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www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16090- Friday, February 28, 2014

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Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Conspiracy Theories ‘Street wars’ trigger Guns for a water gun sales good cause Toy shops make record sales during celebrations By Nawara Fattahova Fun-seeking individuals, however, days and said that despite rising have quickly found an alternative to cel- demand, he didn’t charge more for the s part of Kuwait’s National Day ebrate the holidays. Water guns and toy guns. Fernandez, a salesman at a Acelebrations, Gulf Road has water pistols have replaced foam bottles. shop in Shuwaikh selling toy guns in By Badrya Darwish become the major battleground Although this year’s parade was free of bulk, explained that location is one of of this year’s revelers spraying water and foam, the streets turned into war zones the primary things responsible for a toy shooting each other with loaded water with troopers of all ages and nationali- shop’s success. “I sold seven cartons of guns. Spraying foam at cars driving by ties spraying water at each other and at big water guns, which was basically my has been an essential feature of the passing cars. The increased interest in whole stock. Each carton contains 12 [email protected] National and Liberation Days celebra- the “water celebrations” was a boon for pieces. The price ranges between KD 16- tions since 1991 when Kuwait was liber- the country’s toy shops selling guns at 26. Now, I only have the small water pis- ated from Iraqi invasion. The more cele- prices ranging from KD 1 to KD 6. tols available, which is not in demand ife has many unpredictable turns that human brations were held, the more people much because they don’t have a big Lbeings cannot control or think about, no matter started complaining about the misuse of Huge sales water container”. He pointed out that how creative he or she is. Sometimes you work foam which in some cases could cause “We sell water gun toys all year long toy shops in Mubarakiya witnessed the hard all your life and you do not get much profit. damage and injuries. Owing to this, the but in the past two days, we made biggest sales. What gave me this idea are the celebrations. The fes- Ministry of Interior banned the use of record sales,” said Hassan, a salesman at Mahmoud, a salesman in another tivities of our national days see kids and adults carry- foam last year. Importing foam could a local toy shop in Salmiya. He explained wholesale toy shop in Kuwait City, ing plastic guns loaded with water roaming every cor- also put a company in trouble. that he sold more than 100 pieces in two agreed that they had record sales of ner of Kuwait spraying at people, cars and passersby. water guns this year. “Our store sold Did the sellers of such a simple plastic toy ever more than 1,000 cartons, each contain- thought that they will be selling thousands of guns ing 12 pieces. Medium was the preferred for a day or two? size since it’s cheaper and suits kids God has his own ways of granting things to human more. Our prices ranged between KD 1-9 beings. I am 100 percent sure all small toy shops that I per piece,” he said, adding that all prod- drive by in Salmiya or any other toy shop never ever ucts are made in China, and the differ- dreamt that they will one day run out of their pre- ence in price depends on the size. cious plastic water guns for children for two days. The Throughout the year, he said, the shop amazing thing is that not only children were using sells small water guns, which are not these guns. The craving came to adults too. The funni- popular around this time. He also est thing I saw was a video sent online to me of a few revealed that many of his customers Bangladeshi workers carrying plastic water guns and bought the guns in bulk to sell them in spraying the cars. The caption under the photo said in the desert. broken Arabic: “Look, we are not afraid.” According to Rida, a salesman in a toy I think that the water guns got upgraded when a shop located in Sharq, location is not a man hired a water tanker to roam the streets - I mean major factor in sales. He said that despite a tanker that supplies water to homes and residential his shop being located near Gulf Road, areas. He had big hopes and started spraying water at this year’s sales weren’t as good as last cars. He was not content with the small children’s year’s sales. “This year, we sold less than guns. He got a water tanker - something more sub- 100 pieces. Last year, we sold more” he stantive. said. Rida also said that many roaming That took me back a few years before the removal vendors sold their water guns this time of Saddam in 2003. From the time between Kuwait’s and that some people bought their guns liberation in 1991 and 2003, people were not very KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti girl shoots her toy gun during celebrations to mark the at Gulf Road while others used ones they relaxed. There were lingering fears. Especially when 53rd National Day and the 23rd Liberation Day.— Photo by Joseph Shagra bought last year. Saddam fired two missiles and everyone was scared. We were taping our windows and doors and were afraid that he might throw a missile at us. I ran to the Local Spotlight co-op to buy tapes and they told me that everything was finished. I remember I and the driver going around to every co-op and baqala to get tapes. Death on the roads Was it possible that overnight these tapes were gone? Did the tape importers ever dreamt that they at all. They seem to be on suicidal missions. The law may punish would get rid of the tapes that had been on their By Muna Al-Fuzai the driver but it was this person who acted carelessly and must shelves for many years? Of course not. Life is very be punished for his mad act. unpredictable in its many ways. It is also nice that But, feeling sorry for those who lose their lives on the roads is these water guns were sold for a nice cause and for not enough. Some suggestions have been made to prevent fun, not for threats. those less than 18 years old to get a driving license until they Have a nice weekend! [email protected] turn 21, while some have suggested to stop granting expatri- ates driving licenses. But how do we expect all those people to study by the Institute for Transportation Research at the reach their work and study places while Kuwait lacks decent University of Michigan showed Kuwait stood third in the bus stops or decent means of public transportation like a metro Aworld over fatalities from road crashes as a percentage of or subway that everyone can use easily and peacefully? I know fatalities from other leading causes of death. UAE stood first many expats don’t use taxis because it cost a lots of money and with 15.9 percent, followed by Qatar with 14.3 percent and would rather use the bus because it is cheaper although it lacks Kuwait 7.9 percent. This is considered large for a small country even a seat to sit on or shades at bus stops during the heat of like Kuwait. In fact I think it is a worrying trend and needs a summer or rain in winter. study on how to control this tragedy that takes many lives every So, the bottom line here is that as long as we don’t have any day. developed and modern methods of public transposition or In Kuwait, it doesn’t need an expert to see that although we control on giving driving licenses to people, the situation will have some large roads and the traffic system is reasonable and fester and roads will keep getting inundated with cars that acceptable, the human element is key in the large number of exceed their normal capacity. accidents and death on the roads. Most road accidents are due I know that right now there is campaign over unfastened to speeding and carelessness of others. Their misfortune leads seatbelts and using mobiles while driving, but I have seen many them to be in the way of those who drive their vehicles like people ignoring it. We need more undercover police to punish rockets. Some others use their mobiles, engaged in long conser- those who challenge this law because they put the life of inno- vations, forgetting that driving requires their attention. cents in danger. I believe if no enforcement of law is made, the Sometimes you see pedestrians who try in crazy ways to roads will consume more lives every day. Death on the roads cross the highways! You wonder if these people have any brains can happen to any one of us. Drive safely. Bangladeshi workers spray cars with plastic water guns. 4 Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Philippine embassy in Kuwait haunted Chaos, disorder as ‘restless spirits’ create hysteria at Philippine embassy shelter

By Ben Garcia

everal runaway maids currently housed at the SPhilippines embassy shelter in Jabriya claim that they were possessed by a dead woman’s ghost. It’s nighttime. The shelter, housing more than 100 runaway maids is full and typically noisy. But it’s late and the women are readying to sleep, quietly chatting amongst themselves and prepar- ing for bed. Suddenly, a frightening crash and a deep voice erupt from one of the women. Spirits of the dead, so the women claim, crashed the shelter and created chaos and disorder for what seemed like hours. Philippines embassy officials could not be reached for comment by the production deadline of the newspaper yesterday.

The encounter Faisa claims that the ghost came upon her as she readied for bed. She came from a bathroom after her regular night ceremony when she sud- denly felt a chill. “All I can remember was the chilly air coming over my body. Then I saw a lady, a beau- tiful white lady calling my name,” Faisa told the Friday Times. “She wanted to lead me back toward the bathroom. I followed her, then she showed me crystal clear water in a glass. It looks clear - but seemed like it was boiling. She wanted me to drink it. I didn’t drink it. I told her no. She was laughing at me. Then she disappeared. I walked a few meters, then another lady appeared, she was wearing a black abaya, she was as beautiful as the first one. She also tried to show me the water in the glass. Then I heard a crying sound from a boy, he was around five or six years old. I could hear him wail- ing, crying and asking for help, I wanted to help him, but I don’t know why the woman wearing abaya was laughing at me,” she claimed. Several of the women in the shelter were involved in the incident, some of them holding on the woman and trying to calm her. At least three or four others also claiming an experience of posses- sion and others claiming to have witnessed the events. “I heard voices asking for help and seeking justice,” said Salima, another alleged victim. “They were crying. I don’t know what they meant. But I think, they were killed, and they’re asking for help,” Salima said.

Buried in the basement Johanna, another who claims possession, said she felt really cold and then harrowing sounds started issuing from her throat. “First, the beautiful white lady brought me to the comfort room. She showed me the glass of water, very clean and clear to feel the cold and then to hear voices. water,” said Johanna. “I was led at a room inside Several other former maids also claimed to the embassy, I felt very tired, so, what I felt I think have a supernatural experience. at that time, my soul is the only one accompany- Reza and Marissa, both allegedly saw a Filipina ing the spirit because I can see my body out of me. maid who had been killed on the embassy My spirit has accompanied the woman at the grounds. Reza said the spirit’s name was Susan. “I embassy ‘s floor tour. She showed me the stairs heard her wailing. She was crying, and she looked then led me to the second floor. She told me, a like a Filipina. She told me, she was killed there boy was deliberately thrown down from the sec- and was unable to tell her parents what hap- ond floor and died there. The body of the boy pened. She needed help. Then, the next moment, according to the spirit was buried in the base- according to other girls, I was laughing and laugh- ment. I don’t know how true it was. Then the spirit ing uncontrollably,” Reza said. brought me to another room of the embassy. Marissa, at that time was sitting at the stairs There I saw four bodies of bloodied people; three leading to the second floor of the embassy. “I saw headless men and a blooded woman. The beauti- spirits, so quick, then, they saw me crying. I felt ful woman toured me to another floor of the that everything in me was numbed. I saw a embassy. I saw two teenage boys, one was naked, woman wearing a housemaid uniform, her face enticing to go with him in the room. Another was was very pale and sad. I saw a man wearing a dis- just staring at us from afar,” she said. dasha. I saw a small boy too. Then, a beautiful KUWAIT: A group of Filipina runaway maids who are currently accommodated at At the same time of Johanna’s episode, anoth- woman, I can hear some saying ‘fight, fight against the embassy’s shelter are pictured in this photo. Some of them shared the story er of the shelter’s inhabitants, Maria also claimed these spirits.” of “restless spirits.” Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Kuwait celebrates National, Liberation Days

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti children take part in a parade during celebrations to mark the 53rd National Day and the 23rd Liberation Day. The first date commemorates the creation of Kuwait as a nation in 1961 while Liberation Day marks the end of Iraq’s occupation in 1991. — Photos by Joseph Shagra, Yasser Al-Zayyat and Fouad Al-Shaikh

Fun-seekers flocked to Gulf Road to celebrate Kuwait’s A young boy waves Kuwait’s old flag during the celebra- National and Liberation days. Some came wearing masks, tions. others were heavily armed with water pistols.

A Kuwaiti woman gets her hand decorated with tradition- al henna at a market in downtown Kuwait City. Kuwaiti women traditionally use henna for special occasions such as weddings and national celebrations.

Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

My job my passion By Nawara Fattahova The life of a fisherman ot weather means more fish at sea. Blowing winds keep fisherman’s boats safely anchored and their nets empty. H Indian fisherman Morjan (right) prepares for the day’s job That is why for 30-year-old fisherman from near the sea shore in Sharq. India, Morjan, summer is the best time of the year. Morjan has been working in Kuwait for ‘I love my job, and I enjoy about seven years. However, he has been If Morjan wasn’t fishing for any reason, then throwing nets at a very young age. “Fishing is doing it. I never dreamt of he would be working at the house of his kafeel. a family thing. My father taught me how to “I have a room at the house of my employer so I fish. I love my job, and I enjoy doing it. I never don’t sleep on the boat,” he says and explains dreamt of doing any other thing in life,” he doing any other thing in life.’ that some fishermen in Kuwait sleep on the said holding the catch of the day in an icebox. boat for weeks or even more. Their boat, he “I fish with a net together with two other says, is much bigger. Also they sell the fish they fishermen. After we catch some fish, we place have caught at the fish market where they have it in an icebox. We then take the catch to the a booth,” he pointed out. Fish dishes are the boat owner, who takes part of it, and then most popular in Kuwait and the GCC region, so sells the rest,” says 30-year-old fisherman there is always demand for fish, and fishermen Morjan who fishes near the Sharq marina. always have jobs. For some people, it is a hard “Selling the catch is not part of his daily rou- job to spend long days at sea, but for others tine”, although, he says, some other fisher- throwing the net and waiting patiently for it to men do that. There are many different fishing move with a catch has become a passion. locations around the Kuwait’s shores and marinas but for Morjan, the Sharq marina is the best place to fish.

Unpredictable weather Morjan’s job starts at 8:00am. “Every morn- ing I leave with the boat from Sharq heading to ‘Kiyusa Ishan’, which is the best place for fishing,” he says with a smile and adds that his work day ends in the early afternoon. “Usually we return between 3:00-4:00 pm. Today for instance, we came back at 1:30 pm after we filled the big icebox with over 10 kg of fish,” he added. The weather makes the fisherman’s day unpredictable. “When the weather is hot, it’s better for fishing. Hot days mean more avail- able fish. The summer months, especially June and July, are the best time for fishing. But when it’s windy, we don’t go for fishing because our boat is small. This may be very dangerous for us,” he said. Although he is fishing daily, yet he never gets bored eating fish. “I prefer Nuweibi and Shaem, and I have Indian recipes to cook them, especially with tomato sauce,” he said. “I prefer fish to any other meat, and I only eat fish and vegetables. Morjan pictured on I don’t like chicken or red meat,” Morjan his fishing boat. added. Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Kuwait Embassies in Cyprus (left) and Armenia mark the National and Liberation Days celebrations. News Sheikha values Egypt’s in brief

Kuwait welcomes stance during invasion ‘resolution 2139’ NEW YORK: Kuwait has welcomed the UNSC resolution 2139 KUWAIT: President of the Kuwait Abdulkarim Suleiman, the Ministry of wise leadership of His Highness the Amir concerning the humanitarian situation in Syria, calling on the Association for the Ideal Family and Information Assistant Undersecretary for Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- international community to carry out its responsibility in pro- Chairperson of Al-Fatat Sport Club Sheikha Broadcasting Affairs Sheikh Fahad Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince tecting Syrian civilians. Kuwait’s endorsement of the resolu- Fariha Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has Mubarak Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- tion, which came about last Saturday, was reflected in a praised Egypt for its supportive stance Dr Sheikha Maymouna Al-Khalifa Al-Athbi Sabah. On his part, Ambassador Suleiman speech by Kuwaiti permanent envoy to the UN Ambassador during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. She Al-Sabah, and a number of famed expressed gratitude to His Highness the Mansour Al-Otaibi to the General Assembly. Ambassador Al- prayed that the Almighty Allah will restore Egyptian actors. Amir, government, and people of Kuwait Otaibi lauded the resolution and stressed that it was the first Egypt’s security and stability. Sheikha Sheikha Fariha also congratulated His for their financial, spiritual, and political step in protecting Syrian civilians from the ongoing onslaught. Fariha’s praise came during her speech at Highness the Amir, Kuwait government, support following the events that took He called on all involved parties, especially the Syrian regime, a ceremony she held last night, entitled and people of Kuwait for the national place on January 25th and after June to implement the resolution. With over 130,000 dead and mil- “All for love of Kuwait”, in honor of a visit- days celebrations, praying to the mighty 30th, affirming that Kuwaiti government lions displaced or seeking refuge, the Syrian people are in ing Egyptian delegation and was attended Allah to perpetuates the grace of safety and people respect the will of Egyptian need for resolutions to end their suffering, said the Kuwaiti by Egyptian Ambassador in Kuwait and security on the country under the people. — KUNA official. Kuwait has contributed around $900 million to relief aid efforts since the crisis in Syria began in March 2013, said Ambassador Al-Otaibi, adding that the donors’ conferences for Syria which were held in Kuwait had mustered over four bil- US congratulates Kuwait lion dollars. Ambassador Al-Otaibi thanked the UN and coun- tries neighboring Syria for their efforts in helping the Syrian refugees, hoping that the process to end the Syrian conflict WASHINGTON: The United States of and working in Kuwait, we are remind- or National Day that dates back to would succeed in finding a political solution. America has congratulated the govern- ed of the importance of the US-Kuwait 1961 and the Liberation Day, when ment and people of Kuwait on the partnership to both nations’ security national and allied forces, led by the Kuwait offers kidney 53rd anniversary of the National Day and prosperity.” US, carried out a major military cam- dialysis to refugees and 23rd Liberation Day anniversary. “We look forward to working with paign that drove the occupation Iraqi TRIPOLI: Kuwait Red Crescent Society has launched the sec- US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Kuwait into the future as we build on forces out of the country on February ond phase of the kidney dialysis campaign for Syrian refugees a statement said, “As we continue to our strong relationship and address 25, 1991, ending the seven-month in Lebanon. Dr Musaed Al-Enezi, the society delegate, told build on decades of close personal ties the many shared issues we face. occupation. Kuwait and the US are KUNA the campaign aims to treat Syrian patients suffering between the United States and Kuwait, We extend our best wishes to all close allies and maintain coordination from kidney failure for six months, in coordination with local including through the thousands of Kuwaitis for a year of peace and happi- and cooperation in various spheres hospitals and the Lebanese Red Cross. Yousef Boutros, a Red Kuwaiti students in US schools and the ness,” the US top diplomat remarked. including the military and economic Cross official, praised the Kuwaiti association for launching this tens of thousands of US citizens living Kuwait is celebrating its Independence sectors. — KUNA humanitarian project, as well as other programs to help the refugees. Number of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon is esti- mated 930,000. Divers place SACGC promotes Kuwaiti Flag Kuwait inventions ABU DHABI: The Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and at seabed Creativity (SACGC) participated in the Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2014, displaying and promoting a collection of Kuwaiti inven- KUWAIT: Kuwaiti divers have installed the tions. The SACGC section at the Expo included three inven- National Flag at bed of the Gulf Sea in cele- tions on air transportation, civil aviation, and military aviation bration of the National Days. The divers by two Kuwaiti inventors, as well as a collection of the Center’s placed the green-white-black-red flag at the issuances that showcase its career in supporting Kuwaiti sea bottom close to the Kuwaiti island Garo. inventors and innovators. Ali Sahmmoh, an inventor, stated They also put artificial reefs off the island, that he takes part in the Expo this year with two inventions on known of surrounding crystal-clear waters, developing effective protection for civil and military aircraft ideal for scuba diving. Captain Adel Al- engines, expressing at the same time his gratitude to SACGC Khaled, the head of Al-Nakheel Diving for supporting national inventions and innovators, as well as Center, told KUNA that installing the National its efforts and contributions which helped in taking Kuwaiti Flag was intended to celebrate the Kuwait’s inventions to major international forums and occasions. In anniversaries (Kuwait’s 53rd Independence addition, Adel Abdeen, an inventor, also stated that his partici- anniversary and the 23rd year of the country pation in the Expo includes an integrated system that has 13 Liberation) as well as the 8th anniversary of inventions that handle troubles faced by aircrafts of various His Highness the Amir ascending to the top types during landing processes, affirming that Kuwaiti inven- post. Another team has placed close to the tors have many scientific inventions in various scientific areas same island man-made reefs. Also at a near- as marketing would be very vital for these inventions in order by spot, they set up the slogan, “our environ- KUWAIT: Turkish air force fighter jets fly during celebrations marking to transport these Kuwaiti-made inventions to various coun- ment an inseparable part of our dear home- Kuwait’s 53rd National Day and the 23rd Liberation Day. — Photo by land Kuwait.” — KUNA tries around the world. Yasser Al-Zayyat Local9 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 What’s behind the growth of Kuwait’s informal economy

By Jamie Etheridge than 1 percent. Managed by the Central more. Informal businesses also are not counted as Statistical Bureau, the LMIS also notes that Like any country, Kuwait has always had part of the nation’s GNP and do not figure ouqs and bazaars are an integral part SMEs accounted for around 34 percent of a small, informal economy. From air condi- into the statistics on unemployment and of the Arab world and in Kuwait, the employment in 2002 but that has dropped tioning repairmen to door-to-door soda other social and demographic numbers. Sbazaar mentality - the ideas of mer- to 23 percent - a full 10 percentage points - sellers there has always been the local On the positive side, participating in the cantilism, entrepreneurship and working nine years later in 2011. seamstresses, the neighborhood baqala informal economy allows greater ease of for oneself - are deeply rooted. In fact, the Indeed, in a 2011 report, local invest- and the roaming street vendors. entry into the market - anyone can make country was founded by merchants - risk ment company, Markaz noted that in com- What’s new today is the sheer number - cupcakes at home. Informal businesses also takers who not only traded goods but who parison with other GCC states, “Kuwait has and the growing preference for going the do not face the costs associated with within a few short generations also pio- been a late comer in unlocking the poten- informal route. With the growth of farmer’s licensing not to mention the bribes and neered what are today some of the leading tial role that SMEs can play in its economy. markets and single day bazaar events, wasta now regularly needed to pass even businesses in Kuwait. Kuwaiti private sector and SME contribu- many young entrepreneurs don’t even standard government paperwork. Start ups are as common as cupcakes in tion to employment lacks luster, whereby need or want a formal license to do busi- It also creates more flexibility in the the region. But in Kuwait, the growth of an approximately 85% of the Kuwaiti work- ness. market and improves market competitive- informal economy is taking the country in a force is currently employed by the govern- “Why should I get a license and pay rent ness as brick and mortar businesses must decidedly different direction from its GCC ment.” A lengthy domestic political strug- when I can sell my products over Instagram learn to compete with their informal rivals. neighbors, a trend that could have a lasting gle and the 2008 global financial crisis - and at events?” seems to be the general This can, in turn, lower costs as competition impact on Kuwait’s economic future. which hit Kuwait especially hard - further consensus. heats up. eroded the formal economy. Some will eventually grow enough to In total, Kuwait’s private sector is domi- The costs of doing business transition into more formal, licensed busi- nated by oil revenues. Non oil revenues Despite recent government approval of Cupcake culture nesses with brick and mortar premises. But accounted for less than 13 percent of a new law aimed at promoting small and But it also created a window of opportu- many others may choose to remain lean Kuwait’s budget in 2013 and private sector medium enterprises (SMEs), opening a nity for local entrepreneurs willing to enter and rely on casual labor or support from businesses across the board benefit from business here can be a nightmare of wast- the ‘informal economy’. Trends like home their domestic help to maintain what is oil revenues in the guise of public sector ed time, unnecessary costs and lengthy cupcake businesses triggered other ideas often seen as a side income. wages and consumer spending. delays. Kuwait’s labyrinth-like bureaucracy, among locals and expatriates who began to The growth of Kuwait’s informal souq a growing bribe culture among public offi- launch start up Instagram shops and pop Shaping Kuwait’s economic future does not, then necessarily suggest a real cials and a wasta network make it hard, if up markets like the local farmer’s collective, The impact of informal economies are growth in the overall economy but more not nearly impossible, for young entrepre- Shakshooka market. widely debated. There are both positive simply a shifting away from the formal neurs to enter the market. These unlicensed and unregulated busi- and negative consequences. On the nega- toward the informal as entrepreneurs pur- Unfriendly regulations - like requiring nesses offer a rich array of products, services tive side, informal businesses lack licensing sue their ideas by bypassing rather than businesses to have a location (and pay and goods. To give just a few examples, you and regulation and for things like food working with the government. rent) before granting licenses - add to the can now order online or by WhatsApp the service this can result in uncertain quality. Crackdowns on illicit business activity, enormous financial burden on starts up following: Fresh baked breads, customized Many informal businesses also prefer to however, is always difficult both politically and entrepreneurs, further stifling the red velvet cupcakes, personal trainers, chil- remain so in order to avoid taxes - though and economically and could pose longer growth of the local private sector’s SMEs. dren’s toys, jewelry, clothes, make up, bike this is not much of a concern for Kuwait at term problems for the government’s According to the Kuwait Labor Market rentals, photocopies, costumes, delivery this point, it could pose a problem longer efforts to divert local employment into the Information Systems (LMIS) website, self services, catering, inflatables, bespoke T- term as oil revenues slow. private sector. It will also add to the already employed Kuwaitis represented around 2 shirts, dara’as and bishts, exotic animals and Informal businesses do not have gov- difficult task the government faces of try- percent of the total workforce in 1985, less pets, shoes, tuitions and cheat sheets, ernment oversight of labor. Official govern- ing to build a tax base among local compa- than 1 percent in 2005 and had returned to smoothies and detox drinks, life coaching, ment statistics fail to account for ‘informal’ nies for the future. an upward trend by 2011 with a little more preschools, dream interpretation and much businesses since they are not registered.

Kuwait tries to readjust Casino apartment busted demographic imbalance KUWAIT: Informed sources at the Ministry of Social Affairs 200 grams of heroin confiscated and Labor said that the demographic restructuring of the population in Kuwait is expected to start in the beginning of KUWAIT: A doctor, his brother and a mosque’s fence in Granada. On reaching her. She noted his license plate number April. The sources added that the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Subaih is preparing a comprehensive plan sports celebrity were arrested for trans- the location, detectives noticed a man and gave it to the police. for the restructuring of the population. According to the forming a flat into a gambling den in throwing the drug packets next to the most recent news, Al-Subaih has asked various authorities at Salmiya. Officials stormed into the flat on fence and arrested him. When his room Wife beater questioned the ministry to prepare a complete report that includes the receiving a tip-off about immoral activities was searched, they found 20 grams of Fintas police are questioning an number of expats in the country according to their nationali- taking place and caught the culprits red- heroin and Shabu. He confessed that he Egyptian man who was accused by his ties, education, degree, profession. She has also requested a handed. Green tables, similar to those at works as a mosque guard and the inmate wife of beating her up after he refused to report on the market demands, Alrai reported. casinos, were seen at the venue. The arrest- is his partner. allow her to go out with her sister. The vic- Kuwait is home to 2.7 million expatriates who account for about 70 percent of the country’s population. Previous ed culprits were caught socializing with tim told police that she intended to go out reports mentioned various plans that would aim to adjust other gamblers including two women and Duo spray hair remover for a walk with her sister but her husband the country’s demographic imbalance. Earlier report point- four dealers. A journalist who works with a The police arrested two men for spray- stopped her and locked her up. When she ed out government’s long term plans to re-organize the local newspaper was also pulled up. The ing others with hair remover during revolted, he hit her and she had to escape entry of expat workforce. A senior government official was total number of those arrested was 20, National Day celebrations on Arabian Gulf to her neighbor’s flat to avoid more vio- quoted as saying that foreign workers permit will be done including the two women. About KD Street. Both were referred to criminal lence. Police are currently investigating. through a system that sets a specific quota for each expatri- 15,000 and other gambling paraphernalia detectives. ate community. was confiscated. Asian worker shot at The comprehensive plan is planned to be in coordination with the services ministries. Al-Subaih has requested infor- Woman harassed during celebrations Public prosecution is investigating the mation about the cost of the expat residents and about the Heroin confiscated A disgruntled man swore at a Kuwaiti case of a ruling family member who shot at pressure they put on the services extended by the ministries Narcotics detectives arrested an Indian woman in her twenties before driving a worker next door before beating him up. of health, education, and electricity and water, in addition to expat in Mahboula at home and confiscat- away, apparently peeved that she refused Nuwaiseeb police received a call that an the municipality. The sources said the category of domestic ed 200 grams of Shabu and heroin. He said to pay him any attention during National Asian worker was shot at by the neighbor- helpers will not be subjected to any of the upcoming that his supplier was a central prison Day celebrations on Arabian Gulf Street. ing chalet’s owner - who is a ruling family changes because they are not included in any of technical, inmate who informed him where to pick The victim went to Sharq Police Station member - before being beaten up. professional or administrative professions needed, provided that they meet the condition required for resident permits. up the stash on being paid. He also and reported that she was with her friend Charges have been filed and investigations revealed that the chosen spot was near a when the man chased her and harassed are underway. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Syria army readies Gunmen seize 2 sailors found to attack rebel Crimea seat of dead in Indian bastion12 power13 submarine17

DOHA: Onlookers gather around the scene of a blast as police rescue teams search the debris in Doha yesterday. —AFP Blast hits Doha, killing 12 31 wounded in gas explosion at Turkish restaurant

DOHA: An apparent gas explosion yesterday at or Arab, said Maj Gen Saad Al-Khulaifi, who ies that get particularly busy late at night, she said. northwestern district of the city. Cars apparently a restaurant near a filling station in the Qatari heads the country’s police force. He did not give crumpled by the explosion stood nearby. capital killed 12 people and wounded several further details on their identities or nationalities. Accidental? Hamad Medical Corp, which manages eight more, emergency services officials in the ener- He said 31 others were wounded, some serious- A security source said the blast at the hospitals and the national ambulance service, gy-rich Gulf nation said. ly. He vowed authorities would conduct a full Istanbul restaurant was accidental. Another put out a call for blood donations on social Initial indications suggested a burst natural and transparent investigation. The civil defense security source at the scene said two Asian chil- media shortly after the blast happened. gas tank atop a Turkish restaurant was to blame director of operations, Hamid Al-Duhaimi, said dren were among the dead. Qatar is a small, wealthy Gulf Arab state with for the blast, which happened shortly after 10 four people were found dead at the scene and Preliminary investigations suggested that a abundant reserves of natural gas that will host am near the popular Landmark Mall shopping the others died on their way to the hospital. gas tank exploded, setting off a fire and causing the 2022 World Cup. The OPEC member state is center in the capital, Doha. The force of the Alexandra Permuy, 25, a graduate student part of the building to collapse, he told a news generally safe, with little violent crime or civil explosion caused the partial collapse of the from Miami who lives nearby, was startled conference. But investigations were continuing unrest. Concerns have been raised about build- Istanbul Restaurant and sent shrapnel flying as awake by the explosion. “At first I thought it was to discover what caused the gas tank to explode. ing safety. far as 50 meters (160 feet) away, authorities said. just thunder ... but when I looked out the win- “It was a very big blast,” he said. “It blew away A May 2012 fire in the Villaggio Mall killed 19 Officials are treating the explosion as an acci- dow there’s not a cloud in the sky,” Permuy said. cars and the shrapnel scattered 50 or 100 meters people, including 13 children at a daycare center dent, though it is unclear what ignited the tank. The restaurant had recently opened following away.” Chunks of masonry, metal debris and inside. Investigators later blamed faulty wiring The 12 people reported killed were all Asian renovations and is situated among a strip of eater- shattered glass lay outside the restaurant in a for the blaze. —Agencies Available at The Sultan Centre & Carrefour International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Palestinian killed in Israel West Bank raid

BIRZEIT, Palestinian Territories: A Soldiers responded with “live fire” and and had not sought comment before the urged the international community, partic- Palestinian died during an Israeli army raid recovered an assault rifle, it added. eve of publication. ularly the European Union and the United on his home in the West Bank town of Neighbors said the dead man was a mem- Israeli human rights group B’Tselem States, to “suspend all transfers of muni- Birzeit yesterday, the military and a ber of the leftist Popular Front for the said in December that Israeli forces had tions, weapons and other equipment to Palestinian security source said. Liberation of Palestine. killed 27 Palestinians in the West Bank in Israel” to pressure it to change. The death came as human rights group The army entered Birzeit, north of the 2013, three times the figure recorded in The Israeli military said Amnesty failed Amnesty International slammed Israel’s West Bank administrative centre of the previous year. Amnesty called on Israel to take into account “the substantial killing of dozens of Palestinian civilians in Ramallah, yesterday morning and used to “open independent, impartial, transpar- increase in Palestinian violence initiated the occupied West Bank over the past “riot dispersal means” to clear stone-throw- ent and prompt investigations into all over the past year,” which “saw a sharp three years. “After the army left the house ing Palestinians from their path to the reports of Palestinian civilians killed or seri- increase in rock-hurling incidents, gravely and the town, the body of Motazz house. The Amnesty report released earlier ously injured by the actions of Israeli jeopardizing the lives of civilians and mili- Washaha, 22, was found,” the Palestinian yesterday accused Israel of “war crimes and forces.” Since occupying Gaza and the tary personnel.” source said. The army confirmed the death other serious violations of international West Bank, including annexed Arab east Foreign ministry spokesman Yigal of a “Palestinian suspected of terror activi- law” against Palestinians. Israel retorted Jerusalem, in 1967, “Israeli authorities have Palmor said Amnesty published its report ty.” “After the suspect was called to turn that the London-based watchdog had not signally failed to carry out independent “without even bothering to ask for himself in, he barricaded himself inside his taken into account the increasing number investigations that meet international stan- response and comment,” until the eve of house,” it said. of attacks on its forces over the past year dards into alleged crimes,” Amnesty said. It publication. — AFP Syria army readies to attack rebel bastion Assad holding kin of oppn talks team: US

BEIRUT: Syria’s army is preparing to assault a key rebel bastion near Damascus, a pro-regime newspaper said yesterday, as activists reported heavy shelling and fighting there. LONDON: A protester wearing tape across her mouth, to “The Syrian army is preparing to signify the silencing of the media, participates in a rally in launch a new phase” on the town of support of press freedom, and demanding the release of Yabrud near the border with Lebanon detained journalists in Egypt, in central London, yester- in its offensive in the Qalamun moun- day. The protest, part of a global day of action in support tains, Al-Watan reported. of press freedom, called for all journalists jailed in Egypt It said troops loyal to President to be freed. —AP Bashar Al-Assad have seized control of two strategic hills near Yabrud, which German holidaymakers has been the target of heavy air raids and tank fire since early February. leave Sharm El-Sheikh “Every day there is progress” by the army, said the newspaper, adding that after Sinai warning rebels had been using the two hills as supply routes. Regime forces backed FRANKFURT: German tour operators started bringing hun- by fighters of Lebanon’s Shiite dreds of holidaymakers back from Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh Hezbollah launched an offensive in Red Sea resort yesterday after Germany’s foreign office the Qalamun area in November. advised against travel to the entire Sinai peninsula. German They have expelled rebels from authorities on Wednesday recommended its citizens refrain several strategic towns, but Yabrud- from travelling to the beach resorts on the peninsula and said the largest in the region-has so far ALEPPO: A Syrian man runs for cover as smoke rises from buildings nearby fol- those already there should make arrangements with their remained an opposition stronghold. travel agent to return early. lowing a reported bombing attack by government forces on the Hanano dis- Yesterday’s developments come a day trict of the northern city of Aleppo yesterday. —AFP Alltours said it would bring back 120 holidaymakers in after the heaviest death toll in nearly Sharm Al-Sheikh this evening, while TUI Deutschland and three years among fighters on both tives of opposition delegates. A sec- themselves deeply divided over the Thomas Cook Germany said they were organizing travel back sides of the conflict, the Syrian to Germany for its customers there. “We want to bring them ond round of UN-led peace talks, crisis in Syria. Observatory for Human Rights said. It back by the weekend. They will be refunded for the days of dubbed Geneva II, broke down in acri- US Secretary of State John Kerry is their trip they did not use,” a Thomas Cook Germany reported fighting between rebels and mony earlier this month, threatening due to meet his Russian counterpart spokesman said. troops and Hezbollah fighters on the international attempts to mediate an Sergei Lavrov in Rome next week for Another big German tour operator, DER, said it had outskirts of Yabrud yesterday. “Last end to Syria’s vicious civil war. their first face-to-face meeting since booked a plane for Friday morning to bring back all 85 guests night the shelling was very fierce,” International envoys are trying to get the last round of talks failed. from its different tour operator brands that were in Sharm Al- Amer, an activist in the Qalamun area, the process back on track, but But he was critical of Moscow’s Sheikh. The recent bombing of a coach carrying Korean holi- said via Skype. Washington accused Bashar Al- stance, accusing the Kremlin of daymakers across the peninsula has led to renewed concerns Amer said he was confident rebels Assad’s regime of using strong-arm increasing its supply of weapons to for tourism in Egypt, an industry which provides a livelihood could defend the town against a tactics to intimidate opposition nego- Assad’s forces. for millions and the government with much-needed foreign ground offensive, but that most resi- tiators. “We call on the regime to “Frankly, Russia is increasing its currency. dents have fled. Yabrud was once immediately and unconditionally assistance to Assad,” Kerry said. “I do Germans and Russians are the most numerous visitors to home to some 50,000 people. Last release all those unfairly arrested,” not find that constructive in the effort the country, which saw tourism revenue plunge 41 percent to week, the UNHCR said some 13,000 State Department spokeswoman Jen to try to get him to change his mind $5.9 billion last year due to the waves of unrest that have dis- had crossed from Qalamun into Psaki said, expressing Washington’s and be able to come to a decision that rupted the country since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011. Lebanon’s border town of Arsal. “outrage.” “The opposition delegation he needs to negotiate in good faith.” The advice from Germany was not equivalent to a full warn- must be permitted to safely and What Assad “is doing is outrageous, ing that would force all tour companies to repatriate German 2nd lead securely work towards the political unconscionable, unacceptable, dis- holidaymakers immediately. For German travellers the resorts The United States meanwhile transition,” she said. The impetus graceful, craven, it’s horrendous. And of Hurghada and Marsa Alam on Egypt’s mainland Red Sea accused the Syrian government of behind the Geneva dialogue came we all know that. Everybody knows coast, which are not affected by the latest travel advice, are undermining the Geneva peace talks more popular destinations. —Reuters from a joint US-Russian diplomatic ini- that,” Kerry said, in an interview with by rounding up and arresting the rela- tiative, but the rival powers remain MSNBC television. — Agencies International13 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Gunmen seize Crimea seat of power Ukraine warns Russia as Moscow shelters Yanukovych

SIMFEROPOL: Pro-Russian demonstrators wave Russian and Crimea flags and shout slogans during a protest in front of a local government building in Simferopol, Crimea yesterday. Ukraine’s acting interior minister says Interior Ministry troops and police have been put on high alert after dozens of men seized local govern- ment and legislature buildings in the Crimea region. (Right) Maidan self defense activists sit atop an armored vehicle as another one holds a Svoboda party flag outside the parliament in Kiev during a rally yesterday. —AFP

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine: Ukraine issued Interim president Oleksandr by telling Russian news agencies from Russian team and replacing it with a will be a part of the European Union.” a blunt warning to Russia yesterday Turchynov responded by telling a bois- an undisclosed location he still viewed new brand of younger pro-Western after dozens of pro-Kremlin gunmen in terous parliament session that any himself as president of the strategic but politicians who will steer the nation- Russian flag flies in Crimea combat fatigues seized parliament and movement of Russian troops out of now splintered nation that has served torn between a Russified east and pro- The Russian tricolor flag was flying government buildings on the volatile their Black Sea bases in Crimea “will be as the geopolitical bridge between European west-until snap presidential over both the Crimean parliament and Crimean peninsula and Moscow said it considered as military aggression”. Russia and the West. polls are held on May 25. government buildings in the regional was protecting the ousted leader. Ukraine’s bloodiest crisis since its 1991 A high-ranking source quoted by The 450-seat Verkhovna Rada parlia- capital Simferopol as supporters of The dawn raid came a day after independence erupted in November the news agencies said the fugitive ment yesterday confirmed opposition Moscow rule arrived from other parts of Russian President Vladimir Putin stoked when Viktor Yanukovych-deposed as leader’s request for personal security icon Yulia Tymoshenko’s top ally the peninsula by car and bus. The Black fears of Moscow using its military might president last weekend-made the shock had been “granted on Russian territory” Arseniy Yatsenyuk as prime minister by Sea autonomous region’s prime minis- to sway the outcome of Ukraine’s three- decision to ditch an historic EU trade but provided no other details. Ukraine a 371-0 vote. ter Anatoliy Mohilyov told AFP that up month standoff by ordering snap com- deal in favor of closer ties with old mas- had appeared to take a decisive swing “Ukraine is being torn apart,” a som- to 50 men with weapons had seized the bat readiness drills near the border with ter Russia. back toward the European Union by bre Yatsenyuk told the session. “But buildings and were preventing govern- the ex-Soviet state. Yanukovych broke a five-day silence ousting Yanukovych’s entire pro- Ukraine sees its future in Europe. We ment workers going inside. —AFP International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Security issues dominate as Hollande visits Nigeria

ABUJA: Security issues threatened to overtake the fes- tivities as President Francois Hollande arrived in Nigeria yesterday for centenary celebrations, as calls mount for French help against Islamist Boko Haram militants. Just hours before Hollande touched down, hundreds of suspected militant fighters laid siege to a town in Adamawa state in northeast Nigeria, destroy- ing scores of homes and businesses with heavy weaponry and explosives. At least two people were killed in the attack late Wednesday, which destroyed four banks, hundreds of shops, a police station and several government build- ings. Hollande, guest of honor for the celebrations to mark 100 years since Nigeria’s unification, arrived in the capital Abuja for a two-day visit, expecting to hold talks on trade and investment with his Nigerian coun- terpart Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer and is tipped to become the continent’s largest economy in the BLANTYRE: People take part in a demonstration with anti Malawi’s President placards yesterday in Blantyre. — AFP coming months. But given the Islamist insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast and France’s recent military inter- ventions against militants in Mali and the Central African Republic, security has been pushed up the Car bomb kills 11 at agenda.The attack in Adamawa state followed an attack on a secondary school by suspected Boko Haram militants on Tuesday in which 43 people, mostly stu- dents, were killed in Yobe state. tea shop in Somalia Adamawa, Yobe and Borno state have all been under emergency rule since May last year in a bid to curb the violence, which has claimed thousands of lives since 2009. Al-Shabab role in attack suspected Regional interests Nigeria-a former British colony whose northern and MOGADISHU: A car bomb blast yester- southern protectorates were formally merged on day in a normally quiet Mogadishu January 1, 1914 — is not traditionally in France’s neighborhood blew the facade off a tea sphere of influence. French interests are largely con- shop where intelligence officers are fined to the oil sector, although the country is France’s known to congregate, killing at least 11 biggest trading partner in Africa with investments people, police said. A ball of smoke rose worth 5.9 billion euros ($8 billion), according to French into the sky, as survivors ducked for cov- government figures. er. One man broke his arm when, star- But it is surrounded by French-speaking countries, tled by the blast, he jumped out of a notably its former colonies of Chad, Niger and moving car near the attack. Cameroon, which have seen an increase in people from Police Capt Mohammed Hussein said Nigeria’s northeast flee across the border to escape the he saw 11 dead bodies. The tea shop is violence. The United Nations said earlier this month frequented by members of Somalia’s that as of the end of January, nearly 12,500 Nigerians intelligence unit but it wasn’t immedi- had fled east to Cameroon and 8,000 north to Niger ately known how many of the victims because of the continued violence. were government employees. The Al- Boko Haram fighters are also suspected of having Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabab has bases in neighboring countries, crossing the porous increased the frequency of attacks in borders to launch attacks before retreating. Hollande, Somalia’s capital in recent weeks, raising who ordered French troops in to fight Islamist militants the specter of a return to daily violence. in Mali in January 2013 and still has troops trying to Last week an Al-Shabab team attacked stem religious-linked violence in the CAR, hosted more the presidential palace with two car MOGADISHU: Somali policemen carry a dead body after a suicide bomber blew than 40 African leaders for a summit on the continent’s bombs and seven gunmen. A car bomb himself up near a restaurant in Mogadishu yesterday. A car bomb blast yester- security in Paris last year. exploded near a UN convoy earlier this day in a normally quiet Mogadishu neighborhood blew the facade off a tea He was due to address a conference on the theme of month. Witnesses said the car bomb shop where intelligence officers are known to congregate, killing at least 11 “human security, peace and development” in Abuja lat- sped toward the tea shop before deto- people, police said. —AP er Thursday. Nigeria’s government maintains that it is nating. Broken tea glasses were scat- winning the war against Boko Haram, despite the tered on the ground amid splatters of African Union forces in August 2011, and even targeted murders. relentless wave of attacks and mounting death toll, but blood. “You can’t stop someone who allowing an era of relative peace to be Gunmen shot dead a health worker has indicated that French support would be welcome. only cares about killing himself,” said ushered in. However, Al-Shabab has giving out polio vaccinations on Information minister Labaran Maku said on Tuesday Mohamed Abdi, a Somali police officer. increased its pace of attacks in recent Wednesday night, the second polio that Nigeria needed co-operation from both France After controlling most of Mogadishu for weeks, including the use of mortar fire worker killed in the capital this week, and Francophone West African countries “before it years, Al-Shabab was pushed out by attacks, complex suicide team attacks police said. — AP becomes a major problem for France, for western inter- ests... in west Africa”. “It will devastate French interests if we allow this Court clears former German president terror to go on,” the minister told AIT television. A French official drew comparisons between Operation HANOVER: A German court cleared Christian Wulff yesterday of cor- accepted an illegal payments. Serval in Mali and Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, ruption charges for accepting roughly 700 euros in expenses at a The charges stemmed from a 2008 visit to the Oktoberfest beer adding: “France fully intends to continue and deepen beer festival when he was a state premier, ending the first trial of a festival in Munich when Wulff was premier of the state of Lower its intelligence dialogue with Nigeria.” former post-war president. Saxony and a rising star in Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats Hollande won plaudits internationally and broad Once tipped as a future chancellor, 54-year-old Wulff served just (CDU). Prosecutors argued that Wulff had allowed film producer support at home for sending troops into Mali last year 20 months as president before resigning in disgrace in 2012 over David Groenewold to cover some of the costs of his hotel stay and to combat Al-Qaeda-linked radicals who had seized favors he accepted two years before he was vaulted into the ceremo- meals, amounting to 719 euros. In exchange, they said, Wulff lobbied nial post by his conservative ally Angela Merkel. His dramatic fall German conglomerate Siemens to provide financial support for a control in the country’s northern desert regions. from grace, followed by the separation from his glamorous wife Groenewold film. But he has not enjoyed the same support at home Bettina, has gripped the nation. German presidents have limited “I am of course relieved that justice has prevailed,” a smiling Wulff over his deployment of troops to quell sectarian strife in power but are expected to serve as a moral compass and adhere to told reporters outside the court in the northern town of Hanover, the troubled CAR, particularly since other Western pow- the highest standards of conduct. adding he wanted to look to the future after a difficult two years. He ers are reluctant to match France’s commitments. —AFP “The accused Wulff is acquitted,” Judge Frank Rosenow told the left quickly, saying he had to collect his young son from kinder- court, adding there was insufficient evidence to prove that Wulff had garten. —Reuters International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Merkel urges Britain to stay in EU

LONDON: German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Britain yesterday ‘Between the devil and deep blue sea’ to stay in the EU but played down David Cameron’s hopes that her The chancellor said she was aware there were high expectations visit to London would bring major reforms. The British premier rolled from her speech to members of the House of Commons and House of out the red carpet in his bid to woo fellow conservative Merkel, who the Lords, the first by a German leader since president Richard von gave a speech to both houses of parliament and was due to have tea Weizsaecker’s address in 1986. But she said she was “caught between with the queen. But Europe’s most powerful politician was cool on the devil and the deep blue sea” in terms of what she could offer. Cameron’s desire to change the EU’s treaties ahead of a planned refer- “I have heard some expect my speech to pave the way for a fun- endum on British membership of the bloc in 2017. Addressing law- damental reform of European architecture which will satisfy all kinds makers in English after delivering much of the speech in German, of alleged or actual British wishes. I am afraid they are in for a disap- Merkel said the EU should have as its common goal to be a “model for pointment,” she said. But to those in Europe expecting her to say the other regions of the world”. bloc would not pay any price for British membership, she said “I am “In order to maintain this goal we need a strong United Kingdom afraid these hopes will be dashed too”. with a strong voice inside the European Union,” she said. “If we have Merkel follows in the footsteps of US President Barack Obama and that we will be able to make the necessary changes for the benefit of French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy in speaking to the twin chambers us all.” Merkel was due to discuss EU reform and the crisis in Ukraine of parliament at Westminster. Cameron said that during his talks with with Cameron during a lunch meeting at the prime minister’s Merkel they would have “discussions on EU reform and Ukraine”, Downing Street residence. where a bloody political crisis is increasingly putting Russia and the During their 90-minute talks over lunch, Merkel and West at loggerheads. Despite Merkel’s general sympathy towards Cameron are also expected to address a proposed EU-US trade Cameron’s views and the pair’s good personal relationship-reported deal and the identity of the next European Commission chief fol- to have been bolstered during a Cameron family visit to her country lowing Jose Manuel Barroso’s departure in 2015. Cameron hopes home last year-experts warn that he is unlikely to extract much on the to win over voters in Britain’s in-out referendum by securing EU. A recent warming in ties between Germany and France-the tradi- reforms that would dilute Europe’s influence over domestic poli- tional axis of the EU-also threatens to scupper Cameron’s efforts to cy, but is finding support from fellow EU nations hard to come by. extract reforms. Migration is a major issue for Cameron, and in her LONDON: Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron shakes Cameron has said the vote will be in late 2017, provided he is re- speech Merkel said free movement within the EU was a “pre-condi- hands with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel at Downing elected in 2015. tion” for prosperity and democracy. —AFP Street in London yesterday. — AP

Disgraced Italian NATO warns Russia to captain boards avoid Crimea escalation cruise ship wreck

GIGLIO ISLAND, Italy: Italian captain Francesco Schettino Ukraine stokes growing concern in Europe yesterday returned on board his stricken Costa Concordia cruise ship, more than two years after leaving it in a hurry as BRUSSELS: NATO head Anders Fogh bases. “Any troop movements will be lution calling for urgent EU short-term it sank in a tragedy that claimed 32 lives. Wearing a leather Rasmussen yesterday warned Russia not considered as military aggression,” act- financial aid to Ukraine as well as a jacket and sunglasses, the disgraced captain fought off a to take any action over Crimea that ing president Oleksandr Turchynov told longer-term package to support neces- media scrum as he arrived in the tiny port on Giglio Island, could stoke tensions or misunderstand- parliament. In 1997, NATO set up a joint sary reforms. donned a life jacket and got on a boat that took him out to ings in the Ukraine crisis. commission with Ukraine to oversee Lawmakers also called on the EU to the vessel. Schettino’s visit was part of a court-ordered “I’m concerned about developments relations and in 2008 agreed that Kiev take the lead in organizing an interna- inspection in the ongoing trial against him for multiple in Crimea,” Rasmussen said in a tweeted could eventually be considered for tional donors’ conference to raise funds. counts of manslaughter and abandoning ship before all the message. “I urge Russia not to take any membership of the Cold War-era The resolution reiterated that the EU passengers had been evacuated. action that can escalate tension or cre- alliance. stands ready to sign an association “They want to show that I am weak, just like two years ate misunderstanding,” he said. The NATO-Ukraine Commission agreement and trade deal with Ukraine ago. It’s not true! I want to show I’m a gentleman, not a cow- Rasmussen’s comments were made meeting was put on the agenda of the as soon as the political crisis is resolved, ard,” Schettino, who was dubbed “Captain Coward” by the as the Ukraine interim government NATO defence ministers’ gathering at but said this was not “the final goal in tabloids, was quoted by Italian media as saying. Schettino called in Moscow’s representative in the last moment as the crisis worsened. EU-Ukraine cooperation”, meaning that claims he fell onto a lifeboat as the ship keeled over on the night of the disaster on January 13, 2012 and then stayed on Kiev to warn that Russia must respect its Meanwhile in Strasbourg, the European membership of the bloc remained pos- dry land because he wanted to coordinate the nighttime territorial integrity after pro-Russian Parliament adopted a non-binding reso- sible later. — AFP evacuation from there. In a recorded phone call from that gunmen seized control of government dramatic night, a senior coast guard official was heard shout- buildings in the Crimea peninsula. ing at Schettino: “Get back on board, for fuck’s sake!” Rasmussen later told a meeting of the With 4,229 people from 70 countries on board, the giant NATO-Ukraine Commission that the lat- luxury liner crashed into rocks just off Giglio as it attempted est developments in Crimea were “dan- a risky “salute” manoeuvre. It capsized near the coast but has gerous and irresponsible”. “I urge all since been righted in the biggest-ever salvage operation of parties to step back from confronta- its kind and is due to be towed away for scrapping in June. tion,” he said, calling on the Kiev author- Schettino returned to the island on Tuesday for the first time ities to lead the country forward in the since that night and had been hiding from the media glare in most inclusive political process possible. a white-painted house on a cobbled side street near the NATO defense ministers on port in a picturesque fishing community that numbers only a Wednesday agreed a statement which few hundred people. said a sovereign, independent and sta- ble Ukraine was essential to security in Mixed emotions on Giglio Europe. Rasmussen said after the state- Islanders reacted with mixed emotions to his presence, ment that “Ukraine is the most impor- with some saying they felt sympathy for someone they con- tant security issue in Europe today.” sider a “scapegoat” for wider blame and others saying he The latest developments have stoked and the ship should get off the island. Sergio Ortelli, the growing concern about Ukraine’s future mayor of Giglio, said there was “indifference” to Schettino’s and the possible wider fallout after the visit and more concern about when the luxury liner would be ouster of pro-Russian president Viktor taken away. Yanukovych. Crimea is especially sensi- “What marked this island more was when he got off that tive as the home base for Russia’s Black boat on the night of the accident,” Ortelli said. “When the spotlights are turned on, the pain of this event returns. The Sea fleet and tensions there took on a relatives of the victims and the people of Giglio need an new dimension when Russian President explanation of what happened.” Vladimir Putin ordered military pre- BRUSEELS: Belgium NATO Defense Ministers Chuck Hagel, Anders Fogh Rasmussen But the mayor added: “More than his two-day presence, paredness checks in western Russia on NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (left) talks with Ukraine’s acting we are interested in the two-year salvage of the ship, which Wednesday. The interim Ukraine gov- Defense Minister Oleksandr Oliinyk, right, prior to the start of a meeting of NATO we hope will finish as soon as possible.”—AFP ernment specifically warned the Russian defense ministers and NATO-Ukraine Commission at NATO headquarters in navy Thursday to keep its troops in their Brussels yesterday. — AP International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Obama to launch quest to lift African American men

WASHINGTON: Barack Obama will launch a personal 82 percent of Hispanic boys fall below reading proficiency conversation about what does it take to change.” quest that will outlast his presidency to help young African levels by the time they are 10 years old. By comparison, 58 The Obama plan will draw commitments from various American men survive and prosper despite deprived vio- percent of white boys are reading below proficiency levels philanthropic foundations worth $200 million over the lent inner city environments where many grow up. The US by the same age. A disproportionate number of black and next five years, the White House said. In addition, business- president plans to partner with foundations and business- Hispanic men are also in jail, further undermining the struc- es and other groups that sign up to help target early child es on an initiative known as “My Brother’s Keeper” to con- ture of family life in their communities and creating a development, parenting programs, and those stressing lit- nect boys and young men to support networks and to vicious cycle of deprivation. Young minority men are also eracy and discipline. Foundations due to be represented at equip them with the skills needed to go to college or get more than six times as likely to be murdered than their yesterday’s announcement include The Atlantic good jobs. “For decades, opportunity has disproportion- white peers and account for almost half of America’s mur- Philanthropies, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The California ately lagged behind for boys and young men of color par- der victims each year. Obama spoke with deep emotion Endowment and the Ford Foundation. Business leaders ticularly in our African American and Hispanic communi- about the plight of African American men during a visit to taking part will include Joe Echevarria of Deloitte and for- ties,” said Valerie Jarrett, one of Obama’s closest advisors. his own Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago last year. He mer basketball star Magic Johnson. Political leaders sup- The initiative will represent a political full circle of sorts for remembered the mistakes he made as a youth, but said porting the effort who will also be at Thursday’s event will Obama, as he got his start in politics as a community that the environment he grew up in, in his native Hawaii, include former secretary of state Colin Powell, former New organizer in African American neighborhoods in Chicago. was more forgiving than in many of mainland America’s York mayor Michael Bloomberg and current Chicago may- He has also spoken and written of his own struggle for inner cities, where gun crime is common. or and Obama’s former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. identity and against adversity as an African American “When I screwed up, the consequences weren’t as high Jarrett told reporters that the initiative would not just be a youth-though he has tended to downplay his race for as when kids on the South Side screw up,” Obama told the presidential effort but would form part of the social and much of his presidency. group of black Chicago youths. “I had more of a safety net. philanthropic portfolio on which Obama is expected to The White House says that 86 percent of black boys and But these guys are no different than me, and we had that embark when he leaves office in January 2017. — AFP

‘Mein Kampf’ signed Hillary lauds Arizona by Hitler up for auction in LA veto of anti-gay bill

LOS ANGELES: Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” is one of the Call for greater civic participation most racist and heinous screeds in modern history, but officials say two rare early editions signed by him could CORAL GABLES, Florida: Hillary Rodham Clinton praised On Syria, she said the United States should stay focused on go for more than $20,000 at an online auction yesterday. Arizona Gov Jan Brewer’s decision to veto a bill that would removing chemical weapons from the war-torn country but Nate Sanders, owner of Nate D Sanders Auctions in Los have allowed people with sincerely held religious beliefs to that “a lot more international pressure is going to have to be Angeles, says he knows he’ll catch a lot of flak for putting refuse to serve gays. Speaking Wednesday to thousands of brought to finish the job.” The mission to eliminate Syria’s the rare 1925 and 1926 books up for bid. He said he students, faculty and guests at the University of Miami, the for- chemical stockpile has said the Assad government has missed understands that. “But it is a piece of history. It is a very mer secretary of state and New York senator said Brewer’s at least two deadlines in the past two months to remove rare item.” rejection of “discriminatory legislation” recognized that “inclu- chemicals. The United States has accused Damascus of using Hitler was arrested and jailed for the attempt to seize sive leadership is really what the 21st century is all about.” stalling tactics. power. He dictated “Mein Kampf,” two volumes of autobi- Clinton’s remarks came before an address in which she Clinton said she hoped the United States can continue sup- ography and anti-Semitic manifesto, to Rudolf Hess while called for greater civic participation in the country, urging porting “those forces inside Syria who are not allied with the behind bars to raise money for his criminal defense. Both young people to “find ways to make sure the barriers that too extremists and are not looking to establish a theocratic mini- volumes’ fly-leaves feature Hitler’s signature. Sanders said often divide us are torn down once and for all.” “It is the work state but really want to negotiate with (President Barshar) volumes of “Mein Kampf” from the 1930s are common, of this century to complete the unfinished business of making Assad to bring about a peaceful transition.” but a copy signed by the author is rare. sure that every girl and boy, every woman and man, lives in Clinton dodged a question about her own future when Sanders is also auctioning off a leather trench coat he societies that respect their rights no matter who they are,” she University of Miami president Donna Shalala, who served in said was worn by Albert Speer, a Nazi government minis- said. President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet, asked the former first lady ter who took responsibility for the Holocaust at the Clinton has been traveling the country giving speeches at what the “TBD” - shorthand for “to be determined” - meant in Nuremberg trials and was sentenced to 20 years in prison various trade industry events while considering another presi- her Twitter profile. — AP for his role in the Nazi regime. Selling Nazi memorabilia is dential campaign. The former first lady expects to make a prohibited in many European countries that saw the hor- decision whether to run later this year. In a question-and- rors of World War II. — AP answer session, Clinton urged young people to sign up for health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care law as a key deadline approaches. “Having access to health insurance, not connected to 13 exposed to radiation employment, subsidized as it is under the Affordable Care Act, liberates you to choose what you want to do in your life,” she at New Mexico plant said. The White House has set an unofficial goal of 7 million ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico: Employees who were working at enrollees by the end of March. Nearly 3.3 million people, or the nation’s underground nuclear waste dump when it started leak- less than half the total, had enrolled through the end of ing didn’t show signs of external contamination, but officials say January. Unified in their opposition to the law, Republicans biological samples show 13 workers suffered some exposure to have been relentless in focusing on its problems, from com- radiation. The US Department of Energy and the contractor that plaints of canceled policies to higher insurance premiums and runs the Waste Isolation Pilot Project declined to comment further Obama’s unilateral decision to delay for two years the require- on the preliminary test results announced Wednesday, saying they ment that small businesses cover employees. Clinton urged would discuss the issue at a news conference. “It is important to Americans to “get the facts,” and cited a popular provision in note that these are initial sample results,” the DOE and Nuclear the law that allows young people to stay on their parents’ Waste Partnership, the plant operator, said in a joint statement. plans until they turn 26. “These employees, both federal and contractor, will be asked to “We can still disagree - and we will - but the disagreements provide additional samples in order to fully determine the extent of will be based on something resembling evidence and it won’t any exposure.” be living in an evidence-free zone where we just argue past All employees who were working at the southeastern New each other all the time,” she said. Clinton also weighed in on Mexico plant when the leak occurred late Feb. 14 were checked for foreign policy. She said Venezuela “is not being well gov- contamination before being allowed to leave, the news release said. erned” and is “going backward” under President Nicolas But biological samples were also taken to check for possible expo- Maduro, but stopped short of endorsing specific actions in sure from inhaling radioactive particles. response to the countrywide protests that the government Elevated radiation levels have been detected in the air around says have left at least 15 people dead and 150 injured. She crit- the plant, but officials have said the readings are too low to consti- icized the Maduro government. tute a public health threat. The accident is the first-known release of “A democracy doesn’t just mean an election,” she said. “A CORAL GABLES: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of radiation since the dump near Carlsbad began taking plutonium- democracy means a free press, protecting the rights of oppo- State (left) flashes a U symbol as she is seen with Donna E contaminated waste from the nation’s nuclear bomb building sites nents, protecting a free economy, having an independent Shalala, President of the University of Miami, during an event 15 years ago. —AP judiciary.” on Wednesday. — AFP 17 International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 2 sailors found dead in Indian submarine 7 airlifted to hospital in latest naval tragedy MUMBAI: Two Indian naval officers were found dead yesterday after they went missing in a submarine fire off Mumbai’s coast, the latest in a string of accidents that have forced the navy’s chief to quit. Seven other crew members were air- SRINAGAR: Indian army soldiers stand alongside an lifted to hospital with breathing prob- ambulance carrying the bodies of soldiers killed inside lems after smoke began to fill the ves- an army camp at Safapora some 20 km (12 miles) from sel’s living quarters on Wednesday, an Srinagar yesterday. —AFP accident that comes only six months after another deadly submarine disaster Soldier shoots dead in Mumbai. “The two officers who were earlier declared missing have been locat- five colleagues, ed in the (submarine) compartment and after examination by Medical Officers self in Kashmir both the officers were declared dead,” said an emailed statement from the defense ministry. SRINAGAR: A soldier armed with two automatic weapons Admiral D K Joshi, the chief of naval shot dead five of his colleagues as they slept early yesterday staff, announced Wednesday night he before killing himself in restive Indian Kashmir, police and was standing down to take “moral the army said. responsibility” for the accident on board MUMBAI: Chief for Indian Naval Staff, Admiral DK Joshi (left) briefs The soldier, who was on night duty, walked into the bar- the Russian-built INS Sindhuratna during racks where the soldiers were resting and opened fire at a exercises. Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony (center) at the scene as Indian military camp 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the region’s Last August, 18 sailors were killed Navy personnel work at the conning tower of the stricken INS main city of Srinagar. “The soldier ran amok, killing five oth- when the fully-armed submarine INS Sindhurakshak, after the submarine sank following an explosion at the ers before shooting himself dead in the camp in Ganderbal Sindhurakshak exploded in flames and naval dockyard in Mumbai. —AFP district,” army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Narinder sank in a military shipyard in Mumbai. Nahar Joshi said. That disaster was thought to be the Joshi was “pretty much disturbed about cer as saying on Wednesday. The strick- Another soldier who was injured in the attack recalled Indian Navy’s worst since the sinking of a the whole development”. “He requested en submarine docked in Mumbai yester- the events to police before being shifted to a military hospi- frigate by a Pakistani submarine during a me to take his resignation with immedi- day morning, allowing the navy to venti- tal in Srinagar for treatment, local superintendent of police war with its neighbor in 1971. Various ate effects,” Antony said. late the vessel and step up their search Shahid Mehraj said. other naval accidents reported in recent for the missing pair. INS Sindhuratna is a A military inquiry and a separate police probe were months included a submarine running Stricken submarine docks kilo-class submarine which normally under way to determine what sparked the incident at the aground in Mumbai’s harbor, fires on a While a full inquiry is expected to operates with a crew of 53 and can sail camp in Safapora village, including whether the soldier was minesweeping vessel and an aircraft car- determine the exact cause of the latest on its own for 45 days, the navy’s web- suffering from stress. “We don’t know what triggered this rier, and a collision between a frigate and accident, the navy said it appeared to site says. The submarine had only been a fishing boat. incident, but we are investigating thoroughly so that such have been due to sparks in a sleeping handed back to the navy in December The Indian navy has 14 submarines, an incident is not repeated in future,” Mehraj said, adding cabin. According to the Press Trust of after undergoing a major refit, according but only between seven and nine are police have seized two automatic rifles used by the soldier. India (PTI) news agency, smoke filled a to local reports. operational at any one time because of compartment and triggered emergency It had been undergoing trials off the “We are also talking to soldiers who were awake at the regular repair and refitting. Defense measures, such as the closure of hatches Mumbai coast as part of a clearance time of shooting,” Mehraj said. The killer was a member of a experts say the navy has an ageing fleet which isolate sections of the submarine. process for full operations when the inci- counter-insurgency force called the Rashtriya Rifles posted and has struggled with delays in the The missing pair “might have been dent occurred. Russia is still the biggest to the heavily militarized Himalayan region and charged acquisition of new submarines and poor left in the cabin or at some other place as military supplier to India, but relations with tracking down suspected militants. Indian forces have servicing. various cabins and compartments are have been strained by major delays and since 1989 been fighting some dozen militant groups seek- Defence Minister A K Antony told isolated as part of the emergency meas- cost overruns with a refurbished aircraft ing independence or the merger of the territory with reporters yesterday that outgoing chief ures”, PTI quoted an unnamed navy offi- carrier, the INS Vikramaditya. —AFP Pakistan. The fighting has left tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, dead. Several similar incidents have occurred in the past in the region, including one in 2011 Modi signals shift in favor of big retail when an Indian soldier killed four of his comrades after an altercation in a camp in Anantnag district. —AFP NEW DELHI: Indian opposition candidate from global trade,” Modi told a meeting said India needed to cut red tape by for prime minister Narendra Modi said of the Confederation of All India Traders. reducing the number of laws, and called yesterday the country’s millions of family- “The government should not look to curb on the foreign ministry to focus on Shiite scholar shot owned traders must learn to work with online trade. We should not worry about “economic diplomacy” to improve large modern stores and online retailers, these things, our children have taken IT to India’s commercial standing in the dead in Pakistan in comments that could signal a shift in the world. We’ll have to embrace it.” world. “Times have changed, the core thinking. Modi also said he favoured introduc- work of external affairs ministry today is Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ing a nation-wide goods and services tax trade and commerce,” he said. In an KARACHI: Gunmen shot dead a Shiite Muslim scholar in opposes a policy to allow foreign super- (GST), a long-planned reform to usher in a effort to attract overseas investment central Karachi as he travelled on a busy road yesterday, markets to open in India, which it says is a uniform market, cut business costs and and revive the economy, Prime Minister police said, in what appeared to be a sectarian attack. threat to millions of grocery stores and boost government revenue. The country’s Manmohan Singh threw open the coun- Allama Taqi Hadi Naqvi, a cleric who was also an employee traders who are a backbone of the party’s states have stood in the way of a GST, try’s $500-billion retail industry to for- of the government educational board, was targeted as he support. Sketching out his economic fearing that they would face revenue loss- eign investors late in 2012. returned home in a rickshaw. views ahead of a general election likely to es if the current array of inefficient levies That allowed companies such as Pakistan has seen a rise in sectarian violence since a be held in April and May, Modi declined were replaced. Chief minister of Gujarat, Wal-Mart Stores and TESCO Plc to own number of deadly clashes between Sunni and Shiite to reiterate that stance or oppose a pro- one of the country’s most industrialized majority stakes in Indian chains for the Muslim groups near the capital Islamabad in November. posal to allow foreign investment in states, Modi is campaigning on the back first time, pending approval by individ- “He was riding in an auto rickshaw when two riders on a online shopping, which is growing rapidly of a record of strong growth over more ual states. motorcycle shot him,” police officer Afaq Ahmed said. in India. than a decade in office. But until Thursday This month, the newly elected Hadi died on the spot as two of the bullets hit him in Instead, he said small traders should he had given few details about how he BJP government of the western state the face, the officer said, adding that the motive appeared put an emphasis on the quality of their would steer the economy, which has seen of Rajasthan became the second to be sectarian. Pakistan is rife with sectarian violence, products to compete better. He said they growth at its slowest in a decade. state government to roll back the often perpetrated by Sunni militant groups linked to Al- could enter into contracts with big online policy. Fewer than half of India’s 28 Qaeda and the Taleban against Shiites, who make up retailers to create “virtual trade”. “We Economic diplomacy states have agreed to implement the some 20 percent of the population. —AFP should not worry about the challenges The Hindu nationalist leader also policy. —Reuters International FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 US envoy urges China to respect human rights Washington concerned about fate of scholar

BEIJING: The outgoing US ambassador to China urged Beijing yesterday to respect the rights of peaceful political activists and said Washington was deeply concerned about the fate of a minority scholar charged with separatism. At his final news conference as ambassador, Gary Locke said BANGKOK: A supporter “Red Shirts” of Thai Prime that Washington is “very concerned” about Minister Yingluck Shinawatra shout slogans during a the case of Ilham Tohti as well as a recent demonstration after shutting down the gates of the head- increase in the arrests of social and legal quarters of the National Anti-Corruption Commission activists and journalists. (NACC) in Bangkok yesterday. — AFP Tohti is an economics professor and outspoken advocate for the Uighur Muslim minority who was arrested on Tuesday after Embattled Thai PM being taken from his home one month ago. China should value not just the eco- misses graft hearing nomic welfare of its people, but also their freedom of speech, assembly and religion, BANGKOK: Thailand’s premier skipped an anti-corruption Locke said. “We believe that freedom of panel hearing yesterday into negligence charges that could expression is a universal right and we very lead to her ousting, as her government turned to the UN for much are concerned about the arrest and help resolving a deadly political crisis. Prime Minister detentions of people who are engaged in Yingluck Shinawatra is fighting for her political survival as peaceful advocacy,” Locke, accompanied pressure mounts on several fronts-in mass protests on the by his wife Mona, told journalists at the US BEIJING: Outgoing US Ambassador to China Gary Locke speaks during a streets, in the courts and from the National Anti-Corruption Embassy in eastern Beijing. farewell press conference held at the US embassy in Beijing yesterday. — AFP Commission (NACC). State Department spokeswoman Jen The backdrop is a longstanding struggle between a royal- Psaki on Wednesday also expressed deep applicants in China had fallen from up to working in the country the same equitable ist establishment-backed by the judiciary and the military- concern for Tohti and called for his release. 100 days to as little as one, while visa appli- treatment Chinese journalists receive in the and Yingluck’s billionaire family which has strong support in China’s authoritarian communist govern- cations grew by 75 percent. Almost 220,000 West, a reference to Beijing’s denial of visas the northern half of Thailand. The prime minister’s critics ment brooks no political opposition and Chinese currently study at American col- to reporters from the New York Times and welcome the graft probe as a long-overdue attempt to hold routinely rejects such remarks. Beijing says leges and universities, the most from any other news outlets. Notably missing from the government to account, but to her supporters it is part it must take harsh measures against what it country. Locke also oversaw the defusing of his comments was any reference to Chinese of an attempted power grab. calls Islamic radical terrorists fighting for two of the most delicate diplomatic investment barriers, alleged currency Yingluck, who has protested her innocence, sent her legal the independence of the northwestern episodes between the countries in years. manipulation and other economic disputes team to acknowledge the allegations linked to a flagship rice China Uighur homeland of Xinjiang amid In February 2012, Wang Lijun, the police that had been prominent themes in Locke’s farm subsidy scheme, as she toured her political stronghold an uptick in violent incidents over the past chief in the western city of Chongqing, fled speeches earlier in his term. That appeared in northern Thailand. The NACC, which filed charges against year. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua to a US consulate in southwest China with to reflect a strengthening US economy and Yingluck earlier this month, says she ignored warnings that Chunying defended China’s record at a information about the killing of a British a boom in exports to China that are grow- the rice scheme was fostering corruption and causing finan- regular briefing Wednesday and accused businessman, setting off China’s biggest ing at nearly twice the rate they are to oth- cial losses. the country’s critics of political bias. political scandal in years. Wang’s flight led er countries. He said Chinese investment in She now has 15 days to submit her defense. If found Chinese citizens enjoy “unprecedented to the removal and subsequent sentencing the US over the past two years exceed that guilty by the NACC she faces an impeachment vote in the rights and liberty,” Hua said. “We strongly to life imprisonment for corruption of of the previous 11 years combined. upper house and a possible five-year ban from politics, as oppose irresponsible comments made by Chongqing’s leader, Bo Xilai, formerly one “Mona and I depart China with a spirit well as potential imprisonment by the courts on criminal anybody, regardless of which country he of China’s most powerful politicians. Just of optimism. I believe the trajectory of our charges. It is unclear how long the commission will take to comes from.” two months later, blind legal activist Chen two countries’ relationship is positive and reach a conclusion. A former commerce secretary and two- Guangcheng escaped house arrest and was indeed will shape the future of the world,” “It is important that we hear all the facts from both sides,” term governor of Washington state, Locke, given shelter in the US Embassy in Beijing, Locke said. Locke, a Democrat, said he had said NACC official Vichai Vivatsaevee. “We do not have a rul- 63, was the first Chinese-American to serve where he remained for six days before no plans for the immediate future but ing in mind.” The legal moves comes amid a spike in political as ambassador to Beijing. Known for his being allowed to leave the country with his would stump for American political candi- violence, often targeting protesters, that has left 22 people affable, non-confrontational style, Locke family to study in New York. dates and eventually return to China in a dead and hundreds wounded in recent weeks. placed a high priority on improving In his comments, Locke also repeated private capacity to work on business proj- One of Yingluck’s deputy prime ministers said yesterday embassy efficiency and facilitating bilateral Washington’s calls for restraint in China’s ects. His replacement, former Montana he would appeal to United Nations Secretary General Ban trade during his 2 1/2 years in Beijing at a maritime territorial disputes with Japan and Sen. Max Baucus, was sworn in last week Ki-moon to try to broker an end to the crisis. “There is no time when exchanges are growing rapidly. its Southeast Asian neighbors. He also and is expected to arrive within coming neutral person in Thailand, no one credible” to act as a Locke said the wait for a visa interview by urged China to accord foreign journalists weeks. — AP mediator, Surapong Tovichakchaikul told reporters, a day after Ban condemned the violence and called for dialogue. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday he was ready to meet Yingluck, but only if she “comes alone” and China to mark Nanjing Massacre, the talks are broadcast live on national television. Yingluck indicated she would be ready to talk if protesters agree to Japan defeat as national days end their rallies. BEIJING: Chinese lawmakers approved China says more than 300,000 people necessity in current circumstances,” for- Justice or judicial coup? national remembrance days yesterday to were slaughtered by Japanese troops in a eign ministry spokeswoman Hua The premier’s opponents accuse the Shinawatra family of commemorate the Nanjing Massacre and six-week killing spree in the then capital Chunying said following the decision. plundering the public coffers to win the votes of rural voters Japan’s defeat in World War II, state Nanjing, which began on December 13 Tokyo and Beijing are embroiled in a through populist policies such as the rice scheme. But gov- media said, amid bitter disputes over ter- 1937. Some foreign academics put the series of rows, including a long-running ernment supporters and some experts see the charges as ritory and history. figure lower. It was unclear what signifi- diplomatic spat over disputed islands in part of an attempted “judicial coup” by Thaksin’s foes within “September 3 was ratified as the vic- cance the formal “national days” will the East China Sea. Tensions rose further the royalist establishment, without sending tanks onto the tory day and December 13 the national have, although they are not expected to last month when Japanese Prime streets. memorial day for massacre victims”, the be public holidays. The Chinese govern- Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni “These are elaborate plans to overthrow the government official Xinhua news agency said, report- ment previously designated as victory shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead, without actually staging a physical coup,” said Verapat ing decisions by members of the day September 3, the day after Japan for- including convicted war criminals. Pariyawong, a Harvard-educated lawyer and political com- National People’s Congress, China’s rub- mally surrendered to the Allies on board Chinese officials often call on Japan to mentator. Dozens of pro-Yingluck lawmakers in the Senate, berstamp parliament. Japan invaded the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945. “reflect” on its past, while Tokyo says its the upper house, face possible political bans over a failed China in the 1930s and the two countries “The approval of the national days has neighbors use history as a diplomatic attempt to amend the constitution to make the Senate fully fought a full-scale war from 1937 to 1945. great historical significance and is a stick to beat it with. — AFP elected. — AFP Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Airbus China plant opens door to massive market Qantas to axe 5,000 jobs PAGE 21 PAGE 20

BARCELONA: Sony devices become wet with water at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile phone trade show yesterday. — AP Phone makers eye emerging markets for growth

BARCELONA: Here’s the rub for companies: A good huge difference,” said Timo Toikkanen, Nokia’s exec- making premium smartphones. Even last fall’s services and use the devices instead as mobile com- part of the key markets they serve already own utive vice president for mobile phones. Still too iPhone 5c was just $100 cheaper, at $549, than the puters and cameras. smartphones and use them to connect various expensive? Try some of the $50 to $70 smartphones more-advanced iPhone 5s. That’s way beyond the Local wireless carriers will need to better educate Internet services. How do you grow from there? based on Firefox OS, a system adapted from the reach of many people in poorer countries. their customers on the value of connectivity, he said, Services from Facebook to Firefox are looking to popular Firefox Web browser. Mozilla, the organiza- “They are focusing on the premium segment,” while app developers need to tweak their services to emerging markets for the next few billion people. tion behind Firefox, announced a partnership with Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing told The Associated work on slower, less reliable networks. He said They are not only targeting the obvious high-popu- Chinese chipmaker Spreadtrum Communications Press. “Their market has become mature, saturated. Facebook learned that when a team went to Africa lation countries such as India and China, but also see Inc. to create a blueprint for any phone maker to So now, if you want to further grow, you must focus and couldn’t use Facebook’s Android app because it potential in Latin America, Africa and just about make $25 smartphones. on those emerging markets, particular those poor pulled too much data. everywhere beyond the US, Canada, western Europe Microsoft Corp, meanwhile, said it was relaxing people.” He said Lenovo releases 40 or 50 smart- Firefox phones have FM radio tuners built in so and a few Asian nations. hardware requirements to keep phone costs down. phones a year to meet the diversity of needs in owners won’t waste data connection on streaming One message has been clear this week at the For instance, phones no longer need physical cam- those markets. services, while another emerging system, Ubuntu, Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, era and control buttons. Those can now be done Making cheap phones available will help compa- tries to make sure it has apps that work well offline. Spain: Even as the affluent crave the latest iPhones through software instead. It is also working with nies expand in developed countries, too. Even in the To address the lack of credit cards in emerging mar- or Android phones, most of the world can’t afford Qualcomm Inc on blueprints for any phone maker to US, not everyone wants or can afford a high-end kets, Nokia replaced Android’s card-based app store the hundreds of dollars they cost. So there’s been a quickly design a Windows phone. While global smartphone, Sony Mobile President Kunimasa with one that permits billing directly to mobile oper- push to get mobile devices cheap enough to reach brands such as Apple and Samsung reign in industri- Suzuki said in an interview. But emerging markets ators. Ultimately, companies need to figure out what emerging markets without sacrificing so much per- alized countries, smaller, regional manufacturers also pose challenges unfamiliar in the industrialized to sacrifice to bring costs down. Forget high-resolu- formance that first-time smartphone owners will thrive in emerging markets because of lower distri- world. The easy one to solve is to support two SIM tion video or a giant screen, such as the 5.1-inch dis- give up on the Internet and forgo a second smart- bution costs and better tailoring to local needs. cards in the same phone. Pricing and plans vary so play on the Samsung Galaxy S5 that was announced phone down the road. It’s a delicate balance. Internet services also see opportunities in finding much in emerging markets that it’s common for Monday. Not only are those features expensive, they When Motorola Mobility introduced the low-cost the next few billions in emerging markets. In fact, people to use different carriers for different circum- require faster processors and longer battery life, Moto G smartphone last fall, the company empha- getting the smartphone and the connectivity is just stances. The Moto G, the Nokia X and Sony’s new adding to expenses. sized how it was bringing the features of high-end the beginning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Xperia M2 phone support that, and Microsoft will Cellular connectivity through 4G is also something smartphones to a device that starts at just $179. during Monday’s keynote. More important, he said, enable that in Windows Phone this spring. often dropped, as many emerging markets are lucky Even then, it had to sacrifice camera resolution and is giving people a reason to connect: basic financial More challenging is dealing with expensive data just to have the slower 3G. But what’s good enough? connectivity to the faster 4G LTE cellular networks. services, access to health care information and edu- connections, something Zuckerberg posed as a big- Leo Li, CEO of Spreadtrum, said phones using his And $179 is still expensive for many. At the cational materials. He sees Facebook as the “on ger barrier than smartphone affordability. Chris company’s blueprints work as good as Apple’s iPhone Barcelona show this week, Nokia Corp unveiled the ramp” to all those services. Weasler, whose role at Facebook is to improve 4. But that’s a 4-year-old phone. Nonetheless, he said Nokia X series, starting at 89 euros ($122). In many ways, emerging markets provide access to Internet services around the world, said he performance is better than the basic phones that first- “In the growth market... a couple of bucks make a unmatched opportunities. Apple has insisted on has met many smartphone owners who forgo data timers are upgrading from. —AP Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Qantas to axe 5,000 jobs RBS bank losses soar in 2013 Qantas posts $210m half-year loss LONDON: Royal Bank of Scotland’s losses soared to almost SYDNEY: Struggling Australian carrier £9.0 billion last year on legal charges and the creation of a Qantas yesterday said it will axe 5,000 ‘bad bank’, but the state-rescued firm still paid millions in jobs, defer aircraft deliveries and freeze bonuses. Net losses widened 49 percent to £8.995 billion growth at Asian offshoot Jetstar in a ($15.0 billion, 10.9 billion euros) in 2013, RBS said in a results major shake-up after deep first-half loss- statement as it unveiled major new restructuring plans that es, warning of more pain to come. The will result in yet more job losses. That compared with a loss airline, battling record fuel costs and after tax of £6.055 billion in 2012. The Edinburgh-based fierce competition from subsidized bank, which is 81-percent state-owned after the world’s rivals, posted an interim net loss of biggest bailout during the global financial crisis, added it Aus$235 million (US$210 million) in the will slash its cost base by another £5.3 billion in the coming six months to December 31 as it faces years and warned of more “inevitable” job cuts. some of its toughest conditions ever. “Reducing costs and divesting businesses in the bank Underlying loss before tax-the air- will inevitably result in reduced staff levels,” chief executive line’s preferred measure of financial per- Ross McEwan said in the results statement. Media reports formance-came in at Aus$252 million, a had suggested last week that RBS was seeking a jobs cull figure chief executive Alan Joyce called totaling at least 30,000, but no specific numbers were given “unacceptable and unsustainable”. yesterday. The loss-making bank meanwhile agreed to a “Hard decisions will be necessary to staff bonus pool of £576 million, down 15 percent from overcome the challenges we face and 2012. RBS was rocked last year by a £3.8-billion provision for build a stronger business,” said Joyce, a string of scandal-related charges and a £4.8-billion hit for who will take a 36 percent wage cut as the creation of an internal “bad bank” unit called RBS the company works to slash costs by Capital Resolution. The provisions include costs to meet US SYDNEY: Qantas staff walk through the terminal of Sydney domestic airport action over mortgage-backed financial products and com- Aus$2 billion over three years. Qantas yesterday. — AFP shares closed nine percent lower at pensation for the mis-selling in Britain of insurance covering Aus$1.15.5. Part of the restructure will 50 aircraft, including the eight remain- particularly against domestic rival Virgin credit products such as consumer loans. It has taken a hit see 5,000 full-time positions lost from ing Airbus A380s it has on order. Australia-majority-owned by state- also from mis-selling interest rate hedging products, known the carrier’s 32,000-strong workforce by backed Singapore Airlines, Air New as swaps, to small businesses. RBS, which has additionally 2017 with a wage freeze across the net- ‘Tough decisions’ ahead Zealand and Etihad. been fined over its role in the Libor interest-rate rigging work until it returns to profit. Qantas will also axe its Perth-to- Australia’s conservative government scandal, has been dragged into an worldwide probe over “I regret the need for these wide- Singapore route and suspend new said this week it was drafting laws to alleged manipulation of foreign exchange trading along ranging job losses, but we will do every- growth plans for Jetstar. “When it comes allow Qantas to be majority foreign-con- with other banks. On Wednesday, RBS said its pre-tax losses thing we can to make the process easier to Jetstar in Asia, we need to take the trolled and for a single foreign share- surged to £8.24 billion in 2013, while revenues fell 12 per- for employees who leave the business,” right decisions in accord with current holder to own more than 25 percent. cent to £19.44 billion. said Irish-born Joyce. “At the end of this market circumstances and our balance But the legislation is unlikely to pass transformation, Qantas will remain an sheet,” said Joyce. “In Singapore, growth through the upper house Senate with McEwan to shrink bank further employer of more than 27,000 people, has been suspended by the Jetstar Asia Labor and the Greens opposing majority McEwan yesterday outlined a plan to shrink the bank’s the vast majority based in Australia-and board until such time as conditions overseas ownership, while remaining seven divisions to just three, and simplify its services and we will be a better and more competi- improve.” Following an interim profit open to an assistance package. products for retail customers. “We will move from a bank tive company.” Unions said workers warning in December, Moody’s and S&P Prime Minister Tony Abbott called it with seven divisions and seven support departments to a were being punished for poor manage- both downgraded Qantas’ credit rating “a very troubling day” for Qantas but bank with three customer businesses-personal, commercial, ment. “Qantas management has today to “junk” status, increasing its financing suggested a debt guarantee could pose and corporate,” he said. And he pledged to transform RBS outlined a demolition job, but failed to costs and restricting access for investors problems. “The difficulty is this-what we into a more UK-focused bank, with British assets set to follow through with a strategy for how it who do not put their money in lower- do for one business, in fairness, we have increase from 60 percent to 80 percent of the business. will grow the business and serve the rated companies. to make available to all businesses,” he “This bank has had an extraordinary five years,” McEwan national interest,” said Nathan Safe, Qantas has since been working to told parliament when asked about the said in a separate letter to shareholders. “Cleaning up a president of the influential Australian convince the government it deserves a issue. Joyce warned of more difficult £2.2-trillion balance sheet whilst addressing the many fail- and International Pilots Association. The debt guarantee, while lobbying decisions ahead. “We must defer growth ings of the past has carried a very heavy cost, which shows carrier flagged “significant changes” to Canberra to relax the Qantas Sale Act, and cut back where we can, so that we in our results. “Even by recent standards, 2013 was a diffi- its fleet and network and a reduction in which limits foreign ownership in the can invest where we need to. We have cult year. Regulatory fines, wide-ranging customer com- capital expenditure of Aus$1 billion airline to 49 percent. Joyce argues that already made tough decisions and plaints, technology problems and public questioning of our across the next two financial years. This the cap, which restricts access to capital, nobody should doubt that there are integrity all weighed heavily, and bring into sharp focus the will see the sale or deferred delivery of is hurting Qantas’ ability to compete, more ahead,” he said. — AFP job we have at hand.” —AFP Credit Suisse ‘regrets’ misconduct

WASHINGTON: The head of Credit Suisse based private bankers, previously occurred at Levin said. He demanded that the bankers “turn Swiss laws shield banks expressed regret Wednesday that his bank our bank,” Credit Suisse said in a statement to a over the names of the people you aided and Levin countered that banks continued to helped US clients hide billions of dollars from US Senate panel that led a years-long investiga- abetted in tax evasion,” noting that so far, they hide behind Switzerland’s secrecy laws, and that the tax man, but blamed the wrongdoing on a tion of “Swiss bank secrecy.” had given only 238 names. US authorities have yet to make arrests in the small band of rogue employees. Chief executive A damning Senate report found that the Among the practices revealed by the Senate, case. Department of Justice officials have denied Brady Dougan conceded that the bank, bank at its peak in 2006 had more than 22,000 several Swiss bankers were sent to the United inactivity on the issue. “Just because we can’t Switzerland’s second largest, undertook elabo- US customers with Swiss accounts whose assets States to secretly find new clients, leaving no disclose what we’re doing doesn’t mean we’re rate efforts to gain new, secret American clients. stood as high as $12 billion. No one has stood paper trail, at events like golf tournaments spon- not actively pursuing these cases,” Deputy “Credit Suisse’s management team regrets very trial, and the bank has not been held account- sored by the bank. Levin said former Credit Attorney General James Cole told the hearing. deeply that despite the industry-leading compli- able, according to the report. Analysts say Credit Suisse clients were taken to meetings in Zurich The goal is to gather evidence and build a ance measures we put in place, we have some Suisse could face fines of up to $2.0 billion, on remote-controlled buttonless elevators, strong criminal case against banks and bankers Swiss-based private bankers who appear to which would dwarf the $196 million fine regula- received bank statements hidden inside maga- implicated in tax evasion schemes, he said, have violated US law,” Dougan, the first tors imposed last week for providing unregis- zines, and were issued secret US credit cards adding that more than 43,000 taxpayers have American to lead a major Swiss bank, told US tered brokerage and investment advisory servic- allowing them to draw on their Swiss accounts. now reported previously secret accounts and lawmakers. es to US clients. “We should have caught it,” Dougan said, but paid over $6 billion in back taxes, interests and “While I am extremely dismayed by the con- he insisted the offenders consisted of just 10 to penalties. From 2008 to 2011, after a tax-evasion duct, Mr Chairman, I also believe that leadership Secret wooing of clients 15 bankers. Dougan testified alongside Hans- scandal at Swiss bank UBS, which ended up pay- requires facing up to the past, and taking Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the subcom- Ulrich Meister, who heads Credit Suisse’s private ing $780 million in fines, Credit Suisse began responsibility for what our employees did.” An mittee that led the two-year investigation, took banking division; Robert Shafir, running the phasing out its evasive practices, asking clients internal probe found no evidence that Credit Credit Suisse to task for failing to live up to bank’s US business; and chief council Romeo to close their accounts or declare them. By late Suisse management was aware of the problems, promises of transparency after a similar 2008 Cerutti. Meister said his bank shared “absolutely 2013, the number of Swiss accounts held by US the bank said. “Credit Suisse acknowledges that investigation. “It’s five years later, and the sad the same goal” as US authorities in ending clients at Credit Suisse fell by 85 percent, the misconduct, centered on a small group of Swiss- truth is that the era of bank secrecy is not over,” secretive accounts. report said. —AFP 21 Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Noting tech needs, Airbus China plant opens mining companies seek graphite door to massive market

ANCHORAGE: Tear apart an electric car’s rechargeable bat- tery and you’ll find a mineral normally associated with No. 2 Market share in China jumps from 25 to 50% pencils. It’s graphite. And experts say the promise of expand- TIANJIN: ed uses for “pencil lead” in lithium-ion batteries - used in cars, In a series of vast hangars, dozens the memorandum of understanding for the 1.5 billion euros ($2.05 billion) for last year, cellphones and tablet computers - as well as a decrease in of Chinese technicians swarm over fuse- Tianjin plant was agreed in 2005, Chen said. up 22.0 percent. The company said it took supply from China has helped touch off the largest wave of lages of Airbus A320 planes, foot soldiers in “This is what has made the difference” in orders worth 218.7 billion euros with its mining projects in decades. the battle to dominate what will become the fight against Boeing, he added. Around global order book now worth a record 686.7 “There’s an awful lot of exploration. Lots of companies the world’s largest aircraft market. The near- 160 medium-range A320 aircraft have so far billion euros. looking for graphite,” said Don Hains, an expert in industrial ly completed aircraft at the Airbus assembly been assembled in Tianjin, which now pro- Airbus has a 51 percent share in the joint minerals. The US imports all of its natural graphite, but mining plant in the northern city of Tianjin, an hour duces four of them a month, and there are venture and a consortium of Chinese companies are searching locations from Alaska to Alabama, outside Beijing, are resplendent in the livery plans to adapt it to produce the more fuel- investors including state-owned aircraft optimistic about future demand. From technological to indus- of their Chinese airline buyers. Since it efficient A320neo aircraft in the future. manufacturer AVIC holds 49 percent. The trial, the mineral’s products comprise a $13 billion industry, opened in 2008, the plant has effectively When it opened it had 133 foreign employ- deal was originally agreed to extend till and firms see opportunity in producing high-purity, large- acted as a showcase for Airbus’s wares and flake graphite for “lithium-ion batteries and other new renew- given the European manufacturer an able energy forms,” said Hains, a specialist with Watts, Griffis advantage as it competes with US arch-rival and McOuat Limited, a geological and mining consultant firm Boeing to dominate Chinese aircraft sales, in Toronto. Airbus officials said. China, meanwhile, appears to have eased its grip on world Early controversy over technology trans- production, creating an opening that hasn’t existed since the fer, the safety of the aircraft assembled at mid-’90s, mining companies say. China accounted for 750 mil- the plant and comparatively lower salaries lion metric tons out of a global total of 1.1 billion metric tons of Chinese workers appears to be forgotten. in 2012, the most recent year records were available, accord- Now negotiations to extend the joint ven- ing to the US Geological Survey. But Chinese output that year ture beyond its original 10-year shelf-life are was down 50 million metric tons from 2011 as the govern- entering the final stages. “The Tianjin site is ment closed mines for environmental issues and resource an expensive investment, but you have to protection, according to the USGS. have a global vision and look at what it Also, the growth of China’s steel industry has boosted its brings us,” said Eric Chen, president of domestic demand for industrial-grade graphite, used in Airbus China. foundries for its heat-resistant proprieties, leading to a new “Since we decided to set up here, our graphite export tax, experts say. The developments con- market share in China has gone from 25 to tributed to a sharp rise in the price of large-flake graphite, 50 percent,” he told journalists on a visit to peaking at $3,000 per ton in early 2012. The price has since the plant, the only Airbus assembly plant dropped back to about $1,300 per ton, but economic opti- outside Europe. Some 20 percent of the mism has remained. worldwide production of Airbus already “There’s certainly more than 200, and at one point there goes to China. For now, it still lags Boeing in TIANJIN: This picture shows an Airbus A320 fuselage being assembled were over 300 companies, or individual projects, being looked terms of final deliveries in the country, send- at the Airbus assembly plant. —AFP at around the world,” Hains said. In Alaska, a claim north of ing 133 aircraft to clients last year — 10 few- Nome on the slopes of the Kiglauik Mountains is being er than the US firm. ees, a figure that now stands at 32. 2016. “Discussions are underway to renew explored by Vancouver, British Columbia-based Graphite One But its 1,000th Chinese delivery took Will Horton, a senior analyst for CAPA and significantly deepen this partnership,” Resources. The site, Graphite Creek, “is definitely a world-class place on December 23, 28 years after the Centre of Aviation in Hong Kong, said it was French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said deposit,” said Dean Besserer, vice president of exploration. first in 1985. Now it is aiming to achieve its a mutually beneficial relationship. “Airbus is this week after visiting the plant. Chen told A recent development has company officials particularly second 1,000 deliveries by 2020. It is a con- growing its share of the Chinese market, AFP he was “confident” a deal would be hopeful. Last month, they announced an increase in the servative goal given the boom in Chinese air and China rightfully sees pride and value in reached in time for signature when Chinese amount of high-grade graphite they expect to be able to pull traffic, Chen said. According to Boeing’s having a local assembly line,” he told AFP. President Xi Jinping visits France in late from the site. There are 285 million metric tons in a continu- projections, the Chinese civil aviation fleet “Local final assembly means more of the air- March. But some aspects were still being ous 3-mile stretch near the surface of the mountain, officials will triple over the next 20 years. Airbus only craft’s value is kept in China.” On negotiated, he said, declining to give said. They expect an active mine would be sustainable for the started winning large Chinese orders after Wednesday, Airbus reported net profit of details. —AP next 20 years. Several other companies are searching in the U.S. USA Graphite is exploring properties in Nevada. Graphite Corp. and Alabama Graphite Corp. are exploring in Alabama. And Apple asks Chinese court to Graphite Corp. also has a prospect in Montana. Far more firms are searching in Canada. The last time the industry saw this much activity in North overturn patent ruling America was two decades ago, during a perceived supply shortage. Exploration also increased in Australia and Africa, BEIJING: US technology giant Apple yes- technology was not original enough or your patent invalid and protract cases as but China responded by supplying a flood of graphite without terday asked a Beijing court to strike innovative enough to deserve a patent. long as possible to pressure you to give increasing the price. “Basically, the Chinese bought the mar- down a patent ruling by state authorities, The proceedings ended yesterday after- in,” he told AFP. ket,” Hains said. as it fights an intellectual property battle noon and the chief of the five-judge pan- Zhizhen appeared only as a third party This time around, explorers such as Graphite One are confi- with a Chinese firm. Shanghai-based el said the court would send the parties its at the proceedings, which were between dent they can find a niche supplying battery makers - espe- Zhizhen Network Technology has sued decision at a later date. Apple and the patent review board, he cially if China continues to take measures that restrict exports. Apple for allegedly infringing its Chinese Outside court, Zhizhen’s president added. Lawyers for Apple and the patent Mining companies see potential for growth in electric cars. patent with the “intelligent personal assis- said there was “nothing new” in Apple’s review board declined to comment to Nissan spokesman Brian Brockman has said there are 57 tant” Siri. Apple representatives had arguments, adding he was not afraid of AFP. The case is the latest dispute to pounds of graphite in the lithium-ion battery of each Leaf. asked China’s patent review board, which taking on the US giant. “Those whose involve Apple in China, where its prod- Hains, however, remains skeptical of a surge solely from such operates under the State Intellectual feet are bare do not fear those who wear ucts are popular but where it has some- vehicles. Automakers sold about 97,000 battery electric vehi- Property Office, to declare Zhizhen’s origi- shoes,” Zhu Pinpin said, using a Chinese times been embroiled in controversy. cles in 2013, less than 1 percent of the 15.5 million vehicles nal patent invalid. saying meaning that those who own lit- Apple chief executive officer Tim sold in the US, according to the Electric Drive Transportation The body rejected the request, and tle have nothing to lose. Siri, which Cook said in January last year that he Association. Apple went to Beijing’s Number One responds to a user’s commands through expected China to become his compa- Batteries for renewable power sources, such as those that Intermediate People’s Court seeking a voice recognition software, made its for- ny’s largest market. Apple in 2012 paid store solar and wind energy, may be a more important use, judicial review. “Our side firmly believe mal debut with the release of the iPhone $60 million to settle a separate legal dis- Hains said. Also, the USGS says energy companies are devel- that the ruling by the defendant was 4S in 2011. pute with a Chinese firm over the iPad oping large-scale, fuel cell projects that could one day con- based on incorrect facts and laws that Zhizhen says its earlier “Xiao i Robot” trademark. Last year, Apple was subject- sume as much graphite as all other uses combined. For any were inappropriately referred to,” Apple product works in a similar way and has ed to a barrage of criticism from state- new operation, consistent sales will depend on providing spe- said in its presentation to the court. wide applications. Zhizhen’s lawyer run media over warranty policies that cific properties to specific buyers, Hains said. “You can’t just “We appeal to the court to revoke the Yuan Yang complained about the US only ended after it published a Chinese- say you have graphite for sale and expect everybody will defendant’s ruling No. 21307,” it said. Its firm’s legal tactics. “It is a consistent language letter of apology from Cook on come knocking at your door,” he said. —AP lawyers told the hearing that Zhizhen’s strategy of Apple to tirelessly try to make its website. —AFP 22 Business FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Programs to redistribute Lego bricks income good for growth build up profits BILLUND: Toy maker Lego posted rising annual profits WASHINGTON: and revenue yesterday and said it would set up global The International than the disease itself,” they said in a But the authors said that experience management hubs to attract more foreign talent to the Monetary Fund came out Wednesday in research paper, “Redistribution, across a number of countries has provid- group’s management. “I’m very excited that it’s the ninth support of the fight against income Inequality, and Growth”, and an accom- ed “remarkably little evidence” for that consecutive year of organic growth,” chief executive inequality, with Fund economists saying panying blog comment. “Equality- conclusion. Indeed, they said, “faster and income redistribution efforts can enhancing interventions could actually more durable growth seems to have fol- Joergen Vig Knudstorp said at a press conference at the strengthen economic growth. Plunging help growth.” The trio cited the benefits lowed the associated reduction in family-owned company’s headquarters in Billund, into a debate over the gap between rich of taxes on activities of the wealthy that inequality.” “The average redistribution, Denmark. Net profit in 2013 rose 9.0 percent to 6.12 bil- and poor that is fueling political battles could hurt an economy, like excessive and the associated reduction in inequali- lion kroner (820 million euros, $1.12 billion). Sales grew from the United States to Brazil to financial speculation, and payments to ty, seem to be robustly associated with by 10 percent to 25.38 billion kroner, marking a quadru- Thailand, economists from the Fund said the poor to support their children going higher and more durable growth.”The pling in just 10 years. there is already general agreement that to school. authors are cautious to avoid saying the The Friends collection, launched in late 2012 and inequality can fuel economic and politi- Much of the thinking has been that, effects of redistribution are positive in aimed at girls between the ages of five and nine, and last cal instability. even if a large wealth gap is bad, that the every case or situation, and note that year’s hugely successful Legends of Chima, where animal But do policies to redistribute income cures of taxes and wealth transfers to cor- extreme efforts can have a bad outcome. tribes battle for world dominance, added the most to help or hurt growth? asked economists rect the problem usually hamper growth. But overall, they argue that redistribution sales growth. But old-time favorites like Lego City and Jonathan Ostry, Andrew Berg and “Many argue that redistribution programs should be not be excluded Duplo were also among the top sellers. Charalambos Tsangarides.The answer, undermines growth, and even that from policy out of fear they would hold “The large US, British and Central and Northern they said, is a net gain, even if there is an efforts to redistribute to address high back an economy.”It would still be a mis- European markets achieved healthy single digit growth initial cost to an economy from taxes and inequality are the source of the correla- take to focus on growth and let inequali- rates, whereas markets like France, Spain, Russia and transfers which aim to close an income tion between inequality and low ty take care of itself, if only because the China grew double digits,” Lego said. The results did not gap. “While considerable controversy sur- growth,” they said. “If this is right, then resulting growth may be low and unsus- include any sales boost from the blockbuster Lego movie, rounds these issues, we should not jump taxes and transfers may be precisely the tainable. “Inequality and unsustainable which was released earlier this month, after the end of to the conclusion that the treatment wrong remedy: a cure that may be worse growth may be two sides of the same the group’s fiscal year. —AFP for inequality may be worse for growth than the disease itself.” coin.” —AFP

This combination of file photos show (left) the first class section of an Emirates airlines Airbus A380 at the new Concourse A of Dubai airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2013, and (right) Allegiant Air flight attendant Chris Killian preparing his passengers for the Laredo, Tex, bound flight before it pushes back from the terminal at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, in 2013. —AP Latest airline perk: Safe distance from the masses

NEW YORK: On flights from San Francisco to Others can savor the same premier privileges by do everything but sing a lullaby.” bath, the private restrooms come with their Hong Kong, first-class passengers can enjoy a redeeming 125,000 or more frequent flier miles The front of the plane has always been plush- own rubber ducky - an exclusive plastic souvenir Mesclun salad with king crab or a grilled USDA for a trip of a lifetime. er than the back. But in recent years airlines have for the international jet set. When it’s time to prime beef tenderloin, stretch out in a 3-foot- When Emirates Airline opened a new con- put a greater focus on catering to the most afflu- board, passengers are driven across the tarmac wide seat that converts to a bed and wash it all course at its home airport in Dubai last year, it ent fliers’ desire for new levels of privacy. There’s a to their plane in a Mercedes Benz S-Class or down with a pre-slumber Krug “Grande Cuvee” made sure to keep coach passengers separate lot of money on the line. At big carriers like Porsche Cayenne. Brut Champagne. Yet some of the most cher- from those in business and first class. The top American Airlines, about 70 percent of revenue “That sort of exclusivity plays to the ego of ished new international first-class perks have floor of the building is a lounge for premium comes from the top 20 percent of its customers. people who are in a position to spend that nothing to do with meals, drinks or seats. Global passengers with direct boarding to the upstairs The special treatment now starts at check-in. much money on airline flight,” says Tim airlines are increasingly rewarding wealthy fliers of Emirates’ fleet of double-decker Airbus A380s. American and United Airlines have both devel- Winship, publisher of travel advice site with something more intangible: physical dis- Those in coach wait one story below and board oped private rooms, located in discreet corners of FrequentFlier.com. At Heathrow’s private suites, tance between them and everyone else. to the lower level or the plane. their terminals in New York, Chicago and else- designed for up to six people, fliers pass swiftly The idea is to provide an exclusive experi- London’s Heathrow Airport took a private where, that allow for a speedy check-in. Boarding and privately through their own immigration ence - inaccessible, even invisible, to the masses suite area designed for the royal family and passes in hand, travelers exit through hidden and security screening. While they’re waiting, in coach. It’s one way that a gap between the heads of state and in July opened it to any pas- doors leading to the front of security lines. hors d’oeuvres and Champagne are provided. world’s wealthiest 1 percent and everyone else senger flying business or first class who’s willing Some foreign airlines have gone further. Steak, sushi or other meals can be delivered has widened. Many top-paying international to pay an extra $2,500. “First class has become a Lufthansa offers first-class passengers a sepa- from airport restaurants. When it comes time to passengers, having put down roughly $15,000 way for a traveler to have an almost private jet- rate terminal in Frankfurt. There’s a restaurant, actually fly, passengers are driven to their plane for a ticket, now check in at secluded facilities like experience,” says Henry Harteveldt, an air- cigar lounge and dedicated immigration offi- in a BMW 7 Series sedan and escorted to their and are driven in luxury cars directly to planes. line analyst with Hudson Crossing. Airlines “will cers. For those who choose to shower or take a seat. —AP

Travel FRIDAY,No FEBRUARY 28, 2014 buddy? Go at it solo!

Don’t let being single stand in the way of you and an amazing vacation

New York City recommends Ireland because of “how friendly There’s probably no better place on Earth the Irish are. It’s very easy to meet people, and for a single gal than New York City. This con- it’s also very safe.” Although the Irish accents crete jungle is the perfect place to travel solo, and friendly demeanor are enough for many since it’s pretty hard to feel alone in a city people to head over to this beautiful country, that’s home to more than eight million peo- there are also so many things to do that will ple. In addition to the large population, there make it almost impossible for you to leave. are always things to do in New York City to One of the most popular tours in Ireland is stay busy, from eating at a world renowned the Gray Line Wicklow Mountains, Valleys and restaurant (try Le Bernardin) to catching a Lakes tour, which takes you through the Broadway Show (check out the new show Wicklow mountains, the valleys at Ghost) to climbing up the Empire State Glendalough and the breathtaking Building to shopping on 5th Avenue to Blessington Lakes. In addition, you will also exploring the up-and-coming neighborhoods see big sights like the Dublin Castle. of Brooklyn and Harlem. New York is a highly Independent Traveler also recommends walkable city with a reliable public transporta- checking out the Dublin Writers Museum, tion system, so you can save your pennies on which celebrates authors, including Frank cab fare. McCourt, James Joyce and Oscar Wilde. If money is no issue, stay at the famous For an authentic Irish experience, check Plaza hotel. This luxurious hotel has 282 out the Gaelic Games at Croke Park Stadium here’s nothing more relaxing and reju- surf), get some sun or even zip-line through rooms, including 102 beautiful suites. In addi- in Dublin. For lodging, check out an Irish B&B. venating than taking a vacation. the neighboring rainforest! tion to this, they have 24-hour butler service, Bed and breakfasts tend to be great options THowever, when you’re single, the In addition to relaxing, Costa Rica also pro- in-room iPads for every guest and world-class for solo travelers (especially in Ireland) since thought of going to an exotic island (or just a vides great volunteer activities, like teaching dining and spa. Rates begin at $600 a night. the owners and other guests are very wel- state over) can seem overwhelming, daunting English or helping with some of the endan- For a more budget-friendly option, check out coming. Choose from one of the 2,000 bed and a little lonely. It doesn’t have to be that gered wildlife (such as sea turtles). If you’re in the Union Square Inn, voted one of the best and breakfasts in Ireland here, some starting way, though! Don’t let your marital status get the mood for luxury, stay at the Four Seasons budget-friendly hotels in the city by NY as low as $70 a night. in the way of you and a beautiful beach, excit- Resort Costa Rica. This resort has a world-class Magazine. This artsy hotel has a very ing city or foreign adventure. Pack your bags golf course, spa, four restaurants and a tennis European feel, and the rooms are simple but Australia and head out solo to one of these four hot court. Rates start at $445 a night. For a more boast a higher square footage than most New Although the eight-hour flight may feel spots for the vacation of a lifetime. budget-friendly singles resort, check out La York City hotels. Rates begin at $109. lonely, you’ll instantly feel welcomed and Whether you are newly single or have Posada Private Jungle Bungalows, which bor- engaged as soon as you step off the plane. been on your own for a while, a vacation ders the Manuel Antonio National Park and Ireland According to Schlichter, the Australians have away will give you the perfect opportunity to has a luxurious swimming pool overlooking If you’re having a rough time, head over a great sense of independence, and there are get to know yourself. If you’re still a little hesi- the lush gardens. and grab some luck of the Irish! Sarah thousands of solo travelers who frequent the tant, read Eat Pray Love for inspiration! After Schlichter, editor of IndependentTravel.com, great Down Under every year, so no one will reading that, a few days alone in a new place blink an eye if you’re alone. While you’re in should sound more exhilarating than terrify- the vast and beautiful country of Australia, ing! Be sure to do ample research on your Singles Travel International recommends you destination to find out how safe it is for single snorkel or scuba the Great Barrier Reef (the travelers, how easy it is to get around and if largest underwater ecosystem in the world), there are plenty of activities. hike the Blue Mountains in Sydney and visit the stunning Sydney Opera House. Costa Rica For a great way to meet other travelers, Unlike many of the other hot spots in the check out one of Gray Line’s tours in the Caribbean and South America, Costa Rica is Outback. They range from wildlife tours to not a huge honeymoon destination, so you city tours, so there’s something for everyone! will be less likely to run into couple after cou- SmarterTravel.com recommends staying in ple. What makes this country such a great one of Australia’s plentiful hostels. There are place for the solo adventurer is the abun- three hostel networks to choose from, YHA, dance of things to do, like hiking, zip-lining, Nomads and VIP Backpackers, and hostels white-water rafting and beach activities like start at just $9 a night. The great thing about tanning, snorkeling and swimming. staying in a hostel when you’re traveling Singles Travel International, one of the top alone is that you have a greater chance to singles travel companies, recommends hiking meet other people (since most rooms hold up the Manuel Antonio National Park, which is to four people), and there are common rooms made up of lush rainforests and streams, so and dining halls that make it easy to mingle. bring your camera to snap photos of the Don’t let being single stand in the way of you unique wildlife. They also recommend and an amazing vacation. Head out solo and Tamarindo Beach to grab some surf lessons make some incredible memories! (or catch a wave if you already know how to — www.sheknows.com Travel FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Traveling alone Why travel now? hether your travels take you around the here are so many excuses not to travel a better person and enrich your life in Wworld or just on a cross-country road trip, T- no time, not enough money, fear of myriad ways. as a woman traveling alone you need to be the unknown - but letting those anti-trav- extra careful. Here are some tips to keep you el sentiments get in the way of seeing the To challenge yourself safe and prepared for anything. world means you’re missing out. We’re This is probably one of the most impor- not suggesting you spend your life sav- tant reasons to book a trip. Challenging Know yourself ings on a trip around the world or take yourself is never easy - that’s why they call When planning a vacation, choose the kind weeks off work to see a new place, but it a challenge - but pushing past your lin- of activities you’d like to do first. Then, pick a giving yourself the opportunity to experi- gering reservations about going abroad destination. If you want to shop, head to a ence new places, cultures and people is a can be very good for you. Travel is chal- major city like London or Paris. If you’re look- great way to get more out of life. If you’re lenging for a number of reasons - every- ing for adventure, get set to see Africa or the still not convinced to take a trip, we’ve put thing from not knowing the language to desert. Once you’ve picked your destination, together a list of the top five reasons to eating unfamiliar foods and even getting work out a budget and start searching for travel. Bon voyage! lost can keep you on your toes and pull hotels and resorts from there. you out of your comfort zone (and let you To get a fresh perspective realize you can rise to the occasion). Life is How often do you travel for leisure? too short to skip out on great experiences Several times per year. Once a year. Once just because it could prove difficult in every two years or so. Less than once some way. every couple years. Never. One of the best Why it’s important: Going out of your and most rewarding aspects of travel is its pack-this will help you pack appropriately. ability to provide you with a fresh per- Some cultures have different views on what is spective. It can be so easy to get into a appropriate dress for women. To stay safe and routine - or worse, a rut - that we forget out of trouble, this is something you must look there’s an entire world out there just wait- in to. ing to be discovered. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping - not to mention going Keep in touch to work and coming home (likely through Whether you are traveling abroad or taking traffic) - keep us fused to a certain mind- a cross-country road trip, keep in touch. Let set, which is: Not much changes. Even if someone at home know when you’re leaving you’re happy in your job and don’t really and when to expect you back-and if you mind folding all that laundry, taking a trip decide to change your travel plans at the last can mean opening your eyes and giving minute, let them know. you a totally new lease on life. Why it’s important: Whether you go Leave a trail one state over or halfway around the Leave a copy of your itinerary with a family world, what you experience outside your Find cheap flights, accommodations member or friend back home. This way if daily routine will help you see that there is Online travel sites are starting to take over. something happens, they know where you can much more to life than what’s on your to- From TripAdvisor to Expedia, finding cheap be found. (This is especially important if you do list. flights and hotels has never been easier. are going somewhere with bad weather con- What’s more, because many sites rely on user ditions or political problems.) ratings and feedback, you’ll get a good idea of To recharge Day-to-day life can wear you down. what to expect from a specific company or Get travel insurance There’s so much to do that time passes in destination. Hopefully nothing happens to you on your a blink of an eye, and by the time dinner vacation, but you must be prepared. If for time rolls around all you want to do is lie Research, research, research some reason you need to go the hospital or for on the couch, feet up and television on. Wherever you decide to go, make sure you a doctor’s visit, make sure you have insurance- While there’s nothing wrong with a little do your research-customs, languages, and reli- otherwise you can expect a large bill or inade- downtime, if you really want to recharge, gions differ around the world, and you defi- quate medical attention. nitely do not want to offend anyone or land why not get away from it all? When you’re away there’s so much more to think about yourself in any trouble. Don’t wear flashy jewelry than whether or not you left dirty dishes If you are wearing eye-catching jewels, all in the sink, if your boss is going to give Carry enough cash you are doing is attracting attention... from the you that raise you asked for or if that col- Do not assume that everywhere accepts wrong type of people. You may as well wear a league is going to actually put in any work credit or debit cards. Cash is king and can shirt that says, “Steal from me, I have money.” often get you out of a tough bind. That said, on that project you’re (allegedly) doing together. The stress of daily life is replaced carrying too much money can be problematic, Dress casually with thoughts of where you want to sight- too. Consider taking a couple hundred dollars Dressing too flashy in brand names will see, what you’re going to eat, whether to in cash, and then using your ATM card to with- draw unwanted attention, which can lead to hit the beach and what kind of souvenirs comfort zone and challenging yourself draw currency as needed. being followed and attacked or robbed. to take home. will help you grow as a person, gain confi- Remember, you are on vacation in an unfamil- Why it’s important: Being away gives dence and push past emotional and physi- Leave the plastic at home iar place, and your goal should be to blend in. Only bring one or two credit cards with your brain a chance to recharge and cal limitations that may be holding you reboot in a way that just can’t happen as back in other areas of your life. you. Credit cards and bankcards can be a has- Steer clear of unmarked taxicabs easily at home. sle if stolen abroad because it can be difficult Getting into an unmarked car is extremely To learn getting in touch with your bank to stop any dangerous. You don’t want your family back To see something new Travel is a great way to learn about charges. Leave all your other wallet clutter- home to be informed that you have gone It’s a big world out there, and while yourself and others, not to mention get a shopping club cards, gift cards, membership missing while on vacation. So do yourself a there’s no way to see it all, just experienc- crash course in totally new ways of doing cards-at home. favor and stick to public transportation and ing a small sampling of what’s outside of things. You can pick up new languages, marked taxis. Make copies your own town, city or state can open try new and interesting foods, learn about your eyes to all the interesting and won- other cultures and gain insight into new Keep photocopies of your passport, driver’s Talk to your doctor derful things there are to see and do. You customs you’ve never seen or taken part license and credit cards. Always keep the origi- No matter where you’re traveling, it’s may be madly in love with where you live in. You may think that learning stopped nals with you, but tuck away copies in case important to talk to your doctor before you (which is great) but if you get out there to the minute you left school, but you should anything is lost or stolen. (You might even leave. From vaccinations to refills on prescrip- explore, you never know what treasures never stop learning, no matter how old want to leave a set of copies with a trusted tions, your healthcare provider will be able to you might find. From new foods and cus- you are, and traveling gives you a great friend or relative back home, in case you’re left tell you what to look out for health-wise, toms to great people and places you nev- opportunity to soak up knowledge from with nothing at all.) whether any region-specific vaccinations are er imagined you’d see, traveling is full of other cultures, people and places. needed (such as those for Yellow Fever or surprises. Why it’s important: The more you learn, Pack accordingly Dengue) and what types of medication you Why it’s important: Any new experi- the better you’ll feel about yourself and the Do yourself a favor and check the customs may need (like Neosporin or Tylenol, and even ence you have can only help you become more fun and enriched your life will be. of the country you are visiting before you anti-malarial drugs). Opinion FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Home no longer sweet

Disdain for fallen Yanukovich common across Ukraine

By Gabriela Baczynska in which he urged them to keep business mov- ing: “Today many are asking what is next? My n Viktor Yanukovich’s party headquarters in answer is continue to live and work honestly. Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, a stain on the wall Our goal is a strong, independent and united Imarks where a framed picture of the ousted Ukraine. Today I specially stress - ‘a whole and president used to hang. It is not only the pho- united Ukraine’.” Yanukovich critics long tograph that has gone since Ukraine’s parlia- accused him of being a political pawn for big ment stripped Yanukovich of his powers on business, serving the interests of tycoons from Saturday. So has the support he once enjoyed the Donbass who helped him climb the ladder in his home region, his power base as he of power. moved from minor Soviet bureaucracy into When he lost power, he lost his value. “It’s local politics in the 1990s and rose to become pure business thinking,” said Sergiy Shtukarin, the governor of the coalmining region around head of a Donetsk-based civil rights organisa- Donetsk, prime minister and eventually tion, the Center for Political Studies. “The oli- Ukraine’s president - at the second attempt - in garchs and the party followed his lead because 2010. that gave them most benefits. “If the new Easterners turning against a president authorities in Kiev let them be, the oligarchs accused of shooting demonstrators and of lav- will go on doing their business. That is what ish self-enrichment may notch down the ten- they want - to prevent any protests, any fer- sion over his fall between the east and west of ment, keep people at home, keep the status the country, which world leaders fear could quo.” start pulling Ukraine apart. But Russian-speak- ers, a powerful electoral force in the big, east- Eyes on Russia ern, industrial cities, remain wary of new lead- Shtukarin also said Yanukovich had tried ers promoting Ukrainian nationalism and ties after taking office to reduce the influence on to the European Union. him of Akhmetov and others in the Donbass, Nikolay Zagoruyko, leader of the Party of seeking to amass wealth within an inner circle the Regions group in the regional parliament of relatives and friends that came to be known in Donetsk, makes no apology for his long sup- as “The Family”. That may also have narrowed port of Yanukovich - nor for turning against his support base, both among the rich and him now. “He was a good governor, prime min- powerful and among ordinary voters who ister and president,” Zaguruyko told Reuters at backed him in 2010, as his adversaries took to his party office. “I worked actively in his 2010 the streets in November. Zagoruyko echoed election campaign. I never regretted that. I was these comments, saying that even though sure I made the right choice all along the way, Yanukovich did take many of his Donbass aides until Jan 19.” That was the day when violent to Kiev, local party officials had long com- clashes began in Kiev between riot police and plained of a lack of access to him. protesters. Several deaths ensued, culminating Yanukovich’s drive last year to sign trade in bloodshed a week ago that killed over 80 and political agreements with the European people. Though he has known Yanukovich Union - which he reversed under Russian pres- since the 1980s, Zagoruyko has no hesitation in sure, triggering the Kiev protests - had been saying: “Of course he is guilty”. “He was the resisted in the Donbass. There, businesses president,” he said. “The guilt for what hap- feared losing out to Western firms if restrictions pened lies with Yanukovich.” Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich looks down at his glasses before signing an on EU imports were lifted. Many still look east, The 63-year-old Yanukovich was indicted by agreement in Kiev in this Feb 21, 2014 file photo. — AFP to Russia for trade and culture. This week, peo- his opponents for “mass murder” over the ple are still keeping overnight vigil’s on police shooting of demonstrators. He is now Regions, said he accepted Yanukovich’s dis- giance to the new power in Kiev in return for Donetsk’s main square to protect its giant stat- on the run, with the national parliament resolv- missal by parliament and that the ousted presi- that.” ue of Lenin, after similar monuments to the ing to refer him to the International Criminal dent was responsible for the bloodshed, the Donetsk is home to Ukraine’s richest man founder of the Soviet state were toppled last Court at The Hague. Having left Kiev by heli- worst upheaval in Ukraine since it gained inde- Rinat Akhmetov, who bankrolled Yanukovich week by Ukrainians resentful of Moscow. copter on Friday, he was prevented from flying pendence from the Soviet Union in 1991. “We and his party. His imprint is visible all over the “Lenin is part of our history, our ties with out of the country from Donetsk and was last have to face the truth,” Shishatsky told a con- city of a million, a grimy patchwork of Soviet Russia,” said Olga, a 25-year-old economist seen on Sunday on the Russian-speaking ference in Donetsk this week. “Very many mis- apartment blocks, mines and factories on the standing below the statue, who feared there Crimea peninsula. Some Ukrainians believe he takes were made, including tragic ones that led banks of the Don. Akhmetov’s involvement could be job losses from free trade with the EU. may now be hiding in Donetsk or the sur- to people dying.” includes a luxury hotel and the new Donbass “I have friends living in the EU who say we will rounding Donbass coal and steel region, where Arena, home to UEFA Cup-winning football end up in serious trouble if we move towards he was born and worked as an electrician after Business Moves on club Shakhtar. Through System Capital the West. Our economy is just not competitive a troubled childhood and lengthy spells in jail There seemed a chance the east might Management (SCM), he controls more than enough.” Yet after Yanukovich’s policy zigzag for assault and petty theft. The area was the stand by its man when regional leaders meet- 100 companies, from mining to telecoms to and failure to find a strategy to see off the bedrock of his election victory over Yulia ing in Kharkiv backed a resolution on Saturday grocery stores. protests, she lost faith in him. “It’s clear we are Tymoshenko, then the darling of the Ukrainian- challenging the authority of the national par- On Feb 18, as violence escalated, the billion- better off making friends with Russia. But speaking west. liament. But thousands of anti-Yanukovich pro- aire issued a pointed public statement saying there’s no point in Yanukovich anymore. He But many of his most loyal political allies testers on the streets outside forced them to that the loss of human lives in Kiev was “an failed us, he proved weak,” she said. “I am for distanced themselves from their former patron back down. Only in Crimea is there a significant unacceptable price for political mistakes”. As stability, peace and order.” as he found himself condemned by Moscow movement among ethnic Russians against rule party leaders have disavowed Yanukovich, Nakhro Ali Mokhammad, an Iraqi Ukrainian for failing to end the protests and by his back- from Kiev and for a takeover by Moscow. Many Akhmetov’s SCM is also coming to terms with who said he worked with Yanukovich on busi- ers among wealthy business “oligarchs” over Party of the Regions officials have urged the change of guard: “It is very clear, the path ness management books in the 1990s, had also the bloodshed. His attempt to concentrate national unity and oppose military intervention that Ukraine is on. There is a new government given up on him. Back in Donetsk after visiting power and wealth among relatives and close from Russia. in place, a new interim president,” investor the Kiev protest camp, he said: “Protest in friends may have fatally narrowed his support Ihor Todorov, a professor at Donetsk relations director Jock Mendoza-Wilson told Ukraine was inevitable sooner or later given base. Like other Ukrainians, some former loyal- National University, said that makes good busi- Reuters. “I don’t think there is a future in the what Yanukovich’s rule was like.” But he ists say they were shocked by the gaudy opu- ness sense: “Any split of the country would in return of the previous government.” Mendoza- warned that if the West wanted Ukrainians not lence of Yanukovich’s residence outside Kiev, fact be trouble for Donbass businessmen,” he Wilson said SCM needed political stability and to turn to other pro-Russian leaders, it must its chandeliers, statues and ostrich farm now said. “Who would recognise any separate ‘East Ukraine’s acute economic troubles needed send money, fast, and open up visa-free travel: thrown open to public view. Talk of corruption Ukraine’ apart from Russia? That would mean addressing. SCM’s main foreign trading partner “This is geopolitics. Now the Ukrainian people and cronyism also offends. trade sanctions. “Local elites want to have carte is the European Union, followed by former have risen up, the EU must do its bit,” he said. Andrey Shishatsky, governor of Donetsk blanche in the region, as they always have, and Soviet republics including Russia, he said. “But if Brussels just talks, it’s Russia who bene- region and a senior figure in the Party of they will be ready to officially declare their alle- Akhmetov issued a statement to employees fits.” — Reuters FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 FEBRUARY FRIDAY, www.kuwaittimes.net

A model wears a creation for Manish Arora's ready-to- wear fall/winter 2014-2015 fashion collection present- ed in Paris, yester- day.—AP Career28 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Why should we hire you? What are the most common interview questions?

lthough there is no set format that every job interview will follow, there are some questions that you can almost guarantee will Acrop up. Here’s a list of the most common questions and a guide to the kind of answers your interviewer wants to hear. Tell me about yourself - This is usually the opening question and, as first impressions are key, one of the most important. Keep your answer to under five minutes, beginning with an overview of your highest qual- ification then running through the jobs you’ve held so far in your career. You can follow the same structure of your CV, giving examples of achievements and the skills you’ve picked up along the way. Don’t go into too much detail - your interviewer will probably take notes and ask for you to expand on any areas where they’d like more information. If you’re interviewing for your first job since leaving education, focus on the areas of your studies you most enjoyed and how that has led to you wanting this particular role. What are your strengths? - Pick the three biggest attributes that you think will get you the job and give examples of how you have used these strengths in a work situation. They could be tangible skills, such as proficiency in a particular computer language, or intangible skills such as good man-management. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the job description. There is usually a section listing candidate require- ments, which should give you an idea of what they are looking for. What are your weaknesses? - The dreaded question, which is best handled by picking something that you have made positive steps to redress. For example, if your IT ability is not at the level it could be, state it as a weakness but tell the interviewer about training courses or time spent outside work hours you have used to improve your skills. Your ini- tiative could actually be perceived as a strength. On no accounts say “I don’t have any weaknesses”, your interviewer won’t believe you, or “I have a tendency to work too hard”, which is seen as avoiding the ques- tion. Why should we hire you? or What can you do for us that other can- didates can’t? - What makes you special and where do your major strengths lie? You should be able to find out what they are looking for from the job description. “I have a unique combination of strong techni- cal skills and the ability to build long-term customer relationships” is a What questions should good opening sentence, which can then lead onto a more specific example of something you have done so far in your career. State your biggest achievement and the benefit it made to the business, then fin- I ask my interviewer? ish with “Given the opportunity, I could bring this success to your com- pany.” ost interviewers will position? l What is the turnover of staff What are your goals? or Where do you see yourself in five years give you an opportunity l How does the company expect like throughout the company? time? - It’s best to talk about both short-term and long-term goals. Talk M to ask questions after these objectives to be met? l Are there any plans for expan- about the kind of job you’d eventually like to do and the various steps they’ve finished grilling you, so l What are the measures used to sion? you will need to get there, relating this in some way back to the position be prepared to make the most of judge how successful I am in l How would you describe the you’re interviewing for. Show the employer you have ambition, and that it. Try to concentrate on issues the role? company culture and manage- you have the determination to make the most of every job you have to get where you want to be. that are important to you and l What obstacles are commonly ment style? Why do you want to work here? - The interviewer is listening for an combine an interest in the com- encountered in reaching these To show your interest and answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought. If you’ve pre- pany with an interest in the job. objectives? knowledge of the industry the pared for the interview properly, you should have a good inside knowl- With a wide variety of inter- l What is the desired time frame company operates in, it’s also a edge of the company’s values, mission statement, development plans view styles and structures, there’s for reaching the objectives? good idea to have a question and products. Use this information to describe how your goals and every possibility that everything l What can I expect from you in ready regarding a current event ambition matches their company ethos and how you would relish the you want or need to know about terms of development and or issue in the market. For exam- opportunity to work for them. Never utter the phrase “I just need a job.” the job will have been covered support? ple, “How do you think the recent What are three positive things your last boss would say about you? - This is a great time to brag about yourself through someone over the course of the interview. l What aspirations do you have merger between your two main else’s words. Try to include one thing that shows your ability to do the There is always more information for me at the company? competitors will affect the future job, one thing that shows your commitment to the work, and one thing available though and if you don’t l Where will the job fit into the of the industry?” that shows you are a good person to have in a team. For example, “My have at least five questions pre- team structure? boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows pared, you’ll come across as pas- How well your interviewer he can always rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor.” sive rather than curious and inter- Good interview preparation reacts and answers your ques- What salary are you seeking? - You can prepare for this by know- ested. should have given you an insight tions gives you a great insight ing the value of someone with your skills. Try not to give any specific numbers in the heat of the moment - it could put you in a poor position into what it’s like to work for a into the company. The interview when negotiating later on. Your interviewer will understand if you don’t Regarding role specific ques- company, but it’s good to get isn’t just for them to see if you’re want to discuss this until you are offered the job. If they have provided a tions, look through the job answers straight from the horse’s the right fit for the organisation - guideline salary with the job description, you could mention this and say description to see if there are mouth in case you’ve misinter- if you’re confident about your it’s around the same area you’re looking for. any areas that you would like preted anything. These questions skills and ability to do the job, If you were an animal, which one would you want to be? more information about. Here are a good place to start: you should also be making sure Interviewers use this type of psychological question to see if you can think quickly. If you answer ‘a bunny’, you will make a soft, passive are some good examples of the l What’s the best thing about they’re the right fit for you. impression. If you answer ‘a lion’, you will be seen as aggressive. What questions you could ask about working at your company? Generally, it’s not a good idea type of personality will it take to get the job done? the role: l What is the main thing the to ask about pay or benefits, as You should always have some questions for your interviewer to l Why has the position become organization expects from its this can make you seem more demonstrate your interest in the position. Prepare a minimum of five available? employees? interested in what the organiza- questions, some which will give you more information about the job, l What are the main objectives l How do you build good rela- tion can do for you, rather than and some which delve deeper into the culture and goals of the com- and responsibilities of the tionships within teams? what you can do for them. pany. www.career-advice.monster.uk Food FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

It’s time to be shellfish! Looking to add more shrimp to your diet? Try these fast, easy recipes.

Pasta with shrimp and spinach

Ingredients Directions 3/4 pound penne 1. Cook the pasta according to the package 2 tablespoons olive oil directions; drain and return it to the pot. 3/4 pound peeled and deveined medium 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet shrimp over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp, 2 cloves garlic, sliced garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/4 tea- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper spoon salt until the shrimp are opaque, 4 kosher salt to 6 minutes. 2 cups baby spinach 3. Toss the shrimp with the pasta, spinach, 2 ounces Feta, crumbled (1/2 cup) Feta, and olives. 1/4 cup halved kalamata olives

Ingredients 1 cup couscous kosher salt and pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Shrimp and Broccoli Tempura 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp 1 shallot, chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika 1 15.5-ounce can white beans, rinsed Ingredients isters 360∞ F on a deep-fry ther- 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 8-ounce package soba noodles mometer. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1/4 cup soy sauce 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the Directions 3 tablespoons lime juice flour, seltzer, and baking soda. In 2 tablespoons light brown sugar batches, dip the shrimp and broccoli 1. Place the couscous in a large bowl. Add 1 cup very hot 8 cups canola oil in the batter and fry in the oil until tap water and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover 2 cups all-purpose flour golden, 4 to 5 minutes. and let sit for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. 2 cups seltzer 4. Serve the shrimp and broccoli on the 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda noodles with the soy-lime dipping high heat. Add the shrimp, shallot, coriander, paprika, 3/4 pound peeled and deveined large sauce. Top with the scallions. and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the shrimp are shrimp opaque, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate. 3 cups broccoli florets 3. Add the beans, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water to the skillet 2 scallions, sliced and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve with the shrimp and couscous. Top with the parsley. Directions 1. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions; rinse under cold water. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and 1/4 cup water; set aside. 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the tem- perature reg- Spiced Shrimp WithSpiced Beans Health FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Stick out your chest with pride! Your chest program is due for an update. Get deeper, wider, and stronger with these science-based exercise tips!

By Alex Savva

et me guess: Your chest routine consists of four sets of flat Lbench, incline dumbbell presses, and flat flyes. If so, well, you have plenty of company. It’s the same Monday program countless lifters have been following for years without modifica- tion. And that’s because it works-to a point. If you’ve hit a training plateau, or if you just can’t remember the last time you shook things up, consider bringing some new stimuli into your chest training. Working the chest muscles with a variety of exercises and angles is the best approach, and these five movements do the job and then some. Your chest is composed of two muscle groups: the large pec- toralis major, and the smaller pectoralis minor underneath. The flat, thick pec major originates in a broad sweep along the anteri- or surface of the clavicle, down the sternum, and from the carti- lage of the ribs. It inserts into a much smaller area, the intertubu- lar groove at the top of the humerus (upper arm). The narrow, triangular pec minor originates from the upper and outer surfaces of three ribs and inserts into the coracoid process, a bony protrusion next to the shoulder joint. The pec and palms facing your face at the top of the movement. Hold recent study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise that major is responsible for a number of actions involving the this peak contraction for 2 seconds before lowering into the investigated the EMG activity of nine common chest exercises. A humerus, such as lifting the arm from the side (adduction), from next rep. team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that the front (flexion), or turning it in an arm-wrestling motion (inter- 3. Keep your shoulders back and down during the press to maxi- the bent-forward cable crossover produced nearly the same pec- nal rotation). The pec minor has one major function, which is to mize pec involvement and minimize delt takeover. toralis major stimulation as the barbell bench press, which was stabilize the scapula. rated the highest. The most popular exercises to add resistance to these basic CLOSE-GRIP WEIGHTED PUSH-UP The beauty of the cable crossover is that you can adjust the movements include the bench press, dumbbell press, dumbbell The push-up is a great exercise, but you have to do it a certain pulleys to any height you want, which is why I recommend cable flye, cable crossover, and the push-up. But they’re by no means way in order to maximize chest activity. Try using the close-grip crossover 21s. You get the benefit of high, mid-level, and low the only options. Let’s take chest training a step farther and look weighted push-up as a finishing move after you’re done trashing crossovers in one triset, attacking your chest from all angles. at more advanced techniques to shock your muscles into growth. your chest with the weights. The narrow hand position brings out Remember to keep the arms and body stationary so that you per- the inner pecs and the added weight across the back elevates this form the exercise from the shoulders. This will help maximize the Must-do movements from an everyday move to a pec destroyer. stretch and contraction of the chest during each rep. 180-DEGREE TWISTING DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS Back in 2005, researchers at the Mayo Clinic tested 11 men and If you’re like me and have suffered a torn pec while benching, 29 women to determine the effect of three different hand posi- EXECUTION you’ll agree that the barbell bench press is not ideal for everyone. tions when performing the push-up: shoulder-width, wider, and LOW CABLE CROSSOVER I also find that my shoulders take over when I’m doing the flat narrower. The study showed the EMG activity in the pectoralis 1. Starting with the cables in the lowest position, grab the han- and incline bench, so I prefer to use the dumbbell chest press major was greatest during push-ups with a narrow hand position. dles and move into a staggered stance with one foot forward instead. But I don’t just do any chest press. I add a twist-literally-in and one foot back. Lean forward slightly from the hip. This is order to utilize the benefits of a supine or reverse grip. A study EXECUTION your base position for all three movements. performed in my home town of Toronto determined that when CLOSE-GRIP WEIGHTED PUSH-UP 2. With the handles out at your sides and an underhand grip, subjects used a supinated grip during an isometric hold of the flat 1. Start in a push-up position with your hands about six inches squeeze the cables up and in to eye level using a scooping bench press, it resulted in increased activity for the upper portion apart. Add resistance by wearing a weighted vest or have a motion. Perform 7 reps in this position. of the pectoralis major as compared to a regular pronated grip.1 training partner place a weight or sandbag on your back. 2. Slowly lower your chest to the ground and press back up until MID CABLE CROSSOVER EXECUTION you fully extend your elbows. 3. Move the cables to chest height, grab the handles, and get 1. Lie back on a bench holding two dumbbells with a standard into the base position. grip (palms forward) and arms extended over your chest. CABLE CROSSOVER 4. Push the handles out and in front of your chest with the 2. Slowly lower the dumbbells to your outer chest, then press Cable work is a great addition to free weights. It provides con- palms facing each other. and rotate 180 degrees as you push back up to starting posi- stant tension throughout the range of motion. But can it match 5. Resist the weight as you open up in a wide arc. Pause when tion. You should have a supine grip with your pinkies inward the same level of muscle activation? Perhaps so, according to a you feel a light stretch in your chest, then squeeze back to the center with the elbows slightly bent and locked in place. Perform 7 reps in this position.

HIGH CABLE CROSSOVER 6. Move the cables just above your head, grab the handles, and move back into the base position. 7. Press the handles down and in front of your upper abdomi- nals with palms facing inward. 8. Open your arms back and up until you feel a good stretch across the pecs, pause, and then squeeze back in and under your chest. Perform your last 7 reps in this position.

KETTLEBELL FLYE Kettlebells are harder to grip than dumbbells, which makes you work harder for each rep. Using kettlebells for chest flyes will cause your pecs to recruit more muscle fibers to fight the weight hanging below your palms. Start with kettlebells that are 10 pounds lighter than what you would use on a standard dumbbell flye. If you find yourself bending your elbows during the lowering phase, choose a lighter weight to ensure proper form. You want this to be a full-range flye, not a half-flye, half-press.

EXECUTION 1. Hold the kettlebells over your chest as you did in the press, Health FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

but turn your palms to face each other. For most hot-blooded males, summer is synonymous with and elbows slightly bent. Contract your chest muscles, bring- 2. Using a wide arc from the shoulders, lower your arms with chilling by the pool or at the beach, and checking out girls in ing your arms down below your chest and back to the starting elbows slightly bent until you feel a good stretch across the bikinis. Don’t forget, however, that this also means that the position. chest. Pause and contract the pecs against the extra resist- ladies will be checking you out. So before you whip off that ance that the kettlebells provide at the bottom range. shirt, make sure your chest is worthy of female adulation by Number 4 3. Squeeze your pecs as you bring your arms back up in a wide incorporating some of the following exercises into your work- Dumbbell flyes hugging motion. Keep your shoulders back and squeeze your out routine. With your back against a horizontal bench, take one dumb- pecs together at the top of the motion. If you’re looking to bulk up, try doing 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 8 bell in each hand, and extend your arms straight ahead of you reps using as much weight as you can lift; if you’re looking to with your palms facing each other. Making sure not to lock FORWARD-LEANING DIP tone up, do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, with slightly lighter your elbows, open your arms, and bring them back to the start- The dip is no joke. It’s a tough compound exercise that makes weights. ing position. This works both your inner and upper chest. great use of your bodyweight. However, dips are usually per- formed in an upright position to target the triceps. By simply Number 10 Number 3 adding a forward lean to this already-effective exercise, you’ll Peck deck Dumbbell press stimulate more chest activity. Whether you’re new to bodybuilding or you haven’t worked Lie down on a flat bench, take one dumbbell in each hand, You can attempt to do this on your own, but if you really want out in a while, the peck deck is a great place to start. Just have bend your elbows so that your hands are by your shoulders to get the proper angle you’ll need a training partner to help you a seat, adjust the weight stack, get into position, contract your with your palms facing your feet, and use your chest muscles to get into the right position. You can easily make it more challeng- chest muscles as you press the pads together, and go back to press the weights up and back down. For variety, you can try ing by adding weight via chains or a belt. the starting position. This machine works your inner pectoral these with a slight incline in the bench, which places more A word of caution for people with any shoulder issues: Start muscles. emphasis on your upper chest, or on a decline, which places with a small range of motion and listen to your body to deter- more emphasis on your lower chest. mine how deep you can go. I always advise getting a full range of Number 9 motion, but not at the risk of injury. Cable press Number 2 Adjust two pulleys to shoulder height and adjust the weight Flat flyes EXECUTION stacks. Stand at the midway point between them, with your Lying on a flat bench, take one dumbbell in each hand and 1. Place your hands on the bars and push yourself up until your feet shoulder-width apart and one foot in front of the other. bend your elbows so that your hands are by your shoulders elbows are locked. Cross your legs back with your knees bent, With your elbows raised to your sides, grip one pulley in each with your palms facing in. Extend your arms straight up and core tight, and hamstrings and glutes braced. hand and, keeping your palms facing down and your arms at lower the weights by your sides, keeping a slight bend in your 2. Have your training partner hold and pull your legs back until shoulder height, press the handles forward, making sure to elbows, and go back to the starting position. This works both you’re in a forward leaning position, using just enough assis- avoid locking your elbows at the end of the motion. Then bring your inner and upper chest. tance to get you into the right angle. Your body should be at them back to the starting position. This exercise works the approximately a 30-degree angle to the ground. upper chest. Number 1 3. Lower yourself until your shoulders are lower than your Bench press elbows, or you feel a good stretch across the chest. Listen to Number 8 Lie down on a flat bench - making sure not to arch your your body and don’t push through shoulder pain. Cable flyes back - and grip the barbell with your hands shoulder-width 4. Push yourself up by extending your elbows to 180 degrees Standing between two pulleys adjusted to shoulder height, apart, palms facing your feet, and press the barbell straight up for a full range of motion. Visualize the pec squeeze as you grip the pulleys with your palms facing forward and, keeping a and back down. If you do this on an incline, you will place more drive up. slight bend in your elbows, bring your palms together in front emphasis on your upper chest, whereas a decline places more www.bodybuilding.com of you, contracting your chest muscles as you go, and return to emphasis on your lower chest. the starting position. This works your upper chest. nice chest Number 7 If you want a great chest by summertime, my advice to you Pushups would be to pick four of these exercises - making sure that you Get into pushup position, with your weight evenly distrib- work all parts of your chest - and do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps uted between your toes and your hands - and your legs, hips of each once or twice per week, for 4 to 6 weeks, and then and back in a straight line - and lower and raise your body by repeat this process with four different exercises. Until next bending your elbows, making sure that your arm angle is 90∞ time, happy lifting. at the bottom of the movement. If you want a greater challenge, try doing decline pushups — www.askmen.com with your feet raised on a bench or a stability ball, which places greater strain on your chest muscles. Or try diamond pushups, with your hands together.

Number 6 Chest dips Hold yourself up on a dip bar and, making sure to keep your head down and your legs straight beneath you, lower yourself by bending your elbows, and come back up to the starting position. Make sure to keep the movement in your chest and not in your triceps, as you are working the former. Check out the top five ways to get great pecs...

Number 5 Cable crossovers Standing between two pulleys - adjusted to slightly above shoulder height - grip the pulleys, with palms facing forward Books FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Review The Invention of News isn’t breaking news at all

By Jeremy Paxman

hat is news? To judge from the daily Wnewspapers and TV bulletins we can discard my favorite definition - that it is something that someone somewhere does- n’t want us to know. Most of the time, power- ful people do want us to know what’s in the news. Astonishing events that burst into our consciousness with the impact of the attack on the Twin Towers are very rare indeed. Most of the rest is just regurgitated announcement, speech or advertisement. Sometimes, the press release has scarcely been rewritten. Maybe that’s why so many people don’t seem to be paying much attention any more. It is the genuinely unexpected that keeps us listening, afraid we might miss something. As Andrew Pettegree, a distinguished histori- an, demonstrates in The Invention of News, very few of us can resist the urge to learn. It’s an ancient hunger. He credits the first proper newspaper to a German stationer in 1605, and the first front-page illustration - an artist’s impression of a battle in the 30 years’ war - to a publication in Holland. The reformation, Pettegree suggests, was Europe’s first mass- media news event. Reporters in rehab (now often posing as professors of media studies) have endlessly tried to define precisely what constitutes this thing “news”. Plainly, an event does not have to be new to be news. In one of Newsnight’s more troubled phases we used to joke that our slogan ought to be “if it’s news, it’s news our heads. Admittedly Huw Edwards can Everyman edition. And De Botton is on to to us”. But, rather than endure yet another come across like some evangelical preacher something. Perhaps it is time to question the turgid thesis on the subject (isn’t it striking on a wet Sunday morning in Merthyr Tydfil, nostrum that many of us have lived by, that that the study of a medium built on impact and indeed, most of the earnest prophets of the healthy democracy is the well-informed should have given rise to such notably news claim merely to be passing on a greater democracy, that knowledge sets you free. The unreadable literature?), we should be satisfied truth. But the plain fact is the news is nothing sheer ubiquity of news must have an effect on perhaps to define news as something that like religion. It does not propose the existence us, and it cries out for some proper analysis. makes you think “well, I never knew that”. By of a supernatural being. It does not lay down But unfortunately, this is not it. this definition, what is unusual is the unusual rules for life. When it comes to it, news is just or unexpected. some things that have happened, as chosen Noisy, self-important carousel Events have always happened by some not-very-interesting people running De Botton thinks the news ought to have a newspapers and television. higher purpose than merely what is new. One newspaper tycoon after another has These people have rather predictable Flogging away at an attempt to draw an anal- got rich by alarming us with tales of neighbor- tastes and rather obvious blindspots. But ogy between news and religion, his book is hood cannibals, killer diets and secret Liberal they’re worried. Which makes them shout a larded with much use of the word “should”, as Democrat tax plans. Just let us not make the bit too wildly: after all, their jobs are on the if the job of those in the editorial priesthood is mistake of thinking that what we are offered is line. The other day the Daily Telegraph ran a really not to ask what is new and significant, a realistic depiction of the world. Almost as picture story showing how a boulder had but rather what is going to make our readers soon as the country had achieved the goal of rolled down a mountainside in Italy, adding and viewers better people. He even joins the widespread literacy, men emerged who intu- “incredibly... no one was injured”. Incredibly? crusade - begun by Martyn Lewis, author of itively understood that we would pay to be It reads better than “unsurprisingly, since Dogs in the News and that other unjustifiably reassured by having our flesh made to creep. there was no one in its path”, I suppose. And neglected masterpiece, Cats in the News - for But the appetite for reliable intelligence was it Liz Hurley or Thora Hird who denied more “Good News”. I fear De Botton the Sage about what was happening elsewhere existed she had had an affair with Bill Clinton? The rather misses the point. There is nothing so long before printing had even been invented. the globe. But the more news there is, the less madder everything gets, the less anyone silly as a very clever man, and his prescription Apparently, in the 11th century two remote anyone really needs it. The result, too often, is needs to read any of it. is as fruitful as arguing that a prawn should be mid-Wales monasteries would exchange mes- paralysis - information overload. What are we So on the torrent comes: 24-hour news a giraffe. sengers every three years. They stayed for a to do with it all? channels on radio and TV, and websites, too, Andrew Pettegree’s The Invention of News week, bringing monks up to date with the lat- Thanks be, Alain de Botton has come each one trying to make a little knowledge go has attracted less attention than The News: A est - and not so latest - gossip. among us again, as he does so often when slightly further than its rivals, the whole enter- User’s Manual, partly because he is a profes- The Invention of News is a misleading title, we’re perplexed. Anxious about whether you prise judged for the few minutes when a sor of history rather than a sleek metropolitan of course. For events have always happened. understand art? What’s religion about? How channel may, perhaps, claim to have some- know-it-all. De Botton’s cure for the indiffer- What Pettegree is referring to is the reporting can you be happy? Fear not, De Botton can tell thing that no one else has got. The rest of the ence that afflicts so many of us when con- of events. It is a game in which life or death is you, quickly and easily. Not since Moses went time the machines clank away noisily but not fronted with tidings of some awful human determined by speed and trustworthiness. In up a mountain and came down carrying a cou- necessarily to any great purpose. It matters tragedy far away is for the news to be less pre- 1900 Reuters in London knew about the relief ple of slabs of granite reducing life to 10 com- not very much whether anything important occupied with accuracy and more with advo- of Mafeking long before the military com- mandments has anyone been able to reduce has happened, the TV and radio bulletins will cacy. Fine if De Botton is the advocate-in- mander in South Africa was even aware of the complex enigmas of existence down to make their self-important appearance at the chief. But just supposing that George what had happened. Nowadays, no one simple injunctions. The man has a solution for designated hour and at the designated Galloway, David Icke or Abu Hamza got the enjoys a beat for much more than an instant everything. length. The newsreaders’ ponderous sobriety job? or two. demands our attention. But why should we If you have ever wondered how this noisy, Technology has eliminated time-delay and Obvious blindspots give it? self-important carousel got going, Pettegree’s now enables us to be virtually present at any And now he has turned his elegantly Alain de Botton’s solution to this very 21st- book will tell you. But rest assured, there is a event, almost anywhere. Enjoying lives of groomed brain to the news, which, he tells us century problem is to prescribe a new role for lot more shouting to come. My advice? Find a greater comfort and safety than ever before, early on, “now occupies a position of power at news. The News: A User’s Manual is a nicely good novel and go to bed. we can be regaled in our own sitting rooms least equal to that formerly enjoyed by faiths”. produced little tract, rather resembling an old www.theguardian.com with mayhem or misery from most corners of This is a claim to get mere mortals scratching Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Spider-Man stars to lead Earth Hour event

he stars of the movie “Amazing Spider-Man 2” will lead this Tyear’s global Earth Hour lights-out event on March 29 which is being coordinated in Singapore, organizers WWF said yesterday. “Spider-Man will join the film’s stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx in the event, helping to switch off the lights across Singapore’s signature Marina Bay skyline,” the environmental campaign group said in a statement. WWF has named the movie superhero as ambassador for the Earth Hour global campaign to turn the spotlight on climate change. An unnamed person will play Spider-Man at the ceremony. WWF Singapore spokesman Sourav Roy said Spider-Man can help inspire more people to join the movement. “He comes with his message in the movie that with great power comes great responsibility, and we are trying to tell everybody through him that everybody can be a superhero and do his or her bit to bring about a change for the planet,” Roy told AFP. During Earth Hour (From left) Mackenna Millet, 21, Nathan Flanagan-Frankl, 21, Tayo Amos, 21, Jean Paul Isaacs, 22, Zaineb Abdul-Nabi, 22, and landmarks across the world-including the Empire State Building, Bryson Kemp, 19, pose together backstage during rehearsals for the 86th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Wednesday. — AP the Eiffel Tower and the Kremlin-will switch off their lights for 60 minutes at 8:30 pm local time on the appointed day. Earth Hour covered more than 150 countries in 2013. “I’m Film students, not models, proud Spider-Man is the first superhero ambassador for Earth Hour,” Garfield, the actor who plays the role in the movie, said in a video message on the Earth Hour website. Foxx, who plays the villain Electro, said: “Earth Hour isn’t just about lights off. It’s prep for about people across the world coming together throughout the year to join forces to improve the planet.” Oscar stage WWF Singapore chief executive Elaine Tan said that while the city-state may not have endangered local wildlife, its location ryson Kemp looks camera ready in his tuxedo. Bound for the “They are so wide-eyed, and that’s the reason that we initiated makes it a hotspot for animal trafficking. On January 16 BOscars, the 19-year-old is the picture of elegance. Until he the program,” Meron said. “We thought: Why not hopefully con- Singapore customs officials seized more than $1.5 million worth turns around and reveals rows of safety pins snaking down tinue this amazing legacy - and these are the people to do it with - of smuggled black rhinoceros horns at Changi Airport. “We are his pant legs and up the back of his jacket. The college student is to open the doors and have everybody on stage be significant? To trying to tell people that look, there is trade happening and we being fitted for a custom tux for his first trip to the Academy experience what the show means from that level, from an unjaded need to be on our guard. We should stop the buying so we can Awards. It has to be perfect, because Kemp will definitely be on level, is what it’s all about.” The students began their Team Oscar stop the killing,” Tan told AFP. — AFP stage. He’s a member of Team Oscar: six aspiring young filmmak- adventure Monday night. Tuesday included a trip to Disney ers from colleges across the country who will be handing Oscar Animation Studios, where the students met the Oscar-nominated statuettes to the stars presenting them Sunday night. Students are directors of “Frozen,” a visit to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts replacing the traditional trophy models for the second consecu- and Sciences’ vast archive at the Margaret Herrick Library in tive year. Beverly Hills, Calif, and a private fitting for Oscar-worthy formal- “I feel so lucky and so honored,” said Kemp, back in his street wear. clothes while a fellow Team Oscar member got the safety-pin treatment. “And the other five winners... they’re crazy good.” Star-struck fear Chosen from more than 2,000 submissions, the winning three men Isaacs, who already won a contest to have a short film play at and three women represent different schools and filmmaking dis- the Cannes Film Festival, said his experience with Team Oscar will ciplines. Besides Kemp, a composer studying at Muhlenberg “fuel my inspiration and provide me with indescribable confidence College in Pennsylvania who dreams of scoring movies, the other and spirit that one day I could come back on my own merit.” “Just students whose one-minute video entries won them an unforget- to be a part of this environment is awesome,” the 22-year-old said. table Oscar experience are: director-producer Tayo Amos of Millet said, “Seeing my dad so proud has one of the best parts.” Stanford University, director Nathan Flanagan-Frankl of Orange, The students have been excitedly considering all the stars they’ll Calif’s Chapman University, cinematographer Zaineb Abdul-Nabi meet this week from their rarified position backstage. of the University of Michigan, writer-director Jean Paul Isaacs of Flanagan-Frankl and Millet say they’re most eager to meet Rutgers University in New Jersey, and animator-editor Mackenna Oscar presenter, nominee and past winner Jennifer Lawrence. “I Millet of Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. would definitely be star-struck, but it’s just how you handle it,” Flanagan-Frankl said. “I definitely would want to play it cool as Diversity and interests best I can.” Amos said if she meets supporting actress nominee Amos thinks the winners were chosen for “diversity - not only Lupita Nyong’o, “I would cry.” “I won’t be composed at all,” she of background and geography but also interests.” “I hope they said. Kemp hopes to meet 49-time nominee John Williams, up this picked me because they saw my passion for directing and big-pic- year for his score for “The Book Thief.” “He’s my idol,” Kemp said. ture productions,” the 21-year-old said. Returning Oscar producers “It would be such an honor. If I had a tenth of his success, I’d be the Craig Zadan and Neil Meron decided last year to replace the leggy happiest guy alive.”— AP models-for-hire that typically carry trophies on Oscar night with students seeking to work in the entertainment industry. Perry, Lee and Poitier feted at Essence event

his is historic!” a photographer yelled as he surveyed the door from the industry. “Timage before him - Sidney Poitier in the center, Spike “If they close the door then break a hole in the freaking win- Lee to his right, Tyler Perry to his left and more than two dow,” said Perry to applause. “Find another way. there is more dozen other black men in Hollywood, from Blair Underwood to than one path.” The Wednesday event, held at Perry’s tony man- Omar Epps, huddled tight around the legend, posing with a pur- sion, was conceived to mark what has been a stellar year for black pose. “We made it!” shouted out one participant, as the men broke filmmakers in cinema, and the black men behind those achieve- out into knowing laughter. It was a night of many emotions as ments: Malcolm Lee directed the box-office hit “The Best Man,” Essence magazine, known for celebrating black women, held its Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave” is up for nine Academy first ceremony honoring the achievements of African-American Awards; and Forest Whitaker executive produced the acclaimed men in Hollywood in the days leading up to Sunday’s Oscar cere- “Fruitvale Station” and starred in the box-office smash “The mony. Poitier gave a moving tribute to the future and the past, Lee Butler.” All were lauded for their success at “Black Men in File photo shows Tyler Perry speaking on stage at the 45th delivered a strong rebuke to what he called Hollywood’s exclu- Hollywood” dinner, which singled out Spike Lee, Malcolm Lee NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in sionary policies and Perry - who owns his own studio - implored (who is also Spike’s cousin), Perry and Poitier, who received the Pasadena, Calif. — AP blacks to break out on their own instead of waiting for an open legend award.—AP Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

McCartney honored at NME awards Soundgarden signs on to iTunes Festival at SXSW

Former Beatles Paul McCartney waves as he leaves the Pavillon File photo shows Populaire venue Chris Cornell of in Montpellier, Soundgarden southern during the band’s France. —AFP concert at the Wiltern in Los eatles legend Paul McCartney received a Angeles. —AP Bstanding ovation at the NME awards ceremo- ny in London on Wednesday, where he accepted the influential British magazine’s special oundgarden will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its land- disc reissue of “Superunknown” on June 3 with preorders avail- prize honoring his 50-year-career. On receiving the Smark album “Superunknown” at South By Southwest. The able March 11. The multiplatinum album included the Grammy magazine’s “songwriters’ songwriter” award at the Seattle grunge rockers will play “Superunknown” front to Award-winning hits “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman” and annual show, the 71-year-old admitted to guests at back for the first time March 13 when they headline the third debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, eventually selling more the O2 Academy Brixton that he could not explain night of the iTunes Festival in Austin, Texas. than 5 million copies in the US. The iTunes Festival features five how he had written some of the most famous pop Soundgarden members Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron, Kim nights of performances during the annual SXSW music confer- songs of all time. Thayil and Ben Shepherd recently announced plans for a multi- ence. Other performers include Coldplay and Keith Urban. — AP “The great thing about songwriting is that you don’t know how you do it, so you can’t talk about it,” he said as he picked up the award from Blur and Gorillaz star Damon Albarn. The Beatles played at ‘Frozen’ album reclaims top spot the magazine’s annual show in 1963 and topped the bill in 1964 as Beatlemania swept the UK. for fifth time on Billboard 200 Young pretenders Arctic Monkeys picked up where they left off at last week’s Brit Awards, win- he soundtrack for Disney’s hit animat- to perform strongly, nearing $1 billion at the ning five prizes including best album for “AM”. Pop ed film “Frozen” reclaimed the top spot worldwide box office. princess Lily Allen capped her return from “retire- T on the weekly Billboard 200 album The last film soundtrack to spend more ment” by winning the best solo artist award, but chart on Wednesday, becoming the first than five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 suggested fellow nominees David Bowie and Jake soundtrack in 15 years to notch more than was 1998’s “Titanic,” which featured Celine Bugg were more deserving of the accolade. Allen five weeks at No. 1 on the chart. The “Frozen” Dion’s hit “My Heart Will Go On” and held was also on stage to present New York rocker soundtrack, which features the Oscar-nomi- the top spot for 16 consecutive weeks, Debbie Harry and her band Blondie with the nated song “Let It Go,” sold another 89,000 Billboard said. The “Frozen” album pushed “Godlike genius” award. copies last week, according to figures from last week’s chart-topper, country singer Eric Scottish band Belle & Sebastian won the out- Nielsen SoundScan. Since its release in Church’s “The Outsiders” to No. 2 with sales standing contribution to music prize before aiming November, the album has sold more than 1.1 of 74,000 copies. Issues came in at No. 9 with its self-titled a playful jibe at David Bowie’s plea for Scotland to million copies and topped Billboard 200 for Two new entries cracked the top 10 of stay part of the UK. “England stay with us-at least album. Overall album sales for the week five non-consecutive weeks. the Billboard 200 chart this week. Country ending Feb 23 totaled 4.8 million units, just for a night,” joked guitarist Stevie Jackson. “And The Walt Disney Co animated movie artist Cole Swindell landed at No. 3 with his if we do leave you, let’s stay friends.”— AFP Billboard said, down 12 percent from the about two Nordic princess sisters continues latest self-titled record, while rock group comparable week in 2013. — Reuters YouTube ordered to take down anti-Muslim film

US appeals court ordered YouTube on Wednesday “Had Ms Garcia known the true nature of the propa- to prison in 2012 for violating terms of his probation and to take down an anti-Muslim film that sparked vio- ganda film the producers were planning, she would nev- was released on probation in September 2013. Garcia Alent riots in parts of the Middle East and death er had agreed to appear in the movie,” said Cris Armenta, was paid $500 to appear for five seconds in a film she threats to the actors. The decision by a divided three- Garcia’s attorney. Google argues that the actress had no was told was called “Desert Warrior” that she thought judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San claim to the film because filmmaker Mark Basseley had nothing to do with religion or radical Islam. When Francisco reinstated a lawsuit filed against YouTube by Youssef wrote the dialogue, managed the entire produc- the clip was released, her lines were dubbed to have her an actress who appeared briefly in the 2012 video that tion and dubbed over Garcia’s dialogue during postpro- character asking Muhammad if he was a child molester. led to rioting and deaths because of its negative portray- duction editing. Writing for the court, Chief Judge Alex “This is a troubling case,” Kozinski wrote. “Garcia was al of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Kozinski said the ruling was not a blanket order giving duped into providing an artistic performance that was YouTube resisted calls by President Barack Obama copyright protection to every actor, but that in this case, used in a way she never could have foreseen. Her unwit- and other world leaders to take down the video, arguing Garcia’s performance was worthy of copyright protec- ting and unwilling inclusion in Innocence of Muslims led that to do so amounted to unwarranted government tion. “We need not and do not decide whether every to serious threats against her life. It’s disappointing, censorship and would violate the Google-owned compa- actor has a copyright in his performance within a movie,” though perhaps not surprising, that Garcia needed to ny’s free speech protections. Besides, the company the judge wrote. “It suffices for now to hold that, while sue in order to protect herself and her rights.” For argued that the filmmakers and not the actors of the matter is fairly debatable, Garcia is likely to prevail.” Google, the ruling represents a nettlesome issue if “Innocence of Muslims” owned the copyright and only Judge N Randy Smith dissented, arguing that Garcia’s allowed to stand. The company fears that bit players and they could remove it from YouTube. five-second appearance gave her no ownership claims. extras appearing in popular clips will now be embold- And typically, that’s the case with the vast majority of “Her brief appearance in the film, even if a valuable con- ened to send takedown notices to YouTube unless set- clips posted on YouTube - and Hollywood in general - tribution to the film, does not make her an author,” tlements can be reached with the filmmakers. Google that don’t violate decency laws and policies. But the 9th Smith wrote. “Indeed, it is difficult to understand how Inc, which has removed the clip, said it will appeal the Circuit said Wednesday that this case was far from typical she can be considered an ‘inventive or master mind’ of decision to a special 11-judge panel of the appeals court. and that the actress, Cindy Lee Garcia, retained a copy- her performance under these facts.” The next move after that would be to ask the US right claim that YouTube must respect. That’s because Youssef, the filmmaker, was sentenced to 21 months Supreme Court to review the case. “We strongly disagree she believed she was acting in a different production in prison for check fraud in 2010 and barred from access- with this ruling and will fight it,” said Google spokes- than the one that ultimately appeared online. ing the Internet without court approval. He was returned woman Abbi Tatton. — AP Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Feared lost, original art of Wolverine debut found he original art for the first appearance of Wolverine - a ferocious fighting mutant with a penchant for cigars - Twill be auctioned in May in a sale to benefit the Hero Initiative, the group that strives to aid comic book creators in times of financial need. Heritage Auctions said Wednesday that the artwork drawn by Herb Trimpe 40 years ago for “The Incredible Hulk” No. 180 was long thought lost until the person he gave it to back in 1983 con- tacted them about selling it. Todd Hignite, Heritage’s vice president, said he was astounded to see the full-page art in such pristine condi- tion. “I went out and met with the owner and it wasn’t until I was there and actually saw it that I fully believed it. It’s a pretty amazing thing.” The owner, who asked not to be identified, received the art as a gift from Trimpe after he and his family had visited. A comic collector, he brought some issues drawn by Trimpe, hoping for an autograph. Trimpe obliged. As they left, the artist told him to wait. “He ran back upstairs to his studio and he came with this page of artwork in his hands,” Hignite said of ink, graphite and blue drawing. On it was inscribed “Ben - Best Wishes Herb Trimpe.” As Wolverine’s appeal and popularity grew - first in Marvel Entertainment’s comics, then on animated TV shows and, finally, as played by Hugh Jackman in the ongo- A nominee for Queen of the Carnival of Santa Cruz, on the main stage, shows off her outfit under the watchful eyes of the jury in Santa ing X-Men film franchise - issues featuring the character Cruz de Tenerife on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife on February 26, 2014. The dresses are more than five meters high and vero jumped in value. So, too, has original art. 80 kilos in weight. The over one-month-long event began on January 31 and finishes on March 8 with orchestras playing Caribbean “He’s aware that the market for comic art has gone up to and Brazilian rhythms throughout the festivities that range from elections for the Carnival Queen, the Junior Queen and the Senior such an incredible amount,” Hignite said of the piece. “He Queen, children and adult murgas (satirical street bands), comparsas (dance groups) to performances on the streets. — AFP was just kind of nervous having the artwork.” Original art for other significant characters like Superman and Spider- Man have commanded prices well into six figures. The issue, written by Len Wein and called “And the Wind Howls Hipsters drive New York beard transplant boom Wendigo” is valued at $400 in near-mint condition while issue 181, which is the first, full Wolverine story, is valued at he unkempt, hairy hipster look is driving a plastic surgery year ago and says he is “thrilled” with the results. $1,800 in near mint condition, per the 43rd Overstreet boom in New York, where baby-faced young men are flocking He grew up admiring his father’s beard but could only muster Comic Price Guide.—AP Tto doctors for beard transplants that can cost a whopping “little patches” here and there. So he forked out $8,000 on a trans- $8,000. Facial surgeons with private practices in Manhattan and plant with Manhattan surgeon Jeffrey Epstein. “There are people Florida say they have seen a phenomenal increase in demand in the that like long hair, short hair, I just wanted a nice beard,” he told AFP. last five years, and hipsters are leading the way. No longer the pre- “I like that rugged look, that five o’clock shadow.” Although he serve of fishermen or aging academics, beards are the signature wouldn’t always define himself a hipster, he does when it comes to look of urbane men in their 20s and 30s who consider themselves facial hair. “To a certain degree I do consider myself a hipster,” witty, creative and politically progressive. Higuera said. “I think it’s very trendy to have a beard-to do things New York surgeons can perform up to three or four procedures a with your beard.” week for $2,000 to more than $8,000 depending on how much hair needs to be transplanted from scalp to cheek. Danny Higuera, 26, Fashions change owns a construction company. He had a beard transplant over a Ten years ago film stars were clean-shaven, but red carpets today are full of the bearded-Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Ryan Brad Pitt Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ben Affleck, to name just a few. Epstein says the chief look-alike request is Pitt and mustachioed actor Tom Selleck is number two, but believes most patients just love the scraggy look. “Thirty to 35 percent are those guys aged 26 to 40 that sort of fit into that category of hipster. It’s not a clear term, but prob- ably the single biggest group are these guys,” Epstein said. Uber-trendy parts of Brooklyn may be New York’s hipster hub but doctors say patients fly in from across the United States, Britain or even Australia. They say the boom is fueled not just by changing fashion, but rising awareness and social acceptance of hair trans- plants, and improved techniques that result in pretty impressive beards. Facial hair has for centuries been a sign of virility and mas- culinity in many cultures across the world. But some men can’t grow facial hair for genetic reasons or lasered their face in their 20s and later realized it was a mistake.

‘Guys streaming in’ Yael Halaas, a doctor whose practice is just off Park Avenue, agreed that demand had increased over the last three to four years. “These guys kept just streaming in complaining either they can’t grow much of a beard at all or that they have patchy areas that weren’t filing in properly,” she told AFP. “A lot of them tend to be in their 20s and 30s, they tend to be hip New Yorkers definitely with an eye for aesthetic detail-they may work in the visual arts or perform- ing arts,” she said. Halaas says she sees four to five patients a week for facial hair transplants. “A decade ago I would say it was maybe 10 a year,” she said. —AFP

This image released by Heritage Auctions shows orig- inal artwork that was used in the Marvel Comics’ ‘The Incredible Hulk’ issue #150. — AP Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Paris: Jessica Alba’s main street high fashion he first full day of Paris’ frenzied ready- Tto-wear shows mixed up iconic fashion veterans like Dries Van Noten with a whole new sort of fashion player: H&M. It may be a tricky ride ahead for the main street shop, which is now attempting to walk the snooty high fashion runway. Yet the company, which has still not been allowed on the official Fashion Week calendar, put on a buzzy show-spectacle replete with strobe lights, plasma screens and Jessica Alba which may go some way in shutting up the detractors - at least until next season. Here are the highlights of the day.

Jessica Alba earns millions but shops for $20 Alba may earn millions every time she does a movie, but it doesn’t stop her counting her pennies. The Sin City actress turned up at Wednesday’s show in a white H&M lace dress with black tights, hugging model Miranda Kerr for the cameras. “Yes, I’m wearing H&M. It feels very romantic, sort of gothic. Red lips and black tights throw off the romantic lac- ing. Mixing high and low that’s how I dress,” Alba told the Associated Press. “I love shop- Jessica Alba poses prior to the H&M ready-to- ping at H&M and I can always find great wear fall/winter 2014-2015 fashion collection pieces, if I need a great blazer or a pencil presented in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 26, skirt,” said the multimillionaire, momentarily H&M’s creative advisor speaks 2014. — AP/AFP photos forgetting she can afford a stylist. on fashion socialism She’s been one of the most influential fig- channeled the palette of Russian-born ures in fashion, but H&M head designer for French artist Serge Poliakoff for a choco- over 20 years Margareta van den Bosch still Models present creations as part of H&M’s late brown and muted anthracite color wasn’t allowed to finish her drink ahead of ready-to-wear fall/winter 2014-2015 fash- wheel. Then, elsewhere, the collection the H&M show that channeled the knee high ion collection presented in Paris. borrowed from French painter Pierre boots, center partings and khaki shades of Soulage’s black on black in the shimmer- the 70s. Bosch, who happened to sit next to ing collection composed mainly of shirts an Associated Press writer during the high- pany’s high-profile collaborations with Karl and dresses. octane presentation, was H&M chief design- Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney But some designers should just forget er for over 20 years and pivotal in the com- and Versace. But Bosch remains down-to-earth, and the high-art references and let the doesn’t forget her roots. This, despite the clothes talk. This show was really about endless paparazzi flashbulbs that snap bold sexuality. Frills on dresses came in before her. “I like fashion. I was a designer oversized curvaceous volumes - stabbing myself for 22 years when I started in ‘87 as out like a shield next to shiny, kinky head of design, and the vision was that we leather jackets that were a tad obvious at would make nice clothes at good value for points. While sheer silk tops with embroi- money - something for all people. Fashion deries, described as “trompe l’oeil,” were for everybody,” she told The Associated plainly just made to titillate. Press. But how does she answer the high fashion snoots that say lesser quality clothes Rochas debutant have no place on Paris’ esteemed runways? makes demicouture “I really admire people that do things by Change is underfoot at Rochas, the hand and fantastic hand craft - but I think we old French house that is famed to have can all exist. There must be a place for us all. been first to put pockets on skirts. Not everybody can pay for that haute cou- Alessandro Dell’Acqua showed his debut ture, and they also deserve some fashion,” collection, following predecessor Marco she said. Zanini’s departure for Schiaparelli - and the new man certainly paid homage to Arty-farty Rochas’ couture style. The huge volume Damir Doma gave classical tailoring a that’s made the house such a hit in frayed, grungy edge with a splash of art. The recent years was present on off-kilter tra- Croatian-born designer was inspired by con- peze silhouettes, often on fastidiously temporary artist Gerhard Richter with a col- embroidered gowns. But there was more lection of mottled ochre jacquards. And than a dash of eccentricity: Full skirts some beautiful back column dresses sported with unusually loose waists swaggered the German painter’s famed stripes. But the down the catwalk, while some even most on-trend part of the strong show were sported second A-line skirt underneath the turtle necks above horizontal, truncated with buttoned up princess coats adding shoulders. Watch this space - we may see a prudish modesty. It was a strange col- more of this to come this week. Guy lection - known as “demicouture:” not Laroche’s designer Marcel Morongiu also quite ready-to-wear, not quite couture.

Damir Doma went arty-farty, but with less success. He But somehow it worked. — AP Lifestyle FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Models present creations by Gareth Pugh during the 2014/2015 autumn/winter collec- tion fashion show. Rochas FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

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up the monitoring, scroll down and disable read phone status and identity WhatsApp tips and tricks you should know underPhone calls. WhatsApp should hen Instagram was bought by Facebook for $1 billion, when you use them, WhatsApp will be protected by a PIN (in now run on your tablet. To the media went nuts. But that was nothing compared the case of WhatsLock) or a password (in the case of Lock for activate WhatsApp, you to what Facebook bought WhatsApp for - a whooping WhatsApp). Either way, once you have things set up, the people can just use your W landline and $19 billion. This breaking news came in days after Viber was around you shouldn’t be able to take a sneak peek at your reported to have been bought by Japanese online retailer, WhatsApp any longer. have Rakutenfor a fraction of the price tag: $900 million. And to think WhatsApp call that we were scratching our heads over Snapchat turning down 4. Create shortcuts for important contacts you with the Facebook’s $3 billion offer. That’s a lot of zeros. Want to speed up your WhatsApp communication? How three-digit verifica- WhatsApp, one of the most popular mobile messaging app, about creating a shortcut to your favorite WhatsApp contact or tion code. faced fierce competition from the likes of WeChat (which is group straight from your homescreen? On Android, this is as huge in China and the Asia pacific region) and Line (which has simple as long pressing on the group or contact you want to 8. WhatsApp chat its own theme park) but held its ground with its many features create a shortcut for. When the menu pops up, just tap on Add heads on Android that ensure users have a secure, dependable and practical mes- conversation shortcut. This will create a shortcut to the contact One of the best things saging experience. With that in mind, here are a few tips, tricks or group you have chosen right on your homescreen. This about Facebook Messenger and apps to get more out of WhatsApp. behavior isn’t available on WhatsApp for iOS, but you can use a is its chat heads functionality. third-party app such as1TapWA to have similar functionality on We’ve talked about bringing 1. Hide ‘Last Seen’ timestamp your iPhone. Since it’s an app, 1TapWA also has some extra fea- chat heads features to SMS By default, WhatsApp shows a “last seen” timestamp, telling tures such as an image editor and an action scheduler. before, but now you can also other users the last time you were on WhatsApp. Some of you have chat heads for your may want to disable this timestamp, for privacy reasons. You 5. Stop WhatsApp images from appearing in gallery or WhatsApp conver- can disable this timestamp on both iOS and Android. If you’re an Camera Roll sations too, iOS user, you’re in luck, since all you need to do is go into Having WhatsApp images in your Gallery or Camera Roll can using Settings > Chat Settings > Advanced and set Last Seen be very annoying; maybe the images are somewhat private, or WhatsApp Chat Timestamp to Off. If you’re an Android user, you won’t have you just don’t like having these images clutter up your Gallery or Heads. As the access to this setting from the app itself. Instead, you’re going to Camera Roll. You can fix this on both iOS and Android. On iOS, name suggests, have to rely on a third party app such as Hide WhatsApp Status. it’s pretty simple; just go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and then the app works The app disables your WiFi and data connection when you turn the WhatsApp switch off. On Android, you have to create a alongside WhatsApp open WhatsApp. Once you exit the app, your WiFi and data con- .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories. To do to add chat heads for nections are reactivated, WhatsApp will sync, and your mes- this, you need a file explorer such as ES File Explorer. Navigate to your conversations. The sages will be sent. the images or video folders. Tap the New button in the lower chat heads are somewhat left, pick File and create a file named .nomedia. This will stop the customizable, and you can 2. Backup and restore WhatsApp chats Gallery from scanning the folder. have specific LED colors, noti- WhatsApp makes automatic backups of your chats, but you fication sounds and chat head can also make a manual backup. On iOS, it’s Settings > Chat 6. Change your WhatsApp phone number colors for each of your contacts. Settings > Chat Backup, then tap Back Up Now. On Android, just If you’ve changed phone numbers but kept the same One thing to be aware of, though, go into Settings > Chat settings and tap Backup conversations phone, you don’t need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp just is that the app requires root to create a backup. This won’t backup your media, so you’ll to change numbers. There’s a setting within WhatsApp that will access. Plus, it’s also still need to use a file manager to copy the media folders in let you migrate your WhatsApp account to a different phone in beta, so you /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media. There’s no way to restore chats number. Go to Settings > Account > Change number. Enter may directly from WhatsApp, so if you want to restore a backup your old phone number in the top field and then your new encounter you’re going to have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp. When phone number in the bottom field. Then press Done. Verify your some small you start WhatsApp after the reinstall, you should be prompted new phone number, and all your chat history, groups and so on issues here and to restore your most recent backup. Just follow the procedure will be migrated to the new number. there. and your chats should all be back. 7. Install WhatsApp on an Android tablet 9. Get messaging sta- 3. Lock your WhatsApp WhatsApp is built for phones and is intelligent enough to tistics on Android Everyone, at some point or another, has probably had to know when you’re trying to run it on a tablet, but there are ways This will definitely deal with friends or family taking a sneak peek at their around this. Firstly, you need to grab the latest version of the interest you if you’re a sta- WhatsApp messages. Thankfully, if you’re using WhatsApp on WhatsApp .apk. Visit the official site with Chrome or Firefox and tistics geek, or simply some- Android or BlackBerry, there are apps that can help secure your request the desktop version of the site, which will allow you to one who’s interested in find- WhatsApp from prying eyes. If you’re using Android, there’s download the .apk directly. Then download SRT AppGuard. ing out you and your friends’ WhatsApp Lock, while BlackBerry users will want to check out Install both. Run AppGuard first. Select WhatsApp from the WhatsApp habits. WhatStat pro- Lock for WhatsApp. Basically, both of these apps work similarly: Dashboard then press Monitor. Once AppGuard is done setting vides information for metrics such as your top friends, friends’ and groups’ most active times of the day as well as message distribution for both one-on-one and group chats. WhatStat presents all this information in easy-to- understand visualizations that will make perfect sense to any- one. No more having to pay specific attention to who initiates conversations or what a good time to message someone is; WhatStat will do that all for you.

10. Get WhatsApp notifications on desktop If you’ve ever missed a WhatsApp message while working on your desktop, you’ll know how annoying it can be. If you’re using Android, there are a few ways to make sure that you never miss a WhatsApp message again. You can use Pushbullet, which includes notification mirroring alongside a lot of other features, but if all you want is notifications on your computer, check out Desktop Notifications. — www.hongkiat.com Stars FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Aries (March 21-April 19) COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) Afghanistan 0093 Kuwait 00965 You may be feeling tired and a bit wrung out today, Aries. Albania 00355 Kyrgyzstan 00996 You have an active mind and an even more active imagination, Algeria 00213 Laos 00856 Although you're a workaholic by nature, even you are forced to Libra. Today you risk short-circuiting your brain as you struggle Andorra 00376 Latvia 00371 admit that this is a day to stay in bed. Give yourself these few Angola 00244 Lebanon 00961 to keep up with all the ideas and information swirling inside hours to regroup and recoup your energy. You'll need to be oper Anguilla 001264 Liberia 00231 - your head. Take a few minutes to do a mental inventory. Write ating at peak form for all the work that's likely to hit your desk Antiga 001268 Libya 00218 down everything you're thinking right now so you can free Argentina 0054 Lithuania 00370 next week. some space in your brain for other issues. A long walk or jog Armenia 00374 Luxembourg 00352 Australia 0061 Macau 00853 would help soothe your mind. Austria 0043 Macedonia 00389 Bahamas 001242 Madagascar 00261 Bahrain 00973 Majorca 0034 Bangladesh 00880 Malawi 00265 Barbados 001246 Malaysia 0060 Belarus 00375 Maldives 00960 Taurus (April 20-May 20) Belgium 0032 Mali 00223 Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Belize 00501 Malta 00356 Benin 00229 Marshall Islands 00692 Bermuda 001441 Martinique 00596 There could be a missing person very much on your mind If a family member is in a bad mood but not confessing why, it's Bhutan 00975 Mauritania 00222 these days. Is it possible that the relationship is over and Bolivia 00591 Mauritius 00230 you're the last one to know? Don't let your insecurities get up to you to step in and help. He or she is carrying that big Bosnia 00387 Mayotte 00269 the better of you, Taurus. It's likely that your friend merely black cloud around, casting shadows everywhere they go. Do Botswana 00267 Mexico 0052 needs some time alone to sort out some big life issues. He what you can to snap your relative out of it, although take care Brazil 0055 Micronesia 00691 not to force the issue too harshly. Counseling might be in Brunei 00673 Moldova 00373 or she will seek out your warmth and friendship again soon. Bulgaria 00359 Monaco 00377 order, and this may not be your area of expertise! Burkina 00226 Mongolia 00976 Burundi 00257 Montserrat 001664 Cambodia 00855 Morocco 00212 Cameroon 00237 Mozambique 00258 Canada 001 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Cape Verde 00238 Namibia 00264 Cayman Islands 001345 Nepal 00977 Gemini (May 21-June 20) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Central African Republic 00236 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Chad 00235 Netherlands Antilles 00599 Chile 0056 New Caledonia 00687 China 0086 New Zealand 0064 Misinformation is likely to spread like wildfire today, causing a If a friend or colleague seems to be in trouble, you may not Colombia 0057 Nicaragua 00505 lot of unnecessary upset either among your neighbors at home want to interfere for fear of being too intimate. But this isn't a Comoros 00269 Nigar 00227 or your colleagues at work. Don't accept at face value any gos- Congo 00242 Nigeria 00234 time to hold back, Sagittarius. It's likely that this person really Cook Islands 00682 Niue 00683 sip or rumor you hear, Gemini. Check the accuracy of the infor- does need your help. Your intervention will be much appreciat- Costa Rica 00506 Norfolk Island 00672 mation yourself. If it does turn out to be false, as is likely, you'll ed and possibly even rewarded. Be sure to get some rest Croatia 00385 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 feel sorry if you've had any part in perpetuating it. tonight. You're emotionally and physically drained. Cuba 0053 North Korea 00850 Cyprus 00357 Norway 0047 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Oman 00968 Czech Republic 00420 Pakistan 0092 Denmark 0045 Palau 00680 Diego Garcia 00246 Panama 00507 Djibouti 00253 Papua New Guinea 00675 Dominica 001767 Paraguay 00595 Cancer (June 21-July 22 Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Dominican Republic 001809 Peru 0051 ) Ecuador 00593 Philippines 0063 Egypt 0020 Poland 0048 El Salvador 00503 Portugal 00351 You're finally setting in motion some longstanding goals of Your career may be sidetracked by petty gossip, rumor, England (UK) 0044 Puerto Rico 001787 yours, Cancer. Good for you! But even though everything is in and office politics. It's likely that someone is pushing for- Equatorial Guinea 00240 Qatar 00974 Eritrea 00291 Romania 0040 place and you're ready to go, it's possible that you'll receive ward his or her agenda without any thought or concern for Estonia 00372 Russian Federation 007 notice today of some delay in your plans. The frustration feels its impact on others. Do what you can to put a stop to such Ethiopia 00251 Rwanda 00250 unbearable. But when you step back and look at the bigger pic- shenanigans, Capricorn. There are times when it's appro- Falkland Islands 00500 Saint Helena 00290 ture, you'll see that ultimately this delay is in your best interests. priate to be the whistleblower, and this is one of them. Faroe Islands 00298 Saint Kitts 001869 Fiji 00679 Saint Lucia 001758 Finland 00358 Saint Pierre 00508 France 0033 Saint Vincent 001784 French Guiana 00594 Samoa US 00684 French Polynesia 00689 Samoa West 00685 Gabon 00241 San Marino 00378 Gambia 00220 Sao Tone 00239 Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Georgia 00995 Saudi Arabia 00966 Germany 0049 Scotland (UK) 0044 Ghana 00233 Senegal 00221 Gibraltar 00350 Seychelles 00284 Beware lawyers, bankers, and stockbrokers today, Leo. One of Some bad news about your financial situation may not really be Greece 0030 Sierra Leone 00232 them is likely to try and mislead you with some inaccurate as bad as it first appears. Even so, it throws you for a loop. Greenland 00299 Singapore 0065 information. While it might be in his or her best interests for Double-check the information before spiraling into a panic, Grenada 001473 Slovakia 00421 Aquarius. It may be that a computer made an error or a bank Guadeloupe 00590 Slovenia 00386 you to take this information at face value, it certainly isn't in Guam 001671 Solomon Islands 00677 yours! Do your own research and get all the facts before mak- clerk messed up. You may have to unravel some paperwork, Guatemala 00502 Somalia 00252 ing the financial investments recommended to you. but it will be a relief to have it resolved. Guinea 00224 South Africa 0027 Guyana 00592 South Korea 0082 Haiti 00509 Spain 0034 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Sri Lanka 0094 Honduras 00504 Sudan 00249 Hong Kong 00852 Suriname 00597 Hungary 0036 Swaziland 00268 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Sweden 0046 Iceland 00354 Switzerland 0041 Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) India 0091 Syria 00963 Indian Ocean 00873 Taiwan 00886 Indonesia 0062 Tanzania 00255 A family member or other loved one may not be telling you the In an unpleasant situation, your inclination is to protect your loved Iran 0098 Thailand 0066 Iraq 00964 Toga 00228 truth. In this person's defense, he or she likely thinks they're pro- ones from the truth. This would be a mistake, Pisces. Even though Ireland 00353 Tonga 00676 tecting you by shielding you from the truth. This is a time for you're acting out of love, your family members deserve to know Italy 0039 Tokelau 00690 you to trust your instincts, Virgo. If you're told something that the truth even if it hurts. You can't shield them from the realities of Ivory Coast 00225 Trinidad 001868 simply doesn't ring true, check the information yourself rather the outside world. Most people, even the young, prefer to know Jamaica 001876 Tunisia 00216 than accept it at face value. the facts. Japan 0081 Turkey 0090 Jordan 00962 Tuvalu 00688 Kazakhstan 007 Uganda 00256 Kenya 00254 Ukraine 00380 Kiribati 00686 United Arab Emirates00976 Leisure FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Word Search DOWN 1. The noise made by a short puff of steam (as from an engine). CROSSWORD472 2. A material effigy that is worshipped as a god. 3. A notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat. 4. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field. 5. A loose shirt or tunic. 6. A colorless and odorless inert gas. 7. Formed like a bacillus. 8. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska. 9. A list of dishes available at a restaurant. 10. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread. 11. Used of a single unit or thing. 12. A gland in which gametes (sex cells) are produced. 13. Frogs, toads, tree toads. 14. United States tennis player (born in Czechoslovakia) who won several singles championships. 19. The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. 25. A blind god. 27. Of or relating to pyemia. 28. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits. 30. Large dark brown North American arboreal carnivorous mammal. 32. A genus of orb-weaving spiders including common garden spiders and barn spiders. 37. Deduce (a principle) or construe (a meaning). 39. Type genus of the Amiidae. 40. Not only so, but. 41. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind. 43. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary. 45. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria. 48. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States. ACROSS 50. Violent and needless disturbance. 1. A linear unit (1/6 inch) used in printing. 54. An island in Antigua and Barbuda. 5. Alternatively, a member of the family Nymphaeaceae. 55. Bottle that has a narrow neck. 12. United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters. 57. A member of the dominant Hindu military caste in northern India. 15. The sixth month of the civil year. 58. A light touch or stroke. 16. Of or relating to Aram or to its inhabitants or their culture or their language. 59. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. 17. Used of a single unit or thing. 62. Overly eager speed (and possible carelessness). 18. A military officer appointed from enlisted personnel. 64. Remote and separate physically or socially. 20. Small and light boat. 66. Botswanan statesman who was the first president of Botswana (1921-1980). 21. A woman religious. 67. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 22. Considerate and solicitous care. 68. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River. 23. Destruction of heart tissue resulting from obstruction of the blood supply to 70. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill. the heart muscle. 72. (Old Testament) The eldest son of Isaac who would have inherited the 24. European freshwater game fish with a thick spindle-shaped body. Covenant that God made with Abraham and that Abraham passed on to Isaac. 26. Any plant of the genus Episcia. 75. Type genus of the Muridae. 29. (of snakes and eels) Naturally footless. 76. Select as an alternative. 31. (botany) Of or relating to or resembling a calyx. 77. Goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment. 33. The money risked on a gamble. 80. A radioactive element of the alkali-metal group discovered as a disintegration product of actinium. 34. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific. 35. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group. 36. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group. 38. African mahogany trees. Yesterdayʼs Solution 42. A port in southern Sweden. 44. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material. 46. (used of persons or the military) Characterized by having or bearing arms. 47. Fish-eating bird of warm inland waters having a long flexible neck and slender sharp-pointed bill. 49. Austrian chemist who did research on carotenoids and vitamins (1900-1967). 51. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots. 52. A brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur. 53. Annual to perennial herbs of the Mediterranean region. 56. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium. 60. Morally bad or wrong. 61. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC). Challenging Mage 63. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 65. A town and port in northwestern Israel in the eastern Mediterranean. 69. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar. Challenging Mazes zy zrazyzadz zooz z Maze z 71. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum. 73. (biology) Shed at an early stage of development. 74. A large mountain system in south-central Europe. 78. A short erect tail. 79. An strong upward air current. 81. An adult male person (as opposed to a woman). 82. The emotion of hate. 83. High level of respect gained by impressive development or achievement. 84. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution 42 Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Future of multibillion Sochi investment unclear SOCHI: As the Olympic circus packs up reluctant to leave the country. on Saturday, however, that authorities “From what we’ve seen so far the inter- and flies away from Russia, the Black Sea Former leader Josef Stalin had a Dacha have been persuaded to turn it into “an est is huge,” said Alexander Belokobylsky, city of Sochi is looking anxiously toward here and President Vladimir Putin has a international center for ice shows.” Some director of Rosa Khutor resort up in the future. Hundreds of thousands of visi- holiday home in the area, but lack of of the venues can be taken apart and Krasnaya Polyana. The company is now tors are leaving impressed by the shiny investment meant the town was gradually moved to other cities. The Audit Chamber, looking forward to the next season to see stadiums and hotels, smooth highways crumbling. The Olympics brought in bil- the government’s auditing agency, raised how well they can do when the games are and new trains that have transformed a lions in investment and international concerns about the future of the Olympic over. “A certain price adjustment will defi- jaded Soviet-era resort into a modern attention to Sochi while rattling trucks venues. Chairman Sergei Stepashin quot- nitely come,” Belokobylsky said: “If we see tourist destination. and cement mixers have rumbled through ed expert estimates that maintaining the that our prices are too high and we don’t It has all cost $51 billion, but will it be the area day and night for more than five venues would cost Russia at least 60 billion get visitors we will adjust.” enough to keep the tourist dollar - or ruble years. In this time, Krasnaya Polyana, a rubles a year ($2 billion). Business and the travel industry - flooding into Sochi? small mountain village, has been trans- experts, however, don’t hold out much Sochi “definitely has a future”, IOC formed into a Swiss-style ski resort with Long-term prospects hope for Sochi as an international destina- President Thomas Bach said on Sunday. brand-new lifts and international hotels. Kozak dismissed Stepashin’s estimate, tion despite the breath-taking mountains He listed all the international events that Sochi’s mountains will definitely see an saying that it will cost “at least 10 times and new hotels. Sochi will be hosting in coming months - increase in visitors in the coming year less.” Olympic spectators and organizers Unlike most European resorts, Sochi is the G8 summit, a Formula One race and because of the Olympic publicity, says say Krasnaya Polyana is a potential magnet hard to get to. There are few direct flights World Cup matches in 2018 - and Vladimir Kantorovich, first vice president of for tourists. But industry experts are cau- to Europe from Sochi, and airport fees at expressed hope that Sochi’s legacy will the Russian Association of Tour Operators, tious about its long-term prospects. the Sochi Adler airport are too high for live on. but its future will only be clear once the Russian fans at the Olympic Park this low-cost airlines to fly here. And “What happened here, this transforma- first full season is over. “Ski slopes which weekend were optimistic about Sochi’s Europeans need to apply for a visa if they tion really is amazing, and now it will be are good for sports are not necessarily future, but all of them complained about want to come to Russia. important to secure the legacy of these always good for recreation. You need to prices, saying they are too high compared “Europeans can travel to most places games,” Bach said. Ordinary Russians were go to find out yourself,” he said. “How to other eastern or central European desti- in the world visa-free: Why would they also impressed. “We were in the mountain things will go afterwards will depend on nations. want to come here if they need to get a cluster yesterday and we were pleasantly prices and conditions.” “We see that Sochi has changed for the visa?” asks Kantorovich. Belokobylsky of surprised: It looks like a European ski Russia built 14 venues for the games better,” Mikhail Savrasov from Latvia, said. Rosa Khutor recalls praise and admiration resort,” said Irina Mislivets from Togliatti. “I with total capacity of 145,000 people. “I hope the prices will go down.” he has heard from foreign officials and would love to come back.” Plans for how to use the venues are chang- Ski resorts in the area reported strong journalists in the past weeks, but says that On the Black Sea north of Georgia, ing all the time. Organizers were originally sales in December and January before they getting them to come back here will be Sochi was a tired seaside resort tailored thinking about converting the Iceberg are- were closed for the Olympics, and they say difficult. “We need direct flights,” he said. exclusively for Russians who either could na into a cycling track. Russian Deputy they will adjust prices once life in Sochi “But these are things we cannot influ- not afford to vacation abroad or were Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak announced gets back to normal. ence.” —AP Woods, Scott, Mickelson contest in Honda Classic Scott returns after a six-week break

PALM BEACH GARDENS: Tiger Woods, did Woods), and instead will use this Open champion Ian Baker-Finch to sug- Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson and Rory week as the springboard for their prepa- gest that the 14 times major champion McIlroy will play in the same tournament ration for the Masters in April. stop worrying about swing intricacies for the first time this year when they con- “Once we get to Florida, we’re all and instead focus on finding his rhythm. test the Honda Classic starting in south thinking our way to Augusta,” Woods Woods suggested he is doing that to Florida yesterday. told reporters at Palm Beach National on some extent. The $6 million PGA Tour event used to Wednesday. “We’re just working on the same SINGAPORE: Ryu So-yeon of South Korea lines up a be the weak link on the four-stop PGA He has played only two events this things,” Woods said of himself and coach putt during round one of the 2014 HSBC Women’s Tour Florida swing, but no longer as a year, struggling by his own high stan- Sean Foley. “He’s doing a lot of video and confluence of factors has brought the dards both times, but he has at least he’s looking at it. I’m not really looking at Champions golf tournament in Singapore yester- game’s four biggest global stars together three more tournaments to find his com- it. I know what I need to do, the feels that day. The Women’s Champions tournament takes in Palm Beach Gardens. petitive legs before the first major of the are associated with certain parts of the place from February 27 to March 2. —AFP Woods and McIlroy both now live year at Augusta National. video and I’m just focused on that. He locally, while Scott and Mickelson opted “I was pleasantly surprised by how focuses on a more technical level. Webb survives scare to skip the World Golf Championships well I was hitting it today,” said Woods, “He comes up with a game plan of Match Play event in Arizona last week (as whose form has prompted former British what I need to work on and then I go off to lead in Singapore and work on it. I’ve always done it in the past and it’s worked pretty well for me.” SINGAPORE: Australian veteran Karrie Webb survived some Masters champion Scott, meanwhile, palpitations over her scorecard as she shot a fine six-under- returns to competition after a six-week par 66 to seize a one-stroke lead at the star-studded HSBC break. Since curtailing his schedule, the Women’s Champions in Singapore yesterday. Australian has been a regular contender Webb, disqualified from this month’s Australian Ladies in the majors, and he says the less-is- Masters for signing for an incorrect score, emerged from the more theory is working. scorer’s tent but then hurried straight back inside, fearing she had forgotten to sign her card. Testing ground However, all was well and the 39-year-old had correctly “The last couple of years has been signed for a first round of six birdies and no bogeys, enough planned well and executed well. It’s obvi- for a one-shot lead over Caroline Hedwall and Paula Creamer. ous what I’m trying to peak for,” Scott “I just had trouble getting out of the scorer tent since said. then,” admitted Webb, referring to the incident in Australia’s “I’m trying to give myself enough time Gold Coast when she owned up to signing for a 74 instead of to peak. What a great field this week. It’s a 75. going to be a true test. “So I walked out and couldn’t remember if I signed my Scott said the layout would provide a card, which would have been too late anyway. But before I did worthy challenge. an interview and said how happy I was to shoot 66, I wanted “With a tough golf course like this I to make sure I had signed my card.” think everyone is trying to measure Webb made a flying start of four birdies over the first six PALM BEACH GARDENS: Tiger Woods plays a shot during the first themselves up and see where they’re at holes, extending a rich run of form which includes her last-day round of The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa yesterday and how much work needs to be put in,” charge to victory two weeks ago at the Women’s Australian in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. —AFP he said. —Reuters Open. —AFP 43 Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Hansen scores as Canucks blank Blues

NHL results/standings

Results from the NHL games on Wednesday (home team in CAPS). Buffalo 5, Boston 4 (Ot); Detroit 2, Montreal 1 (Ot); Los Angeles 6, Colorado 4; Vancouver 1, St. Louis 0. WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION W L OTL GF GA PTS 1. Anaheim 41 14 5 196 147 87 2. San Jose 37 16 6 175 142 80 3. Los Angeles 32 22 6 145 132 70 4. Vancouver 28 24 9 147 160 65 5. Phoenix 27 21 10 163 169 64 6. Calgary 22 29 7 137 179 51 7. Edmonton 20 33 7 153 199 47

CENTRAL DIVISION 1. St. Louis 39 13 6 196 136 84 2. Chicago 35 11 14 207 163 84 3. Colorado 37 17 5 178 159 79 4. Minnesota 31 21 7 145 147 69 5. Dallas 27 21 10 164 164 64 6. Winnipeg 28 26 6 168 175 62 7. Nashville 25 24 10 146 180 60

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION 1. Boston 37 16 5 180 130 79 2. Tampa Bay 33 20 5 168 145 71 3. Montreal 32 21 7 149 144 71 VANCOUVER: Derek Roy No 12 of the St Louis Blues trips Dan Hamhuis No 2 of the Vancouver Canucks dur- 4. Toronto 32 22 6 178 182 70 ing the third period of their NHL game at Rogers Arena on Wednesday in Vancouver, British Columbia, 5. Detroit 27 20 12 153 164 66 Canada. —AFP 6. Ottawa 26 22 11 169 191 63 7. Florida 22 29 7 139 183 51 VANCOUVER: Jannik Hansen scored the game’s only goal and Eddie Kesler sat out with a hand injury suffered while playing for the US in the 8. Buffalo 17 34 8 118 178 42 Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Vancouver Olympics. Canucks defensemen Chris Tanev (thumb) and Andrew Canucks blanked the St Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for Alberts (concussion) remained out. ... Blues defenseman Jordan Leopold METROPOLITAN DIVISION both teams Wednesday night. The Canucks ended their losing streak at missed the game due to an ankle injury. He was replaced by Carlo 1. Pittsburgh 40 15 3 186 138 83 seven games while moving into sole possession of eighth place in the Colaiacovo. 2. NY Rangers 32 24 3 155 146 67 Western Conference. The Blues dropped their third straight decision to 3. Philadelphia 30 23 6 162 167 66 Vancouver this season. Sabres 5, Bruins 4 (OT) 4. Columbus 29 24 5 170 161 63 Hansen broke a scoreless deadlock at 11:13 of the third period. He Matt D’Agostini scored 22 seconds into overtime to give the Buffalo 5. Washington 27 23 9 171 175 63 took a backhand stretch pass from Tom Sestito from deep in the Sabres a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. 6. Carolina 26 23 9 146 161 61 Vancouver zone just past center ice, raced in on a breakaway and beat D’Agostini raced past Boston captain Zdeno Chara on a partial break- 7. New Jersey 24 22 13 135 146 61 Jaroslav Halak with a high shot. away and beat Bruins goalie Chad Johnson with a backhand deke on 8. NY Islanders 22 30 8 164 200 52 It was Hansen’s first goal in just over a month, a span of eight games, the winning goal. He scored unassisted. His game-winner came after after he last scored Jan. 26 against Phoenix. The Canucks outshot the Sabres left winger Matt Moulson had tied the score at 4-4 with 52.3 sec- Blues 35-20, but Lack had no shortage of challenges. Vancouver was onds remaining in regulation. blanked on four power plays while St. Louis failed to score on three. Lack Zemgus Girgensons, defenseman Tyler Myers and Brian Flynn also Stade looks to get drew the start after backstopping the Canucks to a pair of wins over St. scored for the Sabres (17-34-8). Chris Kelly, Zdeno Chara and left Louis earlier this season. wingers Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic scored for the Bruins (37-16-5), better of Galthie The Canucks played with the added aggression coach John who erased a two-goal deficit in the second period only to falter late. Tortorella has been seeking as they outshot the Blues 14-6 in the first PARIS: Stade Francais will look to put pressure on Top 14 leaders period. But the hosts could not beat a steady Halak, who was relatively Red Wings 2, Canadiens 1 (OT) Clermont when they visit Montpellier and one of their former head fresh after playing just two games for Slovakia in the Olympics. Lack Detroit right winger Gustav Nyqvist scored 4:32 into overtime to give coaches Fabien Galthie today. made some difficult saves, including one on a slap shot by Brendan the Red Wings a 2-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens. Nyqvist scored After several years in the doldrums, both on and off the pitch as Morrow with just under eight minutes left. The Canucks averted a dan- his 15th goal of the season into an open left side with 27.3 seconds left in financial problems bit deep, Stade look to be re-emerging as gen- gerous chance when St. Louis defenseman Roman Polak slid the puck the extra period after Detroit blew a 1-0 lead late in regulation. uine title contenders under the stewardship of Argentinian Gonzalo off the goal post and a few players crashed into the net, knocking it off Montreal right winger Brian Gionta scored the tying goal with 28.7 Quesada. its moorings. seconds remaining in the third, ending a shutout bid for Jimmy Howard, They are currently second in the table, four points behind The Blues rallied early in the second period, prompting Tortorella to who finished with 19 saves. Clermont, who play away at Bordeaux tomorrow. Having won five call a timeout. But Lack stopped Kevin Shattenkirk twice with the sec- Detroit’s Todd Bertuzzi scored his first goal since Dec. 10 in the first. French championships from 1998 to 2007, the last thanks to ond chance coming on a power play. The Vancouver goaltender also He was a healthy scratch in Detroit’s eight games prior to the Olympic Galthie, when owned by flamboyant radio mogul Max Guazzini, denied Blues captain David Backes on a one-timer during a delayed break after recording one point in 18 games subsequent to his previous Stade have not threatened the likes of Toulouse, Toulon or penalty and Alex Steen on a deflection, and got his pad on a shot by T.J. goal. Clermont in recent years. Oshie before defenseman Alex Edler blocked the puck as he attempted Detroit (27-20-12), which lost its final game before the break follow- However, Quesada has blended a potent mix of older players, to put in the rebound. After the save, fans chanted “Eddie! Eddie!” ing a 3-0-1 run, won the first two of four games against its new Atlantic such as France captain Pascal Pape and Italian counterpart Sergio Halak was sharp in the late going of the second as he thwarted Chris Division rival and closed to within five points of Montreal (32-21-7). Parisse-who misses the trip to Montpellier-with young ones such Higgins on a rebound and denied Daniel Sedin as he drove to the net as Jules Plisson and Hugo Bonneval, both capped in this season’s and shot. Notes: Olympians from both teams were honored in a Kings 6, Avalanche 4 Six Nations for the first time. pregame ceremony. Blues defensemen Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Anze Kopitar scored twice while fellow center Jeff Carter had a goal Stade will travel on the back of a last-minute win over relega- Pietrangelo drew loud cheers from the crowd when they were saluted, and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings rallied to beat the Colorado tion-threatened Oyonnax last weekend, a familiar feature of their along with Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis and goaltender Roberto Avalanche. play this season as they have competed until the final whistle Luongo, for helping Canada win the gold medal. ... Tortorella worked Defenseman Robyn Regher and center Jarret Stoll also had goals for where in previous years they tended to drop their heads in tight his first home game since receiving a six-game suspension for storming the Kings (32-22-6), who started their playoff push with a much-needed matches and fallen away. the Calgary Flames’ dressing room area Jan. 18. ... Canucks captain win. The Kings stumbled into the Olympic break after going 2-8-1 before “We have our feet on the ground but we are marching with our Henrik Sedin returned to action after suffering an undisclosed injury the Games and they trailed 4-2 against Colorado in the second before heads held high,” said Quesada, who has been credited also for his before the Olympics. He missed the past two practices while tending to storming back with four unanswered scores. excellent personal touch with the players. Montpellier, who have a personal matter in Sweden, but returned Wednesday in time for the Ryan O’Reilly netted his 22nd goal of the season among four goal- become regular title contenders under Galthie, reaching the final game. Defenseman Kevin Bieksa returned after missing five games scorers for the Avalanche (37-17-5), who entered the Olympic break on in 2011, will welcome them having had their three-match winning before the Olympic break with a foot injury. ... Vancouver center Ryan 79 points. —Agencies run brought to a juddering halt by Clermont last Saturday. —AFP Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Belinelli, balanced Spurs beat Pistons 120-110

SAN ANTONIO: Marco Belinelli had 20 points to lead eight San Antonio players in double figures, and the Spurs worked through a lethargic start to beat the Detroit Pistons 120-110 on Wednesday night. Kawhi Leonard had 15 points in his return from a 14-game absence due to a broken finger. Manu Ginobili scored 16 points, Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter had 13 apiece, Boris Diaw added 12, Patty Mills 11 and Cory Joseph 10. Josh Smith scored 24 points for Detroit, which has lost three straight. Will Bynum added 18 points, Rodney Stuckey 17 and Andre Drummond had 16 points and 17 rebounds. San Antonio (41-16) got off to a sloppy start despite having two practices during a five-day break following its annual Rodeo Road Trip that lasted nearly a month. The Spurs had 11 turnovers in the opening half, leading to 13 points and some pointed coaching by Gregg Popovich. “What the heck are you guys doing?” Popovich screamed during a timeout following consecutive turnovers. In the second half, San Antonio returned to the crisp ball movement that became a sta- ple of its early victories. The Spurs had 10 assists in the third quarter while shooting 12 for 19 from the field. Leonard had the initial assist of the quarter, leaping over a fallen defender to throw a bounce pass that Duncan gathered for a running slam ahead of Smith. San Antonio went on a 17-6 run beginning midway through the third to take an 85-75 lead with 2 minutes left in the quarter. Belinelli had seven points in the run and Ginobili added five points and assisted on two of Belinelli’s baskets. Belinelli returned the favor later, drawing Kyle Singler away defensively on a fast break and dishing to Ginobili for an open layup that gave San Antonio a 111-99 lead with 3:36 remaining in the game. Leonard missed his first two tries from the field, coming up a foot short on a 16-foot attempt from the right corner on the game’s opening shot. He was credited with a follow of a missed free throw that Drummond appeared to tip in. Leonard followed with a 3-pointer and threw down a right- handed dunk on Smith off an alley-oop pass from Joseph. Leonard grabbed the brace on his right hand after the dunk, but quickly rose to race back on defense. OKLAHOMA CITY: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots in front of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cleveland 114, Oklahoma City 104 Tristan Thompson (13) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Wednesday. Cleveland won Kyrie Irving scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter 114-104. — AP to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Oklahoma City 114-104 Wednesday night, giving the Thunder their third straight loss Mavericks 108, Pelicans 89 Memphis by just one-half game for the eighth and final Western since the All-Star break. Jarrett Jack scored 21 points, Spencer Dirk Nowitzki shook off an early shoulder issue to finish with Conference berth. Hawes had 19 and Tristan Thompson added 11 points and 11 18 points in Dallas’ victory and New Orleans All-Star Anthony rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped a three-game losing Davis was knocked out of the game with a similar problem. Grizzlies 108, Lakers 103 streak. Cleveland shot 14 for 21 from the field in the fourth quar- Nowitzki went to the locker room 31 seconds into the game Courtney Lee scored 18 points, Marc Gasol had 14 points and ter against the Western Conference-leading Thunder. holding his left shoulder but emerged a short time later and 12 rebounds, and Memphis weathered Los Angeles’ late 3-point Kevin Durant had 28 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, returned to the game. He even had a spin move and finished with shooting display. Tony Allen added 17 points, James Johnson 14 Russell Westbrook had 24 points and nine assists, and Serge a left -handed finger roll in the first half. Davis, the Pelicans’ lead- and Zach Randolph 13 for Memphis. Ibaka added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder. ing scorer and rebounder, was holding his sprained left shoulder Jodie Meeks led the Lakers with 19 points, Wesley Johnson Oklahoma City is 0-3 since Westbrook returned from his latest on his way to play defense and didn’t return after leaving the added 18 and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds. The knee surgery. game during a New Orleans timeout with 4:13 left in the first half. Lakers were 7 of 11 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and Jordan The Mavericks (36-23) are a season-high 13 games over .500 after Farmar’s 3 from 29 feet with about 15 seconds left pulled Los Clippers 101, Rockets 93 their fourth straight win, and the Pelicans stayed winless since the Angeles to 106-103. However, Lee’s two free throws closed the Blake Griffin had 23 points and 16 rebounds and reserve All-Star break at 0-5. Eric Gordon led New Orleans with 19 points, scoring. Darren Collison scored seven of his 19 points in the final 2:09 to and Brian Roberts had 17. Monta Ellis led Dallas with 23 points, lift Los Angeles past Houston. The Clippers won for the sixth seven assists and four steals, while Vince Carter scored 17. Celtics 115, Hawks 104 time in eight games, converting 20 Houston turnovers into 30 Jerryd Bayless scored a season-high 29 points in a rare start, points. DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his Trail Blazers 124, Nets 80 and Rajon Rondo added 22 points and 11 assists to help Boston 30th double-double. His previous career high was 12 last sea- Will Barton had a season-high 20 points and career-high 11 break a five-game losing streak with a victory over slumping son. rebounds, providing a spark off the bench for short-handed Atlanta. Six players scored in double figures for Boston. Rondo’s Jamal Crawford, who had a season-high seven 3-pointers Portland in its rout of Brooklyn. The Blazers won their fourth double-double was his second straight and fifth overall since he Monday night in a win at New Orleans, was 1 for 6 behind the straight game despite missing forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The returned from a knee injury on Jan. 17. Jeff Teague had 26 points arc against the Rockets and left the game for good with 13 sec- team’s top scorer and rebounder has been out five games with a and DeMarre Carroll scored 24 off the bench for Atlanta, which onds remaining in the first half because of a left calf strain. He left groin sprain. Jason Collins, who became the NBA’s first openly lost for the 10th time in 11 games. had eight points in 15 minutes. Dwight Howard had 23 points gay player when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nets on Back home after an 0-4 West Coast trip, the Celtics had only and 11 rebounds, and James Harden added 18 points for the Sunday, entered the game without fan reaction and played a pair nine healthy players after a sore toe forced rookie Kelly Olynyk to Rockets. of scoreless stretches in the fourth quarter. Mo Williams scored 21 the bench alongside regular starters Jared Sullinger and Avery points and Nicolas Batum had 19 to lead seven Portland players in Bradley. The Hawks were missing five injured players, including Bulls 103, Warriors 83 double figures. Deron Williams had 12 points for the Nets, who starters Al Horford and Paul Millsap. Taj Gibson scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer added 15 points had their lowest point total this season. and 13 rebounds, and Chicago used a big third-quarter run to Magic 101, 76ers 90 win for the seventh time in eight games by pounding Golden Jazz 109, Suns 86 Jameer Nelson scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter State. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points after missing two games Gordon Hayward had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists and Nik Vucevic had 21 points and 13 rebounds to help Orlando with bruised ribs, Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 15, and Joakim Noah to lead a balanced offense and Utah cruised to victory over snap a 16-game road losing streak. Nelson added 12 assists for grabbed 17 rebounds for the Bulls. slumping Phoenix. Richard Jefferson scored 17 points, Diante the Magic, who last won on the road at Chicago on Dec. 16. They also dominated on the glass 56-41, forced 16 turnovers Garrett had a career-high 15 and the Jazz had seven players in Victor Oladipo added 17 points, and Maurice Harkless and and held All-Star Stephen Curry in check while bringing Golden double figures. The Jazz shot 57.5 percent from the field, the Tobias Harris scored 13 apiece. Thaddeus Young had 19 points State’s four-game win streak to an emphatic end. highest mark of any Phoenix opponent this season. Gerald Green for the Sixers, who lost their 12th straight overall and 11th in a Jordan Crawford scored 16 points for the Warriors and David had 17 points and rookie Archie Goodwin matched his career- row at home. Tony Wroten scored 15 points, Eric Maynor 13 Lee came off the bench to get 11 points in 20 minutes after best with 16 for the Suns. Playing their only road game in a nine- and Henry Sims 10 for Philadelphia, which bought out the con- being hospitalized with a stomach flu and missing two games, game stretch, the Suns have been looking to improve their play- tract of Danny Granger earlier Wednesday. The 76ers finished 0- but Curry tied a season low with five points on 2-of-10 shooting. off position. However, with a third straight loss, Phoenix leads 11 in February. — Agencies Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Relegation battle adds spice to the North derby

HAMBURG: The battle to avoid relegation will add extra places above them. Bremen, who find themselves in a rel- when Eintracht Frankfurt, who have 22 points and are spice when Werder Bremen and Hamburg SV, northern egation battle for the second season in a row, have not above Bremen on goal difference, host Stuttgart, who Germany’s two most popular clubs, meet for the 100th won a league game since returning from the winter break are 15th on 19 points after losing their last seven league time in the Bundesliga tomorrow (1430 GMT). on Jan. 26, although they have drawn their last two. games. Hamburg are the only ever-present in the Hamburg plunged down the table after a catastroph- With so many traditional clubs involved, the bottom Bundesliga’s 51-year history while hosts Bremen have ic run of seven successive defeats under Dutchman Bert of the table is providing more excitement that the top, missed only one season, following their relegation in van Marwijk, who was eventually sacked. Despite bounc- where Bayern Munich have moved 19 points clear and 1980, yet both teams find themselves in danger of tum- ing back to beat Hamburg SV 3-0 in their first game are threatening to wrap up the title race before the end bling down to Bundesliga 2. Their ‘Nordderby’ has pro- under Mirko Slomka last Saturday, they remain perilously of March. Bayern, who have dropped only four points all duced some memorable clashes in the past and reached positioned. “We must play with controlled aggression,” season in their 22 league games, host a Schalke 04 its height in the 2008-09 season when the sides met four Werder’s sporting director Thomas Eichin told Sky. “With (Saturday, 1730) team who have been left battered and times within the space of three weeks. a three-pointer for Bremen, the world will be in order.” bruised after a 6-1 home defeat by Real Madrid in the The faced each other twice in a UEFA Cup semi-final, Champions League on Wednesday. which Bremen won on away goals after a win apiece, Key battle Bayern, who won 4-0 at Schalke earlier in the sea- once in a German Cup semi-final, which Bremen won on Honours have been shared almost evenly over the son, will be aiming for their 15th consecutive league penalties, and once in a Bundesliga game which Bremen years with 31 wins for Hamburg, 35 for Bremen and 33 win and their 48th without defeat. Second-placed also won. This time, however, things are rather different, draws. Both teams have scored 148 goals in the fixture. Bayer Leverkusen (43 points) are at home to midtable with seven-times German champions Hamburg lying “We know what this game means, for us, the club and Mainz 05 (Saturday, 1430) while Borussia Dortmund, 16th in the table, the relegation playoff place, and four- the whole city,” Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler said. third on 42 points, host improving Nuremberg times champions Bremen only three points and two There is another key relegation clash on Sunday (1630) (Saturday, 1430). — Reuters Real Madrid looking to bury Atletico’s title challenge

MADRID: Real Madrid can bury Atletico’s hopes of win- control their opponents, told reporters after the Schalke ning La Liga with a third straight victory against their city game. “We create a lot of chances and it’s good news that neighbours on Sunday that would leave the capital’s sec- the three forwards are fired up,” added the Spain interna- ond club trailing by six points. tional. “Sunday’s game is very important for us and it is Atletico stunned their bitter local rivals 2-1 at Real’s going to be very tough. own Bernabeu stadium in last season’s King’s Cup final “We are confident but we know that each match is a and followed up with a 1-0 success at the same venue in different story. If we don’t go out with the same focus as La Liga at the end of September. However, Real have today any team is capable of giving us a scare.” greatly improved as the season has progressed and they dumped holders Atletico out of this term’s Cup 5-0 on Genuine challenge aggregate in their two-legged semi-final this month. Atletico, who are also through to the last 16 of the Unbeaten in 27 matches in all competitions, Real are Champions League, are mounting a genuine challenge SINGAPORE: A general view of the under construction National Stadium in in ominous form before Sunday’s trip across town to for the La Liga title for the first time since they won a Singapore yesterday. Singapore’s state-of-the-art new National Stadium will Atletico’s Calderon stadium and will be buoyed by their 6- league and Cup double in 1996. Diego Simeone, a former host international football and an Asia-Pacific Super rugby team after it 1 success at German side Schalke 04 in the Champions Argentina midfielder, was part of that team and has trans- opens as part of the billion-dollar Sports Hub project in June, officials said League on Wednesday. They took over from Barcelona, formed the club since he took over as coach at the end of yesterday. — AFP who host promoted Almeria on Sunday, at the top of La 2011, leading them to a Europa League triumph in 2012 Liga last weekend when both Barca and Atletico suffered and the Cup success last season. Singapore’s new Sports Hub surprise defeats. However, last weekend’s shock 3-0 reverse at Osasuna, Real have 63 points with 13 games left, with Barca, when Simeone left a number of key players out of his unveils rugby, tennis events chasing a fifth title in six years, and Atletico on 60. starting lineup, suggested they may not have a deep Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took over from Jose enough squad to cope with a gruelling calendar. Fullback SINGAPORE: Sports fans can look for- lineup,” Delavaud, a former chief execu- Mourinho at the end of last term, has eliminated the Juanfran said the team are keen to put last week’s stum- ward to international rugby and tive of Stade de France, told reporters. defensive lapses that cost his team earlier in the season. ble behind them and reignite their title challenge. women’s tennis - along with Asian soc- “Our strategy, it’s not to create a stadium With Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale “We are keen to prepare the match well and if we beat cer, swimming and badminton events - for specific types of events. It’s really to in a three-pronged attack, the Italian has one of the most Madrid things will be different,” he said on Atletico’s web- once the new Singapore Sports Hub has offer a portfolio of events.” Sports Hub, lethal forward lines in football and each scored twice in site (www.clubatleticodemadrid.com). “We are playing at its soft launch in April and opens fully in east of the downtown core on a plot the Wednesday’s romp in Gelsenkirchen. our stadium, where we are unbeaten (in La Liga this sea- June. size of 70 football fields, is still a con- “We have a lot of potential up front,” midfielder Xabi son) and I am convinced we will play a good match and Other attractions announced yester- struction site. Alonso, whose composure and passing ability help Real win,” he added. — Reuters day included concerts by Lionel Ritchie But the organisers insist everything in April, Taylor Swift in June and will be ready in time for the April launch Taiwanese star Jay Chou in November. and two events in June - the rugby (www.sportshub.com.sg) World Club 10s in the big stadium and The new complex, featuring the the Southeast Asia swimming champi- 55,000-seat National Stadium and a vari- onships at the aquatic centre. ety of other facilities, gives Singapore the The complex - for public use and economy of scale to host large sporting training by Singapore’s national athletes events and concerts as the Southeast - also has a number of arenas and courts, Asian city-state markets itself as a world- plus commercial space and a water class leisure and lifestyle destination. sports area in Kallang Basin. Low Teo Philippe Delavaud, chief executive of Ping, president of the Singapore Rugby SportsHub Pte Ltd, said more events will Union, said he could not yet reveal the be confirmed as promoters look at the teams lined up for the World Club 10s - a new stadium and the existing 13,000- hybrid of the sevens and 15s games - but seat Indoor Stadium, which has become they will come from “the northern and part of the complex. southern hemispheres, from right across The Women’s Tennis Association the world”. “We’ve just put in our expres- championships will be held at Indoor sion of interest to host the Rugby Sevens Stadium in October and ASEAN Football Series that will begin next year,” he said. Championship matches at National “We’ve also put in our expression of SEOUL: Under-20 national soccer players wear new uniforms for South Korea’s national soccer team for 2014 Stadium late in the year. interest to bid for the Rugby World Cup World Cup during a press unveiling in Seoul, yesterday. South Korea will face Russia, Belgium and Algeria in “We are continuously improving the in 2018.”—Reuters 2014 Brazil World Cup. — AP Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Japan are no World Cup underdogs, says coach TOKYO: Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said yesterday his Brazil but impressed at South Africa 2010 with three draws tack and they are united in defence,” he said. Zaccheroni squad can match Colombia, Ivory Coast and Greece in their at the group stage, are “ideal opponents” at this point. believed Japan, known for their well organised play that World Cup group, despite their underdog status in the “They are physically strong and it will be an important they frequently fail to convert into goals, may not feel there global pecking order. game in our preparations.” is such a gap with group opponents “if we play our own “I am confident we can go head-to-head with any of Japan’s opponents in World Cup Group C are all ranked brand of football”. them if we perform to the best of our abilities,” the Italian higher in the FIFA table. Colombia stand fifth against tactician said as he announced his squad for a friendly Greece (12), Ivory Coast (23) and Japan (50). Squad: against New Zealand in Tokyo next Wednesday. “It is not an easy group but it is well balanced,” Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege/BEL), “About gaps with other teams in the group, I feel there Zaccheroni said. “At the moment, Colombia seem some- Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds) Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo) are not so big gaps. I’d rather say there are none.” what ahead as they have wealth of talented players, many Defenders: Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata) Yasuyuki Zaccheroni called up the usual suspects for the 23-man of them playing abroad.” Konno (Gamba Osaka) Masahiko Inoha (Jubilo Iwata) Yuto squad including Keisuke Honda, who has yet to show a “They are capable of mixing quality with accuracy and Nagatomo (Inter Milan/ITA) Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo) spark in AC Milan’s midfield after moving from CSKA speed of play. I have the impression that they are a great Maya Yoshida (Southampton/ENG) Hiroki Sakai Moscow in January, and Manchester United’s Shinji Kagawa team.” Ivory Coast have the potential to become “the eye of (Hannover/GER) Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart/GER) who has mostly warmed the bench under David Moyes. the storm”, said Zaccheroni, who took over the Blue Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka) Toshihiro Inter Milan’s Yuto Nagatomo is expected to play left Samurai after they reached the last 16 at South Africa 2010. Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) Hajime Hosogai (Hertha back for Japan as usual. He said the West African nation are accustomed to the Berlin/GER) Keisuke Honda (AC Milan/ITA) Shinji Kagawa But Schalke defender Atsuto Uchida and Nuremberg hot weather they’ll encounter in Brazil. “But they seem to (Manchester United/ENG) Hiroshi Kiyotake midfielder Makoto Hasebe were dropped due to injuries. have ups and downs at times.” (Nuremberg/GER) Manabu Saito (Yokohama Marinos) The Blue Samurai, four-time Asian champions, will play “Greece are a difficult side to play,” Zaccheroni said, Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka) Cyprus at home on May 27 in their only other warm-up explaining that the former European champions “play a Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Mainz/GER) Yoichiro Kakitani match before the World Cup months of June and July. kind of football which cancels out the strengths of (Cerezo Osaka) Masato Kudo (Kashiwa Reysol) Yuya Osako Zaccheroni said New Zealand, who failed to qualify for opponents”. “They are highly accurate on the counterat- (TSV 1860 Munich/GER). —AFP Defoe retained by England as Shaw gets first call-up

LONDON: England manager Roy was the right time to bring him in and Carroll, to force their way into his plans Hodgson yesterday awarded 18-year- give him a chance to show us what he for the World Cup. old Southampton left-back Luke Shaw can do.” “This is the 30 I’ve chosen today and his first senior call-up for next week’s Striker Jermain Defoe retained his I’ll stand by it, but but it’s not a definitive friendly match against Denmark at place in the squad despite his imminent squad,” he told a press conference. Wembley Stadium. move from Tottenham Hotspur to “Andy Carroll has hardly played, but Shaw, an England Under-21 interna- Toronto FC, while Cardiff City centre- we’ll keep an eye on him. Johnson of tional, is one of three left-backs named back Steven Caulker came in for injured course we know, but with the competi- in the 30-man squad alongside Everton man Phil Jagielka. tion at the moment (in wide areas) I Chelsea’s Ashley Cole and Leighton There was a recall for winger Raheem decided not to include him in the squad. RIO DE JANEIRO: Denis Stracqualursi of Ecuador’s Baines of Everton. Sterling, following some excellent “Gareth Barry has not been with us Emelec, left, heads the ball against Victor Caceres of “Everyone who’s watched him play recent displays for Liverpool, but for these past two years, but I know him Brazil’s Flamengo during a Copa Libertadores soccer recently will not deny that he deserves a Sunderland winger Adam Johnson and and I’d not be averse to calling him up if match in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday. —AP place in a large squad list. He’s been Everton midfielder Gareth Barry were there was a place in the team.” playing extremely well,” Hodgson said overlooked despite each advancing England’s friendly against Denmark next of Shaw. “It’s a position where we’re very strong cases for call-ups in recent weeks. Wednesday will be Hodgson’s last well off, but he’s a player who wants to However, Hodgson said that it was opportunity to assess the players at his English soccer bid compete with the other two for a place not too late for players not selected, disposal before he names his squad for on the plane to Brazil and I thought it including West Ham United striker Andy the World Cup in Brazil, which begins on farewell to Finney June 12. England 30-man squad to play PRESTON: English soccer bade farewell yesterday to former Denmark in friendly game at Wembley Preston North End and England winger Tom Finney, who Stadium on March 5, announced by died this month aged 91. manager Roy Hodgson on Thursday: Thousands lined the streets of Preston in north-west Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster England and applauded his cortege as it passed Deepdale sta- (Celtic/SCO), Ben Foster (West Bromwich dium, home of his only club. Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John The city came to a standstill for his funeral and the service Ruddy (Norwich City) at Preston Minster was attended by 600 mourners, including Defenders: Leighton Baines Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Armfield and Tommy Docherty. (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Steven Docherty, who played more than 300 games for Preston, Caulker (Cardiff City/WAL), Ashley Cole told the congregation that Finney was “the greatest player I (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), have ever seen. When I see Lionel Messi on the television play- Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris ing for Barcelona I think maybe you could be as good as Tom. Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle “He was quiet and modest but he was amazing, he had two Walker (Tottenham Hotspur). great feet and made ordinary players on his team look good - Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), and I should know.” Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Finney, who was knighted in 1998 for services to football, Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), scored 30 goals for England in 76 internationals and played Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan 569 matches for Preston from 1946 until he retired in 1960. Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana Preston born and bred, Finney never won a major honour (Southampton), Frank Lampard but was the first player to win England’s Footballer of the Year (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester award twice, in 1954 and 1957. City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain The vicar of Preston, Father Timothy Lipscomb, said in his (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), address: “We remember his loyalty, his humility, his respect for LONDON: England international soccer team manager Roy Hodgson speaks about Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), local traditions and his self-effacing nature.” the England squad for the upcoming international against Denmark during the Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) England and Denmark players will wear black armbands press conference at Wembley Stadium, London yesterday. Jermain Defoe retained Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Toronto and fans will be asked to celebrate Finney’s life with a his place in the England squad for the friendly against Denmark on Wednesday FC/CAN), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), minute’s applause before next week’s friendly international at March 5, 2014, despite his impending move to Canada. Defoe, who has scored 19 Jay Rodriguez (Southampton), Wayne Wembley. goals in 55 England games, has appeared in only two Tottenham games in two Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel The armbands and applause will also be a mark of respect months as he prepares to head to Toronto FC for the start of the Major League Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck for former Denmark coach Richard Moeller Nielsen who died Soccer season next month. —AP (Manchester United). —AFP this month aged 76. —Reuters Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Akmal’s fighting ton helps Pakistan down Afghanistan

DHAKA: Umar Akmal hit a fighting hundred to help Pakistan over- come early wobbles against Afghanistan to win their crucial Asia Cup match by 72 runs in Dhaka yesterday. Pakistan owed their recovery to Akmal’s 89-ball 102 not out, which lifted them from a precarious 117- 6 to 248-8 in 50 overs before they wrapped up their rivals for 176 in 47.2 overs. Afghanistan, playing their inau- gural match in the five-nation tournament, impressed despite the defeat-but their lack of experi- ence stopped them from causing an upset. Chasing a daunting tar- HYDERABAD: In this Sept 20, 2011 file photo, then get, the Afghans were 139-2 in the Auckland player Lou Vincent plays a shot during the 36th over before losing their last Champions League Twenty20 cricket qualifying match eight wickets for 37 runs as SCOREBOARD between Somerset and Auckland in Hyderabad, India. Mohammad Hafeez (3-29) and Former New Zealand test cricketer Vincent has pleaded Saeed Ajmal (2-25) gave Pakistan a guilty to a charge of failing to report an approach from a FATULLAH: Scoreboard after Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by 72 runs in the Asia win with a bonus point. Cup at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium yesterday: illegal bookmaker while playing in the Bangladesh Asghar Stanikzai (40) and Premier League. — AP Nawroz Mangal (35) shared a 74- Pakistan Noor Ali Zadran lbw b Ajmal 44 run partnership for the third wick- S Khan c NA Zadran b Hotak 25 A Stanikzai c Hafeez b Afridi 40 Vincent found et but they failed to match the A Shehzad b Shenwari 50 Nawroz Mangal run out 35 required net run-rate which M Hafeez c Nabi b Ashraf 10 Mohammad Nabi lbw b Gul 15 climbed on them, undoing their Maqsood c Stanikzai b Shenwari 13 Najibullah Zadran b Hafeez 1 guilty of match Misbah-ul-Haq run out 0 S Shenwari b Hafeez 14 run-chase. Shahid Afridi dismissed Umar Akmal not out 102 Mirwais Ashraf run out 4 Stanikzai to break the partnership fixing charge Shahid Afridi b D Zadran 6 Dawlat Zadran b Ajmal 0 before Mangal ran himself out to Anwar Ali c Mangal b Ashraf 21 S Zadran c Ajmal b Hafeez 1 spark a collapse. Umar Gul b D Zadran 15 Hamza Hotak not out 0 DHAKA: Former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent has Noor Ali Zadran had given Saeed Ajmal not out 1 Extras: (8b, 5w) 13 pleaded guilty to not reporting an approach by a bookmaker Afghanistan a solid start with a 63- Extras: (2lb, 2w, 1nb) 5 TOTAL: (all out) 176 while playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) last ball 44 with seven fours, before he TOTAL: (for 8 wickets) 248 Overs: 47.2. year. fell victim to Ajmal’s dot balls. Overs: 50. Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-65, 3-139, 4-140, 5- The 35-year-old Vincent is one of three former New Hafeez had Najibullah Zadran Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-78, 3-89, 4-89, 5- 151, 6-159, 7-172, 8-172, 9-175, 10-176. Zealand cricketers under investigation by the International (one) and Samiullah Shinwari (14) 108, 6-117, 7-177, 8-217 Bowling: Umar Gul 9-0-44-2, Junaid Khan Cricket Council (ICC) for alleged match-fixing. to complete the win. Earlier, it was Did not bat: Junaid Khan. 4-0-23-0, Anwar Ali 6-1-16-0, Shahid Vincent, who retired from all cricket last year, had failed to Akmal who saved Pakistan’s blush- Bowling: Shapoor Zadran 9-1-42-0 (1w), Afridi 10-0-31-1, Saeed Ajmal 9-1-25-2 report the approach to the ICC while playing for the Khulna es with a dominating second one- Dawlat Zadran 10-0-73-2 (1nb), (2w), Mohammad Hafeez 9.2-0-29-3 (3w). Royal Bengals in the domestic Twenty20 competition in day century-his first in five years. Mohammad Nabi 8-0 46-0, Hamza Hotak Toss: Afghanistan. January last year. In all he hit seven boundaries and 8-1-22-1, Mirwais Ashraf 8-1-29-2, Result: Pakistan won by 72 runs. “I confirm I rejected this approach at the time,” Vincent said three sixes, helping Pakistan to put Samiullah Shenwari 7-0-34-2 (1w) Umpires: Billy Bowden, New Zealand, in a statement carried by New Zealand media on Thursday. on 59 runs in the last five overs. and Johan Cloete, South Africa. “There is no allegation or suggestion anything untoward Akmal, let off at 28, led the Afghanistan TV umpire: CK Nandan, India. Match ref- occurred beyond the approach itself. M Shahzad c Akmal b Gul 9 eree: Chris Broad, England. — AP “I also express I have no involvement in any of the matches, fightback through a 60-run sev- or matters, involving the other parties, which were the subject enth wicket stand with Anwar Ali of recent hearings and investigation in Bangladesh. (21) to lift Pakistan’s innings. “Unfortunately, I am unable to comment any further on Pakistan began fluently with a this matter, as it is subject to an ongoing judicial process. stand of 55 between Ahmed “I am also continuing to co-operate with the ICC in respect Shehzad (50), who hit seven of other inquiries, they are making, which also restricts my boundaries in his 74-ball innings, ability to comment any further.” and Sharjeel Khan (25). The two other New Zealand cricketers being investigated But once spinner Hamza Hotak have been named by local media but New Zealand Cricket (1-22) had provided the break- (NZC) has declined to confirm their identities. through by dismissing Khan, The three have been probed as part of a wider investiga- Afghanistan grabbed six wickets in tion into alleged match-fixing in the BPL. the space of 62 runs. An anti-corruption tribunal found the managing director of Hafeez fell for ten, Misbah-ul BPL champions Dhaka Gladiators, Shihab Jishan Chowdury, Haq was run out for nought with- guilty of a charge for being “a party to an effort to fix a match out facing a ball, Sohaib Maqsood against Chittagong”. went for 13 and Shahid Afridi for The tribunal dropped charges against six other Dhaka play- six. Misbah, the world’s highest ers and officials, including Kent cricketer Darren Stevens, who run scorer in one-day cricket last was found not guilty of a charge of failing to report an illegal year, was the dismissal which jolt- approach by a bookmaker. ed Pakistan badly. But Akmal held The tribunal said it would set a hearing date for the sanc- the innings together to ensure tion against Chowdury after releasing the “full reasons” of the Pakistan reached a respectable judgement within two weeks. total. Mirwais Ashraf, Shinwari and In a joint statement, the ICC and Bangladesh Cricket Board Dawlat Zadran took two wickets said they were “surprised and obviously disappointed with the outcome” of the tribunal hearing and held out the possi- apiece. India, who beat bility of appealing the judgement. Bangladesh by six wickets, will FATULLAH: Pakistani batsman Anwar Ali (L) attempts to complete his run as Afghan Former Bangladesh captain and Dhaka batsman face Sri Lanka on Friday. Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Mohammad Shehzad (R) jumps to catch a ball during the third match Mohammad Ashraful is also expected to be sanctioned within won the tournament’s opener by of the Asia Cup one-day cricket tournament between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the next two weeks after confessing to match-fixing charges 12 runs against Pakistan on the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, on the outskirts of Dhaka, yester- last year. — Reuters Tuesday. — AFP day. — AFP runs. —AP day. Pakistanwonby72 Dhaka, Bangladesh,yester- them inFatullah,near et tournamentbetween one-day internationalcrick- Mangal duringtheAsiaCup Afghanistan’s Nawroz celebrate thedismissalof Ajmal, left,andAnwarAli FATULLAH: Pakistan’sSaeed FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 www.kuwaittimes.net Pakistan down Afghanistan Page 47