to see it but I have already had four heart
attacks. It is scary and very, very difficult to
remember that place where so many people
suffered,” she admits, speaking in a mix of
Hebrew and accented Arabic. She also speaks
Hungarian, a little Yiddish and some Russian.
The family were finally freed when the
camp was liberated in 1945 and left for
Mandate Palestine three years later. At first,
the new immigrants were put in camps at
Atlit, some 20 km south of Haifa, but two years
later, they moved further south to Holon and
then to Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv. Ten years later,
when she was 17, Helen Brashatsky eloped
with a young Arab man called Ahmed Jabarin,
and they moved to live in Umm al-Fahm,
which caused a huge split with her family.
“She ran away with me and she was 17 when
we got married,” her husband says. “The Israeli
authorities used to come to Umm al-Fahm and
take her back to her family in Ramat Gan, then
she would come straight back here.”
Initially, her family did not speak to her
for two years, but later they were reconciled.
In the end, it was her mother who suggested
she convert to Islam when her eldest son
turned 18 and was asked to do his compulsory
military service. “My mother advised me
not to send my son to do military service
because if he did, my daughter would also
have to do it. She said I should convert to
Islam to save my daughter from serving in
the army because Muslims would not let a
girl live away from home on an army camp.”
So she converted. But she never told her
family the full extent of her history. “I hid my
pain for 52 years and the truth about my
past from my eight children and my 31
grandchildren. I hid the fact that I was born
in Auschwitz and what that painful past
means. I was just waiting for the right
moment to tell them.” The moment came
several days ago when a man turned up from
the Israeli social services and got talking to
her about her past, just days before the
annual ceremonies remembering the
Holocaust. “Whenever it is Holocaust
Memorial Day, I cry alone. There are no
words to describe the pain that I feel. How
can children eat dry bread soaked in water?
If this happened to my children, I don’t know
what would become of me.”
For her family, the revelation was a huge
shock - but it answered a lot of questions,
admits her 33-year-old son Nader Jabarin.
“Mum used to cry on Holocaust Memorial
Day watching all the ceremonies on Israeli
television. We never understood why. We all
used to get out of the way and leave her
alone in the house,” he told AFP. But by
telling her long-kept secret, it had brought
release to both her and her family, he said.
“We understand her a bit more now.” —AFP
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
HATAY: This photo taken yesterday shows an Antigua and Barbuda flagged
ship suspected of carrying weapons and ammunition to Syria through the
Mediterranean at the Iskenderun port in Hatay. —AFP
Turkey to search German
ship over Syria arms claim
ANKARA: Turkey will search a Germanowned
ship over allegations it is carrying
weapons to Syria, officials said yesterday.
The Atlantic Cruiser was halted in the
Mediterranean last week, after its owners
received information - allegedly from
Syrian government defectors - that it may
be carrying weapons. Neither the
German owner of the ship, W Bockstiegel
Reederei, nor a Ukrainian company that
chartered it had any indications it was
carrying any “weapons, munitions or military
equipment,” according to a statement
from the owner on Monday.
The owner of the ship said it had a
long-standing relationship with the
Ukrainian company and no problems in
the past. The contract also stipulates that
the ship only be used for “lawful cargo,”
Bockstiegel said. The shipping company
said yesterday that it had no comment
beyond the printed statement. A Turkish
foreign ministry official said yesterday the
Antigua & Barbuda-flagged ship was
towed to the Mediterranean port of
Iskenderun and will be searched after it
unloads some cargo for Turkey. The official
spoke anonymously in line with government
rules.
Turkey enforces an arms embargo
against Syria over its crackdown on a
popular uprising. The goods being carried
by the ship were loaded on board in
Mumbai, India, and were destined for
Syria, Turkey and Montenegro. A delivery
had already been made to Djibouti, but
nothing new was taken on board there,
the shipping company said. According to
the company’s records, the shipment for
Syria consisted of parts for a thermal
power station project. It did say, however,
that on April 13 it received an e-mail from
an organization calling itself the “Syrian
Revolution Naval Forces” claiming the
ship was carrying weapons for Syria.
Bockstiegel said it ordered the Atlantic
Cruiser to stop its journey after receiving
the email - which it said threatened that
the ship would be attacked if it tried to
dock in Syria. It said its manifest papers
indicate cables and pipes are the ship’s
main cargo, but that it won’t be able to
say for sure what is on it until it is
unloaded and inspected. It said the crew
only had access to what was on the deck
of the ship, and not all of the cargo.
The company said also it has remained
in close contact with the German government
on the matter, which is looking into
a possible breach of a European Union
arms embargo against Syria. “It goes
without saying that the company adheres
to the law closely,” Bockstiegel said in its
statement. “Naturally that also includes
the European Union’s weapons embargo
against Syria.” Syrian forces fired a barrage
of mortar shells at an opposition stronghold
yesterday even as the Syrian government
said it would respect a week-old
cease-fire and withdraw troops from
urban centers in line with an international
peace plan. —AP
GAZA STRIP: Palestinian men cross a main road as a sand storm envelops
the town of Rafah along the border with Egypt in southern Gaza Strip yesterday.
—AFP
ICC prosecutor in Libya
over case of Gaddafi son
TRIPOLI: The International Criminal Court’s
chief prosecutor pledged yesterday in
Tripoli to look into the cases of two captured
Libyans - a son of deposed ruler
Muammar Gaddafi and his notorious intelligence
chief. The Hague-based court is
locked in a legal tug-of-war with Libya’s ruling
National Transitional Council over who
should try Seif Al-Islam Gaddafi, once considered
his father’s heir apparent. He was
captured last year in Libya after a civil war
that toppled the Gaddafi regime.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo told The
Associated Press at Tripoli’s airport that he
would also follow up on the case of
Abdullah Al-Senoussi, Gaddafi ‘s spy chief,
who is accused of attacking civilians during
the uprising, as well as of complicity in the
1989 bombing of a French airliner.
Al-Senoussi was captured last month in
Mauritania, where the courts are reviewing
requests for his extradition from Libya and
France as well as the ICC. Since the end of
Libya’s civil war with the capture and killing
of Gaddafi last October, the new government
has struggled to extend its control
over the vast desert nation. It has largely
failed to rein in the hundreds of brigades
that fought in the war. They rule much of
the country in the absence of an effective
central government and military. The new
rulers are also struggling to build a judicial
system practically from scratch, raising concerns
about how it would be possible to try
Gaddafi ‘s son.
Earlier this month, a Libyan official said
Seif Al-Islam would be tried in Libya, and
there would be a verdict before mid-June.
The decision, announced by National
Transitional Council spokesman
Mohammed Al-Hareizi, was made despite
appeals by rights groups to Libyan authorities
to hand him over to the ICC, because of
fears that he may not get a fair trial in Libya.
Al-Hareizi said he would be tried for murder,
rape and corruption.
Seif Al-Islam had been held until now by
his captors, ex-rebels from the town of
Zintan, one of dozens of militias across the
country operating outside government
control. For months, the Zintan militia
refused to give him up to Tripoli’s officials.
Moreno-Ocampo arrived in Tripoli yesterday.
He said he would also travel to the
coastal city of Misrata to investigate allegations
of abuse in detention facilities run by
militiamen who fought Gaddafi ‘s forces.
In February, Amnesty International
accused militias of torturing detainees
deemed loyal to Gaddafi ‘s regime and driving
out residents of entire neighborhoods
and towns. “We want to know how Libya
will deal with war crimes, and how are they
investigating the crimes,” Moreno-Ocampo
told the AP. “Right now, we are focusing on
the rape crimes. The next investigation will
be decided after we see what the government
is planning to do.” The UN ‘s top
human rights official, along with Amnesty
International, have urged the Libyan government
to take control of all the makeshift
prisons to prevent further atrocities against
detainees. “There’s torture, extrajudicial executions,
rape of both men and women,” UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi
Pillay said on Jan 27. —AP

HAVANA: Cuba called yesterday on
Latin America and the Caribbean to
close ranks against US efforts to sow
divisions over America’s only communist-ruled
country. The Cuban statement
was the regime’s first official
reaction to a US rebuff of Latin
American efforts to invite Cuba to
attend the next summit of the
Americas. “In the face of attempts to
divide us and derail us that will come
again, (Latin America) needs to stay
united,” said the statement, which was
published on the front page of the
communist party daily Granma.
Latin American leaders who attended
the Summit of the Americas in
Cartagena, Colombia over the weekend
pressed the case for including
Cuba but consensus on the issue was
blocked by the United States and
Canada.
Discord over Cuba’s non-attendance
threatened to upend the gathering,
which ended Sunday with no formal
declaration and no signing ceremony.
The presidents of Bolivia and
Argentina left the meeting before it
INTERNATIONAL
Cuba calls on Latin Americans to close ranks against US
concluded Sunday, and the leaders of
Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua and
Haiti did not show up.
And various nations-including
those which also are members of the
ALBA bloc of nations founded in 2004
by Caracas and Havana-vowed not to
participate in another Summit of the
Americas without Cuba.
The bloc, which also called on the
United States to end its economic
embargo of the island, includes
Antigua, Barbados, Bolivia, Dominica,
Ecuador, Nicaragua, St. Vincent and
Secret service prostitution scandal
ricochets through Washington
11 Service agents, 10 military personnel under investigation
WASHINGTON: The Secret Service prostitution
scandal escalated Tuesday with the disclosure
that at least 20 women had been in
hotel rooms with US agents and military personnel
just before President Barack Obama
arrived for a summit with Latin American
leaders. The head of the Secret Service said he
had referred the matter to an independent
government investigator. Secret Service
Director Mark Sullivan, shuttling between
briefings for lawmakers on Capitol Hill, was
peppered with questions about whether the
women had access to sensitive information
that could have jeopardized Obama’s security.
Sullivan said the 11 Secret Service agents
and 10 military personnel under investigation
were telling different stories about who the
women were. Sullivan has dispatched more
investigators to Colombia to interview the
women, said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman
of the House Homeland Security Committee.
“Some are admitting (the women) were prostitutes,
others are saying they’re not, they’re
just women they met at the hotel bar,” King
said in a telephone interview. Sullivan said
none of the women, who had to surrender
their IDs at the hotel, were minors. “But prostitutes
or not, to be bringing a foreign national
back into a secure zone is a problem.”
King said it appeared the agency actually
had “really lucked out.” If the women were
working for a terrorist organization or other
anti-American group, King said, they could
have had access to information about the
president’s whereabouts or security protocols
while in the agents’ rooms. “This could have
been disastrous,” King said. The burgeoning
scandal has been a growing election-year
embarrassment for Obama, who has said he
would be angry if the allegations proved to be
true.
At the White House, Obama was asked at
the end of a Rose Garden event whether he
believed Sullivan should resign. The president
ignored the shouted inquiries; his spokesman
later Obama had confidence in the Secret
Service chief. “Director Sullivan acted quickly
in response to this incident and is overseeing
an investigation as we speak into the matter,”
White House press secretary Jay Carney said.
Last thursday, eleven Secret Service agents
were recalled to the US from Colombia and
placed on administrative leave after a night of
partying that allegedly ended with at least
some bringing prostitutes back to their hotel.
On Monday, the agency announced that it
also had revoked the agents’ security clearances.
At least 10 US military personnel staying at
the same hotel were also being investigated
for their role in the alleged misconduct. Two
US military officials said they include five
Army Green Berets. Both officials spoke on
condition of anonymity about an investigation
that is still under way. One of the officials
said the group also includes two Navy
Explosive Ordinance Disposal technicians, two
Marine dog handlers and an Air Force airman.
The Special Forces Green Berets were working
with Colombia’s counterterrorist teams, the
official said.
The agents and service members were in
Colombia setting up security ahead of
Obama’s three-day trip to the port city of
Cartagena for a summit attended by about 30
other world leaders. People briefed on the
incident said the agents brought women back
to Cartagena’s Hotel Caribe, where other
members of the US delegation and the White
House corps also were staying. Anyone visiting
the hotel overnight was required to leave
identification at the front desk and leave the
hotel by 7 a.m. When a woman failed to do so,
by this account, it raised questions among
hotel staff and police, who investigated. They
found the woman with the agent in a hotel
room and a dispute arose over whether the
agent should have paid her.
While the identities of those being investigated
have not been revealed, Maryland
Republican Senate candidate Daniel Bongino
told The Associated Press Tuesday that his
brother, an agent who was on duty in
Colombia, is “cooperating” with the investigation.
Bongino, a former agent himself, insisted
that his brother was not a target of the investigation.
The Secret Service has insisted that
Obama’s security was not undermined by the
incident, which happened before he arrived in
Colombia.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the ranking
Republican on the Homeland Security
Committee said Tuesday that “20 or 21 women
foreign nationals” were brought to the hotel.
Eleven of the Americans involved were Secret
Service, she said and “allegedly Marines were
involved with the rest.” In at least one of his
briefings with lawmakers, Sullivan said he was
calling on an inspector general to hold an
independent review. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-
Iowa, welcomed that news, saying an independent
review “should help the agency
regain some respect from the American taxpayers
and from people around the world.”
The Secret Service did not immediately
respond to a request for comment about
Grassley’s account. Meanwhile, a person familiar
with the agency’s operations said it was
unlikely the agents involved would have had
access to detailed presidential travel itineraries
or security plans. Those materials are often given
to agents only on the day they carry out
their assignments and are kept in secure locations,
not hotel rooms, the person said, speaking
on the condition of anonymity.
Danny Spriggs, a 28-year veteran of the
service and a former deputy director, said
there was no doubt that the agents had put
themselves in a compromising situation in
which security could have been affected. But
he said the incident did not reflect a systemic
problem. “I think we need to be careful not to
paint that incident and paint the agency with
a broad brush,” said Spriggs, now the vice president
of global security for the AP. “The vast
majority of the men and women of the Secret
Service conduct their duties with the utmost
professionalism.” — AP
NYC subway plotter says
Bombmaking ‘very simple’
NEW YORK: The admitted mastermind
of a foiled terror plot to attack
New York City subways testified yesterday
that Al-Qaeda trainers taught
him a “very simple” formula for making
explosives needed for suicide
bombs. After being recruited by the
terror network and taken to a compound
in the South Waziristan
region of Pakistan, Najibullah Zazi
said he learned how to mix chemicals
found in nail polish remover
and other products sold at beauty
supply stores.
“It was very simple and they’re
everywhere,” he said of the chemicals.
Zazi, 26, was testifying for a
second day at the trial of Adis
Medunjanin in federal court in
Brooklyn. Prosecutors allege that
Medunjanin, Zazi and another former
high school classmate from
Queens, Zarein Ahmedzay, formed a
terror cell that posed one of the
most ominous terror threats since
the Sept 11, 2001, attacks.
Zazi has testified that during
their 2008 trip to Pakistan, the three
Americans met a top Al-Qaeda
operative they knew only as Hamad.
Authorities say Hamad was Adnan
Shukrijumah, a Saudi still listed on
an FBI website as a fugitive who
COLUMBUS: Ohio yesterday executed
a man for fatally stabbing the 15year-old
son of his former employers
during a 1985 farmhouse burglary,
marking the state’s first execution in
six months. Forty-nine-year-old Mark
Wiles died by lethal injection, ending
an unofficial moratorium on the
death penalty that occurred while
the state and a federal judge wrangled
over Ohio’s lethal injection procedures.
Wiles, looking haggard with
a sparse, cropped gray beard and
shaven head, stared at witnesses for
a few moments when he entered the
plotted attacks for Al-Qaeda worldwide.
Hamad told the three that
they were best suited for an operation
on US soil. He also mulled over
potential targets with them, including
the New York Stock Exchange,
Times Square and an unspecified
DENVER: In this Sept. 17, 2009 file
photo, Najibullah Zazi, the admitted
mastermind of a foiled plot to
bomb New York City subways,
arrives at the offices of the FBI in
Denver for questioning. —AP
Walmart store, Zazi said.
The men ended up choosing the
subway because “it’s the heart of
everything in New York City,” Zazi
said yesterday. Medunjanin, 27, a
Bosnian-born Muslim and naturalized
US citizen, has pleaded not
guilty to conspiracy to use weapons
of mass destruction, providing
material support to a terrorist
organization and other charges. He
has denied he was ever part of an
Al-Qaeda operation.
Authorities have portrayed Zazi
as a homegrown terrorist who
orchestrated the 2009 scheme to
strap on suicide bomb vests and
detonate them inside Manhattan
subways. Both he and Ahmedzay
pleaded guilty in 2010 and were
jailed without bail after agreeing to
become government witnesses in a
bid for leniency. After leaving
Pakistan, Zazi relocated to the
Denver area, where he used beauty
supplies to try and cook up explosives
in a hotel room and set out for
New York around the time of the
eighth anniversary of the Sept 11
attacks. Once he suspected he was
under surveillance, he aborted the
mission and returned to Colorado,
where he was arrested. —AP
Ohio executes man who
fatally stabbed teen in 1985
death chamber. A few minutes later,
strapped to the gurney and IV lines
inserted into his arms, he raised his
head and looked at witnesses again.
He thanked his family for their
love and support and said he hoped
that “my dying will bring some solace
and closure to the Klima family and
their loved ones.” “The state of Ohio
should not be in the business of
killing its citizens,” Wiles concluded,
reading a statement that the warden
held over his head. “May God bless
us all that fall short.” Wiles’ stomach
rose and fell several times and his
head moved slightly, then his mouth
fell open and he lay still for several
minutes before he was pronounced
dead.
Wiles, who dropped his final
appeal last week, told the Ohio
Parole Board that he wasn’t sure he
deserved mercy but he was requesting
clemency because he had to.
Both the parole board and Gov. John
Kasich denied Wiles’ request. Wiles’
defense team had argued he should
be spared because he confessed to
the crime, showed remorse and had
a good prison record. — AP
the Grenadines. Haiti has observer status
within the ALBA. US President
Barack Obama said at the close of the
summit on Sunday that Cuba had not
yet moved to democracy or observed
basic human rights.
“I and the American people will welcome
the time when the Cuban people
have the freedom to live their lives,
choose their leaders, and fully participate
in this global economy and international
institutions,” Obama said. But
he added: “We haven’t gotten there
yet.” Cuba was expelled from the
MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s ex-president
Vicente Fox predicts a return to power in
July elections of the PRI party, whose 71year
hegemony he ended in 2000, saying
only a miracle can save his own PAN. The
outspoken former president has repeatedly
spoken of “evidence” of a victory for
Enrique Pena Nieto, from the centrist
Institutional Revolutionary Party, in the
July 1 contest for the presidency.
In a further blow to his party, Fox has
criticized a military crackdown on drug
gangs launched by his successor,
President Felipe Calderon, in 2006, which
has been accompanied by rising violence
blamed for more than 50,000 deaths. Fox
said recently that only a “miracle” could
save the candidate from their conservative
National Action Party (PAN), Josefina
Vazquez Mota, who suffered a string of
mishaps in early campaigning in the race
for the presidency.
In the latest survey by the Mitofsky
Institute, Vazquez Mota polled at 29 percent,
compared with 48 percent for the
PRI candidate. Leftist candidate Andre
Manuel Lopez Obrador was third with 23
percent. “My wishes accompany my party,
the PAN, with Josefina, but I’m a little
concerned about the situation we find
ourselves in, and I’m afraid we’ll end up
losing,” Fox told reporters last week.
“Only a miraculous idea, a true action
outside any kind of routine, can change
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Organization of American States in
1962 at the height of the Cold War.
The expulsion was rescinded in 2009,
but Cuba has refused to return to the
organization.
The Cuban statement reaffirmed
Havana’s refusal to return to the OAS,
calling the regional organization an
“unburied cadaver.” Colombian
President Juan Manuel Santos, the summit
host and a US ally, said the policy of
isolating Cuba was ineffective, adding,
“In today’s world, there is no justification
for this anachronism.” —AFP
MEXICO CITY: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (R) and Mexican President
Felipe Calderon arrive at the National Palace in Mexico City yesterday. Rajoy is now
in an oficial visit to Mexico after attending a meeting of the World Economic Forum
on Latin America in the Pacific resort of Puerto Vallarta, here in Mexico. —AFP
Mexico ex-prez doubts
own party in election
things.” Fox suggested a way out of the
“routine” in a vitriolic editorial published
in the El Universal daily in late March in
which he slammed the war on the cartels,
which has defined Calderon’s presidency.
“Has this war reduced drug use ...
murders and crimes ... human rights violations
... permitted access to fair trials ...
increased drug seizures?” asked Fox, who
supports the decriminalization of drugs.
After each question, he wrote: “The
answer is no.” The former president said
in a news conference on Tuesday that
“the challenge is to end the war and
achieve peace.” Analysts have pointed
out that Fox and Calderon have never
had good relations, particularly due to
Fox’s criticism of the anti-drug strategy.
“It’s not short-term. Fox has become the
main promoter of Pena Nieto outside
the PRI for more than a year,” said political
analyst Jose Antonio Crespo, from the
Center for Research and Economic
Teaching (CIDE). “He does it to get on
well with him and increase his chances of
impunity,” Crespo said. According to
Crespo, Fox aims to avoid legal problems,
due to various corruption allegations
against him, before a possible return of
the PRI to power.
The weekly Proceso news magazine
this week splashed a photograph of the
former president on its cover with the
headline: “Fox’s betrayal.” — AFP

BRUSSELS: The president of the
European Union’s executive
Commission yesterday slammed the
bloc’s 27 member states for not implementing
laws designed to boost
growth on the crisis-hit continent. “It is
incomprehensible that member states
are still not fully implementing
growth-friendly legislation we have in
place,” European Commission
President Jose Manuel Barroso told
the European Parliament in
Strasbourg, France.
The European Commission for years
has been pushing states to get rid of
administrative barriers that prevent
workers from taking jobs and companies
from offering services in other EU
countries. The EU’s internal market “is
probably the largest engine for
growth within the European Union,”
Barroso said. “It gives European business
unfettered access to other companies
and half a billion consumers
and allows them to develop the scale
to compete globally.”
INTERNATIONAL
EU slams governments for not enacting growth laws
HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe lights the flame of freedom at
a rally to mark the country’s 32nd independence anniversary yesterday in
Harare. —AFP
Zimbabwe prez: ‘Bury
violence in the past’
HARARE: Zimbabwe’s president said
yesterday that political violence must be
“buried in the past” to move the nation
toward free and unhindered elections. In
a rare departure from his usual fingerpointing
at opponents and critics,
President Robert Mugabe, addressing
celebrations marking 32 years of independence
yesterday, acknowledged violence
and intimidation have long blighted
campaigning. He said he asked politicians
vying for office to look back at how
“we have done wrong to our people”
through violence and “fighting among
ourselves.”
Mugabe’s party militants and loyalists
in the military and police have been
blamed for much of the violence and
political intimidation that has plagued
elections since 2000. “We must now take
absolute care and caution and ensure
the fights of yesterday are buried in the
past,” he said. Mugabe, 88, in a conciliatory
and often faltering address of 50 minutes
- less than his usual, fiery 90-minute
public speeches - said voters should be
allowed to join and freely vote for the
party of their choice.
“All fights, all struggles that were violent
should not be allowed,” he said.
Political party membership “should never
be forced. We organize ourselves on the
basis of freedom of choice, belonging to
a party of choice and freely voting for the
party of choice.” Mugabe’s party has frequently
been criticized for coercing electors
to support it and using emergency
food aid as a political weapon to garner
votes. Mugabe did not refer to latest
claims on his ailing health. He returned
Thursday from Singapore where he
received medical treatment last year.
Disputed and violence-ridden elections
in 2008 led to a power-sharing
coalition with former opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai, brokered by regional
mediators the following year. Mugabe
said Thursday he was pleased to see
Tsvangirai - now the prime minister - and
coalition leaders at the packed 60,000seat
Chinese-built stadium for the independence
day celebrations, parades and
sports. Tsvangirai’s Movement for
Democratic Change party had expressed
concern over the focus of Thursday’s celebrations
on Mugabe’s policies of black
empowerment and the proposed
seizures of 51 percent of foreign and
white-owned businesses.
Tsvangirai, in his anniversary message
Tuesday, described that theme as “repugnant”
and likely to again scare off muchneeded
investment. He said fighters who
died to end Britain’s colonial rule in 1980
“will only be proud of us if we bring back
the noise in our silent factories,” attract
investment and create jobs and economic
growth. Mugabe told crowds organizers
had asked not to wear party symbols
that all coalition partners had a responsibility
to guarantee peace and security so
as to safeguard future development
goals. “We also say to you that your
responsibility is not only to listen to us
but also to do what we bid you to do,” he
said to the attentive crowd. — AP
Spanish king apologizes
for elephant hunting trip
MADRID: In an unprecedented act of
royal contrition, Spain’s king apologized
yesterday for having gone elephanthunting
in Africa while everyday people
endure a severe economic crisis. “I am
very sorry. I made a mistake. It won’t happen
again,” the king said. Looking sheepish
and using crutches to walk, he spoke
as he left a Madrid hospital where he had
undergone surgery after breaking his hip
in a fall during the hunting trip to
Botswana.
The 74-year-old monarch had come
under scathing criticism this week after
he went on the expensive safari as both
Spain and its citizens struggled amid an
economic crisis that has worsened by
the day. The trip came to light when the
king fell and had to be rushed back to
Spain Friday. A royal palace official
denied news accounts that the monarch
left the country without telling the government.
The official said that on April 2,
in a routine weekly meeting with the
prime minister, the king told him that the
following Monday he would be in
Botswana.
Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-
Gallardon said Tuesday that Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy always knows
where the head of state is. The palace
official said the king made the trip as a
guest of unnamed hosts - so no taxpayer
money was spent. The official spoke on
condition of anonymity in line with royal
palace policy. Many Spaniards were
dumbfounded that the king could make
such an opulent journey - and, to boot,
one to hunt elephants even though he is
honorary president of the Spanish
branch of the World Wildlife Fund - while
everyday people brave a 23 percent
unemployment rate, a shrinking economy
and fears that the country will be the
next after Greece, Ireland and Portugal to
need a bailout.
For many, the trip made the king’s
recent comments about how he couldn’t
sleep at night thinking about the country’s
unemployed ring hollow. News of
the safari caused an uproar so loud it
eclipsed Spain’s economic crisis for a few
days. Members of most political parties
had urged the king to say he was sorry.
The palace official confirmed the apology
was unprecedented in the history of
Spain’s monarchy. The royal family has
been in the news a lot lately - and not for
the best reasons. — AP
MADRID: Spanish King Juan Carlos
leaves San Jose hospital yesterday in
Madrid where he was hospitalised after
breaking his hip on an African elephant
hunting trip, which provoked a scandal
at home. Spain’s King Juan Carlos,
patron of a wildlife charity, faced fire
for making an expensive hunting trip
to Botswana while his country struggles
with a recession. —AFP
The criticism comes as the
Commission approved a series of initiatives
to boost jobs and growth in
the crisis-hit bloc. However, many of
the proposals in the package have
been made before but have failed to
overcome resistance by governments
reluctant to give up national prerogatives.
The Commission’s proposals on
further opening up Europe’s service
sector could boost growth on the continent
by 1.5 percent, Barroso said. He
also said the EU should try to improve
OSLO: Norway’s prison terms are “pathetic,”
mass killer Anders Behring Breivik declared
yesterday in court, claiming the death penalty
or a full acquittal were the “only logical outcomes”
for his massacre of 77 people. The
right-wing fanatic said he doesn’t fear death
and that militant nationalists in Europe have a
lot to learn from Al-Qaeda, including their
methods and glorification of martyrdom.
“If I had feared death I would not have
dared to carry out this operation,” he said,
referring to his July 22 attacks - a bombing in
downtown Oslo that killed eight people and a
shooting massacre at a youth camp outside
the Norwegian capital that killed 69. Breivik’s
comments, on the third day of his terror trial,
came as he was pressed to give details on the
anti-Muslim militant group he claims to
belong to but which prosecutors say doesn’t
exist as he describes. Several unrelated groups
claim part of that “Knights Templar” name.
The 33-year-old Norwegian acknowledged
that his supposed crusader network is “not an
organization in a conventional sense” but
insisted that it is for real. “It is not in my interest
to shed light on details that could lead to
arrests,” he said refusing to comment on the
group’s alleged other members.
The issue is of key importance in determining
Breivik’s sanity, and whether he’s sent to
prison or compulsory psychiatric care for the
bomb-and-shooting massacre that shocked
Norway. If found sane, Breivik could face a
maximum 21-year prison sentence or an alternate
custody arrangement that would keep
him locked up as long as he is considered a
menace to society. If declared insane he would
be committed to psychiatric care for as long as
he’s considered ill. “I view 21 years in prison as
a pathetic sentence,” Breivik said. Asked by the
prosecutor if he would rather have received a
death penalty - which does not exist in current
Norwegian law - he said that made sense.
“I don’t wish for it but I would have respected
that decision,” he said. “There are only two
outcomes in this case that I had respected,
that that is the death penalty or acquittal.”
According to Amnesty International, the only
country in Europe that still applies the death
penalty is Belarus; two young men were executed
there last month. Norway abolished the
death penalty in peacetime in 1905 and for
war crimes in 1979. Breivik claims to have carried
out the attacks on behalf of the “Knights
Templar,” which he described in the 1,500page
compendium he posted online before
the attacks as a militant nationalist group
fighting a Muslim colonization of Europe.
Breivik said it exists but police just hadn’t
done a good enough job in uncovering it. The
group consists of “independent cells,” he
added, “and therefore in the long term will be
a leaderless organization.” Prosecutor Inga
its trade relations with non-European
countries, including the United States.
“The United States is our largest economic
partner,” Barroso said, adding
that trade between the EU and the US
was worth almost ?450 billion last year
and that they had invested more than
?1 trillion in each others’ economies.
“Any further gains, including
through reducing non-tariff barriers,
would be significant for both sides,”
Barroso said. “We are exploring ways in
which to broaden and deepen these
Bejer Engh pressed him about details on the
group, its members and its meetings. Breivik
claimed to have met a Serb “war hero” living in
exile during a trip to Liberia in 2002, but he
refused to identify him.
“What is it you’re getting at?” Breivik told
the prosecutor, then answered the question
himself, saying prosecutors want to “sow
doubt over whether the KT network exists.”
The main point of his defense is to avoid an
insanity ruling, which would deflate his political
arguments. One official psychiatric evaluation
found him psychotic and “delusional,”
while another found him mentally competent
to be sent to prison. Breivik also refused to
give details on what he claims was the founding
session of the “Knights Templar” in London
in 2002. He conceded, however, that he
embellished somewhat in the manifesto when
he described members at the founding session
as “brilliant political and military tacticians
of Europe.”
Breivik testified that he had used
“pompous” language and described them
instead as “people with great integrity.” Bejer
Engh challenged him on whether the meeting
had taken place at all. “Yes, there was a meeting
in London,” Breivik insisted. “It’s not something
you have made up?” Engh countered. “I
ties.” Talk of a free-trade agreement
between the EU and the US has been
around for many years, but has been
gaining more traction following the
failure of global trade talks under the
auspices of the World Trade
Organization.
Officials in Brussels have said that
they are actively exploring steps that
would free up trade between the
world’s two largest economic powers,
although they may fall short of a fullscale
free-trade agreement. — AP
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Breivik wants death
penalty or acquittal
Right-wing fanatic said he doesn’t fear death
Mali junta defends
arrests of politicians
BAMAKO: Regional mediators urged Mali’s junta leader yesterday
to release politicians and high-ranking officers from the country’s
ousted government who have been detained by soldiers. The
arrests have raised concerns about whether Capt. Amadou Sanogo
is in fact transferring powers to the new civilian interim government
as promised under an agreement reached with the regional
bloc ECOWAS.
Adama Bictogo, one of the ECOWAS mediators, said he hoped
some of the detainees would be released in the next 48 hours. “If
they have evidence against these people they should make this
known through the legal process,” Bictogo said. A number of senior
politicians and high-ranking officers in Mali’s security forces
were arrested on Monday night and Tuesday by the junta despite
the fact that junta leader has signed an agreement that is supposed
to return Mali to constitutional rule.
Many of those arrested have close ties with the ousted president
Amadou Toumani Toure. In a statement late Tuesday the junta
said that it carried out the arrests “on the strength of specific
information.” Ongoing police investigations will be handed over
very soon so that judicial cases can be opened, the statement said.
“The material he has, we can’t judge it, but according to Captain
Sanogo these are things which could jeopardize the security of
Mali,” Bictogo said.
A group of soldiers and middle-ranking officers overthrew the
government in Mali on March 21. The coup leaders said they
seized power because of the way the authorities were dealing
with an uprising in the north of Mali. Rebels from the Tuareg ethnic
group are seeking to create and independent state and
Islamist groups want to see the introduction of Sharia law in the
region.
After the coup the rebels took advantage of the disorder in the
country to force Malian government forces out of the three major
towns in the north, scoring a huge military victory. Just three
weeks after the coup, ECOWAS pressured coup leader Sanogo to
sign an accord that was supposed to move the country back to
civilian rule. An interim president was sworn in last week and on
Tuesday the president named a new prime minister, a former
NASA scientist and Microsoft’s former Africa chairman, Cheick
Modibo Diarra. — AP
haven’t made up anything. What is in the compendium
is correct,” he said. Later, he
answered with more nuance. “There is nothing
that is made up, but you have to see what is
written in a context. It is a glorification of certain
ideals,” Breivik said.
When asked about his faith, Breivik
described himself as “a militant Christian” but
OSLO: Self-confessed mass murderer and right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik (R)
stands next to his lawyer Geir Lippestad (2nd L), at the central court in Oslo, on the third
day of his trial yesterday. —AFP
added he was “not particularly religious.” He
said he was a member of Norway’s Lutheran
Church, but dismissed its leadership as “pacifist.”
Breivik’s defensive answers contrasted
with the assertive posture he took Tuesday
when he read a prepared statement to the
court, boasting that he had carried out the
most “spectacular” attack by a nationalist militant
since World War II.
His stance has angered victim support
groups. “I think what we are watching is the
revelation of a sort of fantasy or a dream,”
said Christin Bjelland, deputy head of a support
group for survivors of the July 22 massacre.
Breivik said his victims - mostly
teenagers at a ruling Labor Party youth camp
- were not innocent but legitimate targets
because they were representatives of a “multiculturalist”
regime he claims is deconstructing
Norway’s national identity by allowing
immigration. —AP
US warns sect may bomb
hotels in Nigerian capital
LAGOS: The US warned its citizens yesterday that a radical Islamist
sect may attack hotels frequented by foreigners in Nigeria’s capital, the
second time it has advised such an assault is possible in the widening
sectarian fight in the West African nation. The warning offered no
specifics about the threat posed by the sect known as Boko Haram,
only saying that the Nigerian government was aware and taking precautions
to stop such an assault. The United Kingdom also issued an
advisory to its citizens yesterday noting the US message, saying its
“existing travel advice is consistent with this warning.”
Deb MacLean, a spokeswoman with the US Embassy, said she could
not offer any other information about the warning. However, she said
US officials spoke with the Nigerian government before issuing the
alert. A similar alert issued in November angered Nigerian officials.
Early yesterday morning, an Associated Press journalist in Abuja only
saw private security guards checking cars at the major hotels in the
capital. Most opened the trunks of cars and looked at vehicles’ undercarriages
with mirrors on telescoping poles. However, at the Sheraton,
private guards appeared to be using a hand-held explosive detector
when walking around vehicles.
The National Assembly also appeared to have more police officers
guarding it yesterday morning. The US issued a similar warning in
November after Boko Haram launched an attack in the northeastern
state of Yobe that killed more than 100 people. That warning specifically
mentioned the capital’s Hilton, Nicon Luxury and Sheraton hotels.
With popular restaurants and bars, the hotels draw diplomats, politicians
and even reformed oil delta militants.
It wouldn’t be the first time Abuja saw itself targeted by Boko
Haram, which has waged an increasingly bloody sectarian fight
against Nigeria’s weak central government. A suicide bomber claimed
by Boko Haram attacked the United Nations headquarters in Abuja in
August, killing 25 people and wounding more than 100 others.
Another Boko Haram bomber targeted the federal police headquarters
in June.
Still, most attacks have targeted Nigeria’s arid and impoverished
north, so any strike against hotels in Abuja would be an escalation that
shows the group’s ability to strike at will, even against foreigners and
its elite. Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is sacrilege”
in the Hausa language of Nigeria’s north, is blamed for killing
more than 430 people this year alone in Nigeria. — AP

12
international
Angry North Korea threatens
retaliation, nuclear test expected
China calls for dialogue for peace
SEOUL: A bristling North Korea
said yesterday it was ready to
retaliate in the face of international
condemnation over its
failed rocket launch, increasing
the likelihood the hermit state
will push ahead with a third
nuclear test. The North also
ditched an agreement to allow
back inspectors from the
International Atomic Energy
Agency. That followed a US decision,
in response to a rocket
launch the United States says was
a disguised long-range missile
test, to break off a deal earlier this
year to provide the impoverished
state with food aid.
Pyongyang called the US
move a hostile act and said it was
no longer bound to stick to its
side of the Feb. 29 agreement,
dashing any hopes that new
leader Kim Jong-un would soften
a foreign policy that has for years
been based on the threat of an
atomic arsenal to leverage concessions
out of regional powers.
“We have thus become able to
take necessary retaliatory measures,
free from the agreement,”
the official KCNA news agency
said, without specifying what
actions it might take. Many analysts
expect that with its third
test, North Korea will for the first
time try a nuclear device using
highly enriched uranium, something
it was long suspected of
developing but which it only
publicly admitted to about two
years ago.
“If it conducts a nuclear test, it
will be uranium rather than plutonium
because North Korea would
want to use the test as a big global
advertisement for its newer,
bigger nuclear capabilities,” said
Baek Seung-joo of the Seoulbased
Korea Institute for Defence
Analysis. Defence experts say that
by successfully enriching uranium,
to make bombs of the type
dropped on Hiroshima nearly 70
years ago, the North would be
able to significantly build it up
stocks of weapons-grade nuclear
material. It would also allow it
more easily to manufacture a
nuclear warhead to mount on a
long-range missile.
The latest international outcry
against Pyongyang followed last
week’s rocket launch, which the
United States and others said was
in reality the test of a long range
missile with the potential to reach
the US mainland. China, the
North’s main economic and diplomatic
backer, called for “dialogue
and communication” and continued
engagement with the
International Atomic Energy
Agency inspectors. North Korea
has insisted that the rocket
launch, which in a rare public
admission it said failed, was
meant to put a satellite into orbit
as part of celebrations to mark
the 100th birthday of former
president Kim Il-sung, whose
family has ruled the autocratic
state since it was founded after
World War Two. Kim died in 1994.
The peninsula has been divided
PYONGYANG: North Koreans sing at a picnic gathering at a park in Pyongyang yesterday, a
national holiday celebrating the birthday period of the late leader Kim Il Sung. —AP
More photos
revealed of troops
posing with corpses
WASHINGTON: In another embarrassment to the Pentagon,
newly published photographs purport to show US troops
posing with the bodies of dead insurgents in Afghanistan. Top
US military and civilian officials rushed to condemn the soldiers’
actions yesterday, calling them repugnant and a dishonor
to others who have served in the conflict. The Army said an
investigation is under way.
The photos were published in yesterday’s Los Angeles
Times. It said one of the photos shows members of the 82nd
Airborne Division posing in 2010 with Afghan police and the
severed legs of a suicide bomber. The same platoon a few
months later was sent to investigate the remains of three
insurgents reported to have accidentally blown themselves
up - and soldiers again posed and mugged for photographs
with the remains, the newspaper said. A photo from that incident
appears to show the hand of a dead insurgent resting on
a US soldier’s shoulder as the shoulder smiles.
The photos are the latest in a series of blows to the US military
image in Afghanistan. In January, US Marines were
found to have made a video of them urinating on Afghan
corpses. In February, what the military said was the accidental
burning of Qurans triggered violent protests and revenge
killings of six Americans. And last month, a US soldier left his
base and allegedly killed 17 civilian villagers, mainly women
and children.
The Times said that a soldier provided the newspaper with
a series of 18 photos of soldiers posing with corpses. The soldier
served in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne’s 4th
Brigade Combat Team and said the photos point to a breakdown
in leadership and discipline that he believed compromised
the safety of the troops, the newspaper reported.
Even before the photos were published online, Pentagon
press secretary George Little said Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta “rejects the conduct depicted in these 2-year-old photographs.”
“Anyone found responsible for this inhuman conduct
will be held accountable in accordance with our military
justice system,” Little said. The US commander of NATO forces
in Afghanistan, U.S Marine Gen. John R. Allen, also criticized
the troops. He said there is a strict policy for the handling of
enemy remains and it dictates they be processed as humanely
as possible.
“The incident depicted in the LA Times’ photographs represents
a serious error in judgment by several soldiers who
have acted out of ignorance and unfamiliarity with US Army
values,” Allen said, adding that commanders “will collaborate
with Afghan authorities and carefully examine the facts and
circumstances shown in these photos.”
A statement by US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan C.
Crocker also condemned the behavior. “Such actions are
morally repugnant, dishonor the sacrifices of hundreds of
thousands of US soldiers and civilians who have served with
distinction in Afghanistan, and do not represent the core values
of the United States or our military,” Crocker said. Little
said the military had asked the Los Angeles Times not to publish
the photographs. “The danger is that this material could
be used by the enemy to incite violence against US and
Afghan service members in Afghanistan,” he said. —AP
ever since with the two Koreas
yet to sign a formal peace treaty
to end the 1950-53 Korean War.
Recent satellite images have
showed that the North has
pushed ahead with work at a
facility where it conducted previous
nuclear tests. While the
nuclear tests have successfully
alarmed its neighbours, including
China, they also showcase
the North’s technological skills
which helps impress a hardline
military at home and buyers of
North Korean weapons, one of its
few viable exports. The North has
long argued that in the face of a
hostile United States, which has
military bases in South Korea and
Japan, it needs a nuclear arsenal
to defend itself. “The new young
leadership of North Korea has a
very stark choice; they need to
take a hard look at their polices,
stop the provocative action,” US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
said at a news conference in
Brazil’s capital.
The Swiss-educated Kim Jongun,
who is in his late 20s, rose to
power after the death of his
father, Kim Jong-il, last
December. The country’s propaganda
machine has since made
much of his physical likeness to
his revered grandfather, the first
leader and now North Korea’s
“eternal president”. But hopes
that the young Kim could prove
to be a reformer have faded fast.
In his first public speech on
Sunday, the chubby leader made
clear that he would stick to the
pro-military policies of his father
that helped push the country
into a devastating famine in the
1990s.
Kim is surrounded by the
same coterie of generals that
advised his father and he oversaw
Sunday’s mass military
parade. He urged his people and
1.2 million strong armed forces
to “move forward to final victory”
as he lauded his grandfather’s
and father’s achievements in
building the country’s military.
Siegfried Hecker, a US nuclear
expert who in 2010 saw a uranium
enrichment facility in North
Korea, believes the state has 24-
42 kg (53 to 95 pounds) of plutonium,
enough for four to eight
bombs.
Production of plutonium at its
Yongbyon reprocessing plant has
been halted since 2009 and producing
highly enriched uranium
would simultaneously allow
Pyongyang to push ahead with
its nuclear power program and
augment its small plutonium
stocks that could be used for
weapons, Hecker says. “I believe
North Korean scientists and engineers
have been working to
design miniaturised warheads for
years, but they will need to test
to demonstrate that the design
works: no nuclear test, no confidence,”
Hecker said in a paper
last week. “Unlike the claim that
Pyongyang can make that its
space launch is purely for civilian
purposes, there is no such civilian
cover for a nuclear test. It is purely
for military reasons.” —Reuters
News
in brief
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
BEIJING: A Chinese girl holds a small Chinese flag at the Meridian Gate in the
Forbidden City in Beijing, China yesterday. —AP
BEIJING: China said yesterday that the
Philippines is violating maritime law by
claiming a shoal in the South China Sea
and dismissed Manila’s request to take
the dispute to an international court.
“We believe it runs counter to historical
facts and violates the law,” said Liu
Weimin, a spokesman for the Foreign
Ministry. Philippine navy and Chinese
maritime patrol vessels engaged in a
standoff last week over a fishing incident
near the Scarborough shoal in the South
China Sea, an area both sides claim as
sovereign territory.
Liu said China had “lodged solemn
representations” with the Philippines
and that Fu Ying, a vice foreign minister,
had called in the Philippine envoy yesterday
over the issue. The Philippines
plans to seek resolution in an international
court, arguing that the shoal is
well within the country’s 370-kilometer
(230-mile) exclusive economic zone that
is recognized under the UN Convention
on the Law of the Sea.
Liu said the Philippines is violating
international law by using the UN convention
to call into question sovereignty
over the territory, known as Huangyan
island in Chinese. “China has sufficient
legal evidence for its jurisdiction over
the Huangyan island. China was the earliest
to discover and name the island,
and has included it on maps and exercised
its sovereignty over it ever since,”
Liu said. Liu said that the Philippines
never objected to China’s territorial control
of the shoal before 1997 and that its
claim now is “completely baseless.”
A Philippine government statement
yesterday contradicted Liu’s remarks,
saying it has effectively occupied and
exercised jurisdiction over the shoal -
Laden family deportation hits snag
ISLAMABAD: Osama bin Laden’s
three widows and their nine children
are expected to be deported
from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia yesterday,
after their scheduled departure
the previous day was delayed
for bureaucratic reasons, their
lawyer said. The family was
detained by Pakistani authorities
last May after US Navy SEALs raided
the compound in northwest
Pakistan where the Al-Qaeda chief
was hiding and killed him. The
American commandos left bin
Laden’s relatives behind but took
his body, which they later buried at
sea.
Pakistan interrogated the family
members and eventually charged
the widows and two adult daughters
last month with illegally entering
and living in the country. The
five women were convicted at the
beginning of April and sentenced
to 45 days in prison, with credit for
about a month served. Their prison
term, which was spent at a wellguarded
house in Islamabad, ended
Tuesday. They were scheduled to
be deported to Saudi Arabia
around midnight but were held up
for bureaucratic reasons, said their
lawyer, Mohammad Amir Khalil.
The five women also had outstanding
fines of about $110 each,
which had not been fully paid. This
has now been done, said Khalil.
Also, the brother of bin Laden’s
Yemeni wife Amal Ahmed Abdel-
Fatah al-Sada was not in possession
of his passport when they tried to
leave Tuesday because it was being
held by a Pakistani court, said
Khalil. Zakaria al-Sada traveled to
Pakistan from Yemen to campaign
ISLAMABAD: Zakarya Ahmad Abd Al-Fattah, the Yemeni brother of
bin Laden’s youngest wife, Amal Abdulfattah, arrives at the house
where family members of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden are
believed to be held in Islamabad yesterday. —AFP
for his sister’s release. The two other
widows are from Saudi Arabia.
Khalil said Zakaria al-Sada’s passport
was expected to be released in
time for them to leave for Saudi
Arabia yesterday.
It was unclear why al-Sada was
not being sent to Yemen. Khalil
said earlier that the Yemeni government
had consented to her return,
and her brother had said the government
had issued her five children
passports. Pakistani officials
have said very little publicly about
the family, raising questions about
China rejects Manila claims
over South China shoal
why they were kept in detention
for so long. Some speculated
Pakistan was worried information
from the widows would point to
some level of official assistance in
hiding bin Laden. The compound
in the town of Abbottabad where
he lived for six years and was killed
by US commandos was about a
kilometer (half a mile) from one of
Pakistan’s main military academies.
The Pakistani government has
denied knowing the terrorist
leader’s whereabouts, and the US
has said it has no evidence senior
Pakistani officials knew he was in
Abbottabad. But details leaked to
the media from the interrogation
of al-Sada, bin Laden’s youngest
wife, raised further questions about
how he was able to live in the
country unnoticed for so long. Al-
Sada said the Al-Qaeda chief lived
in five houses while on the run in
Pakistan for nine years and
fathered four children, two of
whom were born in Pakistani government
hospitals.
It’s also possible that one of the
reasons Pakistan kept bin Laden’s
family in detention for so long was
the difficulty of figuring out where
to send them. Saudi Arabia stripped
bin Laden of his citizenship in 1994
because of his verbal attacks
against the Saudi royal family, and
there have been questions about
whether the country would accept
the women. That issue seems to
have been resolved, though Saudi
officials have declined to comment.
The family’s departure could help
Pakistan close a painful chapter in
the country’s history. Pakistani officials
were outraged that the US
did not tell them about the operation
against bin Laden until after it
happened - a decision American
officials explained by saying they
were worried the information
would be leaked. In addition to
facing difficult questions about
how bin Laden was able to hide in
the country for so long, Pakistan’s
army suffered unusual domestic
criticism because it was unable to
stop the American raid from taking
place. —AP
which it calls Bajo de Masinloc, or
Panatag shoal - for decades. A map published
in 1734 showed the shoal was
part of the northwestern Philippine
province of Zambales, the government
said, adding that a Philippine flag and
lighthouse were erected on
Scarborough islets in 1965.
U.S. and Philippine warships engaged
in defense exercises at the shoal when
American forces maintained a naval base
in Zambales, the government said. The
shoal “is an integral part of the
Philippine territory” and Chinese vessels
in the area are committing “serious violation
of the Philippines’ sovereignty and
maritime jurisdiction,” it said. The shoal is
among numerous islands, reefs and
coral outcrops in the South China Sea
claimed by China, the Philippines and
other nations for their potential oil and
gas deposits, rich fishing grounds and
proximity to busy commercial sea lanes.
The controversy flared on April 10
when two Chinese ships prevented a
Philippine warship from arresting several
Chinese fishermen who were accused
of illegal entry and poaching. The fishermen
slipped away from the shoal over
the weekend, angering Philippine officials.
Manila lodged a protest with China
on Monday, accusing one of the Chinese
ships and an aircraft of harassing a
Philippine-registered yacht that was
conducting archaeological research in
the shoal.
Liu said tensions started to ease after
bilateral talks.”We hope that the
Philippines can stay with their commitment
and pull back their ships as soon
as possible, and resume peace and stability
in waters near the Huangyan
island,” Liu said. —AP
Maldives president calls
for early election in ‘13
COLOMBO: The Maldives president announced yesterday
that he will call for an early presidential election following a
contentious power transfer earlier this year, but the opposition
said the plan fell short of its demands. President
Mohammed Waheed Hassan said the election will be held in
July 2013, the earliest permitted by the constitution, according
to a statement from his office. The vote was originally
scheduled for late 2013. Hassan took over in February when
his predecessor, Mohamed Nasheed, resigned after weeks of
public protests and eroding support from the police and military.
Nasheed claimed he was forced to resign at gunpoint
and challenged Hassan to order early elections. Nasheed’s
opposition Maldivian Democratic Party insists that Hassan
must resign and call an election immediately, claiming his
ascendancy to power was illegal. “This is exactly what we did
not want,” Nasheed’s spokesman, Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, said
of yesterday’s announcement. “Why doesn’t he (Hassan) step
down and let the people decide?”
Teen rescued days after
factory collapse in India
JALANDHAR: Rescuers pulled a 15-year-old boy from a
massive heap of broken concrete yesterday morning, more
than 48 hours after the blanket factory he was working in
collapsed and killed at least six people in northern India. The
boy, who told rescuers his name was Sandeep, was carried
on a stretcher from the scene in Jalandhar, a town in Punjab
state, and taken to a nearby hospital. Workers continued
searching for more people buried when the three-story factory
buckled near midnight Sunday, while workers were
inside. Estimates for how many may still be trapped have
ranged from a dozen to more than 100. Six bodies have
been found and 60 people rescued, including three with
serious injuries, District Magistrate Priyank Bharti said. Many
of the factory’s workers were migrants from other Indian
states, including Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Sandeep said he was from Bihar.
Malaysia to change laws
to boost press freedom
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian legislators will soon debate a
plan by the ruling coalition to ease decades-old restrictions
on newspapers. The planned changes to the Printing
Presses and Publication Act are part of Prime Minister Najib
Razak’s pledge to improve civil liberties and media freedom.
Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop tabled the proposed
amendments in Parliament yesterday. They include
removing a requirement for newspapers and magazines to
renew their government-issued publication licenses each
year. Media activists nevertheless say the changes are insufficient
because the Home Ministry can still determine
whether a license is granted in the first place. Officials can
also revoke publication licenses, but the amendments allow
publishers to appeal such decisions in court. Parliament is
expected to approve the changes this month. —Agencies

Continued from Page 1
US Muslim tortured at FBI behest in UAE
Continued from Page 1
America relies on others to do its torture.” An aide to Oregon
congressman Earl Blumenauer told the AP that last June,
Blumenauer’s office had been contacted by Fikre’s wife and
lawyer after he vanished. The aide, Willie Smith, said State
Department officials confirmed to the congressman’s office that
Fikre was detained June 20 in the United Arab Emirates. A few
days later a US official went to the prison where Fikre was being
held, Smith said. According to Smith, US government officials
told Fikre’s wife that he “was fine and that he wasn’t being mistreated”.Fikre
said he moved to Sudan in late 2009 to pursue business
opportunities. A few months later, he was asked to contact
the US Embassy to discuss safety and security concerns for
Americans in the unstable country. He was met by two men who
identified themselves as FBI agents and asked questions about
the Portland mosque. Fikre says the agents told him he had been
placed on the federal no-fly list, and could only return to the US if
he agreed to become an informant, an offer he refused.
Barrak targets under-fire Shamali with...
Continued from Page 1
Barrak accused the finance minister of
defending those who committed financial
irregularities in state institutions. Barrak
had said that he will discuss the draft
grilling against Shamali with the majority
bloc on Sunday as the support of the bloc
is crucial for voting the minister out of
office. It was reported that the grilling will
be submitted by MPs Barrak,
Abdulrahman Al-Anjari and Falah Al-
Sawwagh, who will represent the Reform
and Development Bloc. Member of the
bloc MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei however
said the bloc has not yet decided on participating
in the grilling and will decide at
the meeting of the majority bloc. If the
In the ensuing weeks, the FBI met a relative of Fikre’s in
Portland and urged that person to encourage Fikre to cooperate
with authorities, he said. Fikre said he began to notice he was
being followed on the streets of Sudan, prompting him to leave
the country on June 15, 2010. Fikre then visited relatives in
Europe for three months and flew to the United Arab Emirates
after his European Union visa expired.
In a phone interview with The AP, Smith read what he said
was an email from the American Citizens Services bureau about
its contact with Fikre and with his family. “After contacting multiple
legal authorities in the UAE and the ministry of foreign affairs,
we finally got confirmation that he was being held by the state
security department. We were able to conduct a consular visit
today and have contacted his wife to update her,” the bureau
wrote to Blumenauer’s office. Fikre said the person who visited
him was a low-ranking embassy official. Fikre said he was
warned to say he was being treated well or “more torture would
take place.” He said the beatings and interrogation continued
until his September release. — AP
majority back the grilling, Shamali will be
forced to quit or he will be voted out of
office because the majority has more than
25 votes required to dismiss the minister.
The constitutional court meanwhile set
June 20 to issue its verdicts in more than
30 challenges in the results of the Feb 2
general elections. The petitions relate to
all the five constituencies.
NEWS
Clashes hit Bahrain F1 exhibit
Continued from Page 1
Meanwhile, a rights group said
yesterday Bahrain has arrested about
80 leading democracy activists in an
attempt to contain anti-government
protests ahead of the race. “About 80
people from several villages near (the
capital) Manama have been arrested
since April 14,” the president of the
Bahrain Youth Society for Human
Rights, Mohammed Maskati, told AFP,
adding that the “mass wave of arrests
is a preventive measure” by the
authorities. He said most of those
arrested are “protest leaders” that
have been organising near-daily
demonstrations against the government
in the kingdom’s Shiite villages.
Nearly 50 people have been killed
since Feb 2011 in violence between
security forces and protesters from
Bahrain’s Shiite majority, which seeks
to break the near monopoly on power
by the island nation’s Sunni monarchy.
Shiites account for about 70 percent
of Bahrain’s population, but
claim they face widespread discrimination
and are blocked from key
political or military posts. The Sunni
leaders have offered some reforms,
but the opposition says they fall short
of their demands.
“Down, down Formula One,” some
protesters shouted in the traditional
market area in Bahrain’s capital,
where displays set up for the F1 race
featured local handicrafts, food and
other items. The demonstrators also
shouted messages of support for a
jailed activist who has been on a
hunger strike for more than two
months. Some of the placards
accused the US - a close ally of
Bahrain’s leaders - of ignoring their
struggle while backing with other
reform movements in the Arab
Spring.
Washington has pressed Bahrain’s
rulers to open dialogue with opposition
groups, but has been careful not
to jeopardize its vital military ties
with Bahrain as home to the US
Navy’s 5th Fleet - one of the
Pentagon’s main counterweights to
Iran in the Gulf. At the exhibition, riot
police fired stun grenades and pepper
spray as hundreds of protesters
pressed close to the stalls and shops.
Visitors ran for safety, leaving shopping
bags and sandals on the road.
Many shopkeepers closed early -
another sign that unrest might mar
hopes the F1 race could help the
country’s hard-hit businesses. There
were no reports of injuries, but several
protesters were detained.
Earlier yesterday, dozens of people
confronted Bahrain’s crown prince
and shouted anti-government slogans
in a neighborhood that has
been an opposition stronghold during
the 14-month uprising. Salman
bin Hamad Al-Khalifa was not injured
in the outburst, but it carried powerful
symbolism because he is a key
backer of the Formula One race. The
crown prince was surrounded as he
left a funeral of a Shiite executive
who worked on one of his labor
reform projects. The ceremony was in
Sanabis, the site of frequent clashes
between security forces and Shiite
protesters seeking to break Sunni
dynasty’s tight grip on power.
Opposition figures outside the
political parties and who are
opposed to the race say they will
stage protests inside the F1 circuit if
they can, hoping to catch international
attention. They say they will
host daily events, including a march
in Manama today at a location to be
announced, culminating in a countrywide
“day of rage” on both Saturday
and Sunday. “They plan activities at
the track but they have not
announced what. For sure there will
be something,” said Sayed Yousif Al-
Muhafda of the Bahrain Centre for
Human Rights. “Boycott F1 in
Bahrain,” reads a graffiti message
daubed on a wall in a village outside
the capital, Manama, next to a painted
image of a red Ferrari race car.
“You will race on the blood of martyrs.”
In London, two activists were
arrested Tuesday after occupying the
roof of the Bahraini Embassy and
unfurling a banner bearing pictures
of Al-Khawaja, a prisoner on hunger
strike, and senior Shiite opposition
leader Hassan Mushaima. Both are
sentenced to life in prison. The protesters
have been identified the protesters
as Mushaima’s son, Ali, and
30-year-old Moosa Satrawi. Al-
Khawaja’s wife, Khadija Al-Musawi,
told AP that his family is concerned
about what she described as her husband’s
declining health. She said the
family will hold the government
responsible for his death in custody.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Palestinian Khader Adnan (center) is greeted by Palestinians during a celebration ceremony after his release from an Israeli jail in the West Bank village of Arrabeh, near Jenin, yesterday. Adnan,
a senior member of Islamic Jihad, who didn’t eat for 66 days, was freed as part of a deal reached with Israel. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel launched a hunger strike on Tuesday,
officials said, protesting their conditions and demanding an end to detentions without trial as the Palestinians marked their annual day of solidarity with the inmates. — AP
Wary UAE tightens screws on Islamists
Islamists in Libya have also strengthened their hand after
Muammar Gaddafi’s downfall.
These successes have energised Islamists in the UAE, a top oil
exporter whose relationship with political Islam is long and fractious.
Having staved off unrest at the height of the region’s turmoil,
the government is making sure dissent does not take root
on its soil. “The pressure on us is increasing,” said Mohammed al-
Siddiq, one of six members of Islamist group al-Islah (Reform)
who were stripped of their citizenship in December for committing
“acts threatening the national security of the UAE”. “They say
we represent the Muslim Brotherhood and we’ll do what they
did in Egypt, that we want to take power and grab seats and
rule,” said Siddiq. “That’s not true”.
Like other activists in the UAE, Islamists say all they want is
more civil rights and greater power for the Federal National
Council, a quasi-parliamentary body that has no legislative
authority. No one is openly questioning the UAE rulers’ right to
rule. But government officials reject the idea that what’s at stake
here is anything but political power - not religious freedom, civil
rights or democracy. They are keenly aware that Islamists are the
only group with any potential to rally serious opposition among
the wider population, analysts and diplomats say.
“Emiratis are very religious, and there are quite a few that do
sympathise with the Brotherhood and what they stand for,” said
a diplomatic source in Abu Dhabi. Earlier this month, Siddiq and
the five other Islah members were arrested for refusing to seek
alternative citizenship and put in jail, their lawyer said. “Islam has
a fundamental place in our society... But we cannot permit the
activities of those who would seek to use religion to create division
and dissension or to challenge the structures and policies of
our state,” said an Emirati source close to the government.
The government is not the only one who remains unconvinced.
“Let’s assume the Brotherhood just want an elected parliament,
not a change of rulers... the only organised group here
with one voice is the Muslim Brotherhood, so they will win 100
percent,” said Emirati columnist Ahmed Al-Amiri. “When you win,
will you leave the laws unchanged or will you proceed to amend
them according to your own vision?” His concerns were echoed
by Dubai’s outspoken police chief Dhahi Khalfan, who warned
that the Muslim Brotherhood was plotting to take over all Gulf
states by 2016. UAE Islamists dismiss the accusations as fearmongering
by the security services to turn Emiratis against
them. “I think this Brotherhood bogeyman is more a tool used by
the security apparatus to intimidate people than it is a popular
in the
news
Gulf assets forecast
to top $1.9tn in ‘12
KUWAIT: Net foreign assets held by energy-rich Gulf
states are forecast to soar to $1.9 trillion in 2012 as a
result of high oil prices, the Institute of International
Finance said yesterday. The figure represents a 19-percent
rise from estimates of $1.6 trillion at the end of last
year for the value of assets held, the IIF said in a report.
OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia topped the list of net foreign
assets with $613 billion last year, closely followed
by the UAE with $503 billion, Kuwait with $396 billion
and Qatar with $59 billion. The assets are forecast to
grow to $2.14 trillion at the end of 2013. The GCC members
are also forecast to post a record oil income of
$572 billion this year from $538 billion in 2011. The oildependent
economies grew by a healthy 6.9 percent in
2011 but are expected to slow to 4.9 percent this year
and drop further to 4.2 percent in 2013, it said.
Combined nominal gross domestic product grew by 31
percent last year to hit $1.4 trillion and is forecast to rise
to $1.5 trillion at the end of this year, IIF said.
fear,” said Saleh Al-Dhufairi, the general manager of the Holy
Quran Foundation in the northern emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah,
where Islamists have a stronger presence than in UAE capital
Abu Dhabi or in the business hub, Dubai. Dhufairi was recently
detained for “provoking strife” after criticising the UAE’s state
security services on Twitter. Banned from preaching years ago,
he says he was forced into retirement and his sons cannot get
the security clearance they need to work in government ministries.
Generous subsidies and cradle-to-grave handouts have
helped shield the UAE from the revolutionary currents coursing
from North Africa to Bahrain. But analysts ask for how long this
will keep the tide at bay. UAE Islamists’ loyalty was put to the test
earlier this year, when Khalfan was in the eye of an unusually
public spat with the Egyptian Brotherhood. Sheikh Yousef Al-
Qaradawi, an Egyptian former Brotherhood member, rapped the
UAE for expelling around 30 Syrians who refused to disperse
after an unlicensed protest against President Bahsar al-Assad
outside their consulate in Dubai. He also denounced the decision
to revoke the six Islamists’ citizenship.
That provoked a swift response from Khalfan, who said the
cleric should not meddle in UAE affairs, suggesting the Muslim
Brotherhood was trying to sow discord in the UAE and that
Qaradawi could be held accountable for causing any unrest.
Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan said in
Egypt the group would act against the UAE if it tried to do anything
against Qaradawi, without giving specifics about what it
would do.
UAE Islamists were seen to have wasted a chance to demonstrate
allegiance to their country because they did not defend
Khalfan or denounce Ghozlan’s and Qaradawi’s comments.
“Their silence was an indication of the confusion of their loyalty,”
wrote columnist Mohammed Al-Hamadi in Al-Ittihad newspaper.
“The opportunity was there for the Emirati Muslim
Brotherhood to deny the spokesperson’s attack and prove loyalty
to the UAE, but unfortunately, the opportunity was not
seized.”
Faced with the sudden demise of former allies and rapid rise
of potentially hostile groups in its neighbourhood, the UAE,
whose livelihood relies on hosting expatriates from all over the
world in their millions, is walking a thin line. “What we don’t
want is conflict between nationalities, or religions or ideologies,
or people bringing here the political arguments or conflicts they
have in their countries of origin,” said the Emirati source close to
the government. “In a multinational country such as the UAE,
that would be a recipe for importing unrest.” — Reuters
Iran thanks Saudis
for sparing citizens
TEHRAN: Iran - a country slammed by international
rights groups for its state executions - yesterday welcomed
Saudi Arabia suspending death sentences
against several of its nationals convicted for drug trafficking.
Iran’s protests over the matter led to intervention
from Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal, media
reported, quoting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar
Salehi. “He (Faisal) exerted effort in this regard and the
next day he called back and said that, for the time
being, the execution of the Iranians has been suspended
and this is a good sign,” Salehi said, according to the
ISNA news agency. “I am announcing my thanks to
Saudi officials,” he said, according to the Mehr news
agency. Salehi said Saudi Arabia was considering an
offer to extradite the Iranian criminals to Iran instead.
In the ISNA report, Salehi added that “many” Iranians
were being held in Saudi prisons but did not give a
number.
Settlers force into home in Beit Hanina
Continued from Page 1
claims to have purchased the land during the 1930
was now being represented by the settlers. “Settlers
moving into Beit Hanina is a dangerous provocation.
We hope the government will not give its green light
to the creation of a new settlement in the middle of
this Palestinian neighbourhood of east Jerusalem.”
Itay Epshtain, co-director of the Israeli Committee
Against House Demolitions, said regardless of the
legal dispute over ownership of the house, its possession
by Israelis was illegal. “No matter what the merits
of the case, Beit Hanina is illegally annexed,” he told
Saudis might soon set
minimum marriage age
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is edging closer to setting a minimum
age for marriage, a Justice Ministry official was quoted
as saying yesterday, following international criticism of cases
of child brides. “The ministry has adopted a clear stance on
under-age marriages and the issue was raised to the regulators,”
Mohammed Al-Babetein, head of the Justice Ministry’s
marriages department, was quoted as saying in the daily Al-
Madina newspaper. “It supports setting unified regulations
to deal with such practices, which will ensure the safety of
young girls,” he said. Babetein said the ministry was still in
discussions over what age the limit should be set at. Human
rights organisation Amnesty International said the Saudi
government had been saying for several years that it
planned to introduce a minimum age for marriage. “But until
we see actual legislation and how it’s implemented, rather
than merely fine words, we will continue to have serious
concerns about lack of protection for girls from early and
forced marriage,” said James Lynch, Amnesty’s Middle East
spokesman.
AFP. “Israel has no authority to forcefully evict or
demolish houses. Forcefully evicting people is a war
crime.”
Israel captured east Jerusalem, the West Bank and
Gaza Strip, and the Syrian Golan Heights during the
1967 Six-Day War. It considers all of Jerusalem its “eternal,
undivided” capital and does not see construction
in the eastern sector as settlement building. But the
Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their
promised state, and furiously denounce any move by
Israel to buy or build property there. The international
community considers all Israeli settlement on occupied
land to be illegal under international law. — AFP
In addition to refusing food for more
than two months, Khadija said her
husband is now also refusing IV drips
and water. “I am really worried about
him,” she said in a phone interview
yesterday. “The government wants
my husband dead.”
She also accused Formula One
supremo Bernie Ecclestone of ignoring
her husband’s plight. Pausing
occasionally to wipe away tears and
gather composure, Khadija told
Reuters in an interview in her apartment
outside Manama that she supported
Bahrain having the race.
However, she said the 81-year-old F1
boss had missed a chance to do
something to help her husband. “I am
not angry with the government...it’s
their future at stake. What makes me
angry is people like Ecclestone who
decides to come to Bahrain because
he thinks everyone is happy,” said
Khadija, one of whose daughters was
at a large protest in Manama later in
the evening. “I can assure you that I
am not happy. My family is not happy.”
The grand prix has been presented
by the country’s rulers as a force to
unify the nation, with the slogan
“UniF1ed, one nation in celebration”
to be seen on banners and hoardings
around Manama. Chequered flags
alternate with the red and white of
Bahrain on roundabouts and junctions.
On the surface, daily life
appears normal with a low-key police
presence even on the approach
roads to the Sakhir circuit.
“I think Formula One is a great
thing to happen to Bahrain,” she said.
“It makes Bahrain very well known
throughout the world and this makes
us happy...my daughter Maryam was
one of the people who always insisted
on going to the race. But I think at
the same time, Formula One should
help Bahraini people to get their
rights. I know they would say this is
not our job, we are only car racers.
Yes. You are car racers with democracy
in your countries and with freedom,”
she added. “I think if Ecclestone
had said that he would come if
Abdulhadi is freed - he knows about
him. He knows about his hunger
strike - I think there would have been
a chance that he would be free. But
ignoring the matter completely while
the whole world is talking about this,
it makes me sad.” — Agencies
Sri Lankan held for
‘witchcraft’ in Jeddah
JEDDAH: A Sri Lankan woman has been arrested on
suspicion of casting a spell on a 13-year-old girl during
a Saudi family’s shopping trip, a police spokesman said
yesterday, and may face death in a country where convicted
sorcerers are beheaded. The spokesman, Mesfir
Al-Juayed, confirmed that details of the woman’s arrest
published in local media were correct. The daily Okaz
reported that a Saudi man had complained his daughter
had “suddenly started acting in an abnormal way,
and that happened after she came close to the Sri
Lankan woman” in a large shopping mall in the port
city of Jeddah. “He reported her to the security forces,
asking for her arrest and the specialised units dealt
with the situation swiftly and succeeded in arresting
her,” Okaz reported yesterday. “The punishment is
always beheading for anyone found guilty of witchcraft,”
a Saudi lawyer and human rights activist, Waleed
Abu Al-Khair, told Reuters.

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Issues
Suu Kyi trip
shows faith
in reform
A ung
By Kelly Macnamara
San Suu Kyi’s plans to travel abroad are the
clearest sign yet of her trust in Myanmar
reforms after more than two decades of house
arrest and personal sacrifice, analysts said yesterday.
Suu Kyi, who became an icon for the nation’s struggle
against dictatorship, refused to leave Myanmar even
when the junta denied her dying husband a visa to
visit her, because she feared she would never be
allowed to return. But the Nobel laureate - now an
elected politician - has begun preparations to travel
to Norway and Britain, her party said, adding that the
tour could include other countries. Experts said the
move is a sign of her faith in the sustainability of
sweeping reforms under a new regime.
“Clearly this reflects a vote of confidence that she
will be allowed back in,” said Michael Montesano, of
the Institute for South East Asian Studies in
Singapore. “This trip is one more useful indicator of
the progress we have seen Myanmar go through
when we consider the fact that the people who run
the country would have been thrilled at any point
over the past 24 years to see her leaving because they
would not let her back in.”
Suu Kyi burst onto the Myanmar political scene in
1988 during a visit from Britain, where she was then
living, that coincided with a failed student uprising
against the former junta. The generals ordered her
first period of house arrest in 1989 and she spent 15
of the past 22 years locked up in her crumbling
Yangon mansion. She was released from her most
recent period of detention in 2010, days after a general
election, which was marred by claims of cheating
and the absence of her party and saw the military
and its political proxies claim an overwhelming victory.
But the new government under President Thein
Sein, a former junta prime minister, has initiated a
series of dramatic reforms culminating in a win for
Suu Kyi and her party in April 1 by-elections hailed by
the international community. On a visit to Myanmar
last week, Prime Minister David Cameron invited Suu
Kyi for a June visit to Britain, the country where she
settled with her husband Michael Aris after studying
at Oxford University. “Two years ago I would have said
thank you for the invitation, but sorry. But now I’m
able to say perhaps, and that is great progress,” Suu
Kyi told Cameron in a meeting that also saw her give
her first endorsement for the suspension of tough
Western sanction against Myanmar.
Thailand-based Myanmar expert Aung Naing Oo,
of the Vahu Development Institute, said that the
democracy icon appeared “very confident” in the
political process. “By June she will probably know
where she will stand when it comes to the politics,
she will be by then in parliament,” he told AFP. “I think
the government of Myanmar and the Myanmar people
will benefit from this overseas travel... she can
easily show that things have improved inside
Myanmar and it is time for the international community
to start engaging.”
Suu Kyi’s life story is closely entwined with the fate
of her impoverished homeland and her stellar rise
into the political mainstream comes as Myanmar
begins to shed its pariah status. The daughter of
Myanmar’s independence hero General Aung San left
her homeland as a child and studied in Britain before
marrying British academic Aris and having two sons.
Aris died in 1999, and in the final stages of his battle
with cancer the junta denied him a visa to see his
wife, while Suu Kyi refused to leave Myanmar to visit
him, certain she would not be allowed to go back.
Former Australian ambassador to Myanmar Trevor
Wilson said Suu Kyi’s decision to leave the country
showed that “things are becoming more normal”. “She
can travel, go back home and continue her political
activities, it’s the way it should be,” he told AFP. Asked
whether he thought Suu Kyi had any reason to fear
she would not be allowed to return to Myanmar once
she went overseas, he said: “I’m quite sure she wouldn’t
be going if that was the case.” — AFP
All articles appearing on these pages
are the personal opinion of the writers.
Kuwait Times takes no responsibility
for views expressed therein. Kuwait
Times invites readers to voice their
opinions. Please send submissions via
email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or
via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat,
Kuwait. The editor reserves the right
to edit any submission as necessary.
By Yeganeh Torbati
F our
Iranians gather for a cozy dinner party, cracking
jokes in Persian over a traditional meal of saffron
rice and stew. It’s a tableau that could be
straight out of Tehran. But instead it’s a scene from a
reality television show shot in Europe and broadcast by
satellite from studios in southwest London. With light
fare like “Befarmaeed Sham,” (“Welcome to Dinner” in
Persian), the Iranian answer to the UK cooking show
“Come Dine With Me”, family-owned channel Manoto 1
has struck a chord inside Iran, gaining what is likely to
be millions of fans since launching in 2010. In the
process, it has also irked Iran’s Islamic government.
“Manoto is closer to us than other channels culturally,
and their shows are more fun,” said Mohamad, 25, of
Esfahan, who answered questions over the Internet. “It’s
like we are watching ourselves on television. Even their
presenters are people who seem similar to us.”
Satellite dishes are illegal in Iran, and the government
periodically cracks down on owners and scrambles
content from Western channels. Still, the dishes are
sold and installed widely on the black market. About 40
percent of Iranians watch satellite programmes broadcast
from outside the country, according to a 2010 estimate
from BBC Monitoring. After less than two years on
the air, Manoto (“Me and You”) has outstripped its closest
rivals, BBC Persian, Farsi 1, GEM TV and Voice of
America (VOA), according to the number of “likes” each
channel receives on its Facebook page - an imperfect
proxy used by some experts to assess the channels in
lieu of independent media survey firms in Iran. As of
mid-April, more than 620,000 people listed themselves
as Manoto fans on Facebook - more than twice the
number of its biggest competitor.
But in a country whose government tries to instill
Islamic values by strictly regulating popular culture,
even an entertainment channel like Manoto has
angered authorities, who view it as part of a cultural
“soft war” waged by the West. The Iranian government
sometimes jams Manoto’s signal, according to viewers.
“Manoto broadcasts programs that are completely
against Islamic edicts, such as promoting the way the
rich live,” said researcher Mohammad Reza Khoshroo at
a conference held in Iran this year, according to comments
reported by Iran’s Hawzah News Agency.
Kayvan and Marjan Abbassi, the UK-based Iranian
couple who launched Manoto’s parent company,
Marjan TV, in 2009, stay out of the media spotlight. They
and other Marjan TV officials declined to comment for
this story despite repeated requests for interviews. The
Abbassis do not do interviews “in light of the sensitive
nature of the current Iranian media environment,” said
Maryam Meddin, managing director of Clarus Design,
the network’s media agency. But she added: “Manoto 1
remains committed to providing entertainment programming
to the Iranian people.”
For an example of the “sensitivities” involved, one
need look no further than “Befarmaeed Sham”, where
expatriate Iranians test their cooking skills and compete
for a cash prize. Sounds innocent enough - except men
and women also mix freely and drink alcohol. Female
contestants do not cover their hair and tend to wear
clothes that are more revealing than those allowed in
the Islamic Republic, where women must wear headscarves
and loose clothing in public. “It’s a window into
a culture we could have if we were freely part of the
global popular culture,” said Mehdi Semati, an expert on
Iranian media and culture at Northern Illinois University.
“Knowing there’s a world outside where Iranians act like
us, talk like us, and think like us, but live a life that is free
of constraints - people compare themselves, and that’s
worrisome for the government.” At the conference, citing
data from Manoto, Khoshroo said about half a million
people inside Iran contacted the channel in its first
week. “This is a dangerous statistic,” he said.
Television for the Masses
Manoto is partly funded by corporate sponsorships
and has been sponsored in the past by companies that
sell consumer products inside Iran, including Samsung
and LG, according to Marjan TV’s website and Clarus
Design’s Meddin. Manoto’s funding also comes from
venture capitalists, according to a 2011 report on
human rights and information access in Iran by the
14 opinion
Foreign Policy Centre, a UK-based independent think
tank. The report did not name the venture capital firms
behind the station. The Abbassis’ previous venture,
Bebin.tv, an online channel aimed at second-generation
Iranians living in the West, shut in 2008. Manoto continues
Bebin’s focus on youth culture on a more ambitious
scale, with several original shows, a second channel that
airs documentaries and licenses to broadcast Miss
World, the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.
Media professionals and experts and Iran watchers said
it was not known what role politics played in the
Abbassis’ business strategy, if any.
What was clear was that the channel has tapped into
a yearning in Iran for creative, original Persian-language
programming, they said. Though satellite channels can
be accessed worldwide, experts believe the vast majori-
ty of the viewership for Persian-language channels is
inside Iran. Manoto’s popular news satire show, hosted
by a cartoon monkey named Dr Copy, is aimed at viewers
who don’t follow politics closely. Dr Copy makes
barbs at both Iranian and Western politicians, uses a
laugh track and often receives feedback and photos
from child fans. “This is television for the masses,” said
Mahmood Enayat, who directs the Iran Media Program
at the Annenberg School for Communication at the
University of Pennsylvania. “It’s not for the elite or upper
class.”
“Googoosh Music Academy,” a competition show featuring
music doyenne Googoosh guiding aspiring
Persian-pop crooners, has been a runaway hit and completed
its second season last year. Googoosh, essentially
the Barbra Streisand of Iran, made her name as a
singer and actress in the Shah-era 1960s and 1970s, and
now performs and lives outside the country. On the
show, young men with trendy hairstyles and women in
glitzy gowns sing ballads made famous during their
parents’ generation, before the 1979 Islamic Revolution
and later restrictions on female vocalists and pop music.
According to Manoto figures, over four million viewers
voted for their favourite contestant on the new season
last fall, and the final episode attracted nearly 140,000
views on YouTube.
Jamming
One proof of Manoto’s success is that it appears to be
a favourite target for Iran’s censors, who must be selective
about the programs and channels they choose to
jam because it is difficult to do so, media experts said.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
TV channel dips toe into Iran culture war
The past three years have seen a renaissance in Persianlanguage
television. Iranians can now watch BBC
Persian, which has doubled its Iranian audience since
launching in 2009 to about 6 million people; Farsi 1,
which also started in 2009 and is partly owned by
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp; and VOA’s Persian News
Network, home to satirical show “Parazit”, similar to Jon
Stewart’s “The Daily Show” and popular inside Iran ever
since it began in 2009.
Reports from viewers inside Iran suggest authorities
have repeatedly tried to interfere with Manoto programming
since the channel launched. Soon after
Manoto debuted, a fan of “Googoosh Music Academy”
complained he couldn’t tune in to the season finale
because the signal was jammed. “Please, anyone who
can, let us know what happens,” he wrote on a Facebook
Iranian women test the fragrances of perfumes at a store in Tehran in this May 13, 2010 file
photo. — AFP
thread dedicated to the show. On Manoto’s online message
boards, viewers ask the channel to re-air beloved
shows jammed on their original air date.
The head of IRIB, Iran’s state broadcasting network,
admitted scrambling satellite channels in a 2010
speech, according to a BBC report. “We send jams” to
the satellites, Ezatollah Zarghami was quoted as saying.
Manoto isn’t alone among its competitors in being targeted
by Iran’s censors, Enayat said. VOA, BBC Persian
and Farsi 1 face the same issue, he said. “If you don’t get
jammed that means you are safe television and the government
doesn’t feel threatened by you,” Enayat said.
Another way the government has gone after commercial
channels like Manoto is by targeting firms who
buy advertisement spots. In comments on Iranian state
television last year, Tehran’s police chief reminded firms
that advertising on satellite channels is illegal. “To those
who perhaps unknowingly advertise on these channels,
we are telling them to cancel their contracts,” said the
official, Ahmad-Reza Radan. But despite the government’s
efforts, the entrance of new Persian-language
television outlets like Manoto has improved even the
quality of Iranian state television, Enayat said.
In recent months, DVDs of a slick new show have
popped up in Iran’s video shops and attracted a following:
A “Come Dine With Me”-style cooking competition,
featuring four same-sex contestants, called “Iranian
Dinner!” The contestants in its first installments are wellknown
Iranian actors, and YouTube videos of the show
have garnered tens of thousands of views. “It has just
forced everyone to produce better programming for
Iranians,” Enayat said. —Reuters

FIFA bans and fines coach
INDONESIA: Former Indonesia caretaker coach Aji Santoso has been banned for
four games for suggestions of bribery to match officials in a humiliating 10-0
World Cup qualifying defeat by Bahrain in February, local
media reported yesterday.
Santoso was sent to the stands by Lebanese referee
Andre El Haddad after the fourth official indicated that the
coach had asked if there was “money involved” in the game
in Manama.
“I accept the punishment and I regret my behavior,”
Santoso told the Jakarta Globe. “I was just saying to the
fourth official ‘Is there money involved in this
match?’”
The 42-year-old, now in charge of the under-
23 side, added: “I won’t mind if the PSSI
(Indonesia’s FA) decides not to appeal it.”
Unsurprisingly, given that Indonesian soccer is
already treading on eggshells with FIFA over the
chaotic state of its domestic game, the PSSI quickly
accepted the punishment.—Reuters
CHICAGO: Texas Rangers Josh Hamilton (center) celebrates with
teammates Adrian Beltre (29) and Michael Young (10) after he hit a
home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago
White Sox.—AP
Rangers romp past Red Sox
BOSTON: Mike Napoli hit two of Texas’ six
home runs as the Rangers romped past the
Boston Red Sox 18-3 Tuesday for their fifth
straight victory.
Josh Hamilton homered and matched his
career high with five RBIs. Adrian Beltre,
Michael Young and Nelson Cruz also connected
for the Rangers.
Texas finished with a season-high 21 hits,
tagging Jon Lester for eight of them before
the Boston ace was pulled in the third
inning. The Rangers provided more than
enough run support for Colby Lewis (2-0),
who settled down after a shaky start and finished
pitched seven solid innings. It was the
most home runs for the Rangers in a game
since they hit six against Detroit in August
2008.
Yankees 8, Twins 3
At New York, CC Sabathia shook off early
trouble to get a rare April win for the
Yankees and backup catcher Chris Stewart
hit a go-ahead, two-run single and had three
RBIs for the first time in his career to lead
New York over Minnesota.
Sabathia (1-0) allowed three runs and
four hits in 7 1-3 innings with seven strikeouts
and one walk. After falling behind 3-1
in the third, he didn’t allow a hit and retired
13 in a row during one stretch.
In going 19-8 last year, Sabathia didn’t
get his first win until his fifth start. He is just
7-4 in March and April since joining the
Yankees in 2009 and 18-14 through April in
his career.
Blue Jays 7, Rays 3
At Toronto, Jose Bautista, Adam Lind and
Brett Lawrie homered as Toronto took
advantage of a three-error game by normally
sure-handed Evan Longoria to beat Tampa
Bay. It was a career worst performance for
Longoria, the American League’s Gold Glove
third baseman in 2009 and 2010. He became
the seventh player in Rays history to make
three errors in a game.
Matt Joyce homered for the Rays, who
have lost six of eight. Ricky Romero (2-0)
allowed three runs and eight hits in six-plus
innings to win.
Orioles 3, White Sox 2
At Chicago, Nolan Reimold homered for
the fourth consecutive game and made a
terrific diving catch in left field to help
Baltimore beat Chicago.
Baltimore had just one hit before Robert
Andino singled with one out in the sixth.
Reimold then hit a drive to left-center off
John Danks, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead. J.J.
American League
Eastern Division
W L PCT GB
NY Yankees 29 23 .558 -
Boston 30 24 .556 -
Tampa Bay 28 25 .528 1.5
Toronto 28 26 .519 2
Baltimore 24 28 .462 5
Central Division
Cleveland 31 20 .608 -
Detroit 27 26 .509 5
Chicago W Sox 25 31 .446 8.5
Kansas City 23 30 .434 9
Minnesota 17 35 .327 14.5
Western Division
Texas 29 25 .537 -
LA Angels 29 27 .518 1
Seattle 27 26 .509 1.5
Oakland 27 28 .491 2.5
MLB results/standings
Hardy followed with a drive to virtually the
same spot for his third homer.
Reimold also had a big home run Monday
night, helping Baltimore rally for a 10-4 victory
over the White Sox in 10 innings. He is
batting .394 (13 for 33) in the past eight
games.
Chen Wei-yin earned his first major
league win in his second career game, allowing
two runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Tigers 3, Royals 1
At Kansas City, Missouri, Miguel Cabrera
snapped out of his slump with a pair of hits,
driving in the go-ahead run and helping
Detroit to a win over Kansas City.
Cabrera was 0 for 22 before his single in
the third inning, but it was his RBI single off
reliever Greg Holland in the eighth that
proved most important. It came on the heels
of singles by Andy Dirks and Brennan
Boesch, and snapped a 1-all tie.
Prince Fielder added an RBI single to
make things a bit more comfortable for
Octavio Dotel (1-0), who had worked around
Brayan Pena’s double during a scoreless seventh
inning.
Athletics 5, Angels 3
At Anaheim, California, Daric Barton ended
a career-worst homerless drought of 76
games with a solo shot against Dan Haren
and Coco Crisp drove in the go-ahead run
with an eighth-inning single, triggering a
four-run rally that carried Oakland over Los
Angeles. Brian Fuentes (1-0) pitched a scoreless
seventh inning for the victory and Grant
Balfour got his third save in as many
attempts despite giving up a one-out homer
in the ninth by Vernon Wells. Kevin Jepsen
(0-1) took the loss.
Indians 9, Mariners 8
At Seattle, Jason Donald’s tiebreaking single
off Tom Wilhelmsen in the top of the seventh
inning completed Cleveland’s comeback
from seven runs down and lifted the
Indians to a victory against Seattle.
Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer and
Cleveland reliever Rafael Perez (1-0) pitched
a scoreless sixth inning to pick up the win.
Chris Perez got his third save in four tries,
despite loading the bases in the bottom of
the ninth.
Mariners reliever Charlie Furbush (0-1)
allowed a hit by Travis Hafner and a walk to
Shelley Duncan before striking out the next
two in the seventh and being replaced.
However, Wilhelmsen could not close the
inning. Justin Smoak had a career-high four
hits for the Mariners.—AP
Detroit 6, Minnesota 5; San Diego 3, Atlanta 2 (10 innings); Philadelphia 5, Washington 4;
Houston 12, Chicago Cubs 7; NY Yankees 5, Oakland 0; Seattle 4, Baltimore 3; LA Angels 10,
Kansas City 8; San Francisco 7, St. Louis 3; Texas 11, Tampa Bay 5; Toronto 11, Cleveland 1; Chicago
White Sox 7, Boston 3; NY Mets 7, Pittsburgh 3; Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 3; Arizona 15, Florida 4;
LA Dodgers 7, Colorado 1.
National League
Eastern Division
Philadelphia 34 20 .630 -
Florida 30 22 .577 3
Atlanta 30 25 .545 4.5
NY Mets 25 28 .472 8.5
Washington 22 31 .415 11.5
Central Division
St. Louis 32 23 .582 -
Milwaukee 29 25 .537 2.5
Cincinnati 28 27 .509 4
Pittsburgh 24 28 .462 6.5
Chicago Cubs 23 29 .442 7.5
Houston 20 34 .370 11.5
Western Division
Arizona 30 24 .556 -
San Francisco 29 24 .547 .5
Colorado 25 28 .472 4.5
LA Dodgers 25 30 .455 5.5
San Diego 23 31 .426 7
CHARLOTTE: Travis Pastrana will have
a guaranteed spot in the field for his
Nationwide Series debut next week at
Richmond.
The extreme sports star will race a
Toyota that will be fielded jointly
between Michael Waltrip Racing and
RAB Racing. Kenny Wallace has been
the primary driver of RAB’s No. 09 car -
which will be changed to No. 99 for
Pastrana. Pastrana said being locked
into the field takes some of the pressure
of him at Richmond.
“The qualifying, running one fast
lap, is something that I’ve been working
really hard,” he said Tuesday. “But
the most difficult thing for me has
been to get up to speed in the first
sports
Pastrana locked into field
DENVER: Jamie Moyer turned in a
vintage performance in becoming
the oldest pitcher to ever win a
major league game. The 49-yearold
Moyer threw seven masterful
innings and Dexter Fowler hit a
two-run homer, helping the
Colorado Rockies hold on for a 5-3
win over the San Diego Padres on
Tuesday.
Moyer (1-2) was sharp all
evening as he picked up his 268th
career win, tying him with Hall of
Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the
career list.
Relying on a consistent cutter
and mixing in a 78-mph fastball,
the cunning lefty gave up just six
hits and two runs - both unearned
- as he kept the Padres hitters at
bay and off balance.
Thats been a winning recipe for
Moyer over a career thats
stretched nearly a quarter century
and included 689 games.
Marlins 5, Cubs 2
At Miami, Ozzie Guillen made a
victorious return to the dugout
when pitchers Josh Johnson and
Heath Bell snapped out of earlyseason
slumps to help Miami beat
Chicago. Guillen returned from a
five-game suspension imposed
after his comments praising Fidel
Castro caused a backlash in South
Florida, especially among Cuban
Americans.
Johnson allowed two runs in
seven innings and Bell earned the
save after four rocky outings.
Streaking Hanley Ramirez broke a
2-all tie with a three-run homer in
the eighth, his third.
Nationals 1, Astros 0
At Washington, Gio Gonzalez
earned his first win with
Washington, pitching seven dominant
innings in a win over
Houston. The Nationals improved
to 9-3, their best start since moving
from Montreal to Washington
in 2005. Gonzalez (1-0) allowed
two hits, walked two and struck
out eight in his third start for
Washington. The left-hander
acquired from Oakland in the offseason
also earned a standing
ovation at the plate when he flied
out to the warning track.
Brad Lidge pitched a shaky
ninth for his second save. He gave
up a double to his first hitter and
walked the next batter before
couple laps. So this will be huge for
me.” MWR will provide cars and technical
and marketing support for RAB
under the alliance announced
Tuesday. Mike Greci, Pastrana’s crew
chief in NASCAR regional races, will
co-crew chief with Scott Zipadelli of
RAB when Pastrana drives.
Pastrana had been scheduled to
make his Nationwide debut last July,
but broke his right ankle in the X
Games two days before the race. His
debut has been delayed until
Richmond, but Pastrana said his time
sidelined actually gave him an opportunity
to learn more about NASCAR.
“I hadn’t realized it until I got back,”
Pastrana said. —AP
retiring three in a row.
Braves 9, Mets 3
At Atlanta, Johan Santana
made the shortest start of his
career as Atlanta finally beat the
New York Mets by taking advantage
of shaky defense.
Tyler Pastornickys two-run double
highlighted a five-run second
that finished off Santana. Randall
Delgado (2-0) won it for the
Braves, who lost their first four
games against the Mets this season.
Two costly errors - Jason Bay
dropped a fly ball, Ike Davis made
a wild throw - led to a pair of
unearned runs against Santana (0-
2), who allowed just one run in his
first two games. He was lifted after
1 1-3 innings, finished off by Jason
Heywards run-scoring single that
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Girl’s nose broken by Gayle six
NEW DELHI: West Indies batsman Chris Gayle yesterday visited a girl in hospital who suffered
a broken nose after being hit by one of his sixes as she watched from the stands at
an Indian Premier League match. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) opener
smashed eight sixes, including five in a row off leg-spinner
Rahul Sharma, during an explosive innings that helped his
team beat the Pune Warriors on Tuesday evening.
Gayle said on Twitter that after learning one of his strikes
had hit the young fan, named only as Tia, he decided to go
and visit her at a hospital in Bangalore.
“Her 1st word to me is to Chill, She’s fine!” he wrote. The
left-handed opener, who was named man of the match,
cracked a 48-ball 81 in a magnificent display of power-hitting
to help Bangalore surpass Pune’s challenging total of
182 with six wickets to spare in a last-ball finish.
“She was thrilled to meet Gayle, who also presented
his medal (for hitting maximum sixes in the
match) to her,” RCB manager Avinash Vaidya told
AFP, saying the girl was thought to be aged about
10.—AFP
Moyer oldest pitcher
to win game in majors
KUWAIT: Football Star Ahmad Al
Mutairi from Kuwait along with Khris
Njokwana from South Africa and
Marzouk Al Ajmi from Kuwait has been
chosen to judge the 2012 Red Bull
Street Style Final in Kuwait which will
take place tomorrow at the Marina
Crescent at 6:30pm.
Ahmad Al Mutairi, the Kazma football
club star will evaluate the Control category.
Marzouk Al Ajmi, head of sports in
Annahar newspaper and Media
Coordinator of the 2006 FIFA World Cup
will evaluate the style category while
Khris Njokwana the Freestyle Champion
from South Africa will handle the creativity
category.
Al Mutairi, a veteran in football, has
KUWAIT: The Gulf Bank will face
Boubyan Bank in the finals of the KBC
Football League following a 4-0 victory
in the semifinals against the
National Bank of Kuwait held this
week at the Ministry of Information
Stadium.
Boubyan Bank had moved to the
made it 6-0. Santana had never
gone less than three innings in his
previous 265 starts.
Brewers 5, Dodgers 4
At Milwaukee, pinch-hitter
George Kottaras two-run double
with one out in the bottom of the
DENVER: San Diego Padres Nick Hundley hits a solo
home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against
the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies won 5-3. —AP
won the Kuwait Premier League title
twice in 1994 and 1996, he also managed
to hold the Amir Cup three times
(1995, 1997-98).
Control, Creativity and Style are the
name of the game at Red Bull Street
Style. The Final will see the best 16
freestyle footballers compete against
the other ballers in head-to-head battles
for a ticket to the World Final.
Each battle follows the same format:
3 minutes, 2 players, 1 ball, with each
freestyler having 30 seconds to impress
the judges before passing the ball back
to his competitor. The winner in the final
of Kuwait will qualify to the world final
which will be held in Rome, Italy in
September.
finals after defeating the Kuwait
Finance House 2-1 in the tournament
that is organized by the Kuwait Banks
Club.
The NBK and KFH are set to square
off for a match this evening to determine
the third place winner. The
match kicks off at 8:00 pm.
ninth inning lifted Milwaukee to a
victory over Los Angeles.
Trailing 4-3, Corey Hart led off
the ninth with a single off Dodgers
closer Javy Guerra (1-1). Pinch-runner
Carlos Gomez then stole second
and Mat Gamel walked.
Guerra, who blew his first save
of the year and third in his career,
struck out Jonathan Lucroy.
Kottaras then pinch-hit for Cesar
Izturis and hit a 2-2 pitch to the
wall, driving in Gomez and Gamel
with Gamel sliding in just ahead of
the throw from second baseman
Mark Ellis and sending the Brewers
to a jubilant celebration at home
plate.
Cardinals 2, Reds 1
At St. Louis, Matt Carpenter hit
a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the
10th inning to give St. Louis a victory
over Cincinnati. David Freese
walked to lead off the 10th off
Sam LeCure (0-1). Tyler Greene
came in as a pinch-runner and
advanced on a sacrifice by Yadier
Molina. After an intentional walk,
reliever Bill Bray entered and
walked Daniel Descalso to load
the bases.
Carpenter, who returned to the
bench after playing the last four
games for the injured Lance
Berkman, pinch-hit and worked
the count full before flying out to
right field. Jay Bruces throw home
was unable to nab Greene. It was
Carpenters 11 RBI of the season.
Pirates 5, Dbacks 4
At Phoenix, Andrew
McCutchen lined a run-scoring
single in the ninth inning, Garrett
Jones homered and drove in three
runs, as Pittsburgh beat Arizona.
Jason Grilli (1-1) allowed a solo
homer to John McDonald in the
eighth inning, but McCutchen
reached down to line an RBI single
off Bryan Shaw (0-2) to left with
two outs in the ninth. Jones led off
the sixth inning with a solo homer
off Ian Kennedy, but the Pirates
scored the rest of their runs with
two outs to win for the second
time in eight road games. Juan
Cruz worked a perfect ninth for his
first save since 2009.
Giants 4, Phillies 2
At San Francisco, Madison
Bumgarner backed up his nice
new contract with a second
straight win and Melky Cabrera hit
an RBI triple as San Francisco beat
Philadelphia.
Nate Schierholtz had three hits
and drove in a run and Pablo
Sandoval doubled leading off the
fifth to extend his hitting streak to
start the season to 11 games.
Bumgarner (2-1), pitching a day
after receiving a new $35.56 million,
six-year contract, outpitched
Joe Blanton (1-2) and gave San
Francisco a shot at a third straight
series victory.—AP
Football Star Al-Mutairi to judge
Red Bull Street Style in Kuwait
Gulf Bank faces Boubyan
in KBC League finals

sports
NHL increasingly popular and out of control
NEW YORK: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s
vision of a bigger footprint for hockey is finally
coming into focus. But it’s not just the skyrocketing
TV ratings for these playoffs in markets both
traditional, like Philly, Boston and Chicago, and
those traditionally slow to come around, like Los
Angeles, Miami and Phoenix. It’s the tire marks
on the backs of the jerseys of some of the
league’s best players. The game has never been
more popular, nor seemed so out of control.
The latest to get run over was the Blackhawks’
Marian Hossa, who was taken off the ice in
Chicago on a stretcher and briefly hospitalized
after absorbing a blow to the head from a shoulder
hit launched by Phoenix’s Raffi Torres.
Everybody in the building saw it - including
apparently Bettman himself, who was in attendance
- except the four officials whose job it is to
police that kind of mayhem.
And because they didn’t see it, according to a
league statement issued after the game, they
didn’t call a penalty, despite the fact that Torres
left his skates to deliver the blow.
“First off, I hope he’s all right,” Torres, a serial
offender as cheap shots go, said after the game.
“But as far as the hit goes, I felt like it was a hockey
play. I was just trying to finish my hit out
there, and, as I said, I hope he’s all right.” Chicago
coach Joel Quenneville was so mad after the
game that he was sputtering.
JAKARTA: This handout photo taken and released yesterday by the Asian Tour
shows Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand in action during the practice round of the
$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. —AFP
No lingering Masters
regret for Hanson
TIANJIN: Peter Hanson says he holds no
lingering disappointment from finishing
third at the Masters and is keen to tee off
in the China Open this week.
Less than a fortnight ago, Hanson was
the overnight leader going into the final
round at Augusta National but the
Swede shot a 2-over 73 to finish tied for
third.
“I am very proud of the performance,”
Hanson said. “I have to say when I left the
18th green on Sunday I was a little bit
disappointed but that left me pretty
quick.” He’s been close to a win all season:
The Masters was his fourth top-five
finish.
Also in a confident mood at Binhai
Lake Golf Club was Englishman Ian
Poulter, who finished seventh at the
Masters, three shots behind Hanson.
“I like coming out to Asia and have
had some success in this part of the
world,” Poulter said. “I get a nice reception
here and have a decent fan base
which is always nice - that’s why I like
coming out to play.” Also in the field are
Paul Casey, the 2006 China Open winner
who will look to continue his comeback
from a shoulder injury, Nicolas Colsaerts
of Belgium, who won last year at a tournament-record
24 under, and Thorbjorn
Olesen of Denmark, who secured his first
European Tour title at the Sicilian Open
three weeks ago.
Guan Tian-lang will make history by
becoming the youngest player to compete
in a European Tour event at 13
years, 173 days.
“I really couldn’t be happier, I’m so
excited right now,” Guan said. “My goal
now is to be the youngest player ever to
make the cut in a European Tour event,
and I think if I can shoot level par or better
I’ll have a good chance to do that.”
The course is only two years old but
plays long at 7,011 meters (7,667 yards).
After a longer than usual winter in
Tianjin, very little new grass has grown
meaning there is not much thick rough,
but one defense for the course could be
the fact it is wide open and susceptible
to strong winds. —AP
Club pros get a taste
of tour, and reality
JACKSONVILLE: Jack Nicklaus recalls a
time when the club pro and the PGA
Tour player were not that far apart. That
was when several tour players also held
club jobs, even if they were ceremonial
positions. That was before golf became
big business, when it went from the
total purse being five figures to the winner’s
check being seven figures. When
golf went from a way to make a living to
a way to get rich.
“Can you imagine playing against
Tiger Woods today, the average club pro
trying to compete with him?” Nicklaus
said a few years ago. “I used to play exhibitions,
and the club pro, because he
knew the course, had a chance to beat
me. There isn’t anybody who is going to
beat Tiger or Phil or these guys today.”
Lonny Alexander can attest to that.
He is playing the Texas Open this
week in San Antonio, and it will be newsworthy
if he even makes the cut. The 39year-old
Alexander is the teaching pro at
Onion Creek Golf Club in Austin, Texas.
He also teaches 10 beginning golf classes
to 300 students at Texas State in nearby
San Marcos. He won the Southern
Texas PGA section championship, which
earned him a spot in the field at the
Houston Open last month and the Texas
Open this week.
Unlike other pros in the field, this is
not his day job. “Spring is my busiest
time of the year. I teach for a living,”
Alexander said Tuesday. “You’re almost
sick about it. I’ve got to make a living,
but I’ve got to get ready for these tournaments.
The competitor in you says,
‘Take off two weeks and practice.’ The
realistic side of you says, ‘Hey, pards, you
don’t pay the bills that way.’” Alexander
shot rounds of 82-78 at the Houston
Open to finish last, although three PGA
Tour players withdrew after high scores
in the opening round. For them, there’s
always another week. For the club pro,
these chances don’t come along very
often.
This will be the eighth time Alexander
plays a PGA Tour event, a tribute to how
well he competes despite spending so
much of his time giving lessons.
“I’ve had what people might call a
lifetime of these experiences,” he said. “I
wish I could give that spot to everybody
who does what I do.”
For years, most PGA Tour events
reserved three spots for club pros in the
area. That recently was reduced to one
spot because the competition on the
PGA Tour became so great that the rankand-file
clamored for more playing
opportunities.
It’s important for club pros to be part
of a PGA Tour event. Most of golf’s stars
wouldn’t be where they are without a
club pro at some stage in their career.
The results, however, speak to the
growing divide. In eight tournaments
this year, none of the club pros has
made the cut, or even come particularly
close. Then again, it’s not exactly a level
playing field.
“There’s such a separation of where
we are as competitors and where the
pros are that play every week,” Alexander
said. “That’s no knock on what we do. We
do a lot for the game. Our skill level as a
club pro is higher than ever. But the skill
level of the tour pro has gone through
the roof.” — AP
“It was a brutal hit. You can have a multiplechoice
question, it’s ‘All of the above.’ I saw exactly
what happened, it was right in front of me, and
all four guys missed it. “The refereeing tonight,”
he added, “was a disgrace.”
It was. But even the best officiating crews are
helpless against the tide of fights, cross-checks,
hits to the head and sneak attacks that is overwhelming
some otherwise very entertaining
hockey. They aren’t getting much help, either,
from league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan,
whose decisions grow more bizarre with each
incident that reaches his desk.
Shanahan began by letting Nashville’s Shea
Weber off with a $2,500 fine - roughly the cost of
one shift - after the All-Star purposely smashed
the head of Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg
into the glass at the end of Game 1 of their series.
Then he suspended Chicago’s Andrew Shaw
and New York’s Carl Hagelin for three games
each after both hit opponents without obvious
intent during the run of play.
Cross-checking, hair-pulling, instigating fights
- Shanahan has handed out punishments for all
those violations, too, with differing results. As a
former player of some stature, he took the job
determined to bring some predictability to the
punishment his office doles out and even
explained his decisions with accompanying
video evidence. But lately those explanations
DETROIT: Kevin Klein scored a go-ahead goal
6:25 into the third period and Pekka Rinne
made 40 saves to lift the Nashville Predators
to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on
Tuesday and a 3-1 lead in the first-round
Western Conference playoff series. The
Predators can eliminate Detroit in Game 5
tomorrow night in Nashville.
Predators rookie Gabriel Bourque broke a
scoreless tie 1:55 into the third period.
Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall tied it 1:19 later with
a power-play goal that was waved off on the
ice but reversed by video review.
The Red Wings pulled goalie Jimmy
Howard to add an extra skater with 1:31 left,
but had to put him back in the net because
Henrik Zetterberg was called for high-sticking
with 55.8 seconds left. David Legwand’s power-play
goal sealed the win with 39 seconds
left. Rinne stopped the first 29 shots he faced.
Howard made 14 saves.
Panthers 4, Devils 3
At Newark, New Jersey, Brian Campbell
scored on a second-period power play as
Florida staged its greatest playoff comeback,
rallying from an early three-goal deficit to
beat New Jersey.
Sean Bergenheim, Jason Garrison and Mike
Weaver also scored and Scott Clemmensen
made 19 saves after replacing Jose Theodore
early in giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead in the
best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round
series. Game 4 will be played in New Jersey
today.
Florida scored on all three of its power
plays against the NHL’s top-ranked penaltykilling
unit, and is now 6 of 10 in the series
with the man advantage.
Zach Parise, Stephen Gionta and Patrik
Elias scored for the Devils, who jumped out 3-
0 in the opening 6:16. The Panthers ended a
15-year playoff drought in winning Game 2 on
Sunday and then drove Martin Brodeur from
the net after tying the game early in the second.
Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 2
At Chicago, Mikkel Boedker scored 13:15
into overtime as Phoenix beat Chicago to take
a 2-1 lead in the wild and physical opening-
have been all over the map.
Players no longer know whether the line is
being drawn at intent or result - injuring another
player - or even the star power of the violator
who winds up in the dock. So everybody, from
Sidney Crosby to repeat offenders like Torres are
getting in on the action.
After winning 3-2 in overtime Tuesday night,
Phoenix goalie Mike Smith was asked about the
different sentences being handed out and
whether he trusted the NHL front office to get
each one right. In Game 2, the Blackhawks’ Shaw
ran over Smith, who has a history of concussions,
behind his net and got the three-game sentence,
even though the goalkeeper hasn’t missed a
minute of playing time.
Even more maddening - as far as the
Blackhawks were concerned - was that the
length of Shaw’s suspension wasn’t announced
until Tuesday afternoon, once it was determined
Smith would play in Game 3. Had he been
unable to go, presumably Shaw’s suspension
would have been even longer.
“I don’t know if it’s a trust factor. It’s a tough
job. Whether it’s blatant, on purpose, or not. It’s
tough to get that read up there,” Smith said.
“Obviously, the head hits have to be cut down.
It’s people’s livelihoods, not hockey ... people
have families and kids at home and wives, and
when we’re getting into head and concussion
round Western Conference playoff series.
Game 4 is today at the United Center.
Boedker scored from the left side of the
net, beating goalie Corey Crawford as the
teams played their third straight overtime
game.
Chicago played most of the night without
regular-season points leader Marian Hossa,
who was taken off the ice on a stretcher in the
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
issues around the whole league, I think we need
to put a stop to it.” But the NHL’s commitment to
limit concussions is either full-time, as it has been
for the past few seasons and most of this one, or
it’s not. The league knows the difference, but it
also knows that pandemonium on the ice is a lot
easier for plenty of viewers to follow than a puck.
Sold-out arenas and through-the-roof TV ratings
across the board, including towns like Phoenix -
whose Coyotes may well be playing in another
city next season - are a testament to that.
Back in January, even as the league was touting
the fact that fights-per-game had dropped to
low levels not seen since the mid-70s, Toronto
general manager Brian Burke groused out loud
about having to send his enforcer, Colton Orr,
down to the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Burke, who once held Shanahan’s job, said
his team was barely able to use Orr - he appeared
in just five of Toronto’s 39 games - because hardly
anyone wanted to fight him. He predicted that
abandoning the code that governed who fought
and when would result in more players taking
cheap shots and seeking revenge in even more
dangerous ways.
“I wonder where we’re going with it, that’s the
only lament I have on this,” he said at the time.
“The fear that if we don’t have guys looking after
each other, that the rats will take this game over.”
Too late. They already have. —AP
Predators top Red Wings
TOKYO: Japan will be out to
make the most of its home ice
advantage when the
International Skating Union’s
World Team Trophy gets underway
today.
The top six national figure
skating teams - Japan, Canada,
the United States, Russia, Italy
and France - are competing in the
April 19-22 event at Yoyogi Arena.
Each team consists of two
women, two men, one pair and
one ice dancing couple. Each
skater/couple will compete with
a short program/short dance and
free skating/free dance and the
highest point total will win.
Japan, which tops the team
standings with 7891 points, will
field a strong team that includes
2012 world silver medalist
Daisuke Takahashi, world bronze
medalist Akiko Suzuki and 2011
world silver medalist Takahiko
Kozuka.
Narumi Takahashi and Mervin
Tran, who won the bronze medal
at last month’s world championships
in Nice, France, will represent
the host nation in pairs
while ice dancers Cathy and Chris
Reed round out Japan’s team. The
United States, which won the
inaugural team trophy in 2009,
will be led by ice dancing world
silver medalists Meryl Davis and
Charlie White.
Ashley Wagner and Gracie
Gold will compete in the
DETROIT: Pekka Rinne No. 35 of the Nashville Predators gets ready to make a save on a
shot by Pavel Datsyuk No. 13 of the Detroit Red Wings with help from teammates
Alexander Radulov No. 47 and David Legwand No. 11 during Game Four of the Western
Conference Quarterfinals of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. —AFP
women’s short and free events
while Jeremy Abbott and Adam
Rippon make up the men’s team.
Caydee Denney and John
Coughlin will compete in pairs for
the US.
Canada will also be among the
title contenders with a team that
includes two-time and reigning
world champions Patrick Chan
and ice dancers Tessa Virtue and
Scott Moir.
Chan will be joined by Kevin
Reynolds in the men’s event
while Canadian champion Amelie
Lacoste and Cynthia Phaneuf are
the entries in the women’s event.
Russia’s team will feature
world silver medalist Alena
Leonova who will team up with
world junior champion Adelina
Sotnikova. European ice dance
bronze medalists Elena Ilinykh
and Nikita Katsalapov and
European pairs silver medalists
Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov
round out Russia’s team.
Newly-crowned world champion
Carolina Kostner headlines
Italy’s team. The Italians will also
be represented by Valentina
Marchei, Samuel Contesti and
Paolo Bacchini in men’s, ice
dancers Anna Cappellini and Luca
Lanotte as well as pair skaters
Stefina Berton and Ondrej
Hotarek. Veteran Brian Joubert
and European bronze medalist
Florent Amodio will represent
first period after a hit by Raffi Torres. Hossa
was briefly hospitalized before being released.
He is expected to make a full recovery, but
there is no timetable for his return to the ice,
the Blackhawks said.
Andrew Brunette and Michael Frolik had
goals for Chicago. Rostislav Klesla and Ray
Whitney scored for the Coyotes in regulation.
—AP
Japan looks to home advantage
World Team Trophy
France in the men’s event. Ice
dancing world bronze medalists
Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian
Bourzat and pairs skaters Daria
Popova and Bruno Massot will
also be skating for France as
well as Yretha Silete and Mae-
Bernice Meite. The event was
scheduled for April, 2011 in
Japan but was postponed following
the March 11 earthquake
and tsunami. —AP
SONOMA: This Aug. 26, 2011 file photo shows Dario Franchitti
dons a balaclava as he prepares to practice for the Indy Grand Prix
of Sonoma auto race at Infineon Raceway. Biffle is still looking to
complete a NASCAR title trio that has never been accomplished.
This could finally be the year. —AP

SPORTS
Brazil’s Murer eyes pole position in London
SAO PAULO: Pole vaulter Fabiana Murer lived in world
record holder Yelena Isinbayeva’s shadow for so long
that finishing second became her main goal, but now
she hopes the London Olympics will give her the
chance to shine and bring the gold back to Brazil.
Indoor champion in 2010, Murer took gold at the
world athletics championships in Daegu, South Korea
last year but she knows Isinbayeva is still the only
woman to jump over 5 meters.
While the Russian’s world record (5.06m) is 21cm
better than her own personal best, Murer is confident
she is getting closer to Isinbayeva and that this could
be her year. “A two-times Olympic champion, she is a
very experienced athlete and I think she will be very
strong for the Olympics. She’s training for that and
she wants a third gold,” Murer said in an interview at
her home in Sao Paulo.
“But today, I know that if I train well, if I gain confidence,
if I can get close to 5 meters, then I can compete
head to head with her. That is the objective, to
try and improve so I can get closer to her and compete
for first place.” Murer is friendly with her Russian
SINGAPORE: This June 17, 2011 file photo shows Lin Dan
of China returning a shot to Simon Santoso of Indonesia.
Widely considered the greatest badminton player of all
time, China’s ‘Super Dan’ is a four-time world champion,
five-time All England winner and the reigning Olympic
gold medalist. — AP
New drugs
available in
runup to Games
LONDON: During an informative and entertaining address
to an anti-doping conference last month, German
researcher Mario Thevis referred to “80, 90, 100” new performance-enhancing
drugs for which no tests yet exist.
“They act like EPO (erythropietin) but they are structurally
different and that means the current EPO tests will not
pick them up,” he told delegates to the conference in
London convened by worldsportslawreport.
Thevis added that “according to anecdotal evidence and
rumors” the drugs, which replicate EPO’s blood-boosting
qualities, were already used in elite sports.
EPO stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red
blood cells. This increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of
the blood, allowing muscles to perform for longer.
News that up to 100 new drugs could be available in the
runup to this year’s London Olympics will astonish only the
naive. “It doesn’t surprise me,” responded World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA) director-general David Howman. “We are in
the area where we are into third and fourth generations and
they continue to climb. Whether they are detectable or not
depends on the ability of the individual laboratory.” One in
two competitors will be tested during the London Games,
including all medallists, and the estimated 400 daily tests are
higher than any previous Olympics.
The problem will not be at the Games themselves, running
from July 27-Aug. 12, but the months before in the
eternal cat-and-mouse game between the dope cheats and
the testers. “In terms of the programme that is in place for
the Olympic Games, I think it is very good,” Howman said in
a telephone interview with Reuters from WADA’s Montreal
headquarters.
“The International Olympic Committee have got probably
the most extensive programme they could possibly
operate. From the day that athletes come into the opening
of the village to the closing ceremony, that’s good.
“What we need is extensive pre-Games testing and we
need all the samples that are collected to be tested for the
full menu of substances.” EPO, the drug at the core of the
1998 Tour de France doping scandals, is a sore subject for
WADA. Earlier this year, Howman said that out of 258,000
doping tests conducted in 2010 only 36 had turned up positives
for EPO.
“You can understand the frustration that I have been
voicing over the past six months,” he said in the interview.
“We can do a little bit better than that and one of the reasons
we don’t do better is that many of the samples are sent
to the lab and the lab is asked not to analyse for EPO. That’s
just outrageous.” Howman said there were a number of reasons
why national anti-doping agencies or international
federations did not want samples analysed for EPO.
“One, we don’t want to pay the extra cost for EPO, two
we don’t think we have a problem in our sport and three,
maybe, is we don’t want to know what the results are going
to be,” he said.“What we are getting is many, many samples
not being analysed. That’s our suspicion that there were
only 36 positive tests in 2010...that defies logic.”Another current
headache for the testers is gene doping, the use of
gene therapy to smuggle performance-enhancing drugs
into a healthy body. Legitimate gene therapy introduces
genes into the body to treat diseases.
Gene doping was included on WADA’s prohibited list in
2003 and in 2006 years former WADA president Dick Pound
said: “You would have to be blind not to see that the next
generation of doping will be genetic.” However, six years later
there is still no test and there will be nothing in place at
the London Games.—Reuters
rival. They shared a coach for a while and trained at
the same base in Italy. They even went shopping
together.
But Murer admitted there was a time when
Isinbayeva was so dominant she turned up at competitions
thinking no higher than winning second place.
That changed in 2010 when Murer defeated
Isinbayeva to take the world indoor championship in
Qatar. A year later she confirmed her position as a serious
contender for Olympic gold when she won the
world title in Daegu.
“Then I knew it was possible, I could see that she
wasn’t so unbeatable,” Murer recalled. “In an Olympic
year, athletes improve, their personal bests improve. I
need to beat my personal best to win a medal.”
Murer will not be the only one trying to unseat
Isinbayeva. Sveltana Feofanova, another Russian, has
already won Olympic silver and bronze medals and
wants to complete the set while Beijing silver medallist
Jennifer Suhr of the United States is also gunning
for gold. Pole Ana Rogowska, German Silke
Spiegelburg and Cuban Yarisley Silva are also serious
HENLEY-ON-THAMES: A Leander member
failing to win the club’s 100th Olympic rowing
medal at the London Games is about as
unlikely as spying a pink hippopotamus
winging its way through the Henley skies.
Of course, those wanting a glimpse of
such an unnatural beast can always find it
in the many drawings and sculptures of the
Leander mascot on display inside the
Victorian clubhouse.
Leander’s oarsmen - and women since
1998 - have delivered medals by the boatload
in more than a century of Olympic
endeavour and are all set to bag another
haul on home water this summer.
Just one more is needed for the ton. A
wealth of nations, some 80 in all from
Albania to Yemen by way of the Seychelles
and Somalia, have never won an Olympic
medal of any sort but, with 100 days to go
until the Games start, the club has its place
on the podium as good as reserved.
While Team GB has yet to confirm the
crews for London, the line-up announced
for the first World Cup regatta of the season
next month has 27 Leander rowers in it -
half of the total.
So far 99 Olympic medals have been
draped around the necks of the club’s rowers
in the only sport that Britain has unfailingly
struck gold in at every Games since
1984.
“Even if you take away the individual
medals and do it simply by crew then GB
Rowing, of which Leander is a major part,
would still have more medals than most
countries over the years,” press officer Dr.
Robert Treharne Jones told Reuters in the
19th century clubhouse with its idyllic
views over the river from the Berkshire side.
“Leander athletes typically form
between a third and a half of the British
team at any world championship or
Olympic regatta,” added the rowing writer,
broadcaster and club member.
The list of British Olympic greats to have
competed in Leander’s pink colours
includes Steve Redgrave, who won five
gold medals in five successive Games and
four times champion Matthew Pinsent.
The actor Hugh Laurie, who rowed for
Eton and Cambridge, is also a member as
was his late father, Ran, a 1948 Olympic
rowing gold medallist.
The lunch menu in the well appointed
clubhouse offers belt-busting ‘crew specials’
for those following in such giant footsteps
along with fine dining for less gargantuan
appetites.
In the ground floor gym, a functional
space a world away from the memorabilia
and gilded memorials covering the upstairs
walls, a simple banner reminds the current
crop of hopefuls what they must live up to
once the Games start on July 27.
“Welcome to Leander’s gym,” it declares.
“The home to 13 Olympic medallists in
Beijing 2008.” Leander had 15 athletes in
Beijing as part of the GB rowing team and
all reached the finals, winning three golds,
LONDON: For spiritual inspiration Baron Pierre de
Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, looked
back to Olympia and the splendor of the ancient
Greek Games. Across the channel, a less obvious
source provided a more immediate influence for the
diminutive French aristocrat with the impressive handlebar
moustache.
At the age of 12 de Coubertin read a French translation
of “Tom Brown’s Schooldays”, the classic tale of
Rugby School and its renowned headmaster Thomas
Arnold, first published in 1857. From that day on,
Rugby School and Arnold helped nuture a vision
which was to culminate in the 1896 Athens Games
and the foundation of the modern Olympic movement.
De Coubertin was an educationalist obsessed
by what he regarded as the degeneracy of the French
educational system after the humiliating defeat in the
1870 Franco-Prussian war.
Visits to a series of English schools convinced him
of the value of organised games as a means of developing
character, courage and self-reliance.
They also led him in 1890 to the Wenlock Olympian
Games in the medieval Shropshire village of Much
Wenlock, a multi-sports festival largely founded by
another remarkable Victorian, the local doctor and
contenders, while promising young Briton Holly
Bleasdale recently jumped 4.87 meters indoors to
smash the British record and will have a passionate
home crowd to roar her on.
Murer, one of only four women to clear 4.85 meters
outdoors, must exorcise the ghosts of her last Olympic
appearance to stand any chance of a medal.
The Brazilian went to Beijing in 2008 with a realistic
chance of a medal but was caught up in controversy
when organisers mislaid one of her poles.
Vaulters use different poles for different heights
and not having a particular pole for a particular height
is not only inviting failure, it can also be dangerous.
Murer lost concentration, at one point blocking
the runway to prevent other competitors from jumping,
then after entering the competition at 4.45m she
failed to clear 4.65 and ended up teary eyed and in
10th place.
“I left there very upset because I felt that they had
taken away my chance of a medal,” she said. “I had the
third best mark in the world that year. For a month
afterwards it was very difficult and I kept thinking:
seven silvers and three bronzes.
Individual names are on the wooden
panels of the honours board in the lobby, a
display at least three metres long, but time
and space is running out even for them.
Despite its size, the current panels go
back only as far as 2004, such is the rate of
success at Olympics, world championships
and the annual Henley Royal Regatta which
ranks alongside Ascot and Wimbledon as
highlights of the British summer social calendar.
Older boards are moved upstairs to join
a collection of shields dating back to 1840,
some 22 years after the first recorded existence
of the club whose founders were
known without hyperbole as ‘The Brilliants’.
There are oars suspended overhead,
some of them used in previous Olympics,
while a staircase up to the 11 guest rooms
sponsored by the likes of Harvard, Yale,
Oxford and Cambridge, climbs past portraits
of past presidents - many of them in
brass-buttoned blazers.
The black and white photographs in the
members’ bar of late Victorian and early
20th century crews winning the Regatta’s
Grand Challenge Cup could almost have
been taken yesterday, so little has changed
outside.
Ironically, there is only one Olympic
medal on display - a 1908 gold tucked
away in the corner of a dining room in a
cabinet made from the remains of an old
boat and won by the late Charles
Desborough Burnell, whose son Dickie also
won Olympic rowing gold in the 1948 double
sculls.
“The (1908) final was Leander versus the
Belgians. And it was rowed out there,” said
Treharne Jones, gesturing at the broad
philanthropist William Penny Brookes.
The Wenlock Games have been been called the
bridge between the ancient and the modern Olympics
and one of the London 2012 mascots is called
Wenlock. Arnold had been dead for more than 40
years when de Coubertin paid a visit to Rugby School
in the 1880s and spent a night in the chapel holding
vigil over his grave.
“My eyes fixed on the funeral slab on which, without
epitaph, the great name of Thomas Arnold was
inscribed,” de Coubertin wrote. “I dreamed that I saw
before me the cornerstone of the British Empire.”
That cornerstone included sports which were in
themselves influenced by the 19th century “muscular
Christianity” movement which emphasised moral certainty
and physical strength. Thomas Hughes, author
of “Tom Brown’s Schooldays”, was a proponent of muscular
Christianity and his book was intended as as a
moral tract rather than than a novel. The School-house
match, a forerunner of the game named after the
school, the cross-country run, the fight and the cricket
game are the sporting highlights. Flashman, the bully
expelled for drunkeness, was to become an acclaimed
and libidinous anti-hero in a series of novels by
George MacDonald Fraser.—Reuters
stretch of river flowing beyond the towpath.
“On the progress board, the top one
said Leander and the bottom one said
Belgium.”
In the 1912 Stockholm Games, the
Leander eight won gold again after beating
a crew from New College, Oxford. Sidney
Swann was the only man in the Leander
boat not to have attended Oxford
University.
In Antwerp in 1920, Leander had to settle
for silver after losing to an American
eight. The 1948 Olympic rowing events
were held on the river at Henley, a wellheeled
town so steeped in the sport that
passengers arrive at the train station on the
Regatta Line, but the Games now require
still water and purpose-built six-lane courses
over 2,000m.
This year’s Olympic regatta will be held
at Eton Dorney lake, near Windsor. “We are
not an ordinary rowing club,” Treharne
Jones recognised. “You can’t come and
knock on the door and say ‘I’d quite like to
learn to row’ and give it a stab.
“Having said that, we do teach people to
row... we take guys from other sports who
we think have potential if they can just be
taught to row. We bring people like that
into our development academy, swimmers,
basketball players...”
To do that takes money, 400,000 pounds
($633,800) a year to fund the development
programme with 270,000 pounds raised by
membership subscriptions and the rest
having to be generated through clubhouse
activities and from sponsors.
The club can accommodate 75 athletes,
but half of them will be in the Team GB setup
and train at nearby Caversham.
The boathouse, (built in 1896), contains
Why me? “But then I thought, I need to be better prepared.
That motivated me to keep training and
improving.
“Today, I am calm about it. But I also pay more
attention. The poles and the mat, they have to be at a
certain height and a certain angle and when I compete
now I examine them. I always check that my
poles are all there before I warm up. I am more careful.”
Murer has focused her entire training schedule on
being in prime form for London, even missing out on
the world indoor championship earlier this year to
spend 40 days at a training camp in Portugal. An
Olympic medal is her only goal for 2012.
However, she sheepishly acknowledges there is
another competition in the back of her mind. In four
years time, at the age of 35, she hopes to be competing
for medals at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“I think the only motivation that will keep me
going until 2016 is that the Olympics will be in Rio,”
she said. “If it was anywhere else I wouldn’t even consider
it but the thought of competing before my
home crowd is amazing.” — Reuters
Leander ready for
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
100th rowing medal
LONDON: Giant Olympic rings made up of 25,000 flowers at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London with torchbearers, games makers,
London 2012 festival participants and parents of TeamGB athletes to mark 100 days before the start of the London 2012 Olympic
Games. — AP
Rugby school inspired the
founder of modern Games
stacks of yellow Empacher racing shells, the
German-made Rolls Royce of rowing, with
each eight costing between 25,000-30,000
pounds.
“Most ordinary clubs could only dream
of an Empacher,” explained Treharne Jones.
“Our entire fleet is made up of them.”
In the old days, the club was very much
a haven for gentlemen from the great
British public schools, such as Westminster
and Eton, and Oxford and Cambridge universities.
The memorial board in the clubhouse
to fallen members in both World
Wars reads as a list of officers.
Leander remains elitist even now, but on
sporting excellence rather than class or
education. Pinsent went to Eton, but
Redgrave attended a state comprehensive
in nearby Marlow.
The club’s name, harking back to the
Greek myth of the amorous Leander who
drowned while swimming the Hellespont
to be with his lover Hero, derives from a
type of 19th century boat.
The star and the arrow, which feature in
the full coat of arms, were also types of sixoared
cutters that had clubs named after
them in London where Leander was also
founded. “The earliest recorded reference
to rowing as Leander is 1818,” said Treharne
Jones.
“Twenty years later along came Henley
regatta in 1839 and Leander decided not to
enter it first time because we wanted to see
whether it came up to scratch.
“So we sent a chap along to ride alongside
on horseback to see if it was OK. He
apparently reported favorably so we
entered the second year and won. And
we’ve been winning at Henley ever
since.”—Reuters
LEXINGTON: This Sept. 28, 2010 file photo shows Hiroshi Hoketsu, of
Japan, riding Whisper 115 during the Dressage event at the World
Equestrian Games. At the age of 71, the Japanese equestrian rider will be
the oldest competitor in London. — AP

18 SPORTS
Knicks rout Celtics
NEW YORK: Carmelo Anthony
had 35 points, 12 rebounds and
10 assists for his second career
triple-double as the New York
Knicks made 19 3-pointers to preserve
their Atlantic Division title
hopes with a 118-110 victory over
the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
JR Smith and Steve Novak
both scored 25 points for the
Knicks, who overcame a seasonhigh
43 points from Paul Pierce
and moved into sole possession
of seventh place in the Eastern
Conference while trimming
Boston’s division lead to 3 1/2
games. The Celtics would have
wrapped up their fifth straight
Atlantic title with a victory.
Instead, the Knicks staggered
them with a record-tying 14 3pointers
in a 72-point first half
and equaled their season high by
finishing 19 of 32 behind the arc.
They improved to 14-5 under
interim coach Mike Woodson.
Spurs 112, Lakers 91
At Los Angeles, Tony Parker
had 29 points and 13 assists, and
Tim Duncan had 19 points and
eight rebounds as San Antonio
handed the Lakers their worst
loss of the season.
Manu Ginobili scored 15
points as the Spurs improved
their spot atop the Western
Conference with their fourth
straight win. They also snapped
Los Angeles’ four-game winning
streak while dominating a meeting
of division leaders - albeit
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
W L PCT GB
Boston 36 26 .581 -
NY Knicks 32 29 .525 3.5
Philadelphia 31 30 .508 4.5
New Jersey 22 40 .355 14
Toronto 22 40 .355 14
Central Division
Chicago 46 15 .754 -
Indiana 40 22 .645 6.5
Milwaukee 29 31 .483 16.5
Detroit 23 38 .377 23
Cleveland 20 40 .333 25.5
Southeast Division
Miami 43 17 .717 -
Atlanta 36 25 .590 7.5
Orlando 36 25 .590 7.5
Washington 15 46 .246 28.5
Charlotte 7 53 .117 36
with Kobe Bryant sitting out his
sixth straight game to rest his
bruised shin.
Andrew Bynum had 21 points
and seven rebounds for the
Lakers, while Matt Barnes and Pau
Gasol scored 16 points apiece.
Pacers 102, 76ers 97
At Philadelphia, Danny
Granger scored 24 points, and
Roy Hibbert had 15 points and 13
LOS ANGELES: Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) watches the ball
as San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan (left) and Tony Parker (9) defend
during the second half of their NBA basketball game. —AP
NBA results/standings
Indiana 102, Philadelphia 97; Detroit 116, Cleveland 77; Ny Knicks 118, Boston 110; Memphis 91, Minnesota 84; NY Knicks
118, Boston 110; San Antonio 112, LA Lakers 91.
Western Conference
Northwest Division
Oklahoma City 44 17 .721 -
Denver 34 27 .557 10
Utah 32 30 .516 12.5
Portland 28 34 .452 16.5
Minnesota 25 38 .397 20
Pacific Division
LA Lakers 39 23 .629 -
LA Clippers 38 23 .623 .5
Phoenix 32 29 .525 6.5
Golden State 22 38 .367 16
Sacramento 20 41 .328 18.5
Southwest Division
San Antonio 44 16 .733 -
Memphis 36 25 .590 8.5
Dallas 34 28 .548 11
Houston 32 29 .525 12.5
New Orleans 19 42 .311 25.5
rebounds to lead Indiana to its
sixth straight win.
The Pacers won their fifth
straight road game and 10th of
11 overall and seem to be hitting
their stride as the postseason
nears. The Pacers play their final
four games at home and, barring
a complete collapse, should earn
the No. 3 seed in the Eastern
Conference.
Andre Iguodala scored 23
points for the Sixers in their third
straight loss as they continue
their late-season fade.
Pistons 116, Cavaliers 77
At Auburn Hills, Michigan,
Brandon Knight had 28 points
and seven assists as Detroit routed
Cleveland in one of the NBA’s
most lopsided games of the season.
Tayshaun Prince added 15
points for the Pistons and Jonas
Jerebko scored 14. Detroit led 61-
38 at halftime and scored the first
16 points of the third quarter. It
was 100-50 after three.
The Cavaliers were without
rookie point guard Kyrie Irving,
who was out with a right shoulder
problem and hasn’t played
since April 3. Irving could return
Wednesday night against
Philadelphia. Cleveland forward
Alonzo Gee was a late scratch
because of a left ankle sprain.
According to STATS LLC, the
biggest blowout of the season
was Portland’s 44-point victory
over Charlotte on Feb. 1. Manny
Harris led the Cavaliers with 18
points.
Grizzlies 91, T’wolves 84
At Minneapolis, Rudy Gay had
28 points and nine rebounds to
help Memphis withstand a weak
start to the fourth quarter and
beat Minnesota for the eighth
straight time.
JJ Barea scored a season-high
28 points on 5-for-9 shooting
from 3-point range to go with
eight assists and five rebounds,
but the Timberwolves lost their
11th straight - and their 27th consecutive
game in April. They have
three more tries this season to
stop that streak.
Zach Randolph added 16
points and 11 rebounds for the
Grizzlies, who moved within two
games of the Los Angeles
Clippers for fourth place in the
Western Conference and crept
closer toward clinching a playoff
spot. —AP
Australia back on top after Chanderpaul falls
PORT OF SPAIN: Shivnarine
Chanderpaul fell agonisingly short
of a century before Australian spinner
Nathan Lyon destroyed the
West Indian lower order to hand
the momentum back to the visitors
on the third day of the second test
on Tuesday.
Chanderpaul was dismissed for
94 after surviving a dropped catch
early in his innings. He led a West
Indian fight back with a blend of
defence and controlled aggression.
But his gritty performance
counted for little at the end of the
day after the fragile West Indian
batting crumbled and the home
side were reduced to 252 for nine
at the close, still 59 behind
Australia’s first innings of 311 in a
low scoring match.
Lyon (5-68) triggered the collapse
when he captured five wickets
in a devastating spell late in the
TRINADAD: Australia’s David Warner (right) and Ed Cowan run between wickets during the
fourth day of their second cricket Test match against West Indies. —AP
Australia 1st innings 311
West Indies 1st innings (overnight 49-3)
A. Barath lbw b Beer 7
K. Brathwaite lbw b Hilfenhaus 0
K. Powell lbw b Pattinson 19
D. Bravo lbw b Hussey 38
S. Chanderpaul lbw b Lyon 94
N. Deonarine st Wade b Lyon 55
C. Baugh not out 17
D. Sammy c Hussey b Lyon 1
Scoreboard
Scoreboard at the close of play on the third day of the second test between West Indies and Australia at Queen’s Park
Oval in Trinidad yesterday:
S. Shillingford c Cowan b Lyon 4
K. Roach c Wade b Lyon 0
F. Edwards not out 0
Extras (lb-8 w-1 nb-8) 17
Total (for nine wickets, 104 overs) 252
Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-26 3-38 4-100 5-230 6-231 7-237 8-
241 9-249.
Bowling: Beer 25-9-52-1, Hilfenhaus 16-4-39-1, Lyon 29-9-
68-5, Pattinson 11-2-40-1 (nb-4), Hussey 6-1-19-1 (w-1),
Watson 12-5-14-0, Warner 3-1-9-0, Clarke 2-0-3-0.
final session on an increasingly difficult
Queen’s Park Road pitch.
Chanderpaul, who scored an
unbeaten hundred in last week’s
first test defeat in Barbados, shared
a 130 run partnership with
Narsingh Deonarine (55) to give
West Indies hope of a first innings
lead when the wheels suddenly fell
off and they lost five wickets for
just 19 runs.
Deonarine was stumped by
Matthew Wade shortly after completing
his third half-century in his
10th test then Lyon trapped
Chanderpaul lbw with a ball that
turned just enough to beat the
inside edge. Darren Sammy (one),
Shane Shillingford (four) and
Kemar Roach (no score) then followed
in quick succession, leaving
Carlton Baugh (17 not out) and
Fidel Edwards (no score) to battle
through to the close.
Chanderpaul, a thorn in
Australian sides for years, had been
given a life on eight when the
Australian skipper Michael Clarke
failed to grasp a difficult chance at
slip that deflected off Wade.
The unorthodox lefthander
then made the Australians pay for
the missed opportunity with a
watchful 217-ball innings that featured
10 boundaries and a six, off
leftarm spinner Michael Beer.
Deonarine also had a close
shave early in his innings, scrambling
home by a whisker to avoid
being run out on the last ball
before lunch.
The day began in bizarre circumstances
when play was
delayed for 20 minutes because of
a power outage. The two teams
walked on to the field as scheduled
but were told by match referee Jeff
Crowe to retreat back to the dressing
room before a ball was bowled
because there was no live television
footage. Australia’s frontline
bowlers failed to make any inroads
in the morning session and it was
left to part-time seamer Mike
Hussey to make the initial breakthrough,
removing Darren Bravo
for 38. Australia did not get another
wicket until after tea when the second
session was interrupted for
around 90 minutes because of a
passing rain shower. —Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
MONACO: Spain’s Rafael Nadal plays a return to Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen,
during their match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament. —AP
Djokovic and Nadal
cruise at Monte Carlo
MONACO: Seven-time defending champion
Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic
got their clay-court seasons off to a good start
with comfortable wins in the second round of
the Monte Carlo Masters yesterday.
Djokovic opened with a 6-1, 6-4 win against
Andreas Seppi of Italy and his archrival Nadal
followed up by beating Jarkko Nieminen of
Finland 6-4, 6-3.
“I thought I was really focused first set. I had
a tough opponent, obviously, a quality opponent
that plays good on clay,” Djokovic said.
“For the first match (on clay) since Roland
Garros last year, it was satisfying.”
Nadal looked a bit rusty at times after not
playing a match for three weeks to rest and
treat his troublesome left knee. He broke
Nieminen’s serve four times, and had the match
closed for him when the Finn double-faulted.
The Spaniard, who has not won a title since
last year’s French Open and has lost seven
straight tournament finals to Djokovic, next
plays Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin.
Djokovic raced into a 4-0 lead after 19 minutes
before Seppi started to fight back.
Djokovic ultimately improved to 7-0 against
the Italian.
The Australian Open champion next faces
Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine, who had 11
aces in his 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win against Australian
Bernard Tomic.
“Well, I think you expect the unexpected
with (Dolgopolov),” Djokovic said. “He’s a very
talented player, comes up with some shots that
are not really typical for a tennis player. He
comes up with some drop shots, changes the
pace very much. That’s why he’s very dangerous
on clay.”
The 23-year-old Dolgopolov is confident of
causing an upset. Although he lost in straight
sets to Djokovic in the fourth round of last
year’s U.S. Open, the Serb had to work hard to
take a tight first set in a tiebreaker that finished
16-14.
“After that, I think I can compete with him,”
Dolgopolov said. “I mean, he’s No. 1, I’m No. 21.
Obviously he’s higher in the ranking. He’s playing
more consistent. But I think I have my
chances.” Djokovic looked on course for an
even easier win after the early double break
put him in total control.
But in a long fifth game lasting 11 minutes,
the Serb was finally tested as Seppi showed
some form with a couple of big forehands and
one lovely drop shot. Djokovic even had to
save two break points at 15-40. Targeting
Djokovic’s backhand, Seppi then won a long
rally to force another break point, then wasted
it with a hurried forehand into the net.
After another long sixth game, Seppi drew a
cheer from the crowd after finally holding his
serve. Djokovic quickly wrapped up the set
when Seppi returned his second serve into the
net.
“We had a couple of long games. But I think
I served really well when I needed to,” Djokovic
said. “That’s encouraging for the clay because
you (can’t) rely on your serves as much as
maybe other surfaces, so it’s good to have a
couple of free points there.”
Both players held at the start of the second
set before Djokovic stepped up the pace by
breaking Seppi to love. Sixth-seeded Tomas
Berdych of the Czech Republic, No. 7 Janko
Tipsarevic of Serbia and No. 8 Nicolas Almagro
of Spain also won in straight sets.
Berdych beat big-serving Marin Cilic of
Croatia 7-6 (3), 6-1; Tipsarevic won 6-2, 6-3
against Spain’s Albert Montanes, and Almagro
downed Italy’s Potito Starace 7-6 (3), 6-1.
Kukushkin won 7-6 (8), 2-6, 6-2 against
Italian veteran Filippo Volandri in a match featuring
10 breaks of serve, while Switzerland’s
Stanislas Wawrinka hit seven aces in beating
Spain’s Pablo Andujar 7-5, 6-3. Also, Gilles
Simon of France beat Frederico Gil of Portugal
6-3, 6-0 and next plays Tipsarevic. Frenchman
Julien Benneteau will play Andy Murray in the
third round after beating Jurgen Melzer of
Austria 6-4, 6-3. —AP
MOHALI: Kings XI Punjab batsman Shaun Marsh plays a shot against Kolkata
Knight Riders during their Indian Premier League cricket match. —AP
Gambhir helps Kolkata
defeat Punjab by 8 wkts
MOHALI: Captain Gautam Gambhir
struck a neat half-century as Kolkata
Knight Riders scored an easy eight-wicket
win over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian
Premier League yesterday.
The left-handed opener’s unbeaten 66
helped Kolkata exact revenge for the loss
in a low-scoring game three days ago as
it coasted to 127-2 in 16.3 overs in reply
to Punjab’s 124-7 in the return game at
the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
Gambhir smashed one six and seven
fours off 44 balls and finished the game
in the company of South African allrounder
Jacques Kallis, who was 30 not
out off 23 deliveries.
The Kolkata batsmen completed a
clinical show after Brett Lee and Sunil
Narine had led a disciplined bowling performance.
Australian speedster Lee grabbed 2-
26 and West Indian spinner Narine 2-24
as Punjab was restricted to a moderate
total after captain Adam Gilchrist had
elected to bat on a sporting pitch.
Gilchrist himself was the highest scorer
for the home side with an unbeaten
40, playing his innings in two parts as he
retired hurt on 28 after pulling a hamstring
while running during the sixth
over.
Gilchrist, who came back to bat when
Dmitri Mascarenhas was dismissed in the
17th over, struck one six and three fours
in his 30-ball knock.
His Australian compatriot, Shaun
Marsh, was the second highest scorer in
the team score with 33 off 30 balls with
four fours.
“My injury took the direction out of
our innings,” Gilchrist said. “It is hard to
say what was a good score on this wicket
but we should have got some more
runs.” It was the third win from six games
for Kolkata. Punjab has two wins from
five games.
Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 127-2 in 16.3
overs (Gautam Gambhir 66 not out,
Jacques Kallis 30 not out; Piyush Chawla
2-19) def. Kings XI Punjab 124-7 (Adam
Gilchrist 40 not out, Shaun Marsh 33;
Sunil Narine 2-24, Brett Lee 2-26). —AP

LA PAZ: Challenged by Chile’s Universidad Catolica’s players Enzo Andia (right)
and Matias Perez, Bolivia’s Bolivar’s Jhasmani Campos (center) falls down during
a Copa Libertadores soccer match. —AP
Quito, Bolivar in
knockout stage
BUENOS AIRES: Deportivo Quito and
Bolivar of Bolivia earned victories on
Tuesday to reach the knockout stage of
the Copa Libertadores.
Deportivo Quito defeated Mexico’s
Guadalajara Chivas 5-0 in Group 7, and
Bolivar downed Universidad Catolica 3-0
in Group 3.
Fourteen teams have now reached
the knockout stage. The other two places
will be decided today with Brazil clubs
Santos and Internacional the favorites to
advance.
Matias Alustiza scored four goals for
Deportivo with the other coming from
Fidel Martinez Tenorio. Alustiza scored in
the 17th, 27th, 70th and 86th minutes.
Martinez Tenorio chipped in with a header
in the 64th. In the day’s other Group 7
match, Defensor Sporting of Uruguay
defeated Velez Sarsfield of Argentina 3-1.
Velez had already qualified and finished
with 12 points in six matches.
Deportivo Quito finished with 10,
Defensor nine and Guadalajara Chivas
four. The top two teams in each group
advance.
Andres Olivera gave Defensor
Sporting the lead in the sixth minute.
Diego Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the 37th
and Matias Britos capped the Uruguay
scoring in the 46th. Federico Insua broke
through for Velez in the 63rd with a
penalty.
In Group 3, Bolivar took a 1-0 lead in
the second minute with a goal by Pablo
Javier Frontini, followed by goals from
Walter Flores in the 27th and Damian
Lizio in the 49th.
In the other Group 3 match, Junior of
Colombia defeated Universidad Espanola
of Chile 2-1. Universidad Espanola had
already qualified and finished with 10
points. Bolivar improved to 10 points in
second place followed by Junior with
seven and Universidad Catolica with six.
Sherman Cardenas and Luis Alfonso
Paez scored for Junior and Emiliano
Vecchio got Universidad Espanola’s lone
goal. Deportivo Quito and Bolivar are the
13th and 14th teams to reach the final
16.
The teams that had already advanced
are: Lanus, Emelec, Universidad Espanola,
Fluminense, Boca Juniors, Libertad, Vasco
da Gama, Corinthians, Cruz Azul, Velez
Sarsfield, Atletico Nacional and
Universidad de Chile. —AP
Police called in to solve
Real stars’ boots theft
MUNICH: Munich police are investigating
the theft of several pairs of boots
belonging to Real Madrid’s stars which
were stolen from Bayern Munich’s stadium
before their Champions League
clash.
Bayern’s Mario Gomez netted the winner
in the 88th-minute on Tuesday at the
Allianz Arena to seal Munich’s 2-1 victory
over Real in the first-leg of their semifinal
with the return leg in Madrid next
Wednesday.
But Real had a nasty surprise just
before kick-off as two pairs of boots and
two jerseys belonging to Madrid star
Cristiano Ronaldo were stolen from the
Madrid dressing room at the stadium.
A pair of boots belonging to Real’s
Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil were also
taken. Real have pointed the finger at
Bayern, who have contacted the police
to clear up the matter.
The crime may prove tricky to solve as
there is no video camera surveillance in
the changing rooms at the Allianz Arena.
“We are now trying to look at who can
give us advice in the matter,” police
spokesman Wolfgang Wenger confirmed
to SID, an AFP subsidiary. “We are in contact
with Real.”
According to Spanish daily sports
paper Marca, Real have already complained
to European football’s governing
body UEFA. —AFP
Lyon’s top-three
challenge fades
PARIS: Lyon’s hopes of playing
Champions League football next season
receded sharply yesterday after a 3-0
loss at Toulouse left them six points
behind third-placed Lille in Ligue 1 with
only six games remaining.
Lyon were bidding to bounce back
from Saturday’s extra-time loss to
Marseille in the League Cup final but
another sterile performance saw them
undone by goals from Pantxi Sirieix,
Emmanuel Riviere and substitute Umut
Bulut.
Victory for Toulouse, meanwhile,
drew them level on points with fourthplaced
Lyon, who now face a battle just
to hold on to the consolation prize of a
Europa League place.
However, OL can secure a Europa
League berth by beating third-tier
Quevilly in the French Cup final on April
28, while the fact that Lille must still
play Montpellier and Paris Saint-
Germain gives them a glimmer of hope
in the battle for third.
Lyon coach Remi Garde dropped
Lisandro Lopez to the bench in order to
match Toulouse’s 4-1-4-1 but his side
fell behind in the ninth minute when
Sirieix volleyed home after
Mouhamadou Dabo failed to deal with
Adrien Regattin’s cross.
Sirieix turned provider in the 22nd
minute, shaping a cross into the box
from the right that Riviere met with a
firm header into the top-left corner.
Garde introduced Lisandro and
Michel Bastos at half-time, while Yoann
Gourcuff came on in the 63rd minute to
make his first league appearance since
December 21 following a spell on the
sidelines with a groin injury.
The substitutes did not make the
required impact, however, and Bulut
broke the visitors’ offside trap in the
91st minute before lifting the ball over
Hugo Lloris to seal Lyon’s 11th defeat of
the season.
Marseille’s run of games without victory
in Ligue 1 now stands at 11 after
they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to
Caen that left OM 10th and took the visitors
a point clear of the relegation
zone.
Caen went ahead in the 11th minute,
with M’Baye Niang intercepting Nicolas
N’Koulou’s attempted pass and crossing
for Frederic Bulot to score at the second
attempt.
Loic Remy equalised 15 minutes later,
claiming his 11th league goal of the
season from the penalty spot after a
handball by Alexandre Raineau. —AFP
Matches on TV
(Local Timings)
UEFA Europa League
Atletico v Valencia - 22:05
Aljazeera Sport 1 HD
Aljazeera Sport +4
Lisbon v Bilbao - 22:05
Aljazeera Sport 2 HD
19 sports
MADRID: Real Madrid’s 2-1
Champions League reverse at
Bayern Munich on Tuesday raised
questions about the tactics of
coach Jose Mourinho and
prompted sharp criticism of hapless
left back Fabio Coentrao.
After falling behind to a 17thminute
Franck Ribery strike in the
semi-final first leg in Germany,
Real battled back to 1-1 when
Mesut Ozil tapped in what could
prove a priceless away goal eight
minutes after the break at the
Allianz Arena.
Instead of going in for the kill,
Mourinho appeared willing to
settle for a draw and hauled off
creative pair Ozil and Angel Di
Maria, replacing them with fullback
Marcelo and defensive midfielder
Esteban Granero.
Brazilian Kaka, a former World
Player of the Year and the natural
replacement for Ozil if the
German was tiring, was left on
the bench.
It might have worked out,
securing a slight advantage for
next week’s second leg in Madrid,
but for another dreadful performance
from Mourinho’s Portuguese
compatriot Coentrao, for whom
Real paid Benfica 30 million euros
($39.4 million).
Coentrao was unable to cope
with tricky Bayern forwards
Ribery and Arjen Robben and
allowed Philipp Lahm to skip past
him and cross for Mario Gomez’s
90th-minute winner, sealing
Real’s first defeat in Europe’s elite
club competition this season.
Although he was given
unequivocal backing by his coach
and team mates, the latest belowpar
performance from the 24year-old
was rubbished in the
Spanish sports media and he was
ridiculed on Twitter.
Daily Marca noted that it was
Coentrao, who was criticised
recently after being photographed
smoking in public,
who conceded the free kick that
allowed CSKA Moscow to score a
late equaliser in their last-16 first
leg in February.
“The 30-million-euro fullback
saved the best until last (against
Bayern) when he was very late
closing down Lahm, who was
able to cross under no pressure
for Mario Gomez to score,” the
paper wrote sarcastically.
It also speculated whether the
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Mourinho’s tactics questioned,
hapless Coentrao under fire
LONDON: Reading capped a remarkable run
of form by securing promotion back to the
Premier League on Tuesday after a 1-0 victory
at home to Nottingham Forest guaranteed a
top-two finish in the Championship (second
division).
Reading, who have taken 46 points from a
possible 51 over their last 17 games, return to
the top-flight four seasons after losing their
place in 2008.
Fans flooded on to the pitch in celebration
after a victory at the Madjeski stadium that
moved Reading, beaten by Swansea in last
season’s playoff final, on to 88 points from 44
KUWAIT: The opening match of the 18th edition
of the GOA Rolling Trophy organized by
Goan Overseas Association (Goa Maroons)
under the auspices of KIFF and sponsored by
Bassem International Trading Company, was
held on last Friday at the MOH Ground
(Shuwaikh) and a strong United Friends Club
(UFC) overcame a new look Rising Stars 4-0,
who put up a spirited fight but were finally no
match for their more fancied rivals.
The final result however does not reflect
the actual action on the field with Rising Stars
boasting of a few new and youthful recruits
making the initial attempts on the UFC goal
and goalkeeper Martin had to use all his experience
in keeping a clean slate. But it was
against the run of play that Seby Mascarenhas
of UFC put his team in the front by scoring a
fine goal to end the first half 1-0 in favor of
UFC.
In the second half, the inexperience of the
Rising Stars players showed and UFC sealed
their place for the second round with goals
from Manual Dcosta, Abdulla Ziaueen and
Hemmanth Mohan, the last two goals coming
in the dying minutes of the game.
Earlier before the start of the match, the
chief guest Charles D’Sa, the Managing
Director of Bassem International Trading
Company was welcomed with a bouquet of
flowers and introduced to the players by
G.O.A President Raymond D’Sa, along with
KIFF President Fidelis Fernandes and other
Club representatives.
A total of 19 teams participating in this
prestigious tournament have been clubbed
into two groups with last year’s champions
Jose Mourinho
matches, three ahead of nearest pursuers
Southampton who won 3-1 at Peterborough.
“I’m delighted and It’s a great night for us.
It was a tough game tonight,” Reading manager
Brian McDermott told BBC radio.
“I couldn’t see too much good in losing
that playoff final at Wembley last year but perhaps
this is meant to be. I’m not even bothered
about the Premier League tonight, I’m
just concerned about the players and staff. It’s
a night for the fans.”
Southampton are poised to join Reading in
gaining automatic promotion. The south
coast club have a five-point advantage over
KUWAIT: United Friends Club and Rising Stars with the chief guest.
Goa Maroons and Runners-Up Navelim Youth
Centre seeded in Group A and B respectively.
Teams in Group A are: Gulf Cable FC, Don
Bosco Oratory, Indian Strikers FC, Real
Betalbatim FC, Skynet Raiders SC, Kuwait Goan
Association, C.R.C Chinchinim, FC Sparx,
Santos United and Goa Maroons. Group B is
made up of: Curtorcares United, AVC Sports &
Benfica fans had erected a statue
of their club president for convincing
Real to pay so much for
the Portuguese international,
who had an unsuccessful stint on
loan at La Liga side Real Zaragoza
in the 2008-09 season.
Coentrao’s team mates preferred
to focus on the positives
from Tuesday’s game as they prepared
for Saturday’s La Liga
‘Clasico’ at bitter rivals Barcelona.
Centre back Pepe, another
Portuguese, said Real’s “quality”
should see them through to next
month’s final, also in Munich,
where they would meet holders
Barca or Premier League side
Chelsea, who play their first leg in
London later yesterday.
“We believe in our strengths
and I am convinced we will get to
the final,” Ozil, who plays in the
German national team with many
of the Bayern players, told
reporters.
“I am a bit sad about the
defeat but I have a positive feeling,”
the former Werder Bremen
player added. “We’ll meet again in
Munich.” Bayern coach Jupp
Heynckes, who led Real to the
Champions League title in 1998,
will have noted Coentrao’s weaknesses
and the Portuguese can
expect another torrid time in
Wednesday’s second leg - if he is
selected. —Reuters
Reading secure promotion to EPL
West Ham United, who could only draw 1-1 at
Bristol City on Tuesday, with two matches
remaining. The top two go up automatically
and the next four teams go through to the
promotion playoffs.
Mikele Leigertwood’s late goal gave
Reading victory over Forest who could at least
take some consolation in defeat. Results elsewhere
meant former European champions
Forest, in 19th place on 47 points, cannot be
relegated.
Portsmouth (40 points), Coventry City (40)
and already relegated Doncaster Rovers (33)
occupy the bottom three places. —Reuters
UFC prove superior in opener
GOA Rolling Trophy
C.A, Rising Stars, United Friends Club, DHL F.C,
Santos FC, United Goans Centre, Malabar
United FC and Navelim Youth Centre.
Coming Friday, 20th April 2012, there will
be two matches only from group A with Indian
Strikers taking on Real Betalbatim F.C at
6:30am followed by Kuwait Goan Association
playing C.R.C Chinchinim at 8:00am.
KUWAIT: United Friends Club team

SINGAPORE: A last-gasp winner lifted Adelaide United to the top
of their group and spared Australian blushes in the AFC
Champions League yesterday.
Bruce Djite’s 90th-minute header handed the 2008 runnersup
a 1-0 win over South Korea’s Pohang Steelers and made up for
the 5-0 mauling handed out to Australia’s Central Coast Mariners
by Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.
A-League champions Brisbane Roar had also seen their Asian
campaign all but ended on Tuesday. But in Adelaide, goalkeepercaptain
Eugene Galekovic led by example as the Reds pulled off a
vital win.
Galekovic, who had spoken of his determination to make up
for his howler away against Pohang, when he was at fault for a
game-deciding own goal credited to Djite, pulled off a spectacular
one-handed save early in the match.
And the intervention was to prove critical when Djite rose in
the dying seconds to head Brazilian midfielder Cassio’s cross into
the corner of the net, snatching all three points for the hosts.
“It’s an uplifting performance,” said Adelaide’s acting coach
Luciano Trani. “This sets us up in a very good position to qualify.”
With two games to play, Adelaide now lead Group E by three
points from Pohang and Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor, who beat 2008
winners Gamba Osaka 3-2 in Tashkent.
The teams swapped early goals before Lutfulla Turaev’s looping
header gave Bunyodkor the lead on 41 minutes. Anvarjon
Soliev slid home their third on 81 minutes before Hiroyuki Abe
reduced the arrears deep into injury-time.
Pohang are edging Bunyodkor for second solely on goal-difference,
but coach Hwang Sun-Hong was optimistic his team
would make the round-of-16 knock-out stage, featuring the top
two from each group, which will be played next month.
“Of course it feels very sad,” said Hwang. “But we must make
sure we play with a purpose in this group stage.” In Group G,
Seongnam went top on goal difference from Nagoya Grampus
thanks to their 5-0 demolition of Australia’s Central Coast. Lee
Chang-Hoon opened the scoring on 39 minutes and Brazilian
Everton Santos struck in each half.
J-League side Nagoya missed the chance to stay top when
they drew 0-0 with China’s Tianjin Teda. Japanese international
striker Keiji Tamada fluffed a penalty in a match that left coach
Dragan Stojkovic fuming.
“No good, no good. No good play, no good performance,” he
Girl’s nose
broken by
Gayle six
15
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Djokovic and
18
Nadal cruise at
Monte Carlo
Mourinho’s tactics questioned, hapless Coentrao under fire Page 19
LONDON: Chelsea’s Didier Drogba reacts after scoring a goal
against Barcelona. — AP
LONDON: Chelsea’s Jon Obi Mikel (right) tackles Barcelona’s Lionel Messi during their Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium.— AP
Drogba strikes as Chelsea stun Barca
LONDON: Didier Drogba scored the only goal as tors. Frank Lampard released Ramires down the However, genuine chances for Chelsea were Fabregas, who dinked his shot over the advancing forwards only for his shot to be well blocked by
Chelsea stunned holders Barcelona to score a 1-0 left flank with a superb cross-field pass and the few and far between while at the other end Cech Cech. The former Arsenal star’s effort just appeared John Terry. On 57 minutes Barcelona threatened
upset victory in their Champions League semi-final Brazilian threaded his pass across the area to was working overtime in the face of a relentless to be spinning in but Ashley Cole was on hand to again when Fabregas lofted a sublime pass into
first-leg match here yesterday.
Drogba, who swept a low shot past scrambling Barca.
hook the ball clear.
the area for Sanchez, but a desperate covering
Drogba left Chelsea dreaming of advancing to Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
Cech had to be alert on 18 minutes after Lionel That appeared to be the final twist of the half tackle from Cole was enough to unbalance the
their first final since 2008 in next week’s return leg Until then, Chelsea had been clinging on as Messi darted into the box and cut back for Iniesta, until Drogba’s dramatic strike shot Chelsea into the Chilean, who shot wide.
at Camp Nou after pouncing on the stroke of half- Barcelona dominated for long periods with their whose fierce low shot was well saved by the lead two minutes into time added on.
Barcelona continued to dominate but with
time as Barcelona suffered their first European customary slick passing game.
Chelsea custodian before Cesc Fabregas scuffed Unsurprisingly, Chelsea’s goal was the cue for a Chelsea defending deep and in numbers, they
reverse of the season.
The Catalans might have taken the lead after his follow-up wide.
sustained Barca onslaught after the break, yet the were unable to find a breakthrough.
Drogba’s goal was Chelsea’s only attempt on only nine minutes when Andres Iniesta picked out Fabregas tested Cech soon afterwards, his home side once again were able to frustrate the They came close to an equaliser on 87 minutes
target in a match where Barcelona carved out Alexis Sanchez with a delightful chipped pass, only angled shot beaten away on 26 minutes. Cech was visitors despite their near-monopoly of possession. but once again Cech came to the rescue. Messi
chance after chance only to be denied by some for the Chilean international’s lob over Petr Cech to pressed into action two minutes later, saving after Adriano was the first to test Chelsea again on whipped in a low free-kick and Carles Puyol
desperate defending by their Premier League hit the bar. Chelsea, who had opted for the muscu- Messi met a Sanchez cross with a downward head- 51 minutes, skipping over a challenge from stooped to glance a header goalwards, only for
opponents.
lar presence of Drogba in attack ahead of er. A goal seemed a certainty two minutes from Branislav Ivanovic and unleashing a venomous Cech to dive and turn behind for a corner.
Chelsea had taken the lead in first-half injury- Fernando Torres, signalled their intentions early on, the half-time when Messi won the ball in midfield shot that Cech, diving at full stretch, parried to In stoppage time Pedro struck the woodwork
time after an opening 45 minutes in which they pumping a series of long balls forward for the and raced forwards menacingly.
safety.
and then Sergio Busquets blazed over as Chelsea
had been comprehensively outplayed by the visi- Ivorian.
The Argentinian threaded his pass through to Moments later it was Messi’s turn, advancing hung on for a famous win. — AFP
Late Adelaide
winner spare
Aussie blushes
SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa’s Vladimir
Jovancic (left) fights for the ball against Australia’s Central
Coast Mariners’ Alex Wilkinson during their Group G match
of the AFC Champions League.— AP
said. “I’m angry, because my players didn’t play seriously, so they
have to understand that every game they have to give 100 percent.
Today we didn’t play 100 percent.”
Tamada fired his penalty wide after substitute midfielder Yuki
Maki was brought down in the box 13 minutes into the second
half. The home side were weakened by suspensions, and a back
injury to Australia striker Josh Kennedy.
Al Jazira of the UAE became the first team to confirm their
place in the last 16 when they battled back from a goal down to
draw 1-1 with Esteghlal in Group A.
Arash Borhani put the Iranian side ahead midway through the
first half but Brazilian forward Ricardo Oliveira levelled for the
hosts in the 63rd minute to give them the point that they needed
to secure their passage into the knockout stage for the first time.
They also became the first United Arab Emirates club to qualify
for the knockout stage since Al Wahda in 2007. — AFP
Preview
Sporting and Valencia to
kick off in Europa League
MADRID: While Barcelona and Real Madrid chase a
“clasico” Champions League final, Sporting Lisbon is
the only team that’s keeping Athletic Bilbao, Atletico
Madrid and Valencia from making the Europa League
finale an all-Spanish affair.
Valencia travel to Atletico for the first leg of their
semifinal today, when Athletic play at Sporting looking
to maintain its status as competition favorite.
Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa has managed to
get the most out of Bilbao’s young, talented squad,
whose brazen and fearless displays have seen the all-
Basque club eliminate Manchester United and
Schalke from the competition.
But not to be outdone, Sporting ended big-spending
Manchester City’s European ambitions by eliminating
it from the quarterfinals to ensure a second
straight all-Iberian final. It’s just a question of whether
it will be the second all-Spanish final in five years.
Bilbao already has a date with Barcelona in May’s
Copa del Rey final, and knows reaching the May 9
final in Bucharest would make this one of its most successful
seasons ever. Bilbao is without a trophy since a
league-cup double in 1984, and it’s looking to reach a
European final for the first time since losing the UEFA
Cup to Juventus in 1977.
“We have to play like ourselves as we always do,”
midfielder Ander Iturraspe said. “We’re not going to
speculate on the result, we’re going there to win, to
give it our all like we always do.”
While fatigue and a taxing schedule seems to have
impacted Bilbao’s league hopes, it hasn’t shown any
dips in concentration in continental play. Athletic is
unbeaten in the last five games in the tournament
and has won four of their six away matches.
Bilbao can also count on the return of forward Iker
Muniain, who missed Sunday’s 1-0 win with an eye
problem, plus midfielder Carlos Gurpegui, who was
included in the squad for the first time since a knee
injury sidelined him in October. Defender Javi
Martinez is suspended, but Bielsa still included him
the team.
“We have experience with difficult games,” said
Iturraspe, one of Bilbao’s surprise standouts under
Bielsa. Sporting’s domestic form has improved since
Ricardo Sa Pinto took over as coach after the firing of
Domingos Paciencia, who had led Braga to the final
against FC Porto last year.
Sporting is at full strength with only defender
Oguchi Onyewu absent with a long-term knee injury
ahead of the teams’ first meeting since the 1985-86,
season when the Portuguese club emerged victorious
over two legs. It is looking to return to its first final
since losing to CSKA Moscow in 2005.
Only Atletico has scored more goals than Athletic
in the competition ahead of their rematch of a 2010
quarterfinal, which Atletico won en route to beating
Fulham in the final.
Atletico striker Radamel Falcao scored his 30th goal
in all competitions in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Rayo
Vallecano, and has a chance to finish as the competition’s
top scorer following Klass-Jan Huntelaar’s exit
with Schalke. Huntelaar leads with 10 goals, two better
than Falcao, who scored the only goal for Porto in the
final last year for his record 18th of the tournament.
Atletico playmaker Diego is available at the Vicente
Calderon stadium but will have to be careful as a
booking will rule him out of the next week’s return leg
and the final.
Valencia has to recover from Sunday’s 4-0 drubbing
by Espanyol, with forward Sergio Canales available
after returning from a long-term knee injury.
“We know we have to improve in a lot of aspects
between now and Thursday,” Canales said. “The
most important thing is to lift our heads up and try
to tap into that dynamic we showed before that
game.” — AP

Business
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
HSBC merges Oman’s
unit with local lender
Page 23
Euro zone debt fears
pressure euro, shares
Page 24
Slower takaful growth prompts strategy rethink Page 26
CALIFORNIA: A man walks by Yahoo! headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. — AP
Yahoo shows signs of life
Yahoo beats targets, reports rare revenue growth
SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo reported an uptick
in revenue that marked its first quarterly sales
growth in three years, as new Chief Executive
Scott Thompson outlined his plan to revamp
the struggling Web company. Citing moves
to shut down dozens of underperforming
online properties, while making online commerce
and mobile products a bigger part of
Yahoo’s business, Thompson described “the
first steps” to regain market share from online
rivals and revive the company’s growth.
“I’m convinced that we don’t need to reinvent
who we are,” Thompson said during a
conference call with analysts on Tuesday. “But
I’m equally convinced we absolutely do need
to reinvent the experiences our users have
with the marquee properties that bring them
to Yahoo every day.” Thompson also said that
Yahoo was once more exploring ways to
“monetize” some of its stake in China’s
Alibaba Group.
Shares of Yahoo increased 2.7 percent to
$15.41 in after hours trading on Tuesday. The
comments marked the most extensive details
Thompson has provided about his strategy
since taking the top job at Yahoo in January.
But the former PayPal president faces a high
wall of skepticism from investors who have
watched several failed attempts to restructure
and revitalize the one-time Web pioneer
in recent years. Carol Bartz, Thompson’s
immediate predecessor, was fired over the
phone in September. “I didn’t hear anything
particularly aggressive or transformative in
what he said,” said Macquarie Research analyst
Ben Schachter.
“While Scott has a great track record, the
company itself has done many of these
things,” in the past, Schachter said. Yahoo said
its net income grew 28 percent in the three
months ended March 31 to $286 million, or
23 cents a share, outpacing Wall Street expectations
of 17 cents a share. Much of the
increase in quarterly profit came from Yahoo’s
earnings in equity interests, which more than
doubled year-on-year and comprise mainly
its investments in Alibaba as well as Yahoo
Japan. “Their minority stake in their invest-
Investors give thumbs down
to Citigroup’s executive pay
NEW YORK: Citigroup has become the first
Wall Street bank to get a thumbs-down from
shareholders over outsized executive pay. At
its annual meeting Tuesday, 55 percent of the
bank’s shareholders voted against the pay
packages that have been granted to
Citigroup’s top executives, including CEO
Vikram Pandit’s $15 million for last year and
$10 million retention pay. The vote is advisory
and won’t force the bank to change its pay
practices, but it did send a powerful message
of discontent to Citi’s leadership.
“This vote is historic,” said Eleanor Bloxham,
CEO of The Value Alliance, a board advisory
firm. “None of the Wall Street firms have
received this kind of a review yet.” Wall Street’s
massive compensation packages have raised
the ire of shareholders for years, especially
when they appear to have little relation to the
performance of specific executives. Bonuses
became a flashpoint of public outrage after
the 2008 financial meltdown, which was
caused in large part by those same Wall Street
firms.
Nonetheless, compensation on Wall Street
has remained high, even after a taxpayer-funded
bailout of the industry and the Great
Recession that followed and left one in 10
Americans unemployed. Until Tuesday, shareholders
haven’t voted in large enough numbers
against Wall Street pay packages to make
a difference. Under the Dodd-Frank financial
overhaul law, major US companies are
required to allow shareholders to have a “say
on pay” vote at least every three years. The
votes are not binding.
Besides Citi so far this year, only three companies
- KB Home, International Game
Technology Inc. and Actuant Corp - have failed
to muster shareholders’ approval of its pay
practices. Last year, 41 companies failed. For
Citigroup’s CEO Vikram Pandit, the lost vote at
the annual meeting comes at a bad time. Last
month the bank’s chief regulator the Federal
Reserve dealt Citi a huge setback by barring
the company from paying a higher dividend,
saying the bank wasn’t financially strong
enough. The Fed’s decision came soon after
Pandit had been promising to raise dividends.
Pandit’s large pay package for 2011 and a
large retention pay is not going over well with
shareholders. He received $14.8 million in total
compensation for 2011, up from his token $1
compensation in 2010. Pandit was also awarded
$10 million in retention pay, which vests
after 2013. Paid as an incentive for Pandit to
stay on as CEO, Citi’s compensation committee
will assess him not on financial performance,
but on non-quantifiable measures such as talent
management, organizational culture and
risk management.
“Citigroup is one of most egregious example
of disconnect between incentives of top
management and value creation of shareholders,”
said Mike Mayo, bank analyst at brokerage
firm CLSA and author of the book “Exile on
Wall Street.” “The owners of the big banks,
namely the shareholders, are finally taking a
greater amount of responsibility by speaking
up.” The influential corporate governance firm
ISS was particularly concerned about the fact
that Pandit’s retention pay was not linked to
any financial metrics. ISS had recommended
that investors vote against Citi’s compensation
package.
ISS also said in a report that Pandit’s pay
was higher relative to the performance of its
peer group and its total shareholder returns.
Since Pandit became CEO in December 2007
through the end of 2011, Citigroup stock was
down 90 percent. Citigroup nearly collapsed
during the financial crisis and was rescued by
$45 billion in bailout money from the government
in late 2008. In February 2009, Pandit
said he would accept a salary of $1 until the
bank was able to turn a profit. The bank has
reported profits for two consecutive years
now. However, shareholders didn’t seem to
agree that it was time to handsomely reward
management yet.—AP
ments is generating more profit than their
core business,” said BGC Partners analyst Colin
Gillis.
ASIAN TALKS
Yahoo’s plans for its Asian assets are being
closely watched by investors, many of whom
have argued that Yahoo should sell all or part
of its holdings in the companies. Thompson
told analysts that Yahoo was exploring a simpler
deal to try and “monetize” its 40 percent
slice of China’s Alibaba, a stake valued at billions
of dollars and that Yahoo once discussed
unloading in a complex tax-efficient transaction.
Thompson did not elaborate, but his comments
suggest the company-which broke off
deal talks with Alibaba and Softbank last
year-was willing to go back to the negotiating
table. He said that returning cash to shareholders,
in the event of such a deal, would be
at the “top of the list” of priorities. Thomson
also noted that plans to monetize its stake in
Yahoo Japan, underway for more than a year,
have been beset by a “valuation gap” which
the parties have failed to bridge. As a result,
Thompson said, Yahoo was now focused on
talks with Alibaba. Yahoo said that betterthan-expected
performance for its search ads
helped the company increase its quarterly
net revenue year-on-year for the first time
since the third quarter of 2008.
Yahoo’s core display advertising business
declined 4 percent during the first quarter.
The company’s net revenue, which excludes
payments to partners, totaled $1.077 billion
in the first quarter, compared to $1.064 billion
in the year-ago period. It forecast net revenue
in the second quarter of between $1.03 billion
and $1.14 billion. Once one of the Web
industry’s pioneering companies, Yahoo has
seen its growth stunted in recent years amid
competition from Google and Facebook.
Thompson, the former president of PayPal
who took the reins in January, announced
plans this month to lay off 14 percent of
Yahoo’s staff and reorganize the management
structure. — Reuters
NEW DELHI: Wholesale grain, pulses and spices sellers wait for customers at a grain
market in New Delhi. India’s headline inflation rose 6.9 percent in March, faster than
expected. — AP
India urged to
tackle inflation
WASHINGTON: The International
Monetary Fund urged India to keep policy
rates on hold until high inflation is on a
downward trend and to take steps to boost
economic growth. The IMF’s annual economic
health-check of India’s economy
stressed that the biggest challenge for the
authorities was to bring growth back to its
potential and lower inflation. Yesterday, the
Reserve Bank of India announced its first
interest rate cut in three years by an unexpectedly
sharp 50 basis points to boost its
economy.
Some IMF directors appeared to disagree
on the underlying reason for the
slow down in India, arguing that it is difficult
to attribute it to economic “structural
factors”. The IMF forecast that the economy
would grow at about 7 percent in 2012 and
2013, down from the 8.4 percent levels of
the last two years. It said inflation was projected
to fall in the near term, but to stay
above the Reserve Bank of India’s objective.
“The main domestic risk is a further
weakening of private investment if government
approvals do not accelerate, reform
efforts are not reinvigorated, and inflation
remains high and volatile,” the IMF said in a
statement. Economic reforms and fiscal
consolidation were crucial to address constraints
to growth and reduce inflationary
expectations, the global lender said. It said
India’s plans to develop infrastructure,
improving access to credit and making the
labor market more flexible were some
measures the government could adopt to
ensure the country’s growth potential
remains intact. — Reuters
News
in brief
Spain warns Argentina
over Repsol takeover
Page 25
Abraaj eyes Saudi
DUBAI: Dubai-based private equity firm Abraaj Capital is
looking at three to four investments in Saudi Arabia valued
up to $150 million each, a senior executive said yesterday.
The Middle East’s largest private equity firm will
close one of these deals in the next three to four months,
Ahmed Badreldin, senior partner at Abraaj, said on the
sidelines of an industry event in Dubai. “We are looking
at three investments in Saudi Arabia currently. The equity
contribution in those transactions would be between
$100 to $150 million each,” said Badreldin. Abraaj has
been pushing to expand its geographical footprint and
recently bought UK-based specialist fund manager
Aureos Capital. It is also investing $125 million in a
Moroccan insurance holding firm. Founded a decade
ago, Abraaj has raised $7 billion since its inception. It
owns stakes in a range of Middle East companies including
Orascom Construction, budget carrier Air Arabia,
supermarket Spinneys and education group GEMS.
Halliburton profit up 22.7%
NEW YORK: Halliburton Co said yesterday its first-quarter
profit increased 22.7 percent as the oil industry
aggressively searched for new oil fields in North
America. The Houston oil services firm reported net
income of $627 million, or 68 cents per share, for the first
three months of the year. That compares with $511 million,
or 56 cents per share, for the same part of 2011.
Revenue increased by 30 percent to a company record of
$6.87 billion. Excluding a $300 million charge for estimated
losses related to its role in the 2010 Gulf of
Mexico oil spill, Halliburton said it earned 88 cents per
share. The results topped analyst expectations for earnings
of 85 cents per share on revenue of $6.79 billion,
according to FactSet. Halliburton shares rose 2 percent
in premarket trading. Halliburton provides a variety of
services for the oil industry. It helps evaluate how much
oil and gas can be pumped from a well, for example, and
it sells drill bits and specialized pressure pumping services
that unlock oil and gas from underground rock.
Islamic bond program
DUBAI: Banque Saudi Fransi has established a $2 billion
Islamic bond, or sukuk, program, a regulatory filing on
the London Stock Exchange showed. Citigroup, Credit
Agricole, Deutsche Bank and Saudi Fransi Capital are
arrangers and dealers on the program, the April 17
prospectus showed. Earlier this month, the bank reported
a 10 percent rise in first quarter profit on the back of
improved operating income, beating analyst estimates.
Although domestic riyal-denominated sukuk issuance
has risen dramatically this year so far, with a mammoth
$4 billion equivalent sale from General Authority for Civil
Aviation (GACA), Saudi borrowers are no so active in
global debt markets. But many - especially investmentgrade
corporates - would find substantial demand. In
March, Saudi Electricity Co reportedly received orders in
excess of $15 billion for a $1.75 billion sukuk issue. HSBC
in a recent report estimated Middle East sukuk issuance
in 2012 at over $14 billion, as investor demand and the
relatively lower volatility of the asset class drive sales.
Alstom inks Iraq deal
BAGHDAD: French engineering group Alstom signed a
50 million euros ($65.7 million) contract to rehabilitate a
gas-fired power station in Iraq, it said in a statement yesterday.
Alstom will work on two units of the Khor Al
Zubair station in the southern city of Basra, adding 60
MW to the power supply. The first unit will be reconnected
in 2012 and the second before the summer of
2013, the company said. Nine years after the US-led invasion
that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s electricity
grid still provides only intermittent power and little
progress has been made increasing the output from
its vast oil and gas fields.

BUSINESS
Moneysupermarket benefits as Brits hunt for deals
Q1 internet revenue up 14%: Shares down 1.4%
LONDON: Price comparison website
Moneysupermarket.com Group said its
money and insurance segments had
made a strong start to the year, boosting
earnings and off-seting a slowdown in
travel by cash-strapped Britons. The company
said first quarter internet revenue
was 14 percent higher than a year earlier
and core earnings were 12 percent ahead,
ensuring the company performed in line
with the board’s expectations during the
period. Moneysupermarket, whose website
had 140 million visitors last year, also
said yesterday that it had made a good
start to the second quarter of the year
EXCHANGE RATES
Commercial Bank of Kuwait
US Dollar/KD .2730000 .2810000
GB Pound/KD .4390000 .4490000
Euro .3620000 .3690000
Swiss francs .3010000 .3100000
Canadian Dollar .2760000 .2860000
Australian DLR .2850000 .2950000
Indian rupees .0040000 .0070000
Sri Lanka Rupee .0020000 .0035000
UAE dirhams .0753500 .0761070
Bahraini dinars .7341090 .7414870
Jordanian dinar .3830000 .4000000
Saudi riyals .0710000 .0760000
Omani riyals .7196620 .7268950
Philippine peso .0040000 .0072000
Egyptian pounds .0430000 .0500000
CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES
US Dollar/KD .2776500 .2796500
GB Pound/KD .4439900 .4473480
Euro .3640550 .3668080
Swiss francs .3028960 .3051870
Canadian dollars .2808940 .2830190
Danish Kroner .0489360 .0493060
Swedish Kroner .0411430 .0414550
Australian dlr .2885760 .2907580
Hong Kong dlr .0357750 .0360460
Singapore dlr .2221020 .2237820
Japanese yen .0034090 .0034350
Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0054590
Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0021840
Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0030950
Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0034340
UAE dirhams .0756230 .0761950
Bahraini dinars .7367650 .7423380
Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3956860
Saudi Riyal/KD .0740600 .0746200
Omani riyals .7214500 .7269070
Philippine Peso .0000000 .0066100
Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.
Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran)
US Dollar 278.000
Pak Rupees 3.073
with revenue and profitability rates both
up relative to the first three months of the
year.
With British disposable incomes
squeezed by rising prices, muted wage
growth and government austerity measures,
Moneysupermarket has benefited
from shoppers actively looking for promotional
deals to make their money go
further. The company said revenues from
its Money unit, where consumers can
compare banking products such as credit
cards and mortgages, were particularly
strong, rising 22 percent versus last year
after a 20 percent jump in visitor volumes.
Indian Rupees 5.422
Sri Lankan Rupees 2.185
Bangladesh Taka 3.409
Philippines Peso 6.580
UAE Dirhams 75.995
Saudi Riyals 74.495
Bahraini Dinars 741.200
Egyptian Pounds 46.135
Pound Sterling 449.400
Indonesian Rupiah 3.190
Yemeni Riyal 1.550
Euro 371.400
Canadian Dollars 287.700
Nepali rupee 3.510
Al Mulla Exchange
Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000)
US Dollar 278.450
Euro 368.300
Pound Sterling 446.200
Canadian Dollar 283.600
Japanese Yen 3.450
Indian Rupee 5.405
Egyptian Pound 46.130
Sri Lankan Rupee 2.168
Bangladesh Taka 3.404
Philippines Peso 6.512
Pakistan Rupee 3.070
Bahraini Dinar 741.600
UAE Dirham 75.850
Saudi Riyal 74.350
UAE Exchange Centre WLL
COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH
Australian Dollar 291.84 292.00
Canadian Dollar 282.96 284.50
Swiss Franc 308.87 307.50
Euro 368.58 369.00
Sterling Pound 445.95 447.00
Japanese Yen 3.54 3.65
Bangladesh Taka 3.403 3.650
Moneysupermarket said its insurance
division also performed well, with revenues
up 13 percent on the back of a 9
percent rise in visitor numbers. It
described revenues at its Home Services
unit, where people can compare utility
prices, as being fractionally higher.
However, the travel segment, which
has struggled over the past year, continues
to decline with fewer holiday makers
seeking deals on the website. Revenues
and visitor numbers both fell 11 percent
as a result of weak consumer spending on
discretionary items that has also seen big
travel operators such as Thomas Cook suf-
IMF inches toward deal
on boosting bailout funds
Japan, Sweden, Denmark commit to emergency funds
WASHINGTON: The International Monetary
Fund appeared to be inching toward a deal on
increasing its financial firepower on Tuesday,
with Japan, Sweden and Denmark committing a
total of $77 billion to help contain the euro
zone’s debt crisis. The pledges were made
ahead of meetings of global finance chiefs in
Washington this week that will focus on additional
funds for the IMF, an issue that has taken
on fresh urgency, given a jump in borrowing
costs in Spain and Italy this week. Their renewed
borrowing woes have reignited fears that the
euro-zone crisis is about to flare again.
While a deal may not be fully fleshed out by
the time the meetings wrap up on Saturday, it is
possible that the G20 developed and emerging
nations could agree on the amount of funds
needed and leave it to a leaders’ summit in
Mexico in June to hammer out details. In an
interview with Reuters, German Finance
Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble played down concerns
that Spain could be the next euro-zone
country to seek a bailout. He expressed optimism
that the G20 will increase IMF resources
by $400 billion by the time the meetings conclude.
US Treasury Under Secretary Lael Brainard
said Europe must commit to do whatever it
takes to address its debt problems, but should
be careful to avoid a “downward spiral of austerity
and recession.” She reiterated that
Washington has no intention to throw more
money in the IMF’s pot. A number of emerging
market economies, including China, Brazil and
Russia, are also being cautious about ponying
up money, although the funds would be designated
to help countries outside of Europe.
These economies want firm commitments that
any new resources will be accompanied by
more voting power in the global lender.
They have been frustrated with the slow
pace of governance reforms. The United States
is holding up approval of vote reforms agreed in
2010 that would make China the IMF’s thirdlargest
shareholder and boost voting shares for
Brazil and India. Negotiations have already
begun on the next stage of voting reform,
which is expected to be completed in 2013.
Brainard said the United States would seek congressional
approval for the quota reform “at an
appropriate time.”
WILL OTHERS FOLLOW?
On Tuesday, Japan pledged $60 billion to the
IMF, becoming the first non-European nation to
commit to strengthen the fund’s financial arsenal.
Sweden said it was ready to immediately
commit $10 billion and increase the amount to
$14.7 billion later, while Denmark said it would
give $7 billion. Norway pledged $9.6 billion in
December. “Together, they set the stage for
decisive progress to be made by the time of the
spring meeting of our global membership later
this week,” IMF Managing Director Christine
Lagarde said in a statement.
In an interview with Italy’s main financial
newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Lagarde said she
hoped to “reach the critical mass of more than
$400 billion,” although she said sealing a deal
might take longer. The IMF has scaled back estimates
for its funding needs in recent weeks,
saying that the risks to the global economy it
foresaw last year had not materialized. Still, on
Tuesday it warned that the world economy
faced an “uneasy calm” and was still fragile.
In January, the IMF said it needed an additional
$500 billion to lend and another $100 billion
for reserves to comfortably guard against
risks posted by the euro-zone crisis. Euro-zone
countries have already committed to provide
150 billion euros ($200 billion) and they hope
other European Union countries, notably
Britain, will pledge up to 50 billion euros ($65
billion). G20 sources said China and Saudi
Arabia were expected to commit funds, with
smaller amounts coming from Brazil, Russia,
Mexico and Poland.
The United States, heading into a presidential
election in November and facing internal
political opposition to putting up money for
wealthy European nations, has said it will not
participate in the fundraising effort. Brainard
said the United States believed the IMF had
“very adequate core resources” to deal with
global challenges. Canada has also said it would
not contribute. Japanese Finance Minister Jun
Azumi said Tokyo’s contribution, which will be
formally announced at the G20 meeting, would
SHANGHAI: Containers stack up at the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai. The
International Monetary Fund has maintained its growth target for China at above eight percent
for this year and next, despite a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy. — AFP
encourage other countries to follow suit. Azumi
said he consulted with Chinese Vice Premier
Wang Qishan on Monday and that there were
no gaps between the two countries on IMF
funding. Analysts said Japan’s commitment may
be motivated partly by fears that an unruly
euro-zone crisis could lead to a surge in safehaven
demand for the yen. “It remains to be
seen how much the other major economies,
which are less exposed to the euro zone, will
contribute,” economic research firm Capital
Economics said on Tuesday. Germany’s
Schaeuble said it would be wrong for countries
to withhold new funds in an effort to secure a
deal on quota reform, saying this would amount
to going back on a promise. “That’s what we’ve
agreed, and I assume it will happen,” Schaeuble
said. “There are some voices that apparently
want to set new conditions. That would go
against what we’ve agreed.” — Reuters
Indian Rupee 5.405 5.700
Sri Lankan Rupee 2.177 2.550
Nepali Rupee 3.387 4.000
Pakistani Rupee 3.079 3.250
UAE Dirhams 75.85 76.50
Bahraini Dinar 741.46 741.00
Egyptian Pound 46.11 47.25
Jordanian Dinar 396.57 395.45
Omani Riyal 724.45 726.00
Qatari Riyal 76.87 77.50
Saudi Riyal 74.43 74.25
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
Rate for Transfer Selling Rate
US Dollar 278.950
Canadian Dollar 281.210
Sterling Pound 444.240
Euro 365.770
Swiss Frank 303.830
Bahrain Dinar 738.695
UAE Dirhams 75.925
Qatari Riyals 76.570
Saudi Riyals 74.345
Jordanian Dinar 392.660
Egyptian Pound 46.178
Sri Lankan Rupees 2.189
Indian Rupees 5.426
Pakistani Rupees 3.082
Bangladesh Taka 3.411
Philippines Pesso 6.549
Cyprus pound 684.255
Japanese Yen 4.440
Thai Bhat 9.120
Syrian Pound 5.875
Nepalese Rupees 3.480
Malaysian Ringgit 92.305
fer. The company said, however, that its
new package holidays channel was performing
well. “MoneySupermarket.com
has made a good start to 2012. We have
seen solid growth in our Money and
Insurance businesses as consumers continue
to use us to make their money go
further,” said Peter Plumb, chief executive
of Moneysupermarket.
Visitor numbers for the website across
all the segments were 15 percent higher
than the first quarter of 2011.
“Momentum continues to build and this
update provides further evidence to support
the structural market growth oppor-
Bahrain Exchange Company
COUNTRY SELL CASH SELL DRAFT
Australian dollar 293.500 292.000
Bahraini dinar 741.730 741.730
Bangladeshi taka 3.670 3.406
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
tunity and medium term scope for progression,”
Mark Fleetwood, analyst at N+1
Brewin, said in a note to clients.
Fleetwood said his forecasts were
unchanged following the statement but
that he had changed his rating on
Moneysupermarket shares to “hold” from
“add” and stuck with a 140 pence price
target following a recent strong run for
the stock. Shares in the company, which
had gained 29 percent since the start of
the year, were down 1.4 percent at 133.8
pence by 0739 GMT, slightly underperforming
a 0.1 percent weaker FTSE 250
index. — Reuters
HSBC launches
yuan bond issue
LONDON: HSBC Bank yesterday launched a
bond issue denominated in the Chinese
renminbi (RMB), or yuan, saying it was a
benchmark move towards the yuan eventually
becoming a reserve currency. The
security also dovetailed into a new initiative
by some leading banks, the British government
and Bank of England, to develop
London as an international “hub” for renminbi
securities, HSBC said. “The internationalization
of the RMB is simply too
important to ignore,” it added.
Development of an offshore market for the
renminbi was the way for the currency to
develop into a “major global trading,
financing and investment currency, and
eventually a global reserve currency,” HSBC
said.
It expected the renminbi bond market
to amount to 1.0 trillion renminbi ($159 billion)
within three years. Leading western
governments have pressed China for years
to allow the yuan to rise to reflect market
pressures and the strength of the Chinese
economy, and to alleviate global financial
imbalances which were a key factor behind
the financial crisis. China has begun easing
its corset around the yuan exchange rate,
and many analysts say that sooner or later
the yuan is bound to take on a more international
role.
HSBC said in a statement on its website:
“The three year RMB-denominated bond,
issued by HSBC Bank plc, is the first of its
kind to be launched outside Chinese sovereign
territory and to be issued from and
distributed within Europe and Asia. “It is
being launched in London and listed on
the London Stock Exchange with the aim of
tapping the growing pool of RMB liquidity
across Europe.” HSBC, one of the leading
banks in Europe and with a strong historic
presence in Asia, said: “London, with its
leading role in global FX (foreign exchange)
markets and its position as the preeminent
global treasury centre, stands to play an
important part in the growth of this market.
“HSBC’s bond issue this morning coincided
with the creation of a new initiative
to develop London as an international RMB
hub.” The initiative, organized by the City of
London, involved representatives from five
major banks, including HSBC, and was supported
by the British treasury, the Bank of
England and the Financial Services
Authority. “Its aim is to deliver a strategy for
London to become a centre for RMB products
and services, complementing Hong
Kong, and seizing some of the significant
opportunities which this new market represents,”
HSBC said. — AFP
Italian govt puts back
balanced budget goal
ROME: Italy will delay by a year its plan
to balance the budget in 2013 due to a
weakening economic outlook, according
to a draft document due to be approved
by the cabinet of Prime Minister Mario
Monti yesterday. The draft Economic and
Financial document (DEF), which has
been obtained by Reuters, raises the
budget deficit forecasts for 2012-2014
and slashes this year’s economic growth
outlook.
Italy’s budget deficit is already one of
the lowest in the euro zone as a proportion
of output and many economists say
its chronically weak growth is more of a
concern than fiscal slippage. Under former
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Italy
promised its European partners last summer
that it would balance its budget in
2013, bringing forward the previous 2014
target to try to reassure markets as Italian
bond yields surged. Now Monti’s technocrat
government is poised to revert to
the old 2014 target as the economy contracts
sharply, weighed down by a series
of austerity measures approved to accelerate
deficit reduction. Monti was hailed
as a savior when he replaced Berlusconi
in November as Italy appeared to be
heading towards a Greek-style debt crisis,
but his popularity is declining and his
reforms are drawing rising criticism and
resistance. A similar move by Madrid earlier
this year to weaken its deficit target
sent yields on Spanish debt sharply higher.
However, Spain’s deficit is much larger
than Italy’s and is considered to be a bigger
problem. Monti still enjoys enormous
credibility internationally and the revised
deficit targets are unlikely to disturb markets
that are now more concerned about
the danger of excessive austerity, said
Nicholas Spiro from Spiro Sovereign
Strategy.
“Berlusconi could have promised a balanced
budget this year and people would
have just laughed, while Monti can promise
it in three years and he is still credible,”
Spiro said. “I don’t believe that a decision
to be less aggressive on the fiscal front is
a concern for a country like Italy.” The
draft DEF raises the 2012 deficit target
marginally to 1.7 percent of gross domestic
product from 1.6 percent, while the
2013 goal is raised to 0.5 percent from 0.1
percent. The nearly balanced budget,
with a 0.1 percent deficit, is now targeted
in 2014. The economy is forecast to contract
1.2 percent this year, according to
the document, compared with a 0.4 percent
decline in GDP projected by Monti’s
government in December. — Reuters
Canadian dollar 285.400 283.900
Cyprus pound 547.800
Czek koruna 45.500
Danish krone 50.200
Deutsche Mark 167.800 224.600
Egyptian pound 47.700 46.200
Euro Cash 370.000 368.500
Hongkong dollar 36.620 36.470
Indian rupees 5.710 5.415
Indonesia 0.032 0.031
Iranian tuman 0.159
Iraqi dinar 0.236
Japanese yen 3.530
Jordanian dinar 395.250 395.210
Lebanese pound 0.189 0.188
Malaysian ringgit 93.960 92.980
Morocco dirham 45.400
Nepalese Rupees 4.290 3.410
New Zealand dollar 231.900 231.400
Nigeria 1.807
Norwegian krone 49.700
Omani Riyal 724.450 724.270
Pakistani rupees 3.170 3.082
Philippine peso 6.860 6.550
Qatari riyal 77.150 76.720
Saudi riyal 74.470 74.470
Singapore dollar 224.630 224.630
South Africa 39.130 39.130
Sri Lankan rupees 2.657 2.173
Sterling pound 448.400 446.400
Swedish krona 42.200
Swiss franc 308.000 306.500
Syrian pound 4.200 4.200
Thai bhat 9.420 9.250
Tunisian dollar 198.263
UAE dirham 76.040 75.040
U.S. dollars 279.300 278.900
Yemeni Riyal 1.340
GOLD
10 Tola 1,730.270
TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE
Sterling Pound 445.400
US Dollar 278.900

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Minister of the Economy and Finance Keat
Chhon (center) rings a bell as Kim Bong Soo (left), CEO and chairman
of the Korea Exchange, claps during the launching ceremony at the
Cambodian Securities Exchange (CSX) yesterday. — AFP
Cambodia stock
trading kicks off
PHNOM PENH: The Cambodia Securities
Exchange (CSX) finally began trading
shares yesterday nine months after it officially
opened, when a water monopoly
became the first firm to list. Trading symbolically
started at 09:09 am local time
(0209 GMT) - the number nine is considered
lucky in Cambodia-and ended at
noon. Normal trading hours will be from
08:00 am until 11:30 am. Cambodia
launched the bourse to great fanfare in July
2011, after numerous delays because of the
global financial crisis and regulatory hurdles.
But no firms were ready to list on the
market-a joint venture between the government
and South Korea’s stock exchange.
Now the Phnom Penh Water Supply
Authority (PPWSA), which was formerly fully
owned by the state, is floating 13 million
shares, or 15 percent of the company, starting
at 6,300 riel ($1.57) per share. The state
will continue to own the remaining 85 percent.
At the close on the first day of trading,
shares had climbed by almost 50 percent to
9,300 riel ($2.32) each. The firm’s Initial
Public Offering (IPO) last month was 17
times oversubscribed, an indicator of
strong investor appetite for the long-awaited
exchange, observers said. Cambodian
Finance Minister Keat Chhon, who led the
bourse’s opening ceremony, hailed
PPWSA’s “historic” listing as “a big leap forward”
for the impoverished country’s econ-
omy. “I would like to appeal to national and
international investors to participate in
securities trading, and provide their support
to this young, but full-of-potential
securities market,” he said. “I strongly
believe that securities trading in Cambodia
will be a success.” Two more state-owned
enterprises-Telecom Cambodia and
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port-are
expected to launch their IPOs later this
year. Stock quotations for trading must be
in the local currency, the riel, in line with
the government’s long-term goal to reduce
reliance on the US dollar, which according
to the Asian Development Bank makes up
more than 90 percent of all currency in circulation
in the country.
But for the first three years, both buyers
and sellers can arrange to settle payments
in dollars at their agreement, according to
regulator the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Cambodia (SECC). While still
among one of the world’s poorest countries,
Cambodia has emerged from decades
of conflict as one of the region’s rising
economies. It achieved 5.9 percent growth
in 2010, according to government figures,
while the Asian Development Bank put
2011 growth at 6.8 percent. It remains a
largely cash-only economy and a high
degree of mistrust means many people
hoard their money at home instead of
using banks.— AFP
Engen buys Saudi
oil to replace Iran
Petronas spots Middle East market
SINGAPORE: Engen has turned to top
oil exporter Saudi Aramco for additional
crude after South Africa’s biggest buyer
of Iranian crude halted imports from the
Islamic Republic, trade sources said yesterday.
Engen, majority owned by
Malaysian national oil company
Petronas, will replace about half of the
Iranian volumes with Saudi supplies and
the remaining will be filled up from the
spot market, mainly from West Africa,
the sources said.
The refiner suspended an annual
contract for 50,000 barrels per day of
Iranian crude in March, joining a growing
list of buyers bowing to Western
pressure to cut business dealings with
Tehran to isolate the country. “The
(Saudi) volume is on a spot basis and it
does not fully cover their Iranian term
volume,” a source familiar with the Saudi
deal said. Refiners would be able to
replace Iranian crude with ease at this
point as the market is well supplied with
most other OPEC members ramping up
output while weak margins and a peak
refinery maintenance season curb
demand.
Saudi Arabia has ramped up production
to prevent oil prices from skyrocketing
and pledged to fill the vacuum left
by Iran as tightening sanctions from the
United States and European Union deter
buyers from lifting Iranian oil. Engen is
seeking mainly West African grades
from the spot market to cover other
import needs, they said. The company
had booked the tanker Bouboulina to
load 950,000 barrels of Angolan Girassol
crude on April 17, a shipping fixture
showed. Engen could not be immediately
reached for comment.
PETRONAS
Engen has also stopped buying
Iranian crude for its Malacca refinery.
Petronas has turned to the Middle East
spot crude market to replace the Iranian
supply of about 10,000 bpd, sources
said. “Malacca is quite a dynamic refinery
as it can take a lot of grades,” a source
said, adding that the company can
choose from a variety of Middle Eastern
grades. Some of the other grades that
Malacca can use include Dubai, Eocene
and Egyptian Belayim, a second source
said. Petronas has booked the tanker
Stavanger Bay to load on May 8 about
500,000 barrels of Belayim crude from
Wadi Feiran, a shipping fixture showed.
The tanker is scheduled to head to
Malacca. — Reuters
CHENNAI: An Indian farmer sits on a stack of bananas atop a truck at
a wholesale market truck-stop in Chennai yesterday. The German
automaker Daimler inaugurated its new factory, opening a new front
against its Asian rivals, ever more threatening to world leadership.
With 1,400 employees and to double “in the coming years”, the factory
will begin production in the third quarter with an initial capacity
of 36,000 vehicles per year.— AFP
business
DUBAI: HSBC is to merge its business
in Oman with Oman
International Bank and hold a
majority stake in the enlarged
operation, Europe’s biggest bank
said yesterday. HSBC will hold 51
percent of the group, to be named
HSBC Bank Oman SOAG. OIB is
Oman’s fifth-largest bank, with the
second-largest branch network in
the country and gross assets of
$3.2 billion. “It is rare to get the
opportunity to create a bank of
such scale in a key target market,”
Simon Cooper, chief executive of
HSBC Middle East and North
Africa, told a conference call for
reporters. “The ability to grow
organically in Oman is there, but it
would take an awfully long time to
get to the scale of Oman
International Bank. I am not predicting
job losses.”
Under the terms of the merger,
HSBC will inject additional capital
of up to $97.4 million from internal
resources into HSBC Oman, after
which the lender’s local business
will be merged with OIB. HSBC will
have management and board control
of the new entity, but it will
remain listed on the Oman bourse,
said Cooper. He declined to say
whether the present chief executive
of OIB would hold the same
position in the new bank. OIB has
a market capitalization of around
$700 million, according to
Thomson Reuters data.
The deal is expected to complete
in the second quarter, following
regulatory and other
approvals. Oman’s central bank
approved the planned merger in
March. Investors say the deal will
benefit OIB. “OIB had a gradual
decline in lending, but with HSBC
coming on board they can reverse
the trend,” said Vickneswaran
Gowribalan, an Oman-based portfolio
manager. “From an investor
point of view, it’s good because
OIB can get more aggressive, in
terms of non-interest income. Also,
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
HSBC merges Oman’s
unit with local lender
HSBC to inject up to $97.4 million
Gold eases
for 4th day
LONDON: Gold eased yesterday, having fallen for the
past three trading days, as the euro came under pressure
from ongoing worries about the euro zone. Across the
broader markets, European shares fell along with the
euro, while safe-haven Bund yields were steady on the
day, as investors weighed up the impact of the ongoing
debt crisis on regional growth, while Germany sold new
two-year bonds for a record-low yield. Spot gold was
down 0.1 percent at $1,646.64 an ounce at 0955 GMT,
having lost 1.5 percent in value over the previous three
trading days.
“From my point of view, we have to see a good shakeout
towards the downside first, perhaps to break $1,600,
or even lower than that and after that we will probably
head back up again,” Afshin Nabavi, head of trading at
MKS Finance said. “We are seeing very little demand from
the physical dealers, very little demand from the
investors, it’s pretty much come to a standstill and I think
we have to come off (in price),” he added. Gold traded in a
tight band yesterday, leaving the spread between the session
high and low at just $8.7 an ounce, the narrowest
since the end of last year.
“The nervousness around the euro zone has eased a
bit, which could help stabilize the euro and support gold
prices,” said Shanghai CIFCO Futures analyst Li Ning. But
Li added that market sentiment remained cautious ahead
of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting of its policy-setting
Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) next week, after
comments from the Fed over recent weeks have caused
sharp price fluctuations. Adding to the cautious tone
were lingering concerns about Spain’s finances. Although
Spain managed to exceed the target at Tuesday’s debt
auction, it was forced to pay a stiff premium compared
with a month earlier, boding ill for a key long-term debt
sale on Thursday.
LUKEWARM DEMAND
In terms of investment demand, shorter-term speculators
in US gold futures have cut their exposure to the
metal to their lowest in a month, while flows of gold in
and out of exchange-traded products (ETPs) have virtually
stagnated over the past two months. Options on
shares in the SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest goldbacked
ETP show investors are betting on a rising underlying
gold price. SPDR Gold Trust options maturing
tomorrow show most open interest is gathered in call
options, which give the owner the right, but not the obligation,
to buy shares in the trust at a pre-set price, at a
strike price of 165.0 a share, which equates to an underlying
spot gold price of $1,699 an ounce.
Based on combined open interest in SPDR calls and
puts, the largest bet investors are taking are on shares
moving to 160.0 a share by Friday, which is equivalent of
a spot gold price of roughly $1,648 an ounce, which highlights
some of the lack of any strong investor conviction
in gold right now. “Gold price action has become stale,
with conviction in either direction remaining remarkably
low. The yellow metal could certainly use fresh catalysts
from external markets at this stage to shake it out of this
stupor,” Edel Tully, a strategist at UBS said. “But until there
is a clear sign as to whether it is taking on a safe-haven or
a risk persona, investors are likely to continue keeping
participation small and timelines brief. Instead, it’s quite
likely that gold will wait and take its next directional cue
from the FOMC meeting next week.”
Buying interest in Asia’s physical market was muted,
even as a key gold-buying festival in India looms on the
horizon. “People won’t want to commit too much at this
point,” said Ronald Leung, a physical dealer at Lee
Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong. “There is some buying
when prices fall to the $1,630-$1,640 level, but the
volume shrinks when prices rebound to $1,660-$1,670.”
Leung said gold bar premiums in Hong Kong were
stable at $1.10-$1.60 per ounce above London prices.
For all the absence of conviction in the gold market at
present and the 1.3 percent fall in price in April, gold has
outperformed both silver and platinum so far this
month. Of the four precious metals, platinum has fallen
the most in April, having lost nearly 3.5 percent in value
to trade at a discount of almost $70 an ounce to gold,
after having traded at a premium of nearly $30 a month
ago. — Reuters
TOKYO: Japan’s top buyer of Iranian crude Showa
Shell Sekiyu KK has renewed its annual oil purchase
deal with Iran but cut the volume in line with other
Japanese refiners to comply with US sanctions, trade
sources said yesterday. The cuts come even after the
United States in March exempted Japan and 10 other
EU nations from sanctions due to take effect in July
because they have significantly cut purchases of
Iranian oil. Soon after receiving the exemption,
Finance Minister Jun Azumi said Japan would continue
to cut imports of Iranian oil.
The United States and European Union have
stepped up measures to reduce Iran’s oil trade, stemming
the flow of petrodollars to Tehran in a bid to
force it to halt a nuclear program the West suspects is
intended to produce weapons. Showa Shell’s cuts
will come in addition to the 60,000 barrels per day
(bpd) of cuts trade sources say Japan’s refiners and
trading houses had made in April. That is already
with Islamic banking licences now
being issued, OIB can tap into the
Islamic banking market with
HSBC’s Amana expertise.”
Oman opened its doors to
Islamic banking last May and let
conventional lenders run shariacompliant
operations. HSBC is
pulling back from countries where
it is unprofitable or lacks scale, and
restructuring operations elsewhere,
and has been reviewing its
Middle Eastern operations. Its reorganization
affects Oman, Bahrain,
Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the
UAE. Shares in OIB are down 0.9
percent this year, after ending 2011
nearly 7 percent higher.— Reuters
TEHRAN: Participants including foreigners attend the 17th
International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition in
Tehran yesterday. — AFP
‘Times tough’ for
Iran energy sector
TEHRAN: Foreign firms dealing with Iran’s
oil and gas sector admit that severe
Western sanctions are taking their toll on
business, despite Tehran talking up its
ambitions at the opening of an international
industry exhibition this week. The
International Oil, Gas, Refining and
Petrochemical Exhibition, held in northern
Tehran, was three-quarters filled by Iranian
companies working at every level of the
industry, from the biggest to ones involved
in peripheral activities such as instruments,
quality inspections and oil barrel manufacturing.
There were 315 foreign stands, down
from the 496 present at last year’s trade
show. Some of the biggest foreign companies
that had been major partners in the
industry, such as the Anglo-Dutch group
Shell and Italy’s ENI, were not present.
Others, such as the China Petroleum
Technology and Development Corporation,
the French-Iranian joint venture Beh Total
and Norway’s Statoil, did have stands-but
representatives there said they had been
instructed by their bosses to give no comments
at all to journalists.
Nevertheless, an executive with one
European company and several representatives
of smaller foreign firms acknowledged
on condition of anonymity that the sanctions
were proving problematic.
Companies trading in services or equipment
from Europe, the United States and
Japan were having the most difficulty, they
said. Other Asian companies were doing
somewhat better. Big foreign groups seeking
to be repaid for credit or services
extended to Iran were having to convert
the debt into deliveries of oil or gas-in
some cases to the tune of hundreds of millions
of dollars-because of the impossibility
for Iran to transfer hard currency to them.
A representative at an exhibition stand
for John Crane, a subsidiary of the Britishbased
industrial technology group Smiths
that sells engineering parts to the gas and
oil industry, said his company had been
forced to stop supplying certain hi-tech
valves manufactured in the United States,
Britain and Japan. A European oil executive,
speaking on condition he not be identified,
said the sanctions were resulting in “highend,
sophisticated parts and services lack-
around 18.5 percent of Japan’s total Iranian crude
imports in the first two months of the year of 322,900
bpd. A spokesman for Showa Shell, which imported
about 100,000 barrels per day from Iran in the past
financial year, declined to comment. The exact reduction
in Showa Shell’s contract volume was unclear,
the sources said. The refiner had been discussing a
cut with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) of
around 15-20 percent to last year’s contract volume
of 100,000 bpd, one source said. That would be in
line with the cut in volume of around 15-22 percent
in the second half of last year that helped win Japan
its waiver to the US sanctions.
Showa Shell said in a statement last month the
company would respect the agreement between
Japan and the United States and reduce its Iran
imports in line with that. The contract renewal came
after Iran agreed to include a clause in contract terms
that released Japanese buyers from any penalty if
ing from Iran’s oil and gas industry.”
The Chinese, he added, were willing to
try to fill the gap. “But many (Chinese companies)
leave. Why? Because the contract
terms are just not viable. The Iranians are
not giving terms to allow a profit.” Seung-
Hwan Jung, an export manager for Kiswel,
a South Korean welding parts firm partnered
for years with an Iranian company,
was one of the few foreigners to speak on
the record. His company’s dealings with the
country were “good” but were hobbled by
the “political problems,” he said. Stepping in
to fill a vacuum left by departing German
companies, Kiswel has doubled its Iran
earnings projection to $1.5 million compared
to last year, he said. “We want to be
number one in the market, up from maybe
3rd of 4th last year,” he said. He added: “Iran
can’t do everything by itself. It needs
reserves from other countries.”
Those accounts contrasted with the official
message from Iran, which asserts that
its position as the second-biggest exporter
in OPEC and the owner of the world’s second-biggest
gas reserves mean sanctions
will not work in cutting it out of the global
market. “Finding substitutes for (Iranian) oil
is unthinkable,” Iranian Oil Minister Rostam
Qasemi said in a speech officially opening
the four-day industry exhibition. He added
that “we plan to produce five million barrels
of oil per day by 2015” as part of a development
plan for the sector. Currently, Iran
pumps around 3.5 million barrels a day and
exports around 70 percent of that, according
to OPEC figures. Production has been
declining for years, the cartel’s numbers
showed.
The United States and the European
Union have since late last year been sharply
ramping up severe sanctions targeting
Iran’s oil sector and the Islamic country’s
ability to transfer oil revenue through international
transactions. The sanctions are
scheduled to be upped further by the
beginning of July, when an EU embargo on
Iranian oil is to be fully enacted. The economic
restrictions are designed to pressure
Iran over its disputed nuclear program,
which Tehran has now agreed to discuss in
talks with world powers. A substantive
round of the negotiations is due to be held
on May 23 in Baghdad.— AFP
Showa Shell cuts Iran oil imports, renews deal
international sanctions prevent them from taking
delivery of Iranian oil, sources said. The force majeure
clause, usually limited to exempting buyers and sellers
from liability due to fires, accidents and natural
calamities, was widened to include sanctions.
Difficulty finding insurers to underwite shipments
of Iranian crude are threatening to curtail Japan’s
imports even more. Financial sanctions on Iran have
also made it tough for buyers to pay for Iran’s oil.
With the renewal, Showa Shell has resumed lifting
Iranian crude this week, and a cargo was set to arrive
in Japan in early May, two industry sources said.
Royal Dutch Shell is the biggest shareholder in
Showa Shell, holding 35 percent. Saudi Arabia’s state
oil giant Saudi Aramco holds 15 percent. Shell’s Chief
Executive Peter Voser said in early March that the
company would stop buying Iranian crude within
weeks. Showa Shell says it operates independently
from Shell.—Reuters

BUSINESS
KSE Price Index increases 0.49%
KUWAIT: Kuwait’s stocks ended the day on a
steady note, on the heaviest trading day in
seven trading weeks. The market witnessed
major gains in selected stocks that helped
major indices post slim gains. Global risk
appetite improves following positive news
from Europe and some upbeat earnings in the
US and the region.
Market Indices
The market benchmark KSE Price Index
increased by 0.49 percent, and closed at 6,268
points. The market’s heavy-weights performed
robustly during the day as highlighted
by a 0.95 percent improvement in the market’s
blue chips-rich index, Global Large Cap
Index. As a result,the Global General Index
rose 0.80 of a point (or 0.45 percent) to close
at 179.56 points.
Daily Trading Activity
Yesterday’s performance was accompanied
by growing trading activity. Volume of shares
traded on the exchange rose by 65.62 percent,
at 570.52mn shares. Services groups
accounted for 197.99mn shares (34.7 percent)
of the market’s total volume. National Ranges
Company the most actively traded stock, with
94.32mn shares changing hands. The scrip
was up by 5 percent.
Top Gainers and Biggest Decliners
Al-Aman Investment Company was the
prominent gainer. The scrip added 9.62 percent
to close at KD0.0285. On the other hand,
Pearl of Kuwait Real Estate Company was the
biggest loser yesterday as it plunged by 12.31
percent to close at KD0.0285.
Sectors Wise
All sector indices ended the day on a posi-
GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT
tive note, except for the banking sector index
which plunged by 0.25 percent, as two out of
its nine components dipped: National Bank of
Kuwait (-1.85 percent) and Al-Ahli Bank of
Kuwait (-1.64 percent). The board of Ahli Bank
of Kuwait approved interim financial statements
for 1Q2012. These financials reflected a
30.1 percent drop in net earnings to
KD11.4mn (8fils a share), compared to approx.
KD16.3mn (11fils a share) in year-earlier period.
While, Ahli United Bank (AUB) endorsed
interim financial statements for 1Q2012.
These statements reflected a 16.1 percent
jump in earnings to approx. KD9.9mn, compared
with KD8.53mn in the year-ago period.
Accordingly, EPS rose to 9.3fils, from 8fils in
1Q2011. The scrip closed up by 1.15 percent
at KD0.880.
Real Estate sector topped the gainers,
adding 1.49 percent, on the back of the
Mabanee Company, which increased by 3.03
percent closing at KD1.020. International
Resorts Company and National Real Estate
Company rose by 4.62 percent and 4.92 percent
respectively. Industrial sector surged yesterday
as its index reported 0.84 percent gain
as Kuwait Cement Company and National
Industries Group (Holding) rose by 4.44 percent
and 0.88 percent respectively.
Oil News
The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes
stood at $116.27pb on Tuesday, compared
with $116.98pb the previous day, according
to OPEC Secretariat calculations.
LONDON: European shares eased and
the single currency softened yesterday
as the region’s sovereign debt worries
and its weaker economic outlook
weighed on investors ahead of a
German bond sale that will test
demand for ultra-low yielding debt.
Signs that the International Monetary
Fund is inching toward a deal to
increase its ability to help contain the
region’s crisis, strong US corporate
earnings and a rise in the IMF’s global
growth forecast helped to limit any
losses.
But with Italy set to delay by a year
its plan to balance the budget in 2013,
Spain due to sell fresh two- and 10-year
bonds today and worries over France’s
presidential election rising, investors
were reluctant to buy riskier assets.
“There is a lot of uncertainty in the
market,” said Lutz Karpowitz, currency
strategist at Commerzbank. The fears
over Europe could be reflected in
demand at a two-year German bond
sale later, with some concern that the
sale could struggle as safe-haven
demand from investors has already
driven yields to ultra-low levels. The
existing March 2014 bond was yielding
only 0.15 percent in the secondary
market yesterday, and 10-year bonds
were only offering around 1.66 percent.
CORPORATE HEALTH
In equity markets the good demand
for Spain’s debt was providing some
support to prices, as was a strong start
to first quarter earnings reports from
the United States, where around 75
percent of companies reporting so far
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Euro zone debt fears
pressure euro, shares
have beaten analysts’ estimates,
according to Thomson Reuters data. “If
this can be maintained, it will be a
good reminder and a timely reminder
that while governments and individuals
may be struggling, companies
remain in good health,” said Richard
Hunter, head of UK equities at
Hargreaves Lansdown.
The euro zone blue-chip Euro
STOXX 50 index, which saw its biggest
daily gain of the year on Tuesday,
reversed early losses to be up 0.1 percent
at 2,429.26. The FTSE Eurofirst
index of top European shares was
largely unchanged around 1052.90.
The euro was being kept under pressure
by worries about Spain’s fiscal
problems and its debt sale today. It was
also hurt in early trading when French
president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is campaigning
for re-election, said strength
in the single currency euro hurt
exporters and should be discussed
with the European Central Bank.
The euro was down 0.13 percent at
$1.3110, while the dollar measured
against a basket of major currencies
was up 0.2 percent at 79.65. In commodity
markets the IMF’s latest economic
growth forecasts, which raised
the global growth estimate to 3.5 percent
from 3.3 percent in January,
offered some support to offset the worries
about the euro zone. Brent June
crude had slipped six cents to $118.72
a barrel, while US May crude gained 15
cents to $104.35. Spot gold inched up
0.2 percent to $1,652.84 per ounce
after touching a one-week low near
$1,634 on Tuesday. — Reuters

TOYOHASHI: Yamato Hirai used to
struggle to get into the starting
line-up when he arrived at his local
football pitch to play alongside his
fellow Japanese-Brazilians. These
days however, there are barely
enough players for a game. Many of
those who made their home in
Japan have upped and left, off to
seek their fortune in booming Brazil
while the world’s number-three
economy stutters. Football and its
five-a-side variant, futsal, have
helped bind Brazilians in Japanmost
of whom are offspring of
Japanese who migrated to Brazil in
the 20th century-in a pastime that
honors the heritage of their homeland.
But in cities like Toyohashi in
Japan’s industrial belt, the beautiful
game is becoming ever rarer
because of the exodus of people
like Hirai, who came to Japan two
decades ago as a second generation
Japanese-Brazilian. Every
Wednesday evening after work,
Hirai takes his 14-year-old son
Yosuke to a futsal pitch in Toyohashi
to train for weekend matches. “On
some Wednesdays, not enough of
us show up. Or we’ve got 10 players,
just enough to train,” said the 48year-old
manager of an employment
agency, recalling how there
used to be 30 players on his team.
“This is happening because there
are far fewer Brazilians living here.”
Over the last four years the number
of Brazilians in Toyohashi, some
250 kilometers southwest of Tokyo
and a major centre for Toyota and its
subcontractors, has halved to
around 7,000. Japanese migrants
began crossing the Pacific in large
numbers in the early 20th century,
with Brazil welcoming its first settlers
in 1908, where they worked on
coffee and other plantations after
the abolition of slavery. Despite the
often low wages and poor working
conditions, the community grew
into the largest Japanese population
outside of Japan.
According to the Brazilian
Institute of Geography and
BUENOS AIRES: A tanker truck waits to download gasoline at the headquarters
of the Argentine Automobile Club in Buenos Aires. —AFP
Statistics, there were between 1.4
and 1.5 million people of Japanese
descent in Brazil as of 2000. Japan’s
rapid economic growth of the 1970s
and 1980s provided a tempting reason
for many in the community to
reverse the journey their ancestors
had made, settling in industrialized
cities like this one where they established
Portuguese-speaking communities.
People came with big dreams-
”Twenty years ago, the costs of living
in Brazil were still low as
opposed to the high wages earned
in Japan,” said Toyohito Tanabe,
director of the Brazilian Association
of Toyohashi. “So, many Brazilians
would save money here and buy
houses in Brazil,” the 43-year-old
added. “Even doctors would open
their own clinics after working in
Japan for a few years. Back then,
people came here with big dreams
and goals.”
A famous example of such ties lies
in former Japan international footballer
Marcus “Tulio” Tanaka, who
25 BUSINESS
was born in Brazil to parents with
Japanese, Brazilian and Italian heritage
before moving to Japan as a
teenager. The Brazilian population in
Japan expanded rapidly after 1989
when the Tokyo government abolished
an entry limit on Japanese-
Brazilians, up to the third generation,
to make up for Japan’s own shortage
of labor. It topped 300,000 in total for
four years until 2008 when the global
financial crisis felled Japan’s exportdriven
manufacturers.
The number has since slumped to
touch 210,000 at the end of 2011.
But even with the dramatic fall-off,
Brazilians remain the third biggest
ethnic minority group in Japan,
behind Chinese and Koreans. Over
the last few years, many of those
who came to Japan to seek their fortune
have found a force pulling them
back across the Pacific, as Brazil’s
economy races ahead. “Brazil is getting
stronger,” said Japanese-
Brazilian Michio Hirota, 46, who runs
an employment agency in
Toyohashi, adding he is ready to
move country. “Its economy is growing,
and there are jobs and business
opportunities. That’s why I plan to
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Japanese-Brazilians go ‘home’ to tap economic boom
Spain warns Argentina
over Repsol takeover
MADRID: Madrid has threatened to retaliate
after Argentina announced it will expropriate
a subsidiary of Spanish oil giant Repsol, warning
the move breaks a “good understanding”
between the countries. Spain will take “all
measures it considers appropriate” to defend
the interests of Repsol and Spanish businesses
abroad, Industry Minister Jose Manuel
Soria told a news conference Tuesday. Spain
is considering action on diplomacy, trade,
industry and energy, he said, without giving
further details.
The government backed the company,
which says it will take legal action after
Argentinean President Cristina Kirchner
announced she would nationalize Repsol’s
YPF subsidiary. The European Union warned
Buenos Aires that it was sending the wrong
signal to investors, who dumped Repsol
shares, sending them 6.06 percent lower on
the Madrid stock exchange. In New York, trading
in YPF remained suspended for a second
day Tuesday. Argentina’s decision to take a
51-percent stake of YPF virtually wipes out
Repsol’s 57.4-percent holding. US credit ratings
agency Moody’s downgraded YPF to B3
from Ba3, warning that a further downgrade
was possible.
It said the decision reflected “uncertainty
regarding how the government will manage
YPF, including uncertainty regarding the
company’s future operating and financial
profile.” Repsol executive chairman Antonio
Brufau said Argentina’s move “will not remain
unpunished.” Repsol would seek an amount
at least equal to the value of its stake, which
the firm estimates at $10.5 billion, the Repsol
chief said. “Repsol will launch all legal actions
that are within its reach,” Brufau vowed, saying
he had a wide range of options including
constitutional, commercial and civil actions to
counter the “manifestly illegal and gravely
discriminatory” move.
Spain’s government summoned
Argentina’s ambassador, Carlos Bettini, for the
second time in five days to ask why Buenos
Aires had ignored warnings against intervening
in the Repsol subsidiary. “Argentina has
shot itself in the foot in a serious way,” Foreign
Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told
reporters. “What worries me is that this
means a cut, or at least distrust, in relations
that have been really fraternal for a very long
time,” he said. Speaking in Mexico, Spanish
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the “decision
breaks the previous good understanding
between the two countries.” It was a “negative
decision ... without justification,” he told the
World Economic Forum on Latin America.
Later Tuesday, Argentina’s deputy economy
minister Axel Kicillof, who helped mastermind
the takeover, accused Repsol’s chief of
running up its debt. Kicillof, speaking to lawmakers,
said Brufau had hidden the actual
value of the company, after incurring about
$9 billion in debt. “He who speaks about
excellent management owes $9 billion.
Sometimes he hides the debt with investment.
Brufau told us he does not have the
money to invest. Where did they put it that
they do not have it?” Kicillof said. The proposal
for the takeover of YPF is to be debated
next week in the Senate, where the ruling
party holds a majority, as well as in the
Chamber of Delegates. Mexico’s President
Felipe Calderon has offered strong support to
Spain. Mexican state oil company Pemex has
a 9.5 percent stake in Repsol. Meanwhile,
European Union foreign affairs chief
Catherine Ashton said Argentina’s move sent
a “very negative signal” to global investors
and was a cause of grave concern. Britain
vowed to back Spain and warned Argentina
that its efforts to stimulate a trade surplus
through protectionism were counterproductive.
Repsol has denied Argentine accusations
that it had failed to invest enough in YPF, saying
that it had poured $20 billion into YPF in
addition to $15 billion it paid to buy the subsidiary
in 1999. Repsol boss Brufau accused
Kirchner of taking the decision “as a way of
hiding the economic and social crisis which
Argentina is suffering.”
Brufau said YPF accounted for 25.6 percent
of the group’s operating profit, 21 percent
of its net profit and 33.7 percent of its
investments, adding: “These are big figures
but we can withstand them.” Front page
headlines in Spain lambasted the Argentine
takeover, many of them splashing a photograph
of Kirchner announcing her decision
with a picture of Evita Peron, the populist first
lady of Argentina in the 1940s and 50s, in the
background. “Pillaging,” headlined an editorial
by the leading daily El Pais. “The expropriation
of 51 percent of YPF opens a conflict that
will have grave consequences for Argentina,”
it said. —AFP
Britain’s unemployment falls
LONDON: The number of jobless Britons fell
in the three months to February, marking the
first quarterly decline in almost a year, official
data showed yesterday. The Office for National
Statistics (ONS) said in a statement that the
number of unemployed fell by 35,000 over the
period to 2.65 million people. That was the
first quarterly decline since the three months
to May 2011. The unemployment rate stood at
8.3 percent, down from 8.4 percent in the
three months to January. Market expectations
had been for no change.
The ONS also revealed that the number of
people claiming jobless benefits rose in March
by the smallest monthly amount since
December. The so-called claimant count of
people registered for unemployment benefits
increased by 3,600 in March from February to
1.61 million. However, that was the highest
total since October 2009. “The latest jobs data
are relatively encouraging overall and supportive
to hopes that the economy has
returned to underlying modest growth,” said
IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer.
But he added that the labor market would
deteriorate further before showing more signs
of improvement. “Despite the improved overall
tone of the latest data, we still expect
unemployment to head higher over the coming
months come as economic activity
remains limited overall, business confidence is
fragile and public sector jobs are pared,”
Archer said. “Furthermore, current high oil
prices are currently increasing the pressure on
companies to limit their total costs by containing
their wage costs, be it through holding
down pay or keeping their labor forces as
tight as possible.” —Agencies
LONDON: Tesco, the world’s No 3
retailer, slashed expansion plans
for its main British business and
said it would spend over 1 billion
pounds ($1.6 billion) on improving
existing stores as it battles to
recover from a shock profit warning.
The group also said yesterday
it would rein in store openings at
its loss-making US chain Fresh &
Easy, pushing back the moment
when it expects that business to
break even. But it rejected calls
for a more radical shake-up, after
some investors urged it to pull
the plug on Fresh & Easy, as well
as its banking business, which
has been hit by delays.
“I’m announcing today our 1
billion pounds plan to put the
heart and soul back into Tesco,”
Chief Executive Phil Clarke told
reporters after the group reported
a small full-year profit rise that
met market expectations. “The
plan isn’t radical, isn’t a radical
change of direction, but it’s a radical
change of pace,” he said.
Once one of the most consistent
British companies in terms of
earnings growth, Tesco stunned
investors in January with its first
profit warning in over 20 years,
saying it needed to invest heavily
to stem a steady decline in UK
market share.
Many European retailers have
been struggling as shoppers’ disposable
incomes are squeezed
by higher prices, muted wages
growth and government austerity
measures. Tesco, which
accounts for about one in every
10 pounds spent in British shops
and makes over 70 percent of its
trading profit there, has suffered
more than rivals like Sainsbury
and Asda in part because it sells
more discretionary goods like
homewares, where shoppers
have been cutting back most.
Clarke, a Tesco lifer who as a
youth stacked shelves at his local
store, took over from long-serving
predecessor Terry Leahy in
March 2011. He said the UK business
needed more staff, smarter
stores, lower prices and better
products.
While focusing on improving
its existing shops and growth
areas like online shopping and
convenience stores, Tesco said it
would rein in its expansion, particularly
of large out-of-town
hypermarkets, opening 38 percent
less selling space in Britain
in its 2012-3 financial year than in
2011-2. That would help to
reduce capital spending for the
group as a whole to 3.3 billion
pounds from 3.8 billion in 2011-
2. Tesco shares, down 22 percent
over the past six months, were
up 0.5 percent to 330 pence by
0950 GMT, outperforming a flat
European retail sector, as analysts
expressed relief that there had
been no second profit warning.
SHOULD HAVE BEEN BOLDER
But some analysts said Tesco
should have been bolder and a
recovery could take years given a
weak starting point, a tough economic
backdrop and modest
results from early store revamps.
“There is a lot of things listed ‘to
do’ and doing them will by definition
take time,” said Shore Capital
analyst Clive Black, who thought
the group should stop all new
store openings in Britain for
go back and try my luck back in my
own country, because Brazil is a
country of the future.” —AFP
ARLINGTON: A bottle of Coca-Cola is pictured as people have lunch
at a shopping mall in Arlington. Surging sales in emerging markets
like India, China and Brazil gave earnings at Coca-Cola a solid
boost in the first quarter. Net income for the quarter to March 30
was up 8 percent to $2.07 billion from $1.92 billion in the year-earlier
quarter. —AFP
Tesco focuses on revival,
curbs Britain’s expansion
NEW YORK: Top chipmaker Intel Corp posted
earnings confirming the PC industry is
alive-but not kicking-and said sales would
accelerate in the second half of the year with
a powerful new PC processor. In a first-quarter
earnings report that did not inspire
investors to push Intel’s recently high-flying
stock further, the company also said costs
associated with ramping up new production
lines would hurt gross margins more than
expected. “It’s not that they disappointed,
they just didn’t give us the bull case. In previous
quarters they blew the numbers out of
the water,” said Patrick Wang, an analyst at
Evercore Partners.
The long-time technology bellwether is
ramping up production of its newest PC
processor, codenamed Ivy Bridge, which is
expected to drive sales later this year and
power a new crop of super-thin laptops
dubbed “ultrabooks.” But the costs of
upgrading the factories where the chips are
being made is temporarily hurting margins,
Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith told a
conference call. That was bad news to Wall
Street, which has pushed shares of Intel 17
percent higher so far this year.
Shares up 0.5 percent
three years while it sorts out its
problems. Jon Copestake, retail
analyst at the Economist
Intelligence Unit, also questioned
the level of investment in Britain.
“Global competitors have
recently set their sights on new
markets in Asia, Sub-Saharan
Africa and Latin America, with a
special focus on easing restrictions
in India. Some may ask
whether 1 billion pounds might
have gone further in these markets,”
he said. Clarke said the 1
billion pounds included around
400 million in capital spending
and part of the 500-millionpound
price cutting campaign
launched last September-the “big
price drop” dubbed the “big price
flop” by analysts. The group
would revamp 430 British stores,
or 25 percent of its UK selling
space this year, improving their
look and feel with warmer
colours, better lighting and signage,
Clarke said.
Since the January profit warning,
Clarke has announced plans
to hire 20,000 more staff in Britain
and relaunched the firm’s budget
food range. In March he also jetti-
soned the head of the UK business
to take control of the turnaround
plan himself. Analysts said
he faces an uphill struggle, pointing
to the repeated failures by
France’s Carrefour - which is
Europe’s biggest retailer and even
more exposed to out-of-town
hypermarkets - to turn itself
around. Espirito Santo analysts
described as “underwhelming”
results from Tesco’s revamped tri-
LONDON: A man loads items into his car outside the Tesco Extra superstore in north London. —AFP
“They had strong execution for the most
part, and in-line expectations for the PC market.
But from a investor standpoint you have
a multi-year high stock price, very much
priced for perfection. That gross margin
guidance, while understandable, was not
perfection,” said Cody Acree, an analyst at
Williams Financial Group. Intel said non-
GAAP gross margins in the second quarter
would be 62 percent, plus or minus 2 percentage
points, down from 64 percent in the
first quarter. Intel’s full-year gross margin
forecast of 64 percent was unchanged.
BANKING ON ULTRABOOKS
Shaky economies in Europe and the
United States, a growing consumer preference
for tablets, and a recent shortage of
hard drives due to flooding in Thailand last
year have taken a toll on the PC industry.
Demand in China and other emerging
economies has helped sustain growth, and
CFO Smith said business would pick up more
as the industry recovers further from the
hard-drive shortage and PC manufacturers
replenish low component inventories. “As we
ramp Ivy Bridge and people gear up for
al stores showing a 1.2 percent
improvement in like-for-like sales
versus a control group.
Tesco, with over 6,000 stores in
14 countries, said profit before
tax and one-off items rose 1.6
percent to 3.9 billion pounds in
the year to Feb. 25, 2012, in line
with forecasts. Trading profit in
Britain fell 1 percent, with sales at
stores open over a year down 1.6
percent in the final quarter.
Losses at Fresh & Easy narrowed
for the first time since its launch
in 2007 by 18 percent to 153 million
pounds, but Tesco said it now
did not expect the chain to break
even until its 2013-4 fiscal year,
compared with the end of 2012-3
previously. —Reuters
Intel eyes sales pickup, but investors cautious
these really capable ultrabook sales in the
last half of the year, you’ll start to see them
refilling their pipelines with new products in
the back half of this year,” Smith told Reuters.
Intel is heavily promoting ultrabooks,
which it hopes can stand up to the likes of
Apple Inc’s Macbook Air, with some of the
technological chic the iPad and other tablets
epitomize. Some investors are concerned
that expensive components used in them,
like solid-state drives, make them too pricey
for many consumers. Wang and other analysts
speculate Intel may have to sacrifice
profit margins on sales of its processors to
help make ultrabooks affordable. Intel says
manufacturers are finding ways to bring
down costs of ultrabooks, and CEO Paul
Otellini told analysts on the call he was confident
of the chipmaker’s previous prediction
the new light-weight PCs would account for
40 percent of all notebook sales by the end
of the year. “I’m still very confident we can
do that. All the signs are tracking there.
Everything we’ve looked at since we first
gave that number has gotten more positive,
more designs, better price points,” Otellini
said. —Reuters

DUBAI: Growth of the takaful or
Islamic insurance business is slowing,
industry statistics show, increasing
pressure on the sector to boost efficiency,
roll out new products and
explore new markets. Takaful, which
has its core markets in the Gulf and
southeast Asia, is one bellwether of
consumer appetite for Islamic finance.
But profitability has been hit by fierce
competition and rapid growth of workforces
at takaful providers in past years.
“A key strategy is to scale up family
takaful,” Shyam Sankar, regional head
of insurance sales through bank channels
at Bahrain-based Medgulf Allianz
Takaful, told Reuters.
The industry’s big challenges
include building product awareness
and making consumers realise the
importance of saving over the long
term, he added. An alternative to conventional
insurance, takaful is based
on the concept of mutuality; the takaful
company oversees a pool of funds
contributed by all policy holders, but
does not necessarily bear risk itself. In
their investments, takaful firms must
follow religious guidelines, including
bans on interest and pure monetary
speculation, and a prohibition on
investing in industries such as alcohol
and gambling.
Product categories are similar to
conventional insurance, however, with
family coverage, equivalent to life
insurance, and general coverage,
equivalent to property insurance,
accounting for most business. The
market opportunity is significant,
according to a report last year by Swiss
RE; conventional insurance accounts
for 83.1 percent of all premiums written
in Muslim countries, it estimated.
TRADITIONAL MARKETS
Growth of takaful contributions in
Saudi Arabia, which provides about
half of the total, slowed to 12 percent
in 2010, the most recent year for which
data is available, from a compound
annual growth rate of 38 percent during
2005-2009, a report by consultants
Ernst & Young said this week.
Meanwhile growth in Bahrain and
Malaysia, regarded as the most welldeveloped
takaful markets, is also
showing signs of flagging, though it
26 business
Slower takaful growth prompts strategy rethink
New markets likely to outpace traditional ones
Saleh Al Shimmari with the winner
NBK announces three
Al-Jawhara winners
KUWAIT: Three lucky customers won
cash prizes in National Bank of Kuwait’s
(NBK) weekly Al-Jawhara draws during
the month of April. Soud Mohammed,
Bader Al Banagi, and Suad Al Shimmery
were awarded KD 5,000 each, expressing
their surprise and delight at having won
the prize. NBKs next Al-Jawhara will be
held in the upcoming week where a cash
prize of KD 125,000 will be awarded to
one lucky winner. NBK recently relaunched
its Al-Jawhara account offering
customers more chances of winning bigger
prizes. This includes cash prizes of KD
250,000 quarterly, KD 125,000 monthly
and KD 5,000 weekly.
Al-Jawhara is one of Kuwait’s leading
cash prize accounts offering numerous
benefits to its customers. Not only is it an
interest-free account with regular
deposit and withdrawal privileges, it also
entitles account holders to enter the
weekly, monthly and quarterly Al-
Jawhara draws. Each KD 50 in an Al
Jawhara account entitles the customer to
one chance in any of the draws. All prizes
are automatically credited to the winners’
accounts the day after the draw. The
more money held in Al-Jawhara account,
the greater the chances of winning. Al-
Jawhara account is available to both
Kuwaitis and expats and can be opened
at any one of NBK’s branches around
Kuwait. For further information kindly
visit www.nbk.com, or call Hala Watani at
1801801.
Pure Gold Jewelers launches
new collection of pendants
KUWAIT: Award winning jewelry retailer
Pure Gold Jewelers has launched a new
collection of pendants taking inspiration
from the most romantic of all flowers,
Rose that has long been celebrated as a
symbol of love and beauty. The pendants
have been right in time for Spring. Set in
yellow and white gold ensconced in the
sparkling brilliance of diamonds, they are
a must have item for the season.
According to Karim Merchant, CEO &
MD of Pure Gold Jewelers, “Spring is the
season of color, sunshine and fun. With
the bloom of exotic flowers all around, it
is also the most romantic season of all.
Our spring collection draws inspiration
from Rose, the flower with the forever
romantic quality.
The diamonds in the pendant add to
the allure of the jewelry.” Set in 25 cents
diamonds, the pendants are priced at KD
205 and are available from all Pure Gold
Jewelers outlets in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait,
Oman, Bahrain and India. For further information,
please contact Lisa George, Iris PR,
Dubai UAE. E-mail: lisa@irispr.net. Mob:
+971 50 871 8561. Website: www.irispr.net.
PURE GOLD JEWELERS
Pure Gold Jewelers is an award winning
jewelry retailer known for excellent
customer service. It is now one of the
fastest growing jewelry brands in the
region, with over 100 stores across
Middle East and opening 200 stores in
India shortly. Pure Gold Jewelers is a
recipient of the “Best Service
Performance Brand” award in the large
business category for three consecutive
years - 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-
2010 - under the Dubai Service
Excellence Scheme (DSES) of the Dubai
Department of Economic Development.
The company also topped in the ‘Best
Customer Service’ category in the UAE
jewelry sector in an annual study by
international consultancy Ethos
Consultancy for the year 2009 and 2010.
Pure Gold Jewelers has been consistently
ranked as a Superbrand by UAE
Superbrand Council for four consecutive
years since 2009.
still outpaces conventional insurance.
The most recent data from the central
bank of Bahrain shows takaful premiums
grew 20 percent in 2010, far from
the 70 percent increase in 2008. Total
assets expanded 12 percent in 2010
against 52 percent in 2007.
Bahrain is a major industry hub - the
country was the first to deploy regulation
specifically designed for takaful,
and it has established a healthy retakaful
market, which allows operators to
obtain coverage on existing policies to
manage their risks. But Bahrain’s takaful
sector was hit hard by the 2008
global financial crisis, with assets
decreasing 35 percent that year,
prompting the reorganization of one
of its flagship operators, Solidarity
Group. Also, the continuing social
unrest in Bahrain casts a shadow over
its financial businesses in general.
Malaysia has proved more resilient
but has followed a similar trend,
according to data from that country’s
central bank. Takaful assets grew 18
percent in 2010 against 28 percent in
2007. The deceleration could be hard
to reverse because of shrinking sales
KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait reported a
net profit of KD11.4 million for the first quarter
ended 31 March 2012. Earnings per share
amounted to 8 fils with return on assets of 1.5%
and return equity of 9.4%. Operating profits
before provisions increased to KD22.8 million,
up from KD19.7 million for the same period in
2011. Commenting on the financial results of
the first quarter 2012, Ahmed Yousuf
Behbehani, the Chairman of the Board, stated
the following: “ABK managed to achieve profits
in spite of the stressful conditions of the
world economy, the debt crisis in the Euro
Zone. The bank has taken more precautionary
provisions to face any unexpected emergencies
in the future.”
“The strong capital base and the Capital
Adequacy Ratio of around 25% enhance the
Bank’s ability to grow and expand its operations
under the current market conditions.
The Bank’s success in maintaining its credit
ratings issued by the international credit rating
agencies enhances the confidence in the
strong capital position of the bank and its
ability to tolerate risks and achieve profits”,
added Behbehani.
The Bank periodically reviews and amends
force in the industry. The number of
employees involved in general takaful
sales in Malaysia peaked at 32,997 in
2009, when it soared 107 percent from
the previous year; but it contracted 5
percent in 2010, while staffing for the
conventional insurance industry fell just
2 percent. If these patterns continue, the
global takaful industry could slow to single-digit
growth in coming years. But
some operators are determined to tap
new markets to prevent this.
NEW MARKETS
Takaful companies are exploring
new markets such as Egypt and
Jordan; Islamic finance is expected to
receive a boost in North Africa from
last year’s Arab Spring uprisings, which
removed authoritarian governments
that discouraged or neglected shariacompliant
business for political reasons.
Bahrain’s Solidarity has moved
into Egypt and Jordan. A consortium of
Doha-based institutions tapped the
Pakistani market by launching Pak-
Qatar Takaful in 2006.
Other firms have seen opportunities
in markets such as Lebanon, which
its strategy to cope with any exceptional, conditions
and the prevailing economic condi-
posted 102 percent growth in takaful
contributions during 2010, and
Indonesia. A report by actuarial consultants
Milliman forecasts strong
growth for takaful in southeast Asia,
suggesting it could become three
times as large as the Middle East by
2015. Ernst & Young forecasts Saudi
Arabia’s share of the global takaful
market will drop to 44 percent this year
as newer markets grow faster, and the
trend of new markets outpacing traditional
ones could continue in coming
years.
Other companies are focusing on
building size in their domestic markets,
which could give them economies of
scale. Ghassan Marrouche, chief executive
of Takaful Emarat in the United
Arab Emirates, said his company was
expecting double-digit growth rates in
coming years, supported by the launch
of several new products including a
capital-protected instrument and a
“microtakaful” product focused on lowincome
earners. “We want to be positioned
well in the UAE market before
we move outside,” he said. “It is a very
dynamic market.” — Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
ABK records profit
of KD 11.4 million
Continuous progress in difficult conditions
Ace Hardware’s ‘20% off’
KUWAIT: Ace Hardware, an America household name in
hardware retailing has been in Kuwait since 1991. It opened
its first and only store in Kuwait by Al Hasawi Industrial
Group in Al Raiand. Through the years it has blossomed to a
5,000 sq meter store with a wide range of items from niche
departments of construction materials, home improvement
items, maintenance products and DIY projects. From its
humble beginning to what it is now, Ace Hardware has
catered to the demand of customers who come to the store
for quality products, affordable prices and a customer service
far better than any hardware store in Kuwait. ACE
Hardware has launched 20% off on Bed and Bath department
that includes bedding linens, comforters, bath essentials,
candles, vases, bathroom accessories, soaps and much
more in month of April with competitive prices suit to all of
their customers. To be updated on Ace Hardware promotions
visit our page in Facebook: Ace Hardware Kuwat
Ford dominates
Kelley Blue Book
Brand Image Awards
KUWAIT: Ford has dominated the 2012 Kelly Blue Book
Brand Image Awards by winning four honors, more than any
other automaker. Ford took top honors as Most Family-
Friendly Brand; Best Exterior Design Brand, Non-Luxury; Best
Interior Design Brand, Non-Luxury; and, for the fourth year in
a row, Most Rugged Truck Brand. The Kelley Blue Book Brand
Image Awards recognize automakers’ outstanding achievements
in creating and maintaining brand attributes that capture
the attention and enthusiasm of the new-vehicle buying
public.
The key research vehicle for the Brand Image Awards is
Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence’s Brand Watch study,
which taps into more than 12,000 shoppers. Based on the
study, Ford was voted as the “Most Family-Friendly Brand”
because of its revamped people-shuttling vehicles, which
have struck a chord with those looking to haul growing families
and their gear in safety and comfort. Overflowing with
high-quality materials and the latest high-tech gadgets, Ford
interiors break the perceptions of what can be achieved in a
mainstream vehicle. As a result, the automaker has achieved
the “Best Interior Design Brand, Non-Luxury” honor.
Ford’s F-Series have won the “Most Rugged Truck Brand”
because it offers durable pickup vehicle with everyday versatility
while its bold, dynamic exterior design is why the
automaker was voted the “Best Exterior Design Brand, Non-
Luxury” for 2012. On the latest recognition, Hussein Murad,
Ford Middle East’s director of Sales said: “We are humbled by
this string of awards from Kelley Blue Book primarily because
it reflects how much the consumers are trusting and liking
our brand. Ford has been working tirelessly to provide vehicles
that respond to consumers’ lifestyle by bringing innovations
that not only simplify their driving needs but provide
them with technologies that are technologically-advanced
and class-leading. To us, the awards only mean we are on the
right track.”
Ahmed Behbehani
KUWAIT: Joyalukkas one of the world’s
largest jewelry retail chains has opened
its large format jewelry showroom in
Thanjavur. The bustling and exciting
town of Thanjavur witnessed the grand
opening of the showroom at which,
Joyalukkas Brand Ambassador R
Madhavan, dignitaries, VIP’s and senior
management team of the Joyalukkas
Group were present.
“Thanjavur is an exciting city, the center
of business, industry, agriculture and
learning. It is our honor to be able to
expand to this blessed city and serve the
residents of Thanjavur with the
Joyalukkas experience of jewelry. My
team and I are excited and looking forward
to serving the discerning jewelry
lovers of Thanjavur with a refreshing
experience in jewelry that includes
breathtaking choice, best value, great
convenience and international class service,”
said Mr. Joy Alukkas, Chairman of
Joyalukkas Group.
Conveniently located on South
Rampart, this is the biggest showroom in
Thanjavur spread across 3 massive floors.
The showroom offers ample parking
space and features a wide range of collections
in gold, diamond, precious
stones, platinum, pearl and silver. The
mix of jewelry offered is a choice of traditional
and contemporary designs to fulfill
the needs and demands of all types of
jewelry buyers.
Joyalukkas arranged some exciting
offers during the opening celebrations to
ensure the customers get the best from
their buy at Joyalukkas. “Thanjavur is
very special to us; hence we have pulled
all stops to ensure we offer the residents
tions. It focused on minimizing risks across
our business areas, improving operational
efficiency and enhancing value for our shareholders
and customers, providing high quality
banking services, and employing high caliber
banking staff to service ABK customers. As for
his expectations about the economic situations
during 2012, Behbehani explained the
following:
“The economic conditions in the area are
still difficult in the light of the political turmoil
in some countries of the Middle East and the
stressed economies in Euro zone.
The situation may become more difficult,
with the economic recession, volatility of markets,
slow growth of world and regional
economies. However, the effective risk management
and tight control over the loan portfolio
will minimize the risks and maintain the
strong financial position of ABK and enhance
its ability to achieve good profits for its shareholders”.
He concluded his statement by expressing
his hope to accelerate the launch of new
development projects which will push forward
the economy wheel to which we are
looking forward.
Joyalukkas adorns Thanjavur
here the best experience in jewelry shopping.
Our Thanjavur showroom features
over a million designs in all possible jewelry
options, at the best value. We look
forward to the blessings and support of
Thanjavur residents to make our presence
here a grand success,” added Mr. Joy
Alukkas.
Joyalukkas is on an expansion drive
and the Management has announced
their intention to open their next showroom
in Trichy in the immediate future.
Also Joyalukkas has plans to open five
more showrooms in key locations in
Andhra Pradesh within the next six at
Nellore, Tirupati, Kakinada, Rajahmundry
and Visakhapatnam. The Thanjavur
Joyalukkas jewelry showroom showcases
the signature Joyalukkas format with
stylish, convenient interiors and the best
collections of jewelry from around the
world.
Joyalukkas, is the only ISO 14001:2004
and ISO 9001:2008 certified jewelry retail
chain, which also ensures and adheres to
quality standards like the BIS Hallmark
for gold jewelry, IGI certification for
Diamond jewelry and PGI certification for
Platinum jewelry to ensure the customers’
trust, assurance and give them
total peace of mind. Joyalukkas also features
many convenient and value added
schemes like ‘Easy Gold scheme,
Joyalukkas Golden Rewards Card, 100
percent buy back guarantee and pthers
to make jewelry purchases easy and convenient
for jewelry lovers. Joyalukkas is
the only jewelry retail chain to have presence
in nine countries including in UK,
UAE, Singapore, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and India.

CHEYENNE: Pretty soon, the best place to
look for wolves, grizzly bears, bison and other
wildlife in Yellowstone National Park could be
your phone. New smartphone apps enable
people to pinpoint where they’ve recently
seen critters in the US national park. People
who drive to those locations can - at least in
theory - improve their odds of seeing wildlife.
They may also see more tourists. One app
called Where’s a Bear promises “up to the
second” animal sightings in Yellowstone. A
website called Yellowstone Wildlife recently
began offering a similar app. Websites have
long tracked animal sightings in
Yellowstone. But not everyone thinks that
making such information readily retrievable
by phone is a good idea.Already, the crowds
that stop to look at roadside wildlife in
Yellowstone can grow to hundreds of people,
said Vicky Kraft, who maintains a
LYON: British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee, the man credited with
inventing the World Wide Web, gives a speech yesterday in Lyon, central
France, during the World Wide Web 2012 international conference yesterday
in Lyon. —AFP
27
TECHNOLOGY
Facebook group for Yellowstone. Grizzlies
are especially challenging for park rangers,
who have to both direct traffic and keep
people a safe distance away.Wildlife becoming
too comfortable around people is another
concern. A grizzly habituated to people is
even more dangerous than your average
bear.
Attempts to reach the app developers
through their websites Monday and Tuesday
were unsuccessful. Yellowstone officials said
the apps could become a problem, depending
on their popularity. “If it did take off, it
would be a concern,” Yellowstone
spokesman Dan Hottle said. One technical
problem with the apps is the vast majority of
Yellowstone territory that doesn’t have cellphone
coverage.
Tom Mangelsen, a wildlife photographer,
is among the many photographers and
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Where’s a Yellowstone bear? Look on your phone
Amazon, Apple, Twitter
score low on clean energy
SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon, Apple and
Twitter were graded poorly in a
Greenpeace study of technology titans’
use of clean energy to power the mushrooming
Internet cloud, but Facebook,
Google and Yahoo! won praise.
The environmental charity’s “How
Clean is your Cloud?” report, billed as a
rallying cry instead of a critique, related
to the companies’ use of data centers
and other energy issues. “We are not trying
to give them a hard time, we are trying
to build them up to do the right
thing,”Greenpeace senior campaign specialist
Casey Harrell told AFP.
“We love our iPhones, they make our
lives better; but they shouldn’t make the
planet worse.” Cupertino, Californiabased
Apple got “D” grades for efficiency
of datacenters, sharing information
about power use, and lobbying utilities
to provide clean energy.
Apple was given a flunking “F” when it
came to locating datacenters in places
where electricity comes from clean
sources instead of climate-ruining coal.
Apple, however, rejected the Greenpeace
findings as outdated or flat-out wrong,
and said it was leading the pack when it
comes to shifting datacenters to clean
energy.
The company’s new North Carolina
datacenter aims to get more than 60 percent
of its power from renewable sources
including an on-site solar farm and a fuel
cell installation touted as the largest of
their kind in the United States.
The facility will be “the greenest datacenter
ever built” and will be joined next
year by one in Oregon powered completely
by renewable energy, according
to Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet.
Amazon.com and its cloud-based
Amazon Web Services got failing grades
in all but datacenter energy efficiency,
where it got a “D.” Technology firms tend
to be tight-lipped about datacenter power
use for competitive reasons, and
Amazon.com said the information about
it deduced by Greenpeace was “inaccurate.”
“Amazon Web Services believes that
cloud computing is inherently more
environmentally friendly than traditional
computing,” the company said in
response to an AFP inquiry.
“Instead of each company having
their own datacenter that serves just
them, AWS makes it possible for hundreds
of thousands of companies to con-
solidate their datacenter use into a handful
of datacenters in the AWS Cloud.”
While datacenter efficiency is a worthwhile
goal, switching to clean energy is
needed to safeguard the health of the
planet, according to Greenpeace. The
trend of software hosted in the Internet
“cloud” to provide services such as Webbased
email, video viewing, picture sharing,
social networking and “tweeting” is
driving demand for datacenters.
If the world’s datacenters were considered
a country, it would rank fifth when it
came to electricity consumption in a
global ranking of nations, according to
Greenpeace.
A major factor in locating datacenters
has been cheap electricity, resulting in
them being built in places where utilities
generate power by burning coal, a prime
source of climate changing carbon gas
emissions.
Datacenters are so coveted as customers
by power companies that technology
companies have clout to press for
a switch to clean energy sources, according
to Greenpeace.
“The explosive growth of datacenters
is a big problem if it continues to be
linked to coal, or a big opportunity,” said
Greenpeace media officer David
Pomerantz.
“If the IT sector pushes to bring solar,
wind and other renewables online it
could be a huge game changer.” Google
has been investing aggressively in
renewable energy. Facebook in
December implemented a policy making
the availability of clean power a criterion
for where it builds datacenters.
“We’ve put a significant time and
resources into making Google as energy
efficient as possible, using renewable
energy, and investing in the sector,” said
Google senior vice president for technical
infrastructure Urs Hoelzle.
“We welcome reports like this, as they
bring additional attention to these
important issues for the industry.”
Internet pioneer Yahoo! was an early
adopter of putting datacenters in places
with renewable energy sources.
The list of companies graded included
IBM, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle,
and Salesforce.com.
“These guys aren’t the enemies,”
Pomerantz said of the 14 technology
firms graded. “The enemies are the Duke
Energy(s) of the world blowing up mountains
to provide power,” he added. —AFP
JAKARTA: The launch in India of a
new BlackBerry by Research In
Motion Ltd is not just a nod to its
lower-end users who love it less for
its security, push email and seamless
roaming than for its simplicity and its
Messaging. It’s a strategy the
Canadian company hopes will help
fill both a hole in its balance sheet
and a half-year wait for its next big
thing - the BlackBerry 10 platform.
But will it work? The handset itself
won’t impress devotees: Its main selling
point is a dedicated side button
that lets users chat over its
BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and a
built-in FM radio, which lower-end
Nokia phones have had for a decade.
It works only on the slower 2G networks,
and the camera isn’t that
great. But, RIM says, that’s the point.
RIM calls it a parallel approach:
building the high-end next generation
platform and devices, while
coming up with cheaper phones
that can prod some of the vast
majority of its users to trade up.
“We’re really trying to build on and
help those people who are moving
from feature phone to smartphone.
We believe we can be successful in
that,” Patrick Spence, RIM’s global
sales chief, said in a telephone interview.
It’s a smart move, some analysts
believe, given RIM’s position. Adam
Leach, principal analyst at research
company Ovum, said there is a misperception
that RIM’s bruising experience
in North America will be
repeated elsewhere. RIM’s strength,
he said, is being able to offer lowerend
users a better experience on a
slow connection than the equivalent
Android handset.
RIM launched its new handset,
the Curve 9220, in India yesterday,
with other markets to follow. A RIM
spokesman said the company would
launch in Indonesia, one of its most
lucrative markets, in the coming
weeks. “Their success in Indonesia
shows they have other attributes
and capabilities in the BlackBerry
platform globally that appeal to different
markets rather than just the
high-end, mature markets (like
North America and Western
Europe),” said Ovum’s Leach.
RIM doesn’t break down its sales
by region, but has reported that
sales outside the US, Britain and
Canada accounted for 68 percent of
total revenue in its fourth quarter, up
from 61 percent in the previous
three months. Those markets include
India, South Africa, Nigeria and Saudi
Arabia, which RIM says are all targets
for this year’s sales blitz.
But understanding why a market
like Indonesia works - and then
applying those lessons elsewhere - is
not straightforward. Slamet Riyadi, a
30-year-old office boy in Jakarta with
a wife and two young children, shifted
to BlackBerry from Nokia two
years ago. He owns a Gemini 8520
which he bought new for about
$200 - about two months’ salary. He
keeps his old Nokia to communicate
with his family by voice and SMS, but
loves his BlackBerry for staying in
touch with friends and colleagues.
He dreams of owning an Onyx 2,
which would cost upwards of $350,
but the reality is that he must soon
sell his BlackBerry to pay for his
daughter’s schooling.
Therein lies the rub for RIM. On
the surface, Indonesia looks like an
extraordinary success story in a
gloomy narrative of failures elsewhere.
While RIM slashed more than
$750 million from the value of its
inventory in each of its last two quarters,
BlackBerry sales to Indonesia
have boomed, with industry experts
saying BlackBerrys account for
around half of smartphone sales. Joy
Wahjudi, director of marketing of
operator XL Axiata, said there could
be as many as 7 million BlackBerry
users in Indonesia, the world’s
fourth-most-populous country.
According to Harry Sasongko,
CEO of cellular operator Indosat,
Indonesia is RIM’s largest market
outside the United States and
Britain. And, with smartphones
accounting for less than 25 percent
of phone users, it’s not hard to see
why RIM believes in Indonesia.
When RIM offered half-price handsets
at a Jakarta mall in November,
5,000 people surged through barriers,
knocking several unconscious
and prompting a police investigation.
Still, the reality is more nuanced.
Interest in smartphones is growing -
nearly 10 times as many smartphones
were sold in Indonesia last
year compared to 2009, according
to IDC. And in a country starved of
land-lines and fixed-line computer
connections, the phone has long
been a key communications tool.
RIM’s success in Indonesia is
down to a number of things, not all
of them replicable outside
Indonesia. Indonesian operators
started early, among the first in the
world to adopt RIM’s experimental
stripped-down pricing plans which
offered basic services at a fraction of
the usual enterprise prices. Now
plans start at as low as $5 per
month. This nurtured a vast ecosys-
tem before RIM had even set up
office in Indonesia in 2010. Take for
example Hendrik, a 20-year-old who
has worked as a phone repair man
for the past three years, mostly fixing
BlackBerrys. From a small stall in
a down-market mall in Jakarta,
Hendrik installs apps, upgrades software
or replaces parts. One recent
customer had dropped his device in
the toilet. Despite burying the
device in a pile of rice to try and dry
it out, it still wouldn’t work. Hendrik
replaced the power supply and
some chips from another machine.
Total cost: $50.
As demand has risen, so have
opportunities for smuggling in
handsets from countries where they
are subsidized - pushing down
prices. Retailer Devandi Nugroho, for
example, offers two versions of the
same device: an official one for 1.8
million rupiah ($200) and another
for 200,000 rupiah less. Secondhand
BlackBerrys can be found for
as little as $75.
All this has fuelled a perception
that RIM has done little to make
Indonesia a success and so doesn’t
understand how best to leverage it.
“Part of RIM’s issue is that they have
had successes in areas they haven’t
exactly planned,” said Ovum’s Leach.
RIM acknowledges it could have
done things differently in Indonesia.
“Every company has to figure out
how to deal with globalization and
that’s what we’ve really been trying
to do,” said Spence.
Despite a raft of local initiatives,
there’s no guarantee BlackBerry
users will remain loyal. There is
already a feeling that Indonesians
are beginning to tire of the device.
While smartphones have grown as a
share of the overall phone market in
the past year, RIM’s share has slipped
while Samsung Electronics’ has
tripled, industry data show.
Indonesians with long memories
worry they’ve seen it before.
Indonesia was the world capital of
tourists who have been watching a popular
grizzly in Grand Teton over the past few
years. The grizzly recently emerged from
hibernation with her three cubs, but
Mangelsen said he didn’t rush off to share
the news online.
“I haven’t been on one of those websites
more than three times in my life to see
what’s going on in Yellowstone,” he said. “But
I know people live by it.” —AP
In Asia, BlackBerry’s RIM
sees a glimmer of hope
‘Interest in smartphones growing nearly 10 times’
Major businesses hit by targeted marlware attacks
DUBAI: Hundreds of major businesses
have been hit by targeted marlware
attacks, said David Emm, Senior
Regional Researcher, UK, Global
Research & Analysis Team of Kaspersky
Lab, a leading developer of secure
content management solutions, on
day one of the MENA Information
Security Conference 2012. The event is
being held April 18-19 at the
Kempinski Hotel in Amman, Dead Sea,
Jordan for the second year, gathering
industry experts and leading vendors
to discuss the challenges for the
future of cyber security.
According to Kaspersky Lab’s survey
on “Global IT Security Risks”, a significant
number of businesses have
become victims to cyber crime, including
targeted attacks, events of corporate
espionage and loss of sensitive
intellectual property naming including
RSA, HBGary, Google’s Gmail, and
Lockheed Martin. This in turn verifies
that cyber threats have become much
more important for business, which
was confirmed by 46% of the organizations.
59% of companies report to be at
least well-equipped against cyber
threats. However, small businesses
indicate a lower level of confidence.
Almost half of the organizations have
experienced an increase in the number
of cyber attacks against them in
the last 12 months. Businesses are
worried that cyber-attacks may
involve organized criminal gangs and
are concerned about government
interference. As a result, prevention of
IT security breaches was the number 1
concern in all regions among IT staff.
Commenting on IT security for corporations,
David Emm said, “IT strategy
is one of the main concerns for
businesses, ranked higher even than
financial, marketing and human
resources strategy. Almost half of all
organizations see cyber-threats as one
of the top-three developing risks.
Wider business threats may also be a
result of an IT security breach. 30% of
the companies’ feel that are being
specifically targeted by cyber-attacks
and 9% of companies admit to at least
one IT security issue involving a targeted
attack.” He continued, “The only
reason this is not even higher is that
most targeted attacks are designed to
be discrete, so companies never even
notice them”.
Moreover, David shared the security
tips with the audienc.
l Do not open attachments in
strange e-mails, especially in Word,
Excel, PowerPoint and PDF formats.
lUse a secure browser to access the
Internet like Google Chrome, due to
its exceptional sandboxing technology.
lUpdate all third-party applications;
MS Office, Adobe Reader and Flash
the bulky Nokia Communicator until
it suddenly fell from grace. Prasetyo
Andy Wicaksono, community leader
for Indonesia’s largest BlackBerry
developer group, said doubts over
RIM’s future were denting interest
among developers. “If RIM isn’t careful,
they can lose their loyal customers
here. This phenomenon
must be understood by RIM to prevent
the same thing as happened to
previous gadgets.”
More importantly, are poorer
Indonesians going to bite? RIM
believes it can persuade some of
those millions of users of the more
basic feature phones to upgrade.
But Slamet, the office boy, illustrates
how thin the line is between those
who can afford one and those who
can’t afford to keep one. “The
biggest challenge for RIM is price,”
said Sarwoto Atmosutarno, CEO of
NEW DELHI: Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif displays BlackBerry’s new BlackBerry Curve 9220, at
a launch in New Delhi, India yesterday. —AP
Player are among the third-party
applications most frequently targeted
by cybercriminals.
l Keep your OS up-to-date; enable
automatic updates in windows and
the respective auto-updates [e.g.
Yumd] in Linux
Commenting on Kaspersky Lab’s
participation in this summit, Tarek
Kuzbari, Managing Director, Kaspersky
Lab, Middle East and Turkey said, “This
is our first participation in MENA
Information Security Conference and
we are delighted to be part of such an
important event in the region. Strong
IT security across all business departments
covering all endpoints is necessary
to avoid major damage to a company.
The number of cyber-threats,
including targeted attacks, may lead
not only to sensitive data loss a company’s
brand image can also be damaged,
which is a top threat for the
majority of businesses”.
one of the largest cellular operators,
Telkomsel. “Indonesia, like India, is a
volume game industry.”
RIM said the Curve would sell in
India for 10,990 rupees ($210), and
about the same in Indonesia. Also,
the key attraction of the BlackBerry
for many - its Messenger function -
is less of the unassailable citadel it
once was. The growing popularity of
messaging services such as
WhatsApp that use a cellphone’s
data connection offer a cheap alternative
to SMS - as well as a way to
build BBM-like groups without having
to own a BlackBerry recently
released versions of its software that
work on even the lower-end Nokia
phones running the Symbian operating
system - which still account for
up to two-thirds of Indonesian cellphone
users, according to
StatCounter, a traffic monitoring
service. Graham Hills, Indonesian
general manager for travel start-up
Wego, said that when he arrived in
Jakarta last year everyone would ask
for his BBM PIN number. “Now people
ask whether you have WhatsApp
on your phone,” he said. —Reuters
S Korea seeks
ways to disable
‘silent camera’ apps
SEOUL: South Korea is seeking ways to disable
smartphone apps that allow users to silently snap
photos in a bid to prevent Peeping Toms from secretly
photographing women, an official said yesterday.
Discussions are underway between authorities
and handset makers, an official of the Korea
Communications Commission told AFP. “We have
recently started discussions with firms like Samsung,
LG, Google and Apple regarding whether it’s technically
possible to disable those apps on their devices,”
the official said on condition of anonymity.
The move comes amid privacy concerns after a
series of crimes involving men secretly taking photos
of women. While there is already a regulation in place
making it compulsory for mobile phones to make a
sound when a photo is taken there is no such rule for
app developers, meaning there are dozens of apps
that provide a mute switch.
In June a man in his 30s was arrested in the
southeastern city of Gimhae for secretly taking
about 500 pictures under women’s skirts by using a
“silent camera” app. South Korea has nearly 25 million
smartphone users in a total population of
almost 50 million. —AFP

HEALTH&SCIENCE
Doc-lawyer uses both trades to fight abortion laws
BOISE: A poor woman in rural Idaho was
looking for help after authorities said
they found an aborted fetus in a box on
her back porch. Jennie Linn McCormack
had been charged with giving herself an
illegal abortion using drugs purchased
online, and she faced five years in prison
if convicted.
She had three kids, little money and
less hope when she walked into a
lawyer’s office in Pocatello and told her
story to Rick Hearn, who has a soft spot
for underdogs.
“Her circumstances pulled on my
conscience,” he said. “I wanted to represent
Jennie.” He had no idea his decision
would turn into the nation’s first lawsuit
challenging the so-called fetal pain laws
enacted in more than half a dozen
states. Nor did he suspect he could end
up trying to intervene in the lawsuit on
behalf of a doctor who had never been
involved with terminating a pregnancy -
himself.
Hearn, who decided to get a law
degree after he had already finished
med school, is using a legal strategy that
many experts say is unheard of. “This is
like nothing that I’ve ever read about or
encountered,” said Bill Horton, a legal
ethics expert associated with the
American Health Lawyers Association
and the American Bar Association’s
health division. “But these abortion
rights lawsuits tend to bring out unusual
strategies sometimes.”
Hearn says he frequently works with
people who can use all the help they can
get. “I normally represent the small people
who are suing government or corporations,”
he said. “And I do some criminal
defense.” McCormack came to him early
last year, saying that she was a single
mother living on between $200 and
$250 a month and faced felony charges.
Authorities say on the day before
Christmas in 2010, McCormack took
abortion drugs to terminate a pregnancy
that was more than five months along.
An acquaintance heard that she’d done
New US anti-drug policy
stresses on prevention
WASHINGTON: The White House unveiled a
new drug policy strategy Tuesday that veers
away from imposing heavy prison sentences
for illicit drug use and focuses instead on prevention
and treatment.
Officials said the new approach looks at
drug addiction as a treatable disease rather
than a crime. “For US drug policy, this is nothing
short of a revolution in how we approach drug
control,” Gil Kerlikowske, director of the
National Drug Control Center, told reporters at
a press event. He added that “the strategy
emphasizes the importance of bolstering
efforts to prevent drug use before it starts.”
“There’s a real reason to be optimistic that
these reform efforts will reduce and continue
to reduce drug use and its consequences on
society,” said Kerlikowske.
Officials said that the administration would
move away from outmoded policies like the
mass incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders,
and toward an approach that balances
public health and safety.
“My colleagues-police and others-simply
put, often say we can’t arrest our way out of the
drug problem,” said Kerlikowske, the so-called
US “drug czar,” who said that current thinking
by health experts views drug addiction as a disease
of the brain that can be prevented and
treated. He added, however, that “the drug
threat is far from over and, to be sure, there is
more work to be done.” The policy shift comes
at a time when illicit drug use in the United
States, broadly speaking, is on the decline. The
administration said drug abuse currently is only
about one-third the rate it was in the late
1970s. Officials also report a 40 percent drop in
current cocaine use and a 50 percent decline in
the use of methamphetamine. But the administration
conceded that the picture is not entirely
rosy, acknowledging in a 60 page report that
illicit drug abuse has risen among teenagers,
from 16.8 percent in 2006 to 19.2 percent last
year, and that US youth perceive marijuana use
as benign. The administration says its
revamped drug policy increases penalties on
major drug traffickers while accelerating efforts
to send non-violent drug offenders into treatment
instead of jail.
Officials also said there has been a spike in
prescription drug abuse, despite a year-old
strategy to curb this growing scourge. “We
TOKYO: This handout picture taken on April 13, 2012 and released by the
Tsuji Lab Research Institute for Science and Technology of the Tokyo
University of Science shows a hairless mouse with black hair on its back at
the laboratory in Noda, Chiba Prefecture. Japanese researchers led by professor
Takashi Tsuji from Tokyo University of Science, successfully grown
hair on hairless mice by implanting follicles created from stem cells, they
announced yesterday sparking new hopes of a cure for baldness. — AFP
TOKYO: Japanese researchers have successfully
grown hair on hairless mice by
implanting follicles created from stem cells,
they announced yestersday, sparking new
hopes of a cure for baldness. Led by professor
Takashi Tsuji from Tokyo University of
Science, the team bioengineered hair follicles
and transplanted them into the skin of
hairless mice.
The creatures eventually grew hair,
which continued regenerating in normal
growth cycles after old hairs fell out.
When stem cells are grown into tissues
or organs, they usually need to be extracted
from embryos, but Tsuji and his
researchers found hair follicles can be
grown with adult stem cells, the study said.
know people obtain these drugs from the
medicine cabinet,” Kerlikowske told reporters.
“Few people recognize the dangers of prescription
drugs.”
The Drug Policy Institute, a leading proreform
group, dismissed the new drug strategy
as being “almost identical” to those of previous
administrations.
The Obama administration “is prioritizing
low-level drug arrests, trampling on state medical
marijuana laws, and expanding supply-side
interdiction approaches-while not doing
enough to actually reduce the harms of drug
addiction and misuse,” said Bill Piper with the
Alliance. The “vast majority” of Americans seeking
drug treatment “do not have access to it.
Instead, our nation’s drug policies remain
focused on punitive approaches,” he said. The
announcement comes just days after a summit
in Colombia where leaders from across the
Americas agreed to consider alternatives to the
US-led “War on Drugs,” which since it was
launched in 1971 has claimed tens of thousands
of lives but yielded only meager results.
At the summit Obama said he opposed
legalizing drugs, but agreed for the first time to
direct talks on the thorny issue of rampant
drug consumption in the United States, the
world’s most lucrative market for illegal drugs.
Obama also agreed to increase US efforts to
stem the flow of money and arms toward Latin
America. Officials said they also would step up
efforts to secure America’s southern border
with Mexico, increase US anti-drug cooperation
with overseas partners and target violent international
drug gangs.
Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey, a
key law enforcement partner, said in a statement
that the overall goal of the new policy is
to break “the cycle of drug crime, incarceration
and arrest.”
“Those of us in law enforcement understand
that too often drug addiction is the
underlying cause of crime,” he said. The administration
said it is seeking about $10 billion
from Congress for drug education programs
and pay for expanded access to treatment programs
for drug abusers.
The White House budget for 2013 also seeks
$9.4 billion for domestic law enforcement, $3.7
billion for interdiction efforts, and $2 billion for
international programs.—AFP
Japan study raises hopes
of cure for baldness
“Our current study thus demonstrates the
potential for not only hair regeneration
therapy but also the realisation of bioengineered
organ replacement using adult
somatic stem cells,” it said.
The combination of the new and existing
technologies is expected to improve
treatment for baldness, possibly allowing
people to use their own cells for implants
that will give them their hair back.
“We would like to start clinical research
within three to five years, so that an actual
treatment to general patients can start
within a decade,” said researcher Koh-ei
Toyoshima. The study is published in the
online science magazine Nature
Communications.—AFP
it and called police, who looked into the
claim said they found a fetus in a box on
her porch.
The county prosecutor charged
McCormack under an Idaho law that
makes it illegal for anyone other than a
health care professional to be involved
with terminating a pregnancy. Hearn
defended McCormack and the case was
dismissed. But it wasn’t a total victory, a
judge tossed the charges “without prejudice,”
meaning she could be prosecuted
again at any time.
Meanwhile, Idaho lawmakers passed
the fetal pain law. Such regulations ban
abortions after 19 weeks of pregnancy,
under the premise that a fetus may feel
pain at 20 weeks. The scientific research
that bolsters the measures has been the
subject of heavy debate, but such bans
have been gaining momentum among
conservative legislators. A plan passed
last year in Idaho with overwhelming
support.
Hearn didn’t want McCormack living
with the constant threat of prosecution
and decided to turn the tables. Rather
than wait for the law to come after his
client, he and McCormack decided to go
after the law.
They sued in federal court last
September, fighting for McCormack’s
right to take medication to induce an
abortion and for doctors’ rights to prescribe
such drugs. They also took aim at
the fetal pain abortion ban, which they
felt also violated women’s constitutional
rights to privacy.
But US Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled
the lawsuit wouldn’t get class-action status
and that McCormack didn’t have the
right to challenge some aspects of the
law because she wasn’t currently pregnant
and seeking an abortion.
So Hearn went one step further, filing
a motion to intervene as a plaintiff himself,
in his role as a physician who may
want to prescribe abortion-inducing
drugs in the future. Never mind that
Hearn hasn’t practiced medicine for
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
about six years - his license to practice is
still current, he said.
And never mind that he’s never performed
an abortion, nor does he intend
to. In fact, he’s Catholic, and the church is
strictly anti-abortion. But Hearn says he’s
reconciled his personal beliefs with his
professional efforts to help McCormack
in her legal fight.
“Neither I nor my family are seeking
abortions, and we would not. But Jennie
is not Catholic,” Hearn said. “This is about
her right to choose.” Deputy Idaho
Attorney General Clay Smith dismissed
Hearn’s move as merely an attempt to
introduce issues that McCormack has no
standing to present.
Hearn doesn’t dispute that. “I’m not
trying to trick anybody or anything,” he
said. “I was forced to take this highly
unusual step. I didn’t want to.” He added,
“I’m intervening in order to assert her
right to obtain an abortion, and the
courts have said that doctors can assert
the rights of their patients.” —AP
This artist’s interpretation provided by the University of Toronto January 23, 2012 shows 190 million year old nests, eggs, hatchlings
and adults of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa. An excavation
at the site in South Africa has unearthed the 190-million-year-old dinosaur nesting site of the prosauropod dinosaur
Massospondylus-revealing significant clues about the evolution of complex reproductive behaviour in early dinosaurs.—AFP
Dinosaurs put eggs in wrong
evolutionary basket: Scientists
Youngsters had to compete several size categories
PARIS: The fact that land-bound dinosaurs laid
eggs is what sealed their fate of mass extinction
millions of years ago while live birthing mammals
went on to thrive, scientists said yesterday.
In a new explanation for mammals’ evolutionary
victory over dinosaurs, researchers said a mathematical
model has shown that infant size was the
clincher. Given physical limitations to egg size,
dinosaurs had comparatively small young. Some
came out of the egg weighing as little as two to 10
kilogrammes (4.4 to 22 pounds), yet had to bulk up
to a hefty 30 or 50 tonnes.
Growing up, the youngsters had to compete in
several size categories with adults of other animal
groups for food, University of Zurich scientist
Marcus Clauss told AFP.
This meant that all the small and medium animal
size categories supported by the natural environment
were “occupied”, leaving no room for
smaller dinosaur species in which to thrive, according
to the findings published in Biology Letters, a
journal of Britain’s Royal Society.
“There is a lot of room in the ecosystem for
small species, but (in such a scenario) that room is
taken up by the young ones of the large species,”
Clauss explained. “That was not a problem for 150
million years but as soon as something happens
that takes away all the large species so that only
small species remain, if there are no small species
to remain you are gone as a whole group.”
The catastrophic event that wiped out all larger
life forms some 65 million years ago meant the end
for terrestrial dinosaurs. Scientists disagree on
whether the scaly reptiles died out before or after a
meteorite smashed into Earth in what is known as
the Cretaceous-Tertiary impact, causing billions of
tonnes of wind-borne ash and dust to filter out
light from the Sun and triggering a “nuclear winter”
that cooled the planet and withered vegetation.
Mammals did not have the same limitations in
size spread, said Clauss, because their young were
not born as comparatively small and did not need
to compete with other species for food, instead
suckling on their mothers. This meant there were
smaller mammal species able to cope with the new
post-catastrophe environment and evolve into
new species alongside birds, which are also
dinosaurs.
“The question that haunted some people
including me is ... why did the mammals survive
and why did the dinosaurs not. I think we have a
very good answer for that,” Clauss said.
The researchers said egg size is constricted by
upper limits to the thickness of shells, which have
to allow oxygen through to the embryo. The average
four-tonne titanosaur, the largest type of vertebrate
that ever lived, was 2,500 times heavier than
its newborn.
A modern-day elephant mother weighs 22
times more than her calf. Scientists say all animals
with a bodyweight of more than about 10 to 25
kilogrammes (22 to 55 pounds) died in the mass
extinction event. — AFP
Magnetic rod reduces need for spine surgery
PARIS: A new magnetic backstraightening
rod holds promise for
treating children born with curved
spines without the need for sixmonthly
surgery, researchers in Hong
Kong said yesterday. At present,
straightening rods fixed to the spine
have to be lengthened on an operating
table under general anaesthesia
every six months to keep pace with
the child’s growth.
The researchers replaced these
with a new type of magnetically-
Court ruling supports
generic drug makers
adjustable rod in five children aged
five to 14 being treated for scoliosis, a
curvature of the spine, at the
Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital in
Hong Kong.
During monthly clinic visits over
two years, the rods were manipulated
with an external, hand-held magnetic
device placed over the implanted,
internal magnet, said the study published
in The Lancet medical journal.
A rotating mechanism within the rod
caused it to extend and thus length-
WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court ruled that generic
drug makers can challenge big-name pharmaceutical firms in
court to stop them from broadening the scope of their patent
descriptions. The measure overturns a 2010 appeals court ruling
and confirms an earlier decision by a federal judge that
ordered the US subsidiary of Danish laboratory Novo Nordisk
to narrow the description of its patent on repaglinide, an antidiabetes
drug sold under the name Prandin.
Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, the US subsidiary of
the Indian firm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, is seeking to
produce a generic version of Prandin. However Novo Nordisk
amended the wording of his patent to extend it, and block the
Caraco’s request to the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to produce a generic version of the drug.
The FDA cannot approve the sale of a drug that breaks
patent protection laws. In a unanimous decision by the nine
Supreme Court justices, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that “a
generic company can employ the counterclaim to challenge a
brand’s overbrand use code.” “We accordingly hold that Caraco
may bring a counterclaim seeking to ‘correct’ Novo’s use code,”
the ruling read. “While we are disappointed with the decision,”
said James Shehan, a senior official with Novo Nordisk Inc,
USA, “it appears the Supreme Court has held only that Caraco
may challenge the use code narrative for Novo Nordisk’s
patented method of treating diabetes with repaglinide in
combination with metformin.—AFP
en the spine. “Our finding is that the
rod can be remotely extended and
the big advantage of this remote
extension of the rod is that the
patient does not need to undergo
general anaesthaesia,” study member
Kenneth Cheung of the University of
Hong Kong told AFP.
“They basically come back to our
clinic once every month and we
spend 30 seconds just to extend the
rod and the patient can go back to
school.” About three percent of all
people suffer from scoliosis, and
some 0.1 percent require straightening
treatment, said Cheung.
Traditionally, doctors used screws
and rods to straighten the spine of
scoliosis patients and keep it in place,
but in small children this hampered
their growth. The extendable rod has
been in use for about five to 10 years,
said Cheung. A large-scale trial is
being planned to see whether the
prototype treatment is safe and
effective. — AFP
This image provided by NASA shows the sun releasing a M1.7 class flare
associated with a prominence eruption on April, 16, 2012. This image was
taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. This visually spectacular explosion
occurred on the sun’s Northeastern limb (left) and was not Earth
directed. — AP

HEALTH
New shrimp-like species found in New Mexico cave
ALBUQUERQUE: Scientists have discovered
a new shrimp-like species in a gypsum
cave in southeastern New Mexico,
only a few dozen miles from the famous
caves at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
The species of amphipod was unknown
before being discovered about a month
ago in the Burton Flats area east of
Carlsbad, said Jim Goodbar, the Bureau of
Land Management’s senior cave specialist.
The agency announced the discovery
Tuesday.
Blind, about a half-inch long and
almost translucent, the amphipod was
found in a subterranean pool inside a
cave no more than 80 feet from the sur-
face. The cave had been explored before,
but samples had never been taken of the
water until a biological inventory was
done as part of plans to expand potash
mining in the area.
For Goodbar and other cave
researchers, short of rocketing into space,
the depths of the earth represent one of
the last unexplored frontiers for
humankind. “You never know what you’re
going to find down there,” Goodbar said.
“One of the interesting things about this
is these guys, these critters have been
down there for tens of thousands of
years, millions of years and we’re just getting
around to finding them.” More sur-
Prostate cancer therapy
shows fewer side effects
PARIS: A new prostate cancer treatment
using high frequency sound waves may
be a viable alternative to surgery and
radiotherapy with less chance of incontinence
or impotence, researchers said
Tuesday. A clinical trial funded by Britain’s
Medical Research Council examined the
efficacy of a new treatment known as
high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU),
that can target areas just a few millimetres
in size.
“The results ... show that 12 months
after treatment, none of the 41 men in
the trial had incontinence of urine and
just 1 in 10 suffered from poor erections -
both common side effects of conventional
treatment,” said a statement. “The
majority of men (95 per cent) were also
cancer-free after a year.”
The findings were published in the
journal Lancet Oncology. Treatment
involves radiotherapy or removing the
prostate surgically-both methods that
can damage surrounding healthy tissue,
in some cases leading to incontinence or
erectile dysfunction.
HIFU targets a small area affected by
cancer-the sound waves causing the tissue
to vibrate and heat up, killing the
cancer cells. The procedure is done under
general anaesthetic and most patients
are back home within 24 hours, said the
statement.
“Our results are very encouraging,”
said Dr Hashim Ahmed, who led the
study. “We’re optimistic that men diagnosed
with prostate cancer may soon be
able to undergo a day case surgical procedure,
which can be safely repeated
once or twice, to treat their condition
with very few side-effects. That could
mean a significant improvement in their
quality of life.”
There will be a larger trial to examine
whether the new therapy, already in use
in hospitals for several years, was as
effective as the standard treatment.
Prostate cancer is the most common
form of cancer in men. More than 37,000
men are diagnosed with it in the UK each
year. Men can live with the disease for
years without it getting worse, and many
have to weigh whether they want to risk
the side effects of treatment.— AFP
veys of the area are planned, Goodbar
said. The new species has not been
named, but officials said it has been
grouped with the Parabogidiella (parabo-GIDDY-ella)
genus, which was first
described in 1980 by John Holsinger with
the Biological Sciences Department at
Old Dominion University in Virginia.
An amphipod expert, Holsinger said
Tuesday the species found near Carlsbad
is different from the other single species
in the genus. He is currently working on
its complete description.
Members of the Bogidiellidea family
have been documented in parts of
Mexico, but the new species represents
DALLAS: Having professional translators in
emergency rooms for non-English-speaking
patients may help limit potential miscommunications,
according to a US study. The study, conducted
at two pediatric ERs and published in
the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that
mistakes which could have “clinical consequences,”
like giving the wrong medication
dose, were about twice as likely if there were no
interpreters or if the translator was an amateur.
“The findings document that interpreter
errors of potential clinical consequence are significantly
more likely to occur when there is an
‘ad hoc’ or no interpreter, compared with a professional
interpreter,” said lead researcher Glenn
Flores, of the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center in Dallas.
An estimated 25 million US residents have
limited English proficiency - that is, they say
they speak the language less than “very well.” By
law, US hospitals that receive federal funds have
to offer some type of translation help for those
patients. That can mean a professional interpreter
who works for the hospital or telephone
the family’s most northern extent, he
said. Scientists know little about the new
species. They’re already making guesses
at whether it’s carnivorous or feeds on
bacteria, minerals or vegetative bits that
find their way into the cave’s water.
“They’re very cryptic,” Holsinger said.
“These things are usually found in
groundwater and you can very rarely
observe them firsthand.” Goodbar said
the Bureau of Land Management is planning
for a series of monitoring wells near
the Burton Flats caves to keep an eye on
water levels once the mining company
begins pumping water for its proposed
operations. The agency is developing mit-
or video-based translation services.
Studies have found that patients like to have
a translator available, and that it may improve
care and cut costs, by avoiding unnecessary
tests, for instance. But it hadn’t been clear how
well professional interpreters performed
against amateurs, or no interpreter at all.
The current study was based on 57 families
seen in either of two Massachusetts pediatric
emergency rooms. All were primarily Spanishspeaking
and 20 families had help from a professional
interpreter.
Ten had no translation help and 27 had a
non-professional interpreter. The reasons for the
difference was unclear. When trained interpreters
were available, 12 percent of translation
slips could have potential health risks to a child.
But when the interpreter was somebody such
as a family member or a bilingual member of
the hospital staff, 20 to 22 percent of their translation
errors were potentially risky.
In one example from the study, an amateur
interpreter - a family friend - told the doctor
that the child was not on any medications and
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
igation plans that call for an end to
pumping in the area if a certain threshold
is reached.
The BLM is working on balancing protection
of the new species and the area’s
water supply with development of the
region’s vast potash resources, Goodbar
said. The water in the caves is replenished
by rainwater soaking down through
cracks and crevices in the Earth’s surface
and fresh water from a shallow underground
aquifer. “I think the implications
are that we really need to protect the
groundwater aquifers because there are
species there that live nowhere else on
Earth,” Goodbar said. — AP
Interpreters in ER may
limit medical errors
had no drug allergies. But the friend had not
actually asked the mother whether that was
true.
A number of questions remain about professional
interpreters, such as whether in-person
interpreters are more effective than phone or
video interpreters and what are the most costeffective
measures, Flores said. Another issue is
training, including the question of how much is
enough.
Errors were least common when the interpreters
had 100 hours of training or more. In
these cases, only two percent of their translation
slips had the potential for doing the child
harm. Few training programs for medical interpreters
provide at least 100 hours of training,
Flores said. Even when hospitals run their own
programs, the hours involved vary widely.
“These findings suggest that requiring at
least 100 hours of training for interpreters
might have a major impact on reducing interpreter
errors and their consequences in health
care, while improving quality and patient safety,”
the researchers wrote. — Reuters

Greetings
Dearest Judy as you become 9 years old
today. We feel happy and proud
and thankfull to Allah. We pray to Allah to
bless your life and fill it with joy. Best wishes
from your mom, dad, sisters and brother.
Belated birthday wishes to our beloved
Ghanim on his 4th birthday. May Allah bless
you and fill your life with joy, love, peace
and great achievements. From your dad,
mom and sisters (Judy, Layan and Salam).
Wishing Salam a happy birthday on his 6th
birthday. May Allah shower his choicest
blessings on you. Best wishes come from
your mother, father, sisters and brother.
Announcements
Beachcombing in Kuwait
The AWARE Center cordially invites you to its diwniya
presentation entitled, “Beachcombing in Kuwait,” by
Claudia Farkas Al-Rashoud on April 24 at 7 pm.
Virtually everyone who walks along a beach starts to
collect odd bits and pieces that have been washed up
and deposited along the strandline. On Kuwait’s
beaches you can find many things that make beachcombing
an interesting pastime. There are more than
500 varieties of mollusc shells alone. In addition to sea
shells you might come across corals, sand dollars, sea
urchins, cuttlefish ‘bones’, sea cucumbers, and various
other types of marine life, and of course the inevitable
man-made debris. Join local photojournalist and
experienced beachcomber Claudia Farkas Al Rashoud
for this illustrated lecture and take a look at life along
Kuwait’s strandline. Beachcombers of all ages are welcome.
If you are interested in the topic, AWARE is the
most appropriate place to visit.
One day on earth
One Day On Earth in KUWAIT on April 22 at 6.30 pm at
the Australian College of Kuwait (West Mishref, Block
5, Al-Aqsa Mosque Street, Building 1, Auditorium
Area).
Golden era Club
Friday, 27th April from 5-7 pm. Join the Golden Era (an
exclusive seniors club) for a 3500 km, zero carbon
footprint, journey to a beautiful European country
credited with amazing achievements. Dr Leos
Tovarek’s dynamic presentation will give a unique
insight into the Czech Republic; its history, culture,
strengths, potential and future. Home sick Czech
nationals are particularly invited to share their culture.
Venue- House #34, next to Abu-Tammam
Intermediate School for Boys, Sate Alhusari St., Block
2, Rumaithiya. For details call 97172788/ 66208183 or
drop a line to goldenera60@yahoo.com
The Scientific Center
The Scientific Center celebrates its 12th anniversary in
a festival to be held today and tomorrow (April 19 and
20), featuring special activities and reduced prices on
entrance tickets. “Visitors can enjoy a 50% discount on
tickets to enter the Aquarium, the IMAX 3D theater
and the Discovery Hall”, said Chairman and Managing
Director Mejbel Al-Mutawa’a in a press released,
adding that the event is set to feature an entertaining
program including competitions and interactive activities
such as an activity in which visitors will have the
chance to make greeting cards using recycled material.
Golf Tourney
American Business Council of Kuwait invites you to its
11th Annual 4-man 18 hole Golf tournament at the
Sahara Club on Friday, May 4th. If interested to participate,
register now, individually or a team off our at
americanbusinesscouncil@abckuwait2012 Non-
Golfers are welcome to enjoy the day-out at the
Sahara club and experience the delicious luncheon at
the tournaments prize distribution ceremony.
Ahmadi Music Group
Ahmadi Music Group is very pleased to announce that
tickets for Semele are now available on our website
www.ahmadimusicgroup.com or though our charming
and energetic ticket person Yvonne whom you
can reach at tickets@ahmadimusicgroup.com Semele
is a dramatic story of love and deception which scandalized
audiences when it first opened, and has
enraptured audiences ever since. Our performance
will be in the beautiful Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah
which is much smaller than our other recent venues.
Entry will be very limited, so please do not delay.
nPlease note also that purchase of a “ticket” is in fact a
subscription to “Friends of Ahmadi Music Group”
which entitles you to attend a performance of the
opera. There will be no tickets available at the door.
Charity evening for
‘Palestine’s Children’
The ‘Kuwaitis for Jerusalem’ committee; a joint committee
between the Women’s Cultural and Social
Society and the Kuwait Graduates’ Society, organizes
a charity evening Sunday, April 22, 2012, to support a
planned project for the ‘Relief for Palestine’s Children
Society’ to establish a cancer treatment pediatric hospital
in Bait Jala, Palestine. The event, titled ‘We Deserve to Live’,
takes part at the Movenpick Hotel at the Free Trade Zone.
For reservations or other inquiries, please call: 99714347 -
99723474 - 67676167.
30
WHAT’S ON
Mary from KACCH, Dr Kathy Nixon and Alia Mustafa Aref, the president of
Sigma Tau Delta’s Alpha Rho Eta chapter at AUK.
Dr Kathy Nixon, Dr. Craig Loomis and President Winfred Thompson examining
the children’s books with Mary from KACCH.
The American University of Kuwait
chapter of the Sigma Tau Delta
International English Society won
the organization’s Service Award for 2012
in recognition of a book drive held on
behalf of The Kuwait Association for the
Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH).
“The project was deemed both wellorganized
and extremely valuable as a
social outreach that would benefit many
persons who, in a particularly vulnerable
time of their lives, would find some relief
through reading,” said William C. Johnson,
Sigma Tau Delta’s Executive Director.
Sigma Tau Delta promotes literacy in
ways that exhibit service to society. Each
year the organization recognizes one or
more chapters whose service projects
exemplify what it means to serve society
by fostering literacy. “This year the Sigma
Tau Delta judges were pleased to recognize
the Alpha Rho Eta Chapter at AUK for
exemplary service to KACCH,” Johnson
said.
Chapter members accepted the award
at the annual convention which was held
in New Orleans, LA, USA in March. As part
of this honor, the chapter received a
plaque and $200 to buy children’s books
for KACCH while in the United States. The
chapter presented those books to the
organization on April 1.
This gift follows the donation of
roughly 676 books (duplicate titles were
not counted) from a three-day book drive
at AUK which concluded March 28. With
this gift, the AUK students have donated
over 1,000 books to KACCH since the first
book drive in the spring of 2011.
“This project has always been dear to
me because of my love of reading. As a
child the book was the ultimate source
of not only escape but of imagination
as well as creativity. I believe all children
should be given the gift of a book
because it was one of the most precious
gifts I have ever had the pleasure
of receiving.We as an English honor
society understand the importance of
literacy and being in an age where the
book and reading is close to extinction,
we really felt that the book drive would
spark people’s interest in books again,”
said Alia Mustafa Aref, the chapter
President and principal organizer of the
award winning book drive.
AUK’s Alpha Rho Eta chapter of
Sigma Tau Delta was chartered in fall of
2009 becoming the first and only chapter
of this organization in the Middle
East. Since that time, members have
presented at three international conferences,
won all of the major chapter
awards offered by the organization and
had a student whose poetry was published
in a Sigma Tau Delta journal.
“We are honored by the recognition
of Sigma Tau Delta and the support we
receive from the AUK administration.
Our students have formed a strong,
hard-working chapter. We hope to benefit
the community and our University
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Dr Nizar Hamzeh, Dean Of College of Arts & Sciences and Alia Mustafa Aref
accepting a gift of appreciation from Mary Dempsey-Booz from KACCH.
Sigma Tau Delta members and their volunteers who worked with the KACCH
book drives in 2011 and 2012.
AUK donates to KACCH, receives award
Palestinian
Cultural
Exhibition
Handicrafts reaffirm the Palestinian national identity
and support needy children and families. The
Palestinian Culture Center in collaboration with the
Women’s Cultural Society invite you to its spring exhibition.
The exhibition aims to preserve Palestinian handicrafts in
order to reaffirm the Palestinian national identify by adapting
it harmoniously to the 21st century demands.
We display classic designs intertwined with modern
uses, colors, and motifs, to showcase some of the creativity
of the Palestinian women. Items on sale include: cushions,
runners, scarves, shawls, long traditional dresses as well as
smaller items. We also have handmade ceramics from
Palestine, books, music, and movies.
Today evening there will be a folklore dance and a bake
sale of traditional foods as well as children’s activities at The
Kuwaiti Women Cultural Soceity, Khaldiya, Block 2, Al
Qurouba Street Date: Monday April 23 to Thursday 26th
2012 from 10 am to 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm to 8:30pm. Call
25755866, 25727388, 99376608.
Books are companions, teachers,
magicians and bankers of
the treasures of the mind. They
are the engines of the change, windows
to the world and light houses
elected in the sea of time. Without
genuine books the development of
civilization would have been impossible.
Indian Learners Own Academy
recently bagged the credit of publishing
its maiden CBSE-International
& curriculum books in Kuwait. It was
a proud moment for the entire
school wing when the book was
launched on March 15th, 2012;
another golden feather was added in
the cap. The concerted effort of the
sincere and industrious teachers
made the dream come true.
Obviously they played a pivotal role
taking the school to the summit of
success in the blink of an eye.
In the past they successfully
for many years,” said Dr. Kathy Nixon,
the group’s faculty sponsor who was
recognized by the honor society at the
convention with the 2012 Elaine W.
Hughes Faculty Sponsor Award. “Our
members are committed to the study of
English literature at the University level
and to promoting literacy in their country
and abroad. I am very proud of
them.”
In addition to its work with KACCH,
the AUK group donated the proceeds
from its 2011 Regents Common Reader
Award to Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
in the United States.
The American University of Kuwait
(AUK) is an independent, private, equal
opportunity, and co-educational liberal
arts institution of higher education. The
educational, cultural and administrative
structure, methods and standards of
AUK are based on the American model
of higher learning. The language of
instruction is English.
IOMF highlights
ongoing projects
Indian Orthodox Mercy Fellowship (IOMF - A spiritual
and charitable organization of St. Gregarious Indian
Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Kuwait)) released a colourful
flyer with details of the project to commemorate the
Catholicate Centenary and 40th Anniversary of IOMF.
The flyer was released by Dr Yohanon Mar Dioscoros
(Metropolitan of Chennai Diocese) and handed over to
P.C George (General Convener) in the presence of Vicar
Rev Fr Jose Mathew, Asso Vicar Rev Fr George Varghese
and IOMF office bearers and conveners. The highlights
of the project are - Mercy homes with 2 bedrooms - 40
Nos, Medical aid -15 Nos, Self Employment Support - 20
Nos, Education Assistance-15 Nos, Other aids-10 Nos
(Total 100 Nos). IOMF always ensures that all its charity
aids go to the poorest of the poor.
LOA strives for excellence through
the path of knowledge and discovery
experimented the theme-based
worksheet which contained all the
necessary study materials made into
pieces of cake. The growth of these
worksheets will continue in the years
to come. Self- publishing allows
teachers to keep ownership of their
work and make changes when necessary.
The school solely possesses
the copy right of these workbooks.
The coping of these materials is
henceforth strictly prohibited.

31
WHAT’S ON
Porsche kids driving school in Kuwait
The Decade of Action for Road
Safety 2011-2021 is an international
World Health Organisation
(WHO) and United Nations (UN) global
initiative. Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation
Institute (FSRI), a non-profit rehabilitation
clinic owned by the foundation
FAWSEC, is proud to design and support
innovative health reform initiatives to
address the most pressing public health
challenges facing Kuwait. This year,
through RunQ8 10km Run for Road and
Traffic Safety, FSRI was able to raise
funds through sponsors, and to partner
with local organisations to implement
initiatives that address the goals set out
for this Decade of Action.
Under the patronage of Sheikh
Ahmad Al Humoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Interior and in cooperation with the
Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute
and the Ministry of Interior, Porsche
Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors
Company, introduces the ‘Early
Childhood Road and Traffic Safety
Program’ targeted at Kuwaiti school kids
aged between three and seven. The
Liwan Mall Festival
begins today
The Liwan Mall in Al-Agailah kicks off its festival
today (April 19) at 6 pm, featuring activities that
take place until 10 pm the same night, and during
the same period tomorrow
(April 20). The event
is organized by the
Shuwaikh Gate Holding
Company in cooperation
with the Abraj Events
Company. SGHC
Managing Director Nasser
Al-Mislem indicated in a
press release that the festival
includes a “special
Russian display and a
magic show”, in addition
to competitions and inter-
Nasser Al-Mislem active activities for children.
For more information,
call 99771930 - 60608005.
Adv Mammen
in Kuwait
Adv Varghese Mammen, the Lay Trustee of
Marthoma Syrian Church, Kerala arrived in
Kuwait on Tuesday on a brief visit. He will
attend functions organized
by Marthoma
Church Kuwait including
the public meeting on
April 20 from 9.30 pm to
1.00 pm at Fintas Cooperative
Society Hall
(Near London Hospital)
which will be graced by
Mar Chrysostam
Metropolitan and
Saffrogan Metropolitan
Dr Zacharias Mar
Adv Varghese Mammen
Theophilus.
A practicing Indian
Supreme Court lawyer,
Adv Mammen is also Kerala Congress (M) state secretariat
member and a nominated advisory board
member of BSNL Telecom.
event runs from April through
December at the Qadsiya Sports Club.
The program includes the popular
Porsche Kids Driving School designed
to introduce road and traffic safety
guidelines to young children. It provides
a child-friendly learning path
which identifies and builds on the children’s
knowledge and understanding,
showing also how road safety can be
incorporated into classroom topics and
activities.
Kuwaiti schools are invited to
arrange visits for their pupils to the
Porsche Kids Driving School at the
Qadsiya Sports Club in Hawally where
they first learn road signs and basic traffic
rules in a theory lesson, including
the importance of wearing seat belts
and using a pedestrian crossing correctly.
Following this, kids can put their
knowledge straight into practise and
drive Porsche 911 pedal cars on a specially
designed road circuit complete
with working traffic lights, roundabouts,
junctions, speed bumps and a
pedestrian crossing.
“Research indicates that young children
form attitudes that will shape their
behaviour later in life, and with early
intervention, we can have a direct
impact on their future behaviour”, says
CEM conducts Annual picnic
Christian Evangelical Movement (CEM), the youth wing of Sharon Fellowship City Church,
organized annual picnic to Khaitan & Shaab parks on Friday the 13th of April. Sports &
games were led by secretary, George Mathew.
Eleanor Burton, Director of CSR at
Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute.
Roger Kyriacou, Deputy General
Manager at Porsche Centre Kuwait,
adds: “It is best if children experience
the importance of road safety first hand
in a fun environment suitable for their
age. We are proud to be part of such a
comprehensive social responsibility
project and look forward to teaching
thousands of children here in Kuwait. It
is so important to emphasize on road
safety starting at an early age.”
On completion of their visit, children
receive a Porsche Kids Driving School
cap, their first ever ‘driving licence’, an
activity book to practice their skills as
well as a Porsche Safe Driving
Handbook for the parents.
Organisers envisage that by the end
of this year, over 7,000 children will
have attended the Porsche Early
Childhood Road and Traffic Safety
Program, influencing the driving habit
of the next generation. The initiative is
seen by many as a big step in the right
direction towards making the roads of
Kuwait safer for everyone.
Natyanjali 2012: A show
of dance extravaganza
2012’, the annual
dance recital organized by
‘Natyanjali
Anjali School of Dance was
held at Cambridge English School
Auditorium, Mangaf on 13th April at 5
pm. The program was inaugurated with
the lightning of traditional lamp by Dr
Saritha who is a renowned gynecologist
and an eminent personality in Indian
social arena. The other dignitaries who
attended the inaugural function were
Balu Chandran and Rathi Ravindren.
Anjali School of Dance, initiated by
Sindhu Madhuraj who is also the guru,
was established in the year 2004 and
now proud of giving training on different
kinds of Indian dance forms to quite
a number of enthusiastic students.
Classical dances are a part of the vivid
cultural essence of India. Post independent
India has democratized the
classical dance forms allowing them to
reach to a wide spectrum of Indian population
and making them the cultural
envoys of India. Where ever Indians go,
the heritage follows them through language
and art. Kuwait has a large Indian
population and accordingly the cultural
vibrancy is evident. ‘Natyanjali 2012’ was
such an expounding exposure of the
dance forms of India especially that of
South India like Bharathanatyam,
Mohiniyattam and folk dance.
The recital started with the spell
bounding Bharathanatyam performance
- Ganapathi Sthuthi - the god evocation,
by Sindhu Madhuraj and her
senior disciples. The recital consisted of
wonderfully choreographed twenty
one performances starting from
Ganapathi Sthuthi and ending with
Thillana. The recital included
Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, folk
dance and cinematic dance. While the
guru and the senior students concentrated
on the perfection and aesthetics
of the Bharathnatyam and
Mohiniyattam the junior students and
tiny tots enthralled the audience with
the colorful and splashing vibrancy of
folk dance and cinematic dance.
Dashaavatharam, a magnificently
choreographed ballet in the
Bharathanatyam form, thematically
depicting the ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu
was the feast of the day for its narrative
complexity and aesthetically seamless
performance by ten dancers. Along with
the energy and enthusiasm of the tiny
tots, who were performing on a stage
for the first time, the colorful and striking
props used for folk dance and cinematic
dance took the audience by surprise.
When flowers bloomed and blue
butterflies started flying around the
radiant yellow flowers audience recipro-
cated with loud applauses in awe. Folk
dance depicting the harvest festival season
of Kerala, with the sudden appearance
of Theyyam - a traditional God
Form, which is commonly performed in
northern parts of Kerala, with its
vibrantly colored attires, masks and face
drawings took the spectators to a different
world of enchantment. Thillana, the
last item of the recital was performed
very uniquely as a fusion of
Bharathanatyam and Mohiniyattam.
The three hour long standard setting
recital ended with the distribution of
mementos to all the participants and
the people behind the scene. The entire
function was gracefully compered by
Chinnu Korah.
Embassy
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Information
EMBASSY OF BRAZIL
The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian
citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website
www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form /
Fale Conosco) in order to register or
update contact information. The Embassy
encourages all citizens to do so, including the
ones who have already registered in person at the
Embassy. The registration process helps the
Brazilian Government to contact and assist
Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.
n n n n n n n
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. The
Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to
15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is
closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break.
Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided
from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through
Wednesday. 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.
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF CYPRUS
The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus
requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to
register with the Embassy has moved. This registration
service is provided so that the
Embassy can update its contact list and assist
Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies. Registration
information can be emailed to
cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227
or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine).
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF FRANCE
For the first round of voting for the
French presidential election, the French
Embassy in Kuwait will be closed to the
public on Sunday April 22, 2012.
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF KOREA
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea
wishes to inform that it has moved to
Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the
Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic
Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to
inform that it will be opened to the public on
the following office hours: Saturday to
Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF MYANMAR
Embassy of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar would like to inform the general
public that the Embassy has moved its office
to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-
Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to
advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar
to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.
Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF NEPAL
The Embassy of Nepal will be moving from
its current location to a new place in Jabriya,
Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from
yesterday, 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone
connections are installed, the Embassy may
be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF NIGERIA
The Nigerian embassy has its new office in
Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For
enquires please call 25379541. Fax-
25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com
or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF ROMANIA
The Embassy of Romania to the State of
Kuwait would like to inform that the
Consular Section of the Embassy will be
closed for construction works beginning with 18
April 2012, till 10 May 2012. During this period of
time the Consular Section will not issue any type
of visas for Romania and will not issue any
Romanian passports or travel documents. The
Consular Section will only be able to assist with
notary deeds. We would like to apologize for any
inconvenience.
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF THAILAND
The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to
invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business
with Thai companies or those agencies
of Thai commercial companies to visit the
Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant
information to be part of the embassy’s business
and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is
located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1,
Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.
n n n n n n n
EMBASSY OF UKRAINE
We’d like to inform you that in response to
the increasing number of our citizens who
work in the state and the need for 24-hour
operational telephone in case of emergency
the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of
Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” -
(+ 965) 972-79-206.
Write to us
Send to What’s On
upcoming events, birthdays or
celebrations by email:
local@kuwaittimes.net
Fax: 24835619 / 20

Classifieds
112
For labor-related inquiries
and complaints:
Call MSAL hotline 128
DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Arrival Flights on Thursday 19/4/2012
Airlines Flt Route Time
JZR 185 DUBAI 0:15
QTR 148 DOHA 0:20
JZR 539 CAIRO 0:30
JZR 267 BEIRUT 0:50
GFA 211 BAHRAIN 2:20
UAE 853 DUBAI 2:25
ETD 305 ABU DHABI 2:30
DHX 370 BAHRAIN 2:55
FDB 67 DUBAI 3:10
MSR 612 CAIRO 3:20
QTR 138 DOHA 3:25
JZR 503 LUXOR 3:55
THY 770 ISTANBUL 4:35
KAC 154 ISTANBUL 4:55
DHX 170 BAHRAIN 5:00
FAH 201 DUBAI 5:30
KAC 412 MANILA 6:15
BAW 157 LONDON 6:30
KAC 206 ISLAMABAD 7:15
KAC 382 DELHI 7:30
FDB 53 DUBAI 7:45
KAC 302 MUMBAI 7:50
KAC 332 TRIVANDRUM 7:55
KAC 352 COCHIN 8:05
KAC 284 DHAKA 8:15
KAC 362 COLOMBO 8:20
UAE 855 DUBAI 8:25
ABY 125 SHARJAH 8:30
IRA 605 ISFAHAN 8:35
QTR 132 DOHA 9:00
IRA 617 AHWAZ 9:15
FDB 55 DUBAI 9:20
ETD 301 ABU DHABI 9:30
BAB 436 BAHRAIN 9:35
GFA 213 BAHRAIN 10:00
MEA 404 BEIRUT 10:55
JZR 165 DUBAI 11:05
MSC 9621 ASSIUT 11:10
MSR 618 ALEXANDRIA 11:25
KNE 470 JEDDAH 11:35
JZR 201 DAMASCUS 12:30
MSR 610 CAIRO 13:30
KAC 616 DOHA 13:30
GFA 219 BAHRAIN 13:35
KAC 672 DUBAI 13:40
FDB 57 DUBAI 13:45
OMA 645 MUSCAT 14:00
KNE 472 JEDDAH 14:15
QTR 140 DOHA 14:25
SVA 500 JEDDAH 14:30
RJA 640 AMMAN 14:55
JZR 257 BEIRUT 15:00
VTF 302 AL MAKTOUM INTERNATI 15:00
KAC 788 JEDDAH 15:00
SYR 341 DAMASCUS 15:05
KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA 15:05
QTR 134 DOHA 15:15
JZR 535 CAIRO 16:00
KAC 118 NEW YORK 16:00
JZR 357 MASHAD 16:20
ETD 303 ABU DHABI 16:35
RKM 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 16:50
UAE 857 DUBAI 16:55
GFA 215 BAHRAIN 17:15
SVA 510 RIYADH 17:20
UAL 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 17:25
JZR 177 DUBAI 17:30
TAR 328 TUNIS 17:35
JZR 777 JEDDAH 17:40
ABY 127 SHARJAH 17:45
KAC 176 GENEVA 17:45
KNE 474 JEDDAH 17:55
ALK 227 COLOMBO 18:00
KAC 502 BEIRUT 18:00
KAC 542 CAIRO 18:15
JZR 125 BAHRAIN 18:30
BAB 438 BEIRUT 18:40
KAC 786 JEDDAH 18:40
FDB 63 DUBAI 18:45
KAC 104 LONDON 18:45
MSR 624 SOHAG 18:55
MSC 9623 SOHAG 19:00
KAC 618 DOHA 19:20
KAC 674 DUBAI 19:25
KAC 614 BAHRAIN 19:30
JAI 572 MUMBAI 19:35
KAC 774 RIYADH 19:40
KAC 562 AMMAN 19:50
AXB 389 KOZHIKODE 19:55
FDB 61 DUBAI 20:00
RBG 3553 ALEXANDRIA 20:05
OMA 647 MUSCAT 20:10
MEA 402 BEIRUT 20:15
QTR 146 DOHA 20:25
GFA 221 BAHRAIN 20:35
JZR 135 BAHRAIN 21:15
UAE 859 DUBAI 21:15
ETD 307 ABU DHABI 21:20
BBC 43 DHAKA 21:25
ABY 129 SHARJAH 21:30
QTR 136 DOHA 21:35
JZR 513 SHARM EL SHEIKH 22:00
DHX 372 BAHRAIN 22:00
AIC 981 CHENNAI 22:25
GFA 217 BAHRAIN 22:35
UAL 981 BAHRAIN 22:40
JZR 239 AMMAN 22:55
DLH 636 FRANKFURT 23:10
KLM 411 AMSTERDAM 23:40
THY 772 ISTANBUL 23:40
Ministry of Interior
website: www.moi.gov.kw
Departure Flights on Thursday 19/4/2012
Airlines Flt Route Time
AIC 976 GOA 0:05
UAL 981 WASHINGTON 0:25
DLH 637 FRANKFURT 0:30
THY 773 ISTANBUL 2:15
UAE 854 DUBAI 3:45
FDB 68 DUBAI 3:50
DHX 371 BAHRAIN 3:55
ETD 306 ABU DHABI 4:05
MSR 613 CAIRO 4:20
QTR 139 DOHA 4:50
QTR 149 DOHA 5:40
JZR 164 DUBAI 6:55
JZR 200 DAMASCUS 7:00
GFA 212 BAHRAIN 7:05
THY 771 ISTANBUL 7:10
KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA 8:10
BAW 156 LONDON 8:25
FDB 54 DUBAI 8:25
JZR 256 BEIRUT 9:00
ABY 126 SHARJAH 9:05
JZR 534 CAIRO 9:10
KAC 671 DUBAI 9:20
KAC 787 JEDDAH 9:35
IRA 606 MASHHAD 9:35
UAE 856 DUBAI 9:40
QTR 133 DOHA 10:00
KAC 101 LONDON 10:00
KAC 615 DOHA 10:05
FDB 56 DUBAI 10:05
ETD 302 ABU DHABI 10:15
IRA 616 AHWAZ 10:15
BAB 437 BEIRUT 10:25
JZR 356 MASHHAD 10:30
GFA 214 BAHRAIN 10:45
KAC 541 CAIRO 11:30
KAC 165 ROME 11:45
MEA 405 BEIRUT 11:55
KAC 501 BEIRUT 12:00
MSC 9622 SOHAG 12:10
JZR 776 JEDDAH 12:15
MSR 623 SOHAG 12:25
KNE 471 JEDDAH 12:25
KAC 785 JEDDAH 13:10
JZR 176 DUBAI 13:20
GFA 220 BAHRAIN 14:20
FDB 58 DUBAI 14:25
MSR 611 CAIRO 14:30
KAC 561 AMMAN 14:40
OMA 646 MUSCAT 15:00
KAC 673 DUBAI 15:05
KNE 473 JEDDAH 15:15
JZR 124 BAHRAIN 15:30
KAC 617 DOHA 15:45
RJA 641 AMMAN 15:50
JZR 512 SHARM EL SHEIKH 15:55
SVA 505 JEDDAH 16:00
SYR 342 DEIREZZOR 16:05
QTR 135 DOHA 16:15
KAC 773 RIYADH 16:25
KAC 613 BAHRAIN 16:30
ETD 304 ABU DHABI 17:20
JZR 238 AMMAN 17:30
JZR 538 CAIRO 17:40
QTR 141 DOHA 17:45
RKM 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 17:55
UAE 858 DUBAI 18:05
GFA 216 BAHRAIN 18:15
JZR 134 BAHRAIN 18:20
TAR 328 TUNIS 18:25
ABY 128 SHARJAH 18:25
SVA 511 RIYADH 18:35
UAL 982 BAHRAIN 18:40
KNE 475 JEDDAH 18:45
JZR 266 BEIRUT 18:50
ALK 228 DUBAI 19:10
FDB 64 DUBAI 19:25
BAB 439 BAHRAIN 19:30
MSR 607 LUXOR 19:55
MSC 9624 ASSIUT 20:00
VTF 300 KANDAHAR 20:00
JZR 184 DUBAI 20:05
KAC 283 DHAKA 20:15
JAI 571 MUMBAI 20:35
FDB 62 DUBAI 20:40
RBG 3554 ALEXANDRIA 20:45
KAC 331 TRIVANDRUM 20:50
KAC 343 CHENNAI 20:55
KAC 351 KOCHI 21:05
OMA 648 MUSCAT 21:10
MEA 403 BEIRUT 21:15
KAC 543 CAIRO 21:30
GFA 222 BAHRAIN 21:35
DHX 171 BAHRAIN 21:50
ABY 120 SHARJAH 22:10
KAC 675 DUBAI 22:10
ETD 308 ABU DHABI 22:20
UAE 860 DUBAI 22:25
FAH 102 DUBAI 22:30
QTR 137 DOHA 22:35
KAC 301 MUMBAI 22:40
KAC 205 ISLAMABAD 22:45
DHX 373 BAHRAIN 23:00
JZR 554 ALEXANDRIA 23:00
BBC 44 DHAKA 23:05
QTR 147 DOHA 23:10
AXB 390 MANGALORE 23:10
GFA 218 BAHRAIN 23:30
KAC 411 BANGKOK 23:40
KAC 415 KUALA LUMPUR 23:50
JZR 528 ASSIUT 23:50
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
Prayer timings
Fajr: 03:54
Duhr: 11:47
Asr: 15:22
Maghrib: 18:18
Isha: 19:38
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
THE PUBLIC
AUTHORITY FOR
CIVIL INFORMATION
Automated enquiry
about the Civil ID card is 1889988
ACCOMMODATION
Sharing accommodation or
studio apartment wanted
in Salmiya or Hawally
(preferably near Hawally Al
Shaya, Hassan Abul or Sana)
for a decent South Indian
bachelor. Please contact:
60316101. (C 3959)
Immediate sharing accommodation
available in
Farwaniya behind Crowne
Plaza separate room - fully
furnished with telephone.
For decent Indian Christian
couple or decent working
ladies. Contact: 66099611/
66027044. (C 3962)
19-4-2012
Sharing accommodation
available in Abbassiya from
1st May for one bachelor,
near Unique Store No.2
with a Goan Catholic family.
Contact: 24313908/
66110593. (C 3957)
18-4-2012
Sharing accommodation
available for one or two
working ladies to share with
other Filipina. Airport road,
Khaitan, just one minute to
all route bus stop. Contact:
60077068. (C 3950)
14-4-2012
SITUATION WANTED
Engineer need any work in
any field, but I need good
salary and I have experience
in Secretary, Customer
Service and Call Center.
Contact: 66606789.
(C 3961)
19-42012
Diploma in Civil
Engineering having 7 years
experience in India, transferable
residency no. 18,
seeking suitable placement.
Can join immediately.
Please contact: 66242041.
Email: abrahamkjohn@rediffmail.com
(C 3955)
15-4-2012
CHANGE OF NAME
I, Ajruddin holder of Indian
passport No. F5493179
issued in Jaipur on 22-11-
2005. I have changed my
name to Azharuddin
Saiyed, s/o Saiyed
Mohiuddin. (C 3958)
18-4-2012
I, Purushothaman, son of
Nagarajan, holder of Indian
passport No. G1674605
have converted to Islam on
21st October 2009 and do
now here after be known
by my new name Abu
Bakkar. (C 3956)
17-4-2012
Marali Surya Pujari holder
of Indian Passport No:
F1052862 has converted to
Christianity with name of
SURESH JOSEPH ARANHA,
and shall be known here
forth.
(C 3951)
I, Abul Abdul Rehman
Bongai holder of Indian
Passport No: F8708599
hereby change my name to
ANSAR ABDUL REHMAN
BONGYA. (C 3952)
I, Pushpa Boosey Tanaji
holder of Indian Passport
No: F5734663 have
changed my name and
hereafter be known by my
new name FLORY JOHN
HERMAN.
(C 3953)
14-4-2012
CHANGE OF DOB
I, Afzalur Rahman, son of
Fazlur Rahman, holder of
Bangladeshi passport No.
E0982724 hereby change
my date of birth from 03-
01-1968 to 03-01-1967.
(C 3960)
No: 15423
TUITION
Teacher available to teach
Mathematics B.Maths,
Algebra, Calculus,
Geography, Science and
Statistics for British,
American and bilingual
school and university students.
Contact: 97170935.
(C 3954)
18-4-2012
Math teacher for secondary
stage, language schools, bilingual
schools and intermediate
stage: Algebra,
Gmath, Geometry, Statistics
for arts and science branches.
Tel: 66974020.
English language teacher
specialized in starting elementary
and intermediate,
10th and 11th experienced
in starting functions, grammar,
set book, vocabulary,
notes and model exams
available. Tel: 65791555.
Arabic language teacher,
masters in methods of
teaching for secondary and
intermediate students. Tel:
50644685.
Senior Arabic language
teacher, elementary and
intermediate, long experience
in Kuwait curricula,
explaining grammar rules
and starting those weak in
reading and writing. Tel:
99262948.
Senior chemistry and
physics teacher. Long experience
for 10th, 11th and
12th stages. Intermediate
science and applied institutions.
Highly competent.
Tel: 99542922.
Mathematics and statistics
female teacher for female
students in the secondary,
intermediate, university
and applied institutions
female students. Tel:
99410370.
Female Syrian Arabic language
teacher for elementary
and intermediate, and
starting the weak using
Halaby method in her
house located in Abdallah
Al-Mubarak area. Tel:
50513699.

Stratford: A tale of two worlds
By Avril Ormsby
The attention of the world will be on London’s Olympic Park in 100
days’ time, but Nigerian tourist Olatunde Ojo’s more immediate
focus is spending money at the adjoining super-sized shopping mall.
“I’ve come to see Westfield,” the 32-year-old public health worker said, taking
photographs of his friends standing outside the shopping complex.
“My friend told me to come to the newest mall in town.” Westfield will be
the main gateway to the Olympic Park in Stratford, and politicians hope it
will help a previously neglected part of east London become a place of
destination, attracting investment and tourists. Ojo already counts
Westfield, Europe’s largest shopping centre of its kind, alongside more traditional
tourist destinations such as Trafalgar Square.
Locals fear, however, the old Stratford could be left behind. When Ojo
walked up the steps to Westfield from Stratford train station, which has
had a £125 million ($200 million) refit, he did not glance back. If he had, he
would have seen the old Stratford shopping centre on the other side of
the road. Divided only by a strip of tarmac, the road might as well be a
boundary between two worlds. On one side is more than £7 billion of new
infrastructure, an island of new stadiums, shops, and hotels surrounded by
waterways, roads and railway lines. On the other, is one of Britain’s most
economically deprived areas, ethnically diverse, and blighted by unemployment
and decrepit industries. A new metal sculpture of shimmering
lime, green and yellow outside the 1970s shopping centre cannot disguise
its down-at-heel appearance. Inside, shops advertise items costing less
than a pound. There are pawnbrokers, burger restaurants and market
stalls selling jellied eels and whelks.
The Olympics are the much hoped-for catalyst for a long-planned
regeneration of east London. Once known as “stinky Stratford” because of
its noxious industries and slaughterhouses, it has been in need of investment
ever since the nearby docks, once the largest in the world, closed in
the 1970s. Unemployment reached 20 percent shortly afterwards, similar
to rates during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Sitting on a hard bench
in a white-tiled traditional ‘pie and mash’ cafe, once the staple of the poor
in Victorian London, Sharon Falcone said the area used to be “the pits”.
“When people talked about the east end they would have the image in
their minds it was all gangsters and guns,” the 57-year-old said, pushing a
hair back from her forehead and revealing a ring on every finger. “They will
see it in a different light now.”
Regeneration of the east end began in the late 1980s, with pockets of
wealth created nearby, including Canary Wharf, now home to many financial
institutions. However, it took the Olympics to provide the kind of
impetus never before seen in Britain in terms of pace and scale, helping
speed up regeneration by about 50 years, experts say. Even Westfield was
brought forward by between five and seven years to meet the Games
deadline. “It’s kind of a new start,” said Tony Travers of the London School
of Economics. “It’s bristling with cranes and towers - just a whiff of modern
China about it. A bit chaotic but on the other hand it’s economic activity.
“Most cities would give their eye teeth for this kind of one-off benefit.”
Dozens of businesses were bulldozed to make way for the Olympic
Park, mountains of discarded fridges and shopping trolleys removed from
the grimy waterways, and two million tons of contaminated soil cleaned
of petrol, oil, tar and poisons such as arsenic. During the next 20 years, up
to 11,000 new homes will be built, a new £33 million academic hub and a
polyclinic created. The Olympic Park has provided 46,000 construction
jobs, with about 20 percent of the workforce coming from local boroughs.
The £1.4 billion Stratford City - a complex of hotels, offices and homes -
that includes Westfield, has created thousands more jobs.
Developers have already constructed brightly coloured blocks of luxury
apartments in the surrounding area, dwarfing the drab properties put
up in the 1960s by town planners belatedly rebuilding after the damage
caused by Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War Two. “What we have to say is:
come here, but don’t just go to Westfield, go over the bridge, come and
have a look at the old part of town, have a look at the Olympic Park as
well,” said Cathy Low of promotional body Stratford Renaissance
Partnership.
Not all the locals are supportive, fearful they will be priced out. “You’ve
got to have this,” said one man rubbing his thumb and first two fingers
together, indicating money. They argue the construction jobs have gone
to foreign workers and the new homes and Olympic tickets to the wealthy.
Hundreds of jobs were lost when businesses were forced to make way for
the Olympic site, and nearly 80 companies are still in dispute with the
local authority over compensation. House prices and rental prices have
failed to take off as anticipated after an initial spurt, and have underperformed
relative to the rest of London during the past four years, property
analyst Hometrack says.
However, the improved infrastructure should help in the long-term,
estate agents believe. “It should be remembered that as a regeneration
project, the area is still in its infancy,” said Richard Donnell, director of
research at Hometrack. London Assembly lawmaker Andrew Boff said the
legacy might have been better if the body responsible, the Olympic Park
Legacy Company (OPLC), had been involved from the start. He said
Olympic organisers had been focused “just on a good Games”, which
should have been a secondary consideration.
The Olympics have failed to impress local Raymond Plume, 52, who
was drinking coffee outside a cafe in Bow, a neighbouring borough southwest
of the Park. “The area was a bit of a dump, it still is a dump - a new
dump,” he said. “The stadium looks a prefab. It’s a mishmash of nothing. I
won’t go to the new pool. If I want a swim, I’ll go to a beach in Spain.”
Some locals are not even impressed with Westfield. “I still prefer the West
End for shopping,” said Alan Jones, 66, a former club owner sharing a coffee
with Plume, dressed in a smart blue cap, long blue coat and purple
shoes. “It’s got better quality of shops.” — Reuters
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

00:45 Untamed & Uncut
01:40 Buggin’ With Ruud
02:35 Planet Earth
03:30 Wildest Africa
04:25 Natural World
05:20 Going Ape
05:45 Wildlife SOS
06:10 Cell Dogs
07:00 Orangutan Island
07:25 Breed All About It
07:50 Breed All About It
08:15 The Really Wild Show
08:40 Project Puppy
09:10 Project Puppy
09:35 Project Puppy
10:05 Natural World
11:00 Animal Precinct
11:55 Animal Cops Phoenix
12:50 Last Chance Highway
13:45 RSPCA: On The Frontline
14:10 Wildlife SOS
14:40 Natural World
15:30 Animal Battlegrounds
16:00 The Really Wild Show
16:30 Baby Planet
17:25 Dogs 101: Specials
18:20 Cats Of Claw Hill
18:45 Cats Of Claw Hill
19:15 Wildlife SOS
19:40 Going Ape
20:10 Orangutan Island
20:35 Animal Battlegrounds
21:05 Fur Seals: The Dark Side
22:00 Wild Britain With Ray Mears
22:25 Wild Britain With Ray Mears
22:55 The Snake Buster
23:20 The Snake Buster
23:50 K9 Cops
00:00 Delicious Iceland
00:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook
00:50 Indian Food Made Easy
01:20 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08
01:45 Living In The Sun
02:35 Bargain Hunt
03:20 Delicious Iceland
03:50 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook
04:15 Antiques Roadshow
05:10 Living In The Sun
06:00 Cash In The Attic USA
06:25 Cash In The Attic USA
06:45 James Martin’s Favourite
Feasts
07:10 MasterChef Australia
07:55 MasterChef Australia
09:30 Bargain Hunt
10:15 Antiques Roadshow
11:10 Come Dine With Me
12:00 10 Years Younger
12:50 The Restaurant UK
13:40 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant
14:05 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant
14:30 Fantasy Homes Down Under
15:20 House Swap
16:05 Bargain Hunt
16:50 Antiques Roadshow
17:40 Cash In The Attic USA
18:00 A Taste Of My Life
18:30 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook
19:00 Indian Food Made Easy
19:30 James Martin’s Favourite
Feasts
19:55 10 Years Younger
20:45 The Restaurant UK
21:35 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant
22:00 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant
22:25 Bargain Hunt
23:10 Antiques Roadshow
00:00 BBC World News
00:30 World Business Report
00:45 Sport Today
01:00 BBC World News America
01:30 Asia Business Report
01:45 Sport Today
02:00 BBC World News
02:30 Asia Business Report
02:45 Sport Today
03:00 Newsday
03:30 Asia Business Report
03:45 Sport Today
04:00 Newsday
04:30 Asia Business Report
04:45 Sport Today
05:00 Newsday
05:30 Asia Business Report
05:45 Sport Today
06:00 Newsday
06:30 Hardtalk
07:00 BBC World News
07:30 World Business Report
07:45 BBC World News
08:00 BBC World News
08:30 World Business Report
08:45 BBC World News
09:00 BBC World News
09:30 World Business Report
09:45 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 BBC World News
14:00 GMT With George Alagiah
14:30 GMT With George Alagiah
15:00 BBC World News
15:30 World Business Report
15:45 Sport Today
16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain
17:00 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
20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing
20:30 World Business Report
20:45 Sport Today
21:00 World News Today With
Zeinab Badawi
21:30 World News Today With
Zeinab Badawi
22:00 World News Today With
Zeinab Badawi
22:30 World Business Report
22:45 Sport Today
23:00 BBC World News America
23:30 Hardtalk
00:00 Backstory
00:30 World Sport
01:00 Piers Morgan Tonight
02:00 World Report
03:00 Anderson Cooper 360
04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight
05:00 Quest Means Business
06:00 Erin Burnett Outfront
07:00 World Sport
07:30 Talk Asia
08:00 World Report
09:00 World Report
10:00 World Sport
10:30 I Report For CNN
11:00 World Business Today
12:00 Amanpour
12:30 Aiming For Gold
13:00 World One
14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight
15:00 News Stream
16:00 World Business Today
17:00 International Desk
18:00 Global Exchange
18:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East
19:00 World Sport
19:30 Aiming For Gold
20:00 International Desk
21:00 Quest Means Business
21:45 CNN Marketplace Europe
22:00 Amanpour
22:30 News Special
23:00 Connect The World With
Becky...
00:15 Aircrash Confidential
01:10 Destroyed In Seconds
01:35 Dirty Jobs
02:30 Battle Machine Bros
03:25 Ultimate Survival
04:20 Mythbusters
05:15 How It’s Made
05:40 How Stuff’s Made
06:05 Dirty Jobs
07:00 Mythbusters
07:50 Gold Rush
08:45 Swamp Loggers
09:40 How Stuff’s Made
10:05 Cake Boss
10:30 Border Security
10:55 Auction Kings
11:25 Time Warp
15:30 Time Warp
16:00 Battle Machine Bros
16:55 Wheeler Dealers
17:20 Ultimate Survival
18:15 Mythbusters
19:10 How It’s Made
19:40 How Stuff’s Made
20:05 Border Security
20:35 Auction Kings
21:00 Cake Boss
21:30 Sons Of Guns
22:25 First Week In
23:20 Mobster Confessions
23:45 Destroyed In Seconds
00:35 Through The Wormhole With
Morgan Freeman
01:25 The Tech Show
01:50 Weird Or What?
02:40 Cool Stuff & How It Works
03:05 Cool Stuff & How It Works
03:35 Weird Connections
04:00 Weird Connections
04:25 Junkyard Mega-Wars
05:20 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding
Greensburg
06:10 Through The Wormhole With
Morgan Freeman
07:00 The Gadget Show
07:25 The Gadget Show
07:50 Kings Of Construction
08:40 Weird Or What?
09:35 Cool Stuff & How It Works
10:00 Cool Stuff & How It Works
10:25 Weird Connections
10:50 Weird Connections
11:20 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding
Greensburg
12:15 Junkyard Mega-Wars
13:05 Through The Wormhole With
Morgan Freeman
13:55 The Gadget Show
14:20 The Gadget Show
14:50 How Does That Work?
15:15 How Does That Work?
15:40 The Tech Show
16:05 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding
Greensburg
17:00 Kings Of Construction
17:50 Through The Wormhole With
Morgan Freeman
18:40 Sci-Fi Saved My Life
19:30 Sci-Trek
20:20 The Gadget Show
20:45 The Gadget Show
21:10 Powering The Future
22:00 Sci-Fi Saved My Life
22:50 Sci-Trek
23:40 Kings Of Construction
00:15 Fairly Odd Parents
00:40 Fairly Odd Parents
01:05 Brandy & Mr Whiskers
01:30 Brandy & Mr Whiskers
01:55 Replacements
02:20 Replacements
02:45 Emperor’s New School
03:10 Emperor’s New School
03:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers
04:00 Brandy & Mr Whiskers
04:25 Replacements
04:50 Replacements
05:15 Fairly Odd Parents
05:35 Fairly Odd Parents
06:00 Fish Hooks
06:15 Recess
06:40 So Random
07:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place
07:30 Good Luck Charlie
07:55 Shake It Up
08:20 Phineas And Ferb
08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
09:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates
09:25 Handy Manny
09:35 The Hive
09:45 Mouk
10:00 Recess
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS ON OSN ACTION HD
TV PROGRAMS
10:25 So Random
10:45 Have A Laugh
10:50 Hannah Montana
11:15 Suite Life On Deck
11:40 Jake & Blake
12:05 Sonny With A Chance
12:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place
12:55 Phineas And Ferb
13:20 So Random
13:45 Suite Life On Deck
14:10 A.N.T. Farm
14:35 A.N.T. Farm
15:00 A.N.T. Farm
15:25 A.N.T. Farm
15:50 Phineas And Ferb
16:01 Phineas And Ferb
16:15 Recess
16:40 So Random
17:05 Fish Hooks
17:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place
17:55 Shake It Up
18:20 A.N.T. Farm
18:45 Suite Life On Deck
19:10 Good Luck Charlie
19:30 Have A Laugh
19:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place
20:00 Hannah Montana
20:25 Phineas And Ferb
20:50 A.N.T. Farm
21:15 A.N.T. Farm
21:40 A.N.T. Farm
22:05 Good Luck Charlie
22:30 Good Luck Charlie
22:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place
23:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place
23:45 Kim Possible
06:00 Kid vs Kat
06:20 American Dragon
06:45 Rekkit Rabbit
07:10 Zeke & Luther
07:35 Zeke & Luther
08:00 Zeke & Luther
08:25 Zeke & Luther
08:50 Kick Buttowski
09:15 Zeke & Luther
09:40 I’m In The Band
10:05 Phineas And Ferb
10:30 Kid vs Kat
10:55 The Avengers: Earths
Mightiest Heroes
11:20 Pair Of Kings
11:45 Rekkit Rabbit
12:10 American Dragon
12:35 Kick Buttowski
13:00 Phineas And Ferb
13:25 I’m In The Band
13:45 Kid vs Kat
14:10 Iron Man Armored
Adventures
14:35 Zeke & Luther
15:00 Rekkit Rabbit
15:25 Pokemon: Black And White
15:50 Timon And Pumbaa
16:15 Rated A For Awesome
16:40 Pair Of Kings
17:05 Zeke & Luther
17:30 Mr. Young
17:55 Phineas And Ferb
18:20 Phineas And Ferb
18:45 Fort Boyard - Ultimate
Challenge
19:10 Kickin It
19:35 The Avengers: Earths
Mightiest Heroes
20:00 Pair Of Kings
20:25 Zeke & Luther
20:50 Escape From Scorpion Island
21:20 Aaron Stone
21:45 The Avengers: Earths
Mightiest Heroes
22:10 Phineas And Ferb
22:35 Kid vs Kat
23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am
KSA
00:25 Kendra
00:55 Style Star
01:25 E!es
02:20 THS
03:15 Behind The Scenes
03:40 Extreme Close-Up
04:10 Sexiest
05:05 Extreme Hollywood
06:00 THS
07:50 Behind The Scenes
08:20 E! News
09:15 Kendra
09:45 Kendra
10:15 THS
12:05 E! News
13:05 Khloe And Lamar
13:35 Khloe And Lamar
14:05 Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami
14:35 Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami
15:00 Style Star
15:30 E!es
16:25 Behind The Scenes
16:55 Ice Loves Coco
17:25 Ice Loves Coco
17:55 E! News
18:55 E!es
19:55 Scouted
20:55 Keeping Up With The
Kardashians
21:25 Fashion Police
22:25 E! News
23:25 Chelsea Lately
23:55 Keeping Up With The
Kardashians
00:15 Stairsmasters 2010
00:40 Taig Jumping The Tower
01:30 World Combat League
02:20 Gotta Grudge
02:45 Stairsmasters 2010
03:10 Enfusion
04:00 Man’s Work
04:25 Man’s Work
04:50 Taig Jumping The Tower
05:40 World Combat League
06:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike
2008
07:00 Ride Guide Mountainbike
2008
07:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike
2008
08:00 Tread BMX
08:25 Summer Dew Tour 2011
09:15 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross
Championships...
10:05 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross
Championships...
10:55 I’ll Do Anything
11:45 Untracked
12:10 Untracked
12:35 Parcour
13:00 Slovaki: A True Movie About...
13:25 On Sight
14:15 World Combat League
15:05 I’ll Do Anything
15:55 Untracked
16:20 Untracked
16:45 Tread BMX
17:10 Summer Dew Tour 2011
18:00 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross
Championships...
18:50 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross
Championships...
19:40 On Sight
20:30 Parcour
20:55 Slovaki: A True Movie About...
21:20 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose
Your Ride
21:45 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose
Your Ride
22:10 World Combat League
23:00 Enfusion
23:50 Parcour
00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
00:30 Kid In A Candy Store
00:55 Unwrapped
01:20 Unwrapped
01:45 Kid In A Candy Store
02:10 Kid In A Candy Store
02:35 Good Eats - Special
03:00 Good Eats - Special
03:25 Easy Chinese: San Francisco
03:50 Easy Chinese: San Francisco
04:15 Dessert First With Anne
Thornton
04:40 Good Eats
05:05 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam
05:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
05:50 Food Network Challenge
06:35 Barefoot Contessa
07:00 Food Network Challenge
07:50 World Cafe Asia
08:15 Barefoot Contessa
08:40 Good Eats
09:05 Dessert First With Anne
Thornton
09:30 Paula’s Best Dishes
09:55 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam
10:20 Lidia’s Italy
10:45 Reza, Spice Prince Of India
11:10 Unwrapped
11:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
12:00 Food Network Challenge
12:50 Aarti Party
13:15 Cooking For Real
13:40 Barefoot Contessa
14:05 Dessert First With Anne
Thornton
14:30 Kid In A Candy Store
14:55 Paula’s Best Dishes
15:20 Meat & Potatoes
15:45 Iron Chef America
16:35 Cooking For Real
17:00 Barefoot Contessa
17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
17:50 Aarti Party
18:15 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam
18:40 Dessert First With Anne
Thornton
19:05 Kid In A Candy Store
19:30 Food Network Challenge
20:20 Iron Chef America
21:10 Cooking For Real
21:35 Cooking For Real
22:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
22:25 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
22:50 Aarti Party
23:15 Aarti Party
23:40 Meat & Potatoes
00:30 Ghost Lab
01:20 Crime Scene Psychics
01:40 Crime Scene Psychics
02:05 LA: City Of Demons
02:55 Cops And Coyotes
03:45 Autopsy: Most Shocking
Cases
04:30 Ghost Lab
05:20 Crime Scene Psychics
05:45 Crime Scene Psychics
06:10 Disappeared
07:00 FBI Files
07:50 Murder Shift
08:40 Mystery Diagnosis
09:30 Real Emergency Calls
09:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?
10:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn
11:10 Disappeared
12:00 Street Patrol
12:25 Street Patrol
12:50 Murder Shift
13:40 Mystery Diagnosis
14:30 Real Emergency Calls
14:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?
15:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn
16:10 Disappeared
17:00 FBI Files
17:50 Murder Shift
18:40 Real Emergency Calls
19:05 Mystery Diagnosis
19:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?
20:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn
21:10 Disappeared
22:00 Nightmare Next Door
22:50 Nightmare Next Door
23:40 Autopsy: Most Shocking
Cases
01:40 Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM
01:55 Jinxed!-18
03:35 Bar Girls
05:10 Bloodmatch
06:35 Chains Of Gold-PG
08:10 The Pride And The Passion-PG
10:20 Danielle Steel’s Heartbeat-PG
11:55 Strictly Business-PG
13:20 Play Dirty-PG
15:20 K-9000-PG
16:55 Carrie (2002)
18:25 Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM
18:40 High Noon-PG
20:10 Report To The Commissioner-
PG
22:00 Ninja Vengeance-PG
23:25 Rollerball (1975)-PG
00:00 Meet The Amish
01:00 Weird & Wonderful Hotels
01:30 Young Global Hotshots
02:00 Madagascar Maverick
03:00 Don’t Tell My Mother
04:00 Banged Up Abroad
05:00 A World Apart
06:00 Meet The Amish
07:00 Weird & Wonderful Hotels
07:30 Young Global Hotshots
08:00 Madagascar Maverick
09:00 Don’t Tell My Mother
10:00 Banged Up Abroad
11:00 A World Apart
12:00 Meet The Amish
13:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The
Planet
13:30 Bondi Rescue: Bali
14:00 The Green Way Up
14:30 The Green Way Up
15:00 Exploring The Vine
15:30 The Music Nomad
16:00 On Surfari
16:30 On Surfari
17:00 Dive Detectives
18:00 Departures
19:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The
Planet
19:30 Bondi Rescue: Bali
20:00 The Green Way Up
20:30 The Green Way Up
21:00 Exploring The Vine
21:30 The Music Nomad
22:00 On Surfari
22:30 On Surfari
23:00 Dive Detectives
00:15 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18
02:15 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On
Stranger Tides-PG15
04:30 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage
Of The Dawn Treader-PG
06:30 Ong Bak 2-PG15
08:15 Arlington Road-PG15
10:15 Returner-PG15
12:15 Legendary-PG15
14:15 Arlington Road-PG15
16:15 True Justice: Brotherhood-
PG15
18:00 Legendary-PG15
20:00 I Am Number Four-PG15
22:00 Legend Of The Guardians-PG
01:15 MacGruber-18
03:00 Season Of The Witch-PG15
05:00 A Trace Of Danger-PG15
07:00 Waiting For Superman-PG15
09:00 Coyote County Loser-PG15
11:00 Sounds Like Teen Spirit-PG15
13:00 Waiting For Superman-PG15
15:00 Coyote County Loser-PG15
17:00 Sounds Like Teen Spirit-PG15
19:00 Tomorrow, When The War
Began-PG15
21:00 Vampires Suck-PG15
22:45 Brothers-18
00:30 The Daily Show With Jon
Stewart
01:00 The Colbert Report
01:30 Angry Boys
03:00 Melissa And Joey
03:30 10 Items Or Less
04:00 The Simpsons
04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
05:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne
06:00 Weird Science
06:30 How I Met Your Mother
07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
08:00 The Simpsons
08:30 Melissa And Joey
09:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne
09:30 Raising Hope
10:00 Modern Family
10:30 How I Met Your Mother
11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
12:00 Weird Science
12:30 The Simpsons
13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne
14:00 10 Items Or Less
14:30 Modern Family
15:00 Raising Hope
16:30 Weird Science
17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
18:00 Melissa And Joey
18:30 10 Items Or Less
19:00 Cougar Town
19:30 How I Met Your Mother
20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
21:00 The Daily Show With Jon
Stewart
21:30 The Colbert Report
22:00 The Big C
23:00 It’s Always Sunny In
Philadelphia
23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
00:00 Grimm
01:00 The Glades
02:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
03:00 Once Upon A Time
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN ON OSN CINEMA
04:00 True Blood
05:00 Live Good Morning America
07:00 The Protector
08:00 Emmerdale
08:30 Coronation Street
09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
10:00 The Martha Stewart Show
11:00 The View
13:00 Once Upon A Time
14:00 Live Good Morning America
16:00 The Protector
17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
18:00 Emmerdale
19:00 Psych
20:00 American Idol
22:00 Necessary Roughness
23:00 True Blood
00:00 Parenthood
01:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
02:00 Grimm
03:00 The Glades
04:00 Once Upon A Time
05:00 Burn Notice
06:00 Parenthood
07:00 Emmerdale
07:30 Coronation Street
08:00 The Nine Lives Of Chloe King
09:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
10:00 The Glades
11:00 Once Upon A Time
12:00 Emmerdale
13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
14:00 The Nine Lives Of Chloe King
15:00 Parenthood
16:00 Emmerdale
17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
18:00 The Nine Lives Of Chloe King
19:00 Psych
20:00 American Idol
22:00 Necessary Roughness
23:00 Combat Hospital
01:15 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On
Stranger Tides-PG15
03:30 Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage
Of The Dawn Treader-PG
05:30 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18
07:30 The Crocodile Hunter:
Collision Course-PG15
09:00 Star Trek: First Contact-PG
11:00 Warriors Of Heaven And
Earth-PG15
13:00 Dick Tracy-PG15
15:00 Star Trek: First Contact-PG
17:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18
19:00 I Am Number Four-PG15
21:00 Legend Of The Guardians-PG
22:45 Bram Stoker’s Dracula-18
00:00 Leap Year-PG15
02:00 Without A Paddle-PG15
04:00 Molly-PG15
06:00 Labor Pains-PG15
08:00 Malibu’s Most Wanted-PG15
10:00 Cats & Dogs-PG
12:00 Miami Rhapsody-PG15
14:00 Nanny McPhee And The Big
Bang-PG
16:00 Leap Year-PG15
18:00 Blue Streak-PG15
20:00 Next Friday-18
22:00 Palo Alto-18
01:00 Game Of Four-PG15
03:00 Chelsea On The Rocks-18
05:00 The Maiden Heist-PG15
07:00 Remember Me-PG15
09:00 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale-
PG15
11:00 Cinema Verite-PG15
13:00 Catch That Kid-PG
15:00 The Eclipse-PG15
17:00 Don’t Fade Away-PG15
19:00 Le Syndrome Du Titanic-PG15
21:00 The Dry Land-18
23:00 Up In The Air-PG15
01:00 Saw VII: The Final Chapter-R
03:00 At Risk-PG15
05:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15
07:00 Gasland-PG15
09:00 The Extra Man-PG15
11:00 The Client List-PG15
13:00 My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend-
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
PG15
15:00 The Girl In The Park-PG15
17:00 The Extra Man-PG15
19:00 Just Wright-PG15
21:00 Vampires Suck-PG15
23:00 Ironclad-18
01:45 Gladiators: The Tournament-
PG
04:00 Paws-PG
06:00 The Spy Next Door-PG
08:15 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG
10:00 Tangled-FAM
12:00 Scooby-Doo-PG
14:00 Paws-PG
16:00 Quest For Zhu-PG
18:00 Tangled-FAM
20:00 Rango-FAM
22:00 Scooby-Doo-PG
02:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter
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21:00 Live Premier League Darts
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03:30 Triathlon
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Championship
07:00 Golfing World
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CROSSWORD 652
ACROSS
1. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.
5. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin.
10. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.
13. Made of or resembling lace.
14. English monk and scholar (672-735).
15. A boy or man.
16. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.
17. An area in which something acts or operates or has power
or control.
18. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.
19. An award for winning a championship or commemorating
some other event.
21. Wanted intensely.
23. Gully or streambed in North Africa and the Middle East
that remains dry except during rainy season.
24. A local and habitual twitching especially in the face.
25. An extension at the end and at right angles to the main
building.
28. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B
antigens.
33. A signal transmitted along a narrow path.
38. (usually plural) A destructive action.
39. Any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their
showy flowers of various colors.
40. The branch of computer science that deal with writing
computer programs that can solve problems creatively.
41. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a
common policy for the sale of petroleum.
43. A port in southwestern Scotland.
44. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.
47. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).
49. An instance of questioning.
52. 100 ngwee equal 1 kwacha.
56. Flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of
foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes.
57. Flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for
attachment of flight muscles.
60. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial
object).
61. (in Scotland or Ireland) A mountain or tall hill.
62. Evergreen Indian shrub with vivid yellow flowers whose
bark is used in tanning.
63. (British) Your grandmother.
64. A graphical record of electric currents associated with
muscle contractions.
65. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers
and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.
66. A nucleic acid consisting of large molecules shaped like a
double helix.
DOWN
1. Winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge.
2. A stick that people can lean on to help them walk.
3. Harsh or corrosive in tone.
4. A rule made by a local authority to regulate its own affairs.
5. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.
6. (botany) Of or relating to or functioning as a cambium.
7. A long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's
head.
8. A legally binding command or decision entered on the
court record (as if issued by a court or judge).
9. An analgesic for mild pain.
10. Speaking a Slavic language.
11. Very light colored.
12. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.
20. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.
22. A radioactive element of the actinide series.
26. A light springing movement upwards or forwards.
27. Cleanse (one's body) with soap and water.
29. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.
30. Offering fun and gaiety.
31. Be obedient to.
32. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.
34. A Portuguese province on the south coast of China and
two islands in the South China Sea.
35. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series.
36. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the
Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.
37. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.
40. Type genus of the family Zygnemataceae.
42. The sodium salt of amobarbital that is used as a barbiturate.
45. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory
to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter
and the positron (1902-1984).
46. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given
orally.
48. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having
the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.
50. Large semi-evergreen tree of East India.
51. The last imperial dynasty of China (from 1644 to 1912)
which was overthrown by revolutionaries.
53. A baton used by a magician or water diviner.
54. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person
or cause).
55. An inactive volcano in Sicily.
58. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute
a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.
59. The bill in a restaurant.
60. Being nine more than forty.
Yesterday’s Solution
Yesterday’s Solution
35 stars
CALVIN & HOBBES
POOCH CAFE
NON SEQUITUR
ZITS
MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM
Yester
Word Sleuth
Solution
To
Aries (March 21-April 19)
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
STAR TRACK
Your ambition and drive to succeed are
incredibly strong now. You will go to any lengths to achieve
your goals, and you have the energy to do it now. A nonstop
flow of communication between yourself and the people
in your immediate environment is likely today. You may
engage in interesting and informative discussions or fritter
your time away in inconsequential chatter and gossip.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Hit hard and fast when needed, but don’t
use up all your ammunition on the first target
you see. The essence of exercise is that it should not exhaust
you, but should reinvigorate and leave your stronger for the
effort. So it is with life. You are more emotional and subjective
than usual today. You may just want to have some alone
time as you tend to question the motives and maybe even
the manipulations of those closest to you.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Fleeting glimpses of larger things may come
within view, but without time to follow up fully. Best to take
notes on most relevant generalities, see how it may have
changed by the same time next month. Big things take time.
You are inclined to flow along with people and situations,
attracting what you need and letting the world come to you.
Contentment, emotional well being and harmony prevail in
your personal relationships. This is a good time for you to relax,
and indulge in your pleasure loving side.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
The finer workings of your game plan roll
along smoothly and probably get taken for granted if you
don’t take extra effort to notice them. Cooperation is a given,
and if you give it you will get it. No blame, no strain, no pain.
Mutual pats on the back let everyone know that all is in sync,
so give them freely.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
If you’re concerned that your resources
seem to be dwindling away, you need to investigate
alternative methods to stretch your dollar further.
This is not an occasion for visiting the most expensive
restaurants or purchasing those high ticket items
in fashion stores. Conversations and sharing plans
and ideas with those you are closest to are very beneficial
now.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
A yearning for the stimulation of new
ideas and ideals is emphasized for you now. Others
may see the world as it is and ask why, but like Bobby
Kennedy, you imagine the world as it could be and ask
why not. New friends and an involvement in idealistic
groups take on greater importance for you now... the
old is suspect; the new seems to hold all the answers.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Good relationships with employers,
supervisors, government agencies, parents, and other
authority figures assist you now. A person of authority
or influence may help you in your work, you may
receive recognition or a promotion, or you may sign a
contract or agreement of major importance.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Your ability to concentrate on mundane
concerns and problems diminishes now. The world of imagination,
fantasy, entertainment, or art holds more attraction
for you. Go to a movie with a friend (or write your own!).
Also, your intuition are heightened at this time. You are
more impressionable and open, but somewhat less precise
and clear mentally.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
You may experience a passing notoriety,
an unexpected word from without that lets you know
they’re watching you, and not always when you’re
expecting it. When you raise your flag, anyone can see
it, and often does, but not often with import. You’re
entering a period of emotional change now: feeling two
ways at once without getting too deep into either
polarity is possible.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
For a period you may find yourself wondering
if the people you’re involved with on an everyday
basis are worth all the trouble, and you may consider
doing a little pruning of timewasters and social situations
that give less satisfaction than they promise. In
fact, you may discover that less is more in terms of your
social appetite and a breath of peaceful fresh air beats
the excitement of a crowded venue. The issue is an
internal one, and giving up at this point may actually
result in getting more down the line as you resolve your
priorities. In fact, in the end, you may find you save
money in the process.
Aquarius (January 20- February 18)
It’s a good time to reestablish the difference
between fantasy and reality, as the line between
them can get a little fuzzy. Chemical solutions will not
serve you very well right now and are more likely to
exacerbate problems rather than solve them. It’s time to
clear out the cobwebs of your mind and let in some
fresh air.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
You are inspired creatively, artistically, or
spiritually at this time. Your imagination, intuition, and
psychic sensitivity are high now, and you find yourself
wanting to paint or listen to music, daydream, or fantasize
rather than concentrate on practical matters.

T he
T he
‘Marry the Night’ singer loves
splashing cash on her tours and sets
but rarely buys things for herself with
her earnings, with even her manager
questioning if she has lost her credit cards.
She said: “I didn’t get into this business for
the money so I don’t spend a thing, but I
am so happy. I am not bankrupt. Actually I
spend no money at all. “It’s really funny
because my manager often calls me and is
like, ‘Did you lose your credit card? Did you
cut it up? Did you lose it?’ “He is like, ‘Why
86-year-old lothario invited the boy band - which is made up of
Max George, Jay McGuiness, Siva Kaneswaran, Tom Parker and Nathan
Sykes - to his infamous home to hang out with the models and enjoy a
barbecue. In a post on his twitter page, Hugh revealed: “The Wanted, a UK
boy band, had a BBQ poolside while the girls & I were playing dominos. We
shot a few photos together. Cristal Camden won tonight’s domino game
with Amanda Streich, Caya Ukkas, Shera Bechard, Anna Berglund, Trisha
Frick & me. A fun night. (sic)” The group were thrilled to be invited to the
Mansion, in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, and the visit was extra special for
Nathan because it coincided with his 19th birthday and before they headed
to Hugh’s home they made an appearance on the US version of ‘The Voice’.
In a series of tweets, he wrote: “Guess that means I’m 19 ... Had so much fun
on #thevoice Everyone go and get #chasingthesun now!! Gonna celebrate
my bday in style!! (sic)” Tom took his twitter page to praise the media mogul
for his hospitality describing him as a “legend”.
36 lifest yle
T he
don’t you spend any money?’ It’s because I
don’t. I have not gone crazy.” The 26-yearold
pop superstar even continues to live in
a one-bedroom flat she has had in New
York since before she became famous.
She added in a US interview: “I live in the
same apartment as I did six years ago and
the bedroom is about the size of a small
radio studio with the kitchen about four
feet away.” However, her thriftiness may
have to end soon as she was recently
reported to be keen on starting a family
with her boyfriend Taylor Kinney. An insider
said: “She’s already doodling baby
names on scraps of paper. She’s been
bragging about how beautiful their children
will be because Taylor is so handsome.
“She wants everything with him -
love, marriage and a family. But she’s set
on becoming a mother before they think
about anything else and she’s talking
about giving birth in the next year.”
G o s s i p
39-year-old actress - who has previously dated Justin
Timberlake and Alex Rodriguez - claims she does not want
to live her life how society thinks she should and may one
day extend her family without getting pregnant. She told InStyle
magazine: “Society definitely puts pressure on women to make
them think their lives should go a certain way. “I’ve never said I
don’t want children - I just haven’t had children yet. I don’t know
what’s going to happen in my life! I could end up adopting children.
I could end up with a partner who already has children.
Who knows? I’m not trying to fit into anyone’s box about how I
should be. I just fit in my own box.” Cameron, who rose to fame in
early 90s movie ‘The Mask’, is often surprised by the kind of men
T he
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
she has dated in the past and admits she “loves” the feeling of
being in love. She told InStyle magazine: “I would never have
guessed that I would end up dating any of the guys I’ve dated -
never. “There’s no through-line between them. But I love love, and
love comes from many different places. When I was going
through a bit of a heartbreak a little while ago, I said to a friend,
‘Wow, this really hurts!’ And he said to me, ‘That just shows you
what your capacity for loving is.’”
T he
T he
singer-and-actor has teamed with his interior
designer Estee Stanley for a home collection
for HomeMint and has been very thorough with
his research. He said: “I’ll sit and I’ll look at hardware
for hours. Literally, for hours, I’ll sit and compare
hardware. The devil’s in the details. I mean, it’s your
home, it has to be your own.” Justin - who is engaged
to Jessica Biel - insists everything in the collection for
the online retailer is something he and Estee would
be happy to have in their own homes. He told Elle
Decor magazine: “If we wouldn’t put it in our homes,
former ‘Hills’ star lost over $2 million on a failed
music career two years ago, but has decided to try
again and will release a new album, titled ‘Dreams
Come True’, this year. She wrote on twitter: “4 of my
favorite songs are now available! Please check out my
new EP- Dreams Come True” http://itun.es/iPc8Hv
#DreamsComeTrue “Thank you all for your love and support!
#DreamsComeTrue! (sic)” The new album is a followup
to her 2010 record ‘Superficial’, which sold less than
1,000 in its first week of release and Heidi has hired a new
producer and manager in the hope of scaling the charts.
Speaking about her previous failure, she said: “I spent $2
million on my music career and it didn’t happen for me.”
Heidi and her husband Spencer Pratt have both tried to
get the title of the album trending on twitter, with
Spencer even writing a congratulatory message to Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie on their recent engagement
announcement with the hashtag Dreams Come True. He
wrote: “Congrats Brangelina on your engagement!
#DreamsComeTrue (sic)” In November 2009, Heidi
famously had 10 plastic surgery procedures in one day;
she first got a breast augmentation and rhinoplasty in
April 2007.
we’re not going to ask people to put it in theirs. You
don’t have to spend your whole bank account to
make your home look amazing but also be comfortable
and reliable. ‘I like very clean, almost modern
architecture, and the obstacle with something like
that is making it extremely warm, because it doesn’t
naturally lend itself to that. With everything we do
together, we try to get the juxtaposition right.”
29-year-old actress and her husband Stephen Moyer -
who already has two children, 12-year-old son Billy and 10year-old
daughter Lilac, from previously relationships - will
welcome their first child together into the world this autumn,
their representatives have confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.
Anna and Stephen, 42, met on the set of ‘True Blood’ in 2007 and
married in Malibu, California, three years later. Anna has previously
admitted she doesn’t find it strange having to shoot scenes
with her spouse for the racy TV vampire drama. — Bangshowbiz

Gaza horse riders
H orse
have to jump unusual hurdles
riding has become a popular
hobby in the Gaza Strip
but local Palestinians face constant
hurdles-from a conservative
society to Israel’s blockade on the territory-to
practise the sport on their
home turf. The Al-Faisal equestrian
club, on the seafront in Gaza City,
attracts around 50 riders a day,
according to Samir Salama Saad,
director of the “Beautiful Life” society
which bought the club several
months ago. Founded in 2003, the
club now attracts both male and
female equestrians ranging in age
from eight to 40 years, Saad said.
But the club, which occupies some
10 dunams of land-around 100
hectares (247 acres) — has had to
resort to unusual methods to obtain
the 60 horses it owns, smuggling
them in through tunnels from Egypt.
“We don’t have medicine because of
the blockade, and this affects the
horses we have locally, so their numbers
are constantly diminishing
because of deaths,” Saad told AFP. To
make up the numbers, horses are
Ola Abu Safia, 18, rides a horse at the Al-Furusia riding centre in
Gaza City on January 10, 2012. —AFP
brought in through the tunnels dug
under Gaza’s border with Egypt, but
the process is dangerous and often
leaves the animals with injuries and
A romantic
comedy that opens at Indian
cinemas this week tackles taboos about
sperm donation and infertility, in the
latest Bollywood film to experiment with traditionally
off-limits content. “Vicky Donor”,
which is released tomorrow, tells the story of
the unemployed and lazy Vicky, who is persuaded
by a doctor to donate his sperm to
make a living-a job he then tries to keep quiet
from his new girlfriend. The film retains the
singing and dancing so beloved of Indian
audiences and will be “fun to watch”, according
to producer John Abraham. But while the
style may be familiar, the content is definitely
new.
“Indian audiences have never seen this
kind of film,” Abraham said at the launch in
Mumbai. He has expressed hopes that the
movie will spread awareness among childless
couples about sperm donation, which has
largely been an alien concept in conservative
Indian society. “It is high time we openly talk
about this issue,” said actor Ayushmann
Khurrana, who stars as Vicky. “We tell in the
film that sperm donor identity is always kept a
secret and also that donors have to go
psychological problems.
Israel imposed the blockade in
June 2006 after the capture of an
Israeli soldier. The restrictions were
tightened when the Islamist Hamas
group seized control of Gaza a year
later. Israel defends the blockade, saying
it is necessary to prevent
weapons smuggling, but the
Palestinians call it collective punishment.
Despite the restrictions, Saad
runs an equestrian school at the club,
with five trainers, including one qualified
at the international level, who
provide lessons and organise competitions.
There’s plenty of interest, but Saad
acknowledges that the lessons
remain out of the reach of most people
in impoverished Gaza, where
unemployment is around 45 percent
and much of the population is
dependent on foreign aid. Still, he
said, “the prices are 20 percent less
than those in neighbouring countries,”
and they have come down in
recent years as poverty in Gaza has
continued to worsen. Before the
Israeli blockade was imposed in 2006,
the club charged around 300 shekels
($80, 61 euros) for 15 lessons, according
to 18-year-old Ola Abu Safiya who
has been riding for five years.
‘You’re veiled, how
can you ride a horse?’
“Now they don’t take more than
150 shekels because they’re taking
into account the economic conditions
in Gaza,” she said. Abu Safiya is a psy-
37 LIFESTYLE
chology student but she dreams of
one day teaching horse riding herself.
“It’s been my favourite hobby since
my father took me riding for the first
time,” she said. She finds the sport liberating-”there’s
no difference
between boys and girls when it
comes to horse riding,” she said.
Hanan Abu Nada, a 28-year-old
lawyer and a mother of two, said she
had to overcome some local scepticism
when she took up the sport. “My
father and mother encouraged me to
ride. We had a small stable and my
father was passionate about it. He
wanted all his children to be excellent
riders.” “People said ‘You’re veiled,
how can you ride a horse? It’s impos-
through many tests before getting selected.
This film is informative and entertaining at the
same time.”
Trade analysts say the film is part of a
wider trend in Hindi-speaking cinema, with
censors relaxing their rules in a bid to keep up
with the times. Tomorrow also sees the
release of “Hate Story”, an erotic thriller that
has generated a stir with a raunchy trailer on
YouTube. One of the film’s stars, Nikhil
Dwivedi, has described the film as an Indian
“Basic Instinct”. “Bollywood is experimenting
with newer and newer subject matter,” Komal
Nahta, editor of the trade journal Film
Information, told AFP.
“Until four or five years back only the
‘masala’ films were being made,” he said, using
the term for the typical Indian commercial
melodrama that combines music and comedy
with romance and action. Actor and producer
Aamir Khan was one of the first to turn to
more serious matters with “Taare Zameen Par”
(Like Stars on Earth) in 2007, a film about a
dyslexic boy that was a critically acclaimed
box office hit. Khan pushed the boundaries
further last year with screwball comedy “Delhi
sible’,” she said. “But I insisted on the
idea that a veiled girl is like any other
girl who wants to enjoy a pastime.”
“They shouldn’t be criticising. On
the contrary, Palestinians should be
proud of us,” she added. Abu Nada
takes lessons with Omar Al-Mamluk,
the club’s only international-level
trainer, and aspires to one day participate
in global competitions “representing
the country of Palestine”. But
Mamluk says opportunities to compete
have been sharply curtailed by
the blockade and the division
between the Gaza Strip and West
Bank because of tensions between
rival Palestinian movements Fatah
and Hamas.
Belly”, a film that outraged conservative critics
for its toilet humour and profanity-peppered
dialogue, which surprisingly passed the censor
board uncut.
It sparked protests at cinemas and even a
court case on charges of obscenity and insulting
religion, but the movie ran to full houses
and became a cult hit for its reflection of
young people in modern, urban India. Some
of the latest risk-takers in Bollywood are keeping
a light-hearted touch. “Ab Hoga Dharna
Unlimited”, released last week, focuses on the
issue of hunger striking in protest for justice.
The practice is a common but controversial
one in India, popularised by Mahatma Gandhi
and last year propelling anti-corruption campaigner
Anna Hazare into the media spotlight,
but the film takes a comedic approach.
“I don’t want to bore people by making a
serious documentary,” said director Navin
Batra. “Everybody has seen these agitations
on TV, so I don’t think anyone would be interested
in watching the same thing in theatres
as well,” he was quoted as saying in the daily
Hindustan Times. Caste quotas, honour
killings and sexual harassment are also
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
The division “has greatly affected
horse riding and stopped us from
participating abroad, which had
allowed us to reach the level of our
Arab brothers,” he said. “The
Palestinian Equestrian Federation
works in the West Bank and
Ramallah, but because of the division
we have been excluded, even
though we have horses for show
jumping and racing, as well as riders.”
“If the division were to end, we
would be able to cooperate with our
brothers in the West Bank,” he said.
“For now, all our competitions are
local,” Saad added. —AFP
Bollywood uses comedy to break fertility taboos
This picture shows Bollywood actor
John Abraham posing for a photograph
during The Hindustan Times
Brunch event in Mumbai. —AFP
Four-legged US viewers wag
tails for DogTV channel
T wo
months after its San Diego debut,
canine cable channel DogTV is keeping
tails wagging at a local animal
shelter, is available on the Internet and is
headed for national distribution, an executive
for the enterprise said on Tuesday. The
advertising-free programming is aimed at
stay-at-home pooches whose work-a-day
masters fret about the separation anxiety
their pets suffer, and the trouble they get
into, when left unattended for long stretches
of time.
Billed as the first channel of its kind,
DogTV made its premiere on Feb. 13 as a
free, around-the-clock offering carried by
Cox Cable and Time Warner’s on-demand
services in San Diego, reaching some
483,000 homes in California’s secondlargest
city. The content is specifically tailored
for four-legged audiences, with even
the sound, colours and camera angles
adjusted to make them more appealing to
canines. The dogs’ favourite TV stars, not
surprisingly, turn out to be other dogs.
“They love watching other dogs being
active on the screen, and other animals,”
said Beke Lubeach, head of marketing for
DogTV, adding that birds, monkeys and
zebras have proven popular as well. The
Nielsen television ratings service does not
In this picture, Bleu, a French bulldog owned by Maria Catania (left) watches DogTV in her
apartment in San Diego. —AP
measure viewership on the channel and
Lubeach declined to disclose details of the
company’s own marketing research. But
she said that 80 percent of its viewers - or at
least the humans who turn on the channel
for their pets - are repeat visitors. Last week,
the channel began offering online streaming
from its website, dogtv.com, for $9.99 a
month. On-demand viewing over Cox and
Time Warner cable systems in San Diego
remains free for the duration of test-marketing,
which is expected to run another
two months at least, she said.
Hanan Abu Nada, 28, a Palestinian lawyer from Gaza City, stands with her horse. —AFP
Hoping to go nationwide
Lubeach said DogTV hopes to have a
national distribution deal in place in the
next couple of months, at which point the
channel would charge subscribers about $5
a month. In the meantime, DogTV has
become a big hit at the Humane Society
animal shelter in suburban Escondido,
which began airing the channel on several
televisions mounted throughout the facility
last month. The shelter “has seen a marked
improvement in all the dogs who have
been exposed to DogTV,” said Sally Costello,
executive director of the Escondido
Humane Society, which cares for more than
5,000 animals a year and currently houses
115 dogs.
In a press release last week, she said that
“higher-energy dogs, which were once
showing signs of anxiety, are now exhibiting
positive development and calmer
behaviour, including vocalizing less and
resting more.” Programming, developed by
a team of Israeli television entrepreneurs,
was based on hundreds of hours of
research into what TV-watching dogs like to
see and hear and how content for pooches
should appear. Researchers found that
dogs favoured such things as harp music
and the cartoon series “SpongeBob
SquarePants.”
While DogTV is a cable television first,
the concept of making couch potatoes out
of canines is not new. More than 60 percent
of US dog owners already heed the national
Humane Society’s recommendation to keep
a radio or television on in the house when
their pets are left alone so the animals hear
comforting voices rather than just silence,
according to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a member
of DogTV’s scientific advisory board and
a professor of veterinary medicine and
behaviour at Tufts University in
Massachusetts.
among the taboo-breaking topics that films
have tackled in recent years.
Bollywood analyst Nahta said a “more discerning”
audience as well as changes to cinemas
themselves are driving increasingly bold
content, which is largely tried out in lowerbudget
films. He said the growth in India’s
multiplexes meant you “don’t need 1,000 people
to make a full house”. Relaxing social
mores, particularly among India’s westernised
youth, are one motivating factor behind the
new wave of production, with increasingly
risque themes and scenes on both the big
and small screens.
Last month, popular television series “Bade
Achhe Lagte Hain” (We Like Him Very Much)
featured an unprecedented love-making
scene that lasted about 15 minutes and sent
social media abuzz with excitement-but it
seems not all of India was ready for it. “The
channel was promoting the steamy episode
for a while but an actual lip to lip wasn’t really
expected,” explained the Hindustan Times.
“People watching the episode with families
were a bit scandalised.” —AFP
Carlina Duran, 25, reacts after being crowned Miss Dominican Republic 2012
in Santo Domingo, on April 17, 2012. Duran will represent the country in the
Miss Universe competition. —AFP
A new
In Canada, ‘Star Wars’
exhibit asks who we are
exhibit exploring human identity
through the “Star Wars” universe
and the epic sci-fi saga’s quirky characters
kicks off a multi-city world tour in
Montreal today. “Star Wars Identities” combines
the latest scientific research in areas
of psychology, neuropsychology and
genetics with some 200 costumes, props,
models and artwork from the Lucasfilm
archives to ask the fundamental questions:
who we are and how do we become who
we are? “Since ‘Star Wars’ takes place in a
fantasy world, the characters need to be
identifiable so that the audience can connect
to them,” the creator of the wildly popular
films, George Lucas, said in a statement.
“These larger-than-life characters come
complete with friends, enemies, values, and
beliefs. This exhibition examines how the
Star Wars characters are like us, what we
may have in common, and what makes up
our individual identities.” Visitors are
expected to rediscover their favourite “Star
Wars” characters “in a whole new light”
while also developing a better understanding
of their own complex identity.
The exhibit is divided into three major
themes: the characters’ origins, the influences
that shaped them, and the personal
choices that altered their lives. Within these
three themes, 10 components of human
identity are explored-species, origins, parents,
culture, mentors, friends, occupation,
marking events, personality and values. The
show at the Montreal Science Centre will
run until September 16 before moving on
to Edmonton in western Canada and then
to 10 cities in Europe, Latin America and
Asia. —AFP

By Ben Garcia
Kuwait Times announces
photography contest winners
A group photograph of the winners with sponsors, organizers and judges.— Photos by Joseph Shagra
An architect from the Philippines was
adjudged the winner of the grand
prize of Kuwait Times photography
competition 2012. Kuwait Times hosted a
grand celebration on Monday at Swiss-Bel
Hotel, where the six top prize winners were
announced. Ramil Sunga, 41, from
Masantol, Pampanga captured the perfect
shot of a Kuwaiti girl running for cover
from a drizzle during the Liberation Day
celebrations (held on February 25, 2012). A
member of a Filipino photography group
‘Light Benders,’ photography is Ramil’s hobby
and he likes shooting portrait and landscape
photographs.
The grand prize winning shot was taken
in front of the Kuwait Towers. “I saw a girl
running for cover from the rain, carrying an
umbrella on Liberation Day. I asked her
permission to take her photograph. She
hesitated at first, but she posed anyway. So
I took at least six shots and I got this most
beautiful one. I submitted it to the Kuwait
Times photo contest,” he said. Ramil works
for the Al-Muhalhel Interior Office, a general
trading company located in Ardiya.
Ramil had a gut feeling that this particular
photo would give him a good chance at
victory. “I read the advertisement in Kuwait
Times about the competition. I was dying
to click a photo that would bring pride to
the Filipinos here. My purpose was to take
a lively shot, capturing the real emotions of
people
When I saw that girl [in the photo], I was
ecstatic because I knew she could give me
the perfect image I was searching for. She
has a perfect skin tone, a beautiful smile
and eyes that speak. I saw that her face was
painted, carrying a small Kuwaiti flag, plus
she was holding the umbrella that had the
flag’s colours on it; she was also covered in
a Kuwaiti flag themed scarf. I was filled
with joy and excitement upon seeing her. I
told myself that God is great for bringing
her in front of me. She is beautiful and my
shot was perfect,” he said.
Indeed, it was unanimously selected by
three Kuwait Times judges as the perfect
picture.”The grand prize winner’s entry was
a perfect shot. Unlike the rest of the winners,
none of us had any doubts about who
the first prize winner was. We all agreed
that it was a perfect shot and it deserved a
grand prize award,” Abdul Karim Al-Enezy
said of Ramil’s photo. “We love it because
the girl’s eye was focused by the camera,
and it says many things to us; the photo
speaks, it reveals many good things as a
human. Plus, the contrast of colours perfectly
blends with the image and we found
no missing details. It’s all there. The photo
is alive, there is life in it. Besides, the picture
reflects the real theme of the contest,
being the National and Liberation days,” he
added.
Al-Enezy noted that the second and
third prize winner’s entries depict people
and children enjoying holidays. “It was
heart-warming, a blissful atmosphere. In
the background was Kuwait’s heritage. It
shows joyful celebration; again the creativity
was highlighted and showcased. There
was happiness, all around. We are all
humans; we want to see people celebrating.
Congratulations to the first, second
lifestyle
The first prize winner, Ramil Sunga (fourth right) with Adnan Saad, and Canon Middle East (sponsors)
and the board of judges.
The third winner, Ahmad Akbar, receives award from organizer
and sponsors.
Abdul Karim Al-Enezy
and third winners! Good luck for all your
endeavours,” he beamed.
He reminded photographers to stick to
the rules of the photography contest and
examine their photos carefully before submitting
them. “If you are not following
rules, there are possibilities that even
though you have some excellent and perfect
photos, your photo will be excluded
from judgment. You need to follow the
theme and guidelines. A mistake for not
following the rules will have a negative
effect on your photo,” he told the audience
comprising participants’ families. “Judges
are strict about the theme and guidelines
set by Kuwait Times. Next time, follow or
abide by the rules. Give what the terms
and conditions lay down, and you will get
what you want. You will be successful.
Adnan Saad is pictured with the judges.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

Sayed Hussein Al-Hashemi, the fourth prize winner, with Adnan Saad, Nabil Iskandarani and
Dr. Ahmad Al-Dashti.
lifestyle
Members of the audience pose with Adnan Saad. Nabil Iskandarani receives a raffle gift
from Adnan Saad.
Sana Abdul Sattar poses with her certificate and gift received from
Adnan Saad and Sarah Al-Sayegh after winning a special photography
award.
The photo exhibit at the venue entrance is being examined by some
of the visitors.
Dr. Ahmad Al-Dashti speaks at the ceremony. Tome Levino Gracias, Canon, Sales Manager
Kuwait
Nabil Iskandarani, General Manager, Canon
Six Big Winners
1) Ramil Sunga: First place winner
2) Najwa Marafie: Second place winner
3) Ahmad Akbar: Third place winner
4) Sayed Hussein Al Hashemi: Fourth place winner
5) Saleh Taqi: Fifth place winner
6) Colin Mc Lurg: Sixth place winner
Special Award
Mefleh Al-Hajri: Special Award
Salwa Yahia Omara: Special Award
Ramon M. Marbella: Special Award
Sana Abdul Sattar: Special Award
Maitham T. Al-Misry: Special Award
Bozenna Grecka: Special Award
Adnan Saad delivers a speech on behalf of
the Kuwait Times management.
Colin Mc Lurg, sixth prize winner, with Adnan Saad, Iskandarani and Sarah Al-Sayegh. Sarah Al-Sayegh
Bozenna Grecka receives her special photography award from Adnan
Saad and Abdul Karim Al-Enezy.
Mefleh Al-Hajri receives special photography award from Adnan Saad
and Nabil Iskandarani.
P. N. J. Kumar, Caesars Travels, General
Manager
Aiman Al-Shara’a, General Manager Sebamed is seen with some of his
staff.
Sponsors display certificates received from the Kuwait Times.
Keep on shooting pictures; you are all winners,”
he added.
The first prize winner took home Canon
Camera 60D with 18-135 lens, stay at
Beirut for two nights (single/double occupancy)
inclusive of breakfast courtesy
Swiss-BelHotel, plus one economy class
ticket (Kuwait-Beirut Kuwait.) The second
and third prize winners received almost the
same privileges as first place winner one
but destinations visited will be Oman and
Dubai respectively.
Meanwhile, Sarah Al-Sayegh, another
judge, explained the difficulty involved in
selecting the sixth, fifth and fourth place
winners. “Choosing the sixth, fifth and
fourth place winners was a tough task for
us judges. They all deserved high respect
and recognition. Categorizing them and
putting a number on them was a difficult
task. We talked and argued among ourselves
about who should occupy the sixth,
fifth and fourth place winners. There are
some missing elements, but they are all
winners in their own right. We agreed as to
what places they deserve and should be
posted.” “Congratulations, I hope you will
continue to be creative in the coming photography
contest. Enjoy your prizes!”
Judges were not informed of the names
and identities of the participants until they
were all selected. Kuwait Times deliberately
removed their names to avoid any form of
bias. Adnan Saad, Kuwait Times Marketing
Director thanked sponsors for their continued
support for the annual photography
competition. He also thanked participants
and those that worked behind the success
of the competition. “I am honoured to be
standing in front of you today, on behalf of
Kuwait Times management to express our
deepest gratitude and appreciation for all
your effort and lovely photos sent to us. I
am sure that it has been very difficult for
our judges. They have spent a lot of their
precious time and effort to finalize and
select winners,” he told the large audience
of mainly participants and families. “I would
like to thank our main sponsor Canon-
Naser Al-Sayer Company for providing us
with very valuable prizes, Swiss-Bel Hotel
for their hospitality and for offering their
banquet room, in addition to providing
accommodation to the winners in six different
destinations (Beirut, Oman, Dubai, Abu
Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain) for three days
and nights. Of course, we cannot ignore
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Caesar’s Travels Company that also supported
us by providing airline tickets to different
destinations, Response Media for
assisting us in many ways, Thank you,” he
said. Saad also expressed gratitude to
judges Dr. Ahmad Al-Dashti, Abdul Karim
Al-Enezi and Sara Al-Sayegh. “They assisted
us in making this event smooth by screening
all the participants’ photos and selecting
the best of the best by discussing
among themselves and convincing each
other about the pictures of their choice.”
Saad explained that judges also chose
the first best 50 participants. They selected
the six big winners. “Judges asked to
increase the number of winners from six to
12. So, additional six winners will also
receive special awards.” Around 350 participants
took place in this year’s competition,
submitting two to 10 photographs each.
“The judges found extra six winners that
had special flavours. So we give them special
awards.” Next year’s photography competition
theme will tackle issues about
environment as per recommendations
posted by Canon, Kuwait Times photography
major sponsor. All participants will
receive a certificate of participation as a
token of appreciation. Winners, participants,
who were unable to attend the
awards ceremony last Monday are requested
to visit the Kuwait Times office to claim
their prizes and certificates.
Rana Mneimneh, Sales Director of
SwissBel Hotel
A raffle draw winner is seen with Canon representatives and Adnan Saad. Nagar Ashish, Canon Dubai representative receives a
gift from Adnan Saad.
Katrina Jarlos with Adnan Saad presents a gift to a raffle
draw winner.
Adnan Saad presents a git to Tome Levino
Gracias, Canon, Sales Manager Kuwait.

In this photo, Maddie Parizek, Sadie Moussa and Gabriella Lujan (left to
right) show off their hairstyles created with soft pastel chalk applied by
neighbourhood mom Orly Telisman in Chicago. — AP photos
First there were feathers, and then the “Hunger Games” braid took
over. Now there’s a new hair trend just as easy to embrace -
colouring strands with craft-store chalk. No stylist, no complicated
instructions, no great expense. Everyone from hipsters to children
to Hollywood celebrities is embracing the runway fad for brightly collared
hair, using soft pastel chalk.
“Hair stylists and colourists, they’re artists at their core, so they’re
always fooling around with things from the arts-and-crafts store,” said
Kristin Perrotta, Allure magazine’s executive editor. “Somewhere along
the line a few of them realized there were soft pastels you could use to
leave colour on your hair.” The advantage? The chalks wash out in the
shower, allowing for temporary rocker style.
“There’s no commitment,” Perrotta said. “This is your opportunity to
go crazy for whatever time you want. Even if you’re a super-preppy
woman who works in a library, on the weekend you can have purple
stripes in your hair.” Colour-streaked hair first popped up on the catwalks
two to three years ago, featured by designers such as Prabal
Gurung, Prada and Jean Paul Gaultier, Perrotta said. But the look really
took off when reality TV star Lauren Conrad featured hair chalking on
her blog, The Beauty Department.
“There’s really one person to credit for the chalking trend: It’s Lauren
Conrad,” Perrotta said. Conrad’s hairstylist, Kristin Ess, said beauty professionals
have used the chalks to colour hair for a while. She credits
the proliferation of online beauty blogs for turning the tool into a
trend. “Usually it was secret, so top secret,” said Ess, who cofounded The
Beauty Department with Conrad. “But now the way that things are, it’s
so easy to get it out there.”
The steps aren’t complicated: Take a piece of chalk, run it along the
strand of hair until it’s coloured and if necessary pull the hair through a
curling iron. If you have darker hair the chalk may stick easier if you
dampen the strand first. It’s important to use soft pastel chalks - the
kind artists use, not oil-based chalks or sidewalk chalks.
To remove, shake or brush your hair to dust out the chalk before
getting into the shower. Then wash your hair. The chalk can get messy,
so wear plastic gloves. Kandee Johnson, a celebrity makeup artist and
beauty and style blogger, posted a hair chalking how-to video on
YouTube in February. So far it’s gotten more than 630,000 hits.
A pair studded
with
Swavorski
crystals are
displayed in
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
— MCT
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012
Orly Telisman of Chicago, prepares to colour eight-year-old
Gabriella Lujan’s hair with soft pastel chalk.
“People were sending me pictures from websites,” she said. “I didn’t
think people were going to be that excited over it. I did not think it was
going to be that popular at all.” Johnson thinks the attraction comes
because chalking is temporary and affordable - a whole set of chalks
can cost between $6 and $8. “It’s a fun idea if you have kids or you have
a corporate job,” she said. “It will be really fun for summer because you
can have fun ponytails.” — AP
Pantyhose occupy a dicey place in the world of
fashion. The dainty intimates are on the rise thanks
to Kate Middleton’s penchant for them. Couple
that with ultra-fashion-forward stars like Rihanna, Katy
Perry, and Jessie J wearing sheer black hosiery, and you
have a burgeoning trend. However, after years of barelegged
freedom (inspired by first lady Michelle Obama
and “Sex and the City’s” Carrie Bradshaw), it’s going to be
a challenge for pantyhose manufacturers to get consumers
to squeeze back into them. We’re not going to go
easily. Many of us don’t want to return to the days of trying
to match our skin tones with stockings. We don’t
want to have to worry about snags and runs. It’s so much
easier just to lotion up your legs and go without. “I personally
really like a bare leg,” said Catherine Moellering,
executive vice president of New York-based fashion retail
consultants Tobe. “A lot of young consumers were
brought up either bare-legged or in opaque (tights).”
They are experiencing sheer hose as something new, she
says.
Hosiery has come a long way since the days when
women had to attach stockings with garters. Today’s legwear
goes from shimmery nudes to so bare that you
look as if you’re not wearing anything. Also keep an eye
out for jewel-toned shades of wine, purple, and cobalt
Gaza horse riders
have to jump
unusual hurdles
37
It’s a prom must-have, right up there with the dress and shoes: The
guy’s tie must match the girl’s gown. And many teens today use cell
phones to aid the colour coordination. Kourtney Ziercher took a picture
of her dress in the store to send to her date, Michael George, for her
prom last year at Barat Academy in Chesterfield, Missouri. “I told him it
was burnt orange, and he got the tie to match,” she said.
“She knew that it was not a typical colour, but the tie I got even had
a little design on it that matched the design on the dress,” Michael said,
referring to a light tiger stripe print on the fabric. “She was really excited
about it. The girl’s dress is a big deal. If the outfit doesn’t go perfectly, if
the guy isn’t matching, it’s a problem. I made sure it worked.”
In Fort Collins, Colorado, Amy Weintraub sent a picture of her chocolate
brown dress to her date, Luke Siddens, and he used the image to
get a matching tie and vest for their prom last week at Poudre High
School. “I didn’t realize he wanted to match me,” Amy said. “He just kind
of decided that on his own. It was a little lighter than the dress, but it
matched pretty well.”
For homemade dresses, ties can always be made from leftover fabric.
For a 2010 prom at the Stanley Humphries Secondary School in
Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada, Arielle Roberts made her own dress
with the help of a grandmother and aunt. Her date’s mom sewed a
matching tie “when the green bow-tie and cummerbund she’d ordered
for him weren’t quite the right shade,” Arielle said.
But with so many dresses store-bought these days, and with cell
phone photos sometimes producing unreliable hues, stores often provide
physical swatches to assist in colour coordination. David’s Bridal,
which expects to sell 110,000 prom dresses this year in 300 stores, sells
fabric swatches for $1 with dress purchases.
Sarah LaRue, a senior at Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon,
picked out a dress at the local David’s Bridal and was happy to have the
fabric scrap to give her date. “It’s a turquoise blue, and with that dress,
you need the exact colour to match it,” she said. “If it was even a little bit
off, it wouldn’t look right.”
David’s Bridal also has a partnership with Men’s Wearhouse that
makes it easy for young men to get accessories in coordinated hues for
their dresses. Guys can order ties, vests and cummerbunds from Men’s
Wearhouse using the same terms David’s Bridal uses to identify the
dress colours - names like “watermelon pink” or “Malibu blue” - and be
guaranteed an ensemble that works.
Amanda Nohrenberg, store manager for David’s Bridal in Eugene,
says “90 percent, if not 99 percent” of her prom customers want them
to match. “If they aren’t coordinating, it’s because the guy is wearing a
neutral colour like black or white.” Many couples also plan matching
corsages and boutonnieres. “The girls are saying, ‘This is what I’m
wearing and I want it to match the flowers,’” said Pennylyn Kaine, owner
of Blossom & Bee Floral and Event Design in Newfoundland, New
Jersey. — AP
blue. Thanks to huge advances in graphic design and
fashion technology, hose come in new bold finishes -
distressed-legging looks or even three-dimensional
objects. I’ve got my eye on a pair by House of Holland for
Pretty Polly that features alphabet-soup-style capital letters
scattered all over the legs.
With all the options available, you’re practically guaranteed
that every pair of these hose would look phenomenal
with a little black dress. (Or an eggplantcoloured
dress, if you’re colour-blocking.) “By and large,
people are still feeling skittish about the economy.
Hosiery is an easy and economical way to update,”
Moellering said. “You can put on a pair of new hose with
an old dress and get a bang for your buck.”
Stockings were a non-negotiable staple in women’s
wardrobes from the turn of the century well into the the
late 1990s. A woman wasn’t considered dressed without
them. Then the corporately chic ‘80s melted into the
casual ‘90s and women let their hose go at the end of the
decade. Even when dresses became all the rage, we preferred
pointy heels and bare legs. No muss, no fuss. But
now, as fashion takes a turn toward the flapper looks of
the 1920s, we’re again interested in thigh-highs. A
smoother leg seems more aesthetically pleasing. But
what about comfort? What about durability?
Things have improved on that front, says Susan M.
Kay, CEO of the Hosiery Association, a trade group based
in Charlotte, NC. Millennial hosiery features the same
kind of wicking technology as endurance wear. “There
are pantyhose that have caffeine in them to make your
legs appear more toned, and some with aloe that moisturize,”
Kay says. “Now that the consumer is more educated,
she’s demanding both comfort and practicality as
well as style.” At $18 to $35, these high-tech tights cost
more than drugstore lines, but not as much as Wolford
pantyhose, which can run upwards of $50.
The target audience for updated sheer hosiery is
young people. Like lipstick and wristwatches, the hosiery
industry has found a new audience - women in their 20s
who think of hose as a novelty. “These sheer pantyhose
help women look more grown-up and sophisticated,”
said Anna Sirotkin, who along with her husband, Viktor,
opened Papilio, an Italian legwear and swimwear boutique,
in Center City in November. One recent afternoon,
I paid a visit to Posh Boutique, a hosiery and intimate
apparel store in Cherry Hill that also opened in
November.—MCT