otics may lead to future antibiotic-resistant infec - Kuwait Times

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Kuwait National 

& Liberation Days 

Max 23º 

Min 10º 

NO: 15389- Friday, March 16, 2012 

Amir attends Kuwaiti 

folkloric festival 

SEE PAGE 9 

KAC flights grounded tomorrow 

SEE PAGE 9

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 

KUWAIT: A woman is pictured 

trying her hand at weaving at 

the Al-Sadu House during a 

workshop. — Photo by Yasser 

Al-Zayyat 

Local 

Conspiracy Theories 

Veiled dictators 

By Badrya Darwish 

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net 

The latest suggestion from the group of Honourable 

Gentlemen in Parliament is the funniest news in an 

ironic way. What do you think their latest suggestion 

has been for the last couple of days? To build a 

nuclear reactor? To find where the money of Kuwait is 

going? To eliminate corruption? To introduce new modern 

curriculum in the Education Ministry so that Kuwait 

can advance? To build new parks and green areas for the 

people to walk in the country and reduce the rising obesity 

levels? To build fountains everywhere? No. Do not 

get carried away. 

This Parliament is concentrating only on women. The 

latest proposal was to issue a law to force all women in 

Kuwait to wear a hijab. According to the so-called decent 

attire draft law, all women in Kuwait should be forced to 

wear a hijab (head scarf). 

First of all, I would like to draw your attention. I am a 

muhajaba (a woman wearing a head scarf). I put a hijab 

on three weeks ago. I did it out of my own will. It was my 

choice. Not my husband’s, father’s or grandfather’s 

choice. Who are you to force me to wear a hijab? You are 

not my guardian. You are not my father. I said this in a 

previous article too. Who told you that hijab is a sign of 

decency? 

Excuse me, mister. Take a walk along Gulf Road and 

see what many of the muhajaba do and you will understand 

what I mean. Look at the muhajabas who wear the 

sexiest, tightest clothes that underline every single curve 

on their body. But they still don a head scarf! Look at the 

tons of make-up most of our muhajabas put on as if they 

are clubbing or going to a disco. When I put a hijab on, it 

took me years to debate this. I thought to myself: “I look 

more decent in my ordinary clothes.” If the idea of the 

gentleman is to prevent women from attracting the 

attention of men, I think that hijab would not set the 

society right. This is an individual choice and it should 

remain so. 

Even when religion came, Prophet Mohammad (Peace 

Be Upon Him) did not force it on people. He always gave 

a choice to people. He never forced anything on people. 

He always called for democracy and justice. 

According to Ayah 159 from Surrat Al-Imran, (Imran 

Family) “And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them 

gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, 

they would have broken away from about you; so pass 

over (their faults), and ask (Allah’s) forgiveness for them; 

and consult them in affairs. Then when you have taken a 

decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves 

those who put their trust (in Him).” 

When the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) did not force 

anything on people, who are you to do so? I think you 

should take the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as an 

example. Islam came as a religion to democratize the 

world. It was never a religion of dictatorship. It stands for 

equality of all men and women. So, wake up new dictators 

of the Parliament! You use the Parliament to show 

your power and dictate terms to the nation. Find something 

more interesting to do because women in Kuwait 

are aware of what they can wear. They know religion and 

are aware of what is right and wrong.


Local Spotlight 

Don’t be too sensitive 

By Muna Al-Fuzai 

muna@kuwaittimes.net 

Many people don’t want to be hypersensitive, 

but can they help it? I think there are many 

aspects in life, towards which, one needs to 

be sensitive in order to feel, enjoy and share them. 

I wish I hadn’t been so sensitive but unfortunately, 

it looks like we are born with such traits. You will not 

be liked by many people, but surely you will be 

respected. Being sensitive means getting into trouble 

with even your closest family members and friends. 

This is because you will be hurt when someone 

makes a comment or joke about something that is 

interpreted as being harmful and annoying! 

I received an e-mail a couple of weeks ago from a 

man who got into trouble with the residents of his 

building thanks to his hypersensitivity. He claimed 

that he could hear his next door neighbour’s maid 

crying all the time, and that she was being abused by 

her master and imagined her being beaten and 

harassed. He decided to call the janitor and the 

police. 

He spoke with the residents of the entire building 

on the issue. Finally, an investigation revealed that 

the maid was addicted to watching old Indian movies 

every evening and would break into tears on watching 

melodramatic scenes! Indian movies last for three 

hours or so, and that was the time this man heard her 

sobbing, and assumed she was in great pain. 

He became the butt of all jokes, but says that he 

felt comforted to know that she was doing well! It 

was his sensitivity that made him take the trouble of 

reporting the incident. He cared about people. I think 

it is a blessing to be surrounded by empathetic people 

who are willing to take risks, even if they end up 

being questioned by police. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. If you see or hear something 

inappropriate please verify it before rushing to 

call the police. If you call the police for no reason, you 

could land up in jail! 

Happy weekend! 

KUWAIT: Air traffic at Kuwait International Airport is normal 

despite dusty weather conditions, announced the 

Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) here yesterday. 

The DGCA’s Head of Operations Essam Al-Zamel told 

KUNA that air traffic was smooth despite the weather, 

noting that the field of vision (for aircraft) was at 500 

meters. Flights are allowed to operate within 250 meters 

visibility for incoming carriers and 150 meters for departing 

ones. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat 

By Sawsan Kazak 

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net 

Local 

Satire Wire 

10 years, one verdict 

Thomas Lubanga, a Congolese warlord, was convicted 

by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 

Wednesday for using child soldiers. The court, located 

in The Hague, delivered its first-ever verdict during its 10 

years of operation. Apparently, the verdict was ‘hailed as a 

legal landmark in the fight against impunity for the world’s 

most serious crimes’ and believed to be a ‘deterrent to 

armies around the world not to conscript children.’ 

So let me get this straight; armies, and more specifically 

warlords, around the world will look at Congo’s Lubanga 

case and say: “Oh we better not recruit children for our 

army because we might be indicted by the International 

Criminal Court years from now, spend a decade in the 

country awaiting judgment, and years after we have 

accomplished what we wanted, terrorized and killed hundreds 

of thousands of people, we might get a guilty sentence”. 

I’m all for being thorough, but 10 years and one 

guilty verdict seems to be a little too thorough. 

It appears that being thorough is not the only problem 

the Netherlands-based court is facing as it was scrutinized 

last week for being unable to arrest any war crimes suspects 

or even intervene in the ongoing conflict in Syria. 

Joseph Kony, who rose to international notoriety last week 

By Jamie Etheridge 

local@kuwaittimes.net 

when a video featuring him went viral, was indicted for war 

crimes seven years ago by this court. The court has yet to 

arrest or make any progress on the Kony case. But I’m sure 

Kony is scared after what happened to Lubanga. I’m sure 

he’s thinking to himself: ‘I better stop what I am doing right 

now so that 10 years from now, I don’t get a guilty verdict.’ 

The minute Kony got a glimpse of his impending future, he 

released his army and turned his headquarters into a soup 

kitchen. 

The court’s inability to be productive could be due to 

the fact that it has no police force of its own, and can only 

investigate in the 120 countries that have recognized its 

jurisdiction. Powerful countries like Russia, China, Syria and 

the US are not even members. This demonstrates a lack of 

importance placed on legal ramifications war criminals 

should face or the retribution the victims and their families 

deserve. 

For an international court to be successful, it needs 

international support and funding. Without proper backing, 

this court will continue to take decades to deliver one 

verdict and not prevent any future crimes; as it is intended 

to do. I am all for the idea of worldwide justice, but if not 

implemented correctly, it would seem like a waste of time. 

In my view 

A ‘To do’ list for Kuwait 

They say that the older you get, 

the wiser you become. I wish I 

knew who came up with this 

idea. I would find him and punch 

him in the face! Okay, probably I 

wouldn’t resort to violence, but I’d 

definitely give him a piece of my 

mind, at least what’s left of it these 

days. 

It seems that getting older has 

made me stupid - or at least more 

easily confused. I find myself standing 

at traffic lights and in restaurants, 

wondering should I go or stay? What 

did I order? My mom has gleefully 

pointed out that forgetting small 

things is part of the process, especially 

when your life becomes so 

complex and busy with work, family 

and friends etc. 

Making ‘To do’ lists has become 

my key to survival. I write down 

everything: Take the kids to school. 

Check. Email my sister. Check. Shop 

for groceries. Check. Get a manicure. 

Check. I have a ‘To do’ list at work 

each day, and I even make them for 

my husband. The problem arises, of 

course, when I forget where I’ve put 

the list or when I don’t finish it and 

then forget to transfer the left over 

items to a list for the next day. 

I’ve started making a list of things 

to put on my ‘To do’ list and keep 

spare notepads in the bedroom, the 

car, the bathroom and next to the 

baby’s crib. This way, I hope, I will 

catch most of the ideas before they 

slip through my increasingly sievelike 

brain. 

The great thing about ‘To do’ lists 

is that you can use them not only to 

remember what needs to get done, 

but also to prioritize the order in 

which you do them. For instance, I 

might list nine errands on any given 

day but will try to put ‘Feed the kids’ 

or ‘Pick up vitamins’ near the top of 

the list. That way, if I run out of time, 

I’ve fed my children rather than 

bought flowers or renewed my 

newspaper subscription. 

Prioritizing is key 

A year from now, it will hardly 

matter if I missed a manicure or forgot 

to water the plants but failing to 

take my baby to the doctor or forgetting 

to go to the airport could cost 

huge in lost health, time and money. 

That’s why I’ve been thinking, 

maybe, the people of Kuwait could 

put together a ‘To do’ list for 

Parliament. Every day on Twitter, 

someone lists out the problems they 

see: Education system out of date, 

hospitals ill-equipped, doctors and 

nurses overworked, roads that need 

repaving or rebuilding, a bureaucracy 

bloated, labyrinthine and unworkable, 

an economy that needs privatizing, 

fresh graduates that need jobs 

etc. 

A national ‘To do’ list would be a 

great way to lay out all the things 

that Kuwait should, would or could 

do and then prioritize the list based 

on the urgency and desire of the 

people. I’m willing to bet that a law 

dictating ‘decent’ clothing and other 

personal choices would fall pretty far 

down on the list, if it made it at all. 

A modernized school system that 

taught the youth of the country the 

skills and knowledge necessary for 

them to compete effectively in the 

global economy would definitely get 

my vote and I’m sure many others 

would agree.

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The ironing marvel is pictured. 

By Nawara Fattahova 

For those who do not like ironing clothes and 

find it annoying, there will soon be a solution - 

easy ironing done by a robot without much 

effort. Within two years, there will be a new ironing 

model in the market, which was invented by a young 

Kuwait inventor, Mohammed Al-Rifai. 

Al-Rifai presented his invention on the popular 

reality TV show ‘Stars of Science’ and was ranked the 

third top inventor in the Arab world. Realizing this 

invention was not easy for him, and he had to work 

hard to come up with this automatic ironing robot. 

But ‘Kwili’ will simplify the ironing work of many people. 

Mohammed Al-Rifai is a student at the Faculty of 

Electrical Engineering at Kuwait University. He had to 

skip a semester to participate in the program, which 

was four months long. He was inspired to invent the 

brand name of his robot, ‘Kwili’, from the Arabic word 

ikwi (ironing). “And it’s also easy to pronounce in 

English - Kwili also stands for (Kuwait I Love It),” 

inventor Mohammed Al-Rifai told Kuwait Times. 

Kwili is now available in the first prototype, which 

will be improved before being manufactured. “The 

machine is the first automatic ironing machine that 

deals with all kinds of fabrics including cotton, silk, 

satin and others. It can also iron all kinds of outfits 

including shirts, pants, traditional robes and overcoats 

and other garments. Furthermore it copes with 

all sizes of outfits, from XS-XXL. To improve it, we may 

enlarge it to make it suitable even for XXXL. Of course 

it can iron children’s clothing, as the hanger is flexible,” 

he explained. 

As part of developing Kwili, an additional hanger 

may be added to the machine. “The clothes may not 

be ironed if not tied. And this hanger ensures flatting 

the outfit to be ironed properly. It takes only a few 

seconds to hang it, and the robot works alone without 

any assistance. Also, as a part of the development, 

I will improve it to take more than one piece at 

one time to save time,” he added. 

Mohammed Al-Rifai presents his robotic invention. 

The user of the robot only needs to press a button 

to choose the kind of fabric to be ironed and the 

machine works independently. “There is an additional 

option in this machine, as the user may add an 

ironing program or customize the ironing process, 

which is special for certain outfits such as delicate 

evening dresses. The robot will then save this setting 

and remember it, so the next time the user only 

needs to enter the past ironing operation without 

further steps,” stressed Al-Rifai. 

Al-Rifai did not forget safety measures in his 

invention. “First of all the machine will not start without 

unless it has clothes inside it. It only irons within 

the border of the piece fitted in, so no steam will emit 

from outside the border of the piece. Also, after the 

piece is removed and the machine is still hot, the 

metal rod moves high out of reach as a safety measure. 

In the future, I will change the square base with a 

curved shape for the safety of children,” he noted. 

The idea of participating in ‘Stars of Science’ came 

from Al-Rifai’s friends and family members, especially 

those who were studying at the university. “There 

was a poster on the wall inviting talented people to 

participate. As they all know my love for invention 

and my ambition to invent something useful, they 

encouraged me to register and I did. I was accepted 

as one of 30 participants who were chosen from 

7,000 applicants for the program,” he said. 

Kwili took him four months of continuous work to 

realize his project, the entire duration of the program. 

“I had the theory on paper, and realized it during the 

program. I made five machines in the beginning 

before I made the model that I have now. It was very 

hard and I made mistakes and corrected them. 

During the program, there were experts from each 

field to help the participants and save their time. The 

program consisted of different phases starting from 

the Proof of Concept, Engineering Phase, Design 

Phase, and finally the Business Phase,” explained Al- 

Rifai. 

Al-Rifai registered a GCC patent for Kwili in Qatar 

and is now in the process of registering it internationally 

in Kuwait. “I did not correspond with international 

factories or brands that will definitely offer to buy 

Local 

the invention, as I want it to be a Kuwaiti product 

even if I manufacture it abroad. It is not easy to market 

it locally, so I received support from public institutions 

such as the Scientific Club and Sabah Al-Ahmad 

Centre,” he stated. 

The price of Kwili’s first prototype is about KD 350. 

To make it affordable in the market, after modifications 

and improvements, the price will be around KD 

150. Al-Rifai is also working on two other inventions 

that should be realized during this year. 

He also participated with a group of students at 

Kuwait University to establish the ‘Robotics and 

Automation Society’ there. “This society is cooperating 

with other universities, and is supporting creative 

students. In 2011, we held a robotics competition to 

spread the robotics culture in the Kuwaiti community. 

We aim to develop Kuwait into an industrial country,” 

concluded Al-Rifai.


By Lisa Conrad 

should buy what they can 

afford, and nothing else,” said 22- 

“People 

year-old Kuwaiti student, Sanaa, 

adding that purchasing imported products is 

a choice. According to Sanaa, there are plenty 

of alternatives for those who feel imported 

goods are out of their price range, “You’re 

paying for what you want, not what you need. 

You can easily go to Souk Mubarakiya and get 

very cheap clothing, but if you want something 

specific from abroad, then of course you 

should expect to pay for it. If you can afford to 

be selective, you can afford to pay the prices.” 

Kuwait’s malls are filled with imports and, 

despite efforts to promote local products, 

imported goods continue to reign supreme. 

American and European brands are particularly 

popular, and although they are often considerably 

more expensive than regional products, 

they continue to enjoy immense popularity. 

According to Sanaa, import-buyers are 

paying for the convenience of being able to 

buy international products locally; “It’s about 

convenience; isn’t it easier and cheaper just to 

buy imports here than to travel to the States 

or England? Even ordering it from abroad and 

waiting for it to pass through customs and 

paying the delivery charges costs money and 

takes time.” Kuwait’s diverse population doesn’t 

share the same shopping habits, however, 

and some are considerably more concerned 

with import pricing than others. 

English expatriate, Lauren, insisted that the 

import prices hit the expatriates the hardest. 

“Everything in Kuwait, including spending and 

buying, depends on your nationality. For 

KUWAIT: A shop-owner is pictured 

looking wistfully. 

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat 

example, Kuwaitis get various stipends and 

allowances that drastically cut their spending 

on certain things, so they have more disposable 

income to spend on imported items.” 

Lauren further added, “In general, Kuwaitis 

also travel more than the expatriates here, so 

there is more opportunity to shop abroad and 

avoid paying premiums for imports here.” 

Those within the industry, however, disagree. 

Talal, an employee at a company here 

in Kuwait which imports various goods, said 

that such thinking is too simplistic, “I don’t 

understand why people are shocked that 

imports cost more than local goods: importing 

something is a service in itself, so you’re 

buying both the product and the service.” He 

added, “You can buy a sheesha in Kuwait for 

KD 3, but in London you’d easily pay KD 15 - 

30 for the same quality product. Why? 

Because it’s an import which has been packaged, 

transported and imported from abroad 

to satisfy the demands of a certain market. 

You are not just paying for the product anymore.” 

He understood, however, why consumers 

are sometimes shocked at the prices of 

imported goods, “Kuwait is very Westernized, 

so I think it’s only natural that some shoppers 

are shocked when certain products appear to 

be overpriced or more expensive than in their 

countries of origin.” He added, “But consumers 

must remember that this isn’t a 

Kuwait-specific issue: products that are not, or 

cannot be, made locally always have elevated 

prices, everywhere in the world. The success 

of many imports here is based on exclusivity 

combined with demand.” 

As Talal defended the pricing of imported 

products, Kuwaiti banker, Mohamad, said that 

skilled-labour expatriates shouldn’t lament 

the price of imports, “Skilled expatriates make 

serious, tax-free money here, or why else 

would they have come?” English expatriate, 

Lauren, noted the financial support provided 

to Kuwaitis and argued that it gave them 

stronger spending power to purchase 

imports. Mohamad, however, underscored the 

additional expenses that many Kuwaitis 

Kuwaitis travel more 

than the expatriates here, so 

there is more opportunity to 

shop abroad and avoid 

paying premiums for 

imports here. 

encounter, “Expatriates don’t have the same 

pressure as Kuwaitis to keep up the same level 

of appearances, which is extremely expensive 

to maintain. If an expatriate is dressed casually 

they won’t be judged, whereas a Kuwaiti will. 

So while we get certain breaks, we also have 

higher expenses.” 

He added, “Some imports are expensive, 

yes, but many other expenses are very cheap 

here. Food is cheaper here than much of the 

West, gas is almost free and many get their 

accommodation, insurance and travel costs 

covered by their companies.” He further insisted 

that the prices in Kuwait must be judged 

on balance and with regard to salary packages 

before being regarded as unfair. “Regardless 

of how much imports cost here, I don’t think 

expatriates have the right to complain. 

They’re making more than they’d make in 

their home countries and living a more 

Local 

relaxed life in general, and given the number 

of other comparatively inexpensive costs, 

complaining about the price of imports is not 

justified.” 

While the price of many imports continues 

to spark debates, Sanaa reiterated that shoppers 

choose their purchases depending on 

their own personal preferences, for which 

they are solely responsible. “It’s not a matter 

of Kuwaiti versus expatriate. Both choose 

what to buy, and neither is being misled or 

forced into buying anything. If the price is 

high, other products that have the same function 

can be bought at a lesser price. It’s business, 

after all.”


The proud Kuwaiti team. 

By Ben Garcia 

For Faisal Al-Muhanna, 36, combining three sporting 

events means two things: confidence building 

and a sense of fulfilment. Al-Muhanna was 

part of the Kuwaiti team with more than 40 contestants, 

to compete in the international triathlon meet 

held in Abu Dhabi recently. 

In love with the sport, Al-Muhanna and other participants 

from Kuwait lament the lack of government 

interest for taking major initiatives. “The bad aspect in 

Kuwait is that it [government] does not support us. If 

we are absent from work because of the tournament, 

the government will not pay us. How can you encourage 

athletes to compete for your country? Besides, if 

you are really interested, you pay all your expenses; 

that’s what we did this year.” said Faisal Al-Muhanna, 

one of the triathletes who participated in the recent 

competition. 

“We are competing for the country. At the end of 

the day, if we win, our names will not be used in the 

banner headline of newspapers. We carry the Kuwaiti 

flag, yet the government doesn’t support us. We don’t 

receive any financial aid from them, not even moral 

support,” he added. “We love to be a part of this sport, 

but the government should support us. It plays a very 

important role when international competitions are 

held. I took a break just to be able to train. When some 

of us are absent, our salaries are deducted; but now I 

am here to compete for my country, but receive no 

support,” he lamented. 

Faisal Al-Muhanna wants government recognition 

for the multi-sport activity. Al-Muhanna, began two 

years ago. He joined last year’s triathlon event and 

embarked on a journey to a competition held in 

France. “It’s really amazing for an athlete to combine 

the three sports together. It has an amazing impact on 

one’s self and confidence,” he added. Prior to the 

event, Al-Muhanna told Kuwait Times that all he ever 

wanted was to break his previous record. “We have to 

admit that there are tougher competitors out there. 

Being here today is quite an achievement. I will do my 

best but I am not expecting anything. My only goal is 

to break my previous year’s record,” he said. 

According to Muhanna, doing it for the second 

time is more relaxing. “My only concern is to be able 

to break my own record. I am not concerned with winning 

anymore. I prepared for this, and am very excited 

and hope I can make it again,” he added. Muhanna 

loves swimming and running. “My strength lies in 

swimming. I just love water, so I think I will do better 

at swimming. I also love diving. Running is my weakness. 

I am a bit on the heavier side but I love this sport 

very much. Whenever I have time, I spend it running, 

biking and swimming.” 

The Three Club prepares Al-Muhanna and his company 

for the ‘big’ day. They underwent training and 

months of preparation. “We’ve got good training, 

advice at the Club. We are lucky to have good coaches 

too.” 

Like Al-Muhanna, Anwar Al-Jawhar is also excited 

about joining the triathlon for the second time. “I 

began participating two years ago. I used to cycle just 

to keep my body fit. Then I decided to train and join a 

half marathon, only to have fun with my friends. We 

did that, and then eventually one of my friends suggested 

that we add swimming to our sports. I didn’t 

know that a sport named triathlon already existed! I 

am hooked and addicted to it,” he shared. He has 

spent most of his time training. “I only had a few 

opportunities to pamper myself by getting a massage 

or relaxing. Otherwise, I am enjoying it [triathlon] as a 

treat!” 

Local 

Kuwaiti triathletes sweat it out to keep our flag flying high in Abu Dhabi 

Anwar Al-Jawhar Ziad Al-Mutawa 

Wadha Al-Bader displays the Kuwaiti flag. — Photos by Ben Garcia 

Just three years into its establishment, the Abu- 

Dhabi Triathlon has gained immense popularity. In 

fact, over 62 countries participated in this year’s event. 

Kuwait has the biggest team representing GCC countries. 

Wadha Al-Bader, a female independent triathlete 

whom Friday Times has featured previously, was one 

of the athletes who represented Kuwait in Abu Dhabi. 

A Kuwaiti private club ‘The Three Club’ trained about 

15 triathletes from Kuwait. Among them were Al- 

Muhanna, Ziad Al-Mutawa, 29, Anwar Jawhar, 26, and 

Saleh Al-Duwaisan, 28. All of them expressed regret at 

the government’s failure to support their chosen 

activities, which they asserted could bring honour to 

the country. Kuwaitis competed along with 2,000 athletes 

including 50 elite or professional triathletes. 

Wadha has been part of the athletes who participated 

since the event’s inception in 2010 at Abu Dhabi. She 

also won several awards from other countries. 

Gaining popularity 

According to Al-Jawhar, triathlon’s popularity has 

been soaring over the past three years. “Kuwaiti participation, 

has almost doubled when compared to the 

previous year. My point is, the sport is becoming popular 

and we need Kuwaiti support for this,” he added. 

Triathlon, an adventure sport which involves a 

unique combination of swimming, cycling, and running, 

has many advantages. The race offers a selection 

of distances to accommodate athletes of all abilities. 

The 223-kilometre long course boasts a three kilometre 

swim, a 200 kilometre cycle, and a 20-kilometre 

closing run-the same distance. Newcomers’ prefer to 

tackle the short course at half length, with a 1.5-kilometre 

swim, a 100-kilometre cycle and a 10-kilometre 

run. In the sprint course, a 750-meter swim, a 50-kilometre 

biking session and a five-kilometre run are 

involved. Both short and sprint distance also offer the 

option of relay entry, encouraging like-minded 

friends, families and colleagues to take up the Abu- 

Dhabi International triathlon challenge. The prestigious 

event, which took place at the beginning of the 

month, saw a 27 percent rise.


KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is pictured with the organizers of 

the Kuwaiti folkloric festival held yesterday. — KUNA 

Amir attends folkloric festival 

KUWAIT: His Highness Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- 

Jaber Al-Sabah attended the Kuwaiti folkloric festival held 

yesterday, along with HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf 

Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Upon arrival, HH the Amir 

was received by Sheikh Dhari Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 

Chairman of the festival’s higher organizing committee 

and Sheikh Sabah Fahad Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Vice- 

Chairman and committee members. HH the Amir, in an 

opening statement said, “This annual gathering is living 

proof of unity and brotherhood enjoyed by people of the 

Gulf.” A documentary film was then shown, followed by a 

recitation of folkloric poems. HH the Amir, before departing 

the event, was gifted with a memento. HH the Amir 

was accompanied by Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah Deputy 

Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs and Mohammad 

Dheifallah Sharrar Advisor at Amiri Diwan. — KUNA 

KAC union on indefinite strike 

Strike to cause $1m loss every 4 hours 

By Nawara Fattahova 

KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways will halt its flights from 8 pm 

tomorrow until further notice due to a decision taken by 

KAC workers’ union to strike at Kuwait International 

Airport. KAC apologized to its customers in a statement 

saying it will not be able to serve them and this is 

beyond its control. The statement said KAC will resume 

operations according to their flight schedule as soon as 

the strike ends. 

Abdullah Al-Hajri, Chairman of the Union of Workers 

of Kuwait Airways Corporation and the following companies 

apologized to the passengers of Kuwait Airways for 

the inconvenience they will face tomorrow, as the workers 

will go on strike starting from 8:00 pm. 

The decision to hold the strike was taken during the 

union’s general assembly held last Tuesday. “We were 

forced to go on this strike as a result of the negligence 

of the government in not fulfilling its promises or realizing 

the deal signed with the union regarding 

allowance increase of KAC’s workers. This is a violation 

of local and international laws. All our demands are 

legal and not a grant,” Al-Hajri told the Friday Times 

yesterday. 

According to Al-Hajri, holding the strike is the legal 

right of the workers and not a political conflict or economic 

instability. “The labour unions defend the rights of 

its members and will fight for their legal demands. The 

government’s negligence led the unions to protest 

through a strike insisting their demands. Holding a strike 

is legal based on Article No 117 of the Kuwaiti 

Constitution as well as Article No 11 of Treaty no 3/1977 

of the Arab Labour Organization, which allows the union 

members to hold strikes, if they weren’t able to reach a 

resolution legally,” he said. 

This strike will completely paralyze all the flights and 

operations of KAC. “The strike will cause financial losses 

of about $1 million for every four hours of the strike. 

Stopping the operations of KAC will make people seek 

other companies, which is also a great loss for KAC,” he 

concluded. 

A well informed source in the KAC’s management 

told the Friday Times that the customers who purchased 

their tickets on the KAC flights will be compensated by 

replacing them with other carriers. The KAC statement 

announced the following alternatives for passengers: All 

reservations regarding medical treatment abroad will be 

evaluated, and may be rescheduled, or transferred to 

other countries. The statement said that passengers with 

tickets who did not fly yet will be refunded or should 

postpone travelling until operations resume. The third 

option proposed is for passengers who already flew out 

on return tickets to reschedule their flights or transfer 

their tickets to other carriers. The statement said that 

passengers can call 171 or visit a sales officer at accredited 

travel agencies for further information. 

By A Saleh 

KUWAIT: Deputy Premier and Finance Minister, Mustafa Al- 

Shamali, may submit his resignation, according to rumours yesterday. 

Al-Shamali is not in agreement with government decisions 

to make financial increases. They contradict his recommendations, 

which were based on accurate economic studies. 

Local 

Kuwait Embassy 

hosts gala dinner 

in Washington 

WASHINGTON: Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States Sheikh Salem Al- 

Sabah and his wife Sheikha Rima Al-Sabah, with the cooperation of the 

Kuwait-America Foundation and participation of CIA Director General David 

Petraeus held a gala dinner entitled ‘Saving the Future.’ 

The gala dinner raised $2.1 million to support women’s banking and economic 

empowerment in the Middle East. Guest of Honour, Director Petraeus 

praised and pointed out the generosity of Kuwait throughout the past two 

decades, and the support it offered to Americans in uniform. 

He affirmed that among the many reasons for him to attend this event 

was to “relate my gratitude for Kuwait’s kind support over the years.” He 

added, “No country could have been a better host to our forces.” He said, “We 

are here to help celebrate a very worthy cause, and also help celebrate a special 

relationship, bond, and friendship between Kuwait and the US.” 

He also expressed “deep appreciation for Kuwait’s Ambassador and his 

wife, and the Kuwait-America Foundation for the so many worthy causes 

“throughout the last eight years. Petraeus praised the deep relationship with 

Kuwait on a political and military level, saying Kuwait has “stood shoulder to 

shoulder with the US for many decades.” 

He shed light on the time he was in Kuwait in 1991, not long after the liberation 

of Kuwait and he has seen how Kuwait has suffered under the Saddam 

Hussein occupation. He said he returned to Kuwait several times since then 

and often visited the national memorial museum which has many powerful 

exhibits, “with a large portion dedicated to the fallen American coalition soldiers.” 

The US official also focused on the different causes the foundation has 

taken on over the years, saying that among the Foundation’s causes particularly 

close to his heart, is supporting American wounded warriors. He considered 

this year’s cause a ‘remarkable effort’ to help women by expanding micro 

financing opportunities “to bring greater stability and economic growth to the 

Middle Eastern nations that are facing political and socio-economic upheaval.” 

Patraeus added that the foundation’s efforts are “in short hugely significant 

initiatives,” saying he is appreciative of all it has done “in making a true difference 

on many levels in countries that have long suffered from underdevelopment.” 

He said, “it really is an honour to be here and a pleasure to be here and 

say thanks to Kuwait.” He affirmed that Kuwait’s “generosity is truly beyond 

comparison. There has been not only shared objectives and goals, but shared 

sacrifice and that unites us I think, forever.” 

Sheikh Salem said that he and his wife are delighted to host the eighth 

annual gala of the Kuwait Embassy to support Women’s World Banking 

(WWB). He said that the WWB will offer women loans for small projects in four 

Arab countries, which are Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan, hoping that 

through this gala, seeds of hope are planted that will benefit generations to 

come. Sheikh Salem affirmed that the embassy is very proud to have been 

able to raise more than $13 million over the past eight years for humanitarian 

causes such as educating girls, protecting the environment, and supporting 

wounded warriors.—KUNA 

WASHINGTON: Kuwaiti Ambassador to the United States, Sheikh Salem Al- 

Sabah, and his wife, Sheikha Rima Al-Sabah, are pictured with Humanitarian 

Award recipient actress and Goodwill Ambassador for UN WOMEN Nicole 

Kidman and her musician husband, Keith Urban. — KUNA 

Al-Shamali to submit resignation? 

Sources said he is unable to deal with MPs who are targeting him 

personally, as they are taking advantage of their Parliamentary 

majority. MP Musallam Al-Barrak said the Finance Minister is 

speechless in the face of violations in departments belonging to 

him, and wants to militarize the country. He said apart from the 

measly increase approved by the Civil Service Commission, his 

grilling will take place soon.


Brutal nomination 

fight lays 

ahead for 

Republicans 

Pakistan: Swiss 

couple held by 

Taleban is free 

China replaces 

leader hit by 

messy scandal 

15 17 18 

DAMASCUS: Syrians hold national flags as they rally in support of President Bashar al-Assad on the first anniversary of the anti-regime revolt in Damascus yesterday.—AFP 

Mutilated corpses dumped outside city of Idlib 

New ‘massacre’ as Syria crisis enters 2nd year 

DAMASCUS: Twenty-three mutilated corpses 

were found yesterday near a Syrian protest city 

seized by regime forces, monitors said, as the 

regime’s bloody crackdown entered its second 

year to a rising world outcry. Human rights 

monitors said the victims had been blindfolded 

and handcuffed before being shot dead and 

their bodies dumped outside the northwestern 

city of Idlib, in an apparent repeat of a similar 

“massacre” in the flashpoint city of Homs last 

weekend. 

As the Syrian regime and the opposition 

continued to trade blame for the earlier killings, 

both sides organized mass demonstrations to 

mark the first anniversary of the eruption of 

anti-government protests in the city of Daraa, 

south of the capital, which was again the scene 

of deadly violence on Wednesday. “Twentythree 

bodies with marks of extreme torture 

were found near Mazraat Wadi Khaled, west of 

the city of Idlib,” said the Syrian Observatory for 

Human Rights in a statement. 

It also said at least five others were killed in 

raids by security forces across the province of 

Idlib yesterday and that violent clashes broke 

out overnight as rebels attacked army posts in 

the eastern region of Deir Ezzor. On 

Wednesday, 37 people were killed in violence 

across Syria, 20 of them in Daraa, the Britainbased 

watchdog said. Human Rights Watch yesterday 

demanded an end to the “scorched earth 

methods” being deployed by President Bashar 

Al-Assad and that China and Russia stop blocking 

UN efforts to take tough action. 

“City after city, town after town, Syria’s security 

forces are using their scorched earth methods 

while the (UN) Security Council’s hands 

remain tied by Russia and China,” HRW’s Sarah 

Leah Whitson. “One year on, the Security 

Council should finally stand together and send 

a clear message to Assad that these attacks 

should end,” said the New York-based group’s 

Middle East director. Moscow and Beijing have 

since October blocked two Security Council 

draft resolutions on the crisis in Syria on the 

grounds that they were unbalanced and aimed 

at regime change. 

HRW said that “accounts from witnesses 

reveal significant destruction and a large number 

of deaths and injuries of civilians in Syria’s 

bombardment of the city of Idlib.” Syrian 

activists have compiled a list of 114 civilians 

killed since security forces launched their 

assault on Idlib, the watchdog said. The city fell 

to government forces on Tuesday night, two 

weeks after the regime stormed the Baba Amr 

district of Homs in central Syria, following a 

month-long blitz that activists said left hundreds 

dead. 

Following that offensive, residents of nearby 

neighborhoods reported finding the mutilated 

bodies of women and children. Activists posted 

video footage they said proved regime forces 

were to blame. The government blamed 

“armed terrorist gangs.” The Damascus government 

yesterday renewed its demands for foreign 

governments to leave Syrians to resolve 

the crisis by themselves and loyalists held mass 

demonstrations in the capital and other large 

cities. State television showed tens of thousands 

of people waving Syrian flags and Assad’s 

portrait in cities including Damascus, the second-largest 

city Aleppo and Latakia, a stronghold 

of Assad’s minority Alawite community on 

the Mediterranean coast. “After a whole year of 

pressure on Syria, we want to make the world 

hear our voice: Leave Syria in peace,” a woman 

on the street told the state broadcaster. The 

authorities, which have blamed the revolt on 

foreign-backed “terrorist gangs,” announced a 

“global march for Syria” to counter anti-regime 

demonstrations being organized by the opposition 

across the world. 

“For the lives lost in the battle for Syria,” was 

the slogan beamed across the television screen. 

Last week, the Syrian Observatory gave a breakdown 

of around 8,500 deaths in the past 12 

months: apart from 6,200 civilians, it said the 

toll included more than 1,800 members of 

Assad’s security forces and more than 400 

rebels. In neighboring Turkey, hundreds of 

Syrian activists in a “Freedom Convoy” left from 

the near city of Gaziantep for the border with 

Syria to mark the one-year anniversary. 

“Our goal is to put pressure in our way on 

the Syrian government to stop its massacres 

and its embargo on its own people,” Moayad 

Skaif, one of the organisers, told AFP. France, 

Syria’s former colonial ruler, acknowledged yesterday 

that the situation in the country was far 

too complex to be resolved by a Libya-style 

armed uprising with outside support. “The 

Syrian people is deeply divided and if we give 

arms to a particular faction of the opposition 

we could trigger a civil war between Christians, 

Alawites, Sunnis and Shiites,” Foreign Minister 

Alain Juppe warned. “It could become an even 

bigger catastrophe than we have now.”—AFP


TEHRAN: A senior Hamas figure in 

Gaza, Mahmud Zahar, is visiting 

Tehran for meetings with top Iranian 

officials, media reported yesterday. 

Zahar’s trip was taking place shortly 

after Gaza militants and Israel agreed a 

fragile truce that ended four days of 

deadly cross-border violence. 

Zahar, who serves as Hamas’s foreign 

minister, met his Iranian counterpart, 

Ali Akbar Salehi, who voiced his 

country’s support for the Palestinians. 

Salehi condemned Israeli air strikes on 

Gaza as “savage attacks by the Zionist 

regime against the innocent 

Palestinian population,” the official 

IRNA news agency reported. 

“Support for the Palestinian population 

is part of our principles and religious 

beliefs and we are certain that 

the Palestinian people will triumph,” 

he said. Zahar, in return, thanked Iran 

for its “limitless support.” On 

Wednesday, Zahar met the head of 

Iran’s supreme national security council, 

Saeed Jalili, and the leader of Iran’s 

parliament, Ali Larijani, the official 

IRNA news agency reported. Zahar’s 

visit followed one by Hamas leader 

Ismail Haniyeh last month, who shared 

the podium with Iranian President 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on February 

11 to commemorate the anniversary of 

Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

Israel and the United States consider 

Hamas to be an armed proxy of Iran 

able to strike Israel with Iranian-supplied 

rockets should the Islamic republic 

be threatened militarily. On 

International 

Top Hamas official visits Tehran 

Indian kidnapped 

in Philippines 

‘feared’ killed 

Wife, relatives deny reports 

KUWAIT: Philippines 

authorities were verifying 

unconfirmed 

reports that Biju Kolara 

Veettil, a Kuwait-based 

Indian national, who 

was kidnapped by militants 

in Philippines, was 

executed by the Abu 

Sayyaf militant group in 

the southern province 

of Sulu, according to 

reports yesterday. 

A Philippine-based 

news portal quoting 

Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra of the Sulu 

provincial police chief, reported that Biju Kolara Veetil, 

36, was reported to have been killed by his captors for 

still unknown reason . 

The authorities are citing reports that Biju was murdered 

even though his Filipina wife paid a ransom to 

the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in the southern 

province of Sulu, an Australian news paper reported. 

Australian adventurer Warren Rodwell is still kept as 

hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group, the daily reports. 

However there has been no confirmation about his 

fate since kidnappers sent a video to his wife a few 

days before Christmas in which he pleaded with his 

family to raise a $2 million ransom, said the Kuwaitbased 

web portal indiansinkuwait.com quoting 

reports. 

Biju, working in Kuwait as Operations Manager in 

Kuwait Bronze Al-Tawooz Company for the past nine 

years, was kidnapped while he was visiting his Filipina 

wife’s relatives in a southern Philippine island by a 

group who claimed themselves as members of Abu 

Sayyaf, an Islamist separatist group based in The 

Philippines about nine months back. 

He married a Philippine native, Eleena, who was also 

working in Kuwait, eight years ago. Biju, a native of 

Moodady near Koyilandy Taluk in Kozhikode District, 

Kerala, India is the son of Narayanan K, a retired Indian 

Army officer. 

Biju’s relatives when contacted informed that they 

did not have any confirmation about the news. His relatives 

contacted Biju’s wife and she denied the reports 

that she paid ransom to the abductors. She charged 

that some vested interest are spreading this false information 

to close the case officially. 

“But I just want to clarify that this is still subject to 

confirmation and we have no proof that he is alive or 

dead,” Sr Supt. Antonio Freyra, Sulu provincial police 

chief told reporters in Philippines. 

SANAA: It was a stunning attack by Al-Qaeda in a country 

that is one of the world’s hottest fronts against the terror 

group. Militants rampaged through an army camp in southern 

Yemen before dawn, catching soldiers asleep and 

killing more than 180. Amid the turmoil, the defense minister 

ordered helicopters to evacuate the wounded. The air 

force commander, Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar, refused, 

according to a senior official at the main air force base in 

Sanaa. Notably, al-Ahmar is a half brother of ousted leader 

Ali Abdullah Saleh. Many in the military and government 

say the refusal last week is one example of how Saleh is 

working behind the scenes to obstruct the new US -backed 

government as it tries to bring reform and step up the fight 

against Al-Qaeda militants in this impoverished Arab 

nation. Saleh was the fourth ruler to fall in the Arab Spring 

wave of revolts in the Mideast, stepping down in the face of 

protests after more than three decades in power. But while 

he’s no longer president, he has effectively emerged as a 

parallel ruler: His loyalists and relatives still pervade state 

bodies and military, and officials who back the new government 

say he uses those levers to persistently undermine 

them. The goal, they fear, is to pave the way for Saleh to 

return to power by showing the new government is incapable 

of dealing with the country’s multiple problems. 

Saleh has set up an office in the giant, extravagant Sanaa 

mosque that he built during his rule and that bears his 

name, just around the corner from the presidential palace. 

There he meets with his loyalists and powerful tribal leaders 

who back him. 

The result is constant friction between Saleh’s supporters 

and the new president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The 

Americans hope Hadi can reinvigorate the fight against Al- 

Qaeda, which many Yemenis say Saleh’s military waged 

only halfheartedly. Al-Qaeda’s branch here is seen by 

Washington as the most dangerous arm of the terror group 

after repeated attempts to carry out bombings on 

American soil. It only grew stronger during the past year’s 

turmoil, when militants seized control of several towns in 

the south, including Zinjibar, a provincial capital. 

US officials say the Pentagon plans to assist Hadi with 

Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu branded Gaza an 

“advance post for Iran,” which he 

explicitly accused of arming, financing 

and training militants in the 

Palestinian enclave. But Ahmed Yussef, 

a counsellor to the Hamas foreign ministry, 

earlier this month told AFP that 

“Iran does not need Hamas to respond 

to Israel in the event of an attack, 

because it has enormous military capabilities 

at its disposal, which allow it to 

act without us.”— AFP 

Yemenis: Ousted leader 

undermining Qaeda fight 

SANAA: In this Saturday, Dec 24, 2011 file photo, Yemen’s 

President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks to reporters during a press 

conference the Presidential Palace in Sanaa, Yemen. —AP 

about $75 million for military training and equipment. After 

talks in Sanaa last month, President Barack Obama’s top 

counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, said Hadi was 

“committed to destroying Al-Qaeda.” But Brennan acknowledged 

Hadi could face resistance in reforming an army that 

is seen as hobbled by corruption and divided loyalties. He 

said some in the military “have tried to take advantage of 

their positions for personal gain.”—AP 

Kurd leader slams Baghdad 

officials as ‘failures’ 

ARBIL: The leader of Iraq’s autonomous 

Kurdistan said yesterday that central government 

officials who did not acknowledge 

the region’s oil contracts were vindictive 

“failures”. “The officials in the central 

government who refuse to admit 

these contracts are failures who could not 

give to Iraq what we give to our people in 

Kurdistan,” Massud Barzani said in a 

speech in Kurdish regional capital Arbil. 

“They want us to be like them.” He continued: 

“The problem is not whether these 

contracts violate the constitution or not, 

but that they (central government offi- 

cials) do not want the region to develop.” 

Barzani did not explicitly name any of the 

officials he was referring to. The central 

government in Baghdad and Kurdistan 

regional authorities have been locked in a 

prolonged dispute over oil contracts with 

foreign energy firms. The Kurdistan region 

has signed around 40 contracts with international 

companies on a production-sharing 

basis without seeking the express 

approval of the central government’s oil 

ministry. The federal oil ministry, meanwhile, 

has awarded energy contracts to 

international companies on the basis of a 

per-barrel service fee. It has also refused to 

sign deals with any firm that has agreed a 

contract with Kurdistan. That refusal was 

put in the spotlight in October, when 

Kurdistan inked a deal with ExxonMobil to 

explore six areas of the region. The US firm 

had previously signed a contract with 

Baghdad to ramp up production at the 

West Qurna-1 field, Iraq’s second-biggest. 

Iraq has said the oil giant must choose 

between the two contracts. Baghdad has 

also yet to approve an oil and gas law that 

would regulate the sector, with proposals 

languishing for several years.— AFP

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 , 2012 

CAIRO : Egypt’s top prosecutor yesterday 

charged 75 people in connection 

with a deadly soccer riot last month in 

the Mediterranean city of Port Said in 

which authorities said fans were 

thrown to their death off the stadium 

walls and others killed by explosives 

as they tried to flee. Scores of fans face 

murder charges and nine police officers 

were accused of complicity in 

murder, in the Feb 1 riot that left at 

least 74 people dead. It was the 

world’s worst soccer-related disaster 

in 15 years. 

The riot began minutes after the 

final whistle in a league game 

between Cairo club al-Ahly and Al- 

Masry of Port Said. The home side 

won 3-1 but its fans set upon the rival 

supporters in a killing frenzy that witnesses 

said lasted 30 minutes. Many 

witnesses claimed that policemen at 

the venue did nothing to stop the 

bloodshed. The riot shocked soccer 

crazy Egypt, deepening the sense of 

uncertainty felt by many as their 

nation continues to be roiled by 

unrest a year after the ouster of longtime 

authoritarian leader Hosni 

Mubarak. That senior police officers 

were charged in connection with the 

tragedy would lend credence to persistent 

claims that the nation’s much 

hated police were deliberately turning 

a blind eye to the wave of violent 

crime gripping Egypt over the past 

year. Police have yet to fully retake the 

streets after they melted away in yetnot-fully-explained 

circumstances on 

the fourth day of the 18-day popular 

uprising that toppled Mubarak. An 

end to police brutality was among the 

main root causes of the uprising and 

many rights activists believe the 

police’s apparent reluctance to restore 

security is payback for their humiliating 

defeat in the face of millions of 

unarmed protesters. 

A statement issued by the office of 

the nation’s prosecutor general said 

nine police officers, including six 

major generals and a colonel, participated 

in the Port Said riot by way of 

“assistance” to al-Masry fans. They said 

the officers, along with several al- 

Masry officials, knew in advance that 

the home fans planned to attack al- 

Ahly supporters. They, said the statement, 

allowed al-Masry fans to exceed 

by 3,000 the maximum number 

authorized to attend the game and 

did not search any of them for 

weapons before they were allowed 

inside the ground. Many of the 

charged fans were criminals known to 

the local police, it said. 

It said the police at the match’s 

venue did nothing to stop al-Masry 

fans from attacking their rivals. “Those 

from the police among the defendants 

failed to take any measure ... to 

maintain security, protect lives and 

property,” it said, in what is probably 

the strongest official condemnation 

since Mubarak’s ouster of the police’s 

attitude toward the rise of crime in 

Egypt. 

The nine police officers included 

Maj. Gen. Issam Samak, who was Port 

Said’s chief of security at the time of 

the riot. Samak has already been suspended. 

The statement said the 

charges were based on video footage 

of the riot and the confessions of suspects. 

It said the killing of the protesters 

was planned in advance and that 

International 

Israeli aircraft hit Gaza in response to rockets 

JERUSALEM: Israeli aircraft and Gaza 

rocket squads traded strikes across the 

border yesterday as the Israeli prime 

minister blamed Iran for the violence 

from the Palestinian territory. 

Benjamin Netanyahu, going a step further 

in his warnings to Iran, hinted that 

Israel didn’t need Washington’s blessing 

to go ahead and attack Iran’s suspect 

nuclear program. Yesterday’s 

cross-border violence tested a shaky 

truce Israel and Gaza militants reached 

earlier this week to halt a four-day flare 

in fighting. Since then, sporadic rocket 

fire and Israeli airstrikes have persisted. 

Israeli aircraft struck two militant 

SUSA: In this picture taken on Feb 16, 2012, Iranian 

Jewish and Muslim women pray at the tomb of biblical 

prophet Daniel, in the city of Susa, some 450 miles ( 750 

kilometers) southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. —AP 

Worries over 

Iranian Jews if 

Israel attacks 

JERUSALEM: All but lost amid the heated talk about a possible 

Israeli attack on Iran’s suspect nuclear program are the 

thousands of Jews who live in the Islamic Republic and could 

be caught in the middle. Although Iran has a history of treating 

its Jewish minority fairly well, some Iranian Jews who have 

emigrated to Israel worry that an Israeli attack could expose 

family and friends still in Iran to retaliation. 

Iran’s government is “unstable and unpredictable. If there 

is a war, you can’t tell what the response to the community 

will be,” said Kamal Penhasi, who runs Israel’s only Persian 

newspaper, Shahyad, and its companion website. The level of 

worry among Jews in Iran themselves is harder to measure. At 

a tomb in southern Iran said to be the grave of the biblical 

prophet Daniel - a popular pilgrimage site for Iranian Jews - 

those visiting on a recent day were reluctant to talk about politics 

or the rising tensions between Iran and Israel, preferring 

to talk about their visit. 

“I prayed for peace in the world. I asked for health and 

blessing for all people, I prayed for all,” said Erieh Dina, after 

she recited prayers in Hebrew next to her husband in front of 

the grave. The rising crisis illustrates the uneasy situation of 

Iran’s Jews, the largest community in the Middle East outside 

of Israel and Turkey. They are believed to number around 

25,000, after two major waves of emigration following Israel’s 

founding in 1948 and the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Before 

the revolution they numbered around 100,000. 

Many in the community, centered in Tehran and the southern 

city of Shiraz, are affluent merchants. Publicly, they are 

supportive of a system that offers them protected minority 

status - though not equal access to certain government and 

military jobs - and assures them a seat in the Iranian parliament. 

“No matter who dares to attack our country, we will 

stand against the threats like other Iranian people,” the current 

Jewish lawmaker in the Iranian parliament, Siamak 

Merehsedq, told The Associated Press in Tehran. “The Iranian 

Jewish community will stand by their compatriots under any 

circumstance, forever.”— AP 

sites in Gaza before dawn yesterday in 

response to rocket fire a day earlier. 

Gaza gunmen retaliated by launching 

two rockets at Israel by midday, police 

said. 

No injuries were reported on either 

side. In a speech to parliament on 

Wednesday, Netanyahu accused Iran 

of arming, financing and training Gaza 

militants, and giving them their marching 

orders. “Gaza is Iran,” Netanyahu 

declared. Israel considers Iran to be its 

most fearsome enemy, in large part 

because it is convinced Tehran is 

developing atomic weapons technology, 

despite its claims its nuclear pro- 

gram is peaceful. 

In the US last week, where he met 

with President Barack Obama, 

Netanyahu was markedly more vocal 

about Israel’s willingness to attack 

Iran’s program, alone if necessary, 

though he said no decision had been 

made on whether to strike. On 

Wednesday, he ratcheted up the 

tough talk, suggesting Israel would be 

ready to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities 

even if the US objected. 

“Israel has never left its fate to others, 

not even the best of its friends,” he 

said, citing Israel’s 1981 attack on an 

unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor, which 

at the time was condemned by the US. 

Also yesterday, an Israeli soldier was 

stabbed on Jerusalem’s light rail, and 

police apprehended a Palestinian suspect 

at a Jerusalem crossing into the 

West Bank, police spokesman Micky 

Rosenfeld said. He had no further 

details on the suspect or a possible 

motive for the attack on the train, 

which went into service in August. 

A hospital official said the soldier 

was in serious condition with stab 

wounds near her heart. Train service 

was halted while a preliminary investigation 

at the scene of the attack was 

carried out, Rosenfeld—AP 

Egypt charges 75 people 

in deadly soccer riot 

officers charged in connection with tragedy 

CAIRO: Thousands of hardcore Egyptian supporters of Al-Ahly football club 

chant slogans during a march in central Cairo yesterday to demand justice for 

the dozens of comrades killed in stadium violence last month. —AFP 

the culprits prepared for the massacre 

with knifes, rocks and explosives. Fans 

from the two teams have a history of 

animosity, but no one had expected 

that the heated rivalry could turn murderous. 

It described how al-Masry fans 

threw al-Ahly supports to their death 

from the terraces and how they detonated 

explosives in their midst as they 

became trapped in a corridor leading 

to an exit gate. Among those charged 

is the chief electrical engineer of the 

Port Said stadium, a fact that alludes 

to numerous witness accounts that 

power inexplicably went out at the 

venue minutes after the final whistle. 

The darkness, according to witnesses, 

helped the assailants to attack with 

impunity. 

The Port Said riot led to the cancellation 

of the soccer league and 

sparked days of clashes in Cairo 

between police and protesters accusing 

the Interior Ministry, which is in 

charge of police, of doing nothing to 

protect al-Ahly fans. The Egyptian soccer 

federation has yet to punish al- 

Masry for the riot. It is widely expected 

to relegate the team to a lower league 

and ban any official games from being 

played on its grounds.— AP


LONDON: News Corp. executive James 

Murdoch has acknowledged that he could 

have done more to get to grips with the 

phone hacking scandal that has rocked 

Britain and threatened his place as the likely 

heir to his father’s global media empire. 

Murdoch’s admission came Wednesday in 

a seven-page letter written to British parliamentarians 

investigating the scandal. In 

it, the 39-year-old repeated his insistence 

that he didn’t know the extent of the illegal 

behavior at his now-defunct News of 

the World tabloid newspaper, saying that 

the details had been hidden from him by 

members of his staff. 

“It would have been better if I had 

asked more questions,” Murdoch told the 

House of Commons’ media committee. 

“However the truth is that incomplete 

answers and what now appear to be false 

assurances were given to the questions 

that I asked.” Murdoch has already 

appeared twice before lawmakers, who 

grilled him in detail about what he knew 

about the phone hacking scandal and 

alleged attempts to conceal evidence of 

illegal activity. 

Murdoch was the one who signed off 

on a substantial settlement to one of the 

first known victims of the practice. The 

company’s former in-house lawyer has said 

the payoff was aimed at keeping a lid on 

the scandal, but Murdoch says he had no 

knowledge of wider wrongdoing and was 

merely following expert advice. Critics say 

that Murdoch was either in on the cover 

up or too incompetent to realize what he 

was agreeing to, with lawmaker Tom 

Watson famously accusing Murdoch of 

being “the first mafia boss in history who 

doesn’t know he’s at the head of a criminal 

enterprise.” 

In his letter, Murdoch mounted his 

most detailed defense yet, accusing his former 

lieutenants of working behind his 

back, acting without his authorization, and 

giving inconsistent testimony to 

Parliament. In contrast, he said, “My evi- 

dence has always been consistent.” It’s not 

certain whether lawmakers will accept that 

last claim. Murdoch initially denied knowing 

anything about a critical piece of evidence 

which suggested, as far back as 

2008, that illegal behavior went much further 

than was being publicly acknowledged. 

Contradicted by former members 

of staff, Murdoch later changed his story, 

saying that while he was told about the 

damning evidence, its importance wasn’t 

explained to him. News International’s 

attempts to conceal the scope of the scandal 

fell apart after the Guardian and The 

New York Times revealed that phone hacking 

was endemic at the News of the World, 

an expose which has led to the paper’s closure 

and the arrests of dozens of journalists 

and other officials. 

The British newspaper arm of Rupert 

Murdoch’s News Corp. has made cash settlements 

to 58 victims, including celebrities, 

politicians and the families of crime 

victims. James Murdoch himself has 

International 

James Murdoch: ‘I could have asked more questions’ 

MINSK: Zhanna Litvina, the head of the Belarusian 

Association of Journalists, center, and Mikhas Yanchuk, a 

journalist of Belsat channel, right, show their passport 

with a stamp that bans them leaving the country during a 

news conference in Minsk, Belarus yesterday.—AP 

Belarus bars 

government critics 

from going abroad 

MINSK: Belarus’ authoritarian government has stepped up its 

crackdown on dissent by barring the regime’s critics from foreign 

trips, some of those affected said yesterday. Zhanna 

Litvina, the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, a 

media freedom watchdog, said authorities banned her from 

leaving for Warsaw yesterday. “I felt like a North Korean citizen 

in the center of Europe,” she said. 

Several other critics of Belarus’ authoritarian President 

Alexander Lukashenko say they have been denied permission 

to go on foreign trips during the past week, learning about it 

once they were already at the airport. Officials have refused to 

comment on reports the government has compiled a list of 

journalists, opposition activists and human rights defenders 

forbidden to leave the 10-million nation wedged between 

Russia and Poland. 

“The government’s action is illegal,” said Valentin 

Stefanovich, the head of Vyasna rights center. “It amounts to a 

list of hostages.” The ban would contradict a Belarusian law 

that only allows authorities to deny exit for debtors, draft 

dodgers and criminal suspects. 

Lukashenko, who Western rights group have called 

Europe’s last dictator, has been in office since 1994. He has 

relentlessly cracked down on opposition groups and independent 

media. Belarusian rights activists say that 12 opposition 

activists, including two former presidential candidates, 

are in prison on political charges. Last month, the European 

Union introduced new sanctions against Belarus over repression 

of the political opposition and recalled its envoys from 

the Belarusian capital.— AP 

SIERRE: Grieving parents laid flowers yesterday 

at the site of a bus crash in the 

Swiss Alps which killed 22 children as 

investigators tried to work out why the 

driver ploughed into a tunnel wall. After 

visiting the morgue to identify the bodies 

of the 28 victims, including six adults, relatives 

were driven from their hotel to the 

Sierre tunnel where teams were poring 

over debris in a bid to resolve the mystery 

behind the tragedy. 

An AFP correspondent at the scene 

said the relatives could be seen clutching 

bouquets and messages as they boarded 

their coach. A young girl was among the 

party although it was not immediately 

clear whether she was a sister of one of 

the victims or a crash survivor. “The visits 

are going on at the moment. They have 

been organised for the whole day on the 

request of the families,” a police 

spokesman told AFP. The tunnel remains 

closed to the public and the media were 

kept at a distance. 

After police said they did not believe 

the driver of the coach had been speeding, 

Swiss authorities acknowledged there 

would be a rethink about safety designs in 

the tunnel which stretches some 2.5 kilometres. 

Forty-six children and four teachers 

from two Belgian schools were returning 

home from a skiing holiday late 

Tuesday when their coach slammed into a 

concrete wall in the motorway tunnel in 

southern Switzerland. 

Twenty-one of the dead were from 

Belgium while the other seven fatalities 

were from the Netherlands. Two C-130 

Hercules transport planes belonging to 

the Belgian army were on standby to bring 

back the bodies of the dead, Defence 

Minister Pieter De Crem announced late 

Wednesday on his return from a visit to 

the crash site. As the parents arrived at the 

morgue, a police spokesman confirmed to 

AFP that some of the bodies would be 

repatriated to Belgium later in the day. 

“The families are there to identify the 

bodies and to give information to help in 

the formal identification of those who cannot 

be identified” visually, the spokesman 

told AFP. The body of the driver however 

was expected to remain as “health analyses 

have to be carried out” to check if he 

was suffering from an illness that could 

have caused the accident. It is believed 

that the coach clipped a kerb and then 

slammed into the wall of a rectangular 

emergency stop area. 

The Zurich daily Tages-Anzeiger said 

“the collision has occurred because of that 

wall”, noting that the design was common 

throughout the country. The 100 kilometre 

(60-mile) per hour speed limit was also 

questioned by the press. “Will the speed 

limit be lowered for heavy vehicles or will 

the design of the emergency stop areas be 

modified?” asked the Geneva-based Le 

Temps. 

A spokesman for the federal roads service 

did not rule out that the accident 

would lead to a rethink about the rightangle 

shape of the emergency stop areas 

in tunnels. “For the moment, the emergency 

stop areas have this shape as called 

for by regulations,” said Antonello 

resigned from News International, 

although he retains a senior position in 

News Corp. and said in his letter that those 

who saw his resignation as a tacit admission 

of guilt were wrong. “I have not misled 

Parliament,” he said. “I did not know 

about, nor did I try to hide, wrongdoing.” 

In a separate development, police said that 

a 51-year-old man was arrested 

Wednesday on suspicion of intimidating a 

witness. Scotland Yard said the man taken 

into custody had been previously arrested 

on April 5, 2011. Police did not identify the 

man, but The Associated Press had identified 

a man arrested that day as former 

News of the World reporter Neville 

Thurlbeck, who was 50 at the time. Police 

later said he had been released and would 

return to face more questions next month, 

following further investigation. 

Thurlbeck later posted messages to his 

Twitter account to criticize police for getting 

his age wrong - he said he is 50, not 

51 as police had said. —AP 

Parents visit crash site after 

Alps mystery coach tragedy 

Officials investigate driver’s plough into tunnel wall 

HAVERLEE: A note that reads: “courage to the mums and dads, brothers and 

sisters, friends, from Eline and Nele”, is placed next to candles and flowers, in 

front of the Sint Lambertus school in Heverlee, Belgium yesterday.—AP 

Laveglia.”It’s clear that with what has happened, 

it’s not excluded that something 

will be re-discussed or changed,” he said. 

“The accident is an occasion to think further 

on this topic.” The coach had only just 

reached the motorway after a short 

descent along winding roads from the 

mountain ski resort, close to the Italian 

border. Marianne Van Malderen, a Belgian 

motorist who arrived at the scene shortly 

after the crash, described children pinned 

under their seats or thrown towards the 

front of the coach. 

“We did what we could to get out 

those who were unhurt,” but “it wasn’t 

possible to climb into the coach because 

its windows were so high up”, she said. 

While Switzerland pondered how the 

tragedy had occurred, the overwhelming 

emotion in Belgium was grief. “Belgium 

Weeps for its Children,” read the headline 

in the French-language newspaper la 

Derniere Heure as people called into 

morning radio shows to express their sorrow 

over the accident.—AFP


Mozambique denies 

cutting Zimbabwe 

power over debts 

HARARE: Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa dam yesterday 

denied cutting power to Zimbabwe, which had claimed 

the state-owned company had pulled the plug over 

unpaid bills totaling around $75 million. “Hydro Cahora 

Bassa switched off supplies to Zimbabwe on Thursday or 

Friday last week over the money owed which is around 

$75 million or $76 million,” Energy and Power 

Development Minister Elton Mangoma told AFP. 

“We are now switching off defaulters as part of efforts 

to raise the money,” he said. But the Cahora Bassa dam, 

which supplies nearly a fifth of the power it produces to 

Zimbabwe, said this was not the case. “We would like to 

inform you that we have not cut electricity to Zimbabwe. 

That information is misinformed,” Rosaque Guale, a board 

member of the state-owned Cahora Bassa Hydropower 

Company told AFP. 

Several suburbs of the capital Harare have gone for 

days without electricity, while other places suffer up to 10 

hours of power cuts, as the utility Zimbabwe Electricity 

Supply Authority (ZESA) comes under pressure to save 

power. Zimbabwe needs 2,200 megawatts of electricity at 

peak but generates just 1,300 megawatts and imports the 

remainder, including 100 to 185 megawatts from Hydro 

Cahora Bassa. The dam produces 2,075 megawatts of 

energy a year. South Africa buys 65 percent, while 

Zimbabwe gets a 19-percent share. Last month, Mangoma 

warned a parliamentary committee that Zimbabwe risked 

being cut off if it failed to settle its debt with Hydro. He 

said ZESA had accumulated almost a billion dollars in 

unpaid electricity imports, unserviced loans and outstanding 

contributions to a joint power project with 

neighbouring Zambia. The firm also plans to introduce 

pre-paid meters to improve its revenue collection. Last 

year ZESA announced it would hand out more than 5.5 

million power-saving fluorescent light bulbs to households 

across the country to curb consumption. — AFP 

NAIROBI: Bomb attacks in Nigeria, Kenya and 

Somalia rose in 2011 as Al-Qaeda-affiliated terror 

groups used more sophisticated devices to 

kill more people with each explosion, the 

Pentagon’s anti-IED unit said. Nigeria saw a 

nearly fourfold jump in the number of improvised 

explosive device incidents last year, while 

Kenya saw an 86 percent increase, according to 

the unit. Underscoring the threat, both nations 

saw deadly blasts last weekend: A car bomb 

attack on a church during Mass in Nigeria and 

grenades thrown at Kenyans as they waited at a 

crowded bus stop. 

Militants last year began using a deadlier 

type of bomb known as a shaped charge for the 

first time in both Somalia and Nigeria, John 

Myrick, a US military bomb expert told The 

Associated Press. Advanced bomb-makers use 

shaped charges to increase the force of a bomb 

so that it can penetrate armor. 

Such deadly explosives were used repeatedly 

by militants at the height of the Iraq war, and to 

a lesser extent in Afghanistan. The migration of 

the deadlier bombs to Africa is evidence that 

more sophisticated Al-Qaeda-linked groups are 

advising and training African militants. While 

Somalia saw only a small increase in attacks, the 

newer technology lead to greater casualties and 

deeper impact on Africa Union forces, Myrick 

said. On Wednesday, a suicide bomb attack 

aimed at the main government compound in 

Mogadishu killed at least three people, said the 

spokesman for the African Union force known as 

AMISOM. Bombs in Somalia “are definitely more 

sophisticated and they’re definitely more effective 

against AMISOM armored vehicles, which 

represents an advance in the capabilities of the 

insurgents,” said Myrick, the chief of the global 

missions task force for the Pentagon’s Joint IED 

ABUJA: Nigeria’s government has in 

the last week held its first indirect peace 

talks with Islamist sect Boko Haram, 

meeting mediators to discuss a possible 

ceasefire, political and diplomatic 

sources told Reuters yesterday. Two 

people close to Boko Haram have been 

carrying messages back and forth 

between the sect’s self-proclaimed 

leader Abubakar Shekau and government 

officials, the sources, who asked 

not to be named, said. 

It was not clear whether any mediators 

met with President Goodluck 

Jonathan himself. A presidency 

spokesman said he could not immediately 

comment. Boko Haram has said it 

wants to impose sharia, or Islamic, law 

across a country split equally between 

Christians and Muslims. The group has 

killed hundreds this year in bomb and 

gun attacks, mostly in the majority 

Muslim north of Africa’s top oil producer. 

“BH (Boko Haram) has mentioned a 

conditional ceasefire but it wants all its 

members released from prison. The government 

sees this as unacceptable but is 

willing to release foot soldiers,” a traditional 

leader and civil rights activist 

involved in the talks told Reuters, asking 

not to be named. 

“It is the first time a ceasefire has 

been mentioned, so it is a massive posi- 

tive, but given the lack of trust a resolution 

is still a way off,” he added. 

Jonathan’s national security adviser, 

General Owoye Andrew Azazi, told 

Reuters in January that Nigeria was considering 

making contact with moderate 

members of the shadowy Boko Haram 

via “back channels”. A source at the 

presidency confirmed that efforts are 

being made to reach out to the sect’s 

negotiators, but that direct talks had not 

yet begun. A well-respected Islamic cleric 

has been contacted to reach out to 

them, he said. 

Shekau has appeared in two video 

tapes posted on YouTube in January 

claiming leadership of the sect and making 

bellicose threats against security 

forces. Since then, however, Nigeria’s 

military has made some key arrests and 

senior members of the sect have been 

killed, while the sophistication and scale 

of its attacks have fallen since a wave of 

deadly strikes from November to 

January. Two security sources said one 

of the people involved in the negotiations 

was a close ally of Mohammed 

Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram who 

died in police custody in 2009, triggering 

a widespread violent uprising by the 

sect. They were both members of a 

group called the Spring Council of 

Sharia. Shekau has not said the group 

International 

Nigeria starts mediated 

talks with Boko Haram 

Defeat Organization. Myrick said that the more 

effective bombs and attacks “indicate an 

increase in logistical support from some of the 

more sophisticated groups on the continent, 

and also an increase in training.” 

Specifically, the anti-IED unit says Al-Qaeda’s 

North African branch is increasing support to 

Nigerian militants, and another affiliate, Al- 

Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), is supporting 

Somali militant groups. Nigeria saw 196 

bomb incidents in 2011, compared with 52 incidents 

in 2010, US military numbers show. An 

incident is when a bomb detonates or is discovered 

before detonation. The Pentagon’s anti-IED 

Discussion of possible ceasefire 

unit expects Nigeria to see a slight increase in 

bomb incidents this year, before attack numbers 

plateau because militants will have reached 

their capacity to produce them, Myrick said. 

The Joint IED Defeat Organization says mili- 

tants are increasingly targeting events that will 

produce mass casualties. A Christmas Day blast 

that struck St. Theresa Catholic Church near 

Nigeria’s capital killed 44 people. Nigeria Police 

Commissioner Ambrose Aisabor, who oversees 

the Nigeria Police Force’s anti-bomb squad, 

blamed the increase on a radical Islamist sect 

known as Boko Haram, whose name means 

“Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa 

was interested in dialogue in his videos 

and neither has the group’s spokesman, 

Abu Qaqa, who holds sporadic telephone 

interviews with local media in the 

sect’s heartland of Maiduguri. But they 

have not ruled them out completely 

either. Jonathan told Reuters in January 

that the government was open to dialogue 

but said sect members were hidden 

and therefore direct talks were 

unlikely. He noted that talks to resolve 

the conflict in the oil producing Niger 

Delta, that ended with an amnesty in 

2009, were different in that officials 

knew who the militants’ leaders were 

and how to contact them. Jonathan had 

previously drawn fire for treating Boko 

Haram as a purely security matter, rather 

than as a problem requiring a political 

solution that would address northern 

grievances. The military’s efforts to stem 

the sect’s insurgency have had mixed 

results in the past, with human rights 

groups saying heavy-handed tactics 

have worsened resentment of authorities. 

But more recently there have been 

arrests of senior figures and some have 

died in clashes with security forces, 

security sources say. They include Abu 

Qaqa, Nigeria’s secret service have said, 

although a man claiming to be him 

phoned journalists to say it was another 

senior figure. —Reuters 

Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria bombings deadlier in 2011 

MOGADISHU: In this Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011 file photo, Somalis carry a wounded man at the 

scene of a suicide explosion which killed more than 100 people in Mogadishu, Somalia. —AP 

language of Nigeria’s north. 

“Since the past two years, the activities of 

Boko Haram have been on the increase,” he told 

AP. “A lot of IEDs are being detonated in the 

northeastern part of the country.” Officers with 

the anti-bomb squad recently returned from a 

US training session on explosives organized by 

the US Embassy and the FBI. The FBI already has 

an agent working with Nigerian authorities on 

improvised explosives and how to conduct 

investigations after a bombing, US Ambassador 

Terence P. McCulley has told AP. 

Still, the police force remains mired by ineffective 

training inside the country, poor equipment 

and a corrupt system that drives officers to 

seek bribes on a regular basis. The poor training 

was apparent Feb. 14, when a bomb squad officer 

approached a suspicious plastic bag in the 

city of Kaduna, where other explosives had detonated 

that day. Video by the state-run Nigerian 

Television Authority showed the officer, wearing 

no protective gear, look inside the bag. The 

explosives detonated, killing him instantly. 

State-run TV aired the video throughout the 

day, intensifying fears of a public already overwhelmed 

by Boko Haram violence. Across Africa, 

the US military said the number of IED incidents 

rose from 547 in 2010 to 626 last year, a 14 percent 

increase. Algeria saw the number of bomb 

incidents drop from 251 to 137. 

Somalia saw a slight rise - from 182 to 191 - 

while incidents in neighboring Kenya jumped 

from 14 to 26. Many of Kenya’s bomb attacks 

were near the Somali border and appeared to 

have been planted by Somali militants Al- 

Shabab. Kenya also suffered several grenade 

attacks in its capital. Al-Shabab denied it was 

behind last weekend’s grenade blasts, which 

killed nine people.—AP


MEXICO CITY: The Mexican army said 

Wednesday that it has made a record 

seizure of opiates, about 3.6 metric tons 

of a dark liquid that contains heroin. 

Experts said the liquid may be opium 

paste being processed into heroin. A 

Mexican Defense Department press 

statement called it “the most important 

seizure of this drug in the history of the 

army and air force.” 

Authorities did not say how much 

heroin it would produce, but in general 

a kilogram of opium paste can yield 

about one-tenth as much of the drug. 

The largest previous seizure of opiates 

was 245 kilograms (540 pounds) of opium 

paste found in Guerrero in January 

2011. The Defense Department had said 

that seizure would have yielded over 

600,000 doses of heroin. 

The latest seizure was made when 

soldiers found dozens of large plastic 

containers with over 3,600 liters of the 

dark liquid on Feb. 1 during a raid on a 

drug lab in Coyuca de Catalan, a mountain 

town in the Pacific coast state of 

Guerrero, near the border with 

Michoacan, the department said 

Wednesday. 

The department did not explain why 

the seizure was not made public for 

over a month, but noted that in order to 

accurately identify the liquid, it had 

referred the substance to civilian prose- 

cutors for tests. The rugged mountains 

of Guerrero state, along with a few other 

Pacific coast states, have long been 

known as areas where opium poppies 

are grown. But Mexican drug traffickers 

did not often process opium past into 

heroin in the past; most of the heroin 

trafficked through Mexico came from 

Colombia. 

However, in recent year experts have 

warned that opium production and processing 

in Mexico may be growing. “The 

availability of heroin in the United 

States ... is increasing as a result of 

increased production in Mexico,” the US 

Justice Department said in its 2011 

National Drug Threat Assessment. “The 

International 

Mexico army says it seizes record cache of opiates 

VIRGINIA: Celeste Peterson, mother of shooting victim 

Erin Perterson, right, cries after a verdict on Wednesday in 

Christiansburg, Va. Jurors deliberated for 3 1/2 hours 

before siding with the parents of two students who were 

killed on April 16, 2007, in the most deadly mass shooting 

in modern US history. —AP 

Virginia Tech 

verdict likely not 

the last legal word 

VIRGINIA: After a jury concluded Wednesday that Virginia Tech 

officials were negligent in their actions leading up to the deadliest 

mass shooting in US history, the state is giving strong signals 

of appealing the case. The verdict in the wrongful death lawsuit 

is the latest of three decisions that have faulted the university 

for its actions on April 16, 2007, when it hesitated at letting students 

know of a gunman on campus who ultimately fatally shot 

32 people before killing himself. 

Jurors sided with the parents of two students slain in the massacre 

- Julia Pryde and Erin Peterson - that officials should have 

known the campus was at risk without a gunman in custody. The 

parents said the botched response led to the deaths of their 

daughters. Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said after 

the verdict that the school would review the case with the attorney 

general’s office before deciding on any further options. 

“We are disappointed with today’s decision and stand by our 

long-held position that the administration and law enforcement 

at Virginia Tech did their absolute best with the information available 

on April 16, 2007,” Owczarski said in a statement. Likewise, 

the attorney general’s office said it was discussing “our options” 

with the Virginia Tech administration on an appeal. Officials stuck 

with their argument that President Charles Steger and other university 

officials relied on the best information they had that 

morning involving the rampage by student gunman Seung Hui 

Cho. “The un-contradicted evidence presented at trial established 

that it was the unanimous decision of three law enforcement 

agencies that the mass shooting was simply not foreseeable,” the 

attorney general’s office said in a statement after the verdict. 

“Only with hindsight can one conclude that Cho’s unprecedented 

acts were foreseeable.” 

The parents said their persistence is what their daughters 

would have wanted. They were the only eligible families to reject 

their share of an $11 million dollar settlement in 2008, instead 

taking the state to court in a wrongful death lawsuit.—AP 

WASHINGTON: Republican front-runner 

Mitt Romney has repeatedly failed 

to win over the party’s conservative 

base and now faces a brutal and 

extended political battle with Rick 

Santorum, a fight that could weaken 

whichever candidate who wins the 

nomination to challenge President 

Barack Obama in November. When the 

Republicans began their campaigns for 

the nomination months ago, Obama 

was seen as a vulnerable incumbent, 

weighed down by an economy that was 

struggling to recover from the deepest 

downturn the United States had suffered 

since the Great Depression of the 

1930s. 

But since late last summer, as one 

Republican hopeful after another 

gained and then lost the support of the 

party’s conservative base, the economy 

also began showing signs of a sustained 

recovery. That in turn strengthened 

Obama’s standing and led Republicans 

to stray from the economic message 

into deeply divisive social issues like 

contraception. 

That detour energized conservative 

Republicans behind Santorum’s ultraconservative 

message and again 

focused their distrust of Romney over 

his past moderate stands on key social 

issues such as abortion and gay rights. 

Throughout it all Romney also was 

heavily weighed down by having 

presided as governor of Massachusetts 

over a reform of the state’s health care 

system, an overhaul that subsequently 

served as the model for the plan Obama 

pushed through Congress during his 

first year in office. 

To find favor with Republicans who 

revile the health care legislation, 

Romney now says he would work to 

repeal the Obama plan as have 

Santorum and third-running Newt 

Gingrich, the former speaker of the 

House of Representatives who has now 

fallen far behind in the contest. He vows 

to stay in the race, a determination that 

denies Santorum his desire to finally be 

in a one-on-one race with Romney. 

With the nominating race now ever 

more chaotic, Romney still holds an 

insurmountable lead in delegates to the 

Republican national nominating convention 

in August in Tampa, Florida. But 

he is in danger of being unable to 

amass the 1,144 delegates needed to 

assure him of the nomination before 

the convention opens, and that could 

lead to a politically bloody battle in 

Tampa that would further weaken 

whichever candidate emerges as the 

standard-bearer against Obama. 

After Romney turned in third-place 

finishes last Tuesday in primaries 

Alabama and Mississippi, Romney was 

forced further on the defensive. 

Santorum’s big wins in both Southern 

states damaged not only Romney but 

also undid Gingrich’s plans to stage a 

campaign rebirth with wins in the Deep 

South. Now with no primary is too 

minor, Santorum has stormed into 

Puerto Rico ahead of the Saturday vote 

there, and Romney put nearly $1 million 

into television advertising in Illinois, 

which will be the next big-state showdown 

on Tuesday. 

“If we keep winning races, eventually 

people are going to figure out that Gov. 

Romney is not going to be the nominee,” 

said Santorum, eager to build on 

his unexpected victories in Alabama 

level of illicit poppy cultivation in 

Mexico was second only to that in 

Afghanistan in 2009, potentially producing 

an estimated 50 metric tons of heroin.” 

On one of the major smuggling 

routes to the US border, in Tamaulipas 

state, suspected drug cartel gunmen 

fought running battles, authorities said. 

The Tamaulipas Public Safety department 

said gunmen first tossed a 

grenade into a car dealership in the 

state capital of Ciudad Victoria, blowing 

out the windows and killing one 

employee. Another grenade was tossed 

into the police academy, wounding two 

people, and subsequent gun battles in 

the city killed three other people.—AP 

Brutal nomination fight 

lays ahead for Republicans 

Fight might weaken candidate who wins nomination 

SAN JUAN: Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick 

Santorum, speaks to an audience at a town hall meeting in San Juan, Puerto 

Rico Wednesday. —AP 

and Mississippi. Romney, meanwhile, 

dismissed Santorum as a “lightweight” 

on the economy, signaling he was trying 

to redirect the Republican message 

back to the central message against 

Obama’s re-election. In the midst of the 

Republican efforts, Vice President Joe 

Biden was making his first major foray 

into the 2012 campaign yesterday in 

politically crucial Ohio, defending 

Obama’s bailout of the auto industry in 

a speech to an auto workers union. 

Biden is also expected to offer a robust 

critique of Romney’s opposition to the 

policy, which the White House says 

saved 1.4 million US jobs. 

Romney on Wednesday also 

rebutted suggestions that he can’t 

appeal to core conservatives, after a 

wave of evangelical Christian voters 

flocked behind Santorum’s candidacy in 

Alabama and Mississippi. “You don’t 

win a million more votes than anyone 

else in this race by just appealing to 

high-income Americans,” the multimillionaire 

told Fox News. “Some who are 

very conservative may not be in my 

camp, but they will be when I become 

the nominee, when I face Barack 

Obama.”— AP


CARACAS: Opponents of Venezuela’s President Hugo 

Chavez hold posters that read in Spanish: “Life,” right, 

and “United for peace,” second right, as they gathered to 

form a human chain calling for peace and reconciliation 

ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, in Caracas, 

Venezuela, Wednesday.—AP 

Chavez’s party 

suspends Venezuelan 

state governor 

CARACAS: A state governor was suspended from President 

Hugo Chavez’s governing party on Wednesday after making 

critical remarks about the president of Venezuela’s National 

Assembly. Leaders of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela 

suspended Monagas state Gov. Jose Gregorio Briceno after he 

accused National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello of trying 

to seize control of the governor’s office in his eastern 

state. 

Briceno made the comments two days earlier on the anti- 

Chavez television channel Globovision. Vice President Elias 

Jaua said Briceno had committed a “serious offense against 

the revolution” led by Chavez. The vice president said leaders 

of the party have repeatedly warned Briceno during the past 

three years about “the public remarks he’s made against 

members and government officials.” 

Jaua said that in addition to being suspended, the governor 

will be summoned to appear before the party’s leaders 

and faces possible expulsion. Chavez chimed in with a message 

on his Twitter account after Jaua’s announcement, saying: 

“I fully support the decision... I think Gov. Briceno has 

arrived where he had to arrive.” 

The decision to suspend the governor comes amid 

accounts by some analysts and government opponents that 

infighting appears to have erupted among some of Chavez’s 

allies seeking control of the party after the president’s cancer 

reappeared last month. Chavez had a second tumor removed 

from his pelvic region in a Feb 26 surgery in Cuba, and has 

said he is recovering smoothly and plans to return home this 

week. Political analyst Ricardo Rios said he thinks Briceno’s 

suspension is intended as a warning to others. “They’re very 

divided internally,” Rios said. “Briceno represents the tip of the 

iceberg of a big internal argument.” Jaua denied that there are 

any such divisions within the party. Briceno had been a prominent 

party leader in eastern Venezuela. Jaua said the governor 

had tried to disrupt the unity of Chavez’s movement and had 

violated “the ethical rules of behavior of a member of the 

United Socialist Party of Venezuela.” 

Briceno responded by telling reporters on Wednesday: 

“Those who attack me at the national level, you all know 

whether they’re an example of decency, of honesty.” “I’m not 

going to allude to anyone. I’m not going to fall for provocations,” 

Briceno said at a news conference in the eastern town 

of Maturin. Cabello, a former army officer and longtime 

Chavez ally, took over as National Assembly president in 

January. He is also a vice president of Chavez’s party. 

Briceno told Globovision that as soon as Cabello took 

office, “he searched for everybody who was an enemy... to put 

them in the (party) to leave me this pack of hounds in the 

state.” Briceno also criticized Yelitza Santaella, a vice president 

of the party for the eastern region, saying she “represents 

some political and economic interests.” He divulged only partial 

details of his complaints, saying he hoped that Chavez 

would, upon his return from Cuba, “put the house in order.” 

Friction between Briceno and other party leaders also 

became more visible in February following an oil spill caused 

by a ruptured pipeline that polluted a river in the governor’s 

state. —AP 

LIMA: Thousands of illegal gold miners 

battled police for control of a regional 

capital in the Amazon basin on 

Wednesday and at least three people 

were killed by gunfire. Outnumbered 

riot police fired tear gas against miners 

who wielded clubs and rocks and tried 

to seize strategic facilities in Puerto 

Maldonado. The miners are fighting 

government efforts to regulate smallscale 

gold extraction, which is ravaging 

the rain forest, contaminating it with 

tons of mercury. 

Interior Ministry spokesman Victor 

Calderon said it was unclear whether 

police fired directly on rioters in Puerto 

Maldonado, a boomtown at the confluence 

of two jungle rivers in a region 

popular with ecotourists. After talks 

failed with a government delegation, at 

least 12,500 miners had attempted to 

seize public buildings, markets and the 

airport in the city, said Madre de Dios 

regional President Jose Luis Aguirre. 

“The situation is untenable. You can 

hear gunshots throughout the entire 

city,” he told The Associated Press by 

phone, calling the situation “out of 

control.” Three people were killed by 

gunfire, said regional health director 

Dr. Jorge Asencios, and 38 were treated 

at Santa Rosa regional hospital for 

injuries, including a police officer hit in 

the head by a rock. 

Asencios said 10 of the wounded 

would be airlifted to Lima, the capital, 

for treatment. Interior Minister Daniel 

Lozada said in a TV interview that some 

miners “were armed, even with explosives 

... and obviously police had to act 

to maintain order.” He said police made 

62 arrests and that nine officers were 

among the injured. By afternoon, 500 

police reinforcements had arrived to 

bolster a badly outnumbered contingent 

of 700 officers. 

Police said they prevented rioters 

from seizing the bus station and airport 

of the largely dirt-street capital of 

about 37,000 residents. But to the west, 

miners took control of a key bridge, 

blocking the transoceanic highway that 

links the highland city of Cuzco and 

Peru’s coast to Brazil. “Everyone is 

frightened. The few government offices 

that are functioning are working with 

doors shut,” said Oscar Guadalupe, an 

activist who works with victims of child 

prostitution in the largely lawless 

region. Protesters piled rocks and 

garbage on street corners and residents 

stayed home behind locked 

doors. Streets normally buzzing with 

motorcycle taxis were empty. A gold 

rush has swelled Madre de Dios state 

with about 40,000 small-scale miners 

who are scarring virgin rain forest as 

they extract gold particles from river 

beds and alluvial plains. Mercury is 

used to bind the gold together in 

nuggets. The gold fever has been 

fueled by a tripling in the price of the 

precious metal over the past decade. It 

has attracted poor farmers from the 

Andean highlands as well as unscrupulous 

investors and gunslingers, and 

Madre de Dios now produces about a 

fifth of Peru’s overall annual gold yield. 

The mining is almost entirely illegal 

and government attempts to regulate 

it have been mostly futile, not just in 

Madre de Dios but in other regions 

where informal mining is also rampant. 

Informal miners also held protests 

Wednesday in at least two other 

regions, Piura in Peru’s northwest and 

Puno in the southern highlands border- 

International 

Illegal gold miners 

riot in Peru’s Amazon 

Riot police fired tear gas 

MALDONADO: A miner is roughed up by riot police officers during clashes in 

Puerto Maldonado, Peru, Wednesday. Thousands of illegal gold miners battled 

police for control of a regional capital in the Amazon basin on Wednesday and 

at least three people were killed by gunfire. —AP 

ing Bolivia. A government commission 

led by the environment minister was in 

Puerto Maldonado on Monday to discuss 

legalizing the mining activity. But 

most informal mining leaders walked 

out after their request to increase their 

delegation’s size was turned down, said 

Humberto Cordero, a local environment 

ministry official. 

One mining leader, Miguel Herrera, 

accused the government of aiming not 

to legalize but to destroy small-scale 

mining. “Mining gives work to lots of 

people,” he said. “Many families 

depend on mining and would be without 

sustenance without it.” Four recent 

government decrees have sought to 

regulate mining to protect the environment 

and capture tax revenues, said 

Cordero, who denied the government 

is trying to end all informal mining. 

“In no way is there a desire to end 

mining activity as such as some mining 

leaders are misinforming,” he said. 

The government’s intent is to end 

mining in prohibited areas such as 

buffer zones bordering nature 

reserves and to allow miners with 

legally recognized claims to formalize 

them, Cordero added.— AP 

Ambassador wanted for 

alleged paramilitary ties 

BOGOTA: Colombia’s ambassador to 

Peru resigned Wednesday after prosecutors 

ordered his arrest for alleged criminal 

association with far-right militias. 

Jorge Visbal is wanted for criminal conspiracy 

for activities from 1998-2004, 

when he was president of Colombia’s 

National Ranchers Federation, the chief 

prosecutor’s office said in a communique. 

Visbal, 59, assumed the ambassadorship 

in February 2011, named by 

President Juan Manuel Santos, who did 

not immediately comment. 

Visbal’s lawyer, Abelardo de la 

Espriella, said his client would return to 

Bogota on Friday to face the charges. A 

demobilized former far-right militiaman 

testified two years ago that Visbal met 

with paramilitary warlord Rodrigo Tovar 

years earlier to solicit support of the illegal 

groups for the 2006 re-election of 

then-President Alvaro Uribe, prosecutors 

say. Colombia’s so-called paramilitaries 

were created in the 1980s by drug 

traffickers and wealthy ranchers to 

counter leftist rebel kidnapping and 

extortion but evolved into drug-trafficking 

criminal gangs that killed suspected 

rebel sympathizers and stole land. 

De la Espriella said Visbal doesn’t 

deny having contact with paramilitary 

leaders but says none of the meetings 

were “illegal or clandestine” but rather 

authorized by the Uribe’s conservative 

government as it entered into a peace 

pact with the armed groups. Since 2006, 

more than 60 congressmen have been 

imprisoned for entering into alliances 

with paramilitaries.— AP


Tamil lawmakers want 

UN pressure on Lanka 

COLOMBO: Ethnic Tamil lawmakers in Sri Lanka urged the 

UN Human Rights Council yesterday to press the government 

to investigate alleged wartime abuses and share power 

with the ethnic minority to prevent the country from sliding 

back into violence. Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009 

when government troops crushed separatist Tamil Tiger 

rebels. Both sides have been accused of committing war 

crimes during the final stages of the conflict. 

The United States is planning to bring a resolution before 

the UN rights council, currently meeting in Geneva, urging 

Sri Lanka’s government to investigate those allegations and 

seek reconciliation. The ethnic Sinhalese-dominated government 

has arranged protests across the country against the 

resolution, which it calls interference in Sri Lanka’s affairs. 

Yesterday, more than 10,000 people marched in the capital 

to denounce the proposed resolution. Smaller groups met 

with UN, British, Norwegian and German officials at 

embassies to urge them not to support it. 

However, a group of ethnic Tamil lawmakers said they 

support the resolution. Rajavarothayam Sampanthan, 

leader of the Tamil National Alliance, said the government 

has not shown a genuine interest in sharing power, a longstanding 

demand of ethnic minority Tamils, despite promises 

made to the UN and other nations. 

Sampanthan accused the military of continuing to run 

ethnic Tamil-majority areas since the end of the war, and of 

bringing ethnic Sinhalese settlers into the former war zones 

to alter the demographics. “As the opportunities for postwar 

peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka gradually slip away, the 

members of the UNHRC must act urgently to prevent an 

ominous slide towards a recurrence of the tragedies of the 

past,” Sampanthan said in a statement yesterday. 

A UN panel has concluded that tens of thousands of civilians 

may have been killed in the final months of the civil war 

and that there are credible allegations against both government 

soldiers and Tamil Tiger rebels of serious human rights 

abuses, some of which could amount to war crimes. The 

government’s own reconciliation commission ruled that the 

military did not target civilians deliberately but recommended 

that isolated cases of civilian killings be investigated. 

Cabinet Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told the UN 

rights council last month that the government already has 

taken steps for reconciliation and any external pressure 

would only impede the process. He called for Sri Lanka to be 

given time and space to continue with its program. But 

Sampanthan said the government has shown a “chronic 

unwillingness” to honor its own commitments. “Sri Lanka’s 

failure to make good on its own assurances requires that the 

council act now,” he said. — AP 

RAWALPINDI: Swiss couple Olivier David Och (L) and Daniela Widmer (R) wave upon their 

arrival at the Qasim base in Rawalpindi yesterday.—AFP 

KABUL: Afghan lawmakers expressed anger yesterday that 

the US flew an American soldier accused of killing 16 civilians 

to Kuwait, saying Kabul shouldn’t sign a strategic partnership 

agreement with Washington unless the suspect faces justice 

in Afghanistan. Negotiations over the agreement, which 

would govern the presence of US forces in Afghanistan after 

most combat troops withdraw by the end of 2014, were tense 

even before the shooting deaths of the civilians, including 

nine children, in southern Kandahar province on Sunday. 

The killings came in the wake of violent protests last month 

triggered by American soldiers who burned Qurans and other 

Islamic texts. Over 30 people were killed in those demonstrations, 

and Afghan forces turned their guns on their supposed 

allies, killing six US soldiers. The public response to the shooting 

spree has been much more muted, partly because senior 

Afghan officials have used their influence to persuade citizens 

not to hold demonstrations. 

The US flew the suspect out of the country on Wednesday 

evening, said US officials. The US military said the transfer did 

not preclude the possibility of trying the case in Afghanistan. 

But that didn’t appease Afghans upset at the move. “It was the 

ISLAMABAD: A Swiss couple held captive 

by the Taleban in Pakistan since July turned 

up at an army post close to the Afghan border 

yesterday and was flown to safety by 

the Pakistani military, an army spokesman 

said. The Swiss man and woman, who were 

seized in July in the southwest of the country, 

were last seen in a militant video in 

October, saying their captors were threatening 

to kill them. 

Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the couple 

showed up at an army post in Miran Shah in 

North Waziristan, an Al-Qaeda and Taleban 

stronghold. He said the couple was then 

flown to Peshawar, the main city in northwestern 

Pakistan, on an army helicopter. 

“They say they escaped from the custody of 

militants,” he said. 

Two local Pakistani Taleban commanders 

said the couple had been freed, but only 

after an undisclosed ransom had been paid 

and some Taleban prisoners were released 

International 

KABUL: A US soldier, left, watches members of the Afghan Public Protection Force arrive at the transition ceremony of private 

security forces to Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday.—AP 

Afghans angry over removal 

of accused US soldier 

Soldier charged with killing 16 civilians 

demand of the families of the martyrs of this incident, the people 

of Kandahar and the people of Afghanistan to try him publicly 

in Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Naeem Lalai Hamidzai, a 

Kandahar lawmaker who is part of a parliamentary commission 

investigating the shootings. 

The US informed Afghan leaders that the soldier was going 

to be moved and “they understood,” said US Lt. Gen. Curtis 

Scaparotti, deputy commander of American forces in 

Afghanistan. Moving the suspect will allow the US to provide 

pretrial confinement, access to legal representation and the 

ability to ensure fair and proper judicial proceedings, he said. 

Afghan government officials have not responded to request 

for comment on the transfer. The Pentagon has said the US 

does not have appropriate detention facilities in Afghanistan. 

In Kuwait, US Army spokesman Lt. Col. David Patterson 

said yesterday that the detention unit there, known as a 

Theater Field Confinement Facility, holds pre-trial detainees 

and post-trial confinees for a limited amount of time. He 

would not confirm any further details about the case. The 

Kuwait detention facilities have been used for other US 

troops.—AP 

Pakistan: Swiss couple 

held by Taleban is free 

from Pakistani custody. They refused to give 

their names. The Swiss Embassy was not 

immediately able to confirm the development. 

Militants and criminal gangs often 

kidnap wealthy Pakistanis and less commonly 

foreigners. Large ransoms are often 

paid to secure their release but such payments 

are rarely confirmed. There are at 

least five other foreigners currently being 

held in Pakistan. On Jan 5, armed men kidnapped 

a British man working for the Red 

Cross in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, 

the violence-wracked province where the 

Swiss couple were also taken captive. 

Last August, a 70-year-old American 

humanitarian aid worker was kidnapped 

from his house in the Punjabi city of Lahore. 

Al-Qaeda claimed to be holding the man, 

Warren Weinstein, and said in a video he 

would be released if the United States 

stopped airstrikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, 

Somalia and Yemen. — AP


KUALA LUMPUR: An Iranian man held in Malaysia 

and accused of involvement in an alleged plot to 

attack Israeli targets in Bangkok resisted extradition 

yesterday, claiming he had been in Thailand only for 

a vacation. A handcuffed Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 

31, appeared briefly in a Kuala Lumpur court, saying 

through an interpreter that he had nothing to do 

with the accusations and wanted to know why he 

was there. 

Sedaghatzadeh was arrested at a Malaysian airport 

soon after an apparently accidental explosion 

rocked a residential Bangkok neighborhood Feb. 14, 

followed by two more explosions on nearby streets. 

Thai police say bombs were found in the house 

where the blast occurred, and that Sedaghatzadeh 

and two Iranian men now in Thai custody were seen 

leaving the building. 

Thai officials have said Israeli diplomats may have 

been the target of the alleged plot. Israel has 

blamed Iran for the explosions, which wounded five 

including one of the alleged bombers, as well as two 

incidents the day before: a bombing in India that 

wounded an Israeli diplomat’s wife and driver, and 

an attempted bombing in the former Soviet republic 

of Georgia. Iran has denied involvement. 

On Wednesday, a New Delhi court issued a warrant 

seeking the arrest of three Iranians accused of 

being involved in the blast there. The men were 

identified as Housan Afshar, Syed Ali Mehdi Sadr 

and Mohammed Reza Abolghasemi, according to a 

police official who spoke on condition of anonymity 

because he was not authorized to speak publicly. 

The police official said the government would 

approach Interpol for help in locating and extraditing 

the men, whose whereabouts are not known. 

Sedaghatzadeh’s Malaysian lawyer, Nashir Hussin, 

said his client insists he went to Thailand for a holiday 

at the beach town of Pattaya, before coming to 

Malaysia to buy automobile parts for his business in 

Tehran. 

International 

Iranian in Malaysia denies Thai terror accusations 

MANILA: Victims of tobacco-related diseases holding their 

pictures, march towards the Philippine International 

Convention Center where ProTobEx, a large international 

tobacco fair is held, in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila 

yesterday.—AP 

Protesters picket 

key tobacco show 

in Philippines 

MANILA: Hundreds of anti-smoking advocates yesterday picketed 

a large international tobacco fair in the Philippines, a country 

that has drawn more attention from the industry as Western 

nations pile on restrictions and taxes. A pack of cigarettes costs 

only about 50 cents here, and nearly one out of every three 

Filipinos 15 years or older smokes, according to a survey cited by 

the World Health Organization. The government supports legislation 

aimed at discouraging smoking with a new tax, but it is also 

trying to ramp up foreign investment to fight rampant poverty 

and unemployment. 

Organizers of the tobacco exhibits, among the largest in the 

world, said city authorities waived an indoor smoking ban for delegates. 

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III sent a welcome 

message with hopes the meeting would benefit the country’s 

economy. One of the protest leaders, Roberto del Rosario, said 

the government should not have allowed the trade fair to go on. 

“This business kills people,” said del Rosario, president of the 

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance-Philippines. 

WHO also criticized the gathering that opened in Manila yesterday, 

saying it provides a platform for the industry to promote “a 

deadly product in the Philippines and throughout Asia.” Media 

were barred from the trade exhibits; organizers said the shows 

were “strictly industry-only private meetings.” 

They said the Philippines was chosen as a venue “after months 

of in-depth research locations ... for a number of compelling reasons.” 

It provides opportunities for tobacco and cigarette producers 

to meet suppliers of raw materials such as leaf, paper, filters 

and manufacturing equipment. —AP 

BEIJING: China’s Communist Party sidelined a powerful, charismatic 

politician yesterday following a messy scandal that saw a 

trusted aide flee to a US consulate and that threatened to cast a 

shadow over a looming leadership transition. Bo Xilai’s removal as 

party chief of the huge inland city of Chongqing appears to end 

the upward trajectory of a political celebrity who months ago 

seemed headed for the uppermost ranks of power. 

Tall and telegenic, Bo exuded confidence and courted the 

media, rare traits among the bland, low-key Chinese leadership. 

His signature policies in Chongqing - an anti-mafia crusade and 

promotion of communist culture - drew a national following but 

made him a polarizing figure among his peers. 

In terse statements carried by state media, the leadership said 

that Bo Xilai was being replaced in Chongqing by a vice premier. 

The reports did not explicitly address the scandal nor say if Bo 

would be ousted from his seat on the decision-making Politburo. 

Bo’s sidelining creates a mixed picture for the transfer of power 

later this year when President Hu Jintao and other leaders 

retire to make way for younger leaders, always a time of divisive 

infighting. Party power-brokers no longer need to accommodate 

the ambitious Bo, though the eventual lineup of the Politburo 

Standing Committee, the apex of power, remains unsettled. 

“A very big personality, someone who had a very strong personality, 

is no longer going to be engaged in trying to make sure 

he gets a seat on the Politburo,” said David Zweig, a China watcher 

at Hong Kong University of Science And Technology. 

That “probably will make politics more relaxed over the next 

six months.” In a sign of the delicate factional balancing in China’s 

leadership, Bo was replaced in Chongqing by Vice Premier Zhang 

Dejiang, a North Korean-trained economist who has run two economically 

vibrant provinces. Both men share a common political 

patron. The change comes just weeks after longtime Bo confidante 

and Chongqing vice mayor Wang Lijun - currently under an 

unspecified investigation - fled overnight to the US Consulate in 

Chengdu, possibly to seek political asylum, before leaving the 

building. Wang, as police chief, headed the gangland crackdown 

that made both men national figures, and his flight to a foreign 

consulate represented a potential breach of sensitive internal 

information, violating party discipline and tainting Bo. The scandal 

has consumed the attention of China’s politically minded 

classes as did the latest twist. China’s popular Twitter-like service, 

Sina Corp.’s Weibo, had blocked searches for Bo’s name for much 

of the past two weeks. After yesterday’s announcement, the 

blocks were seemingly gone, and the news triggered tens of 

thousands of postings. 

Still, amid the rumors of political intrigue, no public explanation 

has been offered about what set off the scandal or what 

transgressions led to Bo’s removal. Premier Wen Jiabao offered 

the bluntest criticism of Bo and the affair on Wednesday telling 

reporters that Chongqing leaders “must seriously reflect on the 

Wang Lijun incident and learn lessons from this incident.” 

“He met a lot of Iranians there, took pictures, said 

hello and goodbye,” Nashir told reporters. “He does 

not know any of them, he can’t remember anyone. 

He is incriminated by the pictures.” Prosecutors in 

their application said the Iranian was wanted by 

Thailand on suspicion of “taking part in making and 

possessing an explosive device” as well as causing 

an explosion that led to human injuries and property 

damage. He faces life in prison if convicted in 

Thailand. 

The court scheduled a hearing for April 16 after 

government lawyers said they were waiting for photos 

and security camera footage from Thailand. 

Sedaghatzadeh’s parents attended yesterday’s hearing 

but refused to speak to reporters. Nashir said his 

client’s parents were “very shocked” with his arrest. 

Thai authorities want Sedaghatzadeh to be handed 

over immediately, but Malaysia has said the process 

must go through the courts under extradition 

laws.— AP 

China replaces leader 

hit by messy scandal 

Removal upward trajectory of political celebrity 

“The public is still in the dark as to what really happened and 

what has been found in the investigation,” said Liu Shanying, 

expert on public administration from the Chinese Academy of 

Social Sciences. “What should Mr. Bo reflect on? His hiring decision? 

If it was only a firing decision, the consequences wouldn’t 

have been like this. But what else did Premier Wen imply? The 

public is still puzzled.” 

In announcing Bo’s replacement, the leadership’s top official 

in charge of personnel told Chongqing party members that it was 

done “after discreet consideration and based on current circumstances 

and the overall situation.” Wang’s whereabouts since his 

consulate visit aren’t known. A separate Xinhua News Agency 

report said yesterday that he has been removed from his last 

remaining post as Chongqing vice mayor. 

Bo’s removal came just after the close of the annual session of 

the legislature and underscores how party leaders dealt with Bo’s 

troubles behind the scenes while trying to project an image of 

unity for the public. Bo sparked new rumors by missing a key 

meeting of the body last week, but sprung back last Friday with a 

public appearance at which he admitted to mistakes but defended 

his record in Chongqing. 

If Bo is stripped of his Politburo seat, it would be the first time 

a member of the collective leadership has been removed since 

2006 when Shanghai’s party secretary, Chen Liangyu, was purged 

and later sentenced for corruption. Chen’s removal was seen as a 

well-orchestrated move by President Hu Jintao to consolidate his 

power and remove a rival midway through his 10-year term. 

Unusual for party infighting, Bo’s undoing unfolded in public. 

Wang’s trip to the US Consulate was first rumored on the Internet 

and, after the US State Department confirmed the visit, the government 

was forced to follow suit.—AP 

BEIJING: This photo taken on Wednesday shows Chongqing 

Party Secretary Bo Xilai during the closing ceremony of the 

National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in 

Beijing. —AFP

Business 


India holds rates; political crisis ahead of budget 

Apple’s new iPad goes 

on sale in Australia 

TRIPOLI: Libyan brokers work during the official reopening of the Libyan stock market in the capital Tripoli yesterday. Libya’s stock market opened for the first time since the fall of 

Muammar Gaddafi with trading in 10 companies valued at $3.1 billion (2.4 billion euros), its general manager said. — AFP 

Libya bourse resumes trading 

Country gets back to business after crippling war 

TRIPOLI: Libya’s Stock Exchange resumed trading 

yesterday after more than 12 months out of 

action, as the country gets back to business after 

last year’s conflict ousted leader Muammar 

Gaddafi. 

Officials on the trading floor rang a bell then 

shouted “Allahu Akbar!” or “God is great!” to 

announce the start of trading on a bourse which, 

its backers say, could take off now that it is 

unshackled from Gaddafi-era restrictions. “People 

are scared to come to Libya because they fear all 

the guns. Today can show them that Libya is 

going back to normal,” said a visiting businessman 

from Dubai, who did not want to be identified. 

After the 90 minutes allotted for trading each 

day, the market stood at 1,437.69 points, flat on 

the level at which it closed in February last year. 

The only stock showing any sign of movement on 

the huge electronic trading screen was Tijara 

bank, whose shares rose slightly. However, the 

volume — 452 shares traded-was not big enough 

to register any impact on the stock market index. 

“There are few buyers and sellers. People are 

afraid of falling prices,” said Ahmed Mejburi, a 

broker for Economic Group Libya who sat at his 

desk on the trading floor watching the screen. 

“The market has been closed for one year. It’ll 

start weak and, step by step, get back.” Ten com- 

panies resumed trade yesterday out of a total of 

13 listed which includes the stock exchange. 

Officials have said the reduction was because 

some of the firms had not yet met the exchange’s 

regulatory requirements.The bourse stopped 

trading soon after a rebellion broke out against 

Gaddafi’s 42-year rule. Its re-launch is likely to 

attract interest from foreign investors seeking 

opportunities in the new Libya, which is home to 

Africa’s biggest proven oil reserves. 

No SWIFT services for Iran 

firms blacklisted by EU 

BRUSSELS: European Union nations yesterday 

agreed to ban financial transfers such as SWIFT 

to hundreds of Iranian firms and individuals 

blacklisted by the bloc due to Tehran’s contested 

nuclear drive. The EU currently has slapped 

an assets freeze on 116 people and 442 firms 

and utilities, including the Iranian central bank, 

as part of global efforts to force Tehran to 

abandon a nuclear program feared to have military 

aims-a claim rejected by Tehran. 

A statement yesterday said the EU “agreed 

that no specialized financial messaging shall be 

provided to those persons and entities subject 

to an asset freeze.” An EU official who asked not 

to be identified said the decision, which was 

adopted after receiving written approval from 

the 27 nations, would mainly affect payments 

through SWIFT, the world’s biggest inter-bank 

transfer network. 

The decision will become official when it is 

published in the EU’s Official Journal today. The 

EU official said talks meanwhile were continuing 

to draft a regulation setting out details on 

an EU decision in February to slap an embargo 

on Iranian oil. “It will take a few more weeks” to 

finalize the regulation, the source said. After 

lengthy and fraught talks on an embargo 

which will impact debt-straddled European 

nations such as Greece, EU ministers in 

February agreed a ban on oil imports with a 

gradual phase-out of existing contracts 

between now and July 1. —AFP 

PAGE 21 

PAGE 20 

The companies listed on the exchange have a 

combined market capitalization of about 3.9 billion 

Libyan dinars ($3 billion), general manager 

Ahmed Karoud said last month in an interview. 

The biggest companies include Jumhiriya 

Bank, Sahara Bank and Wahda Bank. A bourse official 

said that, to avoid volatility on the opening 

day, trading would be briefly suspended if shares 

rose or fell by more than 1.5 percent. 

Under Gaddafi, the bourse attracted fitful foreign 

interest. Investors were keen for a slice of 

the lucrative Libyan market but they were often 

put off by red tape, currency restrictions, and arbitrary 

rulings from Gaddafi and his inner circle. The 

head of the bourse said he planned to make the 

bourse a more attractive place for foreigners to 

invest. Speaking to Reuters last month, Karoud 

also said five public share offerings as well as two 

funds would be listed this year. “The first IPO will 

be at the end of May,” he told Reuters yesterday, 

adding pre-war plans to list Libya’s two mobile 

operators, Libyana and Al-Madar, would go ahead 

next year. “A lot of foreign companies have called 

about Libya’s stock market,” he added, saying 

interest had come from the Middle East, Europe 

and the United States. Asked about yesterday’s 

slow start, Karoud said: “People are afraid, for now 

they want to see what happens. We hope the 

market will go up.” — Reuters


SYDNEY: Apple Inc’s new iPad went on 

sale in Australia early yesterday, greeted 

by throngs of fans hungry to get 

hold of the US consumer giant’s latest, 

4G-ready tablet computer. 

While numbers were down on 

launches of earlier iPads, the still-solid 

turnout reflects demand for Apple 

products, even though analysts say the 

new version is a collection of incremental 

improvements rather than a major 

technological innovation. 

The initial rush for the first iPad 3s 

sold globally was not at one of Apple’s 

gleaming glass and polished wooden 

stores in Sydney but across the road at 

Australian phone company Telstra. 

Telstra opened two stores just after 

midnight local time to begin selling the 

iPad, stealing an eight hour march on 

Apple. David Tarasenko, a 34-year-old 

construction manager, who was the 

first to pick up the iPad, said he 

couldn’t wait ever since Apple Chief 

Executive Tim Cook revealed the third 

iteration of the tablet. “When Tim Cook 

announced it, it sounded like such a 

magical tool. I just got hyped into it, I 

guess,” he said. 

The third-generation iPad from 

Apple-which sports a high-definition 

“retina” display and comes with a better 

camera — starts at $499. It is capable 

of operating on high-speed 4G 

“LTE,” or Long-Term Evolution network, 

although it is not compatible with 

Telstra’s 4G network in Australia. 

“The (lack of 4G access) is not a 

game-breaker. They’ve upgraded the 

3G technology, which I’ve tried and it’s 

pretty snappy,” said Cameron Ing, a 

data storage administrator. 

The iPad 3 is going on sale today in 

10 countries, including the United 

States, Canada, Singapore, France and 

United Kingdom. Among those in the 

queue outside Sydney’s flagship Apple 

Store was Stephen Parkes, who was 

paid A$950 ($990) to wait in line for 

four days by the founder of an odd jobs 

website. “I get a high waiting in the line 

and picking up one of the first products 

being retailed,” said Ryan Han, a student 

at the University of New South 

Wales, who had also queued for hours. 

“I did that for iPad 1, 2 and will do it 

for 4 as well,” said Han, who was hoping 

to buy two iPads, for himself and a 

friend. Such is the demand for new 

Apple products that middlemen often 

pay “mules” to buy the latest versions 

and transport them to markets scheduled 

for later releases. 

Business 

Apple’s new iPad goes on sale in Australia 

FLORANGE: Workers of the ArcelorMittal plant of the company’s steel production 

site in Florange are sprayed by gendarmes as they demonstrate yesterday 

in Paris, on their way to the campaign headquarters of France’s ruling party 

UMP candidate for the 2012 presidential election. — AFP 

Dubai consumer prices fall 

steeply on property glut 

DUBAI: A glut of property supply in 

Dubai contributed to the steepest fall in 

consumer prices since records began 

four years ago, as a housing bubble that 

burst in 2009 continued to be felt in the 

wider economy, data showed yesterday. 

Consumer prices in the United Arab 

Emirates’ member fell 1.7 percent on an 

annual basis in February, as an inflow of 

new residential units pushed rents down. 

“There might be some areas in Dubai 

where prices are picking up, but there is 

still an excess in supply in the market,” 

said Liz Martins, senior economist at 

HSBC in Dubai. 

Dubai’s aggressive building drive has 

BAGHDAD: Two Iraqi men stand talking to a vendor at a market in downtown 

Baghdad. — AFP 

resulted in oversupply, with thousands of 

new residential and commercial units 

still set to enter the Dubai real estate 

market, with prices plunging by up to 

two-thirds from their 2008 peak. Bullish 

growth came to a halt in 2009 when 

Dubai, home to the world’s tallest tower 

Burj Khalifa, announced a $25 billion 

debt restructuring of conglomerate 

Dubai World. Weakness in the property 

sector and slow bank lending held inflation 

below 1 percent for most of last 

year and Dubai entered deflationary territory 

in January when consumer prices 

fell 0.7 percent compared to the previous 

year. —Reuters 

DUBAI: Major money exchange houses in the 

United Arab Emirates have stopped handling 

Iranian rials over the last several weeks, executives 

at the houses said, further reducing Iran’s 

ability to trade and obtain hard currency. 

Since late last year, Iran has largely been 

frozen out of the global banking system by US 

sanctions aimed at its disputed nuclear program. 

Washington has used anti-money laundering 

legislation to make it risky for banks around the 

world to do business with Iran, including trade 

financing. 

In December, the US government pressured 

Dubai-based Noor Islamic Bank into stopping 

the channelling of billions of dollars from Iranian 

oil sales through its accounts. Iranian businessmen 

continued to conduct some trade with 

Dubai and other places, however, by transferring 

funds through money exchange houses that 

operate separately from the banking system, 

traders said. Now many of those houses have 

stopped doing rial business as well. 

Mohamed Al-Ansari, chairman and managing 

director of Al Ansari Exchange, one of the UAE’s 

top two exchange houses, said the weakness of 

the rial, which saw its black market rate roughly 

halve against the US dollar in the year to 

January, had made it too risky to handle the currency. 

“Most exchange companies have stopped 

dealing in Iranian rial mainly because of its 

devaluation in the last few months, as well as the 

regulations imposed by the US regulatory 

authorities on the financial sector,” he told 

A middle-aged Asian man outside 

the Apple store, flanked by two blue 

suitcases, said he was hoping to buy 

several new iPads, ideally more than 

10. He declined to reveal his name, 

nationality or who he was buying the 

tablets for. Apple’s market capitalization 

now exceeds $500 billion and Wall 

Street thinks it can expand further 

should fan-demand persist. Early signs 

hint at a strong 2012 for the device, 

which competes with Samsung 

Electronic’s Galaxy, among others. 

Despite soggy weather, small crowds 

had already gathered outside the 

downtown San Francisco Apple store 

ahead of the launch in the United 

States. Apple began accepting orders 

for the device on March 7, but wait 

times for shipping the device are now 

two to three weeks in the United 

States. Wall Street expects a strong 

start for the iPad 3, and some analysts 

even expect sales of the current model 

to overtake the iPad 2. Apple will continue 

to sell the iPad 2 but dropped its 

price by $100 to start at $399. 

Apple may sell 65.6 million iPads, 

estimated Canaccord Genuity analysts 

who also raised their target price on 

Apple stock to $710 from $665. So far, 

the company has sold 55 million iPads 

since it launched the device in 2010. 

Tablet sales are expected to increase to 

326 million buy 2015 with Apple largely 

dominating the market, according to 

research firm Gartner. — Reuters 

UAE currency houses 

halt Iran rial business 

Tehran’s ability to get currency reduced 

Reuters. “As such, nobody would like to risk trading 

in the Iranian rial currency, as it would affect 

their business.” 

Dubai, 150 kilometers (100 miles) across the 

Gulf, has been a major trading hub for Iran. Reexport 

trade between Iran and the UAE-goods 

sent to the UAE for on-shipment to Iran, and 

Iranian goods sent to the UAE for on-shipment 

to other countries-totaled 31.9 billion dirhams 

($8.7 billion) in the first nine months of 2011, latest 

UAE customs data show. 

Al Fardan Exchange, the UAE’s third largest 

exchange house, also said the depreciation of 

the rial had made the currency too risky. “For us, 

from a risk point of view with regard to the fluctuations 

taking place and the depreciation-this 

also applies to the Syrian pound-you don’t have 

a definite understanding about when the freefall 

might take place,” Osama al-Rahma, general 

manager at Al Fardan Exchange, told Reuters. 

“We had to stop exchanging even small 

amounts because if I buy it at this rate and 

tomorrow it went down, then I’m in a loss position.” 

Rahma said that in addition to hurting 

Dubai’s remaining trade with Iran, the halt in rial 

exchanges would inconvenience tourists travelling 

to the country. However, some Iranian trade 

with Dubai is expected to continue, using channels 

such as hawala-a legal but largely unregulated 

money transfer network that is based on 

personal relationships and operates in the 

Middle East and South Asia - and even transfers 

of physical cash between Dubai and Iran across 

the Gulf on ferries. — Reuters

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 , 2012 

US producer 

prices up, jobless 

claims drop 

WASHINGTON: US producer prices recorded their biggest 

gain in five months in February as the cost of energy spiked, 

a government report showed yesterday, but underlying 

inflation pressures were contained. 

The Labor Department said its seasonally adjusted producer 

price index increased 0.4 percent last month, quickening 

from January’s 0.1 percent gain. Economists polled by 

Reuters had expected prices at farms, factories and refineries 

to rise 0.5 percent. 

Meanwhile, new claims for US unemployment benefits 

fell more than expected last week, official data showed yesterday, 

adding to recent signs that the ailing job market is 

recovering. 

The Labor Department said 351,000 initial jobless claims 

were filed in the week ending March 10, a decline of 14,000 

from the prior week’s upwardly revised number. Last week’s 

claims number was smaller than most analysts expected: The 

average estimate was for a decline to 355,000. 

The improvement underscored a slowing trend in initial 

jobless claims, an indicator of the pace of layoffs. The fourweek 

moving average, which helps reduce week-to-week 

volatility, was unchanged from the previous week’s revised 

average of 355,750. The weekly claims number came on the 

heels of last Friday’s labor market data for February that 

showed solid job growth as businesses stepped up hiring. 

The economy created 227,000 new jobs in February, topping 

the 200,000 mark for the third straight month, while the 

unemployment rate held steady at 8.3 percent, the Labor 

Department reported. 

Wholesale prices excluding volatile food and energy costs 

rose 0.2 percent, moderating from January’s 0.4 percent 

increase. While that was in line with economists’ expectations, 

it was the third consecutive month of increases in core 

PPI. The Federal Reserve said on Tuesday the recent steep 

run-up in oil and gasoline prices would push inflation up 

only temporarily. Overall producer prices were lifted by a 1.3 

percent increase in energy prices after a 0.5 percent drop in 

January. Food prices dipped 0.1 percent after falling 0.3 percent 

the prior month. 

In the 12 months to February, producer prices increased 

3.3 percent, the smallest increase since August 2010, after 

advancing 4.1 percent in January. 

Gasoline prices rose 4.3 percent, the largest gain in five 

months, after gaining 2.0 percent in February.Outside food 

and energy, producer prices were pushed up by pharmaceuticals, 

which accounted for a third of the increase in core PPI. 

A rise in prices for civilian aircraft also contributed. 

Passenger car prices edged up 0.1 percent after falling 0.8 

percent the prior month. Light motor trucks prices fell 0.4 

percent after a 0.9 percent rise the prior month. 

In the 12 months to February, core producer prices 

increased 3.0 percent after rising by the same margin the 

previous month. — Reuters 

NEW DELHI: India’s monetary policymakers 

left interest rates on hold and warned 

of resurgent inflation risks, putting the 

onus on the government to trim its fiscal 

deficit even as a fresh political crisis ahead 

of today’s budget undermined its ability to 

do so. 

The Reserve Bank of India has said 

progress on deficit reduction is key to cutting 

interest rates, but the backlash 

against an already weakened government’s 

move to increase railway fares for 

the first time in eight years shows how 

hard a time it will have in bringing populist 

spending under control. 

“Given the coalition government’s 

position, I would be quite skeptical of any 

meaningful reforms coming out of the 

budget,” said Ashish Vaidya, executive 

director and head of interest rates at UBS 

in Mumbai. “The RBI is fighting a lone battle, 

and ideally, it would be extremely positive 

if the government were to respond 

with policy initiatives.” 

Bond yields and swap rates rose and 

stocks fell after the central bank kept its 

policy repo rate on hold at 8.50 percent. A 

rate cut that many had expected at the 

central bank’s April 17 review - which 

would be the first since the aftermath of 

the global financial crisis - is now seen as 

less likely. 

The Trinamool Congress Party, a key 

ally of the Congress party’s fractious ruling 

coalition, called for the resignation of 

Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, who is 

from the same party, and a rollback in the 

fare increase announced on Wednesday. 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s 

Congress coalition was already weakened 

after a drubbing in recent state polls and 

more than a year of corruption scandals 

and policy paralysis that has deterred 

investment and curbed growth momentum. 

“None of this augurs well for the 

upcoming general budget,” the Times of 

India said in an editorial on Thursday after 

Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee, who is 

chief minister in the state of West Bengal 

and was previously railway minister, spearheaded 

opposition to the fare increase. 

“There’ll be misgivings about Mamata 

HYEDERABAD: A crew member watches an inflight program inside the cabin of the newly 

inducted Boeing 787-8 series Dreamliner during a photo call at the India Aviation 2012 show 

at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad yesterday. — AFP 

playing to the gallery by bashing any 

reform the finance minister proposes in 

the budget. So, he might think it better to 

play safe than sorry,” the newspaper said. 

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will 

present the federal budget to parliament 

on Friday and is under pressure from 

investors to lay out a realistic plan to 

reduce a fiscal deficit that is on track to 

bulge past 6 percent of GDP in the current 

fiscal year, from a target of 4.6 percent. He 

is expected to set a deficit target in the 

range of 4.8-5.3 percent of GDP for the 

year from April, helped by improved economic 

growth, tax increases, slowing 

growth in subsidy expenditure and an 

increase in the sale of state assets. 

Growth in Asia’s third largest economy 

slowed to 6.1 percent in the three months 

to December, the weakest in almost three 

years, and is on track to fall just short of 7 

percent in the fiscal year that ends this 

month. Heavy government borrowing and 

spending is blamed for pushing up interest 

rates, crowding out corporate borrowing 

and fuelling inflation. 

A finance ministry report yesterday said 

growth could accelerate to 7.6 percent in 

Business 

India holds rates; political 

crisis ahead of budget 

Stocks down, bond yields up after RBI policy action 

NEW DELHI: Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee (center) talks to the media 

after presenting the 2011-2012 Economic Survey report outside Parliament House 

in New Delhi yesterday. — AFP 

LONDON: Brent crude oil slipped below $125 

yesterday as the outlook for global oil supply 

strengthened, offsetting greater demand from 

the United States where the Federal Reserve 

predicted an improved economic recovery. 

Consuming nations won a new pledge from 

OPEC leader Saudi Arabia this week that it 

would boost oil supplies to help control prices 

and protect the global economy from any loss 

of Iranian crude due to potential sanctions. Oil 

has climbed to $127 a barrel this year, just $20 

short of its all-time high, as tighter Western 

sanctions on Iran threaten to choke off the 

country’s exports. But Saudi Oil Minister Ali al- 

Naimi said on Wednesday the world’s largest oil 

exporter stood ready to fill any supply gap “perceived 

or real” in crude oil supply. That pledge 

has been enough to assure many investors that 

the upcoming fiscal year. J. Moses 

Harding, head of the asset liabilities committee 

at IndusInd Bank, said resistance 

within India’s ruling coalition to 

Wednesday’s railway fare increase may 

have prompted RBI Governor Duvvuri 

Subbarao to adopt a cautious stance. 

“The ability of the FM (the finance minister) 

to manage the fiscal deficit within 

acceptable levels is in doubt,” he said. 

“The RBI has affirmed the need to cut 

rates, but no clear indication on its timing 

and magnitude. The fear is that of delay 

beyond April.” 

The Reserve Bank of India’s tougherthan-expected 

stance on inflation disappointed 

investors clamoring for a cut in 

borrowing costs. 

“Upside risks to inflation have 

increased from the recent surge in oil 

prices, fiscal slippage and rupee depreciation,” 

it said in its mid-quarter policy statement, 

adding that future actions will be 

towards lowering rates but refraining from 

giving a timeframe. 

Brokerage Nomura lowered its forecast 

for rate cuts in 2012 to 75 basis points 

from 100 bps. — Reuters 

Oil dips below $125 

as supply fears abate 

there is little risk of a significant shortage of oil. 

“Since Saudi Arabia pledged they can match 

any supply (gap), we would need further escalation 

of Iran crisis to get another push higher on 

oil prices,” said Carsten Fritsch, commodity analyst 

at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. ICE Brent 

crude futures for April fell 18 cents to $124.79 

per barrel by 1024 GMT. The April contract will 

expire at the end of yesterday’s session. 

US crude fell 1 cent to $105.42 a barrel, after 

settling down $1.28 at $105.43 on Wednesday. 

US government data on Wednesday showed 

crude stocks at a key delivery point in the 

Midwest of the United States, Cushing, 

Oklahoma, had risen 2.5 million barrels to a 

nine-month high. Cushing posted its biggest 

eight-week build since early 2009, and stood at 

its highest since June 2011. — Reuters


DUBAI: The Tunisian government has set up a 

working group that will study how to develop 

Islamic finance in the country, a finance ministry official 

said. The group, which includes representatives 

from the central bank, stock exchange and private 

sector institutions including Bahrain-based Al Baraka 

Banking Group, will look at the country’s legal 

framework, said Karima Rezk, a director at the ministry. 

Before last year’s uprisings, authoritarian governments 

in Tunisia and other North African countries 

restricted or refused to promote Islamic finance 

for ideological reasons. A moderate Islamist party 

dominates the government which took power 

through last October’s elections. 

Palestinian crisis 

to deepen without 

more aid: WB 

RAMALLAH: The aid-dependent Palestinian economy faces a 

deepening crisis unless foreign support grows and Israel eases 

restrictions on its trade, the World Bank said yesterday. 

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is relying on foreign 

aid to cover a 2012 budget deficit projected to reach $1.1 billion, 

but most donor countries have not fulfilled their pledges. The 

World Bank said in a report released ahead of a meeting on 

Palestinian aid in Brussels next week that the Palestinian Authority 

has received just over half of the funds it needs. Mariam Sherman, 

the World Bank’s director for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, called 

on donor countries to meet their pledges to help stabilize the 

Palestinian economy in the short term. 

The report said a slowdown in growth in the Israeli-occupied 

West Bank, where the Palestinians have limited self-autonomy, 

“can be attributed to falling donor support combined with the 

uncertainty caused by the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal crisis, as 

well as lack of significant new easing of Israeli restrictions”. 

To help fill the gap, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad last month 

approved a hike in income tax rates to increase revenues , but the 

World Bank said the economy was still likely to worsen in 2012. 

Fayyad, appointed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 

in 2007, is credited with revitalizing the West Bank economy. But 

the World Bank forecast GDP growth in the territory would drop 

to 5 percent in 2012 from 5.8 percent last year. Per capita GDP in 

the Palestinian Territories, with a combined population of just 

over 4 million, is $1,500 a year. “There is a lot of energy and 

resourcefulness in the Palestinian private sector which is the 

longer-term path out of crisis mode towards sustainable economic 

growth,” Sherman said. The report pointed to growth 

potential in private sector areas including construction, agriculture, 

housing and tourism. Instead, economic expansion in recent 

years has been driven mainly by donor aid, the report said, 

“which remains stifled by Israeli restrictions on access to natural 

resources and markets”.—Reuters 

Islamic finance, which operates according to religious 

principles such as a ban on paying interest, is 

seen as “an important initiative that is accepted by 

all major political parties”, Rezk told Reuters in a telephone 

interview this week. She added that the government 

did not intend to inhibit conventional 

banking in the country, but merely wanted to “make 

the market more dynamic and add choice to consumers”. 

The working group aims to meet weekly and 

come up with proposals for action within a few 

months, Rezk said. It is under the purview of the 

finance ministry’s director-general Chaker Soltani, 

whose responsibilities include debt management 

Business 

Tunisia sets up Islamic finance working group 

TOKYO: World Trade Organization (WTO) director general 

Pascal Lamy (left) is greeted by Yukio Edano, Japanese 

Minister for Economy and Trade Industry prior to their talks 

at Edano’s office in Tokyo yesterday. Lamy is now here on a 

three-day visit to Tokyo to exchange views with Japanese 

officials. —AFP 

BEIJING: China’s foreign direct investment 

(FDI) in February shrank from a year earlier, 

a fourth straight fall, with anemic inflows 

from debt-riddled Europe an additional sign 

that the People’s Bank of China may act to 

ensure steady money supply growth. 

The Commerce Ministry said yesterday 

that the country drew $7.7 billion in FDI in 

February, down 0.9 percent on the same 

month in 2011, while January and 

February combined saw FDI flows fall 0.56 

percent from a year earlier to $17.7 billion. 

Given that China’s trade balance plunged 

to be $31.5 billion in the red in Februarythe 

largest deficit in at least a decade-analysts 

said there was a growing likelihood 

that to keep money supply steady, the 

central bank would cut the ratio of 

deposits it makes banks keep as reserves 

(RRR). 

“Falling FDI and the big trade deficit in 

February put pressure on capital flows. 

Capital inflows will be sluggish and there 

may even be net outflows. From this perspective, 

it supports the case for more RRR 

cuts,” said Zhang Xinfa, economist at Galaxy 

Securities in Beijing. 

The inflow of foreign capital is a basic 

component of money supply in the financial 

system. A fall in its level implies a need to 

expand domestic credit creation by easing 

monetary policy in order to keep money 

supply growth steady. The central bank has 

cut RRR from a record high of 21.5 percent 

in two 50 basis point steps-the first in 

November and a second in February-to 

keep credit flowing. 

China targets 14 percent growth in money 

supply this year. The market consensus is 

for cuts of 150 bps more in RRR through the 

course of this year. Galaxy Securities expects 

three or four cuts of 50 bps each. But any 

move by the central bank probably will be 

tempered by belief the trade position will 

change. Analysts think trade surpluses will 

return-an assumption echoed by 

Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen 

Danyang. 

“Our judgment is that the trade deficit in 

February is unlikely to persist. Overall, we 

will still see a trade surplus this year, but it 

will gradually shrink and account for a smaller 

percentage of GDP,” Shen told reporters 

at the monthly media briefing where the 

February FDI data was released. 

The FDI data follows a raft of other 

reports which showed lower inflation and 

and financial cooperation. The group has been 

studying the Islamic banking experience of countries 

where the industry is well-developed, including 

Malaysia and Bahrain, as well as Jordan and Oman, 

which are more recent entrants into the industry. 

“We need more details,” Rezk said, on both the structures 

of Islamic financial products and how to regulate 

them. 

Soltani told Reuters earlier that the Tunisian government 

hoped eventually to issue sukuk (Islamic 

bonds), but did not expect to make an issue this year 

since the legal framework to support it was not yet 

in place. “Before issuing Islamic bonds, or sukuk, we 

must put a law in place,” he said. — Reuters 

China FDI fall puts 

policy in spotlight 

EU inflows down one-third from year earlier 

slower increases bank lending, retail sales 

and industrial output, which analysts say 

point to a gradual economic slowdown, not 

a hard landing. 

China’s trade surplus has been shrinking 

in part as imports have been ramped up to 

help drive a rebalancing of the economy 

away from dependence on external 

demand towards the country’s gigantic 

domestic market. China’s overall current 

account surplus, as a percentage of eco- 

nomic output, has fallen steadily in recent 

years. It dropped to 2.7 percent of GDP in 

2011 from 5.1 percent in 2010. 

Exports were a net drag on GDP growth 

in 2011, a fact that may placate some criticsparticularly 

those in the United States and 

the European Union-who say China unfairly 

supports exporters, a charge Beijing rejects. 

FDI from the US rose a marginal 0.87 percent 

in the first two months of 2012 from a 

year ago, to $525 million. — Reuters 

BEIJING: A Chinese woman poses for photos near a sculpture depicting the Chinese 

yuan note at an art district in Beijing yesterday. The head of China’s central bank 

said yesterday it has room to ease lending curbs to support economic growth but 

any changes would be gradual. — AP 

Lebanon awards 150,000tn 

gasoil import tender 

LONDON: Lebanon has awarded an 

import tender for 150,000 tons of gasoil 

for delivery between April and June at 

premiums near a two-year high, traders 

said yesterday. The tender was awarded 

to Athens-based trading house BB 

Energy at a premium of $29.25 a ton 

over Mediterranean quotes, traders 

said. Gasoil supply in the region is 

tightening, with several countries 

including Israel, Egypt and Jordan making 

elevated purchases of the product 

this year. 

The increased demand is partly a 

result of a series of attacks on pipelines 

along a crucial network that runs 

through Egypt’s restive Sinai region, 

cutting off gas supplies to Israel and 

Jordan. This is forcing governments to 

make big purchases of gasoil, which 

can be used instead of gas to generate 

power, and premiums are rocketing. 

Earlier this year, Lebanon bought a similar 

volume from BB Energy at a much 

lower premium of $18 a ton to 

Mediterranean quotes.Lebanon 

imports gasoil for electricity power 

generation and as a transport fuel. The 

country suffers from severe power outages, 

and decades of energy problems 

have drained billions of dollars in electricity 

subsidies. — Reuters


GSK sells Europe OTC 

brands to Omega 

LONDON: GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to sell a collection of 

over-the-counter healthcare brands in Europe to Omega 

Pharma for 470 million euros ($612 million), while delaying 

the divestment of weight-loss pill Alli. 

Net cash proceeds from the sale to Omega are expected 

to be approximately 310 million pounds ($486 million), 

which will be returned to shareholders during 2012, the 

company said yesterday. 

Reuters had earlier reported that Omega of Belgium was 

among those seeking to buy the European products, which 

include Lactacyd, Abtei, Solpadeine, Zantac, Nytol and 

Beconase, and had combined sales of 185 million pounds in 

2011. As part of the agreement, Omega will acquire the 

Herrenberg manufacturing site in Germany, which employs 

110 people. 

GSK sold a range non-prescription products in North 

America to Prestige Brands Holdings for 426 million pounds 

in December, after failing in its initial plan to find a single 

global buyer. 

GSK first announced in February 2011 that it planned to 

dispose of non-core brands sold primarily in North America 

and Europe and representing about 10 percent of its consumer 

health portfolio, in order to focus on priority brands 

and emerging markets. 

Alli, an over-the-counter (OTC) weight-loss drug that has 

been the subject of health concerns, was the biggest single 

product in the portfolio. Although GSK still plans to sell Alli, 

it said the process had been delayed pending the resolution 

of a temporary third party supply interruption. 

It also remains in discussions about divesting brands in 

markets outside of Europe and North America with combined 

sales of around 60 million pounds. 

Omega, which delisted its shares last month, said it 

would gain critical mass in Germany, Britain, Poland and 

Italy by buying the GSK brands. The company is a standalone 

OTC medicines company, ranking just outside the top 

10 in that market and competing with the OTC arms of 

pharma giants such as Johnson & Johnson and GSK, as well 

as those of consumer product groups like Procter & Gamble 

and Reckitt Benckiser. — Reuters 

S African Goldman 

banker always 

stuck to principles 

JOHANNESBURG: Greg Smith was a principled and competitive 

student, the kind of person whose strong sense of right 

and wrong probably pushed him to resign from Goldman 

Sachs in a scathing letter to an international newspaper, his 

former teacher and coach said. 

A quiet, unassuming child, the South African first attended 

the private Jewish King David’s High School in suburban 

Johannesburg before winning a scholarship to Stanford 

University in the United States. Smith then joined Goldman 

Sachs, a workplace he once loved but described in his resignation 

letter in the New York Times on Wednesday as having 

developed an environment “as toxic and destructive as I have 

ever seen it”. 

“He was a remarkable young man, exceptionally intelligent 

with an integrity that is probably unequalled,” Elliot Wolf, the 

school’s retired headmaster, told Reuters in an interview. 

“An absolutely remarkable man with high principles. He 

was an asset to the school in every possible way.” Wolf, who is 

now retired after 34 years at the school including 28 as headmaster, 

said he remembered Smith well from teaching him 

Latin and that he was loved by all because he was polite, 

unassuming and decent. 

The Goldman Sachs banker sat a total of eight exams in his 

final year of secondary school in 1996, winning a distinction in 

every subject, Wolf said. According to school records, Smith’s 

subjects included maths, advanced maths, Hebrew, English, 

Afrikaans and accounting. “He was a wonderful young man 

with the highest principles. That was already part of his character 

when he was very, very young,” Wolf said. He said he 

was amazed Smith would take such a stand, suggesting others 

would probably bend their ethics to suit a company that 

was rewarding them handsomely. Smith, who worked in equity 

derivatives, said it had made him ill at Goldman to hear his 

colleagues joke about cheating clients. “Over the last 12 

months I have seen five different managing directors refer to 

their own clients as ‘muppets’,” Smith said. —Reuters 

WASHINGTON: A long-delayed US- 

South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) 

that has stirred controversy in both 

countries took effect yesterday, 

although the opposition in Seoul has 

vowed to renegotiate it if it wins elections 

this year. The deal between the 

world’s top economy and Asia’s fourth 

largest will boost trade by billions of 

dollars and create tens of thousands of 

jobs, the two sides say, making it one 

the biggest deals of its kind. 

“The US-Korea agreement is a landmark 

deal with an important ally,” US 

Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a 

statement hailing the accord as the 

most significant US free trade pact in 20 

years. “Starting today, Korea’s doors are 

wide open for Made-In-America exports 

that will support well-paying jobs here 

at home,” Kirk said. The deal has provoked 

outbursts of violence in South 

Korea’s parliament and street protests, 

mostly by farmers, including a small 

demonstration in the capital yesterday. 

The leader of the main opposition 

party, Han Myung-sook, this week 

backed down from a vow to repeal the 

deal altogether, saying she only wanted 

parts of it renegotiated. Experts doubt 

major changes to the deal will be enacted. 

US President Barack Obama and 

South Korean President Lee 

Myung-bak spoke by telephone and 

praised the pact as symbolic of a 

strengthening of their alliance, the presidential 

Blue House in Seoul said in a 

statement. 

“The South Korea-US FTA is a highstandard 

treaty that will become a good 

model of global free trade,” Lee was 

quoted as telling Obama. 

The pact, which was signed in 2007 

and finally approved by both countries 

in late 2011, immediately eliminates 80 

percent of South Korea’s duties on US 

manufactured goods and nearly twothirds 

of its duties on US farm products. 

In Seoul, shoppers felt the immediate 

impact, with bottles of Californian wine 

and citrus fruit flying off the supermarket 

shelves at up to a 20 percent off less 

than before. 

South Korea is the United States’ seventh-largest 

trading partner and has an 

economy valued at $1 trillion dollars. 

The pact’s tariff cuts are expected to 

boost US exports to Korea by $10 billion 

to $11 billion, helping to support 70,000 

jobs. The agreement mostly negotiated 

by the administration of former US 

President George W Bush and former 

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun 

also opens up more of South Korea’s 

Business 

US-Korea trade pact 

takes effect amid row 

Pact cuts tariffs on US manufactured, farm goods 

LONDON: Tesco’s former head of 

British operations Richard Brasher at 

Downing Street in London. Britain’s 

biggest retailer Tesco said yesterday 

that the head of its domestic operations 

Richard Brasher has quit after 

just one year in the job, following 

poor Christmas results and a profits 

warning. — AFP 

SEOUL: South Korean conservative activists roll a large balloon showing the US 

flags over their heads during a rally to support South Korea-US free trade 

agreement in Seoul yesterday. — AP 

LONDON: Tesco, the world’s thirdbiggest 

retailer, said the head of its UK 

business was to quit the firm, raising 

questions over its strategy in its biggest 

market two months after a profit warning 

sent shock waves through the grocery 

sector. 

The firm said on Wednesday UK CEO 

Richard Brasher, a Tesco veteran of 26 

years, would step down from the board 

with immediate effect and leave the 

company in July. He was promoted by 

group CEO Philip Clarke to head the UK 

in March 2011. His departure follows 

Clarke’s decision to take a much closer 

involvement in the UK business, whose 

market share last month fell to levels not 

seen since 2005, according to industry 

data. Clarke, who will assume responsibility 

as CEO of the UK business in addition 

to his existing duties, said Brasher’s 

exit “categorically does not signal another 

warning.” “There is no warning, if we 

felt that was necessary we’d be saying so 

and we don’t think it’s necessary,” he told 

Reuters. 

Clarke also insisted he had not had a 

row with Brasher, who was responsible 

large services market to US companies 

and has new protections for exporters, 

investors, and intellectual property 

rights holders. 

Lee’s decision shortly after taking 

office in 2008 to reopen South Korea’s 

market to US beef triggered massive 

protests that caused the new president’s 

popularity to plummet. Within the 

United States, opposition from Obama’s 

fellow Democrats prompted Obama to 

renegotiate the deal in late 2010 to get a 

better deal for US automakers. 

Ford Motor Co and union groups 

complained the original pact failed to 

tear down longstanding “non-tariff” barriers 

to South Korea’s auto market. Once 

finally submitted to Congress, the pact 

sailed swiftly through both the House of 

Representatives and Senate. — Reuters 

Tesco CEO shows who’s 

boss as UK head departs 

for Tesco’s “Big Price Drop” campaign 

launched last autumn. 

“I respect the decision that he’s 

reached and I’ve nothing but the highest 

admiration for him,” he said. “The UK’s 

been facing challenges that are long 

standing. This is a consequence of my 

wish to take a more active role in the day 

to day management and nothing else, 

and Richard recognizing you can’t have 

two captains in a team.” Brasher pulled 

out of an engagement to speak at the 

annual Retail Week conference yesterday 

morning. Clarke said in the long term it 

was in the best interests of the group to 

have a dedicated UK team with its own 

boss. “But right now I want a closer 

involvement and therefore I’m taking 

this decision.” 

Shares in Tesco were down 1.3 percent 

at 320.6 pence at 0929 GMT, valuing 

the business at 25.42 billion pounds 

($39.87 billion). 

“The departure of Richard Brasher is a 

sad, but perhaps inevitable, consequence 

of the recent profit warning,” 

said Panmure Gordon analyst Philip 

Dorgan. —Reuters


FRANKFURT: Lufthansa planes at Frankfurt’s Rhein-Main 

airport. Lufthansa AG says yesterday it expects lower 

profits this year as high fuel prices and economic uncertainties 

weigh on earnings. The company said its operating 

profit is expected to slide from euro 820 million ($1.1 

billion) in 2011 to a “mid three-figure million euro range” 

this year. —AP 

Lufthansa sees 

underlying earnings 

down in 2012 

FRANKFURT: German airline Lufthansa said yesterday that 

underlying earnings would likely decline this year, depending 

on developments in fuel costs and the overall business environment. 

It also announced a capital injection at its loss-making 

unit Austrian Airlines on condition the carrier undertake further 

“drastic” restructuring measures. “The Lufthansa group is anticipating 

an operating profit in the mid three-figure million euro 

range for the current financial year,” said chief executive 

Christoph Franz. That would place operating profit in the region 

of 500 million euros ($650 million). By comparison, operating 

profit in 2011 amounted to 820 million euros, a drop of 19.6 

percent on the year. All divisions would be profitable at an 

underlying level, “with operating profits forecast across the 

board,” Franz said. 

“However, further developments in the business environment-and 

fuel prices in particular-will determine precisely how 

high group operating profit will be at year-end,” he added. As 

reported last week, Lufthansa’s profits fell sharply last year as a 

result of high fuel costs, a domestic air traffic tax and losses 

from the sale of its British Midland unit. 

At the bottom-line, Lufthansa booked net loss of 13 million 

euros in 2011, compared with a profit of 1.1 billion euros a year 

earlier, while full-year revenues were up 8.3 percent at 28.7 billion 

euros. Franz said the airline was already implementing 

measures to boost underlying earnings by “at least 1.5 billion 

euros over the next three years.” Nevertheless, “we anticipate 

that the financial year 2012 will again be plagued by uncertainty. 

The economic conditions remain difficult and volatility is still 

high, but we are prepared for all weathers,” Franz said. —AFP 

LONDON: Home Retail, Britain’s 

biggest household goods retailer, 

urged the government to take steps in 

its budget next week to boost the 

incomes of lower and middle earners as 

it forecast a fifth consecutive year of 

falling profits. 

The owner of catalogue-based 

Argos stores and the Homebase do-ityourself 

chain said on Thursday there 

were reasons to be more optimistic 

about the retail outlook for the coming 

year, with inflation falling and events 

such as the Olympic Games in London 

and the Queen’s diamond jubilee likely 

to boost spending. However, it said it 

was planning cautiously after a big 

drop in sales at both Argos and 

Homebase in the 8 weeks to Feb. 25. 

“What we totally agree with is the 

increase in the personal allowance,” 

chief executive Terry Duddy told 

reporters, referring to proposals by 

VIENNA: The European Central Bank is 

not planning any more measures to 

help the battered economy, having 

already played its part in fighting the 

euro zone crisis, Governing Council 

member Ewald Nowotny said yesterday. 

He added, however, that it is still too 

early to remove central bank support. 

This contrasted with separate comments 

from fellow ECB policymaker 

Erkki Liikanen, who stressed the need 

for a timely exit from extraordinary 

measures. Late last year, the ECB cut its 

interest rates to equal a previous record 

low of 1.0 percent and has since fed 

banks more than 1 trillion euros ($1.3 

trillion) in ultra-long 3-year funds and 

has loosened its collateral rules. 

All this has pumped money into the 

euro zone economy as it struggled 

against both an economic downturn 

and a debilitating debt crisis. 

“Just now we have to see how the 

various measures affect the economy,” 

Nowotny told Reuters Insider TV in an 

interview. “This will take some time; in 

the meantime, I do not see any need for 

further action,” he said. 

He added: “We have done what a 

central bank can do ... of course there 

are other players who have to do their 

part.” 

Nowotny also said now was not the 

time to worry about removing central 

bank support, adding that the chance of 

a well-timed exit had been thought 

before any measures had been implemented. 

“When you start an action, you also 

have to think how to end it. Whatever 

we do, we also have to take into account 

how long we do it, what is the exit strategy,” 

he said. “It is not a matter of concern 

right now.” Liikanen, who is the 

Bank of Finland governor, said that 

before one could declare the debt crisis 

finished, the ECB needs to quit its 

extraordinary measures and have the 

economy stand on its own. 

“Central bank measures can be used 

to calm the financial markets, but a permanent 

solution to the debt crisis will 

require both successful fiscal and structural 

policies and a controlled and timely 

exit from the temporary central bank 

measures,” Liikanen said. 

He did not give any time frame for 

the exit beyond stating it would have to 

be done when the time was ripe. 

When Nowotny was asked about 

potential strife between the German 

Bundesbank and the ECB regarding support 

measures, Nowotny said “This is not 

true ... Of course you have discussions.” 

The Bundesbank and its head Jens 

Weidmann have expressed concerns 

about looser lending rules which it uses 

to accept guarantees in exchange for 

loans. The German central bank used 

most of its last year’s profits to boost its 

Business 

ECB in wait-and-see 

mode, says Nowotny 

Official douses hopes of further measures 

Britain’s coalition government to raise 

the threshold at which people start 

paying income tax. “We think that’s an 

important factor and would lead to an 

easing for the circumstances that people 

have got where they’ve just seen 

disposable income falling.” 

Britain’s retailers are mostly struggling 

as disposable incomes have been 

squeezed by rising prices, muted 

wages growth and austerity measures, 

and shoppers fret about rising unemployment, 

a shaky housing market and 

the euro debt crisis. 

Argos has been particularly hard hit 

because its mainly low-income customers 

have suffered most and 

because it also faces stiff competition 

from grocers, specialists and the internet. 

Sales at Argos stores open over a 

year dropped 8.5 percent in the eight 

weeks to Feb. 25, broadly in line with a 

drop of 8.9 percent over the 52 weeks 

ATHENS: A homeless person begs in Syntagma square, backdropped by the 

Greek parliament, in central Athens, yesterday. — AP 

ending on the same date. 

Duddy said shoppers were particularly 

cutting back spending on electrical 

goods like televisions and video 

games, with sales of the latter down 35 

percent in the eight-week period. Likefor-like 

sales at Homebase, Britain’s 

No.2 home improvements retailer 

behind Kingfisher’s B&Q, slumped 6.5 

percent in the quarter, worse than the 

full-year decline of 2 percent as sales of 

furniture, kitchens and bathrooms suffered. 

The firm said it was on track to 

meet analysts’ expectations for a fullyear 

underlying profit of around 100 

million pounds, which would be down 

sharply from 254 million the year 

before. Finance Director Richard 

Ashton said it was reasonable to expect 

another, albeit more modest, decline in 

the current financial year, noting that 

analysts’ average forecast was for an 

underlying profit of around 80 million 

risk buffers. Asked about the possibility 

of further interest rate cuts, Nowotny, 

who also heads the Austrian central 

bank, said they were not being discussed 

right now. 

He also said there were no indications 

of inflation risks at the moment. 

Liikanen, on the other hand, repeated 

the ECB line that inflation was expected 

to stay above 2 percent this year, before 

falling to be in line with the central 

bank’s target of just below 2 percent. 

Nowotny also said there were clear 

signs of stabilization in the financial markets 

after the ECB’s cash. Liikanen also 

offered the central bank a pat on the 

back, saying the injection had had “decisive 

impact”. The ECB itself said in its 

March monthly bulletin published yesterday 

that it might take several months 

before the impact of 3-year money is felt 

and credit rebounds. — Reuters 

Home Retail urges help for consumers 

pounds. “There are people who’ve said 

they could get to some cautious optimism 

in the second half,” Duddy said, 

referring to falling inflation and events 

like the Olympics and jubilee. 

“We wouldn’t disagree with them, 

but from our point of view we’d be better 

with a cautious plan rather than 

banking to upsides that may or may 

not occur,” he added. 

Espirito Santo analysts said it was 

good news Home Retail had avoided 

another profit warning, but saw little 

scope of a quick recovery. 

“Trading remains tough and there is 

a long way to go before we begin to 

see margins recover at Argos, in our 

view,” they wrote in a research note. 

Home Retail shares, which have lost 

nearly half of their value over the last 

year, were down 0.7 percent to 114.2 

pence by 0850 GMT, lagging a flat 

European retail sector. — Reuters


Business 

Will the bull market last? 

Analysts take a wild guess as stocks continue rally 

Don’t trust the stock market. 

The rally won’t last. Stocks are 

on a short-lived sugar high. 

The gains, engineered by government 

bailouts and super-low interest 

rates courtesy of the Federal Reserve, 

are artificial. 

That’s what the skeptics on Wall 

Street have been saying since Day 

One of the current bull market, 

which was born on March 9, 2009, 

the day stocks finally stopped falling 

after the biggest and scariest plunge 

this generation of investors has ever 

seen. 

Well, the skeptics have been 

wrong — so far. 

The baby bull nobody believed in, 

the one that has earned little respect 

despite posting a 103 percent gain, 

the one that grew up in the shadow 

of the worst financial crisis since the 

Great Depression, turns 3 on Friday. 

But despite a resume that 

includes accomplishments such as 

being the first bull market to gain 

100 percent in its first three years 

and the seventh-best percentage 

gainer of all time, this one enters its 

fourth year with still-skeptical 

investors asking the same question: 

Can it last? 

“There are a lot of nervous 

investors who are still not buying 

into this rally,” says Andrew 

Fitzpatrick, director of investments at 

Hinsdale Associates. A clear sign of 

the anxiety is reflected in the flow of 

funds into mutual funds and 

exchange traded funds. In this bull 

market as of January 2012, investors 

have stashed roughly $261 billion in 

stock funds and $708 billion in moreconservative 

bond funds, according 

to the Investment Company 

Institute, the mutual fund industry’s 

trade group. 

The steep fall and subsequent 

rebound of the stock market caught 

many investors by surprise. After 

tumbling nearly 57 percent from its 

October 2007 all-time high of 1,565 

to a low of 676 in March 2009, the 

Standard & Poor’s 500 index has 

doubled in value in the past three 

years, climbing as high as 1,374 on 

March 1. The massive move erased 

all but 12 percent of the losses suffered 

in the last market downturn, 

the worst since the 1930s. In the 

same period, the Dow Jones industrial 

average fell from a peak of 14,164 

to a low of 6,547 before barreling 

back above 13,000 last week for the 

first time since May 2008. 

Today, investors will welcome any 

Headwinds notwithstanding, by historical 

standards this 36-month-old 

bull is entering the later stages of its 

life span. The average duration of 

bull markets dating back to 1932 is 

roughly four years, according to 

InvesTech Research. That means this 

bull still has a shot at reaching its 

fourth birthday without suffering a 

bear market — or 20 percent decline 

— that would mark the end of its run. 

signs of stability. More and more, the 

financial well-being of Americans is 

tied to how their personal retirement 

accounts perform in an increasingly 

volatile market that is driven by the 

perceived health of the economy 

and the confidence level on Main 

Street. 

In the past 20 years, the number 

of US households investing in stock 

and bond markets via mutual funds 

has more than doubled from 23.2 

million to 52.3 million, according to 

the ICI. More than 90 million people 

— nearly a third of the US population 

— invest in mutual funds. 

So Americans have become more 

invested, literally and figuratively, 

with the ups and downs of the markets. 

Indeed, just as fears of a double-dip 

recession in the US have 

been fading recently amid a steady, 

incoming batch of better economic 

data, and a worst-case outcome to 

Europe’s debt crisis seems to have 

been taken off the table, fresh wor- 

ries have emerged to give investors 

pause. 

There is a sense that it will take 

some kind of shock to end the rally. 

Potential bull killers: 

GAS PRICE SHOCK 

Investors fear that sticker shock 

at the pump could create stock market 

and economic turmoil if tensions 

over Iran’s nuclear intentions and 

capabilities lead to a military confrontation 

and supply disruption. 

Iran is believed to be covertly trying 

to develop a nuclear weapon, and 

Israel might be considering a preemptive 

military strike. 

“A major curve ball can come 

from Iran,” said financial planner 

Jacob Gold, author of “Financial 

Intelligence: Getting Back to Basics 

After an Economic Meltdown.” 

Any showdown with Iran would 

likely be bearish. 

“If someone tries to take out Iran’s 

nuclear capabilities, it would throw 

the world into turmoil,” said David 

Fondrie, senior portfolio manager at 

Heartland Funds. 

Rising gas prices create a considerable 

drag on the economy, 

because the extra expense acts like a 

tax on consumers and siphons cash 

from other discretionary purchases. 

Election uncertainty is another 

wild card. Is there more political gridlock 

ahead? Can lawmakers finally 

agree on a plan to reduce the 

nation’s swelling deficit and get the 

nation’s fiscal house in order? Will 

there be another 11th-hour standoff 

this fall over raising the federal debt 

limit? Will lawmakers extend the 

Bush tax cuts, which expire at the 

end of 2012? If the tax cuts are not 

extended, expect a drag on the 

economy, said Byron Wien, vice 

chairman of Blackstone Advisory 

Partners. 

Perhaps more worrisome is the 

warning from Robert Rodriguez, CEO 

of money-management firm First 

Pacific Advisors: “If we don’t start on 

a fiscal restructuring in this country 

by the end of next year, it is quite 

likely that between 2014 and 2016 

we could experience something as 

big as Europe is going through 

today.” 

INFLATION AND RATE FEARS 

A big plus for the financial markets 

has been the low interest rate 

environment fostered by the Fed 

and its chairman, Ben Bernanke. The 

steady low rate has nudged 

investors into riskier assets, such as 

stocks, in search of bigger returns. 

But the downside of the easy-money 

policy is a possible sharp rise in inflation. 

And inflation is an enemy of 

financial assets, said Jim Paulsen, 

chief investment strategist at Wells 

Capital Management. If the inflation 

rate, which is hovering around 2 percent, 

goes well above the current 

level, the market reaction might not 

be pretty. 

“If inflation gets out of control 

there will be a violent reaction in the 

bond market and at the Fed,” 

Paulsen warned. If the Fed starts to 

raise rates and bond investors sell 

and yields rise to compensate for 

higher inflation, the economy could 

slow, he said. That would make it 

harder and more expensive for the 

US to finance its deficit, and stocks 

would likely suffer. 

If China’s growth engine slows, 

the ripple effect could be felt globally. 

China this week lowered its 

growth outlook to 7.5 percent, from 

8 percent, where it has been since 

2005. Slower growth there could 

hurt companies and countries that 

export commodities such as steel, 

concrete and oil to China. 

For now, the threat of Greece 

defaulting on its debt — and the 

potential for a banking crisis and 

financial contagion spreading 

throughout the euro-zone and 

beyond — has eased, thanks to a 

recent deal struck between Greece 

and central bankers, finance ministers 

and creditors in Europe. The 

European Central Bank’s move to 

provide 1 percent loans to banks in 

Europe has acted as a key backstop 

in stemming the crisis. 

Headwinds notwithstanding, by 

NEW YORK: New York City police officer Marco Varela patrols near the Wall Street Bull in 

the financial district of New York City. —MCT 

historical standards this 36-monthold 

bull is entering the later stages of 

its life span. The average duration of 

bull markets dating back to 1932 is 

roughly four years, according to 

InvesTech Research. That means this 

bull still has a shot at reaching its 

fourth birthday without suffering a 

bear market — or 20 percent decline 

— that would mark the end of its 

run. 

Ironically, the celebration of the 

bull’s third birthday coincides with a 

stock market that is showing signs of 

rally fatigue. The upward rise in stock 

prices has hit a wall. Since hitting key 

milestones, such as 13,000 for the 

Dow, the market has stalled. —MCT


By Joseph Mayton 

Rushing from one telephone call to 

another, Bothaina Kamel casually tosses 

her hair, as she answers questions from 

incoming callers. She radiates a winning combination 

of softness and power that in many 

countries give her nothing less than a knockout 

punch for politics. But here in Egypt, the 

quick moving and energetic Kamel is facing 

an uphill battle since she announced her 

intention to run for Egypt’s top job last year. “I 

want to help bring change to Egypt. That is it. 

And I can do it,” she says, taking a moment to 

sip a hot drink from a glass at her headquarters 

in central Cairo. She told The Media Line 

she doesn’t have time for pomp and circumstance. 

“Leave that to the men. I’m here to 

make a better country,” she says, grabbing 

another incoming call, getting updates from a 

march only a few blocks away. “It’s time to 

go,” she says and quickly shakes hands and 

jolts out of the room. Off to the barricades. 

Kamel is no stranger to the frontlines of 

protests, having been there in November for 

the clashes on Mohamed Mahmoud Street in 

central Cairo, then again less than a month 

later when the military junta attacked a sit-in 

at the cabinet building. In February, Kamel 

was present, showing solidarity and support 

for whom she calls “my fellow Egyptian fighters” 

when clashes erupted near the Ministry 

of Interior. She has been detained, beaten and 

arrested by the country’s military. She has featured 

in international media and has earned 

the support she has through attending 

protests, speaking to people in villages and 

working for grassroots change in Egypt, 

unlike any of the other candidates who have 

nominated themselves. 

The nomination expected to create a field 

of about 10 or so serious contenders for the 

office when voters go to the polls at the end 

of May. Even though the revolution that led 

to elections brought an end to Hosni 

Mubarak’s rule, the front-running candidates 

in fact are holdovers from the old regime. Amr 

Moussa was head of the Arab League and foreign 

minister under Mubarak. Mansour 

Hassan was a minister under Anwar Sadat, 

Mubarak’s predecessor, and Ahmed Shafiq, a 

former air force commander who appointed 

by prime minister in the final days of 

Mubarak’s rule. Others are Islamists like Abdel 

Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former member of 

the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hazem Salah 

Abu Ismail, a prominent Salafist. 

Still, with less than three months until 

Egyptians take to the polls to elect a new 

president, most average Egyptians have never 

even heard of her. “Bothaina who?” they ask. 

When told she is the woman who hosted a 

call-in talk show a number of years back to 

assist women with personal issues, sometimes 

a light bulb goes off in recognition. “But she’s 

running for president?” asks Mariam, a 47year-old 

mother of four and housewife in the 

Garden City neighborhood of Cairo. For her, 

Kamel is not a politician, but a talk show host. 

Nothing more. Apparently, the local press 

tends to agree with Mariam. In the past few 

months, not a single Arabic newspaper has 

mentioned Kamel as a candidate for the presidency. 

When her name comes up in their stories, 

she is called an “activist”. Kamel insists 

that she isn’t bothered by this. “My supporters 

are growing and I believe in my mission. 

Maybe I won’t win this time, but it is important 

for women to be out there,” she added in 

a later phone conversation. 

A television host and activist for most of 

her adult life, Kamel was born in 1962 and 

graduated from Cairo University in 1983, 

where she was active in the student union. 

Although she has long been part of the media 

establishment - anchoring a radio program 

Opinion 

Kamel’s lonely quest 

for Egypt’s top job 

The country’s only woman candidate for president can’t get the media’s attention 

Egypt’s first female presidential hopeful Bothaina Kamel is seen after she 

registered her name for the upcoming presidential elections in Cairo on 

March 11, 2012. - AP 

called “Midnight Confessions”, working as a 

presenter for the Egyptian state television and 

hosting the hit show “Please Understand Me” 

on the Saudi-owned satellite TV channel Orbit 

- she has long been indentified as a prodemocracy 

advocate and for repeated conflicts 

with the authorities. But being a woman 

is not enough to get elected. Leading 

women’s rights advocates in the country, 

including Nawal Saadawi, have been apprehensive 

about throwing their support behind 

a female candidate simply because she is a 

woman. “I must know her program before I 

can support her,” Saadawi told The Media 

Line. 

This month, however, ahead of the official 

nomination period, which began on March 10 

and runs through April 8, Kamel issued a briefing 

on her campaign’s platform. It was a daring 

move because it was something her male 

counterparts have refrained from doing, preferring 

to refer to justice, freedom and 

democracy than actually talking about their 

platforms. She talks about a minimum wage, 

rule of law, separation of religion and state, 

and a civil society based on a constitution. At 

a recent public talk, she spoke candidly about 

the role of her candidacy as a means of boosting 

female participation in Egypt’s future. 

nevertheless, she concedes that her country’s 

transition to democracy will be difficult. 

Kamel says that while she opposed 

Mubarak’s regime, she never imagined that 

the revolution would occur as it did but warns 

that it has yet to achieve all its goals. “The revolution 

did stop, however, the planned succession 

of power,” she says, referring to the 

military’s takeover of power last February, 

which removed the threat of Mubarak’s son 

taking over. Still, the media rarely cover her 

events, and when they do they are often condescending 

to her as a female candidate, 

often referring to her dress and appearance 

instead of the substance of her remarks. 

An assistant editor at a leading Arabic daily, 

who asked not to be named due to the 

sensitivity of his comments, told The Media 

Line that this is the policy within the old 

guard of newspapers. “Women have traditionally 

- and are still today -considered to be 

wives and mothers first. So when there is any 

coverage of women in the political sphere, 

there are ways of reporting it so they don’t 

get the credibility they deserve,” the editor 

explains. For this to change, “the local and 

independent media must step in to fill these 

gaps. The people at the top in most Arabic 

newspapers are older men and they don’t like 

to be stepped on, especially by influential and 

powerful women.” That’s where Kamel’s candidacy 

will be instrumental in changing attitudes, 

she believes. “We can only do as much 

as we are capable of doing and if it helps to 

change a few peoples’ ideas about women 

and government then that’s great. I will keep 

fighting for what is right no matter what.” 

Even if the media fail to give her the ink she 

deserves. - Media Line



Anniversary 

Years 

Actress Genesis 

Rodriguez arrives at the 

premiere of the feature 

film "Casa De Mi Padre" in 

Los Angeles on 

Wednesday, March 14, 

2012. — AP


If you’ve got a notebook and a couple of 

speakers, then the party can start. That’s 

because modern software has replaced 

expensive hardware and allowed amateurs 

to become their own DJs, provided they 

have a digitized music collection that is 

organized properly. Long gone are the days 

when DJs had to lug around crates of equipments 

and albums. Theoretically, all you 

need today is a notebook computer and a 

well-stocked hard drive to get the party 

started. 

It’s all possible thanks to DJ software. 

Although used by professionals, it’s easy for 

beginners to figure out too. “They can learn 

it in a few minutes,” says Lutz Scheffler, a DJ 

and spokesman for the German Professional 

Association of Disc Jockeys (BVD). The programs 

do more than just play music, says 

Scheffler. “This is creative processing software 

that can replace one or several high 

quality CD players.” 

Songs can be played at higher or lower 

pitches, with effects like reverb and echo 

blending and pitching, in effect slowing 

down or speeding up the music. That helps 

create a seamless transition between two 

pieces. Many programs use a function called 

beatmaking to recognize the speed of songs 

and find ways to match them to one another. 

Traktor Pro from Native Instruments is a 

program in widespread use. The graphic 

interface looks like two record players, 

underneath which is a folder structure from 

which the user can choose the next song. 

The program costs 199 euros (265 dollars) 

and a time-limited demo version is available 

for trials. 

A lot of DJs are also fans of programs 

from the New Zealand company Serato, says 

Scheffler. “But those are really for professionals.” 

VirtualDJ from Atomix is much 

more welcoming to beginners. It has a similar 

interface to Traktor Pro and is available 

for the Mac. The same applies to Ultramixer 

from Digital Audio Solutions, which also 

comes in a Linux version. VirtualDJ and 

Ultramixer can both be used for free, so long 

as they are not used professionally. 

One open source alternative for 

Windows, iOS and Linux is Mixxx. Other free 

versions include Jackson and DigiJay. 

Beginners should take the time to try out all 

these freeware programs, says Hartmut 

Gieselmann. “But you often have to cope 

with programming errors,” said the expert, 

who works with the German computer magazine 

c’t. If a person plans to use the programs 

for an extended period, he recommends 

moving to the commercial versions. 

“Beatmatching delivers significantly better 

results,” he said. 

Whether free or not, all of these programs 

can be operated like any other, with a 

mouse and the keyboard. But, when working 

as a professional, many DJs also add a 

Midi controller. This significantly speeds up 

the selection of songs and effects, because 

the controllers can be set to the user’s individual 

needs. 

“But Midi controllers usually only work 

with commercial programs,” says 

Technology 

Get the party started 

DJ software turns your computer into a mixing console 

Gieselmann. Good models cost at least 200 

euros (278 dollars). Beginners are advised 

not to jump straight in with the professional 

hardware. If you’re just starting to figure out 

DJ software, you’ll probably be starting out 

at private parties. Here, there are usually no 

legal perils. But that’s not necessarily the 

case at public gatherings. Be sure to know 

local rules about playing copyrighted music 

at such events. 

A lot of DJ programs can generate edited 

songs or mixes as MP3s. But if you record 

pieces like that onto a CD or release it as a 

download, you could be violating the rights 

of the original artist. 

“Then you have to ask the copyright 

holder for permission,” says Gaby Schilcher 

from gema, the German Society for Musical 

Performing and Mechanical Reproduction 

Rights. The holder is usually the appropriate 

record label and it might not always want to 

cooperate. Rules apply not only to whole 

songs, but also to snippets and individual 

components of a piece. 

And a final tip: If you’re going to work as 

a DJ, you have to get your music organized, 

otherwise you’ll be looking in vain for the 

next track as the party threatens to die, 

warns Scheffler. “It’s important that not just 

the file names are right, but also that you 

keep track of the ID3 tags.” 

Those tell, for example, the song title, the 

performer, the album and the genre, among 

other details. The tags can be edited via 

Windows Media Player, Winamp or iTunes. 

The freeware program MP3Tag focuses 

exclusively on such tags, pulling a lot of data 

out of Internet databases and saving the DJ 

a lot of typing. — dpa


Dr. Mitch Spero’s therapy partner is up 

to his old tricks this afternoon. He 

crawls across the room on his belly to 

bulldoze through a toy block wall built by a 

young client. Then he rolls over. And plays 

dead. Unusual behavior - especially for a turtle. 

Florida, the three-toed box turtle who lives 

next to the printer in Spero’s Plantation, Fla., 

office, has a talent for canine-like tricks that 

has landed him on national television, talk 

shows and YouTube. 

Television star and animal lover Ellen 

DeGeneres featured his “greatest tricks” video 

on her talk show. David Letterman, known for 

his “stupid pet tricks” segment, called him for 

an audition. And he’s been profiled for the 

Japanese version of “Animal Planet.” Florida’s 

latest career move? Spero, a child and family 

therapist, hopes to star Florida in a book series 

aimed at helping children overcome loss and 

trauma. 

Anxious or shy youngsters who might be 

afraid of a dog giggle, when they get to hold a 

turtle that, following Spero’s hand commands, 

will wave at them or give them a high-five. If 

Florida can come out of his shell, Spero tells 

them, or bravely push his way through obstacles 

like toy block walls, well, so can they. 

“Even though a turtle doesn’t necessarily 

understand feelings, I can use him to help children 

learn about theirs,” said Spero, who started 

college wanting to be a veterinarian. He’s 

finished and self-published the first book, 

“Florida the Turtle Who Thinks He’s A Dog 

Finds his Feelings” ($9.43, plus tax and ship- 

ping) and is selling it at FloridaTheTurtle.com. 

Future volumes may find Florida dealing with 

divorce or a family death. 

Florida’s calling card so far, however, has 

been his repertoire of atypical tortoise moves. 

Plucked from an obscure South Florida pet 

store in 1983, Florida soon proved he was 

uncommonly attentive and friendly. Grabbing 

at lettuce in Spero’s hand, he reared back on 

his haunches, sat up like a terrier, and the rest 

was history. 

Florida even has flown coach class to film 

the “Today” show in New York City, and had to 

spend the night in a dresser drawer when the 

hotel couldn’t turn up a terrarium as originally 

promised. He spent most of his on-camera 

appearance the next day trying to escape 

from host Matt Lauer. “It was December, 

Florida was cold and he’s not a morning person,” 

Spero said. 

Animal-assisted therapy is nothing new. 

Pet Partners, formerly called the Delta Society, 

has been registering four-legged therapists 

for about 20 years. The certification assures 

hospitals and nursing homes that volunteer 

pet therapy teams have been trained, and that 

the animals are clean and will behave appropriately, 

said spokesman Bill Kueser. 

The Washington state organization has registered 

about 11,000 four-legged or feathered 

therapists; besides dogs, there are hamsters, 

chinchillas and birds. But no reptiles, including 

turtles. Kueser says that’s because the organization 

can’t figure out how to properly evaluate 

their work, and worries about disease 

Pets 

Turtle helps troubled children 

come out of their shell 

Dr. Mitch Spero’s therapy partner is up to his old tricks. — MCT photos Florida, the pet turtle that does tricks like a dog has helped shy and fearful children overcome 

their anxiety. 

transmission. 

But Kueser isn’t surprised that playing with 

Florida helps Spero’s young patients relax and 

open up. One of Pet Partners’ board members 

is a therapist in practice with a lizard. To be 

fair, if any reptile has good people skills, it 

probably would be the box turtle. Dale R. 

Jackson, a senior research zoologist at Florida 

State University, said they generally are friendly 

and very food motivated. 

Spero’s early lettuce feedings likely got 

Florida in the habit of eagerly following his 

hands, Jackson said, and his unusually high, 

round shell causes him to “roll over” when he 

stretches too high. “I’m not sure if I would call 

them tricks,” Jackson said. “But if the turtle is 

helping out children, that’s great.” 

A trained turtle is a great icebreaker, Spero 

said, when his new young patients think an 

office visit means getting a shot or something 

else scary. Florida also serves as a role model. 

Annika Wible, a 9-year-old from Plantation 

who has been seeing Spero since her parents 

divorced, remembers thinking about Florida 

stretching his neck far out of his shell after she 

had been hurt in gymnastics and wanted to 

quit. 

“I thought, well, there is a turtle out there 

and he can do all these things,” she said. “I 

think Florida inspires kids.” — MCT


Everyday cooking: 

Every once in a while I develop a 

small but powerful addictions to 

one kind of food and it becomes 

my ‘bestest dish ever’. It’s an item I can 

eat morning, noon and night, until I 

find a new ‘bestest dish ever’. For now, 

my new addiction is pretzels. I’m not 

talking about those dry, salty ones 

packed in bags like chips. I am talking 

about those soft, gooey, bread-like 

pretzels that have a slightly crunchy 

exterior, and soft and soothing interi- 

or. The kind that are topped with 

cheese, stuffed with hotdogs or gently 

rolled in cinnamon sugar. With the 

right dip, pretzels make a great snack, 

meal or even start to a day. Okay I 

think I have sold you enough on the 

greatness that is pretzels. The following 

recipes lets you make some of your 

own awesomeness at home. 

Send your suggestions to: 

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net 

Spicy melted cheese dip 

1/2 pound ground beef 

1/2 pound ground sausage 

2 pounds processed cheese, cubed 

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with chile peppers 

Place ground beef and ground pork sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over 

medium high heat until evenly brown. In a medium saucepan over low heat, 

melt processed cheese food. Stir in diced tomatoes with green chile peppers 

while processed cheese food is melting. Drain ground beef and ground sausage. Mix 

into the processed cheese food mixture. Transfer to a medium dish and serve warm. 

FOOD 

Pretzels 

Honey mustard dipping sauce 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons honey 

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice 

Mix the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, Dijon 

mustard, honey, and lemon juice together 

in a bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator 

overnight.


Soft cheddar 

pretzels 

* l 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

* 2 teaspoons baking powder 

* 1/2 teaspoon salt 

* 1 teaspoon sugar 

* 2 tablespoons margarine 

* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar 

cheese 

* 2/3 cup milk 

* 1 egg, beaten 

* l 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt 

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium 

bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry 

blender until mixture resembles coarse 

meal. Add cheese and milk, stirring until dry 

ingredients are just moistened. Turn dough 

out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 

about 12 times. Divide dough in half and roll 

each half into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut 

dough lengthwise into eight 1-inch strips. 

Twist each into a pretzel shape; brush with 

beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. 

Place on lightly greased baking sheets and 

bake at 400∞ for 15 minutes or until golden 

brown. Cool pretzels for a few minutes on 

wire racks; serve pretzels warm. 

Cinnamon sugar pretzels 

1 1/2 cup warm water 

1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

4 cups regular flour 

1 1/8 teaspoon salt 

2 cups water (for boiling the pretzel) 

2 tablespoons baking soda 

Cinnamon sugar, 

4 tablespoons butter, melted 

In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 

warm water Add sugar, and stir to dissolve. 

Add flour and salt and knead dough until 

smooth and elastic. Let rise for 40-60 minutes 

at least. 

Shaping the dough: Divide the dough into 

6-7 parts and then roll it out. Make sure to 

keep both the ends thinner than the rest of it 

since both the ends are going to be tied 

together an will become thicker eventually. 

Pretzel Dogs 

Also, make sure that you roll them out thin, 

not more than 1/2 an inch in diameter, 

because they will swell up twice - once after 

the water bath and then when it’s baking. 

Next, boil the two water and add the baking 

soda. Drop the pretzels in the water bath 

and let it stay in for about 5 seconds. Make 

sure the stove is still on. After the pretzel is 

removed from the water bath, make sure to 

dry the excess liquid on it on a kitchen towel 

before placing on the baking 

sheet/silpat/baking stone. Below is a comparison 

of how the pretzel looks before and after 

a water bath. 

Place the pretzels on a baking sheet and 

brush with a lightly eaten egg. Bake in a preheated 

oven at 220ºC/450ºF oven for ten minutes 

or until golden. Let cool on a wire rack. 

Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle the 

sugar cinnamon all over it. 

1 can room temperature non-alcoholic beer 

1 tablespoon white sugar 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 

4 1/2 cups bread flour 

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 

1 large egg yolk 

1 tablespoon water 

10 cups water 

2/3 cup baking soda 

1/4 cup kosher salt, divided - or to taste 

18 hot dogs 

Heat the beer in a saucepan over low 

heat until it reaches 110 degrees F 

(45 degrees C). Combine the warm 

beer, sugar, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a 

bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and let 

stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens 

and begins to form a creamy foam. Place 

the bread flour and butter in a bread 

machine. Add the yeast mixture, then select 

the dough cycle. Preheat an oven to 450 

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water 

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 package active dry yeast 

22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 

1/2 cups 

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted 

Vegetable oil, for pan 

10 cups water 

2/3 cup baking soda 

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon 

water 

salt 

Combine the water, sugar and kosher 

salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and 

sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit 

for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to 

foam. Add the flour and butter and, using 

the dough hook attachment, mix on low 

speed until well combined. Change to medium 

speed and knead until the dough is 

smooth and pulls away from the side of the 

bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove 

the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl 

and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return 

the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic 

degrees F (230 degrees C). Line 2 baking 

sheets with parchment paper or grease 

with vegetable oil. Beat the egg yolk in a 

small bowl with 1 tablespoon water; set 

aside. Stir baking soda into 10 cups water 

in a large pot until dissolved, and bring to a 

boil. Turn the dough out onto a lightlyoiled 

surface, and roll into a 10x20-inch rectangle. 

Cut the dough into 18 1-inch wide strips, 

then wrap each strip tightly around a hot 

dog in a spiral, pinching the edges to seal, 

and leaving the ends open. About half an 

inch of hot dog should peek out of each 

end of the dough wrapper. Drop 2 or 3 

dough-wrapped hot dogs into the boiling 

water for 30 seconds. 

Arrange the boiled hot dogs on the prepared 

baking sheets. Brush each pretzel 

dog with the egg yolk mixture, and sprinkle 

with the remaining 1/4 cup salt. Bake in the 

preheated oven until golden brown, about 

15 minutes. 

FOOD 

Homemade soft pretzels 

wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 

50 to 55 minutes or until the dough 

has doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 

half-sheet pans with parchment paper and 

lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set 

aside. Bring the 10 cups of water and the 

baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart 

saucepan or roasting pan. In the meantime, 

turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled 

work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. 

Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch 

rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding 

the ends of the rope, cross them over each 

other and press onto the bottom of the U in 

order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place 

onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan. 

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 

1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from 

the water using a large flat spatula. Return to 

the half sheet pan, brush the top of each 

pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water 

mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. 

Bake until dark golden brown in color, 

approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to 

a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before 

serving.

THEY ARE THE 99! 

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of 

the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the 

globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission 

to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched 

fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first 

of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who 

can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to 

form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99! 

THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE 99 

Baghdad lies in ruins, destroyed by the marauding armies of Hulagu Khan. The brave 

librarians of the great Dar Al-Hikma rush to save the glory of the ancient world’s 

accumulated wisdom, little knowing that centuries later their efforts will bear strange 

fruit. While the Noor Stones were created to save the library, their power has transcended 

that task and in our own time has provided extraordinary abilities to an international group of 

young people, the world’s newest superheroes known as… The 99. 

www.the99.org 

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


Spot the difference 

alfa-cross 

The first letter of each answer appears next to its clue in alphabetical order. All the first 

letters have been entered into the grid. Can you complete the puzzle? 

B. Nocturnal mammal (3) 

B. Insect (3) 

B. Below (7) 

C. Gossip (4) 

G. Large ape (7) 

I. Small island (4) 

I. Mediterranean country (5) 

K. Type of falcon (7) 

L. Spear (5) 

L. Go away (5) 

L. Midday meal (5) 

O. Possess (3) 

P. Part of the hand (4) 

P. Large fruit often seen at 

Halloween (7) 

T. Sort (4) 

U. Large vase (3) 

figure it 

Children 

Look at the clues below and fill all the numbers you can into the grid. Then start again 

and use your answers to help solve the other clues. 

Across 

2. Ninety-one doubled 

4. Half of sixty-eight 

5. 7 across plus 14 down 

7. Sixty-six divided by three 

8. 3421 reversed 

10. Fifty-two divided by four 

12. Number of hours in a 

day 

13. Half of 3536 

15. Three times seven 

16. Five times thirteen 

17. Forty-eight doubled 

18. Eight times sixty-four 

Down 

1. Fifty-four divided by three 

2. Number of days in a fortnight 

3. Half of 5842 

4. 17 across divided by three 

6. Four times 15 across 

7. 9 down minus ninety 

9. 123 reversed 

11. Five times 1131 

14. Half of 152 

15. 10 across doubled 

17. Four times twenty-three 

19. Seventy-five divided by 

five 

connect the dots


alfa-search 

Can you find the hidden words? Each word ends with the letters TH. The words may be 

horizontal or vertical. 

BATH, BREATH, BROTH, CLOTH, DEPTH, 

EARTH, FROTH, LENGTH, MONTH, MOTH, 

sudoku 

MOUTH, NORTH, PATH, SMOOTH, SOUTH, 

TEETH 

solution 

Children 

number-search 

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

00484, 08345, 23234, 24544, 24847, 32992, 43920, 44708, 49847, 56567, 62264, 66823, 

70363, 89265, 94839, 98447 

3 letter words 

EMU 

GET 

NET 

SEE 

SUN 

TEA 

TOE 

YOU 


BAKE 

FLEW 

PATH 

SHIP 


word fit 

Can you fit all the words correctly into the grid? Two letters have already been entered. 

APPLE 

EAGLE 

FINAL 

HAPPY 

LEAVE 

NIGHT 

PAGES 

SHEEP


In the opening chapter of his new novel, Dan 

Rhodes describes a young student in Paris throwing 

a stone into the air which unfortunately lands 

on the face of a baby called Herbert (pronounced 

“Air-bear” in France). This leads to the convergence of 

many far-fetched stories. 

This Is Life appears to mark a very deliberate 

change in the style and form of Rhodes’s fiction. For 

one thing, it is almost as long as the sum of all his 

previous novels: Timoleon Vieta Come Home, Gold, 

Little Hands Clapping and The Little White Car, which 

he wrote under the name Danuta de Rhodes (the 

acknowledgments page in this novel gives special 

thanks “to the true author of this work, the petite, 

beautiful and forever young Danuta de Rhodes - cruelly 

felled in her prime”). In one sense this change of 

tone and focus is similar to that between Michel 

Faber’s short, original and disturbing semi-science 

fiction novel Under the Skin and the well-crafted, 

obvious bestseller The Crimson Petal and the White. 

Does this suggest that Rhodes is also about to move 

into the bestseller lists? 

There is some evidence to suggest this may be in 

his mind. In one scene Sylvie, a girl with many jobs, 

sells an admirer a copy of her favourite novel 

Timoleon, chien fidele (a translation of Rhodes’s tragic 

version of Lassie Come Home). “I love the ending,” 

Sylvie says. “It’s not easy to read, but it says something 

that needs to be said. I don’t think I could ever 

really be friends with anyone who didn’t get this 

book.” And her admirer replies: “I love the ending too. 

I’m buying it to depress a friend of mine who’s been a 

bit too happy lately.” Both of them agree on the 

author’s brilliance and “how underappreciated he 

was”. 

Perhaps some readers shuddered when being led 

into The Anchor, the bleak and oppressive Welsh pub 

in Rhodes’s novel Gold, where a few dull and doleful 

customers steadily drink their pints of Brains before 

surrendering to the evening pub quiz at which Septic 

Barry’s local team, “The Children of Previous 

Relationships”, has never won a match (except when 

the other team failed to turn up). It is even possible, I 

suppose, that some may have balked at entering the 

museum where Little Hands Clapping is set. This is a 

German museum that inspires suicide among its visitors; 

the caretaker swallows live spiders by night, 

before superintending the removal of the refrigerated 

corpses of these suicidal visitors to the local 

butcher. As for the ending of Rhodes’s Lassie novel, 

the “sentimental journey” which his fictional fans recommend 

so highly, it is appallingly sad; some sensitive 

critics have even called it cruel. 

Over the last decade Rhodes’s fiction has grown 

darker and more nightmarish, but This Is Life is his 

farewell to tragedy. It is a happy book about love, 

from the author of the lacerating short story collection 

Don’t Tell Me the Truth about Love (the epigraph 

came from Iago’s speech inviting us to “Drown cats 

and blind puppies”). Is he now telling us the truth 

about love? Or has he become sentimental? It is 

remarkable indeed for characters in a Dan Rhodes 

novel to get to the point where “everything was as 

wonderful as they had known it would be”. So love is 

triumphant; and justice, too, predominates. Even 

baby “Air-bear”, when fortuitously reunited with his 

mother, loses his italics and regains the romantic dignity 

of his real name, Olivier. 

Inevitably there are some dark notes. The boy who 

holds his breath for longer than a cormorant can stay 

under water subsides into an unending coma, and 

the sympathetic translator, who loves someone who 

does not love him, goes for solace into a monastery 

(he does find some comfort, not in the religion of the 

place, but from the fruit and vegetables he tends). 

So what has happened to Rhodes? It is as if 

Samuel Beckett had suddenly come up with a glorious, 

high-spirited comedy. The desperate, idiosyncratic 

characters of his earlier macabre novels are not 

abandoned, but they are clothed now in a more traditional 

habit of storytelling that reveals how their 

craziness arises from understandable and even sometimes 

admirable origins. The author is generous and 

forgiving to them. When the art student accidentally 

shoots the baby she is looking after, Rhodes allows 

the bullet merely to graze the baby’s arm. I tremble 

to think what might have happened to this baby in 

his previous fiction. 

The comedy is invigorated by some sharp political 

and artistic irony involving President Sarkozy, Carla 

Bruni and even (at a distance) Lady Gaga. But grief 

and darkness are always near. They are most ominously 

present in the title of the novel, which refers 

to a theatre presentation of daily routine and bodily 

functions called Life; this remorselessly shows the 

characters how much, each day, we leave behind 

with our faeces and urine and sweat. The “something 

that needs to be said” in Rhodes’s previous novels is 

that sentimentality is a false medicine bringing little 

contentment, encouraging disappointment and provoking 

our vengeance. This novel cleverly avoids 

such dangerous medicine. It is a reminder of how 

strange ordinary life is and it challenges us to “adjust 

to the darkness”. — Guardian 

Books 

The darkness in Dan Rhodes’s novels 

has given way to something lighter


At first sight - and it’s a long first sight, lasting 

a good 200 of the book’s 340 brilliant 

and frustrating pages of text - Turing’s 

Cathedral appears to be a project for which 

George Dyson has failed to find a form. 

Ostensibly the story of the building of one of 

the earliest computers at Princeton in the late 

1940s and early 50s, it keeps digressing wildly. 

The Institute for Advanced Study’s MANIAC gets 

under construction over and over, in chapter 

after chapter, only for Dyson to veer off again 

into the biographical backstories of the constructors, 

and a myriad of alternative intellectual 

hinterlands, from hydrogen bomb design to 

game theory to weather prediction, by way of 

the cafÈ society of interwar Budapest. It’s not 

that these aren’t relevant. They are; but they 

aren’t introduced in the cumulative, surreptitiously 

spoon-feeding way in which good popsci 

writing usually coaxes a linear narrative out 

of complex material. 

An unusual, wonderful, even 

visionary account of the early 

years of computers 

If this is a cathedral, it doesn’t have anything 

as geometrical as a nave. It’s a mass of separate 

structures joined by spiders’ webs of coloured 

string. But it isn’t a failure. It isn’t one thing at all. 

It’s three successes: three separate and different 

and differently impressive books Dyson might 

have written, all bizarrely shredded and mixed 

into a heap whose sorting is left as an exercise 

for the reader. Some of it is a painstaking oral 

history of MANIAC, built on an archivist’s certainty 

that everything is worth rescuing from 

entropy that can possibly be known about the 

dawn of the digital computer. Truly everything, 

from interviews with as many of the surviving 

engineers as possible in the 1990s, to the institute’s 

cafeteria manager’s unexpected history 

testing Bleriot monoplanes in 1912, and the 

director’s complaint in 1946 that the engineers 

were putting too much sugar in their tea. This 

part of the book is a monument (or rather a bitstream 

of a monument). 

Some of it is an intellectual biography of 

MANIAC’s chief architect John Von Neumann 

and the circle around him, determined to do 

justice to the polymathic range of his genius, 

and therefore dipping into everything he contributed 

to, from bomb design to game theory 

to robotics. Alan Turing, after whom the book is 

misnamed - it should really be called “Johnny’s 

Web” - only comes into the picture seriously on 

page 242. He is merely the collaborator of Von 

Neumann who happened to stand along the 

particular out-raying string of his interest that 

happened to lead to the intellectual foundations 

of the digital age. But since Dyson himself 

is passionately interested in those, in comes the 

third separate thing the book is, a speculative, 

even visionary account of the philosophy of programming. 

This last, marvellous element dominates the 

end of the book; and having reached it, and 

begun to be able to make sense in retrospect of 

the digressive tangle that came before, you ask 

yourself whether its design might possibly have 

been consciously, artfully non-linear. A kind of 

literary equivalent to the whole-genome shotgun 

method, maybe, with the shredding of multiple 

projects handing over to us the job of 

sequencing and unification. But it feels less 

willed than that, more the interference pattern 

of three different ambitions, none of which the 

author was ready to relinquish. And it does, no 

denying, take persistence. Is it worth persisting? 

Absolutely. Let me give you, appropriately 

enough, three reasons why. 

One: no other book about the beginnings of 

the digital age brings to life anything like so 

vividly or appreciatively the immense engineering 

difficulty of creating electronic logic for the 

first time; of creating originally, and without a 

template, the pattern of organisation which has 

since become absolutely routine, and been 

etched on silicon at ever smaller micron-distances 

in chip foundries. The very word 

“foundry” insists that logic is a commodity, a 

material, the steel of the information age. But it 

didn’t start like that. It started as an elaborate, 

just-possible accomplishment, requiring both 

conceptual brilliance and ingenious hands-on 

tinkering. It had to be built from scratch at the 

macro level, as an assemblage of valves and 

hand-wired circuits and cathode-ray tubes, fed 

by power at many different voltages, and protected 

from hazards ranging from roofing-tar to 

thunderstorms to the magnetic fields of passing 

trams. When Dyson describes the MANIAC 

being designed into its casing “like the folding 

of a cerebral cortex”, you know he means - 

specifically that, like a brain. He has read the 

error logs in which the baffled pioneers tried to 

work out which of a hundred causes produced 

each failure, from a simple error in coding logic 

to the finicky failure of adjacent phosphor spots 

to stay distinctly charged. “I know when I’m 

licked.” “This now is the 3rd different output.” 

“To hell with it!” 

Two: no other book has engaged so intelligently 

and disconcertingly with the digital age’s 

relationship to nuclear weapons research, not 

just as a moral quandary to do with funding, but 

as an indispensable developmental influence, 

producing the conceptual tools that would 

unlock the intellectual power of the computer. 

The “Monte Carlo” method (Von Neumann and 

Stanislaw Ulam) was born as a means to track 

the probability of a thermonuclear reaction 

staying supercritical in a hydrogen bomb. If 

there had been no branching paths of scattering, 

splitting, absorbing or escaping neutrons to 

be modelled, there might well have been no 

algorithms to simulate the probabilistic paths of 

evolution, finance, climate. Conversely, if there 

had been no Monte Carlo algorithm running at 

electronic speed on Maniac itself, there would 

have been no American H-bomb in 1952, vaporising 

80m tons of Enewetak Atoll in a red cloud 

boiling half the sky. 

Three: no other book - this is where we get 

visionary - makes the connections this one does 

between the lessons of the computer’s origin 

and the possible paths of its future. Dyson takes 

his cue from Turing and Von Neumann’s ability 

to see all the way to the limits of the digital 

Books 

Turing’s Cathedral 

architecture they were themselves proposing 

and struggling to substantiate for the first time. 

In the late 1940s they were already thinking 

about the essential rigidity and (from one point 

of view) logical inefficiency of machines which, 

unlike living information processors, can only 

do one thing at a time, leaving the whole elaborate 

structure of the rest idle. As Dyson puts it: 

“There is a thin veneer of instructions, and then 

there is a dark empty 99.9%.” Yet the “Von 

Neumann architecture” of a memory passing 

individual bits to a processor, each with its own 

unique memory address, is not the only possible 

one, and not the only one considered by Von 

Neumann, for that matter. Dyson believes that 

the birth of other architectures atop the reliable 

substrate of the digital-as-we-know-it is now 

imminent. Some of his suggestions may be, let’s 

say, in advance of the evidence, like the idea 

that Google represents a first sketch of what 

Turing called “an oracle machine”, supplementing 

its own deterministic states with the nondeterministic 

input of human queries. But then 

so were many of Turing’s and Von Neumann’s 

ideas a little previous, to say the least. 

Most of us should persist in reading this for 

the scrambled richness of its history. But I suspect 

that one of its afterlives is going to be as a 

source of koans for coders, troublingly simple 

questions to be copied out, and sellotaped to 

workstations, and stared at until - eureka! - 

something new happens in a human mind, and 

shortly thereafter in one of its electric surrogates.—Guardian


How to dress to 

make yourself 

1 Buy clothes that fit you. Whether you are a size 2 

or a size 22, if you wear the wrong size clothes, 

you’ll end up looking bigger than you are. 

Wearing clothes that are too tight leads to 

bulges and lumps, just as choosing clothes 

which are too large adds to your size and makes 

you look bigger. Don’t be ashamed of yourself. 

2 Choose items which skim over areas you want to 

disguise. For instance, if you want to make your 

tummy look flatter, move away from skin tight 

vests, and choose a flattering tunic. Instead of 

choosing a mini skirt, hide chunky thighs under 

a floaty skirt. However if you go baggy, this will 

also make you look larger than before. 

3 Use caution when buying pants. Choose pants 

with a smooth front: no pleats! Pleated pants 

poof out below the waistband, drawing attention 

to your stomach. Also, when buying pants, 

pay attention to the rise. Too high a rise can create 

the illusion of a tummy even if you have a 6pack, 

and too low a rise can lead to belly fat 

hanging over the top of your jeans - not pretty. 

4 Make sure you are wearing the right underwear. 

This is important. Thongs and g-strings are all 

well and good if you have no fat on your body, 

but if you want to give the illusion of a skinny 

figure, go for supportive styles which help to 

pull in the tummy. A well fitting bra can also 

help to create a smoother slimmer figure. Take 

the time to go get a free bra fitting at an underwear 

store, or just spend a good hour at the 

local clothing store trying on different bras, and 

keep an open mind about your size. 

5 Highlight your good bits. If you have a beautiful 

slender neck, but a bit of weight on your waistline, 

draw attention to your neck with an eye 

catching necklace, or other accessories. If you 

have toned arms, wear a sleeveless top to make 

the most of your assets. 

6 Work on your posture. Stand up straight, pull 

your stomach in, and your shoulders back. You 

can practice posture by balancing a book on 

your head and walking - the book shouldn’t fall 

off! Standing up straight automatically tucks 

your tummy in, and doing so makes you look 

more confident as well. Whenever you get the 

Whether you’ve 

got a hot date or 

big interview, 

read on for some 

great tips on how 

to look slimmer. 

chance, look in the mirror and make sure you are 

not hunched over. Slumping will cause you to 

look shorter and less balanced; it can also cause 

clothing to shift and appear to be ill-fitting. Also, 

bad posture can make you look like you have 

back fat when you sit down and can make your 

stomach spill over the top of your pants. This is 

possibly the most important tip, as bad posture 

can add pounds visually. 

7 Wear more black! Black virtually slims out everyone, 

and reduces the appearance of belly fat, 

muffin tops, and love handles. Black can easily 

be dressed up with a nice colored belt, jewelery 

or the perfect shoes. Always wear dark colors!!! 

8 Avoid horizontal stripes! This one’s pretty obvious 

- stripes that go horizontally across a shirt or 

a pair of pants will undoubtedly make your form 

look broader than it really is. 

9 Use flattering accesories! Big and beautiful accesories 

take attention away from...well basically 

from everything so accesories well. For example, 

if you have a nice waist but still have a kinda big 

tummy, use a wide black belt (or any other dark 

color). The things you want to look smaller, use 

dark colors, the thing you’d like to be bigger, use 

light colors. 

10 Feel confident about what you wear. 

(www.wikihow.com) 

Beauty


Asmokey eye is a great makeup secret 

for many years and is still very popular 

nowadays. They help to create an 

alluring and mysterious appearance and are 

easy to do when you know what you’re 

doing. Many people think that smokey eyes 

are extremely difficult to achieve and is 

almost impossible to do in fifteen minutes. 

That is not the case. There are a number of 

products in the market the claim to be 

designed specifically for smokey eyes. Don’t 

be fooled as all you need is a colored eye 

shade that suits your mood for the day. 

There are many techniques on how to do 

a smokey eye. And a wide range of products 

to choose from to create the perfect look. 

There are a number of methods to use to 

create this look, though some can be quite 

time consuming. Most methods have been 

modifies to give busy women the opportunity 

to create a smokey eye without wasting a 

whole lot of time. Here are a few tips and 

tricks on how to get the smokey look. 

Make sure you take the time to exfoliate 

and moisturize your skin. This step is vital as 

it helps to keep the eyelids free of oil and 

helps to keep the make up in place with a 

longer period of time. 

Make sure you apply a layer of a primer 

eye shadow in order to create a clean slate 

and ensure that 

the colored 

eye 

shadow stays where it’s supposed to. 

Apply a black or brown eye liner to the 

upper lash line. It does not have to be 

absolutely perfect as it will be smudged later 

on. 

Choose a black, brown, or grey eye shadow 

and smudge the eyeliner with a small 

smudging brush. 

Highlight the brow bone and make sure 

dust off any residual eye shadow. 

This step is by far the most important. 

Blend the darker colour into the highlighter 

shade. Keep blending until you are happy 

with the result. 

Apply a line of dark eye shadow along the 

lower eyelid and lashes in order to tie the 

whole look together. 

Use a black kohl liner to add a line at the 

bottom lash. Ensure that the line is applied 

half to one third of the way along the bottom 

lash. 

Don’t forget to add two layers of good 

quality mascara to round up the look and 

you’re ready to go. 

Smokey eyes are easy to achieve with a 

little practice. One should use a good concealer 

and foundation to give the skin and 

even and flawless appearance. Seal foundation 

with pressed or loose powder to ensure 

that it stays intact for a long period of time. 

One should remember to keep the rest of 

the face neutral. Use shades of nudes, 

peaches and apricot as blush and lip colour 

to further highlight the eyes. Apricot is 

an exceptional shade to use with 

dark eyes. When used on lips in a 

glossy state, this shade is fantastic 

as it will freshen up the 

face, and it helps the eyes 

stand out in a dramatic and 

mysterious way. 

A fantastic alternative 

to the mundane black, 

brown and grey colours 

would be bright jewel 

tones like violet, jade 

green and electric blue. 

One can even use gold 

and bronze to create a 

beautiful. These colors 

help to pep up the usual classic 

look and make it younger and 

more upbeat. These colours help 

to highlight the colours of your eye 

and makes for quite a statement. 

(www.how-to-do-smokey-eyes.com) 

Beauty 

How to do a smokey eye in few simple steps 

Many people think that smokey eyes are 

extremely difficult to achieve and is 

almost impossible to do in fifteen 

minutes. That is not the case. 

There are a number of products in the 

market the claim to be designed 

specifically for smokey eyes.


Antibiotics do not fight 

infections caused by 

viruses like colds, most 

sore throats and bronchitis, 

and some ear infections. 

Unneeded antibiotics 

may lead to future 

antibiotic-resistant infections. 

Symptom relief 

might be the best treatment 

option. 

Dangers of antibiotic resistance 

Colds and many other upper respiratory 

infections, as well as some ear infections, 

are caused by viruses, not bacteria. If antibiotics 

are used too often for things they 

can’t treat-like colds or other viral infections-they 

can stop working effectively 

against bacteria when you or your child 

really needs them. Antibiotic resistancewhen 

antibiotics can no longer cure bacterial 

infections-has been a concern for years 

and is considered one of the world’s most 

critical public health threats. 

CDC efforts have resulted in fewer children 

receiving unnecessary antibiotics in 

recent years, but inappropriate use remains 

a problem. Widespread overuse and inappropriate 

use of antibiotics continues to 

fuel an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

So the next time you or your child 

really needs an antibiotic for a bacterial 

infection, it may not work. 

Antibiotic resistance is also an economic 

burden on the entire healthcare system. 

Resistant infections cost more to treat and 

can prolong healthcare use. 

If you or your child has a virus like a 

cold or sore throat 

Get smart about when antibiotics are 

appropriate-to fight bacterial infections. 

Taking them for viral infections, such as a 

cold, most sore throats, acute bronchitis 

and many sinus or ear infections: 

� Will not cure the infection; 

� Will not keep other people from getting 

sick; 

� Will not help you or your child feel better; 

and 

� May cause unnecessary and harmful 

side effects. 

What not to do 

� Do not demand antibiotics when a 

doctor says they are not needed. 

� Do not take an antibiotic for a viral 

infection like a cold or most sore throats. 

� Do not take antibiotics prescribed for 

someone else. The antibiotic may not be 

appropriate for your or your child’s illness. 

Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct 

treatment and allow bacteria to multiply. 

If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic 

for bacterial infection: 

� Do not skip doses. 

� Do not save any of the antibiotics for 

the next time you or your child gets sick. 

What to do 

Just because your doctor doesn’t give 

you an antibiotic doesn’t mean you aren’t 

sick. 

Talk with your doctor about the best 

treatment for your or your child’s illness. To 

feel better when you or your child has an 

upper respiratory infection: 

� Ask your doctor or community pharmacist 

about over-the-counter treatment 

options that may help you or your child feel 

better; 

� Increase fluid intake; 

� Get plenty of rest; 

� Use a cool-mist vaporizer or saline 

nasal spray to relieve congestion; and 

� Soothe a throat with ice chips, sore 

throat spray, or lozenges (do not give 

lozenges to young children). 

(www.cdc.gov) 

Health 

Antibiotics aren’t always the answer 

Did you know? 

Antibiotic resistance is one of the 

world’s most pressing public health 

threats. 

Antibiotics are the most important 

tool we have to combat life-threatening 

bacterial disease, but using antibiotics 

can also result in side effects. 

Antibiotic use leads to new drugresistant 

germs and increased risks to 

patients. 

Patients, healthcare providers, hospital 

administrators and policy makers 

must work together to employ safe and 

effective strategies for improving 

antibiotic use-ultimately saving lives.


You’ve been trying to eat less sodium - 

just a pinch of table salt on your 

baked potato and a dash on your 

scrambled eggs. But a pinch here and a 

dash there can quickly add up to unhealthy 

levels of sodium. Consider that just one teaspoon 

of table salt has 2,325 milligrams 

(mg) of sodium. And it’s not just table salt 

you have to worry about. Many processed 

and prepared foods already contain lots of 

sodium - and it’s these foods that contribute 

the most sodium to your diet. 

If you’re like many people, you’re getting 

far more sodium than is recommended, 

and that could lead to serious health problems. 

See how sodium sneaks into your diet 

and ways you can shake the habit. 

Sodium: Essential in small amounts 

Your body needs some sodium to function 

properly because it: 

� Helps maintain the right balance of fluids 

in your body 

� Helps transmit nerve impulses 

� Influences the contraction and relaxation 

of muscles 

Your kidneys naturally balance the 

amount of sodium stored in your body for 

optimal health. When your sodium levels 

are low, your kidneys essentially hold on to 

the sodium. When sodium levels are high, 

your kidneys excrete the excess in urine. 

But if for some reason your kidneys can’t 

eliminate enough sodium, the sodium 

starts to accumulate in your blood. Because 

sodium attracts and holds water, your 

blood volume increases. Increased blood 

volume makes your heart work harder to 

move more blood through your blood vessels, 

which increases pressure in your arteries. 

Such diseases as congestive heart failure, 

cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease 

can make it hard for your kidneys to keep 

sodium levels balanced. 

Some people’s bodies are more sensitive 

to the effects of sodium than are others. If 

you’re sodium sensitive, you retain sodium 

more easily, leading to fluid retention and 

increased blood pressure. If this becomes 

chronic, it can lead to heart disease, stroke, 

kidney disease and congestive heart failure. 

Sodium: How much do you need? 

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans recommend limiting sodium to 

less than 2,300 mg a day - or 1,500 mg if 

you’re age 51 or older, or if you are black, or 

if you have high blood pressure, diabetes 

or chronic kidney disease. 

Keep in mind that these are upper limits, 

and less is usually best, especially if you’re 

sensitive to the effects of sodium. If you 

aren’t sure how much sodium your diet 

should include, talk to your doctor. 

Sodium: Main dietary sources 

The average American gets about 3,400 

mg of sodium a day - much more than recommended. 

To help keep your sodium 

consumption in check, you need to know 

where the sodium comes from. Here are 

the main sources of sodium in a typical 

diet: 

Processed and prepared foods. The vast 

majority of sodium in the typical American 

diet comes from foods that are processed 

and prepared. These foods are typically 

high in salt, which is a combination of sodi- 

um and chloride, and in additives that contain 

sodium. Processed foods include 

bread, prepared dinners like pasta, meat 

and egg dishes, pizza, cold cuts and bacon, 

cheese, soups, and fast foods. Natural 

sources. Some foods naturally contain sodium. 

These include all vegetables and dairy 

products such as milk, meat and shellfish. 

While they don’t have an abundance of 

sodium, eating these foods does add to 

your overall sodium intake. For example, 1 

cup (237 milliliters) of low-fat milk has 

about 107 mg of sodium. In the kitchen and 

at the table. Many recipes call for salt, and 

many people also salt their food at the 

table. Condiments may also contain sodium. 

One tablespoon (15 milliliters) of soy 

sauce, for example, has about 1,000 mg of 

sodium. 

Sodium: Be a savvy shopper 

Taste alone may not tell you which foods 

are high in sodium. For example, you may 

not think a bagel tastes salty, but a typical 

4-inch (10-centimeter) oat-bran bagel has 

about 532 mg of sodium, and even a slice 

of whole-wheat bread contains 132 mg of 

sodium. 

So how can you tell which foods are 

high in sodium? Read food labels. The 

Nutrition Facts label found on most packaged 

and processed foods lists the amount 

of sodium in each serving. It also lists 

whether the ingredients include salt or 

sodium-containing compounds, such as: 

� Monosodium glutamate (MSG) 

� Baking soda 

� Baking powder 

� Disodium phosphate 

� Sodium alginate 

� Sodium nitrate or nitrite 

� Know your labels 

Many food packages include sodiumrelated 

terms. Here’s what they mean: 

Sodium-free or salt-free. Each serving in 

this product contains less than 5 mg of 

sodium.Very low sodium. Each serving contains 

35 mg of sodium or less. Low sodium. 

Each serving contains 140 mg of sodium or 

less.Reduced or less sodium. The product 

contains at least 25 percent less sodium 

than the regular version. You should check 

the label to see how much sodium is in a 

serving. Lite or light in sodium. The sodium 

content has been reduced by at least 50 

percent from the regular version. You 

should check the label to see how much 

sodium is in a serving. Unsalted or no salt 

added. No salt is added during processing 

of a food that normally contains salt. 

However, some foods with these labels 

may still be high in sodium because some 

of the ingredients may be high in sodium. 

But watch out - foods labeled “reduced 

sodium” or “light in sodium” may still contain 

a lot of salt. For example, regular 

canned chicken noodle soup contains 

about 1,100 mg of sodium per cup, so a 

product with 25 percent less sodium still 

has a whopping 820 mg of sodium per cup. 

The same holds true for “lite” or “light in 

sodium” varieties. 

Try to avoid products with more than 

200 mg of sodium per serving. And check 

the Nutrition Facts label closely for the 

serving size - and consider how many servings 

you actually eat. 

Sodium: More tips to cut back 

Virtually all Americans can benefit from 

reducing the sodium in their diet. Here are 

more ways you can cut back on sodium: 

Eat more fresh foods. Most fresh fruits 

and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. 

Also, fresh meat is lower in sodium than are 

luncheon meat, bacon, hot dogs, sausage 

and ham. Buy fresh and frozen poultry or 

meat that hasn’t been injected with a sodium-containing 

solution. Look on the label 

or ask your butcher. Buy plain whole-grain 

rice and pasta instead of ones that have 

added seasonings. Make your own soups 

from scratch.Opt for low-sodium products. 

If you do buy processed foods, choose 

those that are labeled “low sodium.” 

Remove salt from recipes whenever possi- 

Health 

Sodium: How to tame your salt habit now 

Find out how much sodium 

you really need, what highsodium 

foods to avoid, and 

ways to prepare and serve 

foods without adding 

salt or sodium. 

ble. You can leave out the salt in many 

recipes, including casseroles, stews and 

other main dishes that you cook. Baked 

goods are generally an exception since 

leaving out the salt could affect the quality 

and taste. Use cookbooks that focus on 

lowering risks of high blood pressure and 

heart disease to help guide you to sparing 

the salt without spoiling taste or quality. 

Limit use of sodium-laden condiments. Soy 

sauce, salad dressings, sauces, dips, 

ketchup, mustard and relish all contain 

sodium. Use herbs, spices and other flavorings 

to enhance foods. Use fresh or dried 

herbs, spices, zest from citrus fruit, and fruit 

juices to jazz up your meals. And remember 

that sea salt has about the same amount of 

sodium as table salt. Use salt substitutes 

wisely. Some salt substitutes or light salts 

contain a mixture of table salt and other 

compounds. To achieve that familiar salty 

taste, you may use too much of the substitute 

- and get too much sodium. Also, 

many salt substitutes contain potassium 

chloride. Although potassium can lessen 

some of the problems from excess sodium, 

too much potassium can be harmful if you 

have kidney problems or if you’re taking 

medications for congestive heart failure or 

high blood pressure that cause potassium 

retention.Sodium: Cut back gradually 

Your taste for salt is acquired, so you can 

learn to enjoy less. Decrease your use of salt 

gradually and your taste buds will adjust. 

After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, 

you probably won’t miss it, and some foods 

may even taste too salty. Start by using no 

more than 1/4 teaspoon of salt daily - at the 

table and in cooking. Then throw away the 

salt shaker. As you use less salt, your preference 

for it diminishes, allowing you to 

enjoy the taste of the food itself, with hearthealthy 

benefits. 

(www.mayoclinic.com)


Arts 

Damien Hirst: ‘I still believe art 

Damien Hirst has gone from mouthy YBA to 

global brand over the past 25 years - and 

become the world’s richest living artist on the 

way. Here he talks about money, mortality and 

his first retrospective in Britain 

When Damien Hirst was looking 

though his archive recently, in 

preparation for his forthcoming retrospective 

at Tate Modern, he came across 

some film footage of an interview he did with 

David Bowie in the Gagosian Gallery in New 

York in 1996. “I’m sitting on a big ashtray talking 

bollocks,” says Hirst, laughing. “At one 

point, Bowie says, ‘So what about a big Tate 

gallery show, then?’ And I say, ‘No way. 

Museums are for dead artists. I’d never show 

my work in the Tate. You’d never get me in 

that place.’” 

He grins ruefully and shakes his head. “I 

was watching it and thinking, ‘how things 

change.’ Suddenly, I’m 46 and I’m having 

what they call a mid-career retrospective. It 

doesn’t seem right somehow.” 

We are seated on a sofa beneath a big blue 

Francis Bacon in an expansive first-floor room 

in Science Ltd, Hirst’s central London HQ. It is 

a vast building on several storeys, and it contains 

more contemporary art than many 

medium-sized galleries. There are pieces by 

Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Sarah Lucas and, of 

course, several spin and spot paintings, and 

steel and glass medicine cabinets by the man 

himself. Hirst’s Prada loafers are on the floor in 

front of us, but his signature tinted glasses are 

nowhere to be seen. He looks stockier than 

the last time I saw him, just over two years 

ago, and a bit quieter, more reflective. “It’s 

mortality, mate,” he says. “My eldest boy, 

Connor, is 16. A few of my friends have died. 

I’m getting older. I’m not the mad bastard 

shouting at the world any more.” 

But you’re only 46, I say; it’s not as if the 

reaper has you in his sights. “I know, I know, 

but it’s more that realisation that you’re not 

young any more. I’ve always thought, ‘I don’t 

want to look back. Ever.’ I think I was obsessed 

with the new. That’s changed.” 

A mid-career retrospective will do that, I 

say, teasingly. “Maybe,” he says. “But I think 

it’s more that when you’re young, you’re 

invincible, you’re immortal - or at least you 

think you are. The possibilities are limitless, 

you’re inventing the future. Then you get older 

and suddenly you have a history. It’s fixed. 

You can’t change anything. I find that a bit 

Damien Hirst and his 18th Century Diamond-Encrusted Human Skull. 

disturbing, to be honest.” 

The exhibition in question, simply entitled 

Damien Hirst, will “be a map of my life as an 

artist, not a greatest hits”. It will include most 

of the greatest hits, though, as well as some 

not so well-known early work. “There’s the 

painted boxes and boards that I put in Freeze 

[the groundbreaking show Hirst curated in 

1988], from when I wanted to be the new Kurt 

Schwitters. And there’s stuff from my student 

days at Goldsmiths - gloss-painted frying pans 

I hung on the wall. Embarrassing stuff like 

that.” 

It was Nick Serota, director of Tate, who 

also insisted that Hirst show the early work, as 

well as the first piece from every series he has 

made ever since. “The first spot painting, the 

first spin painting, the first vitrine, the first 

medicine cabinet. They’re all in there, for better 

or worse,” says Hirst. He then relates an 

anecdote that illustrates both his cavalier attitude 

to his work and the weight the work carries. 

It concerns an early spot painting, executed 

by Hirst himself, rather than (as is the 

case with the 1,500-strong series that fol- 

lowed) one of his production team. 

“I showed Nick a photo of it and he wanted 

it in the show. It’s all drips and splats. Terrible, 

really. When I moved down to Devon, I stuck 

it outside behind a barn. Millicent [Wilner] 

from Gagosian came down to visit and she 

was freaking out: ‘Why have you put it there? 

In the rain!’ It was like gold because it was 

me, but, really, it’s shit.” 

Is he happy it’s in the show, now? “I am, 

yes. It tells part of the story of my last 25 years 

as an artist. It’s important on that level. It says 

that I didn’t just arrive on the planet going ‘Fyou’ 

to everybody, which is what a lot of people 

seem to think.” 

The “f- you” work is there in full force, too, 

though. There’s the famous shark in formaldehyde, 

entitled with typical Hirstian extravagance 

The Physical Impossibility of Death in 

the Mind of Someone Living (1991) and 

described in the catalogue as “one of the 

most iconic images of late 20th-century art”. 

There’s Mother and Child Divided (1993), a 

bisected cow and calf suspended in four 

tanks, and the mythical bestiary that is the


Arts 

is more powerful than money’ 

collection Beautiful Inside My Head Forever 

(2008), which includes a zebra, a unicorn and 

a golden calf. There are pristine steel and 

glass cabinets full of neatly arranged pills, and 

evil-looking black paintings made of thousands 

of flies congealed in paint. 

There are spin paintings with and without 

human skulls at their centre, and spot paintings 

that move between the vibrant and the 

purely ambient. There are more flies, live 

ones, hatched from maggots and feeding off 

a severed cow’s head in a vitrine, and butterflies, 

pinned and painted and pressed on canvas, 

and a single white dove suspended in 

mid-flight above a human skull. Life and 

death, beauty and ugliness, the sacred and 

the profane; all the big Hirstian statements 

that have appalled some critics with their supposed 

obviousness, but have also dragged 

conceptualism from the margins of the art 

world into the mainstream. 

Outside Tate Modern will stand Hymn 

(1999), Hirst’s monumental take on a child’s 

educational figure, complete with exposed 

stomach organs. Inside, in the massive 

Turbine Hall, flanked by security guards, will 

sit a relatively tiny piece entitled For the Love 

of God (2007), the most expensive work of art 

ever created in terms of its materials: a human 

skull cast in platinum and encased in diamonds. 

A modern vanitas piece about death 

and money, but mostly about money. 

“Putting the show together,” says Hirst, 

“was like a big 180-degree turn for me. I’m 

looking back at all this work and trying to 

make sense of it. Some of it is great, and some 

of it is unrealised and didn’t make it in there, 

and some of it is just shit. It’s 25 bloody years 

of work and, of course, I’m proud of it, proud 

that I put the effort in, but there’s also one 

part of me going, ‘How did that happen?’” 

How, indeed? It is a question that exercises 

the minds of his many detractors in the art 

world: how did a mouthy, working-class lad 

from Leeds, with hooligan tendencies, 

become the biggest - and the richest - artist 

on the planet? (In the Sunday Times Rich List 

of 2010, Hirst’s wealth was estimated at 

£215m.) The answer is long and complex, and 

has much to do with the radical shifts in culture 

that have occurred over the past 25 years 

or so, both in Britain and the world: the 

unstoppable rise of art as commodity and the 

successful artist as a brand; the ascendancy of 

a post-Thatcher generation of Young British 

Artists (YBAs) who set out, unapologetically, 

to make shock-art that also made money; the 

attendant rise of uber-dealers such as Jay 

Jopling in London and Larry Gagosian in New 

York; and the birth of a new kind of gallery 

culture, in which the blockbuster show rules 

and merchandising is a lucrative sideline. 

At the centre of this ultra-commodified art 

world stands Damien Hirst, art superstar: the 

richest, loudest, biggest YBA of all. Except 

that, no longer young, he seems - at the very 

moment when his canonisation by the art 

establishment is complete - to be in a long 

period of transition. When I last spoke to him, 

in September 2009, in his vast studio near 

Stroud, Gloucestershire, it was exactly a year 

after the astounding success of Beautiful 

Inside My Head Forever, his record-breaking 

Sotheby’s auction of 2008. Back then, just 

before the world markets tumbled, Hirst 

made headlines by bypassing his dealers, 

Jopling and Gagosian, altogether, and taking 

more than £111m in sales in two days of 

often-frenzied bidding. Right on the cusp of 

the recession, the Sotheby’s auction was a 

pivotal moment for Hirst - a grand farewell, he 

told me, to the “big work” he had been making 

for years. He also told me then that conceptualism 

was “a total dead end” and said: 

“You spend 20 years celebrating your immortality, 

and then you realise that’s not what it’s 

about.” Since then, he has been relatively quiet 

on the creative (if not the commercial) 

front, working mainly on his own paintings: 

that is, canvases on which he, and he alone, 

applies the paint. Many of them, including a 

series made after the suicide of his friend 

Angus Fairhurst in March 2008, were completed 

in a room in Claridge’s that his good friend 

Paddy McKillen (co-owner of the hotel) 

loaned him rent-free, in return for some paintings 

that now decorate the Connaught, 

another of McKillen’s London hotels. 

No Love Lost 

An exhibition of that work, No Love Lost, 

opened at the Wallace Collection in London in 

October 2009 to uniformly murderous 

reviews, the late art critic Tom Lubbock comparing 

Hirst to “a not very promising first-year 

art student”. 

Undaunted, Hirst has continued to paint, 

and when I travelled down to his country 

home in deepest Devon a few weeks ago, he 

showed me briefly around his garden shed, 

where a paint-splattered stuffed bear stood 

sentinel over a group of partially completed 

canvases, featuring brightly coloured parrots 

in lush landscapes and a single big painting of 

a human head in a wash of what you might 

call Bacon blue. A few stuffed parrots stood 

on perches in the centre of the cluttered 

room, bright yellow and green, as if staring at 

their painted selves. “When all else fails,” Hirst 

quipped, “get yourself a few dead parrots.” It 

all seemed a long way from a giant blue shark 

in a tank of formaldehyde. “I’ve spent a long 

time avoiding painting and dealing with it 

from a distance,” he said. “But as I get older 

I’m more comfortable with it.” 

The house in Devon, where Hirst currently 

lives with his wife, Maia Norman, and their 

three children, is one of several properties he 

owns. He also has a stately home, Toddington 

Manor, in Gloucestershire, that will one day 

house a collection of his own work. Near 

Stroud, he has another house with a vast studio 

attached, where, not that long ago, many 

of his 150-strong team of assistants laboured 

over his serial works: the spot paintings, spin 

paintings, cabinets and vitrines. He has a 

houseboat in Chelsea, a house in Thailand, 

where he spent Christmas, and another in 

Mexico, although he hasn’t been there for a 

while because “it’s a bit wild west out there at 

the moment”. 

In London, as well as Science, his organisational 

hub, he also owns a big chunk of 

Newport Street in Lambeth, which is currently 

being turned into a new gallery that will open 

in 2014 and house his extensive collection of 

contemporary art by the likes of Bacon, 

Koons, Murakami, Richard Prince, Sarah Lucas 

and even Banksy - “We do these collaborations 

with my spots. I got one from him 

recently and he’d written all over it in big 

black letters: Sorry, The Lifestyle You Ordered 

Is Out of Stock.” 

Over lunch in Hirst’s quayside restaurant in 

Ilfracombe, beneath a pristine glass cabinet 

full of pills, I ask him if it was always his motivation 

to be the biggest, the most successful? 

“I always wanted to be bigger, but not 

biggest. Even as a kid in drawing class, I had 

real ambition. I wanted to be the best in the 

class but there was always some other feller 

who was better; so I thought, ‘It can’t be 

about being the best, it has to be about the 

drawing itself, what you do with it.’ That’s 

kind of stuck with me. Being best is a false 

goal, you have to measure success on your 

own terms.” 

Art, ambition and money 

With Damien Hirst, though, it aways seems 

to come down to three things: art, ambition 

and money, though not necessarily in that 

order. For that reason, as curator Ann 

Gallagher asserts in her catalogue introduction 

to the Tate Modern show: “Like no other 

artist of his generation, Damien Hirst has permeated 

the cultural consciousness of our 

times.” What that says about us - and about 

Hirst - is a matter of some debate. Writing 

recently in the New Yorker on the simultaneous 

exhibition of all Hirst’s 1,500 signature 

spot paintings in all 11 Gagosian galleries dotted 

around the globe, the American art critic 

Peter Schjeldahl wrote: “Hirst will go down in 

history as a particularly cold-blooded pet of 

millennial excess wealth. That’s not Old 

Master status, but it’s immortality of a sort.” 

Schjeldahl’s critical hauteur is not untypical. 

The bigger Hirst has become, the more he 

has become an object of scorn to some serious 

art critics, a symptom of all that is wrong 

with contemporary art - and the rampant, 

market-led capitalism that drives it - as well as 

an easy target for the flak directed at conceptual 

art in general. “His work,” writes 

Gallagher, measuredly, “is characterised by its 

directness as well as its ambition; it is both 

deadpan and affecting, and it provokes awe 

and outrage in equal measure.” 

That, one senses, is exactly how Hirst - mellower 

these days, but still a northern prole 

with attitude to burn - likes it. Is there a little 

part of him that still rejoices in the notion that 

he is, at heart, a working-class lad who is 

somehow sticking it to the toffs of the art 

world? “All of me, I’d say,” he replies, cackling. 

“I mean, I don’t fit, do I? I can play the game, 

but I don’t really fit. But you get older and you 

realise that rebellion doesn’t really matter to 

the market. I kind of learned that early on and 

I’ve never forgotten it.” How early on? “Well, I 

remember in about 1989, when I was still an 

outsider and all my mates were having shows 

and I wasn’t, and it really bugged me. As I was 

making the fly piece, I was thinking: ‘I’m 

gonna show you. I’m gonna kill you with this 

one, knock you down dead, and change the 

world.’ And I showed it to a few galleries and 

they all just turned round and went 

‘Marvellous, darling.’ It didn’t have the effect I 

wanted. It had the opposite effect. I was gutted, 

in a way.” As a young teenager, Damien Hirst 

wanted most of all to be a punk, but, as he now 

puts it, “I was just too young and not angry 

enough.” He remembers his mother melting his 

one Sex Pistols record to fashion it into a plant 

holder, and he remembers sneaking out, aged 

12 or 13, with his “punk clothes” hidden in a 

bag, then changing into them when he was out 

of sight of his house. “I think that attitude crept 

into my art somehow. I was always looking for 

ways to sneak stuff into the art world and make 

it explode in their faces. I was an infiltrator.” 

Growing up in Leeds, Hirst was a handful for his 

mother, Mary Brennan, who worked in the local 

Citizens’ Advice Bureau. His punk phase came 

just after the man he thought was his father 

walked out on the family when Hirst was 12. He 

also went through a brief shoplifting phase - he 

was arrested twice - before he was finally 

accepted on his second application to study 

an art foundation course at Jacob Kramer 

College in Leeds. 

As a teenager, he made regular visits to 

Leeds University’s Anatomy Museum to practise 

drawing, and it was there he found inspiration 

for his first piece of shock art: a photograph 

mounted on a steel frame called With 

Dead Head, first exhibited in 1991, in which 

his 16-year-old self poses, grinning, beside 

the severed head of a middle-aged man 

which sits on a mortuary table. It set the 

scene, if not the tone, for much of what was 

to follow. 

Hirst moved to London in the mid-1980s, 

and for a time worked on building sites, 

before being accepted to Goldsmiths in 1986. 

There, under the tutelage of the artist Michael 

Craig-Martin, he realised that for the time 

being, at least, painting was over and that, in 

contemporary art, the idea was the be all and 

end all.—Guardian


Word Sleuth 

Solution 

Yesterday’s Solution 

C R O S S W O R D 6 1 8 

ACROSS 

1. The airforce of Great Britain. 

4. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin. 

9. Wearing or provided with clothing. 

13. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in India for writing paper. 

14. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds 

within a fleshy wall or pericarp. 

15. Capital and largest city of Togo. 

16. Covered with paving material. 

18. An abdominal tumor. 

20. Type genus of the family Arcidae. 

21. Before noon. 

23. Wealth regarded as an evil influence. 

24. Hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint 

in the forelimb of a quadruped. 

26. The executive agency that advises the President on the federal budget. 

27. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group. 

29. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. 

30. A soft gray ductile metallic element used in alloys. 

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

38. Fudge made with brown sugar and butter and milk and nuts. 

42. A state in northwestern North America. 

43. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward 

along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing. 

44. Someone who brews beer or ale from malt and hops and water. 

48. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits. 

49. The capacitance of a capacitor that has an equal and opposite charge of 1 

coulomb on each plate and a voltage difference of 1 volt between the plates. 

51. A bachelor's degree in science. 

53. Greek mythology. 

57. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque. 

60. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three 

times (born in 1942). 

61. A flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge. 

62. Fear resulting from the awareness of danger. 

63. Having undesirable or negative qualities. 

64. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some 

special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography). 

65. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds. 

66. Used of a single unit or thing. 

DOWN 

1. (Roman Catholic Church) The supreme ecclesiastical tribunal for cases appealed 

to the Holy See from diocesan courts. 

2. (botany) Of or relating to the axil. 

3. A comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations. 

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

5. Tropical American tree producing cacao beans. 

6. A state in southeastern United States. 

7. (computer science) A coding system that incorporates extra parity bits in order 

to detect errors. 

8. One of the evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief. 

9. An upward slope or grade (as in a road). 

10. A textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile v 1. 

11. Projectiles to be fired from a gun. 

12. An administrator in charge of a division of a university or college. 

17. The capital and largest city of Equatorial Guinea on the island of Bioko in the 

Gulf of Guinea. 

Comic 

19. Young sheep. 

22. A Bantu language spoken in southern coastal Tanzania. 

25. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun. 

28. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms 

or from fermented molasses. 

31. United States humorist who wrote about rural life (1818-1885). 

32. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake 

Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. 

33. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance. 

35. An associate degree in nursing. 

36. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of 

Jezebel (9th century BC). 

37. Fleshy spore-bearing inner mass of e.g. a puffball or stinkhorn. 

39. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language. 

40. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural). 

41. The mother of your father or mother. 

42. An upward slope or grade (as in a road). 

45. An edilbe seaweed with a mild flavor. 

46. A Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people in Kenya. 

47. A promontory in northern Morocco opposite the Rock of Gibraltar. 

50. (Roman mythology) God of love. 

51. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series. 

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

53. The second day of the week. 

54. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells. 

55. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause). 

56. An officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer. 

58. Tag the base runner to get him out. 

59. (Judaism) Sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing 

the Ten Commandments. 

Yesterday’s Solution


Lifestyle 

A computer generated image shows the main dining room aboard the Titanic ship at theTitanic Belfast visitor centre in Northern Ireland, on March 13, 2012. 

(Right) A replica of a Main Staircase aboard the Titanic ship is pictured. —AFP photos 

Titanic 

A computer 

comes home as Belfast 

launches landmark attraction 

The world’s biggest Titanic visitor attraction 

opens in the ship’s Belfast birthplace 

this month, 100 years to the day since 

the doomed liner was completed in the same 

yards. After decades of quietly forgetting “the 

most famous ship since Noah’s Ark”, Belfast has 

reclaimed the Titanic, and is championing a 

legend which continues to captivate the imagination 

a century on. “What happened to 

Titanic was a disaster. But Titanic itself wasn’t,” 

Tim Husbands, the chief executive of Titanic 

Belfast, told AFP. “The craftsmanship was a 

symbol for the industrial time. A symbol of 

ambition, a symbol of hope. And we’re now 

creating exactly the same feelings.” 

The attraction, which has risen from the 

derelict Harland and Wolff shipyards, tells the 

story of the liner from its inception in Belfast’s 

industrial boom years through to its launch, its 

sinking and the aftermath. The six-level, aluminum-clad 

building is in the form of four 

Titanic-sized prows that can be seen shimmering 

from any one viewpoint, representing 

Titanic and its two sister ships, Olympic and 

Britannic. Northern Ireland, the British province 

torn apart by sectarian strife for three decades 

until the late 1990s, hopes the eye-catching 

centre will kick-start its tourism economy and 

attract visitors from Asia. 

“This is all about a new era: This is our Eiffel 

Tower, this is our Guggenheim, and it’s our 

time to completely change how people across 

the world see our city,” said Claire Bradshaw, 

Titanic Belfast’s marketing chief. Inside, workmen 

are putting the finishing touches to its 

nine interactive galleries ahead of the March 

31 launch. “There’s a lot of other Titanic visitor 

attractions in the world, with no connection to 

the Titanic at all. This will be the largest and the 

only one with the authentic story to tell,” 

Husbands told AFP. “People have been talking 

about Titanic for 100 years now. They want to 

know more, there’s a real hunger for it.” The 

biggest, most ambitious ship of the age hit an 

iceberg on its maiden voyage across the 

Atlantic Ocean from Southampton to New 

York, sinking on April 15, 1912. Of the 2,224 

people aboard, 1,514 perished. 

This is no dusty museum-the visitor experience 

uses a barrage of computer-generated 

imagery, audio, special effects and interactive 

touch screens to tell the ship’s story. There are 

recreations of the opulent first-class accommodation 

and the cramped third-class bunks, 

which were nonetheless smartly fitted-out. A 

ride carries visitors through the sights, sounds 

and smells of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, 

while the liner’s launch is seen on a glass 

screen which then reveals a view of the actual 

A replica Titanic lifeboat is pictured. 

slipway outside where Titanic was built. An 

ingenious “3D cave” allows visitors to ‘travel’ 

straight up from the giant engine room 

through the ship’s decks to the bridge. 

In the section on the sinking, the lights dim, 

the temperature plunges; the horror and heroism 

is retold, though here it is cast as just one 

part of Titanic’s story. The attraction houses a 

passenger and crew database, and an Ocean 

Exploration Centre, which shows footage from 

the seabed. Ongoing research on the wreck’s 

gradual degradation will be tracked from here. 

The top two floors host the Titanic Suite, a banqueting 

space containing a replica of the ship’s 

grand staircase, which featured prominently in 

the 1997 blockbuster film starring Leonardo 

DiCaprio-and is now set to appear in many a 

generated image 

of the First Class 

accommodation. 

A computer generated image shows the 

third class accommodation available on 

the Titanic ship. 

Belfast wedding photo. 

The attention to detail extends to the replica 

crockery bearing the White Star Line logo 

and the name RMS Titanic. Titanic Belfast was 

nine years in the planning and cost £97 million 

($152 million, 117 million euros) to build, using 

a mixture of public and private investment. It 

took three years to construct and 10 months to 

fit out-the same as the Titanic itself. 

It forms a key part of Northern Ireland’s 

regeneration after the Troubles the bombings 

and shootings in violence between 

Protestants and Catholics-which wiped the 

province off the tourist map and flattened its 

economy. —AFP


No Rolling Stones tour yet 

despite 50th anniversary 

The Rolling Stones are staying put 

this year, Rolling Stone reported 

Wednesday, leaving fans to look 

forward instead to a major documentary 

marking the rock band’s 50th anniversary. 

“Basically, we’re just not ready” for a 

fresh concert tour, guitarist Keith 

Richards told the pop culture magazine, 

adding that 2013 was the group’s “more 

realistic” target for hitting the road. 

Quoting other, unidentified sources, 

Rolling Stone cited worries about 

Richards’ health in the wake of a head 

injury he sustained in Fiji in 2006 as one 

reason for the band to stay close to 

home. “They don’t want to do a full 

tour,” a concert industry source told the 

biweekly magazine. “They don’t want to 

travel, and there are concerns about 

Keith’s health.” On their website, the 

Stones announced Wednesday the 

upcoming release of “a groundbreaking 

and eye-opening documentary,” directed 

by Brett Morgen, covering the history 

of the band from its founding in London 

in 1962 to today. “The film will be showcased 

in September as part of the Rolling 

Stones 50th anniversary celebrations,” 

said the website, without elaboration. 

Rolling Stone said the Stones reassembled 

in a London studio in December to 

play together for the first time since their 

Bigger Bang tour ended in 2007 — with 

bassist Bill Wyman sitting in for the first 

time since he quit in 1992. “We played a 

lot of blues and outtakes of ‘Some Girls’ 

and things like that,” it quoted lead 

singer Mick Jagger as saying. “It went 

very well.” Whether Wyman would join 

them on the road in 2013 was still not 

resolved. “I think he’s up for it,” Richards 

said. “We talked about it.” 

J-pop star Kimutaku 

caught speeding twice 

Ageing boyband star and Japanese pop culture icon Takuya 

Kimura has been caught speeding twice in four months, 

casting a shadow over a sponsorship deal with Toyota, 

reports said Tuesday. The heartthrob, whose increasingly middleaged 

female fanbase spreads throughout Asia, was caught doing 

up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) an hour on a motorway with a 

speed limit of 80 kph last September, the weekly Shukan Bunshun 

said. The 39-year-old, who shot to fame as a member of fivepiece 

SMAP, was with his actress wife Shizuka Kudo in a Chevrolet Astro 

on the way to a popular surf spot when he was pulled over, the 

magazine said. Kimura, known to his legion fans by the nickname 

Kimutaku, was again charged with speeding on a street in Tokyo in 

January, his agent said in a statement published in Japanese newspapers. 

His driver’s licence was suspended. “He has paid the penalty 

in each case,” the statement said, offering “profound apologies” 

for his offences. “Kimura himself deeply regrets that he has acted 

in a shameful manner... and vows not to repeat such a thing.” SMAP 

started out as a fresh-faced boy band some 20 years ago, and 

despite sometimes obvious musical shortcomings, they have 

remained popular in Japan and across Asia. Kimutaku has starred in 

a series of Toyota commercials since last October with popular 

Japanese comedian-actor-filmmaker “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, under 

the slogan “Fun to Drive Again.” “It was very regrettable,” a Toyota 

spokesman said when asked about Kimutaku’s misdeed. “We have 

asked him to abide by traffic rules”. He added that the company 

had no immediate plan to end the commercials. 

Lifestyle 

Top CFDA fashion 

prizes going to 

Depp, Hilfiger 

Johnny Depp and his quirky sense of style 

caught the eye of the Council of Fashion 

Designers of America, and the group will give 

him its fashion icon award at its annual gala in 

June. CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg and 

CEO Steven Kolb announced details of the awards 

ceremony Wednesday night. The nominees for 

womenswear designer of the year, the biggest 

prize, are Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen for The Row, 

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for 

Proenza Schouler, and Marc Jacobs. “This year, as 

we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CFDA, we 

can see what a critical role the CFDA Fashion 

Awards continue to play in our efforts to promote 

American Fashion,” Kolb said in a news release. 

“This year’s nominees truly represent the important 

influence of American design. We look forward 

to once again honoring the best and brightest 

talent working today.” Top contenders in 

menswear are Billy Reid, Patrik Ervell and Simon 

Spurr, and for the best in accessory design they are 

Alexander Wang, Reed Krakoff and McCollough 

and Hernandez. Tommy Hilfiger is to receive a lifetime 

achievement award. The ceremony will be 

held on June 4 at Lincoln Center for the 

Performing Arts’ Alice Tully Hall. Comedian Seth 

Meyers will be the evening’s host. Other honorees: 

* Swarovski Award for emerging talent in womenswear: 

Chris Peters and Shane Gabier for 

Creatures of the Wind, Joseph Altuzarra, and Max 

Osterweis and Erin Beatty for Suno. 

* Emerging talent in menswear: Antonio Azzuolo, 

Phillip Lim and Todd Snyder. 

* Emerging talent in accessories: Irene Neuwirth, 

Pamela Love and Tabitha Simmons. 

* Media award: Scott Schuman and Garance Dore. 

* Founders award: Andrew Rosen. 

* International award: Rei Kawakubo for Comme 

des Garcons.


White tops, Perry 

drops in celebrity poll 

Betty White, the 90-year-old queen of comedy, 

remained the star with the most audience appeal in 

2011 while cross-dressing Tyler Perry of the “Madea” 

films suffered a setback in a new celebrity poll yesterday. The 

survey from Encino, California-based E-Poll Market Research 

showed “Hot in Cleveland” star White was the most liked 

Hollywood celebrity in its survey covering calendar year 

2011, a spot she also held in 2010. She was followed by 

Sandra Bullock and Michael J Fox. But the percentage of 

respondents who said they like Perry a lot dropped by 14 

points, which the research firm pinned on a “South Park” 

spoof of the star and controversy surrounding him. “He 

declined from a very high level. He was very popular in 

2010,” said Randy Parker, a spokesman for E-Poll, which 

found only 20 percent of respondents like Perry a alot. White, 

by contrast, had 53 percent say they liked her very much. 

Perry, who had an overall popularity grade of 77 out of 100, 

or “E-Score,” in the survey, is far from a critics’ darling. But he 

has a fiercely loyal fan base and regularly tops US box office 

charts with the films he writes, directs and stars in. His film 

hits have included the 2005 breakout “Diary of a Mad Black 

Woman” in which he dressed up to play several characters 

including the tough-talking grandmother Madea. He has 

made several spinoffs such as last year’s “A Madea 

Christmas.” But some detractors have accused Perry of perpetuating 

stereotypes about blacks. Director Spike Lee, for 

one, has been critical of Perry’s low-brow comedy, and last 

year Perry fired back at Lee in a feud that seemed to take on 

a life of its own. Joining Perry at the top of the E-Poll list of 

biggest decliners was snow boarder Shaun White, who was 

on everyone’s TV screen in 2010 due to his gold medal finish 

at the Winter Olympics, then fell in media exposure last year. 

Still, White had an overall popularity ranking, or E-Score, of 

90 out of 100. “Parks and Recreation” TV star Aziz Ansari, a 

stand-up comedian who appeared last year in the film “30 

Minutes Or Less,” ranked as the biggest gainer on the E-Poll 

survey. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they liked 

Ansari a lot, which was up by 16 points from the year before. 

The E-Poll celebrity rankings were based on results from 

weekly surveys done by the company. Each weekly survey 

had 1,100 respondents. Below are the top three most appealing, 

biggest gainers and biggest losers. 

Most appealing celebrities 

1 Betty White 

2 Sandra Bullock 

3 Michael J. Fox 

Biggest gainers 

1 Aziz Ansari 

2 Scott Caan 

3 Kaley Cuaco 

Biggest losers 

1 Tyler Perry 

2 Shaun White 

3 Nicolas Cage —Agencies 

Kate Young, the stylist responsible 

for some of Michelle Williams’ 

and Natalie Portman’s most 

memorable red carpet moments, tops 

The Hollywood Reporter’s countdown 

of the 25 most powerful stylists in 

showbiz. Young earned the honor in 

part for helping make Portman a red 

carpet fixture last year while she was 

pregnant and on her way to winning 

the best actress Oscar for “Black Swan.” 

The issue ranks the trendsetters behind 

the A-listers, including Leslie Fremar at 

No. 2, whose clientele includes Charlize 

Theron and Reese Witherspoon. No. 3 is 

Petra Flannery, who likes to discover 

new talent and make them fashion 

stars. Her roster includes Emma Stone, 

Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis and Megan 

Fox. Other notables: At No. 11, Jeanne 

Yang, who styles Katie Holmes so well 

they have a luxury sportswear collec- 

Lifestyle 

Hollywood Reporter: 

Portman stylist most powerful 

tion in their names at Barneys New 

York; No. 12, L’Wren Scott, who is 

engaged to Mick Jagger and is a 

favorite of first lady Michelle Obama; 

and No. 20, reality TV star Brad Goreski, 

who made the list while his former 

employer, stylist-turned-designer 

Rachel Zoe, went from No. 1 last year to 

off the countdown this year. (The 

Hollywood Reporter says she’s now 

“too big to rank.”) 

Michelle 

wears Marchesa 

to state dinner 

Michelle Obama chose an off-the-shoulder Marchesa gown for 

her duties Wednesday night as hostess at a White House 

state dinner honoring the British prime minister and his wife, 

David and Samantha Cameron. It was a deep shade of teal in a draped, 

column silhouette. The designer of the gown, Georgina Chapman, 

and her husband, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, were guests at the 

affair, but they didn’t know Mrs Obama was wearing one of 

Chapman’s designs when they arrived. “I’m knocked out!” Weinstein 

said. Chapman, not surprisingly, also wore Marchesa, which has made 

its name on Hollywood red carpets. Hers was a draped blue and gray 

gown with a sheer overlay, and covered in crystal embroidery. Mrs 

Cameron seemed to get the memo to wear blue too: Her sparkly 

gown by London- based designer Alessandra Rich featured lace 

details, a high neck, half sleeves and a belted waist. She had on high 

black heels from the British retailer Next. There’s great interest in what 

Mrs. Obama wears to big events like this because she’s been touted as 

a fashion influencer who makes bold choices. On Wednesday, the 

unexpected piece of her look was the chunky, multistrand silver, 

turquoise and teal necklace by Tom Binns. Binns also had created the 

elaborate necklace the first lady wore last year in London when she 

and the president welcomed the British royals to the American 

ambassador’s home for a black-tie dinner. “First lady Mrs Obama 

always looks so chic and modern. I love the addition of texture with 

the Tom Binns necklace,” said Roksanda Ilincic, who has dressed both 

Mrs Obama and Mrs Cameron. Mrs Obama, in fact, wore a purple dress 

by Ilincic during that same trip to England. “Dressing Mrs Obama and 

Samantha Cameron have been wonderful. I am honored that each 

woman representing their countries have been such advocates in 

their respective roles,” Ilincic said. The other fashion plate at the dinner 

was Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, a well-known supporter 

of President Barack Obama. She wore Chanel.


Jonah Hill 

seeks a dramatic 

career change 

Fresh from his surprise Oscar nomination for a dramatic 

role in “Moneyball,” Jonah Hill is looking at a career 

change that many have tried before in Hollywood but 

few have succeeded at. He is moving from funnyman to 

serious actor. Even as his new “21 Jump Street,” based on a 

1980s TV drama but turned into a comedy for the movies, 

hits theaters on Friday, Hill said he has grown bored with 

always being the sidekick in funny films like “Superbad” 

that made him a star. At age 28, a slimmed-down Hill said 

his role as a numbers-crunching Yale grad in baseball drama 

“Moneyball” has blown “the door wide open” for new 

opportunities and better roles. In fact, he’s already hard at 

work on one new drama. 

“The past 10 years, I’ve 

made a lot of comedy films,” he 

told Reuters at the South by 

Southwest film festival where “21 

Jump Street” premiered last 

week ahead of its US debut. “It’s 

just not as inspiring to me anymore 

as an artist. I love doing it, 

but it really is exciting after 

‘Moneyball’ to have that taste for 

something different ... doing the 

same thing over and over again 

is as boring to do as it’s boring to 

watch.” Others, of course, have 

tried before. Funnyman Jim 

Carrey had his box office bombs 

with Andy Kaufman biopic “Man on the Moon” and thriller 

“The Number 23,” and Adam Sandler flopped with 

drama/comedy hybrids “Punch-Drunk Love” and 

“Spanglish.” Steve Martin and Robin Williams have fared 

much better. 

Hill will soon add his name to the list of comedy-todrama 

crossovers, but until then comes “21 Jump Street,” a 

new take on the TV show from 25 years ago that starred 

Johnny Depp. Hill, who co-wrote the screenplay, portrays 

one of two bumbling young police officers - the other is 

played by Channing Tatum - who are sent undercover to a 

high school to investigate a drug ring. 

Time for a change 

Hill’s character, Schmidt, was a high school nerd 

(Tatum’s was a jock), and his return to drama class and 

dances is Schmidt’s chance at redemption. Parties, 

romance, car chases, boyish humor and a chaotic prom 

night are all part of the plot. The actor said he was first 

approached about a remake of “21 Jump Street,” coincidentally, 

at South by Southwest (SXSW) five years ago, but 

turned it down. “I thought it was lame,” he said. But Hill 

changed his mind after considering that bothSchmidt and 

Tatum’s character, named Jenko, could return to high 

school, re-examine their own lives and come to a new 

understanding of who they are as grown men. 

“High school was all about defining yourself and figuring 

out who you are, and I realized that doesn’t go away in 

your 20s,” Hill said. Hill said he wanted to create a new story 

and new characters with a few homages to the original. 

There’s one joke early in the movie that refers to the laziness 

of the remake concept. “We wanted to call ourselves 

out on it before anyone else did, because the movie doesn’t 

take itself super seriously,” Hill said. “It’s supposed to be an 

hour and a half of fun.” 

But that is changing. In 2010, Hill had a supporting role 

in the drama/comedy hybrid “Cyrus” and after that came 

“Moneyball,” both of which, Hill said, had inspired him as an 

actor. In the works is crime thriller “True Story” with James 

Franco in which Hill plays a New York Times journalist who 

is trying to figure out if Franco’s character killed his family. 

That film is a drama-it may go without saying-and a 

payoff of Hill’s long transition from “Superbad” to 

“Moneyball.” —Reuters 

best stories on our planet are natural ones,” says 

Alastair Fothergill. But you’d expect him to say that. For 

“The 

two decades with the BBC, Fothergill has produced 

wildlife documentary series including “Planet Earth,” “Blue Planet” 

and, back in 1993, “Life in the Freezer,” which explored Antarctica 

in all its frigid wonder. Now he’s executive producer of “Frozen 

Planet,” a Discovery Channel/BBC co-production that takes a fresh 

look at Antarctica as well as its north-end counterpart, the Arctic, 

in seven gorgeous episodes premiering Sunday with the first two 

hours on Discovery. And while you may not be ready to dismiss 

filmdom’s stars and screenplay writers as unnecessary, “Frozen 

Planet” makes a strong case that Nature - captured in the wild - 

can equal Hollywood for epic sweep and drama. 

Comedy, too. In Sunday’s second hour, male penguins by the 

hundreds of thousands anticipate the spring return of the 

females, for whose favor each male must compete by building a 

swankier nest than his rivals. In a delightful sequence, a painstaking 

penguin gathers stones one by one, only to have them 

filched, one after another, by a scheming neighbor whenever the 

hapless suitor’s back is turned. These performers, with their 

Chaplin-esque gait and impeccable timing, would have been 

right at home in a 1920s two-reeler. 

There’s also bittersweet romance on “Frozen Planet.” 

Nature’s ultimate loner, a 1400-pound (635-kilogram) male polar 

bear, has lumbered across the ice all winter in search of a mate 

come spring. Picking up her scent from 10 miles (16 kilometers) 

away, he finds her, after which they share a tender interlude. 

Lifestyle 

In this undated image released by Discovery Channel/BBC, polar bears walk on ice floes during the filming of ‘Frozen Planet,’ a 

seven-part series premiering with the first two hours Sunday, March 18, at 8 pm EDT on Discovery. — AP 

In this undated image released by HBO, Nick 

Nolte appears in a scene from the HBO original 

series ‘Luck.’ — AP 

Then, just two weeks later, their brief encounter ends as they are 

fated to part. Plus, there are thrilling, life-or-death confrontations 

in the series. Three-ton elephant seals brawl over females. A pack 

of 25 wolves brings down a huge bison. A wide-eyed Weddell seal 

falls prey to hungry orca whales that, working as a team, can stir 

up giant waves to wash these frantic seals from the refuge of their 

ice floes. 

And talk about “special effects”! An unprecedented timelapse 

shot underwater records the growth of a brinicle - an ice 

stalactite progressing downward toward the seabed - killing 

everything its frozen plume touches. This otherworldly sight is as 

eerie and magical as a CGI effect from a sci-fi film. But it’s real. 

“That’s the thing about the natural world: It gives you amazing 

natural drama,” says Vanessa Berlowitz, “Frozen Planet” series 

producer, “It looks like it’s scripted, but we don’t fake anything. 

Everything that we film is a complete portrayal of reality. And the 

audience thinks, ‘Wow, they did that without trained animals!’” 

Berlowitz has produced and directed a score of BBC documentaries, 

including two episodes of “Planet Earth,” and, like 

Fothergill, she logged time at both poles for “Frozen Planet.” She 

lived aboard a Royal Naval icebreaker for four months filming 

penguins and whales, and, in the Arctic, spent three weeks filming 

female polar bears and their cubs while she was five months 

pregnant.— AP 

Ahit US television series starring 

Dustin Hoffman has been canceled 

after three horses died 

during filming, the channel which 

makes the show announced 

Wednesday. “Luck,” about thoroughbred 

racing and also starring Nick 

Nolte, launched in January and had 

already been picked up for a second 

season, with production mostly at a 

horsetrack east of Los Angeles. But a 

first horse died on the set in 2010 

and another died last year. Then a 

third animal had to be put down on 

Tuesday after falling backwards and 

striking its head, despite new safety 

rules put in place. 

“Safety is always of paramount 

concern,” said Home Box Office, 

which aired the show. “We maintained 

the highest safety standards .. 

higher in fact than any protocols 

existing in horse racing anywhere 

with many fewer incidents than 

occur in racing or than befall horses 

normally in barns at night or pastures.—AFP


French actor Gerard Depardieu said yesterday 

he would play the “arrogant, 

smug” former IMF chief Dominique 

Strauss-Kahn in a film about his fall from grace 

in a series of sex scandals. “I will do it, because 

I don’t like him,” said Depardieu, best known 

for his larger-than-life swashbuckling roles like 

warrior poet Cyrano de Bergerac or comic 

book hero Asterix’s huge sidekick Obelix. “He’s 

not lovable. I think he’s a bit like all the French, 

a bit arrogant. I don’t much like the French in 

any case,” he told Swiss television. “He’s very 

French: arrogant, smug. He’s playable.” 

Strauss-Kahn had been the favorite to win 

next month’s French presidential election 

until May last year, when the former Socialist 

minister was arrested in New York and 

accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid. 

The US case fell apart over doubts about the 

alleged victim’s testimony, but since his return 

to France he has been implicated in a series of 

further scandals and is under investigation for 

alleged ties to a vice ring. Asked about the 

“impulses” that drive Strauss-Kahan’s behavior, 

Depardieu said it was not these that disgusted 

him, but his general attitude. 

“It’s the way he walks, with one hand in his 

pocket. We can all have filthy thoughts, and 

it’s well known that these guys with huge 

power, money, the IMF or top judicial officials 

can be like that,” he said. Depardieu said he 

would not try to inhabit the role of Strauss- 

Kahn too deeply, as he had “never been much 

moved by people who have no dignity.” In 

August last year Depardieu gave his own dignity 

a knock when he urinated in the aisle of a 

passenger plane after a stewardess had 

refused to allow him to go to the toilet, but he 

remains one of France’s best-loved stars. He is 

a strong supporter of right-wing President 

Nicolas Sarkozy, who is standing for re-election 

next month and would probably have 

faced a tough challenge from 62-year-old 

Strauss-Kahn if the Socialist had not been 

arrested. Depardieu appeared at a Sarkozy 

election rally on Sunday and told reporters 

that the president “only does good”. US director 

Abel Ferrara has announced that he plans 

to film a Strauss-Kahn movie in the next few 

months, featuring Depardieu as the fallen IMF 

boss and Isabelle Adjani as his loyal wife Anne 

Sinclair. Strauss-Kahn is due to appear before 

magistrates in the northern French city of Lille 

later this month. — AP 

File photo shows French actor Gerard 

Depardieu speaking during the third edition 

of the Lumiere film festival in the eastern 

French city of Lyon. — AFP 

ANorth Korean and a French orchestra 

performed a landmark concert on 

Wednesday, adding a note of harmony 

to long-standing tensions between the isolated 

nation and the West. Under the baton of 

noted South Korean conductor Chung Myung- 

Whun, North Korea’s Unhasu Orchestra and 

Radio France Philharmonic played to a packed 

house at Paris’ Salle Pleyel music hall. “We are 

witnessing a historical moment that I hope 

will not be an isolated event,” Radio France’s 

first violinist Svetlin Roussev said before the 

concert opened, crediting “Maestro Chung” 

for making the joint concert possible. Chung 

was born in the South but his mother was 

from North Korea, making the concert a musical 

bridge toward reconciliation of a divided 

people. 

“For now, this is an experience lived 

through our hearts with the music expressing 

our feelings, our emotions,” Roussev said, 

adding optimistically, “This could be the first 

stone to build on towards something that 

could be immense, for history and the world.” 

Korea was split at the end of World War II into 

the communist North and the US -backed 

South. The two sides fought a three-year war 

that ended in a truce in 1953 but has left the 

Korean Peninsula divided by a heavily fortified 

border. Relations between North Korea and 

the US and its allies have been tense over the 

years, particularly over Pyongyang’s nuclear 

ambitions. North Korea has tested two atomic 

devices in the past six years. 

France is among Western nations that do 

not have official diplomatic ties with North 

Korea, although it opened an office in the capital 

Pyongyang last year to foster cultural 

exchanges. There have been other signs of 

improving relations between North Korea and 

Western nations. Late last month, the United 

States and North Korea announced an agreement 

that calls for Pyongyang to freeze its 

nuclear activities in exchange for food aid. 

Days later, a senior North Korean nuclear 

envoy traveled to the US to attend a university 

Lifestyle 

North Korean musicians from the Unhasu orchestra and musicians from the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra 

are conducted for a joint concert, during a rehearsal on March 14, 2012 at the salle Pleyel concert hall in Paris. (inset) 

South Korean conductor Myung-Whun Chung conducts. —AFP 

Lindsay Lohan, trying hard to stay sober 

and out of trouble, found herself at the 

center of a new kerfuffle on Wednesday 

after an aborted trip to a Hollywood night 

club. The “Mean Girls” actress was accused by 

a nightclub manager of grazing his knee with 

her car while trying to avoid paparazzi and 

drive away in her Porsche from a friend’s 

birthday party. But Lohan said the claims 

were “absurd” and a “complete lie”, while 

police said there was no evidence anyone 

had been injured. 

“Scrape? This is all a complete lie,” Lohan 

said on her Twitter account, after completing 

her latest stint of court-ordered community 

service at the Los Angeles morgue on 

Wednesday. “Last night, I attempted to wish 

a friend happy birthday, which I didn’t even 

get to do because I was freaked out by all of 

the paparazzi ... These false accusations are 

absurd,” she added. 

Police said officers were called to the 

scene shortly after midnight. “They found no 

evidence of vehicles being hit, no evidence of 

people being injured, so there was no report 

taken since there was no evidence of any 

crime,” said police spokesman Raul Jovel. 

Lohan’s spokesman said the actress, who is 

nearing the end of a lengthy probation stemming 

from a 2007 drunk driving and cocaine 

possession case, a 2011 jewelry theft, and a 

string of missed court dates, never got out of 

her car. — Reuters 

forum. Most of the 90 North Koreans musicians 

- many under age 30 - were performing 

with a Western ensemble for the first time. 

Earlier in the week, they had the chance to 

do some sightseeing, including a visit to 

Versailles Palace, North Korea’s Korean Central 

News Agency reported yesterday. Roussev 

said that exchanges during the four rehearsals 

were about typical subjects - fatigue from jet 

lag, the weather, the beauty of Paris but “no 

sensitive issues yet.” Roussev hoped for more 

substantive conversation at the dinner following 

the concert, but said the North Koreans 

are “well supervised and quite reserved even if 

the barriers are falling.” Kwon Hyok Bong, a 

musical adviser who is leading the North 

Korean delegation, said he believed the collaboration 

would boost ties between France 

and North Korea. —AP 

File photo shows Lindsay Lohan attends 

AMfAR’s New York gala benefit at Cipriani 

Wall Street in New York. — AP


Floating bookshop 

sails on amid 

electronic storm 

Despite fierce storms, a deadly bomb attack and growing 

competition from electronic media, a Christian charity still 

sails the seas on a mission to offer cheap books while promoting 

family values. The Logos Hope, which docked in Manila 

Bay last month, is the latest in a fleet of converted ferries that 

have been selling books in harbors of mostly poor nations for the 

past four decades. “What we hope happens is that people get 

excited with reading,” ship captain Pat Tracy told AFP during a 

tour of the 132-metre-long (433-foot) vessel that inside resembles 

a bookshop in an upscale mall. 

“We want to encourage people to get into reading but we 

want to make the books available to all people, not just people 

with a lot of money.” The ship carries at least half a million books, 

with stocks being constantly replenished during port calls, 

according to Tracy. It is run by GBA Ships, a German-based 

Protestant charity, that relies on a volunteer crew of 400 people 

and donations to meet running costs drawn from a global church 

network. In the air-conditioned aisles of the floating shop, children’s 

books featuring popular characters such as Bob the Builder 

share space with the works of Shakespeare and Dickens. Another 

section is devoted to technical books on engineering and biology, 

which Tracy said were particularly popular in poor communities. 

“Everything can be found in our books, from brain surgery to 

bridge construction,” he said. There is also a large selection of 

books on nurturing family life and developing leadership skills, as 

well as other lifestyle genres including education, health, handicrafts, 

home repair and cooking. —AFP 

Abroken-down vacuum cleaner, an 

old bicycle, a torn shirt ... almost 

nothing is impossible to fix for a 

group of crafty Dutch volunteers dedicated 

to giving potential trash a second lease 

of life. The volunteers of Amsterdam’s 

“Repair Cafe” are part of a network of 20 

similar groups across The Netherlands 

who mend broken household appliances 

and electronics, rather than relegating 

them to the trash heap-an all-too-easy 

choice in today’s consumer society. 

“People have simply lost the culture of 

repairs. We too easily throw away things 

that can be fixed,” Martine Postma, the 

driving force behind the initiative, told 

AFP at Amsterdam’s Repair Cafe. 

Here in a rented hall, saws, screwdrivers 

and electric cables hang from the walls. 

Four electronics enthusiasts and two 

seamstresses are hard at work, fixing a 

sound system and mending torn clothing. 

Postma, a former journalist, pulls a cell 

phone from her pocket which she bought 

a decade ago, saying: “It’s missing three 

keys on the keypad but otherwise it works 

fine. Surely there must be a way to fix it.” 

Convinced that no one enjoys throwing 

things away, Postma, 41, opened the first 

Repair Cafe in Amsterdam in 2009 “to 

bring together two groups of people: 

‘repair volunteers’ and those who want to 

fix things but don’t know how.” 

Margreet Bakker, 57, brought in her 

vacuum cleaner, preferring the Repair Cafe 

to the manufacturer. “It’s much better to 

bring it here, rather than have it fixed by 

the manufacturer, who would charge the 

equivalent of a new vacuum cleaner,” she 

said. Bakker and Theo van den Akker, a tax 

consultant by profession, but also an electronics 

enthusiast, start probing the 

machine’s innards. They dismantle it, 

check its fan, test its electronics ... and 

within an hour later identify the problem. 

Simple, really: a loose connection at the 

plug. With that fixed, the vacuum cleaner 

hums back to life. 

‘Devices today 

are not made to be fixed’ 

Visitors to the Repair Cafe, working 

with “fixers,” sometimes learn to do the 

repairs themselves. “Devices made today 

are less and less reliable and they last far 

less time than they used to,” lamented Van 

den Akker, 64, adding: “They are made 

less-and-less easy to take apart-they are 

not made to be fixed.” What started as a 

purely local initiative in Amsterdam, the 

Repair Cafe became an overnight success, 

far exceeding Postma’s expectations. The 

Lifestyle 

Dutch ‘Repair Cafe’ 

give trash a new lease of life 

File photo shows Ronald Westerlaken one of the volunteer repairers examining a broken hi-fi 

unit watched by its owner in a ‘Repair Cafe’ in Amsterdam. —AFP 

The “Eye of the Time” by Spanish artist 

Salvador Dali is shown yesterday during a press 

preview of the Tefaf art fair in Maastricht. The fair is open 

to the public today and lasts until March 25. —AFP 

initial goal was to set up 18 Repair Cafes 

across the country by 2013. Today, around 

20 are already up and running, and another 

50 are in the planning stages. 

Postma now works full-time for the 

Repair Cafe Foundation, which she founded 

in 2010. Funded by the Dutch state, the 

foundation advises volunteers on how to 

set up their own Repair Cafes. Each one 

works independently and sets its own 

pace-be it one afternoon a month or two 

evenings a week-in a workspace that may 

be provided by the local municipality or 

rented to an individual. It is up to each one 

to obtain funding, recruit volunteers and 

find tools. Now Postma dreams of opening 

a Repair Cafe in every one of The 

Netherlands’ 415 municipalities: “It could 

also work elsewhere in western Europe, 

and why not in the United States as well?” 

she asks. Ronald Westerlaken, 37, a former 

electrician who now works as a designer, 

said he volunteered because he “wanted 

to do something with my hands again. My 

other job requires me to be constantly in 

front of my computer!” “When it comes to 

fixing something, you feel a great deal of 

satisfaction,” he said. —AFP


Aries (March 21-April 19) 

Your energy is high and your creative mind is ready to be 

applied to whatever comes before you this day—and it is certainly 

a full day. There are plenty of decisions and business calls to make. You 

seem able to choose the most profitable paths. Your creative side is highlighted 

as you use your knowledge and your creativeness in problem-solving 

situations. You understand the importance of laughter and may be able to 

cause a healing when it comes to a relationship this afternoon. You are getting 

good at leaving your work behind—keep practicing. A dialogue with an 

older person may endear him or her to you more than ever. Companionship 

with others is most rewarding at this time and you should take every opportunity 

to be with those you love. 

Taurus (April 20-May 20) 

Your charming sense of humor is showing today. You may 

find that your peers and co-workers hold you in high esteem 

because of your ability to lighten up and aim high. Travel and mental development 

at high levels are major themes in your life now. This is a time to 

broaden your horizons both intellectually and spiritually. Look at your talents 

and think about the occupation or hobby that you think you might really like 

and how you might progress in that direction. Opportunities open up for you 

now. Domestic property, gold and real estate may be the uppermost in your 

mind for investing. You either like a particular landscape or busy yourself taking 

pictures of some unusual architecture design today. There is a party 

tonight . . . enjoy. 

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 

You will need to take care not to misapply your energy in projects 

or people. Otherwise there could be conflicts about the 

direction a certain project should go or, people working under you may not 

perform up to your standards. Before this day is over, you will discover the 

obstacles that have previously been slowing your progress. A clear-minded 

insight into your own plans and methods is available now. Share time with a 

friend in an emotional context. You usually share intelligence or ideas with 

friends. You have been working on improving the connection between you 

and your friends. These relationships show much improvement. Interaction 

with people you are attracted to may be both stimulating and delightful. 

Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

This is a most favorable time for working in groups, especially 

regarding a pet project. You accept the challenge to try and 

win over higher-ups to a new way of thinking. By the time you read this, there 

will be more occasions to become creative with advertisement and the way 

you reach the public. This may be the biggest subject of concern. Also, working 

faster and working accurately could call for added employees. This could 

be a temporary situation, but it will bring about more business. Business dealings 

may be particularly fruitful now. The barriers between people dissolve 

and therein are the keys to a greater sensitivity you feel. Shopping this afternoon 

brings positive results for you, as well as some new ideas to present in 

the workplace. 

Leo (July 23-August 22) 

You are very serene today with the tendency to daydream and 

indulge in escapism, especially in art or cinema. If channeled 

properly, it can be constructive. For example, if you are in advertising a new 

format of an old advertisement may come to your mind. You may experience 

a revolution within the established order today. This may mean that new 

ideas and ways to do and use things become clear. You will be curious today 

and adept at problem solving and conversation. There is luck in financial 

investments and in love. You are filled with passion and have a special appreciation 

of loved ones. You are moved to help someone overcome some difficulty 

this evening. Positive changes at home will help to secure your peace of 

mind. 

Virgo (August 23-September 22) 

Today is a great time to be with others and to work in teams. 

You demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the 

needs of others. You are in a good position to communicate concerning 

group discussions. This may also be a good time to keep notes of your successes, 

so as to present them at your next employee interview—a promotion 

is likely. A time for travel is coming soon and now may be a good time to get 

out the atlas and gather the family to talk about what places and what activities 

everyone would enjoy. There is positive input with family this evening. 

You may also find positive ways that will bring your little family together in 

projects similar to the way your work environment is brought together successfully. 

Libra (September 23-October 22) 

Now is the time to be active—not passive. Speak up, let yourself 

be known—show off your talents. The only thing you will 

want to take your time with today is a new project coming to you this afternoon. 

You should examine and ask questions before moving too quickly 

here. You are most concerned with your business future as well as any 

romantic associates you may be involved with now. This is a good time to 

work with the opposite sex. There is a love for the underdog and a search for 

your soul mate; such are the experiences associated with the new cycle you 

are now just beginning. A new book or just simply tending to chores occupies 

you this afternoon. Friends want you to join them this evening in an 

atmosphere of fun and adventure. 

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) 

There may be some serious decisions made about the future 

of a project, investment or term of employment with your 

business at this time. Your goals stand in stark contrast to the goals of others 

just now: adjustments must be made in the interests of harmony. Failure to 

take such steps can increase tensions—especially between those closest to 

you. Now is the time to act, because it does not get easier if you let the 

moment pass. You remember successful projects and may be encouraged to 

move forward. The project at hand should be a great success. You may be 

able to enjoy and value your own life situation this evening. Try to be relaxed 

in all your interactions with loved ones. Spending time with family members 

is advisable now. 

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) 

You may engage in many emotional shifts and feel that your 

work and career is inadequate—perhaps you are thinking of changing jobs. 

Perseverance should be exercised as much as possible since slow and steady 

win the race. You should be attentive to all work you do today, for there is a 

tendency to gloss over the more mundane. Be especially careful in any business 

dealings or purchases that may cause you to go in debt. Ignore the gossip 

at work now—it is just that—gossip. Close relationships and other ties 

between people become a focus for your energy now. Family, home and other 

roots in your life give you a sense of mission. If you accept loved ones for 

who they truly are, you will come to really enjoy their companionship. 

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) 

Your personality and mode of living will be changeable. You 

are well-disposed to others at this time, but you should be 

careful of bending over backwards just to please someone. This is a good 

time to exercise caution and care in business dealings, both in the physical 

and financial realm. Others could challenge your non-conforming attitude in 

some situation that results in opposition and blockage. This may not be a 

time for you to try new things or break away from the old routine. You could 

blurt out the wrong thing today or be unable to convey what you really 

mean to someone. Energies will become more positive soon—spend your 

breaks in repose. This evening is a time to spend with a loved one. You may 

even enjoy observing the stars tonight. 

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) 

This is not a good time to make any concrete decisions about 

a relationship or a business deal. Rather, it’s best to spend time 

alone and find what is needed in the next step to what you are involved with 

just now. You may find that both your personal growth and your career may 

depend upon how you can handle the very sensitive material that may be 

coming up now. There are opportunities to work with others in some problem-solving 

situation. It is important to develop a team attitude so as not to 

alienate fellow workers. There is a chance to better understand those around 

you at this time. New methods of working or new equipment can be exciting 

and challenging at this time. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. Relax. 

Pisces (February 19-March 20) 

The challenges you find today are stepping stones to positive 

changes—do not take them too personally. You have a desire to free yourself 

from the chains that society places on you now. You may react suddenly 

against the things that previously seemed appropriate. This is a good time to 

lead the way on a project, for your originality is heightened. There could be a 

financial disagreement within the family now. Request time to think through 

the ways in which this situation can be changed or compromised. You will be 

successful. Consolidating your resources is the best bet for any future success. 

You are inspired and may enjoy pleasant daydreams this afternoon. 

Take pleasure in the company of loved ones this evening, with no expectations. 

COUNTRY CODES 

Afghanistan 0093 

Albania 00355 

Algeria 00213 

Andorra 00376 

Angola 00244 

Anguilla 001264 

Antiga 001268 

Argentina 0054 

Armenia 00374 

Australia 0061 

Austria 0043 

Bahamas 001242 

Bahrain 00973 

Bangladesh 00880 

Barbados 001246 

Belarus 00375 

Belgium 0032 

Belize 00501 

Benin 00229 

Bermuda 001441 

Bhutan 00975 

Bolivia 00591 

Bosnia 00387 

Botswana 00267 

Brazil 0055 

Brunei 00673 

Bulgaria 00359 

Burkina 00226 

Burundi 00257 

Cambodia 00855 

Cameroon 00237 

Canada 001 

Cape Verde 00238 

Cayman Islands 001345 

Central African Republic 00236 

Chad 00235 

Chile 0056 

China 0086 

Colombia 0057 

Comoros 00269 

Congo 00242 

Cook Islands 00682 

Costa Rica 00506 

Croatia 00385 

Cuba 0053 

Cyprus 00357 

Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 

Czech Republic 00420 

Denmark 0045 

Diego Garcia 00246 

Djibouti 00253 

Dominica 001767 

Dominican Republic 001809 

Ecuador 00593 

Egypt 0020 

El Salvador 00503 

England (UK) 0044 

Equatorial Guinea 00240 

Eritrea 00291 

Estonia 00372 

Ethiopia 00251 

Falkland Islands 00500 

Faroe Islands 00298 

Fiji 00679 

Finland 00358 

France 0033 

French Guiana 00594 

French Polynesia 00689 

Gabon 00241 

Gambia 00220 

Georgia 00995 

Germany 0049 

Ghana 00233 

Gibraltar 00350 

Greece 0030 

Greenland 00299 

Grenada 001473 

Guadeloupe 00590 

Guam 001671 

Guatemala 00502 

Guinea 00224 

Guyana 00592 

Haiti 00509 

Holland (Netherlands)0031 

Honduras 00504 

Hong Kong 00852 

Hungary 0036 

Ibiza (Spain) 0034 

Iceland 00354 

India 0091 

Indian Ocean 00873 

Indonesia 0062 

Iran 0098 

Iraq 00964 

Ireland 00353 

Italy 0039 

Ivory Coast 00225 

Jamaica 001876 

Japan 0081 

Jordan 00962 

Kazakhstan 007 

Kenya 00254 

Kiribati 00686 

Stars 

Kuwait 00965 

Kyrgyzstan 00996 

Laos 00856 

Latvia 00371 

Lebanon 00961 

Liberia 00231 

Libya 00218 

Lithuania 00370 

Luxembourg 00352 

Macau 00853 

Macedonia 00389 

Madagascar 00261 

Majorca 0034 

Malawi 00265 

Malaysia 0060 

Maldives 00960 

Mali 00223 

Malta 00356 

Marshall Islands 00692 

Martinique 00596 

Mauritania 00222 

Mauritius 00230 

Mayotte 00269 

Mexico 0052 

Micronesia 00691 

Moldova 00373 

Monaco 00377 

Mongolia 00976 

Montserrat 001664 

Morocco 00212 

Mozambique 00258 

Myanmar (Burma) 0095 

Namibia 00264 

Nepal 00977 

Netherlands (Holland)0031 

Netherlands Antilles 00599 

New Caledonia 00687 

New Zealand 0064 

Nicaragua 00505 

Nigar 00227 

Nigeria 00234 

Niue 00683 

Norfolk Island 00672 

Northern Ireland (UK)0044 

North Korea 00850 

Norway 0047 

Oman 00968 

Pakistan 0092 

Palau 00680 

Panama 00507 

Papua New Guinea 00675 

Paraguay 00595 

Peru 0051 

Philippines 0063 

Poland 0048 

Portugal 00351 

Puerto Rico 001787 

Qatar 00974 

Romania 0040 

Russian Federation 007 

Rwanda 00250 

Saint Helena 00290 

Saint Kitts 001869 

Saint Lucia 001758 

Saint Pierre 00508 

Saint Vincent 001784 

Samoa US 00684 

Samoa West 00685 

San Marino 00378 

Sao Tone 00239 

Saudi Arabia 00966 

Scotland (UK) 0044 

Senegal 00221 

Seychelles 00284 

Sierra Leone 00232 

Singapore 0065 

Slovakia 00421 

Slovenia 00386 

Solomon Islands 00677 

Somalia 00252 

South Africa 0027 

South Korea 0082 

Spain 0034 

Sri Lanka 0094 

Sudan 00249 

Suriname 00597 

Swaziland 00268 

Sweden 0046 

Switzerland 0041 

Syria 00963 

Taiwan 00886 

Tanzania 00255 

Thailand 0066 

Toga 00228 

Tonga 00676 

Tokelau 00690 

Trinidad 001868 

Tunisia 00216 

Turkey 0090 

Tuvalu 00688 

Uganda 00256 

Ukraine 00380 

United Arab Emirates00976


IKFS to conduct art and 

calligraphy competitions 

Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society (IKFS) is conducting competitions 

in calligraphy for 3 languages “Hindi & Arabic & Urdu” as 

well as awards for students who have scored top marks in their 

first attempted Professional Examinations (Medical & Engineering 

fields) held in India, Kuwait/ abroad during the year 2011. 

Dr Ghalib Al-Mashoor said in a press release that IKFS is celebrating 

its first anniversary on Friday, 25th May 2012, and IKFS 

committee wants to adopt different varieties of programs useful 

for the community and want to show some deviations in the 

mode of events while comparing to the works of more than 150 

associations in Kuwait. 

IKFS motto is that to build friendly relationship between the 

people and countries globally. IKFS took the initiative of promoting 

Patriotism and love on their national languages of both Indian 

and Arab countries. This is the first time in Kuwait an Indian 

Association is conducting Calligraphy contest for both India’s 

national language “Hindi” and regional language “Urdu” Plus the 

strong 400 million Arabs’ national language “Arabic”. 

A.K.S. Abdul Nazar , General Secretary and Ifetkhar Ahamed, 

Treasurer of said that IKFS will continue to develop and encourage 

the drawing talents of Artists both in Kuwait and India. Expertise 

Competition in ARABIC as a language was chosen, because more 

than 5.0 million Indians are working in the GCC states and the 

communication and knowledge of ARABIC as a must to inter-act 

between ARABIC native speakers and Indian expatriate workers. 

Therefore, to seek knowledge in the form of recitation of the 

HOLY QURAN is an added value for the expatriate communities in 

Kuwait and other GCC countries. Accordingly, IKFS planned to 

conduct competitions in Arabic expertise + Quiz. Some criteria for 

the participants who are willing to enroll for these competitions 

are outlined. 

For Calligraphy competitions: 

• All expatriate communities (nationality no bar) aged 17 years 

and above are allowed to participate. 

• Subject : “FRIENDSHIP & GLOBAL PEACE” 

• Participants : both gender from different communities who 

are on visit to Kuwait are also allowed. 

• Timings: 2 hours enabling to embark the participant’s caliber 

in the Modern Calligraphy. 

• Total words allowed in the Calligraphic competition in any one 

language: 101 

• Language: As per the participant’s choice. 

• Phraseology: Given on the spot 

• Photos and their rewarding Calligraphy will be published in 

the Souvenir and in the IKFS website www.indo-kuwaitfriendshipsociety.com 

For ARABIC EXPERTISE COMPETITIONS: 

QUIZ competitions for the Public above 17 years will be held. 

What’s On 

ABUJA: Kuwait Embassy in Nigeria recently celebrated Kuwait’s 51st National Day and the 21st Liberation Day at the 

Sheraton Hotel, Abuja. The event attracted several dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps. The Kuwait 

Ambassador HE Saad Al Asousi in his speech affirmed the strong relations between State of Kuwait and the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. 

Both General and Islamic knowledge will be challenged. In addition 

to HOLY QURAN Recitation + Hifz also will be tested. Readings 

will be attributed on the spot. 

Competition Date : 11th MAY 2012 

Results announcement : 18th MAY 2012. 

The last date of Registration: 30.04.2012 

Registration (information required): Full Name, Date of Birth, 

ID/Passport No. Contact Phone & Email ID. 

Email ID to register: ikfsociety@gmail.com 

Prizes: For each category , the winners will be awarded in the 

form of cash + certificates: 

• First Place: IRs. 5,001, Second Place: IRs. 3,001, Third Place: IRs. 

1,001 

• Certificates: Honorary Certificates + Medals /Plaques also will 

be awarded. 

Venue of the competition: SALMIYA INDIAN MODEL SCHOOL, 

SALMIYA 

Supervision and Judges: 

Veteran artists and Experts in Calligraphies will evaluate the 

works. 

For Top Scorer Awards in Professional Examinations : 

Children of Indian and Kuwaiti Members/Patrons of IKFS are 

eligible for the awards. 

Top scorers should submit their mark lists with evidence showing 

that they have passed their final examinations including their 

internships during the year of 2011 and also in the first attempt . 

The scorer of Highest marks will be treated as in the first Place. 

Accordingly, The first place holder will be awarded with IRs. 10,001, 

Second Place: IRs. 5,001, Third Place: IRs. 3,001. 

Certificate: Honorary Certificates and Plaque will be awarded. 

Photos in the Souvenir and IKFS Website: www.indo-kuwaitfriendshipsociety.com 

Photos of each Winners in different categories will be published 

Registration ( information required): Full Name, Date of Birth, 

ID/Passport No. Contact Phone & Email ID + Mark lists for all 

semesters. 

Email ID to register: ikfsociety@gmail.com 

Top marks scorers’ announcement: 2nd May 2012. 

The first place holders are allowed to present their thesis related 

to their studies thru multi-media presentations for a minimum 

of 10 minutes. 

During the month of May 2012, a grand Event and the 1st 

Anniversary will be convened at Salmiya Indian Model School, 

where some of the Patrons of Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society will 

be joined from Kuwait and India to witness the grand programs 

and to hand over awards for the winners and top scorers of the 

professional examinations. 

Embassy 

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 A.M until 12:00 P.M on Sunday through 

Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for 

all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service 

is provided so that Consular Officials can contact 

and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign 

country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or 

inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. 

The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian 

Citizens to register online through the Government 

of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The 

Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and 

immigration services to residents of Kuwait. 

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or 

immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website 

of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at 

www.uae.gc.ca. 

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).


Announcements 

ILF legal seminar 

The Indian Lawyers’ Forum (ILF), association of Indian Lawyers 

and Law graduates’ in Kuwait is conducting a legal seminar, 

today (March 16) 10:30 am at United Indian School, Abbassiya, 

Jleeb Al-Shuyukh. The legal seminar will include Kuwait new 

labor law and company formation by Adv Rajesh Sagar and 

adv Stephen Thomas and discussion on the subjects. All 

Indian Lawyers & Law graduates working here in Kuwait are 

cordially invited to participate with their families and friends. 

For further information please contact, advocate Thomas 

Panicker 24346934, 97203939, Adv Suresh Pulikkal 97260159. 

IOC arts cpmpetition 

Indian Overseas Congress, Kuwait is conducting Arts 

Competitions-2012 on 11th and 12 May 2012 at United 

Indian School. The winners of this prestigious competition 

will be awarded with trophies and medals. The awards will 

be distributed during the Gandhidarshan Program in 

October, this year. The competitions include Elocution, Solo, 

Poetry Recitation, Dance, Indian Patriotic Song, Mono act, 

Drawing/Painting and Poster Poetry. Although the competitions 

are mainly meant for children from various disciplines, 

Elocution and Indian Patriotic Song Competitions will be 

held for elders also. For entry forms, please contact the following 

collection points. Abbassiya - Hidine Super Market, 

Sakina Book Stall; Salmiya - Uduppi Restaurant, Sakina Book 

Stall; Riggae - Al Dallah Super Market; Fahaheel - Royal 

Mobile Services and Sales. For details, contact 24316426, 

24884175, 24343173, 66110570, 66853100. Filled forms can 

be sent to fax : 24331461 or Email : iockuwait@yahoo.com Or 

deliver by hand to Sakina Book Stall, Abbassiya. 

Talent launch 

Kuwait’s Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and 

Creativity (SACGC) called on to the Kuwaiti community to 

come out and support its local young talented Kuwaitis by 

visiting the “Mawaheb” gallery exhibition on March 15, 16, 

and 17 at the Avenues Mall. The exhibition, created and 

organized by SACGC, provides a platform for 15 of the top 

Kuwaiti photographers, artists and musicians, to showcase 

their talent directly to the community through unique, signature 

performances, displays, and presentations. SACGC 

General Manager, Dr Omar Al Bannai said, “”Mawaheb” is a 

talent-driven exhibition that connect Kuwait’s undiscovered 

talents to the community and showcases to Kuwait some of 

the great art. “Mawaheb” will kick-off on 7 pm on March 15 

at the Avenues location near Dean and Deluca in the presence 

of SACGC CEO, Dr. Bader Al-Omar, Kuwait Foundation 

for the Advancement of Sciences General Manager, Dr. 

Adnan Shihab-Eldin, SACGC General Manager, Dr. Omar Al 

Bannai, and all members of the SACGC Board of Directors. 

Lecturers at AUK 

The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) will be organizing the following 

events in March. Event Title: “The People are Missing” 

Lecturer By Dr Mai Al Nakib, on March 21, 2012 at 6-9 pm, 

AUK Auditorium. Event Description: Dr. Mai Al-Nakib’s presentation 

looks at the Palestinian community in Kuwait prior 

to the first Gulf War, and considers the ethical consequences 

to Kuwait after their expulsion in 1991. Event Title: City 

Images, on March 27, 2012, at 6-9 pm, AUK Auditorium. 

Event Description: This talk presents the issues surrounding 

the concept of ‘branding’ in relation to the city states of the 

Gulf, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. Event Title: 

“Energy Conservation” Lecture by Jim Krane, on March 28, 

2012 at 6-8 pm, AUK Auditorium. Event Description: The 

speaker discusses the energy consumption issue in the Gulf. 

He examines the role of government, the population, and 

the barriers to promoting less consumption and reforming 

the energy sector. All events are open for public. 

Desert get-together 

A full day in the desert with the collaboration of the BBF 

(British Business Forum), BLS (British Ladies Society), ANZAK 

(Australians & New Zealanders), Diwaniya Italia (Italians in 

Kuwait), UFE (French Community in Kuwait), and the 

Lebanese community as well. It’s a get together day with 

loads of fun and a chance to compete in a real Paint Ball arena 

in the desert, participate in a mini football tournament & 

volleyball tournament, and there will also be many other 

activities such as ATV (Quads) Karaoke and more! A BBQ buffet 

catering will be provided by Holiday Inn Salmiya, and 

entertainment will be provided by DJ Shatti and Chromatic 

Band). For more information and early booking please call 

5010-0734. 

NAFO Kuwait has unanimously selected 

Vijayan Karayil, managing partner, 

Doctor Group of companies, 

Joint-Secretary, Board of Trustees, Indian 

Community School and Vice-President, 

Soorya Chapter, Kuwait, as its new PATRON. 

“Vijayan Karayil, a well-known person 

among the Indian expatriate community, 

has been a close associate of NAFO since its 

inception. His contributions to NAFO, have 

always been commendable in delivering its 

social, welfare and cultural services, said B S 

Pillai, President. “Prior to taking up the 

What’s On 

Balavedi Abbassiya zone holds ‘Kaliyarangu’ 

In order to enhance the leadership qualities as well as to 

expose extracurricular talents in the NRI children, Balavedi 

Kuwait organized ‘Kaliyarangu’. Master Sidharth convened 

the function which was held on February 25 at Kala Centre, 

Abbasiya. Master Aravind welcomed all. Kala Kuwait general 

Secretary Saji Thomas Mathew, Kala Vice President and 

Balavedi Principal chairperson P R Babu, and Abbasiya zonal 

chairperson and Kala central committee member Rejeesh 

delivered felicitations. 

Jayachandran musical 

concert postponed 

Live musical concert by ‘Bhava Gayakan’ P Jayachandran 

organized by Kalanjali Kuwait has been postponed to 

May 4, 2012 due to certain unavoidable circumstances, 

organizers announced. The time and the venue will be notified 

at the earliest. For more details, contact 66457286 / 

25655912 / 66851263 / 55467286 or send an email to kalanjaliq8@gmail.com 

Kuwait CSI vacation 

Bible school 2012 

St Peter’s CSI Congregation, Kuwait will be conducting its 

annual Vacation Bible School (VBS) from 16th to 30th of 

March, 2012, at the National Evangelical Church of Kuwait 

(NECK), from 4 pm to 6:30 pm. Robert Shine (Director, CEF 

Bhopal) will serve as the Director of VBS 2012. The 

Superintendent is Rev Binju Varghese Kuruvilla, the Convener, 

Deepak Philip Thomas, and the Secretary, Manija Vinod. All children 

in the age group of 3 - 17 years are welcome to join the 

VBS. Transportation will be provided upon request. Hurry! Only 

limited seats are available! For registrations and more details, 

please visit www.kuwaitcsi.org. Contact us at vbs@kuwaitcsi.org 

(Email) or Tel: 65927381 / 67701132. 

A variety of programs such as folksongs, storytelling and 

dances were performed by the children. Kala central committee 

member Sharath Chandrababu presented a magical show 

which mesmerized the kids to a great extent. The efforts of the 

little stars Aravind, Saarang, Abel, Sarah, Alveena, Roshan, 

Aashyan, Sreejith, Caroline, Omanakuttan, Clamin and Siddarth 

led to the success of the program. The principal organizers of 

the Kaliyarangu were Sanni Saijesh, Vinu Kalleli, Johnson, Joji 

Iyype, Chandran Kalarikkal, Renjith, Prinston and Vikas. 

Hempel Cup 2012 

begins today 

Hempel Cup 2012, the T10 Tennis ball 

cricket tournament being organized by 

Artech Cricket Club, will commence 

today, (March 16, 2012) at NCC cricket grounds, 

Mina Abdullah. The tournament will be played 

on Fridays and 16 teams including Friday Court, 

GulfSpic, NBTC, NCC, KIMMCO etc from different 

parts of Kuwait are participating. 

A lot of prizes similar to major tournaments like 

IPL are offered to the participants to make the 

tournament interesting and thrilling. Apart from 

the usual tournament prizes, cash awards are 

offered for batsmen hitting most numbers of sixes, 

fastest fifty, six sixes in a match, hatricks, and 5 

wicket haul. Hit a six on a pre-set target on ground 

and win cash prize is yet another highlight of the 

tournament. The tournament will be inaugurated 

by Shaji Jose, General Manager, National 

Contracting Company today morning and will be 

followed by the inaugural match between Al- 

Kubra and Kuwait Rangers. Second match will be 

played between TCR 11 & Q8 Cricketers. The tournament 

is scheduled to end April 13, 2012, leaving 

behind a month’s weekends filled with 

thrilling combats between bat and ball. 

Vijayan Karayil NAFO’s new patron 

prestigious position of patron, Vijayan 

Karayil has served Nafo as its Vice-President 

and we congratulate and wish him all success”, 

Pillai added. 

NAFO Kuwait (National Forum, Kuwait), 

a non-political, non-commercial organization, 

has been in the Gulf for the last 8 

years promoting social, cultural and welfare 

services to the community by way of 

lending help to the needy, supporting 

economically backward people, aid to ailing 

members, students educational assistance 

etc.


00:20 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 

00:50 Pit Bulls And Parolees 

01:45 Untamed & Uncut 

02:40 Maneaters 

03:35 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 



05:25 Extreme Animals 

06:20 Gorilla School 

06:45 Planet Wild 

07:10 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 

08:00 Orangutan Island 

08:25 Pandamonium 

09:15 The Really Wild Show 

09:40 Project Puppy 

10:10 Extraordinary Dogs 

10:35 Extraordinary Dogs 


12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 

12:55 RSPCA: Have You Got What It 

Takes? 

13:20 Wildlife SOS 

13:50 Wild Africa Rescue 

14:15 Wild Africa Rescue 

14:45 Animal Cops Houston 


16:30 Echo And The Elephants Of 

Amboseli 

17:00 The Really Wild Show 

17:30 Growing Up...: Polar Bear Orphan 

18:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 

19:20 World’s Ugliest Dog Competition 

20:15 Orangutan Island 

20:40 Wildlife SOS 

21:10 Gorilla School 

21:35 Planet Wild 


23:00 How Not To Become Shark Bait 

23:55 Crime Scene Wild 

00:45 Eastenders 

01:10 Doctors 

01:40 Last Woman Standing 

02:30 2 Point 4 Children 

03:00 Keeping Up Appearances 

03:30 My Family 

04:00 Me Too! 

04:20 Charlie and Lola 

04:30 Jackanory Junior 

04:45 Boogie Beebies 

05:00 Poetry Pie 

05:05 Tikkabilla 

05:35 3rd & Bird 

05:45 The Adventures of Spot 

05:50 Me Too! 

06:10 Charlie and Lola 

06:20 Jackanory Junior 

06:35 Boogie Beebies 

06:45 Poetry Pie 

06:50 Tikkabilla 

07:20 3rd & Bird 

07:30 The Adventures of Spot 



08:35 The Weakest Link 



10:20 Orang-Utan Diary 

10:50 Coast 






14:45 Orang-Utan Diary 

15:15 Coast 






19:10 Doctor Who 

20:00 Jekyll 

20:50 Taking the Flak 

21:20 The Cup 

21:50 The Impressions Show 

22:20 The Impressions Show 


23:35 Doctor Who 

00:15 Antiques Roadshow 

01:10 French Food At Home 


03:10 10 Years Younger 

04:00 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 




07:35 Cash In The Attic USA 



08:45 MasterChef Australia 

09:30 MasterChef Australia 

10:20 Bargain Hunt 


12:00 Come Dine With Me 


13:35 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 

14:20 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 

15:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 

15:55 Holmes On Homes 








21:45 Gok’s Fashion Fix 

22:35 Gok’s Fashion Fix 


00:00 BBC World News America 

00:30 Hardtalk 

01:00 BBC World News 

01:30 World Business Report 

01:45 Sport Today 

02:00 BBC World News America 

02:30 Asia Business Report 





04:00 Newsday 



05:00 Newsday 



06:00 Newsday 


PLANET OF THE APES ON OSN ACTION HD 


07:00 Newsday 





















15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 

15:30 GMT With George Alagiah 

16:00 Impact 

16:30 Our World 

17:00 Impact 



18:00 World Have Your Say 

18:30 World Have Your Say 

19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 


19:40 Weekend World 





21:30 Middle East Business Report 

22:00 World News Today With Zeinab 

Badawi 

22:30 World Have Your Say Extra 

22:40 Weekend World 


23:30 Our World 

00:00 Wacky Races 

00:20 Dastardly And Muttley 

00:45 New Yogi Bear Show 

01:10 Duck Dodgers 

01:35 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop 

02:00 Tom & Jerry Kids 

02:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 

02:50 The Jetsons 

03:15 Puppy In My Pocket 

03:40 Popeye 

04:00 Tom & Jerry 

04:25 Looney Tunes 

04:50 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 

05:15 Droopy: Master Detective 


06:00 The Flintstones 


06:50 Popeye Classics 

07:00 The Garfield Show 

07:30 Bananas In Pyjamas 

07:55 Baby Looney Tunes 

08:20 Gerald McBoing Boing 

08:45 Jelly Jamm 

09:00 Pink Panther And Pals 



10:15 The Scooby Doo Show 



11:25 Duck Dodgers 

11:50 Tom & Jerry Kids 








15:10 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 








19:10 The Scooby Doo Show 

19:35 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 



20:40 Gerald McBoing Boing 






23:10 Droopy: Master Detective 


00:00 Backstory 

00:30 World Sport 

01:00 The Situation Room 

02:00 World Report 

03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 

04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 

05:00 Quest Means Business 

05:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 

06:00 Erin Burnett Outfront 


07:30 World View 




10:30 African Voices 

11:00 World Business Today 

11:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 

12:00 Backstory 

12:30 Talk Asia 

13:00 World One 


15:00 News Stream 

16:00 World Business Today 

17:00 International Desk 

18:00 The Brief 

18:30 News Special 


19:30 Inside Africa 

20:00 International Desk 

21:00 Quest Means Business 

21:45 CNN Marketplace Africa 


23:00 Connect The World With Becky 

Anderson 

00:15 Destroyed In Seconds 

00:40 Surviving Disaster 

01:35 Dirty Jobs 

02:30 Overhaulin’ 

03:25 Ultimate Survival 

04:20 Mythbusters 

05:15 How Do They Do It? 

05:40 How It’s Made 

06:05 Dirty Jobs 


07:50 Fifth Gear 


08:45 American Chopper: Senior vs 

Junior 

09:40 How Do They Do It? 

10:05 Cake Boss 

10:30 Border Security 

10:55 Dirty Money 

11:25 Ultimate Car Build-Off 

15:05 Ultimate Car Build-Off 

16:00 Overhaulin’ 

16:55 Ultimate Survival 


18:45 Cash Cab Us 

19:10 Border Security 

19:40 Dirty Money 

20:05 How It’s Made 

20:35 Rebuilding Japan 

21:00 Cake Boss 

21:30 American Chopper: Senior vs 

Junior 



23:20 Street Customs 

00:40 Man Made Marvels Asia 

01:35 Nasa’s Greatest Missions 

02:25 The Tech Show 

02:50 Bang Goes The Theory 


03:40 Sci-Trek 

04:35 How Does That Work? 

05:00 How Stuff’s Made 

05:25 Science Of The Movies 

06:20 Thunder Races 


TV Listings 

08:00 The Gadget Show 






10:35 Sci-Trek 




14:05 Science Of The Movies 





16:40 The Tech Show 




19:40 Tech Toys 360 


20:30 Ways To Save The Planet 






23:50 Ways To Save The Planet 

00:15 Fairly Odd Parents 


01:05 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 


01:55 Replacements 


02:45 Emperor’s New School 

03:10 Emperor’s New School 







06:00 Fish Hooks 

06:15 Recess 

06:40 Timon And Pumbaa 

07:05 Phineas And Ferb 


07:30 Good Luck Charlie 


08:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 

08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 

09:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 


09:35 Handy Manny 

09:49 The Hive 

10:00 Recess 

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 




13:20 So Random 



14:35 Shake It Up 


15:25 Jessie 



16:40 A.N.T. Farm 

17:05 A.N.T. Farm 

17:30 Good Luck Charlie: The Road Trip 

Movie 



19:30 Have A Laugh 


20:00 Hannah Montana 


20:50 Shake It Up 


21:40 Recess 





23:45 Kim Possible 

00:20 Special Agent Oso 


00:50 Lazytown 

01:15 Little Einsteins 

01:40 Jungle Junction 






03:25 Little Einsteins
























10:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The 

Pooh 


Pooh 


Pooh 


Pooh 

10:35 Mouk 




11:45 Art Attack 

12:10 Imagination Movers 












16:05 Mouk 





17:45 Art Attack 







Pooh 


20:25 101 Dalmatians 

20:40 101 Dalmatians 





Pooh 

21:35 A Poem Is... 

21:40 Animated Stories 

21:45 Mouk 





23:20 Timmy Time 




00:25 Kendra 

00:55 Style Star 

01:25 E!es 

01:50 E!es 

02:20 THS 

03:15 25 Most Stylish 

04:10 Sexiest 

05:05 Extreme Hollywood 

06:00 THS 

07:50 Behind The Scenes 

08:20 E! News 

09:15 Dirty Soap 

10:15 20 Acts Of Love Gone Wrong 

12:05 E! News 

13:05 Bridalplasty 

14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 


15:00 Style Star 

15:30 E!es 

16:25 Behind The Scenes 

16:55 Scouted 

17:55 E! News 

18:55 E!es 

19:55 Dirty Soap 

20:55 Chelsea Lately 

21:25 THS 

22:25 E! News 

23:25 Chelsea Lately 


00:40 Extreme Forensics 

01:30 Ghost Lab 

02:15 Psychic Witness 

03:05 Kidnap And Rescue 

03:50 Fugitive Strike Force 

04:40 Extreme Forensics 

05:25 Ghost Lab 

06:15 Psychic Witness 

07:10 Mystery Diagnosis 

08:00 FBI Files 

08:50 Forensic Detectives 

09:40 Murder Shift 


11:10 Real Emergency Calls 

11:35 Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America 

11:55 On The Case With Paula Zahn 

12:40 Disappeared 







17:20 FBI Files 

18:10 Forensic Detectives 







23:00 I Was Murdered 

23:25 I Was Murdered 

23:50 I Escaped Death 

00:00 Departures 

01:00 Food School 

01:30 Bondi Rescue: Bali 

02:00 The Green Way Up 


03:00 Exploring The Vine 

03:30 Market Values 

04:00 Making Tracks 


05:00 Adventure Wanted 


07:00 Food School 

07:30 Bondi Rescue: Bali 



09:00 Exploring The Vine 

09:30 Market Values 



11:00 Adventure Wanted 


13:00 Geo Sessions 


14:00 Travel Madness 


15:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 

16:00 Pressure Cook 


17:00 City Chase Marrakech 

18:00 Which Way To 





21:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 



23:00 City Chase Marrakech 

00:00 Brotherhood-PG15 

02:00 RoboCop-PG15 

04:00 Tank Girl-PG15 

06:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The 

Morlocks-PG15 

08:00 Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost-PG15 

10:00 Planet Of The Apes-PG15 

12:00 Top Gun-PG15 

14:00 Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost-PG15 

16:00 Wild Bill-PG15 

18:00 Top Gun-PG15 

20:00 RoboCop 2-PG15 

22:00 Sleep Dealer-18 

SHRINK ON OSN CINEMA 

01:00 Triage-18 

03:00 The Losers-PG15 

05:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15 

07:00 District 9-PG15 

09:00 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 

11:00 Waiting For Superman-PG15 

13:00 Miles From Nowhere-PG15 

15:00 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 

17:00 The Eagle-PG15 

19:00 Dear John-PG15 

21:00 Shrink-18 

23:00 Tortured-18 

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 

01:00 The Colbert Report 

01:30 The Big C 

02:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 

02:30 The Cleveland Show 

03:00 The Simpsons 

03:30 Mr. Sunshine 

04:00 Dharma And Greg 

04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 


06:00 Just Shoot Me 

06:30 Yes Dear 

07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 




09:30 The League 

10:00 State Of Georgia 







14:00 Mr. Sunshine 

14:30 State Of Georgia 






18:00 New Girl 

18:30 Happy Endings 


19:30 Perfect Couples 




22:00 Neighbors From Hell 

22:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 

23:00 The Cleveland Show 


00:00 American Idol 

02:00 Necessary Roughness 

03:00 Psych 

04:00 Bones 

05:00 Live Good Morning America 

07:00 The Good Guys 

08:00 Emmerdale 

08:30 Look-A-Like 

09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 

10:00 The Martha Stewart Show 

11:00 The View 


14:00 Live Good Morning America 

16:00 The Good Guys 


18:00 Law & Order: Los Angeles 

19:00 Glee 


21:00 Drop Dead Diva 

22:00 Survivor: One World 

23:00 Bones 

00:00 White Collar 

01:00 Necessary Roughness 

05:00 Psych 


07:00 Emmerdale 

07:30 Parks And Recreation 

08:00 Terra Nova 

09:00 Psych 



14:00 Terra Nova 




18:00 Terriers 

19:00 Glee 

21:00 Drop Dead Diva 

22:00 Survivor: One World 

23:00 Any Human Heart 

01:00 From Within-PG15 

03:00 Sniper: Reloaded-18 

05:00 Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood-18 

07:00 Rocky IV-PG15 

09:00 Odysseus: Voyage To The 

Underworld-PG15 

11:00 Iron Man 2-PG15 

13:15 Hurricane Season-PG15 

15:00 Odysseus: Voyage To The 

Underworld-PG15 

17:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 

19:00 Lock, Stock And Two Smoking 

Barrels-18 

21:00 Rollerball-18 

00:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 

02:00 Crazy On The Outside-PG15 

04:00 Mean Girls 2-PG15 

06:00 A Lot Like Love-PG15 

08:00 Like Mike-PG 

10:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A 

Song-PG15 

12:00 Nanny Mcphee And The Big Bang- 

PG 

14:00 Love Happens-PG15 

16:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 

18:00 Away We Go-PG15 

20:00 The Fighting Temptations-PG15 

22:15 Defendor-PG15 

01:30 Fragments-18 

03:30 Les Miserables 25th Anniversary- 

PG15 

07:00 Shipwrecked-PG 

09:00 Little Man Tate-PG 

11:00 On Strike For Christmas-PG15 

13:00 Tresor-PG15 

15:00 On Broadway-PG15 

17:00 Little Man Tate-PG 

18:45 Coach Carter-PG15 

21:00 Romeo Is Bleeding-18 

23:00 Indecent Proposal-18 

00:45 Jackass 3-R 

02:30 Tron: Legacy-PG15 

04:45 The Sunset Limited-PG15 

06:30 Percy Jackson And The Lightning 

TV Listings 

Thief-PG15 

08:30 The 19th Wife-PG15 

10:00 The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride-FAM 

12:00 Harry Potter And The Deathly 

Hallows Pt.1-PG15 

14:45 Tooth Fairy-PG 

17:00 The 19th Wife-PG15 

19:00 Dance With Me-PG 

21:00 Paul-PG15 

23:00 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18 

00:00 Groove Squad-FAM 

02:00 Bat Cat And Bitsy-FAM 

04:00 Columbus III: The New World-PG 

06:00 Groove Squad-FAM 

08:00 Marco Antonio-PG 


12:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants 

Movie-PG 

14:00 Cats & Dogs-PG 

16:00 Furry Vengeance-PG 


20:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty 

Galore-PG 

22:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants 

01:30 Cricket ODI Highlights 

02:00 European PGA Tour 

03:45 Live Volvo Ocean Race 


06:00 Trans World Sport 

08:00 Futbol Mundial 

08:30 Super Rugby Highlights 

09:30 Live Super Rugby 

11:30 Live NRL Premiership 

13:30 Premier League Darts 

17:00 Super Rugby 

19:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 

20:00 Live Super Rugby 


22:30 Live Super League 

00:00 Total Rugby 


01:30 Golfing World 



06:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 


08:00 ICC Cricket World 


12:00 NRL Full Time 

12:30 Live NRL Premiership 

14:30 NRL Premiership 

16:30 Top 14 Highlights 


18:00 NRL Premiership 

20:00 ICC Cricket World 



00:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 


02:30 SPL Highlights 

03:00 World Cup of Pool 

04:00 World Pool Masters 

05:00 Ping Pong World Championship 





13:00 Super Rugby 



17:00 European Tour Weekly 

17:30 Live European PGA Tour 



00:00 WWE NXT 

01:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 

03:00 Speedway 

04:00 UFC Unleashed 

07:00 WWE NXT 

08:00 WWE Vintage Collection 


10:00 V8 Supercars Extra 

10:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 

11:00 V8 Supercars Highlights 

12:00 V8 Supercars Highlights 

13:00 WWE NXT 

14:00 WWE Experience 

15:00 Power Boats 

15:30 Power Boats 


17:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 

17:30 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 

19:30 V8 Supercars Extra 

20:00 WWE SmackDown 

22:00 WWE Bottom Line 

23:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter


Anniversary 

Arrival Flights on Friday 16/3/2012 

Airlines Flt Route Time 

QTR 138 DOHA 0:20 

JZR 185 DUBAI 0:20 

PIA 205 LAHORE 0:25 

JZR 267 BEIRUT 0:45 

JZR 539 CAIRO 0:50 

THY 772 ISTANBUL 2:15 

UAE 853 DUBAI 2:35 

QTR 148 DOHA 2:55 

DHX 370 BAHRAIN 2:55 

FDB 67 DUBAI 3:05 

ETD 305 ABU DHABI 3:10 

RJA 642 AMMAN 3:10 

GFA 211 BAHRAIN 3:15 

MLR 1405 COLOMBO 3:40 

ETH 3622 ADDIS ABABA 3:45 

KAC 544 CAIRO 4:40 


RBG 3563 ASSIUT 5:00 

JZR 555 ALEXANDRIA 6:00 

JZR 529 ASSIUT 6:20 

BAW 157 LONDON 6:40 

KAC 206 ISLAMABAD 7:40 


KAC 352 COCHIN 7:50 

KAC 302 MUMBAI 7:55 

KAC 332 TRIVANDRUM 8:05 

KAC 676 DUBAI 8:10 

KAC 284 DHAKA 8:15 

KAC 344 CHENNAI 8:25 


ABY 125 SHARJAH 9:00 

QTR 132 DOHA 9:05 



IRA 619 LAR 9:50 



RBG 3553 ALEXANDRIA 11:35 

MEA 404 BEIRUT 11:55 

IYE 825 SANAA 12:05 

MSR 623 SOHAG 12:30 

MSR 610 CAIRO 12:55 

JZR 201 DAMASCUS 13:00 



KAC 618 DOHA 13:40 


UAL 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 14:05 

OMA 645 MUSCAT 14:15 

QTR 140 DOHA 14:20 


KAC 788 JEDDAH 14:50 


KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA 15:20 

QTR 134 DOHA 15:25 

JZR 561 SOHAG 16:10 


JZR 213 DEIREZZOR 16:45 




SVA 510 RIYADH 17:20 


ALK 227 COLOMBO 18:10 

Years 


RBG 3557 SOHAG 18:25 


KAC 502 BEIRUT 18:45 


KAC 744 DAMMAM 18:55 

JZR 787 RIYADH 19:05 


AIC 975 CHENNAI 19:30 

KAC 166 PARIS 19:30 

KAC 102 NEW YORK 19:35 

KAC 774 RIYADH 19:40 

KAC 562 AMMAN 19:50 


JAI 572 MUMBAI 20:10 


SVA 506 JEDDAH 20:35 

MSR 618 ALEXANDRIA 20:45 



GRF 81 BAGHDAD 21:15 

FCX 304 RIYADH 21:20 



QTR 136 DOHA 21:35 

JZR 135 BAHRAIN 21:55 


SAI 441 LAHORE 22:40 

JZR 239 AMMAN 22:45 

UAL 981 BAHRAIN 23:00 

PIA 215 KARACHI 23:30 

DLH 636 FRANKFURT 23:50 

Departure Flights on Friday 16/3/2012 

Airlines Flt Route Time 

AXB 390 KOZHIKODE 0:05 

UAL 981 WASHINGTON DC 0:45 

BBC 44 DHAKA 1:00 

AIC 982 AHMEDABAD 1:05 

DLH 637 FRANKFURT 1:20 

PIA 206 LAHORE 1:25 


GRF 94 DUBAI 3:30 






QTR 139 DOHA 4:40 

QTR 149 DOHA 5:40 






JZR 200 DAMASCUS 7:30 

KAC 415 JAKARTA 8:00 


KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA 8:30 

BAW 156 LONDON 8:40 





JZR 560 SOHAG 9:30 



Information 

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 

In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation 

of bookings will help other passengers to use seats 


KAC 117 NEW YORK 10:00 


QTR 133 DOHA 10:10 

KAC 617 DOHA 10:25 

KAC 177 FRANKFURT 10:35 


IRA 618 LAR 10:50 

JZR 212 DEIREZZOR 10:50 

ETH 3623 DUBAI 11:00 


RBG 3558 SOHAG 12:15 

KAC 103 LONDON 12:30 


KAC 501 BEIRUT 13:00 

IYE 825 DOHA 13:05 

MSR 624 SOHAG 13:30 


MSR 611 CAIRO 13:55 



ETH 3623 DUBAI 14:45 

KAC 561 AMMAN 14:45 



OMA 646 MUSCAT 15:15 

UAL 982 BAHRAIN 15:20 


JZR 786 RIYADH 15:50 

KAC 743 DAMMAM 16:15 

KAC 773 RIYADH 16:25 

QTR 141 DOHA 16:30 

JZR 238 AMMAN 17:15 

QTR 135 DOHA 17:25 






SVA 511 RIYADH 18:35 


JZR 134 BAHRAIN 19:05 

ALK 228 DUBAI 19:10 



KAC 361 COLOMBO 20:20 


KAC 343 CHENNAI 20:55 

KAC 351 KOCHI 21:05 

JAI 571 MUMBAI 21:10 

MSR 619 ALEXANDRIA 21:45 


SVA 507 JEDDAH 21:55 




KAC 381 DELHI 22:30 

QTR 137 DOHA 22:35 

KAC 301 MUMBAI 22:45 

JZR 554 ALEXANDRIA 22:45 

KAC 205 ISLAMABAD 23:00 

FCX 102 DUBAI 23:00 


KAC 283 DHAKA 23:15 

JZR 502 LUXOR 23:35 

SAI 442 LAHORE 23:50 

KAC 411 BANGKOK 23:55 

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

ACCOMMODATION 

Room available in Salmiya 

near City Center for decent 

bachelor, rent KD 75 

(Pakistani or Indian). Tel: 

99959140. (C 3914) 

Accommodation available 

for non smoking decent 

bachelor in Khaitan with separate 

bathroom and C-A/C, 

sharing with Sri Lankan family. 

Contact: 66704630. (C 

3913) 

15-3-2012 

Sharing accommodation 

available in Abbassiya with 

Keralite Christian family near 

German clinic, rent KD 55 

(Christian visiting couples 

only). Contact: 97145592. (C 

3909) 

13-3-2012 

Accommodation available in 

Abbassiya double bedroom 

flat, two bachelors accommodation 

available April 1st, 

rent KD 40. Contact: 

99162583. 

(C 3900) 

FOR SALE 

Toyota Prado 2006, golden 

color, 6 clr, 4 doors, km 

101000. Price KD 5250. Mob: 

66729295. (C 3908) 

13-3-2012 

VW Tiguan (car) 2010, exterior 

white, interior black / Tan 

manual gear, in great condition, 

22000 mph, under 

Kuwait warranty. Price KD 

4900. Contact: 66663494. (C 

3907) 

Mitsubishi Pajero 2003, 

baige color, GLX, 1,35000 km, 

2 doors, 6 cyl, (one owner, 

company maintained). 

Contact: 66133001. 

12-3-2012 

Lady driven Land Rover model 

1996, passing up to Nov 

2012, available for sale, KD 

550. Contact: 97358878. 

(C 3905) 

11-3-2012 

MATRIMONIAL 

Alliance sought for Brahmin 

boy aged 28, decently 

employed in Kuwait, from 

parents of girls preferably 

employed in Kuwait. Please 

contact: nagan21@gmail.com 

11-3-2012 

Proposals invited for a 

Keralite Marthoma girl 

24/154, BBA, working in India 

(Baroda), seeks alliance from 

God fearing, well-educated 

employed boys (Kuwait/ 

India). Email: 

sunilvgs73@gmail.com 

(C 3898) 

7-3-2012 

LOST 

Lost Indian Passport No. 

Z1959053, finder please call 

99866856 or Indian Embassy 

22530600, will be rewarded. 

(C 3901) 

10-3-2012 

SITUATION WANTED 

Female, MBA, with total 8 

years experience (3 years, in 

Kuwait). Specialized in all 

areas of HR/Admin functions 

of big companies. Looking for 

suitable post. Contact: 

94062123. (C 3902) 

10-3-2012 

CHANGE OF NAME 

I, Kandli Qadar Shaikh 

Ahmed, Indian Passport No: 

E5351994, hereby change my 

name to Kadar Ahmed 

Kundlik. (C 3906) 

11-3-2012 

SITUATION VACANT 

A Kuwaiti family looks to hire 

experienced driver and cook. 

Contact: 97691119. 

(C 3911) 

Housemaid wanted for an 

Indian doctor family in 

Kuwait City. Call 55003696 / 

55003699. (C 3912) 

14-3-2012 

TUITION 

Math teacher for secondary 

stage, language schools, bilingual 

schools and intermediate 

stage: Algebra, Gmath, 

Geometry, Statistics for arts 

and science branches. Tel: 

66974020. 

English language teacher 

specialized in starting elementary 

and intermediate, 

10th and 11th experienced 

in starting functions, grammar, 

set book, vocabulary, 

notes and model exams 

available. Tel: 65791555. 

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. 

Senior biology and science 

teacher for 12th, 11th and 

10th grades, and science for 

all intermediate classes, religious 

institutes, nursing, 

educational experience, simple 

explanation for fast 

understanding. Tel: 

66543474. 

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. 

Arabic language teacher to 

start elementary, intermediate 

and secondary stages. 

Simple explanation of grammar 

and literature, experienced 

in Kuwait curricula. 

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. 

Senior Arabic language and 

Islamic studies teacher to 

help weak and slow learning 

students in a short time. 20 

years experience, teaching 

all elementary subjects 

excep E. Arabic and Islamic 

studies for elementary and 

intermediate. Tel: 66896088. 

Senior mathematics and statistics 

teacher. Long experience 

in Kuwait curricula to 

teach secondary students 

both science and arts 

branches, and university 

admission exams. Tel: 

97975096. 

Senior chemistry teacher for 

secondary students and science 

for intermediate. All 

reviews and exams, and university 

qualification chemistry. 

Tel: 99560268. 

Female senior mathematics 

teacher, 35 years experience 

in Kuwait for secondary, 

intermediate and elementary 

stages, applied, initial university, 

communications and 

navigation and special courses. 

Tel: 97926737. 

Elementary stage teacher, 

12 years experience, ready to 

give remedial lessons for all 

topics in the elementary 

stage in a simple method. 

Tel: 66594901. 

English teacher specialized 

in elementary and intermediate, 

experienced in grammar, 

book questions and synonyms. 

Highly experienced 

in Kuwait curricula. Tel: 

97373301. 


FOR RENT 

No: 15389 

Anniversary 

Flat in South Surra, 3 bedrooms, 

2 of which are master 

+ living room + kitchen + 

maid room, new, super 

deluxe. Tel: 97864628. 

For rent, commercial flat in 

Hawally, can be used as 

workshop, large area. No 

middle men. Parking. Tel: 

66043961. 

Flat in Bneid Al-Gar, 2 rooms 

+ 2 bathrooms + living room 

+ kitchen + Gym + swimming 

pool overlooking the 

sea, central satellite + internet. 

For families, no middle 

men. Tel: 66043961. 

Flat in Salmiya 3 bedroom + 

2 bathrooms + living room + 

kitchen + central satellite + 

internet. 4x4 rooms, 4x8 living 

room for expatriates 

only. Rent KD 330. No middle 

men. Tel: 66043961. 

Flat in Salmiya 2 rooms + 2 

bathrooms + living room + 

kitchen + central satellite + 

internet. Families only, no 

middle men. Tel: 66043961. 

A commercial floor in 

Salmiya. Close to Blajat. Car 

parking. No middle men. Tel: 

66043961. 

First floor in Shuhada, 4 

rooms + living room + 5 

bathrooms + maid room + 

balcony. Must be small family. 

Tel: 60308586. 

Flat in Zahra, 2 rooms + living 

room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms 

+ laundry room + 

maid room. Tel: 60308586. 

A floor in Zahra, 4 rooms + 

living room + kitchen + 3 

bathrooms, second floor, elevator. 

Must be small family. 

Tel: 99719887. 

Flat in west Jleeb, 3 rooms + 

living room + kitchen + 2 

bathrooms first floor. No elevator. 

Must be newlyweds or 

Years 

one child only. Tel:99719887. 

Flat in Salam, 3 rooms + living 

room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms 

+ maid room. Must be 

newlyweds or two children 

only. 60308586. 

First floor in Rumaithiya. 4 

rooms + living room + 

kitchen + maid room + 6 

bathrooms. Super deluxe. 

Must be foreigners and 

expats only. Tel: 60308586, 

99719887. 

Large first floor with the roof 

in Firdous. No middle men. 

Tel: 99490502. 

Fully furnished flat in 

Mahboula 2 rooms + 2 baths 

+ living room + Gym + DSL, 

Satellite + full sea view. Rent 

starts from KD 450. Tel: 

66060822. 

Furished flat in a Salmiya 

resort 3 rooms + maid room 

+ garden + swimming pool + 

children play room + DSL. 

Sea view + hotel service + 

car parking. Rent KD 800. Tel: 

66060299.


KINGSTOWN: Stand-in skipper Shane 

Watson believes Australia’s recent successes 

over India and Sri Lanka will mask any 

world-weariness when they kick-off their 

Caribbean tour. Australia tackle the West 

Indies in the first of five one-dayers today, 

with two Twenty20s and three Tests to follow 

on the seven-week tour-a trip they set 

off on just 12 hours after their Tri-Nations 

win over Sri Lanka in Adelaide. Watson, 

deputizing for injured full-time captain 

Michael Clarke, insists his squad can 

impress, with younger players desperate to 

make their mark. 

“It’s a very exciting time in Australian 

cricket,” Watson said. “To think even 12 

months ago that things were being said 

that the depth in Australian cricket might 

not be that good, to actually see the guys 

who are coming through.” Watson is keen 

to see how the likes of Nathan Lyon, James 

Pattinson and Peter Forrest perform in the 

Caribbean after making their mark on home 

wickets. “James Pattinson has been brilliant, 

Nathan Lyon ... to see these guys come in 

and perform straight away is a very exciting 

thing,” Watson told www.cricinfo.com. “To 

actually know that we’ve got some great 

depth now and in the future with a few other 

guys still on their way back from injury 

and also some guys who will continue to 

improve in domestic cricket to put pressure 

on the more senior guys.” 

In contrast, West Indies have turned to 

their back catalogue in an effort to gain an 

edge, with 31-year-old fast bowler Tino Best 

recalled after more than two years on the 

sidelines. Best last played international 

cricket in the 2009 Champions Trophy. “I’m 

fully focused. I am fully aware of what is 

expected of me and what is required by the 

team. I have worked extremely hard to get 

back into the team and I will continue to 

work hard to stay in the team,” Best said. In 

his most recent first-class appearance in 

February, Best took seven wickets for 

Barbados in their crushing win over 

Combined Campuses and Colleges and 

Sports 

Aussies look to pile on Windies agony 

SCOREBOARD 

Scoreboard at the close of play on the first day of the second 

test between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park in 

Hamilton yesterday. 

South Africa won the toss and chose to field 

New Zealand first innings 

R. Nicol c Boucher b Philander 2 

M. Guptill b Steyn 22 

B. McCullum c Rudolph b Steyn 61 

R. Taylor c Smith b Philander 44 

K. Williamson c Smith b Steyn 0 

D. Vettori b Philander 0 

K. van Wyk lbw b Morkel 21 

D. Bracewell c Boucher b Philander 0 

M. Gillespie c Petersen b Tahir 27 

B. Arnel lbw b Tahir 3 

C. Martin not out 0 

Extras (lb-3, nb-2) 5 

Total (all out, 61.2 overs) 185 

Fall of wickets: 1-11 2-44 3-133 4-133 5-133 6-133 7-133 8- 

176 9-184 

Bowling: Steyn 18-5-49-3, Philander 15-3-70-4 (nb-2), Kallis 9- 

4-9-0, Morkel 14-2-42-1, Tahir 5.2-1-12-2 

South Africa first innings 

G. Smith c van Wyk b Martin 13 

A. Petersen not out 8 

D. Steyn c van Wyk b Martin 4 

H. Amla not out 2 

Extras 0 

Total (for two wickets, 11 overs) 27 

Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-18 

Still to bat: Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, 

Mark Boucher, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir. 

Bowling: Martin 5-2-18-2; Bracewell 4-1-7-0; Gillespie 1-0-1-0; 

Vettori 1-0-1-0. 

Vettel coy on 

hat-trick bid 

MELBOURNE: Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel tried to 

dampen excitement over his bid for a landmark title hat-trick, as an 

upbeat Lewis Hamilton yesterday vowed to make a fresh start this 

season. Red Bull’s Vettel, 24, breezed through 2011 with 11 wins, 

and another series title this year would lift him to the exalted level 

of Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher, the only men so 

far to take three or more in a row. 

But the modest German did his best to deflect talk about his 

historic attempt as he prepared for this season’s curtain-raiser, the 

Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park. “Well, you know I 

am here to win races and to win all I can,” Vettel said. “But most of 

all I’m here to win the championship-so that’s the target, but we 

are not talking about anything else. “Whether it is the third or not 

doesn’t make the difference. It would be a nice thing, but the reason 

why we’re here is to race and to win.” 

Vettel, who became Formula One’s youngest back-to-back 

champion in such impressive fashion last year, also warned that he 

had little idea about the relative speed and strengths of his team. 

“OK, we are all here and we are ready to start racing, but really, we 

have to wait until qualifying tomorrow and for the first couple of 

races to show a trend of what is happening,” said the German. 

“Maybe after qualifying we will know a little bit more, but after 

today we will not know much more.” —AFP 

HAMILTON: Chris Martin struck back 

for New Zealand with two quick wickets 

to leave South Africa on 27 for two 

at the close of play on the rain-hit first 

day of the second test in Hamilton yesterday 

after the hosts’ middle order 

had collapsed. Martin had South Africa 

captain Graeme Smith (13) and night 

watchman Dale Steyn (four) caught by 

wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk after the 

visitors had taken five wickets for no 

runs in 20 balls to bowl New Zealand 

out for 185 at Seddon Park. 

Alivro Petersen was not out on 

eight, while Hashim Amla was on two 

for the visitors at the close of play. 

Martin’s double strike restored a measure 

of balance after New Zealand had 

slumped from 133 for two to 133 for 

seven in a little over 15 minutes during 

the final session following some hostile 

fast bowling from Steyn and 

Vernon Philander. Brendon 

McCullum’s reckless hook shot to a 

Steyn bouncer that was over his head 

after he had battled for more than two 

hours sparked the collapse. 

McCullum had curbed his natural 

attacking instincts to grind his way to 

61 and share in an 89-run partnership 

with Ross Taylor (44) as New Zealand 

looked to be in a strong position after 

being asked to bat on a green-tinged 

pitch. However, just as they had in the 

drawn first test in Dunedin, McCullum 

and Taylor were dismissed in quick 

succession. McCullum belted the ball 

straight to Jacques Rudolph at deep 

backward square, with the South 

African’s only requirement to take a 

step back so he could catch the ball at 

waist height. Taylor prodded at a 

straight delivery from Philander and 

was well caught at first slip by Smith, 

before Kane Williamson got a Steyn 

delivery that reared on him off a 

length and the ball hit the shoulder of 

the bat and flew to Smith. 

Daniel Vettori then played around a 

Philander delivery that nipped back 

into the left-hander and was bowled, 

before Doug Bracewell feathered a 

catch to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher 

three balls later. Pace bowler Mark 

Gillespie, who is making his return to 

the test team for the first time in more 

than three years, finally ended the run 

of wickets at 133 when he nicked a ball 

bagged six for 44 in a warm-up that followed. 

Another player in form is big-hitting 

Kieron Pollard, who smashed 151 off 120 

balls in a recent squad warm-up. “I have 

been playing a lot of Twenty20 cricket, but 

when you practice, you do not practice 

Twenty20,” Pollard said. “When you practice, 

you work on your technique and there 

are a number of things I have been working 

on.” West Indies are again without former 

skipper Chris Gayle, who has not played for 

the West Indies since last year’s World Cup 

and has been involved in a long-running 

dispute with the West Indies Cricket 

Board.— AFP 

NZ fight back 

after collapse 

Reckless shot sparks collapse 

HAMILTON: Chris Martin (left) and Kruger van Wyk of New Zealand celebrate 

the dismissal of Dale Steyn of South Africa during day one of the second cricket 

test match at Seddon Park in Hamilton. — AFP 

through the slips to the boundary. 

Gillespie (27) and van Wyk (21) combined 

for a cameo partnership of 43 

runs in 40 balls before Imran Tahir 

trapped Brent Arnel lbw for three to 

end the innings. Rain had forced the 

players off the field for just over two 

hours that destroyed much of the middle 

session. — Reuters


BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors recovered 

from a nervy start to beat fellow 

Argentine side Arsenal 2-1 and 

put their Libertadores Cup campaign 

back on track on Wednesday. 

The victory gave Boca four points 

from three matches in second place 

in Group Four, five points behind 

leaders Fluminense after the 

Brazilians beat Venezuela’s Zamora 

1-0 in Rio de Janeiro. “We’re playing 

well, we’re going to fight for it in the 

Cup and the (domestic) championship,” 

Boca captain Juan Roman 

Riquelme told reporters. 

“It was a very important victory, 

what we came looking for. The start 

got complicated with the goal 

through bad luck but we were able 

to turn it round with attitude.” It 

was the third match in eight days in 

which Boca fell behind in the opening 

10 minutes after losing 2-1 to 

Fluminense last Wednesday and 5-4 

to Independiente in the league on 

Sunday. Arsenal, hosting the match 

at their Julio Grondona ground, 

went ahead after 10 minutes when 

Boca defender Clemente Rodriguez 

turned a low cross into his own net. 

But the visitors equalized just 

before the half hour when winger 

Pablo Mouche latched onto a half 

Sports 

Boca Juniors keep hope alive 

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s Boca Juniors footballers celebrate the team’s 

second goal against Argentina’s Arsenal FC during their Copa Libertadores 

2012 group 4 football match in Sarandi. — AFP 

Ex-players hold key to 

Juve pursuit of Milan 

MILAN: Juventus hope former forward 

Amauri does not suddenly find his form this 

weekend and further curtail their Serie A title 

bid while another ex could boost their 

chances if Sebastian Giovinco downs leaders 

AC Milan. Brazil-born Amauri signed for 

Juventus for 22 million euros ($28.66 million) 

from Palermo in 2008 but after a promising 

start his career nosedived and he now plays 

for struggling Fiorentina, who host Juve 

tomorrow (1945 GMT). 

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli gave Amauri 

his international debut in 2010 but it turned 

out to be his only cap and the 31-year-old’s 

last goal was on loan at Parma last April. 

“Amauri has promised me his first goal for 

Fiorentina tomorrow,” the Florence club’s 

chief executive Sandro Mencucci told 

reporters. Juve, who have slipped four points 

behind champions Milan after drawing three 

straight matches, will think it is just their 

recent luck if Amauri breaks his drought 

against them. Still, to many Juve fans the fact 

they are in a title race after several seasons of 

Everton target 

missing trophy 

MANCHESTER: Everton resume the priority 

of securing a tangible memento 

for manager David Moyes’s decade of 

service when they host Sunderland 

tomorrow (1245 GMT) in the FA Cup 

quarter-finals. Moyes celebrated 10 

years at Goodison Park this week and 

has been lauded for his longevity in the 

hire-and-fire culture of the Premier 

League as well as for his ability to create 

a reliable team on modest 

resources. What he has not done is 

brought a trophy to the club whose 

glory days of the 1980s are getting ever 

more distant. The closest he came was 

in 2009 when he led Everton to the FA 

Cup final where they were beaten 2-1 

by Chelsea and this season the Scot is 

determined to go one better. 

By effectively sacrificing Merseyside 

bragging rights by fielding a weakened 

team for Tuesday’s 3-0 league defeat at 

Liverpool, Moyes made it clear what 

took precedence this season. “I think 

you have to juggle your squad and 

decide where you prioritize,” he told 

reporters. 

With Everton staring at mid-table 

security in the league, lying ninth on 

the same points as Sunderland, booking 

a trip to Wembley for an FA Cup 

semi-final is enticing. “The boys have 

been doing really well and hopefully 

we can continue the decent cup run we 

have had,” said defender Phil Jagielka. 

“After Tuesday’s result it puts a little bit 

more pressure on the cup because 3-0 

is not good enough.” —Reuters 

woe following their 2006 match-fixing 

demotion is progress enough. 

President Andrea Agnelli backed coach 

Antonio Conte this week for helping return 

the Turin club, the most successful Italian 

side domestically, to the upper echelons of 

the game. “The manager and his players are 

enjoying a truly commendable season” he 

told reporters. “They know that there are 11 

championship games to go and possibly 

another two in the Coppa Italia, they’re 

aware that there’s the possibility to obtain 

prestigious results so we’ll be perfectly calm 

in trying to reach our targets.” While hoping 

Amauri does not score tomorrow, Juve will 

be urging on fellow former forward 

Sebastian Giovinco when his stuttering 

Parma side entertain Milan (1700). 

Robinho is a slight doubt for Milan after 

injuring his calf in training while Philippe 

Mexes is banned but Clarence Seedorf and 

Maxi Lopez may be fit enough to return on 

the bench. Milan centre back Daniele Bonera, 

who may again fill in for Mexes, is an ex- 

Parma player and is expecting a difficult 

game. “Opponents give something extra 

when they play Milan and Parma at home 

have always done well. We have to be careful,” 

he told Milan Channel before hailing 

Antonio Nocerino, the midfield revelation of 

the year after average spells at Juve and 

Palermo. “It’s a great advantage for us to 

have a player like Nocerino. When he came 

in, perhaps we didn’t expect that he could do 

what he is doing.” 

Fourth-placed Napoli, fresh from their 

Champions League heartbreak in the last 16 

against Chelsea, travel to Udinese in fifth on 

Sunday (1945) as the fight for the third and 

final Champions League qualifying spot for 

next term hots up. —Reuters 

clearance in the box and shot under 

goalkeeper Cristian Campestrini’s 

dive. The Argentine champions 

sealed the points in the 68th minute 

when Rodriguez crossed from the 

left and with two defenders keeping 

a close eye on burly striker Santiago 

Silva, substitute midfielder Pablo 

Ledesma ghosted in through to tap 

home. Striker Luciano Leguizamon 

squandered an easy opportunity 

right in front of goal that would 

have given Arsenal a late equaliser. 

Boca needed the win not only to 

stay in the hunt for a seventh title 

in South America’s elite club competition 

but also to put behind 

them a week in which their home 

defeat by Fluminense was their 

first in 37 matches. Mexico’s Cruz 

Azul retained the Group Six lead 

with a 0-0 draw at home to secondplaced 

Corinthians in Mexico City. 

After three matches Cruz Azul have 

seven points and the Brazilians 

five. Libertad of Paraguay stayed 

top of Group Five after a 1-1 draw 

with Brazil’s Vasco da Gama in an 

ill-tempered match in Asuncion. 

The same two players who scored 

the goals, Vasco’s Diego Souza and 

Jose Nunez of Libertad, were sent 

off. — Reuters 

Mourinho eyeing 

Chelsea reunion 

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was hoping for a 

dream Champions League final against his former club 

Chelsea yesterday after the Spanish giants cruised into the 

quarter-finals. Nine-time winners Real beat CSKA Moscow 4-1 

in the second leg of their last 16 tie for a 5-2 aggregate win 

with Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing two of 

the goals. 

No sooner had the night’s business been settled, however, 

than Mourinho was already eyeing Chelsea, who won an 

extra-time thriller to defeat Napoli, as potential final opponents 

in May. “People can’t understand how much I love 

Chelsea and I know if I get them in the quarter-finals or the 

semi-finals, they would be great opponents,” said Mourinho, 

who has been widely-tipped to retake the reins at Stamford 

Bridge in the summer. “I’m happy Chelsea have got through, 

but I’d love to play them in the final.” The Real coach was also 

happy to heap more praise on Ronaldo whose brace took his 

Real Madrid career total to 19 goals in 24 appearances in the 

Champions League. 

Compared to 16 goals during his 55 outings as a 

Manchester United player, the Portuguese star is flourishing 

at Real. “Ronaldo is unbelievable,” said Mourinho. “You would 

have thought with the number of goals he scored last season 

you couldn’t improve, but he is at another level.” Gonzalo 

Higuain and Karim Benzema were also on target on 

Wednesday as Real joined bitter rivals Barcelona in the last 

eight, the draw for which will be held today. The only negative 

on the night for Madrid was a yellow card for Xabi Alonso 

that means he will miss the first leg of their quarter-final tie. 

“It’s not a problem that Xabi can’t play, we are not going 

to cry about it, there is no problem for (Lass) Diarra or 

(Esteban) Granero to play with (Sami) Khedira,” added 

Mourinho. The coach added he was happy with his team but 

underlined how difficult the match had been until Ronaldo 

got Madrid’s second goal of the evening. “We suffered more 

than we should have until the second goal and the game was 

demanding until the end but all Champions League games 

are like this,” he said. “We gave a mature and balanced performance 

and now we’ll take on whoever the draw pairs us 

with today.”— AFP


JAKARTA: Indonesia continues to creep 

towards a FIFA ban after a reconciliation 

meeting between the country’s two soccer 

leagues resulted in a virtual no-show, 

local media reported yesterday. The 

Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) 

invited 13 of the 18 clubs in the breakaway 

Indonesian Super League (ISL) to 

talk on Wednesday but only one, Persib 

Bandung, turned up. 

FIFA, the game’s world ruling body, is 

set to punish Indonesia unless the PSSI, 

also under orders from exasperated government 

officials, restores order and unifies 

the ISL with their Indonesian Premier 

League (IPL) before March 20. “We won’t 

stop trying to save our football,” PSSI 

executive committee member Bernhard 

Limbong told the Jakarta Globe. “We’ll 

wait for the other clubs to respond to 

our invitation before the PSSI congress 

on March 18. “We want to speak with all 

(ISL) clubs on the best way to settle the 

dispute so there will be only one league 

here.” 

The decision to snub the meeting at a 

Jakarta hotel has potentially serious consequences 

for Indonesia, whose national 

team crashed out of 2014 World Cup 

qualifying in disgrace. A humiliating 10-0 

defeat in Bahrain last month prompted a 

FIFA investigation, leaving them bottom 

of their group with no points and mark- 

Sports 

Divided Indonesia creep towards FIFA ban 

Utd can go 4 clear by 

avoiding Wolves bite 

MANCHESTER: Premier League leaders Manchester 

United will go four points clear if they beat secondfrom-bottom 

Wolverhampton Wanderers at 

Molineux this weekend but need only look back a 

year to know that is not as easy as it sounds. In 

February 2011, then bottom club Wolves ended 

Unitedís 29-match unbeaten league run, inflicting a 

first league defeat of the season on the eventual 

champions when they stunned their visitors 2-1 in 

this fixture. 

Wolves, again embroiled in a battle to avoid relegation 

after just one win in their last 14 league 

games, fell behind to an early Nani goal but replied 

with two goals before halftime which led manager 

Alex Ferguson to bemoan his sideís ìbad play at setpiecesî. 

With Manchester City, the long-time leaders 

before their rivals overhauled them last week, not 

playing until Wednesday because opponents 

Chelsea are among those involved in the FA Cup 

quarter-finals, United can turn the screw on Sunday 

(1330 GMT). 

One of the keys to whether they can retain their 

title could be striker Wayne Rooney, who has been 

challenged by Ferguson to net 40 goals this season 

and who scored twice in Decemberís 4-1 victory 

over Wolves at Old Trafford. Another double in last 

weekís 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion took 

his tally to 26, eight fewer than his best ever haul of 

34 in 2009-10, and his team mates see his run continuing. 

ìHe can go as far as he wants to,î winger 

Ashley Young told British media. ìHe has done brilliantly 

this season. Hopefully he keeps adding to his 

tally and we can keep getting the three points.î 

CANíT CRYí 

City manager Roberto Mancini has said the 

champions have the mental edge having been 

involved in so many title battles while his club are 

seeking a first championship since 1968. But he has 

refused to be down and says his team have enough 

games left to swing things back in their favor, 

including next monthís mouth-watering 

Manchester derby. ìNow we canít cry, now is a time 

to be strong and keep going because we are a top 

team,î the Italian, whose team have 66 points from 

28 games compared to Unitedís 67, told a news conference. 

ìWe have 10 games, all is in our hands and 

we can change if we want. We have pressure 

because we want to win the title, we want to make 

history for the club.î 

The increasingly interesting tussle for third and 

fourth place takes a back seat this weekend because 

of the FA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, 

like fellow Londoners Chelsea, not in league action 

until Wednesday. At the other end of the table, bottom 

side Wigan Athletic host West Brom tomorrow 

(1500) hoping to make the most of the fact fellow 

relegation candidates Queens Park Rangers, Bolton 

Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers are not playing 

until midweek. In the weekendís two other league 

games, Fulham entertain a Swansea City team who 

are full of confidence after last weekendís surprise 1- 

0 victory over Manchester City and Norwich City 

travel to sixth-placed Newcastle United. — Reuters 

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson 

School football sparks 

Hong Kong race row 

HONG KONG: A violent incident in a school football match in Hong 

Kong has sparked an ugly race row after a video was posted online 

showing a Caucasian boy kicking a Chinese opponent in the head. 

Parents of the Asian boy filed a police complaint after the weekend’s 

under-12 game between ESF Lions and Kitchee Escola descended into 

chaos, with fathers and the ESF coach engaged in an angry on-field 

altercation. 

A video of the match showing the 10-year-old ESF player making 

contact with the Kitchee boy’s head has been viewed more than 50,000 

times and generated a torrent of often racist commentary against 

“gweilos”, or Caucasians. “These are English Men... Shame of mankind!” 

wrote one viewer on the YouTube website. Others called the coach and 

mainly Caucasian players for the English Schools Foundation (ESF) team 

“animals” and “white scum”, and demanded the government stop subsidizing 

the English-language school system. 

“The Hong Kong government should cancel its funding of the ESF. 

Gweilos should leave Hong Kong immediately,” said one user. 

“Gweilo” means “ghost man” in Cantonese and is often used as 

derogatory slang to describe people of European decent. Other commentators 

however said the incident was bad enough without the 

racist abuse on the Internet. “I am not sure what is worse, the coach, 

the young thug, the refs or the tirade of racist comments in this 

thread,” wrote another viewer. —AFP 

ing a new low for Indonesia soccer. 

Persib officials did at least have their say 

in the absence of their ISL rivals. “Persib 

is still a PSSI member and we still regard 

the PSSI as the only football authority in 

the country,” said the club’s marketing 

director M. Farhan, underlining the confusion. 

Both sides now face a race 

against time with a FIFA ban, which 

Indonesia narrowly avoided last year, 

looming large again. — Reuters 

Football school kicks off 

Palestinian WCup hopes 

AL-BIREH: At a state-of-the-art football stadium in the 

Palestinian city of Al-Bireh, three-year-old Adam is trying to 

pass a ball as coaches shout encouragement. The darkhaired 

youngster, who is not much bigger than the ball he 

is racing after, is one of scores of children attending a football 

training school run by a non-governmental organization 

called Palestine: Sports for Life (PS4L). Their dream is 

that Adam and the dozens of other Palestinian youngsters 

could one day play professionally for their country-and 

even go on to represent Palestine in tournaments such as 

the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

Established in 2010, PS4L brings together Palestinian 

athletes committed to raising the level of sports training 

and education in the West Bank. It is headed by Tamara 

Awartani, a 29-year-old former basketball star who used to 

play for the top women’s team in the Palestinian territories. 

She makes no secret of the ambitious dreams she has for 

the children. “The main goal is to produce qualified footballers 

who are capable of representing Palestine in the 

World Cup in 2022,” she said. “This is our vision and this is 

their dream.” 

The school, she says, emphasizes “the basic skills of 

football, like team play, discipline and communication with 

each other from an early age, with a team of qualified 

coaches and former footballers who are passionate about 

football and who work here for a nominal fee.” Some of the 

coaches used to play for teams in the Palestinian first division, 

while others were part of regional or women’s squads. 

And still others come from overseas to volunteer their 

skills. The school also offers children the rare chance to 

travel overseas to international coaching camps in places 

such as Turkey and Jordan. 

And in keeping with the organization’s broader goals-to 

use sports as a way to build “healthy and vibrant communities”-Awartani 

also wants the school to teach skills that will 

serve students off the pitch too. “We are trying to create a 

place for these children to blow off some steam instead of 

sticking to television, Facebook and video games,” she 

explains. Last summer, PS4L kicked off its first football program 

which caters to around 100 children between the 

ages of three and 12, giving them two hours of training 

twice a week. At the stadium, the youngest are put in a 

group of their own to protect them from the more boisterous 

older children. 

Quality from an early age-While the smaller children 

learn how to kick and field the ball, their older counterparts 

are working on more advanced skills, such as dribbling 

around cones. The World Cup in Qatar may be far off yet, 

but it’s clearly in the forefront of the minds of many of the 

kids. “I will be on the 2022 team!” shouts 10-year-old Karim 

Omar, one of the most promising students. “I started playing 

football when I was young, and I am here to be in the 

2022 national team,” declares another student, a confident 

12-year-old called Mustafa Shaltaf. Football is easily the 

most popular sport in the Palestinian territories, where 

ferocious local rivalries coexist with enthusiastic support 

for foreign teams, the most popular being Spain’s 

Barcelona and Real Madrid. 

But the national team, ranked 162 in the world, has had 

little success and has never qualified out of its Asia group 

for the World Cup. Awartani believes PS4L could change 

that, and insists the students train on a proper pitch, renting 

out the Majed Assad international stadium in Al-Bireh 

twice a week so the children can get a feel for the real 

thing. —AFP


ADELAIDE: Stephanie Rice will 

defend her Olympic 400-metre individual 

medley title in London after 

setting the year’s second-best time 

to win the event at the Australian 

selection trials in Adelaide yesterday. 

The triple Beijing Olympic gold 

medalist won in four minutes 33.45 

seconds, more than four seconds 

ahead of Blair Evans (4:37.80), who is 

also off to the London Olympics in 

July. Rice, 23, went into the national 

championships under pressure to 

earn a place in Australia’s Olympic 

team after surgery on her right 

shoulder last December. 

But the glamour girl of Australian 

swimming sent out an emphatic 

message that she will be competitive 

in London after swimming just 

0.78secs outside Briton Hannah 

Miley’s 2012 best time of 4:32.67 set 

earlier this month. “It’s the biggest 

relief and the biggest weight lifted 

off my shoulders,” Rice said. “It’s 

been the toughest preparation I’ve 

had to date and I had to get my head 

around that I couldn’t do the training 

sessions that I was doing in the leadup 

to the Beijing Olympics. “That 

gives me a world-class time and puts 

me up in the world rankings again 

and if I can get a consistent three 

months of training I’m confident I 

will be competitive in London.” 

Rice said her sizzling time proved 

she was not a spent force. “To put 

the time on the board was all I need- 

ed to do and to qualify and be pretty 

close to Hannah Miley’s time which 

she did not long ago is a really good 

feeling for me,” she said. Four more 

spots in the Australian team were 

filled on the opening night of the trials 

with David McKeon (3:46.36) 

beating Ryan Napoleon (3:47.93) in 

the 400m freestyle. Thomas Fraser- 

Holmes swam the year’s best time of 

4:11.81 to set an Australian record in 

winning the 400m individual medley 

to clinch Olympic selection along 

with runner-up Daniel Tranter 

(4:16.38). Defending Olympic champion 

Libby Trickett was sixth fastest 

into the 100m butterfly final with 

59.65secs behind Jessicah Schipper 

(58.26). Only 1.44 seconds separated 

Sports 

Australia’s Rice to defend Olympic title 

NHL results/standings 

NHL results and standings on Wednesday. 

Colorado 5, Buffalo 4 (So); Montreal 3, Ottawa 2 (SO); Winnipeg 5, 

Dallas 2; Edmonton 3, Columbus 0; Phoenix 5, Vancouver 4; 

Anaheim 4, Detroit 0. (SO denotes shootout win) 

Eastern Conference 

Atlantic Division 

W L OTL GF GA PTS 

NY Rangers 44 18 7 192 150 95 

Pittsburgh 42 21 5 219 173 89 

Philadelphia 40 22 7 223 197 87 

New Jersey 40 25 5 195 182 85 

NY Islanders 28 31 11 164 211 67 

Northeast Division 

Boston 40 26 3 223 170 83 

Ottawa 36 25 10 218 209 82 

Buffalo 33 29 9 178 201 75 

Toronto 30 32 8 202 217 68 

Montreal 28 32 11 188 198 67 

Southeast Division 

Florida 33 23 13 171 193 79 

Washington 36 28 6 189 197 78 

Winnipeg 33 29 8 186 197 74 

Tampa Bay 32 30 7 197 234 71 

Carolina 26 29 15 183 211 67 

Western Conference 

Central Division 

St. Louis 45 18 8 186 139 98 

Detroit 44 24 3 219 171 91 

Nashville 41 21 7 200 179 89 

Chicago 38 25 8 213 209 84 

Columbus 22 41 7 161 226 51 

Northwest Division 

Vancouver 42 20 8 219 177 92 

Colorado 38 30 4 191 193 80 

Calgary 33 25 12 176 193 78 

Minnesota 29 31 10 150 194 68 

Edmonton 27 36 7 185 209 61 

Pacific Division 

Dallas 39 27 5 188 188 83 

Phoenix 35 25 11 187 182 81 

San Jose 34 25 10 189 178 78 

Los Angeles 33 25 12 159 154 78 

Anaheim 30 30 11 177 196 71 

France recall Yachvili 

PARIS: Scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili was recalled after a back injury 

to lead a reshuffled French side for their Six Nations finale against 

Wales in Cardiff tomorrow. The Biarritz back replaces Julien 

Dupuy, who was dropped from the squad after a poor performance 

as France lost 24-22 to England on Sunday. Yachvili’s return 

after a three-game absence comes a week too late for some supporters 

and French media, who were unhappy he was overlooked 

by manager Philippe Saint-Andre for the England game despite 

being fit enough to play for his club. 

Yachvili will link up with standoff Lionel Beauxis for the Cardiff 

match, a repeat of their controversial World Cup semi-final, and 

means utility halfback Morgan Parra will sit on the bench for the 

second consecutive game. “Dimitri and Morgan are experienced, 

they have a huge background with this team. Dimitri is now 100 

percent fit after playing some good matches with his club,” Saint- 

Andre told a news conference yesterday. —Reuters 

BUFFALO: Jamie McGinn forced overtime 

by scoring with 2 seconds left in regulation, 

and Peter Mueller netted the lone 

shootout goal in the Colorado Avalanche’s 

5-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on 

Wednesday. McGinn scored twice, Gabriel 

Landeskog had a goal and assist, and 

David Jones scored for the Avalanche (38- 

30-4), who vaulted out of a four-way tie for 

eighth place in the Western Conference to 

sixth. Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves 

through overtime, and stopped all three of 

Buffalo’s shootout attempts to improve to 

8-0 in the tiebreaker. Rookie Marcus 

Foligno scored twice for Buffalo (33-29-9), 

which inched within three points of 

eighth-place Washington in the East. Drew 

Stafford had a goal and two assists, Tyler 

Ennis had three assists, and Alexander 

Sulzer also scored for the Sabres. 

CANADIENS 3, SENATORS 2, SO 

At Montreal, David Desharnais scored in 

regulation and in a shootout to lift 

Montreal past Ottawa. Desharnais had the 

only goal in the shootout, and Canadiens 

goalie Carey Price stopped all three 

Senators attempts. Erik Cole also scored for 

Montreal (28-32-11), 3-0-1 in its last four 

games. The Canadiens are 3-0-1 against 

the Senators this season, and will face 

them again in Ottawa today. Colin 

Greening and Erik Karlsson had goals for 

the Senators (36-25-10), who are one point 

behind Northeast Division-leading Boston. 

The Bruins have two games in hand. 

JETS 5, STARS 2 

At Winnipeg, Manitoba, Andrew Ladd 

scored twice to help Winnipeg snap Dallas’ 

six-game winning streak. Nik Antropov, 

Evander Kane and Eric Fehr also scored for 

the Jets, who moved four points behind 

Washington for the eighth and last playoff 

spot in the Eastern Conference. Loui 

Eriksson had both goals for Dallas. The 

Stars, who won 1-0 at Minnesota the previous 

night, dropped to 1-10-2 in the second 

games of back-to-backs. 

DUCKS 4, RED WINGS 0 

At Anaheim, California, Jonas Hiller 

made 23 saves in his 15th career shutout 

and rookie Kyle Palmieri scored two goals 

as Anaheim kept its faint playoff hopes 

flickering. Teemu Selanne scored his 660th 

career goal and Bobby Ryan also scored as 

the Ducks shut out the Red Wings at home 

for the first time in Anaheim’s franchise history. 

Playing without injured MVP Corey 

Perry, the Ducks also snapped a threegame 

skid with a thrashing of injurydepleted 

Detroit, which has lost five of six. 

OILERS 3, BLUE JACKETS 0 

At Edmonton, Alberta, Ryan Nugent- 

Hopkins had a goal and an assist and 

Devan Dubnyk stopped 22 shots for his 

second shutout of the season as Edmonton 

snapped a three-game losing streak. Taylor 

Hall and Linus Omark also scored as the 

Oilers won for just the second time in eight 

games (2-5-1). Edmonton improved its 

total to 61 points, ahead of only leagueworst 

Columbus (51). Curtis Sanford 

stopped 24 shots as the Blue Jackets - the 

the top seven with only two from 

today’s final going on to compete in 

London. 

Triple Olympic gold medallist 

Trickett retired at the end of 2009 

but made a comeback to competition 

last year and missed out on 

qualifying for the Shanghai world 

championships. “I was excited to go 

faster than this morning’s heats and 

the confidence I am taking from 

both those races, and now it’s just a 

matter of freshening up a bit more,” 

Trickett said. “It’s going to be a fun 

race tomorrow, the girls are racing 

really quickly, I’m buzzing at the 

moment, I’m just so thrilled to be 

here and racing at this level 

again.”— AFP 

Mueller seals Avs’ 

5-4 shootout win 

ANAHEIM: Vancouver Canucks’ Ryan Kesler (top) checks Phoenix Coyotes’ 

Antoine Vermette during the second period of an NHL hockey game in 

Vancouver, British Columbia. — AP 

only team already eliminated from playoff 

contention - lost their third straight. 

COYOTES 5, CANUCKS 4 

At Vancouver, British Columbia, Antoine 

Vermette had a goal and added two assists 

as Phoenix held on to beat Vancouver. The 

Coyotes won for the second time in eight 

games after overcoming an early 2-0 

deficit against a rejuvenated Canucks 

squad that featured several different forward 

and defense combinations. Rostislav 

Klesla, Shane Doan, Oliver Ekman-Larson, 

and Gilbert Brule also scored for Phoenix, 

and Ray Whitney had three assists. The seventh-place 

Coyotes increased their lead to 

three points over the San Jose Sharks in 

the Western Conference. Alex Burrows, 

Ryan Kesler, David Booth, and Dan 

Hamhuis scored for the Canucks, who have 

lost six of eight. Hamhuis’ goal was his first 

in 35 games. — AP


NEW YORK: Amare Stoudemire made all seven 

shots in the first half and Carmelo Anthony passed 

and shot well as the New York Knicks shook off the 

surprising departure of their coach to rout the 

Portland Trail Blazers 121-79 on Wednesday, snapping 

a six-game losing streak. Anthony, who denied 

wanting a trade or having friction with former 

coach Mike D’Antoni earlier Wednesday, had 16 

points on 6-of-12 shooting and tied a season high 

with seven assists. Stoudemire finished with 17 

points and shot 8 of 10, before both stars sat out 

the fourth quarter while the Knicks rang up their 

highest point total of the season. LaMarcus Aldridge 

and Gerald Wallace each scored 15 points for the 

Trail Blazers. 

LAKERS 107, HORNETS 101, OT 

At New Orleans, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points as 

the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight 

game and second straight in overtime. For the second 

night in a row, the Lakers climbed out of a double-digit 

hole in the second half to force an extra 

period. On Tuesday night, they came back from 17 

down to win at Memphis in double overtime. The 

Hornets also led by as many as 17 late in the second 

quarter and 15 in the second half. Andrew Bynum 

added 25 points and Pau Gasol 18 for Los Angeles. 

Jarrett Jack scored 30 for New Orleans. 

SPURS 122, MAGIC 111 

At San Antonio, Dwight Howard had 22 points 

and 12 rebounds while losing what could be his last 

game with Orlando. Howard, who said before the 

game he won’t surrender his right to become a free 

agent this summer, had 22 points and 12 rebounds 

on the eve of the NBA trade deadline. Tony Parker 

had 31 points and 12 assists, and Tim Duncan had 

21 points and 13 rebounds as the Spurs closed a 

seven-game homestand by hosting the NBA’s 

biggest drama. 

PACERS 111, 76ERS 94 

At Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 20 points 

as Indiana shot a season-high 57 percent from the 

field to win its second straight. David West scored 

18 points, George Hill had 17 and Roy Hibbert 

added 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and 

three blocks for the Pacers, who outrebounded the 

76ers 37-26. Evan Turner scored 21 points, Jrue 

Holiday had 17, Elton Brand added 16 and Andre 

Iguodala had 10 points and nine assists for the 

76ers. 

NETS 98, RAPTORS 84 

At Newark, New Jersey, Kris Humphries had 16 

points and a career-high 21 rebounds to lead New 

Jersey past Toronto. Former D-League star Gerald 

Green tied his season high by scoring 20 of his 26 

points in the second half as the Nets snapped a 

two-game losing streak. Anthony Morrow added 15 

points for New Jersey, which shot 48 percent from 

the field. James Johnson and Jerryd Bayless had 16 

points apiece for Toronto, which was limited to 38 

second-half points, including 15 in the third quarter 

when the Nets took the lead. 

ROCKETS 107, BOBCATS 87 

At Houston, Luis Scola scored 23 points, and 

Goran Dragic had 14 points and 10 assists as 

Houston routed league-worst Charlotte. Samuel 

Dalembert added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and 

Jordan Hill scored 14 and grabbed eight rebounds 

for the Rockets, who’ve won two in a row after 

dropping six of their previous seven games. Derrick 

Brown scored 15 to lead the Bobcats, who’ve lost 20 

of 23 road games this season. 

BUCKS 115, CAVALIERS 105 

At Milwaukee, Drew Gooden had 15 points, 10 

rebounds and 13 assists for his second career 

triple-double to lead Milwaukee over Cleveland. 

Gooden completed the triple-double with a 

rebound near the end of the third quarter. Gooden 

also had a triple-double against the Cavaliers last 

April, marking the last time the Bucks had a player 

accomplish the feat. Ersan Ilyasova had 22 points 

before fouling out for the Bucks, who have won 

four straight. Kyrie Irving had 28 points for the 

Cavaliers, who lost their second in a row. 

BULLS 106, HEAT 102 

At Chicago, John Lucas III scored 24 points, as 

Chicago beat Miami without Derrick Rose in a 

charged showdown between the Eastern 

Conference’s top two teams. The Bulls built a 16point 

lead in the second quarter, were up 11 at halftime 

and boosted it back to 17 in the third after a 

push by Miami. They then hung on after Miami 

pulled within two in the closing minute for their 

11th win in 12 games. Even better, they won without 

their superstar, and they did it on a night when 

Dwyane Wade scored 36 and LeBron James finished 

with 35 points for the Heat. 

PISTONS 124, KINGS 112 

At Sacramento, California, Rodney Stuckey 

scored 35 points and Greg Monroe had 32 for 

Detroit, which used a huge third-quarter effort to 

pull away from Sacramento. Stuckey led the Pistons’ 

40-23 effort in the third quarter, connecting on four 

3-pointers and scoring 19 points as the Pistons built 

their lead to 97-81 entering the fourth. Detroit 

made 15 of 20 shots for their highest points total in 

a quarter this season, and the Pistons never let the 

lead get below eight points in the fourth. Tyreke 

Evans scored 23 points for the Kings, but left the 

game and didn’t return after a hard fall in the fourth 

quarter. Jason Thompson had 21 points and 15 

rebounds for the Kings, losers of three straight 

games. 

CELTICS 105, WARRIORS 103 

At Oakland, California, Kevin Garnett scored 12 

of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, including a 

tiebreaking jumper with 5.1 seconds left that led 

Boston over Golden State. Brandon Bass added a 

season-high 22 points, Paul Pierce and Mickael 

Pietrus each chipped in 15 and Rajon Rondo dished 

out 14 assists for the Celtics. Rookie Klay Thompson 

led the Warriors with a season-high 26 points, David 

Lee added 22 and Nate Robinson had 20 points and 

11 assists. 

CLIPPERS 96, HAWKS 82 

At Los Angeles, Mo Williams scored 25 points 

and fellow reserve Eric Bledsoe added 14 on a relatively 

quiet night by Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, 

leading the Los Angeles Clippers over Atlanta. The 

victory kept the Clippers within two games of the 

Lakers in the race for the Pacific Division lead. Griffin 

had 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Paul con- 

Sports 

Knicks rout Blazers 121-79 

Bulls overcome Rose absence to beat Heat 

NEW YORK: (Center) Jeremy Lin #17 of the New York Knicks battles for a loose ball foul with Marcus Camby #23 of the Portland Trail 

Blazers and Raymond Felton #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden. — AFP 

Eastern Conference 

Atlantic Division 

W L PCT GB 

Philadelphia 25 18 .581 - 

Boston 23 19 .548 1.5 

NY Knicks 19 24 .442 6 

New Jersey 15 29 .341 10.5 

Toronto 14 29 .326 11 

Central Division 

Chicago 36 9 .800 - 

Indiana 25 16 .610 9 

Milwaukee 19 24 .442 16 

Cleveland 16 25 .390 18 

Detroit 16 27 .372 19 

Southeast Division 

Miami 31 11 .738 - 

Orlando 28 16 .636 4 

Atlanta 24 19 .558 7.5 

Washington 9 32 .220 21.5 

Charlotte 6 35 .146 24.5 

NBA results/standings 

tributed 13 points and nine assists. Joe Johnson led 

the Hawks with 19 points, and Josh Smith added 18. 

SUNS 120, JAZZ 111 

At Phoenix, Channing Frye scored 26 points and 

Marcin Gortat had 25 as Phoenix overcame a 13point 

deficit to beat Utah. Jared Dudley added 21 

points and Steve Nash finished with 12 points and 

16 assists for Phoenix. The Suns have won six of 

their past seven at home, and have trailed by double 

digits in all six wins. Al Jefferson and Paul 

Millsap each scored 18 points for Utah, which has 

lost six straight against Phoenix. —AP 

NBA results and standings on Wednesday. 

Indiana 111, Philadelphia 94; New Jersey 98, Toronto 84; NY Knicks 121, Portland 79; 

Milwaukee 115, Cleveland 105; La Lakers 107, New Orleans 101 (OT); Houston 107, Charlotte 

87; San Antonio 122, Orlando 111; Chicago 106, Miami 102; Detroit 124, Sacramento 112; 

Boston 105, Golden State 103; Phoenix 120, Utah 111; LA Clippers 96, Atlanta 82. (OT 

denotes overtime win) 

Western Conference 

Northwest Division 

Oklahoma City 32 10 .762 - 

Denver 24 19 .558 8.5 

Minnesota 22 21 .512 10.5 

Utah 20 22 .476 12 

Portland 20 23 .465 12.5 

Pacific Division 

LA Lakers 27 16 .628 - 

LA Clippers 24 17 .585 2 

Phoenix 20 22 .476 6.5 

Golden State 18 22 .450 7.5 

Sacramento 14 29 .326 13 

Southwest Division 

San Antonio 28 13 .683 - 

Memphis 24 17 .585 4 

Dallas 24 20 .545 5.5 

Houston 24 20 .545 5.5 

New Orleans 10 33 .233 19


INDIAN WELLS: Top seed Victoria 

Azarenka stormed into the last four of 

the Indian Wells WTA tournament with a 

ruthless 6-0 6-2 demolition of Agnieszka 

Radwanska, improving her record this 

year to 21-0. The Belarusian world number 

one will next face Germany’s 

Angelique Kerber, who upset eighth 

seed Li Na of China 6-4 6-2 after one 

hour 23 minutes in Wednesday’s night 

session. Australian Open champion 

Azarenka outplayed her Polish opponent 

from the baseline, coasting 

through the opening set in 25 minutes 

and racing to a 5-0 lead in the second 

before being surprisingly broken. 

Though fifth-seed Radwanska then 

held serve for the first time in the match, 

Azarenka served out to clinch a onesided 

victory in just over an hour when 

her opponent netted a forehand. The 

pony-tailed Belarusian clenched her 

SCHLADMING: Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal skis down 

during the season final men’s super-G race at the Alpine 

ski World Cup finals yesterday. Svindal won the super-G 

World Cup trophy. — AFP 

Svindal grabs 

super-G title 

SCHLADMING: Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal snatched the super- 

G title at the Alpine ski World Cup finals yesterday in a race which 

strengthened the ambitions of Austria’s Marcel Hirscher for the 

overall title. World Cup overall leader Beat Feuz lost his balance 

and crashed halfway down the Planai piste, failing to score points 

in one of his best events. Svindal finished 16th in the last super-G 

of the season, won by world champion Christof Innerhofer of 

Italy, but his two rivals for the discipline’s title, Feuz and Didier 

Cuche, also had a disappointing day, handing the Olympic champion 

the seventh World Cup trophy of his career. 

Innerhofer won the race in one minute 21.24 seconds, with a 

0.02-second lead over France’s Alexis Pinturault while Hirscher 

was a surprise third, 0.06 adrift. Swiss Feuz’s hopes for the super- 

G title vanished in his crash which also dented his prospects in 

the overall competition. Hirscher’s third place, his first podium 

place in a speed event, means the Austrian now trails Feuz by 75 

points in the overall cup standings with two events left, the 

slalom and giant slalom which he has dominated all winter. 

The overall trophy is now expected to go to either Hirscher or 

Feuz and will be decided on the final weekend of the season. “I 

made a classic mistake and I skidded out,” said Feuz. “Hirscher is 

now the favorite but I will keep fighting.” Hirscher was delighted 

with his unexpected podium place. “It’s almost unreal, I can 

hardly believe it,” he said. “I was feeling good but I didn’t expect 

such a result. “I don’t want to make calculations, we’ll make them 

on Sunday. Feuz showed today that mistakes can happen any 

time.” With 200 points left to be won, Svindal - 199 points behind 

in third place - still has the smallest mathematical chance. 

However, though he is a former world champion in giant slalom, 

he has not raced slalom in a year and has never finished better 

than sixth in the discipline. —Reuters 

Azarenka demolishes Radwanska 

Li ousted by Germany’s Kerber 

right fist in delight as she looked at the 

players’ box, having moved into joint 

second place in the all-time standings 

for the best start to a WTA Tour season. 

Swiss Martina Hingis leads the way with 

37 consecutive victories to launch her 

1997 campaign while American Serena 

Williams, with 21 in 2003, and Azarenka 

are next best. 

“I was really impressed with the way I 

played today,” a beaming Azarenka said 

in a courtside interview after improving 

her record to 9-3 against Radwanska. “I 

didn’t expect to win that way. I’m proud 

how I fought hard and played winning 

tennis. “I had very good motivation 

because I knew she’s an excellent player, 

so I had to come up with a great match 

today. “I was just really focused on every 

moment, on every point I played, on 

every ball I was striking. I didn’t really 

think about the score,” added the 22- 

INDIAN WELLS: Novak Djokovic and 

Roger Federer each needed three sets to 

reach the quarter-finals of the Indian 

Wells ATP tournament on Wednesday 

while Rafa Nadal advanced with a comfortable 

victory over Alexandr 

Dolgopolov. Djokovic held off a strong 

fightback by Spaniard Pablo Andujar to 

triumph 6-0 6-7 6-2, Federer recovered 

from a shaky first set to beat Brazilian 

Thomaz Bellucci 3-6 6-3 6-4 while Nadal 

eased through 6-3 6-2. 

Argentina’s David Nalbandian upset 

sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 

3-6 7-5 6-3 and seventh seed Tomas 

Berdych was beaten 6-4 6-0 by Spaniard 

Nicolas Almagro, who had lost a bad 

tempered fourth-round match to the 

Czech at the Australian Open in January. 

Almagro’s reward for reaching the last 

eight at Indian Wells for the first time is a 

matchup with Djokovic. World number 

one Djokovic battled past unseeded 

Spaniard Andujar at the Indian Wells 

Tennis Garden after barely breaking 

sweat with an attacking display in his 

opening set. 

However, the Serb fell 7-5 in a second 

set tiebreak as Andujar upped his game 

on the showpiece stadium court. 

Champion here in 2008 and last year, 

Djokovic broke his opponent in the first 

game of the third set, and also in the 

seventh, before sealing victory on his 

first match point when the Spaniard hit 

a forehand service return wide. “My 

opponent is really a quality player who 

deserves to be at this stage of the tournament,” 

Djokovic said in a courtside 

interview. “He surprised me with his 

aggressive approach. He was taking the 

ball early and was playing well. 

“In the second set, I start playing a little 

bit more defensive and I think that 

allowed him to come back to the match. 

All the credit for him to play the way he 

played. “And then in the third set I 

year-old, who converted six of her 12 

break points. 

KERBER UPSET 

Kerber broke Li twice in the opening 

set and three times in the second, completing 

her first win over the Chinese in 

four career meetings when her opponent 

hit a backhand service return long. 

“This is very special,” said the 24-year-old 

Kerber. 

“She’s a great player and I had nothing 

to lose tonight. “My plan was to be 

aggressive, play my normal game and 

move very well,” added the German, 

who saved two match points in her 

opening match against American Sloane 

Stephens and three in her fourth-round 

victory over American Christina McHale. 

“I am very happy to be in the semis.” 

Radwanska came into Wednesday’s 

match with a 20-3 record for this season, 

regrouped. I managed to stay calm 

mentally and just find my rhythm 

again,” added the Serb, who won his 

fifth grand slam crown at the Australian 

Open two months ago. 

COMMANDING WIN 

Nadal, Indian Wells champion in 2007 

and 2009, broke pony-tailed Ukrainian 

Dolgopolov once in the opening set and 

twice in the second to wrap up a commanding 

win in one hour, 16 minutes. 

“He is a very difficult player to play 

against,” the Spanish left-hander said of 

Dolgopolov. “He hits very hard, produces 

winners from every part of the court. He 

is a funny player, good for tennis. 

“I started very strong and he made a 

few mistakes, more than usual, with his 

backhand, which helped me a lot. Being 

in the quarter-finals here is fantastic for 

me,” added Nadal, who has reached the 

semi-finals in his last six attempts at 

Indian Wells and will next take on 

Nalbandian. For the second day in a row, 

triple champion Federer lost the open- 

Sports 

all three of her defeats coming against 

Azarenka. “She played very well today, 

just way too good,” the 23-year-old from 

Krakow said. “She was hitting really well 

with pretty much no mistakes and making 

the winners from those shots I didn’t 

really expect. 

“I had some chances, but when 

you’re not really taking those chances 

against good players, then you’re going 

down. It was just her day.” Radwanska, a 

winner of eight WTA singles titles, took 

some consolation from her projected 

rise to a career-high fourth when the 

new rankings are issued on Monday. “I 

didn’t really expect that,” she smiled. 

“From the beginning of the year, my first 

time at No. 6, then No 5, and now No 4, 

and it’s only March. “I’m very happy 

about that, of course. I’m just hoping 

that I can play some good tennis, especially 

in the grand slams.” — Reuters 

Ailing Federer finds 

a way into last eight 

Djokovic, Federer, Nadal advance 

INDIAN WELLS: Mirka Federer, Miyla Rose Federer and Charlene Riva Federer 

in attendance during the match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and 

Tomaz Bellucci of Brazilat the Indian Wells Tennis Garden California. —AFP 

ing set but he then broke Bellucci in the 

first and ninth games of the second to 

level the match. The final set went with 

serve until the Swiss maestro broke the 

50th-ranked Brazilian in the 10th game, 

converting his second match point 

when the left-hander hit a forehand 

long. “It’s always great to come through 

in a three-setter,” said 16-times grand 

slam champion Federer, who has been 

trying to shake off a flu bug and slight 

temperature. “I thought Thomaz played 

great. 

“I struggled early on to make the transition 

from night (session) to day. I’m 

happy and relieved to be through and 

still alive in the tournament.” Federer will 

next play ninth seed Juan Martin del 

Potro of Argentina who overcame 

Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 7-6 6-7 6-2. 

Big-serving American John Isner powered 

past Australian qualifier Matthew 

Ebden 6-4 7-5 to set up a meeting in the 

last eight with Frenchman Gilles Simon, 

who beat American Ryan Harrison 7-6 5- 

7 6-1 — Reuters


INDIAN WELLS: Victoria Azarenka 

of Belarus, returns a shot to 

Agnieszka Radwanska, of Poland, 

during a match at the BNP Paribas 

Open tennis tournament in Indian 

Wells, Calif. — AP 


Anniversary 

Years 

NBA - Knicks 

rout Blazers 

Page 62 

Azarenka 

demolishes 

Radwanska 

Page 63

otics may lead to future antibiotic-resistant infec - Kuwait Times

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