war rages stocks asYemen citizens onfood Kuwait reassures

important quality forasniper,”Rimsaysshyly. “It’s truethatwehavealotofpatience, andthisisthemost describes themasthefinest markswomen inthebrigade. entirely byfemalecommandos. Theircommander than 200meters(yards)from rebellines.Itisdefended corner. Thebuildingwherethe womenlieinwaitisless dos iscrisscrossedwithtunnels anddeathlurksatevery looks canbedeceiving-theground beneaththecomman- no signoflifeamidtherubbleandburned-outvehicles.But district. Infrontofthemisascenedevastation.There through asmallholeinthesideofbuildingJobar the eastandsoutheastofDamascus. brigades, whofacedeterminedandentrenchedrebelsto roughly 800soldiersintheseall-femalecommando grounds ontheoutskirtsofSyriancapital.Thereare elite unitstationedonsomeofthemostdangerousbattle- Women’s CommandoBrigadeoftheRepublicanGuard,an Rim, 20,andChiefSergeantSamar,21,belongtotheFirst their “prey”onthefrontlineineastDamascus.Sergeant with asniperrifle,theSyrianarmy’stopmarkswomenawait DAMASCUS: in therestiveJobararea,easternDamascus.—AFP JOBAR: AfemaleSyriansniperfromtheRepublicanGuardcommandobattalionaimsfireduringclasheswithrebels SUBSCRIPTION M on A fearsomewarrior hidesbehindhereyemake-up and Rim andSamar’sRussian-madeSV-98riflepokesout ilitar 3

Perched onamakeshiftbenchtakingturns 150 Fils AUDY AC 8 05 JMD LHN ,13 HNo:16473 1436 SATURDAY,AH JAMADA ALTHANI 8, MARCH28,2015 D Arab coalitionhitrebels Yemen crisisescalatesas 39 deadinSaudi-ledairstrikes;Iranfumes amasc y t u u rns to s courage, andothers don’t.It’snotaquestionofgender.” men andwomen.Somehave astrongheartanddeep takes prideinherattitude.“There’s nodifferencebetween inside waskilled.”Hermalecommanding officerCaptainZiad the B-10,whenIhitthathouse, Icouldbesureeveryone imum casualties.“Sniperskillone personatatime.Butwith unabashed assheexpressesdetermination tocausethemax- training, shejoinedthecommandos. aged herdecisionand,afterthreemonthsofintensive ing herbachelor’sdegree.Herfriendsandfamilyencour- 21-year-old saysshechoseacareerinthearmyafterfinish- a terrifyingexplosioninbuilding500metersaway.The target,” Zeinabsaysproudlyafterone82mmroundcauses that isusuallymountedonwheelsoratripod.“Ithashitthe opens firewithaB-10recoillessrifle,muchbiggerweapon tage pointinthesamebuilding,athirdfemalecommando low sniper’srecordissevenkillsinaday.Fromanothervan- honestly, ifImissagunman,couldcry,”shesays.Herfel- says, smiling.“Iusuallyhitthreeorfourtargetsperday,and commander gavemeasortofcertificate,likeinschool,”she childlike smile-sheboastsarecordof11killsinday.“My from airline hid ‘illness’ crash co-pilot Germanwings Asked whyshechosesucha large weapon,Zeinabis f ront lines 7 w omen Continued onPage 6 “international responsibilities andnationalsovereignty”. demning theinterventionas“a dangerousstep”thatviolated added. Iranreactedfuriously to theSaudi-ledstrikes,con- Houthis andtheHouthis’attempt totakeoverinYemen,”he sion intheregion.We’redealing withtheirsupportofthe Al-Jubeir, toldFoxNews.“Wehave todealwithIran’saggres- Yemen,” thekingdom’sambassador totheUnitedStates,Adel the Arabcountrieswhetherit’s in Lebanon,Syria,Iraq... “The Iraniansaretheoneswhomeddlinginaffairsof flow ofarmsintoYemen”,whileRiyadhlashedoutatTehran. reportedly alsomobilized150,000troopsneartheborder. Bahrain saidithadcommitted12fighters.SaudiArabiahas Emirates hadcommitted30,Kuwait15eachandQatar10. 100 fighterjetstotheoperation,whileUnitedArab owned Al-Arabiyatelevisionsaidthekingdomhaddeployed neighborhoods sincetheSaudi-ledraidsbegan.TheSaudi- craft missileshavebeencontinuouslycirclingthecapital’s Houthi fighters,asecurityofficialsaid. market inthecapitalyesterday,adayafteritwasfiredby eight people,oneofthemseriously,whenitexplodedina belongings intoaminibus.Ananti-aircraftmissilewounded who gavehisnameonlyasMohammed,hepiled ing withmyfamily.Sanaaisnolongersafe,”saidoneresident, capital seekingtherelativesafetyofprovinces.“Iamleav- joined theanti-Houthicoalition. 10 countries,includingfourotherGulfmonarchies,have since fleeingSanaalastmonth.SaudiArabiasaysmorethan southern cityofAden,wherethepresidenthadbeenholedup since therebelsbeganadvancingthisweekonmain weekend. Itwasthefirstconfirmationofhiswhereabouts Egypt totakepartinatwo-dayArabLeaguesummitatthe Riyadh onThursdaywithofficialssayinghewashiswayto the powervacuuminYemensincea2011uprising. ing dronewaragainstAl-Qaedamilitantswhohaveexploited flict hasthrownupamajorhurdletoWashington’slongstand- northern rebelstrongholdofSaada,residentssaid.Thecon- Amran province,northofthecapital,andarmsdepotsin month, witnessessaid. tial compoundinsouthSanaawhichtherebelsseizedlast cials said.Atdawnyesterday,threeairstrikeshitthepresiden- in araidagainstmilitarybasenorthofthecapital,offi- the victimsdiedwhensurroundingresidentialareaswerehit rebel-controlled healthministryinthecapitalsaid.Twelveof of Saudi-ledairstrikesagainsttheHouthis,officialsat rebels’ powergrab. Mansour Hadi,accusingShiiteIranofbackingtheHouthi er ittakes”topreventthefallofitsallyPresidentAbedrabbo Peninsula. Sunni-ruledSaudiArabiahasvowedtodo“whatev- impoverished stateatthesoutherntipofArabian ed intoaregionalconflictthatthreatenstotearapartthe region. Amonths-longrebellionbyShiitefightershasescalat- Saudi Arabia,whichaccusedIranof“aggression”acrossthe Yemen yesterdayinasecondstraightdayofstrikesledby SANAA: Wozniacki wins loss atMiami; suffers shock Sharapova 48 The WhiteHousevoicedconcernabout“reportsofIranian According toresidents,dozensofvehiclescarryinganti-air- As explosionsrockedSanaa,familiesstreamedoutofthe Hadi, backedbytheWestandGulfArabstates,arrivedin They alsobombedaHouthi-controlledarmybrigadein At least39civilianshavebeenkilledinmorethan24hours Arab coalitionwarplanesbombedrebelcampsin Continued onPage 6 Max Min 30º 17º LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 ‘Kuwait III’ to make substantial contribution Syrian refugees face grim future

NEW YORK: The Third International Humanitarian of the situation,” she said. With the spread of armed Grim future Pledging Conference for Syria ‘Kuwait III’ will make a groups on the ground, the terrorist organizations are With the Syrian crisis entering its fifth year, mil- “substantial contribution” to needs that are rising complicating the situation. ISIL, for instance, now lions of internally displaced Syrians and refugees are every year, the outgoing UN Under-Secretary- controls a territory where 3.6 million Syrians live, who living in dire conditions and facing a grim future General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency can still manage to get substantial amount of aid unless more international support is provided to con- Relief coordinator Valerie Amos said. In an exclusive “despite the very difficult operating environment, front this humanitarian catastrophe. All attempts to interview with KUNA, Amos expressed appreciation despite the insecurity, and despite the attacks on solve the bloody crisis have so far failed, and 3.9 mil- and gratefulness to His Highness the Amir Sheikh humanitarian workers,” she said. “It is not enough to lion Syrian refugees living in neighboring countries - Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and to the meet all the needs,” she noted. Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt - are losing Government of Kuwait for hosting the first and sec- A huge amount of work is going on, despite all hope of an imminent return to their country and also ond pledging conferences, when Kuwait donated constraints, Amos said that they particularly focus on a chance to start new life was fading. $800 million in total. “We are extremely pleased that children, because it is important for Syria to have a UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio last year, over 90 percent ($3.4 billion) out of what future. “Syria’s future lies with its children.” Guterres, in a speech before the UN Security Council, was pledged has been committed,” Amos said of the Statistically speaking, 80 percent of the refugees, said the Syrian refugees are losing their savings, total $3.9 billion promised by nations and organiza- both internally displaced or those who fled the coun- many of them are begging or sending their children tions alike over the two former editions. try, are women and children. Amos called on the to work. Moreover, the Syrian refugees “were ‘Kuwait III’ is “crucial and vital,” she stressed, as world to respond to the “people of Syria, who are suf- exposed to security risks.” the situation in Syria is getting worse year after fering. The civilians who are not involved in the fight- The international community should do more to another. “When we were trying to get the world’s ing, who are caught up in this.” Politically, she called UN High Commissioner for Refugees end the nightmare troubling the Syrian people, said attention on the humanitarian situation inside Syria, on world leaders to work together for a political solu- Antonio Guterres Guterres, who noted that the humanitarian crisis in there were about one million people in need,” she tion and for “some kind of transition.” one, yet we focus on the most vulnerable,” she con- Syria was the worst ever and the aid supplies were said. “That number has gone up to nearly 12 million When asked about her expectations for the cluded. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon shrinking. people in four years. It is staggering.” Nearly seven upcoming Kuwait III slated for March 31, the UN announced this month the appointment of Stephen Guterres said the development assistance to host million out of those 12 million people are internally humanitarian official said that countries that have O’Brien of the United Kingdom as Under-Secretary- countries was also declining, noting that Turkey was displaced, according to the UN official. Talking to been generous in the past, have to give “generously” General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the hosting the largest refugee community and spent Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan during her again, by giving, she said. “it is a huge impetus to Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and more than six billion dollar worth of direct aid. The recent visit to the Middle East, Amos said that many fund raising.” In terms of numbers, complexity, and Emergency Relief Coordinator to succeed Valerie growing number of Syrian refugees is causing a strain of them have moved many times inside Syria, and regional impact, Amos said Syria is currently the Amos. Back in November, Ban said in a statement on the UN agencies working in the region, with the due to “violence and brutality” they were forced to “biggest,” however, Gaza, Yemen, South Sudan, that Valerie Amos had informed him of her intention refugee agency only getting 54 percent of total fund- flee for safety reasons to neighboring countries. Central Africa, Ebola and other issues are not less to step down, where he expressed his utmost grati- ing end of last year. The UN launched an appeal last important. Every person affected by violence, brutali- tude for her outstanding service to the UN, the December for $8.4 billion to provide humanitarian and Deterioration ty or natural disaster is someone that “we have a humanitarian community and people in need. Amos development assistance to the refugees and host com- “We are extremely concerned at the deterioration responsibility to support. —- We cannot help every- will abandon her post after the Kuwait III. munities in the neighboring countries. — Agencies LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Kuwait reassures citizens Kuwait-Vietnam on strategic food stocks ties flourishing National Guard ready for emergency HANOI: The Kuwait-Vietnam ties have been witnessing an accelerated ABU DHABI: Kuwait said yesterday said any rise in food prices on the member, which was reported to development and growth over the that its strategic food stocks were at back of regional turmoil would not have deployed 15 fighter jets for the last ten years on both parliamentary their highest level, in a message be justified. Yemen operation, is almost entirely and governmental levels, Kuwaiti designed to reassure citizens after it Kuwait, which this week joined dependent on the narrow shipping Ambassador to Vietnam Hamad Al- joined a Saudi-led military operation the United Arab Emirates (UAE), lane of the Strait of Hormuz for Jutaili said yesterday. In a statement in Yemen. “We are continually coor- Bahrain, and Qatar in signing a joint imported food supplies. to KUNA, Al-Jutaili said that the dinating with the private sector to statement with Saudi Arabia Iran has threatened in the past exchange of visits between senior secure any additional quantities of announcing military action to stop to block the Strait if it came under officials of both countries contributed any commodity,” Finance Minister the advance of Iran-allied Houthis in attack. Because of their reliance to growing these ties. He referred to Anas Al-Saleh was quoted by state Yemen, relies on imports for the on one supply route to feed their the participation of a Kuwaiti parlia- news agency Kuna as saying. He majority of its food needs. The OPEC booming populations, most Gulf mentary delegation, headed by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Vietnam states keep ample food reserves. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Hamad Al-Jutaili Kuwait also said on Thursday it Al-Ghanim, in the conference of the achieving international security and had raised security around its oil Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that safety and addressing obstacles of facilities inside and outside the will kick off here today. The sustainable development across the country. Meanwhile, Kuwait Ambassador emphasized that the globe. He noted that Kuwait was the National Guard (KNG) is on full parliamentary diplomacy is part of first Gulf state that had established alert and ready to address any the diplomacy used to serve the diplomatic relations with Vietnam, kind of emergencies, an official national causes, lauding efforts of the adding the Kuwait-Vietnam coopera- said yesterday. In a press state- National Assembly in this regard. tion extends to all domains, especial- ment, designated Unders-ecretary Concerning the IPU meeting, Al- ly the energy one. The parliamentary at KNG Major General Hashim Al- Jutaili commended Vietnam’s prepa- delegation arrived in Hanoi yester- Refaei said the National Guard had rations for this event. day to take part in the conference, taken the necessary steps to face He hoped the conference would which gathers a large number of MPs any challenges that might threat- take decisions that contribute to from several countries.—KUNA Finance Minister Designated Undersecretary at KNG en Kuwait’s security. —Agencies Anas Al-Saleh Major General Hashim Al-Refaei LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28 , 2015 EU - Kuwait’s strategic partner

BRUSSELS: Kuwait’s ambassador to the EU, Kuwaiti businessmen are visiting Europe regu- Belgium and Luxembourg Dharar Abdul larly and hence for strengthening economic Razzak Razzooqi has stressed that Kuwait has cooperation it would be better if our people very close relations with the 28-member can come and go easily to Europe. “We have no European bloc. “We are ready to cooperate in problems with human rights,” he said noting all fields. We have strategic relations between that the Delegation had visited Kuwait and saw the EU and the Gulf states, in particular with how democracy is functioning in the country. Kuwait. We have historic relations with the EU On the crisis in Yemen, he noted the UN and we have strong economic relations with Security Council has issued several resolutions nearly all countries of the EU,” he told a meet- to resolve the issue and that the GCC has also ing of the European Parliament’s Delegation presented an initiative to solve the problem for relations with the Arab Peninsula, late on and restore peace and security in the country. Thursday. “We have huge economic interest in Razzooqi said the Saudi-led “Operation the region. We consider the EU as an extension Decisive Storm” came following the appeal of of our region, the Middle East. We hope you Yemen’s legitimate President Abd Rabbu will help us to stabilize the situation in the Mansour Hadi for Gulf and Arab countries to region and promote peace and security,” said intervene militarily and was aimed to restore Kuwait’s top-most diplomat in Brussels. the legitimacy of the internationally-recog- The meeting also exchanged views on the nized government. He noted that the action is Schengen visa issue with Diederik Paalman, in line with article 51 of the UN charter and the acting head of unit in charge of visa policy in Arab Charter that provides for the right of the European Commission. Kuwait is ready to countries to engage in self defense, including discuss this matter with the EU and to clarify collective self-defense and seek help against an “all your questions,” said Razzooqi. He said armed attack. —KUNA Kuwait’s ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg Dharar Abdul Razzak Razzooqi Crime Arabs inch closer to old Report dream of a ‘joint force’ lady threatened by kuwait inmate GCC, Sunni nations worried over growing threat SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Arab leaders meet- against Libyan militants in the past year. against militants of the Islamic State. KUWAIT: A female citizen recently reported that a man she ing this weekend in this Egyptian Red Sea In their agreement Thursday, the for- The Associated Press exclusively had known through the social media is threatening to post resort are moving closer than ever to cre- eign ministers called on the chiefs of staff reported last November that the leaders her photos online unless she deposits sum amount of mon- ating a joint Arab military force, a sign of of the Arab League’s 22-member nations of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab ey into a bank account, said security sources. According to a new determination among Saudi to meet within a month to iron out Emirates and Kuwait, all Sunni Muslim the woman, she exchanged messages with the suspect Arabia, Egypt and their allies to intervene details of the force, like its budget and nations, were discussing the creation of a who claimed to be doing his post graduate course abroad - aggressively in regional hotspots, mechanism, and report back to the joint military alliance with a possible joint hoping he would return and propose to her. On finding out whether against Islamic militants or organization. The Egyptian military and force to deal with the threat posed by that he was not serious, she then decided to break up with spreading Iranian power. Creation of security officials said the proposed force Islamic militants in Libya and to combat him. This angered him. However, after investigating on the such a force has been a longtime goal would be made of up to 40,000 elite the growing influence of Shiite, non-Arab suspect’s mobile phone number, security forces found out that has eluded Arab nations in the 65 troops and will be headquartered in Iran, particularly in Yemen. Jordan and that the suspect is already in Kuwait Central prison and this years since they signed a rarely used joint either Cairo or Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Bahrain have since expressed their will- added a new case to his record. defense pact. And there remains reluc- The force would be backed by jet-fight- ingness to join the alliance. Egypt’s presi- tance among some countries, particularly ers, warships and light armor. They spoke dent, soldier-turned-politician Abdel- allies of Iran like Syria and Iraq - a reflec- on condition of anonymity because they Fattah El-Sissi, was the first Arab leader to Couple arrested tion of the divisions in the region. were not authorized to speak to the speak publicly about the plan. In a recent A Kuwaiti couple was recently arrested for insulting Foreign ministers gathered in Sharm media. address, he said there was a pressing a policeman on duty, security sources said. Case papers El-Sheikh ahead of the summit, which Arab league officials said some Arab need now for a joint Arab force and indicate that the policeman responded to a report begins Saturday, agreed on a broad plan nations had reservations about the cre- repeated his assertion that Egypt was about a dispute between a citizen and his wife. On for the force. It came as Saudi Arabia and ation of a joint force, including Iraq, prepared to intervene militarily in sup- reaching there, the coupled locked the door and start- its allies opened a campaign of airstrikes whose foreign minister, Ibrahim a-Jaafari, port of its Gulf Arab allies. ed insulting the officer. A case was filed. In a similar in Yemen against Iranian-backed Shiite has counseled fellow ministers that more Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United case, a Salmiya policeman filed a case against a female rebels who have taken over much of the time was needed for planning. Iran holds Arab Emirates have poured billions of citizen who insulted him and his colleagues when they country and forced its US- and Gulf- massive influence with Iraq’s Shiite-led dollars into Egypt’s emptying coffers reported to her house to stop a scuffle between her backed president to flee abroad. The government and its military advisers are since El-Sissi ousted Mohammed Morsi in and her fiance. Yemen campaign marked a major test of playing an active role in the fight by gov- July 2013 following mass protests against the new policy of intervention by the Gulf ernment troops and allied Shiite militias the rule of the Islamist president.—AP Woman tries to seduce man and Egypt. The brewing Yemen crisis - A citizen in his sixties reported that an unidentified and Gulf fears that the rebels are a proxy woman rushed into his car while he was driving along for Iranian influence - have been one Fahaheel road. He added that the woman attempted to motivator in their move for a joint Arab seduce him but he rejected her attempts and threw her out force. But it also signaled that they are of the vehicle but later discovered that she had already not going to wait for the Arab League, stolen KD550 from his pocket during her attempt. A case notorious for its delays and divisions, and was filed. will press ahead with their military coor- dination on multiple fronts. Egyptian officials said the Yemen Bomb squad dispatched airstrikes are to be followed by a ground A bomb squad was recently dispatched to Al-Abraq intervention to further weaken the desert where a citizen spotted two strange objects. The rebels, known as Houthis, and their allies objects were land mines abandoned during Iraqi inva- and force them into negotiations. They sion. The squad defused the mines and removed them. have also moved ahead with action in Libya after its collapse into chaos since Driving under the influence 2011 and the rise of militants there - including now an affiliate of the Islamic Two citizens were recently arrested for driving under the State group that has overrun much of RIYADH: Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, spokesman of the Saudi-led coali- influence of drugs and colliding into a parked police patrol. Iraq and Syria. Egypt and the United Arab tion forces, speaks to the media next to a replica of a Tornado fighter jet, at the Both suspects were high on drugs and one of them was found Emirates have both carried out airstrikes Riyadh airbase in the Saudi capital. — AFP wanted for a drug-related case. LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

ABK celebrates Mother’s Day

KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) recent- ABK cardholders when purchasing any item are working mothers were welcomed with a these occasions with its employees, as they ly celebrated Mother’s Day with staff mem- from Ali Al Arbash Sons jewelry store in flower and a gift upon arrival at work, as a are fully aware of the challenges and the sacri- bers and customers. ABK presented cus- Mubarakiya. This offer remains valid until 30 token of appreciation for the efforts and hard fices it entails for working mothers to hold a tomers celebrating Mother’s Day with an ele- March, 2015. The Bank’s Human Resources work they put in to support of the Bank’s job in support of their families while spending gant rose, and announced a 25% discount for team also ensured all its staff members who operations. ABK is always happy to celebrate hours away from their children. CBK sponsors ‘Baqsha’ Youth Exhibition

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) is sponsoring the ‘Baqsha’ Youth Exhibition due to be held on March 24 till 30 at the Prestige Hall, in The Avenues. The exhibition was organized by a group of ambitious young Kuwaiti ladies with the aim of supporting the youth wishing to start their own small businesses. This sponsorship comes within CBK’s program to support young Kuwaitis. CBK’s Assistant Manager for PR and Publicity Affairs Amani Al-We’r’ said that CBK strongly believes in developing human resources adding that the bank has always supported Kuwait youth and their small projects. CBK also had a booth on the exhibition - briefing visitors on its latest banking products and services namely the @Tijari account that had been designed especial- ly to serve youth needs. KUWAIT: A man broke his spine and sustained a skull injury when a ladder he used to climb a Jabriya house roof shifted. He fell from the second floor. Paramedics rescued the man and rushed him to Mubarak hospital for treatment. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Municipality inspection teams recently raided some illegal markets in Mahboula where food stuff were being sold without licenses. 25 tons of vegetables, fruits and food items were confiscated. 12 Asian peddlers were also arrested. — Photos by Meshaal Al- Enezi LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Gulf’s wise policies stabilize oil market

KUWAIT: The wise policies of Saudi Arabia and Gulf states, par- conditions in the region. He said military operations in an oil-sen- of oil on the international market due to any contingency, ticularly in view of military operations in Yemen, have added to sitive region like the Arabian Gulf are bound to affect the price of including armed conflicts such as the one in Yemen. the stability of the oil market, preventing oil prices from spiking oil, since almost a quarter of the world’s oil production, namely He stressed that Gulf countries have securely put in place to over $70 a barrel, a Kuwaiti energy analyst said yesterday. Oil 20 million barrels a day, emanate from it. Emphasizing that Saudi workable emergency plans in the event of an interruption in the analyst Hajjaj Bu Khadhour said that the rise in the price of oil Arab and Gulf states consider price stability of paramount impor- supply of oil on the international market, noting that over the yesterday by about 5 percent as a result of the military opera- tance, he said these states have enormous oil reserves kept in short term there will be gradual increments in the price of oil to tions in Yemen was ordinary under such circumstances, saying a complete safety in a number of consumer countries, among reach $60-65 (for the Brent Mixture), particularly if the military spike to $70 or $80 would have been more in line with the tense them China and Japan, which can take up any slack in availability operations in Yemen do not go on for long. — KUNA

Yemen crisis escalates...

Continued from Page 1 Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who resigned in 2012 following a year of nationwide protests, is accused of allying with the rebels, relying on the loyalty of many army units that he built during his three-decade rule. Dozens of people have been killed as the Houthis, backed by troops allied with Saleh, clashed with pro-Hadi forces in their drive southwards after launching a power takeover in Sanaa in February. The Saudi- led intervention triggered a sharp rise in world oil prices on fears the conflict could threaten supplies. Riyadh said it was boosting security on its borders and across the kingdom, including at the OPEC kingpin’s crucial oil facilities. Washington said President Barack Obama had authorized the “provision of logistical and intelligence sup- port” for the campaign, while Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan said they were joining it. But Shiite-majority Iraq said it opposed the Saudi-led intervention, calling for a peaceful set- tlement. Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah accused Riyadh of “aggression”. Washington insisted the intervention would have “no impact” on nuclear talks with Tehran, as last- ditch efforts to reach a deal before a Tuesday deadline were made in Switzerland.—AFP Military turns to...

Continued from Page 1 The women commandos are new to the Syrian army but the unit’s commander denies their introduction was enforced by the heavy losses in male ranks during more than four years of civil war. More than 46,000 soldiers have been killed since the conflict erupted in March 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “It’s true that it’s the first time we have female commandos,” says Major Ali. “But it’s a deci- sion that was taken by President Bashar Al-Assad, who wants to promote the role of Syrian women and show that they are capable of being successful in all fields.” In its battle with rebel fighters increasingly dominated by jihadists and other Islamists, the Assad regime has played up its secular creden- tials. Major Ali says the women have all enlisted for 10 years. Angham, 21, saw an army recruitment advertisement in a store in her home province of Hama after completing her bachelor’s degree. She underwent five months’ training at the naval academy in Jbele, in northwestern Syria, before being transferred to the capital.”My three brothers are soldiers, and I have a sister who wants to join me too,” Angham says. Her weapon of choice is the Dushka, a heavy machinegun. Outside the building, Samar, 19, and two female comrades pass by in a tank, throwing up a cloud of dust behind them. “Several of the women have learnt to drive it,” Samar said. “It weighs 43 tons but I said to myself: ‘Why not?’ It was very diffi- cult but we succeeded.” — AFP

JOBAR: A female Syrian soldier from the Republican Guard commando battalion fires a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) during clashes with rebels in the restive Jobar area, in eastern Damascus. — AFP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Iran nuclear talks head 19 injured in New York Mexico march marks 6 months towards critical weekend 8 buildings collapse, blaze 9 since 43 students disappeared13

LE VERNET: A handout photo taken on March 26, 2015 and released by the French Interior Ministry yesterday shows rescuers from the Gendarmerie High-Mountain Rescue Group being low- ered from a EC 145 Eurocopter helicopter onto the field of their Mobile Command Center during rescue operations nearby the crash site of the Germanwings Airbus A320, near Le Vernet, French Alps. — AFP Germanwings crash co-pilot hid ‘illness’ Lubitz sought psychiatric help for ‘serious depression’

DUESSELDORF: The Germanwings co-pilot who flew his Airbus into two homes “backs up the suspicion” that Lubitz “hid his illness from ing from a school exchange, the revelations prompted shock and the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard, hid a serious illness from the his employer and his colleagues”. They said they had not found a rage. The principal of the stricken school, Ulrich Wessel, said “what airline, prosecutors said yesterday amid reports he was severely suicide note, confession or anything pointing to a “political or reli- makes all of us so angry (is) that a suicide can lead to the deaths of depressed. The black box voice recorder indicates that Andreas gious” motive but added it would take “several days” to evaluate 149 other people.” Lubitz, 27, locked his captain out of the cockpit on Tuesday and the rest of what was collected. German President Joachim Gauck, a Protestant pastor, attended deliberately sent Flight 4U 9525 crashing into a mountainside, a memorial service in Haltern Friday and also extended special con- French officials say, in what appears to have been a case of suicide Desperate captain used ‘axe’ dolences to the families of the victims in Spain and other countries. and mass murder. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that Lubitz locked himself into the cockpit when the captain went Meanwhile in Montabaur, Mayor Edmund Schaaf urged “everything is pointing towards an act that we can’t describe: crimi- out to use the toilet, then refused his colleague’s increasingly des- reporters encamped in the community to show restraint with nal, crazy, suicidal.” German prosecutors revealed Friday that search- perate attempts to get him to reopen the door, French prosecutor Lubitz’s parents, a banker and a church organist, who live in a hand- es of Lubitz’s homes netted “medical documents that suggest an Brice Robin said. According to Bild, the captain even tried using an some home on a leafy, normally quiet street. “Regardless of existing illness and appropriate medical treatment”, including “torn- axe to break through the armoured door as the plane was sent into whether the accusations against the co-pilot are true, we sympa- up and current sick leave notes, among them one covering the day its fatal descent by Lubitz. This could not be immediately con- thise with his family and ask the media to be considerate,” he said. of the crash”. They did not specify the illness. But Bild daily earlier firmed, but a spokesman for Germanwings told Bild that an axe was reported that Lubitz sought psychiatric help for “a bout of serious standard emergency equipment on board the aircraft. The tragedy Descent button depression” in 2009 and was still getting assistance from doctors, has already prompted a shake-up of safety rules, with several air- Investigators say Lubitz’s intention was clear because he operat- quoting documents from Germany’s air transport regulator. The lines, including German companies, announcing a new policy ed a button sending the plane into a plunge. The French prosecu- paper also cited security sources as saying that Lubitz and his girl- requiring there always be two people in the cockpit. Meanwhile, tor played down the likelihood of Lubitz accidentally taking the friend were having a “serious crisis in their relationship” that left him the UN world aviation body stressed that all pilots must have regu- plane down with an involuntary turn of the descent button.“If you distraught. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said that Lubitz had sus- lar mental and physical check-ups. passed out and leaned over on it, it would only go a quarter-way pended his pilot training, which began in 2008, “for a certain peri- and do nothing,” Robin said, adding Lubitz, who had worked for od”, before restarting and qualifying for the Airbus A320 in 2013. ‘Unimaginable’ the Lufthansa group since 2013, had set the controls to “accelerate According to Bild, those setbacks were linked to “depression German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the findings that Lubitz the plane’s descent”. For the next eight minutes, Lubitz was appar- and anxiety attacks”. Lubitz lived with his parents in his small home appeared intent on crashing the plane added an “absolutely ently calm and breathing normally. “He does not say a single word. town of Montabaur in the Rhineland and kept an apartment in unimaginable dimension” to the tragedy, in which most victims Total silence,” Robin said. The second-in-command had all psycho- Duesseldorf, the city where his doomed plane was bound on were German and Spanish nationals. In the northwestern town of logical tests required for training, Lufthansa’s Spohr told reporters Tuesday. Duesseldorf prosecutors said the evidence found in the Haltern, which lost 16 students and two teachers who were return- Thursday, insisting: “He was 100-percent airworthy.”—AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

UN Mideast envoy calls on Security Council for Israel action

UNITED NATIONS: The UN’s top Mideast sen to form a new government following an top Israeli ally whose veto power as a perma- for Israel “against one-sided efforts in interna- envoy challenged the Security Council on acrimonious election campaign. nent council member has been used to pro- tional bodies” had not changed. Thursday to lead the way to resolving the President Barack Obama has been clear tect Israel for years. In late December, the French Ambassador Francois Delattre, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting it this week about his impatience with Prime council rejected a Palestinian resolution current council president, told reporters that should present a framework for negotiations Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments demanding an end to Israeli occupation with- all council members strongly support a two- that “may be the only way to preserve the shortly before the Israeli elections that he in three years. state solution that “seems more and more dis- goal of a two-state solution.” would not allow the establishment of a France, another permanent council mem- tant each passing day.” Robert Serry, in his final briefing to the Palestinian state on his watch. ber, has said in recent days it is willing to revis- But he said a “majority of members” sup- council, also sharply criticized Israel’s illegal Netanyahu has struck a conciliatory tone it the idea of a Security Council resolution. port the council taking a stronger role in get- building of settlements in Palestinian territo- since the elections. But Obama has said he will Diplomats on Thursday, however, said the ting negotiations to resume. ries, saying it “may kill the very possibility of reassess U.S. policy toward Israel after United States expressed no hint of Obama’s Serry would not discuss the timing of a reaching peace on the paradigm of two states Netanyahu’s remarks, meaning that the stance during their statement in closed-door possible council resolution, saying only that for two peoples.” Security Council could be a potential place to consultations after Serry’s public briefing. A US maybe the time has come if the two sides “I frankly do not know if it is already too take action on the decades-long conflict. official, speaking on condition of anonymity can’t agree on a framework for talks them- late,” Serry said. The UN envoy spoke a day The council has long been blocked from because the official was not authorized to talk selves. But he said it would be wrong to rush after Israel’s prime minister was officially cho- taking action on the crisis, as United States is a publicly, later said longstanding US support them. — AP

Iraqi Sunnis wage costly battle against IS group

DULUIYAH: The consequences of the al-Jabouri tribe’s decision to ally with Iraq’s Shiite-led government against their fellow Sunnis in the Islamic State group are etched on row after row of gravestones in this palm-shaded town by the Tigris River. As Khamis Daari paces the cemetery he points out the final rest- ing place of his son Ali, killed in December alongside scores of others who battled the IS group. A few plots over lies Yazen al-Abeelah, a playful three-year-old killed when a rocket hit his home. Mahmoud Salama, 80, is said to have battled bravely alongside fighters half his age, only to die in an explosion. Unclaimed plots may soon be filled. Daari’s other son Omar is preparing to join Sunni tribesmen fighting alongside Iraqi troops and Shiite militiamen in the country’s Sunni heartland. “If he doesn’t fight then he has no future,” Daari said, his face creased in distress and his eyes welling up with tears. “These terrorists are destroying Iraq.” Sunni tribes played a key role in driving out al-Qaida in Iraq - a precursor to the IS group - and are widely seen as the only force capable of securing the country’s northwest Sunni heartland. But the few Sunni tribes that have stood up to the IS group have paid a heavy price, and anger at the Shiite-led government runs deep in the areas of northern and western Iraq that now make up the extremist group’s self-styled caliphate. LAUSANNE: US Secretary of State John Kerry (L), US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz (2L), Robert Malley (3L), of the US When IS fighters reached Duluiyah in June, some 45 miles (75 kilo- National Security Council, European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini (C), Head of Iranian Atomic Energy meters) north of Baghdad, they gave the al-Jabouri an ultimatum: Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi (2R), Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (R) and others wait for a meeting at the Beau join us or die. Many of Iraq’s Sunnis have chosen the former, however reluctantly, but the al-Jabouri elected to fight. They had learned their Rivage Palace Hotel yesterday in Lausanne. — AFP lesson years earlier, when al-Qaida in Iraq recruited some of the tribesmen to fight the government and the Americans only to turn on the tribe after suffering losses on the battlefield, killing more than Iran nuclear talks head 300 al-Jabouris. “We suffered a lot from al-Qaeda,” said Sheikh Eissa al-Dahour, an al-Jabouri tribesman. “We have no tolerance for this organization.” This time around, the al-Jabouris allied with Iraqi towards critical weekend troops and Shiite militiamen against the IS group and drove out the extremists in December. Some 200 al-Jabouris are now taking part in a major offensive in the nearby city of Tikrit, and the government has LAUSANNE: Marathon Iran nuclear talks agreements by June 30. ties in the talks, Rouhani, whose 2013 elec- held them up as an example for other Sunni tribes, hoping to create a headed yesterday towards a critical week- Kerry needs to return to Washington with tion led to the current diplomatic push, also non-sectarian national guard. end as Britain said its foreign minister something concrete in order to head off a called for “unjust” sanctions choking the To do that, the government will have to somehow reverse the would join his US, Iranian and French coun- push for fresh US sanctions by the opposi- country’s economy to be lifted. “The peace- centrifugal forces unleashed by the 2003 US-led invasion, which top- terparts in racing the clock to agree the tion Republicans, who together with Israel ful character of (Iran’s) nuclear activities and pled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and handed power to the long- contours of a deal. fear the mooted deal will be too weak. But the necessity to annul all the unjust sanc- oppressed Shiite majority. —AP “The negotiations are very tough and both Iran and France have criticised the two- tions can lead us to a final deal,” Rouhani’s complicated and there are highs and lows,” step process, with France’s US ambassador office quoted him as telling Cameron. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad calling it a “bad tactic”. The six powers are however insisting that Zarif said yesterday before going into talks in A Western diplomat involved in the talks sanctions will only be suspended, not lifted, Switzerland with top US diplomat John Kerry. said Thursday that something vague and to enable them to be quickly put back in “Our feeling is that we can definitely reach a “wishy-washy” at the end of this round place if Tehran violates the deal. deal but that depends on the political will of would not be sufficient. “Sometimes the dif- The US Senate voted unanimously the other side,” he told Iranian media. This ferences of opinion on the other side make Thursday supporting a non-binding measure followed an extraordinary appeal by Iran’s for contradictory positions,” Zarif said yester- to slap new economic sanctions on Iran president to world leaders on Thursday that day.Britain’s foreign office confirmed Foreign should it violate terms of any nuclear deal saw him write a letter to US President Barack Secretary Philip Hammond would arrive in reached. Obama and phone his counterparts in Lausanne this weekend, joining France’s There were concerns meanwhile that a Britain, China, France and Russia. “We are hawkish Laurent Fabius who is expected crisis in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia launched acting in the national and international inter- Saturday morning, according to Paris. air strikes against Shiite rebels who have est and we should not lose this exceptional It was unclear whether the German, seized control of the capital, could sour the opportunity,” Rouhani told British Prime Chinese and Russian foreign ministers would atmosphere in Lausanne. Minister David Cameron, the presidency said. also fly in. Russian news agency RIA Novosti Zarif slammed the military action, in The negotiations in Lausanne are aimed cited unnamed sources as saying Sergei which health officials said yesterday have so at agreeing by Tuesday the main outlines of Lavrov would arrive on Sunday evening. far killed at least 39 civilians, while Kerry a deal that world powers hope will make an “commended” them. A State Department Iranian drive to develop nuclear weapons all ‘Unjust’ sanctions spokesman, Jeff Rathke said Thursday that but impossible. The content of his letter to Obama, con- Kerry “did briefly raise Yemen with his Iranian JERUSALEM: Israeli leftwingers, Palestinian and foreign A full deal, capping more than a decade firmed by Washington, was not known, but counterpart. But let me stress, this was not activists protest against Israel’s occupation and settle- of tensions over Iran’s atomic ambitions and Rouhani’s official Twitter account quoted and is not the focus of the talks.” ment activity in the Palestinian territories and Arab quar- a year and a half of intense negotiations from him as saying that a deal would be “benefi- And another US official insisted the air ters of Jerusalem during demonstration in Jerusalem yes- New York to Vienna to Oman, is then meant cial to region & world.” strikes would have “no impact” on the terday. — AFP to be rounded out with complex technical But highlighting one of the main difficul- nuclear talks. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Australia bids farewell to former PM at state funeral

MELBOURNE: Hundreds of mourners gathered yester- Australia’s only prime minister to be sacked. a conservationist who banned whaling in Australia, day at a state funeral for former conservative prime He began his term as the country’s 22nd prime min- while helping shape diplomatic and trade relations with minister Malcolm Fraser, who came to power in 1975 ister after the representative of Britain’s Queen East and Southeast Asia before being succeeded by with Australia’s greatest constitutional crisis and died Elizabeth II, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Whitlam’s govern- Labor’s Bob Hawke. last week aged 84. ment in November 1975. A staunch opponent of apartheid, Fraser was also Prime Minister Tony Abbott attended the ceremony Fraser was appointed caretaker and despite ques- noted for his strong support of reform in South Africa at Melbourne’s Scots’ Church along with former prime tions about the legitimacy of the dismissal, the Liberal and for playing a prominent part in Commonwealth ministers Julia Gillard, John Howard and Paul Keating. Party man went on to win three elections, serving until efforts to establish an independent Zimbabwe. Fraser’s close friend and a minister in his govern- 1983 with polices aimed at reducing spending and He formed aid group CARE Australia, established the ment, Peter Nixon, said the nation had lost a “unique imposing responsible fiscal management. Australian Federal Police, enacted the nation’s first and great Australian”. “From the start, it was apparent Fraser’s son Hugh told mourners his father loved Freedom of Information laws and welcomed tens of to me that Malcolm was sure to succeed,” said Nixon, Australia and was one of its “most fervent custodians”. thousands of Vietnamese boatpeople into the country. who started working with Fraser from 1961, told the “There were no days in his life where he woke and Outside the church, dozens of supporters from the approximately 700 people at the church. The ceremony ceased to care about current affairs,” he added. Vietnamese community praised Fraser for accepting was also televised live across the country. “His contribu- “His sense of responsibility endured to the end.” them as refugees. “We call him our father and our sav- tions were always thoughtful.” iour,” Phong Nguyen told the Australian Associated Fraser died last Friday after a short illness, just five ‘Very deep loss’ Press. “He means everything to us but mostly freedom months after the death of Gough Whitlam, the man he Fraser was also a strong supporter of human rights for saving us from the refugee camp. It’s a very deep dramatically replaced after the Labor leader became who oversaw an upsurge in immigration from Asia and loss for our community.”—AFP Boko Haram fighters told to ‘kill wives’ as troops take its ‘HQ’

ABUJA: Nigeria’s military yesterday announced that troops had retaken the town of Gwoza from Boko Haram, from which the group declared their caliphate last year. Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade told a news conference in the capital, Abuja, that the recapture came after “concerted and well- coordinated land and air operations”. “A lot of arms and ammunition have been recovered and the administrative headquarters (of Boko Haram) completely destroyed,” he said. “A massive cordon and search has commenced to locate any of the fleeing terrorists or hostages in their custody.” Earlier this month, residents who fled the town in Borno state told AFP that militants had been massing in Gwoza and killing local people who were unable to flee. That led to speculation that the group, which has been pushed out of a number of towns in three northeast states in recent weeks, was preparing for a final assault. Olukolade said dead bodies had been discovered in a well, while one man who was forcibly conscripted into the militants’ ranks said the group’s leader had ordered women in the town to be killed. NEW YORK: A firefighter on a ladder truck directs water onto the site of an explosion and fire in the East Village neighborhood of New Usman Ali, a 35-year-old farmer, said Abubakar Shekau addressed York, yesterday. Thursday’s inferno caused the collapse of three buildings and fire damage to a fourth, the fire department said, leav- his fighters on March 15 and told them to kill the women they have ing four people in critical condition, more than a dozen others injured and at least one family searching for a loved one. — AP taken as wives. “He said they should go back to Gwoza and kill all of their women they left behind. He said if they didn’t kill them they would not join them in paradise,” he told AFP after managing to escape. “They took us along to Gwoza where we witnessed the car- 19 injured in New York nage.” Earlier this month residents who fled Bama, also in Borno state, had also reported that dozens of women forced into marriage with Boko Haram fighters were killed. buildings collapse, blaze Boko Haram ‘fleeing’ Red Cross set up emergency site to support those made homeless On August 24 last year, Shekau declared that Gwoza was “part of the Islamic caliphate”, adding to speculation the militants were imi- NEW YORK: Nineteen people were hurt Thursday when three A fire department spokesman raised the number of casualties tating the Islamic State group. New York buildings collapsed and a blaze tore through another in from 12 to 19, including four people in a critical condition. Shekau had the previous month praised IS leader Abu Bakr al- what preliminary indications suggested was a gas-related explo- The department said 121 Second Avenue, scene of the initial Baghdadi but stopped short of pledging allegiance. He has since for- sion. Four people were critically injured after the blast ripped explosion, partially collapsed, as did another building, while 123 mally allied himself to the group in Syria and Iraq. through a commercial and residential building in the popular East Second Avenue went entirely and fire ravaged a fourth property. Nigeria’s national security spokesman Mike Omeri said last week Village and then partly collapsed, triggering the collapse of the Pommes Frites, a shop selling Belgian-style fries at 123 Second that troops had begun the “final onslaught” against Boko Haram, next-door building, the partial collapse of another and a huge Avenue, said on Twitter it was closed until further notice due to saying Gwoza was one of three areas yet to be retaken. blaze. “severe damage,” but said its staff and customers were safe. Olukolade said on Friday: “As at yesterday, the military has been Dramatic cell phone footage broadcast by TV channel PIX11 able to take over virtually all the enclaves and hideouts where the showed panicked people running in fear from a sushi restaurant ‘Extremely dangerous’ terrorists were marauding. “It is observed that some of the terrorists after the explosion. “What happened? Oh my God!” one woman is More than five hours after the incident, over 200 fire fighters are currently fleeing towards border areas.” heard yelling. Bystanders bend over a person lying amid debris. were still working to control pockets of fire, the fire department He said fleeing Boko Haram fighters were likely to “run into sub- Witnesses several blocks away described hearing a loud bang and said. The Red Cross set up an emergency site in a school to sup- sequent encounter(s) with contingents” of the Multinational Joint thick smoke could be seen wafting high over the Manhattan sky- port those made homeless, as well as neighbors and family mem- Task Force who have been mandated to contain them, he added. line. “It was crazy loud. The windows were shaking,” said Philip bers, de Blasio said. A four-nation coalition of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon has McElroy, a 23-year-old student, who was visiting a friend two Thick smoke filled the street and emergency workers shut claimed a number of successes since the turn of the year to end the blocks away. “There was a lot of smoke and part of the building down six blocks on Second Avenue, said an AFP reporter at the insurgency which has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2009. was blown out.” scene. Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said staff were on the spot The ongoing operation was cited as a reason to delay Nigeria’s New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the initial impact appeared three minutes after the 3:17 pm emergency call. general election on February 14 to this Saturday, as soldiers would to have been caused by plumbing and gas work at the site. The The front of 121 Second Avenue was blown across the street not be able to provide security nationwide. incident quickly heightened safety fears, a year after eight people and fire officers performed “extremely dangerous” searches of In a televised address broadcast on Friday before weekend elec- were killed when a gas explosion leveled two apartment build- 123 and 121, he said. The smell of burning drifted as far as tions, President Goodluck Jonathan hailed troops for having “suc- ings in East Harlem in northern Manhattan on March 12, 2014. Midtown Manhattan, around 40 blocks farther north. cessfully stemmed the seizure of Nigerian territories”. “Our thoughts, our prayers are with everyone of them (the Isaiah Barr, who was listening to music at home several blocks But Chad’s President Idriss Deby accused Nigeria of failing to casualties) and of course we are praying that no other individuals away when he felt a boom, said: “I was really scared.” Authorities cooperate with the regional coalition battling the jihadists, saying are found injured and that there are no fatalities,” de Blasio told a advised New Yorkers to stay at home and keep their windows there had been zero contact between their armies.—AFP news conference. closed to avoid the affects of smoke exposure.—AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Major power outage hits Amsterdam, affecting trains, airport

AMSTERDAM: Trains, trams and flight schedules were “seriously dis- planes ground to a temporary halt rupted.” yesterday in and around Amsterdam The airport could not say how as a huge power outage hit the Dutch many flights and passengers were capital and surrounding towns. affected. Schiphol tweeted later that Dutch electricity network adminis- power was restored at 10:45 a.m. trator TenneT said that a large part of (0945 GMT) and it was working to North Holland province, which is clear the backlog of flights.The nation- home to some 2.7 million people, was al railroad service said that no trains hit by the outage. TenneT said the were running in and around cause was an outage at a high-voltage Amsterdam. Most trams in the city power station in the town of Diemen, also stopped. just outside Amsterdam. At Amsterdam’s Museum Square, By late morning, the company said fire fighters had to free a man, woman it was gradually restoring power to and young child in a stroller who the region. Schiphol Airport halted all were trapped in an elevator at an inbound flights and only a limited underground supermarket near the number of planes were able to leave city’s Stedelijk and Van Gogh muse- during the power cut, according to an ums. An AP photographer at the airport spokeswoman who declined to scene said lights remained on at the AMSTERDAM: Travellers wait at Schiphol Airport, yesterday during a major be named. The airport tweeted that museums. — AP power outage. — AFP Knox drama nears finale in Italy’s high court Case fascinates global audience

ROME: Italy’s top court was yesterday con- door to one or both of the defendants toilet bag. sidering whether to definitively convict being acquitted. “It’s an important day,” Prosecutors wrapped up their presenta- Amanda Knox for murder in what could be Sollecito’s lawyer Giulia Bongiorno told a tions on Wednesday by insisting that a the final act of an eight-year legal page- scrum of reporters as she arrived foryester- Florence court was right to re-convict the turner dripping with blood, sex and day’s hearing. pair last year. intrigue. “The defendants were sentenced on the That verdict came nine months after the The American and her Italian ex- basis of a case riddled with errors and con- former lovers were freed on appeal, allow- LONDON: Britain’s Labour Party leader Ed Miliband boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted tradictions. I believe that today we will final- ing Knox to return home to Seattle, where speaks to party members and supporters to officially last year for a second time of taking part in ly have a significant response to that.” she now works as a journalist and has launch their 2015 General Election campaign at the the brutal 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher, Bongiorno depicted the prosecution’s reportedly become engaged to a childhood Olympic Park in London yesterday. — AP a British student with whom the then 20- case as a jigsaw of unconnected evi- friend. Her lawyers admit she is “very wor- year-old Knox shared a house in the univer- dence. “If you chopped a Bible up into ried” about a possible extradition request, Labour launches sity town of Perugia. tiny pieces you could stick them back which legal experts say would stand a good Lawyers for the pair were due to present together to make it look like pornogra- chance of succeeding. election campaign final arguments, before the Court of phy,” the lawyer said. Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz Cassation judges retire to consider whether told AFP that Knox would likely seek to after TV clash to confirm once and for all that the Italian Bra strap and vibrator argue she had effectively been tried twice judicial system regards the convictions as The hearing was scheduled to have for the same crime, in breach of the double LONDON: British opposition leader Ed Miliband launched his safe. If they do, Sollecito could be taken been wrapped up on Wednesday but was jeopardy principle. campaign yesterday to defeat Prime Minister David Cameron straight back to jail while the absent Knox is carried over to a second day, partly as a “These arguments are unlikely to suc- in upcoming general elections after primetime television likely to become the subject of a wrangle result of delays caused by the huge media ceed on the merits, but may give American interviews in which neither man landed a knockout blow. over whether she should be extradited interest. authorities an excuse to do what the With a knife-edge poll looming, Miliband, leader of the from the United States back to Italy to join The case has fascinated a global audi- American public would like them to do- centre-left Labour, admitted the May 7 poll would be the him behind bars. ence thanks to its youthful, photogenic namely to keep her in this country,” The pair have already spent four years in cast, the gory and baffling nature of the Dershowitz said. “Legally she would have a “tightest general election for a generation” during an event jail-two on remand and two after their ini- crime itself and an endless supply of head- weak case, but politically she would have a at the Olympic Park in east London. tial conviction for murder in 2009. line-friendly detail ranging from DNA traces strong case. The real question is whether Pledging to help the middle and lower income voters who Alternatively, the judges could send the found on the victim’s bra strap to the ‘rab- politics would prevail over the law.” Labour says have been left behind by Cameron’s case back to the appeal stage, opening the bit’ vibrator that Knox kept in a see-through Conservative-led coalition government, Miliband insisted: Stabbed 47 times “The Tories say this is as good as it gets-we say Britain can do Kercher, 21, died after being stabbed 47 better than this.” times and having her throat slashed. His speech came hours after he and Cameron took part in Her half-naked body was found in a the first big television event of the campaign-a question and pool of blood in a back room of the house answer session in which they were grilled separately by vet- she shared with Knox. eran journalist Jeremy Paxman and a studio audience. Ivory Coast-born drifter Rudy Guede A Guardian/ICM snap poll after the programme indicated was jailed for Kercher’s murder in 2008, but that 54 percent of viewers gave Cameron victory compared the judge in his trial ruled that he could not to 46 percent for Miliband. have acted alone. While prosecutors Commentators disagreed on whether Cameron, who believe Knox and Sollecito fatally slashed focused on his party’s economic record, or what one called a Kercher while Guede held her down, her “surprisingly punk” Miliband came out on top. supporters see her as an innocent abroad But many said the main winner was the formidable who was a victim of a miscarriage of justice Paxman, known for his withering glares and sceptical arched produced by an unreliable judicial system. eyebrows. “Under interrogation from Mr Paxman, Mr Even if she is eventually acquitted of murder, Knox is likely to retain a criminal Cameron gave a rather defensive performance,” The Times record since her lawyers do not contest newspaper said in its editorial. “There was one obvious win- that she initially told a fabricated story ner last night: Jeremy Paxman.” about what happened on the night of the Miliband, who struggles with an often awkward media SEATTLE: In this Oct. 4, 2011 file photo Amanda Knox, flanked by her mother murder and attempted to pin the blame persona, took a more combative approach to Paxman’s ques- Edda Mellas, gestures at a news conference in Seattle, after returning home on the manager of a bar where she tions. When asked if he had the steel needed to be prime from Italy. — AP worked. — AFP minister, he responded: “Hell yes, I’m tough enough”. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

IAEA urges India to take action for nuke regulation VIENNA: The International Atomic After a 12-day visit to India, the added, referring to nuclear power ing rivals. Some countries view the Energy Agency (IAEA) urged India agency recommended that India and plants (NPP). fact that India is a non-signatory to yesterday to further tighten its its Atomic Energy Regulatory Board The nuclear “breakthrough under- the NPT, which was set up to prevent nuclear safety regulations by assuring (AERB) take further action to assure standing” between US President states from acquiring nuclear the legal independence of its atomic safety in its nuclear industry. Barack Obama and Modi seeks to allay weapons, as a stumbling block to it watchdog and allowing more outside “The government should embed US concerns about industry liability joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group inspections. the AERB’s regulatory independence and unlock billions of dollars in invest- (NSG). India, which has tested nuclear in law, separated from other entities ments into Indian power projects. Membership in the NSG, a trade weapons but is a non-signatory of the having responsibilities or interests “AERB is committed to pursuing body established to ensure that civil- Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), that could unduly influence its deci- the improvements suggested by the ian nuclear trade is not diverted for announced a major deal in January sion making,” the IAEA said in a state- mission towards further strengthen- military aims, could boost India’s designed to open India’s nuclear ment. ing the regulatory framework,” the international standing as a responsi- power sector to U.S. investment. “The AERB should consider increas- IAEA quoted the chairman of the ble atomic power and also give it The deal came after Prime Minister ing the frequency of routine on-site AERB, S.S. Bajaj, as saying. greater influence on issues related to Narendra Modi agreed last year to inspections at NPPs to allow for addi- Both India and Pakistan tested global nuclear trade. tighter checks of India’s civilian tional independent verification and nuclear weapons in 1998, setting off A review conference of the NPT nuclear programme by the IAEA. more effective regulatory oversight,” it an arms race between the neighbour- will start in April. — Reuters

Maldives jails ex-defence minister for 11 years COLOMBO: The Maldives’ former defence minister has been found guilty of attempting a coup and jailed for 11 years, his family and officials said, weeks after the conviction of former president Mohamed Nasheed sparked international concern. The controversial criminal court found Mohamed Nazim guilty of smuggling dangerous weapons into the upmarket tourist destination with the aim of top- pling President Abdulla Yameen. Nazim’s family said he had not received a fair trial following the verdict, which came out overnight Thursday and is likely to intensify fears of growing political repression in the honeymoon island nation. The verdict came less than two weeks after the court convicted opposition leader Nasheed under anti- terror laws for ordering the arrest of a chief judge in 2012 when he was president and sentenced him to 13 years in jail. “This is a verdict that neither us nor any Maldivian accepts,” Nazim’s family said in a statement that was NARAYANGANJ: A Bangladeshi women reacts as she holds a relatives body in Narayanganj yesterday, after her death in a stampede during a Hindu bathing ritual. At least 10 Hindu pilgrims were killed and dozens more were injured in a copied to diplomats in Colombo. stampede outside the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, police and witnesses said. — AFP “We ask your for help in getting justice.” President Yameen sacked Nazim in January shortly after police raided his flat in the capital Male and seized docu- ments as well as a pistol and ammunition. Stampede in Bangladesh He was also accused of engineering a fire at the main desalination plant serving the island capital capi- kills at least 10 pilgrims tal Male that triggered a water crisis in December. Nazim, a retired colonel from the Maldivian National Defence Force, was minister of defence and national 50 injured at the annual Astami Snan festival security. He was a key figure behind the downfall of DHAKA: At least 10 Hindu pilgrims annual Astami Snan festival, which But district administrator Anisur were killed and dozens more were attracts pilgrims from around Rahman said the number was higher Nasheed, who was forced to quit the presidency in injured in a stampede outside the Bangladesh as well as Nepal and neigh- this year because the festival fell during February 2012 after a mutiny by police and troops that Bangladeshi capital Dhaka yesterday, bouring India. public holidays to mark Bangladesh’s followed weeks of protests over then-criminal court police and witnesses said. They said most of the victims were national day. chief judge Abdullah Mohamed’s arrest. The stampede occurred on the banks elderly and blamed the tragedy on the Rahman said 700 police had been Nasheed’s jailing has sparked street protests in the of the Brahmaputra river, where hun- lack of guards on the banks of the river deployed for the festival, which goes on Maldives and widespread international criticism dreds of thousands of pilgrims had con- in Langalbandh, around 25 kilometres until Saturday morning. including from the UN Human Rights Council. verged for ritual bathing during an (15 miles) south of Dhaka where the pil- Apu Malakar, who takes part in the annual Hindu festival. grims gather at dawn to bathe. rituals regularly, said the number of pil- His Maldivian Democratic Party has said the criminal Police inspector Nasir Ahmed said “There were no policemen maintain- grims was higher than usual this year. court judges were biased, a charge the government seven women and three men had been ing security,” said one witness, Laxmi “When the tragedy occurred, I was in the has denied. confirmed dead. “We are investigating Rana Saha, 45. middle of huge column of people,” said Nasheed’s lawyers said this week the authorities what triggered the stampede, but it “All of a sudden, I heard cries and saw the 31-year-old trader. had prevented them from filing an appeal by a Sunday seems that the tragedy was due to an people getting trampled. I lost my “Young people survived, but older deadline. unusually high number of pilgrims,” nephew in the chaos. I survived by run- people were crushed, especially those The rising political unrest threatens the reputation Ahmed told AFP. ning to higher ground,” she told AFP by who had already gone into the water “The stampede involved a huge phone from the scene. and had wet clothes and were unable to of the atoll nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims, whose number of people as thousands of shoes The annual rituals normally attract move quickly,” he told AFP by phone. pristine beaches and secluded coral islands have long could still be seen on the road an hour around a million pilgrims to Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority been a huge draw for honeymooners and other after it happened,” he added. Langalbandh on the banks of the country, but Hindus account for tourists. — AFP Witnesses said at least 50 people Brahmaputra, which Hindus consider around 10 percent of its 160 million were injured in the stampede at the holy. people. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

S Korea demands North release arrested ‘spies’

SEOUL: South Korea yesterday demanded the immedi- “The government strongly demands North Korea Korean missionary to hard labour for life on charges of ate release of two nationals arrested on “groundless” spy- immediately release our nationals ... and repatriate them espionage and setting up an underground church. ing charges by North Korea in an incident likely to at once,” ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-Cheol told Although religious freedom is enshrined in the North heighten already elevated cross-border tensions. reporters. Korean constitution, it does not exist in practice and reli- North Korea announced late Thursday that it had Cross border ties are already strained over ongoing gious activity is severely restricted to officially-recognised arrested two South Korean men, identified as Kim Kuk-Gi joint South Korea-US military exercises that Pyongyang groups linked to the government. and Choe Chun-Gil, who had operated as “heinous ter- has condemned as provocative rehearsals for invasion. Pyongyang views foreign missionaries as seditious rorists” from a base in the Chinese border city of The KCNA report said Kim and Choe had gathered elements intent on fomenting unrest and those who are Dandong. “They zealously took part in an anti-DPRK information about North Korea’s “party, state and mili- caught engaging in any unauthorised activities in the (anti-North Korea) smear campaign,” organised by US tary secrets.” Choe was arrested last December by border North are subject to immediate arrest. intelligence and the South Korean National Intelligence guards. It was not immediately clear where or when Kim The charges against Choe included allegations that Service (NIS), the North’s official KCNA news agency said. was taken into custody. he recruited a number of North Koreans to gather soil The two detainees were presented at a “press confer- Among other things, Kim was accused of spreading samples from around the North’s main Yongbyon ence” in Pyongyang, attended by journalists and foreign “religious propaganda” from an “underground church” nuclear complex. diplomats. Reacting to the arrests, the South’s Unification he ran in Dandong, which has a large ethnic Korean com- “His crimes included acts of destabilising the DPRK Ministry said both men were being held on “groundless munity and is a hub of both official and illicit cross-bor- and luring the North’s inhabitants to South Korea,” KCNA allegations” in violation of international norms. der trade. Last year, North Korea sentenced a South said. — AFP

Thailand keeps suspected Uighur Muslims in custody

BANGKOK: A family of 17 suspected Uighur Muslims at the centre of a diplomatic tug-of-war between Turkey and China will remain in custody after a Thai court yesterday rejected their argument that their pro- longed detention was illegal. Turkey and China both claim the detainees as nationals in a dispute with potential implications for hundreds of other suspected Uighur detainees and to where they should be repatriated. The group has been in detention for a year. The court ruled that Thai immigration had the right to detain the group but made no ruling on their nationality. Under Thai law, court approval must be sought for detention periods of more than seven days. SINGAPORE: Pedestrians walk past a tribute corner for Singapore’s late former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew who is lying The group plans to appeal against the decision, in state at Parliament House in Singapore yesterday. — AFP their lawyer Worasit Piriyawiboon said. “I don’t agree with the court decision and I’m ready to fight,” Worasit Singapore overwhelmed by told reporters yesterday. Thai police detained the group, all from the same family, in March 2014 after they illegally entered huge crowds mourning Lee Thailand overland from Cambodia. Two of the 13 chil- dren in the group were born in custody. The family claimed to be Turkish and, while still in detention, were Foreign VIPs attend state funeral issued with passports by the Turkish Embassy and granted permission to travel to Turkey. China insists SINGAPORE: Tens of thousands of Singaporeans braved waits of up Ann, 51, told AFP. The turnout is massive by Singapore standards but the 17 detainees are Chinese Uighurs who should be to 10 hours outside parliament yesterday to pay their last respects to the crowd was disciplined and morale appeared to be high. “I feel the returned to the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang, founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, despite appeals from overwhelmed Singapore spirit around me, people are courteous and everyone is according to court documents seen by Reuters. officials to honour him elsewhere. The city-state, famous for its clock- here for a common purpose, to honour our leader,” said 17-year-old Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua work handling of major events like the night-time Singapore Grand student Shruti Ram. Chunying, asked about those detained, said China was Prix, seemed unprepared for the scale of the outpouring of grief since The city-state has a population of 5.5 million but only 3.34 million willing to increase cooperation with countries such as their 91-year-old first prime minister died on Monday. are citizens. The rest are guest workers, expatriates and their families. Thailand to fight illegal immigration and cross-border “Members of the public are strongly advised not to join the queue The mourners included the elderly in wheelchairs and mothers at the Padang now,” said a government advisory which urged mourn- with babies or toddlers in tow. crime. She did not comment on the case itself. ers to go instead to 18 community sites to pay homage to Lee, who is Among yesterday’s visitors were Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Turkey and China have both asked Thailand for help revered for transforming Singapore from a British colonial outpost whose country helped train Singapore’s army in the early years after in repatriating the group, Thai National Security into one of Asia’s richest societies. The round-the-clock queue outside independence from Malaysia in 1965. Former Indonesian presidents Council secretary-general Anusit Kunakorn said after a parliament starts at the Padang-a large grassy field used for parades Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Sukarnoputri also paid first hearing of the case on Tuesday. and concerts as well as football, cricket and other sports. their respects Friday. Yudhoyono, a former army general, saluted in Thai court documents referring to them do not Mourners are now being given only a few seconds to file past the front of Lee’s coffin before making a slight bow. detail their nationality. Turkish diplomats at the hear- former leader’s brown wooden casket draped with the red-and-white Tents have been set up to shield mourners from the scorching ing on Friday declined to comment on the verdict. Singapore flag in the parliament lobby. More than 250,000 mourners tropical sun while volunteers hand out bottled water and sugared None of the family, who use the name Teklimakan, had paid their respects by mid-afternoon yesterday, according to an drinks, with portable toilets available nearby. appeared in court. They have spent most of the past official count, up from about 150,000 at midnight Thursday. An express lane is reserved for the elderly, disabled and pregnant year in the main police immigration detention centre “I am deeply moved by the overwhelming response of people while foreign dignitaries enter via a VIP entrance. Minister for National in Bangkok. wanting to visit my father’s Lying in State at Parliament House,” Prime Development Khaw Boon Wan, chairman of the ruling People’s Hundreds of people have been killed in unrest in Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Facebook. Action Party (PAP), told activists late Thursday that the outpouring of Xinjiang in the past two years, prompting a crackdown He announced that a live video feed of the flow of mourners view- emotion had “exceeded our expectations,” the Straits Times reported. by Chinese authorities, and small numbers of Uighurs ing the casket inside the parliament’s lobby had been put up on “We are afraid we will not be able to fulfil the wishes of have tried to flee. YouTube. Lee has been lying in state since Wednesday and the public Singaporeans. But we will do our best,” he said. Lee is to be given full Hundreds, possibly thousands, have travelled clan- has until 8:00 pm (1200 GMT) on Saturday to pay their respects. state honours before being cremated Sunday. destinely through Southeast Asia to Turkey. The Former US President Bill Clinton, South Korean President Park Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking people officially regard- ‘Not going to stop us’ Geun-Hye, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Indian Prime ed as “brothers” in Turkey, which already hosts large “The government can advise us not to queue all they want, and I Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Uighur populations. — Reuters understand this puts a strain on resources like volunteers and space, Malaysian King Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah are among the but that’s not going to stop us from coming down,” mourner Pek Tee confirmed state representatives attending the funeral. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Teen says mom Mexico march marks 6 months killed her siblings since 43 students disappeared found in freezer ‘Six months of torture and suffering for us’ DETROIT: A teenager told authorities that her mother killed two siblings and forced her to put one of the bodies in the freezer of their Detroit home where both were found by an eviction crew. MEXICO CITY: Parents of 43 missing stu- Details of death and extreme abuse emerged Thursday as dents marked the six-month anniversary of Mitchelle Blair appeared in court, two days after the bodies of a their disappearance with a march of a few 9-year-old son, Stephen Berry, and 13-year-old daughter, Stoni thousand supporters Thursday, urging fellow Blair, were discovered. Mexicans not to abandon them but drawing Blair, 35, is charged with child abuse, but she could face mur- far smaller numbers than rallies last year. der charges when the bodies thaw and autopsies are performed, At the march’s conclusion, Maria Elena prosecutors said. Bond was set at $1 million. An attorney hasn’t Guerrero, the mother of a missing student, been assigned. The Michigan Department of Human Services is stood atop a stage and said her pain had taking steps to end Blair’s rights to two other children, a 17-year- turned to fury against Mexico’s government old daughter and an 8-year-old son. In a court filing, the state in the months since her son disappeared. said the teen described a house of horror, where she and her sur- “They have taken so much from us that viving brother were beaten with an extension cord and piece of they’ve even taken our fear,” she said. “We’re wood, hit with a hot curling iron and burned with a clothing iron. not afraid.” “Blair tortured Stephen for approximately two weeks prior to She pleaded with the crowd, “Don’t leave his death by tying a belt around his neck, throwing hot water on us alone.” The crowd responded by chanting him while in the shower and putting a plastic bag over his head,” that the families are not alone. Earlier in the the state said, quoting the 17-year-old. day parents and supporters demonstrated at Stephen was “unresponsive” on Aug. 30, 2012, and Blair the federal elections office in Mexico City to wrapped his body in bed linen and put him in the freezer, the ask that voting scheduled for June in the state said. Nine months later, Blair became “enraged” when Stoni southwestern state of Guerrero be suspend- MEXICO CITY: A masked man defaces the windows of a convenience store, in a said she didn’t like her surviving siblings and strangled the girl ed. Dozens of protesters delivered a letter to with a T-shirt and suffocated her with a plastic bag, the depart- protest to mark the six-month anniversary of the disappearance of 43 rural the office asking that the June 7 elections ment said. Blair then made the teen “put Stoni in the deep freez- not move forward because people could be teachers college students, in Mexico City, Thursday. Angry citizens and rela- er following her death,” the agency said. The 8-year-old boy also voting for politicians tied to drug trafficking, tives of the missing students took to the streets of the capital Thursday to call was aware that his sister and brother were killed and subse- as was the case with former mayor of Iguala, on authorities to continue the search for their loved ones, who vanished after quently placed in the freezer, the department said. police detained them illegally on Sept 26, 2014.— AP Medical exams revealed evidence of abuse, including numer- Jose Luis Abarca, who remains in custody. ous scars, on the children. The teenager said neither she nor her Parents and their supporters later staged government had conducted a transparent Students from the Rural Normal School at siblings have attended school for two years. a protest march in the capital, while small and exhaustive investigation. It said 104 peo- Ayotzinapa went to Iguala on Sept. 26 to col- Earlier Thursday, Blair appeared in court on child abuse bands of activists defaced campaign posters ple had been detained in the case, including lect money and hijack buses, a common charges via a video feed from a police lockup. Magistrate Renee and burned a small bus in the Guerrero state 48 from the Iguala police force.Only one vic- practice, so that they could attend events in McDuffee entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf. capital of Chilpancingo. tim’s remains have been identified, however, Mexico City. But police confronted them in “The charges in this matter are so heinous,” McDuffee said in The students from a rural teachers college and parents of the young men have contin- Iguala, firing on the buses. Six people were explaining the $1 million bond. The state said it investigated were last seen in Iguala. Federal investigators ued to demand answers about the events of killed. Federal investigators determined the allegations of abuse in 2002 and 2005. Blair was referred to coun- say local police handed the students over to Sept. 26. “We came to tell authorities and the police turned the students over to members seling. The state said the two fathers of Blair’s surviving children a drug gang, which killed them and inciner- Mexican government that as parents we can- of a drug gang who took them to a remote are unfit to care for them. Together they owe $50,000 in child ated their remains. not allow the elections,” said Meliton Ortega, garbage dump near the town of Cocula, support and haven’t seen the kids in two to three years. — AP On Thursday, the Attorney General’s parent of a student. “They have been six killed them, burned the bodies and threw Office issued a statement reiterating that the months of torture, of suffering for us.” the remains into a river. — AP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Prosecutors turn to stepmother in girl’s running death

GADSDEN: With the grandmother of a girl who was run the sentence recommendation was announced, but Savannah’s death might have gone unsolved if neighbors to death headed to prison for life, authorities are now turn- Garrard was stone-faced as deputies led her back to jail. hadn’t contacted investigators after she was hospitalized. ing their attention to the stepmother who they say did Under Alabama law, a vote of at least 10 of 12 jurors “They are heroes in this case,” Reid said. nothing to help the child. was required for the panel to recommend death. A simple Reid had asked jurors to recommend the death penalty Jurors recommended life imprisonment without parole majority could recommend life. The same jury convicted in closing arguments, adding that he had never prosecut- Thursday for the grandmother, Joyce Hardin Garrard, who Garrard of capital murder last week in a trial the defense ed a case like this one. “This case is the only case I know of was convicted of capital murder in the February 2012 said resulted in an unjust verdict. “Joyce Garrard did not where the perpetrator forced the victim to participate in death of 9-year-old Savannah Hardin. By a vote of 7-5 on receive a fair trial,” said defense lawyer Dani Bone. her own death,” he told jurors. “Joyce Garrard forced the woman’s 50th birthday, jurors opted for the life term The judge excluded medical evidence that the defense Savannah Hardin to help kill herself.” and rejected prosecutors’ pleas for the death penalty. wanted to present, Bone said, and evidence indicates at Prosecutors contended Garrard made the girl run as Etowah County Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree could still least four jurors were on Facebook during the trial, despite punishment for telling a lie about candy, and refused to let reject the jurors’ suggestion and sentence the woman to the judge’s admonitions to avoid social media and news Savannah stop running even after the girl was vomiting death, but the chance seemed more remote after prosecu- reports. and begging for an end to the exercise. In court, they cit- tors said they would accept the jury’s recommendation at ed a school bus surveillance video that captured Garrard the final sentencing hearing, set for May 11. Justice saying she would run the girl and teach her a lesson. By then, authorities could be moving toward a trial for District Attorney Jimmie Harp said he isn’t worried Garrard, who lives in Boaz, testified last week she had Savannah’s stepmother, Jessica Mae Hardin, who is free on about the case being overturned on appeal and was “very no intention of harming the girl and denied she had bond. While prosecutors said Garrard forced the girl to run pleased” both with Garrard’s conviction and the jury’s rec- forced her to run. Garrard said during cross- examination as punishment until she collapsed in a fatal seizure, Hardin ommendation. that Savannah wanted Garrard’s help getting faster for is accused of sitting by idly rather than intervening. No trial “We believe Savannah Hardin received justice today,” races at school, and they both ran “a bunch” before date is set. Garrard’s relatives cried in the courtroom after Harp said. Deputy prosecutor Marcus Reid said Savannah collapsed. — AP

US Senate’s Harry Reid Flooding in Chilean desert region kills six

won’t seek re-election COPIAP: Flash floods in a normally bone-dry region of northern Chile killed six people and left 19 missing, officials said Thursday, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency and Stubborn gold miner’s son send in the army. The downpour began late Tuesday in the Atacama region, home to the world’s most arid desert, and WASHINGTON: Senate Democratic Leader radio in Nevada. “I think it’s very important “He never forgot where he came from, lashed the area for hours, turning riverbeds that had been dry for Harry Reid, the wily Nevadan who dominat- to have continuity in our leadership.” and he never stopped working to give years into torrents. Desperate residents scrambled onto the roofs ed the Senate for a decade from the minori- Reid also endorsed former Nevada attor- everyone who works hard the same shot at of their houses or fled to high ground to escape the floodwaters, ty to the majority and back again, ney general Catherine Cortez Masto to run success that he had,” Obama said. As which turned the streets into rivers that swept up nearly every- announced yesterday he will retire after for his seat next year. In a statement early Democratic leader, Reid thrived on behind- thing in their path. five terms. yesterday, Reid said the recovery period the-scenes wrangling. He guided the The interior ministry declared a state of emergency late Reid, 75, who shepherded key Obama from his eye injury, which may leave him Senate through a crippling recession and Wednesday and invoked a constitutional clause transferring administration initiatives including the with permanent vision loss, gave him time the GOP takeover of the House in the 2010 power from the regional government to the military. The gov- president’s health care law, lost his role as to think about his political future. elections, which sparked years of bitter ernment initially reported seven deaths, but revised that number majority leader - the Senate’s top job - “We have to make sure that the partisan battles and congressional grid- Thursday evening to six. The weather forced state copper com- when November’s elections swept the Democrats take control of the Senate lock. pany Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, to temporari- Republicans into control. He suffered a per- again,” he said. “And I feel it is inappropri- He was known for frequent gaffes and ly halt operations in Atacama and the neighboring region of sonal setback on New Year’s Day, falling ate for me to soak up all those resources on impolitic remarks, once complaining that Antofagasta. As Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo urged resi- while exercising and suffering serious bruis- me when I could be devoting those tourists to the Capitol smelled, and calling dents to evacuate, the army declared a curfew for the Atacama es and a lasting injury to his right eye. Reid resources to the caucus, and that’s what I former President George W. Bush a “loser” region and the city of Antofagasta. was the Republicans’ top target in 2016 and intend to do.” and a “liar.” Since returning to work after A total of 2,400 soldiers and police have been deployed to widely considered vulnerable to losing the Reid, who rose from nothing in the tiny his fall, Reid has struggled to regain sight the disaster area. About 40,000 people were left without electric- seat he’d held since 1987. Still, the stubborn desert town of Searchlight, Nevada, had in his right eye, appearing in the Capitol in ity and as many or more without potable water. bandages and then with his eye shielded President Michelle Bachelet said the downpour-equivalent to by tinted glasses. He told The Associated at least 10 times the previously drought-hit region’s average Press early this month that the injury was annual rainfall-had caught authorities off-guard. “a tremendous inconvenience,” but noth- “The prior assessment was that there was an enormous ing more, and not enough to stop him drought so rain would not necessarily be a catastrophe. It is very from seeking re-election. “I’ve had black difficult to plan for because there was no way to know,” said eyes before,” said Reid, who was an accom- Bachelet, who flew into the disaster zone late Wednesday. plished amateur boxer in his youth. “Obviously today there’s a realization that once the emer- Even from his post in the minority, Reid gency is over, defenses will need to be built up to prevent these leveraged Senate rules to exert steely con- things from happening in the future.” trol. He held his 46-member caucus One of those killed in the flooding was a 34-year-old man who was electrocuted, the interior ministry said. Another, a 35- together against attempts by Republicans year-old man, was killed by a water tank that collapsed. to pass legislation undoing Obama’s exec- Both died in Antofagasta, a port city of about 380,000 people. utive actions on immigration, forcing Two more victims were killed when they were swept away by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to rushing water in Atacama. Other bodies were found later back down, and House Speaker John Thursday, the interior ministry said, without giving details. Boehner to follow. The episode left some House Republicans complaining bitterly Anxious search that Reid might as well still be majority The heavy rains had eased by Thursday morning, but emer- leader. In classic fashion, Reid could not Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid. gency workers were still scrambling to deal with the aftermath. resist needling McConnell, with whom he Classes were cancelled so emergency shelters could be set had an icy relationship, as he disclosed his up in schools. Officials said 800 people had sought refuge in gold miner’s son had cheated political grown more unpopular at home due to departure. emergency shelters in Atacama and 680 in Antofagasta. death before, and few were writing him off. positions he’d taken on national issues. He “My friend Sen. McConnell, don’t be too Floods also cut off hundreds of residents in remote areas. His departure could set in motion a turned back a challenge in 2010 and was elated. I’m going to be here for 22 Social media networks were rife with messages from people scramble in the Senate’s Democratic lead- sure to face an aggressive, big-money months,” Reid said in a video he filmed to trying to get in touch with their loved ones, but communica- ership lineup between his top two attack by Republicans if he ran again. announce his retirement. tions were cut off for much of the affected area. As the brown deputies, Chuck Schumer of New York and He insisted that his decision had noth- Ally and a friend waters of the Copiapo River began to recede, residents of the Dick Durbin of Illinois. Reid gave Schumer a ing to do with his injury or his re-election regional capital started returning to their houses, trying to major boost by endorsing him within hours President Barack Obama issued a state- chances, saying “the path to re-election is salvage what belongings they could as they shoveled of his retirement announcement. “I’ve nev- ment that said Reid “has become not only much easier than it probably has been any- through the muck left behind.—AFP er been a shrinking violent,” Reid told KNPR an ally, but a friend.” time that I’ve run for re-election.”—AP BoE stung by scandals, US banks debate halting Indian companies scramble Businessflags market concerns 16 some campaign donations17to find women directors 19

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Japanese inflation stalls in February 20

CLAYCOMO: In this March 13, 2015 photo, a worker prepares a chassis to receive an engine on a 2015 aluminum-alloy body Ford F-150 truck at the company’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. The government issues its third and final estimate of how fast the US economy grew in the October-December 2014 quarter yesterday. — AP US economic growth slows in Q4 Corporate profits fall sharply in Q4

WASHINGTON: US economic growth cooled in the fourth equipment and hiring. For all of 2014, profits fell 8.3 percent, and 1.4 percent rate. Businesses accumulated $80 billion quarter as previously reported and after-tax corporate profits the largest annual drop since 2008. worth of inventory in the fourth quarter, less than the $88.4 recorded their biggest drop since early 2011, as a strong dollar Economists polled by Reuters had expected fourth-quarter billion the government had estimated last month. As a result, dented the earnings of multinational corporations. GDP growth would be revised up to a 2.4 percent rate. inventories subtracted 0.10 percentage point from GDP Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.2 percent annual US Treasury yields fell after the data, while the US dollar growth in the fourth quarter. Restocking was previously rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said yesterday in pared gains against the euro and hit a session low against the reported to have added 0.1 percentage point to output. its third estimate of GDP. That was unrevised from the forecast yen. US stock index futures were trading slightly weaker. The weak pace of restocking, however, removes the threat last month. of an inventory overhang, giving businesses scope to place Businesses throttled back on inventory and equipment Dollar headwinds more orders for goods, which should help to stimulate manu- investment, but robust consumer spending limited the slow- Slower economic growth together with benign inflation facturing. Business investment on equipment was revised to down in the pace of activity in the fourth quarter. The econo- could prompt the Federal Reserve to delay raising interest show it rising at a 0.6 percent rate instead of the previously my grew at a 5 percent rate in the third quarter. rates until later this year. The US central bank has kept its reported 0.9 percent pace. After-tax corporate profits declined $57.1 billion, the short-term lending rate near zero since December 2008. The slower rate of expansion in equipment spending likely biggest fall since the first quarter 2011, after rising $52.4 bil- Fed officials last week lowered their individual growth esti- reflected the strong dollar and lower crude oil prices, which lion in the third quarter. Corporate profits from outside the mates for this year through 2017. caused a drop in drilling and exploration activity. United States decreased $36.1 billion after increasing $16.5 bil- The moderate pace of the US economic expansion appears But consumer spending, which accounts for more than lion in the previous quarter. to have persisted through the first quarter. two-thirds of US economic activity, increased at a 4.4 percent Multinationals such as technology giant IBM, semiconduc- The sturdy dollar, lingering weakness in Europe and Asia, rate in the fourth quarter instead of the 4.2 percent rate tor maker Intel Corp, industrial conglomerate Honeywell and harsh winter weather in the United States and a now-settled reported last month. It was the fastest pace since the first Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest household products labor dispute at busy US West Coast ports dampened activity quarter of 2006. maker, have warned that the dollar will hurt profits this year. in first two months of the year. With temperatures rising, there Despite the strong consumption, inflation pressures were The dollar gained 7.8 percent against the currencies of the are signs of some pick-up in activity. But the dollar will likely muted. The personal consumption expenditures price index main U.S. trading partners between June and December. provide a challenge for domestic manufacturers. fell at an unrevised 0.4 percent rate - the weakest reading Weak profits could undermine business spending on First-quarter growth estimates range between a 0.9 percent since early 2009.—Reuters Business SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Co-op Bank sees more branch, job cuts after 2014 loss

LONDON: Britain’s Co-operative Bank will mutually-owned Co-operative Group-rele- over two years, and Booker warned there Co-op Bank was the only UK lender to close 57 more branches this year and more gated to a minority holding. were likely to be more closures and job fail a “stress test” of major firms by Britain’s in the future under a turnaround plan that The bank said yesterday Chief Executive cuts to come. “Over time it seems likely the financial watchdog last year. Its common saw it cut 15 percent of its staff last year Niall Booker, who took over in 2013, would branch network will reduce in line with equity Tier 1 ratio was 13 percent at the and make a loss of 264 million pounds remain as CEO until the end of 2016. customers’ increased use of digital chan- end of last year, although it has said it ($392 million). Co-op Bank is trying to Booker was paid 3.1 million pounds last nels,” he told reporters on a conference expects to be loss-making for another two recover from a near collapse in 2013, when year and could take home about 4.5 mil- call. The bank’s staff numbers fell to 5,711 years so that ratio will fall before it it was hit by a yawning hole in its finances, lion pounds a year under a new pay plan. last year from 6,704 a year earlier. improves. Charges for misconduct and a drugs scandal, an exodus of top execu- The bank said it closed 72 branches last Co-op Bank said it planned to speed up legal related issues, including the mis-sell- tives, and posted a 633 million pound loss. year and planned to reduce its network by the sale of unwanted assets, mainly ing of insurance products, were 101.2 mil- The crisis saw bondholders take control 57 more this year. That will reduce the net- through selling a portfolio of residential lion pounds last year, from 411.5 million in of the bank, with its long-time owner-the work to 165 branches, down 44 percent mortgages called “Optimum”. 2013. — Reuters Senate OKs Republican balanced-budget plan Cuts health care without raising taxes

WASHINGTON: Republicans muscled a balanced-budget plan through the Senate early yesterday, positioning Congress for months of battling President Barack Obama over the GOP’s goals of slicing spending and dismantling his health care law. Working into yesterday’s pre-dawn SEOUL: People pass by a sign for a money exchange in hours, senators approved the blueprint by Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. South Korea announced a near party-line 52-46 vote, endorsing a Thursday it will join the Asian Infrastructure Investment measure that closely follows one the Bank, or AIIB, which is intended to help finance construc- House passed Wednesday. Both budgets tion of roads and other infrastructure. — AP embody a conservative vision of shrinking projected federal deficits by more than $5 BoE stung by scandals, trillion over the coming decade, mostly by cutting health care and other benefit pro- flags market concerns grams and without raising taxes. The Senate was beginning a spring LONDON: The Bank of England is warning about potential recess after approving the measure, leav- irregularities in financial markets on a regular basis as it tries ing Congress’ two GOP-run chambers to to address the problems that dragged it into recent market negotiate a compromise budget in mid- scandals, a senior BoE official said. April. The legislation is a non-binding Chris Salmon, executive director of markets at the BoE, also blueprint that does not require Obama’s told Reuters that more rigid rules of engagement for the cen- signature but lays the groundwork for WASHINGTON: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., accompanied tral bank’s staff inevitably meant that traders would offer future bills that seem destined for veto by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, in them less information, but the Bank would still be able to do fights with the president. this March 24, 2015 file photo. Senators worked into Friday’s pre-dawn hours its job. The BoE was stung last year when its chief foreign “Republicans have shown that the yesterday on a stack of amendments to the balanced-budget plan, which exchange dealer was found to have not told his managers Senate is under new management and closely follows a blueprint the House passed Wednesday. — AP about his concerns that traders were manipulating a key cur- delivering on the change and responsible rency rate. government the American people expect,” tial hopefuls. Two other potential GOP with savings from elsewhere in the budg- Some of the world’s biggest banks were fined more than said Senate Majority Leader Mitch presidential candidates, Sens. Marco et. $4 billion for their role in the scandal. BoE Governor Mark McConnell, R-Ky. Rubio of Florida and Lindsey Graham of But mostly, the Republican blueprints Carney promised last year to ensure there was not “a shadow Democrats viewed the document dif- South Carolina, voted yes. diverge starkly from Obama’s fiscal plan. of doubt about the integrity of the Bank of England.” ferently, saying it relied on gimmickry and All voting Democrats were opposed. While his leaves a projected deficit But the Bank hit the headlines again this month when it touted the wrong priorities. “The budget The Senate completed its budget work exceeding $600 billion 10 years from now, asked anti-fraud investigators to look into the potential rig- we passed today is irresponsible and fails after enduring one of its more painful tra- the Senate plan claims a surplus of $3 bil- ging of money market auctions that the BoE held at the onset to effectively invest in our future,” said ditions: A multi-hour “vote-a-rama” in lion. Over the decade, Obama would raise of the financial crisis in 2007 and 2008. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. which senators repeatedly debate and $2 trillion in higher taxes from the The Bank has responded to the scandals by introducing The budget’s solidly ideological tenor vote on a pile of non-binding amend- wealthy, corporations and smokers while new rules for its staff who talk to market players, including contrasted with a bipartisan bill the House ments well past midnight. Senators offer granting tax breaks to low-income and stricter requirements on note-taking and clearer rules on esca- overwhelmingly approved Thursday per- the amendments because the votes can middle-class families. He would boost lating any concerns, as it seeks to end what has long been manently blocking perennial cuts in physi- demonstrate support for a policy or be spending on domestic programs including seen as its overly cosy relationship with the City of London. cians’ Medicare fees. It too will wait until used to embarrass opponents in future road construction, preschools and com- From its museum-like headquarters in London’s financial April for final congressional approval by campaigns. munity colleges and veterans. centre, the Bank keeps a close eye on 23 different markets, the Senate, with McConnell saying his Those approved included one by Sen. The Senate budget would cut $4.3 tril- ranging from currencies which see trillions of dollars of trad- chamber will handle it “very quickly when Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, entitling married lion from benefit programs over the next ing each day, to emerging market bonds. we get back.” Though doctors face a 21 same-sex couples to Social Security and 10 years, including annulling Obama’s Salmon, in his first interview since he took over as BoE mar- percent cut in Medicare fees April 1, the veterans’ spousal benefits. It got 11 GOP health care law, a step the president kets director last June, said Bank staff are no longer hesitant government can delay processing those votes, including from several Republicans would without doubt veto. about flagging worries that traders in financial markets might payments until Congress’ return. The facing competitive re-elections next year. Those savings would include $431 bil- be breaking the rules, he said. measure, which also provides money for Also adopted was one by McConnell lion from Medicare, matching Obama’s fig- Employees of the Bank are now escalating between two health care programs for children and low- aimed at thwarting Obama administration ure. The House budget would pare $148 and four cases of concern to their managers each month, he income people, would be partly financed efforts to reduce coal pollution. Congress’ billion from the health care program for said. Most of those cases are passed on to regulators, chiefly with higher premiums for top-earning GOP budgets both matched the spending the elderly and convert it into a voucher- the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Medicare recipients. plan that Obama presented last month like program for future beneficiaries, a “We have achieved a change of culture here. That wasn’t when it comes to defense, proposing $612 step the Senate shunned. happening before and that is happening now and that is a ‘Vote-a-rama’ billion for next year, a 4.5 percent boost The Senate budget would cut $236 bil- healthy thing,” Salmon said. He declined to say exactly how On the budget, only two Republicans over current levels. Some conservatives lion from the budgets of nondefense many cases of concern the BoE previously tended to pass to voted no: Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and were unhappy because they wanted more agencies. The House would go even fur- regulators. —Reuters Rand Paul of Kentucky, a pair of presiden- of the extra military spending to be offset ther, slicing $759 billion. — AP Business SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 US banks debate halting some campaign donations

NEW YORK: Big Wall Street banks are so upset with US Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren’s call for them to be broken up that some have discussed withholding campaign donations to Senate Democrats in symbolic protest, sources familiar with the discussions said. Representatives from Citigroup, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, have met to discuss ways to urge Democrats, including Warren and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, to soften their party’s tone toward Wall Street, sources familiar with the discussions said this week. Bank officials said the idea of with- holding donations was not discussed at a meeting of the four banks in Washington but it has been raised in one-on-one conversations between representatives of some of them. COUTANCES: Employees of the AIM company (Abattoirs However, there was no agreement on industriels de la Manche), a slaughterhouse placed into coordinating any action, and each bank receivership in January 2015, gather outside the Court of is making its own decision, they said. Trade in Coutances, northwestern France, during a court The amount of money at stake, a hearing yesterday. — AFP maximum of $15,000 per bank, means the gesture is symbolic rather than NEW YORK: In this Nov. 19, 2013, file photo, the shadow of a pedestrian is cast material. Moreover, banks’ hostility under a sign in front of JP Morgan Chase & Co. headquarters in New York. — AP French consumer toward Warren, who is not a presiden- declined to comment specifically on the thinking. It has not yet sent in its check. tial candidate, will not have a direct Warren issue, saying the bank’s fund- “Our decision to contribute will be confidence hits impact on the presumed Democratic raising political action committee (PAC) driven more by the fact that many front runner in the White House race, “contributes to candidates and parties members of both parties understand Hillary Clinton. That’s because their across the political spectrum that share the important role we play in driving five-year high fund-raising groups focus on congres- our desire for pro-business policies that the real economy and serving cus- sional races rather than the presidential promote economic growth.” tomers across the country,” said a PARIS: French consumer confidence has hit a five-year high, election. Still, political strategists say JPMorgan representatives have met spokesman, Larry Di Rita. JPMorgan the Insee statistics agency said yesterday, signalling that Clinton could struggle to raise money Democratic Party officials to emphasize spokesman Andrew Gray said the bank households feel more optimistic about the country’s growth. among Wall Street financiers who worry the connection between its annual con- had “always believed in the importance The composite indicator-which measures the view taken that Democrats are becoming less busi- tribution and the need for a friendlier of engaging constructively with our by households of the economic situation-gained one point ness friendly. attitude toward the banks, a source public officials.” and reached 93 this month, its highest value since November The tensions are a sign that the after- familiar with JPMorgan’s donations said. Spokesmen for the Democratic 2010. The indicator is particularly closely watched in France math of the 2008 financial crisis - the In past years, the bank has given its Senatorial Campaign Committee, because household consumption is a key driver of growth in bank bailouts and the fights over finan- donation in one lump sum but this year Warren and Senate Democratic leader the economy. cial reforms to rein in Wall Street - are has so far donated only a third of the Harry Reid all declined to comment. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the latest data still a factor in the 2016 elections. amount, the source said. Warren, a former Harvard Law pro- showed that growth could pick up quicker than expected. Citigroup has decided to withhold Goldman, which already made its fessor who joined the Senate Banking “Insee said that when we get a rate of growth around 1.5 per- donations for now to the Democratic $15,000 donation for the year, took part Committee after taking office in 2013, cent, expected for 2016, unemployment will fall. I think we Senatorial Campaign Committee over in the Washington meeting between has accused big banks and other finan- can achieve that level of growth sooner,” he told iTELE televi- concerns that Senate Democrats could the four banks to talk about anti-big cial firms of unfair dealings that harm sion. However, Insee noted that the composite indicator still give Warren and lawmakers who share bank rhetoric of some Democratic law- the middle class and help the rich grow remained well below its long-term average of 100 points. her views more power, sources inside makers like Warren but has not had any richer. In a Dec. 12 speech, she men- Nevertheless the new figures show that French households the bank told Reuters. discussions about withholding money, tioned Citi several times as an example feel more optimistic about their personal financial situations The Massachusetts senator’s eco- a source close to the bank said. of a bank that had grown too large, say- and living standards, with consumer spending also on the rise. nomic populism and take-no-prisoners “We will continue working coopera- ing it should have been broken apart by The report highlighted a 13-point drop in the number of approach has won her a strong follow- tively with members of Congress, regu- the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. In households concerned about unemployment, its lowest since ing among liberals who raised 300,000 lators and the industry to foster con- January, Warren angered Wall Street May 2012. signatures for a petition urging her to structive discussions around policy when she successfully blocked the nom- With 3.49 million people out of work last month, unem- run for the White House in 2016. questions,” said Andrew Williams, a ination of a banker Antonio Weiss to a ployment is just shy of the record set in December. Goldman spokesman. Bank of America top post at the Treasury Department. The French economy expanded by just 0.4 percent last JPMORGAN MET is not coordinating with other banks on She argued that as a regulator he would year, the same rate as in 2013. The government forecasts 1.0 DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS when and how much to give, according likely be too deferential to his former percent growth this year. — AFP Citi spokeswoman Molly Meiners to a source familiar with the bank’s Wall Street colleagues. — Reuters Ukraine’s Russia debt threatens IMF rescue WASHINGTON: A default by Ukraine on $3 monetary reforms. It has disbursed an initial ed on a loan in the “official” sector, that is, not officially determined its position on the billion in debt to Russia this year could $5 billion payment. from a state or public institution. matter. If Russia refuses to renegotiate threaten the International Monetary Fund’s But, the IMF has warned, the breakdown “We have a non-tolerance policy,” IMF Ukraine’s debt by the end of the year, lifeline to the embattled country, an IMF of a fragile ceasefire with pro-Russia rebels spokesman William Murray told reporters at Ukraine would be forced into default, put- spokesman said Thursday. in the country’s east, the failure to resched- a regularly scheduled news conference. ting the IMF in a delicate situation. The Ukrainian government has begun ule its debt with private lenders, or domes- Ukraine’s debt to Russia should be consid- Questioned about this possibility, the negotiations with creditors for $15 billion in tic political issues could all undermine the ered state debt, he added. IMF spokesman said “it’s really too early to debt relief, part of a $40 billion, four-year plan. Kiev’s debt includes $3 billion lent by “If I’m not mistaken, the $3 billion speculate on that.” There are potential ways financial rescue envisioned by the IMF. Russia in 2010 to the previous Moscow- Eurobond comes from the Russian sover- to circumvent that scenario. The Russian The Fund has approved a $17.5 billion backed government. eign wealth fund, so it’s official debt,” he loan could be renegotiated by the Paris loan to Ukraine as part of the package in An IMF rule could threaten continuation said. In a sign of the sensitive nature of the Club of creditor nations or could be sold on exchange for the government’s successful of the Ukraine aid program. It bars the Fund topic, however, Murray clarified in a state- the secondary market, making it no longer implementation of economic, budget and from lending to a country that has default- ment several hours later that the IMF had debt owed to Moscow. — AFP BUSINESS

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 , 2015

Kuwait: Credit growth steady at 6.2%

NBK ECONOMIC REPORT

KUWAIT: Credit saw a small increase in January, half of its January 2009 value. January credit to with growth steady at 6.2% y/y. Credit was up a the sector was down by 9.2% y/y. mere KD 18 million during the month, with solid household and business credit growth offset by Robust lending a drop in securities lending. Growth in business Meanwhile, remaining credit declined by KD credit excluding securities lending accelerated 54 million, though business credit excluding to 5.8% y/y, but remained below the pace seen securities lending was robust. Lending for the during the first three quarters of 2014. Money purchase of securities, volatile on a monthly supply contracted on the back of a drop in pri - basis, was the main source of weakness, declin - vate deposits. Deposit and interbank rates eased ing by KD 165 million in January. This was offset during the month. by healthy gains in trade, real estate and “other Household debt maintained a strong pace, sectors”. While business credit excluding securi - gaining KD 83 million, though growth eased ties lending saw a good month in January, slightly to 12.5% y/y. Most of the growth in growth remained weaker than during the same household debt continued to come from install - period a year before. ment loans, whose growth stood at 15% y/y. The Broad money supply (M2) growth eased fur - strong growth in this segment continues to be ther in January to 2.2% y/y as deposits saw a driven by robust employment and household decline. Private deposits were down by KD 402 income trends, as well as strong demand for million, which was split between KD time home purchases. deposits, which declined by KD 261 million, and Credit to non-bank financials declined by KD KD sight, off by KD 219 million. Growth in the 12 million, as deleveraging in this sector narrower M1 measure of money supply fell to resumed. Nonbanks continued to deleverage, 2.6% y/y, its slowest pace since early 2012. though the pace has been declining, reflecting a Average customer deposit rates on dinar month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month time rates declined for a fourth consecutive month, stabilization in volume. Credit to nonbank finan - time deposits saw small declines in January, as deposits declined by 2-4 bps to 0.58%, 0.76%, with the 1-month KIBOR offer rate dropping by cials currently stands at KD 1.4 billion, almost did interbank rates. The average rates on the 1- 0.95% and 1.18%, respectively. KD interbank 10bps to 0.88%. Thai airlines face scrutiny over safety, bans on new flights

BANGKOK: Thailand is facing bans on new in a statement. Flag carrier Thai Airways is licensing and training, airworthiness assess - tered carriers to fly into Japanese airports. international flights and increased inspec - also affected. The disruptions come ahead ment and certification, accident investiga - The Japanese ban covers any “change of tions after the International Civil Aviation of Thailand’s traditional new year, known as tion and airline operations oversight, aviation services” and also bars airlines from Organization flagged significant concerns Songkran, a heavy travel season when air - according to a report by Watson Farley and changing the type of aircraft normally used about the country’s aviation safety, officials lines typically increase the number of Williams, an international law firm with a on scheduled routes, the Thai civil aviation said yesterday. flights. Thailand is one of the world’s top commercial transport practice. department said. The ICAO’s designation of Thailand as a tourist destinations and its tourism industry In Tokyo, a bureau spokesman Noriaki “significant safety concern” has not been is crucial to the economy, employing mil - Ban on charter flights Umezawa said the measure was a tempo - announced publicly by the UN agency but lions of people. The ICAO office in Bangkok referred rary one issued because of concerns the air - governments were informed last week. Thai Airways President Jarumporn questions to its headquarters in Montreal, lines may not fully meet international safety Kwak Young-pil, an official from South Chotikasathein said the airline would have which could not immediately be reached for standards. Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and to cancel “about five” charter flights that comment. South Korean said it was considering a Transport, said yesterday that the ICAO were being planned for the April holiday The Thai ministry’s statement did not similar ban. Kwak, the South Korean trans - made the designation on March 20. schedule. He said Thai Airways and other give details of the ICAO’s concerns or rec - port official, said it was highly unlikely that Japan has blocked new flights from Thai carriers will also have to undergo ommendations. It said that it planned to new flights would be approved. NokScoot Thailand following the ICAO decision and increased inspections by regulators from inform countries about the status of was planning to start flights to Seoul’s South Korea is considering similar meas - other countries as a result of the ICAO des - Thailand’s aviation safety and “the solutions Incheon Airport in May. ures, officials said. Existing flights aren’t ignation. to fix the faults that were found in the He said flights currently operating affected. Thailand was audited by the ICAO in inspection as soon as possible.” between Thailand and South Korea will not Among the airlines forced to cancel January, about a decade after its last assess - Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau informed be affected. Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo, flights are budget carriers Thai AirAsia X, ment in 2005. Audits assess a country’s Thailand’s civil aviation department by Thanyarat Doksone in Bangkok and Tong- NokScoot and Asia Atlantic Airline, overall ability to ensure aviation safety. email earlier this week that it will not allow hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea con - Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation said Among the areas considered are personnel new charter flights operated by Thai-regis - tributed. — AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 28 , 2015 Swiss private bank UBP buys international arm of Coutts

LONDON: State-rescued Royal Bank of British government during the 2008 finan- dling assets of more than $30 billion. tant step in that process. Following an Scotland yesterday said it has sold the inter- cial crisis. The sale follows RBS’s decision to create a extensive review, it was clear that the bank national arm of Coutts private bank to Swiss RBS will keep Coutts’ British arm follow- much slimmer bank, and includes business we are building would not be the most peer Union Bancaire Privee (UBP) for an ing the deal for the international unit report- managed from Switzerland, Monaco, the appropriate owner of the business being undisclosed amount. edly worth between $600 million and $800 Middle East, Singapore and Hong Kong. sold,” she added in a statement. The part-sale of Coutts, which counts million (550 million and 730 million euros), “Last year we set out a clear strategy to UBP said that “the acquisition is an excel- Queen Elizabeth II among its rich and according to the Financial Times newspaper. create a truly UK-focused bank,” said Alison lent strategic and geographic fit as the inter- famous clients, is in line with RBS’s strategy The bank has been the Royal Bank of Rose, chief executive of RBS’s commercial national business of Coutts has a strong of scaling back its international operations Scotland’s international private banking and and private banking unit. foothold in markets where, until this point, following a huge bailout of the bank by the wealth management arm since 2000, han- “This announcement is another impor- UBP had a limited presence”. —AFP Indian companies scramble to find women directors

SEC sets deadline of April 1 for atleast one female director

NEW DELHI: As Indian companies scramble to meet a deadline to appoint women to their boards, some wealthy business owners have a solution that meets the letter if not the intention of the law: appointing their wives. India’s market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, BEIJING: Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo speaks dur- has set a final deadline of April 1 for all ing the Indonesia-China Economic Cooperation Forum at of the country’s listed companies to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. — AFP name at least one female director. In the 12 months after the SEBI order was first announced in February 2014, only 580 US isolated as allies companies out of thousands had appointed women, according to local line up to join reports. More than 80 appointments were family of company owners. India’s wealthiest are setting a high China-led bank profile example of applying the letter of the law. Mukesh Ambani, the second WASHINGTON: US resistance to a Chinese-led Asian regional richest Indian who heads the petro- bank has left it isolated among its Asian and European allies chemicals to telecoms conglomerate and given some heft to China’s frequent complaints that Reliance Industries Ltd., appointed his Washington wants to contain its rise as a world power. wife Nita Ambani to the company’s South Korea, one of America’s closest friends in Asia, board. announced Thursday it will join the Asian Infrastructure Industrialist Gautam Singhania CHARLESTON: In this Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012 file photo, Nirupama Rao, Indian Investment Bank, or AIIB, which is intended to help finance named his wife Nawaz Singhania as a ambassador to the United States, speaks with reporters in Charleston, South construction of roads and other infrastructure. Beijing has non-executive director of his company, Carolina. India’s market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India pledged to put up most of the initial $50 billion in capital for Raymond Group, one of the world’s (SEBI), has set a deadline of April 1 for all of the country’s listed companies to the bank, which is expected to be set up by year’s end. largest textile manufacturing conglom- name at least one female director. The Ambani-led media company that owns The US has expressed concern the new bank will allow erates. Both women have business television channels CNN-IBN and CNBC in India, appointed Rao, a former for- looser lending standards for the environment, labor rights experience though not directly applica- eign secretary, as an independent director on the board of the company. —AP and financial transparency, undercutting the World Bank, ble to overseeing a conglomerate. where the US has the most clout, and the Asian Development Globally, women lag far behind men diversity in the boardroom, naming kin although he did not specify what the Bank, where it is the second-largest shareholder after Japan. in making their way to top management to the board might not add to healthy penalties would be. But since Britain broke with Washington two weeks ago positions and corporate boards. But the debate and decision-making since Sinha said he found it “very shame- and announced it was signing up for the AIIB, the floodgates situation is dire in Asia where among someone close to a powerful figure in ful” that in India about “9,000 listed have opened. France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland quickly the leading economies China tops the the company would be unwilling to companies can’t find even one woman followed. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott heavily list with women making up 8 percent of challenge them. who is competent enough to be on their hinted Australia would also join. While Japan, which has tense corporate board directors. Japan with 2 Others feel appointing family mem- board.” relations with China, is still holding out, the Obama adminis- percent and South Korea with 1 percent bers should not necessarily be viewed as In Parliament, junior minister for tration appears increasingly at odds with sentiment in the are at the bottom of the heap. In India, negative. “There is no reason that com- finance Jayant Sinha assured lawmakers very region where it has striven to forge closer ties for the past women are 5 percent of directors. panies should not appoint women from last week that the SEBI would take “nec- five years. India and all 10 members of Southeast Asia’s “You can have as many laws put in the family to be on the board as long as essary action” once the compliance of regional bloc are among the more than 30 governments that place, but unless the promoter or the they have the necessary qualifications,” companies became known at the end of have so far sought to join the bank before a March 31 dead- management of the company wants to said Shachi Irde, executive director of March. line. That has prompted handwringing among Asia-watchers bring about a change and better gover- Catalyst India WRC, which works to in Washington. Many policy experts have been urging for nance, there are always ways to comply expand opportunities for women in the Experienced months that the US has a better shot at reforming the new in letter, but not in spirit,” said Pranav workplace. This week, companies were rushing bank from inside the tent than outside. Haldea, managing director of Prime The market regulator initially gave to name women to their boards. Around Database, a firm that tracks listed com- companies eight months to comply with 60 companies, including some major Small issue panies. its requirement for greater female rep- Indian conglomerates, announced the “By maintaining their distance from the bank, American resentation on boards. The deadline was appointment of women directors. and Japanese responses seem problematic at best and churl- 9,000 listed companies later extended to April after companies Tata International appointed invest- ish at worst,” wrote Jonathan Pollack, a specialist on East Asia There are about 9,000 listed compa- asked for more time. But last week, the ment banker Vedika Bhandarkar as a at the Brookings Institution. nies in India. The Bombay Stock regulator issued a stern warning that non-executive independent director on “It is a small-potato issue that is making the United States Exchange, which is the biggest Indian the April deadline was not going to be Tuesday. Bajaj Auto named business his- look weak at a time when US influence in the region is other- bourse, has about 4,200 active member extended and erring companies would torian Gita Piramal to its board this wise quite strong,” said Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia companies. The rest are divided face strict regulatory action by SEBI and week. Last week, Tata’s IT services arm, studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. between the NSE and a clutch of smaller stock exchanges. Tata Consultancy Services, appointed China has been reveling in Washington’s unease. After the regional stock markets. “The consequences will be according Aarthi Subramanian as an executive European nations signed up, a commentary in the official Experts say while the intention of to the law and can be very serious,” SEBI director for a three year term. She was Xinhua news agency began triumphantly: “Welcome appointing women was to bring about chief Upendra Kumar Sinha warned, already a senior executive at TCS.— AP Germany! Welcome France! Welcome Italy!”—AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 28 , 2015 Modi urges well-off Indians to give up gas subsidies

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi previous government. “I appeal to all those from a programme that offers subsidised gas and petrol imports by 10 percent over yesterday urged affluent Indians to give up who can afford cooking gas at market rates cooking gas, helping the government save the next seven years as it seeks to reduce its their cooking gas subsidies to help the ener- to please give up your gas subsidies,” Modi one billion rupees ($16 million). Many poor energy bills and become more self-sufficient. gy-starved country’s poor access clean fuel. said at an energy conference in New Delhi. Indian households cook their meals over Since taking office last year, Modi has lifted Fuel subsidies are a massive expense in “The money we save with your help, we smoky earthen stoves fired by wood, hay or diesel price controls to reduce the national India, contributing to an overall subsidy bill will use for the poor so that they have access cow dung, causing respiratory problems- energy bill and opened millions of bank that ballooned to $43 billion, or two percent to clean energy too.” He said 280,000 con- particularly among children. The Indian accounts to enable subsidies to go directly of gross domestic product (GDP), under the sumers had already voluntarily unsubscribed leader also said the country should cut oil, to the poor and circumvent corruption. —AP Japanese inflation stalls in February TOKYO: Japanese inflation stalled in February with a key measure of prices flat for the first time in nearly two years, data showed yesterday, weighed by a plunge in oil rates and tepid consumer spending. The dismal figures come after Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda acknowledged this month that dragging the country out of years of deflation was proving to be “very challenging”, and he warned that inflation may temporarily fall to zero. While core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, rose 2.0 percent in February, a measure that strips out the impact of a sales tax rise last year-which is the BoJ’s bench- mark-came in flat from a year ago. The reading was far short of the bank’s goal of sustained 2.0 percent inflation and marks the first month of zero growth since May 2013, just after Tokyo launched a high-profile bid to kickstart the economy and conquer deflation. Inflation is a key measure of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to end years of stagnant or falling prices that have been blamed for holding back growth in the world’s number three economy. Prices had been on the rise after the programme TOKYO: Men walk past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, yesterday. Asian shares were lackluster was launched, largely due to Japan’s heavy post-Fukushima yesterday as the conflict in Yemen ripped through the Middle East and Japanese data showed the world’s No. 3 economy energy bills as it turned to pricey fossil fuel alternatives follow- is still in the doldrums. — AP ing the atomic accident. The so-called Abenomics growth blitz-including big government spending and massive central bank monetary easing-helped pull down the yen, which in Asian markets mixed as turn pushed up import costs. But oil prices have tumbled since the summer and con- sumers snapped their wallets shut after the government Yemen crisis hits sentiment raised sales taxes to 8.0 percent from 5.0 percent in April to help pay down Japan’s enormous national debt. Doubts are growing over what many see as an overly ambi- Euro struggles after tumbling in New York tious inflation target-even among policymakers themselves. Minutes from the central bank’s January meeting showed that HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed and the Nasdaq lost 0.27 percent. Manufacturing Co. was 2.06 percent lower three of nine BoJ board members doubted the chances of yesterday in edgy trade as investors at Tw$142.5. reaching the price target. tracked the crisis in Yemen, with fears that Oil prices retreat Wellington added 0.36 percent, or Separate data yesterday showed spending among unrest in the country could turn into a The events sent oil prices racing higher 21.08 points, to 5,919.94. Telecom giant Japanese households dropped for the 11th month in a row, wider Middle East conflict. Thursday as investors fretted about possi- Spark was up 0.34 percent at NZ$2.98 and although the 2.9 percent decline in February from a year earli- Wall Street provided another negative ble disruptions to supplies from the crude- Contact Energy added 1.01 percent to er was smaller than the 5.1 percent fall in January. lead while the euro struggled after tum- rich region. NZ$5.98. The unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent in bling in New York from levels above $1.10 US benchmark West Texas Manila ended flat, edging up 6.86 February from 3.6 percent a month earlier. earlier in the day as traders sought out Intermediate (WTI) jumped $2.22, or 4.5 points to 7,877.96. Universal Robina was Following annual labour talks, many companies have safe investments. Oil price also dipped a percent, to $51.43 — its highest level in up 1.56 percent at 221.40 pesos and responded to Abe’s call to boost wages, which he sees as cru- day after surging on fears the unrest in more than three weeks-while Brent Metrobank was down 0.51 percent at cial to putting more money in workers’ pockets and driving up Yemen could disrupt supplies from major jumped $2.71 to $59.19. 97.10 pesos but Energy Development spending. But a majority of economists surveyed by crude producers nearby. However, yesterday the two contracts Corp was up 0.24 percent at 8.51 pesos. Bloomberg News this month expect another round of easing Tokyo tumbled 0.95 percent, or 185.49 retreated a touch. WTI was down $1.02 to Kuala Lumpur lost 0.27 percent, or 5.05 by October, even as the economy crept out of a brief reces- points, to finish at 19,285.63 and Seoul fell $50.41 and Brent eased $1.19 cents to points, to 1,813.37. Maybank fell 0.11 per- sion in the last quarter of 2014. 0.14 percent, or 2.76 points, to 2,019.80, $58.00. “While we’ve got no actual supply cent to 9.21 ringgit, Tenaga shed 1.80 per- while Hong Kong was barely changed, disruption it’s pretty clear that the market cent to 14.20 ringgit, while Telekom “The plunge in oil will keep capping gains in consumer edging down 10.88 points to 24,486.20. is focused on the potential here, which is gained 0.14 percent to 7.16 ringgit. prices,” said Takeshi Minami, an economist at Norinchukin However, Sydney added 0.69 percent, enormous,” Michael McCarthy, a chief Jakarta ended up 0.52 percent, or Research Institute. SMBC Nikko Securities added that the cen- or 40.84 points, to close at 5,919.9 follow- markets strategist at CMC Markets in 28.05 points, at 5,396.85. Coal miner Bukit tral bank would have little choice but to “carry on with the ing a heavy fall Thursday, while Shanghai Sydney, told Bloomberg News. Asam gained 2.44 percent to 10,500 rupi- (easing) policy until the actual inflation rate rises”.— AFP ended up 0.24 percent, or 9.00 points, at “We’re likely to see a further increase in ah, while construction firm Wijaya Karya 3,691.10 on hopes for more Chinese stim- volatility as the price reacts to develop- slipped 1.32 percent to 3,355 rupiah. ulus. ments.” The edginess has led dealers into Mumbai ended nearly flat at 27,458.64 US traders ran for the sidelines safer investments, hitting the euro. In points. Hindalco Industries rose 2.97 per- Thursday after Saudi Arabian jets targeted afternoon trade the euro, which was cent to 133.55 rupees, while telecom rebel positions as part of its support of above $1.10 in Tokyo Thursday, bought major Bharti Airtel fell 5.64 percent to Yemen’s president, who fled his presiden- $1.0811 yesterday, compared with 376.20 rupees. tial complex the previous day after it was $1.0884 in US trade. The single currency Bangkok ended flat, edging down 1.19 attacked by a warplane. was also at 129.04 yen against 129.71 yen points, to 1,495.22. Siam City Cement Iran condemned the action by a Saudi in New York. The dollar was at 119.30 yen, plunged 6.04 percent to 358.00 baht, coalition of regional Sunni nations, which compared with 119.18 yen in New York while oil company PTT Exploration and has exacerbated longstanding Saudi- late Thursday. Gold fetched $1,198.77 Production dipped 1.79 percent to 109.50 Iranian tensions. Saudi Arabia, the world’s against $1,205.54 late Thursday. baht. top crude producer, also ramped up secu- Singapore rose 0.54 percent, or 18.51 TOKYO: Shoppers check vegetables at a market in Tokyo rity along its borders and across the king- In other markets: points, to close at 3,450.10. Singapore yesterday. Japanese inflation stalled in February with a dom, including at oil facilities. Taipei fell 1.20 percent, or 115.40 Airlines climbed 1.44 percent to Sg$11.95 key measure of prices flat for the first time in nearly two In New York the Dow eased 0.23 per- points, to 9,503.72. Acer shed 3.27 percent while Singapore Telecom advanced 1.38 years. — AFP cent, the S&P 500 dropped 0.24 percent to Tw$20.7 while Taiwan Semiconductor percent to Sg$4.41. —AFP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Fast & Furious court ban sparks anger in Thailand Page 24

Actor Vin Diesel pumps his fist at the crowd as he arrives at a promotional event for the movie ‘Furi- ous 7’ , also known as ‘Fast and Furious 7’ , ahead of its April release in Beijing. —AP

weekender front.indd 1 3/27/15 7:36 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Nick Jonas understands why Perry Malik quit thankful for One Direction injury-free tour he former Jonas Brothers member can relate to the difficulties caused by being in he ‘Dark Horse’ singer has been on Tsuch a hugely successful group with such her ‘Prismatic World Tour’ since May an intense fan base and why those difficulties T2014 and admits it has been her most made Zayn decide to leave 1D on Wednesday. physically grueling run of shows yet, with Nick is grateful he was in his band - which broke highlights including running on a tread- up in 2013 after eight years together - with his mill, being flown around arenas in a har- brothers Joe and Kevin, so no matter what hap- ness while holding balloons and several pened with their career they knew their family complicated dance routines. Although Katy bond came first. In an interview with has suffered the occasional fall none of her ‘Entertainment Tonight’, Nick said: “It’s a lot mishaps have been serious and she credits of pressure. I think that my situation was the error-free run of shows on the intense really unique, I had family with me. I feel rehearsal schedule she and her crew fol- like it is a tough world already, and I lows. Speaking at the premiere of her new was thankful to have family and walk concert movie ‘Katy Perry: Prismatic World through it with them, but it’s all about Tour’ at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los how you balance it, and trying to implement a few moments of normalcy and quietness in a really crazy ride.” The 22-year-old musician has sent a message of support to Zayn, the rest of One Direction - Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne - and the group’s fans in the wake of Zayn’s departure. The ‘Jealous’ hitmaker added: “I feel for the fans, and totally understand fame as well and what he’s going through, all the best to all of them.” Zayn, 22, revealed he decided to leave 1D after five years, during which time they became the biggest pop band in the world, because wants to live a more “normal” life.

he 36-year-old star - who already has five children, Harvey, 13, TJunior, nine, Princess, seven, 18- month-old Jett and seven-month-old Bunny - is keen to have as many kids as she physically can and would also con- sider adopting in a bid to hit double fig- ures. Katie - who has Jett and Bunny with husband Kieran Hayler - said: “I’d like to come down one day and have 10 kids sitting around the kitchen table - that, to me, would really be a success. “I want this marriage to work and I want more children. I want as many as I can have before a doctor says ‘no more’ and then I’m going to adopt.” The former Angeles, she revealed: “I’ve never gotten model - who was left devastated last hurt. I would say I barely fell once but it’s year when she discovered Kieran had very hard to find on the Internet and it just cheated on her with two of her best never made the news...Thankfully every- friends - insists she is a “good mum” thing has been really protected and we and has vowed to “always” be there for pray right before for that protection. And her kids. She added to ES magazine: we are really well rehearsed. We rehearsed “I’m not a conventional mum but I’m a for this for like three months. We kind of good mum. My kids are happy, polite carved it out for six months but actual and respectful. “They know most things physical rehearsal was a good three that happen to me but they deal with it. months.” Katy also revealed she is keeping I’m always there, we talk about any- her hair black because she’s in mourning thing.” Katie and Kieran renewed their for the imminent end of her tour ahead of wedding vows last month and they the summer. The 30-year-old pop superstar seemed to be very much enjoying each has dyed her locks blonde, pink, blue, other’s company on Thursday as they green and purple over the years but she’s Price keen on enjoyed a date at Thorpe Park in Surrey, going to stick with black for now. south east England. The couple headed Speaking to E! Katy said: “My hair is black to the theme park for the launch of the because I’m in mourning because this new ‘I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of tour is almost finished. But I do think having 10 children Here!’ maze, which was inspired by the it’s time for me to have a nap, a reality TV show of the same name on little sleeping beauty for a which she fell for her now-ex-husband second.” Peter Andre. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Beckinsale praises the role of journalists

he 41-year-old actress plays journal- share some similar traits which set them ist Simone Ford in new psychologi- apart from other individuals. Beckinsale Tcal thriller ‘The Face of an Angel’ - believes the way both actors and journal- which is inspired by the real life story of ists observe situations and have the abili- Amanda Knox who was accused of the ty to disengage emotionally from events murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007 - and can lead people to mistakenly have a from portraying a reporter she now has a negative view of what they do. She new found respect of the profession and added: “I think it’s also true that journal- its importance. In an interview with The ists and actors share some qualities. Say Guardian newspaper, Beckinsale said: “It you’re having a terrible argument with was weird for me to be playing the jour- your boyfriend and you’re breaking up. nalist but I realized quickly how impor- For an actor there’s this still slight dis- tant it was for my character that people tance where you’re observing the event, were giving her information. It isn’t just thinking, ‘This is what it looks and feels salacious; it isn’t just what she wore in like to be breaking up with someone.’ I court. And if we don’t have journalists we think that journalists have that same abili- live in a police state.” The screen beauty ty to step back and see things from a dif- also believes that actors and journalists ferent perspective. Hudgens believes in feminism because of Beyonce he ‘Spring Breakers’ star has admit- the reverse effect, where it’s so overpow- ted she used to be “on the fence” ering and so aggressive that it’s like rather Tabout girl power but has had a than just standing up for female pride and change of heart because of the ‘Drunk In female rights, it becomes, like, ‘I am the Love’ hitmaker. She said: “Now I feel like man.’” Meanwhile, Vanessa also opened there’s this new wave of feminists coming up about her previous relationship with up that are truly about equal rights for Zac Efron, admitting she was a little jeal- women. I mean, Beyonce is, like, killing the ous of all the women giving him attention. game, and I love her.” The 26-year-old She told the New York Times newspaper: actress also defended her previous stance “Girls were running after him, and I was on feminism, admitting it was because she giving them death stares. “Then I realized feels sometimes it’s taken so far that it has that’s not what that’s about. ‘Spread the the “reverse effect”. She said: “I feel like it love, be a good person, they support you, Snoop gets to a certain place where it almost has be nice.’” Jenner thinks Rob Kardashian planning huge birthday is ‘emotionally unstable’ bash for Beckham he ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ star has report- edly banned her 28-year-old son from appearing on he ‘Young, Wild and Free’ hitmaker Tthe reality show because of his mental state. A source wants to give the former footballer - shared: “Kris doesn’t want Rob on the show when he is Twho turns 40 on May 2 - a night to emotionally unstable.” Up until recently, Rob has been hid- remember in Sin City, but the hunk doesn’t ing away from the spotlight but a post on his Instagram have to worry about telling his wife Victoria account - where he compared his sister Kim Kardashian Beckham about the trip as the rapper is West to ‘Gone Girl’s psychotic Amy Dunne - ensured he already planning to speak to her. He said: was back in the headlines, with those close to him worried “My boy David hits the big 4-0 this year and about his “unhealthy mental state”. They said: “The atti- you know, we got to do something big to cel- tude has always been that when Rob gets his act together, Hudson carries a skipping ebrate. It’s gotta be Vegas, there ain’t starts working out and loses weight, everything will be nowhere else it can be. You know what hap- good and he will be happy. “But behind the weight gain is pens in Vegas stays in Vegas. He ain’t got to this very unhealthy mental state that he keeps struggling rope everywhere with.” Another insider has claimed the sock designer has worry about Victoria, I will speak with her and he ‘Almost Famous’ actress makes sure she works out every day and if explain when a man turns 40 he needs to go “retreated” more after becoming increasingly “depressed”. They added to PEOPLE magazine: “He has retreated more. she is struggling to find the time she squeezes in a number of short away with his boys.” But if David - who has sessions, wherever she is in the world. Her trainer Nicole Stuart said: children Brooklyn, 16, Romeo, 12, Cruz, 10, He’s sad, he’s bitter, he’s single. He is very depressed and T has been [for a while].” “She carries a skipping rope in her bag everywhere she goes, and if she only and three-year-old Harper with the fashion has a few minutes free, she’ll do some. Even just five minutes, four times a designer - is hoping to simply share a few qui- day ads up to an entire 20 minutes of cardio. “Kate would be the first to tell et drinks with the star then he is mistaken as you there’s no magic pill or short cut and if you want a body like hers, you the 43-year-old rapper wants the pair to roll have to put in the work. That’s all there is to it.” Kate - who has sons Ryder, back the years and drop it like it’s hot in style. 10, from her marriage to Chris Robinson, and Bingham, three, with ex-fiancÈ He is quoted by The Sun newspaper as say- Matt Bellamy - knows it is important to set aside time to “work up a sweat” ing: “40 is nothing these days. We’ll show we every day. Nicole added to LOOK magazine: “She makes it a priority to take can go harder than the kids.” Snoop has a at least 20 minutes out of her day to work up a sweat, no matter how busy great record when it comes to throwing birth- she is. “She’s very active anyway and loves things like dancing, yoga, box- day parties as just last month he put on a ing, hiking and playing tennis. “But if she’s not doing that, she’s running ‘Coming to America’-themed birthday bash around after her kids so there’s not a day goes by where Kate does nothing for his 18-year-old son Cordell Broadus, which at all. “It’s not that she loves working out, it’s a part of her daily routine, like featured a throne and rose petals in a nod to brushing her teeth and she’s got over that hurdle of not being able to make Eddie Murphy’s 1988 movie. herself do it. — Bangshowbiz SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Fast & Furious court ban sparks anger in Thailand hai fans of “The Fast and the Furious” reacted with anger yesterday after a court banned the latest instalment of the Tblockbuster franchise following a contract dispute with a local actor. “Fast and Furious 7” had been due to open in cinemas on April 1. But it was blocked by a court injunction late Thursday after a movie studio filed a lawsuit saying local film star Tony Jaa was in breach of contract for appearing in the film. Suwat Apaipakdi, a lawyer for Sahamongkol Film International, said the company had filed their suit because Jaa was committed to them in an exclusive contract until 2023. “The court has ordered a ban on showing the movie until there is a fur- ther ruling”, he said. He added that Sahamongkul Film International is seeking 1.6 billion baht ($49 million) damages from Jaa, film studio Universal Pictures and local distributor United International Pictures (UIP). By yesterday afternoon more than 20,000 people had joined a Facebook page calling for the court to lift the ban and bemoan- In this file photo, Actor Vin Diesel poses during the photo call ing that legal wrangling had stopped fans from seeing the film. of the movie ‘Fast and Furious 5’. — AP “Don’t let a dispute between two people stop others across the country missing their beloved movie,” wrote the page creator under the title “Thais need to watch Fast and Furious 7”. “I have been waiting for a long time. How could you do this?” Oscars weighted wrote another Facebook user Nam Anone Diiz. A local branch of UIP did not respond to AFP requests for comment while Jaa and Universal Pictures were both unavailable. Jaa came from a poor against action background in Thailand’s impoverished northeast to become one of the country’s best known “Muay Thai” martial artists. He plays a villain in the latest Fast and Furious title and has a scene fight- films: Vin Diesel ing longterm franchise star Paul Walker. Walker was himself killed in November 2013, having complet- in Diesel said yesterday that the latest “Fast & Furious” film ed much of his part in filming the seventh instalment, when a car deserves a best picture Oscar but has two strikes against it he was riding in with another man crashed and burst into Vwhen it comes to the Academy - it’s an action flick and it’s flames. The first “Fast and Furious” movie appeared in 2001. The a sequel. “Do I shy away from aiming high? No, I don’t,” said the series, with its focus on fast cars, tough guys, sexy starlets and 47-year-old actor, who has appeared in virtually all of the “Fast & exotic locales, is one of Hollywood’s most successful global fran- Furious” action films based around fast cars. He spoke to The chises. — AFP Associated Press while in Beijing to promote the new film. “And yet we all know that there’s a little stigma towards action films, we know it, we’ve heard people complain about it, we’ve heard Marvel complain about it, we’ve heard DC complain about it, and now Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Batman has never got- ten a shot at that,” he said. Alluding to the fact that many of the recent Oscar best picture winners haven’t fared well at the box office, Diesel said: “The Oscars have been somewhat criticized in the last couple of years for maybe not being as populist as they could be, but we have a very powerful movie here.” He said that “Fast & Furious 7” has an “emotional toll,” which Oscar-winner Cotillard takes may make people argue that it is more directed toward women. “We’re actually responding to the fact that our woman audience has just increased and has either eclipsed or threatening to eclipse our male audience, we’ve seen that across the board,” Joan of Arc to New York said Diesel, who also produces the Universal Pictures’ movie. Awarding sequels rench actress Marion Cotillard will play Joan of Arc Diesel said that the Academy hasn’t given a best picture Oscar with the New York Philharmonic in a production of to a sequel since a 1974 movie - “The Godfather: Part II.” However, FArthur Honegger’s oratorio, the orchestra announced the nod has gone more recently to the final film in a trilogy, “The Thursday. Cotillard, who won an Oscar for portraying singer Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2004. In “Fast & Edith Piaf in the movie “La Vie en Rose,” will perform in Furious 7,” Diesel plays street racer Dominic Toretto, whose fami- “Joan of Arc at the Stake” for the New York Philharmonic’s ly is threatened by Jason Statham’s character, who is out for season finales from June 10-13. revenge for the death of his brother. Statham said audiences will The performances mark the US premiere of director be able to relate to the fact that both men are standing up for Come de Bellescize’s production of “Joan of Arc at the their family. Stake,” which opened in Japan in 2012 at Seiji Ozawa’s Saito “All cultures around the world, wherever you go, everyone Kinen festival and recently toured France with Cotillard. knows what family means,” said Statham. He was also in Beijing Cotillard-who was also nominated for an Oscar this year to promote the movie and attend the China premiere, along with with “Two Days, One Night”-will be making her New York Michelle Rodriguez, who plays racer Letty Ortiz. The film is one of Philharmonic debut. the last movies starring Paul Walker, who died in a car crash dur- But she has repeatedly portrayed Joan of Arc in ing a break in the filming of “Fast & Furious 7” in November 2013. Honegger’s oratorio, a role also played by her mother Walker was a passenger in the car, and investigators cited unsafe Niseema Theillaud. Cotillard in a statement described the speed as a cause of the accident. role as “one of my greatest experiences as an actress.” The The movie was completed with help from Walker’s brothers oratorio covers the final moments of Joan of Arc as she was and is a tribute to him. Rodriguez said Walker loved the world of burned at the stake, with flashbacks to the peasant girl’s racing and adrenaline sports. “I’m going to celebrate him, and I’m short life rallying against English forces. De Bellescize said going to celebrate everything that he represented about the cel- that the oratorio, which Honegger wrote on the eve of ebration of life and the love of pushing life to its edge because World War II, could have easily been turned into a national- there are individuals on this planet that can’t live otherwise, they ist anthem. “But it’s really the opposite: it is about going out can’t live ordinary lives cooped up hiding from danger and I’m of the darkness and trying to find the light with the power one of those people and he was one of those people,” she said. of love,” he said. “The whole world meets together in New “Fast & Furious 7,” also known as “Furious 7,” opens in the United York, and I think there is something universal to say with States on April 3 and in China on April 12. — AP Marion Cotillard this production.” — AFP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

(From left) Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, and Arnold Schwarzenegger pose for a portrait during press day for “Terminator Genisys” at The London Hotel in Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger’s back for epic ‘Terminator: Genisys’

s promised, the Terminator and the man who originated the again to really get up to speed with the character,” he said. The film when James Cameron first introduced us to the T-800 31 years ago. steely machine - Arnold Schwarzenegger - are back this opens in a familiar spot - 2029, when the war against the all-power- “In ‘84, this was total science fiction - when machines take over. Asummer for another go in “Terminator: Genisys,” and ful artificial intelligence system Skynet is raging. Resistance leader And now, we’re there,” said Schwarzenegger. “That’s the wild thing Paramount Pictures, eager for a blockbuster, has already fired up a John Connor (Jason Clarke) once again sends soldier Kyle Reese (Jai about it. When we did this movie, it was kind of almost reality, machine of its own - the publicity kind. Courtney) back to 1984 to save his mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia unlike in 1984 where we thought, ‘oh well wouldn’t this be a funny With four films, over $1 billion in box office receipts, and a jum- Clarke), from being killed by a Terminator. But this time, things are world.’ Things have changed.” Jason Clarke jumped in to agree. bled time-travel mythology, “Terminator: Genisys” is taking the ele- different. Sarah has her own protector: An aged Terminator who “Good science fiction is relatable. It mirrors what we’re going ments of James Cameron’s 1984 original and twisting them a bit to has raised her since childhood. through and Cameron set up wonderful, iconic metaphors and create an entirely new timeline. Getting a jump on a summer that’s characters for us to play with,” he said. “Judgment Day still exists. It chock full of franchise fare, including continuations of “The Familiar times and places just might not be nuclear.” Avengers” and “Jurassic Park,” Paramount has undertaken an early “We’re really harking back to James Cameron’s original charac- While there are many Terminator die-hards out there waiting, as publicity campaign, including the recent showcasing of a few min- ters that were in one and two and we’re taking it from there,” said Courtney says, “to criticize this thing,” when it finally hits theaters utes of action-packed footage from “Terminator: Genisys.” Then, Emilia Clarke. The footage - basically a trailer on steroids - takes on July 1, he believes they’ll be pleasantly surprised. “The beauty of Schwarzenegger and other key cast members attended a press what fans have already seen in the first trailer, which debuted in what we’ve done is not only stayed loyal to the original source event earlier this week on the Paramount lot - all to help generate December, and gives everything a bit more context, like what hap- material but opened it up to a whole new generation,” said early buzz for what the studio hopes will be a bona fide block- pens when Kyle pops up in 1984 and why that school bus starts Courtney. “I think we’ll succeed in bringing them in.” Paramount buster. Paramount is on a major push to restore its once robust pro- cartwheeling on the Golden Gate Bridge, in addition to one mas- and franchise partner Skydance Productions plan two more duction prowess. Although its franchises, including “Transformers” sive secret. “Terminator” films in the next few years. — AP and “Mission: Impossible,” have been successful, the studio has The project on the whole is an intensely hush-hush endeavor, lagged behind its Hollywood counterparts in recent years. but director Alan Taylor (“Thor: The Dark World”) has said many Seated on a massive couch next to his three new co-stars, times that, at its heart, the film is about man’s relationship to tech- Schwarzenegger seemed glad to be back. “I watched all the movies nology in the modern age. In 2015, that idea has evolved from Hit show ‘Downton Abbey’ to end after six seasons

he sixth season of British television series Downton Abbey and a cult hit in the United States-the program has been broadcast will be its last, producers said Thursday, bringing an end to in more than 100 countries, including Australia, Russia and China. Tthe hit drama followed by millions around the world. The final season is to have nine episodes, with the last one air- “Inevitably there comes a time when all shows should end and ing on Christmas Day. Downton writer Julian Fellowes said: “The Downton is no exception,” said Gareth Neame, managing director Downton journey has been amazing for everyone aboard.” Michael at Carnival Films and executive producer of the show, which is now Edelstein, president at NBCUniversal International Television in production. Production, said: “Downton Abbey is nothing short of a global cul- “We wanted to close the doors of Downton Abbey when it felt tural phenomenon.” He said the series would be “a beacon of right and natural for the storylines to come together and when the British creativity that will live on for decades to come”. The fifth sea- show was still being enjoyed so much by its fans.” However, Neame son of the show, which started last year, had 8.4 million viewers on said he would be open to making a Downton film. “We would be its first episode. Producer Neame predicted that Lord and lady very interested in that. It’s definitely something we’re contemplat- Carnarvon, who own the majestic Highclere Castle in southern ing,” Neame said. England where the series is filmed, had been “incredibly patient” The period drama, which follows the lives of the aristocratic while the show was filmed. “I think in one sense they’ll be relieved Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th century, aver- to see all the cameras and trucks pull out of their drive and I think aged a weekly audience of 11 million viewers in Britain alone. In the like the rest of us they’ll miss a lot of the experience,” Neame said. In this image released by PBS, Maggie Smith as the Dowager past five years it has also become “one of the UK’s biggest ever dra- — AFP Countess Grantham, is shown in a scene from the second sea- ma exports”, according to Carnival Films and Britain’s ITV channel, son on ‘Downton Abbey’. — AP which commissioned the series. A critical and commercial success- SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Jenny Kelly walks with her daughter, Elea, 2, in Seattle’s downtown Pioneer Square neighbor- Jenny Kelly and her daughter play on a slide on the balcony of their loft apartment building in hood. — AP photos Seattle’s downtown Pioneer Square neighborhood. Parents seek urban lifestyles for kids small but growing number of parents are bucking a trend Children still make up a much smaller percentage of Seattle’s pop- He said a downtown school and more affordable housing will be when it comes to raising their kids: Rather than move to sub- ulation, compared with the rest of the state or the US, but recent keys to keeping families in the urban core. A city benefits when there’s Aurbs as their parents once did, many are opting to stay in or trends suggest Seattle is doing a better job of holding onto those kids, a diverse mix of people downtown, said Calvert. Attracting families, near downtown. Some do it to seek an urban lifestyle, shorten com- according to Sightline Institute, a Seattle-based think tank. The city is not just young professionals or empty-nesters, creates a sense of com- mutes or be within proximity to restaurants, museums and other growing its share of kids under 15 at a time when that percentage is munity. Lindsey Carillo, 31, grew up in a suburb of Detroit but wanted attractions. Along the way, they’re pushing cities to be more welcom- declining elsewhere. “We seem to be closing the child gap,” said Eric to expose her kids to city living. “It gives them a different way of liv- ing to families. Parents in cities across the country, including Seattle, De Place, the group’s policy director. ing,” said the mother of two kids, who are 8 and 1. “I want my kids to Minneapolis and Denver, are banding together to advocate for new Between 2007 and 2012, the number of downtown kids enrolled have a cultured experience growing up.” Her family of four shares a downtown schools, more playgrounds and more affordable family- in kindergarten to eighth grade jumped nearly 30 percent, according two-bedroom high-rise apartment in downtown Seattle. friendly housing. “The benefit of living in the city so far outweighed to the Downtown Seattle Association, a business group that has Occasionally, her son wishes he had a backyard and could walk to what we would get by moving out to the suburbs,” said Jenny Kelly, worked to get more families downtown. Parents used to stay until school, but “he loves to show off where we live as well,” she said. 32, a marketing consultant who helped form a parents group in 2013, their kids reached age 5 and half would leave downtown, said Jon Paul Hughes and his wife Heidi didn’t want to give up on urban liv- now called Parents for a Better Downtown Seattle. Scholes, the association’s CEO who is raising 5-year-old twins down- ing when they had a son. The couple likes that their second-grader She and her husband Michael moved downtown in their 20s and town. But he’s starting to see parents staying longer than before. son, Silas, is exposed to more experiences in the city. They would like stayed when they had 2-year-old Elea. Both walk to work from their Schools, parks and other amenities matter, he said. the city to do more, including adding playgrounds and a school. And loft apartment in Pioneer Square, where the laundry room doubles as In Minneapolis, Melissa and Aaron Whitney downsized from a they wouldn’t mind having more playmates for their son in their the toddler’s bedroom. Kelly and other parents recently pushed for a 2,700-square foot five-bedroom home in the suburb to an apartment building, either. “It’s nowhere near as challenging as people think it is,” public school downtown, and they lobbied to include a playground in half that size in downtown. “We drank the Kool-Aid. We thought once Hughes said. “The more people see it working, the more they think it’s a redesign of the city’s waterfront. we got married, we had to buy a house in the suburb,” said Aaron possible.” — AP Whitney, 40, a technology consultant. They quickly realized they Amenity for families didn’t want to spend their time on home repairs or yard work and Seattle offers developers near downtown the chance to build taller already spent so much leisure time downtown that they moved back if they provide space for a school, though no one has taken up the with their son, who is now 2. offer. Some cities are trying to respond to families, albeit slowly. Portland revised building codes to allow courtyard housing, consid- Green spaces ered an amenity for families. And Baltimore Mayor Stephanie The couple said they wouldn’t mind more green spaces and Rawlings-Blake has pledged to grow her city by 10,000 families. affordable housing in the city. A new school opens up in downtown “Families with children are indicator species about the health of an this fall, and they’re watching its progress to decide where they’ll urban neighborhood,” said Gary Johnson, Seattle’s city center coordi- enroll their son. Bradley Calvert, 33, who moved from Atlanta to nator. For decades, Seattle has had a well-earned reputation as a Seattle with his wife and toddler last year, joined other parents in childless city. In the 1960s and 70s, as more families moved to the sub- pushing for a downtown public school. The district last month lost a urbs, their numbers in the city dropped. bid on a vacant federal building downtown.

Jenny Kelly and her husband, Michael Kelly, pose for a photo with their daughter outside the front door of their loft apartment Jenny Kelly and her husband, Michael Kelly, walk with their building. daughter. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 True owner of $16mn Picasso still a mystery

talian police are trying to establish the true Precious Roman marble owner of a Picasso painting worth 15 mil- The specialist police unit which deals Ilion Euros ($16 million) after confiscating it with crimes related to art works and cul- from a pensioner who says he was given it for tural artifacts unveiled two other signifi- free. The Rome resident, a former frame-mak- cant seizures yesterday, including a er, told detectives he received the work in Roman sculpture dating from the second 1978 as a thank you gift for an act of kindness or third century which has an estimated towards a recently bereaved customer. value of eight million Euros. A widower had come into his shop in a The marble was dug up during unau- state of distress after breaking a photo frame thorized excavations in Tarquinia, a town in which he kept a picture of his lamented late just to the north of Rome famed for its wife. Touched, the frame-maker replaced the roots in the post-Roman Etruscan period. glass for free. Two days later, the elderly cus- Police seized it as part of an investigation tomer returned to the workshop and present- into the gang behind the illegal digs ed him with the Picasso, without giving any who, they believe, were planning to drive indication of its value or artistic significance. the marble to Switzerland in order to find According to the frame-maker’s story, it a buyer. was only last year that he realized the 54 x The sculpture features the Roman God 45cm oil on canvas could be a Picasso, police Mithra killing a bull and was said to be said. The painting is a representation of a vio- almost perfectly preserved. There are lin and a bottle of Bass beer which police thought to be only two other marbles of experts have authenticated as a 1912 work by similar composition and quality in the the Spanish artist, then at the height of his world - one is in the British Museum and Cubist phase. The police became interested in the other is houses in one of Vatican Musician Shawn King is shown in the Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel in Denver. — AP it last year when auction house Sotheby’s, museums. who had been instructed by the pensioner, The third work recently recovered was attempted to secure a state authorization to another very valuable oil painting, a view export it with a declared estimated value of of St Mark’s square in Venice by noted LA musicians find 1.4 million Euros. Italian landscape painter Luca Carlevarius That triggered an investigation during (1655-1731). The work, which had been which police were able to identify the work as registered as stolen, was found following corresponding to one mentioned in a 1961 raids on the premises of a Milan art bro- universal stories edition of the Zervos, a catalogue of Picasso’s ker suspected of smuggling artworks to work which is considered the definitive guide Switzerland with a view to selling them to the Spanish artist’s prodigious output. on to wealthy collectors in the United behind headlines Bottles of Bass pale ale, which carried a distinc- States. — AFP tive red triangle on their classic labels, feature in over 40 Picasso paintings, mostly from his he trials of young people brought to called “La Bestia,” or “The Beast,” percus- Cubist period. The iconic British beer, once the the US before they are old enough to sionists beat out a train’s driving rhythm most widely drunk in the world, also puts in an know what it means to be in the coun- under the vocals of Ceci Bastida, whose first T appearance in impressionist Edouard Manet’s try illegally are the themes of an album solo album, “Veo La Marea,” was nominated 1882 painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergere. being released Thursday featuring Shawn for a Latin Grammy. Immigrants interviewed King of the Denver-based group DeVotchKa. by Mercado for his stage show recounted a The music was first created for Antonio perilous journey riding atop a train from Mercado’s play “Dreaming sin Fronteras,” or Central America into northern Mexico on Dreaming without Borders, which has been their way to the United States. They performed in Los Angeles and Denver. He described those who fell off as being eaten recruited percussionist, trumpeter and com- by “the beast.” poser King, who brought in lyricist and “Alejandra” was inspired by Alejandra singer Raul Pacheco of the Los Angeles Cardona, a Zacatecas, Mexico native who band Ozomatli. Their independently came to the US illegally as a child and was released album, titled “Los Dreamers,” is granted a special visa after she was injured rapped and sung in English and Spanish by in the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, US and Latin musicians. in 2012. Cardona has spoken of being afraid Their tracks are inspired by the stories of that reporters covering shooting would dis- young people who were children when they cover her illegal status and she and her fam- came to the US illegally and are known as ily would be deported. dreamers. The music of King’s DeVotchka is The song speaks of ideas, fate, chance gypsy folk, while Pacheco’s Ozomatli per- and “what you do with the cards you are forms a multicultural mix that includes salsa dealt,” King said. Cardona, who recovered and hip hop. Their album is a melting pot of from her injuries and now is studying social styles and moods. Millions of dreamers were work and criminal justice at Colorado State made eligible to work legally and were University, said she was humbled to have exempted from deportation under an order her story included. She praised Mercado, signed by President Barack Obama in 2012. King and Pacheco for taking the time to get A second Obama order expanded those pro- to know the dreamers. Mercado plans to tections to a larger group of dreamers, stage his play in Arizona and Texas. He casts immigrant parents of US citizens and legal young actors in the cities where the play is permanent residents. But that action is on performed and hopes to spark conversa- hold while two dozen states pursue a feder- tions about immigrant experience and poli- al lawsuit to block the order. cy. — AP

‘The beast’ “These are people who are trying to sur- vive,” Pacheco said. “To be healthy, to have food, to support yourself and your children, people do drastic things. We can all under- A Picasso painting described as being a 1912 work from the Spanish artist’s Cubist period is stand that.” On a “Los Dreamers” track displayed during a press conference in Rome. — AFP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Fashion Week India

Models display the creations of designers Eka, Rina Dhaka and Malini Ramani during the Amazon India Fashion Week in New Delhi. — AP photos SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Toronto Fashion Week

Models walks the runway for the Soia and Kyo Fall 2015 collection during Toronto fash- ion week. — AP photos TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Urgency in race for driverless cars

FRANKFURT: In the race to build a self-driving car, parts of the journey - handing control back to a distracted “Cars need much more software than aircraft. The German automakers are hitting a road block in their driver. Drivers in Germany are legally not allowed to be environment in the air is easier, there are no obstacles efforts to test vehicles so complex they need more than distracted during the testing process on public roads. E- and they are driven by professional pilots. It is much more 10 times the amount of software found in a fighter jet. mailing in a moving car on a public road is forbidden, for complicated on the ground,” Feron said. The F-35 has German laws currently place limits on testing on public example. “How much warning does a driver need to take between 5 million and 10 million lines of software code, roads. Automakers fear this is allowing US competitor back control of a vehicle after they were e-mailing? Is five compared with 100 million lines in a modern car. Google to pull ahead in developing software, specifically seconds enough, or do they need 20? These are just some According to auto supplier Bosch, automation in pas- progammes that will give cars the correct reflexes in real- of the issues that need to be resolved,” Daimler spokes- senger cars started with safety systems that intervened life traffic situations. woman Katharina Becker said. Mercedes-Benz wants cars without asking the driver for permission, such as the For years, so-called “autonomous vehicles” have been with highly autonomous functions to be on the road by introduction of anti-lock brakes in 1978, followed by trac- a distant dream but technological advances and a push 2020. tion control in 1986. by Google, with its huge financial resources, to introduce OK COMPUTERS These systems have since evolved to include adaptive a model in 2012 has kicked the race build them into high The importance of carmakers putting their feet to the cruise control, predictive emergency braking, lane-keep- gear. Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn told pedal on software verification is evident from looking at ing support, and automatic parking assistance systems. Reuters: the aircraft industry, which has 40 years experience of A recent drive on an autobahn in a Mercedes-Benz S- “We are currently testing at our research facilities, developing vehicles that run on computers. Lockheed Class on the outskirts of Stuttgart showed how far car some of them in the United States. The question is: do we Martin’s $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme, technology has already advanced. only test these cars on public roads in the United States or which began in 2001, is still being held up by software The limousine cruised comfortably in busy traffic, can we also do it in Germany. Not enough has been glitches, despite the company having more than 500 soft- keeping in lane and maintaining the distance to a truck done.” Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi already have pro- ware engineers. Eric Feron, a professor of Aerospace engi- in front, no matter how curvy the route or how slow totype autonomous vehicles out on German roads but neering at Georgia Tech, said the auto industry faces a the traffic ahead. That model can be bought in show- they lack the ability to legally test one of the most difficult massive challenge to verify software in autonomous cars. rooms today. —Reuters Wi-Fi on buses Galaxy S6 phones are wave of the future or of the past? Samsung’s best yet IOWA CITY: Free Wi-Fi on public transit is becoming a more prevalent amenity nationwide. But some agencies NEW YORK: A better design, sharper camera and easier to use are rethinking whether it is necessary, especially given the software make the new Galaxy S6 phones the best Samsung has potential growing cost to city transit programs. The theory yet to offer. is riders can click away on their laptop or tablet - browsing Although Samsung has been praised for its improved hard- the web, sending email or getting some work done - dur- ware, much of what I like is in the software - specifically, what’s not ing their bus trip. in it. After a few years of making phones difficult to use with a slew “It’s convenient, and I don’t have to use my own data,” of questionable features, Samsung continues to streamline its University of Iowa student Ashley Williams said of riding phones with the S6. Advance orders begin Friday, with delivery the popular Pentacrest route of the school’s Cambus serv- expected April 10. Prices vary by carrier, though they typically start ice. She switches from her own data plan to the wireless at $600 to $685 for the main S6 phone with 32 gigabytes of stor- signal on her phone to check Facebook or her emails age. A premium model, the Galaxy S6 Edge, costs about $100 while she waits for her stop. more and offers curved screens to glance at content from the side. In 2010, UI, Iowa City and Coralville included Wi-Fi as an Here are 5 things to know about the phones. add-on when they jointly launched a bus tracking plat- form called Bongo, through which riders can check bus HANDLING schedules and real-time location from a smartphone’s app Gone is the cheap-looking plastic back. The design is more or the computer’s. stylish, with metal sides and a glass back, similar to older iPhones. But as Cedar Rapids and other cities are considering Although I like the look, the glass makes the phone feel slippery, adding the service, the UI is reassessing its value after five like a shiny marble countertop. Get a case; the regular S6 phone years. Users offer mixed reports about the service. Wendy slipped out of my hands a few times. Apple’s iPhones now have Ren, a UI student from Fuzhou, China, said she logs in to metal backs and feel sturdier to grip. That said, the Edge version the Wi-Fi regularly. She finds it convenient but slow. doesn’t feel as slippery, perhaps because I’m gripping the back part tighter given that the screen curves halfway down the sides. Zhixiang Zhang, of Shanghai, has a similar complaint. NEW YORK: In this Monday, Feb. 23, 2015 photo, two new He likes to read financial news while on the go, but the With the new design, the S6 loses waterproof protection and the ability to replace the battery and add storage. Losses, but not big Samsung phones, Galaxy S6 (left) and Galaxy S6 Edge (right) bus Wi-Fi is more of a hurdle than an asset for him. are shown at a special press preview in New York. — AP “I don’t use it,” he said. “It’s very slow.” Brittany Faley, of ones. Johnston, also does not use the service, but her reason is icon. On S6 phones, it simply says “SEARCH.” Same goes for con- due to privacy concerns: “I don’t want people to be able to TAKING PICTURES trols such as “EDIT” and “MORE.” This applies only to Samsung access my information.” I’m impressed with the images I’ve taken so far. Many of the features and apps, though. You’ll still get mysterious icons with Cedar Rapids transit officials are exploring Wi-Fi as they shots had great focus, matching the performance of the iPhone 6. third-party apps. You also get the latest version of Android, work toward launching their own GPS-backed bus-track- Colors on a green store sign weren’t as strong as those shot with Lollipop. Benefits include bringing notifications to the lock ing suite, complete with a smartphone app. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 - and that’s good. While stunning, col- screen, similar to iPhones. That saves a lot of taps getting to the Brad DeBrower, Cedar Rapids transit manager, said the ors on Note 4 images sometimes look unnatural. I haven’t noticed message you want. You can restrict what appears there if you’re hope is to launch it this summer. “It is something we are that so far on the S6. sensitive to prying eyes. seriously considering,” DeBrower said of free Wi-Fi as an One nice touch: Quickly double tap the home button to add-on service. “I am not sure what the demand is going launch the camera, even when the screen is off. Though most PUSHING THE EDGE to be, but we see it as a feature more riders would like the phones let you launch the camera from the lock screen, I still lose The Edge model’s side displays enable some nifty features, benefit of having. We see it as a natural extension.” shots in the time it takes to slide or tap the right icon. such as having the sides flash a different color based on who’s The American Public Transportation Association found calling. But the Edge comes across as something still looking for in 2013 that 4 percent of buses had Wi-Fi service, up from WATCHING VIDEO more practical uses. The regular S6 model will be fine for most .5 percent in 2008, and the list of cities getting or expand- I liked the rich colors produced by Samsung’s Amoled screen people. Both models come with a fingerprint scanner for unlock- ing Wi-Fi on buses has been growing. An industry study by technology as I watched “Mad Men” on Netflix. But I found the ing the phone and, when Samsung Pay launches this summer, an Internet solutions company, Singlepoint, found that 80 controls very sensitive. Video stopped several times as I inadver- making payments with a tap of the phone at retail stores. Both let percent of millennials - designated for the study as ages tently hit the back button, which is built into the phone’s frame. you open multiple apps side by side - something common in tra- 18 to 34 - would favor a 50-minute bus ride with Wi-Fi over In addition, video often paused when I mistakenly touched the ditional computers but generally lacking in phones and tablets. driving 25 minutes, and 54 percent of millennials expect edge of the screen, launching the notification bar. You must han- Both also have fast-charging capabilities; I got to 47 percent in Wi-Fi or 3G/4G wherever they go. dle the phone with care. just 30 minutes on the regular S6. Research from Northwestern University and DePaul The phones remain at 5.1 inches diagonally, just a tad larger University found Wi-Fi likely will help increase ridership on FINDING WHAT YOU NEED than the iPhone 6, which got a size boost over the previous year’s public transit. Public transit ridership is up in the Iowa City Samsung’s software improvements are subtle yet welcome. models. area - but it is also up in Cedar Rapids, which doesn’t yet The most noticeable change is replacing many icons with text. The new S6 phones show that Samsung’s more than a big have Wi-Fi, and overall around Iowa. —AP For instance, there’s a tool for searching through your settings. screen. I look forward to seeing how Apple responds with new Previous Samsung phones depicted that as a magnifying glass models this fall.— AP TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Saracens at forefront of on-field concussion research

LONDON: When Saracens took the field against Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership last month only the eagle- eyed in the 7,000-strong crowd would have noticed the small plaster behind the ears of their black-shirted heroes. The white sticky tape holds in place a tiny impact sensor that the club hope will produce scientific evidence on the short-term and long-term effects of concussion on profession- al rugby players. With increased concern over head injuries in a sport of big men and big hits, Saracens, the 2011 English champions and last year’s Heineken Cup runners-up, want to be at the fore- front of research. “We’ve been aware, like most people in rug- by, for some time that concussion is an issue,” Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths told Reuters. “We thought it was time we should do something about it. We need to find answers to the long term effects of repeated concussion on a professional rugby player. “We wanted an evidence based system... and then having been concussed, an evidence based system for when a player is fit to return.” The sight of a wobbly George North staggering to his feet and playing on for Wales, despite appearing to have been momentarily knocked out, or England’s Mike Brown laying prone on the Twickenham turf after a sickening hit to the head in this year’s Six Nations has the shone the spotlight on concus- NEW YORK: This image provided by the US Army shows a page from a brochure about the Distributed Common Ground sion. “I hope more and more people are starting to understand System. Records obtained by The Associated Press show that the military has been trying to force the use of DCGS, an that concussion is not a light hearted matter,” Griffiths said. “We unpopular government-built intelligence system on special operations units deploying to war zones while blocking sol- aspire to be the club that looks after its players as well as possi- diers from using the commercial alternative they say they need. — AP ble and in 25 years time I don’t want to be visiting one of our players and find them suffering from dementia or another neu- rological disease and to say to them ‘we sort of knew some- Special ops troops using thing was going on but we didn’t really understand’” he added. The X2 patch sensors, which measure the direction and force of any blow to the head in training or matches, were developed by X2 Biosystems in Seattle and have also been used in flawed intel software America’s NFL and NHL, where the dangers of concussion-relat- ed trauma have been repeatedly highlighted. Aided by a size- WASHINGTON: Special operations troops Another armed services committee One veteran special operations intel able financial commitment by the Drake Foundation to the heading to war zones are asking for com- member, Democrat Jackie Speier of analyst, who is on his seventh deployment three-year project and the input of three leading academics in mercial intelligence analysis software they California, said in a statement that DCGS in 12 years, said his recent request for neurological disease, Griffiths hopes the results gathered will say will help their missions. But their systems built for both the Army and for Palantir for a unit heading to Iraq had met take the guesswork out of assessing when a player has fully requests are languishing, and they are special operations troops have “failed the with “pushback” both from his own head- recovered from a blow to the head. being ordered to use a flawed, in-house warfighter and the taxpayer. ... It’s a shame quarters and from bureaucrats who favor “At the moment it basically boils down to a guess,” he said system preferred by the Pentagon, accord- that the Army won’t give the troops tech- DCGS’s analytical component at the of the current concussion protocols. “We want something a ing to government records and interviews. nology that works and is less expensive Pentagon, special operations command bit more accurate. It is a kind of search and find mission. I Over the last four months, six Army when lives hang in the balance.” headquarters in Tampa, and Army special don’t know whether it will take a year, six months or two special operations units about to be Special operations units have used operations in Fort Bragg. years.” Saracens began the trial in a match against London deployed into Afghanistan, Iraq and other Palantir since 2009 to store and analyze Another special operations officer Irish last month and will look to refine and hone the pro- hostile environments have requested intelligence on information ranging from also used the term “heavy pushback” in gramme in the future. intelligence software made by Palantir, a cultural trends to roadside bomb data, but an email about his request for Palantir. Silicon Valley company that has synthe- has always been seen by top Pentagon offi- Like most active duty Army personnel FRICTION GENERATED As an example, prop forwards are the only members of the sized data for the CIA, the Navy SEALs and cials as an interim solution until their in- interviewed for this story, they declined team who do not wear the sensors because of the friction the country’s largest banks, among other house system is fielded. There is an Army to be quoted by name because they generated in the scrum. Griffiths said that one idea was that government and private entities. version of DCGS and a separate system for feared speaking out could put their impact sensors could be housed instead in a mouthguard. But just two of the requests have been special operations, although Army troops careers at risk. “At the moment the information is downloaded from the approved, in both cases by the Army after can use both. Those who have used the sys- In their statement, special operations patches after the game. Within about four or five months the members of Congress intervened with tems say neither one has delivered on its officials said their questions about Palantir patch will be reduced in size and then it delivers the informa- senior military leaders. Four other requests promise of seamlessly integrating intelli- requests should not be interpreted as tion in real time.”The results, he said, will be for the wider bene- made through U.S. Army Special gence. Intelligence officers say they use resistance. fit of the rugby community. “We are not seeking any competi- Operations Command in Fort Bragg, North Palantir to analyze and map a variety of intel- The failings of the Army’s version of tive advantage,” Griffiths said. “Since we started the pro- Carolina have not been granted. The Army ligence from hundreds of databases. Palantir DCGS has received significant public gramme we’ve engaged with the RFU and World Rugby. We says its policy is to grant all requests for costs millions, compared to the billions the attention in recent years. The version tai- have a good understanding with both of them now and we are Palantir, while special operations officials military has been pouring into DCGS. lored to special operations troops has conducting our research to the benefit of the wider game.” say they are working through the requests Pentagon officials say DCGS, despite its even less capability, special operations While the club are pleased with the results of the early on a case-by-case basis. flaws, has broader capabilities than command acknowledges in its records. weeks of the trial, it was too soon to comment on its success. Email messages and other military Palantir, and that in some cases it comple- Another version being offered to special “It would be irresponsible to try and provide a running records obtained by The Associated Press ments Palantir. Special operations officials operations troops working in remote commentary on the research,” Griffiths said. “As soon as we show that Army and special operations say their version of DCGS has some widely areas, called DCGS-Lite, has received have anything worthwhile to say we will do it through World command officials have been pressing used and successful capabilities, including mediocre reviews from intelligence ana- Rugby or the RFU.” While awareness has been significantly troops to use an in-house system built and a system to sort through electronic inter- lysts, Army records show. Intelligence offi- raised Griffiths warned that there were still some in the game maintained by traditional defense contrac- cepts and another that analyzes drone cers say Palantir is easier to use, more sta- who did not take concussion seriously enough. tors. The Distributed Common Ground video. But all six of the special operations ble and more capable than DCGS, which “The scary part of this is that there are still people in the System, or DCGS, has consistently failed units that requested Palantir said the exist- sometimes doesn’t work at all. game who probably minimise it, don’t really understand... independent tests and earned the ire of ing systems did not meet their needs. The Pentagon system is difficult to who think that if you see stars you shake your head til the soldiers in the field for its poor perform- In a statement to AP, special operations master, the veteran intelligence analyst stars go away,” he said. “It may be true that those kind of peo- ple won’t wake up to the realities until something terrible ance. officials said Palantir had been “extremely said, while it takes him about 30 minutes happens. “It’s not a question of changing the game. We’re not “You literally have these old tired successful” in Iraq and Afghanistan and to train a new analyst on Palantir. threatening the game ... we’re trying to get these two deci- (bureaucrats) stopping the war fighter they are working to expand access to Another officer wrote in an email that sions right; when a player needs to leave the field and when a from getting what they know works,” said Palantir for units deployed in the fight with Palantir, his analysts were able to eas- player is able to resume playing and if we get those correct we Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California, a com- against the Islamic State group. But ily mix open-source intelligence gleaned could save a lot of professional players from massive issues bat veteran and armed services committee records and interviews show a history of from social media or Web searches with later in life.” — Reuters member who wants to cut off funding for internal pressure against making and classified reporting. DCGS makes that DCGS. “This is mind-boggling.” approving such requests. much harder, he said. —AP TV listings SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

12:40 American Muscle 20:30 Invent It Rich 22:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 07:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:50 Coach Trip 13:30 American Muscle 21:20 Game Changers Witch 08:15 Chopped 13:15 Coach Trip 14:20 American Muscle 21:45 Game Changers 23:10 Wolfblood 09:05 Siba’s Table 13:35 Come Dine With Me Ireland 15:10 American Muscle 22:10 How We Invented The World 23:35 Wolfblood 09:30 Have Cake, Will Travel 14:05 Sunday Night At The Palladium 16:00 Gold Rush 23:00 Rise Of The Machines 09:55 Have Cake, Will Travel 15:00 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night 00:50 Gator Boys 16:50 Gold Divers: Under The Ice 10:20 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Takeaway 01:45 River Monsters 17:40 Alaska: The Last Frontier Basics 16:05 Mr Selfridge 02:40 Tanked 18:30 The Island With Bear Grylls 10:45 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 17:00 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 03:35 Tigerfish: Africa’s Piranha 19:20 Tethered Basics 18:00 Remember Me 04:25 River Monsters 20:10 Man vs Weird 00:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 11:10 Siba’s Table 19:00 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night 05:15 Treehouse Masters 21:00 Backroad Bounty 00:30 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 11:35 Siba’s Table Takeaway 06:02 Call Of The Wildman 21:25 Backroad Bounty 00:55 Extreme Close-Up 12:00 Guy’s Big Bite 20:05 Mr Selfridge 06:25 Call Of The Wildman 21:50 Backroad Bounty 01:25 THS 12:25 Unique Sweets 21:00 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 06:49 Tigerfish: Africa’s Piranha 22:15 Backroad Bounty 00:00 Violetta 02:20 E! News 12:50 Unique Sweets 21:45 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 07:36 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 22:40 Backroad Bounty 00:45 The Hive 03:15 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 13:15 Chopped SA 23:00 Coronation Street 08:00 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 23:05 Street Outlaws 00:50 Art Attack Hamptons 14:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:25 Coronation Street 08:25 Tanked 23:55 American Muscle 01:15 Art Attack 04:10 THS 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:50 Coronation Street 09:15 Tanked 01:40 Jungle Junction 05:05 E!ES 14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 10:10 Tanked 01:50 Jungle Junction 06:00 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami 15:20 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 11:05 Tanked 02:05 Jungle Junction 06:55 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami 15:45 Chopped 12:00 Secret Life Of Pets 02:15 Jungle Junction 07:50 Style Star 16:35 Barefoot Contessa 12:30 Secret Life Of Pets 02:30 Violetta 08:20 E! News 17:00 Siba’s Table 12:55 Jurassica 03:10 The Hive 09:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 17:25 Guy’s Big Bite 00:00 Alaska Wing Men 13:50 Killer Iq: Lion vs Hyena 03:20 Art Attack 00:40 How It’s Made 09:45 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 17:50 Guy’s Big Bite 01:00 Inside Combat Rescue 14:45 Tigerfish: Africa’s Piranha 03:45 Art Attack 01:05 How It’s Made 10:15 E!ES 18:15 Guy’s Big Bite 02:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 15:40 Secret Creatures Of Jao 04:10 Jungle Junction 01:30 How The Universe Works 11:10 E! Entertainment Special 18:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 03:00 Convoy: War For The Atlantic 16:10 Secret Creatures Of Jao 04:25 Jungle Junction 02:20 Through The Wormhole With 12:05 E! News Basics 04:00 Armageddon Outfitters 16:35 Queens Of The Savannah 04:35 Jungle Junction Morgan Freeman 13:05 Giuliana & Bill 19:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 05:00 Animal Mega Moves 17:30 The Lion Queen 04:45 Jungle Junction 03:10 How Do They Do It? 14:05 Kourtney And Khloe Take The Basics 06:00 Wild Russia 18:25 Leopard Fight Club 05:00 Art Attack 03:35 How Do They Do It? Hamptons 19:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:00 Breakout 19:20 Killer Iq: Lion vs Hyena 05:25 Art Attack 04:00 Food Factory 15:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 19:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 08:00 Alaska Wing Men 20:15 Tigerfish: Africa’s Piranha 05:50 Mouk 04:24 Food Factory Hamptons 20:20 Chopped 09:00 Inside Combat Rescue 21:10 Zombie Sharks 06:00 Kim Possible 04:48 How Do They Do It? 16:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 21:10 Siba’s Table 10:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 22:05 Alaskan Bush People 06:25 Girl Meets World 05:12 How Do They Do It? Hamptons 21:35 Siba’s Table: Fast Feasts 11:00 Science of Stupid 23:00 Ivory Wars 06:50 Binny And The Ghost 05:36 Joe Rogan Questions 17:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 22:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 11:30 Science of Stupid 23:55 Jurassica 07:15 H2O: Just Add Water Everything Hamptons Basics 12:00 Mad Scientists 07:40 Jessie 06:24 Bang Goes The Theory 18:00 E! News 22:25 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 12:30 Mad Scientists 08:05 Liv And Maddie 06:48 How Tech Works 19:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The Basics 13:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 08:30 Binny And The Ghost 07:12 Food Factory Hamptons 22:50 Fast Food Gone Global 14:00 Doomsday Preppers 08:55 Hank Zipzer 07:36 How Do They Do It? 20:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:00 Apocalypse World War I 09:20 Dog With A Blog 08:00 How Do They Do It? Hamptons 16:00 Expedition Wild 09:45 Good Luck Charlie 08:25 How Do They Do It? 21:00 Christina Milian Turned Up 17:00 Beyond Magic with DMC 10:10 Gravity Falls 08:50 How Do They Do It? 22:00 E! News 18:00 Is It Real? 00:00 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 10:40 Cars 09:15 How Do They Do It? 23:00 The Soup 19:00 Apocalypse World War I 00:45 Come Dine With Me: South 12:40 Cars Toons Compilation 09:40 How Do They Do It? 23:30 THS 00:40 Ade In Britain 20:00 Expedition Wild Africa 13:30 Girl Meets World 10:05 How Do They Do It? 01:30 Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of 21:00 Beyond Magic with DMC 01:35 Nigellissima 13:55 Liv And Maddie 10:30 How It’s Made Dogs 22:00 Is It Real? 02:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:20 H2O: Just Add Water 10:55 How It’s Made 02:00 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 23:00 Science of Stupid 02:55 Bargain Hunt 14:55 Hank Zipzer 03:35 Come Dine With Me 11:20 How It’s Made 02:55 Emmerdale 23:30 Science of Stupid 11:45 How It’s Made 15:20 Binny And The Ghost 03:20 Emmerdale 04:00 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 15:45 Jessie 04:45 Come Dine With Me: South 12:10 How It’s Made 03:55 Emmerdale 16:10 Austin & Ally 04:20 Emmerdale Africa 16:35 Austin & Ally 05:40 Bargain Hunt 12:35 How It’s Made 00:05 Chopped SA 04:45 Emmerdale 13:00 Food Factory 17:00 Austin & Ally 00:55 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 05:00 Coronation Street 06:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 17:25 Dog With A Blog 07:15 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 13:25 Food Factory 01:20 Amazing Wedding Cakes 05:25 Coronation Street 13:50 Food Factory 17:50 Hank Zipzer 02:10 BBQ Crawl 05:50 Coronation Street 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 08:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 18:15 Jessie 08:50 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:15 Food Factory 02:35 BBQ Crawl 06:15 Coronation Street Stewart 14:40 Food Factory 18:40 Binny And The Ghost 03:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 06:40 Coronation Street 01:00 The Nightly Show With Larry 09:45 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:05 Cars Toons Compilation 10:10 Masterchef: The Professionals 15:05 Food Factory 03:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:05 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Wilmore 15:30 Invent It Rich 19:55 Dog With A Blog 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Takeaway 01:30 You’re The Worst 11:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 20:20 I Didn’t Do It 11:55 Come Dine With Me: 16:20 Man vs The Universe 04:15 Chopped 08:15 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 02:00 You’re The Worst 17:10 The World’s Strangest UFO 20:45 H2O: Just Add Water 05:05 Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity 09:00 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 02:30 Web Therapy Supersized 21:10 Good Luck Charlie 13:25 Extreme Makeover: Home Stories Coo 10:15 Arthur And George 03:00 Hot In Cleveland 18:00 Close Encounters 21:35 Jessie 05:50 Siba’s Table 11:10 Coach Trip 03:30 New Girl Edition 22:00 Gravity Falls 14:05 Extreme Makeover: Home 18:25 Close Encounters 06:10 Sweet Genius 11:35 Coach Trip 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 18:50 Alien Encounters 22:25 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 07:00 Tastiest Places To Chowdown 12:00 Coach Trip Jimmy Fallon Edition Witch 14:45 Extreme Makeover: Home 19:40 How The Universe Works 07:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:25 Coach Trip 05:30 My Name Is Earl Edition 06:00 Til Death 16:05 Bargain Hunt 06:30 My Boys 16:50 Bargain Hunt 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 17:35 Bargain Hunt 08:30 My Name Is Earl 18:20 Come Dine With Me: South 09:00 Hot In Cleveland Africa 09:30 Black-Ish 19:10 Extreme Makeover: Home 10:00 Parks And Recreation Edition 10:30 My Boys 19:50 Extreme Makeover: Home 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring Edition Jimmy Fallon 20:30 The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know 12:00 Til Death Best 13:00 My Name Is Earl 21:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 13:30 My Boys 22:15 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:00 New Girl 23:10 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:30 Black-Ish 23:35 Masterchef: The Professionals 15:00 Parks And Recreation 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore 16:30 Til Death 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 18:00 Enlisted 18:30 New Girl 19:00 2 Broke Girls 00:20 Fast N’ Loud 19:30 Cougar Town 01:10 Fast N’ Loud 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 02:00 Misfit Garage Jimmy Fallon 02:50 Philly Throttle 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 03:40 Auction Hunters: Pawn Shop 21:30 The Nightly Show Global Edition Edition 04:05 Garage Gold 22:00 Saturday Night Live 04:30 Backroad Bounty 23:00 Web Therapy 05:00 How It’s Made 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 Chaos Caught On Camera 06:25 Chaos Caught On Camera 06:50 What Happened Next? 07:15 What Happened Next? 01:00 Once Upon A Time 07:40 You Have Been Warned 02:00 Survivor: Worlds Apart 08:30 The Island With Bear Grylls 03:00 Hemlock Grove 09:20 Tethered 04:00 American Idol 10:10 Survive That! 05:00 Grey’s Anatomy 11:00 American Muscle 08:00 White Collar 11:50 American Muscle 22 Bullets ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 09:00 American Idol TV listings SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

10:00 Grey’s Anatomy 11:00 Once Upon A Time 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 White Collar 18:00 White Collar 19:00 Graceland 20:00 The Blacklist 21:00 Resurrection 22:00 Salem 23:00 Hemlock Grove

00:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 01:00 Good Morning America 03:00 Supernatural 04:00 Defiance 05:00 Good Morning America 08:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 Rake 13:00 Twisted 15:00 Live Good Morning America 17:00 Rake 18:00 Twisted 19:00 Parenthood 20:00 Rake 21:00 Twisted 22:00 Supernatural 23:00 Defiance

00:00 22 Bullets 02:00 The Hills Have Eyes II 04:00 Europa Report 06:00 Marvel’s Doctor Strange 08:00 Olympus Has Fallen 10:00 Police Story 12:00 Europa Report 14:00 Recoil 16:00 Olympus Has Fallen 18:00 Darkman 20:00 Police Story 22:00 A Good Day To Die Hard OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

13:45 The Chateau Meroux-PG15 20:00 LOL-PG15 15:30 Faces In The Crowd-PG15 22:00 Peace, Love & 07:15 Hoarding: Buried Alive 09:40 Real Emergency Calls 06:10 Calimero 17:30 The Great Train Robbery-PG Misunderstanding-PG15 08:05 World’s Worst Mum 10:05 Real Emergency Calls 06:25 Henry Hugglemonster 00:00 The Hills Have Eyes II-18 19:30 Texas Killing Fields-PG15 23:45 CBGB-18 08:55 World’s Worst Mum 10:30 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 06:35 Zou 02:00 Europa Report-PG15 21:30 The Insider-PG15 09:45 Cake Boss 10:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 06:50 Mouk 04:00 Marvel’s Doctor Strange-PG 10:10 Cake Boss 11:20 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 07:00 Jungle Junction 06:00 Olympus Has Fallen-PG15 10:35 Sister Wives 11:45 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 07:10 Art Attack 08:00 Police Story-PG15 11:25 17 Kids And Counting 12:10 The Will 07:35 Julius Jr. 10:00 Europa Report-PG15 02:00 Super League 11:50 17 Kids And Counting 13:00 The Will 07:45 Calimero 12:00 Recoil-PG15 01:00 The Immigrant-PG15 05:00 Live AFL NAB Challenge 12:15 17 Kids And Counting 13:50 Nightmare Next Door 08:00 Jungle Junction 14:00 Olympus Has Fallen-PG15 03:00 Muppets Most Wanted-PG 08:30 Super Rugby 12:40 17 Kids And Counting 14:40 Fatal Encounters 08:10 Zou 16:00 Darkman-PG15 05:00 Marvel’s Next Avengers: 09:30 Live Super Rugby 13:05 17 Kids And Counting 15:30 Fatal Encounters 08:25 Henry Hugglemonster 18:00 Police Story-PG15 Heroes Of Tomorrow-PG 11:30 Super Rugby 13:30 Say Yes To The Dress: The Big 16:20 Disappeared 08:35 Julius Jr. 20:00 A Good Day To Die Hard-PG15 06:45 Great Expectations-PG15 12:00 Golfing World Day (Specials) 17:10 Real Emergency Calls 08:50 Mouk 22:00 The Package-PG15 09:00 Upside Down-PG15 13:30 Live PGA European Tour 14:20 Oprah: Where Are They Now? 17:35 Real Emergency Calls 09:00 Calimero 11:00 Gravity-PG15 17:30 Super Rugby Highlights 15:10 Cake Boss 18:00 Stalked: Someone’s 09:15 Jake And The Never Land 12:45 Foodfight!-PG 18:00 Live Super Rugby 15:35 Cake Boss Watching Pirates 14:30 The Great Gatsby-PG15 20:00 Live Super Rugby 16:00 Cake Boss 18:25 Stalked: Someone’s 09:40 Doc McStuffins 17:00 Upside Down-PG15 22:00 Super Rugby Highlights 16:25 Cake Boss Watching 10:05 Art Attack 19:00 Baggage Claim-PG15 16:50 Cake Boss 18:50 I Was Murdered 10:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 00:00 Son Of Rambow-PG 21:00 At Middleton-PG15 19:15 I Was Murdered 11:00 Sofia The First 02:00 Standing Ovation-PG15 17:15 Bakery Boss 22:45 Her-18 18:05 Oprah’s Next Chapter 19:40 Murder Shift 11:25 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West 04:00 Hello Ladies: The Movie-PG15 20:30 Murder Shift 11:55 Zou 06:00 See Spot Run-PG 18:55 Say Yes To The Dress ‚Äì 03:00 Live NHL Bridesmaids 21:20 Murder Shift 12:10 Calimero 08:00 RV-PG 22:10 Murder Shift 12:25 Minnie’s Bow-Toons 10:00 Mystery, Alaska-PG15 07:00 Live NRL Premiership 19:20 Say Yes To The Dress ‚Äì 09:00 NRL Full Time Bridesmaids 23:00 True CSI 12:30 Sofia The First: Once Upon 12:00 Struck By Lightning-PG15 23:50 Deadly Affairs A Princess 14:00 Syrup-PG15 09:30 Live NRL Premiership 19:45 Say Yes To The Dress ‚Äì 01:00 Eleanor’s Secret 11:30 Live NRL Premiership Bridesmaids 13:25 Sofia The First 16:00 RV-PG 13:50 Sofia The First 18:00 Free Samples-PG15 02:45 Kong Return To The Jungle 14:00 Champions Tour 20:10 Say Yes To The Dress ‚Äì 04:30 Barbie Fairytopia 16:00 NHL Bridesmaids 14:20 Sofia The First 19:30 The Heat-PG15 14:45 Jake And The Never Land 22:00 John Dies At The End-18 06:00 Postman Pat: The Movie 18:00 Golfing World 20:35 Say Yes To The Dress ‚Äì 08:00 A Cat In Paris 19:30 Live PGA Tour Bridesmaids Pirates 09:45 Khumba 21:00 Oprah: Where Are They Now? 15:15 Doc McStuffins 11:15 The Missing Lynx 21:50 Oprah Presents: Master Class 15:40 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West 13:00 Kong Return To The Jungle 22:40 Extreme Couponing 00:10 Zou 16:05 Sofia The First 14:30 Back To The Sea 23:05 Mob Wives 00:25 Mouk 16:35 Zou 01:00 Great Expectations-PG15 16:15 A Turtle’s Tale 2: Sammy’s 23:55 Mob Wives 00:35 Jungle Junction 16:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 03:00 ICC World Cup H/L: Quarter 17:15 Lilo & Stitch 03:15 The Tall Man-PG15 Escape From Paradise Final 3 00:50 Art Attack 05:15 Stuck In Love-PG15 18:00 Khumba 01:15 Julius Jr. 17:40 Adventures Of The Gummi 04:00 Live ICC World Cup: Quarter Bears 07:00 Centre Place-PG15 20:00 Skateboy And The Challenge Final 4 01:25 Calimero 09:00 Safe Haven-PG15 Beyond The Seas 01:40 Henry Hugglemonster 18:05 Chip n Dale Rescue 12:00 ICC Cricket 360 Rangers 11:00 Stuck In Love-PG15 21:45 Back To The Sea 16:00 ICC World Cup H/L: Quarter 01:50 Zou 13:00 The Twilight Saga: Breaking 23:30 A Turtle’s Tale 2: Sammy’s 02:05 Mouk 18:30 Ducktales Final 4 19:00 Art Attack Dawn Pt. 2-PG15 Escape From Paradise 18:00 ICC Cricket 360 02:15 Jungle Junction 15:00 Dawn Rider-PG15 02:25 Art Attack 19:25 Sofia The First 17:00 Safe Haven-PG15 00:40 Dates From Hell 02:50 Julius Jr. 19:55 Calimero 19:00 Grace Of Monaco-PG15 01:05 Dates From Hell 03:00 Calimero 20:10 Doc McStuffins 21:00 McCanick-PG15 01:30 Couples Who Kill 03:15 Henry Hugglemonster 20:25 Jake And The Never Land 23:00 Machine Gun Preacher-PG15 02:20 Great Crimes And Trials 03:25 Zou Pirates 00:15 Trespass-PG15 02:45 Great Crimes And Trials 03:40 Mouk 20:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:00 Curious George: Swings Into 03:10 Serial Killers 03:50 Jungle Junction 21:20 Minnie’s Bow-Toons Spring-FAM 00:45 Breaking Amish 04:00 Most Evil 04:00 Art Attack 21:25 Sofia The First 04:00 Safe-PG15 01:35 The Undateables 04:45 Dates From Hell 04:25 Julius Jr. 21:50 Adventures Of The Gummi 06:00 Mr. Peabody & Sherman-FAM 02:25 New Body, New Style 05:07 Dates From Hell 04:35 Calimero Bears 01:30 The Fifth Estate-PG15 08:00 The Book Thief-PG15 03:15 Extreme Cheapskates 05:30 Couples Who Kill 04:50 Henry Hugglemonster 22:20 Chip n Dale Rescue 03:45 The French Minister-PG15 10:30 Transformers-PG15 03:40 Extreme Cheapskates 06:20 True CSI 05:00 Zou Rangers 05:45 Faces In The Crowd-PG15 13:15 Percy Jackson: Sea Of 04:05 Super Saver Showdown 07:10 American Greed 05:15 Mouk 22:45 Ducktales 07:30 Timer-PG15 Monsters-PG 05:00 Super Saver Showdown 08:00 Deadly Affairs 05:25 Jungle Junction 23:15 Art Attack 09:30 The Great Train Robbery-PG 15:30 The Book Thief-PG15 06:00 17 Kids And Counting 08:50 On The Case With Paula 05:35 Art Attack 23:40 Calimero 11:30 The Fifth Estate-PG15 18:00 The Hot Flashes-PG15 06:25 Hoarding: Buried Alive Zahn 06:00 Julius Jr. 23:55 Henry Hugglemonster WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Al Mulla Exchange and ICAI hold seminar on India budget

he Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of system of countries economic development. India (RBI) Shri H R Khan has presented If we have a continuous 10 years of two digit Tan in-depth idea of the external factors growth, the poverty can be seen only in the which influence the Indian economy. museum, he said. India will become the Speaking at a seminar on the Indian budget world’s most dynamic economy Khan added. (2015-2016) at the Indian Embassy Earlier Hormuzda Dawar, Director - Auditorium held on March, 10th 2015, he said Financial Services Group, welcomed the audi- that Indian government is trying to make ence. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief investment easy and hassle free. The seminar Guest of the evening, Sri Subhashish Goldar, was organized by Kuwait’s premier Money Deputy Chief of Mission at Indian Embassy Exchange Company, Al Mulla Exchange along said that the budget would revive investor with the Kuwait Chapter of the Institute of sentiment; give boost to India’s infrastructure; Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). help India on the path of robust economic growth and restore the common man’s expectations for Ache Din. “Initiatives have begun to put India in the growth trajectory. The budget is all about a change in direction which we witnessed for the last 50 plus years. The new government means business and they are really into it, Ranina - a financial expert with over three decades of experience in matters related to taxation, finance and corporate management said. He showed the bigger picture of the Indian budget. “Taxes drives people to go behind black money and the government realized the need for a change. The states are empowered and the time comes for the states to compete with each other. Some states which don’t want to change will be left behind and go backwards. The budget tells the youths to be job creator instead of Job seeker. Lot of initiates is announced for this in the budget. There are scheme to motivate the The key note speakers - the Deputy younger generation to save money, Ranina Governor of Reserve Bank of India Shri H.R. added as he delivered a wealth of information Khan and Eminent tax lawyer and Chartered and issues related to the annual budget in Accountant, Homi Ranina presented details terms understandable to both laymen and and insights on the Indian budget saying that professionals. The seminar was followed by a the budget also provides a framework for question and answer session where the ques- individual to invest in foreign countries. “The tions of the attendees were answered in full digital India initiative by the new government satisfaction by the speakers. Prashanta Shetty, will reduce a lot of expenditure. JAM trinity Chairman of Institute of Chartered (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhar, Mobile numbers) Accountants of India (ICAI) Kuwait chapter will bring the whole host of people into the proposed vote of thanks. WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Sports Day at Kuwait National English School

ednesday 4th March saw the Kuwait National English School annual sports Wday for the secondary department. Pupils from Year 6 to 12 were competing all day long in variety of sporting activities to claim the sports day champions’ trophy. The secondary pupils are divided into two houses which are Oxford (Blue) and Cambridge (Red). Pupils from each house and year group competed against each other at football, basketball, athletics, vol- leyball and swimming. The day was a huge success with pupil’s excelling in all areas of activity and producing some excellent sporting performances and examples of sportsmanship. The football games on show were very competitive with some excellent team performances and great football played. The volleyball saw the pupils produce some very good team work. An outstanding performance from the pupils lead some brilliant basketball being played out on the basketball courts. Down on the athletics track the pupils displayed their physical prowess. In the swim- ming pool members from each house raced in a number of disciplines over 50m. After the competing was over the scores were calculated and verified. The entire second- ary school was gathered eagerly in the theatre to hear the final results. The winner of the KNES secondary sports day 2015 were Oxford!! Madame Chantal, School Director congratulated the wining house and handed out team and individual medals and trophy. Steve thanked all the staff for their hard work in organizing and running the event. He also expressed his grati- tude to the pupils for their excellent behavior and effort during the day. The day was a huge success and all involved had a great time. Kuwait National English School is now looking forward to next year’s sports day which we hope to be just as good! HEALTH SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Astronauts leaving Earth for year at space station

CAPE CANAVERAL: An American The science astronaut and Russian cosmonaut left Doctors are eager to learn what Earth and move into the International happens to Kelly and Kornienko once Space Station for an entire year, all in they surpass the usual six-month stay the name of science. Scott Kelly and for space station residents. Bones and Mikhail Kornienko began their muscles weaken in weightlessness, as marathon mission with a Soyuz rock- does the immune system. Body fluids et launch from Kazakhstan early yes- also shift into the head when gravity terday. They should take six hours to is absent, and that puts pressure on arrive at the orbiting outpost. the brain and the eyes, impairing It will be NASA’s first stab at a one- vision for some astronauts in space. year spaceflight, a predecessor for Might these afflictions peter out after Mars expeditions that would last two six months, hold steady or ramp up? to three times as long. The Russians That’s what researchers want to find are old hands at this, but it’s been out so they can protect Mars-bound nearly two decades since a cosmo- crews in the decades ahead. naut has spent close to a year in orbit. Here are five things to know about The twins the duo’s extraordinary endeavor NASA’s scientists couldn’t resist when Kelly’s identical twin brother, The crew Mark, a retired astronaut, agreed to Both Scott Kelly and Mikhail take part in many of the same med- Kornienko have lived on the space ical experiments as his orbiting sib- station before. No-nonsense former ling. Researchers are eager to see military men, they were selected as how the space body compares with an astronaut and cosmonaut in the its genetic double on the ground. ANTARCTIC: This file photo shows the two towers of the Franco-Italian climate station Concordia, situated at 1990s. Kelly, 51, is a retired Navy cap- They won’t follow the same diet or the Antarctic at an altitude of 3200 meters. — AFP tain and former space shuttle com- exercise regime, however. Mark, mander. Kornienko, 54, is a former who’s married to former congress- ‘Ice vault’ idea hopes to keep paratrooper. The pair will blast off woman Gabrielle Giffords, said he has with Russian Gennady Padalka, a vet- no intentions of consuming bland eran spaceman who will spend six space-type food or working out and climate’s time capsule intact months at the orbiting lab. running two hours a day on a tread- mill, as his brother will be doing. Ice slabs explain Earth’s climate past and future The mission Kelly and Kornienko will remain The history PARIS: Imagine you are Sherlock Holmes bent on solving ‘World’s best refrigerator’ on board until next March. During NASA and the Russian Space a mystery but the evidence is starting to crumble and On present trends, Earth could face average warming that time, they will undergo exten- Agency announced Kelly and eventually you will be left with worthless dust. This is the of up to 4.8 degrees Celsius (8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) or sive medical experiments, and pre- Kornienko as the one-year crew in worry which haunts ice scientists delving into Earth’s more this century, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on pare the station for the anticipated late 2012. This will be new territory threatened glaciers. Deep inside them, the slumbering Climate Change (IPCC) has warned. But in some 2017 arrival of new US commercial for NASA, which has never flown any- ice slabs hold information about Earth’s climate past, and “hotspots,” warming is happening faster than the global crew capsules. That means a series one longer than seven consecutive pointers for the future. The frozen archive is formed from average, and for glaciers at lower altitudes and latitudes, of spacewalks for Kelly. They also will months. The Russians hold the world compacted layers snow which fell hundreds, thousands time is running out. oversee the comings and goings of record of 14 months, set by a physi- or even hundreds of thousands of years ago. Learning “Antarctica is the best refrigerator in the world,” numerous cargo ships, as well as cian-cosmonaut aboard the former more about the past through examining the glaciers Chappellaz told AFP. In the envisioned vault, “the cores other Russian-launched crews. Mir station in 1994-1995. Several oth- could help us predict how our planet will respond when will be safe, even if a world war breaks out. There’s no Soprano superstar Sarah Brightman er Russians spent between eight and global warming kicks into higher gear-just decades from need for electricity. It will always be extremely cold. Even will stop by as a space tourist in 12 months at Mir. All but one of those now, if predictions are right. if there is 10 degrees (Celsius, 18 degrees Fahrenheit) of September. long-timers are still alive. Only a tiny amount of this glacial material has ever warming on the Antarctic plateaux, it will still be minus been extracted and examined. And as temperatures rise, 43 C there, and the cores will be OK.” the fringes of many glaciers are softening to mush, The vault would be at the French-Italian research base threatening the survival of this precious testament. “We of Concordia, according to the scheme, which has the are the only scientific community working on climate his- support of four other French institutes. They are casting tory whose research material is disappearing,” lamented around for funding and sponsorships. The UN’s Jerome Chappellaz at the Laboratory for Glaciology and Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization the Geophysics of the Environment in Grenoble, south- (UNESCO) is considering joining the initiative. eastern France. “We support the idea although at this stage, we “It is time to do something-we have to act now, while haven’t really figured out how we can provide it,” said the glaciers are still a useable source.” That “something” Anil Mishra of Unesco’s International Hydrological is a new scheme to build a vault for ice cores extracted Program. Mountain glacier cores, as opposed to ice by scientists from the deep chill of Antarctica. About 50- sheet cores, are generally 100 to 150 meters deep. They 130 millimeters (two to five inches) wide, in sections provide more recent snapshots of climate but invalu- between one to six meters (a yard to 20 feet) long, ice able local insights. cores are glaciology’s mainstay. They can shed light on how different mountain Within them are telltale bubbles of gas, notably the regions respond to sharp swings in temperature, greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide (CO2). By studying them, weather patterns and atmospheric pollutants such as “past eras can be reconstructed, showing how and why soot-a useful tip in tackling flood risk and securing climate changed, and how it might change in the future,” water supplies. The first contributions to the vault will says the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. The come next year, from the Col du Dome, a site 4,300 deepest-ever core, drilled in Antarctica, is 3,270 meters meters high on Mont-Blanc, Europe’s highest peak, and long, and revealed the world has gone through eight ice more will come in 2017 from the Illimani glacier, 6,300 ages over about 800,000 years. These cycles, which pro- meters above the Bolivian capital of La Paz. foundly affect life on our planet, generally move in lock- The scheme’s organizers are hoping that step with greenhouse gases. Until the start of the American, Chinese, Italian, Swiss and South Industrial Revolution in the mid-18th century, these American researchers will also contribute cores. heat-trapping gases had natural causes. Today, the Future generations may learn even more from the relentless burning of coal, gas and oil has taken carbon capsules than current science allows, said out of the ground and placed it in the atmosphere-con- Chappellaz. “A few centuries from now, who knows STAR CITY, Russia: In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Scott Kelly sits centrations are now higher than at any time in the ice- what kind of technology may be available for ana- inside a Soyuz simulator at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC). — AP core record. lyzing the cores?” he asked. — AFP HEALTH SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 2 exotic termites find love in Florida, worries researchers $40 billion in losses attributed to termites annually

MIAMI: Two particularly hungry, exotic termite Food and Agricultural Sciences. “When we put them in vials and brought them the island of Oahu in Hawaii and in Taiwan, but the species apparently have found love halfway around In the field, including Chouvenc’s own yard, back to the lab, to our biggest surprise they started simultaneous swarms and hybridization found in the world and, as with so many other Florida hook- researchers documented the two species swarming laying eggs and the eggs started growing.” Florida appears to be a new phenomenon. ups, the results are disturbing. Asian and Formosan at the same time and in the same places. The same The resulting “hybrid” colony in the lab grew subterranean termites are two of the most destruc- behavior was documented again last year, and more vigorously than colonies produced by either Fingers crossed tive termite species in the world, responsible for Chouvenc said he’s seeing again this spring. “What species alone, researchers said. Genetic analysis It’s still unknown whether a hybrid colony has much of the estimated $40 billion in economic loss- we didn’t expect to see was when they’re in the confirmed they were looking at a hybrid species. survived in the wild in Fort Lauderdale, or whether es attributed to termites annually. Their habitat same place at the same time, we saw the male Similar hybridization has been documented in inva- the hybrids bred in the lab can reproduce. Female ranges overlap in lush South Florida, already home Asian subterranean termites looking for the female sive bee and fire ant species, but not in termites. termites can lay millions of eggs, but it takes five to to a daunting number of invasive plant and animal Formosan termites in the field,” Chouvenc said. The two termite species also are found together on eight years for a colony to produce the mature species thriving where they should not. Each ter- adults that fly in the mating swarms. mite invaded Florida, probably through cargo ship- “Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they’re not ments, several decades ago, but experts believed able (to reproduce) and that they’re donkey ter- the colonies didn’t mingle because their above- mites,” said Messenger, who reviewed the data but ground mating swarms launched in different did not participate in the UF study. Even if hybrid months. termites can’t reproduce, they could cause damage That is, until University of Florida researcher over many years. Alone, each species is a challenge Thomas Chouvenc noticed something unusual to control. Their below-ground colonies are bigger about the termite swarms in his Fort Lauderdale than those of native termites and can be hard to neighborhood two years ago. The two species were find. flying around looking for mates at the same time - The Formosan termites originated in China but and they were giving each other that look. The now are established throughout the Southeast and research is preliminary and leaves many questions blamed for roughly $300 million in property dam- unanswered, but the idea of a hybrid termite carry- age each year in New Orleans alone. Asian termites ing the destructive capabilities of two invasive normally found in tropical southeastern Asia have species worries experts. spread to Brazil, the Caribbean and South Florida. Asian termites aren’t expected to spread farther Dangerous hook-ups north in the US than South Florida because they “That’s big news,” said Matthew Messenger, an don’t tolerate colder weather, but a hybrid might entomologist at the US Department of Agriculture. be able to thrive in a greater range than either “They’re two bad ones, too.” Chouvenc is the lead species alone. Liquid insecticides injected into the author of a study published Wednesday in the jour- FLORIDA: This undated photo provided by Thomas Chouvenc of the University of Florida’s soil or baited traps are effective ways for home- nal PLOS ONE detailing observations of Asian and Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), shows young hybrid termite offspring owners to fight back against Asian and Formosan Formosan termite swarms in downtown Fort eight months after the light-colored female Formosan termite, (bottom right) mated with the termites, and those methods should work against Lauderdale and then in a lab at UF’s Institute of darker male Asian termite (bottom left). — AP any hybrid, Messenger said. — AP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Chandra Mohan to MATRIMONIAL SITUATION WANTED Yerraguntla Chandra Mohan Reddy. No: 16473 NRI Marthoma parents invit- Accountant: Young & (C 4956) ing proposals for their dynamic B.Com graduate of 24-3-2015 daughter, BSc nurse, 30 years 28-years (first class) having old / 152 cms, working in good accounts knowledge I, Thiru Senthil MOH Kuwait, preference will worked in India and last 5- Venkatagalam, holder of be given to management and years working in Kuwait Indian Passport No. medical professionals. M4 knowing Microsoft office L2554748, native district Marry ID: 2545008 / email: Tally and Peachtree Thanjavur, No. 127 [email protected] Accounting Software. Having Natarajapuram colony, 8th (C 4954) transferable visa looking for a Str. Medical college road, 24-3-2015 job as Accountant, can join Thanjavur, 613007, hereby immediately. Contact change my name to 50541464. (C 4957) Muhammaed Shaliq. Alliance invited for hand- 24-3-2015 some, god-fearing, Orthodox boy of reputed family in cen- Prayer timings tral Travancore, 31/180, fair, CHANGE OF NAME BCom and MBA (Finance), Fajr: 04:23 bank employee in Kuwait, I, Yerraguntla Chandra Shorook 05:43 from god-fearing, well-edu- Mohan holder of Indian Duhr: 11:53 cated girl. Passport No. L0082323 Asr: 15:23 Contact: resided at Kodur, Kadapa AP [email protected] India. Now would like to Maghrib: 18:04 22-3-2015 change my name Yerraguntla Isha: 19:21

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Arrival Flights on Saturday 28/3/2015 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:55 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 Airlines Flt Route Time UAL 982 IAD 17:55 IRM 1181 Mashhad 10:50 JAI 574 Mumbai 00:10 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 JZR 239 Amman 00:25 SVA 500 Jeddah 18:00 KAC 541 Cairo 11:05 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 JZR 177 Dubai 18:20 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:15 JZR 539 Cairo 00:40 KAC 542 Cairo 18:25 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 KLM 413 Amsterdam/Dammam 00:40 KAC 118 New York 18:30 KAC 741 Dammam 11:45 THY 772 Istanbul 00:45 FDB 063 Dubai 18:40 RBG 554 Alexandria 11:55 FDB 069 Dubai 00:55 ABY 121 Sharjah 18:40 KAC 501 Beirut 12:00 QTR 1084 Doha 01:00 CLX 856 Luxembourg 18:50 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:20 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 QTR 1080 Doha 18:50 MSC 402 Alexandria 12:25 DLH 637 Dammam 01:15 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:15 UAE 874 Dubai 12:30 SAI 441 Lahore 01:30 KAC 618 Doha 19:15 IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:10 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:35 KAC 674 Dubai 19:25 JZR 176 Dubai 13:45 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 19:45 MRJ 4814 Mashhad 14:10 UAE 853 Dubai 02:35 IRA 669 Mashhad 19:50 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 JZR 553 Alexandria 02:45 KAC 502 Beirut 19:50 IAW 158 Al Najaf 14:20 JAI 526 Chennai/Abu Dhabi 02:50 KAC 104 London 19:55 JZR 324 Al Najaf 14:25 FDB 067 Dubai 02:55 KAC 614 Bahrain 20:00 AGY 685 Sohag 14:40 JAI 572 Mumbai 20:00 MSR 612 Cairo 03:10 IRC 527 Mashhad 14:55 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:05 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10 KAC 785 Jeddah 15:00 KKK 6507 Istanbul 03:20 OMA 647 Muscat 20:05 JZR 189 Dubai 20:15 KAC 673 Dubai 15:00 OMA 643 Muscat 03:25 QTR 1079 Doha 15:05 QTR 1076 Doha 03:45 FDB 061 Dubai 20:20 FDB 058 Dubai 15:10 MSC 401 Alexandria 04:05 KNE 474 Jeddah 20:25 KAC 546 Alexandria 04:10 ABY 123 Sharjah 20:35 KAC 617 Doha 15:15 JZR 503 Luxor 05:25 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:50 KNE 473 Jeddah 15:20 THY 770 Istanbul 05:35 KAC 786 Jeddah 21:05 IZG 4168 Mashhad 15:35 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:40 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 JZR 188 Dubai 15:40 BAW 157 London 06:40 MEA 402 Beirut 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13:35 PGT 859 Istanbul 03:25 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 AGY 680 Alexandria 13:40 UAE 854 Dubai 03:50 CLX 856 Hong Kong 20:20 IRC 526 Mashhad 13:50 FDB 068 Dubai 03:55 KAC 283 Dhaka 20:30 KAC 672 Dubai 13:55 IRA 666 Esfahan 20:50 QTR 1078 Doha 14:05 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 MSR 613 Cairo 04:10 KAC 361 Colombo 20:50 KNE 472 Jeddah 14:25 JAI 571 Mumbai 21:00 FDB 057 Dubai 14:30 KKK 6508 Istanbul 04:10 OMA 644 Muscat 04:25 OMA 648 Muscat 21:05 IZG 4167 Mashhad 14:35 MSR 607 Luxor 21:05 KAC 742 Dammam 14:45 QTR 1085 Doha 04:30 MSC 406 Sohag 05:05 JZR 554 Alexandria 21:05 KNE 470 Jeddah 14:55 KNE 475 Jeddah 21:10 RJD 135 Abu Dhabi 14:55 QTR 1077 Doha 05:15 THY 765 Istanbul 05:40 KAC 331 Trivandrum 21:10 GFA 221 Bahrain 15:00 ABY 124 Sharjah 21:15 OMA 645 Muscat 15:25 FDB 070 Dubai 06:30 JAI 525 Abu Dhabi/Chennai 06:35 KAC 351 Kochi 21:15 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:40 FDB 062 Dubai 21:20 KNE 462 Madinah 15:45 JZR 164 Dubai 06:55 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 KAC 381 Delhi 22:00 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:45 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 JZR 240 Amman 07:15 ALK 230 Colombo 22:10 FDB 051 Dubai 16:00 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:15 KNE 460 Riyadh 16:00 THY 771 Istanbul 07:30 JZR 778 Jeddah 07:55 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:15 JZR 535 Cairo 16:10 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 FDB 054 Dubai 08:25 NIA 251 Alexandria 16:15 FDB 074 Dubai 22:30 BAW 156 London 08:45 KAC 562 Amman 16:20 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 QTR 1087 Doha 08:50 JZR 357 Mashhad 16:30 UAE 860 Dubai 22:50 QTR 1072 Doha 16:40 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 KNE 461 Riyadh 22:50 SYR 342 Damascus 16:50 KAC 671 Dubai 09:25 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:55 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:55 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:50 IRM 1180 Mashhad 17:00 QTR 1075 Doha 23:05 KAC 101 London/New York 09:50 KLM 415 Dammam/Amsterdam 23:15 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 UAE 856 Dubai 09:55 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 KAC 543 Cairo 23:20 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:20 KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:30 IZG 4161 Mashhad 17:45 KAC 561 Amman 10:25 JZR 325 NJF 17:50 MSC 404 Sohag 23:45 JZR 356 Mashhad 10:30 FDB 060 Dubai 23:55 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

3. Capital and largest city of Italy. WORDSEARCH PUZZLE 4. On or of upper floors of a building. CROSSWORD855 5. The network in the reticular formation that serves an alerting or arousal function. 6. Large African forest tree yielding a strong hard yellow to golden brown lumber. 7. Relating to abdominal delivery. 8. A period of time equal to 1/24th of a day. 9. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery. 10. Mythical bird of prey having enormous size and strength. 11. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group. 12. Largest known toad species. 13. A modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure. 14. A steep rugged rock or cliff. 19. Fragrant resin obtain from trees of the family Burseraceae and used as incense. 21. White Southerner supporting Reconstruction policies after the Civil War usually for self-interest. 26. 1,000,000,000 periods per second. 28. (Old Testament) The eldest son of Isaac who would have inherited the Covenant that God made with Abraham and that Abraham passed on to Isaac. 29. A broad flat muscle on either side of the back. 31. Having a heading or course in a certain direction. 32. Moth having nonfunctional mouthparts as adults. 34. One of the three Furies. 35. Situated at an apex. 36. A port city and resort in Andalusia in southern Spain on the Mediterranean. 38. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion. 39. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits. 42. Having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly. 43. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 46. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984). 49. Ethiopia is a republic in northeastern Africa on the Red Sea. 51. Related to or located at the back. 52. Being nine more than ninety. ACROSS 53. Long pinkish sour leafstalks usually eaten cooked and sweetened. 1. A change in the electrical properties of the skin in response to stress or anxiety. 57. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light. 4. Primitive marine animal having a saclike unsegmented body and a urochord (a noto- 60. Wood of a larch tree. chord) conspicuous in the larva. 61. Australian tennis player who in 1962 was the second man to win the Australian and 12. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural). French and English and United States singles titles in the same year. 15. A member of the Siouan people living in the Yazoo river valley in Mississippi. 63. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 16. A boy who sells or delivers newspapers. 65. Set down according to a plan. 17. A group of Niger-Congo languages spoken primarily in southeastern Mali and north- 66. (Greek mythology) Daughter of Zeus and Demeter. ern Ghana. 67. The part of a hammerhead opposite the flat striking surface (may have various 18. Any of 12 kings of ancient Egypt between 1315 and 1090 BC. shapes). 20. An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to 69. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh. reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members. 70. Very dark black. 22. Praise, glorify, or honor. 71. Not widely known. 23. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells. 74. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm. Yesterday’s Solution 24. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is 75. Flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coro- purposes. nary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart. 78. A physician who is not a specialist but treats all illnesses. 25. Having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy. 27. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld. 30. Relating to or used in chemistry. 33. A deep bow. Yesterdayʼs Solution 37. A high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary). 40. The act of slowing down or falling behind. 41. A German machine gun. 44. French philosopher (1909-1943). 45. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 47. A state in midwestern United States. 48. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. 50. Avitaminosis caused by lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). 54. A public promotion of some product or service. 55. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated materi- al. 56. Being ten more than one hundred ninety. 58. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 100 liters. 59. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in India for writing paper. 62. (medicine) Having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course. 64. Raspberry native to eastern North America having black thimble-shaped fruit. 68. A stiff straw hat with a flat crown. 72. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine. 73. A representation of common ground between theories or phenomena. 76. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth. 77. A local and habitual twitching especially in the face. 79. An ancient Hebrew unit of capacity equal to 10 baths or 10 ephahs. 80. Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus. 81. A river in northeastern Brazil that flows generally northward to the Atlantic Ocean. 82. Used of a single unit or thing.

DOWN 1. Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton (born in 1948). 2. The second largest city in Tunisia. CHALLENGING MAZE Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Kings down slumping Islanders

UNIONDALE: Anze Kopitar scored with 4:23 left and defenseman Alec Martinez had two assists as the Los Angeles Kings won the third straight game of their road trip by beating the slumping New York Islanders 3-2 on Thursday. Kopitar, who had a goal and five assists in his previous three games, got to a deflected puck off a drive by defenseman Andrej Sekera and fired it past Jaroslav Halak for his 16th goal. Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in his 400th NHL game. He has won at New Jersey, the New York Rangers, and the Islanders on this trip that has two games left. Nick Shore netted his first career goal in his 28th game, and Tyler Toffoli also scored for the playoff-hopeful Kings.

PREDATORS 3, LIGHTNING 2 Pekka Rinne made 28 saves for his 40th win as the Nashville Predators moved into first place in the Central Division. Mike Ribeiro, Paul Gaustad and Mike Santorelli scored for the Predators, who took a one-point lead over St. Louis. The Blues have played one fewer game. Rinne made a pad save on Alex Killornís in- close backhand early in the third. The goalie had a career-best 43 wins in 2011-12. Tampa Bay got goals from Vladislav Namestnikov and Brian Boyle.

DUCKS 3, BRUINS 2 Ryan Getzlaf scored 3:09 into overtime to lift the Anaheim Ducks to victory. Getzlaf, who also assisted on Corey Perryís tying goal late in the third period, beat Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask from the slot with a wrist shot over his shoulder to snap the Ducksí two- game skid. Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots. Loui Eriksson and Ryan Spooner scored for the Bruins. Rask finished with 29 saves. Boston dropped its sixth straight but tied Ottawa for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

RANGERS 5, SENATORS 1 Chris Kreider had two goals and an assist as the New York Rangers clinched a playoff spot. Dan Boyle, Mats Zuccarello and Tanner Glass also scored for the Rangers, who have 101 points. Cam Talbot made 23 saves for New York, which handed Ottawaís Andrew Hammond his first regula- tion-time loss. Curtis Lazar scored for the Senators.

HURRICANES 5, PENGUINS 2 Eric Staal had a goal and two assists for the UNIONDALE: Jonathan Quick No. 32 of the Los Angeles Kingsmakes the save as Brock Nelson No. 29 of the New York Islanders looks for Carolina Hurricanes. Ryan Murphy, Jay McClement, the rebound at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. — AFP Alexander Semin and Andrej Nestrasil also scored for Carolina, which had been 0-3-3 in its last six home for the best odds at the top pick. Tyler Ennis, Brian Chris Tierney and Logan Couture also had goals for PANTHERS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 1 games since a 7-4 win over Edmonton on March 8. Gionta and Rasmus Ristolainen scored in the Sabresí San Jose, which ended a two-game skid. Brandon Pirri scored twice for the Florida Brad Malone had a pair of assists as Carolina won for fourth-consecutive loss. Detroit got goals from Tomas Jurco, Tomas Tatar, Panthers to send Toronto to its seventh straight loss. the first time in its last five home games against the Stephen Weiss and Justin Abdelkader as it dropped Roberto Luongo delivered a solid performance in Penguins. Brandon Sutter and Ian Cole scored for the SHARKS 6, RED WINGS 4 its second straight at home. Jimmy Howard made goal and Jonathan Huberdeau, Steven Kampfer and Penguins. Carolina goalie Cam Ward had 27 saves. Patrick Marleau scored twice and Antti Niemi seven saves, but allowed three goals in the first Pirri scored second-period goals to put Florida in made 30 saves. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Matt Nieto, before being pulled for backup Petr Mrazek. front. Pirri added a late empty-netter for his 20th of CAPITALS 3, DEVILS 2 the season. Torontoís Jonathan Bernier was replaced On a quiet night for Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas with 5:26 remaining in the second period after Backstrom, the Washington Capitals got rare goals NHL results/standings allowing three goals on 16 shots. The Leafs No. 1 from Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner and Eric Fehr, along goalie has been pulled seven times this season. with 29 saves from Braden Holtby. Anaheim 3, Boston 2 (OT); Arizona 4, Buffalo 3 (OT); Los Angeles 3, NY Islanders 2; Washington 3, JETS 5, CANADIENS 2 Defenseman Niskanenís fourth goal of the sea- New Jersey 2 (OT); Carolina 5, Pittsburgh 2; Florida 4, Toronto 1; NY Rangers 5, Ottawa 1; San Jose son came 73 seconds into the extra period, off an 6, Detroit 4; Nashville 3, Tampa Bay 2; Winnipeg 5, Montreal 2; Colorado 4, Vancouver 1. Ondrej Pavelec made 39 saves for his sixth con- assist from Alzner. Washington led 2-0, but the secutive win. Mark Scheifele and Jim Slater each had Devils got one goal on Travis Zajacís short-handed Western Conference Tampa Bay 46 22 7 244 194 99 a goal and an assist and Blake Wheeler, Dustin score with a little more than five minutes left in the Pacific Division Detroit 39 22 12 212 201 90 Byfuglien, and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets. W L OTL GF GA PTS Ottawa 37 25 11 213 195 85 Dustin Tokarski stopped 17 of 22 shots for the second period, then tied it on Steve Bernierís goal Anaheim 47 22 7 222 213 101 with 29.2 seconds remaining in regulation. Boston 36 25 13 195 193 85 Canadiens, who were resting starter Carey Price. Vancouver 43 27 4 212 199 90 Florida 34 26 14 184 202 82 Ovechkin entered leading the NHL in goals, Los Angeles 37 23 14 199 184 88 Andrei Markov and Brendan Gallagher scored for Calgary 40 27 7 217 195 87 Toronto 27 42 6 194 241 60 Montreal. Backstrom came in No. 1 in assists, and both were in Buffalo 20 46 8 141 249 48 the top five in points. San Jose 36 30 8 207 210 80 Edmonton 21 40 13 177 254 55 Metropolitan Division AVALANCHE 4, CANUCKS 1 NY Rangers 47 19 7 224 168 101 Arizona 23 44 8 158 249 54 Gabriel Landeskog and Alex Tanguay each had a COYOTES 4, SABRES 3 Central Division NY Islanders 44 26 5 228 208 93 Sam Gagner scored 56 seconds into overtime to Nashville 46 21 8 214 180 100 Pittsburgh 40 23 11 204 186 91 goal and an assist, and Reto Berra made 33 saves for lift the Arizona Coyotes to the win over Buffalo on, St. Louis 46 21 7 226 182 99 Washington 40 24 10 215 182 90 the Avalanche. Jarome Iginla also scored and Ryan earning cheers from the last-place Sabresí fans hop- Chicago 44 23 6 207 167 94 Philadelphia 30 29 16 196 216 76 OíReilly added two assists as Colorado snapped a ing to get the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft. Minnesota 42 25 7 211 183 91 New Jersey 31 31 12 166 189 74 three-game losing streak. John Mitchell added a late Winnipeg 39 24 12 212 197 90 empty-net goal. Yannick Weber scored his third goal Jordan Szwarz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and David Dallas 36 28 10 232 236 82 Columbus 34 35 4 198 228 72 Moss also scored for Arizona, which has won consec- Colorado 34 28 12 200 206 80 Carolina 27 36 10 170 201 64 in as many games for Vancouver, which had won utive games for just the second time in 2015. Eastern Conference Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one three in a row, but came out flat before rebounding The 29th-place Coyotes moved six points ahead Atlantic Division point in the standings and are not included in in the third period with 18 shots. Eddie Lack stopped of the Sabres, delighting the home crowd clamoring Montreal 46 21 8 197 167 100 the loss column (L) 34 shots in taking the loss. — AP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 Milwaukee Bucks see off Pacers

MILWAUKEE: Ersan Ilyasova had a career-high “Focus,” Harden said simply. “Just more com- 34 points as the Milwaukee Bucks held off the fortable, knowing my teammates, being com- Indiana Pacers 111-107 on Thursday. fortable with myself on the court,” Harden said in Khris Middleton added 17 points and Giannis an interview with The Associated Press. Antetokounmpo had 16 for the Bucks, who have “Knowing how to get shots, knowing how to get won two straight after ending a six-game losing my teammates shots, and once I feel comfort- streak. George Hill missed a potential tying 3- able I can worry about doing other things.” pointer in the closing seconds for Indiana. CJ This comfort level in his third season with the Miles scored 26 points, Hill added 24 and C.J. Rockets since a trade from Oklahoma City has Watson had 23 for the Pacers. They were without helped him improve in just about every way. forward David West because of an allergic reac- Harden’s averages in points (27.1 per game), tion. Milwaukee jumped on Indiana early and led rebounds (5.8), assists (7), steals (1.9) and even by double-digits for most of the game until the blocks (0.8) are all career-highs. Pacers began to chip away in the fourth quarter, Most important to Harden: He has helped thanks in large part to a flurry of 3-pointers by keep the Rockets among the top teams in the Hill. Hill hit three 3-pointers in under 3 minutes, Western Conference in a year where Dwight the third of which cut Milwaukee’s lead to 2 with Howard his missed 37 games. And the three- 5:41 remaining. But Michael Carter-Williams hit a time All-Star who is in his sixth year out of driving layup and was fouled, hitting the free Arizona State is a better all-around player a sea- throw to complete the three-point play. son after being derided for ineffectiveness - or Middleton then hit a 3-pointer, putting the Bucks worse - disinterest on defense. up 100-92. This season, he is 10th in the NBA with 3.7 Indiana came back again, cutting the lead defensive win shares, which estimate the wins a back to three on a 3-pointer by Watson and a player brings a team with his defense, up from driving layup by Luis Scola. The Bucks sank four 2.7 last season. That’s better than the 3.4 given to straight free throws and appeared to be on their Trevor Ariza, who is widely seen as a great way to putting the game away, only to have defender. “Now I’m able to go out there and Carter-Williams foul Watson on a 3-point dominate a game not just by scoring the basket- attempt. Watson hit two of three free throws to ball,” Harden said. “Whether it’s defensively, cut the lead to 4 with 1:31 left. whether it’s rebounding the basketball, whether Miles missed a 3-point attempt for Indiana, it’s getting 15 assists a night, just being able to but officials gave the ball to Indiana on a review dominate a game and figuring out a way to do it, of an ensuing out of bounds play. Roy Hibbert how the flow of the game is going.” Harden is then hit a jumper to cut the lead to 2 with 19.9 clearly the face of the franchise - or the beard of seconds left. it, as evidenced by the thousands of fans who Antetokounmpo was fouled and hit one of wear fake chin fuzz at home games - though it’s two free throws, giving Indiana the ball trailing not his style to make sure declarations. by 3 with 11.6 left. Hill then missed a frantic 3- “I don’t really try to put emphasis on this is point attempt with 1.8 seconds remaining and my team, this is my show,” Harden said. “I let the Jerryd Bayless hit a free throw to seal the game hard work and I let the communication and the for Milwaukee. Meanwhile, a couple of months will to go out there and just compete every sin- ago, James Harden was told by a reporter that he gle night at a high level do all the talking. And I seemed different this season, a year in which he think that’s what helps the guys follow me.” has gone from a great player to a front-runner Harden has wowed fans this year with dozens for MVP, and was asked what prompted the of nifty plays. He crossed over Ricky Rubio so vio- change. Houston’s bearded superstar bristled, lently that the Minnesota player crashed to the his eyes narrowed and he demanded: “Different court before Harden stepped back to swish a 3- how?” pointer. The play prompted Internet memes Harden was reminded of that moment where a Twister board was inserted beneath recently and posed the question again. This time, Rubio. He had a buzzer-beater for a win over away from the glare of television cameras in a Phoenix in January, and he has shined assist quiet hallway of the arena where he has carried department, once bouncing a pass between Chris the Rockets to a 48-23 record, Harden leaned Paul’s legs to Corey Brewer, who finished with a against the wall and finally agreed that he is dif- MILWAUKEE: Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (right) goes up for a basket against dunk. Harden said his top moment has nothing ferent this time around. Indiana Pacers guard CJ Miles (left) during the first half of an NBA basketball game. — AP to do with any of those highlights.—AP Zain sponsors Kuwaiti Formula 1000 racer Ahmad Al Ghanim

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommu- ents, and the Kuwaiti racer displayed nications company in Kuwait, exceptional performance during the announced its main sponsorship of start of his professional career. Kuwaiti Formula 1000 racer Ahmad Al Young racer Ahmad Al Ghanim cur- Ghanim during his current professional rently holds the second place position in season in 2015. the Formula Gulf 1000 competition with Zain’s support to the young racer is 233 points, rivaling competitors from part of the company’s Corporate Social around the globe. The racer is ready to Responsibility strategy that caters to the participate in the 13th and 14th rounds further development of the different in Dubai Autodrome, UAE in early April. sports in the Kuwaiti community, of Al Ghanim’s racing career already saw which are motorsports that are witness- him achieving many titles, including two ing recent demand amongst youth. first place titles, one second place title, Formula 1000 is a type of Formula and one third place title. Zain wishes him motorsports, in which Al Ghanim all the best in his upcoming participa- received intensive training from Virage tions, and further confirms its support to Academy in Spain. The academy special- raise the Kuwaiti flag high in local and izes in training young motorsport tal- international arenas. SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Bring your short game to Olympic golf course chief

RIO DE JANEIRO: After months of legal wrangles horrible numbers!” said Cleverly. “Anyone who ings with a basic maximum of two players per sparked by green protests over the choice of a plays on the British shores (links courses), Ireland, nation, though that will incrase to four in the case nature reserve to host the return of Olympic golf Scotland especially-those guys have got an of top 15 rankings. after 112 years, Rio Games golfers can now plot advantage” on a course where they will have to The Games have grown exponentially since how to deal with a tough course. Rio already has negotiate easterly winds. golf’s last appearance at Saint Louis in 1904, two private courses, neither deemed suitable for “To hold that green is going to be very difficult. when George Lyon of Canada succeeded 1900 the Games by the world golf authorities, which is You can drive it, but you can’t hold it,” said Paris Games US champion Charles Sands, while why Rio opted to find 60 million reais ($20 mil- Cleverly, who added Hanse had wanted a “firm, the women have not competed since Indian-born lion) of private cash to build a controversial fast-running surface” which would benefit a good American Margaret Abbott secured gold in 1900. though spectacular course at Barra de Tijuca, short game player. With the main Olympic bywords now sustain- around an hour west of Rio. “That’s what I’m going to give him. Just like a ability and legacy, Cleverly said that is what fired Course superintendent Neil Cleverly, tasked links course. “This is a different animal. You’re his ambitions as much as next year’s event. with overseeing the grow-in phase ahead of a test going to have to bring a different bag of clubs to “The great legacy of this golf course is that event scheduled for November 26-29, told AFP on play this golf course,” he added of a course mod- post Olympic Games it’s a public golf course, it Wednesday the Gil Hanse-designed course was elled on a range of holes Hanse has personally belongs to the city. “We want to produce a golf exciting and challenging. experienced. course for the city,” said Cleverly. And he indicated that there could be some sur- Cleverly said things would get very interesting “If we can teach the game to the juniors in Rio prises, identifying Rory Mcllroy and Lee on the final three. “If you’re ahead by two shots that would be my goal. This is what I want from Westwood as the kind of names who will look to and your nearest rival is level he’s going to go for this. “There is no point in just putting a course show they can “bump and run” as Cleverly put it it and you’re not-if you do you’re very stupid.” there and then after the Games it goes to noth- to pull out the top-drawer short game required to Not since 1904 has the Olympics seen golf but ing. land a medal. “It favors the short game. It’s going after all the legal back-and-forth on the venue “We want to produce a legacy for the juniors. If to be a challenging last three holes but every sin- selection Rio will next year welcome a 72-hole we can produce a Brazilian junior in 20 years and gle hole has got a different measure of difficulty. contest for 60 men and 60 women. he becomes a champion then I’ll have succeed- “There’s going to be some players who will shoot The fields will be based on Olympic golf stand- ed,” Cleverly concluded. —AFP

Hoffman sets Lee leads pace at the Kia Classic CALIFORNIA: South Korean Lee Mi-rim Texas Open picked off seven birdies to take a one- shot lead with a seven-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Kia Classic in SAN ANTONIO: American Charley Hoffman, bidding for a southern California on Thursday. fourth PGA Tour victory, took advantage of a favourable after- Lee took advantage of ideal afternoon noon start to seize a one-stroke lead in the opening round of conditions to head Yani Tseng of Taiwan the Texas Open in sunny San Antonio on Thursday. by one stroke at the Aviara course in With conditions a little easier in the afternoon after the Carlsbad, while New Zealand’s world morning field had struggled in strong gusting winds, Hoffman number one Lydia Ko and Australian fired a flawless five-under-par 67 on the challenging layout at Karrie Webb were among a group on 67. the TPC San Antonio. Australian Aaron Baddeley, helped by an Lee, 24, won twice in her rookie season extraordinary birdie at the par-four 17th, opened with a 68 on the LPGA circuit last year, and has and American Max Homa with a 69 as only 12 players ended a already recorded a runner-up finish this testing day under par, all of them benefiting from afternoon season. Korean-born players have domi- tee times. nated the LPGA this year, winning all six Five-times major winner Phil Mickelson and fellow tournaments. Tseng ended the day a American Ryan Palmer returned 70s but U.S. Open champion stroke off the pace after an unlikely birdie Martin Kaymer of Germany ballooned to an 82 after having to on her final hole, where she fashioned a contend with morning winds that gusted up to 40 mph (64 superb approach shot from a difficult kph). stance in the rough and rolled in a six- Baddeley, a three-times winner on the PGA Tour, produced foot putt. The 26-year-old Taiwanese has the shot of the day after losing his ball in trees with a hooked drive at the par-four 17th. earned five major victories but has not Playing his third after being penalised one stroke, he teed won an LPGA event since the 2012 Kia off for a second time and promptly holed out for a birdie from Classic. 336 yards. South Korean-born Ko continued the “I hit it straight and started walking off the tee and all of a sizzling form that has already lifted her to sudden everyone in the crowd started going crazy,” Baddeley victories this year at the Women’s told Golf Channel after a round that included five birdies and Australian and New Zealand Opens. a lone bogey. “I’m coming in with a lot of confidence “And I’m like, ‘I think I just made birdie!’ That was a crazy and know that my game is there. It’s finish to the round.” World number six Jordan Spieth, a Texas always good to know that you can be native, also took advantage of an afternoon start as he carded aggressive and just to trust myself,” Ko, a 71. 17, told reporters. “When the wind died down just a little on the back nine, it “I’ve been playing pretty solid the last made those down-wind holes easy and the into-the-breeze couple of weeks ... it’s a pretty cool holes manageable,” the 21-year-old said after recording an streak.” Webb, 40, had already won a eagle at the par-five 14th, a birdie and two bogeys. British Women’s Open before Ko was “So I am very pleased with the start and really lucky with even born, and she remains motivated by the draw that we had.” Americans Matt Kuchar and Cameron her ambition to represent Australia when Percy were the best players among the morning wave, grind- golf returns to the Olympics next year. ing out level-par 72s when the average score was 78.61. As “If I didn’t have that long-term goal, I conditions became calmer in the afternoon, the average score don’t know if I’d be playing full-time right improved to 74.86. “Even par is still an amazing day,” said now, so that’s keeping me out here,” Kuchar. “This was about as challenging of conditions as I can SAN ANTONIO: Charley Hoffman chips onto the fifteenth green during the Webb said. — Reuters remember facing.” — Reuters first round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament. — AP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 44, 2015 Tearful Park apologises for failed doping test

SEOUL: South Korea’s Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan choked back the tears yesterday as he apologised for a failed doping test that led to an 18-month ban from the sport and said he wished he could turn back time and do things differently. Swimming’s governing body FINA handed out the ban on Monday at a hearing in Switzerland after the 25-year-old had tested positive for testosterone ahead of the Asian Games in September. Park, one of South Korea’s most popular athletes and the face of a host of advertising campaigns, tested positive after he was given a shot at a clinic and said he should have taken more care to find out what the doctor was injecting him with. “The last few months since the doping results came out have been hell,” Park told reporters at a Seoul hotel. “When I first heard that I had tested positive I thought for sure it must be some mistake. “I thought: ‘Why did this happen to me? What if I didn’t go to that hospital? What if I didn’t let the doctor inject me? If I could only go back in time.” Park said he had gone to the clinic seeking treatment for a skin complaint and after being prescribed vitamins he had explained to the doctor that he could not take anything that might be on the banned substances list. SEPANG: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gets up from his car after the practice session for the Malaysian The hospital had assured him he was only receiving vita- Formula One Grand Prix. —AP mins, he added. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency has reported that Seoul prosecutors have charged a doctor with professional negligence and the trial is set to begin next Hamilton fastest despite engine issues month. SEPANG: Lewis Hamilton recovered The German also spun off while on on the track after failing to even manage PAST GLORY from a frustrating morning session to lay target for a very quick time later in the that in Australia. A double world champion and the first Korean to win an down a marker to his Formula One rivals day. Rosberg followed his earlier impres- Despite leading the way, Hamilton Olympic swimming medal, Park’s suspension was backdated with the fastest time of the day in sec- sive run with a third-fastest time but a complained of “downgraded shifts from Sept. 3 and runs through March 2, 2016, leaving the ond free practice for the Malaysian mistake on his flying lap on the medium everywhere” over the team radio on his door open for Park to return in time for the Rio Olympics. Grand Prix yesterday. Mercedes team tyres prevented him from challenging return to the pits and will have lingering “FINA has left the door open for the Olympics, but noth- mate Nico Rosberg had dominated the Hamilton’s best work around the sweep- fears of the reliability issues that ing has been decided yet,” he said, adding that he had been first session, in which Hamilton was ing 5.543 km Sepang International cropped up in a disappointing first prac- unable to talk about the case before his March 23 hearing unable to set a timed lap after suffering Circuit. tice. The Briton ground to a halt at the due to FINA confidentiality requirements. “I want to say sorry a major engine problem and stopping Fernando Alonso enjoyed a smooth Turn Nine hairpin after starting the ses- to the people for not explaining the situation sooner.” on the track. return to action after missing the sea- sion without telemetry and complained Park’s case has stunned the sporting community in South After mechanics worked to fix what son-opener due to concussion caused of an issue at the rear of the car. Korea, which took enormous pride from his 400 metres his team deemed a “hardware issue”, by a crash in winter testing, the Spaniard The stricken Mercedes was returned freestyle gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Hamilton slipped on the quicker medi- racking up the laps in his McLaren to fin- to the garage on a flat-bed truck and “I’ve worn the Korean flag since I was 15 and in all that um tyres and clocked an impressive one ish 14th in the morning session. quickly stripped down by mechanics, time I never once thought about using drugs,” said Park, the minute, 39.790 seconds with 20 minutes Alonso did have a minor scare when who set about repairing Hamilton’s flashes from banks of cameras bursting to life as he spoke. remaining to top the timesheets. he locked up and skidded into the pit engine ahead of the second session. “Some of those closest to me ask, do you think it’s fair Ferrari will have been buoyed by lane entrance late in the second session Of the other teams, Williams showed that all your glory over the last 10 years, all the time and their day’s work with a resurgent Kimi but he and team mate Jenson Button improvement as the day progressed as effort you have put in, it will all come down to you being a Raikkonen finishing second in each ses- remained firmly among the back mark- Valterri Bottas, also returning from junkie,” he said haltingly, before pausing to compose him- sion, lapping 0.373 seconds behind ers with their Honda-powered cars injury, was fifth fastest with team mate self. Rosberg in the morning and by the showing just a slight overall improve- Felipe Massa just behind. Park said he would work hard to restore his reputation same margin adrift of Hamilton in the ment since Melbourne. Red Bull also looked a little more and laid out what the episode had cost him. “Swimming is afternoon. competitive than they had in Melbourne the only thing I’ve ever known, and now I can no longer do Sebastian Vettel also looked quick in LINGERING FEARS with Daniel Ricciardo overcoming “weak it.” —Reuters the other Ferrari, backing up his impres- It was also a notable day for Manor traction” to finish sixth in first free prac- sive debut at the season-opening Marussia, who despite setting the slow- tice and his Russian team mate Daniil Australian Grand Prix with the third est times of both practice sessions, were Kvyat managing fourth in the later ses- fastest time of the morning. able to get their modified 2014 cars out sion. —Reuters Ferrari stay cool in pursuit of Mercedes SEPANG: Ferrari’s continued resurgence practice session but spun off at Turn 11 in set up to make everything easier but we’ll in Formula One was evident yesterday the second when he was on course for a do our best and we’ll see where we end with both cars looking competitive in the quick lap on the faster medium tyres and up in qualifying.” Vettel was also disap- first two practice sessions for the was forced to settle for seventh place pointed with his momentary loss of con- Malaysian Grand Prix. along with a solid race simulation run. trol but still saw the positive side of his Kimi Raikkonen chased home the “Today we did all we were supposed day’s work. Mercedes of Nico Rosberg in the morning to do,” Raikkonen told reporters. “In the “I am not entirely happy with myself, I and repeated the feat behind the morning, the feeling with the car was was pushing too much but it didn’t work German’s team mate Lewis Hamilton in better... in the afternoon was a bit more out in the end and I spun. But if you have the afternoon, trailing both by identical tricky, we had some handling issues and to choose a day where you want to try 0.373-second margins at a circuit where some problems with the wind and the things, you choose Friday,” he said, he has won twice before. heat, but the lap time were not so bad.” admitting that Mercedes were still some Sebastian Vettel also looked far closer Ruing a red flag during the second way ahead in terms of performance. to the Mercedes duo than he did in fin- session when he was fitted with the faster “It will be close between us and ishing a distant third, more than 30 sec- medium-compound tyres, Raikkonen still Williams, and probably Red Bull as well,” onds adrift, on an otherwise impressive feels there is room for improvement. the four-times world champion added. debut with the Italian outfit at the sea- “The car is still not perfect, but I’m “Mercedes didn’t have a clean day but are SEOUL: Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae- son-opening race in Australia two weeks sure we can improve for tomorrow,” he still very strong but we have to look now hwan of South Korea. —AP ago. The German was third in the first added. “We have some work to do on the after ourselves.” —Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Valverde grabs fifth stage O’Sullivan pulls Thomas wins E3 Harelbeke in Belgium out of China Open LONDON: Former world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan VALLS: Spain’s Alejandro Valverde has withdrawn from the China Open for health reasons, claimed his second stage win in four World Snooker announced yesterday. days as Australian Richie Porte moved O’Sullivan has won the world title five times and into the overall lead at the Tour of would have been the major attraction at the Beijing Catalonia yesterday. event, which he qualified for with a 5-1 victory against The Movistar rider came home in a Luca Brecel last month. time of 4hr 25min 52sec to edge out But a statement from World Snooker read: “Ronnie Colombian Rigoberto Uran and Italy’s O’Sullivan has pulled out of next week’s China Open Paolo Tiralongo by five seconds on the world ranking event for health reasons. 195.4 kilometre fifth stage from Alp to “O’Sullivan was due to meet either Robin Hull or Yan Valls. Porte finished fourth on the day Bingtao in his opening match in Beijing on the evening and that was enough to move him into of Tuesday March 31, so the winner of that match will the overall lead, five seconds ahead of receive a bye to the last 32.” Domenico Pozzovivo with two-time O’Sullivan suffered a 10-7 defeat against Judd Tour de France winner Alberto Contador Trump in the World Grand Prix final in Wales recently a further two seconds adrift. and his next scheduled tournament will be the World It was another poor day for Roche’s Championship in Sheffield next month. Sky teammate Chris Froome, though, as Even without snooker’s most recognisable star, the the Briton finished back in 83rd and is tournament should retain its appeal as China’s Ding now nearly 37 minutes down on the Junhui, the reigning champion after beating Australia’s leaders. By contrast, Valverde revealed Neil Robertson in last year’s final, will start the defence his fine form has convinced him to ride of his title against Scotland’s Marcus Campbell in the in the Tour of Flanders for the first time first round. on April 5, as well as the Ardennes clas- The event begins next Monday, with matches con- sics early next month. tested over the best of nine frames in the early stages, “I would like to ride like this until the 11 in the semi-finals and 19 for tomorrow’s final. — AFP Ardennes and this year will be the first time I go to the Tour of Flanders,” he said. “I want to get to know it and I would like to do well, but obviously it is California just to try it out.” Porte and Valverde were among the beneficiaries when strong winds split the peloton into three Chrome poised groups with just under 50km to go and overnight leader Bart de Clercq was for glory unable to stay with the leaders. Valverde was always well-positioned at the front of the leading group and made his suc- DUBAI: California Chrome’s owners believe they have a cessful break for the line three kilome- perfect draw in the outside nine gate to land the 20th run- tres from the finish to move himself up ning of the $10 million Dubai World Cup, the world’s rich- to fourth in the general classification, 16 est race today. seconds off Porte, thanks to the 10 “I love it. Nine is a perfect position for our horse,” trainer bonus seconds for winning a stage. Art Sherman said of the favourite, the 2014 American Indeed with Uran just two seconds Horse of the Year after landing Kentucky Derby and further back, the top five are separated Preakness Stakes victories. by just 18 seconds with two stages to “I’ve got all the speed horses to the inside of me and he loves to run from the outside. Connections have been hap- go. “The race is a long way from over,” BELGIUM: British rider Geraint Thomas of Team Sky celebrates with his trophy on py so far how the four-year-old has performed in early said Porte. “Not only for me, but for the podium after winning the 58th edition of the E3 Harelbeke ycling race. — AFP morning workouts at the Meydan’s new dirt track since a those behind me as there are plenty of Stybar was left for dead as Thomas pow- cobbled classic, the Paris-Roubaix, on long 25-hour flight to the United Arab Emirates. riders bunched together in the general ered to the line but Sagan was clearly the two following Sundays. “He jogged great, stood in the gate good so we’re classification looking for the bonus sec- suffering after his exertions and was Cancellara, 34, won the Tour of ready. Tomorrow we’ll gallop and take him to the pad- onds. “The next two days could be dan- unable to keep in touch, allowing the Flanders in 2010, 2013 and 2014 and dock,” Alan Sherman, assistant to his father, told Reuters gerous, but especially in Barcelona it will peleton to overtake him at the death. Paris-Roubaix in 2006, 2010 and 2013. after Chrome’s light track work on Thursday. “He has not be hard.” Today’s 194.1km ride from The race had earlier been marked by He was one of a number of riders who missed an oat, he’s eaten fantastic so we just hope we’ll Cervera to Port Aventura should suit a the injury to three-time winner Fabian went down in the spill, 40km into the get a good trip and put on a good show,” he said. sprint finish, so the overall victory is like- Cancellara of Switzerland, who suffered race, and although he was able to After the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, California ly to be decided tomorrow’s hilly two fractured veterbrae in a crash and remount and continue he was in obvi- Chrome finished fourth in the Belmont Stakes, failing in his 126.6km circuit around Barcelona. will miss the rest of the Spring Classics. ous pain, and only a few kilometres later bid to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed Meanwhile, Geraint Thomas came The crash, on the cobbles of the first he pulled up. “It all happened so fast. in 1978. However, the rags to riches story of the horse, who home alone to win the E3 Harelbeke in classic of the season, also took down a Someone slammed the brakes and there cost his owners a mere $10,000, captured the imagination Belgium yesterday. The British Sky team couple of the other favorites, John was no way to go, just straight into it,” of the nation and drew swathes of followers. rider finished nearly half a minute clear Degenkolb and Lars Boon, although he said. “He lost the Triple Crown and the Breeder’s Cup Classic of Zdenek Stybar of the Czech Republic. they carried on. “I flew over a couple of riders and by less than two lengths. That’s a pretty amazing test for Matteo Trentin of Italy led the chasing Three other riders, however, were then landed in a pile of bikes. There any horse. Just to be good enough to be invited over here pack across the line, 38sec behind taken to hospital. “X-rays have con- were riders everywhere. I fell so hard, that’s the icing on the cake,” co-owner Steve Coburn said. Thomas. firmed the worst: 2 fractures of verte- and felt pain everywhere. It was sort of In the 10-furlong race in Dubai, California Chrome will Thomas’ victory was built on an brae in lower back for @f_cancellara reflex to get back on the bike but the face strong challengers that include another American audacious attack 40 kilometres out means no spring campaign. #E3H,” pain was hard, in my lower back, left runner Lea, Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia and last year’s when only Stybar could keep pace with tweeted Cancellara’s Trek Factory wrist, and my ribs on the back. “I felt World Cup champion African Story from the Godolphin him. However, the pair were later joined Racing team. right away that it was a serious crash, stable. by Peter Sagan of Slovakia, one of the The injury is a massive blow for but I wanted to try to keep going. I had Lea is the second favourite and trainer Bill Mott believes pre-race favourites, and the trio pulled Cancellara, coming in a race referred to to stop; the pain was too much. We that his horse has potential to upset California Chrome further away from the chasing pack, as a mini (218km) Tour of Flanders as it went to the hospital for scans and this despite missing most of the 2014 season due to a virus. opening up a lead of almost a minute at takes in many of the same brutal climbs confirmed the pain.” He added: “There is “I feel very good about him. California Chrome is proba- one point. And it was Thomas who and cobbled sections. This race leads nothing you can do with this injury - no bly a legitimate favourite but we feel like we should be a found the strength to make a final into the Ghent-Wevelgem on Sunday cast, no surgery - but just biting the good challenger,” said Mott, who won the inaugural Dubai breakaway four kilometres from home. before the Tour of Flanders and the final pain.” — AFP World Cup running with Cigar in 1996. — Reuters SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Underarm incident still Form meets pedigree resonates before final in World Cup final SYDNEY: There’s been no place like home for Australia and New Zealand on their respective paths to the World Cup final MELBOURNE: New Zealand’s cricketing Gallipoli came on Feb. 1, ATTACKING MINDSET but just one of the co-hosts will enjoy that particular advan- 1981 when Australia captain Greg Chappell instructed his brother “When I first came into the NZ team in 1973 a draw was as tage when they meet in tomorrow’s title decider. Trevor to bowl the last ball of a one-day match at the Melbourne good as a win,” said Richard Hadlee, the finest cricketer produced After 48 one-day internationals played out over six weeks Cricket Ground along the ground. New Zealand, with an All Black at by New Zealand and the first man to take 400 test wickets. between teams from five continents, the 11th version of the crease in the form of Brian McKechnie, needed six to tie a World “So we played defensive type cricket to hang in there five days, cricket’s showpiece tournament comes down to a trans- Series one-day final match. McKechnie blocked the ball and threw his to get a draw if you were good enough, then we might sneak a Tasman tussle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. bat away in disgust. His team had lost but the outcry was such that win that would take the team as far as we could.” Australia, playing in their seventh final, have all the crick- the defeat has resonated in all subsequent games between the two The New Zealand mindset changed under Howarth who took eting pedigree and their four previous titles make them by far nations, including tomorrow’s World Cup at the same venue. over in 1980. He proved an innovative and aggressive captain, at the most successful nation in World Cup history. “It was the making of New Zealand cricket,” recalled captain Geoff his best in the sound and fury of a one-day match which reached a New Zealand have indisputably been the form team of the Howarth. “From that moment, interest in a game, and our team, mul- peak of popularity when players such as Lance Cairns became folk tournament, their eight-match unbeaten romp to their first tiplied many times over. “You could not have brought the publicity heroes in a country where the All Blacks were kings. World Cup final including a victory over the Australians in cricket got from that game. We should be thankful for what the In an unforgettable assault on the Australian bowlers at the Auckland. Now, though, they have left New Zealand for the Australians did.” Howarth, who played domestic cricket in England Melbourne Cricket Ground, albeit in another lost cause, Cairns hit first time in the tournament to play their first one-dayer at the where underarm bowling had been banned, raced on to the field in six sixes in 10 balls, including a one-handed shot off Dennis Lillee MCG in six years in front of a hostile crowd of up to 100,000. protest only to find there was no similar rule in World Series cricket. over backward square leg. In their last 12 one-dayers at the MCG going back five Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser called on Chappell to “It was a magical time,” Cairns said on the morning of New years, Australia have won all but two and they are unbeaten apologise while his New Zealand counterpart Robert Muldoon Zealand’s winning semi-final against South Africa at Eden Park last at the ground in their last six encounters. quipped he thought it was appropriate the Australian team was Tuesday. “We would walk on to a plane and the whole plane Crucial to New Zealand’s chances of lifting a first World dressed in yellow. “It’s the most disgusting episode in the history of would be clapping us.” Martin Crowe took New Zealand to the Cup is, perhaps, how their potent new ball attack of Trent cricket,” he added. Seasoned New Zealand cricket followers found a brink of a World Cup final in 1992 with his brilliant batting and a Boult and Tim Southee handle the change of conditions on certain irony in the uproar created in Australia. After an Australian stream of innovative tactics such as opening the bowling with off- the drop-in wicket. team had humiliated New Zealand on a wet pitch in Wellington in spinner Dipak Patel and the batting with the big-hitting Mark Consensus has it they will get less of the swing they have 1946, Australia had simply ignored their trans-Tasman neighbours, Greatbatch. used to such devastating effect back home and will have to sending second string sides across but not the full national side until But neither he nor any other previous captain in six attempts adjust the length of their deliveries. 1974. New Zealand responded by beating Australia at Lancaster Park had led a team to a final until Brendon McCullum, a man whose Australia expect that to play to their advantage the same in Christchurch through centuries in both innings by Glenn Turner. team Hadlee regards as the natural heirs to the 80s’ side. way New Zealand benefited in the one-wicket victory at Eden Four years later they defeated England for the first time at the “All these things are progressions,” he said. “It’s great for the Park-the only defeat for Michael Clarke’s side. Basin Reserve in Wellington and the foundations of the great side of game, it’s what our game needs. We’re attacking and playing an “I think the fact that the conditions are different will cer- the 1980s, who won home and away series against both nations and attacking, bright and entertaining style of cricket that is good for tainly help us, and we’ve played a fair bit of cricket through- were undefeated in a series at home for the decade had been laid. television and the fans that come along.” — Reuters out the summer at the MCG as well,” Clarke said after the semi-final win at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. “Conditions are a lot different to what New Zealand have been playing in in New Zealand. But in saying that, I think we’re going to have to play our best cricket, there’s no doubt about it.” Southee, though, thinks New Zealand’s bowlers have shown they can prosper even when they do not get much movement. “It hasn’t swung for us in every game but we’ve found ways to take wickets so I think that’s the beauty of our attack,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Friday. “I think we’ve got variety to it and if it does swing, obvi- ously we do become a bit more dangerous. But we have found ways to take wickets when it’s not swinging.” Australia have a potent bowling attack of their own in the rampant Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, with the older Johnson looking close to his best with two key Indian wickets in the semi-final. It has largely been a World Cup more notable for batting, though, and both sides have quality all their way through their line-ups. The fearless aggression shown by New Zealand openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill has been a sight to behold for cricket lovers everywhere. And if there was any doubt about New Zealand’s ability to deal with pressure, they can point to two tight victories won with sixes-first Kane Williamson against Australia and then Grant Elliott in the semi-final against South Africa. For Australia, Steve Smith has been calmly racking up runs all season and in the likes of David Warner and Glenn Maxwell MELBOURNE: In this Feb. 2, 1981 file photo, Australian bowler Trevor Chappell (right) bowls underarm to New Zealand bats- they also have the power hitters to inflate a batting total in a man Brian McKechnie on the last ball of a one-day international from which New Zealand needed to hit six runs to force a tie at few short overs. — Reuters the Melbourne Cricket Ground. — AP Mature fans accept end of India’s World champion reign

MUMBAI: India’s notoriously volatile fans showed rare maturity in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while addressing reporters at the Sydney friend, who was present at the SCG. But it was soon over-ridden by accepting the end of their team’s reign as world champions after Cricket Ground after the 95-run loss. people, including former India captain Sourav Ganguly, slamming Thursday’s semi-final defeat against co-hosts Australia in Sydney. The “At the start of the tournament, a lot of people didn’t really think those taking digs at the duo and blaming them for the defeat. defending champions struggled during their build-up, losing a four- we’ll come so far.” “He tried” ran the main headline on the front page One national television channel flayed the team for their efforts in test series 2-0 against Australia and then failing to win a single match of the Indian Express newspaper with a picture of the Indian captain the semi-final but was criticised on social media for sensationalism. in the following tri-series, also involving England. walking back with his head bowed after being run out for 65. Fans were, however, in unison in agreeing that India’s juggernaut But expectations soared after they won all their six pool matches While security was beefed up at Dhoni’s residence in Ranchi, there screeched to a halt against a superior team in the form of Australia. and easily defeated Bangladesh in their quarter-final, taking all 70 was no incident of stone pelting like in 2007 when India bowed out of The Times of India mentioned “India meet their match” and that opposition wickets in the process. The Hindustan Times newspaper the tournament in the group stage after a humiliating loss to view was seconded by most columnists in various newspapers. summed up the mood of the nation with their front page headline Bangladesh. The disappointment, though, led to fans taking to social Former captain Rahul Dravid had no qualms in accepting that the which read “Heartbreak, but young team does India proud”. networking sites initially, venting their anger against star batsman best two teams have reached the final while Ganguly felt India were “Overall, quite happy with where we were,” said India captain Virat Kohli, who made one off 13 balls, and his Bollywood actress girl- “outplayed”.—Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

Conte primes Juve-inspired Italy for Bulgaria

MILAN: World Cup flops Italy look to continue their front of Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. other options in Napoli’s Manolo Gabbiadini and strong start to Euro 2016 qualifying when they face Juve’s Claudio Marchisio was expected line up Graziano Pelle of Southampton. And the recent first- Bulgaria away in a Group H clash that could revive alongside Antonio Candreva of Lazio and Marco time call-ups of Argentinian-born Franco Vazquez and memories of coach Antonio Conte’s spell at Juventus. Verratti of Paris Saint Germain, but was ruled out for Eder, born in Brazil, have given Conte extra options, Italy are unbeaten after four opening games, having the rest of the season Friday with a knee ligament while igniting debate about who or who should not suffered their only setback in a 1-1 draw with group injury. Verratti will replace Pirlo in the central midfield wear the Azzurro shirt. “I believe an Italian player leaders Croatia in November. role, with Torino’s Matteo Darmian and AC Milan’s deserves to play in the national team, while those who Conte quit Juventus with three league titles to his Luca Antontelli possibly occupying the wingback roles are not born in Italy, even if they have Italian family, name before inheriting the Azzurri helm from Cesare of which Conte was so fond while coach of the shouldn’t have that right,” said Inter Milan coach Prandelli following their disastrous, first-round exit Bianconeri. Roberto Mancini. Vazquez and Eder were both born from the World Cup in Brazil. Those achievements, Fiorentina’s Manuel Pasqual was ruled out with a abroad to families who emigrated from the country and his proximity to the nucleus of his current squad, rib injury on Friday, alongside Roma’s Alessandro several generations ago-but both hold dual nationali- appear to be bearing fruit as Conte seeks to lead Italy Florenzi (knee). Verratti, who has scored twice for Italy ty and are eligible to play for Italy. back on the road to succes. in 10 appearances, admits it’s a rare chance to show- “There’s no debate,” said Carlo Tavecchio, the “Conte is the same as the person who coached case his potential on the international stage. president of Italy’s football federation (FIGC). “If a play- Juventus, he hasn’t changed since he made the “I’m going to make the most of this opportunity,” er has Italian citizenship, he is eligible. Conte has switch,” said Leonardo Bonucci, one of the five said Verratti. “It’s normal not to start out as first choice absolute freedom to select whoever he wants to play.” Juventus players expected to line up against Luboslav in the national team, it could hardly be any different Following the World Cup debacle which sorely Penev’s side in Sofia. when you have players like Pirlo and De Rossi ahead exposed Italy’s reliance on erratic Liverpool striker “He has very strong ideas about what football he of you in the reckoning.” Mario Balotelli, who has yet to be called up by Conte, wants to play and while he was at Juventus we honed The big question from Italian fans ahead of today the four-time World Cup winners are perhaps right to our technical and tactical skills.” concerns Conte’s choice of strikers. Simone Zaza-a explore all their options. Although Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo is miss- young and powerful front man who can score both in Whoever lines up at the Vasil Levski stadium today ing through injury, the Italian champions will be well and outside the box-could line up with Ciro Immobile, will do so knowing Bulgaria have taken only four represented. A three-man Juventus defence of Giorgio who has hit a rich vein of form for misfiring German points from their four matches so far and were even Chiellini, Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli will line up in Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund. But Conte has held 1-1 by Malta last time out. — AFP

Blatter says football must move Japan subs away from Europe sink Tunisia ZURICH: FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned yesterday that he wants new measures to TOKYO: Shinji Okazaki and Keisuke Honda came off the reduce Europe’s influence as he gears up for a bench to score quickfire goals as Japan beat Tunisia 2-0 yes- battle over Europe’s World Cup places and his terday in their first outing under new coach Vahid Halilhodzic. own reelection. The firebrand Franco-Bosnian wore a face like thunder as “The world is no longer Eurocentric. In my 40 he prowled the touchline in a pinstripe suit gesticulating furi- years at FIFA I have regarded it as my most ously as Japan wasted several first-half chances, with debu- important task to lead football out of Europe tant Kengo Kawamata coming closest by heading against the into the whole world,” Blatter said. bar after 20 minutes. “We have succeeded but the process is not Honda and Shinji Kagawa were introduced on the hour yet at an end,” he added in a column in the FIFA mark, quickly followed by Okazaki, and all three made an magazine The Weekly. He made no specific pro- impact as the Blue Samurai blew out the cobwebs after their posals. But throughout his time as FIFA presi- Asian Cup flop in January. dent, Blatter has encouraged Africa and other Honda crossed for Okazaki to head home at the far post on continents to press for more World Cup places. 78 minutes and Japan’s blond cult hero stabbed home from The latest comments come however after close range five minutes later after Kagawa had struck panic the 79-year-old Blatter had an awkward time at into Tunisia’s defence. “I’m delighted,” said Halilhodzic, who the UEFA Congress on Tuesday, having to watch recently replaced Javier Aguirre after the Mexican’s sacking his three rivals for the FIFA presidency in May amid allegations of match-fixing dating back to a previous attack his record. UEFA president Michel Platini tenure in Spain. also made new calls for change at the world “We played very well. Honda and Kagawa have shown that body. they have the ability to change games. We’ve taken a big step On top, UEFA made clear that it will be press- with this victory but I still want to explore new options.” ing for an extra place at the 2018 World Cup The 62-year-old Halilhodzic, who led Algeria to the knock- when FIFA’s executive decides the allocation, out stages of last year’s World Cup in Brazil, made sweeping changes for his first game in Oita, western Japan, but the the day after the FIFA presidential vote on May arrival of Honda and Kagawa gave the home side an instant 29. lift. Platini indicated at the Vienna congress on Former Bayern Munich loanee Takashi Usami almost Tuesday that he believes Blatter is linking the marked his debut with a goal just before the final whistle, hit- two. Platini told a small group of reporters after ting the post with a curling effort, but Halilhodzic will have a the congress that the number of European clearer idea of his best side before the 2018 Asian World Cup places at the 2018 World Cup is “quite rightly” a qualifiers begin in June. prime concern for national federations. Former Yugoslavia striker Halilhodzic, who has promised to “You know that Blatter will organise an exec- restore Japan’s shattered confidence, will have another utive committee the day after the Congress ... opportunity to tinker when his side face Uzbekistan in Tokyo and he put on the agenda ‘slots of the World on Tuesday. Cup’ He is playing with that.” Europe believes it “The focus is on the World Cup qualifiers,” he said. “We deserves at least one extra slot as it has 19 of have another game in a few days and another chance to look the top 31 teams in the FIFA rankings. at different players.” At the 1998 World Cup, there were 15 Japan exited the 2014 World Cup with barely a whimper European teams but in Brazil last year the num- under Italian Alberto Zaccheroni before their Asian Cup ber had dropped to 13. If the same system is defence ended in an embarrassing quarter-final defeat to kept for Russia 2018, Europe would have 14 the United Arab Emirates on penalties. Tunisia boss Georges representatives, 13 through qualifiers and JAPAN: Japan’s Shinji Kagawa vies the ball with Tunisia’s Ali Maaloul in the Leekens, meanwhile, told reporters: “The jet lag took its toll Russia as hosts. “If they don’t want Europe any second-half of their friendly in Oita. Shinji Okazaki and Keisuke Honda scored on us in the second half but you saw the quality Japan had more they have to say so,” the UEFA leader second-half goals as Japan beat Tunisia 2-0 in its first game under new coach in the players they brought off the bench. That turned the declared. — AFP Vahid Halilhodzic of Bosnia Herzegovina. — AP game.” — AFP SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015 SATURDAY, Japan subs SportsSports sink Tunisia47 Sharapova suffers shock loss in Miami

MIAMI: World number two Maria Sharapova have to go out and win it no matter if you’re the opening set after nearly an hour and quickly found test. “I put myself in a situation that was too far crashed out of the Miami Open hardcourt tennis favorite. “Today I didn’t,” added the former world herself trailing the former junior world number one behind to come back from.” tournament on Thursday, ambushed by 97th- number one, who has never lifted the trophy in 4-1 in the second. Sharapova clawed a break back Gavrilova lives and trains in Australia, where she ranked Daria Gavrilova 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Miami despite five trips to the final. Gavrilova, who but was then broken to love as Gavrilova set is coached with funding from the Australian federa- The upset, biggest so far at the combined WTA only broke into the top 100 on Monday, let out a herself up for the win with a 5-3 lead. She calm- tion and is pursuing Australian citizenship. and ATP Masters event, took one hour, 49 minutes squeal of delight upon sealing the win. ly closed out the biggest win of her career on her The triumph was her first against a top-10 play- and marked the worst defeat five-time Grand Slam “I still can’t realize that it’s my dream,” said first match point. “I thought I was very composed er after four prior chances. She had never before winner Sharapova has endured in Miami since she Gavrilova, who said she had dreamed of beating and just did my best,” Gavrilova said. “I was believ- beaten anyone ranked higher than 35th. lost in the first round on her debut in 2003. Sharapova ever since she saw her countrywoman ing. When I sat down with my towel (at the end), I Remaining women’s seeds fared better, with six “It’s sport, and I happened to lose the match,” beat Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final in was crying a little bit.” of the top 16 making it through to the third round. Sharapova said of dropping her second-round 2004. The surprise defeat of the second seed opens Sharapova said she simply left herself too much Number four Caroline Wozniacki lost just one game opener after a first-round bye. “Of course it’s a bit the door for a possible move by Romanian Simona to do in the second set. “I had little times where I in a 6-0, 6-1 hammering of Madison Brengle, while of a surprise ... I’m expected to win. “But that’s one Halep from number three to number two in the did come back, but I was always behind,” said Polish seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska defeat- of the reasons why we play the matches-you still world rankings behind Williams. Sharapova lost the Sharapova, who was broken four times in the con- ed Anna Schmiedlova 6-4, 7-5. —AFP