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SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 JAMADA ALAWWAL 22, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Godrej: Take Chelsea hit Kuwait-India Arsenal for six relations in Wenger’s beyond trade 1,000th game 25 20 INSIDE Egypt FM sees ‘peaceful Max 27º Min 16º change’ in Arab world High Tide 04:30 & 21:33 Low Tide Fahmy meets Kuwaiti media delegation 04:46 & 16:05 40 PAGES NO: 16113 150 FILS

CAIRO: (From left) KUNA’s Egypt Bureau Chief Mona Sheshter, Mohammed Al-Bahar, Kuwait Journalists Association Treasurer Adnan Al-Rashed, Al-Nahar Editor-in-Chief Emad Bukhamseen, Al-Anbaa Editor-in-Chief Yousef Al-Marzouq, Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy, KUNA Editor-in-Chief Saad Al-Ali, Deputy Head of the Kuwaiti mission to Egypt Mohammad Al-Mohammad, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Kuwaitia Madhi Khamees, Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan and Al-Rai Editor-in-Chief Majed Al-Ali pose for a group photo. — Photo by Majed Al-Sabej

By Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan mine political structures if relations are smooth between he said would dominate the Arab summit in Kuwait this ment of the Arab League and the Court of Human Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief the people and their rulers. But he said some parties - week. He said Kuwait’s acceptance to bear this responsi- Rights, he said. whom he did not name - are inciting “sectarian sedition” bility by hosting the March 25-26 summit “reflects its Fahmy cautioned the gathering may not bring imme- CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy told a vis- among Arab countries that are undergoing transforma- national and Arab belongings”. Among the major issues diate results. “It is impossible to address all challenges iting Kuwaiti media delegation that change brought tion. to be discussed by the Arab leaders would be the Arab and solve differences in two days,” he warned, “but it is about by the Arab Spring will affect all Arab countries Fahmy said the Arab world is facing huge challenges identity, terrorism, honoring aspirations of people, the important that the summit reaches a sound assessment “without exception”, but will be peaceful and not under- and going through a “critical and sensitive” phase, which Palestinian-Israeli talks, the Syrian conflict, the develop- Continued on Page 3

KUWAIT: Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh (right) and Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby attend the opening session of the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League ministers yesterday. — AP (See Page 2) Arab finance ministers meet

KUWAIT: Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh said yesterday that the draft resolutions issued by the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council at the level of finance min- isters praised the progress in the implementation of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s initiative to provide financial resources to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Saleh told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) following the meeting that the Arab countries’ pledges to the initiative have so far amounted to $1.308 billion out of the $2 billion capital. The finance ministers also approved draft resolutions regarding the preparations for next year’s Arab eco- nomic summit, establishing the Arab Banking Commission and the Grand Arab Investment Zone. The Kuwaiti minister added that the Arab League Economic and Social Council also approved draft resolutions reflecting consensus among Arab countries and keen- ness to bring about success of this week’s summit. Saleh added that the Economic and Social Council urged the Arab states and the Arab Transport Council to exert more efforts to work on removing obstacles that hamper execution of the Arab railroad linkage net- works. Continued on Page 13 LOCAL SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

KUWAIT: Foreign officials sit around the tables for the opening session of the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League nistersMi in Kuwait City yesterday, ahead of the 25th Arab summit in Kuwait on March 25 and 26. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat Arab officials call for boosting economic, social development Praise for Amir’s initiative

KUWAIT: Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf Abdullah Beshara called on the importance of hav- “There is a complete consensus on all draft res- underlined importance of the the Arab League ing strategies, economic and trade agreements in olutions which reflects the good relations among Economic and Social Council’s draft resolutions, order to achieve Arab economic integration. the Arab countries,” permanent representative to particularly those related to electricity linkage “The Arab countries have a genuine opportuni- the Arab League Aziz Al-Daihani told reporters fol- project, water and food security. Al-Assaf, after the ty that should be seized in order to have strategies, lowing the conclusion of the council meeting, held council meeting, praised His Highness the Amir and economic and trade agreements in order to at the Finance Ministers’ level. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s initia- strengthen the Arab economy and trade,” Beshara He said the recommendations of the meeting tive to launch a $2 billion fund to support small said in a seminar about “Personal Experience,” part would be referred to the Foreign Ministers who and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). of activities of the 25th Arab summit, due in will meet tomorrow. Egyptian Minister of He underlined that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia Kuwait on March 25-26. Commerce, Industry and Investment Munir honored their pledges to the fund, which was He called on the Arab League to “stop wasting Abdulnour said the ministers discussed renewable launched in the Arab Economic, Social and time on military and security strategies and to energy resources. He told reporters the Arab world Development summit in Kuwait in 2009. work instead on formulating ways of economic was rich of solar and wind energies. Al-Assaf also pointed out the Saudi King and trade cooperation, in order to promote eco- The Finance Ministers approved a resolution Abdullah’s initiative to support Arab financial insti- nomic development as opposed to lack of that called for following up the implementation of tutes to increase their capital by not less than 50 progress and agreement at the military and securi- resolutions of the 2013 Arab Economic, percent. ty fronts.” Development and Social summit that was held in He said the Finance Ministers in the council Beshara meanwhile hoped the Arab summit Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. welcomed King Abdullah’s initiative to provide would succeed in achieving conciliation among The resolution praised the progress in the USD 200 million for the Palestinian cities. Lebanese the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) countries. implementation of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Minister of Economy and Trade Alain Hakim said He attributed the slow progress of the GCC Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s initiative to there was an overall agreement among the Arab march to the lack of public opinion that might act provide financial resources to small and medium- countries regarding renewable energies. as a pressuring tool. The GCC, he added, “needs sized enterprises (SMEs). It noted that the Arab Hakim said the finance ministers agreed to friends to defend it and taking into consideration Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from 1971 until his appointment as Secretary countries’ pledget to the initiative have so far establish an Arab Investment Zone. Secretary that the GCC is a system built on consensus.” - believes in consensus among its members, he General of the GCC 10 years later. amounted to $1.308 billion out of the $2 billion General of the Supreme Council for Planning of He said he was selected as the first Secretary noted. capital. The finance ministers also approved draft Oman, Sultan Al-Habsi said the finance ministers General of the GCC, which was established on May Beshara said the GCC was launched at the start Complete consensus resolutions regarding the preparations for next focused on boosting the common Arab action 25 1981. His termed expired in 1993. The GCC, of Iran-Iraq war, sought to maintain balance of The Arab League Economic and Social Council year’s Arab economic summit, establishing the specially in the economic and social spheres. added Beshara, benefitted from the Arab League’s powers in the region, preserving the safety and approved yesterday draft resolutions to the Arab Arab Banking Commission, the Grand Arab experience to achieving its objectives in different sovereignty of its member countries, emphasizing summit, reflecting consensus among Arab coun- Investment Zone, renewable energy and estab- New strategies domains. on moderation the Gulf identity. tries and keenness to bring about success of next lishing a mechanism to coordinate humanitarian Meanwhile, GCC former Secretary General The GCC countries - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Beshara was Kuwait’s Ambassador to the UN week’s summit, a Kuwaiti diplomat said. aid. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Tunisian ambassador to Kuwait Nourddine Erray held on Thursday a reception on the occasion of the National Day of his country at Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was attended by a number of dinitaries and other diplomats. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat CBK announces Sheikha Fariha voices cultural campaign satisfaction at mother’s award

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announced its third annual cul- KUWAIT: President of the Kuwait Association for the Ideal dination with foundations that care for cases of special tural campaign that reflects commitment to revive Kuwait’s heritage Family Sheikha Fariha Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said “the needs. through innovative projects that underline the traditional Kuwaiti values ideal mother award” has yielded tangible results in terms of “Voluntary work, undoubtedly, boosts states’ progress and their timeless importance. promoting family awareness and violence renunciation. and prosperity and enriches social, scientific, cultural activi- “We are glad to announce holding the ‘Ya Zain Turathna’ (our beautiful Sheikha Fariha, speaking during a ceremony for the ties,” she said, adding that it also cement bonds among fam- heritage) campaign for the third consecutive year following the huge suc- award distribution, held late on Friday, said the award came ily members, citizens and contributes to the country’s devel- cess and public response it received during the past couple of years,” said as a fruit of diligent efforts by relevant authorities and coor- opment.—KUNA Amani Al-Waraa, the assistant general manager - Media and Public Relations Department at the CBK. As part of this year’s campaign, the CBK plans to release an introductory film that documents Kuwaiti customs in the past and their present coun- Housing minister encourages terparts. In addition, cultural exhibitions and school visits are planned Amani Al-Waraa among other ‘surprises’ to be announced later, Al-Waraa said. private sector help KUWAIT: Financing housing projects has emerged as a key obsta- approved the amended implementation rules which will be pub- cle for the government’s efforts to meet the increasing demand lished in the official gazette today. He said the family fund law had on government housing, a senior cabinet official said recently. one amendment only which was to reopen it, while the imple- Minister of State for Housing Affairs Yassir Abul further indicated mentation rules had seven amendments. Zalzalah appreciated that struggling to finance housing project support demands for the stand of Saleh and his understanding of citizens’ requests, as using help of the private sector as a ‘competent partner’ to speed well as the positive stand of Central Bank Governor Mohammad up the process of solving the housing shortage crisis. Other Al-Hashel. options include increasing the financial support that the Savings and Credit Bank receives to provide loans for eligible Kuwaitis Zalzalah said the amendments include: which currently surpassed KD1 billion, minister Abul said in 1. Allowing the registration of debtors who rescheduled their response to a parliamentary question published by Al-Qabas yes- loans after March 30, 2008. terday. 2. Repaying the amounts of money deducted from debtors more than 4 percent, which was approved by the Central Sports injuries Bank after March 30, 2008. In other news, MP Khalil Al-Saleh demanded health insurance 3. As for new debtors who will be registered after the reopening for athletes that cover costs for diagnoses and treatment of sports - as well as the old ones - will receive the money that were injuries. The insurance program could be financed jointly by the deducted from them in excess of the installments that will be government’s healthcare fund and private companies, according decided retroactive from July 2013 until the last installment to Al-Saleh. they paid. “The healthcare fund can provide 50 percent of the financing, 4. The debtor will sign a paper that does not allow him to sue while the Information Ministry can put adds for 10 minutes a day the bank if the increase over 4 percent interest was charged for offers to finance the other half,” Al-Saleh told Al-Rai daily. Al- and the bank did not refund it. Saleh, who is member of the parliament’s health committee, said 5. Handing any debtor an integrated list of all his payments. that he prepares a draft law on that regard to cover athletes play- 6. Banks must hand over the papers of all debtors before March ing in local clubs and of maximum 30 years of age. 30, 2008, and the Central Bank will decide the right of the debtor to benefit from the fund or not. Law amendment 7. In case of refusing to hand over the transactions of any MP Yousuf Al-Zalzalah said registration in the defaulters fund debtor, it is a must that he receives an official document on will open tomorrow. He said Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh the reasons for the rejection. LOCAL SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 Minister’s absence could delay BOT amendments More control over projects

By A Saleh National Offset Company (NOC). “Despite repeat- Gun control ed reports from the Audit Bureau that convict MP Faisal Al-Kandari criticized the parliament’s KUWAIT: The parliament’s financial committee the company, no action was taken in the right interior and defense committee for allegedly fail- resumes discussion of amendments to the build- direction to address the violations,” Azmi said. ing to give proper attention to a gun control draft operate-transfer (BOT) law during its meeting “What stops the parliament or government to law that he proposed earlier. “A draft law that calls today. But it is likely that the panel will not be investigate documented violations worth tens of for collecting firearms in Kuwait has been shelved able to finish its report by the end of the meet- millions of dinars?” he wondered. since September,” Kandari said. “In the meantime, ing, which could see Finance Ministry officials Furthermore, Azmi accused the NOC of failing the interior and defense committee discussed attend on behalf of minister Anas Al-Saleh due to to meet the objectives it was founded for, which draft laws that do not have priority.” Kandari the latter’s likely commitments with the is to achieve development, take care of creative defended his draft law as crucial to protect Cabinet’s Arab Summit preparations. Finalizing individuals and establish universities. “What hap- national security and curb crime in Kuwait. “It the new BOT bill, which aims to make the law pened since the company commenced opera- provides control against reckless youth, public more attractive for foreign investors, was tion in 2006 is that millions of dinars were wast- shootings and [unlicensed] weapon possession delayed for several months as the government ed without any achievements,” he claimed. Azmi incidents that are on the rise and have become a proposed amendments - most recently last week blamed the NOC boards since it was established ticking bomb ready to explode,” he said. The draft - that gives it more control over BOT projects. for the failure. “Time has proven that whoever law entitles a weapon owner for a financial The committee meanwhile has finalized the enters the board with an agenda of reform, they reward for handing over his firearm to the Interior final draft of its report which includes amend- face the risk of losing their job should they Ministry, and an undertaking from the state to be ments proposed by the government and one by expose violations committed by undersecre- spared from prosecution. MP Faisal Al-Shaya. The amendments basically taries within,” he added. add a stipulation to establish an authority ‘featur- Arab Summit ing experts specialized in the field’ to be responsi- Constitutional amendment Prime Minister of Morocco Abdelilah ble for placing BOT projects for tenders and Several MPs have changed their mind regard- Benkirane is set to represent his country during establishing shareholding companies to build ing a proposed amendment to increase the num- the Arab Summit that takes place in Kuwait this mega projects, Al-Jarida daily reported yesterday. ber of parliament members from 50 to 70, after week, on behalf of King Mohammed VI. KUWAIT: Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan is seen with Egyptian The authority would give privileges and noticing public rejection to this proposal. MP Meanwhile, Algeria will be represented by Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy during a meeting with a Kuwaiti media delegation yes- exceptions in order to attract private sector Yaqoub Al-Sane had previously noted that 18 Parliament Speaker Abdul Qadir bin Saleh on terday. — Photo by Majed Al-Sabej investors, and put together the controls for qual- MPs have given him support on the amendment behalf of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who will ifying companies, the report adds. The amend- for article 80 of the constitution “as long as it not be able to attend the summit for health rea- ments also include removing restrictions on BOT receives HH the Amir’s support”. But according to sons, according to agencies. In the meantime, the Egypt FM sees ‘peaceful change’.. contracts for infrastructure projects, increasing parliamentary sources, some of those 18 law- United Arab Emirates announced in a statement the contract’s term to 50 years, allow non- makers have changed their mind after news that on Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the Gulf Continued from Page 1 On Egypt-Iran relations, Fahmy said Kuwaiti company owners to present offers for the government was not excited over constitu- state will be represented by Sheikh Hamad bin the Iranian people have a long history BOT contracts and giving better opportunities tional amendments at the present time; nor is a Mohammed Al-Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, during of the magnitude of threats facing the and rich culture, adding, “We have differ- for investors to continue their relationship after wide segment of political groups and Kuwaiti the summit that takes place on Tuesday and Arab world and that we commit our- ences but we can’t ignore Iran and it the end of the contract, according to the report. people. Wednesday. selves to resolving them.” He added the can’t ignore us”. “Dialogue is better than summit also offers a chance for reconcili- disputes,” he noted, hoping Iran’s rela- KAC probe ation. tions with the Gulf countries is based on A parliament committee tasked with looking He said Egyptians have proven during cooperation and good neighborliness. into the Kuwait Airways’ contracts accuses the Lawmaker’s brother the past three years they are eager for Dialogue between Iran and the six GCC national carrier of stalling reports it has request- change. The Egyptian society is proud of countries is important, he added, but ed pertaining with its recent deal with Airbus. its history and identity, he added, and rued that the atmosphere is currently not “KAC CEO Rasha Al-Roumi has directly been killed in Syria sought to determine its own political conducive. informed about the company’s failure to provide future. Fahmy said the Egyptian citizen, Taking a harder line with Turkey, us with simple and clear requests,” said rappor- KUWAIT: A man identified as the brother of a Jaza’a Al-Lughaisem Al-Shemmari reportedly with huge aspirations and “lack of Fahmy said Cairo has no problems with teur MP Abdulhameed Dashti, adding that the Kuwaiti lawmaker died in Syria while fighting left for Syria eight days before he died during patience”, wants to actively shape the Ankara, “but with certain officials in CEO was informed during last week’s meeting alongside rebel fighters on Friday, according to battles on Friday, Al-Watan reported. future of the country, which made the Turkey”. The Egyptian people have decid- which she attended. Furthermore, Dashti noted local reports. He was 35 years old at the time of his death, task of the government more difficult. ed to change and this should be respect- that representatives of Boeing and Aviation MP Sultan Sultan Al-Lughaisem Al-Shemmari and is survived by his three children. But he said the government wants to car- ed “whether those in Turkey like it or not”, Lease and Finance Company (ALAFCO) could be confirmed the death of his brother, Jaza’a, post- The reports did not specify whether Al- summoned as part of the panel’s investigations ry out the democratic transition steadily he asserted. On the Palestinian issue, ing a message on his Twitter account in which Shemmari fought alongside the Nusra Front into rumored irregularities in the KAC fleet to include all sections of the society. Fahmy said Cairo and Tel Aviv were he referred to his brother as a martyr, and against the Syrian Army troops at the time of his renewal deal with Airbus. Fahmy vowed that his country will be a bound by a peace treaty, but the attached a picture of his late brother carrying a death. The news came one week after Abu child. Azzam Al-Kuwaiti, a bedoon man who reported- role model for all Arab parties, but insist- Palestinians have the right to a just solu- Offset violations Al-Shemmari opened his dewaniya in South ly grew up in Jahra as well, was proclaimed dead ed “we will not impose our opinion and tion for their cause. He warned that In other news, MP Hamdan Al-Azmi released a Jahra to receive mourners yesterday, Al-Rai in Syria where he was recognized as a leading our Arab identity will be our starting undermining the principles of a peaceful strong statement criticizing the government’s reported. Nusra commander at the time of his death. point”. solution will lead to failure. inaction against the alleged violations of the NBK honored for supporting ‘Ghadi’

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recently received a NEST visited NBK to honor the bank for its sponsorship of delegation from “NEST”, a Kuwaiti non-profit aid group in Ghadi’s project that aims at nurturing and educating Syrian cooperation with the Kuwait Red Crescent. The delegation refugee children in Lebanon in cooperation with Kuwait Red honored NBK for sponsoring Ghadi Project that aims at sup- Crescent Society, Lebanese Red Cross and The Lebanese porting the education of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. Ministry of Education. During the past years, NBK has promot- “NBK’s support comes in line with the bank’s customary ed a range of philanthropic missions and social welfare pro- and ongoing spirit of social responsibility as well as the vital grams as part of the humanitarian dimension of its corporate role it plays in supporting humanitarian issues,” said Maryam social responsibility (CSR). NBK continues to be a leader in Al-Qatami, NBK public relations officer. CSR, standing as a model in serving all aspects of Kuwait’s Al-Qatami expressed NBK’s utmost support for the project. community. Nurture and Educate Students Today “NEST” is a “This sponsorship comes as part of our support to the various joint initiative dedicated to providing aid both domestically private and public humanitarian missions and aid groups in and globally. NEST had previously provided school supplies to their efforts to help people in crisis,” she added. Syrian refugee children at the Zaatari camp north of Jordan.

KUWAIT: NBK Public relations officers Maryam Al-Qatami and Yaqoub Al-Baqer receiving the honor. Kuwaiti lawmakers visit Swiss parliament BERN: Arriving here yesterday to visit the Swiss parliament, He said the friendship delegation, whose visit here starts head of a delegation of Kuwaiti lawmakers, Dr Hussein Al- today and until Wednesday, will meet, among others, the Mutairi, said he applauded the growing bilateral relations Swiss parliament’s health committee in order to learn from it between Kuwait and Switzerland, noting that the last time how the Swiss handle their much-vaunted national health Kuwaiti lawmakers visited here was about five years ago. care program. The Kuwaiti MPs represent a friendship delegation that Praising the delegation’s visit, Kuwait’s ambassador to aims to boost diplomatic, parliamentarian, and economic ties Switzerland, Bader Al-Tunaib told KUNA that such visits were with Switzerland, which Al-Mutairi said, is a country with a bound to bolster bilateral relations and reflected positively on stance during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, that is much their future course. appreciated by the Kuwaiti people, since it stood by Kuwait in After concluding their visit here, the Kuwaiti lawmakers will the UN and at other international venues during those diffi- head to Germany for a similar visit to the Bundestag or the cult times. German parliament. — KUNA

BERN: Kuwaiti lawmakers pictured during their visit to Switzerland yesterday. SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 LOCAL

kuwait digest Directions... Local spotlight Three key Marketing through oil projects mobile phones

By Qais Al-Asta uwait never suffered losses as much as it did when it failed to implement three key oil proj- Kects - the north oilfields’ development, the By Muna Al-Fazai fourth refinery and K-Dow. The northern oilfields’ Cabinet Government development project was never realized due to securi- ty reasons pertaining with securing the country’s northern territories, especially after the project’s idea came after the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Meanwhile, both the fourth refinery and K-Dow projects were not exe- [email protected] cuted due to purely economic reasons pertaining with improving oil derivatives production. arketing through mobile phones is today’s While the losses in the first and second projects Al-Anbaa trend. In the past, salesmen used to knock on were suffered when those were never implemented, Mpeople’s doors with the items they wanted to the loss in the third project was magnified by a penal- sell. Due to a lack of communication tools, they had no ty clause as per which Kuwait had to pay over $2bil- way but to go to the customers directly. Today, the lion for canceling the contract with Dow Chemical. salesmen’s job has becoming easier as they are no The problem is that the fine that Kuwait paid became longer forced to go to people’s houses and waste time, the center of attention in debate about the losses suf- dependent on clients’ moods. Text messages can be fered from the failed oil project. read within minutes, making it highly covetable. The shift in focus was made by those who are With the entry of mobiles and its applications into responsible for failure to go ahead with the project, our life, text messaging has become a quick way to and the same ones who did not even issue a public make announcements and market products and serv- ices. This has its benefits for telecom companies because they get paid for sending these texts to peo- While it is necessary to ple and it helps any company to reach a large number kuwait digest of people with the least effort on their side. hold accountable those But I wonder about people’s privacy and who gave Characteristics of charismatic people the mobile companies the authority to share our responsible for this loss, I mobile numbers with these companies? The mobile believe that shifting the company is selling my information to a third party By Dr Sajed Al-Abdali without my approval! Here in Kuwait, commercial text focus of attention away from messages come to your mobile in Arabic. Once an hough difficult in the beginning, having an attractive per- how successful you are, you will still feel that there is somebody bet- Asian lady showed me her mobile asking me to trans- the main issue is a disaster! sonality or, as some like to call it, a charismatic one, is not ter than you. After all, we are but a small speck in this great universe. late the Arabic text message she had received. She said Timpossible because one can practice a few traits and actions We are mere travelers through this world. Yet, never be too shy and I always get these messages but they are in Arabic and apology for their negative role that made the hesitant to perfection levels and eventually get such a personality. Let’s just introverted because this is the shortest way to failure and not realiz- I don’t know what they say. I agree. government unilaterally cancel the K-Dow contract. refer to some of these traits and practices: ing one’s dreams. Modesty is a virtue but shyness is a fatal disease. Some companies think they are smart to track those The focus was shifted away from the project itself First, be strong without stubbornness. Never mix them both Sixth, be brave without recklessness. You have to be brave in who don’t respond to their messages. They call people which, as confirmed again by a recent Audit Bureau’s because there is a huge difference between someone with a everything and must take the initiative, expressing your opinions telling them they have won a free gift or one of their report, was a missed opportunity that Kuwait suffered strong personality who has clear goals to look forward to achiev- in certain topics or decision-making be at work, within your friends has given their number for a lucky draw. Most the biggest loss by failing to implement. ing and a light-hearted, stubborn dictator. Be strong and know household or amongst friends. But you must not do that just for people don’t know whom to blame for passing their While it is necessary to hold accountable those what you want to achieve, which means you have to set goals and the sake of taking initiatives. You have to study decisions before mobile numbers to strangers. I receive calls from responsible for this loss, I believe that shifting the work on achieving them without allowing anyone deviate you making them to avoid endangering yourself or those surrounding someone telling me that I have a promotion or a prod- focus of attention away from the main issue is a disas- from them. As the saying goes, ‘have steel hands in silk gloves!’ you. After all that, you must be responsible, too. uct waiting for me and I’m supposed to be the lucky ter! Anyway, I cannot blame anyone guilty of that, Second, be lenient but not weak. One must not mix between Seventh, be positive but never fool yourself. It is important and one to win that valuable gift. It is all fake. These com- leniency and weakness because the former is a noble trait if not necessary to extract positive things out of experiences you go because everyone has their own interests. It is clear panies will not give you anything for free. used to win sympathy, of course. Always try to be polite, friendly, through. Such positivity may lead you into more achievements, that there are people who proved to the government Most messages start with an announcement and smiling and sociable. At the same time, never allow whoever to but at the same time, it would be wrong to turn a blind eye to pas- that no oil contract can be signed without their ‘share’. sometimes a quick riddle or a question you need to insult your dignity, disrespect you or violate your principles. sive or negative things out of positivity and fear of being accused answer which you get charged for and it becomes non- So that leaves us with the government’s negative role, Third, keep smiling without becoming a clown. A smiling per- of passivity because you might get in trouble that might impede stop. Deleting these messages is useless as they keep unfortunately. son with god sense of humor is usually open to others. On the oth- your goals and work. You must be keen on reforming whatever coming back. I know that you can block these mes- As long as the government does not change, black- er hand, a clown-like person, though he will also attract an audi- you can while maintaining positivity. sages, but this doesn’t change the fact that your mailing will continue in the oil sector and other fields. ence, will never win their respect and appreciation. These were pieces of advice I wanted to share with you but I mobile number has been given to unknown persons, We hope that someday we would have a fearless gov- Fourth, give yourself due self-esteem and pride without being would like to point out that one must not necessarily have all and as long they have it, they may use it in other ways ernment that honors contracts it signs and does not arrogant or snobbish. Self-esteem and pride allow you to keep on these wonderful traits in order to become charismatic. One or two such as Whatsapp. Blocking them doesn’t mean reach- yield under influential people’s pressure. All eyes are with social activities, doing whatever you wish. Give yourself its of them might be enough to make everybody point at him when- ing you is impossible. It might be good business for now on the Kuwait Airways’ fleet renewal deal, with due appreciation to win other’s respect. Arrogance and snobbish- ever this or that trait is mentioned just like how people still some companies but for some it is just a source of dis- hope that the government is not swayed again after ness will drive people away and make them look down upon you. remember Hatem Al-Taee for his generosity, Antara ibn Shaddad turbance. signing the contracts with Airbus. —Al-Qabas Fifth, be modest but not shy. Modesty means that no matter for courage and many others. —Al-Jarida

kuwait digest Propaganda is not solution

By Waleed Al-Rujaib espite the government’s propaganda during the Kuwait lems that made Kuwait go through a general crisis despite recording Housing Conference which was marketed as the solution of multibillion-dinar surpluses from oil revenues. Dproblems of more than 110,000 families waiting for a house, Doesn’t that reflect the government and parliament’s failure in people could not be convinced by promises that the housing crisis running the state? Doesn’t that also mean that they ran out of excus- would end soon. Promises alone are not enough to meet the basic es to work seriously on resolving all problems? While the future of requirements for building a modern state, rebuilding its outdated our country and young generations is at stake, corrupt individuals infrastructure, or improving educational, health and other services. continue to take over public funds, taking advantage of the govern- The promises that accompanied the Development Plan and the over ment’s bias towards them at the expense of citizens’ conditions of KD 30 billion budget allocated for it stand as a prime example in front decent living. If that failure and negligence was intentional in order to of the Kuwaiti people for the government’s lack of seriousness. convince people that privatization is the solution, I believe that this The plan concludes by the end of this year, and promises that experience has proven a failure and other countries that depended include building new hospitals and universities, improving the gov- on the private sector. It resulted only in more burdens put on people, ernment’s performance, enhanced services and transforming Kuwait leading to public protests in Europe, the United States and Arab into a financial and commercial hub have all gone with the wind, countries against impoverishment, unemployment and the widen- along with the billions of dinars allocated for the development plan ing gaps between social classes. and which no one knows how they were spent. Meanwhile, the alleged corruption combating efforts have failed Empty promises, as well as the snowballing political, economic to hold any corrupt individual accountable. If anything, they were and social problems have cost the government its popularity. People rewarded when they never had to return the stolen public funds, and have grown frustrated due to the lack of solutions to pending prob- when they were allowed to take over more tenders. All this has politi- lems including traffic, housing, unemployment, bad health and edu- cal, economic and social implications that the nation and its people cational services, uncontrollable prices, corruption and other prob- will end up paying for. —Al-Rai

in my view The ways Arabs are dying

By Rami G. Khouri ow many ways are there to die in the Arab world today, other the more criminal because most of the victims are innocent civilians, than through an act of nature or a natural death? Let me count not armed combatants. Like starvation sieges, these acts are war crimes Hthe ways. according to international law, yet many Arab governments and rebel Being subjected to deliberate siege and starvation must be the fighters have nonetheless evaded prosecution and punishment for worst way to die, and it is happening before our eyes in the Yarmouk such crimes. region of Damascus that is mainly inhabited by Palestinian refugees. In sixth place are the daily deaths of people killed by car bombs or This is also happening in other parts of Syria where government forces suicide bombers. Most of these cases involve Arabs killing other Arabs, have denied civilians access to food and medicine, inflicting slow death not attacks against foreign invaders or occupiers such as Israel in by starvation. Palestine, or the United States and United Kingdom in Iraq, as was previ- Next on this list of horrors are the growing incidents of Arabs ously the case. With the rare exception of targeted political assassina- drowning at sea while trying to migrate illegally to southern European tions, civilians are almost always the only victims. countries. Hundreds of North Africans died when their boats capsized Seventh, sniper fire in urban neighborhoods is an increasingly com- near Sicily last year; many others from Syria, Libya, Egypt and African mon cause of death, especially in places such as Tripoli, Lebanon and lands risk the possibility of a quick death by drowning rather than the Fallujah, Iraq, among many others. Heartless and sick Arabs pick off certainty of a slow death in their own crumbling or violent homelands. their neighbors in a way akin to shooting plastic ducks at a summer car- In just two days this week, the Italian Navy rescued 2,400 Arabs trying to nival. reach its shores. The migrants came in 13 different ships - a veritable Number eight on my list is the death of civilians who are killed dur- armada, unprecedented in its grotesque procession of desperate indi- ing political demonstrations, whether they are targeted deliberately by viduals who fear life at home more than death abroad. government troops, accidentally by shooters from all sides, or are tram- Third on my list is the grotesque practice of beheading, often in pled by frantic crowds. Even during legitimate and nonviolent political public squares. This is mostly done by extremist Salafist-Takfiri religious protests, death is never far away today for Arabs expressing their views. fanatics who act like barbarians, slitting throats and decapitating other For many years, Arabs have also died by fire from artillery and other Arabs whom they accuse of being heretics, mostly in lawless lands such weaponry launched from foreign, often neighboring states. This is as Syria and Iraq. They often display the decapitated bodies and severed occurring increasingly these days, with Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians heads in public, and distribute videos of their deeds, making their and Palestinians being killed by fire from neighboring Arab states or degeneracy a global spectacle. Israel, or by American drones in countries such as Yemen. Death by torture is number four on my grisly list. Hundreds, maybe The last entry on my list is the worst, because it involves hundreds of thousands, of Arab men, women and children are tortured or raped to millions of Arabs who are alive biologically, but have died on the inside death every year. This is a double disgrace on the face of Arabism, for from the lethal combination of misery, humiliation and agony that torture is practiced by state security authorities as well as rebel militias, come from recognizing what has happened to their societies and many gangs and other criminals. of their leaders. We adjust to these methods of death and go on with Number five is to be at the receiving end of heavy artillery, missiles our lives, but we walk with our heads bent lower than usual - not to and barrel bombs ordered by one’s own government, a death that is all evade a bullet, but to hide our shame. SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 LOCAL Key role for ASAI in human resources development Intellectual students get support By Nawara Fattahova sign a promissory statement that after in Dublin. Then an allocation of refugee camps, villages and cities, cov- graduation, the student will return to $10,000 is made to each university ering a wide range of diverse func- KUWAIT: The Arab Student Aid his home country or any Arab country. with a request that the benefiting stu- tions, including elderly, handicapped, International (ASAI) is celebrating its Furthermore, he should give the name dents should sign after receiving the human rights and others,” added 38th anniversary with notable of two guarantors who are willing to financial aid. It’s necessary for auditing Qutub. achievements. Prof Dr Ishaq Al-Qutub, pay back the loan in case there is a purpose. Around 17,000 students ben- The ASAI is formally registered in President and one of the founders of problem in repayment,” explained Al- efited from this grant in the past three the US state of Ohio as a charitable ASAI, is visiting Kuwait to meet with Qutub. decades,” he stated. public foundation. ASAI is an educa- the board of trusties, supporting “The idea of giving the interest-free The third type of the grant pro- tional, independent, charitable, non- organizations and media. The aim of loan is to keep the chain of funds flow- gram is allocated for the capacity profit, non-political, non-religious, tax- ASAI is to focus on human resource ing from the contributor to the needy building program. “This is targeting exempt private foundation. ASAI was development in addition to capacity and outstanding student, then from decision makers and policy makers of established in 1976. The idea was building of NGOs and civil society the graduate to another needy stu- NGOs and civil society institutions, formed, and the program started, by a institutions. “The ASAI has a goal to dent, in order to maximize the benefit who undergo training in advanced group of Arab and American academi- support young scientists and intellec- that is known as ‘sadaqa jaria’ (continu- management. We enable them to cians and businessmen who believed tual students by providing financial ing philanthropy),” he noted. enhance their performance in the in the vision, mission and objectives of aid as interest-free loans payable five The second type of financial aid is quality achievements of their respec- the human resources’ development in Prof Dr Ishaq Al-Qutub years after graduation, with the objec- given as a grant. “It’s allocated to stu- tive organizations with the aim of the Arab States and the Palestinian undergraduate, graduate and post they can fill the forms and submit doc- tive of helping students,” Al-Qutub dents and academic institutions as social, economic and citizenship of Territories in particular. The ASAI was graduate university studies by provid- uments if they feel qualified. There are told Kuwait Times. well as NGOs and civil society institu- their local community and to rely on then registered in the United States as ing interest-free scholarship loans as two deadlines: Aug 1 and Jan 1. Aid is Financial aid is of two types — tions. These are needy students who themselves utilizing their human, a charitable public foundation. It’s well as grants . For approving financial given once the documents are interest-free loans and grants. are enrolled at universities in the West financial and material resources,” independent and not following any aid, preference is given to those study- approved in amounts based on the “Interest-free loans are for outstanding Bank and Gaza who suffer financial Qutub added. state, political party, religious sect or ing applied and pure sciences, degree, country, field of specialization students with a GPA of B and above difficulties and belong to low-income The criteria for organizing a training nation. humanities and social sciences that and the real need for financial assis- who need financial help to enable families, are orphans or their parents course: “The total number of partici- “The idea started in Kuwait, where will impact progressive, economic, tance. There is committee for review- them to complete their studies at the are unemployed. The amount of the pants should range between 20 to 25 many students, especially non-Kuwaiti social and cultural development and ing and selecting successful candi- masters or doctorate levels. Aid is giv- grant ranges between $200-300 per representatives of NGOs. Total number students were suffering from not hav- transfer of technology from industrial dates. In Kuwait, the ASAI representa- en in instalments to defray tuition and year, depending on the budget alloca- of contact hours should range ing the chance to complete their uni- countries to Arab states. tive is Sami Shaheen who can be con- living expenses. So far, 7,500 students tion. The requirements: They must between 38-40 hours excluding the versity studies. The main problem was ASAI’s mission is to effectively con- tacted at 97230460. have benefited from this program, as have a GPA of 80 percent and above. opening and closing ceremony. The that there was only one university, so tribute to the enhancement of spe- Three sources of funds are returns they met the requirements of the The number of beneficiary students is trainer should be qualified as expert in it was difficult to study in it. At the cialized university graduates at the of investment (45 percent), contribu- loan,” he added. 50 for each university, and there are 13 training. The program responds to same time, the students didn’t have doctorate and masters level, especially tions (25 percent) and the remaining The requirements are to be an out- universities - five in Gaza and 8 in the their priority needs and certificates of the chance to study aboard. The first in those fields that are in demand for from loan repayment. The total standing student, financially in need West Bank, a total of 650 students per attendance are given to participants step was to establish the board of socio-economic and cultural and amount of aid is $31 million. “Kuwait and enrolled in an accredited universi- year,” stressed Qutub. who complete a minimum of 85 per- trusties in Kuwait. The ASAI now has peace development, and are not read- has been major source of financing ty specializing in priority field like “There is no discrimination based cent of training hours. The allocation branches and representatives in vari- ily available at academic institutions ASAI since its establishment. ASAI is applied sciences, pure sciences and on religion, gender or ethnic group. It for each course is $2,500 inclusive of all ous Arab countries,” Qutub pointed in the Arab States, without any preju- grateful to Kuwait Foundation for social sciences. “These fields are in should include students from different expenses,” he noted. out. dice to religion, sex, ethnic and racial Advancement of Science, banks, man- demand in Arab countries in order to colleges and institutes. The dean of “During the past two decades, ASAI The ASAI has achieved an out- backgrounds. ASAI also has long-term agers and philanthropists both effectively participate and make a dif- students in each university is responsi- trained over 18,000 representatives standing record in the field of human and short term objectives. Kuwaitis and expats for their support ference in social and economic devel- ble for locating the qualified students and leaders of NGOs and CSIs provid- resources development, enabling Students are welcome to review in developing Arab scientists,” Qutub opment. The applicant should also and sending the list to the main office ing services to local communities in young Arab intellectuals to pursue the website: www.Arabstudentaid.org concluded. 1,419 bedoons employed by govt KUWAIT: Up to 1,419 illegal residents (bedoons) are employed at government departments, announced the Central System for the Remedy of Status of Illegal Residents yesterday. Assistant Secretary General for Technical and Information Affairs at the central system Waleed Al- Asfour said their employment came two years after the authority launched a special program for hiring them in the public sector, on March 26, 2012. Ministry of Health employs 747 illegal residents, Ministry of Education 374, Public Youth and Sports Authority 65, Ministry of Public Works 25, Ministry of Electricity 20, and the remaining number of the employed from this segment serve in various other departments. This overall figure is added to thousands who serve in the ministries of defense and interior. As to terms of their employment, he said they should be included in the 1965 census, holders of at least a diploma and their employment must be a second pref- erence after Kuwaitis. — KUNA KOC hosts conference on radiology KUWAIT: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) organized yes- terday a conference on radiology, lasting two days, in which experts in the field will present and discuss work-papers on their experiences with radiology, a KOC press statement said. Concomitantly with the conference, an exhibition will be also organized at which medical companies can hawk their radiology-based wares, said the statement, recalling that this step-taken by the com- pany-reflected its attention to developing health- care services to its staff, in addition to availing med- ical experts to convene and exchange expertise on medical matters, such as the latest developments in radiology, for instance. The conference will also inform the attendees of the latest stages completed in the project of build- ing a new hospital in the city of Al-Ahmadi, said the statement. — KUNA Gulf rich upbeat over economic prospects KUWAIT: Almost double the number of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) living in the Gulf say they are opti- mistic about the region’s economic performance com- pared to their global peers, according to a new survey. The research by Emirates Investment Bank (EIBank) said 56 percent of Gulf-based multi-millionaires believed the economy was improving compared with a worldwide average of 30 percent. The bank’s GCC Wealth Insight Report also revealed that GCC HNWIs are more optimistic on the prospects for the Gulf region over the next five years (87 percent) than for the global economy over the same period (75 percent). Gulf-based HNWIs are also nearly twice as likely to prefer to invest in assets closer to home (64 percent) rather than globally (36 percent) mainly due to their confidence in the local economy, the report added. Two thirds said they expect to increase investments into their own business (65 percent) and real estate (65 percent) in the near future. The UAE, China and Europe were named as preferred investment destinations over the next 3-5 years. Almost a half (49 percent) of those who have had their investments affected by the Arab Spring said they are now hesitant to make new investments in affected countries, although views on regional investments depended on the country being considered, the research showed. The report was based on a survey of HNWIs, defined as people with $2m or more in investable assets, from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain during the last quarter of 2013. SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 LOCAL Bedoon dies of drug overdose in Bayan Haris turns apartment into brothel

KUWAIT: A man was found dead in Bayan as a and found the Asian man hanging dead from a towards the car. He admitted of stealing the car, result of a drug overdose, according to prelimi- rope tied to the ceiling of the kitchen. Criminal and explained that he was preparing to take his nary investigations. Paramedics and police investigators were called to examine the scene family in it at the time of his arrest. The man, who arrived at a school’s parking lot where a Kuwaiti and transport the body to the forensic depart- has a criminal record according to investigations, man reported in an emergency call that he found ment. A case was filed. was taken to the authorities for further action. a person lying motionless inside a car. Criminal And in Abdullah Al-Mubarak, a domestic investigators were summoned after the 27-year- worker was placed under arrest after she Farwaniya brothel old bedoon man was pronounced dead at the attempted suicide in her employer’s home. Police A Farwaniya building janitor faces charges for scene. Preliminary tests confirmed that the man had arrived to the scene after a Kuwaiti man said using an apartment for prostitution. Local police died as a result of complications of a drug over- in an emergency call that his maid wrapped had launched investigations in the case based on dose. Investigators also detected wounds on the wires around her neck and threatened to kill her- information that an apartment in the building man’s foot, and believe that they were inflected self. The Ethiopian woman was placed under con- was turned into a brothel. The investigations KUWAIT: NBK Consumer Banking Group General Manager Mazin Al-Nahedh by a person as a way to reduce the victim’s blood trol and then taken to Farwaniya Hospital for revealed that the building’s keeper had operated and NBK executives in a group photo with the top performers. pressure and help save his life. Investigations are medical attention. She was taken to the police the brothel, based on which an undercover ongoing to identify and arrest the man’s com- station afterwards and charged with attempted informant was sent to him in order to make a panion. suicide. ‘deal’. Police arrested the haris after the informant NBK honors top performers gave a signal, and they raided the apartment Work mishap Fatal accident with a warrant in hand. They also arrested three KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) begins with human resources.” A construction worker died after he was hit by A pedestrian was killed in Abdullah Al- women, two Asian nationals and one Arab, and held an annual Elite Ceremony at the “We invest in our people and their suc- falling bricks in Hawally. Paramedics and police Mubarak, while the driver who ran him over acci- took them to the Criminal Investigations Courtyard Marriot hotel honoring its top cess,” added Al-Nahedh. “We strongly rushed to the scene, located at a construction dently turned himself in to local police. The Department on prostitution charges. The four performing employees for 2013 from the believe in professional development and site near the Sheikha Sabeeka Mosque, in South Korean national succumbed to his injuries remain in custody pending legal procedures. Consumer Banking Group. supporting our staff to improve their capa- response to an emergency call, but discovered before paramedics and police arrived to the NBK Deputy Group CEO Shaikha Al- bilities, talent and expertise. We are proud that the Indian man had already succumbed to scene in response to an emergency call. And Cross dresser held Bahar, NBK Consumer Banking Group of our employees and their achievements.” his injuries. The man, who was in his thirties, was while the body was taken to the forensic depart- A man was arrested for cross dressing, a General Manager Mazin Al- Nahedh and NBK provides a range of professional pronounced dead at the scene before criminal ment, a man turned himself in to police and crime in Kuwait’s penal code, after his ‘cover’ other NBK executives attended the cere- development opportunities for staff that investigators were called. Preliminary investiga- identified himself as the driver responsible for was exposed after committing a traffic offense. mony and congratulated the top perform- best suit their qualifications. These training tions indicate that incident happened when the accident. The incident took place Thursday night in ers on a job well done. programs aim to provide them with theo- bricks were being lifted from the roof of a build- Salmiya where patrol police pulled a driver over Al-Nahedh praised the top performing retical and practical skills covering the dif- ing under constructions. The bricks were not Car thief held for blasting music from the car’s stereo. employees for their excellence and profes- ferent aspects of the banking industry. secured properly, and as a result, they came A man was arrested while he was preparing to According to the police report, the officer was sionalism. “NBK’s strong financial perform- NBK enjoys the highest credit ratings by crashing down on a worker who was standing on take his family on a ride using a stolen vehicle. planning to tell who he initially thought was a ance and leading market position are due international rating agencies: Moody’s, the ground. The man sustained fatal injuries and According to the police report, a Kuwaiti man female driver to reduce the volume without to the achievements and dedication of its Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings. It has died before emergency medical technicians had reported to Sabah Al-Salem police that his issuing a traffic ticket. But the officer grew suspi- outstanding employees,” he said. “NBK the largest overseas network encompass- arrived, according to the investigations. luxury car was stolen from outside his house in cious when the driver became nervous. The rewards achievement because we under- ing more than 170 branches, representative the area, adding that he had left his cell phone in man’s actual identity was discovered after his stand that excellence in performance offices and subsidiaries worldwide. Suicides the glove box. Detectives used GPS technology wig fell off while he stepped out of his vehicle, A man committed suicide in his employer’s to track the signal of the car owner’s phone. They exposing his ‘bald head’, according to the police house in Shuwaikh Friday afternoon, according found the car in front of a house in Jahra, and set report. He was placed under arrest, taken to the to investigations. Police and paramedics arrived a trap to arrest the suspect. A young man was nearest police station and charged with ‘imitat- to the scene in response to an emergency call, arrested as he walked out from the house and ing the opposite sex’. Major UAE corporations sponsor ‘Clusters of Light’

SHARJAH: The Emirate of Sharjah this Wednesday cele- Aburahima, Senior Vice President of Government tance of the epic work which equally honors those who brate being named Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 with Relations in du, said: “‘The Clusters of Light’ initiative is created it and those who sponsor it: “We were delight- the first performances of the spectacular new oratorio a culmination of the vision of Dr Shaikh Sultan bin ed to be one of the sponsors of this global event. As an ‘Clusters of Light’: the biggest production of its kind. Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Supreme Council Member organization originally established in Sharjah in 1976, and Ruler of Sharjah, who is a recognised world leader AGMC is firm supporter of the Emirate and its efforts to in promoting and preserving cultural and Islamic her- connect residents living in the UAE with the Arab world, itage. We believe this extraordinary initiative is the and its diverse and beautiful history.” UAE’s gift to the entire world propagating the history Ahmed Aboud Director Administration in Al- Wataniya Telecom of Islam and Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Marwan General Contracting said: “This event will gar- Him. ner major international interest as the world’s largest sponsored Ghadi Project “As a UAE company we are proud to support this ever oratorio on the history of Islam and the life of initiative as part of our sustainability efforts in preserv- Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). The work KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom, a member of home and school. ing our heritage and culture. Through this we wanted conveys a clear message about the essence of Islam. By Ooredoo Group, sponsored ”Ghadi” Project Wataniya Telecom is thankful to all the to be part of a significant effort in delivering a bright sponsoring it, we share with the Emirate of Sharjah its which was an initiative taken by NEST aid great efforts done tosuccessfully collect message about Islam. We are certain that initiative will joy at being crowned the Capital of Islamic Culture group and Kuwait Red Crescent Society donations for the education of 1233 Syrian be indeed an iconic milestone in Sharjah’s luminous 2014 and join hands with others in promoting its mes- (KRCS) in support of young volunteers from refugee children. It highly praised the record of taking such initiatives. We wish the initiative sage of love, peace and dialogue to the whole world.” Kuwait. The project aimed at supporting efforts of Ghadi team including the young great success and congratulate Sharjah on being Finally, Engineer Fathi Jabr Afanah General Manger the education of Syrian refugee children in Kuwaiti volunteers saying that the compa- selected as the Islamic Culture Capital of the Arab of Fast Contracting expressed his company’s pride in Lebanon. ny was pleased to support NEST’s project region 2014.” sponsoring ‘Clusters of Light’, given its purpose to “Ghadi” was Nest Kuwait’s great cam- for that it goes in line with its commitment SHARJAH: Philip Skaff, CEO of Multiple & Strategic sponsor throw light on the noble humanitarian values reflected paign that made it possible for everyone towards the society and is considered a Spinifex Group and Kevin Robbins, the Speaking about his company’s Golden sponsorship in the life of the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him: “Our to participate in helping the education of major part of its corporate social responsi- director of artwork. of ‘Clusters of Light’, Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent sponsorship is part of the duty a national company Syrian refugee children who are truly in bility. Petroleum said: “Crescent Petroleum is proud and feels to participate in non-profit activities that serve need. Wataniya Telecom strongly believes It is worth mentioning that Wataniya has Three companies - Sharjah Islamic Bank, the Bank of delighted to be a strategic sponsor for the ‘Clusters of cultural, social and humanitarian aims and to convey a that education is a right for all children in recently announced its donation of KD Sharjah and the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Light’ oratorio. This piece of art will promote the great positive message to communities across the globe.” the world and it wanted to open doors 50,000 in fulfillment of the desire of His Company - were named Platinum Sponsors for their out- achievements in Islamic history, so that current and for people in Kuwait to take part in pro- Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad standing level of support. In addition Crescent Petroleum, future generations will be as proud as we are. We are Message from Sharjah viding education to Syrian children while Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to collect donations for AGMC, the BMW Group importer for Dubai, Sharjah and proud too that this will be taking place here in the UAE, Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of SICC 2014 being in a tough situation away from the relief of the Syrian people. the Northern Emirates, Fast Construction and Al-Marwan and in Sharjah - the custodian of so much antiquity, yesterday revealed that more than 500 journalists, General Contracting were named Gold Sponsors for their history and creativity. This piece of work which will be broadcasters and media executives are arriving to huge contributions to the project. seen around the globe will, we hope, remind the world Sharjah to report on the ground-breaking oratorio Mohammed Abdullah, Chairman of Sharjah of the cultural and scientific achievements of the ‘Clusters of Light’. Media around the world are eager to Islamic Bank (SIB), said, “SIB’s sponsorship of ‘Clusters Islamic world, and the values of peace and love which hear about the theatrical blockbuster, which marks of Light’ stems from our desire to share our with our are central to Islam”. Sharjah’s inauguration as Islamic Culture Capital 2014. beloved Emirate the joy of celebrating its internation- Osman Abdelmoneim, General Manager of AGMC Based on a poem by Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Ashmawi of ally acclaimed cultural reputation. It is also in line highlighted that the ‘Clusters Of Light’ production was Saudi Arabia, with music by the esteemed Bahraini with our commitment to supporting art that pro- one that the organization could not fail to be involved composer Khalid Al Sheikh in collaboration with musi- motes a true image of Islam and reflects the great- with. AGMC’s Golden sponsorship reflects the impor- cians from across the globe, ‘Clusters Of Light’ features four of the finest singers currently working in the Arabic-speaking regions: the Emirati Hussain Al Jasmi, theTunisian Lotfi Bouchnak the Egyptian Ali Hajjar and the Palestinian Mohammed Assaf. Through song, dra- ma and spectacular stagecraft, the oratorio tells the story of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from his birth until his death. It is already being called one of the most significant works in decades for the advance- ment and propagation of Islam’s true values of peace and love. Sheikh Ahmed bin Sultan Al-Qassimi, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations, said: “This show is a message from Sharjah to the world. With more than 500 media now in attendance, we will have the ideal platform to transmit that message to the four corners of the globe.” The five performances of ‘Clusters of Light’ from March 26 to April 5, 2014 will send the audience on a ness of our civilization and its impact on humanity. journey back in time, said Sheikh al Qassimi: “To the We are confident that this epic production will be darkness, struggle and challenges that led us to the spoken of for years. It will attract hundreds of millions beginnings of Islam. It goes on to tell the story of of viewers on TV and the internet.” Islam’s great early accomplishments. We are confident that the audience, and the 500 attendant media, will Message of tolerance witness a show so spectacular as to be engraved in Varouj Nerguizian Executive Director and General their memories forever.” Involving more than 200 per- Manager “expressed the bank’s pride at Sharjah being formers, four soloists, a choir, an orchestra, a crew of named the Capital of Islamic Culture - a title it well 700 and ground-breaking special effects never before deserves, thanks to the immense hard work of its ruler seen in this part of the world, ‘Clusters of Light’ will be Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, who the first show ever to be performed in the new Open spares no effort to preserve and support culture. Majaz Island Amphitheatre, Sharjah. These efforts are clearly seen in the number of books The official venue for Sharjah’s celebrations at that have been translated in the last three years, being named Islamic Culture Capital 2014, this is the enriching culture in the Arabic world and beyond. first venue of its kind in the region: a semi-circular Sheikh Dr Sultan has also toured the world, visiting amphitheatre spanning an area of ??more than 7,200 major capitals and viewing Islamic landmarks and square metres and built at a cost AED140 million. The achievements. His vision can now be seen in the tra- venue can accommodate up to 4,500 spectators and ditional and Islamic architecture of the Emirate’s features a vast viewing platform, through which artists numerous mosques, museums, galleries and beautiful ascend, as well as a state-of-the-art audio system. An markets. “We are pleased to be part of the Emirate’s AED13 million bridge between the island and Khalid celebration of this joyful occasion, which gladdens all Lagoon Street enables easy access for visitors. KUWAIT: Firemen rescued an Arab elderly woman after her house caught our hearts,” said the spokesman. “Our modest contri- Sharjah was named the Capital of Islamic Culture fire in Salwa area yesterday. Kuwait Fire Service Directorate received a call bution to this, the largest ever performance promot- for 2014 on the basis of its rich history and its contribu- about the fire saying that some people are trapped. South Salmiya and ing Islam’s true message of tolerance, is an expression tion to preserving and promoting culture throughout Mishrif fire fighters rushed to the scene and an elderly lady was rescued of our pride in Sharjah and its culture.” Ahmad the region. from the fire. —By Hanan Al-Saadoun SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

China’s satellite spots Turks face new Internet restrictions after Twitter block possible plane debris

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WEST BANK: Two Palestinians are shot by Israeli forces during clashes following an Israeli military operation in the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin yesterday. (Inset) A Palestinian man stands on a roof as he uses a slingshot during clashes with Israeli security forces (unseen) in the West Bank village of Silwad. — AFP Israeli troops kill 3 militants in West Bank Tensions cast shadow over US-brokered peace talks

JENIN: Israeli forces shot three Palestinian militants dead watched,” was one of the chants heard. The Israeli military officials confirmed three militants had been killed, Alhija Alhija had tried to hide said the troops had arrived at yesterday in a raid on a home in the occupied West Bank to said its forces raided a home in a refugee camp in Jenin from Hamas and one each from Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa around 2 am. “There was shooting in the house for about capture a wanted Hamas Islamist militant, Israeli military where they shot and killed a Hamas militant, Hamza Abu Martyrs Brigade, which is linked to Abbas’ Fatah movement. half an hour, and then the soldiers came and ordered us to and Palestinian officials said. The Palestinian Authority Alhija, after he opened fire. Two Israeli troops were wound- leave so we did,” said Azmi Husniya, 67. denounced the violence that it said threatened US-bro- ed when he shot at them, they said. Israeli forces killed two ‘Cold blood’ killings Husniya said he had seen Alhija jump from a window kered peace talks ahead of a looming April deadline set by other Palestinians as they confronted protesters throwing News of the killings ignited new concern for the fate of while trying to flee. The house was badly damaged in the Secretary of State John Kerry. Nabil Abu Rdainah, petrol bombs and rocks at them during the raid to capture Israeli-Palestinian talks for Palestinian statehood in territory raid and two of his sons were wounded in the shooting. spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Alhija, 24, wanted as a suspect for plotting shootings captured in a 1967 war, already beset by a crisis over Israel’s Israeli spokesman Lerner said Alhija shot at troops who urged Washington to take steps “to prevent a collapse” of against Israelis, the military said. balking at freeing prisoners Abbas wants released by the came to arrest him and on their attack dog. He shot and negotiations. Palestinian militants fired guns into the air at Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, month’s end under an earlier Israeli commitment. Including wounded two Israeli soldiers as he tried to flee the house the men’s’ funeral in the West Bank town of Jenin, scene of called Alhija “a ticking bomb” involved in previous attacks yesterday’s incident, Israeli forces have killed at least 60 they surrounded. “Our forces responded and he was the clashes. Flags from their armed groups draped their who was also plotting additional shootings under the direc- Palestinians and injured almost 900 since the resumption of killed,” Lerner said. The fighting was some of the worst coffins and thousands of mourners shouted calls for tion of Hamas Islamists in control of the Gaza Strip. Lerner negotiations last July. Palestinian government spokesman seen in Jenin since a 2002 Israeli incursion in the area, revenge and chanted against Abbas’s involvement in talks scaled back an initial death toll from four as the military had Ehab Bseisso charged those killed in Jenin had been “mur- highlighting rising tensions between the sides, three days with Israel. reported earlier. Hamas rejects Israel’s existence and oppos- dered in cold blood” by Israel. In Jenin’s ramshackle refugee after troops killed a Palestinian youth elsewhere in the “Where are you Abbas? They killed us while you es Abbas’s negotiations with the Jewish state. Palestinian camp, the owner of the now bullet-riddled home where West Bank. — Reuters Presidential guard kills Iraqi journalist 12 killed as Yemen army, rebels clash Police officer killed in rare attack SANAA: Twelve people were killed yesterday in clashes BAGHDAD: An officer in a brigade responsi- and private residences, including Radio Free between Yemeni forces and Shiite rebels on the out- ble for guarding a Baghdad compound con- Iraq’s offices. skirts of the northern city of Amran, a local official and trolled by ailing Iraqi President Jalal Talabani tribal sources said. The rebels, known as Huthis or killed a journalist after an argument yester- Rare south attack Ansarullah, had travelled to Amran to take part in a day, officials said. It was not immediately In another development, a police officer demonstration, but shooting erupted when they insist- clear what sparked the exchange that led to was killed in a relatively rare attack in the ed on crossing a checkpoint to the northern entrance to the shooting in the upscale Jadriyah neigh- Iraqi port city of Basra yesterday, while secu- the city with their weapons, an official said. Eight rebels borhood, but the Kurdish peshmerga cap- rity forces reopened a key highway after were among the dead, as well as two soldiers and two tain fled the scene shortly after Mohammed retaking a village from militants. The latest civilians, a local official and tribal sources said. Bidaiwi, editor-in-chief of Radio Free Iraq, bloodshed came a day after attacks across A senior security official in Sanaa said orders have was killed. “The peshmerga captain killed the country killed 33 people, with bombings been given to prevent Huthis from entering Amran, as him after he stopped him (Bidaiwi) from get- and shootings largely targeting Sunni Arab- the army dispatched reinforcements from the 310nd ting into the compound,” said a journalist at majority areas of northern and western Iraq, armored brigade. The military also set up more check- Radio Free Iraq who declined to be identi- just weeks ahead of national parliamentary points around the city as rebels attempted to enter from fied. “We did not move the corpse yet... The elections. Violence in Iraq is at its highest the east and west, local sources said. Last week, Huthis officer responsible has disappeared.” level since 2008, with the unrest driven prin- armed with assault rifles paraded through Amran along An interior ministry official confirmed the cipally by anger in the Sunni minority, which with vehicles fitted with rocket launchers, demanding account, while Prime Minister Nuri Al- alleges mistreatment at the hands of the the sacking of the “corrupt government”. The Huthis Maliki’s official spokesman called for the offi- Shiite-led authorities, as well as spillover have fought the central government in Sanaa for years, cer to be arrested and taken to court. “Our from the civil war in neighboring Syria. complaining of marginalization under former president forces are laying siege to the presidential In Basra, police Lieutenant Colonel Ihsan Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted in 2012 following a offices,” said Ali Mussawi, who suggested the Maadhi was gunned down in front of his BAGHDAD: The body of the Editor-in-Chief of Radio Free Iraq Mohammed Bidaiwi is year of protests. presidential guard was harboring the officer. house in the centre of the southern city, seen lying on the ground outside the presidential compound in Baghdad’s Jadriyah Last month, President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and “If this brigade refuses to hand over the police and medical sources said. The shoot- district after he was shot by a Kurdish Peshmerga captain yesterday. — AFP party leaders in Sanaa agreed to transform Yemen into a criminal, we have orders to break in and ing was a relatively rare incident of violence six-region federation as part of a political transition. The Sarha were part of nationwide violence that far this month and upwards of 2,000 since rebels, who complain that the country would be divided arrest him by force.” Radio Free Iraq is a in Shiite-majority southern Iraq, which still left 33 people dead, including coordinated the beginning of the year, according to AFP branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty suffers attacks but on a markedly lower scale into rich and poor regions under the plan, have been late-night bombings against the home of a figures based on reports from security and trying to enlarge their zone of influence by pushing out and Bidaiwi has been its chief editor since than Baghdad and northern and western police major in the centre of Tikrit that killed medical sources. Analysts and diplomats 2006. The so-called “Talabani Compound” is Iraq. Elsewhere yesterday, security forces from their mountain strongholds in the far north to four. have called for the Shiite-led authorities to areas closer to the capital. In early February, they seized just outside the heavily-fortified Green Zone, reopened a key highway connecting Attacks also struck elsewhere in do more to reach out to the disaffected home to the prime minister’s residence, par- Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk areas of Amran province in fighting with local tribes that Salaheddin province, as well as the restive Sunni minority in a bid to reduce support for left more than 150 people dead. Military sources said liament and the American and British after retaking a village from anti-govern- northern provinces of Nineveh and Kirkuk militancy, but with elections looming on embassies. The compound also houses pres- ment fighters who held it for several hours a last week the rebel objective was to seize Amran city and in the western desert province of Anbar. April 30, political leaders have been loath to and, from there, lay siege to the capital. — AFP idential residences, as well as several offices day earlier. The clashes in the village of More than 300 people have been killed so be seen to compromise. — Agencies SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 INTERNATIONAL

Famed Syria Crusader castle survives fierce battles

AL-HOSN: Columns are blackened with soot and The fighters were routed after fierce fighting vaults have crumbled in one of the courtyards of Thursday, part of an offensive to sever rebel sup- Syria’s the Krak des Chevaliers, a Crusader castle ply lines from neighboring Lebanon. They left that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and victim behind all sorts of supplies. A pot of leftover meat of the country’s three-year civil war. The army and rice stew can be seen in a room that rebels seized the medieval fortress on Thursday after apparently used as a command centre and living fierce fighting in the nearby village of Al-Hosn in quarters. Rugs cover the hard stone floors, there central Syria, routing rebels who had captured it are cot beds and, on one side of a room that in July 2011. Journalists, including an AFP apparently served as the kitchen, there is a cup- reporter, toured there Friday on a visit organized board that contains rice and a tin of vegetable by the army. Most of the 11th century fortress shortening. Curtains are strung across loopholes and its external walls appear intact but the dam- to keep the daylight out and men’s clothing is age is inside, in the lower courtyard. strewn across the room. Nearby are the women’s quarters, said the colonel, adding that 700 rebels Leftover food lived in the Krak. The decor is spartan, mattresses Fires, apparently set by the rebels who were on the floor and a small desk, religious books and entrenched inside the fortress, have ravaged bottles of henna. Women’s clothes can be seen. ancient pillars, while some archways and vaults The room reeks of incense. have collapsed. Huge blocs of grey stone litter The rebels even left behind their washing, the ground but it is not clear if the damage was soaking in the courtyard. Weapons and mortar caused during Thursday’s capture of the fortress rounds are in another room. In the village of Al- or in earlier bombardments. The only bullet holes Hosn, the damage is greater. Shop windows are that can be seen are on a metal plate that once shattered, shards of glass carpet the streets and was inscribed with information for tourists who buildings have been bombarded. Three dead HOMS: A handout picture shows a general view of Al-Hosn village in the Homs region, about visited the Krak des Chevaliers, or Fortress of the donkeys lie on the side of a road. The colonel 200 kms northwest of the capital Damascus. Syria’s army has been making advances against Knights. “We acted in a way to preserve the Krak, says the army took the rebels by surprise on the opposition in recent days by exploiting divisions among rebel fighters and by relying on to make sure it would not be damaged,” said a Thursday and seized the Krak after an operation elite fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. — AFP colonel who escorted the journalists on their that lasted 12 hours. The Krak ranks as one of the fortress was built by the Hospitaller Order of decided to add all six of Syria’s World Heritage tour. In July 2011, four months after the Syrian best preserved examples of medieval fortresses Saint John of Jerusalem, which was given the sites to its World Heritage in Danger list, includ- conflict erupted, Sunni villagers from the village from the times of the Crusaders, according to castle in 1142. There were further fortifications ing the Old Cities of Damascus and Aleppo, of Al-Hosn seized the Krak and were soon joined UNESCO. Like other Crusader castles in the built towards the end of the 13th century by the Palmyra and Qalat Salaheddin fortress. The by allied rebels, including Lebanese fighters. Middle East, it sits atop a hill that dominates the Mamluks, who swept in and seized it from the move reflected growing concern that serious Islamist fighters also occupied the Krak, including landscape as far as the eye can see. Crusaders. The Krak was inscribed on the damage was being inflicted on these sites, as jihadists from Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s Syria Initially Abbassid Muslims built a fortress on UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2006, one of the war that erupted in Syria in March 2011 affiliate, and from the Jund al-Sham group. the hill in 1031 but the bulk of the existing six Syrian sites to get the label. In 2013, UNESCO raged on. — AFP ‘Nascent’ army takes on experienced Libya militia BENGHAZI: Libyan rebels occupying oil Cyrenaica government, which is demand- ports clashed with troops yesterday after ing more autonomy for his eastern region attacking an army base where reinforce- and a share of oil revenues, could not ments were preparing for an offensive to immediately be reached. Government break the blockade, local residents said. officials also did not return calls seeking Anti-aircraft gunfire and explosions were comment on the fighting. State news heard late at night and again after dawn agency LANA only ran a brief story late on yesterday in Ajdabiya, the hometown of Friday, with the army’s chief of staff warn- rebel leader Ibrahim Jathran, whose fight- ing citizens not to approach any military ers seized three ports in summer to installation. demand a greater share in Libya’s oil Splits, rivalries wealth. Fighting broke out just hours After months of threats, Jathran’s feder- before the return to Libya of an oil tanker alist gunmen managed to load crude seized on Sunday by US commandos in onto the Morning Glory tanker. The ship the Mediterranean after it had loaded left port and escaped Libya’s navy, embar- crude at one of the ports Jathran’s men rassing Tripoli’s government and prompt- have occupied. The Morning Glory, once a ing parliament to sack Prime Minister Ali North Korean-flagged vessel, was expect- Zeidan. The seizure of the Morning Glory ed to arrive yesterday in Libya under US tanker in international waters was a rare Navy escort and dock at Zawiya, one of boost for Tripoli’s government, which has the country’s key ports under govern- struggled to end the standoff that has ment control. cost the state more than $7 billion in lost There was no immediate confirmation oil revenue. The three ports account for ADRA: A handout picture shows bodies of rebel fighters lying on the ground next to packets of medical supplies after an allegedambush from hospitals of any casualties after around 700,000 barrels per day of Libya’s by government forces near the Syrian town of Adra. — AFP rebels opened fire with anti-aircraft oil export capacity, or around half of its canons and rocket-propelled grenades on total petroleum shipments. The town the army base. Residents said nearby where yesterday’s battle broke out, Troops, rebels battle in homes were hit by several shells in the Ajdabiya, is divided between Jathran sup- attack. “You can hear heavy shooting at porters and those who fear his oil block- several places in Ajdabiya,” said one resi- ade will lead to the collapse of the state. dent. The struggle for control of Libya’s But any major assault on the three Assad’s Latakia province vital petroleum resources is one of the ports may bolster support for Jathran’s challenges facing the weak central gov- cause for a federalist state, allowing his ernment, which has been unable to eastern region more say in controlling its secure the North African country three own affairs and spending local oil rev- Army ambushes rebels who came from Jordan years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. enues. Tripoli’s government is also para- Brigades of former anti-Gaddafi rebels lyzed by infighting among Islamists, secu- BEIRUT: Fighting raged yesterday between in numerous operations” in the north of the ing the death toll to 24 since March 13, the secu- and militias refuse to disarm and often lar parties and tribes that has delayed the rebels and loyalist forces in Syria’s northern province. rity source said, adding that 128 people have use armed force or control over oil facili- country’s transition to democracy since Latakia province, a day after 34 people were And a security source said the army on Friday also been wounded in the eight days of violence. ties to make demands on a state whose the fall of Gaddafi whose one-man rule killed as Islamists sought to seize a border cross- had retaken two police stations that had been Seventeen soldiers were among the wounded, national army is still in training. left few state institutions. Western gov- ing into Turkey, an NGO said. The fighting has captured by “rebels infiltrated from Turkey”. The the source said. The army has been deployed in Tripoli’s central government gave ernments, which supported NATO’s air prompted President Bashar Al-Assad’s govern- source said Damascus had sent a message to UN Tripoli for the past several weeks to try to bring Jathran a two-week deadline on March 12 strikes to help the 2011 anti-Gaddafi ment to complain to the United Nations that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accusing Ankara peace to the warring districts but troops have to end his port blockade or face a military rebellion, are training the country’s Turkey was providing cover to rebels crossing of “providing cover” for the rebels and demand- repeatedly come under fire. Relative calm pre- assault, though analysts say Libya’s nas- armed forces and pressing the factions to the border from its territory. ed that the Security Council “denounce this ter- vailed yesterday although snipers forced the clo- cent armed forces may struggle to carry reach a political settlement to assure Latakia province, which includes Assad’s fami- rorist attack on Syrian territory”. “Terrorist” is the sure of the highway leading from Tripoli to the out that threat. Jathran’s self-declared more stability. — Reuters ly village, is considered a regime stronghold, and common regime term for rebels. Friday’s clashes Syrian border. Most of the fighting in the city has many of its residents are from his Alawite minori- came after Al-Nusra, Sham al-Islam and Ansar Al- taken place under the cover of darkness. ty. Large parts of Latakia have remained relative- Sham announced the beginning of the “Anfal” ly insulated from three years of fighting in Syria, campaign in the Latakia area. More than 146,000 Rebels ambushed but the province was shaken Friday as three people have died in the three-year war, and mil- In another development, Syrian state media Islamist groups battled to seize the Kasab border lions more have been displaced. say government forces have ambushed a group crossing. The Syrian Observatory for Human of rebels who crossed into the country from Rights said the Islamists included the Al-Qaeda- 24 killed in Lebanon neighboring Jordan and killed several of the affiliated Al-Nusra Front, who were also active in Meanwhile, eight days of Syria-linked clashes fighters. SANA news agency said yesterday that Saturday’s clashes against regular troops and in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli have the rebels were members of the Al-Qaeda-linked pro-regime militia. killed 24 people, a security source said yesterday, Nusra Front. It says they were attacked near the There were no immediate reports on casual- as sniper fire forced the closure of the highway to town of Adra, northeast of Damascus, and that ties, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Syria. Tripoli has been the scene of chronic sec- most of the rebels died in the ambush. The Rights said at least 34 people were killed on tarian fighting since the war in Syria erupted report says their weapons were seized. Friday, including 13 rebels and five civilians. Rami three years ago, with gunmen from the Sunni Opposition activists also reported a government Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based district of Bab Al-Tebbaneh battling fighters in attack on rebels in Adra. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory, said fighting was under way in the Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen. Observatory for Human Rights says the ambush three government-controlled villages and anoth- Tensions between the two districts go back occurred late Friday and that at least 10 people er three that loyalists were trying to seize from decades but have been exacerbated by the con- were killed. The Observatory’s chief, Rami rebels. State news agency SANA said loyalists flict in Syria, where President Bashar Al-Assad, an Abdurrahman, says it’s unclear if all of those BENGHAZI: Libyan militia members organize their munitions at a military base had “destroyed an ammunition and rocket Alawite, is battling a Sunni-led opposition. killed were rebels and if so, which group they in Benghazi, eastern Libya. — AP depot, as well as vehicles transporting weapons... Fierce fighting on Friday killed 10 people rais- belonged to. — Agencies Turks face new Internet restrictions Egypt court begins mass ISTANBUL: Turkey said yesterday that Many Turks reported difficulties in corruption. “It is difficult to comprehend Twitter was “biased” and had been used accessing not just Twitter but the Twitter’s indifference, and its biased and trial of Morsi’s backers for “systematic character assassinations” Internet as a whole, according to media prejudiced stance. We believe that this of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s gov- reports and comments on social media. attitude is damaging to the brand image CAIRO: A court in Egypt adjourned the across a deeply polarized nation. supreme guide of the now-banned ernment, a day after Turkey’s ban on the Erdogan’s office said in a statement that of the company in question and creates mass trial of more than 1,200 supporters The defendants are accused of attack- Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie, site prompted an international outcry. the ban on Twitter was in response to an unfair and inaccurate impression of of deposed Islamist president Mohamed ing both people and public property in and several other leaders of the move- The Turkish authorities blocked Twitter the company’s “defiance” in failing to our country,” the statement from Morsi after a brief hearing yesterday, state southern Egypt in August, after security ment, MENA reported. Hundreds of peo- late on Thursday, hours after Erdogan comply with hundreds of court rulings Erdogan’s office said. media reported. The country’s biggest trial forces broke up two Cairo protest camps ple died in the August 14 assault on the vowed to “wipe out” the social media since last January. Similar measures have been taken on since the army removed Morsi last July set up by Morsi supporters. They are also two Cairo protest camps and in subse- service during the campaigning period “Twitter has been used as a means to the same grounds in other countries to after a turbulent single year in office was charged with committing acts of violence quent clashes that day. Amnesty adjourned until Monday. About 500 that led to the deaths of two policemen in International says at least 1,400 people for local elections on March 30. carry out systematic character assassina- prevent violations of personal rights and defendants faced charges at a court in Minya, judicial sources said. Monday’s ses- have been killed in violence across Egypt Leading condemnation from tions by circulating illegally acquired threats to national security, it added. Minya, south of Cairo, with the trial of the sion is set to further examine charges since then, while thousands more have Western governments and rights organi- recordings, fake and fabricated records Erdogan is battling a corruption scandal remainder due to begin on Tuesday, state against those defendants who attended been arrested. Morsi is himself currently zations, the White House said the Twitter of wiretapping,” the prime minister’s which he says is a plot to undermine news agency MENA reported. The legal yesterday’s hearing. The court session was on trial in three different cases, including ban undermined democracy and free office said. In recent weeks, audio him by a US-based, Turkish Islamic cleric proceedings are part of a crackdown by closed to the media, so it was unclear how one for inciting the killing of protesters speech. The site remained blocked in recordings have been released via Fethullah Gulen. Gulen is a former ally the military-installed authorities on many of the accused appeared in person. outside a presidential palace during his Turkey yesterday. Those trying to access Twitter on an almost daily basis purport- whose network of followers include Morsi’s Islamist supporters who remain Earlier, the judicial sources said around presidency. Morsi was removed after just Twitter found an Internet page carrying ing to be telephone conversations influential members of Turkey’s police steadfast in demanding his reinstatement. 200 of the defendants are in detention, 12 months as president following mass court rulings saying that the site had between senior government members and judiciary. Gulen denies orchestrat- Egypt’s first elected and civilian president while others are either out on bail or on street protests against his rule amid alle- been blocked as a “protection measure”. and businessmen that reveal alleged ing the graft investigation. — Reuters was ousted by the army on July 3 in a the run. gations of power grabbing and worsening move that triggered widespread unrest Among the defendants are the an already weak economy. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 Ukraine’s navy at end of rope in Crimea

SEVASTOPOL: The tugboats came in the pro-Western government in Kiev. Russia activists, declined to be interviewed, evening, carrying three dozen Russian took control of the Ukrainian navy’s head- explaining that he “only talks to Russian tel- sailors and pro-Russian militiamen who quarters in Sevastopol on Wednesday. Its evision channels”. Not everyone is tempt- climbed aboard the Ternopil and told the commander, rear admiral Sergiy Gayduk, ed by the offer of switching sides. “If I join crew to leave. The captain of the Ternopil in was detained and driven to Crimea’s border the Russian navy, they will send me some- the port of Sevastopol in Crimea lined up his with Ukraine. where as far from Ukraine as possible,” said crew of 91 men, thanked them for their Sporadic moments of defiance have the sailor from the Ternopil, adding that his service and told them that they were free to continued. At a naval academy in whole family is in Ukraine and he does not go. Left with little choice, the sailors headed Sevastopol on Thursday, a group of students want to risk being tried for desertion when for dry land. On Friday, the mast of the refused to stand quietly as the Ukrainian he returns. Instead, he hopes to emigrate Ternopil was flying the white and blue flag was replaced by a Russian one. During a to Europe. Russian navy flag. Their ship had become speech by the commander of Russia’s Black But Maksim, a young man standing in the enemy. One of the crew, a 22-year-old Sea fleet, Alexander Vitko, they defiantly line to register at the headquarters, said he sailor who preferred to remain anonymous, sang the Ukrainian national anthem before now wanted to serve Russia. “I served in told AFP he was now stranded in heading back inside the school, videos from Sevastopol, not in Ukraine,” said Maksim, Sevastopol with no job and a prospect of the scene showed. Some are more sanguine who is studying to be a military doctor. prosecution for desertion if he headed about the situation, blaming the govern- “Times change, but people stay the same.” home to Ukraine.”I had plans here, I wanted ment in Kiev for failing to fight back. It was Asked if he had a guilty conscience about to stay in Crimea, to go to a university here,” every man for himself, said the sailor from making the switch, he said: “Yes”. “But I am said the sailor, who had served for two years. the Ternopil: “I don’t blame the Russians. We a doctor first and a soldier second, and the “Your fate can really be decided within have been abandoned by the government.” NOVOFEDORIVKA: A pro-Russian protesters takes down a Ukrainian flag as Hippocratic oath is to the people, not any hours,” he said. “Our guys wept over the For weeks, he said, the Ternopil received no they storm a Ukrainian air force base in the small city of Novofedorivka.—AFP government.” For three months, Maksim ship.” As the flags go down one by one on direction from Kiev. The ship did not fire at was in Kiev, standing face-to-face as part of Ukraine’s fleet in Crimea, Russian forces are the Russian intruders because the captain to switch allegiances. Sevastopol’s maver- headquarters of the pro-Russian militia in the riot police confronting anti-govern- laying siege to the few ships still refusing to “did not want to start a war”. ick mayor Sergiy Chaly on Thursday said the outskirts of Sevastopol, surrounded ment protesters on Independence Square. stand down. The command ship Slavutich they can either transfer to other Ukrainian with barbed wire and sandbags.A deputy “We were hit, we were abused,” he said. was one of the last still flying Ukraine’s flag Serve Russia? ‘Why not?’ bases, leave the military or enlist with commander of the headquarters, sitting in “Only a fool was not scared there. “After on Friday, but it is increasingly isolated in a The new pro-Russian authorities have Russian forces. Dozens responded to the a makeshift situation room with giant that experience, I don’t want to serve Kiev region that is strongly hostile to the new meanwhile invited Ukrainian servicemen call on Friday to register their names at the charts and lists of numbers of pro-Russia anymore,” he said. — AFP Troops surround Crimea airbase, issue ultimatum Russia trying to break apart Europe: Germany

BELBEK AIRBASE: Russian troops have sur- Kiev as it faces new rounds of pressure by Russian industries-because its only response to when Moscow removed its objections and rounded a Ukrainian airbase in Crimea and Russia that include open threats to throw date has been the release of a list of nine US allowed monitors from the Organization for issued an ultimatum to forces inside to surren- Ukraine’s wheezing economy into convulsion officials and lawmakers who will be barred Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to der, the deputy commander of the base in by raising its gas rates and demanding colossal from entering the country. be deployed in the heavily Russified southeast- Belbek, near Sevastopol, said yesterday. The payments for disputed debts it could ill afford. Putin on Friday made light of the US deci- ern swathes of Ukraine. The interim leaders in base, above which the blue and yellow The biggest such signal from Europe came on sion to effectively cut the bank suspected of Kiev fear the huge forces that Russia has Ukrainian flag was flying, is one of the few mili- Friday with the signing in Brussels of the very being close to him from the Western financial amassed along their country’s eastern frontier. tary facilities on Crimea still controlled by agreement on closer EU-Ukraine relations system and suggested in televised comments Putin has vowed to use any means necessary Ukraine after the annexation of the peninsula whose rejection by the Moscow-backed that “we should for now hold off on reciprocal to “protect” his compatriots against what he by Russian forces. regime sparked three months of deadly steps.” He notably made no mention of the describes as violent ultranationalist elements “The Russian troops at our aerodrome gave protests that led to its February 22 fall. Europeans-their punitive steps so far mostly now running wild in Ukraine. But Moscow us an hour to surrender or they will start The pact puts Ukraine on a firmer footing limited to the largely symbolic suspension of agreed to let an initial force of 100 OSCE moni- storming. We are going nowhere, let’s see toward EU membership that the protesters- free travel talks and a summit Putin had been tors watch out for any possible troop move- what this storming is,” Oleg Podovalov said. tired of corruption and Russian domination- The ultimatum was due to expire at 1230 GMT, sought and that Putin feared because of the but there was no sign of the Russians moving doom it spelled for his dream of recreating a in on the base. The Russian takeover of the Kremlin-run empire of post-Soviet states. The Black Sea peninsula has been largely blood- political deal should be followed months later less, though one Ukrainian serviceman was by an economic agreement permanently lift- CHISINAU: An elderly man sells plastic bags at the cen- killed and two others wounded in a shooting ing trade barriers and requiring Ukraine to tral market in Chisinau, Moldova. — AFP in Simferopol earlier this week. Ukraine’s undertake the structural changes needed to Defense Ministry said on Friday Crimea’s bases kickstart two decades of stuttering growth. But In Moldova, Crimea were still formally under Ukrainian control, but Ukraine is unlikely to hear its calls for US and most are now occupied by Russian troops and EU military support answered despite the fly Russia’s tricolor flag. hourly advances Russian troops and pro- crisis fuel fears of Kremlin militia are making on the rebel Black Breaking Europe apart Sea peninsula of Crimea. poverty, annexation Meanwhile, Germany yesterday accused Yatsenyuk said after his meeting with Russia of trying to splinter Europe as a Cold Steinmeier that “we discussed military and CHISINAU: Moldova, another former Soviet state with a War-style struggle over the future of ex-Soviet technological cooperation assistance” but restive Russian-speaking minority, fears events in neigh- Ukraine ratched up following the Kremlin’s reported no further progress. Russian forces on boring Ukraine will provide a blueprint for its own sepa- defiant annexation of Crimea. The haunting Friday marked Putin putting his name on a ratists, and bring further hardship to Europe’s poorest warning from a nation whose friendship treaty sealing the Kremlin’s absorption of the country. In the central market of the capital Chisinau, Russian President Vladimir Putin had nurtured mostly Russian-speaking region by storming many are concerned about the future in the wake of over his 14 years in power came amid Western and seizing Ukraine’s only submarine in the Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula this week efforts to shore up backing for the besieged region. “Don’t worry Mum, I’m picking up my NOVOFEDORIVKA: Ukrainian soldiers walk out of a Ukrainian air force base in the and its impact on Moldova’s disastrous economy. interim leaders in Kiev who toppled a Kremlin- things and then I’m coming home,” one small city of Novofedorivka, in the Saki district of western Crimea, after it was “Pensions are already tiny and insufficient. This trouble will backed regime last month. Ukrainian soldier in a camouflage uniform was stormed by some 200 pro-Russian protesters yesterday. — AFP only make things worse,” said Zenovia, a 58-year-old selling Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper heard saying on the phone as Russian troops bread to bolster her meagre 60-euro (82-dollar) monthly will be the first leader from the G7 group of raised their flag at the main entrance to the due to host in June. Leading EU nations such as ments or other forms of Russian incitement pension. top industrialized powers to meet interim large Perevalne military base. a Britain and Germany-their financial and ener- after the rights and security body of 57 nations She is anxious about a thaw in the “frozen conflict” over president Oleksandr Turchynov in Kiev since gy sectors intertwined with Russia’s-have partic- agreed to stay out of Crimea-an area that it Transdniestr, Moldova’s own separatist region-a long, thin Crimea staged a contentious March 16 inde- Tougher sanctions ularly questioned why they should be the ones was already barred from entering this month. strip made up mostly of Russian speakers along the border pendence vote that saw Russia formally stake Both the Unites State and Europe have thus to suffer most in case of an all-out trade war. Russia’s OSCE ambassador Andrei Kelin said in with Ukraine. A brief conflict over the region between its claim to the Ukrainian peninsula on Friday. far limited their retaliation against Putin to tar- Vienna after the decision the fact that the mis- Moldovan and pro-Russian forces left hundreds dead in the The foreign minister of Germany-its economic geted travel and financial sanctions that con- Monitors deal sion will not be deployed in Crimea was in line early 1990s. Russia intervened at the time and has main- power playing a decisive role in forging cern officials but steer clear of impacting the Kiev scored one small success on Friday with “geopolitical realities”. — Agencies tained troops in the region ever since. “We don’t want a Europe’s response to Putin’s increasingly bel- Russian economy. Washington’s steps have repeat of that. There were so many deaths, so many wid- ligerent stance-warned that the continent’s been more meaningful because they target ows,” said Zenovia. Such concerns were heightened on entire future was at stake. what US officials call a Putin “crony bank” as Friday when Russia’s military announced that it had carried “The referendum in Crimea... is a violation well as oligarchs who are believed to be clos- out exercises in Transdniestr. of international law and an attempt to splinter est to the Russian strongman and-in one case- Russian military spokesman Colonel Oleg Kotchetkov Europe,” Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters actually be running a joint business with him. said the exercises were just routine preparations for an after meeting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Moscow appears to have been taken aback by enemy attack. Yatsenyuk. The show of diplomatic solidarity the force of US President Barack Obama’s mes- But they will only add to fears of Russian revanchism in may play an important psychological role in sage-as well as the threat to one day hit Moldova, especially after reports earlier this week that politicians in Transdniestr-who have their own self- appointed assembly-had asked Russia to absorb their Wielding sanctions, Obama region along with Crimea. The pro-Western Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti responded on Tuesday, saying: targets Putin’s inner circle “Such actions are counterproductive and would not bene- fit either the Republic of Moldova or the Russian WASHINGTON: US sanctions this week against Russia’s 17th largest. Bank Rossiya was targeted Federation.” Russia were carefully crafted in an attempt to to put Putin on notice Russia’s financial sector target President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle was not immune, officials said. Other than the Russia or EU? without provoking a backlash from Moscow bank, which the Treasury Department said also Transdniestr, with a population of 550,000, made its bid against US businesses, senior US officials said. was used by senior Russian officials and whose for secession in 1990 as the Soviet Union crumbled, fearing Concerns about possible Russian retaliation shareholders included members of Putin’s inner domination by the Romanian-speaking population that “helped shape the discussions about appropri- circle, all of the US sanctions have targeted indi- makes up the majority in the rest of Moldova. Moldova ate sanctions” within the White House, said a viduals rather than companies. Since Putin’s rule was part of Romania up to World War II. After independ- senior US official, speaking on condition of in Russia is highly personal, the aim is to put ence in 1991, Chisinau tried to recover Transnistria without anonymity. “There’s an awareness that even tar- pressure on the coterie of people closest to him success. Skirmishes turned into a short war in 1992. Russia geted sanctions can have broad effects.” Obama in terms of money and power, officials said. To has kept soldiers in Transnistria against the wishes of the on Thursday announced assets freezes and make an impact, “you’ve got to go in that politi- Moldovan government, and despite a commitment in 1999 bans on US business dealings against 20 cal system to people around the president,” the to remove them. Nonetheless, few believe Russia is inter- Russians and a Russian bank, in response to senior official said. A Treasury Department ested in annexing Transnistria. Putin’s annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine. spokesperson did not rule out further sanctions “I believe the Russians don’t need to re-attach a territory The measures, notably tougher than those against entities, but said, “When sanctioning this small, which is already occupied by their army,” said Obama unveiled just three days earlier, have individuals, our focus remains on identifying Chisinau-based economist Victor Grama. In the central helped spark steep losses for Russian stocks, their personal assets, not any businesses that market, there were mixed feelings. Some see Russia’s and Russia’s Finance Ministry said it may be they operate.” annexation of Crimea as merely “repairing an historic mis- forced to cancel plans to borrow abroad this take”. “We should not be forced to choose between the EU year. Whether the sanctions will dissuade Putin Next step would be difficult and Russia,” said stall-owner Nicolae Spanu. from further incursions into Ukraine, much less US officials believe any further rounds of But most still look to Europe as their hope for the future. reverse Russia’s annexation of Crimea or force sanctions will need to be even more carefully “I hope Moldova will enter the European Union. We hope him to the negotiating table, is unclear. targeted to avoid a ban on an entire sector of that this will bring us better pensions and more Moreover, the careful balance of punishing the Russian economy, like oil or metals, that respectable people,” said Zenovia. Moldova, along with Russia while shielding U.S. businesses and the could reverberate through the global econo- Georgia, initialled an association agreement with the 28- global economy will be harder if Obama’s my. Europe, for instance, remains dependent nation bloc in November-the same deal that Ukraine administration decides another round of meas- on Russian natural gas.In an executive order rejected, triggering the huge protests that brought down ures is necessary. on Thursday, Obama opened the door to tar- the pro-Kremlin government in Kiev. Chisinau and Tbilisi geting entities in specific sectors of the are expected to sign the agreements by 2015. The Targeting Putin’s circle Russian economy, such as energy and gas, Moldovan president has urged the EU to hasten the Moscow brushed off a first set of US sanc- mining, and financial services. He has not yet process in the wake of events in Ukraine. Wedged tions, asset freezes and travel bans against sev- used that tool. Absent from the Thursday list between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, en Russian officials and four Ukrainians. The were major Russian state-owned enterprises Moldova with 3.5 million people is the poorest European Thursday action targeted 16 Russian officials, such as energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft, country with a per capita income of $2,037 in 2012, accord- four wealthy individuals linked to Putin and or the state-run arms export firm ing to the World Bank. — AFP Bank Rossiya, which the US Treasury said was Rosoboronexport. —Reuters INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 News Pope appoints ex-child victim in brief

Man jailed for putting to church group on sex abuse 6-week-old in freezer TACOMA: A 25-year-old Washington man accused of putting his 6-week-old daughter in a 10-degree Boston cardinal, Polish ex-PM and UK baroness in group freezer for about an hour to stop her crying was sentenced Friday to 16 years in prison. Prosecutor VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis yesterday clerical duties within the Church. Mark Lindquist says Tyler Deutsch pleaded guilty named a woman molested by a priest as a on Jan. 31 to first-degree assault for beating his child to be part of a core group to help the Church shame infant daughter and putting her in the freezer. She Catholic Church fight the clerical sexual These initial members will be responsi- has fully recovered, but the prosecutor calls the abuse of minors that has haunted it for ble for rounding out the “Commission for crime horrible and inexplicable. Authorities say the over two decades. The first eight members the Protection of Minors” with other inter- child’s core temperature fell to 85 degrees in the - four women and four men - hail from national experts and defining the scope of freezer, after Deutsch put her there and then went eight different countries and include its work. O’Malley, a member of the pope’s to his bedroom and fell asleep. She also had a bro- Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, former “kitchen cabinet” of eight cardinals, pub- ken arm and leg and a head injury. The mother, Polish Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka and lished in 2011 an online database of clergy Baroness Sheila Hollins, a British psychia- in his Boston archdiocese accused of sexual who had left the baby in his care, saw Deutsch pull trist. The victim is Marie Collins, who was abuse of minors. Collins, a founding trustee her out of the freezer as she was returning home abused in her native Ireland in the 1960s of the Irish abuse victims support group and called 911. and has campaigned for the protection of One in Four, has urged the Vatican to pun- children and for justice for victims of cleri- ish bishops who fail to implement Church Mummified body found cal paedophilia. “Pope Francis has made rules on finding paedophile priests and at a Buenos Aires home clear that the Church must hold the protec- protecting children. The United States- BUENOS AIRES: The naturally mummified body of tion of minors amongst her highest priori- based Survivors Network of those Abused a woman was found at her Buenos Aires home by a ties,” Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico by Priests (SNAP) welcomed Collins’s neighbor who had not seen her for more than 10 Lombardi said in a statement. appointment but said the pope still had to years, police said yesterday. Her remains, with skin The formation of a group of experts, ini- “take strong steps right now to protect tissue preserved by drying, were being studied to tially announced in December, comes just kids, expose predators, discipline enablers determine the time and circumstances of the over a month after the United Nations and uncover cover-ups.” death of Maria Cristina Fontana, who was born in accused the Church of putting its reputa- Suchocka, who was prime minister in VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis receives a little plastic dinosaur from Luca Manconi, the 1953. Fontana is believed to have died at age 51 of tion before the well-being of children and Warsaw in 1992-1993, served as justice 3-year-old grandson of Maltese President George Abela (holding him) during a pri- complications from an aneurysm that had been imposing a “code of silence” among clerics minister from 1997-2000 and Polish ambas- vate audience in the Pontiff’s studio, at the Vatican. — AP operated on in 1990, the coroner’s office said. The on the issue of sexual abuse. Accusations sador to the Holy See from 2001-13. Pope woman, who lived in the lower unit of a house split Women in the Church Humberto Miguel Yanez and German psy- that Pope Francis has not taken a strong Francis has called sexual abuse of children into apartments with separate entrances, was on The Argentine-born Jesuit pope has also chologist Hans Zollner. Baroness Hollins is a enough stand against clerical sexual abuse “the shame of the Church” and has vowed medication and disabled, forensic data showed. tarnished the overwhelmingly positive to continue procedures put in place by his been criticized for not appointing enough former president of the Royal College of “But we were all shocked because no family ever reviews he received on reaching the first predecessor, Benedict XVI. But he seemed women to senior positions in the male-domi- Psychiatrists and the British Medical anniversary of his election to the papacy to pay less attention to abuse than to other nated Church, despite repeated statements Association. Separately, the Vatican reported her death and no one ever spoke of an last week. Lombardi said the group would reforms. Defensive testimony by Vatican about their equality with men. The other announced yesterday that British Monsignor unusual smell. Nobody knows anything, it’s a mys- consider options such as criminal action officials before the UN Committee on the members of the group are French child psy- Brian Ferme would be secretary of the Vatican tery,” the building porter told TN television. The against offenders, education about child Rights of the Child in January set of a wave chiatrist Catherine Bonnet, Italian canon law Council for Economy to help German Cardinal process of natural mummification can occur in hot, exploitation, best practices to better screen of criticism that he was not bold enough professor Claudio Papale and two Jesuit Reinhard Marx in supervising the Holy See’s dry climates. The body was found by neighbor priests and a clear definition of civil and on the issue. priests, Argentine moral theologian financial and economic activities. — Reuters Marcela Calvete, who entered the apartment believing it was uninhabited and with the intent of claiming property rights by vacancy. In January, another mummified corpse was found at a home Millions of kids to test new in Buenos Aires. The home’s owner, who was also found dead, was a man who had lived for a decade US education assessments with the corpse of his mother, installed on a chair WASHINGTON: What’s on the new Common Willhoft said. While opposition to the stan- in the kitchen of their home. Core-based exams? More than 4 million kids dards has been multi-dimensional, some crit- in US schools soon will have a clue. Field test- ics take issue with the tests and how the US student produced ing begins this coming week in 36 states and results will be used because the tests are ricin in his dormitory the District of Columbia on assessments designed to replace the annual assessments WASHINGTON: A university student in the United developed by two different groups of states. given in states. Also complicating matters are States has been charged with possessing a poten- Participating students will be asked to sit for the new teacher evaluation systems being tially lethal amount of the powerful toxin ricin, hours in front of a computer or use a No 2 rolled out in many states that rely, in part, on court documents showed. Daniel Harry Milzman, pencil to answer questions. But there’s no student performance on annual exams. from Georgetown University in Washington, told need for kids to worry. The scores won’t Questions have been raised about when or if the FBI earlier this week that he produced the ricin count, this time. The actual exam-testing the Common Core-based assessments should himself in his dormitory room about a month ago, won’t be used for another year. count on these evaluations. having bought the precursor materials in local The Common Core standards spell out Supporters are warning that scores on the stores. He wore goggles and a dust mask when he what math and English skills students should new assessments will drop compared with was extracting the ricin, according to the court have at each grade, and are designed to the old tests, but they say they will be a more documents, which said he had produced 123 mil- NICE: Tourists jump for a photo in front of the Mediterranean Sea under their umbrel- develop more critical thinking skills than tra- accurate measurement of student knowl- ligrams and stored the material in a plastic bag las by a rainy day, on the beach of Nice, southeastern France yesterday. — AFP ditional school work. They were first pushed edge. The field tests themselves have gener- secured with hockey tape. The concentration of by governors concerned about the large ated other concerns. Some states’ officials the ricin was such that it could have been deadly if number of high school graduates needing worry about double testing, meaning some Socialists in crunch test as remedial college help and lacking basic skills. students are participating in both the field inhaled, the documents said, adding that Milzman Most states have adopted them. The field test and taking a state exam. In response, the had told his residential adviser on Monday that he France holds local elections tests, to be conducted until June, are a big Education Department gave California per- had created the poison and showed the adviser step forward in the push to more fully inte- mission to just give the field tests to all stu- the plastic bag. He was interviewed by FBI agents PARIS: France holds municipal elections president in recent French history. Some 30 grate the new academic standards into the dents in third- to eighth-grades, meaning the next day. It was not immediately clear what the today amid high-voltage tension between percent of voters have indicated they intend school environment. They will give education they won’t be given the state assessment this student intended to do with the substance. But FBI the Socialist government, battling record to punish the government for its perceived officials a chance to judge things such as the year. Similar permission was given to other Washington Field Office spokeswoman Jacqueline unpopularity, and the main opposition beset failures on key issues such as jobs, although quality of each test question and the techni- states, including Idaho, Montana, and South Maguire told AFP that “based on investigation, we by scandal, while the far right is tipped to experts play down the likely impact of recent cal capabilities of schools to administer the Dakota, according to the Education do not believe there is any connection to terror- make a strong showing. The contest is the scandals. tests, which are computer-based but also will Department. ism.” first nationwide vote since Socialist leader be available on paper. Smarter Balanced and PARCC were created Francois Hollande was elected as president ‘Down the gutter’ But they also come as the standards face to help states pool resources to develop the Grenade blasts rattle two years ago. It comes at a time when the Marine Le Pen, who gained 17.9 percent political push-back in many states Indiana tests. But some states have opted to use dif- Thailand northern city centre-right UMP has been hit by a corrup- of the vote in the 2012 presidential election, lawmakers, for example, last year paused ferent ones. Florida, for example, recently BANGKOK: A string of grenade blasts shook a tion probe as well as other scandals allegedly has urged voters to reject candidates from a implementation of the standards and a meas- signed a contract with the nonprofit northern Thai city popular with foreign tourists, involving former president Nicolas Sarkozy. “system that is taking French political life ure ending the state’s participation is at the American Institutes for Research to develop Tensions reached a peak just ahead of the down the gutter.” Le Pen believes that France leaving several people wounded in attacks that governor’s desk. House lawmakers in an assessment for its standards, which are police said yesterday could be linked to the king- polls with Sarkozy likening the court-ordered has lost its sovereignty to the European Tennessee passed legislation that would largely based on the Common Core stan- phone tapping on him to the methods Union and wants to see an end to open bor- dom’s deadly political crisis. The explosions in delay implementation - and testing - under dards. For the states participating in the field Chiang Mai on Friday evening came hours after the employed by East Germany’s dreaded Stasi ders across the continent and laws being Common Core for two years, but that propos- tests, how they will be conducted varies. PAR- Constitutional Court nullified a February general police, drawing a sharp reprimand from made in Brussels for EU member states. Her al hasn’t been taken up in the Senate. CC said more than 1 million students will par- Hollande. Amid the flagging fortunes of the anti-immigration and Eurosceptic views are Common Core supporters hope the field tests ticipate in its field tests, and about 10 percent election disrupted by opposition protests, anger- two main parties, the National Front (FN) of shared by large numbers of French voters, provide an opportunity to highlight the best of the students in 14 states and the District of ing government supporters. The targets were a Marine Le Pen is on the rise. The far-right par- many of whom have been hit hard by eco- of Common Core. “There’s been a lot of talk Columbia will take them. It says its field tests seafood restaurant, a petrol station and a brewery ty founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, nomic austerity measures that are seen as and a lot of planning and it’s actually happen- will take no more than three hours for most that has faced criticism because of its controlling is fielding a record number of candidates in coming from Brussels. ing, which I think generates some excitement students. family’s links with anti-government protesters. the municipal elections. Marine Le Pen has Ironically, the FN’s high standing in the and some reality, if you will, for the fact that Smarter Balanced said in its 22 participat- Four people were wounded but were out of dan- voiced her confidence and the party hopes polls is expected to help the Socialists reduce this is moving ahead,” said Jeffrey Nellhaus, ing states, more than 3 million students will ger yesterday and had returned home, Chiang Mai to wrest control of 10 to 15 cities. Under their losses. By splitting the vote on the right, director of research, policy and design with participate, with several states seeing most or provincial police commander Grit Gitilue said by France’s run-off system any party which wins Le Pen’s party will make it easier for the the consortium Partnership for Assessment of all of its students participating. The two sub- telephone. “We established two possible motives 10 percent of the vote goes forward to a sec- Socialists to get into more second rounds, Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC. ject areas - math and English - are each for the attacks-personal conflict or politics. We are ond round. and, in the event of run-offs against the FN, Joe Willhoft, the executive director of the expected to take 21/2 hours to four hours to giving more weight to the second one,” he said, A strong first-round showing will not nec- to win them. In Paris, under the control of Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, complete, but not all students will take both adding that no suspects had been arrested. Two essarily translate into the FN securing control Socialists for 13 years, there is a historic tussle told reporters there will be snags, and that’s parts. Among the questions the consortiums grenades were also fired near an anti-government of many local authorities, and it is only con- between two women candidates. The cur- in part due to the nature of what a field test is said they’ll be addressing: Do certain ques- rally in the eastern province of Chonburi on Friday testing around one in five municipalities. But rent Socialist mayor’s deputy Anne Hidalgo is - a test run and an opportunity to see what tions seem too easy or too hard? Is gender, evening but nobody was hurt, police said. The an outcome on the lines indicated by the fighting a challenge from the UMP’s Nathalie works and doesn’t. Already, out of concern race or ethnicity a factor in how students per- most recent opinion polls would neverthe- Kosciuscko-Morizet, a former minister in unrest is a blow to efforts to lure back tourists after there would be technical problems, Smarter form? Do students score better using a com- a state of emergency was recently lifted in less send shockwaves through French poli- Sarkozy’s government. Polls have shown the Balanced delayed by a week to this week the puter or pencil and paper? And, do they do tics. Hollande, who failed to keep his elec- UMP and Socialists neck-and-neck in the first Bangkok in response to an easing of months of start of its field tests. “We have a saying in better on a tablet compared to a computer? political violence that has left 23 people dead. The toral pledge to rein in record joblessness by round but Hidalgo is expected to edge in the Smarter Balanced that if nothing goes wrong Do schools have the bandwidth to handle violence, mostly concentrated in Bangkok, has the end of last year, is the most unpopular second round. — AFP in the field test, then actually we have failed,” computer-based assessments? — AP often targeted opposition protesters seeking to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s gov- ernment and install an unelected “people’s council” Lawmakers want a ban on police sex with prostitutes to oversee reforms.

HONOLULU: Hawaii lawmakers flabbergasted at the prospect out ever crossing a line into sex. Honolulu police offered writ- the subject of such complaints in recent memory. Police testi- 5 feared dead as plane of police being allowed to have sex with prostitutes promised ten and verbal testimony to the House Judiciary Committee fied in writing and in person to the House Judiciary Committee crashes in East Australia Friday to make the practice illegal. Senate Judicial Committee last month but did not attend Friday’s hearing. Hee noted their in February that keeping the exemption in statute protects BRISBANE: Five people are feared dead after a Chairman Clayton Hee said he planned to get rid of an lack of any testimony on Friday, calling their absence “deafen- undercover officers from being found out. They said internal light plane crashed at an airfield in eastern exemption in the state’s prostitution law that permits police to ing.” The committee deferred decision on the multifaceted department protocols protect citizens against abuses. The Australia yesterday, emergency service workers have sex as part of an investigation. His announcement at a crime bill by one week. Hee said its next version would once House committee amended the bill to restore the exemption. committee hearing followed expressions of outrage after again outlaw police from having sex with prostitutes. The House later passed that version of the bill. After the AP said. The plane, used for skydiving, took off before police had lobbied lawmakers to keep the exemption. “I will The promise from lawmakers to toss the exemption came wrote on Thursday about the exemption, the Honolulu Police veering left, crashing and bursting into flames at tell you that without question I can’t imagine police officers as a relief to those who testified. Kathryn Xian, the founder of Department issued a statement disputing that story’s findings. Caboolture, 50 kilometers north of Brisbane. “We being exempt from the law,” Hee said Friday. “To condone the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, told the committee that the The release reads, in part, “the HPD has never asked the received a call from the airfield and sent three police officers’ sexual penetration in making arrests is simply practice of “cop-checking” that police claimed makes the Legislature to allow officers to engage in sex with prostitutes.” crews to a light plane that had crashed,” a nonsensical to me.” exemption necessary doesn’t jive with the accounts of former Yet written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee Queensland Fire and Rescue Service official told State legislators have been working to revamp Hawaii’s prostitutes. “I’m really glad Hee’s making that policy call,” said dated Feb 13 and signed by Chief of Police Louis Kealoha and AFP. “The fire was extinguished in 10 minutes.” decades-old law against prostitution. They toughened penal- Xian, a Democrat running for Congress in Hawaii’s first district. Capt. Jason Kawabata of the Narcotics/Vice Division asks law- Queensland Police said: “It is believed that five ties against pimps and those who use prostitutes, and they “It’s long overdue. I think it will benefit a lot of victims out makers to keep the legal protection for police to have sex with people were on board and that all are deceased.” also originally proposed scrapping the sex exemption for offi- there.” prostitutes. “Even if the intent of the amendment (sic) is merely Bryan Carpenter, who works at the airfield, said the cers on duty. But Honolulu police told lawmakers last month Myles Breiner, a former Honolulu prosecutor who now to limit actual conduct by the officer, we must oppose it,” that plane was a Cessna 206, which carried between that they needed the legal protection to catch lawbreakers in works as a defense attorney, testified that his clients who are letter reads. “Codifying the limitations on an officer’s conduct five and six people on skydiving flights. He told Sky the act. Otherwise, they argued, prostitutes would insist on sex prostitutes often complain to him that police have sex with would greatly assist pimps and prostitutes in their efforts to News the burning high-octane fuel destroyed the to identify undercover officers. The legislation was then them before making an arrest. “My concern is public respect avoid prostitution.” Such exemptions for police to have sex plane within just one minute. “On impact with the amended to restore the protection and the revised proposal for the law,” Breiner told lawmakers. “How do we expect people with prostitutes appear rare in states’ laws. Michigan appears ground (the plane) immediately burst into flames passed the House and is now before the Senate. to follow the law when the police engage in criminal con- to have one. Law enforcement experts say there’s never any and there were no survivors,” he said. “This is the On Thursday, The Associated Press wrote about the success- duct?” need to have sex with a prostitute to make an arrest, because worst-ever fatality accident we’ve suffered (at ful lobbying of police to keep that exemption. Advocates and Honolulu police say their officers who investigate prostitu- the agreement to exchange money for sex is sufficient evi- Caboolture).” law enforcement experts have said arrests can be made with- tion - called morals officers, in the department - have not been dence of a crime. — AP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 INTERNATIONAL Statistics equal power as Afghanistan counts its people

KABUL: Afghanistan goes to the polls in The family pay 2,000 Afghanis ($35) a ahead of voting on April 5 has seen candi- less than three weeks’ time, but the new month in rent for their house, she said, as dates trying to broaden their ethnic appeal president will have only sketchy information Rezai carefully noted down her answers. through their vice-presidential picks-a move about the people he governs-something “Every morning the men go out to work, so welcomed by some who fear a return to the that census official Murtaza Rezai hopes to we have to interview women instead,” said partisan hatred of the 1992-1996 civil war. help rectify. Rezai goes door-to-door in the Rezai, a recent graduate in social sciences Ashraf Ghani, a Pashtun, signed up contro- capital Kabul, collecting answers to a survey who is one of 4,000 census staff conducting versial Uzbek general Abdul Rashid Dostum that is the first attempt to calculate the size the survey in Kabul. “Women are reluctant as a running mate, while Tajik-backed and makeup of Afghanistan’s population to talk to us, but we try to do a 40-minute Abdullah Abdullah has teamed up with since 1979. In a country of sharp ethnic interview, asking the number of family Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq. divides, the census faces many challenges members, their age, education, whether including a bloody Islamist insurgency, a they have ever fled the country and how Census results ‘wrong’ conservative culture of privacy and fierce many rooms they live in.” Even in the central province of Bamiyan, complaints from senior Afghan officials who a peaceful Hazara-dominated region with reject its findings. Ethnically-divided electorate? little ethnic tension, the census has ruffled The task is so sensitive that perhaps the The current election campaign has high- feathers by calculating that the population most important question has been left off lighted how Afghanistan’s various ethnic was far smaller than expected. The results the survey-which ethnic group do you groups compete for power and money, outraged local people and provincial offi- belong to? Despite such obstacles, the five- always claiming they are under-represented cials who fear the new figure could threaten NANGARHAR: An Afghan child fills containers with water from a canal on World year project is due to be completed in 2016 or hard done-by. But the survey ducks the the proportion of money that Bamiyan Water Day on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Nangarhar province yesterday. as part of international efforts to develop a chance to establish exactly how many receives from central government funds. International World Water Day is held annually on March 22 to focus global functioning government in Afghanistan, Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras there “The census people were inexperienced attention on the importance of water and advocating for the sustainable man- which has suffered near-constant war since are in the country-a central cause of much and their lack of knowledge about Bamiyan agement of water resources.— AFP the Soviet invasion of 1979. One recent tension in Afghan life. For Mohammad Sami has resulted in wrongly reporting of the declared that there were about 300,000 was worthwhile and would play an essential morning in the Dasta Barchi district of Nabi, head of field operations at the Central population,” said Hidayatullah Rahayee, the people in the province. “This survey will role as Afghanistan continues to rely heavily Kabul, Rezai knocked on the gate of one Statistics Office, asking the ethnicity ques- province’s senator in upper house of parlia- make the province even more unprivileged,” on aid. An attempt at a national head-count home until Saleha, a housewife, came nerv- tion would make the survey impossible-and ment. she said. in 2008 was abandoned due to the raging ously to the entrance. Rezai showed his perhaps even spark violence. “I don’t agree with the findings, and if If the census runs into such difficulties in war, and billions of dollars have been allo- Central Statistics Office badge and, after a “This kind of data would mean prob- the government bases its development Bamiyan, the chances of completing an cated for health clinics, schools and roads little persuasion, Saleha agreed to answer lems,” he said. “Everyone says that this eth- projects based on this, it will have a nega- accurate count in volatile southern on the basis of incomplete statistics. The the survey questions. nicity has this amount of population. “If you tive impact on the people.” Ruqya Iqbalzada, provinces such as Kandahar, Helmand and population itself is estimated at anything Saleha revealed that she is 25, with a find from the survey that it is different, then a member of the Bamiyan provincial coun- Ghazni look slim. But Annette Sachs between 26 and 32 million. Visits to homes husband who sells fruit and that the couple it will not be acceptable for the people. That cil, said she believed the census had count- Robertson, the country head of the United such as Saleha’s could eventually make have two daughters aged one and three. is what we want to avoid.” Campaigning ed only half the population when it Nations Population Fund, said the census things clearer. — AFP Road accident kills 35 Army admits torture of in southwest Pakistan Lankan women recruits COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s military admitted yesterday soldiers ed to cruel and degrading treatment and sustained beatings Passenger buses collide with petrol tanker had abused and tortured female recruits, a rare admission of by men in uniform. The spokesman said the incident had tak- guilt after years of allegations over its personnel’s treatment of en place in October 2012 in the north-central district of QUETTA: A collision between two dispensary because there was no hos- observers say has hampered their Tamil rebels during an uprising. A military spokesman said it Anuradhapura, further south of the war zone where fighting passenger buses and a petrol tanker pital in the area. Pakistan has one of effectiveness. Yesterday’s agreement accepted the authenticity of a video leaked on a dissident ended in May 2009 with the defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels. “The killed 35 people in southwest Pakistan the world’s worst records for fatal traf- came despite Taleban accusations ear- website that appeared to show soldiers torturing women sol- individuals who carried out this excessive action had over- yesterday, officials said, with many of fic accidents, blamed on poor roads, lier in the day that security forces had diers, adding instructors had overstepped their authority for stepped their mandate and acted in (sic) their own volition,” the victims burning to death. A bus badly maintained vehicles and reck- fired mortal shells and conducted an undisclosed act of violating “military discipline”. he said. It is the first time the military has accepted a leaked travelling to Karachi collided with the less driving. raids on hideouts in tribal regions of “The investigation which is being carried out by the Sri video showing torture as authentic, previously rejecting as tanker in the early hours of the morn- the country. In a statement issued to Lanka Army Corps of Military Police has so far revealed that fabrications several others allegedly showing executions of ing in Gadani district on the coast of Taleban direct talks the media, TTP spokesman Shahid the video in question is an authentic one,” military spokesman surrendered Tamil rebels and sexual abuse of female Baluchistan province, senior adminis- In another development, Pakistan’s Ullah Shahid alleged that security Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said in a statement. detainees. tration official Akber Haripal said. “The negotiators have agreed on a location forces were torturing Taleban prison- “According to a preliminary report, the instructors (the troops) The latest video came a week before the UN Human Rights bus and the tanker had a head-on col- to hold direct peace talks with the ers. “These incidents are meant to have punished the recruits for an act in violation of military Council was due to debate a US-led resolution pressing for an lision and the oil tanker turned over, Taleban, the head of the militant force us towards war,” Shahid said. discipline,” Wanigasooriya added. “However, the method international investigation into allegations that Sri Lankan but the situation got worse when a group’s negotiation committee said The government opened negotia- adopted is not in accordance with standard procedures,” he troops killed up to 40,000 civilians after ordering them into a second passenger bus coming from yesterday. “The process of talking tions with the TTP last month in a bid said. The anti-establishment www.srilankaguardian.org web- no fire zone. International rights groups have said Sri Lanka’s behind rammed into the first bus as it directly to the Taleban will start in two to end their bloody seven-year insur- site, which is blocked by Internet providers in Sri Lanka but government was complicit in many of the crimes. A study skidded on the oil spilled on the road,” to three days, both sides have agreed gency. The process broke down for can be accessed through servers outside the country, pub- published Friday by South African human rights lawyer and he said. on the venue”, Sami Ul Haq, a negotia- more than two weeks after militants lished the 4.41-minute footage Friday, saying it had been UN adviser, Yasmin Sooka, alleged that Sri Lankan troops car- The first bus then caught fire, he tor for the Tehreek-e-Taleban Pakistan killed 23 kidnapped soldiers, but later filmed on a phone camera by another soldier. ried out horrific sexual abuse of ethnic minority Tamils even said, adding that 35 people were (TTP), told reporters, following a resumed after the Taleban announced The fuzzy footage showed women recruits being subject- after the end of the island’s drawn out separatist war. — AFP killed, most burning to death while meeting also attended by the coun- a month-long ceasefire. The peace trapped inside the bus, and 30 were try’s interior minister Chaudhry Nisar talks were a key campaign pledge for injured. Amir Sultan, another senior Ali Khan. “Both sides are showing flexi- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif before he administration official confirmed the bility and a willingness for success of was elected to office for a third time incident and toll and said the dead the talks,” Haq added, saying the cho- last year. But analysts are skeptical bodies were “beyond recognition”. sen place would be declared a “peace about their chances for success, given “These passengers buses travelling zone” but without specifying its loca- the Taleban’s demands for nationwide between Baluchistan and Karachi tion. sharia law and a withdrawal of troops have automatic hydraulic doors and In an effort to take the talks to a from the lawless tribal zones. Many their windows are sealed because the higher level, the government last regional deals between the military buses are air conditioned, so most of week formed a new four-member and the Taleban have failed in the the passengers were trapped inside,” committee to begin direct contact past. Moreover, attacks claimed by he said. Sultan said the injured were with the Taleban. Negotiations have splinter factions have continued dur- being taken to Karachi after receiving so far been conducted through teams ing talks and despite the Taleban first aid at a government-run medical of go-betweens, which some ceasefire. — Agencies Karzai tells children to defy Taleban through education KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday urged his country’s young people to defy the Taleban in honor of the two young children shot dead in a militant attack on a Kabul hotel. Four teenage attackers gunned down nine people on Thursday evening at the city’s Serena hotel, including AFP journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife and two of his three children. The attack on the sup- posedly safe venue, favored by foreign visitors, was the latest violence ahead of the April 5 election when Afghans will choose a successor to Karzai in what will be the country’s first-ever democratic transfer of power. Ahmad’s infant son remained in intensive care yesterday being treated for bullet wounds to the head, chest and leg. In a speech marking the start of the school year Karzai urged Afghan stu- dents to honor the slain children by get- KABUL: Agence France-Presse (AFP) text correspondent Sardar Ahmad, ting educated and leading the country poses for a photograph with Afghan schoolgirls at a classroom in the forward. “Two of our children that were Shomali plains just north of Kabul. Ahmad, his wife, and the two children killed the day before yesterday at the pictured here were gunned down March 20, 2014, when four gunmen hands of terrorists... would be happy to attacked the Serena hotel in Kabul. — AFP see that though the terrorists have killed Ayoub Salangi described the gunmen’s this year targeting foreigners or places them, millions of children are going to bloody onslaught after watching CCTV where foreigners gather. It comes after school with a smile,” Karzai said. “These footage. The attackers hid small hand- militants stormed a popular Lebanese millions of children, our lion sons, are a guns in their socks to smuggle them restaurant in January, killing 21 people caravan of success that is moving for- past the Serena’s security checks and including the International Monetary ward, a caravan of development, a cara- retrieved them once inside the hotel, he Fund head of mission, and the deadly van of the dignity of Afghanistan.” said, before heading for the restaurant. shooting of a Swedish-British journalist Available But Ahmad’s nephew Torak They opened fire first at a member of in the street earlier this month. Mohammad criticized Karzai, who last parliament who was sitting at a table. The surge in this type of violence at The Sultan month described the Taleban as “broth- “When another MP, Farhad Sediqi, saw will raise fears that independent poll ers” in an interview with Britain’s Sunday this, he threw a tray with plates at the monitors will be unable to work effec- Centre Times. “If Karzai calls Taleban brothers, attackers and managed to escape, run- tively, threatening the credibility of the & he should come to our house and see ning out of the room,” Salangi said. April 5 vote. US-led NATO combat the four coffins, see the bodies of the “Sardar and his family had no chance to troops are withdrawing from the coun- Carrefour kids,” Mohammad said yesterday. The escape as they were in the corner and try after 13 years of fighting the Taleban, who claimed Thursday’s attack, shot in the head and face by the attack- Taleban-led insurgency, which erupted have vowed a campaign of violence to ers.” Some Afghan journalists have said when the Islamists were ousted from disrupt the presidential election. The they will boycott coverage of the power after the 9/11 attacks on the polls of 2004 and 2009 were badly Taleban for 15 days in protest at United States. A disputed result would marred by violence and another blood- Ahmad’s killing. put whoever wins the election in a stained ballot would damage claims by weak position as Afghan security forces donors that the costly intervention in Fears for polls take on the Taleban without NATO’s Afghanistan since 2001 has made Four of those killed at the Serena 53,000 combat troops behind them. progress in establishing a functioning were foreigners, including a Paraguayan The election front-runners are Abdullah state. election observer with the US-based Abdullah, who came second in 2009, National Democratic Institute. The former foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul Scene of carnage brazen assault on a supposedly secure and former World Bank economist Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad venue is the third serious attack in Kabul Ashraf Ghani. — AFP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 INTERNATIONAL

Thousands mourn Shanghai’s ‘underground’ Bishop

SHANGHAI: Thousands of mourn- Fan Zhongliang, whose faith led who was imprisoned for much of after several days of high fever, gy in red-and-white robes. A large the most prominent converts ers packed a Shanghai square yes- him to endure decades of suffer- the last two decades and spent his according to the US-based photo of Fan adorned the hall, secured by 16th-century Italian mis- terday to bid farewell to “under- ing at the hands of China’s ruling final years under house arrest, Cardinal Kung Foundation, a surrounded by flowers. Chinese sionary Matteo Ricci. The long-serv- ground” Catholic Bishop Joseph Communist Party, they said. Fan, died last Sunday at the age of 97 Roman Catholic organization. authorities had turned down a ing bishop of Shanghai’s state-run China has a state-controlled request from worshippers to hold Catholic Church, Aloysius Jin Luxian, Catholic Church, which rejects the Fan’s funeral service at Shanghai’s died last year at age 96. Father Vatican’s authority, as well as an main Catholic cathedral, the Giuseppe Zhu Yude, a priest from “underground” church. Experts esti- Cardinal Kung Foundation said. the underground church, led the mate that there are as many as 12 mass for Fan’s funeral yesterday. million Catholics in China, split ‘Forbidden’ from duty Overseas and underground Chinese roughly evenly between the two Fan was ordained a priest in Catholics had requested that Jin’s churches. “I came here to bid 1951 and spent more than two successor, Thaddeus Ma Daqin, be farewell to our bishop,” said a decades in jail and labor camps. His allowed to preside. woman in her 60s who gave her appointment as bishop of Shanghai But that request was apparently name only as Clare and who was in 2000 was rejected by China’s rebuffed. According to the Vatican- among a throng of mourners gath- state-run church. “Bishop Fan was linked AsiaNews website, Ma-who ered outside the funeral home forbidden to carry out his pastoral was stripped of his title after he dra- where Fan’s body was laid out. “He duty as the government put him matically split with China’s state-run had kept loyal to the Lord through- under house arrest almost immedi- church at his installation ceremony out his life and endured great suf- ately-a sentence that he served until last July and has since been under fering. I have great respect for him,” the day he died,” Joseph Kung, pres- house arrest-remained under close she said of Fan, who was appointed ident of the foundation, wrote in a watch by authorities. Members of bishop of Shanghai in 2000 by Pope statement. China’s Communist both the state-controlled and John Paul II. regime broke ties with the Vatican underground churches were in In the square outside the in 1951, and although relations attendance at Fan’s funeral, and funeral home, a large screen dis- have improved in recent years as some expressed concern about the played photos of Fan while the country’s Catholic population uncertainty the church in Shanghai mourners sang, prayed and lis- has grown, they remain at odds now faces. “Bishop Fan had held tened to a man narrating the over which side has the authority to onto his faith during the darkest bishop’s life story. As the service ordain priests. times,” said a middle-aged woman SHANGHAI: Clergy and mourners offers prayers at the funeral of the late head of the got underway, it relayed scenes Shanghai is considered an named Grace. “I believe as long as underground Catholic Church in Shanghai, Bishop Joseph Fan Zhongliang, as he lies in a from inside the funeral home: important diocese given the city’s we follow his example, the Lord will Fan’s body was laid out in the cen- historical ties to the Catholic Church- bless the Shanghai diocese and we funeral home in Shanghai yesterday. —AFP tre, flanked by mourners and cler- it was home to Xu Guangqi, one of will have new leadership.” —AFP China’s satellite spots possible plane debris More international planes, ships head to remote search zone

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese satellites have spot- Ocean far off Australia’s western coast after satel- Thailand, going over areas in the northern corri- ted a new object in the southern Indian Ocean lite images captured floating objects that inves- dor that have already been exhaustively swept that could be wreckage from a missing tigators believed could be parts of an aircraft. Six to find some clue to unlock one of the biggest Malaysian airliner carrying 239 people, and ships aircraft and two merchant ships have been mysteries in modern aviation. The Pentagon said are on their way to investigate, China and scouring the area, but there were no reports of it was considering a request from Malaysia for Malaysia said yesterday. The object, around 22 any wreckage being found. Australia, which sonar equipment. The P-8 and P-3 spy planes, meters long and 13 meters wide, was spotted announced the first satellite image and is coordi- which the United States is already deploying in early on March 18 around 120 km from a loca- nating the rescue, has cautioned the objects the search, also carry “sonobuoys” that are tion where possible debris was sighted by might be a lost shipping container or other dropped into the sea and use sonar signals to another satellite on March 16 in the remote debris and may have since sunk. “Even though search the waters below. ocean off western Australia, China’s State this is not a definite lead, it is probably more sol- Investigators suspect the Boeing 777 was Administration of Science, Technology and id than any other lead around the world and deliberately diverted thousands of miles from its Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) said on that is why so much effort and interest is being scheduled path. They say they are focusing on BEIJING: US first lady Michelle Obama (second from left) applauds as she its website. The Chinese sighting was first put into this search,” Deputy Prime Minister hijacking or sabotage but have not ruled out and her daughters Malia (third from left), Sasha (fourth from left) and her revealed by Malaysia’s Defense Minister and act- Warren Truss told reporters, before latest technical problems. The search itself has strained mother Marian Robinson (second from right) watch a Peking opera perform- ing Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Chinese report. ties between China and Malaysia, with Beijing ance with a group of American schoolchildren who are visiting China during who was handed a note with details during a According to several people familiar with the repeatedly leaning on the Southeast Asian their spring break. —AP news conference in Kuala Lumpur. matter, India has told Malaysian investigators nation to step up its hunt and do a better job at “Chinese ships have been dispatched to the that it had found no evidence the plane flew looking after the relatives of the Chinese passen- In China, Michelle Obama touts area,” Hishammuddin said. China said an image through its airspace, making the satellite debris gers. of the object had been captured by its high-defi- lead more solid. It was the first formal notifica- For families of the passengers, the process freedom of speech and religion nition earth observation satellite “Gaofen-1”. The tion that India had come up empty-handed after has proved to be an emotionally wrenching bat- location was south by west of the possible checking its radar records, the sources said. tle to elicit information. In a statement yesterday, BEIJING: US First Lady Michelle Obama Buddhists and Muslim Uighurs particularly debris announced by Australia on Thursday, China, Japan and India were sending more relatives in Beijing lambasted a Malaysian dele- yesterday emphasized the importance of fraught. As Obama delivered her remarks in SASTIND said. The latest possible lead in the planes and Australian and Chinese navy vessels gation for “concealing the truth” and “making universal rights, telling a crowd of students Beijing, thousands of mourners in Shanghai hunt for the jetliner comes two weeks after it were also steaming towards the southern zone, fools” out of the families after they said they left in Beijing that freedom of expression and gathered yesterday morning to bid farewell disappeared from civilian radar screens less than more than 2,000 km southwest of Perth. a meeting without answering all their questions. religion should not be determined by one’s to Catholic Bishop Joseph Fan Zhongliang, an hour after taking-off from the Malaysian capi- Weather conditions were good, with 10 km of “This kind of conduct neglects the lives of all the country of birth. Obama, who is on a week- who died last Sunday at age 97. China has a tal on a scheduled flight to Beijing. Searches by visibility, according to officials - a crucial boost passengers, shows contempt for all their fami- long trip to China with her daughters and state-controlled Catholic church, which more than two dozen countries have so far for a search that is relying more on human eyes lies, and even more, tramples on the dignity of mother, has sought to focus on “soft” issues rejects the Vatican’s authority, as well as an turned up little but frustration and fresh ques- than the technical wizardry of the most Chinese people and the Chinese government,” since her arrival in Beijing Thursday night, “underground” church, of which Fan was a tions about Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. advanced aircraft in the world. they said. Some experts have argued that the playing table tennis with students and part. The bishop’s loyalty to the Vatican reluctance to share sensitive radar data and touring the Forbidden City with her earned him decades of imprisonment, and Remote seas Not going to give up capabilities in a region fraught with suspicion Chinese counterpart, Peng Liyuan. But she Fan remained under house arrest until his The international search for the plane has in Aircraft and ships have also renewed the amid China’s military rise and territorial disputes briefly trod political ground in her speech death. The Communist Party maintains that recent days focused on the southern Indian search in the Andaman Sea between India and may have hampered the search. —Reuters at Peking University’s Stanford Centre, call- Chinese citizens enjoy broad freedoms of ing for greater freedoms while refraining speech and religious expression. from calling out China by name. “As my husband has said, we respect the ‘100,000 Strong’ initiative uniqueness of other cultures and societies,” While Obama touched on the issue of Obama told a crowd of about 200 students, rights, she devoted the bulk of her speech most of whom were from the US. “But to encouraging American students to study when it comes to expressing yourself freely, abroad in China. She touted the “100,000 and worshipping as you choose, and hav- Strong” initiative announced by President ing open access to information-we believe Obama during his 2009 visit to Beijing. The those are universal rights that are the program aims to increase the number as birthright of every person on this planet,” well as the socioeconomic diversity of she said. “We believe that all people Americans studying in China. Currently, deserve the opportunity to fulfil their high- more than 200,000 Chinese students are est potential as I was able to do in the studying in the United States, while only United States.” Obama’s words echoed 20,000 Americans are studying in China, remarks made last December by US Vice according to the White House. Pointing to President Joe Biden, who told a group of her own family’s working-class back- American business leaders in Beijing that ground, she told the crowd that “it never China “will be stronger and more stable occurred to me to study abroad-never.” and more innovative if it respects universal “And I know for a lot of young people human rights”. like me who are struggling to afford a reg- ular semester of school, paying for plane Online crackdown tickets or living expenses halfway around China’s ruling Communist Party authori- the world just isn’t possible,” she said. ties are quick to crack down on political dis- “And that’s not acceptable, because study sent, with a “Great Firewall of China” block- abroad shouldn’t just be for students from ing access to Internet sites deemed sensi- certain backgrounds,” she added. After tive and a vast censorship machine that her speech, Obama held a virtual round- swiftly deletes content considered objec- table with a group of American students tionable. Earlier this month, Chinese and then took a tour with her family of Internet giant Tencent shut down several the Summer Palace, the picturesque for- accounts on its popular instant messaging mer imperial getaway not far from Peking platform WeChat in what appeared to be University. There, the Obamas once again part of a broader crackdown on political took up the “soft” focus of their trip, meet- content. ing with a group of visiting American Campaigners have also criticized China’s middle schoolers and taking in a tradi- treatment of religious groups, with deten- tional Chinese dance performance under PERTH: Two Chinese Air Force Ilyushin IL-76 planes sit on the tarmac at Pearce Air Force base in Bullsbrook, 35 kms north of Perth, tions of members of “underground” church- the uncharacteristically sunny Beijing after arriving to help in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean yesterday. —AFP es common and tensions with Tibetan skies. —AFP Relatives of missing Airliner’s passengers struggle to cope

BEIJING: Like other relatives of passengers of Malaysia Airlines about a decade ago. China’s government responded with almost Following a brief meeting Saturday with Malaysia Airlines and worked for the last four years at a company that designs equip- Flight 370, Wang Zheng’s frustration and anger over a lack of any unprecedented forcefulness, deploying nearly a dozen ships and Malaysian government officials, impatience turned to anger as ment for heart patients. certain information about the fate of his loved ones continues to several aircraft to the search effort and assigning government relatives erupted in shouts of “We want to know what the reality Like many of the relatives, Nan said that her helpless feelings grow two weeks after the plane went missing. “Biggest of all is the officials to meet with relatives and liaison with Malaysian officials. is,” and “Give us back our loved ones.” “The family members are were worsened by being almost entirely dependent on the media emotional turmoil I’ve been going through. I can’t eat, I can’t Relatives such as Wang have put their personal and profes- extremely indignant,” read a statement issued by relatives follow- for news, and that she was deeply unhappy with what she called sleep. I’ve been dreaming of my parents every day,” said the 30- sional lives on hold waiting for any word of the fate of their loved ing the meeting. “We believe we have been strung along, kept in the vague and often contradictory information coming from year-old IT engineer from Beijing, whose father and mother, Wang ones. At a sprawling hotel complex in Beijing, the relatives rise the dark and lied to by the Malaysian government.” In Kuala Malaysia Airlines. “If they can’t offer something firm, they ought to Linshi and Xiong Yunming, were both aboard the flight as part of each morning and eat breakfast - at least those who can muster Lumpur, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein just shut up,” said Nan, who is representing the family as well as a group of Chinese artists touring Malaysia. the appetite - before attending a briefing on the missing plane. called on “all parties to be understanding during this extraordi- Yan’s 23-year-old girlfriend. Nan said Yan traveled frequently and The plane’s disappearance on its way from the Malaysian capi- Then follows another long day of watching the news and waiting, nary and difficult time,” and said officials would “do everything in had not talked about the Malaysia trip with his family, who come tal of Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 has hit China particular- before an evening briefing that inevitably offers little more infor- our power” to keep the relatives informed. “I’m psychologically from the eastern province of Jiangsu. “The last time he talked to ly hard, with 153 of the 239 people on board citizens of the mation. Amid the many theories and scant and often dubious, prepared for the worst and I know the chances of them coming us was about half a month before this happened. He travels quite People’s Republic. It was the first major incident to hit Chinese contradictory and disavowed findings, the relatives’ patience has back alive are extremely small,” said Nan Jinyan, sister-in-law of frequently on business trips anyway, so we don’t chat about his travelers since they began visiting abroad in major numbers at times worn thin. missing passenger Yan Ling, a 29-year-old engineer who had business trips on the phone,” Nan said. —AP NEWS SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

A man waves a Russian flag as people look at fireworks in the center of the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Friday.— AFP Arab finance ministers meet Bin Laden associates show Continued from Page 1 in confronting Israeli practices including the Judaization of Jerusalem as well as altering the city’s geographical He added that the Arab and international financing and demographic nature. no remorse in statements institutions were urged to finance the power grid proj- They also called on Arab states which have not yet ects through grants and easy loans. ratified the Unified Arab Capitals Investment Agreement NEW YORK: In public statements a week tary maneuvers in Jordan because of pub- rent Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri The council also welcomed the memorandum of to do so as soon as possible. The conferees became apart, Al-Qaeda’s self-professed Sept 11 licity he orchestrated while in charge of and the organization’s then-military understanding endorsed by the Arab Ministerial acquainted with the completion of the preparation of a mastermind and a Kuwaiti imam who met Al-Qaeda’s media wing, including the leader on Sept 12, 2001. But he also didn’t Electricity Council as a basis for the establishment of the 2010-2030 roadmap for the implementation of the Arab with Osama bin Laden in a cave soon after release of some clips from bin Laden back down from his support of bin Laden joint Arab electricity market, he said. He pointed out that Strategy for the development of renewable energy. They the attacks once again demonstrated that speeches, the publication of a video called immediately after the attacks or his moti- the council welcomed the resolutions of the Social also called on the Arab financing funds to contribute in time hasn’t softened their anti-American “Destroying the Destroyer” and the vation, saying he sought “to deliver a mes- Council concerning the ‘Abu Dhabi Development Fund’ the execution of the renewable energy projects. views. If anything, Khalid Sheik appearance of pictures of Al-Qaeda mili- sage, a message I believed in”. And he said which expressed keenness to finance some of the inte- The resolutions also called on the Arab countries Mohammed - in new writings from his tary training camps. “All this was not in the message justifying the attacks came grated water resources ahead of executing the projects. wishing to take part in the joint holding Arab bourses to Guantanamo Bay cell - and Sulaiman Abu vain because, while the enemy has capa- from the premise that “oppression, if it Saleh said the draft resolutions of the council stressed support the bourse. Saleh added that the joint Arab Ghaith - on trial in Manhattan federal bilities that we do not possess, we have befalls any nation, any people, any cate- the need for continuing the economic reform march in companies have been urged to take necessary measures court - are using courtroom theater, inten- the same mental capacity Allah gave to gory of people, that category must revolt all; and while they use their muscles, we at some point. ... And what happened was the Arab countries, developing the foundation work according to their general assemblies to complete their tionally or not, to press their case that the United States is such a bully in the Middle use our minds,” Mohammed wrote. a result, as I understand, a natural result atmosphere and investment guarantees for the activa- work on increasing their capitals by no less than 50 per- East that even killing civilians was justified. Mohammed remains devoted to bin for the oppression that befell Muslims.” tion of the private role in the investment sphere. It also cent. “The entire trial is frozen in time if you Laden, killed in a 2011 US attack, saying It was shortly after this point in Abu stressed the importance of the private sector in the The draft resolutions entrusted the Arab League think about it,” said Karen J Greenberg, the the Al-Qaeda founder was “very wise in Ghaith’s testimony that US District Judge active participation in the Arab forums with regional Secretariat (economic affairs sector) to hold a coordina- director of the Center on National Security every order he gave us.” And he was espe- Lewis A Kaplan warned him to answer blocs, particularly the businessmen council and invest- tion meeting with representatives of the joint Arab com- at Fordham Law who was one of the few cially proud of what he claimed was Al- only the questions posed to him, saying ment seminars. panies to discuss measures related to the special deci- people in the Manhattan courtroom Qaeda’s cost to the American economy. “save the speeches for some other time.” The minister said that the draft resolutions also called sion concerning the initiative of the Custodian of the Thursday when the surprise announce- He said “every state of emergency In videos played during the trial, Abu on Arab, regional and international financing organiza- Two Holy Mosques and provide a report in this respect ment was made that Abu Ghaith would declared and change of alert level” on the Ghaith can be heard shouting as he tions to assist Arab countries to own or lease of ships, in to the Economic and Social Council. testify. “Because the trial is focused on the military and civilian sectors cost the coun- threatened the United States. “The addition to calling the Arab private sectors to increase The minister added that the council assigned con- moment of 9/11, it makes everybody try millions of dollars and the wars waged Americans must know that the storm of investment in the maritime transport sphere. He added cerned committees to prepare for social and economic seem like they’re frozen in the time of by the US after Sept 11 have cost it about airplanes will not stop, God willing, and that the draft resolutions reiterated the need for Arab development summits and to implement approved res- 9/11.” a trillion dollars, “the bleeding of which there are thousands of young people who states to intensify their participation in the working olutions and eliminate any hurdles or obstacles that Mohammed’s words emerged a week continues to this day.” are as keen about death as Americans are team entrusted with the execution of the Arab Internet might face execution of these resolutions. A work team ago in a written statement responding to A judge ruled jurors at Abu Ghaith’s about life,” Abu Ghaith said in an Oct 9, linkage project. The Arab League Secretariat has been assigned to develop joint social and economic action more than 400 questions from defense ongoing trial won’t see Mohammed’s 2001, speech. entrusted to organize workshops to make the various should present its findings to the next Economic and lawyers in their failed bid to win the statement. But they received a lesson in In a discussion between lawyers in the sectors in the Arab countries aware of the gains that may Social Council meeting, he pointed out. court’s permission to have him testify on jihad from the defendant, who took the trial and the judge, Assistant US Attorney be achieved once the Arab Internet linkage project is Saleh said that the meeting assigned the Arab League behalf of Abu Ghaith, who is on trial on unusual step of taking the witness stand Ferrera called the sudden announcement implemented. Secretariat to conduct necessary studies related to the charges that he conspired to kill and - rather than try to distance himself by defense lawyer Stanley Cohen that Abu Americans and aid Al-Qaeda after the ter- from Al-Qaeda - described in detail how Ghaith would testify “sandbagging of the The draft resolutions pointed to the World Bank’s ini- establishment of a Grand Arab investment zone and rorist attacks. Mohammed, who was cap- bin Laden summoned him to his moun- worst sort,” saying the lawyer had told tiative in the Arab world, in addition to the efforts exert- refer it to the council for discussion. He expressed appre- tured in Pakistan in 2003, boasted that tain hideout in the hours after the Sept 11 prosecutors his client would not testify. ed to execute this initiative. The draft resolutions also ciation of the Arab League’s chief for his initiative in mak- Afghanistan under Taliban leadership “was attacks and enlisted him as the terror When he cross-examined Abu Ghaith, pointed to the efforts exerted by the Arab Ministerial ing use of the renewable energy resources in the Arab the first Islamic state that treated all group’s mouthpiece. there was anger and disbelief in his voice Council for water aimed at ensuring sustainable water world and assigning the Arab ministerial Council of elec- Muslim men equally, whether they be Abu Ghaith showed none of the arro- as he elicited from the defendant that he resources and sanitation services. The minister said the tricity to take necessary measures to utilize these renew- Chinese, Indian, Chechnyan, Arabs, or gance and air of invincibility that he dis- left behind his pregnant wife and seven draft resolutions took note of the efforts exerted by the able resources. He added that the meeting assigned the Westerners.” There was no mention of played on videos distributed worldwide children to go to Afghanistan four days Arab Housing Ministers aimed at securing appropriate Arab League Secretariat to set up a mechanism to coor- women. after the attacks when he waved his before the Sept 11 attacks because he housing care for poor neighborhoods. Saleh added that dinate social and humanitarian aid to help Arab coun- He claimed the US closed some hands through the air and threatened knew Al-Qaeda was about to do “some- the council reaffirmed support of the Palestinian people tries in crises. — KUNA embassies and canceled some joint mili- America as he posed with bin Laden, cur- thing big”. — AP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 ANALYSIS

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Issues Biotech selloff harbinger of further decline

By Angela Moon

iotechnology stocks suffered their worst day since October 2011 on Friday, raising ques- Btions among investors whether the sector is finally running out of momentum. The selloff started early, following news that US lawmakers have asked Gilead Sciences Inc to explain the $84,000 price tag of its new hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which is encoun- tering resistance from health insurers and state Medicaid programs. The Nasdaq biotechnology index fell 4.4 percent to 2,577.21, closing below its 50-day average for the first time since November Ukraine crisis shakes up geopolitical ties 2013. In less than a month, the index posted daily declines of more than 2 percent four times. “Once the Congress gets involved, there is a risk By Alain Jean-Robert US takes lead The link between Russia’s military spending and its gas for the whole sector, especially if the focus of the Washington meanwhile has been forced back into tak- exports was not lost on Ukraine’s Yatsenyuk on Friday as action is primarily on pricing,” said Tim Ghriskey, he deepening crisis in Ukraine is likely to have a ing the lead in Europe, with Obama’s much-touted pivot he urged EU leaders not to rule out tougher economic chief investment officer of Solaris Asset lasting impact on international relations, with a to Asia knocked off course again. The US has had to reas- sanctions against Moscow. “They are selling gas and oil, Management. That could be problematic for biotech, Tnewly-assertive Russia forcing the United States sure former Soviet states that their Western allies will mainly to the European Union; they take euros, dollars a sector that has jumped more than 250 percent and the EU to take a hard look at where they stand, ana- stand by them. US F-16 fighter planes have been and pounds and buy armaments and vehicles, tanks, and over the past five years. Investors in the options mar- lysts say. Russia under President Vladimir Putin has deployed to Poland while Vice President Joe Biden recent- invade an independent country - this is the wrong busi- ket have shifted activity to bets on further gains in played its hand well in Ukraine, smoothly taking Crimea ly visited Warsaw and the Baltic states in an effort to calm ness,” Yatsenyuk said. the last year, and more analysts have buy ratings on from what was a former Soviet republic despite dire nerves. Many Eastern European states have joined the EU biotech names than any other sector. “The sector has warnings of sanctions and worse from Washington and and the US-led NATO military alliance since 2004. No end in sight also gotten more vulnerable after this huge rally and Brussels. US President Barack Obama has taken a harder Ukraine is a partner of NATO and was offered member- The Catholic University of Leuven’s Xavier Follebouckt with valuations above historic averages,” there is line than the 28 EU member states, hit by divisions over ship in 2008 but now-ousted pro-Russian president Viktor says the “crisis is not over”, noting that Putin would not going to be selling pressure for at least several how far to risk ties with one of the bloc’s largest trade Yanukovych ditched that option in 2010. “The United give up his dream of building a “Eurasian union”. Putin, weeks, Ghriskey said. partners and supplier of more than a quarter of its gas States finds itself on the frontline,” said Bertrand Badie, an after all, has called the collapse of the Soviet Union the Options trading in Gilead Sciences jumped three needs. international relations specialist at Sciences Po, one of “greatest disaster of the last century”. But while Russia has times the recent daily average, with $65 puts that Thomas Gomart at the French Institute of France’s leading political science research institutions. already signed deals with Belarus, Kazakstan and expire in January and $67.50 puts that expire in April International Relations (IFRI) says Putin has left Western Badie said it was significant that Obama chose to Armenia, without Ukraine on board, “the plan will collapse among the top three trades of the day. The stock powers “flabbergasted”. United perhaps in public, announce the latest US sanctions against Russia just as EU and Russia will feel weakened”, Follebouckt says. At the closed down 4.6 percent to $72.07. The iShares European Union leaders behind closed doors have quite leaders were meeting in Brussels Thursday to discuss their same time, the Russian economy is hardly growing and Nasdaq Biotech exchange-traded fund plunged 4.3 different positions on how best to meet the challenge. next move. That happened too with the first series of remains heavily dependent on oil and gas exports. percent to $246.98 on Friday on 5.4 million shares When signing the political provisions of a landmark EU sanctions earlier this month. Western sanctions or efforts to cut energy dependence traded, tripling the average daily volume over the association accord Friday, Ukraine interim premier Moscow appeared unimpressed, however, and on Russia - also given a boost at the EU summit - may cut past 50 days. Options in that ETF were also active, Arseniy Yatsenyuk repeatedly warned Europe to speak announced its own tit-for-tat sanctions, ignoring warn- both ways but Moscow cannot be entirely indifferent. with trading volume nearly three times the recent with “one, single voice” in opposing Moscow. The EU’s ings that it must de-escalate and seek a diplomatic solu- There is also a risk that Russia could be outflanked on the average. biggest headache is to find a way of sanctioning Russia tion. “For Moscow, this is clearly brinkmanship” with the trade front. It is not party to the two largest trade deals effectively, without causing any problems for the bloc’s US, IFRI’s Gomart says. Putin is now “testing how far he can currently being negotiated the Transatlantic Trade and Decent Performer own, still convalescing economy. “That will be difficult, it go”, says Xavier Follebouckt, from the Catholic University Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the Short interest in the top 10 performers in the will take time and it will cost money,” said Xavier of Leuven, noting that Western leaders have repeatedly US, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would biotech sector in 2014 stood at about 6.2 percent on Follebouckt, an international relations expert at the ruled out a military response to Russia’s annexation of link North America with the fast-growing Asian average as of end of February, according to data Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. Crimea. economies. —AFP compiled by Reuters, higher than the total cumula- tive short interest on the S&P 500 components which surged to 4 percent, the highest since mid- 2012. “The biotechs are getting hammered because Eyes on decks in hunt for missing jet they have been a decent performer, so that is an area that people are using for cash. They are raising some By Greg Wood cash and they are taking it out of sectors that have performed the best,” said Ken Polcari, director of the canning the choppy waters of the NYSE floor division at O’Neil Securities in New York. southern Indian Ocean for a miss- Despite the recent decline, the biotechnology ing Malaysia Airline’s flight are sector is still up nearly 9 percent for the year, signifi- S expert spotters relying mostly on binoc- cantly higher than the 2.4 percent gain for the Nasdaq. The biotech sector has risen in five straight ulars and the human eye to locate the years, for a total gain of 253 percent. A study looking jet. High-tech satellites and sophisticat- at options activity in the top 50 biotech performers ed radar systems have so far found no in 2014 shows fewer bearish bets placed compared trace of the plane that vanished two to a year ago. That suggests sentiment has grown weeks ago, forcing rescuers to switch more positive as investors are more fearful of miss- tack in the search for any possible debris ing gains than protecting against losses. from Flight MH370. Australian authori- “We all talk about how much run the sector has ties, who are coordinating the search in had over the past couple of years but the reality is, a vast region 2,500 km southwest of there is still a lot of optimism out there,” said Ryan Perth, said Friday that teams were priori- Detrick, senior analyst at Schaeffer’s in Cincinnati, Ohio. Schaeffer’s Open Interest Ratio (SOIR), which tising visual clues over radar after poor calculates the put-to-call ratio of options expiring in weather had hampered the operation. the next three months showed an average reading The same goes for the searches of 0.974 for the top 50 biotech performers this year underway in the northern sector of the in the Russell 3000 that have active options trading. plane’s projected flightpath, with res- This was much lower than 1.628 a year ago, accord- cuers checking Southeast Asian seas ing to data compiled by Bespoke Investment Group battling turbulence and a blazing sun as and Schaeffer’s Investment Research. the arduous hunt enters its third week. In other words, based on options that expire in Six aircraft were to fly low over March, April and May, less than one put was traded for every call in 39 of the top 50 biotech performers. Australia’s search zone yesterday with The biotech sector also had the highest buy rating skilled observers looking out of the win- out of 38 sectors followed by Schaeffer’s, with 66 dows. Norwegian merchant ship, the St percent of the analysts saying biotech stocks are still Petersburg, is already at the scene. a good buy. Only three others had more than 60 per- “So far, the vessel has not spotted cent buy ratings - financials with 64 percent, social anything unusual in the water,” said Olav Flight Officer Stuart Doubleday uses binoculars on board a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion to scan for the networking with 63 percent and electronics with 62 Sollie from the shipping company that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean yesterday. —AP percent. —Reuters owns the boat, Hoegh Autoliners, adding that fog hindered visibility on metres high, so from the top deck on the tion with the Australian authorities and unlikely prospect given the high waves in Friday. “I suppose that the biggest vessel, you have a very good view and a with the airplanes in the area,” he said. the vast seas southwest of Australia and chance is probably for an airplane to long view.” A second merchant ship steamed into north of Antarctica. “We are reliant on the All articles appearing on these spot something in the water, when the the search zone late Friday, with Australian weather being kind to us and our visual pages are the personal opinion of vessel can be directed to that position Tall Waves supply ship HMAS Success, which boasts a aids to help us search,” she said. Norris the writers. Kuwait Times takes no and be in position to identify what it He added that given the swells in the crane capable of retrieving wreckage, due added that she was conscious of the need responsibility for views expressed actually is.” area, forecast to be three metres yester- to arrive later Saturday. It will also search to provide information to the families of therein. Kuwait Times invites read- Sollie said the vehicle-carrier did not day, it was not practical to launch smaller visually. “We will place lookouts around the 239 people on board the vanished jet. have advanced search equipment but boats into the water. Sollie said it was the upper decks and we will slow down “We’re tasked to help them get the ers to voice their opinions. Please impossible for him to comment on the and proceed through the area conducting answers they’re looking for,” she said. With send submissions via email to: opin- that “the most effective (approach) in such operations is actually using your grainy satellite images of possible debris a search pattern to see if we can see 153 of the 239 people on board the miss- [email protected] or via snail eyes and binoculars”. “The search so far is from the plane that sparked the objects or anything resembling wreckage,” ing plane coming from China, Chinese mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. being done from the deck of the ship increased emphasis on the southern Captain Allison Norris told the Sydney authorities said at least seven Chinese The editor reserves the right to edit itself,” he told the Australian Indian Ocean search. “We are just looking Morning Herald from the ship. ships were also heading to the southern any submission as necessary. Broadcasting Corporation. “And that is for anything which is floating in the Using radar would only be helpful if the Indian Ocean, although it could be days natural also because the ship is 25 water, and we are doing that in coordina- objects were floating above water, an before they arrive. —AFP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS

Benzema fit for ‘Clasico’ No-fly zone over WCup Wright out of World T20 MIRPUR: England all-rounder Luke Wright was ruled out of the World Twenty20 with a side Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has recovered from a bruised thigh and is available BRASILIA: The Brazilian Air Force will declare no-fly zones over World MADRID: strain yesterday. The 29-year-old Wright joined Joe Root and Ben Stokes in being forced for today’s La Liga ‘Clasico’ at home to Barcelona, coach Carlo Ancelotti said yesterday. Cup stadiums to prevent terrorist attacks during this year’s soccer tourna- out of the former winners’ squad with injury. Benzema took a knock in a collision with team mate Cristiano Ronaldo in last weekend’s 1-0 La ment, but there’s a catch: it can’t shoot down intruders, for now. “The Event Technical Committee ... has approved Craig Kieswetter as a replacement Liga win at Malaga and the France international missed Tuesday’s Champions League game By law, Brazil’s military can only shoot at unresponsive civilian planes player for Luke Wright in the England men’s squad,” the International Cricket Council said in against Schalke 04. “Benzema has recovered well and he trained with the rest of the team today on drug trafficking routes near its borders, but not over densely populat- a statement. without any problems,” Ancelotti told a news conference. ed urban areas where games will be played in 12 cities. The Air Force is Like Wright, South Africa-born Kieswetter was part of England’s “We had a small problem with Isco who arrived with a mild cold and had asking the Brazilian government to change the shoot-down law to allow 2010 World Twenty20 winning side. Faulkner’s wait on the side- some treatment before training and then trained normally,” added the effective defense of the air space during the 64 games of the June 12-July lines also got prolonged as the 23-year-old continues to Italian. “So all the squad is in good condition.” With 10 games left, 13 global soccer tournament, said Air Force Brigadier Antonio Carlos recover from a knee surgery which forced him out of Real have a three-point lead over second-placed city rivals Egito at a news conference on Friday. In the meantime, the anti-aircraft Australia’s test tour of South Africa. “He will miss tomor- Atletico Madrid, who play at bottom side Real Betis earlier today guns to be deployed near the stadiums cannot be fired at a plane flying row’s game,” Australia captain George Bailey told (1600). into a no-fly zone, said Egito, the military chief of air traffic over Brazil. reporters, still optimistic that the bowling all-rounder Champions Barca are a point further back in third and The Air Force and civilian aviation regulator ANAC announced that for would play a pivotal role in the tournament and beyond. defeat on Sunday would severely damage their chances of security reasons commercial flights will not be allowed to land at eight “I think his record is pretty handy in Twenty20. He’s winning a fifth La Liga title in six years. airports that are within the 7.2 kilometer (4 nautical mile) no-fly radius certainly played a huge role in Twenty20 and one-day Ancelotti said he would be sticking with his preferred midfield around the stadiums. The suspension will begin one hour before games teams since his debut. “He’s a really important player of Xabi Alonso, Luka Modric and Angel Di Maria at the Bernabeu, kick off and last for 4 to 5 hours, though take-offs will not be restricted. for us, he’s really versatile, adds another dimension to when Real will seek to extend their 31-match unbeaten run in all They do not affect the country’s main international airports. our team. We are just monitoring him. I think the way competitions stretching back to a 2-1 La Liga defeat at Barca in The suspensions will mostly disrupt flights at Rio de Janeiro’s domes- he plays, he’d become more and more October. Benzema will return at centre forward with Portugal cap- tic airport Santos Dumont and complicate the logistics of Brazilian carriers important to us as the tournament tain and La Liga top scorer Ronaldo on the left and Wales that have already sold 3,000 seats on flights that will have to be can- progresses.” —Reuters winger Gareth Bale on the right. —Reuters celed.—Reuters Thunder roll past Raptors

TORONTO: Kevin Durant had 51 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Toronto Raptors 119-118 in double overtime, despite losing NBA All-Star guard Russell Westbrook to a right knee injury in the third quarter. Durant hit the go-ahead 3 with 1.7 seconds left in the second overtime to win it for the Thunder, who won their fourth straight and finished off a 3-0 road trip. Reggie Jackson added 25 and Serge Ibaka had 13. Durant has scored 25 or more in 34 straight games, the NBA’s longest streak since Michael Jordan did it in 40 consecutive games in 1986-87. DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points and Amir Johnson had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors.

KNICKS 93, 76ERS 92 Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony scored 21 as the New York Knicks beat Philadelphia for their eighth straight win. It was the 23rd straight loss for the Sixers, matching the Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96), Denver Nuggets (1997-98) and Charlotte Bobcats (2011-12) for the second-longest single-season losing streak in NBA history. The Cleveland Cavaliers set the record of 26 con- secutive losses in the 2010-11 season. The Sixers (15-54) would have to pull off an upset to avoid DENVER: Boston Bruins center Gregory Campbell (11) reaches for the puck tying the record, with three straight road games up as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nate Guenin (5) covers him in the third next at playoff-bound Chicago, San Antonio and TORONTO: Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough (left) battles for the ball against Oklahoma period of an NHL hockey game. —AP Houston. If the Sixers lose all three, the potential record 27th loss could come March 29 vs. Detroit. Thunder guard Reggie Jackson (right) during the second half of an NBA basketball game. —AP

SPURS 99, KINGS 79 Raptors. Brooklyn also moved within one game of MAVERICKS 122, NUGGETS 106 Bruins stop Avalanche Marco Belinelli scored 13 of his 17 points in the the Chicago Bulls for the fourth spot in the Eastern Monta Ellis scored 26 points and Dirk Nowitzki Conference playoff race. added 21 as Dallas pulled away from Denver in the DENVER: Patrice Bergeron and Carl BLACKHAWKS 3, HURRICANES 2 fourth quarter and Kawhi Leonard had 15 points Knotted at 45 with 6:49 left in the second quar- fourth quarter. The Mavericks avoided a season sweep Soderberg each had a goal and Chad Jonathan Toews’ short-handed break- and seven rebounds as NBA-leading San Antonio eased past Sacramento for its 12th straight win. ter, Brooklyn went on a 19-9 run to pull away from by the Nuggets, who ran away with a win in Denver two Johnson stopped 31 shots for his third away goal early in the third period broke Manu Ginobili added 14 points, and Tiago the Celtics, who lost for the sixth time in their last weeks ago to hand Dallas its longest losing streak at career shutout as the Boston Bruins beat a tie as Chicago edged Carolina. Patrick Splitter had 11 points and 11 rebounds. San seven games. three games. Vince Carter shook off a dislocated pinkie the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 on Friday Sharp scored his team-leading 30th goal Antonio (52-16) remained 11/2 games ahead of on his left hand in the first quarter to finish with 13. JJ night for their 11th win in a row. and Kris Versteeg ended an eight-game Oklahoma City and Indiana for the league’s best HEAT 91, GRIZZLIES 86 Hickson led Denver with 18 points and eight rebounds Boston became the first team to drought to help the Blackhawks win record. Ray Allen scored 18 points to lead Miami to a before leaving with an apparent injury in the fourth clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. without leading scorer Patrick Kane, who The winning streak also is San Antonio’s longest comeback victory over Memphis. Miami rallied from quarter. It’s the longest run for the Bruins since a was placed on long-term injured reserve since rolling off 12 in a row in November 2010. an 84-77 deficit with 4:08 remaining and scored 11 13-game winning streak in the 1970-71 after sustaining a lower-body injury on Isaiah Thomas scored 18 points and DeMarcus unanswered points. Allen’s 3-pointer with 3:27 SUNS 98, PISTONS 92 season. They pushed their point total to Wednesday. Cousins had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the remaining began the comeback and Dwyane Eric Bledsoe scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth 101, the 21st time the team has reached Corey Crawford made 26 saves. Kings, who were held to a season low in points. Wade’s jumper with 1:32 remaining tied it at 84. quarter as Phoenix pulled out a victory over Detroit. the 100-point threshold. Alexander Semin scored his 20th and Wade’s two free throws with 1:04 left gave the Heat Goran Dragic added 20 points, 15 in the first half, and Colorado pulled goalie Semyon 21st goals as the Hurricanes fought back PACERS 91, BULLS 79 their first lead since early in the third quarter. Markieff Morris scored 16 for the Suns. Rodney Stuckey Varlamov for an extra attacker with five from a two-goal deficit, but lost to Luis Scola had 19 points and Lance Stephenson After Mike Miller missed a 3-point attempt with scored 23 and Andre Drummond had 13 points and 16 minutes remaining but couldn’t avert its Chicago for the second time this season. finished with 15 to lead Indiana over Chicago. The 51 seconds remaining for the Grizzles, LeBron rebounds for the Pistons in their fourth overall loss and first shutout of the season. The Anton Khudobin stopped 22 shots Pacers, who went on a 19-0 run in the third quarter, James’ jumper with 24 seconds left capped the 12th straight on the road. Bledsoe, in his biggest game Avalanche had scored at least once in 80 after a career-best 46 saves in Carolina’s now have a 13-game lead over the Bulls in the Heat’s late rally for an 88-84 advantage. since returning from knee surgery March 12, made a 3- straight games since their previous win at Columbus on Tuesday. Sharp has Central Division. Carlos Boozer was called for a Zach Randolph scored 25 points and had 14 pointer as the shot clock expired to put the Suns ahead shutout last April 6 at Phoenix. Colorado, scored at least 30 goals four times in his Flagrant 1 foul with 7:31 left in the third and Roy rebounds for Grizzlies. Marc Gasol finished with 14 for good 89-86 with 3:22 to play. which handed Boston its only shutout of career. He has reached the mark in the Hibbert made two free throws and Stephenson points, but left with an ankle injury midway through the third quarter. WIZARDS 117, LAKERS 107 the season on Oct. 10, was the last NHL past three full NHL seasons. made a basket to give the Pacers a 63-45 lead. DJ Augustin and Jimmy Butler each scored 17 points John Wall had 28 points and 14 assists, leading team to be blanked this season. for the Bulls, who have lost two of their last three. PELICANS 111, HAWKS 105 Washington past spiraling Los Angeles. Bradley Beal PREDATORS 6, FLAMES 5 Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds added 18 points for the Wizards, who began a four- RANGERS 3, BLUE JACKETS 1 Shea Weber scored twice, including NETS 114, CELTICS 98 as New Orleans beat Atlanta. Tyreke Evans had 21 game Western Conference road trip with back-to-back Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan the go-ahead goal late in the third peri- Joe Johnson hit six 3-pointers in his 27 points points for New Orleans, which completed a two- losses to Sacramento and Portland. Washington’s Drew scored third-period goals, and Henrik od, and Nashville escaped with a one- and Mason Plumlee added 18 points as Brooklyn game sweep of the season series. Gooden and Los Angeles’ Jordan Hill were both ejected Lundqvist made 25 saves to lead the goal win over Calgary. won its 11th straight at home, beating Boston. Davis set career highs with 40 points and 20 after getting into a scuffle with 2:14 remaining and the New York Rangers over Columbus. Tied 4-4 and with the Predators on the Former Celtic Paul Pierce had 14 points and rebounds in New Orleans’ 121-120 overtime win Wizards ahead 108-98. Steve Nash, who sat out 15 It was the first game back in power play, Weber took a perfect pass Andray Blatche and Jorge Gutierrez added 10 over Boston on Sunday and then missed a loss to games because of chronic nerve damage in his back Columbus for Rangers star Rick Nash, the from Matt Cullen and blasted a high slap apiece for the Nets, who won their third straight Toronto on Wednesday with a respiratory infection. that has limited him to 11 appearances all season, had Blue Jackets’ franchise leader in goals, shot past Joey MacDonald from the face- game and ninth in the last 10 to pull within 11/2 The Hawks’ five-game winning streak ended. Jeff 11 assists and five points in 19 minutes off the bench for assists and games. He was given a stand- off dot to put Nashville back into the games of the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Teague led Atlanta with 26 points and eight assists. the Lakers. —AP ing ovation during a video tribute in the lead at 14:28. Weber’s 18th goal tied him first period, but was booed after a sec- with Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson for second in ond-period, two-handed shove of the NHL among defensemen, one Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. behind Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien. Yarmouk win karate championship Carl Hagelin added an empty-net Cullen added his seventh goal of the goal, and defenseman Anton Stralman season at 17:08 on a deflection. That KUWAIT: Yarmouk Sports Club won had two assists for the Rangers, who turned out to be the winning goal after the third Liberation Karate moved two points ahead of the Blue Mike Cammalleri’s second of the game Championship that concluded Jackets in the tight Metropolitan Division 28 seconds later set up a furious final Thursday evening, with the participa- and Eastern Conference playoff races. 21/2 minutes for the Flames. Calgary tion of 190 players from 13 local clubs. Yarmouk club won first place with 15 Nick Foligno scored for Columbus, 7-2-2 buzzed around the Predators net but points followed by Qadisiya in second in its last 11 games. Bobrovsky made 29 couldn’t tie it against backup goalie place with 12 points and Salmiya third saves. Carter Hutton. —AP with 11 points. The final day of the tournament saw Qadisiya winning first place in the teams event followed by NHL results/standings Salmiya, while Al-Nasser and Yarmouk shared third place. Yarmouk’s player Ahmad Al-Misfer NY Rangers 3, Columbus 1; Chicago 3, Carolina 2; Boston 2, Colorado 0; Nashville 6, won first place in the 84-kg category, Calgary 5. while Al-Arabi’s Ibrahim Tareq won Western Conference Eastern Conference second place. In the over 84-kg cate- Pacific Division Atlantic Division gory Al-Tadamun’s Rashid Al-Mutairi won first place while Salmiya’s Saad Al- WL OTLGFGAPTS Boston 48 17 5 225 149 101 Tampa Bay 39 24 7 208 185 85 Qatarmi won second place. San Jose 46 18 7 219 170 99 Montreal 38 26 7 182 180 83 In the under-75 individual bout, Anaheim 45 18 7 222 178 97 Toronto 36 27 8 208 219 80 Salmiya’s Fahd Al-Saree came first Los Angeles 39 25 6 170 149 84 Detroit 32 24 13 183 194 77 while Nasser’s Mohammad Al- Phoenix 34 25 11 194 197 79 Ottawa 28 28 13 198 234 69 Shimmari was second. In the under-67 category, Qadsiya’s Ali Al-Shatti was Vancouver 32 30 10 172 194 74 Florida 26 36 8 173 225 60 Buffalo 20 42 8 136 206 48 first and Tadamun’s Sayyed Hashim Calgary 28 35 7 173 209 63 was second. In the 60-kg category, Edmonton 25 37 9 177 228 59 Metropolitan Division Yarmouk’s Misfer Al-Ajmi was first Pittsburgh 45 19 5 218 173 95 while Nasser’s Abdelrahman Juhail Central Division Philadelphia 37 25 7 199 197 81 was second. In under-55 kg, Shabab’s Abdallah Al-Baloushi was first followed St. Louis 47 15 7 226 156 101 NY Rangers 38 29 4 188 175 80 Columbus 36 28 6 200 192 78 by Qadsiya’s Mohamamd Al-Qallaf. Chicago 41 15 15 240 184 97 Washington 33 27 11 205 211 77 Kuwait Karate Federation Secretary Colorado 44 21 6 216 194 94 New Jersey 30 27 13 172 183 73 Emad Behbehani said competition Minnesota 36 23 11 174 172 83 Carolina 30 31 9 174 198 69 was strong and the champion was Dallas 32 26 11 196 201 75 NY Islanders 26 35 9 195 239 61 decided only on the final day. He said all clubs gave a high standard per- Winnipeg 32 30 9 199 208 73 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not formance as hoped by officials. He Nashville 30 31 10 171 213 70 included in the loss column (L). thanked KKF chairman Sheikh Khalid Al-Abdullah for his care and interest. Winners pose with officials. SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS Dodgers top D-backs

SYDNEY: Clayton Kershaw flashed his for a replacement bus. ers kept the Diamondbacks scoreless leave to Carl Crawford, nearly cleared Cy Young form, Scott Van Slyke Kershaw was impressive while with hitless work. Chris Perez, a five- the left-field fence in the second homered and the Los Angeles making his fourth consecutive open- time All-Star with Cleveland before inning. His double set up a grounder Dodgers opened the Major League ing-day start. He struck out seven, joining the Dodgers in the offseason, by Andre Ethier that scored Adrian Baseball season with a 3-1 win over walked one and was pulled by man- got the last out in the seventh. Gonzalez with the Dodgers’ first run. the Arizona Diamondbacks on ager Don Mattingly after throwing his Brian Wilson pitched the eighth In his next at-bat in the fourth, Van Saturday night at Sydney Cricket 102nd pitch. and closer Kenley Jansen got the Slyke connected off losing pitcher Ground. Quite a turnaround from spring save. Jansen walked a batter before Wade Miley for a drive over the right- A crowd of about 40,000 watched training, when the two-time NL Cy getting Gerardo Parra to ground out field fence - just inside the foul pole - as MLB played its first regular-season Young winner went 0-3 with a 9.20 to end the game. Dodgers manager with Gonzalez again on base to put game in Australia. Opening day was a ERA in four starts. “Sometimes you Don Mattingly liked what he saw of the Dodgers up 3-0. g’day for the NL West champion just need the adrenaline of a regular- his pitching ace and his supporting “He’s always been an RBI guy,” Mattingly said of Van Slyke. “He’s a good defender. He’s really a pretty sol- id player.” Miley, who came out for a pinch hitter in the fifth, got the open- ing day assignment because of a left elbow injury to Diamondbacks ace Patrick Corbin. Miley gave up three runs and three hits, striking out eight with two walks. Both teams finished with five hits. The Diamondbacks scored in the sixth after a double by Paul Goldschmidt, who had two hits. He KEY BISCAYNE: Roger Federer of Switzerland serves against Ivo Carlovic of moved to third on Kershaw’s wild Croatia during their match on day 5 of the Sony Open at Crandon Park pitch and scored on Mark Trumbo’s infield out. The Diamondbacks were Tennis Center. —AFP shut out 5-0 in an exhibition game Friday by Team Australia when they Federer, Djokovic dominate stranded 11 runners. A series of thunderstorms but little MIAMI: World number two Novak Djokovic any unforced errors. rain around the stadium about two led a parade of champions that included “There are no long rallies. It’s just like hours ahead of the start cut short the Roger Federer and Andy Murray into the more penalty shootout, like in soccer. “It’s Dodgers’ batting practice and tarp third round of the Sony Open on Friday. about quick reaction, not getting frustrated was rolled on to the field. That caused The best of men’s and women’s tennis and feeling that the returner is the one the start of the game to be delayed was on display at Crandon Park with the who has got less pressure.” and canceled the pregame cere- winners of over 30 grand slam singles titles Federer, who had been dismissed as a monies. all in centre court action. fading force following last year’s disap- Sydney Cricket Ground was refur- After Federer and Djokovic’s successes, pointing campaign, has hit back at his crit- bished two weeks ago to create the Venus Williams registered a straight sets ics on the court, clinching the 78th title of baseball diamond and an outfield win and Li Na advanced in a walkover, it his career in Dubai earlier this month, while SYDNEY: The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (left) grimaces after fouling of a third strike with an 8-foot wall. It was 328 feet was left to defending champion Murray to reaching the finals in Brisbane and last bunt attempt as the Diamondbacks’ catcher Miguel Montero and umpire Tim Welke (right) down the foul lines and 400 feet to provide a bit of late night drama, taming week in Indian Wells, where he lost to watch the play during the Major League Baseball opening game. —AP straightaway center. Australian Matthew Ebden 3-6 6-0 6-1 as Djokovic. There were plenty of Dodgers and the clock approached midnight. It was another dominating performance Dodgers. Kershaw, who signed a sev- season game, and I just kind of feel cast. Diamondbacks uniforms in the Murray, who split with coach Ivan Lendl by the re-energised Swiss maestro, particu- en-year, $215 million contract in relieved to get this one under my “Clayton was really good, kind of crowd, some worn by American visi- earlier in the week, got the contest off to an larly in the opening set where he commit- January, allowed one run and five hits belt,” he said. as always ... kind of doing his thing,” tors and others by Australians who unsteady start when Ebden broke him at ted a single unforced error. in 6 2-3 innings. Van Slyke hit a two- “It’s always good to get results, Mattingly said. “He’s a tough guy to had flown across the country to the first opportunity and then held serve to Federer broke to open the match on a run homer and also doubled. The first obviously,” he said. “This one counted.” take out of the game, he always watch the opener and Sunday’s sec- quickly jump in front 3-0 on his way to easi- Karlovic double fault and did not surren- pitch was delayed because of rain for In his previous opening-day starts, wants to stay in. ond game, when another capacity ly taking the opening set. dered a point on his serve until attempting 14 minutes. Kershaw was 2-0 with 19 strikeouts in And I thought our bullpen was crowd was expected. They feasted on After storming through the second set, to close out the set at 40-0. The long trip Down Under took 19 scoreless innings.”Kershaw did a really good tonight. Chris comes in baseball-style treats like nachos Murray was broken at the start of the third The 32-year-old Swiss continued his even longer for some Arizona players. good job keeping us in the middle of and gets a big out for us there and stuffed in batting helmets and which sent the Briton into a towel tossing near perfect play in the second set finish- A team bus had a flat tire, and the the diamond,” Diamondbacks manag- Wilson did a good job and Jansen in Cracker Jack, which is not usually sold rage as he berated himself. ing with a total of three unforced errors but Diamondbacks said “a handful” of er Kirk Gibson said. “He threw a good closing the door.” in Australia. If you could afford the The chastising had the desired result as could not break the big-serving Croatian, players decided to walk the last half- ballgame against us. We know they’re Van Slyke, playing because of an cost and the calories, a 2-foot-long the sixth seed immediately broke back to who blasted 13 aces past the 17-time mile to the stadium instead of waiting always going to be close.” Three reliev- injury to Matt Kemp and paternity hot dog sold for $36. —AP get on level terms and raced through the grand slam winner. next five games to clinch a convincing vic- But Karlovic’s big serve was not able to tory. save him in the tie-break as Federer coolly “You do what you do to win a match,” clinch the match 7-4. Djokovic, riding the Scott in command at Florida said Murray. “It’s not always about how you momentum from his victory at Indian Wells play or how calm you are on the court, it’s into South Beach, jumped out to a 4-1 lead FLORIDA: Australian Adam Scott produced about winning the tennis match. That’s in the opening set before breaking another masterful driving display to surge to a what matters. Frenchman Chardy to secure a 1-0 lead. rare seven-shot lead after the second round at “I won the next six games after that so There was only one break in the second the $6.2 million Arnold Palmer Invitational in maybe it nothing to do with it, maybe it set and that went to Djokovic, who nosed Florida on Friday. The Masters champion, who helped. I just got on with it and won the in front 5-3 before serving out for victory. started the day with a three-shot cushion after match.” “It’s a straight sets win and when I was an opening 62, more than doubled his advan- After a year’s absence, fifth seeded supposed to play my best and come up tage with a four-under-par 68 on the Bay Hill Federer celebrated his return to the Miami with some good serves and good shots, course in Orlando. hardcourts with a clinical 6-4 7-6 (4) win that’s what I have done in both sets,” said No one has had a bigger halfway lead on the over towering Ivo Karlovic while world Djokovic. “That’s what matters the most to PGA Tour in nearly 24 years as Scott equalled the number two Djokovic launched his bid for me.” tournament’s 36-hole record by Andy Bean and a fourth Miami title in impressive fashion, In other action, fourth seeded Spaniard Tom Watson in 1981. dispatching Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-4 David Ferrer and ninth seeded Frenchman “I hit the ball really nicely today, probably 6-3. A twice winner at Crandon Park, Richard Gasquet both had straight sets pas- struck it much better than yesterday but I didn’t Federer did not visit Miami last year, taking sages to the next round. make as many putts,” Scott told Golf Channel an extended layoff before starting his sea- Ferrer, who lost last year’s final to Andy after posting a 14-under 130 total. son. But he looked quite at home, needing Murray, returned to action after sitting out “It was a good solid round. I was never really just 74 minutes to slay the 6-foot, 11-inch the Masters series event in Indian Wells out of position (apart from the first hole) and I (2.11m) Croatian in a slugfest that featured with a left abductor strain and showed no managed my game pretty well. It’s all kind of just one break of serve. hint of rust as he cruised past Russian coming together, the work I’ve been doing.” “I was able to play a very clean match on Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-4 6-0. Italian Francesco Molinari (70) and Americans my service games throughout, make sure I Gasquet was given a tougher task JB Holmes (69) and Chesson Hadley (68) are in a had a lot of first serves in, make sure I but eventually dispatched 83rd ranked distant tie for second on seven-under. stayed aggressive from the baseline,” said Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez 7-6 (7) Scott, widely regarded as the best driver in Federer. “I think it worked really well, hardly 6-4. —Reuters the game, showed why he is so highly rated as ORLANDO: Adam Scott of Australia waves on the 17th green during the Arnold he split fairway after fairway, hitting only two Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge. —AFP poor drives all day, at the first and ninth holes. He shrugged off a sore throat and chest con- only one player bettered on the demanding Barring a weekend collapse, Scott will go into Venus advances as gestion to compile six birdies and two bogeys, water-lined layout. the April 10-13 Masters as the world number including a dropped shot for the second succes- Scott said that not feeling well might even one. He currently is ranked second behind Tiger sive day at the par-four 18th. have helped, because it prompted him to play Woods, who is not defending his Bay Hill title Li handed walkover The finish was disappointing for Scott, who within himself. “Sometimes it’s not a bad thing,” due to back spasms. Neither Scott nor Woods notched up his first three-putt of the week when he continued. “I’m not bouncing around out will play again before Augusta, and due to the MIAMI: Before Serena Williams planted advanced to the third round without hit- he lipped-out a five-footer, the shortest putt he there. I’m trying to make decisions on the sim- vagaries of the ranking system, Woods will her flag at the Sony Open it was sister ting a single ball when Russia’s Alisa has missed in two days. plest shot I can possibly hit and not ask too remain on top for at least two more weeks. But if Venus who ruled over the Miami hard- Kleybanova withdrew because of a viral Nonetheless, he was hardly going to let that much of myself and it’s done well so far, so I’ll try Scott wins at Bay Hill, he will take over top spot courts and the older of the tennis siblings illness. small blemish take the gloss off a round that and keep that in mind tomorrow.” the week of the Masters. —Reuters signalled on Friday she was ready to After a first round bye, the Australian reclaim the throne with a 6-3 6-3 win over Open winner was supposed to lead off Anna Schmiedlova. what has been dubbed the ‘parade of World number one Serena’s resume champions’ on the Crandon Park centre WPSSC bid to curb soccer violence includes six Miami titles but before her court. reign began with a first victory in 2002 it Even without Li, however, the lineup was big sister Venus who was the Queen remained a mouth-watering one with 17- By Abdellatif Sharaa under the supervision of members of participating delega- USIP Lt Gen Sheikh Ahmad Al- of South beach having hoisted the trophy times grand slam winner Roger Federer, International Police Sports Union tions stressed the importance of Nawaf, describing him as a success- three times (2001, 1999, 1998). world number two Novak Djokovic, KUWAIT: The World Police Sport under the presidency of Lt Gen convening this conference in Kuwait ful leader because he was able to “I haven’t won Miami (in a while) but at Williams and defending champion Andy and Security Conference (WPSSC) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, at this time, as it will play a role in develop police sports and took it to least I’ve won (in Dubai). That’s how I look Murray all in action. will open today under the patron- with more than 50 countries partici- fighting violence, adding that the new horizons. He said Oman’s police at it,” smiled Williams, who won the in the Kleybanova, who is fighting her way age of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- pating. conference will propose important union and Gulf and Arab unions Middle East last month. “I figure another back up the rankings after battling Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in the The conference will discuss the recommendations. meet continually to discuss and win would be very sweet. Hodgkin’s lymphoma, handed her presence of Deputy Premier and security situation during champi- Head of the Omani delegation cooperate for the enhancement of “My whole plan is to be playing. That’s Chinese opponent a walkover due to a Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad onships and means of confronting Col Abdelmalek Al-Mazroui said he police sports. it.” Venus, at 33 the oldest player in the viral infection. Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. The conference violence and attacks by players, offi- was happy to participate, and laud- Meanwhile, the Egyptian delega- women’s draw, joined her sister in the Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the is organized by the Interior Ministry cials, managers or fans. Heads and ed the efforts of the president of tion headed by Maj Gen Emadeldien third round on Friday despite an uneven Sony champion in 2012, arrived in Miami Madbouli thanked Sheikh Ahmad performance that included five double riding the momentum from a runner-up Al-Nawaf for his role in leading faults and 35 unforced errors. finish last Sunday at Indian Wells but the police sports around the world. Playing her first event since claiming Pole’s participation had been left in doubt Meanwhile, media spokesman of her 45th career title earlier this year in by a knee injury, the delegation Ali Ghait said his del- Dubai, Williams displayed a few signs of Radwanska, however, displayed no egation will focus on fighting vio- rust but was never put under serious pres- signs of distress as she thumped Swiss lence in sports arenas because sure by the the 19-year-old Slovakian. Romina Oprandi 6-0 6-4 in just 74 min- Egypt is among the countries that “First match back, I felt good,” said utes. suffered most from it lately, adding Williams, the former world number one Seventh seed Jelena Jankovic became that “Kuwait had always accustomed who is seeded 29th in Miami. “I have been the biggest casualty in the women’s draw us with success in such events”. working hard since (Dubai) and I feel really when the Serb was taken out 6-3 2-6 7-6 Head of the Sudanese police confident in every situation I’m in on the (7-2) by American Varvara Lepchenko, delegation Maj Gen Hassan court. while 13th seeded Italian Roberta Vinci Zakariya said Sheikh Ahmad Al- “I have small goals. My goal from Doha was stopped 6-4 2-6 7-5 by Czech Barbora Nawaf’s leadership of USIP is ideal. and Dubai was to be seeded here and got Zahlavova Strycova. “We always say what politics can- that. “Then obviously my next goal is to be Slovakian 10th seed Dominika not fulfill, sports does, and today all in the top 20 and ultimately the top 15. Cibulkova, who lost the Australian Open countries around the world are “To make those steps you do have to play final to Li, sped past Austria’s Yvonne meeting in Kuwait in order to deal well and I want to win tournaments.” Meusburger 6-1 6-2 to reach the third with an issue that solutions must Elsewhere, world number two Li Na round. —Reuters be found for,” he added. SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS Sri Lanka defeat S Africa

CHITTAGONG: World number one Sri Lanka held their nerve in the final overs to pull off a narrow five- run victory over South Africa in Chittagong yesterday. Left-handed opener Kusal Perera hit a brilliant 40-ball 61 to lift Sri Lanka, who won the toss and batted, to 165-7 before restricting South Africa to 160-5. The victory gave Sri Lanka an ideal start to the group one cam- paign in the Super-10 stage at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadi- um. South Africa needed 15 off the final over but Lasith Malinga kept SCOREBOARD a tight line and despite a last ball six by tail-ender Imran Tahir, Sri CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 Super-10 stage group one Lanka carried the day. South Africa match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium yesterday: were given a flying 32-run start by Quinton de Kock (25) and Hashim Sri Lanka South Africa Amla (23). Jean-Paul Duminy (39) K. Perera c de Villiers b Tahir 61 Q. de Kock b Malinga 25 and AB De Villiers (24) hit Ajantha T. Dilshan b Steyn 0 Hashim Amla c Dilshan b Senanayake 23 Mendis out of the attack with 22 runs in his first two overs but both M. Jayawardene c Steyn b M. Morkel 9 JP Duminy c Dilshan b Senanayake 39 departed within nine runs to give K. Sangakkara c Tsotsobe b Tahir 14 AB de Villiers c Sangakkara b Mathews 24 Sri Lanka the edge. A. Mathews b Steyn 43 D. Miller run out 19 A. Morkel c Chandimal b Mendis 12 David Miller (19) and Albie D. Chandimal st de Kock b Tahir 12 Morkel (12) briefly threatened, CHITTAGONG: South Africa’s Quinton de Kock bats as Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kumar T. Perera b M. Morkel 8 F. Behardien c Jayawardene b Kulasekara 5 D. Steyn run out 0 with Morkel hitting two successive Sangakkara tries to catch the ball during the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match. —AP N. Kulasekara not out 7 sixes but Sri Lanka pulled off the S. Senanayake not out 1 M. Morkel not out 0 Imran Tahir not out 8 win. momentum,” said De Villiers. “We fit after recovering from a ham- Steyn was in the thick of things Extras: (lb3, w7) 10 Extras: (lb3, w2) 5 Sri Lanka captain Dinesh weren’t good enough.” string injury, finished with 2-37 from the first over as he was hit for Total: (for seven wkts; 20 overs) 165 Total: (for eight wkts; 20 overs) 160 Chandimal praised Perera and the Earlier, Perera and Mathews while fellow pacer Morne Morkel two fours and a six by Perera Did not bat: A. Mendis and L. Malinga Did not bat: L. Tsotsobe death bowling. “Everyone is over gave Sri Lanka total some stability. grabbed 2-31. before the paceman bowled the Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Dilshan), 2-42 Fall of wickets: 1-32 (de Kock), 2-82 (Amla), 3- the moon,” said Chandimal. “I am Perera hit six boundaries and three Sri Lanka’s most experienced trio other opener Dilshan on the last (Jayawardene), 3-83 (Sangakkara), 4-106 110 (de Villiers), 4-119 (Duminy), 5-133 (A. full of beans again. Kusal hit some towering sixes before leg-spinner of Tillakaratne Dilshan (nought), delivery. Perera went onto make (Perera), 5-137 (Chandimal), 6-152 Morkel), 6-148 (Behardien), 7-151 (Steyn), 8- good boundaries to get us a good Imran Tahir pulled back the scor- Mahela Jayawardene (nine) and his fifth T20 half-century off 29 (Thisara), 7-160 (Mathews) 152 (Miller) start and Mathews finished it off ing rate by taking 3-26 in his four Kumar Sangakkara (14) failed to balls before he holed out in the Bowling: Styen 4-0-37-2 (2w), Tsotsobe 4- Bowling: Kulasekara 3-0-23-1, Mathews 3-0- well. Our death bowling with overs. Mathews gave the final supplement Perera. deep off Tahir. The Netherlands are 0-31-0 (1w), M. Morkel 4-0-31-2 (1w), 21-1 (1w), Senanayake 4-0-22-2, Malinga 4-0- Lasith (Malinga) was very good.” touches to the innings by hitting South African captain Faf du the third team in the group. Top Duminy 2-0-13-0 (1w), A. Morkel 2-0-24-0 29-1 (1w), Perera 2-0-18-0, Mendis 4-0-44-1 South Africa skipper De Villiers three boundaries and a six to help Plessis was ruled out of the match two teams from each group will (2w), Tahir 4-0-26-3 Result: Sri Lanka won by five runs rued their loss of wickets at regular Sri Lanka add 45 in the last five as he was unable to recover fully qualify for the semi-finals. The final intervals. “We lost wickets at cru- overs. from a hamstring injury and was of the event will be played in cial time and that stopped the Paceman Dale Steyn, declared replaced by De Villiers as captain. Dhaka on April 6. —AFP

Preview Aussies set for Pakistan’s spin assault

DHAKA: Injury-plagued Australia begin their not played at this ground yet. It is going to be have made the final of the World Twenty20 just quest for the only major title missing from fresh for us. We have to adjust pretty quickly.” once in four attempts, losing the title to their overflowing cupboard when they clash Australia, already missing premier fast England in 2010. Bailey said the current squad with shaky Pakistan in the World Twenty20 in bowler Mitchell Johnson due to a toe infection, was different from previous ones, but needed Dhaka today. will also be without all-rounder James Faulkner to be consistent to win a maiden T20 title. Pakistan’s seven-wicket drubbing at India’s for the opening match. hands on Friday night should give Australia Bailey said Faulkner, a hard-hitting right- ‘CONSISTENCY IS KEY’ added confidence for the group two Super-10 hand batsman and left-arm seamer, had still “We have got more versatility just in terms game at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium. not recovered from the knee injury that forced of what we can do with the ball,” he said. “And But skipper George Bailey refused to take him to miss the recent tour of South Africa. we are probably a little bit more powerful with victory for granted, insisting instead that it was “We will just monitor him,” the captain said. the bat, and bat a little deeper. spin-heavy Pakistan that held the advantage. “He is an important player. He has certainly “You just have to to play some good, consis- “I don’t think we have any advantage,” played a huge role for Australian sides in the tent cricket to get to the semi-finals. And then Bailey said. “If anything, they have probably T20 and one-day formats.” you hope that you have carried some momen- got the advantage in terms of having played Australia, who have won the 50-over World tum there. here and got used to the conditions. “We have Cup four times and are a leading Test side, “Consistency is probably the key. There’s are a whole different range of ways that a game can be won and lost in T20s and it can happen quickly-it can be one catch, might be one over, CHITTAGONG: New Zealand cricketer Martin Guptill makes an unsuccessful might be one wicket that’s taken. attempt to make a catch off England batsman Jos Buttler during the ICC “But the better team is probably going to World Twenty20 tournament cricket match. —AFP win their game. Every team that plays at their worst is going to lose. The challenge is to make sure that the gap is not too big.” NZ defy rain to Bailey conceded it would be a challenge to tackle Pakistan’s spinners, led by the prolific Saeed Ajmal, but was hopeful his batsmen will stand up to the task. defeat England “They are a very, very strong spinning side, but I think we have got a strong batting line- CHITTAGONG: New Zealand defied a stub- Bopara hit a 19-ball unbeaten 24 and Tim up that hopefully can overcome them,” the born England and rain to win their opening Bresnan hit an eight-ball 17 not out to help Australian captain said. World Twenty20 match by nine runs on the England muster 88 in the last 10 overs. “Spin plays a huge role in T20, wherever it is Duckworth-Lewis method in Chittagong England were off to a disastrous start played in the world. But in these conditions, it yesterday. when opener Alex Hales was dismissed off tends to be match-winning. We know we are Chasing a challenging 173-run target, the third ball of the innings, caught one- going to face lots of spin.” New Zealand were 52-1 after 5.2 overs handed high over his head by Corey Bailey said it was important to start with a when heavy rain came down following a Anderson at mid-off. win in the group which also includes defend- burst of thunder, which halted the Group Lumb and Ali steadied the innings dur- ing champions the West Indies, India and hosts One match played at the Zahur Ahmed ing their 72-run second wicket stand. Ali, Bangladesh. Chowdhury stadium. playing only his third T20, hit six well-timed “In a tournament like this, momentum is After a 25-minute delay when the boundaries and a six before he holed out really important,” he said. “Starting with a win umpires were due to inspect the ground, off Anderson in the deep and three runs gets you off and running and I don’t think you the rain started to fall again, prompting later Lumb joined him in the pavilion. DHAKA: Pakistan cricketer Umar Gul puts on his helmet during a practice session can afford to drop many games. The more wins at The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Pakistan play Australia them to declare the end of the match and Lumb hit four boundaries and a six off 24 the better.” Two teams from the group will New Zealand the winners on the balls. today in the ICC World Twenty20 cricket tournament. —AFP advance to the semi-finals. —AFP Duckworth-Lewis formula, used in the Buttler looked threatening during his event of rain. innings spiced with six boundaries but was New Zealand needed to score 43 in 5.2 bowled by Anderson, who was the pick of overs on the D/L method, which ruled New Zealand bowlers with 2-32. Minnow nations highlight progress them the winners. Kane Williamson was Earlier in the day world number one Sri unbeaten on 24 and with him skipper Lanka outlasted South Africa by five runs in CHITTAGONG: As cricket’s big guns Kong beating Bangladesh was the 10s on Friday. RECORDS TUMBLE Brendon McCullum was on 16 when the an exciting finish in Chittagong to open lock horns at the World Twenty20 in biggest upset,” said Wasim. They edged out Zimbabwe and fan- Needing to reach a daunting 190- match ended abruptly. Group One in the Super-10 stage. Bangladesh, the minnow nations can The Netherlands rewrote the record cied Ireland and will be confident they run target, the Netherlands raced to New Zealand had lost opener Martin Pakistan take on Australia and title-hold- take pride in their performances as they books by hitting 19 sixes-the most in a beat one of the top teams in a repeat of 100 in just seven overs and hit 91 in Guptill for 11. England, sent in to bat, post- ers the West Indies face India in Group Two seek to make progress on the global T20 international-during their stunning their shock win against England at the the six power play overs-both new ed a good total of 172-6 in bits and pieces. matches in Dhaka today. Two teams from stage. The tournament has reached the six-wicket win to qualify for the Super 2009 World Twenty20. records. The Ireland-Netherlands Moeen Ali (36), Michael Lumb (33) and Jos each group will qualify for the semis. The Super 10 round, for which the top eight match saw 30 sixes-the most in a T20 Butler (32) spurned good starts. Ravi final will be played on April 6. —AFP nations qualified automatically, joined international. by Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Zain launches Nepal, appearing for the first time Six International Cricket Council at a major event, beat Hong Kong and SCOREBOARD (ICC) associate teams tried their luck in World Cup draw the more experienced Afghanistan the group stage at the fifth World side to herald their arrival on the inter- Twenty20 alongside Test-playing KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, national stage, prompting the govern- CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 Super-10 stage Group nations Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, announced the launch of its latest promotional draw for post-paid cus- ment to announce grants to build new One match between England and New Zealand at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium who were pipped by the Dutch in tomers, giving them a chance to attend the FIFA World Cup Final match infrastructure. yesterday: Group B. The stand-out results were a in Rio de Janeiro when they purchase any smartphone with a data There is huge interest in the game in England 4-0-32-1 (1w), N. McCullum 4-0-32-1 (1w) win for unheralded Hong Kong against bundle. Nepal and all the players are home- M. Lumb c Anderson b McClenaghan 33 the hosts and victory for Ireland over Four lucky winners and a friend of their choice each will win an all- grown, whereas the likes of Hong Kong A. Hales c Anderson b Mills 0 New Zealand Zimbabwe. Nepal pushed Bangladesh inclusive trip to attend the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup final and the United Arab Emirates have to M. Ali c McClenaghan b Anderson 36 M. Guptill c Jordan b Dernbach 11 hard for a place in the Super 10 round. match on 13 July 2014. Customers will automatically enter into week- rely on expatriate players. “This World E. Morgan c B. McCullum b Southee 12 K. Williamson not out 24 Former Pakistan captain-turned- ly draws that will be held over four weeks, to put them in line to win Twenty20 proved a good experience J. Buttler b Anderson 32 B. McCullum not out 16 commentator Wasim Akram said he the trip. for us,” said Nepal skipper Paras Khadka. R. Bopara not out 24 Extras: (lb1) 1 had been impressed with the perform- The first draw of the competition will be held on March 30, and over “We can build on this success and the C. Jordan c Southee b N. McCullum 8 ances of the associate members. a period of four weeks, the company will hold a draw every Sunday. biggest plus for us is that all of our play- Total: (for one wkt; 5.2 overs) 52 T. Bresnan not out 17 Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Guptill). “I am impressed with Nepal and Ultimately, one lucky winner will be drawn and announced each week, ers are home-grown.” ICC chief execu- Extras: (lb4, w6) 10 Did not bat: R. Taylor, C. Munro, C. Anderson, Hong Kong,” Wasim told AFP. “To begin entitling him or her to two free economy airline tickets to Rio, two FIFA tive David Richardson said the associate Total: (for six wkts; 20 overs) 172 L. Ronchi, N. McCullum, T. Southee, K. Mills, with, some people might say there World Cup finals match tickets, and two nights stay in Rio, along with nations had justified their inclusion at Did not bat: S. Broad, J. Tredwell, J. were too many associate teams but the free transportation to and from the stadium. the event. “There have been some Dernbach. M. McClenaghan format, with minnows battling out in Yesterday’s announcement reinforces Zain’s pioneering position as a mediocre performances but some Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Hales), 2-73 (Ali), 3-76 Bowling: Ali 1-0-7-0, Dernbach 2-0-13-1, the first round justified that many new telecommunications company that offers imaginative and enticing encouraging performances as well. And (Lumb), 4-103 (Morgan), 5-129 (Buttler), 6- Bresnan 1-0-10-0, Broad 1-0-16-0, Jordan teams. ways to attract and retain customers. Zain is not only providing cus- I think the performances fully justified 148 (Jordan) 0.2-0-5-0 “I must say that the Netherlands and tomers with value added services, but also with a chance of a lifetime the fact that we got six associate mem- Bowling: Mills 4-0-36-1 (2w), McClenaghan Result: New Zealand win by nine runs on Nepal were the stand-out teams to attend one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. bers playing in the tournament,” said 4-0-22-1, Southee 4-0-46-1 (2w), Anderson D/L method. among the associates and for me Hong Richardson. —AFP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS How the Champions League Photo of the day last eight shape up

LONDON: UEFA’s four top-ranked teams-Barcelona, Real promising passing game reminiscent of the style he Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea-are on a Champions patented at Barcelona. The Bavarians passed Arsenal to League collision course after being kept apart in the quar- death in the last 16, enjoying a staggering 73 percent of ter-final draw. possession during their 2-0 first-leg victory. Having While Barcelona face an all-Spanish tie against La Liga utilised a 4-1-4-1 system that saw full-back Philipp Lahm title rivals Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid will attempt to redeployed as a holding midfielder, Bayern have reverted avenge their 4-3 aggregate loss to Borussia Dortmund in to a 4-2-3-1 shape since Bastian Schweinsteiger returned last season’s semi-finals. from an ankle injury in February. Holders Bayern, 2-1 victors against Dortmund in last year’s final, will play stuttering Manchester United, with Real Madrid (ESP) v Borussia Dortmund (GER) Chelsea’s tie against dark horses Paris Saint-Germain com- The redoubtable pace of Cristiano Ronaldo and record- pleting the last eight line-up. breaking signing Gareth Bale means that Real Madrid Here, AFP Sports looks at the tactical factors that will remain a formidable counter-attacking side, but coach help to decide which teams make it through to the semi- Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation finals: has given them better control of the ball in the middle of the pitch. Madrid are also the competition’s top scorers Barcelona (ESP) v Atletico Madrid (ESP) with 29 goals-an impressive 25 of which have come from Barcelona remain the masters of ‘tiki-taka’, but they have open play. Dortmund have gone off the boil domestically lost their crown as the competition’s ball retention kings to since last season, bedevilled by injuries and left for dead in Bayern Munich, who have averaged 65 percent of posses- the Bundesliga by Bayern, but Jurgen Klopp’s team remain sion to the Catalans’ 62 percent. Last year’s arrival of jet- one of the most hard-working in Europe. They have made heeled Brazil star Neymar has encouraged coach Tata more tackles (24.6) and interceptions (19) per game than Martino to adopt more of a counter-attacking style, but any other side still in the competition, according to the Barca’s game is nonetheless still based on patient ball cir- Who Scored website, and conceded fewer shots on goal culation, orchestrated by peerless Spain midfielders Xavi (nine per game) than anyone apart from Barcelona and and Andres Iniesta. Under former player Diego Simeone, Bayern. Atletico have adopted a high-intensity pressing game that Pauls Jonass performs during a training session at Marchetti Racing track in Viterbo, Italy. has made them the most defensively robust side in La Liga. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v Chelsea (ENG) —www.redbullcontentpool.com Los Colchoneros also pose a major threat from set pieces (a Since succeeding Carlo Ancelotti as PSG coach, Laurent Barcelona weakness), having scored more goals from dead- Blanc has added a dash of flair to the French giants’ ball situations (eight) than any other team left in the tour- domestic dominance, devising a 4-3-3 system in which nament. Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads the line and record signing Edinson Cavani patrols the right flank. In midfield, Thiago Manchester United (ENG) v Bayern Munich (GER) Motta, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi respectively sup- Bayern made to United manager David Moyes was accused of regress- ply poise, artistry and lung-bursting energy, while Brazil ing the club to a tactical Dark Age after they lumped 81 captain Thiago Silva imperiously marshals the defence. crosses into the box during a 2-2 draw with the Premier After returning to Chelsea from Real Madrid, manager Jose League’s bottom club Fulham last month. They looked Mourinho was quick to fall back upon the counter-attack- wait for title more like the United of old in the second leg of their last ing style with which he has forged his reputation. No 16 tie against Olympiakos, but Robin van Persie, who Chelsea player has scored more than three goals in the scored all of his side’s three goals in that game, will miss competition, but in Eden Hazard, Willian, Oscar and Andre BERLIN: Bayern Munich are poised to have Champions League exit at Real Madrid with striker Ivica Olic equalised for Wolfsburg nine both legs of the Bayern tie with a sprained knee. Since Schurrle, Mourinho possesses some of the swiftest attack- their Bundesliga title confirmed in the next a 3-1 win at home to bottom side Eintracht minutes from time to keep Wolves fifth. arriving at Bayern, Pep Guardiola has instituted an uncom- ing midfielders on the continent. —AFP three days after yesterday’s 2-0 win at Mainz Braunschweig. At the other end of the table, Stuttgart 05 kept them 23 points clear. Teenage midfielder Leon Goretzka gave climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 Bayern would have been champions if Schalke the lead when he fired home a long- win at home to 10-man Hamburg. Toulouse leave it late for rivals Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 range shot on 17 minutes. Dutch striker Hamburg took Stuttgart’s place in the had both failed to win, but Dortmund kept Klaas-Jan Huntelaar claimed his 10th goal of bottom three, while new coach Huub the Bavarians waiting with a 3-0 win at the season when he fired home a direct free- Stevens enjoyed his first win in only his sec- thrilling Stade draw Hanover while Schalke cruised to a 3-1 win kick 20 minutes from time to claim his sixth ond game in charge as Stuttgart picked up at home to Eintracht Braunschweig. goal in his last three league games. their first win in ten games. PARIS: Replacement prop Yohan Montes Bayern left it late at Mainz with midfield- crashed over for an injury-time try under er Bastian Schweinsteiger striking with a the posts, converted by Jean-Marc header on 82 minutes before Germany Doussain, to hand Toulouse a thrilling 27-27 team-mate Mario Goetze netted the draw with Stade Francais in Top 14 action European champions’ second four minutes yesterday. Stade Francais looked to have the later. upper hand, having led 27-8 at half-time, Their massive 23-point lead means but Toulouse came storming back in the Bayern are now set to be crowned champi- second period, eventually outscoring their ons with a record seven Bundesliga games hosts at the Stade de France-in front of a left if they win at Hertha Berlin on Tuesday. 63,000-strong crowd-by four tries to three. Bayern fired in 23 shots on goal to “Never would I have thought we were Mainz’s four as they extended their record capable of getting back into this match,” unbeaten run to 51 Bundesliga matches and Toulouse coach Guy Noves acknowledged. earn their 18th consecutive league win. “I found the way the second half played Second-placed Dortmund, who made out completely satisfying. “But we can’t the Champions League quarter-finals in afford to be as lax as we were in the first midweek despite a last-16 second leg home period. We’ve never conceded so many defeat to Zenit Saint Petersburg, enjoyed a points in so little time. How do I explain it? I 3-0 win at Hanover 96. can’t explain it!” Hanover made a bright start when cen- Noves’ Stade Francais counterpart tre-back Andre Hoffmann clattered the post, Gonzalo Quesada was left equally stumped leaving Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp by the result. “I’m trying to understand,” the shaking his head on the sidelines. Argentinian sighed. “We never said ‘our But Dortmund took control when cen- work’s done’, we knew Toulouse would tre-back Mats Hummels fired home just come back out with intent. before the break then Poland striker Robert HANNOVER: Dortmund's defender Erik Durm (right) vies with “We suffered but with a 19-point advan- Lewandowski netted a spectacular second- Hanover's midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt during the German First half goal. tage, we should have shown better game Division Bundesliga football match. —AFP management.” Stade’s Julien Dupuy opened the scoring with a long-range penalty after SUPERB STRIKE Luke McAlister had missed an earlier effort There was nothing on when the 26-year- Not to be outdone, Huntelaar’s replace- Guests Hamburg were reduced to ten for Toulouse. old, who joins Bayern next season, took the ment Adam Szalai netted the Royal Blues men when Turkey midfielder Hakan The feisty scrum-half then sliced ball on the left wing, raced down the flank, third just before the final whistle after Calhanoglu was shown a second yellow between McAlister and Patricio Albacete for cut inside and drilled his shot home despite Benjamin Kessel scored Eintracht’s consola- card, and the subsequent, red on 53 min- a gift of a try he also converted. But the attention of five defenders. There was tion. utes. more good news for Klopp late on as Marco Augsburg were held to a 1-1 draw at VfL Stuttgart scored the winner when Toulouse came firing straight back, centre FRANCE: RC Toulon’s lock Jocelino Suta is lifted by RC Toulon’s play- Gael Fickou pouncing on a loose kick-off Reus celebrated his comeback from injury Wolfsburg, who had ex-Chelsea midfielder Romania midfielder Alexandru Maxim net- ers as a teammate grabs the ball during the French Top 14 rugby by scoring their third in added time having Kevin de Bruyne sent off for a second yellow ted just six minutes after Guinea winger and driving forward, McAlister taking Pascal union match between ASM Clermont Auvergne and RC Toulon, at Pape with him as he crossed the line from come off the bench. card. Midfielder Tobias Werner had given Ibrahima Traore put in a superb cross with the resulting ruck. the Michelin stadium. —AFP Schalke 04 bounced back from Tuesday’s Augsburg a first-half lead before Croatia 69 minutes gone.—AFP It ended badly for the former All Black playmaker, just back after four months out, ond-half with a neatly-taken try by South Doussain making no mistake with the who injured his back in the process and African scrum-half Jano Vermaak after a extras. Celtic inch towards title staggered off after 13 minutes. storming break from Fiji flanker Akapusi Clermont took pole position in the Top “He’ll definitely have a week off,” Noves Qera. Toulouse replacement Joe Tekori 14 on Friday with a 22-16 victory over sec- GLASGOW: Celtic continue to close in on the cleared off the line by Sean Kelly. Mirren forward was crowded out by Virgil said, adding that McAlister thought he had made an instant difference after then tak- ond-placed Toulon, a win that also extend- Scottish Premiership title as they strolled to a The Hoops were denied again moments van Dijk before he could get a shot away. recovered from a sore back, which he ing the pitch, the towering Samoan setting ed their remarkable four-year undefeated 3-0 win over a plucky St Mirren at Parkhead. later when Griffiths scampered on to a Kris Griffiths made it 2-0 in the 61st minute as likened to a lumbago. up the drive and penalty from which he home record to 74 matches. The win means the Hoops remain 24 Commons through ball and rounded Kello he applied a fine finish to Stokes’ pass to With Dupuy at the heart of Stade’s driv- crashed over for a converted try that Montpellier travel to Oyonnax later points clear of Aberdeen, who have a game only to see his shot headed off the line by round off a good move for the Hoops. ing game, the former Leicester player again dragged his team back to within seven Saturday with the chance to leapfrog Stade in hand, with eight games remaining and are Darren McGregor. Celtic finally made the Commons was inches away from split the defence and a smart offload saw points. Francais into third spot, while regining now four points away from clinching a third breakthrough in the 44th minute when adding a third just a minute later as his half-back partner Jules Plisson over for the In a nail-biting climax, Stade’s Benjamin champions Castres, currently occupying successive championship. Johansen dived to head Griffiths cross past fierce strike cannoned off the post before Paris team’s second try. Macome was sin-binned for a ruck infringe- the last of the six play-off berths, are at Leigh Griffiths had an effort ruled out for Kello for the Norwegian’s first goal for the he slammed the rebound into the side net- Dupuy was again on the mark with a ment with 15 minutes left, and for all that home to Brive. offside before Stefan Johansen gave Celtic club. A good move at the beginning of the ting. penalty to push Stade’s lead to 20-5, soon Toulouse pushed, they could not break Biarritz could be consigned to the drop the lead a minute before the break with his second half saw Commons set up Celtic had the ball in the net again in extended by seven points when lock through a resolute defence. if, as expected, they lose at Perpignan, first goal for the club. Henderson for a chance but the 17-year-old the 86th minute through Virgil van Dijk but Alexandre Flanquart crossed after a break Fijian wing Waisea Vuidravuwalu pro- while Bordeaux travel to Bayonne in a mid- Griffiths made it 2-0 in the 61st minute as didn’t trouble Kello with his weak shot. the fag was up for offside before Stokes by ex-Springbok centre Meyer Bosman and duced a last-gasp, try-saving tackle on table matchup. Today’s game sees Paris he rounded off a great move before Anthony Great work from John McGinn saw him appealed some gloss to the win as he con- a good offload by Pape. Toulouse’s New Zealander Hosea Gear, but side Racing-Metro travel to Grenoble, hop- Stokes added a third in stoppage time. The burst into the Celtic box and roll the ball verted substitute Georgios Samaras’ cut- Replacement Doussain pulled back a it was not finished as the pressure finally ing that a win could hoist them into the top Glasgow giants could now seal the champi- into the path of McGowan but the St back in stoppage time. —AFP penalty for Toulouse, who started the sec- paid off and Montes bullocked over, six. —AFP onship away to Partick Thistle on Wednesday night if Aberdeen fail to win at Ross County. Celtic dominated early possession but it Rennes inflict further Lions roar back to snatch victory was St Mirren who carved out the first chance with a superb one-handed save from misery on Marseille JOHANNESBURG: A late Courtnall Skosan try allowed Golden penalties for a 20-point haul. Fraser Forster keeping out Paul McGowan’s PARIS: Marseille’s bid for European foot- Rennes this was a welcome victory, push- Lions to snatch a 23-20 win over Queensland Reds yesterday in a Victory lifted the Lions to 16 points-fourth on the overall strike in the sixth minute. McGowan didn’t ball next season received another major ing them up a place to a comforting six Super 15 thriller at Ellis Park. standings-while a third loss in five matches left former champions have to wait long for another opportunity blow yesterday when struggling visitors points above the relegation zone. But the South Africans had to endure an agonising wait before the Reds in mid-table with 10 points. but when the ball broke to him from a corner Rennes inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Jose Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena the television match official and referee confirmed that the score Cooper kicked a third-minute penalty in perfect South African he blazed his shot over from 12 yards out. A Anigo’s side at the Velodrome. described the defeat as “catastrophic” stood amid suspicions of a double-movement on the ground. autumn conditions and claimed his first try three minutes later. quick breakaway saw Stokes race clear but Abdoulaye Doucoure’s 76th minute when interviewed by French television. Few in a 20,000 crowd at the Johannesburg stadium would Sloppy Lions’ handling allowed the Wallaby playmaker to dart after cutting in from the left he sent a curling goal from a sparkling counter attack left “It’s our fault we are in the position have given the Lions much hope of victory when they trailed by over beside the post and a successful conversion gave the visitors shot wide of Marian Kello’s post. Marseille in sixth place, a yawning nine where we are today,” he added. Rennes’ 17 points approaching half-time. A penalty from fly-half Marnitz a 10-point advantage. Celtic’s first shot on target came after points off the last Champions league spot, goal hero Doucoure commented: “We Boshoff cut the gap to 20-6 at the break and the Lions took con- Early injuries deprived the Reds of full-back Aidan Toua and Scott Brown picked out Griffiths just outside third-placed Lyon, and four points off the knew we could pull off a result here and trol of the second half to score 17 unanswered points. the Lions of lock Franco van der Merwe with Dom Shipperley and the box but the striker’s tame effort was Europa league spot inhabited by Saint I’m happy for the team. Now we have to The Australians, beaten by Coastal Sharks in Durban last week- MB Lusaseni coming off the bench. straight at the ‘keeper. Etienne. Those gaps could well increase fight till the end.” end, contributed to their downfall with indiscipline that led to Boshoff slotted a penalty before Shipperley had a try ruled out Marc McAusland and Josh Magennis with the teams above Marseille enjoying a On Friday runaway Ligue 1 leaders two players being sin binned during the closing stages. because the Lions had handled at a ruck and Cooper kicked the then had efforts blocked by some desper- game in hand. Yesterday’s upset came on Paris Saint-Germain kept up the momen- Replacement prop Albert Anae got yellow carded on 71 min- resulting penalty. ate Celtic defending as St Mirren began to the back of last week’s 1-1 draw with tum on their title defence with a 1-0 win utes and No. 8 Jake Schatz followed him to the sideline soon after. Cooper and scrum-half Will Genia were running the show and assert themselves on the game. Griffiths Reims and a 1-0 loss to Nice. on Lorient’s artificial pitch, Thiago Motta Replacement centre Lionel Mapoe was the other try scorer for the Reds went 20-3 ahead when the playmaker cut inside and had the ball in the net on the half hour It was Marseille’s sixth home loss of the scoring the winning goal. Second-placed the Lions, whose fourth win in six matches mocked pre-season strolled over for his second converted try. mark after Stokes found him with a clever season and Anigo’s out of form team have Monaco host third-placed Lille on Sunday predictions that they would be whipping boys. After several scrums close to the Reds’ try-line failed to deliver pass but the former Hibernian forward’s now gone four games without a win. looking to increase the gap between the Leading Super 15 points scorer Boshoff lifted his total to 107 a try, Boshoff was given a shot at goal which he successfully plant- effort was ruled out for offside. Liam It promises to be a long end of season teams, which currently sits at nine points, with two conversions and three penalties in another flawless ed between the posts. Henderson thought he had grabbed his run in for Marseille who were booed off while Saint-Etienne host Sochaux and goal-kicking performance. The Reds were unable to sustain their pressure after half-time first goal for Celtic on his home debut after their pitch by unhappy home fans. For Lyon in fifth go to Guingamp. —AFP Rival fly-half Quade Cooper was a one-man scoring machine with the Lions giving the Australians a hard time at the scrums, in the ball fell to him following a scramble in for the Brisbane outfit, converting his two tries and potting two particular. —AFP the box but his shot from 10 yards was SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 SPORTS Soccer results/standings Rooney’s wonder lob

English Premier League Scottish Premiership Cardiff 3 (Mutch 9, 88, Campbell 25) Liverpool Aberdeen 2 (Rooney 17, Jack 72) Kilmarnock 1 6 (Suarez 16, 60, 90, Skrtel 41, 54, Sturridge (Boyd 11); Celtic 3 (Johansen 44, Griffiths 61, keeps United on a high 75); Chelsea 6 (Eto’o 5, Schurrle 7, Hazard 17- Stokes 90) St Mirren 0; Inverness CT 1 (McKay pen, Oscar 42, 66, Salah 71) Arsenal 0; Everton 62) Partick 0; Motherwell 2 (McFadden 48, 3 (Baines 20-pen, Lukaku 53, Barkley 58) Sutton 60) Ross County 1 (Songo’o 82); St Swansea 2 (Bony 33, Williams 90); Hull 2 Johnstone 2 (MacLean 18, McGivern 55-og) (Rosenior 32, Long 38) West Brom 0; Hibernian 0. West Ham 0 Manchester City 5 (Toure 26-pen, 54-pen, 65, Fernandinho 84, Demichelis 88) Fulham 0; Scottish Football League Newcastle 1 (Cisse 90) Crystal Palace 0; Championship Norwich 2 (Snodgrass 20, Tettey 32) Alloa 3 Falkirk 0; Dumbarton 0 Dundee 1; Sunderland 0; West Ham 0 Manchester United Morton 3 Hamilton 4; Queen Of The South 2 Man United 2 2 (Rooney 8, 33). Cowdenbeath 1; Raith 2 Livingston 4.

Playing today Division One Aston Villa v Stoke, Tottenham v Airdrie 5 Forfar 1; Ayr 2 Arbroath 1; LONDON: Wayne Rooney posted a goal Southampton. Dunfermline 1 East Fife 2; Stranraer 1 Stenhousemuir 1. of the season contender as Manchester English Football League United ended a memorable week by win- Championship Playing today ning 2-0 at West Ham United in the Barnsley 0 Bournemouth 1; Birmingham 1 Brechin v Rangers Premier League yesterday. Reading 2; Blackburn 1 Leicester 1; Blackpool A week ago, manager David Moyes 1 Huddersfield 0; Brighton 0 Ipswich 2; Division Two Charlton 0 Burnley 3; Derby 5 Nottingham had seen his players humiliated 3-0 at Albion 5 Elgin City 2; Annan Athletic 2 home by Liverpool, but United recovered Forest 0; Doncaster 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0; Peterhead 1; Berwick 3 Clyde 0; East Stirling 1 Leeds 2 Millwall 1; Middlesbrough 1 QPR 3; Queen’s Park 4; Stirling 2 Montrose 2. to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Wigan 2 Watford 1; Yeovil 2 Bolton 2. Olympiakos in mid-week to reach the German League Champions League quarter-finals. Division One Schalke 04 3 (Goretzka 17, Huntelaar 66, Szalai Robin van Persie had been the star Brentford 3 Coventry 1; Colchester 2 Bristol 90+3) Eintracht Braunschweig 1 (Kessel 81); that night with a hat-trick, but he was also City 2; Gillingham 1 Crewe 3; Notts County 4 VfB Stuttgart 1 (Maxim 69) Hamburg 0; Carlisle 1; Oldham 1 Crawley 0; Peterborough injured in that game, allowing Rooney to Hanover 96 0 Dortmund 3 (Hummels 43, regain top billing with a brace at Upton 0 Rotherham 1; Port Vale 3 Tranmere 2; Lewandowski 52, Reus 90+1); Wolfsburg 1 Shrewsbury 2 Bradford 1; Sheffield Utd 0 (Olic 81) FC Augsburg 1 (Werner 43); Mainz 05 Park. Wolves 2; Stevenage 2 Milton Keynes Dons 3; 0 Bayern Munich 2 (Schweinsteiger 82, Goetze And he did so with an opening goal Swindon 1 Preston 0; Walsall 1 Leyton Orient 1. 86). worthy of a Hollywood script by emulat- ing former United hero David Beckham LONDON: West Ham United’s Matt Jarvis (left) is tackled by Manchester United’s Alexander Division Two Playing later by beating the goalkeeper from astonish- Buttner during their English Premier League soccer match at Upton Park. —AP AFC Wimbledon 4 Cheltenham 3; Accrington 1 Moenchengladbach v Hertha Berlin Plymouth 1; Bury 1 Dagenham and Redbridge ing range. It was not quite as far out as 1; Exeter 3 Fleetwood 0; Mansfield 0 Beckham’s famous halfway-line lob United started strongly. Carroll double United’s lead, but fired straight at The home side were visibly deflated Playing today Chesterfield 0; Morecambe 1 Northampton 1; against Wimbledon in 1996, but the for- stopped Fellaini’s header on the line in the Adrian, as did Mata soon afterwards. Mata by the setback and allowed Rooney a Nuremberg v Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Portsmouth 0 York 1; Scunthorpe 1 Burton 0; third minute after the Belgian had been was operating in the hole behind Rooney chance to claim his hat-trick before half- Leverkusen v Hoffenheim. mer England captain just so happened to Torquay 0 Newport 1; Wycombe 0 Rochdale 2. be in the stands to watch it go in. picked out in the box by Young and it was and was a constant menace to the West time. Moyes’s starting line-up caused plenty not long before home goalkeeper Adrian Ham back-line. This time, however, his connection English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals of eyebrows to be raised as Alexander was required to stop a shot from Juan West Ham captain Kevin Nolan felt he from the edge of the box was wild and against, points): Buttner, Shinji Kagawa and Ashley Young Mata. should have had a penalty when he went the ball almost went out for a throw-in. all started and Michael Carrick, a former Then came Rooney’s moment of down under Darren Fletcher’s challenge, The second half was not so memorable as Chelsea 31 21 6 4 62 23 69 Scottish Football League tables genius in the eighth minute as he nudged but play continued, allowing United to West Ham won a series of corners, but Liverpool 30 20 5 5 82 38 65 Championship West Ham midfielder, was employed in Man City 28 20 3 5 76 27 63 Dundee 29 17 5 7 43 22 56 central defence. Hammers defender James Tomkins out of score on the counter-attack in the 33rd could not turn them into goals. Arsenal 30 19 5 6 53 34 62 Hamilton 29 16 7 6 49 29 55 Carrick was drafted in to replace the the way just inside the hosts’ half on the minute. Young fired in a cross from the United, for their part, were content to Everton 29 15 9 5 43 30 54 Falkirk 29 13 8 8 43 29 47 suspended Nemanja Vidic, with right before lofting a shot over Adrian right that Mark Noble hoofed away from keep possession whenever possible, but Tottenham 30 16 5 9 37 38 53 Q of South 29 13 6 10 41 32 45 from almost 60 yards. goal, but the ball hit the onrushing the urge to add to their lead was only Dumbarton 28 11 6 11 51 50 39 Marouane Fellaini detailed to help him Man Utd 30 15 6 9 48 34 51 West Ham replied with high balls Rooney on the shin and flew into the net. intermittent. Newcastle 30 14 4 12 38 40 46 Livingston 29 11 6 12 45 45 39 cope with home striker Andy Carroll at Southampton 30 12 9 9 43 37 45 Alloa 29 10 7 12 29 36 37 set-pieces. aimed at Carroll, who headed a free-kick It was Rooney’s 212th United goal, tak- Fellaini burst through late on and Aston Villa 29 9 7 13 32 38 34 Raith 29 9 9 11 39 47 36 Rio Ferdinand, who also began his just wide and found United goalkeeper ing him above Jack Rowley into third went down in the box under a chal- Stoke 30 8 10 12 32 44 34 Cowdenbeath 29 8 5 16 39 60 29 David de Gea with another header after place on the list of the club’s all-time lead- lenge from Antonio Nocerino, the West Morton 28 3 7 18 23 52 16 career at Upton Park, was ruled out by a Hull 30 9 6 15 32 37 33 back injury, while England forward Danny Stewart Downing had got the better of ing scorers, behind only Bobby Charlton Ham substitute, but no penalty was Norwich 31 8 8 15 26 48 32 Rafael da Silva. Kagawa had the chance to (249) and Denis Law (237). awarded. —AFP West Ham 30 8 7 15 32 40 31 Division One Welbeck could only make the bench. Swansea 30 7 8 15 40 46 29 Rangers 29 27 2 0 89 14 83 West Brom 30 5 13 12 33 45 28 Dunfermline 30 17 3 10 62 48 54 Crystal Palace 30 8 4 18 19 39 28 Stranraer 30 13 7 10 49 45 46 Ayr 30 13 6 11 54 53 45 Sunderland 28 6 7 15 26 44 25 Newcastle 1 Toure hat-trick keeps Cardiff 31 6 7 18 26 58 25 Forfar 30 11 6 13 49 50 39 Fulham 31 7 3 21 30 70 24 Stenhousemuir 30 9 11 10 46 54 38 Brechin 29 9 5 15 47 60 32 five-goal City in touch Airdrie 30 8 7 15 37 53 31 English Football League tables East Fife 30 8 4 18 24 57 28 Championship Arbroath 30 7 3 20 42 65 24 Crystal Palace 0 Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho added a fourth Leicester 36 25 6 5 69 34 81 Burnley 37 21 13 3 62 31 76 six minutes from time when Fulham defended Division Two Man City 5 poorly at a City corner, enabling him to shrug aside Derby 37 19 9 9 65 43 66 Peterhead 30 18 7 5 62 33 61 QPR 37 19 9 9 46 32 66 Annan Athletic 29 16 5 8 58 42 53 Cisse’s late show William Kvist before scoring from a wide angle. Wigan 36 18 8 10 50 35 62 Clyde 30 14 6 10 39 37 48 Reading 37 16 11 10 58 42 59 Stirling 30 11 9 10 44 45 42 shatters Palace SLOW START Nottingham 37 14 15 8 55 46 57 East Stirling 30 11 8 11 39 44 41 Fulham 0 And there was time for defender Demichelis to Brighton 36 15 11 10 39 30 56 Berwick 30 11 7 12 51 42 40 Ipswich 37 14 12 11 48 42 54 Montrose 30 10 9 11 39 44 39 NEWCASTLE: Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse repaid the faith of tap into an open goal in the 88th minute after Blackburn 36 13 11 12 44 45 50 Albion 29 10 8 11 37 40 38 manager Alan Pardew as his last-gasp strike earned a 1-0 win over Stockdale had deflected Stevan Jovetic’s shot into Bournemouth 37 13 10 14 45 52 49 Elgin 30 7 7 16 50 65 28 Crystal Palace yesterday. MANCHESTER: Yaya Toure scored a hat-trick as his path. Watford 36 12 12 12 53 43 48 Queen’s Park 30 5 6 19 32 59 21 Cisse had scored just three times this season, but Pardew The first penalty had been a timely opener, Leeds 36 13 8 15 50 52 47 Manchester City maintained their Premier League brought the Senegal international back into the starting line-up because last-placed Fulham were growing in confi- Middlesbrough 37 10 15 12 45 41 45 German League table title challenge with a one-sided 5-0 win at home to Sheffield 37 11 12 14 46 43 45 Bayern Munich 26 24 2 0 76 12 74 and he delivered the winner four minutes into stoppage-time at bottom club Fulham yesterday. dence and had almost snatched a surprising open- Huddersfield 37 12 8 17 47 51 44 Dortmund 26 16 3 7 59 29 51 St James’ Park. The 28-year-old’s second Premier League goal of Fernando Amorebieta gave Toure a helping ing goal just moments earlier. Bolton 37 9 14 14 48 54 41 Schalke 26 15 5 6 51 37 50 the campaign lifted Newcastle into eighth place after a third win hand, conceding two penalties with rash challenges Kieran Richardson wasted a free-kick with a shot Blackpool 37 10 11 16 32 52 41 Bayer 25 14 2 9 41 29 44 in their last four matches and left struggling Palace looking nerv- directly into the City wall, but the home side failed Doncaster 37 10 10 17 33 54 40 Wolfsburg 26 12 5 9 43 40 41 that earned the visiting defender a red card and Birmingham 37 9 10 18 44 53 37 Mainz 26 12 5 9 37 40 41 ously over their shoulders at the relegation zone. allowed the Ivorian to put City 2-0 up. to clear the danger and after Cauley Woodrow saw Charlton 34 7 11 16 25 44 32 Borussia 25 11 6 8 43 32 39 Tony Pulis’s team are just three points above third bottom He completed his treble with a magnificent a shot blocked, Richardson connected with an 18- Millwall 37 7 11 19 33 64 32 Augsburg 26 11 6 9 39 37 39 Sunderland, who have two games in hand over the Eagles. third goal and further strikes from Fernandinho and yard attempt that whistled just wide. Yeovil 37 7 10 20 35 57 31 Hertha Berlin 25 10 6 9 35 31 36 Pulis had made two changes to the side which drew 0-0 at Martin Demichelis sealed a win that took City to City, knocked out of the FA Cup and Champions Barnsley 36 6 11 19 31 63 29 Hoffenheim 25 7 8 10 54 56 29 Hanover 26 8 5 13 34 46 29 Sunderland last weekend as Jason Puncheon and Cameron within six points of leaders Chelsea, with three League in the past fortnight, did not carve out a Division One Werder Bremen 26 7 8 11 30 50 29 Jerome replaced Thomas Ince and Glenn Murray and the switches games in hand. Manuel Pellegrini’s side had made a chance until Stockdale saved well from a crisp, first- Wolves 37 24 8 5 67 23 80 Frankfurt 25 6 8 11 28 44 26 almost made an immediate impact. slow start to the game at the Etihad Stadium, with time James Milner shot after 17 minutes. Brentford 36 24 7 5 62 32 79 Freiburg 26 6 7 13 29 47 25 Puncheon clipped in a cross towards Jerome and the hulking the home crowd growing unsettled until Even after breaking the deadlock, City lacked Leyton Orient 38 22 9 7 71 35 75 Stuttgart 26 6 6 14 40 52 24 Hamburg 26 6 5 15 41 55 23 striker rose above his marker to flash a header just wide. Amorebieta gifted them the opening goal after 25 control and might have conceded just after the half Rotherham 37 19 12 6 68 44 69 Newcastle went even closer when Cisse spun away to fire in a hour. Steve Sidwell sent Richardson down the left Preston 38 18 15 5 52 37 69 Nuremberg 25 4 11 10 28 44 23 minutes. Peterborough 37 18 4 15 58 49 58 Braunschweig 26 4 6 16 21 48 18 shot that Julian Speroni could only parry out to Luuk De Jong, There appeared little danger as Alvaro Negredo and his cross was met at the far post by Sascha Keynes Dons 38 16 7 15 56 52 55 who headed the rebound over the bar. jumped to try and control a through ball on his Riether, who should have done better than flick Swindon 38 14 9 15 54 51 51 Jerome had another sight of goal after a Palace counter-attack chest, but the Fulham centre-back kicked the wide. City finally strung together one of their trade- Walsall 38 12 14 12 42 41 50 caught Newcastle flat-footed, but he failed to get his shot away Spanish forward from behind and referee Jonathan mark passing moves after 36 minutes, with Silva on Port Vale 37 15 5 17 51 59 50 Matches on TV quickly enough and the hosts recovered to block. the end of it, chipping over the goalkeeper, only for Sheffield Utd 36 13 9 14 37 40 48 Moss awarded a penalty. Crawley Town 34 11 13 10 38 41 46 (Local Timings) Speroni saved well again to deny Cisse after Moussa Sissoko Toure showed admirable poise, taking his time Amorebieta to head clear. Bradford 37 10 15 12 49 46 45 surged clear to cross from the right wing. Palace winger Yannick in approaching the ball before sending David And just before the half-time whistle, Gillingham 38 13 6 19 50 63 45 Bolasie sent a left-footed effort narrowly over just before half- Aleksandar Kolarov sped into the Fulham box and English Premier League Stockdale the wrong way for a 1-0 lead. Bristol City 38 9 16 13 56 61 43 time. Amorebieta escaped with a yellow card on that produced an angled drive that Stockdale did well to Colchester 37 10 13 14 42 47 43 Tottenham v Southampton 16:30 turn onto the Fulham crossbar at the expense of a Coventry 37 14 10 13 67 68 42 Pulis’s side were well on top in the early stages of the second occasion, but his afternoon came to an abrupt end beIN SPORTS 1 corner. The second penalty and dismissal, so early in Oldham 38 11 9 18 42 54 42 beIN SPORTS 1 HD half and Kagisho Dikgacoi had a golden opportunity to break the in the 52nd minute when he made an impetuous Crewe 38 10 10 18 45 70 40 Aston Villa v Stoke City 19:00 deadlock, only for Tim Krul to repel the South African midfielder tackle on David Silva and conceded a second the second half, effectively settled the outcome and Tranmere 37 10 9 18 46 67 39 beIN SPORTS 1 with a fine save. Bolasie was denied the opening goal when he penalty. Milner almost added a third goal on the hour when Carlisle 37 10 8 19 39 61 38 beIN SPORTS 1 HD tricked his way past Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa for a ferocious shot After the Venezuelan was shown a red card, his clever footwork created room for a shot that just Shrewsbury 38 8 13 17 36 49 37 which cannoned back off the crossbar. Toure again made short work of the resulting penal- cleared the bar. Stevenage 37 10 7 20 39 58 37 Italian Calcio League Notts County 38 10 4 24 49 68 34 Speroni kept out Cisse’s strike as Newcastle responded strong- ty, beating Stockdale in almost identical fashion. As City pressed on in an attempt to bolster their Note: Coventry deducted 10 points for entering Parma v Genoa 14:30 ly. Cisse had another chance when he met Hatem Ben Arfa’s cross, The hat-trick goal, comfortably the pick of the goal difference, Milner had a shot deflected just administration beIN SPORTS 4 but his header failed to test Speroni. three, came from a short free-kick that Samir Nasri wide, Kolarov’s shot was parried by Stockdale and a beIN SPORTS 4 HD Palace were just seconds away from a valuable point when laid off for Toure to curl an unstoppable shot into Demichelis header was cleared off the line by John Division Two Inter v Atalanta 17:00 Heitinga. —AFP Rochdale 38 21 7 10 61 39 70 beIN SPORTS 3 Ben Arfa swung over one last cross into the visitors’ penalty area the top corner from 25 yards. Scunthorpe 38 17 17 4 59 37 68 beIN SPORTS 3 HD and Cisse found space to head home. —AFP Chesterfield 39 18 13 8 61 36 67 Sampdoria v Verona 17:00 Fleetwood 38 18 7 13 54 45 61 beIN SPORTS 4 Everton climb to fifth spot Burton 38 16 13 9 41 37 61 beIN SPORTS 4 HD Oxford 38 15 14 9 49 37 59 Udinese v Sassuolo 17:00 Norwich 2 York 38 14 13 11 45 38 55 down a place in the England squad for the World Plymouth 38 15 10 13 43 42 55 beIN SPORTS 6 beIN SPORTS 6 HD Cup and he made an early impression by winning Southend 38 13 14 11 44 36 53 Everton 3 Dagenham 38 12 14 12 47 47 50 Napoli v Fiorentina 20:30 the penalty from which Baines put Everton ahead. Hartlepool 38 13 10 15 44 41 49 beIN SPORTS 3 Sunderland 0 The 20-year-old midfielder drew a foul from Newport 37 12 12 13 46 49 48 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Flores with a neat stepover and Baines beat Michel Cheltenham 38 11 15 12 45 51 48 Catania v Juventus 22:45 Vorm from the spot with a low shot. Morecambe 38 12 12 14 45 56 48 beIN SPORTS 6 Swansea 2 Swansea levelled just 13 minutes later with a AFC Wimbledon 38 12 11 15 40 45 47 Norwich seal vital win beIN SPORTS 6 HD sweeping move that their former coach Martinez Accrington 38 11 12 15 46 49 45 Lazio v AC Milan 22:45 Exeter 38 11 11 16 45 49 44 NORWICH: Norwich extended their unbeaten home record to six might have appreciated had it not been scored beIN SPORTS 3 LIVERPOOL: Everton bolstered their bid for Mansfield 38 10 14 14 37 50 44 beIN SPORTS 3 HD matches with a 2-0 victory over struggling Sunderland in the Premier against his current side. Wayne Routledge found Bury 37 9 16 12 42 43 43 League yesterday. Two first-half goals, from Robert Snodgrass and a European qualification yesterday with a 3-2 win at right-back Angel Rangel rampaging down the Bristol Rovers 37 10 13 14 34 40 43 Spanish League fantastic volley from Alexander Tettey, were enough for Chris home to Swansea City that took them into fifth right flank and he crossed for Bony to score from Wycombe 38 10 12 16 39 47 42 place in the Premier League. After visiting forward Portsmouth 38 9 15 14 38 52 42 Bilbao v Getafe 0:00 Hughton’s Canaries to seal an invaluable win that moves them into close range. Swansea threatened to take the Northampton 38 9 12 17 31 49 39 beIN SPORTS 2 13th in the table on 32 points, seven clear of the relegation zone. Wilfried Bony cancelled out Leighton Baines’s 20th- upper hand, with Hernandez seeing a deflected Torquay 38 9 9 20 35 56 36 beIN SPORTS 2 HD Their win over a bottom-table rival could not have come at a bet- minute penalty, quick-fire goals from Romelu free-kick trickle narrowly wide just before half- Osasuna v Sevilla 14:00 ter time given that Norwich’s final four games are against heavy- Lukaku and Ross Barkley gave Everton victory, with time, but it was the hosts who struck next. Scottish Premiership table beIN SPORTS 2 weights Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. Ashley Williams claiming a late consolation. Everton With eight minutes on the clock in the sec- Celtic 30 26 3 1 74 14 81 beIN SPORTS 2 HD moved a point above Tottenham Hotspur, on whom Aberdeen 29 18 3 8 42 27 57 Sunderland remain rooted in the relegation zone in 18th posi- ond half, Lukaku rolled his man on the edge of Real Betis v Atletico 19:00 they have a game in hand, and to within eight points Motherwell 30 18 3 9 50 44 57 beIN SPORTS 2 tion, on 25 points, equal with Cardiff and one point ahead of bottom the box and sprayed the ball wide to Kevin Dundee Utd 30 14 8 8 54 36 50 beIN SPORTS 2 HD club Fulham, but with three games in hand. Hughton made five of fourth-place Arsenal, while Swansea remain 15th. Mirallas before haring into the area to dispatch Inverness 29 14 6 9 34 28 48 Valencia v Villarreal21:00 changes to his line-up with Johan Elmander and Ricky van Everton coach Roberto Martinez made two his Belgium team-mate’s centre. Five minutes lat- St Johnstone 30 12 5 13 37 32 41 beIN SPORTS 4 changes to his starting line-up following last week- Hibernian 31 8 10 13 29 40 34 Wolfswinkel starting up front and captain Sebastien Bassong recalled er Everton doubled their advantage, with Barkley Kilmarnock 31 8 6 17 38 54 30 beIN SPORTS 4 HD in defence alongside Russell Martin. Sunderland coach Gus Poyet end’s last-gasp 2-1 win over Cardiff City, with Barkley exploiting inattentive marking at a corner to Partick 30 6 11 13 32 47 29 Real Madrid v Barcelona 23:00 included Jozy Altidore up front at the expense of Steven Fletcher and Aiden McGeady replacing Leon Osman and head a cross from Mirallas past Vorm at the back Ross County 30 8 5 17 35 52 29 beIN SPORTS 2 who sustained an ankle injury last weekend. while Jack Colback Gerard Deulofeu. Swansea showed three changes post. Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard then pro- St Mirren 30 7 6 17 29 50 27 beIN SPORTS 4 replaced Seb Larsson. Snodgrass opened the scoring at Carrow Road from their 2-1 loss at West Bromwich Albion, mean- duced a brilliant one-handed save to thwart Hearts 30 5 6 19 26 56 6 beIN SPORTS 2 HD while, with Chico Flores, Pablo Hernandez and Note: Hearts deducted 15 points for entering beIN SPORTS 4 HD on 20 minutes after a poor clearance from Black Cats defender Wes Bony, but Swansea did claim a second goal in administration Brown. Tettey doubled the home side’s lead 12 minutes later with Nathan Dyer the players drafted into the starting XI stoppage time when Williams met a corner with what could be a contender for goal of the season. by manager Garry Monk. Barkley is looking to nail a powerful header. —AFP Sri Lanka Rooney’s defeat S Africa wonder lob keeps United on a high

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 17 19

Venus advances as Li handed walkover Page 16

LONDON: Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs (centre) vies for the ball with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard (left) and David Luiz during the English Premier League soccer match . — AP Chelsea hit Arsenal for six

courtesy of Samuel Eto’o and Andre Schurrle. Mohamed Salah completed Chelsea’s most Giroud scored in the fourth minute. Tomas Koscielny’s legs that gave Szczesny no chance. Despite the heavy defeat, the main talking emphatic win over Arsenal with his team’s Rosicky fed the Frenchman with a slide-rule Chelsea then lost Eto’o to an apparent ham- Chelsea 6 point of this eagerly-anticipated contest came sixth. pass, but Petr Cech produced a neat save string injury, with Fernando Torres coming on, in the 17th minute when Arsenal left back At half-time, fourth official Anthony Taylor down to his left. but by the time of Marriner’s blunder, the Kieran Gibbs was incorrectly shown a red card confirmed to television broadcasters that That started Arsenal’s problems as the ball game already seemed over. by referee Andre Marriner. The official pointed Gibbs’s red card had been a case of mistaken did not go out of play and Chelsea launched a To Chelsea’s credit, they went on to show a Arsenal 0 to the spot when a right-foot shot from Eden identity. lightning-quick counter-attack. ruthless streak by ramming home their domi- Hazard was tipped around the post by the left But regardless of the referee’s mistake, this Schurrle exchanged passed with Hazard nance to put the pressure on title rivals hand of Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade- was another shambolic defensive perform- before threading a ball through to Eto’o on the Liverpool and City. Chamberlain. ance by Wenger’s Arsenal, who had previously right-hand side of the penalty box. Oscar bagged his first goal four minutes LONDON: Chelsea dealt a crushing blow to Yet Marriner ordered Gibbs to leave the conceded six goals at Manchester City and five The striker cut inside Oxlade-Chamberlain before the break when the Brazilian shot into Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes with a 6-0 field, despite television replays showing at Liverpool this season. and expertly finished into the far corner the roof of the net following Torres’s cross victory yesterday after one of the beaten Oxlade-Chamberlain apparently telling the beyond Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech from the right. team’s players had been mistakenly sent off. official, “Ref, it was me!” SLIDE-RULE PASS Szczesny. He completed his brace in the 66th minute Chelsea were in no mood to allow Arsenal Gibbs continued to protest his innocence Arsenal have now let in 34 league goals this Worse was to follow for Wenger two min- with a shot from outside the box that manager Arsene Wenger to celebrate his as he walked off, before Hazard slotted home term, with half coming in just 270 minutes of utes later as Schurrle doubled Chelsea’s appeared to catch Szczesny by surprise, before 1,000th game in charge and raced into a two- the spot-kick. Oscar added a brace of goals football. Yet it all could have been very differ- advantage when he received Nemanja Matic’s Salah ran through five minutes later to score goal lead inside the opening seven minutes, either side of half-time, before substitute ent for the visitors had Arsenal striker Olivier pass and fired a shot through Laurent his first Chelsea goal. — AFP Liverpool slams Long returns to haunt six past Cardiff struggling West Brom last weekend’s 2-0 defeat. Solskjaer’s team were already con- Aside from Boyd, who had come on as demned to a defeat which left them Hull 2 a substitute, the only change made by Cardiff 3 second bottom of the table and three manager Steve Bruce was the return of points from safety. striker Sone Aluko. West Brom also made Rodgers made just one change to one change, striker Thievy Bifouma the side that crushed Manchester West Brom 0 replacing suspended defender Jonas Liverpool 6 United 3-0 last weekend, with Philippe Olsson. Coutinho taking over on the left side of Hull took the lead on the half hour, midfield from Raheem Sterling. HULL: Shane Long came back to haunt despite West Brom keeper Ben Foster pro- From Cardiff’s first piece of posses- his old club West Bromwich Albion yester- ducing a fine save to deny Nikica Jelavic’s CARDIFF: Luis Suarez blasted a hat- sion, Steven Gerrard was booked for CARDIFF: Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez celebrates scoring day, the Republic of Ireland international right-footed penalty into the bottom cor- trick as Liverpool kept the pressure on hauling down Campbell. Kim Bo- his team’s fourth goal during the English Premier League football playing a central role in Hull City’s 2-0 win ner, with the rebound nodded in by Liam Kyung’s free kick led to a corner and Premier League leaders Chelsea with a match against Cardiff City. —AFP at his new home at the KC Stadium. Rosenior. The spot kick was awarded remarkable 6-3 victory over Cardiff yes- when Liverpool failed to clear, Kevin Theophile-Catherine spooned his shot Thirty seconds after that, City were Sturridge was becoming increasing- Long, sold by the struggling Baggies to against Craig Dawson’s attempt to beat terday. Hull in the January transfer window, won Long to a loose ball in what was arguably Brendan Rodgers’ side trailed twice over the top of Simon Mignolet’s goal. celebrating more success down the ly influential and his cross-shot just the first-half penalty that led to the open- a tough decision against the visitors. in the first half at the Cardiff City Liverpool were under heavy pres- right. This time, Campbell cut inside before the hour mark crashed into the Stadium, but eventually overwhelmed sure early on and in the ninth minute and beat Mignolet with his left foot to side netting. ing goal then scored the second to wrap Long doubled Hull’s lead eight min- the struggling hosts with another sub- Cardiff were in front. Fabio and make it 2-1. Although Rodgers seemed to be up the game played in pelting rain before utes after winning the penalty. The 27- lime attacking display. Campbell combined down the right Cardiff continued to look the more encouraging his side to take the sting the break. year-old striker latched on to another for- Suarez was the key to Liverpool’s and when the latter fed the ball inside likely with Liverpool’s next best effort out of the contest, Liverpool swept for- The Tigers’ win pushed Steve Bruce’s FA mer Baggies player Curtis Davies’ headed blistering performance and the to Mutch, the former Birmingham mid- being a Coutinho shot from distance ward in search of the goal that would Cup semi-finalists up a place to 12th on 33 pass off a corner to beat Foster with a Uruguay forward now has 28 league fielder beat Mignolet with a crisp strike that finished closer to the corner flag seal the points. points with West Brom staying in 16th, only left-footed shot from the centre of the goals this season, while Liverpool have from 15 yards. than David Marshall’s goal. It came in the 61st minute when an three points above the relegation zone. box, the ball thudding into the bottom However, five minutes from half audacious back heel from Sturridge scored 18 times in their last five match- Eight minutes later, the visitors were This was Hull’s first home win in seven right corner. es. Defender Martin Skrtel weighed in level. Showing terrific patience against time, Coutinho whipped in a teasing picked out Suarez who did the rest cross that Skrtel volleyed past Marshall from eight yards. outings at the KC Stadium, the last com- In deference to his former supporters with two goals, while Daniel Sturridge Cardiff’s rearguard action, Jordan ing back in December with the 6-0 rout of in the away stands, Long kept his goal cel- Henderson fed the ball inside Declan from close range. Suarez returned the compliment 10 was also on target as Liverpool stayed Fulham. ebrations to an absolute minimum. John and Glen Johnson’s cross was dis- Eight minutes into the second half minutes later with Sturridge beating within four points of Chelsea with a He went close to inflicting further pain patched with aplomb by Suarez. and with Theophile-Catherine and Marshall from barely three yards after a And it was only their third win out of game in hand over Jose Mourinho’s 11 this year. Hull were missing George on the Baggies when his shot from out- table-toppers. Cardiff had led through Sensing a weakness on Liverpool’s Mutch off the field having been treated delightful cross from the Uruguayan. Boyd, the forward having lost his appeal side the box in the 66th minute hit the Jordan Mutch and Fraizer Campbell left, Bellamy immediately set up an for head injuries, Liverpool took the Mutch snatched an 88th minute conso- goals, but by the time Mutch scored opportunity for Campbell who headed lead when Skrtel rose to head home lation but it was too little too late for against a three match ban for spitting at post. Shortly after he limped off injured, again in the closing stages, Ole Gunnar over from six yards. Coutinho’s corner. the Bluebirds. — AFP Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart in his work done for the afternoon. —AFP Ukraine needs energy supplies from EU: PM

Page 22 Business Take Kuwait-India ties beyond trade: Godrej SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 Page 25 BMW Group looks ahead US Republicans to vote on balanced budget to 2014 with confidence Page 23 Page 26

KUWAIT: Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani addresses Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s Ordinary & Extraordinary Annual General Meetings at its Head Office building yesterday. — Photo by Joseph Shagra ABK reports KD 35.4 million net profit for 2013 ABK holds annual general meeting, approves 13% cash dividend

KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait held its Ordinary & awards. stated that ABK supports various social activities Extraordinary Annual General Meetings at its head Major achievements • ABK obtained ISO (9001-2008). focusing on sponsoring social, health, educational, office building yesterday. The AGM approved the dis- Behbehani commented on major achievements of • ABK received the award for the Best Internet environmental and sporting events and activities. tribution of 13 percent cash dividend (13 fils of the the Bank during 2013, as follows: Website. During 2013, the Bank reached out to a large seg- share’s nominal value) for the financial year ended 31 • Increase in operating profits to KD81.54 million. ment of society by supporting CSR events organized December 2013. • ABK maintained a capital adequacy ratio of 26.93 Major credit classification by private institutions and non-profit organizations. On this occasion, Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani, the percent, which is the highest among the local banks As for the credit classifications of ABK, Behbehani Chairman of ABK Board of Directors, stated the follow- and ahead of international peers. pointed out that our performance in 2013 resulted in ABK received the Golden CSR Excellence Award from ing: “ABK achieved a net profit of KD 35.4 million for the • ABK reduced its NPL ratio from 5.25 percent in both rating agencies - Moody’s and Fitch - maintaining the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility for the financial year ended 31 December 2013, amounting to 2012 to 2.59 percent in 2013. our investment grade status with a ‘Stable’ outlook. second successive year, underlining the Bank’s an 18 percent year on year growth. Earnings per share • Improved operating efficiencies, resulted in a sta- Fitch upgraded ABK’s rating from A- to A+. This under- achievements in contributing to the welfare of society. rose by 16 percent from 19 fils to 22 fils. Total assets at ble Cost to Income Ratio, comparable with other banks. lines our intrinsic strengths of high liquidity, good He concluded his comments and stated: “Overall year-end stood at KD 3.19 billion, 7 percent higher than • ABK has succeeded in building up adequate pre- income-generating capacity, and prudent manage- ABK is well positioned to benefit from any uplift in the 2012, with customer deposits 6 percent higher at KD cautionary general provisions to cope with any unfore- ment strategies. economy, having capacity to grow the balance sheet 1.95 billion. Shareholders’ equity rose by 5 percent to seen contingencies. KD 540.8 million. The Bank earned higher returns on • ABK received the “Best Customer Service” in retail Corporate social responsibility and with resilience to absorb contingencies and maxi- assets of 1.15 percent, and on equity of 6.70 percent. banking category of the nationwide ‘Service Hero’ As for corporate social responsibility, Behbehani mize shareholders’ value.” Corruption, joblessness rock troubled Bosnia GORAZDE: The people of Gorazde pride What began as a modest, eight-person themselves on their resilience, forged during operation called Bekto Preciza today boasts Bosnia’s 1992-95 war. Gorazde survived while 432 employees and exports car parts to the other Muslim Bosniak enclaves in the coun- likes of Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes. try’s east, Srebrenica most notoriously, fell to Word spread in the automobile industry, and separatist Serb forces. The exodus came later, others followed. One company, ASA Prevent, during peacetime, when Gorazde was forgot- has opened two plants in the town since ten, a riverside town of bombed and idled 2008 and today employs 1,100 people. “We factories where jobs were few and far offered investors a skilled workforce with between. know-how from the chemical and defense Two decades later, however, Gorazde is industries that existed here before. And we once again showing the way - as a magnet had the Bekto family, which brought for job-seekers lured by a local industrial investors,” said Emir Frasto, head of the boom in a country otherwise plagued by Gorazde cantonal government, or “prime unemployment, corruption and political iner- minister” under Bosnia’s highly decentralized tia. While more than a quarter of Bosnia’s system. workforce is jobless, in Gorazde the number In 2011, the cantonal government offered of people in work has almost doubled over investors state-owned land for 1 Bosnian the past five years. Its factories count among marka (50 euro cents), on the condition that their clients some of the giants of the world’s whoever took up the offer would hire 760 auto industry. workers over the following two years and pay BERLIN: Planes of Air Berlin stand at Tegel airport in Berlin Germany. German weekly WirtschaftsWoche reports that Etihad plans to increase its “Gorazde was forgotten and neglected by salaries above the Bosnian average. The gov- stake in Air Berlin to 49.9 percent. — AP the state,” said Mayor Muhamed Ramovic, ernment foots the cost of health insurance for known to locals as “Rambo” for his get-ahead workers up to the age of 27 and organizes personality. “There were always promises that training. “All export companies are in expan- were not met, and that’s why we decided to sion, and we expect 1,400 new jobs to be cre- Air Berlin to be delisted; save Gorazde by ourselves, with the help of ated by the end of the year, double previous our businessmen.” The story of Gorazde’s expectations,” said Demir Imamovic, the can- revival has become particularly pertinent tonal economy minister. He said the number Etihad poised to lift stake since February, when Bosnia was convulsed of people in work should hit 7,000 this year, by its worst civil unrest since the war, fuelled twice as many as in 2008. “The winds of by frustration over a stagnant economy and a change touched everyone,” he said. FRANKFURT: Ailing German airline Air Berlin, ment the company made on Wednesday, saying it Italian flagship carrier Alitalia, burdened with its corrupt political class. Social discontent runs which is almost 30 percent owned by Abu Dhabi- was in advanced talks over options that would more than 800 million euro debt and growing deep, posing a growing challenge to Bosnia’s Pushing boundaries based Etihad Airways, will be delisted, with Etihad have a substantial impact on the airline if imple- competition. post-war political order without meaningful At Bekto Preciza’s sleek, state-of-the-art raising its stake to 49.9 percent, German weekly mented, declining to comment further. Talks between the airlines have intensified and progress on the economic front. For many, production plant, construction engineers WirtschaftsWoche reported yesterday. It said at the time it was pushing back its annual sources close to the matter said Etihad might be Gorazde shows how. produce tools and plastic parts including Citing company sources, the magazine said a results by a week to March 27. interested in buying a stake of up to 40 percent in FIFA- and UEFA-approved stadium seats and group of German shareholders, among them for- The airline ran into financial problems after the Italian carrier. Several bankers said Etihad could Businessman’s return ski bindings for brands such as Marker and mer and current company executives, would raise expanding too rapidly in the last decade. It faces find a way to take control of Air Berlin indirectly, for Its industry ravaged by the war, Gorazde Fischer. The 35-year-old family business plans their stakes to hold more than 50 percent between stiff competition from the likes of easyJet, which is instance via Alitalia or a European investor, which was left isolated in peace - part of an to hire another 250 workers at a new plant, them, preserving the carrier’s German status. expanding in Germany and trying to tempt busi- would preserve its international traffic rights. But autonomous, mainly Bosniak and Croat entity while Bekto wants to expand production at Smaller investors, which account for 38.5 percent ness customers in Europe’s largest economy. Etihad any deal between Alitalia and Air Berlin, be it a called the Federation to which it was joined two other firms he established, including a of the group’s shares, would be bought out, has been building a netwaork of airlines by buying commercial agreement or a full merger, would like- only by a thin land corridor and surrounded joint venture with Germany’s Hella, which WirtschaftsWoche said. up minority stakes as it seeks to divert more pas- ly force Air Berlin to leave the Oneworld alliance of by Serb-held territory. By 2008, just 3,500 of produces auto lighting. Bosnia’s ethnic divi- It said Air Berlin, Germany’s No 2 airline after sengers from its partners’ planes to its Abu Dhabi airlines and join SkyTeam, of which Alitalia is a the 25,000 people living in the wider Gorazde sion was at the root of anger that boiled over Lufthansa , needed to remain German so as not to hub. Its airline holdings stretch from the Seychelles member. Air Berlin in November scrapped its aim region had jobs. Others were leaving. The in February over jobs, graft and political bick- lose its traffic rights outside the European Union. to Ireland and Australia, giving it access to popu- of breaking even at the operating profit level in roots of the turnaround lay in a decision in ering. The labyrinthine system of ethnic quo- Turkey’s Sabanci family would also exit, it lous regions and lucrative air traffic routes. It has 2013 and warned it would only come close to ana- 2005 by Gorazde-born businessman Redzo tas has spawned a huge, costly and inefficient added. The family’s investment vehicle ESAS owns also entered into a strategic code-share deal with lyst forecasts for a 40 million euro loss before inter- Bekto to return from Austria, where he had public sector that suffocates business and 12 percent of the carrier, according to Air Berlin’s Air France-KLM. Etihad is also in the final phase of est and tax if it found additional sources of fled during the war. deters investors. website. An Air Berlin spokesman repeated a state- due diligence to take an equity stake in troubled income. — Reuters SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 BUSINESS

Bayt.com weekly report The ten values of great managers

By Lama Ataya 5. Vision A good manager knows precisely KUWAIT: According to the Bayt.com what they want and make the goal ‘Hiring Management in the MENA’ clear to their team. They are not poll (August 2012), 34 percent of vague or ambiguous in their goals MENA professionals agree that good nor do they leave anything to chance. leadership and management skills is A good manager is also able to articu- what they look for most when hiring late and communicate their vision senior candidates and managers. clearly and in no uncertain terms and But are great managers born or inspire and win others to their plat- made? While not all people are born form with their vision. movers and shakers who can influ- ence, motivate and inspire by pure 6. Pragmatism gut instinct, everyone can be empow- While leaders may have lofty ered to tap into their natural leader- visions and ideals, they do not hide ship abilities to succeed in business their heads in the clouds and are and in life. While each manager will mindful of the hard facts and figures have a unique style and roadmap to that surround them. They are very success, there are some common realistic when it comes to assessing traits that the most successful man- the landscape they operate in and agers share. The career experts at practical about the decisions they Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job make. site, have listed below ten values that all great managers need to have: 7. Responsibility Great managers stand firmly behind the commitments they make KANDAHAR: An Afghan hat vendor waits for customers at a roadside shop in Kandahar yesterday. Afghanistan’s economy has improved signifi- 1.Integrity and do not let their teams down; nor cantly since the fall of the Taleban in 2001. —AFP Integrity is the cornerstone of sus- do they assign or allocate blame to tainable success of a manager- deflect from their own responsibili- employee relationship. The best way ties. They avoid cultivating a victim to get the respect you deserve from mentality that holds others responsi- your team is to earn it. Managers who Ukraine needs energy ble for their poor choices and defi- are open, truthful and consistent in ciencies. their behaviors are more likely to inspire trust, loyalty and commitment 8. Hard work and conscientious- in their teams. supplies from EU: PM ness A great manager leads by exam- 2. Willingness to take risks ple. They have a strong sense of duty While good managers weigh their and very high standards of excellence Crisis impact on markets seen muted options and alternatives carefully, and they apply these rigorous stan- they do not allow themselves to fall dards to themselves first always seek- KIEV: Ukraine will need energy from the European prey to the ‘analysis paralysis’ syn- ing better, smarter, more effective Union to protect it from repercussions of its standoff drome. The best managers learn from ways of doing things. with Russia, on which it depends for over half its oil and Crimea split will deprive their mistakes and emerge from them gas supplies, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said yes- resilient and ready to take on the next 9. Self-confidence terday. Yatseniuk’s comments came a day after he Ukraine of Black Sea gas challenge. By being very cognizant of their signed a landmark association agreement with the EU, inner strengths, weaknesses and the committing Ukraine to closer political and economic KIEV: With the forfeit of Crimea, a holiday needs of the peninsula. “It is never good to 3. Optimism and enthusiasm impact they have on others, as well as cooperation with the bloc. peninsula of two million people, Ukraine is lose an asset, but it’s not a critical loss,” said Rather than dwelling on problems, being knowledgeable of what they Speaking at a briefing in Kiev after talks with also set to lose offshore natural gas fields, Dmytro Marunych, an analyst at the Energy likely to be snapped up by Russian energy Research Institute. “All of the extracted gas effective managers are willing to see can and cannot realistically achieve is German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the the silver lining in every cloud and giant Gazprom. Upon voting for independ- will be for consumers in Crimea. This means how managers can demonstrate con- prime minister said “we need reverse supplies of gas ence from Ukraine, the Crimean assembly that the population of mainland Ukraine will have a ‘can-do’ optimistic attitude fidence. Good managers do not wal- from the EU to ensure the energy security of Ukraine.” moved Monday to nationalise assets of not be affected,” he explained. that leaves no place for negativity. low in self-pity or guilt over past mis- Their talks included the possibility that Germany help Chornomornaftogaz, a unit of state gas com- Although largely symbolic, the loss will be takes or doubt. Ukraine to modernize and strengthen its armed forces. pany Naftogaz, in a decision that also includ- painful for the government in Kiev, which for 4. Commitment to growth Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Russian-majority ed the “continental shelf and exclusive eco- years has been trying to reduce its depend- By recognize that learning is a life- 10. Emotional intelligence region of Crimea has brought about the worst con- nomic zone” in the Black Sea. ence on Russian gas imports. Significant long process and never stop doing Empathy, self-awareness, decisive- frontation between Moscow and the West since the Chornomornaftogaz owns 17 fields- efforts had been made to modernize the what it takes to grow professionally ness, self-discipline, intuitiveness and Cold War. Steinmeier said the international community including 11 gas fields, four gas condensate company, which intended to double its pro- and personally, as well as maintain a social competence are all key to must not let the Ukraine-Russia crisis create a new divi- fields, and two oil fields-and has 13 offshore duction and build a pipeline in the south of grip with emerging trends and tools being a desired manager, and these sion of Europe. He hoped the first OSCE monitors would platforms, in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It the ex-Soviet state. At the UN General and business realities managers can qualities are associated with high lev- arrive in Ukraine to support de-escalation efforts in the employs about 4,000 people. Crimean Assembly in September, Ukraine announced show their commitment to change. els of emotional intelligence. next couple of days. deputy prime minister Rustam Temirgaliyev it had reached a natural gas production-shar- He welcomed moves by Kiev’s transitional govern- told Moscow’s Kommersant business daily ing agreement with a consortium led by ment to ensure it took interests of all people in eastern that the company would soon be put up for Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell and US coun- Ukraine into account in their policies, referring to a “privatisation” and that Gazprom had terpart ExxonMobil. expressed an interest. In remarks published in But this suffered a setback this week speech by Yatseniuk this week stressing his wish to lead GPIC posts $187m Forbes magazine’s online edition in Ukraine, when Shell confirmed that in January it had an inclusive government. “You gave the impression that Chornomornaftogaz’s deputy chief executive terminated talks on the project to extract nat- minority rights would be guaranteed and that is a good said representatives of the new authorities ural gas from the Skifski site in the Black Sea. net profits in 2013 signal, which the country needs in the current circum- took the helm of the company on March 13, ExxonMobil, for its part, said it remained stances,” he said to Yatseniuk in their joint news confer- accompanied by gunmen. “There were repre- interested but that it was suspending the MANAMA: The Gulf Petrochemical of the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain ence. sentatives of Gazprom, four of them,” negotiations given the Crimean crisis. The Industries Company (GPIC) announced yes- National Gas Company, Mohammed bin Steinmeier was due to travel to the east of the coun- Volodymyr Plechun was quoted as saying. result of this is that Ukraine may be forced to terday net record profits worth $187 mil- Khalifa Al-Khalif and Kuwait’s try later and meet local authorities in Donetsk. “They immediately began to study docu- pay Gazprom more for gas extracted by lion in 2013, and distributed dividends to Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) The Ukraine crisis has not had very much impact on ments.” Chornomornaftogaz. “Over 50 percent of its shareholders. CEO Asaad Al-Saad and Saudi Basic international financial markets so far, although it has hit The men armed with automatic weapons (Chornomornaftogaz’s) planned 2015 gas The profits are considered an outstand- Industries Company (SABIC) Deputy Ukraine and Russia, European Central Bank Governing were then deployed at Chornomornaftogaz’s output will be sold domestically (in Crimea) ing record achievement and GPIC’s close Chairman Fawaz Al-Fawaz. Council member Erkki Liikanen said yesterday. platforms. In 2013, the Crimean company at a relatively low price,” analysts at French relationship linking Bahrain and sharehold- Te GPIC was founded in 1979 as a Asked about the impact of the crisis in a TV inter- extracted some 1.6 billion cubic meters of bank Societe Generale said in a note to ers in both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have nucleus for cooperation among the GCC view on Finnish national broadcaster Yle, Liikanen said: natural gas, accounting for more than five clients. “We think the balance could be sold become a successful example of joint GCC countries in the field of petrochemical and “For international, European financial markets, its percent of Ukraine’s overall production. This to Ukraine, where prices for Russian imports cooperation, said the GPIC in a statement. fertilizer industry and it is equally owned impact has not been large. It has been very large for represented a 40-percent increase from the are currently at a par with the EU’s prevailing The 35th Ordinary Assembly General by Bahrain’s government, Saudi Arabia via Ukraine, large for Russia, but on average it has been lim- year before, and was enough to satisfy the long-term contract prices.” — AFP Meeting was held under the chairmanship SABIC and Kuwait through PIC. — KUNA ited internationally.” — Agencies

EXCHANGE RATES

Malaysian Ringgit 86.975 Singapore Dollar 0.219200 0.22200 Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. UAE Exchange Centre WLL Chinese Yuan Renminbi 45.920 Thai Bhat 9.745 South African Rand 0.020197 0.028697 Turkish Lira 127.070 Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001863 0.002443 ASIAN COUNTRIES COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH Taiwan 0.009141 0.009321 Australian Dollar 259.98 256.98 Japanese Yen 2.760 Thai Baht 0.008421 0.008971 Indian Rupees 4.630 Canadian Dollar 258.85 258.85 Pakistani Rupees 2.881 Swiss Franc 327.41 325.41 Bahrain Exchange Company Euro 395.49 396.49 Arab Srilankan Rupees 2.158 Bahraini Dinar 0.741157 0.749157 Nepali Rupees 2.896 US Dollar 281.25 284.25 COUNTRY SELL CASH SELLDRAFT Sterling Pound 471.17 474.17 Egyptian Pound 0.036730 0.039830 Singapore Dollar 222.770 Europe Hongkong Dollar 36.384 Japanese Yen 2.83 2.85 Iranian Riyal 0.000078 0.000079 Bangladesh Taka 3.620 3.890 Belgian Franc 0.007324 0.008324 Iraqi Dinar 0.000181 0.000241 Bangladesh Taka 3.628 British Pound 0.461856 0.469456 Philippine Peso 6.243 Indian Rupee 4.608 4.908 Jordanian Dinar 0.393305 0.400805 Czech Korune 0.006277 0.018277 Thai Baht 8.732 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.155 2.590 Kuwaiti Dinar 1.0000000 1.0000000 Irani Riyal transfer 0.271 Nepali Rupee 2.888 3.423 Danish Krone 0.048436 0.053436 Lebanese Pound 0.000138 0.000238 Irani Riyal cash 0.273 Pakistani Rupee 2.758 2.790 Euro 0.386389 0.394389 Moroccan Dirhams 0.023358 0.047358 UAE Dirhams 76.64 77.11 Norwegian Krone 0.043212 0.048412 Nigerian Naira 0.001190 0.001825 GCC COUNTRIES Bahraini Dinar 748.57 750.64 Romanian Leu 0.086914 0.86914 Omani Riyal 0.726044 0.731724 Saudi Riyal 75.297 Egyptian Pound 40.40 41.00 Slovakia 0.008052 0.018052 Qatar Riyal 0.076707 0.077920 Jordanian Dinar 400.29 405.94 Qatari Riyal 77.584 Swedish Krona 0.040316 0.045316 Saudi Riyal 0.074523 0.075223 Omani Riyal 733.500 Omani Riyal 731.43 738.73 Swiss Franc 0.315682 0.325882 Qatari Riyal 77.67 78.22 Syrian Pound 0.002159 0.002379 Bahraini Dinar 749.970 Turkish Lira 0.124144 0.131144 Tunisian Dinar 0.175514 0.183514 UAE Dirham 76.897 Saudi Riyal 75.13 75.53 Turkish Lira 0.124144 0.131144 Australasia ARAB COUNTRIES UAE Dirhams 0.075755 0.0769904 Australian Dollar 0.248437 0.259937 Yemeni Riyal 0.001280 0.001360 Egyptian Pound - Cash 39.695 Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd New Zealand Dollar 0.236042 0.245542 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.112 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.318 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate America Tunisian Dinar 179.320 Al Mulla Exchange US Dollar 281.600 Jordanian Dinar 398.740 Canadian Dollar 0.247696 0.256196 Canadian Dollar 257.715 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.894 US Dollars 0.277750 0.282100 Sterling Pound 469.595 CurrencyTransfer Rate (Per 1000) Syrian Lira 2.013 US Dollars Mint 0.278250 0.282100 Euro 393.635 Morocco Dirham 35.728 US Dollar 281.300 Swiss Frank 323.070 Asia Euro 393.800 Bahrain Dinar 743.555 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Bangladesh Taka 0.003253 0.003853 Pound Sterling 468.500 UAE Dirhams 76.645 US Dollar Transfer 282.250 Canadian Dollar 254.350 Qatari Riyals 78.195 Chinese Yuan 0.044590 0.048090 Euro 392.330 Saudi Riyals 75.960 Hong Kong Dollar 0.034203 0.036953 Indian Rupee 4.610 Sterling Pound 468.250 Jordanian Dinar 396.855 Indian Rupee 0.004367 0.004768 Egyptian Pound 40.050 Canadian dollar 253.140 Egyptian Pound 40.400 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000020 0.000026 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.153 Turkish lira 126.430 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.154 Japanese Yen 0.002688 0.002868 Bangladesh Taka 3.618 Swiss Franc 323.650 Indian Rupees 4.624 Kenyan Shilling 0.003248 0.003248 Australian Dollar 258.540 Philippines Peso 6.618 Pakistani Rupees 2.840 Korean Won 0.000252 0.000267 US Dollar Buying 281.050 Pakistan Rupee 2.858 Bangladesh Taka 3.617 Malaysian Ringgit 0.082242 0.088242 Bahraini Dinar 749.000 Philippines Pesso 6.299 GOLD Nepalese Rupee 0.002934 0.003104 UAE Dirham 76.600 Cyprus pound 691.665 20 Gram 240.000 Pakistan Rupee 0.002610 0.002890 Japanese Yen 3.760 Saudi Riyal 75.150 10 Gram 121.000 Philippine Peso 0.006357 0.006617 Syrian Pound 2.955 5 Gram 62.500 Sierra Leone 0.000069 0.000075 Nepalese Rupees 3.870 *Rates are subject to change BUSINESS SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 US Republicans to vote on balanced budget

WASHINGTON: Republicans in the US House of Republicans have complained that President Barack Paul Ryan, will adhere to the agreed upon spending appeared to allow for a possible shift of funds from Representatives plan to vote in April on a budget plan Obama’s budget request proposed discretionary limits and balance in ten years,” Cantor said in the domestic programs to defense spending. Following that sticks to 2015 spending levels but reaches bal- spending levels that were above those set in a two- memo to House Republicans. Russia’s moves to occupy and annex Ukraine’s ance in 10 years, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor year budget deal negotiated last year between Ryan Ryan’s Republican budget last year reached bal- Crimean peninsula, pressure from Republican law- said on Friday. Cantor, in a memo to lawmakers, said and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty ance in 10 years largely through deep cuts to social makers to cancel more of the defense spending cuts is the plan from House Budget Committee Chairman Murray. programs, including the Medicaid healthcare program likely to increase. Paul Ryan will be part of his legislative agenda in the While Obama’s plan offered ways to offset the for the poor. It aimed to shield the military from auto- His memo did not mention anything about main- next three weeks before a mid-April Easter recess. increased spending, some Republican lawmakers matic “sequester” spending cuts, and maintained taining the current split between defense and domes- Ryan is expected to start the process of drafting his have said it was important to stick to the Ryan-Murray Ryan’s controversial plan to effectively convert the tic discretionary spending, a provision Democrats see fiscal 2015 budget resolution next Tuesday, when the agreement. “While the president’s budget blows past Medicare program for the elderly into a voucher for as critical to passage of the normal spending bills House Budget Committee he chairs gathers sugges- the spending limit previously agreed to, the House seniors to purchase private insurance, a plan that needed to keep the government agencies operating tions from House members in a special hearing. Republican budget, under the leadership of Chairman reaps savings further in the future. Cantor’s memo after Oct 1. — Reuters Zimbabwe gets $100m Afrexim Bank loan Money market rates chaotic since 2009 HARARE: The African Export-Import cent - a prohibitive rate for farmers use Afrexim Bank-backed securities Bank (Afrexim) yesterday gave and manufacturers. The central bank and government treasury bills as col- Zimbabwe a $100 million loan to will use the $100 million to re-intro- lateral when borrowing from each allow its central bank to set up an duce an inter-bank market - where other. Treasury Bills will be issued inter-bank market for the first time in local banks can borrow from others from Monday, Chinamasa said. The five years, which would allow the with surpluses - and set an overnight central bank published an interest apex bank to influence interest rates. accommodation interest rate, which rate range guide for the money mar- The southern African state aban- would act as the benchmark for mar- ket in January and proposed indica- doned its own money in 2009 after ket rates. tive yields of between 6.6 percent hyperinflation rendered it worthless, Finance Minister Patrick and 8 percent for short term debt. and adopted foreign currencies such Chinamasa said the fund was part of The government has taken over as the U.S. dollar and South Africa’s measures to improve liquidity in an the central bank’s $1.35 billion debt rand which left the central bank economy facing declining export and is seeking up to $200 million to unable to influence rates. earnings and companies that are capitalise the bank. Money market rates have spi- struggling to survive. Britain’s Standard Chartered and ralled out of control as a result, with “This will at the very least unlock Barclays Plc and South Africa’s BAGHDAD: Iraqi tailor Abu Qassem works at his second hand clothes shop, open since 1963, at a market in the capi- bank deposits attracting returns as surplus funds from surplus banks for Standard Bank and Nedbank are the tal Baghdad yesterday. Baghdad’s once-bustling markets, overflowing with fruit and vegetables, live animals, books, low as 0.15 percent while borrowing those in deficit,” Chinamasa told a major foreign banks with operations and other supplies are facing difficult times as customers increasingly fearful of bomb attacks stay away. — AFP costs are quoted as high as 35 per- press conference. Local banks would in Zimbabwe. — Reuters Fed rates, Ukraine Nigeria hopes its gas keep Wall Street can keep the lights on traders wary NEW YORK: Still-cheap funds and signs “A rate hike is not necessarily bad for Top energy producer missed out on LNG boom of US economic strength after a lull equity markets,” said Evariste Lefeuvre kept Wall Street buyers cautiously in of Natixis. “If the rate increase reflects a ABUJA: The first power cut to hit the luxury waters by increasingly aggressive demands,” “We’ve mapped out the flare sites and we action this week, despite the Ukraine fairly good expansion of economic hotel venue of last week’s energy conference said independent London-based energy con- haven’t seen a lot of them go off in the past two crisis and the Fed’s interest rates mis- activity... stocks will benefit despite an here struck the Nigerian oil minister’s speech on sultant Claudio Steuer. If you add the cost of years,” Inemo Samiama, head of the delta-based fire. increase.” “Janet Yellen didn’t mean to gas supply reforms with uncanny accuracy. “The pipeline vandalism, “the operating environment Stakeholder Democracy Network told Reuters. Trade became more bumpy amid say necessarily she was going to raise gas masterplan aims to develop infrastructure does not look that great.” The US shale boom, rising tensions between the West and rates,” said Jack Ablin of BMO Private delivery for the domestic market ...,” Diezani set to further depress gas prices, is making it Low price, poor laws Russia over its annexation of Ukraine’s Bank. Alison-Madueke was saying - before a blackout look even less great. Pipelines are not the only hurdle. Regulated Crimea region. And Federal Reserve “I still believe that the Fed wants to took out the auditorium lights and speakers. gas prices are a cheap $1.5 per cubic foot, and Chair Janet Yellen added to the volatili- keep interest rates as low as possible Muted laughter followed, then a lone heckle. Hunger for gas though Diezani and other officials pledged to ty by telling journalists that interest for as long as possible.” “Well, this is why we need these major gas infra- Nigeria may have a second chance - if it can bring them to export parity, no time frame was rates could begin rising “around six Markets did not seem bothered by structure improvements,” her barely audible unlock pent up demand for electricity that given. Even at that price, power producers often months” following the end of the quan- the Ukraine crisis, which saw both the voice continued, just before the diesel genera- Africa’s most populous country needs massive default on obligations, said a government offi- titative easing stimulus program. That European Union and United States tor kicked in and light returned. Nigeria’s des- quantities of gas to produce. At 4,000 cial in the power sector. The price is so unap- sent stocks sinking Wednesday as ana- boosting sanctions on Russia, targeting perate need for power could well be the cata- megawatts, Nigeria’s electricity output is a pealing that some Nigerian companies com- lysts calculated it meant a possibly ear- its economy. Lefeuvre said the markets lyst that opens up its proven gas reserves of tenth of South Africa’s for a population three pletely write off associated gas when they value ly 2015 for a fed funds rate hike, have decided for the moment that the about 180 trillion standard cubic feet (scf), the times the size. It lasts some 4 hours a day in oil assets they are buying or have bought, an instead of the second half of the year tensions will remain in a “soft mode,” world’s ninth biggest, after Africa’s biggest urban centers while many rural areas get noth- executive from one company said. The govern- as previously suspected. without escalating into a major con- energy producer missed out on the last ing. President Goodluck Jonathan’s govern- ment fears raising the price would push up It would be the first move in interest flict. decade’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) boom. ment has privatized much of the decrepit state power bills, but analysts say gas is only one unit rates off the rock-bottom level since For the moment, he said, the threats “Most people are still only here for the oil, oil firm and a bidding process is underway for cost among many so the impact would be mut- the end of 2008. being wielded “are not sufficiently yet Nigeria is sitting on a gas canister,” said an 10 new gas-fired plants. ed, and anyway most power comes from diesel But even after that, the Fed’s confi- credible to curb investor confidence.” oil industry executive. Industry sources put the “A huge amount of the power privatization generators which are much more costly. dence in the economy-shown by its real quantity at 500 trillion scf. For 50 years has been about creating a domestic industry “Politically its quite toxic,” said Antony Goldman willingness to keep reducing the stimu- Expect more volatility Nigeria used its petroleum fields almost exclu- for gas,” said Fola Fagbule, an Africa-focused of London-based PM consulting. “But how lus-and some better-than-expected “The most remarkable thing is the sively as a source of crude oil for export. “Gas Nigeria investment banker. “But there’s still a lot much are people really paying for power when economic indicators bolstered shares fact that investors are putting econom- was just this poisonous thing associated with of work to be done on infrastructure for trans- they’ve got to buy generators and diesel?” overall. An end-of-week profit-taking ic and job growth ahead of global the oil,” Abiye Membere, head of exploration porting gas, which is a key limitation.” Alison- There is too the lack of a proper legal surge, focused on tech stocks, failed to political concerns,” said Ablin. and production at the state-run Nigeria Madueke said Nigeria had begun building framework for gas ventures, something that wipe out the week’s gains. “Economic matters are more important National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said. 1,860 km of planned pipeline gas infrastructure was supposed to be solved by the wide rang- Overall, the S&P 500 was up 1.38 than government matters.” Nicholas That began to change a decade ago with the and designing a 850 million scf gas processing ing Petroleum Industry Bill. That has been percent for the period, ending at Colas, chief market strategist at completion of one of the world’s largest lique- facility to support domestic supply. stuck in parliament since July 2012. The chair 1,866.52. On Friday it hit an intraday ConvergEx Group, said however there fied natural gas (LNG) terminals, fed largely by Shell, Chevron, Eni and Total all produce nat- of the Senate gas committee Nkechi Nwaogu record of 1,883.97 before pulling back. were signs of edginess. The floor for the fields owned by leading operator Shell. Shell ural gas for domestic or other West Africa cus- said the upper house would pass it this year, The Dow Jones Industrial Average put CBOE VIX volatility index has nudged also has 25.6 percent stake in the plant. tomers. Yet the orange flares lighting up the sky but many doubt that. And the ruling partly on 1.48 percent to 16,302.77. And the up, he noted, a sign of discomfort at Yet two other planned LNG projects - Brass over the Niger Delta, burning off the precious just lost its majority in the lower house. Nasdaq Composite, hit by a 1 percent the level stocks have been trading. LNG and OKLNG - have become mired in dis- resource, show that more could be captured. Petroleum Resources Department Director loss on Friday, still managed to end the “In a normal stock market, increas- putes over fiscal terms that have gone on for Nigeria is the world’s second biggest gas waster George Osahon said this week that Nigeria week with a 0.82 percent gain, to ing fear typically correlates with lower years, long enough for Nigeria to miss its after Russia. The minister said flaring was down aimed to increase domestic gas consumption 4,276.79. equity prices. We are not in a typical opportunity to be a global LNG leader, analysts 20 percent in two years, giving no absolute fig- threefold to 5.4 bcf per day, from 1.7 bcf per Yellen’s gaffe, made in response to a market,” he said. say, as Qatar and Australia stepped in with giant ure. It was 30 billion cubic feet per month two day, by 2019. Not impossible, but a tall order, journalist’s question following her first But the signs are of expected higher projects. “Governments have muddied the years ago. Niger Delta activists were sceptical. analysts say.- —Reuters monetary policy meeting as chair, volatility, which he said usually comes seemed to put the rate hike earlier than ahead of a fall rather than more gains. what the Federal Open Market “Equities bounced back nicely after Fed Committee was itself forecasting. But it Chair Yellen’s ‘six month’ selloff, and the hardly changed the real picture the Fed CBOE VIX index is still 14.5. Last year, it is seeing in the economy, of weakness would have collapsed to 12-13.” That, in the jobs market and no threat of he said, points to more potential risk inflation well into next year. Any rate and reward in the markets. “It may not action, she stressed, still depends on be typical, but it’s going to be the conditions. norm.” — AFP Dollar slips in tame pre-weekend trade

NEW YORK: The dollar slipped against six months after winding up its asset-pur- most other major currencies on Friday in a chase stimulus, expected by year-end. relatively quiet market after some mid- That timeframe suggested a rate hike in week turmoil over prospects of an acceler- the first half of 2015, sooner than some ated Federal Reserve interest-rate increase. analysts’ expectations for a hike in the sec- The euro rose slightly to $1.3794 around ond half. Lien predicted that the US eco- 2200 GMT from $1.3778 late Thursday. The nomic growth would pick up as the dollar ticked down to 102.23 yen from unusually rough winter weather fades into 102.36 yen, while the euro advanced to spring, leading to stronger job growth and 141.87 yen from 141.03 yen. consumer consumption. “We have already “The action in the foreign exchange seen the initial signs of improvements market this week was marked by the with some of this week’s economic reports strong rally in the US dollar on Wednesday. and looking ahead we should continue to Outside of the one-day rise, however, we receive upside surprises that will reinforce have not seen much follow-through,” said the rally in US rates and the dollar,” she Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management. The said. dollar surged after Federal Reserve Chair The dollar fell to 0.8828 Swiss franc Janet Yellen said that the central bank may from 0.8835 late Thursday. The pound raise its ultra-low federal funds rate around dropped to $1.6486 from $1.6506. — AFP MADRID: 11-month-old Daniela Chasi Saavedra, sleeps as her sister Dayana, 3, and her mother Liseth Saavedra Carranza, wait for the judicial commission and the police to arrive to evict the family, in Madrid. — AP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 BUSINESS

Kuwait bourse rises on positive sentiment

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) end- ed last week in the green zone. The Price Index closed at 7,557.29 points, up by 1.38 percent from the week before closing, the Weighted Index increased by 2.91 percent after closing at 473.37 points, whereas the KSX-15 Index closed at 1,145.83 points up by 4.40 percent. Furthermore, last week’s aver- age daily turnover increased by 80.89 per- cent, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 31.52 million, whereas trading volume average was 247.47 million shares, recording increase of 54.83 percent. The stock market indices were able to realize good gains supported by the active trading and the strong purchasing opera- tions that concentrated on the leading and blue-chip stocks; as despite the negative start of the stock market’s trading last week, which was affected by the selling pressures on many small-cap and mid-cap stocks, the purchasing and collection operations wit- nessed by the operational stocks con- tributed in spreading an optimistic environ- ment on the market, and positively affected which index increased by 2.37 percent, clos- was the Basic Materials sector, which resenting 36.88 percent of the total market value; with a turnover of KD 61.91 million or the three indices performance, especially ing at 1,374.62 points, followed by the declined by 0.11 percent, as its index closed trading volume. The Real Estate sector was 39.28 percent of last week’s total market the KSX-15 index, which reached its highest Insurance sector, as its index closed at at 1,157.06 points. second in terms of trading volume as the trading value. The Financial Services sector level ever since inception in May 2012. 1,143.94 points at an increase of 2.12 per- sector’s traded shares were 29.41 percent of took the second place as the sector’s last In addition, the optimistic environment cent. The Consumer Services was the least Sectors’ Activity last week’s total trading volume, with a total week turnover was KD 39.80 million repre- affected the stock market trading activity, growing sector as its index closed at The Financial Services sector dominated of 363.96 million shares. sented 25.26 percent of the total market especially the value, where it witnessed a 1,079.68 points with a 0.23 percent increase. total trade volume during last week with On the other hand, the Banking sector’s trading value. — Prepared by the Studies & noticeable increase when compared to the On the other hand, last week’s only loser 456.38 million shares changing hands, rep- stocks were the highest traded in terms of Research Department, Bayan Investment Co. last few weeks trading, which enhanced the optimistic state of the traders for this peri- od. On the other hand, the stock market is still waiting for the 2013 financial results announcements for the remaining compa- nies, as despite the fact that the legal disclo- sure period will expire by the end of March, a number of listed companies did not announce their results so far, which increas- es some investors’ worries from the possibili- ty of postponing such companies from trad- ing, if the same could not announce their results within the given legal period. For the annual performance, the price index ended last week recording 0.10 per- cent annual profit compared to its closing in 2013, while the weighted index increased by 4.53 percent, and the KSX-15 recorded 7.25 percent growth.

Sectors’ Indices Eleven of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while only one declined. The Banking sector headed the gainers list as its index grew by 2.41 percent to end the week’s activity at 1,074.14 points. The Real Estate sector was second on the gainer’s list, Russian sanctions ripple through boardrooms

Visa, MasterCard halt services of 2 Russian banks

COPENHAGEN/FRANKFURT: A deepening Anthony van der Ley, managing director of more than 20,000 locations and self-service economic standoff between Russia and the the family-run business, is taking no terminals in Russia. SMP described the West over the future of Ukraine has rippled chances. He is sending machinery to Russia move by Visa and MasterCard as unlawful. through trading floors and boardrooms, now in case the border closes or import However, financial services firms are wary of with exporters scrambling to protect rev- charges are hiked. doing business with any person or group enues and some global financial firms halt- Profine, a plastic windowframe manufac- that can be linked back to the targets. Banks ing services. turer with annual revenues of 700 million have paid dearly in the past for violating US President Barack Obama’s threat to euros ($965 million), has so far managed to U.S. sanctions on countries such as Iran. target major sections of the Russian econo- compensate for the ruble slide by increas- my should President Vladimir Putin follow ing sales but won’t be able to do that forev- Cosmetic so far up his annexation of Crimea with further er. “If there are further sanctions, that What bankers and business people fear incursions in Ukraine has caused alarm in would be poison for the economic devel- is an escalation of measures that would Europe. Denmark’s foreign ministry held a opment of our partners,” said Peter Mrosik, choke off international payments and special briefing for about 130 companies, the German firm’s managing partner. trade, halt investments and stymie deals. including drugs firm Novo Nordisk and In Canada, Bombardier Inc said the air- Germany’s main trade body warned on nies are expected to repatriate funds from global financial crisis, including sanctions brewer Carlsberg on Friday after being plane maker’s planned joint-venture with Friday that full-blown economic sanctions overseas after Putin told them this week to busting, has soared to over $100 billion. inundated with inquiries about the busi- Rostec, the Russian state-owned industrial would be a “real catastrophe”. bring their assets home. But foreign Since the US and European sanctions so ness implications of the crisis. and defense conglomerate, was likely to be In a worst-case scenario, Washington bankers in Russia said things would have to far focused on wealthy individuals close to In an email to Reuters, Carlsberg’s chief delayed because of sanctions being consid- would stop banks doing business with deteriorate further before they would Putin, private banks which cater to power- executive said he was monitoring the situa- ered by Canada and other Western coun- Russian counterparts and corporates, simi- reconsider their investments there. ful Russians are under the spotlight. tion closely and would act if sanctions had tries. A related deal for Bombardier to sell lar to the sort of sanctions that were “It would have to be a lot worse than Switzerland, the global hub for private a direct impact on his drinks group’s busi- 100 short-haul Q400 NextGen aircraft was imposed on Iran. Germany’s “wise men” this. We are waiting for the response from banking and a bolt-hole for wealthy ness. The company produces and sells local also likely to be held up. council of economic advisers said this week the Russian side,” said a Western banker in Russians, has yet to impose any restrictions beers in both Ukraine and Russia. “Until Obama unveiled sanctions against mem- that the Ukraine crisis was the biggest Moscow. “I haven’t heard of any Western but its banks, such as UBS and Credit now it has been business as usual. We pro- bers of Putin’s inner circle on Thursday as threat to growth globally, and especially in companies pulling out of Russia,” the Suisse, still have to be aware of sanctions duce, sell and distribute our products to well as against Bank Rossiya, partly owned Germany, because of Russia’s importance as banker added. when they deal with clients. the market without problems,” said CEO by a Putin ally. an energy exporter. Vasili Brokvo, the head of communica- Jorgen Buhl Rasmussen. “Our focus is on In response, Visa and MasterCard, both “What has been announced so far is real- Wait and see tions for Russia’s state defense conglomer- our employees and our breweries.” based in the United States, stopped provid- ly nothing. It’s purely cosmetic,” said a Even before the Crimean crisis blew up ate Rostec, made the corporate case for Lemken, a German manufacturer of ing services for clients at Rossiya and anoth- French banker based in Moscow. “The last month, international banks such as peace. “We hope and our international part- ploughs and other farm machinery, has er bank SMP, whose co-owners, two broth- biggest risk is tougher sanctions and really HSBC, Credit Suisse and Barclays had pulled ners also hope that political differences seen a big drop-off in orders from Russia, its ers, are also on Obama’s list. the potential impossibility of transfers in US out of dozens of markets because the risk over certain issues won’t annul or destroy second-biggest export market after France, Western Union Co, the world’s largest dollars,” said the banker, who declined to be of falling foul of financial crime rules and everything we’ve built and all previous in recent weeks as a sliding ruble raises money transfer company, said it had sus- named because of official sensitivity sanctions outweighed the returns. The cost agreements with foreign partners will be their sale price. With Moscow vowing to pended services through Bank Rossiya around the restrictions. to banks of cleaning up an array of mis- successfully implemented,” he said on a retaliate against the West’s sanctions, branches but was continuing services at State-owned Russian banks and compa- deeds that have come to light since the business trip to Chile this week.— Reuters BUSINESS SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 Take Kuwait-India ties beyond trade: Godrej Industry banks on pro-reform govt after polls

By Sajeev K Peter Growth outlook KUWAIT: A top Indian industrialist called on Kuwait’s Giving an overview of the current state of the business community to consider India as a long-term Indian economy and its implications on the future investment destination and take the relationship business relations with international partners, he said, beyond trade to a full-fledged business partnership. till a few years ago, India was among the fastest grow- “The bilateral trade relations between the two ing developing countries. It was being celebrated as countries will only get stronger with India’s growing an economic miracle with the GDP growth exceeding energy needs. While the trade relations between India 9 percent and private consumption growing at a rate NEW YORK: Trader Christopher Lotito (right) works on the floor of the New York Stock and Kuwait have been quite strong, I believe a lot of over 8 percent. In a report released by the Citigroup Exchange on Friday. An early gain on the stock market was mostly gone Friday afternoon, more can be done on building and strengthening a earlier, India has been projected to become the weighed down by biotechnology companies. —AP long-term business partnership between the two world’s largest economy by 2050. “I expect that the nations,” said Adi Godrej, Chairman of India’s Godrej Chinese economy will overtake that of the US Group, during a keynote speech at Indian Business between 2020 and 2030. I also expect that Indian Ukraine could Council, Kuwait’s anniversary event at Regency Hotel, economy will overtake that of the US between 2030 Kuwait. and 2040 and then will further grow to become the In his speech, Godrej, who heads a 100-year-old largest economy in the world by overtaking China conglomerate, presented his views on the business between 2040 and 2050,” he claimed. halt rally relations between Kuwait and India, the prospects of The size of the Indian economy is projected to be further strengthening the ties between the two coun- about $86 trillion on PPP basis by 2050 from $3.92 tril- tries and the outlook of the Indian economy. lion in 2010. India’s working population will increase WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK “India has consistently been among the top 10 by 40 percent in the next 35 years. Hence, the attrac- trading partners of Kuwait. Almost 10-11 percent of tiveness of the country as an investment destination NEW YORK: The prevailing trend in US stocks week on whether consumers kept a tight India’s energy needs are met from the oil imported will continue to remain strong, he argued. could be higher next week if investor anxiety grip on their wallets last month. The from Kuwait which is the fourth largest supplier of Godrej sees a significant potential for development eases over the crisis in Ukraine and signs of Commerce Department will release February crude oil to India,” he said. According to Godrej, bilater- and foreign investors in India will benefit from the weakness in the US economy. Investors will data on US personal income and consump- al trade between the two countries touched nearly domestic growth. He admitted that the recent times KUWAIT: Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej watch for further signs that poor weather tion on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters $18 billion in 2013 which is a very healthy sign. have been tough. “I am positive that the country will makes a keynote speech at IBC’s anniversary may have played a role in recent weak eco- have forecast slim gains from the previous Godrej said he saw scope for putting in place large- soon be back on its growth trajectory. Even today, event. — Photo by Joseph Shagra nomic data and dampening profit outlooks, month. A final reading on fourth-quarter scale investment programs as being discussed with while we see that growth in metro and urban areas in which would underscore views that setbacks Gross Domestic Product will be released on the UAE. “Kuwaiti investment in India has been largely the sovereign wealth fund managers to explore long- the country has slowed down, rural areas are steadily may be temporary. Thursday. indirect through portfolio managers. Much of it has term investments in India,” he added. holding up. Increasing digitization, mobile and inter- Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen’s com- “Hopefully some of the data is beginning come to India through international investment com- “I am confident that in the years to come, we will net penetration are further fuelling this growth. In fact, ments this week, which raised the possibility to clear itself from some of the weather panies or through Mauritius, Singapore or other coun- see India-Kuwait relations getting further enriched several industries including consumer goods and the of an earlier-than-expected increase in inter- impacts, and we may get some better read- tries providing tax benefits,” he pointed out. and moving from just trade relations to a full-fledged automotive sector are banking on the rural growth,” est rates, added another element of interest ings on how things are going,” said Cam In the energy sector, Kuwait and India have started business partnership,” he stated. he pointed out. to the data. Albright, director of asset allocation at some discussions on long-term supply contracts and He said, over the last few months, the Indian gov- Reports on US consumer confidence and Wilmington Trust Investment Advisors. establishment of upstream and downstream joint Remittances ernment has been taking strong action which will sentiment are due next week, along with data Negative profit outlooks for the first quarter ventures in the petroleum and petrochemical sectors. “An important dimension of the relations, not just help in combating the negative sentiment around the on new home sales and orders for durable have been increasing as well, with more India is making huge investments in setting up several between the two countries but between India and the economy. “The current account deficit has been nar- goods. The market, however, remains vulnera- companies sounding the alarm about possi- LNG terminals and it will be beneficial to have Kuwaiti Middle East as a whole has been remittances,” Godrej rowing. Exports have picked up leading to a fall in the ble to any escalation in global tensions over ble problems related to this winter’s harsh investments in the same, he suggested. said pointing out that the total inward remittances to current account deficit. This has also checked the fall Ukraine, especially since the Standard & weather. Among them was General Mills, “India is also looking to invest close to $1 trillion in India from the Middle East was close to $33 billion in of the rupee,” he mentioned. According to Godrej, the Poor’s 500 reached another intraday record which missed sales and profit expectations infrastructure over the next three to five years. Several 2012 constituting nearly 47 percent of the total inward recent tapering announcements by the US govern- high on Friday before ending lower after a this week and has warned on the current countries such as China and the UAE have expressed remittances to India in that year and nearly 40 percent ment did not impact the Indian markets and rupee. bout of profit-taking. quarter. Its CEO said “severe winter weather interest in this area and it will be an attractive oppor- of the total remittances sent out from the Middle “The trend is favorable unless it’s upset by dampened sales performance across the tunity for Kuwaiti investors too,” he said. Eastern countries. Pro-reform govt? world events, and weakening of the data food industry.” He identified other multiple areas of cooperation “Out of this, roughly $3-4 billion comes from Godrej hoped that a pro-growth government will both here and abroad,” said Bucky Hellwig, Thomson Reuters data showed that 108 such as steel, power generation, transmission, civil Kuwait. It is definitely not something that can go come into power after the elections. “The perform- senior vice president of BB&T Wealth negative outlooks have been issued so far by construction, railways, hospitals, airports, housing and unnoticed,” he said. The Reserve Bank of India has ance of the economy will depend a lot on the policies Management in Birmingham, Alabama. “I S&P 500 companies, while only 16 gave posi- roads. The two sides should undertake discussions on been working towards broadening the scope of cross- and preferences of the new government. If a strong would say right now, if you look at the score- tive ones. identifying the appropriate investment vehicles for border inward remittances. The limit on the number of pro-growth government comes into power, it will help card of economic and global events, it looks a But the ratio of negative outlooks to posi- channeling Kuwaiti investments in India, he said. foreign remittances that an individual can receive the country get back on its strong economic growth little better than it did a month ago.” tive ones remains below that of the fourth “One of the key channels of investment would be were also raised. These remittances are an important path. Industry expects multiple reforms to come into Stocks bounced back this week after los- quarter, which was the worst since at least the sovereign wealth funds and most of the oil rich source of foreign funds for India, he said. force. These would include more aggressive action on ing more than 2 percent the previous week as the first quarter of 1996, according to Asian countries have such funds. An important step by “Migration, overseas work and remittances offer a FDI reforms, simpler tax rules and implementation of the problems in Ukraine and worries about a Thomson Reuters data. the Kuwaiti investment community was taken when vital lifeline for millions of people and can play a major the Goods and Services Tax. The GST itself will add two slowdown in China curbed investors’ appetite Kuwait Investment Authority, one of the largest sover- role in the development of an economy. They enable percentage points to India’s GDP growth, other things for riskier assets. The S&P 500 ended the week Dividends eign wealth funds in the world, announced the likeli- people to take part in a global labor market and create being equal, and would be a game-changer for the up 1.4 percent, its best weekly gain since Among stocks likely to post further gains hood of setting up an office in India. I will encourage resources for promoting growth and development. country,” he added. February. For the year, the benchmark index next week are financials, which climbed this is up about 1 percent. week following Yellen’s comments. She indi- President Vladimir Putin signed laws com- cated that the first increase in interest rates pleting Russia’s annexation of Crimea, though could come in the first half of next year. Most PepsiCo CEO’s pay Moscow said no other Ukrainian region analysts in a Reuters poll after Yellen’s com- would be subject to intervention. ments, however, still did not expect the Fed The Fed was in focus this week, when the to begin raising rates until the second half of bumped to $13.2m central bank made it clear it would rely on a 2015. wide range of measures in deciding when to Another supportive element for banks NEW YORK: PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi got a pay package raise interest rates, dropping the U.S. unem- came from the Fed after Thursday’s close, worth $13.2 million last year, representing a 5 percent ployment rate as its yardstick for gauging the when the central bank said 29 out of 30 increase from the previous year. The pay bump for the economy’s strength. major banks met the minimum capital hurdle Indian-born Nooyi was the result of a higher perform- “You just have so much indecision. Do you in its annual health check. The S&P financial ance-based bonus, reflecting the company’s improved feel good about what Janet said? Do you feel index gained 4.3 percent for the week, its financial results after coming out of a “transitional year” bad? Do you feel good about the Ukraine? Do best weekly percentage increase since in which it slashed costs and stepped up investments in you feel bad?” said Drew Wilson, an analyst at January of 2013. In the coming week, the Fed flagship brands. Fenimore Asset Management in Cobleskill, will announce on Wednesday which banks’ In addition to its namesake soda, PepsiCo makes New York. plans to pay dividends or buy back shares Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Quaker oats and Frito-Lay “It just feels like you have a hard time get- were approved. snacks such as Doritos and Cheetos. PepsiCo Inc., based ting momentum either way.” “Regulators will sign off on the dividend in Purchase, New York, had been under pressure to increases, and if they get approved, that will improve its results when Nooyi announced a “reset” in WASHINGTON: April Taylor of Upper Marlboro, Maryland (left) buys items from gro- Wallet and warnings help the momentum in the financial stocks,” ceries to Christmas presents with her son Jarhon Taylor (right) on opening day of a Investors will get some information next Hellwig said. — Reuters 2012 to strengthen its brands. The company made a point of investing more heavily in marketing for its Pepsi new Wal-Mart on Georgia Avenue Northwest in Washington. — AP soda, which had lost market share to Coca-Cola Co over the years. Wal-Mart’s new tool Even as it worked to deliver stronger results in 2013, Burgan Bank revamps its however, the company was working to beat back calls gives competitors prices from Trian Fund Management’s Nelson Peltz to spin off premier banking package its underperforming beverage unit. The activist investor wanted PepsiCo to then merge with Oreo cookie maker NEW YORK: The “Every Day Low Price” king is he and other industry watchers voiced con- trying to shake up the world of pricing once cerns that the tool doesn’t compare prices of Mondelez to create a global snack food giant. KUWAIT: Burgan Bank has re-launched Bank branch or contact the call center again. Wal-Mart told the AP that it has rolled online retailers. Peltz has since backed down from the calls for a mar- out an online tool that compares its prices on After sending queries to some of Wal- its Premier Banking proposition with an on 1804080. For more information, cus- riage between the two companies, but continues to innovative new identity and unique val- tomers can visit the bank’s website on 80,000 food and household products - from Mart’s competitors, it wasn’t clear on Friday press his case for PepsiCo to split up its snacks and canned beans to dishwashing soap - with afternoon whether they planned to follow the ue-added features that entitle its cus- www.burgan.com. drinks businesses. PepsiCo executives have stressed their tomers to benefit from an extensive Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is those of its competitors. If a lower price is move. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart said it wants to array of exclusive rewards that cater to the youngest commercial Bank and intention of moving forward as a combined company, found elsewhere, the discounter will refund see how competitors and customers respond their lifestyle needs. third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a saying the two units complement each other. Its results the difference to shoppers in the form a store to the program, but it doesn’t have any plans In an effort to fulfill its Premier cus- significant focus on the corporate and in 2013 were better, with net income and earnings per credit. The world’s largest retailer began offer- to add online stores to the test. Duncan Mac tomers’ sophisticated personal and pro- financial institutions sectors, as well as share increasing. Drinks continued to lag in North ing the feature, called “Savings Catcher,” on its Naughton, chief merchandising and market- fessional banking needs, Burgan Bank is having a growing retail and private America, with soda in particular seeing declines. But website late last month in seven big markets ing officer for Wal-Mart Store Inc’s US discount now offering access to more than 70 bank customer base. Burgan Bank has executives say having a diversity of products helps that include Dallas, San Diego and Atlanta. division told The Associated Press that shop- free international airport lounges five majority owned subsidiaries, which PepsiCo weather a variety of challenges. It also notes it’s The tool compares advertised prices at retail- pers are looking for “technological answers to across the world, a variety of concierge include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB positioned to benefit from the strength of its non-car- ers with physical stores, and not at online saving them money and time.” services and advantages such as courier (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & bonated drinks like Gatorade as people continue to rivals like Amazon.com that also offer low Wal-Mart built its business on offering low- service, airport transfers, limousines for Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB move away from soda. prices on staples. est prices on staples such as milk, bread and occasions, efficient car registration, and (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB For 2013, Nooyi’s pay included a base salary of $1.6 The move by Wal-Mart, which has a long laundry detergent. But Wal-Mart’s “every day the payment of their children’s school (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank million, stock awards of $7.5 million and a performance- history of undercutting competitors, could low price” model is under attack from dollar installments. This is in addition to free - Turkey, (collectively known as the not only change the way people shop, but stores and grocery stores like Kroger in addi- based bonus of $4 million. In 2012, her performance- valet parking at selected malls/loca- “Burgan Bank Group”). The Bank has also how other retailers price their merchan- tion to the Amazons of the world. On top of tions across Kuwait including Salhiya continuously improved its performance based bonus was $3.3 million. dise. After all, Americans already increasingly that, the retailer’s primarily lower-income cus- Complex, Al-Fanar Mall, Salmiya over the years through an expanded Other pay last year included $102,772 for use of the are searching for the lowest prices on their tomers continue to cut back on spending dur- Complex Plaza, Marina Waves, Menus revenue structure, diversified funding company aircraft and $30,463 for ground transportation. tablets and smartphones while in checkout ing the economic recovery. Mall Abu Halifa, Symphony Mall, Hotel sources, and a strong capital base. The Nooyi, 58, has been chief executive since 2006 and aisles. As a result, Wal-Mart’s US discount division Missoni, Smash Burger and Hotel Costa adoption of state-of-the-art services board chair since 2007. Shoppers do this so often that big retailers recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of del Sol as well as year-round discounts and technology has positioned it as a The AP formula for executive compensation includes that include behemoths like Target and Best declines in revenue at stores opened at least a on selected retail outlets throughout trendsetter in the domestic market and salary, bonuses, perks, above-market interest the com- Buy have started offering to match the lower year, a critical yardstick for measuring a retail- the country. within the MENA region. Burgan Bank’s pany pays on deferred compensation and the estimated prices of rivals - but only if shoppers do the er’s health. The discounter also has seen a To experience unmatched conven- brand has been created on a founda- value of stock and stock options awarded during the research on their own. The idea behind Wal- decline in the number of shoppers going to its ience and benefits with the new tion of real values - of trust, commit- year. It does not count changes in the present value of Mart’s online feature, on the other hand, is to stores. Wal-Mart has had a price matching rewarding features of the Premier bank- ment, excellence and progression, to pension benefits, which makes the AP total slightly dif- do the legwork for customers. Citibank strategy for several years. In 2011, it simplified ing package, clients must present their remind us of the high standards to ferent in most cases from the total reported by compa- launched a similar program two years ago the policy by making sure workers have the Visa Platinum Debit or Credit cards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is nies to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The that sends Citi credit card customers a check advertised prices of competitors on hand at avail instant services and promotions the foundation on which its products for the difference if Citibank finds a lower the register, eliminating the need for shoppers from the selected partners. and services are developed. Earlier this value that a company assigned to an executive’s stock and option awards was the present value of what the price from an online retailer. But Wal-Mart is to bring in an ad from a rival store. But unlike To find out more about Burgan year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international the first traditional retailer to offer such a pro- rivals like Target and Best Buy, Wal-Mart’s poli- company expected the awards to be worth over time. Bank’s Premier Banking as well as the brand valuation company- rated gram, and if it’s successful, others may follow. cy does not include matching prices with latest promotions, customers are Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive The number is just an estimate and what an executive Ken Perkins, president of retail research firm online rivals. Wal-Mart said the idea for required to visit their nearest Burgan outlook. ultimately receives will depend on the performance of Retail Metrics LLC, said the move will “put Savings Catcher was born last year during a the company’s stock. — AP pressure on everyone else to follow suit.” But focus group. —AP BUSINESS SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

flydubai adds another milestone with its Business Class Airline provides passengers with unique business experience

DUBAI: flydubai recorded another milestone with members as well as conduct focus groups with fre- underserved markets,” added Al Ghaith. We believe the launch of its first Business Class flight back in quent flyers to get feedback and enhance the offer- that the numerous offerings of Business Class cre- June 2013. The airline announced the launch of the ing. ate a complete package for our customers, which new service in Kuwait in November 2013 based on Commenting on the airline’s launch of the serv- we hope they can enjoy time and time again.” customer demand. Passengers of flight FZ729 to ice, Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s Chief Executive flydubai will gradually expand its Business Class Kiev’s Boryspil Airport, Ukraine were the first to Officer, said: “We have conducted extensive focus services across its network. The airline will receive experience the carrier’s new product offering. groups with our frequent flyers, and their feedback three new aircraft fitted with Business Class by the While flydubai offers its Business Class passen- has been instrumental in making the Business end of the year, along with retrofitting nine aircraft gers a variety of customized services, including a Class experience the best that it can be. Passengers from its existing fleet of 31 aircraft. dedicated Business Team, priority check-in and a who got to be the first to sample the new service flydubai aims to make travel more convenient fast track through immigration, it is in the air where where very pleased with the spacious new cabin for its passengers through services such as visa the experience can be fully realized. configuration, the variety of the menu and the high facilitation for select destinations, a user friendly The new Business Class cabin comprises 12 spa- quality in-flight entertainment. We look forward to mobile website, car hire and insurance services. cious and comfortable reclining seats, made of adding this product across more routes on our net- Most recently, the airline has made holiday pack- Italian leather and a seat pitch of 42 inches. A revo- work as we receive more aircraft fitted with busi- ages available to its passengers. lutionary in-flight entertainment system comes ness class seats.” with a high definition touchscreen of 12.1 inches flydubai’s network covers more than 65 destina- flydubai means business with a choice of 1,300 hours of non-stop entertain- tions in 34 countries, many of which may have not Following the launch of its Business Class serv- ment. Business Class passengers can enjoy a more had the option of business class before on any air- ice, flydubai introduced its dedicated Business personalized service from flydubai’s highly trained line, making the service a pioneering feature in Team responsible for delivering what promises to Big Bang offer at cabin crew members and an internationally these markets. be a more personal flying experience. The carrier inspired menu on flights. “When we began to develop Business Class, we welcomed its first Business Class passengers in flydubai received its first Business Class fitted focused on every detail of the passenger’s journey, October 2013, marking the beginning of a new Lu&Lu Hypermarket aircraft in August. The airline has used this aircraft making it convenient, comfortable and enjoyable, phase in the evolution of flydubai’s passenger to train its dedicated Business Class cabin crew while keeping in mind our goal of connecting offering. KUWAIT: Lu&Lu Hypermarket, the largest will be available only on Monday, 24 March retail and lifestyle shopping destination in and those looking to purchase laptops need Kuwait, is offering a Big Bang Laptop to mark the day on their calendar. Lu&Lu Shopping Bonanza on March 24, 2014. Hypermarket features the widest choice of This one-day only offer, which is available world-class brands at the fairest prices and at all Lu&Lu outlets, will see hundreds of dif- also offers a whole world of shopping with a ferent model laptops being offered at an wide selection of brands and product lines. unbelievable 50 percent discount. During the The Hypermarket’s winning formula of one-day Big Bang promotion, shoppers of offering value for money and quality shop- selected laptops will be entitled to a KD 50 ping continues to delight customers who free shopping voucher for every KD100 spent cherish the pleasurable shopping experience on the laptop. This amazing one-time offer and the economy it offers. BMW Group looks ahead to 2014 with confidence Sharp rise in worldwide sales volume expected

MUNICH: BMW Group can look ahead with confi- Important areas of investment were the renewal and BMW 6 Series was also able to make significant dence to the current financial year. Group profit before expansion of the product range, alternative drive tech- progress, with sales up by 19.4 percent to 27,687 units tax and sales volume are both expected to rise to new nologies, lightweight construction and connectivity (2012: 23,193 units). high levels. “We are aiming to achieve a significant rise for vehicles. MINI similarly set a new sales volume record in in sales volume in 2014, which would take us to a new The BMW Group increased deliveries to customers 2013, with worldwide sales edging up by 1.2 percent Honda Alghanim cashback offer all-time high of over two million vehicles”, stated by 6.4 percent to 1,963,798 units (2012: 1,845,186 to 305,030 units (2012: 301,526 units). The new gener- Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of units), with all three brands registering all-time highs. ation of the MINI will make its appearance in the celebrating Mother’s Day Management of BMW AG at the Annual Accounts showrooms from spring 2014 onwards. The MINI Press Conference on Wednesday in Munich. Record dividend Hatch, at the end of its model life-cycle, still managed KUWAIT: On the occasion of Mother’s Day, The Alghanim Motors Service Center provides The planned growth in sales volume should also BMW AG is committed to sharing its success with to achieve a sales volume of 128,498 units (2012: Honda Alghanim announces a cashback offer efficient and cost-effective services at all times. be reflected in group profit before tax (2013: € 7,913 its shareholders. The Board of Management and the 131,569 units; -2.3 percent). Sales of the MINI valid for one week only, serving as a unique and The waiting lounge offers customers a wide million): “We expect group profit before tax to rise sig- Supervisory Board will propose to shareholders at the Countryman were roughly at the previous year’s level, special gesture to all mothers in Kuwait. The array of amenities such as an electronic gaming nificantly in the current year despite ongoing volatile Annual General Meeting on 15 May 2014 that the divi- with a total of 101,897 units sold (2012: 102,271 units; - week-long offer includes a cashback of up to KD area, digital satellite channels, free wireless business conditions”, continued Reithofer. The pace at dend be increased to a new highest level of € 2.60 0.4 percent). In the period from its launch in mid- 800 on all 2014 Honda models. Internet access as well as relaxing massage which earnings increase will however be affected by (2012: € 2.50) per share of common stock and € 2.62 March to the end of 2013, the MINI Paceman achieved Honda models included in the offer com- chairs. Honda Alghanim’s customers will also high levels of expenditure for new technologies and (2012: € 2.52) per share of preferred stock. Based on a sales volume of 14,687 units. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars prise of the spacious, family-friendly Odyssey enjoy excellent customer service, quality main- by rising personnel expenses. these figures, the total distribution will rise to € 1,707 remained market leader in the ultra-luxury segment in that headlines this promotion with luxury for tenance options and competitive prices on gen- Despite substantial levels of investment in new million (2012: € 1,640 million). The dividend rate is 2013 and, with sales of 3,630 units (2012: 3,575 units; everyone on board which includes power slid- uine spare parts, all of which are provided by a technologies, the Automotive segment will again unchanged at 32.0 percent and is within the BMW +1.5 percent), achieved a new sales volume record for ing doors, LaneWatch system, ODMD touch team of professional and highly skilled techni- strive in 2014 to achieve an EBIT margin within a corri- Group’s target corridor of 30 to 40 percent. the fourth year in succession. screen system and a DVD/HDMI Rear cians. For more information, please call 1822777. dor of 8 to 10 percent (2013: 9.4 percent). Tailwind will The BMW Group recorded sales volume growth on Entertainment System with an ultra-wide 16.2” also come from the 16 new models and model revi- Automotive segment nearly all continents in the past year. “The BMW LCD screen for rear passengers. Also included in sions, which the BMW Group plans to launch in the Automotive segment revenues rose by 0.6 percent Group’s sales strategy is geared towards achieving an the offer is the Honda CR-V equipped with current year. to € 70,629 million (2012: € 70,208). Influenced by the evenly balanced distribution of worldwide sales across Bluetooth Hands Free Telephone System, a USB Despite challenging conditions on international above-mentioned factors - high expenditure for new the three main regions of the world to avoid overde- motorcycle markets, sales of the Motorcycles segment technologies, product range expansion and market pendence on any single market”, commented and AUX jack and rearview camera. The other are forecast to be slightly up on the previous year launch costs as well as increased competition - EBIT Reithofer. car highlighted in the offer is Honda’s best-sell- (2013: 115,215 units), not least due to the contribution decreased to € 6,657 million (2012: € 7,599 million; - ing Accord in both Sedan and Coupe models. expected from the new motorcycles presented at the 12.4 percent). The EBIT margin came in at 9.4 percent Motorcycles segment The Sedan combines practicality and elegance autumn trade fairs (the R nineT, S 1000 R, R 1200 RT, R and was thus in the upper half of the targeted corridor Sales volume, revenues and earnings of the with comfort and exceptional performance 1200 GS Adventure and K 1600 GTL Exclusive). The of between 8 and 10 percent. Segment profit before Motorcycles segment rose in 2013. Revenues edged while the Coupe offers just that in a sleeker, Financial Services segment is expected to also remain tax amounted to € 6,561 million (2012: € 7,170 million; up by 0.9 percent to € 1,504 million (2012: € 1,490 mil- sportier package. Both cars feature standard LED on growth course in 2014. As a consequence of -8.5 percent). lion). EBIT rose to € 79 million (2012: € 9 million) and daytime running lights, LED taillights and a host growth-related investments, the return on equity is The BMW brand retained pole position in the pre- profit before tax to € 76 million (2012: € 6 million). of options such as a navigation system, rearview likely to decrease slightly (2013: 20.2 percent), but still mium segment in 2013, with worldwide sales up by Segment earnings in 2012 were impacted by expens- camera, Smart Entry and Smart Start, ODMD surpass the BMW Group’s minimum required level of 7.5 percent to 1,655,138 units (2012: 1,540,085 units). es incurred in realigning the Motorcycles business. touch screen, leather seats and much more. 18 percent. The forecasts for the current year are The BMW X1 as well as the BMW 3, 5, and 6 Series all Despite challenging market conditions, a new sales The offer will run for one week only to give based on the assumption that political and economic asserted their positions as market leaders in their own volume record was set for 2013, with the number of customers and Honda enthusiasts the opportu- conditions remain stable in 2014. segments. BMW motorcycles delivered to customers reaching a nity to cash in on this limited-time deal. Solid growth was recorded again for the BMW X1, new of level of 115,215 units (2012: 106,358 units; +8.3 Customers are encouraged to visit the Honda Record figures with sales volume up by 9.2 percent to 161,353 units percent). The Financial Services segment continued to showroom in Safat Alghanim from 8:30 AM until The BMW Group continued to perform well during (2012: 147,776 units). The BMW X3 performed well perform well during the past year. Revenues increased 10:00 PM from Saturday to Thursday, and from the past year within a challenging economic environ- again and recorded a 5.0 percent increase to 157,303 by 1.7 percent to € 19,874 million (2012: € 19,550 mil- 9:30 AM until 10:00 PM on Fridays. ment worldwide and successfully maintained its posi- units (2012: 149,853 units). Sales of the BMW X5 were lion). Profit before tax amounted to € 1,639 million Alghanim Motors, the sole distributor of tion as the world’s leading premium manufacturer. only slightly down on the previous year at 107,231 (2012: € 1,561 million), 5.0 percent ahead of the previ- Honda automobiles, power products, marine “We have recorded our highest ever sales volume and units (2012: 108,544 units; -1.2 percent) despite the ous year. and motorcycles in Kuwait, is committed to pro- group profit figures for 2013 and achieved all the tar- model change (the new BMW X5 has been available The number of new contracts within the credit viding customers with flexible payment solu- gets we set ourselves for the full year”, pointed out since mid-November). financing and leasing lines of business grew world- tions, as well as offering comfortable amenities Reithofer. Group revenues for 2013 totalled € 76,058 The BMW 3 Series remained a major source of wide by 9.7 percent to 1,471,385 contracts (2012: in its new service center located in Shuwaikh. million (2012: € 76,848 million; -1.0 percent) and were growth in the past year, with sales rising by 23.0 per- 1,341,296 contracts). The portfolio of lease and financ- thus marginally down on the previous year, with the cent to 500,332 units (2012: 406,752 units). The suc- ing contracts in place with dealers and retail cus- difference due to exchange rate developments. Group cess story of the BMW 5 Series continued over the tomers at 31 December 2013 climbed by 7.4 percent Moody’s raises Cyprus profit before tax (EBT) increased by 1.4 percent to a twelve-month period, during which 366,992 units to a total of 4,130,002 contracts (2012: 3,846,364 con- new high of € 7,913 million (2012: € 7,803 million) were sold (2012: 359,016 units; +2.2 percent). The tracts). outlook, confirms rating despite increased investment in new technologies, greater competition and higher personnel costs. PARIS: The Moody’s ratings agency has tainties to the prospects for the macroecono- Group net profit climbed by 4.5 percent to € 5,340 mil- raised its outlook for Cyprus to positive, while my and banking sector,” Moody’s said in a lion (2012: € 5,111 million), also a new record figure for confirming the island’s Caa3 credit rating. The statement. Moody’s downgraded Cyprus to the BMW Group. agency said on Friday it was raising the out- Caa3 from B3 in January 2013. In all, it had Capital expenditure increased year-on-year by 27.6 look to positive from negative because of a downgraded Cyprus’s rating nine notches in percent to € 6,687 million (2012: € 5,240 million), giv- stronger than expected fiscal and economic 10 months. ing a capital expenditure ratio of 8.8 percent. The main performance in 2013 and because of the After years of prosperity, Cyprus was hit by focus in 2013 was on product investments for produc- authorities’ record of meeting conditions set a financial earthquake more than a year ago, tion start-ups (including the BMW 2 Series Active by international creditors. finding itself on the verge of bankruptcy Tourer) and infrastructure-related investments to But the country’s middle-range junk bond because of the high exposure of its banks to enable further growth. status was being confirmed because of “the Greek debt. It was granted a 10-billion-euro Research and development expenditure rose by persistent risks that remain to Cyprus’s public ($13.8-billion) international bailout in March 21.3 percent to € 4,792 million (2012: € 3,952 million), finances and their sustainability over the 2013, almost half of which has now been paid as a result of which the research and development medium term as a result of significant uncer- out. — AFP ratio climbed to 6.3 percent (2012: 5.1 percent). SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 technology

A heads-on look at Sony’s virtual reality googles

SAN FRANCISCO: The promise of virtual reality in Morpheus could recreate frantic “Jaws”-like the living room is coming closer to, well, reality. moments as the shark ominously circled the cage. Sony unveiled a prototype headset this week capa- However, it wasn’t completely immersive because ble of surrounding a wearer’s vision with interac- Project Morpheus only tracked movement of the tive virtual worlds. The system, codenamed Project head and DualShock 4 controller, so fin flipping Morpheus, utilizes a 1080p head-mounted display wasn’t translated to the feet on screen. with head-tracking capabilities and works in con- EVE: VALKYRIE: Developed by CCP Games and cert with the PlayStation 4 console to display set in their “EVE” universe, “Valkyrie” is a sci-fi multi- imagery on the headset’s screen, providing a 90- player dogfighter pitting players against each oth- degree field of view. er in the cockpits of galactic fighter jets. Project During a private demonstration of Project Morpheus’ version featured richer graphics and Morpheus to The Associated Press at the Game details, like a massive carrier in the distance of the Developers Conference, the headset felt secure star field battleground, than the one demoed over thanks to a sturdy yet comfortable halo-like ring at Oculus Rift’s booth. Playing in a seated position that snaps into place around the head. There’s a with a DualShock 4 controller in hand that acts as wheel positioned on the back headband that can the spaceship’s yoke, the sedentary orientation be turned for an even tighter fit. It’s lighter than provided “Valkyrie” with a VR advantage. Pulling off one might expect and certainly sleeker than the dizzying maneuvers like rolls, spins and corkscrews Oculus Rift, a similar VR headset that’s captured while simultaneously blasting other users com- game makers’ imaginations over the past two years pellingly simulated what it might be like to really but has yet to be released. A long, thick cable that pilot an X-Wing from “Star Wars.” pokes from the side of the visor, as well as dangling NASA MARS PROJECT: The technology demo headphone cords, prove cumbersome during created in tandem with NASA utilized high-resolu- physical movement while wearing the goggles. A tion images captured by both satellites and the closer look at four of the interactive experiences - Curiosity rover to transport a user to the surface of SAN FRANCISCO: Anton Mikhailov, senior software engineer at Sony Computer Entertainment not actual full-fledged games - Sony was using to Mars. The rover itself also made an interactive America research and development, speaks about the PlayStation 4 virtual reality headset Project demonstrate Project Morpheus at GDC: appearance, separately navigated by Project Morpheus (pictured at left) at the Game Developers Conference 2014 in San Francisco. —AP THE DEEP: This demo created specifically for Morpheus senior software engineer Anton Project Morpheus by Sony’s London studio cast a Mikhailov on a DualShock 4 controller. The parts of Morpheus. and a crossbow. For example, the wand-like con- standing user in the role of deep sea diver - com- the landscape closest to the user were crafted from THE CASTLE: This combat-centric game demo trollers could be used to slice off the mannequin’s plete with virtual wet suit and flare gun - inside a rover imagery, while mountainous vistas in the dis- dispatched users to a cartoony medieval training arm with one hand and grab it with the other shark cage that submerges into the depths of the tance were filled in using satellite data. By depict- ground where they could totally abuse a dummy in before gruesomely wiggling the appendage and ocean. The undersea encounter is interrupted by a ing the surreal sensation of strolling around a a suit of armor. When armed with a pair of gesture- discarding it into the distance. The controllers flaw- great white who attacks the enclosure at the first chunk of the Red Planet, the minimalistic demo detecting PlayStation Move controllers in each lessly mimicked hand movement in the virtual cas- whiff of blood. With lush graphics and stereoscopic was the most immersive of those on display and hand, “The Castle” depicted gauntlets on the head- tle yard, but a lack of interactive elements in the 3-D audio, “The Deep” showcased how Project showed off the non-game capabilities of Project set’s screen that could reach out and wield swords surrounding space left a desire for more. — AP A system with sophisticated pattern recognition abilities If you want to fake it, don’t do it around this computer WASHINGTON: In the ever-expanding contest phone interview. pain. But people also are adept at simulating emo- between artificial intelligence and the ordinary For the experiment, 25 volunteers each record- tions, some are so good they routinely can human mind, you can chalk up another one for ed two videos. In the first, each of the volunteers deceive others. “Human facial expressions some- the computer. Scientists have developed a com- immersed an arm in lukewarm water for a minute times convey genuinely felt emotions, and some puter system with sophisticated pattern recogni- and were told to try to fool an expert into thinking other times convey emotions not felt but required tion abilities that performed much better than they were in pain. In the second, the volunteers by a particular social context, for example express- humans in differentiating between people experi- immersed an arm in a bucket of frigid ice water for ing gratitude after receiving a terrible gift or sad- encing genuine pain and people who were just a minute, a genuinely painful experience, and ness at a funeral,” said the University of Toronto’s faking it. In a study published in the journal were given no instructions on what to do with Kang Lee, who studies lying in children and adults Current Biology this week, human subjects did no their facial expressions. The researchers asked 170 and was one of the scientists who conducted the better than chance - about 50 percent - in correct- other volunteers to assess which people were in research. The computer system proved far better ly judging if a person was feigning pain after see- real discomfort and which were faking it. than people at spotting subtle differences ing videos in which some people were and some After they registered a 50 percent accuracy between involuntary and voluntary facial move- were not. The computer was right 85 percent of rate, which is no better than a coin flip, the ments that underpin sincerity, the researchers the time. Why? The researchers say its pattern- researchers gave the volunteers training in recog- said. recognition abilities successfully spotted distinc- nizing when someone was faking pain. Even after “We can envisage in the very near future a tive aspects of facial expressions, particularly this, the volunteers managed an accuracy rate of widely available and inexpensive computer vision involving mouth movements, that people gener- only 55 percent. The computer’s vision system system that is capable of recognizing subtle emo- ally missed. included a video camera that took images of a tions,” Lee said by e-mail. “Such a system can not “We all know that computers are good at logic person’s facial expressions and decoded them. only be used to detect deception to prevent med- processes and they’ve long out-performed The computer had been programmed to recog- ical fraud or to help homeland security but also humans on things like playing chess,” said Marian nize that one kind of facial movement combina- recognize emotional states of patients who may Bartlett of the Institute for Neural Computation at tions suggested true pain and another kind sug- not be able to communicate very well due to the University of California-San Diego, one of the gested faked pain. “It’s looking at what 20 facial impairments or inability.” Such a system also researchers. “But in perceptual processes, comput- muscles are doing in every frame of video,” Bartlett potentially could be used in law enforcement and ers lag far behind humans and have a lot of trou- added. screening job applicants, the researchers said. ble with perceptual processes that humans tend Bartlett co-founded a San Diego-based start-up to find easy, including speech recognition and ‘Sadness at a funeral’ company called Emotient Inc to find commercial visual recognition. Here’s an example of a percep- So why are people so lousy at spotting a faker? applications for the facial expression recognition tual process that the computer is able to do better The human face transmits an abundance of infor- system, focusing on the retail and healthcare than human observers,” Bartlett said in a tele- mation including expressions of emotion and fields, she said. — Reuters BRITISH COLUMBIA: People arrive at Technology Entertainment Design (TED) gather- ing in Vancouver, Canada. — AFP Police keep quiet TED turns 30 with new about cell-tracking ‘ideas worth spreading’ technology VANCOUVER: TED turns 30 years old Snowden’s virtual visit to TED, and his WASHINGTON: Police across the country may be intercept- with a mind-sizzling mix of intrigue, promise of sensational new revelations ing phone calls or text messages to find suspects using a wonder and passion in the renowned to come, prompted the NSA to weigh in technology tool known as Stingray. But they’re refusing to gathering’s new home in Canada. A con- via video link a day later to argue that his turn over details about its use or heavily censoring files when ference born in California in 1984 that “arrogance” has put lives at risk and ter- they do. Police say Stingray, a suitcase-size device that pre- grew into a global forum for heady “ideas rorists on guard. “It was an intense expe- tends it’s a cell tower, is useful for catching criminals, but worth spreading” ended Friday after gaz- rience, it definitely pushed my own mar- that’s about all they’ll say. For example, they won’t disclose ing thoughtfully at the past and looking gin of comfort to the edge,” Anderson details about contracts with the device’s manufacturer, Harris optimistically ahead. “The platform has said. Anderson saw this year’s move from Corp., insisting they are protecting both police tactics and gotten more interesting to more people,” California to Vancouver as symbolic of commercial secrets. The secrecy - at times imposed by Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) the gathering’s evolution into a global nondisclosure agreements signed by police - is pitting obli- curator Chris Anderson said. “We are platform for ideas. Anderson and Peter gations under private contracts against government trans- planning on taking every opportunity to Diamandis of the X PRIZE announced a parency laws. Even in states with strong open records laws, including Florida and Arizona, little is known about police go deeper into issues; to present a core competition to reward those behind the VANCOUVER: Ayah Bdeir, founder and chief of startup littleBits, works with one of use of Stingray and any rules governing it. idea and add to it with ways to get first artificial intelligence creation that her creations at the TED conference in Vancouver, Canada. — AFP A Stingray device tricks all cellphones in an area into elec- involved.” TED has won a global following gives a TED talk compelling enough to tronically identifying themselves and transmitting data to for trademark “talks” during which the earn a standing ovation. police rather than the nearest phone company’s tower. Electrical engineering is brilliant, innovative, artistic or accom- Because documents about Stingrays are regularly censored, plished deliver thought-sparking presen- A ‘primal’ experience it’s not immediately clear what information the devices could child’s play with littleBits tations in 18 minutes or less. Looks at TED’s past and visions of the capture, such as the contents of phone conversations and future were woven through the week, text messages, what they routinely do capture based on how VANCOUVER: Ayah Bdeir is out to make a blue and a green piece for success. Pink Broad range of TED topics with MIT Media lab founder Nicholas they’re configured or how often they might be used. In one creating Internet Age gadgets as fun and pieces are optional. “On the one hand, you Topics at the five-day TED gathering Negroponte predicting by the end of the of the rare court cases involving the device, the FBI acknowl- easy as playing with LEGO blocks. The engi- can play and learn about electronics,” the ranged from mind-controlling parasites next three decades, people will ingest edged in 2011 that so-called cell site simulator technology neer behind littleBits kits that make a game littleBits chief told AFP while snapping and bionic limbs to intestinal microbes knowledge the way they do vitamins. affects innocent users in the area where it’s operated, not just of piecing together modular circuitry used together modules on a cushioned sofa at and collective consciousness. Female “Ultimately, TED is tapping into some- a suspect police are seeking. a Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) TED, the conference renowned for innova- fashion model Geena Rocero used the thing that is quite primal - a circle of Earlier this month, journalist Beau Hodai and the conference to debut a piece to the puzzle tive minds that ended on Friday. “But on TED stage to, for the first time, tell how humans looking a speaker in the eyes, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona sued the Tucson that lets creations talk to the Internet. “It is the other, you can invent and prototype she was born a boy in the Philippines but hearing a story told and feeling what the Police Department, alleging in court documents that police about allowing people to understand elec- without being an engineer or a program- become a woman to match her “inner speaker is feeling in a shared experience,” didn’t comply with the state’s public-records law because tronics which govern our modern lives and mer.” She spoke of users snapping together truth.” “Some of my neighbors, friends, Anderson said. The first TED gathering they did not fully disclose Stingray-related records and to let people become creators and makers,” creations ranging from window displays colleagues, even my agent didn’t know was a venue for elite thinkers to hear allowed Harris Corp. to dictate what information could be she said of her motivation to start the com- made of littleBits and craft material to hard- about my history,” Rocero said on the TED about and discuss new ideas. made public. Revelations about surveillance programs run by pany behind littleBits about two years ago. ware prototypes entrepreneurs have used stage. “Not a lot of people can say that Since then scientists, political leaders, the federal National Security Agency have driven a sustained “The Internet of Things is too important to pitch investors. their first job was pageant queen for artists, entrepreneurs and musicians debate since last summer on the balance between privacy for it to be governed by only big compa- The addition of a “cloud” module to link transgender women, but I’ll take it.” have taken to the stage at the tech- and government intrusion. Classified NSA documents, leaked nies telling you what you should purchase.” module creations to the Internet opens the Internet spying and online privacy focused gatherings. In 2006, TED began to news organizations, showed the NSA was collecting tele- Generic items ranging from jewelry to door door to using littleBits to create such gadg- were hot topics at the gathering, known to record talks and post them for free phone records, emails and video chats of millions of locks, cars or household appliances are ets as wireless speakers, smart thermostats for attracting Internet entrepreneurs online at their TED.com website. The Americans who were not suspected of crimes. enhanced with computer chips to go and security systems. The module is such as founders of Google, Amazon, website was recently upgraded to let That debate has extended to state and local govern- online for information or instruction under expected to be available later this year. the Internet of Things. Bdeir’s kits come “You can really start to prototype complex and Netflix. That debate was set ablaze viewers delve deeper into ideas and take ments. News organizations in Palm Springs, Calif; Tallahassee, with arrays of rectangular modules with things with no engineering knowledge by the surprise appearance of US former action. As TED talks were posted in more Fla; Sacramento, Calif, and Pittsburgh are among those that have been denied records about Stingrays or Stingray-like buttons, lights, buzzers or other little bits whatsoever,” Bdeir said. “Kids, entrepre- National Security Agency contractor languages, traffic to the website soared. that can be stuck together to create work- neurs, artists or anyone else can invent with Edward Snowden in the form of a robot Talks have spread to television and radio. devices, including details of contracts that Harris has with government agencies. In a response to a records request ing electronic devices. It is simple to make electronics the way they would invent with controlled remotely from his hideaway in Captivating TED speakers have become new creations, even for those with weak LEGOs.” Kits were such hits when the New Russia. “Doing it by tele-presence really Internet stars. “The dinner party has from the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper about Florida’s use of cell-tracking technology, the state’s top police agency geek skills. LittleBits blocks are magnetized York-based startup introduced them that excited him,” Anderson said of Snowden turned into a global phenomenon-a ban- so that modules can only be stuck together they sold out in two weeks. LittleBits are showing up in robot form to roam the quet for the whole world,” said Richard provided a four-page, heavily censored document signed by a police investigator. The newspaper reported that the docu- in ways that will work. now available in scores of countries and conference, even stopping for photos Saul Wurman, who started the gather- ment referred to guidelines concerning the purchase of used in about 1,800 schools, according to with Google co-founder Sergey Brin and ings that Anderson’s non-profit Sapling items and sought the department’s agreement to the “provi- Innovate and create the company. Kits range in price from $100 others. “He liked the geekiness and the Foundation has nurtured into the TED of Two basic rules of play are that magnets to $200, with “bits” also available for indi- sions/content of the Non-Disclosure Agreement.” — AP symbolic appeal of the bot.” today. — AFP are always right, and that one always needs vidual purchase. —AFP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 HEALTH & SCIENCE Toilet tech fair tackles global sanitation woes Public health improvement NEW DELHI: Who would have expected a toilet GDP of Kenya or Costa Rica. Water-stressed to one day filter water, charge a cellphone or India is by far the worst culprit, with more India has been encouraging rural communi- create charcoal to combat climate change? than 640 million people defecating in the open ties to build toilets, and last year launched a These are lofty ambitions beyond what most of and producing a stunning 72,000 tons of $1.6 billion program to help. But building sani- the world’s 2.5 billion people with no access to human waste each day - the equivalent weight tation systems in developing countries is not modern sanitation would expect. Yet, scientists of almost 10 Eiffel Towers or 1,800 humpback easy. Flush toilets are not always an option. and toilet innovators around the world say these whales. Many poor communities live in water-stressed are exactly the sort of goals needed to improve Pooping in public is so acceptable that many areas. Others lack links to sewage pipes or treat- global public health amid challenges such as Indians will do it on sidewalks or in open fields. ment plants. poverty, water scarcity and urban growth. Gaze out the window of any Indian train and To be successful, scientists said, the designs being exhibited at yesterday’s Toilet Fair had to go beyond treating urine and feces as undesir- able waste, and recognize them as profit-gener- ating resources for electricity, fertilizer or fuel. WASHINGTON: After being greeted by Rep Carolyn Maloney, center right, “Traditionally, people have gone into com- House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio leaves the House chamber on Capitol munities and said, ‘Let’s dig you a pit.’ That’s seen as condescension, a token that isn’t very Hill in Washington on Friday, where the Republican-controlled House voted helpful. After all, who is going to clean that pit?” for the 51st time in 26 months to neuter the nation’s health care law. —AP said M. Sohail, professor of sustainable infra- structure at Loughborough University in the UK. Congress confronts Medicare All the designs are funded by Gates Foundation grants and in various stages of cuts to doctors’ fees development. WASHINGTON: Hope is fading for a Capitol but to, yet again, address the outdated for- Some toilets collapsed neatly for easy porta- Hill drive to permanently fix Medicare’s out- mula with a temporary fix. The formula bility into music festivals, disaster zones or ille- dated payment formula and spare doctors dates to a 1997 budget law but soon gal slums. One emptied into pits populated by from automatic cuts in their fees next proved to be fundamentally flawed. waste-munching cockroaches and worms. month. Now the question is whether law- Congress has stepped in, usually for a year One Washington-based company, Janicki makers can regroup and come up with a at a time, to prevent doctors from absorb- Industries, designed a power plant that could short-term solution when the current patch ing fee cuts. feed off the waste from a small city to produce expires. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., 150 megawatts of electricity, enough to power Even though there’s widespread sup- said in a memo to fellow GOP lawmakers thousands of homes. port for bipartisan legislation to repair, on Friday that the issue is one of the “must- The University of the West of England, Bristol, once and for all, the broken Medicare for- do items” when Congress returns next showcased a urine-powered fuel cell to charge mula - it threatens doctors with a 24 per- week from a one-week recess. cellphones overnight. cent cut in their Medicare payments - A Cantor spokesman, Douglas Heye, there’s no agreement on how to bear the said it is possible the House would take up NEW DELHI: An exhibitor from Loughborough University demonstrates the use of a Solar-biochar system 10-year, $140 billion cost. legislation to temporarily repair the pay- toilet during Reinvent The Toilet Fair in New Delhi yesterday. —AP Another team from the University of A bill in the GOP-controlled House that ment formula. Senate action is unlikely Colorado, Boulder, brought a system concen- combines the so-called doc fix with a delay before the current fix expires on March 31. trating solar power through fiber optic cables to in imposing penalties on individuals who As a practical matter, the deadline to act is heat waste to about 300 degrees Celsius. Aside fail to purchase health care under the April 10, when Congress leaves for a two- from killing pathogens, the process creates a health care law is dead in the Democratic- week spring recess. charcoal-like product called biochar useful as controlled Senate. Without the individual When Congress has blown the deadline cooking fuel or fertilizer. mandate, fewer people would enroll in the in the past, Medicare has dealt with the “At the core are really interesting scientific program, generating $170 billion in savings problem by simply delaying processing principles, so translating this into scientific over 10 years. payments until the formula had been advances that people can relate to is really raised. exciting,” said one of the project leaders, Karl Phony reduction Lawmakers had hoped to do a perma- Linden, professor of environmental engineering In the Senate, meanwhile, a bill to nent fix this year because lower health care in Boulder. “Biochar is an important subject for address the problem is likely to be killed by inflation has shrunk the estimated cost of scientists at the moment, since it can be used to Republicans because it won’t be paid for. permanently fixing the payment formula. sequester carbon in the soil for 1,000 years or There has been discussion of claiming sav- But coming up with offsetting spending more.” ings from reduced war spending, but cuts is proving too difficult. The three- A team from Beijing Sunnybreeze Technologies Republicans and most budget experts month fix that passed in December was Inc. also brought a solar-biochar system, but with regard that as a phony reduction. designed to keep the pressure on Congress the solar panels heating air that will dry sludgy That leaves Congress with little choice to find a permanent solution. —AP human waste into nuggets that are then heated further under low-oxygen conditions to create biochar. “We are trying to build a system simple Checks could have stopped enough to be fixed in the village,” technical adviser John Keating said. abortion doctor One company from the southern Indian state NEW DELHI: An exhibitor demonstrates the use of a toilet tap where water is recycled of Kerala was not as concerned with providing WILMINGTON: The lawyer for an abor- math, two top state health officials were tion provider convicted of killing babies fired, and the state imposed tougher and reused, during Reinvent The Toilet Fair in New Delhi. —AP toilets as with cleaning them. Toilets are more common in Kerala than they are in much of the who were born alive said he thinks regu- rules for clinics. Scientists who accepted the Bill & Melinda face a line of bare bottoms doing their business country, but no one wants to clean them, said lar inspections at his client’s Philadelphia Gates Foundation’s challenge to reinvent the toi- on the tracks. Meanwhile, diarrheal diseases kill Bincy Baby of Eram Scientific Solutions. clinic would’ve kept him from going so Blind eye let showcased their inventions in the Indian cap- 700,000 children every year, most of which “There is a stigma. The lowest of the low are far astray. McMahon said he believes that regu- ital yesterday. The primary goal: to sanitize could have been prevented with better sanita- the ones who clean the toilets,” Baby said. Longtime doctor Kermit Gosnell “was lators turned a blind eye to Gosnell’s waste, use minimal water or electricity, and pro- tion. Eram’s solution is a coin-operated eToilet with not a stupid man” and would have met West Philadelphia clinic because it was duce a usable product at low cost. “In the West, such things are a nuisance, but an electronic system that triggers an automat- the standards required to keep his clinic providing “a cheap service” to poor, The World Bank estimates the annual glob- people don’t lose their lives,” said Christopher ed, self-cleaning mechanism. With 450 proto- open, defense lawyer Jack McMahon minority women. al cost of poor sanitation at $260 billion, Elias, president of global development at the types now looped into sewage systems across said at a law school seminar on Friday. Former clinic employees testified that including loss of life, missed work, medical Gates Foundation. “People don’t immediately India, electrical engineers are lining up for jobs “That doesn’t excuse the behavior Gosnell routinely performed illegal abor- bills and other related factors. India alone realize the damage done by infections coming as toilet technicians. “Now, they’re proud of that occurred here, but I think that tions past Pennsylvania’s 24-week limit. accounts for $54 billion - more than the entire from human waste.” their jobs.” —AP (inspections) would have prevented it, They said that Gosnell delivered babies because Dr. Gosnell was not a stupid who were still moving and that he and man. He may not have been at the Mayo his assistants killed them by snipping Sedatives cited in Clinic (level), but he would have risen to a their spines with scissors. higher level of competence ... to remain Gosnell’s biggest transgression may toddler’s dentist open,” said McMahon, who joined have been hiring high school dropouts Gosnell trial judge Jeffrey Minehart on a and other unqualified people to act as office death panel on high-publicity trials at Widener doctors, McMahon said. The employees University School of Law. performed abortions, administered HONOLULU: A three-year-old Hawaii girl who suffered Gosnell, 73, is serving a life sentence anesthesia and monitored high-risk a heart attack during a dentist visit likely died because after his conviction last year for killing patients. of the drugs given to sedate her, according to a med- three babies born alive and the overdose Four former clinic employees pleaded ical examiner’s autopsy report. death of a woman who was a clinic guilty to murder and four more to other patient. Investigators described his clinic charges. The co-defendants included Finley Puleo Boyle, of Kailua, probably died because as a chaotic “house of horrors,” replete Gosnell’s wife, a cosmetologist who of the sedatives and local anesthesia that were admin- with fetal remains in the staff refrigera- helped perform abortions. istered during her December dental procedure, tor, specimen jars of severed feet in his Despite the life sentence, Gosnell was Honolulu Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher office and dirty medical instruments in acquitted in the deaths of four other Happy concluded in his autopsy report. He classified the surgery rooms. babies. McMahon also negotiated a the death as an accident. Authorities in Pennsylvania had failed post-conviction deal that spared Gosnell The girl lapsed into a coma Dec 3 in the office of Dr. CIENFUEGOS: A nurse checks a patient’s blood pressure at the Dr Gustavo Lima to conduct routine inspections of all its a potential death sentence. Lilly Geyer at Island Dentistry for Children. She died Jan Alderegua Hospital in Cienfuegos, Cuba. Cuba is giving its hundreds of thou- abortion clinics for 15 years by the time Minehart, a Philadelphia Common 3. The office has since closed. sands of medical workers raises that in some cases exceed 100 percent. —AP Gosnell’s facility was raided as part of a Pleas Court judge, said Gosnell’s trial The autopsy report said the previously healthy girl prescription drug investigation. “was a fascinating trial to be a part of.” Gosnell later pleaded guilty in federal “I found it to be a tremendous experi- had no signs of underlying heart problems or an aller- Cuba hikes salaries court to running a pill mill for addicts ence,” he said. “I couldn’t have been hap- gic reaction to the array of sedatives and anesthetic she and drug dealers. In the scandal’s after- pier when it was over.”—AP received in preparation for cavity fillings and root canals, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser) reported Friday. for doctors, nurses The medical examiner noted her teeth were in good shape: “the oral cavity has native dentition in good HAVANA: Cuba is giving hundreds of thou- check I’m going to buy a toy for my How astronauts survive repair.” sands of medical workers raises that in youngest grandson, who’s 3,” said Soraida Finley received five drugs, according to the report, some cases exceed 100 percent, official Pina, a 62-year-old nurse. “This will open diplomatic tensions in space including Demerol, hydroxyzine and chlorohydrate. media on the island announced Friday, new doors for me.” WASHINGTON: While the United States after a half-year stay, said he considered his She was also given laughing gas and an injection of a though pay remains much lower than what medical professionals earn elsewhere. Others were less wowed. and Russia traded sanctions this week in a Russian counterparts “close friends” and local anesthetic, lidocaine with epinephrine. The Communist Party daily newspaper “They had talked to us about this, and burgeoning crisis over Crimea, astronauts described cooperation as “very strong.” “Immediately following the lidocaine injection, the Granma also reported that Cuba expects to it’s very important for the family economy, from both nations rose above the discord in Beyond the personal bonds forged in decedent became unresponsive and went into car- take in $8.2 billion this year for the tens of but it continues to be a salary that means their sanctuary hundreds of miles from space, experts say the two lead nations in diopulmonary arrest,” Happy said in his report. thousands of medical worker it sends to very little because everything is very Earth. the 15-country collaboration have to get Parents Ashley and Evan Boyle filed a negligence care for the poor in countries such as expensive,” said Laura Vazquez, a 38-year- Experts say mounting political and eco- along because of the way the $100 billion lawsuit while their only child was in a coma. Their attor- Venezuela and Brazil. old pathologist. nomic tensions between the old Cold War space station was designed. ney, Rick Fried, would not comment on the autopsy Granma published a sample of what the foes are unlikely to upset cooperation in report. pay hikes, which take effect June 1, will Stability and quality space at the moment-something which ‘Like divorced couple’ would be damaging to both sides. The Russian and US sections at the ISS Geyer’s attorney, John Nishimoto, has called the alle- look like. At the high end, doctors with two Cuba also is raising the salaries of med- Not that talking politics is taboo aboard have their own toilets and they have sepa- gations “unproven” but declined to comment further specialties will see their salary go from the ical workers on international missions, equivalent of $26 a month to $67, while an which already pay higher salaries and in the International Space Station (ISS), where rate air-conditioning systems. because of the lawsuit. He didn’t respond to the news- entry-level nurse will make $25, up from hard currency. Americans and Russians share close quar- But many complex operations at the paper’s requests for comment on the autopsy report $13. Doctors and nurses working in Cuban ters, orbiting at an altitude of 400km over football-field-sized orbiting outpost require Thursday. Salaries at government jobs in Cuba ally Venezuela, for example, will see their the Earth. Russian and US cooperation, both in space Geyer was issued a license to practice dentistry in average about $20 a month, augmented by salaries double. “We could talk about anything. We’d talk and from control centers on the ground. the state in July 2005, the Star-Advertiser has previous- a range of free services and subsidies. The changes “will contribute to the sta- about politics,” said retired US astronaut NASA mission control in Houston leads ly reported. As of last December, there were no records The raise will affect more than 440,000 bility and quality of the medical services for Leroy Chiao, who commanded the ISS for the effort, and the United States pays for of complaints against her or her practice on file with medical sector employees, Granma said, the people, as well as fulfill international six months in 2004 and 2005. the bulk of the yearly operating costs. the Hawaii Department Of Commerce and Consumer and was made possible by the elimination commitments,” Granma said. “With something like this going on, I am Howard McCurdy, an expert on space sure the crew is talking about it, you know, policy at American University, said it was Affairs, according to the newspaper. of 109,000 redundant jobs in the last four The paper added that the forecast rev- in a friendly way.” not all marital bliss at the ISS. In January, new state rules took effect tightening years. enue from overseas medical missions for “This is very good news that makes me 2014 represents 64 percent of income from American astronaut Mike Hopkins, upon “It is like a divorced couple trying to live oversight of dental sedation in Hawaii. —AP tremendously happy. ... With my first pay- the services sector. —AP returning from the ISS earlier this month in the same house,” he said. —AFP SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 HEALTH & SCIENCE Breakfast foods are getting pricier

NEW YORK: Breakfast is now being served with a Bacon prices impact pork production because it’s the first time that more, fairly soon,” Cox says. The average price of coffee and climbed as high as $1.57 a pound March 6, their side of sticker shock. The price of bacon is surging Bringing home the bacon is costing more. The PED has been detected in US herds, says Dennis for U.S. cities was $5 a pound in February, although highest price in two years. and the cost of other morning staples, like coffee and price of lean pork in the futures market is at record lev- Smith, a commodity broker at Chicago-based Archer that was little changed from a month earlier, according To be sure, moves in retail food prices won’t match orange juice, is set to rise because of global supply els and is up 52 percent since the start of the year, to Financial Services. to government data. the wild jumps in commodities markets, says David problems, from drought in Brazil to disease on US $1.31 a pound. Traders are concerned about a deadly “It’s become a hysterical market,” Smith says. Caroline Krajewski, a spokeswoman for Kraft, which Garfield, a consultant at AlixPartners who advises food- animal farms. virus in the US hog population. Gus Kasimis, 60, manager of the Green Kitchen owns the Maxwell House coffee brand, declined to makers. The reason: food companies worry about los- And it’s not just the first meal of the day that’s That could further boost bacon prices, which were Restaurant, a New York diner, says that increases in comment on the company’s pricing plans. ing market share and will absorb some of the higher being affected. The cost of meats, fish and eggs led already rising after farmers cut pig production food prices had already become more frequent and The price impact will be less noticeable at coffee costs rather than risk losing customers. the biggest increase in US food prices in nearly 2 1/2 because of higher feed costs. Those cost climbed after that he had been forced to pass on the higher costs to stores. That’s because the cost of beans makes up only “People would be up in arms, if every time they years last month, according to government data. An a drought in 2012. customers. a fraction of the final price, compared to other costs went to the grocery store the prices of their preferred index that tracks those foods rose 1.2 percent in The average price of a pound of sliced bacon in US But he’s not worried that people will stop coming. like rent and staff wages, says Alon Kazdan, 40, the items were jumping up and down,” says Garfield. February and has climbed 4 percent over the last 12 cities was $5.46 in February, up from $4.83 a year earli- Instead, they will cut down in other areas, perhaps owner of Cafe Noi, a small chain of coffee shops in New The price of a 12-ounce can of frozen orange juice months. er and $3.62 five years ago, government data shows. spending less at more expensive restaurants, if they York. Espressos at the cafe cost $2.40; Americanos are edged up in February to $2.43 from $2.41 in January, While overall inflation remains low, the increases The retail price of pork is projected to climb by 2.5 feel the squeeze. $3; lattes go for $3.60. according to government data. in food prices are forcing shoppers to search out percent to 3 percent this year, according to govern- “They still need to get a decent breakfast,” he says. He says prices should also remain in check because A series of problems are driving the increases. deals and cut back. ment forecasts. of competition between the companies that roast the Florida’s orange crop is forecast to be the worst in Denise Gauthier, 54, a screenwriter in North “You should expect to see very high prices for your Coffee market beans into the coffee. As for rising commodity prices, almost a quarter of a century. A citrus greening disease, Hollywood, Calif., calls the rising prices “shocking and ground beef, your other meat cuts, all the pork cuts You need your morning brew, and you’ll likely pay he puts that down to speculation. which is transmitted by tiny insects that feed on the outrageous.” To cope, she has become more frugal, will be higher this year,” Donnie Smith, CEO of Tyson more for it, at least at the supermarket. “People like to make panic for nothing, in order to leaves of oranges, is damaging the harvest. Infected hunting for discounts and buying less food overall. Foods, said in an interview with CNBC on March 12. Coffee futures have surged 57 percent this year and make money,” he says. trees start to produce bitter green fruit. The problem “I will look for things that are on sale and adjust US pig herds have been hit by a virus called this month rose above $2 a pound for the first time in Of course, people who need to get their caffeine fix was first detected in the U.S. in September 2005 and my menu for that,” says Gauthier, who now stocks up porcine epidemic diarrhea, or PED, which causes vom- two years. Coffee growing regions of southern Brazil, won’t be put off. Plus, coffee prices were at their lowest the Florida orange juice crop is down by almost a quar- on her favorite coffee when it goes on sale for $4.99. iting and diarrhea in the animals. After the first case in the world’s largest coffee producer, have been hit by level in about seven years before they started climbing. ter since then. Even though food companies use a range of cost- the US was confirmed in May, the virus spread drought. Analysts are forecasting that Brazil’s crop Starbucks customers also shouldn’t worry. They No cure is known, and the only solution is to cut cutting methods to limit the effect of higher food through hog herds during the cold winter. While the could shrink by about 20 percent this year. won’t be paying higher prices even if the cost of the down the tree. costs, consumers will likely feel the “ripple effects” of disease doesn’t affect people and is not a food safety Shoppers should be prepared to pay more at gro- beans keeps going up, says CEO Howard Schultz. The Add weather to the orange juice problem. A dry rising commodity prices, according to the Grocery concern, it can lead to mortality rates of between 80 cery stores, if the current trend continues for more than company has locked in its coffee bean prices for the spell last year stunted the growth of orange trees in Manufacturers Association, a trade organization for and 100 percent in newborn piglets. That’s raising a month, says Dan Cox, the president of Coffee next year using futures contracts. Florida and is hurting production this year, says more than 300 food, beverage and consumer prod- concerns of thinner herds as the US heads toward the Analysts, a company that tests coffee quality for retail- Michael Smith, president of T&K Futures and Options, uct companies. summer grilling season, when demand typically picks ers. Orange juice based in Port St. Lucie, Florida. In South America, Here’s a rundown of why breakfast food costs are up. “Whether it’s by the can or the bag, consumers Say squeeze when you pass the OJ. drought is raising concerns about the size of the crop rising, and why they could keep going up. Traders don’t know exactly how badly the virus will should probably expect to pay 50 cents per pound Orange juice futures are up 12 percent this year, in Brazil. —AP WHAT’S ON SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Crowne Plaza celebrates 2-day long Sri Lankan Food Festival A memorable culinary journey to Sri Lanka

rowne Plaza Kuwait, one of the country’s tional Channa Upuli group who are known for most popular five-star hotels, their uniquely creative style in representing Cannounced the opening of a two-day the richness of their culture. Their distinguish- long Sri Lankan Food Festival, in association ing presence lifted the ambience of the cere- with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait and mony and enthralled all present. Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka, at its Al-Ahmadi The Sri Lankan ambassador and his wife International Buffet restaurant. The festive officially declared the Sri Lankan food festival inaugural ceremony was held in the presence open in a very traditional way by lighting the of the Sri Lankan Ambassador Wijeratne, traditional lamp. The food festival draws a lot Jeyalakshmi Wijeratne, Jegan Durairatnam- of its support from the Embassy of Sri Lanka COO of Commercial bank of Sri Lanka and top and the main sponsors of the festival - management of the bank. The invitee list Commercial Bank - the most awarded bank in included ambassadors of Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka. Established in 1969, Commercial Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia , Germany, to Bank is the largest private bank in Sri Lanka name just a few in addition to a large number and the only Sri Lankan bank amongst the top of the media in Kuwait. 1,000 banks of the world for three successive “Al-Ahmadi Restaurant - the all-day dining years. It has been adjudged ‘Best Bank in Sri International Buffet restaurants prides itself in Lanka’ for 15 consecutive years by ‘Global hosting many international food festivals in Finance’ Magazine, USA and has won multiple the past and we are extremely delighted and awards as the country’s best bank from vari- excited to host the Sri Lankan food festival this ous other economic editions. month”, said Hassan Wanli - Hotel Manager, The festival features a wide array of authen- Crowne Plaza Kuwait. In the two-day Sri tic and mouth watering dishes and Al-Ahmadi Lankan food festival on March 18 and 19, the International buffet restaurant guarantees the guests are sure to experience the irresistible ambiance and dining experience aiming to aromas and the richness of the Sri Lankan tra- relive the true spirit of the Sri Lankan culture. ditions in the most extraordinary way ensur- Attention to detail with the menu by Chef ing them a memorable culinary journey to the Jeyaweera and his parade is the highlight of island. This food festival is yet another feather this gastronomic festival. The delicious Sri in its cap in offering an international dining Lankan delights, lively atmosphere and atten- experience to its guests. Wijeratne spoke won- tive service at Al-Ahmadi restaurant will allow derful words about the Sri Lankan traditions our diners to enjoy their dining experience. and the specialty of its rich cuisine. The guests will experience service of the high- Highlighting the opening ceremony was the est standard- something that Crowne Plaza very famous Internationally acclaimed tradi- has always pioneered.” Lu&Lu makes ‘Back to School’ an exciting experience

nce again Lu&Lu Hypermarket has stocked its shelves with the latest and best variety of children’s ‘Back to OSchool’ products, and is offering the best value in town during their ‘Back to School’ promotion from March 19 to April 12, 2014. Shopping for children’s stationery and school items need not be a tedious affair anymore, as Lu&Lu Hypermarket has stocked a wide assortment of choice products for the ‘Back to School’ shopping period. Some of the products on display include, all new cartoon-character lunch bags, trolley bags, water bottles, pencil case and a host of other school products. During the promotion a special 50 percent discount is being offered on a selected array of school items. Also, in a further attractive enticement, the Hypermarket is offering buyers of select cartoon-character school bags with one car- toon-character school bag-pack for free. Moreover, anyone purchasing stationery products will be entitled to a Coolgear Water Bottle for a special price. Lu&Lu Hypermarket has ensured that parents and children are able to have peace of mind during their ‘Back to School’ purchases by stocking high quality products at very attractive prices under one-roof.

Birthday Greetings

ish you a very Whappy birthday Rajesh! Best wishes from friends and family. WHAT’S ON SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Kuwait Times Marketing Director Adnan Saad receives the award for late Yousuf Saleh Al-Alyan. —Photos by Joseph Shagra Sheikha Hussa Sabah Al-Salam Al-Sabah’s daughter receives the award. Late Yousuf Alyan, Sheikha Hussa among 18 honored IBC celebrates 11th anniversary

By Sajeev K Peter

ate Yousuf Saleh Al-Alyan, IBC awardees at a glance founder, former publisher and LEditor-in-Chief of Kuwait Times l Late Yousuf Saleh Alyan, who founded l Abdulaziz Ahmed Al-Ghannam, the and Sheikha Hussa Sabah Al-Salam Al- the first daily newspaper - Kuwait founder of Al-Ghannam Group and Sabah, renowned Kuwaiti cultural and Times-in the Arab Gulf in 1961, was KAPICO group. literary figure, were among 18 promi- one of the founding members of the l Saud Abdulaziz Abdullah Alarfaj, the nent Kuwaiti and Indian personalities Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) founder of Kuwait Indian Friendship honored by Indian Business Council and served as its honorary chairman. Society. (IBC) Kuwait during its second annual He served five terms as chairman of l Dr Maqbulahmed Qadi, probably the award ceremony. The awards were giv- the KJA. He was honored by several only Indian general practitioner in en away during an impressive event world heads of state. Alyan passed Kuwait, whom the HH Amir conferred held on the occasion of IBC’s 11th away on December 5, 2007 at the age Kuwaiti nationality. anniversary celebration at Regency of 75. l Late Sales Bartholomew Monteiro, Hotel, Kuwait. l Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-Salam Al- one of the few Christians who came to Late Yousuf Saleh Alyan among six Sabah, wife of Sheikh Nassar Sabah work in the Arab world in 1930s. He persons were honored posthumously Ahmed Al-Sabah, the Minister of Amiri was instrumental in setting up a by the IBC on the occasion. Adnan Diwan, is the director of the Dar Al- catholic church in Kuwait. Saad, Marketing Director, Kuwait Times Athar Al-Islamiyyah (DAI) in Kuwait. l Late Narain Jashanmal, the founder of received the award. The Kuwaiti and l First Holding Company - Incorporated Jashanmal Group, commanded great Indian personalities were honored by IBC Chairman S K Wadhawan presents a memento by the Marafie Group, one of the respect among the Kuwaitis and the IBC in recognition of their significant to Adi Godrej. major prominent merchant families of expatriate business community. l contribution to nurturing India-Kuwait rity and is the place where a large business, tourism, medical or study IBC General Secretary Remesh Kohli Kuwait. The award was received by Late U C Kohli was the first chairman relations. number of Indians work and earn a purposes. “Now, Kuwaiti businessmen welcomed the guests and Treasurer Mutalib Marafie. of the founding committee of the l Adi Godrej, renowned Indian livelihood,” he said. can obtain five-year multiple entry Remesh Khanna proposed a vote of Khalid Jassim Al-Wazzan, Chairman of Indian School in Kuwait. l industrialist and Chairman of Godrej Godrej also presented an outlook visas,” he said. thanks. Kohli informed that from this Mezzan Holding Company, one of the Late Om Prakash Bhasin established Group of companies, in his keynote for the global economy and argued Goldar congratulated Indian year, IBC will offer scholarships for largest family conglomerates in the Bhasin Group, a pioneer in school, speech as chief guest, called on how India offers a huge scope for Business Council on its 11th anniver- needy Indian students in Kuwait. GCC with operations in sectors of army, police and scouts uniforms. l Kuwaiti and Indian business commu- growth. “I’m confident that in the sary for achieving this important mile- Chairman of Indian Community School food, catering, FMCG, service and Late Govind T Mirchandani, the nities to further broaden the scope of years to come, we will see India- stone. He said Indians have benefited Ashok Kalra thanked IBC for announc- industries. founder of Raja Stores and General l partnership between the two coun- Kuwait relations getting further significantly from Kuwait’s phenome- ing the scholarship for Indian students. Nael Jassim Al-Zayani, owner and Trading Company, a common meeting tries which still remained untapped. “I enriched and moving from just trade nal growth as much as they have con- Anand Kapadiya introduced Adi Managing Director of Al-Zayani Group point for many Indians in 1960s. l will urge my Kuwaiti colleagues to relations to a full-fledged business tributed to it. “IBC acts as a significant Godrej to the audience. Prominent of companies, the man who intro- Dhiraj Oberoi, Managing Partner of consider India as a long-term invest- partnership,” he added. Former linkage as it connects the business Indian businessman Tony Jashanmal duced luxury cars to Kuwait. The KITCO Group, who opened the first ment destination and try to strength- Kuwaiti Ambassador to India Issa Al- communities between Kuwait and also spoke on the occasion. group is also promoting Tata and snack factory in Kuwait. l en the relationship beyond trade as Issa was the guest of honor. India,” he said. A sitar recital by Santhosh Godrej products in Kuwait. Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman of Lulu group. l we see happening today in some of IBC Chairman S K Wadhavan in his Kulkarni accompanied by Sanjeev Kaled M Sidik, renowned writer, pro- He ranks among the top business per- the Middle Eastern countries,” Godrej Visa rules presidential speech congratulated the Deshpande on tabla created a viva- ducer and filmmaker who made the sonalities around the world. l said. Indian Embassy Deputy Chief of awardees and said that IBC was hold- cious ambiance in the hall. A large first film entirely produced in Kuwait. Saifuddin Katabjiwalah, Pioneer in Oil l Godrej pointed out that Kuwait is Mission Subhashish Goldar, in his brief ing the award ceremony for the sec- number of prominent Kuwaiti and Yousef Abdulaziz Mohammad Al- and Gas industry supplies business for one of India’s valued partners and a address, said Indian embassy has liber- ond year. He said the esteemed Indian businessmen and guests Bader, Managing Director of Al-Bader the past 40 years. He is an influential close friend in the region. “Kuwait is alized the visa regime for Kuwaitis awardees have contributed significant- attended the anniversary celebra- group. The group sponsors Air India local figure in the Dawoodi Bohra very important for India’s energy secu- facilitating their easy travel to India for ly to bolstering Indo-Kuwait relations. tion. and Indian Airlines in Kuwait. community. TV PROGRAMS SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

04:40 Container Wars 05:05 How Do They Do It? 07:35 Wolfblood 05:30 How It’s Made 07:55 Gravity Falls 08:20 That’s So Raven ‘Divergents’ Theo 06:00 Sons Of Guns 08:45 Jessie 07:00 You Have Been Warned 00:20 Doctors 09:05 Good Luck Charlie 00:50 New Tricks 07:50 Flying Wild Alaska 09:30 Shake It Up James a fresh 01:40 My Family 08:40 Fast N’ Loud 09:55 Austin & Ally 02:10 Walk On The Wild Side 09:30 Border Security 10:15 A.N.T. Farm 02:40 Being Erica 09:55 Auction Kings 10:40 Dog With A Blog Hollywood flame 03:25 Spooks 10:20 Container Wars 11:05 Suite Life On Deck 04:15 The Weakest Link 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:25 Jessie 05:00 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 11:10 How It’s Made 11:50 That’s So Raven ost movies made from young-adult best- 05:20 Balamory 11:35 Gold Rush 12:15 Hannah Montana sellers feature dashing leading men and 05:40 Nina And The Neurons 12:25 Alaska Gold Diggers 12:35 Hannah Montana “Divergent” is no exception. Taylor and 05:50 Me Too! M 13:15 Gold Divers: Under The Ice 13:00 Good Luck Charlie 06:10 Mr Bloom’s Nursery Liam step aside. Soulful Brit Theo James could be 14:05 Border Security 13:25 Austin & Ally 06:30 Balamory 13:45 A.N.T. Farm the next YA obsession. The star of the 2013 CBS 06:50 Nina And The Neurons 14:30 Auction Kings 14:55 Container Wars 14:10 Jessie police drama “Golden Boy” is relatively unknown 07:05 Me Too! 14:35 Dog With A Blog 15:20 North America on the big screen. But as the adaptation of 07:25 My Family 15:00 Good Luck Charlie 16:10 Fast N’ Loud Veronica Roth’s sci-fi novel hits theaters, that’s 07:50 The Vicar Of Dibley 15:25 Gravity Falls 08:20 Little Britain 17:00 Ultimate Survival 15:50 Austin & Ally about to change. “It’s extremely hard to quantify,” 08:50 Eastenders 17:50 Wheeler Dealers 16:10 Violetta said James in a recent interview. “I’m a pessimist 09:20 Doctors 18:40 You Have Been Warned 17:00 Liv And Maddie by nature, so I don’t believe something until 09:45 The Weakest Link 19:30 Sons Of Guns 17:20 Liv And Maddie 10:30 The Vicar Of Dibley 20:20 How Do They Do It? 17:40 Mako Mermaids someone has kind of punched me over the head 11:00 Call The Midwife 20:45 How It’s Made 18:10 Good Luck Charlie with it.” 11:55 New Tricks 21:10 Auction Kings 18:30 Jessie In “Divergent,” an action-thriller set in a dystopi- 12:45 My Family 21:35 Container Wars 18:55 Dog With A Blog an future where everyone is divided into “factions” 13:15 Little Britain 22:00 Dual Survival 19:20 Violetta 13:45 Eastenders by their values, James plays the brave Tobias 22:50 Survive That! 20:05 Jessie 14:15 Doctors 23:40 Yukon Men 20:30 Good Luck Charlie “Four” Eaton. Four dwells in the group named 14:45 Call The Midwife 20:50 Dog With A Blog Dauntless and acts as a mentor and eventual love 15:35 New Tricks 21:15 Gravity Falls interest to heroine Tris (Shailene Woodley). When 16:25 The Weakest Link 21:40 Shake It Up 17:10 Eastenders 22:00 Austin & Ally “Divergent” producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher 17:40 Doctors 22:25 A.N.T. Farm went looking for their hot hero, they did screen 18:10 Being Erica 22:50 Good Luck Charlie tests with about 20 would-be stars. “It was disaster 19:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 00:40 The Colony 01:30 Bang Goes The Theory 23:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place after disaster because Shailene blew them away,” 19:30 The Vicar Of Dibley 23:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 20:00 Upstairs Downstairs 02:00 Food Factory said Wick. “She’s so strong.” But after meeting 02:25 How Tech Works 20:55 Mistresses James, “we were completely excited,” added Fisher. 21:45 The Omid Djalili Show 02:50 Mega Builders 22:15 Stella 03:45 Kings Of Construction “He was tough, but he still had that ‘I can get hurt’ 23:00 The Weakest Link 04:35 Thunder Races thing that James Dean had.” 23:45 Eastenders 05:25 How The Universe Works Once the 29-year-old actor was cast, fans took 06:15 Food Factory 00:00 Chelsea Lately to social media to debate whether he was the 06:40 How Tech Works 00:30 The Spin Crowd 07:05 X-Machines 00:55 The Spin Crowd right choice to play Four. Some felt he was too old 08:00 Building The Future 01:25 Style Star for the role. Others thought he was too much of a 08:50 Eco-Tech 01:50 Style Star pretty boy to portray the gritty character. But 00:00 The Planners 09:40 Food Factory 02:20 E!ES 00:50 Extreme Makeover: Home 10:05 How Tech Works 03:15 Extreme Close-Up James says he never caught a glimpse of the skep- Edition 10:30 James May’s Man Lab 03:40 Extreme Close-Up ticism circulating about him. “Diving into Internet 01:35 Come Dine With Me 11:25 X-Machines 04:10 E!ES speculation is like playing with the devil,” he said. 12:20 Thunder Races 02:25 MasterChef 05:05 E!ES “It’s temping, of course. But I just had to believe 03:20 Chef At Home 13:10 How The Universe Works 06:00 THS 03:45 Chef At Home 14:00 Kings Of Construction 07:50 Fashion Police that I could play the role a certain way.” From the 04:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 14:50 Bang Goes The Theory 09:15 Opening Act COTTAGE COUNTRY ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD moment he read the first scene of the “Divergent” 04:55 Extreme Makeover: Home 15:20 Food Factory 10:15 Married To Jonas script, James knew how he’d embody Four. “I Edition 15:45 How Tech Works 10:40 Chasing The Saturdays Country wanted to use a bit of Paul Newman in this charac- 05:40 Bargain Hunt 16:10 Mega Builders 11:10 The Drama Queen 05:00 Good Morning America 05:30 Now Is Good-PG15 16:30 Endeavour 06:25 Come Dine With Me 17:00 How The Universe Works 12:05 Fashion Police 07:00 Emmerdale 07:15 Girl In Progress-PG15 ter because he had that way of being likable, very 18:20 May The Best House Win 07:15 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 17:55 Thunder Races 13:35 E!ES 07:30 Coronation Street 09:00 Midnight In Paris-PG15 still in the eyes and dangerous,” he said. 19:10 Coronation Street 08:00 Extreme Makeover: Home 18:45 X-Machines 14:30 Style Star 08:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:00 Olympus Has Fallen-PG15 19:35 Trevor Mcdonalds Queen & Exercising a bit of method acting when tackling Edition 19:35 James May’s Man Lab 15:00 Keeping Up With The 09:00 24 13:00 Magic Journey To Africa- Country the role, James distanced himself from the rest of 08:45 The Planners 20:30 Junkyard Wars Kardashians 10:00 Emmerdale PG15 20:30 Endeavour 09:35 Bargain Hunt 21:20 Large Dangerous Rocket 16:00 Keeping Up With The 10:30 Coronation Street 15:00 The Odd Life Of Timothy the cast when production began. “I wasn’t the 22:20 Coronation Street 10:20 Antiques Roadshow Ships 2011 Kardashians 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Green-PG 22:50 Emmerdale friendliest guy because in the beginning, Four is 11:15 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen 22:10 Food Factory 17:00 The Wanted Life 12:00 Castle 17:00 Midnight In Paris-PG15 23:45 May The Best House Win such a closed book,” he said. “I wanted to maintain Notebook: London 22:35 How Tech Works 17:30 Hello Ross 13:00 Made In Jersey 19:00 Red Dawn-PG15 11:40 Come Dine With Me 23:00 Stuck With Hackett 18:00 E! News 14:00 Live Good Morning America 21:00 The Bling Ring-18 that a bit.” Sitting in a Los Angeles hotel room on a 12:30 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 23:25 Stuck With Hackett 19:00 Fashion Police 16:00 24 23:00 The Campaign-18 sunny afternoon, James was the farthest thing 13:20 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 23:50 Large Dangerous Rocket 20:30 E!ES 17:00 Castle from cold or intimidating. A constant grin on his Ships 2011 18:00 Made In Jersey 14:05 Antiques Roadshow 21:00 The Drama Queen face, he often burst into a deep chuckle, especially 15:05 Extreme Makeover: Home 22:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On 19:00 24 Edition 22:30 E! News 20:00 Castle when contemplating his new label: Heartthrob. 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 15:50 MasterChef 23:30 Chelsea Lately 21:00 Made In Jersey 01:00 The Missing Lynx “My whole body just tensed up,” he said, adding 16:45 Bargain Hunt Stewart 22:00 Rescue Me 02:45 The Legend Of Sarila 01:00 The Colbert Report 23:00 Nip/Tuck that he’s “still not quite there” when it comes to 17:30 Chef At Home 04:30 Free Birds feeling comfortable in his own skin. “But I’m not 17:55 Chef At Home 01:30 The Big C 06:00 Olentzero Christmas Tale 18:20 Antiques Roadshow 02:00 South Park 08:00 Emperor’s Secret the boyish man I was at 25 when I was trying to 19:15 Homes Under The Hammer 02:30 Out There 09:45 Sky Force prove myself to everyone all of the time. I do feel 00:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 03:30 Raising Hope 20:10 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen 11:15 Mrs. Doubtfire more confident now. But with acting especially, 00:20 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 04:00 Seinfeld 13:30 The Legend Of Sarila Notebook: London 00:35 House Gift 00:45 Sonny With A Chance 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 00:30 Billy Bathgate-18 15:00 The Fantastic Adventure Of you climb one ladder and you see there are thou- 20:35 Bill’s Kitchen: Notting Hill 01:30 Emmerdale 01:05 Sonny With A Chance Jimmy Fallon 02:30 Dredd-18 The Ugly Duckling sands more. There is a long way to go, yet.” After 21:00 Food & Drink 02:25 Coronation Street 01:30 Suite Life On Deck 05:30 Seinfeld 04:15 Metal Shifters-PG15 16:30 The Elf Who Stole Christmas 21:30 Come Dine With Me 02:55 Holiday: Heaven On Earth high school, the Oxfordshire native attended 01:50 Suite Life On Deck 06:00 Two And A Half Men 06:00 Stealth-PG15 18:00 Sky Force 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 03:25 Agatha Christie’s Marple Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (both Daniel Day- 02:15 Wizards Of Waverly Place 06:30 Arrested Development 08:00 Virtuosity-PG15 20:00 The Water Horse: Legend Of 23:15 Bargain Hunt 05:15 Ade In Britain 02:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 10:00 Transformers-PG15 The Deep Lewis and Jeremy Irons are alums). Following two 06:10 House Gift 03:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 08:00 Seinfeld 12:30 Abandoned-PG15 22:00 The Fantastic Adventure Of years of study, he took a few jobs acting in “terri- 07:05 Holiday: Heaven On Earth 03:20 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 08:30 Seinfeld 14:00 Virtuosity-PG15 The Ugly Duckling 07:30 Agatha Christie’s Marple ble, deeply embarrassing short films” before land- 03:45 Sonny With A Chance 09:30 The Crazy Ones 16:00 Skyfall-PG15 23:30 The Elf Who Stole Christmas 04:05 Sonny With A Chance 09:20 Ade In Britain 10:00 Trophy Wife 18:30 Abandoned-PG15 ing a role in Woody Allen’s 2010 comedy “You Will 04:30 Suite Life On Deck 10:15 May The Best House Win 10:30 Arrested Development 20:00 Bait-PG15 Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.” 11:10 Emmerdale 00:30 Gold Rush 04:50 Suite Life On Deck 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring 22:00 Skyfall-PG15 “It was like six scenes, but it was a good job,” he 12:00 Coronation Street 01:20 Alaska Gold Diggers 05:15 Wizards Of Waverly Place Jimmy Fallon 05:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:30 House Gift recalls. That same year, he appeared in the popular 02:10 Gold Divers: Under The Ice 12:00 Two And A Half Men 06:00 Austin & Ally 13:25 Ade In Britain 12:30 Seinfeld British TV drama “Downton Abbey.” “It was fun, but 03:00 You Have Been Warned 06:25 Dog With A Blog 14:20 May The Best House Win 13:00 Seinfeld 00:00 Knuckle-PG15 by no means did it change my life,” he said of the 03:50 Border Security 02:00 Gambit-PG15 06:45 Suite Life On Deck 15:10 Holiday: Heaven On Earth 13:30 Arrested Development 00:00 Mash-18 04:15 Auction Kings 04:00 Snowflake , The White role. “I’d already had to hustle by the time it aired 07:10 A.N.T. Farm 15:35 Trevor Mcdonalds Queen & 14:00 Raising Hope 02:00 Cottage Country-PG15 Gorilla-PG in America.” Despite the hype surrounding 14:30 The Crazy Ones 04:00 White Chicks-PG15 06:00 Dating Coach-PG15 15:00 Trophy Wife 06:00 The Great Outdoors-PG15 “Divergent,” James says he’s sure he’ll continue to 08:00 The Greatest Movie Ever 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon 08:00 The Ringer-PG15 battle for roles after the movie comes out. “The Sold-PG15 Stewart 10:00 Fun Size-PG15 10:00 Charlotte’s Web-PG things that I want to go for after this are going to 16:00 The Colbert Report 12:00 White Chicks-PG15 12:00 Gambit-PG15 be the things that I will have to fight for,” he says, 16:30 Two And A Half Men 14:00 Norbit-PG15 14:00 Barnyard-PG 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 16:00 Fun Size-PG15 adding that he admires the talent and choices of 16:00 The Greatest Movie Ever 18:00 The Simpsons 18:00 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot- Sold-PG15 Oscar-nominated Michael Fassbender. 19:00 The Mindy Project PG15 17:45 Iron Man 3-PG15 “This stage is very important because I don’t 19:30 Modern Family 20:00 Vampire In Brooklyn-PG15 20:00 Killing Them Softly-18 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 22:00 Mash-18 want to get banned into a category,” he says. Jimmy Fallon 22:00 The Possession-PG15 Signed on to star in “Divergent” follow-ups 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon “Insurgent,” which begins shooting in May, and Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report “Allegiant,” he’ll play the bold hero for a few more 22:00 Veep years. But he’ll also appear in the upcoming mys- 22:30 South Park 01:00 NRL Premiership tery “London Fields,” opposite Amber Heard, and 23:00 Out There 03:00 NRL Premiership 01:00 Red Lights-PG15 05:00 NRL Full Time in the drama “Franny,” starring Dakota Fanning and 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 03:00 Offline-PG15 05:30 Futbol Mundial Richard Gere. “Sometimes the best parts are the 05:00 Class-PG15 07:00 Someday This Pain Will Be 06:00 Trans World Sport leading men,” he says. “But the little parts can be Useful To You-PG15 07:00 Trans World Sport similarly gratifying.” — AP 09:00 Red Lights-PG15 08:00 LV Cup 00:00 Warehouse 13 11:00 Salmon Fishing In The 10:00 Golfing World 01:00 Mistresses Yemen-PG15 11:00 World Golf Championship 02:00 The Killing 13:00 Beneath Hill 60-PG15 Highlights 03:00 World Without End 15:00 Too Late To Say Goodbye- 12:00 Super Rugby 04:00 Grey’s Anatomy PG15 14:00 Super Rugby 05:00 The Fosters 17:00 Pop Star-PG15 16:00 NRL Premiership 06:00 Warehouse 13 19:00 Broken-PG15 18:00 World Golf Championship 07:00 Drop Dead Diva 21:00 Peacock-18 Highlights 08:00 Switched At Birth 23:00 White Irish Drinkers-18 09:00 The Killing 19:00 Golfing World 10:00 The Fosters 20:00 PGA European Tour Weekly 11:00 Grey’s Anatomy 20:30 Inside The PGA Tour 12:00 Emmerdale 21:00 Trans World Sport 12:30 Coronation Street 22:00 LV Cup 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Switched At Birth 01:15 Surveillance-18 15:00 Warehouse 13 03:00 The Last King Of Scotland-18 16:00 Emmerdale 05:30 Intolerable Cruelty-PG15 00:00 Golfing World 16:30 Coronation Street 07:15 Hold Fast-PG15 01:00 Premier League Darts 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 09:00 Alfie Boe: Bring Him Home 04:00 LV Cup 18:00 Switched At Birth Tour-PG15 06:30 NRL Full Time 19:00 Twisted 10:30 Someday This Pain Will Be 20:00 Scandal Useful To You-PG15 07:00 NRL Premiership 21:00 House Of Cards 12:45 Earth-PG15 09:00 NRL Full Time 22:00 American Horror Story: 15:00 Offline-PG15 09:30 Dubai World Cup Carnival Coven 17:00 Someday This Pain Will Be 13:00 Trans World Sport 23:00 World Without End Useful To You-PG15 14:00 Golfing World 19:00 L’amour C’est Mieux A Deux- 15:00 World Golf Championships PG15 Highlights 21:00 Arbitrage-PG15 23:00 Savages-18 16:00 Snooker 19:00 NHL In this file photo, Shailene Woodley (left) and 21:00 HSBC Sevens World Series Theo James arrive at the world premiere of 00:00 Made In Jersey 23:00 HSBC Sevens World Series “Divergent” at the Westwood Regency Village 01:00 Good Morning America Highlights 03:00 Nip/Tuck 01:15 Drift-PG15 Theater in Los Angeles. — AP SKYFALL ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION 04:00 Rescue Me 03:30 Olympus Has Fallen-PG15 23:30 PGA European Tour Weekly Classifieds

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Kuwait Required QA/QC KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY Oil & Gas company for pressure vessels • Desired candidate profile : • QA/QC Engineer. SHARQIA-1 FANAR-4 RED SKY (DIG) 1:00 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 12:30 PM • Engineering degree holder •Minimum of 5 years experience LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 3:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 2:30 PM in pressure vessels & metal works • Excellent Knowledge RED SKY (DIG) 5:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 4:30 PM LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 7:45 PM MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 6:30 PM ISO – ASME – ASNT with certificate LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 9:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 8:30 PM • Transferable Visa 18 RED SKY (DIG) 11:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 10:30 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 12:30 AM Send C.V To Email: [email protected] NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 12:45 PM FANAR-5 MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 2:45 PM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 1:45 PM FOR SALE SITUATION WANTED MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 4:45 PM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 3:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 6:45 PM LAST LOVE (DIG) 6:00 PM Chevrolet jeep - Trail Blazer I am looking for a job in 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 8:45 PM LAST LOVE (DIG) 8:15 PM - LS 2008, black color, accounts & finance, my 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 10:45 PM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 10:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG-3D) 12:45 AM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 12:45 AM Alghanim. Excellent condi- expectation is between KD NO SUN+TUE+WED NO SUN+TUE+WED tion. KM 127,000, KD 2,650. 650 to KD 1000 depending Mob: 50994848. (C 4669) upon the position offered. I SHARQIA-3 MARINA-1 18-3-2014 have transferable residency NON-STOP (DIG) 1:45 PM RED SKY (DIG) 1:45 PM article no. 18 & also valid FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 4:00 PM RED SKY (DIG) 4:00 PM 2011 Toyota Camry, white NON-STOP (DIG) 6:00 PM RED SKY (DIG) 6:15 PM driving license. Kindly con- NON-STOP (DIG) 8:15 PM LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 8:30 PM exterior, mileage 76,000, tact me by SMS with your FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 10:30 PM LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 10:30 PM price KD 3,450. Tel: email ID on this no. NON-STOP (DIG) 12:30 AM RED SKY (DIG) 12:30 AM 99883645. (C 4666) 66825635 to forward you NO SUN+TUE+WED NO SUN+TUE+WED my CV. (C 4667) TEACHERS REQUIRED URGENTLY MUHALAB-1 MARINA-2 SITUATION WANTED 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 1:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 1:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 3:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 3:45 PM SITUATION VACANT RED SKY (DIG) 5:30 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 6:00 PM I am looking for a job in English, Maths, Social Studies, Chemistry, 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 7:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 8:00 PM accounts & finance, my Housemaid required full- Physics, Accountancy, Hindi, Art, 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 9:45 PM 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 10:00 PM expectation is between KD time or part-time 6 - 3:30 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (DIG) 12:15 AM Counselor And Physical Education MUHALAB-2 NO SUN+TUE+WED 650 to KD 1000 depending pm in Farwaniya for 1 RED SKY (DIG) 1:30 PM upon the position offered. I month who can take care of (Mped)/ (Female) RED SKY (DIG) 3:45 PM MARINA-3 have transferable residency 2.5-year-old child and LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 6:00 PM MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 1:00 PM article no. 18 & also valid knows cooking, English INTERESTED CANDIDATES CAN MAIL THEIR CV LAMO AKHZA (DIG) (Arabic) 8:00 PM NON-STOP (DIG) 3:15 PM driving license. Kindly con- speaking is a must, salary RED SKY (DIG) 10:00 PM MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 5:30 PM IMMEDIATELY TO: [email protected] NON-STOP (DIG) 7:30 PM tact me by SMS with your KD 120. Call: 97220933. Phone: 23728702 / 23728724 MUHALAB-3 NON-STOP (DIG) 9:45 PM email ID on this no. (C 4670) Fax: 23720866 ,WWW.IISKWT.COM MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 1:00 PM NON-STOP (DIG) 12:05 AM 66825635 to forward you 19-3-2014 NON-STOP (DIG) 3:00 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED my CV. (C 4667) MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG-3D) 5:15 PM 16-3-2014 NON-STOP (DIG) 7:15 PM AVENUES-1 NON-STOP (DIG) 9:30 PM LAST LOVE (DIG) 2:15 PM No: 16113 LAST LOVE (DIG) 4:45 PM FANAR-1 LAST LOVE (DIG) 7:15 PM CHANGE OF NAME NON-STOP (DIG) 12:45 PM LAST LOVE (DIG) 9:45 PM NON-STOP (DIG) 3:00 PM LAST LOVE (DIG) 12:15 AM I, Dahodwala Husain NON-STOP (DIG) 5:15 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED Joharbhai holder of NON-STOP (DIG) 7:45 PM NON-STOP (DIG) 10:00 PM AVENUES-2 Passport No. K3652369, NON-STOP (DIG) 12:15 AM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 2:30 PM hereby change my surname NO SUN+TUE+WED FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 4:30 PM to Bhabhrawala Husain FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 6:30 PM Joharbhai. (C 4671) FANAR-2 FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 8:30 PM MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG) 1:30 PM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 10:30 PM I, Eliyas Johnson S/O Elias MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN (DIG) 3:30 PM FORCE OF EXECUTION (DIG) 12:30 AM LAMO AKHZA (DIG)(Arabic) 5:30 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED holder of Passport No. LAMO AKHZA (DIG)(Arabic) 7:30 PM A8968226 hereby changed LAMO AKHZA (DIG)(Arabic) 9:30 PM AVENUES-3 Elias Johnson Kuriakose, LAMO AKHZA (DIG)(Arabic) 11:45 PM RED SKY (DIG) 2:00 PM no.3 Bishopwallers Avenue NO SUN+TUE+WED RED SKY (DIG) 4:15 PM west Mylapore, Chennai 4. RED SKY (DIG) 6:45 PM FANAR-3 RED SKY (DIG) 9:00 PM (C 4672) RED SKY (DIG) 12:30 PM RED SKY (DIG) 11:30 PM RED SKY (DIG) 2:45 PM NO SUN+TUE+WED I, Mohinder Pal Singh, RED SKY (DIG) 5:00 PM holder of Indian Passport BEWAKOOFIYAAN (DIG) (Hindi) 7:15 PM AVENUES-4 No. G 1687598 hereby RED SKY (DIG) 9:45 PM NON-STOP (DIG) 1:45 PM RED SKY (DIG) 12:05 AM NON-STOP (DIG) 4:00 PM change my name to NO SUN+TUE+WED NON-STOP (DIG) 6:15 PM Mohinder Singh. (C 4673) NON-STOP (DIG) 8:30 PM 20-3-2014

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

Arrival Flights on Sunday 23/3/2014 QTR 1078 Doha 13:55 Departure Flights on Sunday 23/3/2014 FDB 058 Dubai 14:30 Airlines Flt Route Time KAC 672 Dubai 14:00 Airlines Flt Route Time QTR 1079 Doha 14:55 JAI 574 Mumbai 00:10 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30 UAL 981 IAD 00:05 KAC 673 Dubai 15:05 JZR 539 Cairo 00:40 KNE 472 Jeddah 14:35 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 KAC 617 Doha 15:15 THY 772 Istanbul 00:45 GFA 221 Bahrain 15:00 AXB 490 Mangalore/Kochi 00:15 KNE 473 Jeddah 15:30 QTR 1084 Doha 00:55 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:10 JAI 573 Mumbai 01:10 SVA 503 Madinah/Jeddah 15:45 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 IRC 6666 Ahwaz 15:15 DLH 637 Frankfurt 02:10 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:45 DLH 637 Dammam 01:10 QTR 1072 Doha 16:40 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45 IRC 6667 Ahwaz 16:15 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:30 UAE 857 Dubai 16:40 THY 773 Istanbul 02:55 KAC 513 Tehran 16:20 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:50 PGT 859 Istanbul 03:20 JZR 238 Amman 16:55 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:10 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 UAE 854 Dubai 03:50 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:35 THY 764 Istanbul 02:15 UAL 982 IAD 17:05 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:00 QTR 1073 Doha 17:40 JZR 267 Beirut 02:30 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 MSR 613 Cairo 04:10 JZR 538 Cairo 17:50 UAE 853 Dubai 02:35 ABY 127 Sharjah 17:25 QTR 1085 Doha 04:15 UAE 858 Dubai 17:50 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 02:45 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 FDB 068 Dubai 04:40 RJA 641 Amman 17:55 JAI 576 Kochi/Abu Dhabi 02:50 AFG 415 Kabul 17:45 QTR 1077 Doha 05:15 ABY 128 Sharjah 18:05 MSR 612 Cairo 03:10 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:55 CLX 792 Hong Kong 05:45 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 CLX 792 Luxembourg 03:40 KAC 542 Cairo 18:05 JZR 560 Sohag 06:20 UAL 982 Bahrain 18:20 QTR 1076 Doha 03:45 RBG 553 Alexandria 18:15 FDB 070 Dubai 06:30 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 FDB 067 Dubai 04:00 JAI 575 Abu Dhabi/Kochi 06:45 JZR 177 Dubai 18:20 JZR 184 Dubai 18:40 KAC 544 Cairo 04:20 QTR 1080 Doha 18:40 JZR 164 Dubai 06:55 AFG 415 Jeddah 18:45 THY 770 Istanbul 05:35 FDB 063 Dubai 18:45 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 JZR 266 Beirut 18:50 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:40 KAC 786 Jeddah 18:45 THY 765 Istanbul 07:05 RBG 554 Alexandria 18:55 QTR 8524 Doha 05:45 KAC 502 Beirut 18:50 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 JZR 134 Bahrain 19:10 FDB 069 Dubai 05:50 KAC 618 Doha 19:00 QTR 8525 Doha 07:15 FDB 064 Dubai 19:25 JZR 553 Alexandria 06:05 KAC 166 Paris/Rome 19:10 THY 771 Istanbul 07:30 QTR 1081 Doha 19:40 BAW 157 London 06:40 AXB 393 Kozhikode 19:15 FDB 054 Dubai 08:30 AXB 3944 Kozhikode 20:15 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:45 KAC 674 Dubai 19:25 BAW 156 London 08:45 KAC 206 Islamabad 07:40 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 QTR 1087 Doha 08:50 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 QTR 1086 Doha 07:50 KAC 102 New York/London 19:35 KAC 171 Frankfurt 09:10 KAC 283 Dhaka 20:30 FDB 053 Dubai 07:50 OMA 647 Muscat 19:55 SVA 513 Riyadh 09:15 FDB 062 Dubai 20:45 KAC 382 Delhi 07:55 KAC 562 Amman 19:55 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:25 OMA 648 Muscat 20:55 KAC 302 Mumbai 07:55 FDB 061 Dubai 20:05 KAC 671 Dubai 09:30 ABY 120 Sharjah 21:00 KAC 352 Kochi 08:10 JAI 572 Mumbai 20:10 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40 KAC 361 Colombo 21:00 SVA 512 Riyadh 08:15 ABY 129 Sharjah 20:20 UAE 856 Dubai 09:55 JAI 571 Mumbai 21:10 KAC 332 Trivandrum 08:15 MSR 606 Luxor 20:45 KAC 117 New York 10:00 MSR 619 Alexandria 21:45 UAE 855 Dubai 08:40 KAC 514 Tehran 20:45 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:05 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 KAC 362 Colombo 08:45 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:55 KAC 773 Riyadh 10:05 FDB 072 Dubai 21:55 KAC 284 Dhaka 08:50 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 FDB 056 Dubai 10:20 ALK 230 Colombo 22:10 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00 FDB 071 Dubai 21:15 KAC 741 Dammam 10:30 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:20 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 QTR 1071 Doha 10:55 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:20 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:35 KAC 501 Beirut 11:10 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 QTR 1070 Doha 09:55 UAE 859 Dubai 21:40 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:35 IRA 603 Shiraz 10:35 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KAC 541 Cairo 11:30 FDB 060 Dubai 22:40 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 KAC 172 Frankfurt 21:45 IRA 602 Shiraz 11:35 UAE 860 Dubai 22:50 JZR 165 Dubai 11:30 FDB 059 Dubai 22:00 KAC 103 London 12:20 KAC 381 Delhi 22:50 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 QTR 1074 Doha 22:00 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:25 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:55 IRC 6507 Shiraz 12:05 KLM 417 Amsterdam 22:05 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 KAC 351 Kochi 23:00 SYR 341 Latakia 12:10 JZR 135 Bahrain 22:05 KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00 KLM 417 Dammam/Amsterdam 23:05 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 UAL 981 Bahrain 22:10 IRC 6508 Shiraz 13:05 QTR 1075 Doha 23:10 JZR 561 Sohag 12:55 JZR 239 Amman 22:20 SYR 342 Latakia 13:10 KAC 343 Chennai 23:15 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 AIC 981 Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad 22:30 JZR 176 Dubai 13:45 JZR 502 Luxor 23:30 KAC 742 Dammam 13:30 FDB 061 Dubai 23:00 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 FDB 062 Dubai 23:40 KAC 774 Riyadh 13:30 JZR 185 Dubai 23:20 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:55 FDB 057 Dubai 13:50 PIA 205 Lahore 23:55 KAC 561 Amman 14:30 KAC 415 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta 23:55 DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION stars34 SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

STAR TRACK CROSSWORD 495

Aries (March 21-April 19) Libra (September 23-October 22)

At times, your day gets noisy. Let’s face facts; if you are in a business where You feel inspired in the workplace today. This is an easy calm day that people must gain the attention of others, your day is noisy. No matter what should find everything running smoothly. Interaction with authority figures type of business you are in, your day is noisy, much like a person working in a factory or an or older people may be in the forecast. Working with, rather than against, the flow of ener- auction barn. Today . . . All is fun and easy to tolerate. You are learning to rise above others gies today should be easy to do. Community, club or social interests are the topic of con- with clever ideas and antics that gain the attention of potential customers. This is the way versation during the lunch hour. Think before you act with regard to financial matters you achieve, move forward and make your money. If you back away and think about the today and remember that there is no gain in jumping into a really great-sounding deal way you do things, you will take note that your life is fun, profitable, albeit a bit noisy. You without checking it out first. You may be sought after for your advice regarding very per- feel involved in the struggle of competition, success and the conduct of fair play. Life can sonal and emotional issues this evening. You will be able to handle questionable material. You are able to cut through the red tape and get at the basics: truth. be fun! Happy birthday!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Schedules or goals may need to be changed or readjusted and you will Progressive people and visionary groups or concepts begin to play a more spend quite a bit of time today on the phone with co-workers regarding these schedules. important role in your life. You may be sought after as just the person for a You may want to readjust your expectations. Work slowdowns or stoppages may have particular volunteer job. You may be asked to weed through a mess and come up with a been present last week and you study ways in which to improve progress. An undercur- method or purpose. It is easy for you to swing from one job to another and keep your wits about you. This is the main reason you stay in demand. Resisting the urge to escape is rent of restlessness makes you aware of spending too much time in working the solutions commendable but you must find a way to relax at some point today. A disciplined out, but somehow you will be pleased at the effort you and others have put into finding approach to work, health and others of life’s essential routines is important. A teammate the right changes. Negotiations are being considered. Be aware of keeping a balance in will be very helpful at this time. A surprise will come to you today from an admirer. This your own day. You are well-disposed to others now-be careful in bending over backwards. evening is for reading and nourishment. You cook this evening . . . Think green. Your creative side is strong. Allow yourself time to be creative.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

You will find yourself more excited about completing a personal project this Your professional future looks bright-so much so that co-workers want to weekend. This is a time when you and your family can expect some sort of know your secret. You may worry, excessively, about home life and domestic security if ACROSS straight horns. support or recognition, perhaps from the community. You may feel that you are connect- you are away from the home place for too long. Create an opportunity to talk with higher- 1. The airforce of Great Britain. 3. A corporation authorized by Congress to ed with others; the lines of communication are open. Relaxing after all your efforts may ups and find a way to merge a new person in-to take some out-of-town trips. Compromise find you discussing philosophical things with friends and acquaintances. You may find a 4. Japanese stringed instrument resembling a provide a secondary market for residential is the right attitude of the day. Do not worry about reuniting with friends; this will come relative or two that seems to need you more often, perhaps more dependent. By the end soon enough. A love of music and an appreciation for the pleasures of the finer things in banjo with a long neck and a fretted finger- mortgages. of next month, however, they may take back those little things that you have been doing life are the signs of the cycle that has begun for you. This is aesthetic and artistic to be board and a rectangular soundbox. 4. Anthropologist and linguist. for them and thankfully, gain some independence. Your own health is getting better and sure, but it is also practical and materialistic. There is an opportunity to increase your pro- 11. (dialect) A short straight stick of wood. 5. Plants closely allied to the genera Satureja better, but you may still need to work on some relaxation techniques. fessional status, physical wellbeing and family connections. 15. A transuranic element. and Calamintha. 16. The property of being acidic. 6. French revolutionary who was prominent in 17. A member of a North American Indian the early days of the French Revolution (1749- Cancer (June 21-July 22) Capricorn (December 22-January 19) people speaking one of the Hokan language. 1791). 18. A unit of pain intensity. 7. An agency of the United Nations affiliated You are learning to take control over your life. You are beginning to sense You could blurt out the wrong thing today or be unable to convey what you really intend to say. Others may disagree with your ideas so do not push an 19. Small voraciously carnivorous freshwater with the World Bank. improvements in all areas of your life and this trend will continue through- out this whole year. You will be encouraged to make a positive difference in your public issue just yet. Since you believe that protocol and convention should be exercised, you are fishes of South America that attack and 8. An abnormal passage leading from a sup- life, as well as your private life. All the changes and improvements you want to make will well mannered and gracious to all you come into contact with at this time. This puts you destroy living animals. purating cavity to the body surface. come into focus soon. You have learned much and have developed a positive use of your in the front of the class when it comes to showing visitors or new people around your 21. (Babylonian) Earth goddess. 9. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet. intuitive powers. You will be able to use what you have learned and be more aware of situ- town. Don’t be too surprised to find yourself entertaining out-of-town guests tonight. You ations as they are developing around you. Today you will be challenged in the use of are appreciated for your ability to get things done. Your own happiness improves as you 24. Long pod containing small beans and 10. A Mid-Atlantic state. words. Writing, summing up a situation or requesting important equipment for your office surround yourself with people who love, affirm and bring out the best in you. Find ways to sweetish edible pulp. 11. Indian sitar player who popularized classi- is part of this use of words. You are successful in your efforts. show appreciation to family members tonight. 25. Material consisting of seed coverings and cal Indian music in the West (born in 1920). small pieces of stem or leaves that have been 12. Scottish chemist noted for his research separated from the seeds. into the structure of nucleic acids (born in Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) 26. (astronomy) A measure of time defined by 1907). Earth's orbital motion. 13. Long green edible beaked pods of the This morning you are more coordinated and organized than usual. Hum, You may appear commanding and assertive today because you want to you may think about how you became more coordinated and organized so 28. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring okra plant. complete a few unusual chores before company comes. Close attention to that you can repeat this wonderful happening. It could be that your incentive is strong but on the sea or ships. 14. Any of numerous local fertility and nature details will help you find a few needed repairs that you had not realized were needed. You you also may have decided to become more dependable . . . Bravo! In some cases you will are appreciated for your determination. Your sound judgment is good with regard to your 30. A river in Nebraska that flows eastward to deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peo- serve as a mentor and this makes you happy. Smiles and courteous responses are neces- finances. If you are artistic, you should allow your dreams and imagination to reach into sary to connect the link of honest communication from one person to another. You may become a tributary of the Missouri River. ples. areas that you have not explored. Regardless of your special talents, music and imagina- find yourself put to good use by your friends this afternoon, running errands and helping 34. The capital and largest city of Mongolia. 20. A large stringed instrument. tion can take you into levels of consciousness you have never reached before. This energy with a young person. This may include the change of previous plans and you will need to is safe and fun and will help you to relax. Another good activity is dancing or learning a make some of the phone calls, announcing needed changes. 36. A public promotion of some product or 22. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken new type of exercise. Whatever the case, a new type of entertainment is enjoyable. service. in southeastern Asia. 38. Long-winged web-footed aquatic bird of 23. From the kapok tree. the gull family. 27. The act of going from one place to anoth- Virgo (August 23-September 22) 40. A member of a Turkic people of er. Pisces (February 19-March 20) Uzbekistan and neighboring areas. 29. An edge tool used to cut and shape wood. Remember that you have the power to turn any crises around. Operating Experimenting with new concepts and putting aside the old tried and true 42. A self-funded retirement plan that allows 31. A criminal who takes property belonging any business connected with animals that hunt or protect will make money for you. create some new possibilities financially for you now. Financial gain and you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward to someone else with the intention of keeping Providing guards, guides and protective escorts to others could be a source of income as material well-being are among the brighter prospects now. Next week you will see the your retirement. it or selling it. well. You can begin research and investigate all new business ventures and guide others. results but for now you plan. It is the unique and the original that catches and holds your interest. You are in an inventive, original and high tech frame of mind. You are also begin- 43. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of 32. The third canonical hour. This is a perfect time to evaluate where you have been in the business world and where you are going now. This is a time during which you may be able to break through and ning some new spending patterns-perhaps focused on high tech interests-computer, the genus Iva with small greenish flowers. 33. Related on the mother's side. move ahead with your ambitions. You could receive unexpected help from someone old- phone, etc. Progressive people and new concepts play a more important role in your life. 44. A monarchy in northwestern Europe occu- 35. At surface level. er or from authority figures. A teacher may soon appear. This is one of your best days for This afternoon is a great time to relax and review the goals that you and a partner have planned. Plan a trip to the zoo, museum or the theater soon. pying most of the British Isles. 37. The Oceanic language spoken by the love! Dreams contain important messages; keep notes. 46. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed Maori people in New Zealand. during respiration and by the decomposition 39. A bodily passage or tube conveying a of organic substances. secretion or other substance. WORD SEARCH PUZZLE Yesterday’s Solution 49. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling). 41. Date used in reckoning dates before the 51. Sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy supposed year Christ was born. flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels 45. Sorghums of China and Manchuria having and bitter almonds. small white or brown grains (used for food) 53. One of the three Furies. and dry pithy stalks (used for fodder, fuel and 56. 100 lwei equal 1 kwanza. thatching). 57. Improved or corrected by critical editing. 47. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug 61. German mathematician (1804-1851). (trade name Lodine). 65. Any compound containing a chlorine 48. Large mostly white Australian stork. atom. 50. (Greek mythology) The rarified fluid said 67. Overeat or eat immodestly. to flow in the veins of the Gods. 69. (astronomy) The angular distance of a 52. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829). celestial point measured westward along the 54. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sul- celestial equator from the zenith crossing. fur and tellurium. 70. (trademark) A German semiautomatic pis- 55. A member of a Caddo people formerly liv- tol. ing in north central Texas. 71. Range of what one can know or under- 58. Offspring of a male tiger and a female lion. stand. 59. Swelling from excessive accumulation of 72. Taxonomic kingdom comprising all living serous fluid in tissue. or extinct animals. 60. A hat that is round and black and hard 75. The executive agency that advises the with a narrow brim. President on the federal budget. 62. Report or maintain. 76. The universal time coordinated when an 63. A fractional monetary unit of several coun- event is received on Earth. tries. 77. An extinct Semitic language of northern 64. A man who is the lover of a girl or young Syria. woman. 78. A negative. 66. Disabled in the feet or legs. 68. Brief episode in which the brain gets insuf- DOWN ficient blood supply. 1. European freshwater fish resembling the 73. A form of address for a man. roach. 74. Being one more than one. 2. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 information

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 Al-Madeena 22418714 Al-Shuhada 22545171 GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE Al-Shuwaikh 24810598 Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883 Sabah Hospital 24812000 Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414 Al-Nuzha 22545171 Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558 Amiri Hospital 22450005 Sabhan 24742838 Maternity Hospital 24843100 Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518 Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622 Al-Helaly 22434853 Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700 Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184 Al-Faiha 22545051 Chest Hospital 24849400 Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010 Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000 Al-Farwaniya 24711433 Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201 Adan Hospital 23940620 Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638 Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983 Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300 Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265 Al-Fahaheel 23927002 Al-Razi Hospital 24846000 Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075 Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999 Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983 Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9 Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549 Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559 Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554 Ahmadi 23980088 Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264 Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581 Al-Mangaf 23711183 Kaizen center 25716707 Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241 Al-Shuaiba 23262845 Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144 Al-Jahra 25610011 Khaldiya 24848075 Al-Salmiya 25616368 Kaifan 24849807 Shamiya 24848913 INTERNATIONAL Shuwaikh 24814507 CALLS Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804 Afghanistan 0093 Iran 0098 Albania 00355 Iraq 00964 Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764 Algeria 00213 Ireland 00353 Qadsiya 22515088 Andorra 00376 Italy 0039 Angola 00244 Ivory Coast 00225 Dasmah 22532265 Anguilla 001264 Jamaica 001876 Antiga 001268 Japan 0081 Bneid Al-Gar 22531908 Argentina 0054 Jordan 00962 Shaab 22518752 Armenia 00374 Kazakhstan 007 Australia 0061 Kenya 00254 Qibla 22459381 Austria 0043 Kiribati 00686 Bahamas 001242 Kuwait 00965 Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082 Bahrain 00973 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Mirqab 22456536 Bangladesh 00880 Laos 00856 Barbados 001246 Latvia 00371 Sharq 22465401 Belarus 00375 Lebanon 00961 Belgium 0032 Liberia 00231 Salmiya 25746401 Belize 00501 Libya 00218 Jabriya 25316254 Benin 00229 Lithuania 00370 Bermuda 001441 Luxembourg 00352 Maidan Hawally 25623444 Bhutan 00975 Macau 00853 Bolivia 00591 Macedonia 00389 Bayan 25388462 Bosnia 00387 Madagascar 00261 Mishref 25381200 Botswana 00267 Majorca 0034 Brazil 0055 Malawi 00265 W Hawally 22630786 Brunei 00673 Malaysia 0060 Bulgaria 00359 Maldives 00960 Sabah 24810221 Burkina 00226 Mali 00223 Jahra 24770319 Burundi 00257 Malta 00356 Cambodia 00855 Marshall Islands 00692 New Jahra 24575755 Cameroon 00237 Martinique 00596 Canada 001 Mauritania 00222 West Jahra 24772608 Cape Verde 00238 Mauritius 00230 South Jahra 24775066 Cayman Islands 001345 Mayotte 00269 Central African 00236 Mexico 0052 North Jahra 24775992 Chad 00235 Micronesia 00691 Chile 0056 Moldova 00373 North Jleeb 24311795 China 0086 Monaco 00377 Ardhiya 24884079 Colombia 0057 Mongolia 00976 Comoros 00269 Montserrat 001664 Firdous 24892674 Congo 00242 Morocco 00212 Cook Islands 00682 Mozambique 00258 Omariya 24719048 Costa Rica 00506 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 N Khaitan 24710044 Croatia 00385 Namibia 00264 Cuba 0053 Nepal 00977 Fintas 23900322 Cyprus 00357 Netherlands (Holland) Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 0031 Czech Republic 00420 Netherlands Antilles 00599 Denmark 0045 New Caledonia 00687 Diego Garcia 00246 New Zealand 0064 PRIVATE CLINICS Djibouti 00253 Nicaragua 00505 Dominica 001767 Nigar 00227 Dominican Republic 001809 Nigeria 00234 Ecuador 00593 Niue 00683 Egypt 0020 Norfolk Island 00672 El Salvador 00503 Northern Ireland (UK) Plastic Surgeons Paediatricians Ophthalmologists Endocrinologist England (UK) 0044 0044 Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272 Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898 Equatorial Guinea 00240 North Korea 00850 Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700 Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300 Eritrea 00291 Norway 0047 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60 Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444 Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Estonia 00372 Oman 00968 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Ethiopia 00251 Pakistan 0092 Family Doctor Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Falkland Islands 00500 Palau 00680 Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581 Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514 Faroe Islands 00298 Panama 00507 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Physiotherapists & VD Psychiatrists Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Fiji 00679 Papua New Guinea 00675 Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282 Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047 Finland 00358 Paraguay 00595 Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0 (1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288 France 0033 Peru 0051 French Guiana 00594 Philippines 0063 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Gynaecologists & Obstetricians Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, Rheumatologists: French Polynesia 00689 Poland 0048 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581 FRCS (Canada) 25655535 Gabon 00241 Portugal 00351 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dentists Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321 Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060 Gambia 00220 Puerto Rico 001787 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539 Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581 Georgia 00995 Qatar 00974 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290 Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406 Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2 Germany 0049 Romania 0040 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 Ghana 00233 Russian Federation 007 Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272 Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226 Internist, Chest & Heart General Practitioners Gibraltar 00350 Rwanda 00250 Dr. Salem soso 22618787 Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444 Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210 Greece 0030 Saint Helena 00290 Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557 General Surgeons Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Mohammad Zubaid Greenland 00299 Saint Kitts 001869 Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044 MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Grenada 001473 Saint Lucia 001758 Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148 Assistant Professor Of Medicine Guadeloupe 00590 Saint Pierre 00508 Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111 Guam 001671 Saint Vincent 001784 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Internists, Chest & Heart Head, Division of Cardiology Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Neurologists Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Guatemala 00502 Samoa US 00684 Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939 Guinea 00224 Samoa West 00685 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324 Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300 Guyana 00592 San Marino 00378 Urologists Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875 Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004 Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 Haiti 00509 Sao Tone 00239 Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Gastrologists MD, PH.D, FACC Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Saudi Arabia 00966 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515 Dr. Sami Aman 22636464 Inaya German Medical Center Honduras 00504 Scotland (UK) 0044 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446 Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030 Te: 2575077 Hong Kong 00852 Senegal 00221 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3 Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135 Fax: 25723123 Hungary 0036 Seychelles 00284 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Sierra Leone 00232 Soor Center Iceland 00354 Singapore 0065 Psychologists [email protected] Tel: 2290-1677 Kaizen center William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 India 0091 Slovakia 00421 /Psychotherapists www.soorcenter.com Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688 25716707 Indian Ocean 00873 Slovenia 00386 Indonesia 0062 Solomon Islands 00677 lifestyle SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Gossip Kelly Brook has got engaged

he glamour model has reportedly accepted answer. The source added: “She didn’t have to think the surprise proposal from the former for long - about three seconds.” She seemed to hint T‘Gladiators’ star David McIntosh after a whirl- at the good news on Thursday when she took to wind 11-week romance and the pair are both look- Twitter and wrote about her “happiness”. She ing to settle down. An insider told The Sun news- tweeted: “International Day of Happiness?? It cer- paper: “It’s still a closely guarded secret and came tainly is!” Their relationship appears to be secure to Kelly as a massive shock. “But she is at that time again following reports they had split after she in her life now where she wants to make a commit- deleted all photographs of the pair from her ment and she has fallen head over heels for David. Instagram account. “He has also had enough of being a bachelor and can’t believe he has landed someone like her.” It is said David proposed as they planned a romantic trip to Dubai, and he wasn’t left waiting for an

Chris Brown vows to turn his life around

he ‘Fine China’ singer, who was transferred to a jail in Los Angeles after he was kicked out of a court-ordered rehab Tfacility last Friday and must stay there until his next proba- tion violation hearing on April 23, has told friends he is absolutely miserable behind bars. A source, who recently spoke to the 24- year-old star, told gossip website TMZ.com that Chris said being in prison is “the worst experience of my life,” and he feels like “a caged animal.” The ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ singer has been spending his time in jail writing new music and working out. But Chris could be out of jail early next week, as his lawyer is close to reaching a civil settlement with a man the star allegedly assaulted in Washington DC. The Grammy-Award winner’s representative Mark Geragos is said to have offered Parker Adams, who claims Chris broke his nose and hurled a homophobic slur at him last October, a large financial deal in the hopes of convincing him to tell prose- cutors he no longer wants to participate in the criminal case against the star. Chris, who was first placed on probation in 2009 after assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna, is facing a misde- meanor assault charge in relation to the incident and could be sentenced to four years in jail if convicted.

Pamela Anderson’s Justin Theroux short hair improved her love life ‘hijacks’ Jennifer he former ‘Baywatch’ babe - who married poker player Rick Salomon for the second time earlier this year - unveiled a short cropped pixie hairstyle last year and says it has remark- beauty products Tably changed her life for the better in some surprising ways. She told French magazine Aniston’s Purple: “This haircut convinced a lot more people. It has struck a chord. It amazes me - even in he 45-year-old star admitted her fiance has become obsessed and always tries to love - how it’s changed everything and encouraged real soul connections, less superficiality. “I borrow her things to make himself look as good as possible, and she finds it “hysteri- told Paul Desmarre of Christophe Salon Beverly Hills to come to my house later cal”. Speaking to E! News, she said: “It’s hysterical. What product doesn’t he try to and cut it. Three hours later and voila! “Not to get too personal, but it really T hijack? “He’s good to his skin, that’s for sure. It’s always, ‘what are you using, what is that?’ helped me get out of a ‘situation’ that was not right, no matter how It’s cute.” The ‘We’re The Millers’ actress admitted she has had to put her sunbathing days hard I wanted to believe otherwise. “My family and dearest friends behind her after not taking enough care of her skin. She added: “The sun, I feel, is like my didn’t bat an eye. I’m surprised we’re even talking about this and friend I’ve had to say goodbye to,” she said ruefully. “I was terrible as a kid. It was baby oil at all the attention it’s generated. I’m grateful, though; the [that she rubbed on her body]...I mean, we all did it.” Jennifer recently insisted she was response has been shockingly positive.” The 46-year-old star feeling “better” than ever lately, becoming a lot more comfortable in herself. She previous- appears naked in a set of arty photos for the magazine and ly said: “I feel like I felt when I was 28. My bones don’t hurt. I feel great. I actually feel better, admits she is still a show off on camera, years after stripping more confident. Of course I still have the nerves, but now I know how to control them. off for Playboy for several cover shoots. She added: “I’m a “When I was in my twenties, I wasn’t sure of myself. bit of an exhibitionist, and I like having the pictures tak- Now I can really stretch. I don’t have to en. But seeing these was really something different, stay in the box. At this point I can something we did. It’s like a launching pad for what say to myself, ‘So what if I fall, I’ll do now. “While looking at the pictures I was so what?’ I’m going to get thinking to myself, is that really me? I mean you back up.” don’t take a bad picture-people always look their best in your pictures. It still was a shock to see how strong I look.” Mel B wants another baby

he 38-year-old former Spice Girls singer - who has three daughters, Phoenix, 15, with ex-husband Jimmy TGulzar, Angel, six, with Eddie Murphy, and Madison, two, with current spouse Stephen Belafonte - would love to have a son but thinks she and her spouse, who also has nine-year-old Giselle from a previous relationship, would have another girl. Asked if she wants more chil- dren, she said: “I’d like to, but I’m not sure. I always say just one more. I want to have that boy, but knowing my luck I’ll have another girl.” The ‘America’s Got Talent’ Ashton Kutcher made an judge loves relaxing at home with her kids, but also enjoys taking them to work with her as she thinks it is “good” for them to see the importance of having a job and omelet for Zoe Kravitz working hard. She told Britain’s OK! magazine: “We love hanging out by the pool and having a barbecue, or we take a walk oe Kravitz was left stunned as a teenager when have, like, pimple cream on my face, I’m wearing a T- around Malibu, go to Venice Beach or Santa Monica Pier. We have a she unexpectedly found Ashton Kutcher mak- shirt ... and there he is making an omelet. There’s no movie theatre upstairs that we hang out in. “The girls love coming on Zing an omelet in her kitchen. The ‘Divergent’ one else in the kitchen. I don’t even know if he’s the set of ‘America’s Got Talent’ too. It’s good for them to see how actress - daughter of rocker Lenny Kravitz - says her breaking and entering. He’s just like, ‘Morning, do hard the auditioning is, and I think it sets a good precedent for the house was frequented by many famous guests when you want an omelet?’... And then we sat there before kids to see that you’re not just staying at home, that you’re being she was growing up, but she was completely star- school and ate omelets, not understanding why he creative and you are out working, earning money and enjoying what struck when she found the ‘Two and Half Men’ actor was there.” Earlier this week, Zoe, 25, attended the you do.” preparing the egg dish one morning. She explained premiere of ‘Divergent’ in Los Angeles with her to talk show host Jimmy Kimmel: “At one point - I mother Lisa Bonet and step-dad Jason Momoa. think I was about 15 or something - my friend had While there she joked she had brought Will Smith’s just come in from California to visit me. She came in son, Jaden, as her “date”, telling Extratv.com: “I really early in the morning, I remember, and she dragged him out tonight. This is my date.” walked into my room and was like, ‘Zoe, Ashton Kutcher’s in your kitchen.’ “[So I went downstairs,] I lifestyle SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Gossip

Kylie Minogue wants to be a Bond girl

he 45-year-old singer would love to appear as Daniel feel that way. But proper acting, I get such a thrill out of Craig’s love interest in a future installment of the that.” The Australian beauty - who split from her boyfriend TJames Bond film series, although she knows she of five years, Andres Velencoso, last year - also opened up would have to do it soon as she’s not getting any younger. about her search for the right man. She said: “He needs to She said: “I would be the oldest bond girl but of course it be sincere, funny and be able to cope with me and my would be amazing.” The ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ hit- lifestyle. He has to be someone I admire as well.” maker would follow in the footsteps of actresses including Halle Berry, Naomie Harris and Gemma Arterton if she locked lips with the famous spy character, and claims she would love to do more acting. She added to the Daily Star newspaper: “I guess I get to do some kind of acting, doing videos or putting on a confident face when I don’t really

Jane Fonda was ‘bulimic’ Justin Bieber wants a ane Fonda “never felt pretty or confident” when she was growing up. The actress house on the Isle of Wight Jand fitness video pioneer had a difficult upbringing after he mother took her own life before she became a teenager and she says her father, actor Henry Fonda, was distant and he ‘Boyfriend’ singer is thinking of and is sparing no expense. The source difficult. Fonda, now 76, also claims her step- investing in a holiday home on the added: “His people are putting out feelers mother would insinuate she was overweight Tisland - located on the English and trying to find him the perfect property which resulted in her developing having self- Channel and only accessible by hovercraft for him and Selena to enjoy as and when esteem issues and developing bulimia. She or boat - as a perfect location to enjoy they feel like it. Of course, money is no told People magazine: “I never felt pretty or secluded holidays with on-off girlfriend object.” The property hunt comes after confident. My dad wouldn’t tell me [I looked Selena Gomez. An insider told Showbiz Justin sold his Calabasas home in Los fat] directly; he would have his wife tell me Spy: “Justin wants somewhere quiet to Angeles to Khloe Kardashian earlier this that my bathing suit was too small or my belt escape to when it all gets too much. month, following a string of complaints was too tight or my skirt was too short. I “England has always appealed to him, and from neighbors over his wild antics. Justin became bulimic and anorexic, the whole he wants somewhere that feels like it’s cut is now planning to settle into a home in thing.” Jane - who has now written a self-help off from the rest of the world - which is why Atlanta, Georgia as part of a bid to launch a book for youngsters called ‘Being a Teen’ - did- he has his heart set on the Isle of Wight.” hip-hop career. n’t learn how to love herself or laugh about The 20-year-old pop star has already got herself until much later in life. She explained: his team on the hunt for the right house, “God, I was a serious child. It took [ex-hus- band] Ted Turner to teach me how to have a sense of humor.” When asked if she could say one thing to her parents, what would it be? Jane replied: “I would say, ‘I need you to love Chris Hemsworth me’. But I’ve talked to a [medium] who has communicated with my mother, and she’s so becomes a dad proud of me. My dad’s always with me, I know they’re both proud.” hris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky has given birth to twin boys. The ‘Thor’ star and the Spanish actress, who also have a 22-month-old Cdaughter India Rose, welcomed their sons into the world at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood on Thursday, according to UsMagazine.com. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the news but no further information is being released at this time. An insider previously revealed that two security guards accompanied the couple to the hospital on Thursday afternoon after Elsa went into labor and watched over their pri- vate suite. Proud father Chris, 30, previously gushed about family life and admitted he is happiest when he is with his wife and daughter. He said: “Being a father is certainly a task. But the best one that I could ever ask for. Being home, being with the family, that’s what it’s about ... It makes me much more relaxed with work, because I have something that is far more important to me now.” The actor married Elsa, 37, in 2010 after a whirlwind romance. The blonde beauty went grocery shopping with some family members in Malibu on Monday before stopping to pick up a healthy green juice. David Guetta and wife divorce

avid Guetta and his wife Cathy Guetta that same year. They have two children, Tim, have got divorced. According to 10, and Angie, six. In August 2012, DFrance’s Voici magazine, the couple’s ‘Titanium’ hitmaker David and 24-year marriage was legally ended in a Paris Cathy renewed their wedding court last week but neither the French pro- vows to celebrate their 20th ducer-and-DJ nor the nightclub manager anniversary. The renewal was were present at the hearing, instead choos- an intimate ceremony which ing to stay in Los Angeles for work commit- took place in front of close ments. The reason for the divorce is family and friends on the not yet known, but the former Spanish island of Ibiza. couple are expected to continue — Bangshowbiz to work with one another on their mutual business inter- ests. David, 46, and Cathy, also 46, met in 1990 at Paris nightclub Bains-Douches and tied the knot later

Fergie’s baby son is a ‘screamer’

he Black Eyed Peas frontwoman has revealed moments, dubbing them “mommy scream-offs”. She Daddy is trying to teach him ‘ball’ and I’m trying to seven-month-old Axl Jack - her first child with added to E! News: “Those are exciting!” Fergie is teach him ‘dance’.” The ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ hitmaker Thusband Josh Duhamel - is eager for attention rumored to be reuniting with her Black Eyed Peas also praised her supportive husband, Josh, 41. She and unleashes “high-pitched” squeals when he’s bandmates to release a new album soon, but until added: “He’s dad of the year, he’s the best partner to excited. Fergie gushed: “He’s a screamer! There’s that happens she is loving motherhood and being at have a kid with.” always this high-pitched scream going throughout home with little Axl Jack. She said: “The best part of the house. It’s not him complaining or crying. He just being a mum is just hanging out with my kid. He’s my gets excited and he wants to scream!” The 38-year- homie! I’m just listening, talking back with him and old pop star even joins in on her son’s vocal trying to teach him words like ‘nose’ and ‘dancing’. lifestyle SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

These images released by Disney Theatrical Productions show scenes from the production of the musical “Aladdin.” — AP Adam Jacobs is seen as Aladdin. Disney hits magic again with ‘Aladdin’

he Genie in the big new Broadway musical on a stage surrounded by high-energy dancers: trayed on film? You apparently hire Iglehart, a cart- “Aladdin” opens the show with a bang, sets up “Even our poor people look fabulous! And everybody wheeling, high kicking big man who can sing and Tthe story and then - poof - he’s gone. “Try not to has a minor in dance!” goof. His extended scene in a cave prompts some miss me too much!” he says, tauntingly, as he leaves. The key Alan Menken songs from the film - theatergoers to give him a standing ovation - and the The trouble is, it’s hard not to. James Monroe Iglehart including “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali” and “A Whole show’s not even half over. is just so magically delicious as the guy in the lamp New World” - are back, as well as songs dropped That moment is a wonder to behold as Iglehart that the show sometimes feels like its holding its along the way - “High Adventure” and “Proud of Your performs “Friend Like Me” during a dozen or so skits - breath until he reappears. That’s not a knock on this Boy” - that get well-deserved rebirths. New songs game show host, magician and then, hysterically, perfectly lovely adaptation of the 1992 movie that include the nice “Diamond in the Rough” and “A does a medley of other Disney hits including “Beauty opened Thursday at the New Amsterdam Theatre Million Miles Away,” which sounds and functions a lit- and the Beast” and “Under the Sea.” Disney badly with a score that’s already won an Oscar. It’s just that tle too much like “Santa Fe” from nearby Menken needed a friend like this. Other smart touches Iglehart is on a different planet. show “Newsies.” The lyricists are the late Howard include Don Darryl Rivera stepping in for the parrot It’s spritely directed and choreographed by Casey Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin. Iago as Jafar’s wisecracking aide, and three thieves - Nicholaw, well sung by a huge 35-person cast wear- Adam Jacobs stars as a sweet, hunky Aladdin - or Brian Gonzales, Brandon O’Neill and Jonathan ing an alarming number of harem pants, and hits “Al” as he’s called - and Courtney Reed is his stun- Schwartz - as Aladdin’s pals and comic relief. (“I feel that sweet spot Disney Theatrical Productions do so ning-looking Jasmine, in a little need of some theatri- awful,” one says. Replies another: “Falafel? Did some- well, a saccharine fairy tale for the kids cut by some cal seasoning but with grooming seemingly straight body say falafel?”) In comparison to the zany side- sly, vinegary quips for their parents. The story by off Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset.” A welcome bit of casting kicks, the lovers are kind of milquetoast. Chad Beguelin hews close to the film. A street urchin is having Jonathan Freeman return as Jafar, the same Bob Crowley delivers on another dazzling Disney finds a genie in a lamp and hopes to woo a princess role he voiced in the animated film. He is simply deli- design, this time a whimsical set of movable pieces that while staying true to his values and away from palace cious, relishing his evilhood. echo Islamic geometric designs and Middle Eastern and the dancing, which leans heavily on traditional bel- James Monroe Iglehart intrigue. Or, as Beguelin acknowledges: “It’s the plot One of the biggest obstacles into turning this marketplaces. He does a thrilling Cave of Wonders, and ly dancing and “Walk Like an Egyptian” moves. But for all is seen as the Genie. that you knew/with a small twist or two/but the property into a stage musical has been the blue ele- there’s a flying carpet that moves nicely in front of a star- his skill, he must have rubbed his own magic lamp to changes we made were slight.” phant in the room, the Genie. How can you possibly ry night sky, though the princess seemed a little freaked get this Genie. — AP Full credit to Beguelin for gently mocking musical have a real actor play the shape-shifting, manic talk- out. Director Nicholaw juggles all of this with supreme theater throughout, as when the Genie comments ing spirit that Robin Williams so wonderfully por- skill, perfectly pacing the romantic with the comedic

Cat behaviorist heading to Oregon after attack Word lovers rejoice as he large cat that attacked a baby and trapped an Oregon the cat had a history of violence, but the family kept Lux until family in a bedroom touched off an Internet uproar that Monday, when they turned him over to a Portland-area shelter. OK celebrates 175 years Tworries Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s “My Cat But the family assured Animal Planet they were going to keep from Hell.” Cats don’t become ferocious felines that turn on the cat and agreed to therapy with Galaxy. Palmer didn’t return their families for no reason, says the cat behavior expert, who is a call from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday. hatever you’re doing today, wherever Webster dictionary. “I’m OK, You’re OK,” pub- heading to Portland soon to work with the 4-year-old part- There are many reasons a cat can turn aggressive, and there is you might be, take a moment to reflect lished in 1967, remains one of the best-selling Himalayan pet named Lux. Galaxy will film the visit for his no universal way to deal with it, Galaxy said. But the star feline Won the most popular word in the self-help books of all time, while Rodgers and show’s fifth season, which kicks off April 26. behaviorist provided five ways to tame out-of-control cats: English language, OK? It will be 175 years since Hammerstein declared Oklahoma in song to be “Every parental site on the Internet blames the cat for this Never leave a young child unsupervised with a cat. OK-or, as some prefer, okay-first appeared in OK! in their eponymous 1943 musical. confrontation. Every pet site blames the family,” he said, adding Take it to a vet at least once a year. If a cat is acting suspi- print, on page two of The Boston Morning Post, There’s also the OK Corral in Tombstone, that something is wrong if the cat is acting out. “We need to ciously, the owner needs to pay attention. “Know what suspi- then one of the most popular newspapers in the Arizona-but in this instance, OK stands for Old step away from the hysteria. There is a story behind all this. cious looks like,” Galaxy said. “If they’re not feeling well, cats will United States. “I think OK should be celebrated Kindersley and the infamous 1881 shootout that Don’t assume anything.” Lux became a worldwide phenome- socially withdraw themselves, or they will lose weight, or they with parades and speeches,” Allan Metcalf, an supposedly took place there but actually will gain weight, or they’ll be howling in the middle of the English professor in Illinois who is the world’s occurred down the street. Internationally, OK has night when they never did before. “I’ve known cats who acted leading authority on the history and meaning of traveled remarkably well on the wings of out similarly to Lux because of an abscessed tooth, a brain OK, told AFP. “But for now, whatever you do (to American popular culture-and found a niche in tumor, hyperthyroidism or diabetes.” Make sure cats can literal- mark the anniversary), it’s OK.” In his 2001 book, the digital era, fitting easily into 140-character ly climb out of a situation. Having a space up high, like a cat “OK: The Improbable Story of America’s Greatest Twitter and text messages. Using Google Glass condo, to get away from children and other pets is crucial, Word,” Metcalf calls OK “the most frequently spo- eyewear, in fact, calls for a voice command that Galaxy said. “Make sure the cat can make the choice to get ken (or typed) word on the planet”-used more begins: “OK, Google Glass.” away from the kid,” he said. often than “Coke” or an infant’s “ma.”Concise and Timeouts are good things. “We associate timeouts with utilitarian, it’s quintessentially American in its punishment, but in the world of cats, timeout is not a punish- simplicity. Etymologically, it has no direct rela- ment.” They can go to a designated place where they can settle tionship with Latin or Greek or any other ancient down, come back to a peaceful moment or ground them- tongue. selves, he said. Oxford Dictionaries, on its website, rejects Stop fights between felines with “timeout drills.” With sim- speculation that OK is derived from the Scottish ple pieces of cardboard, left strategically around the house, expression “och aye,” the Greek “ola kala” (it’s you can stop a fight between two cats. Put the cardboard good) or the French “aux Cayes,” which refers to a between them, blocking their vision and providing a moment Haitian port famous for its rum. Rather, it favors a of disorientation when you can lead them to their timeout theory-shared by Metcalf-that it’s an abbrevia- spot. It’s especially important to have the drills with aggressive tion of “orl korrekt,” a derivative of “all correct” cats. from the 1830s when jokey misspellings were all Galaxy said he was going to Portland to act as Lux’s advo- the rage, like Internet memes are today. “It’s a nice, short abbreviation and it fits This undated photo cate and find out what’s wrong. “I have no idea what made Lux abbreviations in other languages,” said Metcalf, shows cat behaviorist non after owner Lee Palmer called 911 and said the cat had aggressive,” he said. It could be a chemical imbalance, a history NG: ‘no go’ the executive secretary of the American Dialect Jackson Galaxy host of cornered him, his girlfriend, their baby and the family dog of stressful environments or because he was kicked. “If you Credit for finding its first use in print goes to Society who teaches at MacMurray College. “It’s the Animal Planet televi- inside a room. want a blanket statement on how to deal with aggression, how Allen Walker Read, a Columbia University profes- distinctive, yet easily pronounced and very read- sion show “My Cat from Palmer says his 7-month-old pulled Lux’s tail, and he kicked about, ‘Don’t set the cat up for failure,’” he said. —AP sor who died in 2002 after a lifetime interest in ily understood... It uses the vowel O, the vowel A Hell” with Sully and Lulu the animal after it scratched the child. Then, the cat “just went OK and another widely used word with four let- and the consonant K-and those are found in in the Sherman Oaks area off over the edge,” Palmer told an emergency dispatcher after ters that starts with the letter F. It appeared in almost all languages of the world,” he added. “So of Los Angeles. — AP the family barricaded themselves. “He’s charging us,” Palmer the Post in the context of an article concerning if you’re speaking with somebody who has a said, as the cat was heard screeching in the background. the ironically named Anti-Bell Ringing Society, totally different language than you, chances are Officers arrived and caught Lux with a dog snare. Palmer said founded in 1838 to oppose a municipal law in you can get by with gestures and OK in various Boston prohibiting the ringing of dinner bells. tones of voice.” Metcalf, who blogs about the Society members were en route to New York, it English language for the Chronicle of Higher reported, adding cryptically that if they should Education, personally celebrates OK’s birthday transit Rhode Island en route home, the newspa- by ordering up to four dozen frosted cookies per editor in the New England state might well with OK in green on a white background. IKEA recalls kids’ bed canopies for risk of strangulation “have the ‘contribution box,’ et ceteras, o.k. all correct-and cause the corks to fly, like sparks, Global OK Day KEA Kindly asks customers who have a bed canopy from IKEA upward.” Other abbreviations proliferated at the In New York, retired English tutor Henry Nass intended to be draped around children’s cots/beds to stop time, like NG for “no go,” GT for “gone to Texas” has been pounding the sidewalks of Manhattan, Iusing it with infants and small children and bring it back to and SP for “small potatoes.” But OK truly entered handing out cards to passers-by inviting them to any IKEA store for a full refund. The affected bed canopies are: the national lingua franca in 1840, when spin celebrate “Global OK Day.”“Some people say OK LEGENDARISK, MINNEN bed Canopy set, BARNSLIG BOLL, HIM- doctors for Democratic presidential nominee too much. I can’t say there’s anyone who uses it MEL, FABLER and TISSLA and KLAMMIG. Martin Van Buren, a native of Kinderhook, New too little,” Nass, who is making customized US IKEA has identified a potential strangulation hazard associat- York, insisted to voters that it meant “Old postage stamps honoring his pet word, said in a ed with these products. IKEA has received reports of entangle- Kinderhook.” telephone call. —AFP ment when net is pulled into the cots/beds and entangled around infant’s necks. No permanent injury has been reported. ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’ The affected bed canopies from IKEA have been sold on all IKEA Today, OK is used “to ask for or express agree- markets since 2002. IKEA apologizes for any inconvenience this ment, approval or understanding” or to add may cause. Safety is always a top priority for IKEA. emphasis to a sentence, as in “I’m going to stay here, OK?” according to its entry in the Merriam- lifestyle SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Travel

Myanmar’s marine Eden braces for tourism

In this photo, Meta IV, a $1 million yacht offering cruises among the reefs and islands, is silhouetted at sunset near Nyuang Wee Island, in Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar. — AP photos

here the Indian Ocean rolls toward Myanmar’s southwestern coast, a lacework of 800 islands rises, fringed with shimmering Wbeaches of no footprints. Here hornbills break a primeval silence as they flutter through soaring jungle canopy. Pythons slumber on the gnarled roots of eerie mangrove forests. Only rarely will you spot the people who live here: the Moken, shy, peaceful nomads of the sea. The Mergui archipelago has been called the “Lost World,” but outsiders have found it - first fishermen, poachers and loggers, and now developers and high-end tourists. The people losing this world are the Moken, who have lived off the land and the sea for centuries. The islands are thought to harbor some of the world’s most important marine biodiversity, and are a lodestone for those eager to experience one of Asia’s last tourism frontiers before, as many fear, it succumbs to the ravages that have befallen many once-pristine seascapes. As the world closes in, the long-exploited Moken are rapidly diminishing in numbers and losing the occupations that sustained them for genera- tions. Though they are known as “sea gypsies,” very few still live the nomadic life, and only some aging men can fashion the “kabang,” house- boats on which the Moken once spent much of every year. Their island settlements are awash with trash and empty liquor bot- In this photo, a Myanmarese fisherman carries fresh water to his fishing boat on Nyuang Wee Island inhabited by Myanmarese tles, signs of the alcoholism that has consumed many Moken lives. They fishermen, in Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar. eventually may share the same fate as some of their cousins in neighbor- ing Thailand who have become exotic photo opportunities near highly developed tourist areas. “Before it was easy to earn money, to find prod- The website of one development company, Singapore’s Zochwell Julia Tedesco, who manages an environmental and tourism project at ucts of the sea. You could easily fill a bucket with fish. But now many Group, advertises the island it hopes to develop as “The Next Phuket.” Lampi, said tourism is developing “just as so many resources have already Burmese are pursuing the same livelihoods,” said Aung San, resting under Zochwell is negotiating a lease to build a marina, casino, hotels and a golf been depleted.” Tedesco’s three-year project, run by the Italian group the trees of Island 115 with some 20 Moken men, women and children. course to be designed by the company of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. Instituto Oikos, includes the development of eco-tourism, putting a draft “The life of the Moken is becoming harder and harder. So many Moken Visitors, almost all traveling aboard yachts or dive boats, invariably fall management plan into practice and training park staff. A key challenge, men are dying.” under Mergui’s spell. she says, is to protect the environment while providing income to local “There was no infrastructure, no towns, no streets, nothing . a mar- people who have long drawn their sustenance from it. itime Shangri-La. Nobody in our group had seen anything like it. We were absolutely enchanted,” said Christoph Schwanitz, editor of a China busi- Eco-tourism is the answer ness magazine who came a year ago and now is part owner of Meta IV, a What happens to them will depend greatly on Myanmar’s powerful $1 million yacht offering cruises. Last September, a super-yacht carried a politicians and generals, and their business cronies. Pervasive corruption Russian couple to a “unique Robinson Crusoe setting” together with breeds doubt that the islands will be managed sustainably. Adrian harps, xylophones and chanting Buddhist monks imported for a desert- Zdrada, marketing manager for the Myanmar Andaman Resort, said the ed-island wedding. government could create “sustained tourism, like on the Galapagos. But Myanmar’s minister of hotels and tourism, Htay Aung, said the islands it’s a dream that will never happen. They will just sell and lease as many will be promoted, but that protecting the environment and “minimizing islands as they can. It will be a Thailand scenario. It will be another unethical practices” are top priorities. For the time being, however, the Phuket.” region remains a free-for-all, with no overall management plan for Phuket and other Thai islands adjoining the Mergui archipelago to the tourism or the environment. Nor is there a known blueprint for the pre- south were once similar to the Lost World. Today, Phuket’s beaches are carious future of the Moken, whom French anthropologist Jacques packed with tourists, luxury high-rise hotels and jerry-built beer bars Ivanoff describes as “the soul of the archipelago.” draped with prostitutes. Backpackers are ferried to even the most remote islands. And the Moken who also inhabit that region cling to the fringes Symbolic representations of humans of society, no longer tied to the sea. For centuries they roamed the islands, worshipping spirits and recit- The answer in Myanmar may be eco-tourism, but even that is prob- ing long epics of a mythical past. They collected mollusks, crabs and sea lematic, at least for the Moken. Khin Maung Htwe, who has worked with cucumbers, speared fish, hunted and dove deep to find valuable pearl the anthropologist Ivanoff, said re-orienting the largely illiterate Moken oysters. from their deeply rooted lifestyles and occupations to being nature Today, most have been moved into settlements by the government or guides or hotel staff would prove difficult. driven to find work on the mainland, where they are sometimes forced to “They are innocents. The reality is that they don’t understand or labor on mines and farms. Their hand-hewn “kabangs,” built as symbolic believe in the value of education. They don’t understand how it could representations of humans, complete with mouth, anus and other help them gain their livelihood,” he said. On Island 115, several Moken organs, are becoming museum pieces. About 2,000 Moken are believed families recently hunted for squid and whatever else they could collect Asked if his people would welcome foreign visitors, the fisherman and In this photo, a British to inhabit the archipelago, significantly reduced through migration, before returning to their village on another island. The children, none of trader replied, “We don’t want to live with the Burmese or other people. tourist sits on the deck of intermarriage with Burmese and deaths of males from rampant alcohol whom attend school, romped on the beach or expertly paddled out in We want to live by ourselves.” The former military rulers of long-isolated a yacht as it sails through and drug abuse. dugout canoes. At night, all slept on the white sand or just inside the tree Myanmar kept the archipelago off-limits to foreign visitors until 1996. A Mergui Archipelago, “In 20, 30 years the Burmese will dominate Moken culture. Only a little line hugging the beach. “We just want to do what we are doing. We don’t nominally civilian government took over in 2011, but tourism remains Myanmar. of it may remain,” said Khin Maung Htwe, a Burmese married to a Moken, have the knowledge or motivation to do any other work,” Aung San said. relatively low. Some 2,000 tourists visited last year - that’s about 2.5 per in Ma Kyone Galet village. The village, located within Lampi National Park “We live here. We don’t want to go anywhere else.” — AP island. To date only one hotel exists, the Myanmar Andaman Resort, on the islands, is home to 480 Burmese and other ethnic groups, 280 tucked under forest cover deep within a U-shaped bay on McLeod Island. Moken and 146 from Moken-Burmese marriages, as of a 2012 count. But a grab-the-best-island race is being run among Burmese and foreign From a distance, the village is a tropical idyll. But its streets and beaches developers, with a dozen concessions already granted and others under are piled high with trash by villagers who in the past simply discarded negotiation. their natural refuse. A dip below the surface off nearby beaches reveals a world of dead coral and very few fish. Mosquito Bite Island Though tourism is just getting started here, industry has already tak- The reefs and islands here range from rocky outcrops to extensive en a heavy toll, including dynamite fishing, illegal loggings and wildlife land masses of high hills pierced by caves and blanketed by luxuriant poaching. On army-controlled Jar Lann Island, reporters easily located an vegetation. A long jetty and two helicopter pads have been built and illegal logging camp not far from a military outpost. Trawlers have nine bungalows are under construction on the stunning but rather depleted the shallow fishing grounds of the Moken, who cannot com- unwelcomely named Chin Kite Kyunn - Mosquito Bite Island. It is leased pete with better equipped Burmese divers in search of sea cucumbers by Tay Za, believed to be Myanmar’s richest tycoon and closely connect- and oysters. Instead, they catch small squid, often hooked by cheap plas- ed with its power brokers. Three security men and 11 lazy dogs are cur- tic bait, while Thai and Burmese fishermen use powerful kerosene lamps rently the island’s only inhabitants. to attract larger squid species in vast quantities.

In this photo, sparkling clear water is seen. In this photo, a young Moken boy, nomads of the sea, collects Limpets on In this photo, Maali, an elderly Moken man, nomads of the sea, smokes a Island 115. pipe as he adjusts a paddle on his canoe on Island 115. Word lovers rejoice as OK celebrates 175 years

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 38

Toronto Fashion Week

Models wear creations showcasing various designers while walking the runway during Toronto Fashion Week in Toronto yesterday. — AP photos Hijab design takes centre stage mong the aspiring Asian designers competing for the Blending cotton or silk into her hijab, she includes natural limelight at Tokyo Fashion Week, one of the most striking dye prints that rely on a traditional Japanese tie-dye technique Awas an Indonesian label’s bid to blend a traditional called shibori and the Indonesian batik method. With patterns Muslim headscarf with haute couture. The twice-yearly show, ranging from mini mandalas to Turkish geometrics, Dhari plays which wraps up on Saturday, saw NurZahra roll out its with multiple layers of fabric to freely shape her silhouettes. autumn/winter collection “Layers of Fidelity”, turning the mod- Another eye-catching element of the collection was a hat est hijab into sophisticated fashion. that spreads wide in the back, a throwback to the sixties with The label-whose name means “the luminous light” in Arabic elements resembling a long-ago royal head piece. “The concept and takes from Fatimah Zahra, the daughter of Prophet of the hat was actually inspired by the style in one from 1963,” Mohammed (PBUH)-wanted to prove that the female hair-and- Dhari said. “I was looking for vintage hats that could be used to neck-covering wrap, common in the Islamic world, could still cover your hair and also your neck. take on playful elements. “The modest hijab is not actually a “I used that inspiration and then mixed it with a traditional restriction” in fashion, designer Windri Widiesta Dhari told ethnic concept, so it becomes something very unique.” Tokyo reporters after her stylish designs hit the catwalk. has long been the centre of cool, renowned the world over for “It’s how you cover yourself and look more elegant in a way its far-out fashions that see young women donning gothic- that has a loose fit.” The wearing of the Islamic veil, limited his- inspired “Lolita” outfits and chiseled young men with highly torically to conservative Gulf monarchies, gained ground, coiffed haircuts. including in sports, since the 1979 Iranian revolution and the But at the latest Tokyo Fashion Week, it was newcomer creation of an Islamic republic. Use of the veil spread quickly as brands from several Asian fashion houses outside Japan, such Islamist movements grew in the wake of the Arab Spring upris- as NurZahra, which breathed fresh air into the show in the ings. France has outraged many Muslims with a law against full Japanese capital. Another Indonesian brand, Major Minor, hit face-covering veils, while the use of the hijab in sport, including the runway for the first time, showcasing styles incorporating football, has sometimes stirred cultural clashes. mainly monochrome tones and simple silhouettes. The opener of the event was Thai brand Sretsis-”sisters” in reverse-led by ‘Wearing hijab is not difficult’ designer Pim Sukhahuta, who works alongside two female sib- But Dhari sees the traditional scarf as not just a modesty lings. Among their offerings was a cartoon-like print-girls’ faces covering, but also a stylish, comfortable accessory. “We want to dotting the fabric-that meshed touches of American high- inspire people to think that wearing hijab is not something dif- school and Japan’s “Lolita” themes. — AFP ficult, and could be worn by anyone,” she said. Her collection also bucks a contemporary design trend for simplicity and mini- malism.

This photo shows a model displaying a creation by Indonesian fashion designer Windri Widiesta Dhari during the Nur Zahra 2014-2015 autumn/winter collection at Tokyo Fashion Week. — AFP Kim Kardashian, Kanye West on cover of Vogue magazine

anye West’s campaign to get fiancee Kim West has said he believed Kardashian is cover- reality starlet’s dominance - and was not influ- Kardashian on the cover of Vogue maga- worthy. In a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest enced by her famous boyfriend. Kzine has finally paid off. They appear in a last October, he said “there’s no way Kim “You may have read that Kanye begged me to photo by Annie Leibovitz on the April issue. The Kardashian shouldn’t be on the cover of Vogue.” put his fiancee on Vogue’s cover,” Wintour wrote. photo shows Kardashian wearing a white wed- He also said Kardashian was more influential than “He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might ding-style dress with West’s arms around her. She first lady Michelle Obama in her clothing choices. make for better reading, but the simple fact of posted it on her official Twitter and Instagram However, in the magazine, which hits stands the matter is that it isn’t true.” The couple are the accounts saying: “This is such a dream come March 31, Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour parents of 9-month-old daughter North. — AP true!!!” West wrote “Thank you @voguemagazine” told readers it was the magazine’s idea to feature on his Twitter account. Kardashian, and the decision was based on the