THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF

40 PAGES TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010 RABI ALTHANI 14, 1431 AH NO: 14683 150 FILS

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Sarkozy chides US on economy, dominance

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Shoes shine: Dr Martens celebrates 50th birthday

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Communal clashes injure dozensin India

Yousuf announces international retirement over ban

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in the newsKuwait records $29bn surplus

KUWAIT: Kuwait posted a preliminary budgetsurplus of $28.9 billion in the first 11 months ofthe fiscal year despite projecting a deficit, thefinance ministry said yesterday. The ministrysaid that revenues until the end of Februaryreached $55.5 billion, around twice as much asit had projected for the whole 2009-2010 fiscalyear which ends on March 31. Oil revenuescontributed 94.7 percent of total income. Oilincome to the end of February reached $52.5billion, or more than twice the $24.1 billion pro-jected by the budget for the whole year. Kuwaithad projected a shortfall of $14 billion in thecurrent year after calculating oil income at aconservative price of $35 a barrel, with theactual price more than twice as high. Thestate’s spending during the 11 month periodwas $26.6 billion, just 63.4 percent of projectedexpenditure for the whole year of $42.1 billion,the ministry figures showed.

Zain, Bharti to ink Africa deal KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Zain telecom and India’stop mobile firm Bharti Airtel are expected tosign a $10.7 billion deal for the sale of Zain’sAfrican assets today, unnamed informedsources said. The sources said the signing cer-emony “will take place on Tuesday at the head-quarters of Zain Africa,” in Amsterdam. Zainentered the African telecom market in 2005 byacquiring the operations of the Dutch Celtelfirm for around $3.5 billion. Zain’s chairmanAsaad Al-Banwan and CEO Nabil bin Salamahwere due to leave Kuwait for Amsterdam lateryesterday to sign the deal, Al-Watan said. Thesale of the African assets does not includeZain’s operation in Sudan or its investment inMorocco. The value of the deal includes $1.7billion of debt that the Indian telecom giant willassume. Bharti is due to pay $8.3 billion on sig-nature of the deal, while the remaining $700million will be paid a year later.

Kuwait eyes solar energyKUWAIT: Kuwait plans to apply solar energy atits government facilities, including ministriesand various state installations, in a bid to curbhigh power consumption which leads to fre-quent power cuts during summer. “TheCabinet has approved a proposal by theMinistry of Electricity and Water to apply thelatest in solar energy technology at state build-ings,” Minister of State for Cabinet AffairsRoudhan Al-Roudhan told reporters after aweekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday. The minis-ter pointed out that the Cabinet agreed onforming a committee to implement solar ener-gy applications at its facilities. “The committeewill be headed by Minister of Electricity andWater Dr Bader Al-Shuraian, and its member-ship will include representatives from six min-istries with posts not less than assistant under-secretary,” he added.

17 given death over lynchingDUBAI: Seventeen Indians have been sen-tenced to death for killing a Pakistani man in aturf dispute between rival bootleg liquor gangsin the United Arab Emirates last year, newspa-per reports said yesterday. The 17 wereaccused of being the leaders of a mob of up to50 people involved in the attack in which thePakistani man was beaten to death with metalbars, the reports said. The justice ministry, in astatement issued later yesterday, said the deathsentences were handed down by a lower courtand were subject to appeal. Another three peo-ple suffered injuries during the incident whichtook place in the coastal city state of Sharjah,one of the UAE’s seven emirates, in Jan 2009.The dispute was between rival gangs vying tosell illegal liquor to labourers in the Al-Sajaaarea of Sharjah, The National reported. Thesentences marked the highest number of deathpenalties handed down at one time in the emi-rate, the daily cited court officials as saying.Death sentences are usually commuted to lifein prison in Sharjah and the rest of the GulfArab country.

Comic sells for $1.5m NEW YORK: The record price for a comicbook, already broken twice this year, has fallenagain. A copy of the 1938 edition of ActionComics No. 1 sold yesterday for $1.5 million onthe auction website ComicConnect.com. Theissue features Superman’s debut and is widelyconsidered the Holy Grail of comic books. Thesame issue sold in February for $1 million.That number was quickly bested when a 1939comic book featuring Batman’s debut sold for$1 million and change. The issue that sold yes-terday was bought from a private collector andthen sold by Stephen Fishler and VincentZurzolo, the co-owners of ComicConnect.com.

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Moscow metro blasts kill 38

MOSCOW: Two female suicide bombers killedat least 38 people on packed Moscow metrotrains yesterday, stirring fears of a broader cam-paign in Russia’s heartland by Islamists from theNorth Caucasus. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,who cemented his power in 1999 by launching awar to crush Chechen separatism, broke off atrip to Siberia, declaring “terrorists will bedestroyed”. Witnesses described panic at twocentral Moscow stations after the blasts, withmorning commuters falling over each other indense smoke and dust as they tried to escape

the worst attack on the Russian capital in sixyears.

Sixty-four others were injured, many gravely,and officials said the death toll could rise.Russia’s top security official said the bombswere filled with bolts and iron rods. No groupimmediately claimed responsibility, but FederalSecurity Service (FSB) chief AlexanderBortnikov said those responsible had links tothe North Caucasus, a heavily Muslim regionplagued by insurgency whose leaders havethreatened to attack cities and energy pipelines

elsewhere in Russia.“A crime that is terrible in its consequences

and heinous in its manner has been committed,”Putin told emergency officials in a video call. “Iam confident that law enforcement bodies willspare no effort to track down and punish thecriminals. Terrorists will be destroyed.” TheKremlin had declared victory in its battle withChechen separatists who fought two wars withMoscow. But violence has intensified over thepast year in the neighbouring republics of

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Two female suicide bombers carry out attacks • Putin vows to ‘destroy’ terrorists • Amir condemns carnage

MOSCOW: In this image made from television, blast victims lie in a subway train hit by a explosion at Lubyanka stationyesterday shortly after the blast. (Inset) Commuters injured by a bomb blast at the Park Kultury station wait for med-ical care just outside the station shortly after the explosion. — AP

Caucasus nightmare returns to haunt capital

CAIRO: Archaeologists haveunearthed a 3,500-year-olddoor to the afterlife from thetomb of a high-rankingEgyptian official near Karnaktemple in Luxor, the Egyptianantiquities authority said yes-terday . These recessed nich-es found in nearly all ancientEgyptian tombs were meantto take the spirits of the dead

to and from the afterworld.The nearly 1.75 m-tall slab ofpink granite was covered withreligious texts.

The door came from thetomb of User, the chief minis-ter of Queen Hatshepsut, apowerful, long ruling 15thcentury BC queen from theNew Kingdom with a famous

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LUXOR, Egypt: A picture released yesterday showsa newly-discovered red granite false doorunearthed in front of the Karnak Temple. — AFP

Door to afterlife dug up in Egypt

KUWAIT: Interior Minister Lt Gen Sheikh Jaber Khaled Al-Sabah (retd) said yesterday the government is determined toactivate article 11 of the constitution to withdraw the Kuwaitinationality from any person with dual nationalities, even if itis an American one. “The law will be applied on everybodywithout exception. Any person with two nationalities will beimmediately stripped off the Kuwaiti nationality,” he toldreporters after attending a ceremony to hand over certifi-cates to graduating officers at the Police Officers Club. “Thedoor is open for any person with dual nationalities to, in a waynot violating the law or the constitution, to hand over his oth-er nationality and keep his Kuwaiti nationality,” he added.

Sheikh Jaber also said a batch of sons of Kuwaiti womenwould be naturalized soon. The ministry of interior is careful-ly studying all naturalization files in order to prevent “anymistakes that can take place in this important and sensitivefile,” he said, adding that the interior minister has the finalsay as to who should be naturalized and who should not. Onanother note, Sheikh Jaber said the ministry was allocating200 seats for every batch in the policy academy with morethan 2,000 applicants. Sheikh Jaber, in his address to the freshgraduates, encouraged them to exert efforts to serve the peo-ple in a purely just manner. — KUNA

No exception for dualKuwaiti-US nationals

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Outspoken opposi-tion MP Musallam Al-Barrakyesterday launched ascathing attack on the chair-man of Kuwait AirwaysCorporation (KAC) HamadAl-Falah and called on thecommunications minister tosack him. The latest round ofcriticism by Barrak came asFalah reportedly protested ina letter to CommunicationsMinister Mohammad Al-Busairi about the composi-tion of an investigation com-mittee the minister formedlast month to probe theaffairs of KAC.

Barrak said that Falah hasprotested the inclusion of Ali

Al-Jenahi as a member of theinvestigation committee onthe grounds that Jenahi wasonce a member of the inter-nal auditing team and he willnot be neutral in his investi-gation. Barrak defendedJenahi, saying he is well-qual-ified to investigate the KAC’saffairs and allegations of vio-lations that have been com-mitted as the KAC is prepar-ing for privatization.

Barrak called on Busairi toreject the KAC chairman’sprotest and to dismiss himfrom his post, holding himresponsible for a series ofalleged financial and adminis-trative violations, that Falahhas denied.

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Barrak calls for firing KAC chief

SHANGHAI: China jailed anAustralian executive with min-ing giant Rio Tinto for 10years and handed stiff terms tothree of his colleagues yester-day for stealing trade secretsand pocketing millions inbribes. The climax to the trialin Shanghai - which stoked for-eign investors’ anxiety aboutthe rule of law in China - pro-voked protests from Australia,which said the prison term forStern Hu was “very tough”and “harsh”. But the Anglo-Australian mining firm, aprime supplier of the rawmaterials that China needs tosustain its economic boom,announced it was firing theconvicted quartet and said itwanted to maintain good rela-tions with Beijing.

Hu and the three Chinesestaff were convicted of takingmore than $13 million in kick-backs from Chinese steelfirms during tense 2009 ironore talks, which the court saidthey had helped ruin, and ofstealing trade secrets. Hu,head of Rio Tinto’s Shanghaioffice, was sentenced to sevenyears for bribery and five moreon the industrial espionagecharge - but the court reducedthe combined sentence to 10years. His colleagues WangYong, Ge Minqiang and LiuCaikui were given jail terms of14, eight and seven years

respectively.The actions of the defen-

dants “severely damaged thecompetitiveness of China’ssteel companies” and “isolat-ed” China during last year’siron ore price talks, leading totheir collapse, presiding judgeLiu Xin told the court. “Theytook advantage of theirfavourable position in the ironore trade and teased out infor-mation by dangling the prom-ise of profits,” the judge said.“The four have confessedcriminal information that pros-ecutors did not know,” he said,flanked by two other judges.

At last week’s three-daytrial, the court reportedlyheard evidence that millions ofyuan in bribes from smallChinese steel mills werestuffed into bags and boxes forthe accused. The presidingjudge said the bribes took oth-er forms too - Ge took a watchworth more than $19,000. Hesaid assets worth a combined6.3 million yuan ($920,000)were confiscated from themen.

But foreign critics said thefour were made to pay theprice as China grows increas-ingly assertive in defending itseconomic interests and ensur-ing access to materials itneeds to fuel its dramatic eco-nomic growth.

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Rio four handed‘harsh’ jail terms

DUBAI: Emirati men walk opposite a foreign woman in thisGulf emirate on March 23, 2010. — AFP

DUBAI: With tolerance wearing thinfor behaviour considered inappropri-ate, more and more Emiratis aredenouncing the “offensive” customsof the very foreigners who are con-tributing to their country’s success.The United Arab Emirates, Dubai inparticular, has undergone breakneckdevelopment in recent decades,attracting foreign money and foreignvisitors - in their billions and millionsrespectively. But such progress alsohas its price.

“We have become a minority. Ourtraditions are threatened and Arabicis no longer a first language,” saysIbtisam Al-Ketbi, a sociology profes-

sor at the United Arab EmiratesUniversity. “We are surrounded byforeigners, and live in constant fearfor our children because of thespread of drugs and a rise in crimerates,” she adds, echoing a senti-ment felt by many “nationals,” asthey are commonly called.

The recent case of a British cou-ple sentenced to a month in prisonafter an Emirati mother complainedthat they were kissing in a Dubairestaurant highlights a growingunease among a traditionally conser-vative local population. The two 20-somethings were also accused of

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Expats bring gain, but challenges too

NATIONAL2 Tuesday, March 30 , 2010

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahreturned home yesterday after attending the 22nd Arab summit in Sirte,Libya. The Amir was received at the Kuwait airport by HH the Crown PrinceSheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah, ministers, sheikhs and other dignitaries. — Photos by KUNA

SIRTE, Libya: Kuwait yester-day termed as important resolu-tions of the Arab Summit, whichconcluded in the Libyan city ofSirte Sunday, foremost thebacking of Jerusalem.

One of the important resolu-tions is holding an internationalconference over Jerusalembefore year’s end, Kuwait’sDeputy Premier and ForeignMinister Sheikh Dr. MohammadSabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah saidafter the summit.

He said the two-day summitreasserted the support of thestruggle of the Palestinian peo-ple to liberating their occupiedlands.

Sheikh Mohammad said thesummit affirmed need of com-mitment to halting normaliza-tion of relations with Israel.

“This affirms the position ofKuwait regarding the normal-ization with Israel. No normal-ization before withdrawal ofIsrael from all occupied Arabterritories, and achieving justand comprehensive peace,” saidthe Kuwaiti top diplomat.

The Arab leaders, he said,decided to resort to theInternational Court of Justiceand the UN Security Council(UNSC) to stop the Israeliattacks against Al-Aqsa mosqueand occupied Jerusalem.

The leaders, said SheikhMohammad, approved forma-tion of a five-member commit-tee mandated with the develop-ment of the common action andthe Arab League. The commit-tee consists of Libya, Qatar,

Egypt, Iraq and Yemen.Proposals over the develop-

ment of the Arab League will besent to the Arab countries toseek their views, then a summitwill be held to discuss theimprovement of the ArabLeague Charter, he said.

Sheikh Mohammad com-mented on Iraqi foreign minis-ter Hoshyar Zebari’s meetingwith His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He said Zebarithanked the State of Kuwait forhelping Iraq return to the Arabfold. Zebari also thanked SheikhSabah for supporting Iraq tohost the next summit.

The Amir of Kuwait, saidSheikh Mohammad, informedthe Arab leaders that state-ments were not enough andthere should be action on theground to preserve the identityof Jerusalem.

The Amir, he added, askedfor extending urgent assistanceto Jerusalem to countering theIsraeli judaization policies.Meanwhile, Kuwaiti journalistspraised the participation of theircountry’s representatives at the22nd Arab summit that conclud-ed in Libya on Sunday.

Secretary of KuwaitJournalists Association (KJA)Faisal Al-Qinai said that HisHighness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was keen on improvingrelations among Arab countries.Sheikh Sabah was always keenon attending summits to con-tribute in supporting Arab caus-

Kuwait hails resolutionsof Arab Summit in Libya

es. He stressed the significanceof the initiative that waslaunched by His Highness dur-ing the Arab Economic Summitthat was held in Kuwait in 2009.

Al-Qinai said that the sum-mit’s outcome regardingJerusalem was not new, addingthat the issue was complicatedbecause of the Israeli inflexibil-ity. The Palestinian rift is mean-while a major obstacle hinder-ing reaching a solution.

It was unfortunate that eco-nomic, social, and culturalissues, as well as issues of free-doms and democracy were notdiscussed at the summit.

For his part, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Al-Anbaa newspaperAdnan Al-Rashid said thatKuwait was the “voice of wis-dom” at Arab summits.

His Highness the Amir high-lighted the importance of takingpractical steps to execute proj-ects of the private sector andsmall and medium businessesthrough making the Arab Fundfor Economic and SocialDevelopment responsible oflegal and organizational issuesrelated to the execution of theinitiative, he said.

His Highness also stressedthat the international commu-nity was not reacting to theIsraeli crimes against thePalestinian people and Islamicholy sites with responsibility,he added.

Al-Rashid pointed out thatthe proposal of establishing aleague for Arab countries’neighbors was wise, stressingthat the clear stances on jointinterests was needed.

He also praised the Arabdecision regarding supportingJerusalem and highlightedthat the Palestinians mustunite to strongly representand serve the cause. Arab con-flicts cannot be solved in asummit, but require continu-ous effort on the ground, heconcluded. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Dar Al-Qabas Press,Printing and Publishing Company onSunday launched its first journalism train-ing course, which is taking place at theKuwait Journalists’ Association (KJA)headquarters. The course concludestomorrow (Wednesday 31).

During the course, a total of 150trainee journalists are receiving instruc-tion in practical and theoretical journalismskills and improving their media skills inthe face of rapid technological develop-ments within journalism, amongst otherthings.

In his inaugural speech at the launchceremony, Walid Al-Nisf, the Editor-in-Chief of local daily Al-Qabas, admittedthat Kuwait suffers from a lack of training,

hampering the development of highlyqualified journalists. The senior media fig-ure also talked about the threat that printmedia face from the burgeoning popularityof online media. Al-Nisf stressed that thisconflict had still not reached a point whereone media format had become a real threatto the other, adding that the print mediaare still safe. He added, however, that thepopularity of online media have added tothe increasing financial pressures on theprinted press, resulting not only in declin-ing readership figures but also in fallingadvertising revenue compared to those foronline media, whose expenses are consid-erably lower. He further stated that anoth-er factor putting pressure on print mediain recent times has been the global eco-

nomic crisis.Al-Nisf also condemned any imposition

of amendments to Kuwait’s audio-visualmedia which he said would mean stricterrestrictions on print media, warning thatany such move would ultimately lead tolocal newspapers going bankrupt due totheir inability to meet both their expensesand regular heavy fines.

The prominent media figure alsoexpressed concern at the spread of sectar-ianism in Kuwait, saying that this is sup-ported by feeding social instability andcalling for a more calm and responsiblemedia to minimize this threat. Al-Nisfadded, however, that tolerance of dissent-ing opinions had increased significantly inKuwait compared to neighboring nations.

Journalism training course launched

He said that the cabinet “condemnsand rejects” all claims by MPs, andaffirmed commitment to constitution andlaw as well as sound democratic practice.

The cabinet, chaired by His Highnessthe Prime Minister Sheikh NasserMohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, con-gratulated Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah, who is also Minister of Oil, for thevote of confidence after the grilling, saidAl-Roudhan.

His Highness the prime minister, headded, commended the democraticatmosphere during the interpellationsession.

Meanwhile, Sheikh NasserMohammad Al-Sabah briefed the cabinetabout outcome of Jordanian Prime

Minister Samir Al-Rifae’s recent visit toKuwait, and his talks with the Kuwaitiofficials on ways of further boosting bilat-eral relations.

The cabinet also took note of a mes-sage by King Abdullah of Jordan to HisHighness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on methods to strength-en solidarity at the Arab and Islamicfronts.

The cabinet members took note ofmessages the Amir received fromPresidents of Sudan and Benin, andPrime Minister of Eritrea. It also tooknote of a message by South African Vice-President to the Prime Minister.

Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabahalso briefed the cabinet about the recent

visit of Bulgarian Prime Minister BoykoBorissov which dealt with the develop-ment of bilateral collaboration. The cabi-net welcomed the upcoming visit ofPrime Minister of Djibouti MohamedDileita Dileita.

The executives welcomed the returnof Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak toEgypt following his surgery in Germany.

The cabinet also strongly condemnedfailed attempts by terrorists against oiland security facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The Kuwaiti government “stronglycondemns the deviated group’s acts thatviolated all religious merits and humani-tarian principles,” Al-Roudhan said in thestatement. He said Kuwait was firmlyrejecting all forms of terrorism and ready

to contribute to any efforts to eliminatethem.

The cabinet members, said Al-Roudhan, followed the successful effortsof the Saudi security authorities, whichfoiled terrorist attacks and arrested anumber of extremist terrorists whowanted to attack oil and security facilitiesin the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia announced last week thearrest of more than 100 Saudis and expa-triates linked to Al-Qaeda organization.

Saudi Interior Ministry said the secu-rity forces arrested 47 Saudis and 51expatriates possessing weapons, ammu-nition, computers, communicationsdevices, pre-paid mobile chip cards, cashand documents. —KUNA

Information minister’s interpellation

Cabinet dismisses MPs’ claims of offering concession to lawmakersKUWAIT: The cabinet has dismissed as “false” the statements by some MPswho reportedly claimed the government offered concessions to some law-makers to win support for Minister of Information Sheikh Ahmad AbdullahAl-Sabah in his interpellation. Statements by some MPs that were cited by

some media organization are “untrue, and it is baseless that the governmentoffered all kinds of concessions to some MPs regarding the interpellationagainst the Minister of Information,” Minister of State for Cabinet AffairsRoudhan Roudhan said in a statement after the cabinet meeting late Sunday.

Illegal dual citizenshipmislead publicKUWAIT: Several MPs, currentand former, as well as politicalactivists effected by the dualcitizenship controversy areattempting to mislead the pub-lic, reported Al-Watan. Theyhave issued statements claim-ing that the government isadopting double standards bytargeting citizens with GulfCooperative Council (GCC)nationalities while ignoringthose with US, British andother foreign nationalities.

According to a source withinthe government, the authoritiesare strictly pursuing those withGCC and Kuwaiti nationalities.

Unlike those with dual Gulfnationalities, those with US andBritish nationalities are givencitizenship at birth. Those withGCC nationalities adopted theadditional Kuwaiti nationalityfor the sole purpose of benefit-ing from the privileges the citi-zenship provides and may haveused false data in their natural-ization procedures.

Throughout the years,state services have detectedthat dual citizens have con-flicting information on theirKuwaiti and other GCC pass-ports. Some of these individu-als use their false identities tocarry out crimes or to escapefrom identification and prose-cution when traveling betweencountries.

Envoy lauds Bahraini cooperation MANAMA: The KuwaitiAmbassador to the Kingdom ofBahrain Sheikh Azzam MubarakAl-Sabah yesterday expressed hisgratitude for the cooperation andsupport of the Bahraini PremierPrince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa regarding the accredita-tion and authentication of Kuwaitistudents’ certificates from educa-tional institutions here.

The ambassador said that thepremier had showed commend-able enthusiasm for the swift res-olution of this issue in the bestinterest of the students con-cerned through his directives.

Sheikh Azzam pointed out theleadership in both countries iseager to ensure further improve-ments in the quality of GCC citi-zens’ education and qualificationof GCC citizens, and is facilitatingall their efforts in this regard.

“Our students should andwill be protected from abuse andmisleading information on thepart of private educational insti-tutions,” the ambassadoremphasized, adding that stu-dents will not suffer due to thechanges and reforms affectingthese establishments.—KUNA

By Rawan Khalid

KUWAIT: The A M Al-RefaiLibrary held its sixth GUSTAnnual Book and InformationFair yesterday in the presenceof many publishers and stu-dents.

Representatives frommajor publishing companieslike (Pearson, Cengage,McGraw-Hill, Oxford, Wiley,Harvard University Press,Elsevier, MIT) AmericanEmbassy, Center for Researchand Studies on Kuwait, Centerfor Child Evaluation andTeaching, and online databaseproviders (Arabian AdvancedSystems, Edutech,Euromonitor International,TechKnowledge, IIN) show-cased their publications andonline resources in a variety ofsubject areas.

In addition to the opportu-nity to review textbooks andonline catalogs, the facultyattended special sessionsgiven by representatives ofPearson (Learning OutcomeManagement systems),EuroMonitor International andMcGraw-Hill (recent develop-ments in English LanguagesTeaching, Business,Economics and Maths).

Dr Robert Cook, VicePresident for AcademicAffairs, mentioned the impor-tance of such an event for allfaculties who are alwayssearching for the best teachingmaterial available for theircourses. He also thanked allthe publishers for their partic-ipation in the fair and for theircontinuing cooperation withthe faculty in the common goalof enhancing our students’learning.

Shobhita Kohli, LibraryDirector at GUST said, “Thisfair is conducted every year,every year the faculty looksforward to seeing the latest inpublishing companies so thatthey have an idea aboutwhat’s going on. It is becausenow at the time of technology,we have based this on tech-

GUST holds book, information fair

KUWAIT: Dr Abd Al-Rahman Al-Muhilan Chairman of Board and Trustees inGUST (middle), and Dr. Robert Cook Vice President for Academic Affairs(right) cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the book fair.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

nology, to implement technol-ogy to our faculty as well asstudents. So, that’s why wehave such an event and the fac-ulty looks forward to such

events.” “We have new uniquethings because of which morepublishers should come for-ward. We use their text books.That’s why we call them every

year, and that’s why all univer-sities have a book fair. Westarted the book fair in Kuwaitand it’s the sixth now,”Shobhita added.

KUWAIT: A British econo-mist believes that establish-ing an economic and monitoryauthority for the GulfCooperation Council (GCC)countries will take at least 15years. At the same time,forming a currency unionbetween these countrieswould prove meaningless ifthese countries do not makethe effort to reinforce politi-cal unity, and relinquish somepolitical authority, he argued.

The Head of the Currency

Markets Department inLondon and Oxford, DavidMarshal, further proposed forforming a committee contain-ing 12 members, half of whowould be governors of centralbanks of each GCC nations.The others would be out-siders, who will pave the wayfor launching the unified GCCcurrency.

They noted, at the sametime, the importance of bene-fiting from the experience ofthe European Union, report-

ed Al-Watan.Furthermore, Marshal

said that a unified GCC cur-rency should not be pegged tothe US dollar, but wouldrather exercise more generalpower than other current cur-rencies in GCC countries.

He further called thesecurrencies’ exchange ratewhen compared to the dollarshould be raised between fivepercent and 10 percent. Thisis due to the surpluses thatthese countries have gar-

nered. He added that oil prices

should be valued against abasket of currencies insteadof the dollar. He expects thisto happen during the upcom-ing 20 years. The unifiedGCC currency would remaina main currency in this bas-ket.

Marshal further said that aunified currency will provideGCC and Arab countries withmore respect on the interna-tional scene.

GCC currency in 15 years

NATIONAL 3Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Salmiya police station to reopenKUWAIT: Shamiya police station is set to reopennext Monday following major renovation work,with interior minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah inaugurating the newly refurbished build-ing. The renovation work was carried out as partof the Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) efforts todevelop the security services’ performance andreinforce social security generally. “The minis-ter’s attendance and patronage of this event con-veys the immense commitment on the part of theministry’s senior officials on consolidating stabil-ity and security across the country,” said ColonelMohammed Al-Sabr, the ministry’s officialspokesman and head of its media department. “The inauguration of thenew police stations is a tangible expression of the commitment of policedepartments to serve the community.” Col. Al-Sabr further revealed thatseveral other projects are set to be announced shortly as part of the struc-tural projects included in the comprehensive plan for developing the secu-rity services’ performance.

Expat doctors’ salaries increasedKUWAIT: The Kuwait Medical Association (KMA) has prepared a med-ical reform study with a panel of experts, which was referred to theMinister of Health, Dr Hilal Al-Sayer. The Deputy Head of the KMA, DrAhmad Al-Fadhli, said that the reform policies carried out by the KMAwas done in coordination with those adopted by the ministry. They addedthat the minister has committed to avoid centralization, further acknowl-edging the effort made toward developing the health sector. Furthermore,Al-Fadhli noted that the Ministry’s budget stands at an estimated KD 1.2billion, which will not suffice to carry out projects that are aimed atimproving medical services. It requires that the private sector beinvolved as a partner in this project, reported Al-Watan. Al-Fadhli furtherindicated that through the KMA’s efforts, salaries of expatriate doctorshave been raised starting February 1st. This ranges between KD 600 toKD 800. He asserted that such procedures will help establish stability inthe number of health care professionals.

KAC switches to Heathrow Terminal 4KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) announced yesterday thatit will be basing its Heathrow Airport operations at the airport’s Terminal4 instead of Terminal 3 starting from April 14. Izzat Al-Aryan, KAC’sAssistant Director of Land Services for Passengers and Shipping Affairs,explained that the change comes in response to instructions from Britishauthorities. Terminal 4 has highly developed facilities and provides high-standard services, he added, providing two parking areas and a new lug-gage-handling system. The British authorities have provided seven coun-ters for KAC in Area D, as well as two counters for sales at Terminal 4, hepointed out. — KUNA

in the news

By Muna Al-Fuzai

Are rules of safety andoccupational healthbeing supervised by

the Ministry of Social Affairsand Labor? What happens ifthe employer fails to complyto these precautionary meas-ures and the worker’s life is indanger of illness or harm? Who takes theresponsibility?

I thought about this one day while looking ata municipality vehicle pass me by with two menin the back in yellow suites. They were obvious-ly dirty, which is normal for the nature of theirwork. I then thought about those men who workthe same job all over Kuwait; those who collecttrash and waste who are exposed to all kinds ofgerms but don’t wear a mask and hardly usegloves. The new labor law has a chapter dedicat-ed to the rules of safety and occupational health.It says that when necessary, each employer

must provide his workers with safety tools andexplain why and how they are to be used. Theymust also explain why the safety tools areimportant.

Municipal workers deal with all kind of dirtand germs. They even manage the waste that istaken from the hospitals. Supervision should beoffered by employers continuously and theyshould be encouraged by the Ministry of SocialAffairs and Labor. There should also be penaltieslevied against those who ignore the rules ofsafety.

So, what should happen to those workerswho fall sick because they are exposed to toomuch pollution and dirt. They should be offeredmedical checkups in order to protect them andthose they might infect. Personally, I think thatthose municipal workers should have their eyesand skin routinely checked.

The safety of workers should be a priorityand regulations should not just exist on paper.

muna@kuwaittimes.net

local spotlight

Rules of safety at work

KUWAIT: Under the auspices of His Highness the Prime Minister SheikhNasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah and in the presence of Health Minister Dr.Hilal Al-Sayer, the new Abdullah Al-Abdulhadi Medical Center was yester-day opened in Yarmuk. In his inaugural speech, Dr. Al-Sayer noted that thecenter, which was built in memory of the late Abdullah Yousif Al-Abdulhadiusing a bequest left by him for this purpose, includes many specialist clinics,dentists, family medicine clinics, a lab and a large auditorium. He added thatthe facility is also fully equipped with the latest technology. The opening cer-emony was also attended by the donor’s son MP Naji Al-Abdulhadi, alongwith other family members, dignitaries and media representatives.

— Photos by KUNA

Marafi said that he did not setout to win an award since thework done with the foundation isa daily award, providing mentalsatisfaction which he said isenough for all those involved.

Since 1986, he revealed, hehas visited Pakistan 14 times,twice coming uncomfortablyclose to death during his jour-ney. He revealed that in 1987while returning back, the airtraffic between Sikardu andIslamabad was suspended due tobad weather, leading him todecide after a three-day wait totravel by bus instead.

“Our caravan of 18 peoplewas travelling between the riverand the mountain,” he recalled.“We faced landslides at least 20times and came very near todeath.”

In 2007, meanwhile, “a boul-der rolled down the mountainonto the back of the truck infront of our vehicle. We escapeddeath by only a second!”

On an entirely different dan-ger, sectarianism, Marafi saidthat he can see no appreciabledifference between Sunni andShia Muslims. “We are allMuslims,” he emphasized,”adding that the worst enemiesare poverty and drugs.

He revealed that he is amember of the internationalorganization, ‘Religions forPeace,’ whose meetings of mem-bers from around the world hehas attended.

On the subject of the MarafiFoundation in Pakistan itself, heexplained that in the 1980s theMarafi family had met with areligious teacher from Baltistan(a remote area of northernPakistan), Sheikh MohammadHassan. Impressed with hispiety and honesty, the Marafiswent on to recruit many work-ers, both skilled and unskilled,from the Baltistan region.

Members of the Marafi fami-ly visited Baltistan in 1986,donating funds for healthcare,education and various other

projects, going on to establishthe Marafi Foundation, head-quartered in Karachi, in 1987.The 41-bed Marafi Hospital wasestablished in Mehdiabad in1991, with provision for X-rays,ultrasound scans and ECGs, aswell as an excellent laboratory.

Since 2000, teams of medicalspecialists from Lahore haveheld three annual consultancycamps at the MehdiabadHospital and the AbdullahHospital in Sikardu to providespecialist treatment for patientsand identify serious cases

requiring advanced treatmentand surgery in Lahore, with theMarafi Foundation providing asmall nursing home in Lahorefor those patients needing totravel there for treatment.

Patients who cannot afford totravel to Lahore for treatmentare provided with grants to meetthe costs of travel and medicaltreatment. The foundation hasalso created a center for pre andpost-natal care and child healthin Baltistan.

In consultation with thePakistani government’s health

department and the communi-ties, the foundation has alsoestablished 31 dispensaries,three of which are currentlyunder construction, while a fur-ther 14 are planned for the nearfuture. Once built, these dispen-saries are handed over to thehealth department or localNGOs, although the foundationcontinues to support themthrough grants for purchase ofmedicines or any other require-ments.

The Marafi Foundation hasalso focused its attention on edu-cation, constructing 52 elemen-tary schools where 98 teachersprovide education to 3,085pupils, as well as creating a fur-ther 237 primary schools, where468 teachers teach a total of25,027 pupils.

In order to provide the bestquality education to the childrenof Baltistan, the foundationestablished a hostel for students,and has also extended fundingand assistance to students fromthe area to study elsewhere inPakistan, helping them withmoney for accommodation andfees.

As if all this were not enough,the foundation also providesfunds and scholarships for stu-dents who cannot afford theexpenses of higher education, aswell as having provided fivecommunity centers and librariesfor the use of local communitiesin Baltistan.

DUBAI: A senior Kuwaiti oil official yesterday praised the ‘OffshoreArabia’ Conference and Exhibition 2010, saying that the event is a greatsuccess for the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

Speaking after the inauguration of the annual conference, heldunder the patronage of the UAE’s Vice-President, Prime Minister andRuler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, KOC’sDeputy Board Chairman and Managing Director for Planning and GasMohamed Hussein praised KOC’s impressive participation in themajor gathering taking place in the UAE. “The success of the confer-ence and exhibition is a success for KOC. This event is useful to thecompany,” he said. Stressing the importance of the event, he said thatit focuses on offshore environment issues, and provides the partici-pants with an opportunity to share experiences and views on oil-relat-ed issues. The event is also focusing on future visions for oil and gasand technology related to oil, gas and the environment, he added.

Hussein revealed that KOC will be presenting a working paper dur-ing the gathering on the future outlook for oil and gas in Kuwait and thewider Gulf region. The title of the 2010 ‘Offshore Arabia’ event is‘World Partnership for Energy and Environment - Change andChallenges.’ The event is sponsored by OPEC, Gulf oil companies,UNESCO, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and several otherregional and international organizations. — KUNA

Kuwaiti official praises Offshore Arabia expo

kuwait digest

In his column with Al-Qabas yesterday,Abdullatif Al-Duaij wrote

on how MP Saleh Al-Mullahcontradicted himself whilesupporting the no-confidencemotion against the Ministerof Information Sheikh AhmadAl-Abdullah Al-Sabah.

‘What Al-Mullah doesn’trealize,’ he began ‘is that theminister had fallen into a trapset for him by those whogrilled him. After criticizinghim for failing to shut downcertain TV stations andmedia outlets, these sameMPs contradicted them-selves by bashing him for the

proposed amendments. It’snot clear what Al-Mullahintensions are; whether hewants the minister to tightenmedia regulations or makethem more lose. How did theminister become guilty whenhe proposed the amend-ments, while at the sametime be undeserving of confi-dence for giving room for toomuch freedom?’ he contin-ued.

Al-Duaij pointed out thatthe Minister of Information,and all the other ministers,do not address matters offreedom unless they consultthe Islamist MPs first. ‘Al-

Mullah should realize thatthose who proposed abruptrestrictions of the media arenone other than the samepeople he is already alliedwith,’ he added.

He wrote that with thecompletion of Al-Abdullah’sinterpellation saga, theMinister of Cabinet Affairs,Roudhan Al-Roudhan hasindicated that the Cabinetwill restudy the audio-visuallaw. ‘After Al-Abdullah’samendments were notpassed it remains to be seenwhat the fate of this majorrestudying process will looklike,’ he concluded.

Responsibility of Al-Abdullah’s errors

Recognition of invaluable services

Pakistani president honors head of Marafi FoundationBy Javiad Ahmed and Mohammad Omer

KUWAIT: Prominent Pakistani expatriate Abdul Ilah Marafi, the head of theMarafi Foundation, has returned to Kuwait after being presented with theTamga-I-Imtiaz award by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in recogni-tion of the invaluable services he and the foundation have rendered toPakistan. Speaking to the Kuwait Times following his return yesterday,

Marafi first described his meeting with President Zardari. “The presidentthanked me and praised the work done by the Marafi Foundation inPakistan. I told him that this is our duty since Pakistan is our home; weshall continue to support the Pakistani people since we are brothers andthere is no need to thank brothers. He was very happy to meet me. ThePakistani government has often admired the work done by the MarafiFoundation.”

Abdul Ilah Marafie, chairman Marafie foundation, receiving the award.

Col Al-Sabr

NATIONAL4 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Narcotics dealer heldAn Iranian man was arrested in Adan for

being in possession of drugs, reported Al-Watan. The man was arrested after a searchof his car revealed three envelopes of heroinand 15 illegal drug pills. He was taken to theproper authorities after he was arrested.

Drug overdoseThree Kuwaiti men brought a citizen to

Jahra Hospital claiming that they found hisdead body in a nearby area. However, a med-ical examination revealed that the man wasstill breathing but suffering from a drug over-dose. He was provided with proper medicalattention and the police arrested the threemen who brought him to the hospital forquestioning.

Body foundPolice responded to an emergency call

regarding the found body of a 22-year-oldcitizen in Qayrawan, reported Al-Watan.Investigators determined that the man hadbeen dead for 48 hours. Upon informing thenext of kin, the family explained that theman suffered from a disability and had gonemissing a few days ago. A charge of neglect

was filed against the family for failing toinform police of the man’s disappearance.

Grave diggersThree youngsters were arrested in the

Sabhan cemetery for trying to dig into agrave, reported Al-Rai. After receiving anemergency call from the cemetery’s jani-tor, police reported to the scene. Theyapprehended three men found digging upthe grave of their own mother. When ques-tioned, they explained that they wereattempting to remove tools of sorcery thatwere buried with their mother and causingthem to be cursed. They were taken to theproper authorities and a case was filedagainst them.

Domestic disputeA Kuwaiti man intentionally crashed

into his ex-wife’s car with his vehicle inJahra, reported Al-Rai. He also threatenedto kill her if she refused to relinquish hercustody of their children. Instead, thewoman headed to the area’s police stationand informed police about the incident.Authorities summoned the ex-husband forquestioning.

Suicide attemptA female student from an intermediate

school in Qurain who attempted to kill her-self by jumping from a high location wastaken to Adan Hospital, reported Al-Annahar.The report indicated that the Ministry ofEducation attempted to cover up the incidentso that it would not be heavily publicized. Anattempted suicide case was filed against thestudent.

Farm theftA citizen informed police that several of

his electrical appliances were stolen from hisfarm in Abdally, reported Al-Jareedah. Heaccused the two janitors of a nearby farm ofcarrying out the theft. A case was opened,and the suspects were summoned for ques-tioning.

US soldiers hurtAn accident on the Sixth Ring Road near

Sulaibya left six US soldiers injured, reportedAl-Seyassah. It was reported that a femalesoldier was seriously injured in the accident.Ambulances and US military vehiclesbrought the soldiers to a medical facility onthe US military base in Abdaly.

Two Syrians killed in King Fahd Road accident

KUWAIT: An accident on King Fahad Road claimed the livesof two Syrians. An Egyptian and a citizen were slightlyinjured in the accident, reported Al-Watan. The accidentoccurred when the two Syrians stopped their vehicle on theside of the road to fix a flat tire and were struck by theEgyptian. After the initial accident, the Kuwaiti woman

crashed into the Egyptian’s car. Meanwhile, a police patrolcar was damaged when it was struck by a sports car runninga red light, reported Al-Rai. While the driver did flee thescene of the accident, investigators were able to determinethat the driver was a citizen. Police are searching for thedriver.

KUWAIT: The meeting of the heads of the GCC anti-drugs bodies in progress yesterday. — Photos byHanan Al-Saadoun

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The 24th meeting ofthe heads of the GulfCooperation Council’s (GCC)anti-drugs bodies began hereyesterday, with the delegates dis-cussing various topics related tocombating drugs.

In his inaugural speech at thestart of the three-day event, thecouncil’s Deputy AssistantSecretary General of SecurityAffairs, Col. Ahmad Buhindi,touched on the role played by theGCC nations’ interior ministers insupporting the security role oftheir states, especially concerningcombating the menace of drugs.

Buhindi asserted that the min-isters’ role is a pioneering one,which is tangible for all those whomonitor drugs issues, underliningthe significance of this meetingwhich will see wide-ranging dis-cussion of issues, as well as areview of the anti-drugs chiefs’standpoints.

Another speaker at the inaugu-ral event, Acting Deputy ofKuwait’s Ministry of Interior

Lieutenant General Ghazi Al-Omar said that combating illegalnarcotics is a concern that preoc-cupies all nations, adding that theGCC states are targeted by the

traffickers of such toxic products,who try to promote their use toyoung people. The GCC states’fight against illegal drugs has beendeveloped to catch up with the

other nations around the worldcountries, with security and rais-ing public awareness always close-ly associated with combatingaddiction.

Anti-drugs chiefs meet in Kuwait

Stabbed Saudi savedKUWAIT: Two men came to therescue of a Saudi expat who wasstabbed several times while wait-ing at traffic light on Sunday. Theman was on his way home whentwo men got out of their car andbegan beating him. They thenstabbed him several times beforeescaping. When another car pulledup next to him and saw his condi-tion, they took him to JahraHospital in their vehicle. Oncethere, he was admitted to the hos-pital’s intensive care unit and wasfound to be under the influence ofdrugs. It was also discovered thatthe man was recently releasedfrom prison where he was servingtime for a drug related charge.Police are investigating the matterfurther and the man was chargedfor being under the influence ofdrugs.

Money laundering case KUWAIT: The Public ProsecutionService is set to refer the case ofthe Kuwaiti woman chargedalongside a disgraced formerBahraini minister in connectionwith involvement in a controver-sial money laundering case involv-ing a cheque for six million Eurosto the Public Funds andCommercial Affairs ProsecutionService. A prosecution serviceofficial said that the woman will becharged with being a party to themoney-laundering activities,reported Al-Jarida. The officialalso revealed that the prosecutionservice is to obtain a copy of thetranscript of the Bahraini detec-tivesí interview with former min-ister Mansour Bin Rajab inexchange for a copy of the tran-script of the interview with theaccused Kuwaiti woman. The

prosecution service is awaitingreports from the Central Bank ofKuwait and the Ministry ofCommerce and Industry regard-ing the Kuwaiti woman’s compa-ny, which is licensed under herbrother’s name.

Bill for regulating nurseriesKUWAIT: The director of thewoman and children departmentin the Ministry of Social Affairsand Labor, Iqbal Al-Rumaideen,said a proposed law on privatenurseries has been approved bythe National Assembly’s socialand health committee. In a pressstatement, she said that there isno law regulating the work of pri-vate nurseries, reported Al-Jarida.She added that executive ruleswere prepared based on ministeri-al law number 73 for 1994, whichexplains the condition for openingnurseries. She said that the lawwill effectively monitor privatenurseries.

Ahmadi gas leakKUWAIT: Ahmadi residents,especially those living in northAhmadi, face the fear of an envi-ronmental catastrophe due to agas leak from an unknown source,reported Al-Shahed. Officialsources said that authoritiesformed a committee to determinethe reasons and source of theleakage. Meanwhile, the leakcaused a girl in the area to becomesick and she was sent abroad fortreatment immediately to avoidcausing fear amongst residents.While authorities have cut a gassupply line to the area, residentsstill feel that the gas leak has got-ten out of hand. Some have begunlobbying the matter to officials inthe National Assembly.

in the news

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A meeting was held atthe Kuwait Fire ServicesDirectorate(KFSD) that includedrepresentatives from theCommerce Ministry and InsuranceCompanies’ Union.

The KFSD Director GeneralMaj Gen Jassim Al-Mansourichaired the meeting. He said thatthe aim behind holding the meetingwas to link the licenses of variousfacilities with an insurance policy.This will limit the occurrence oferrors that may lead to accidentson a daily basis.

Al-Mansouri said this step aimsat limiting losses and fire insur-ance on all facilities. Safety precau-

tions and procedures approved bythe preventive sector of the KFSD.He said that insurance companieswill be responsible for inspectingviolations and fighting causativeagents that expose the insuredfacility to danger in the event of afire break out. He said that thesystem would help prevent dis-putes from taking place betweeninsurance companies and owners.This system will make the ownerresponsible for protecting his facil-ity by ensuring that the necessarysafety procedures are provided.Insurance companies will beresponsible for conducting neces-sary inspections, which guaranteethat they do not pay huge amountsin compensation money.

KFSD holds meeting with insurance officials

KUWAIT: The quick response of the Shuwaikh and Shuhada fire brigades prevented a blaze that broke out in a Shuwaikh carpentry workshop yesterdayfrom spreading to adjacent workshops and a warehouse. —- Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

By Hussain Al-Qatari

KUWAIT: The Kuwait EnglishSchool (KES) in cooperation with theGulf University for Science andTechnology (GUST) held Sundayevening a concert for Haiti at theGUST auditorium. The event, whichtook place at 7 o’clock in the evening

included a number of classical piecesas well as original compositions byKuwait English School (KES) staff.

The pieces performed by theschool orchestra includedBeethoven’s Sonata Opus 2 Number3, Richard Strauss’ ‘On TheBeautiful Blue Danube’, Chopin’s‘Black Keys Etude’ and a number of

other original pieces composed bythe KES band.

Over a number of years, theschool band has performed concertsto raise funds for a number of chari-ties, including the Kuwait RedCrescent Society, the KuwaitAssociation for the Care of Childrenin Hospital (KAACH), the Grand

Ormond Street Hospital, and Savethe Children.

Booths were designated for donat-ing money to buy wheelchairs for theHaiti earthquake victims at humbleprices. The school also provided anumber of other means for donors:Online donations through theNational Bank of Kuwait (NBK), as

well as donation boxes at the school.The event was attended by social

dignitaries, diplomats, parents andstudents as well as individuals enthu-siastic about classical music. Theschool management thanked the GulfUniversity for Science andTechnology (GUST) for their gener-ous support in organizing the event.

KES holds concert to raise funds for Haiti

KUWAIT: A number of MPshave expressed outrage at thealleged abuse of residents inMinistry of Social Affairs andLabor (MSAL) facilities forthe disabled, with one describ-ing such attacks as “unfor-giveable crimes.”

The MPs expressed theiranger after claims by Ayed Al-Shemmari, the head of theKuwait Society for Peoplewith Special Needs, that therehad been regular incidents ofphysical and sexual abuseagainst disabled citizens atMSAL facilities.

MP Shuhaib Al-Muwaizrihas submitted a number ofparliamentary questions tothe Minister of Social Affairsand Labor Dr. Mohammed Al-

Afasi over the allegations,asking about the validity of theclaims and stressing that“such crimes cannot gounpunished.”

Another MP Mekhled Al-Azmi said that he and a num-ber of other parliamentarianswill demand the creation of aparliamentary investigativecommittee to look into theclaims and ensure that any andall necessary legal action wastaken against the perpetra-tors.

A MSAL spokespersonplayed down Al-Shemmari’sallegations, saying, “We haverepeatedly asked Al-Shemmarito reveal whatever informationhe has so that we can take theproper legal action, but he

refuses to do so.” The ministryofficial described Al-Shemmari’s statement as “pro-paganda oriented.”

The MSAL spokespersonalso revealed that HisHighness the Prime MinisterSheikh Nasser Al-MohammedAl-Sabah has contacted Dr. Al-Afasi to enquire about Al-Shemmari’s allegations, withthe minister flatly denying thatthere isn’t any validity to theclaims and pointing out that theKuwait Society for People withSpecial Needs is not a legallyaccredited organization. Theminister has also reportedlyinstructed UndersecretaryMohammad Al-Kandari to takethe necessary legal actionagainst Al-Shemmari.

MPs demand investigation into disabled assault claims

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Towers,one of the facilities of theTouristic Enterprises Company(TEC), will hold an Indian cui-sine festival during the periodbetween April 1 to 7. Thiscomes as part of internationalhotels’ programs of coopera-tion. The TEC’s DeputyMember for the Touristic

Affairs, Meshary Al-Sanousi,said that an invitation was sentout to three world-famousIndian cooks, in order to super-vise their activities. In addition,Indian folk music bands havebeen recruited to perform dur-ing the event. This will lend atraditional atmosphere toIndian culture.

Indian cuisine festival

NATIONAL 5Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Municipality has beenworking on various projects.“We have received approvalto start working on the Asimadevelopment project, theIndustrial Shuwaikh areaproject, and many other proj-ects that are waiting for thebid to be set on a company.We will also open the envelopwith proposals for the clean-ing project,” added Safar.

The Kuwait Municipality

was founded on April 13,1930. Since its establish-ment, it was an independentbody with a special law regu-lating it. It was first located ina small store, and in 1933, itshifted to a bigger location inAl Saffat Yard, the presentlocation, which was then ren-ovated.

Eighty years have passedsince the Municipality wasfounded. “The establishment

of the Municipality is a signof the Kuwaiti nation’swillpower. They establishedit at the time when the eco-nomic condition was poor inthe early 1930s. There arecertain challenges and prob-lems, so our work will besuccessful with Kuwaitis’strong will,” said Ahmad Al-Manfouhi, Head of theOrganizing Committee.

During this ceremony, 52

personalities will be hon-ored. “Many people partici-pated in improving anddeveloping the Municipalityand have garnered greatachievements. So, we willhonor 52 leaders who haveoccupied different positionsin the Municipality. On behalfof those who are alreadydead, their relatives willreceive honors on behalf ofthem,” Al-Manfouhi further

said.The ceremony will be

held under the patronage ofHH the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.In addition, there will beanother activity held duringthis occasion. TheMunicipality will hold anawareness week in someschools, so that the new gen-eration is made aware of theimportance of cleaning.

Municipality gets ready to celebrate 80th anniversaryBy Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: As part of the Kuwait Municipality’s 80th anniversary to celebrateits establishment, the Municipality will hold a ceremony on April 5, 2010 atthe Public Institution for Social Security’s Celebrations Hall. Corruption hasreceded considerably over the years, Dr Fadhel Safar, the Minister of Public

Works and Minister for Municipal Affairs noted. “If we compare the dataprovided by the Transparency Society between the year 2008 and 2009, wecan notice that the numbers are optimistic and signifies that corruption hasdecreased. There are some problems and we will solve it with the help ofemployees,” he said during a press conference held yesterday to highlightsome facts and information on this celebration.

KUWAIT: A new batch of police officers and specialized officers graduatedyesterday. The passing out parade was inspected by the Interior MinisterSheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. — Photos by KUNA

Al-Sour TV returningKUWAIT: Political activist and former par-liamentary candidate Mohammed Al-Juwaihel has denied that his Al-Sour satel-lite TV channel was taken off the air by theMinistry of Information, insisting that hehad suspended broadcasts himself in orderto reorganize the program schedule. Al-Sour TV will be broadcasting again withinthe next few days, Al-Juwaihel insisted,adding that he is also introducing anothertwo satellite channels, one with the same‘Al-Sour’ name which will focus on thePopular Bloc’s policies and work. The con-troversial political activist said that thecontent of his TV channels is not subject toKuwaiti laws since they are broadcast fromoutside Kuwait and he has contracted aEuropean satellite firm to transmit them,while Nilesat will be broadcasting Al-Sour.On the making of the programs, he said thatthis is done in Kuwait, with the help of localproduction companies.

Suspicious diplomas investigatedKUWAIT: The Ministry of Educationinvestigated the validity of several academ-ic certificates belonging to Kuwaiti stu-dents by sending them to the PublicProsecutor, reported Al-Watan. The sus-pected cases, which were said not toexceed ten, were found to contain incorrectdata and did not have the approval of theuniversities’ admissions departments.Charges are expected to be pressed againstthe students as well as the departmentsthat accepted their certificates. The major-

ity of the certificates determined to beinvalid belonged to students who graduatedfrom universities in India. One studenthowever was found to have an invalid cer-tificate from a Lebanese university.

Bedoon passports KUWAIT: The general department for citi-zenship and passports recently summonedabout 500 bedoons for whom article 17passports had been issued. The passportsallowed bedoons to travel abroad for med-ical treatment, reported Al-Rai. An officialsource with the department told Al-Rai thatthe concerned bedoons were summoned inorder to withdraw the passports that hadbeen issued over a year ago without beingused by the holders. The source added thatthe holders will be asked to justify whythey have not yet traveled for medicaltreatment.

NBK best regional bankKUWAIT: ‘Global Finance,’ a worldrenowned magazine, named the NationalBank of Kuwait (NBK) the best bank on thenascent level and in the Middle East. In apress release, Ibrahim Dabdoub said thatNBK’s achievement stands out, especiallybecause of the lingering effect of the globalfinancial crisis regionally and all over theworld. NBK’s firm financial position, soundorientation and policies targeting local,regional and global expansion, is proof of itsfirmness and immunity against crises, hestressed.Earlier this year, the NBK posteda net profit of KD 265.2 million.

in the news

KUWAIT: The Head of the Technical Committee of Traffic AwarenessCompetition (Traffic Signs and Laws) Khaled Al-Hassan, supervises thetesting process ahead of the main event organized by the Kuwait ScientificClub for High School students.

KUWAIT: While the Minister ofDevelopment Affairs, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad, continues to market the Cabinet’sdevelopment plan it can be noticed thatfor the past few months several projectshave been postponed for a variety of rea-sons. One only has to look through theheadlines of previous newspapers to seehow several of these projects have failedto get started, reported Al-Qabas.

For example, some tenders were post-poned after it was revealed that plans forthe project were incomplete. In othercases, complications emerged regardingstandards and conditions before a tendercould be awarded.

Other tenders were postponed afterthey received no offers because theywere placed for certain agendas. Othersprojects were delayed after a lack of coor-

dination between several directoratescaused them to reject its continuation.

Some tenders were postponed for fail-ing to attract bids due to the fact theycontained very complicated details whileother tenders were delayed simplybecause routine operations failed to finishon time.

In other instances, tenders were post-poned when the committees formed tostudy their details suspended the projectbecause no one was willing to takeresponsibility for it in case the projectfailed.

These and several other tenders weredelayed because of technicalities, poorplanning, and the influence of politicalstruggles. In some cases though, tenderswere put on hold or even cancelled with-out an explanation.

Several development projects postponed in past few months

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s elec-tricity network is still suf-fering from several seriousproblems, including anaging infrastructure anduneven distribution leadingto regular power overloads,according to experts.

These problems haveled to several incidents inrecent years, with a num-ber of fires breaking out inmain power stations andsubstations, while thepower cuts expected to hitthe country in summer arerelated to production levels

and infrastructural weak-nesses.

Of the country’s 28,000substations, only 7,000have been brought up toacceptable standards, withthe Ministry of Electricityand Water (MEW) unableto carry out the samerepairs and upgrades onthe others due to timepressures, reported Al-Watan.

The main source of theoverload problem is therapid increase in the num-ber of residential buildings,

particularly high-risetower blocks, said one spe-cialist, adding that whilethe number of fires thisyear is expected to belower than previous years,the number of power cutsis not expected to change.

The problem of over-loaded systems could alsobe exacerbated this sum-mer by Ramadan beginningin mid-August, meaning apossible major increase inthe power load comparedto previous years duringthe same period.

Aging electrical network means more problems, blackouts

KUWAIT: In the aftermath of the no-confi-dence motion against the Minister ofInformation, MPs are rearranging theirstances in preparation of a period in whichseveral interpellations are expected to be for-warded.

MPs hope to improve the way in which theParliament deals with Cabinet members whofail to commit to the obligations of their posi-tion, such as with the development plan,reported Al-Qabas. This approach is expect-ed to be supported by a majority of MPs.Some of them have expressed a sincere

desire to revive the ‘Bloc of Blocs;’ a blocthat would contain members from theDevelopment and Reform, Popular Actionand National Action Blocs as well as severalindependent MPs with no ties to theCabinet.The clear coordination of MPs whosupported the information minister’s no-con-fidence motion, may pave the way for thecooperation of MPs interested in passinglaws. Potentially, it would also allow theParliament to better monitor the ministries’commitment to their obligations, as well asput pressure on the Cabinet.

Efforts to revive ‘Bloc of Blocs’

NATIONAL6 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

“The two-day event held inBahrain gives the Middle EastClimate Champions the opportu-nity to celebrate the success oftheir projects, the opportunity toshare progress and experience,increase their knowledge aboutclimate change and to networkwith young people from theregion,” the British Council said.

These 25 Champions fromthe Middle East are part of theBritish Council’s expandingglobal network of InternationalClimate Champions. They joinmore than 1,300 otherInternational ClimateChampions (aged 14-35 years)from 60 countries worldwidewho are working to raise aware-ness of climate change, limit itsimpact and reduce the carbonfootprint.

During the event theChampions will present theirprojects to each other. Thesewide-ranging initiatives includeprojects to help to stop the pro-fusion of plastic bag waste inLibya, developing the concept ofplanting trees and date palms inUAE and Qatar, recyclingschemes and raising publicawareness in Kuwait and Libya,car pooling initiatives in Qatarand innovative approaches toreplace incandescent light bulbsat mosques with luminescentpaint in UAE.

“They show how ClimateChampions are leading by exam-ple to develop sustainable solu-tions to combat climate changewith a focus on local initiativeswhich are already making a pos-itive impact in their community

and beyond,” it added.Since the Middle East

Climate Champions were select-ed in June 2009 the BritishCouncil has helped them todevelop and implement the proj-ects within their local communi-ties. This included a workshopin project management and lead-ership in June 2009 and a com-munications workshop to markArab Environment Day inOctober 2009.

The program’s strengthsinclude the InternationalClimate Champions networkwhich gives Champions aroundthe globe the opportunity toshare and develop their ideaswith each other through a net-working site and other discus-sion forums and opportunitiesto influence leaders. Two of the

Middle East’s ClimateChampions, including AhmedAl-Mogahwi from Kuwait, wereselected to represent the regionat the UN Climate ChangeConference in Copenhagen inlast December.

Sally Ward, Regional ClimateChange Manager at the BritishCouncil Middle East, said, “TheChampions have done a fantas-tic job. It is wonderful to seetheir commitment and enthusi-asm. This is where changebegins - young people are thecatalyst and will carry the issuedown to the next generation. Itis critical that change beginshere and that the messagesabout how to manage ourresources sustainably getspread from community tocommunity.” — KUNA

British Council takes lead role

Climate experts display projects in Bahrain

KUWAIT: The British Council Climate Champions from Kuwait will showcase their ambitious projects to combat climatechange in their local community during a regional workshop today in Bahrain. In a press release issued yesterday, the BritishCouncil said that this showcasing event marks the end of the first year of the Climate Champions program in the Middle East.It brings together the region’s 25 Champions from Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Libya with regional partners and environ-mental experts, such as Wael Hmaidan, the chief executive officer of Indyact-a regional lobby group.

Consumer protection KUWAIT: MP Nadji Al-Abdulhadi has submitted anumber of parliamentaryquestions to the Ministerof Social Affairs and Laborover the measures takenby the ministry to imple-ment consumer protectionlaws. Al-Abdulhadi askedthe minister about theeffects of its consumerprotection procedures onmaintaining price stability,requesting a list of theitems with variable pricesas a result of these proce-dures. The MP alsorequested a list of thefinancial and administra-tive violations discoveredby the Ministry of SocialAffairs and Labor’s(MSAL) inspectors at localCo-ops, along with thedetails of the Co-ops inquestion, as well as askingfor information on whatsteps had been taken topenalize these. He alsorequested information onwhich Co-ops’ manage-ment boards had beendissolved and for whatreasons.

Birth certificates KUWAIT: MP MubarakAl-Khurainij has submit-ted a parliamentary ques-tion to health minister Dr.Hilal Al-Sayer aboutrecent reports that theMinistry of Health (MoH)refused to issue birth cer-tificates for the children ofKuwaiti fathers andBedoon (stateless) moth-ers. The ministry report-edly based this decision ona refusal to register themothers’ nationality as‘Bedoon,’ reported Al-Qabas. The MP requestedinformation on the legalreasons behind the min-istry’s decision to refrainfrom using the term‘Bedoon’ in reference to amother’s nationality onbirth certificates.

Cultural cooperation KUWAIT: The Foundationof Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for PoeticCreativity is to study jointcultural and academic proj-ects with France, GeneralSecretary of the founda-tion Abdulziz Al-Sraye’said yesterday. A delega-tion from the FrenchForeign Ministry visitedthe foundation lately totake note of the culturalmovement in the countryand to discuss the culturaland academic projectsbetween the two coun-tries, Al-Srayae’ said. TheFrench delegation wasbriefed with the founda-tions’ activities with high-light on its previous andfuture programs on dia-logue between civiliza-tions and mutual under-standing between peopleand religions, Sraye’ said.Al-Babtian foundation hasorganized held its 10thcourse at the headquartersof the United NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural Organization(UNESCO) in Paris in2006.

in the news

By Abdullah Al-Qattan

KUWAIT: Organizers of theChampionship League Cup forMinistries, Institutions andGovernment Bodies held theirsecond race on Sunday after-noon. This allowed civil ser-vants such as staff from theMinistry of Interior, GeneralDirectorate of Civil Defenseand the Public Authority forYouth and Sports (PAYS) toparticipate in the 10-kilometerrelay race.

Dr. Moussa Al-Kuraibani,the chairman of the athleticgames’ technical committee,said that the first relay racewas a five-kilometer event fornon-professional athletes

wishing to participate in theChampionship League, addingthat they hope to arrangeanother set of races to includeprofessional athletes.

Dr. Al-Kuraibani explainedthat the aim of separating thetwo categories of participantswas to motivate everyone totake part in this event withouthaving to compete with a pro-footballer or other profession-al athlete. He added that theorganizers of the league havesent requests to workers in allgovernmental sectors to par-ticipate in this event and hopeto see staff from more sectorstaking part in the future, sothey can try to fit a sports rou-tine into employees’ daily

lives.Dr. Al-Kuraibani revealed

that the series of champi-onships include varioussports, including football, bas-ketball and volleyball amongothers, helping participants tobenefit from the variety onoffer by taking part in thesport they enjoy.

At the conclusion of theevent, Dr. Al-Kuraibanithanked the PAYS’ DirectorGeneral Faisal Al-Jazzaf andits Deputy Director GeneralHumoud Flaiteh, along with allthe other civil service officialswho helped to organize thisevent, as well as expressinggratitude to all the participantsfor taking part.

Civil servants compete

NEW DELHI: An Indian minister praisedyesterday Kuwait’s support to poor commu-nities in India. During his meeting withKuwait’s Ambassador in India Sami Al-Sulaiman, India’s Minister of State forCorporate Affairs Salman Khursheed saidIndian officials appreciated the efforts of theKuwaiti government.

He stressed the importance of charitablework in strengthening the Kuwaiti-Indianties, Al-Sulaiman said. The ambassador said

that the minister briefed him on the plans ofthe Indian government to combat povertyand illiteracy and to develop rural communi-ties.

He said the minister called the GulfCooperation Council (GCC) countries tocontribute in development projects in India.Al-Sulaiman said he informed the ministerthat Kuwait was willing to support develop-ment projects, especially in rural areas.

He said that Kuwait Fund for Arab

Economic Development (KFAED) providedto India eight loans with a total value ofmore than $85 million.

He pointed out that the Kuwaiti govern-ment and private sectors were planning toinvest in the fields of energy, construction,and infrastructure in India.

He noted that Kuwaiti charitable soci-eties established cultural and religious cen-ters, learning institutions, health centers,and hospitals in Indian towns. —- KUNA

India praises Kuwait’s support

MUSCAT: A delegation fromthe Kuwaiti census departmentis in Oman to observe all themeasures and procedurestaken for the Omani 2010 cen-sus.

The Kuwaiti delegation,headed by Abdullah Sahr, metyesterday with members of theOmani census team and dis-cussed procedures to be con-

ducted. Sahr said that the visitwould also aim at benefitingfrom the Omani experience inconducting the national census.

The GCC states did notyet uncover when the totalGCC census would be con-ducted but officials agreedthat such attempt will be car-ried out before the end ofthis year. — KUNA

Omani census 2010

KUWAIT: Kuwait NewsAgency (KUNA) signed a draftmedia cooperation agreementwith Lebanese National NewsAgency (NNA) on exchangingnews and expertise in thedomain.

Board Chairman andDirector General of KUNASheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Sabah signed the draft on thebehalf of KUNA while Directorof NNA Laura Suleiman signedit on the behalf of the Lebaneseside.

The draft of which dictatesdeveloping cooperationbetween the two sides through-out the use of advancedtelecommunication technology,facilitating providing correspon-dents in both countries withhelp needed in covering stories,exchanging publications issued.

The draft effective uponsigning for a year also touchedon exchanging expertise andvisits between officials of bothagencies.

NNA was established backin 1961 and is considered anofficial reference for Lebanon’snews with correspondencescovering stories all around thecountry.

It provides nationals withfree online service that areaccessible worldwide.Meanwhile, NNA’s director vis-ited KUNA’s technical depart-ments, along with the Trainingand Development Departmentand was briefed on hi-tech used.

Visiting NNA DirectorLaura Suleiman said the bilater-al agreement with KUNA wouldcontribute to delineating futurevisions for integration in alldomains.

Speaking following the sign-ing ceremony, she said thecooperative deal mainly aims toshare media and technologicalexperience so that both agen-cies could live up to the ambi-tions and hopes of their coun-tries’ people for closer links andbonds based on mutual respectand confidence.

She said she was happy to bein Kuwait, which all Lebanesepeople cherish thanks to peo-ple-to-people friendly good ties.

The NNA chief thanked HisHighness the Amir of KuwaitSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the govern-ment and people of Kuwait fortheir constant support toLebanon. — KUNA

KUNA signscooperation agreement with NNA

KUWAIT: The Environment Public Authority(EPA) signed here yesterday a contract with alocal firm to build a boat for research studies andenvironmental survey.

EPA Director General Salah Al-Medhi signedon behalf of the authority, while the Chairman ofthe Research Consultancy CompanyAbdulrahman Al-Naibari was present for thefirm.

EPA Deputy Director General Ali Haidar toldthe Kuwait News Agency following the signingof the contract that the authority is seeking toimprove its research and training capabilities, tocope with the latest developments in the field ofmarine environment.

The 30-meter-long boat houses laboratories,and sample storing rooms, and has specialmachines and nets to draw fish from the sea forresearch purposes, besides special technology tolink it with satellites, Haidar said.

He added that researchers sailed for 10 dayson the board of this boat, without needing toreturn to shore, thanks to the hi-tech equipmentin the vessel.

Students and researchers would be allowedto use the boat for one whole day, to conductstudies, Haidar said.

The boat will not only help researchers, butalso physicians and geologists on its board, henoted. — KUNA

Kuwait environment authority signs contract to build research boat

KUWAIT: A day-long eventthat celebrated firefighters’bravery took place on March26 at the Marina Mall in thepresence of the HawallyGovernor Lt Gen AbdullahAl-Fares, the Fire FightingDepartment GeneralManager, Gen Jassem Al-Mansouri, and some of thedistinguished firemen alongwith their families.

Gen Al-Mansourilaunched the festival bylighting a symbolic flame. Adocumentary highlighting

the firemen’s hard work,dedication and sacrifice inthe line of duty followed.

Hind Al-Nahedh, VIVA’sPublic Relations andCommunication Managersaid, “The event was a won-derful day for the specialmen that give and expectnothing in return.”

“The word VIVA meanslife, and there is no life with-out a community. It is forthis reason that VIVAbelieves in the importance ofnot only being part of the

community, but also giveback whenever possible.VIVA does so by being anenergetic and motivationalforce in Kuwait and enrichthe lives of all our customerswhenever we can,” Al-Nahedh added.

The day also includedsporting events, and educa-tional fire safety and aware-ness activities. Youngschool children showed theirappreciation for the firemen,and translated their feelingsinto beautiful drawings.

VIVA sponsors Firemen Day festival

KUWAIT: Some of the participants of the championship. — Photos by JosephShagra

7Tuesday, March 30, 2010 INTERNATIONAL

“On March 3, the electioncommission presented 54names to replace those who hadbeen banned” by the JAC fortheir alleged links to Saddam’sBaath Party, said the body’sexecutive director Ali Al-Lami“We informed the commissionthat 52 of those people fellunder the committee’s respon-sibility and six of them won aseat in parliament. We have evi-dence and documents showingtheir affiliations and politicalresponsibilities within theBaath.”

Lami himself ran for parlia-ment as part of the IraqiNational Alliance (INA), a coali-tion led by Shiite religious par-ties. His involvement in thevote and the JAC drew criticismfrom opponents who questionedhis impartiality. The list of 52names compiled by the JAC,details of which Lami declinedto divulge, now goes before athree-member judicial commit-tee which will decide whetheror not members of the groupwill be barred.

Lami said banned candidatescould not be replaced by theirparty, and added any votes castfor those would-be lawmakerswould be annulled, which wouldhave a major impact on an

already close election. One ofthe six successful candidateswas Hamdi Naji, a Sunni Arabcandidate for Iraqiya in Diyalawho is currently being held bysecurity forces on allegations ofterrorism.

Iraqiya finished first in thenationwide poll with 91 seats,two more than the State of LawAlliance of caretaker PrimeMinister Nuri Al-Maliki. TheINA won 70 seats.

In January, the JAC barredabout 500 candidates from thepolls on account of their allegedlinks to Saddam’s banned BaathParty. The row over the bansdominated the election cam-paign, raising questions aboutthe JAC’s legal status, the judi-ciary’s independence, the elec-toral commission’s credibilityand the ultimate fairness of thevote. The process also height-ened political tensions in a coun-try which was engulfed by dead-ly sectarian violence in 2006 and2007, and came as the US is setto withdraw half of its troops bythe end of August.

The ‘untouchables’Several prominent Iraqi

politicians - long considereduntouchable - failed to win seatsin the country’s March 7 elec-tion, according to lists published

yesterday, reflecting voter dis-satisfaction with the country’spolitical class. Their failurecomes as weeks of haggling toform a new government lieahead, possibly opening the wayfor renewed violence and insta-bility as the US is preparing towithdraw all its troops from thecountry.

The list of candidates whomade it into the 325-memberparliament were surprising forthe absence of several house-hold names of the faction-riddenpolitics of the past few years.

Those who didn’t make thecut included the powerful Ali Al-Lami of the Shiite religious bloc,who led a government vettingpanel that banned about 450candidates, mostly Sunnis, fromrunning in the elections foralleged ties to SaddamHussein’s old party.

Defense Minister Abdul-Qadir Al-Obeidi and nationalsecurity adviser Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie were also not re-elected.Neither was veteran Sunnipolitician Adnan Pachachi, anelderly statesman from a promi-nent Baghdad family. Pachachi,in his 80s, had been rarelyattending parliament sessions.For the first time, Iraqis had thechance to vote for individual

candidates, instead of just politi-cal parties, on an open ballotsheet, allowing them to chooseor vote out - certain individuals.

The result was that many ofthe movers and shakers in thehalls of government and parlia-ment found that they didn’t haveany support among the voters.Meanwhile, Prime MinisterNouri Al-Maliki, whose electionlist didn’t receive the mostseats, rebuked the UnitedNations for not backing hisdemand for a recount.

The demand is part of al-Maliki’s campaign to challengeelection results showing him aclose second to his chief rival,the secular Ayad Allawi, whoreceived backing from bothSunnis and Shiites.

In remarks to the private Al-Sumariya TV late Sunday, Al-Maliki criticized the UN missionin Iraq, which had said that thevoting was transparent and fair,with no widespread fraud. Hereprimanded UN envoy AdMelkert for not pushing theelectoral commission to approvethe recount request for what al-Maliki’s bloc has contendedwere irregularities and vote rig-ging.

The commission, an inde-pendent body appointed by par-

liament, rejected the demand asunnecessary. “The UN shouldhave further encouraged thecommission to carry out arecount,” he said.

A public information officerfor UN in Iraq, Randa Jamal, saidyesterday that the UN onlyadvises Iraq institutions “at theinvitation of the government onan impartial basis” while theelectoral commission has “soledecision-making power.”Neither Allawi’s Iraqiya, with 91seats, nor al-Maliki’s State ofLaw with 89, have an outrightmajority, but Allawi should beentitled to the first shot at forg-ing a ruling coalition.

In a legal push, Al-Malikiextracted a Supreme Courtdecision just before the electionresults were released on Fridayallowing for alliances formedafter the elections to form thenext government.

There has also been a pushto have 50 candidates, mostlyfrom Allawi’s list, disqualifiedover alleged ties to SaddamHussein’s regime. Al-Maliki hasalso opened negotiations withboth Iraq’s Kurdish Alliance andthe Shiite religious bloc, twomajor groups whose votes hewill need for any future govern-ment. — Agencies

6 Iraqi election winners face ban on Baath links

Prominent Iraq politicians fail to win seatsBAGHDAD: Six candidates who won parliamentary seats at Iraq’s elections face losing them just days after results were announced, the body charged withbarring Saddam Hussein loyalists said yesterday. At least one of the six is a member of former prime minister Iyad Allawi’s secular Iraqiya bloc, which camefirst in the March 7 poll. The six were among a group of more than 50 names initially put forward as parliamentary hopefuls earlier this month to replace can-didates previously barred by the Justice and Accountability Committee (JAC).

RISHON LETZION: Israeli soldiers react during the funeral of Israeli armyStaff Sergeant Ilan Sviatkovsky at the military cemetery in Rishon Letzion,central Israel. Sviatkovsky was killed in a gunbattle with Palestinian mili-tants in Gaza last Friday. —AP

JERUSALEM: The Obama administration’s pressureon Israel to curb settlement activity will bolsterPalestinian hardliners and hinder peace efforts, asenior Israeli cabinet minister said yesterday.Tensions with Washington flared three weeks ago,and have simmered unresolved since, over theannouncement of an Israeli blueprint for 1,600 morehomes for Jews in areas of the occupied West Bankthat Israel annexed to East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians, who want statehood in the WestBank and Gaza with a capital in East Jerusalem,backed out of planned US-mediated peace talks withIsrael, demanding the new project be scrapped.Benny Begin, a member of Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu’s inner cabinet, describedWashington’s scrutiny on Jerusalem as departingfrom previous US administrations’ view that thecity’s status should be resolved in peace negotia-tions.

“It’s bothersome, and certainly worrying,” Begintold Israel Radio. “This change will definitely bringabout the opposite to the declared objective. It willbring about a hardening in the policy of the Arabs andof the Palestinian Authority.” This month’s diplomat-ic deadlock has seen a spike in Israeli-Palestinianviolence in the West Bank, as well as in the GazaStrip, whose Islamist Hamas rulers spurn the Jewishstate and deride Palestinian President MahmoudAbbas’s peace strategy.

Hoping to salvage negotiations, the United Stateshas been seeking unspecified goodwill gestures fromIsrael toward the Palestinians. A senior Israeli officialsaid these included “assurances” regarding EastJerusalem, where Netanyahu has refused to stopbuilding. Israel regards the entire city as its eternal

and indivisible capital, a claim not recognised interna-tionally.

BARAK BREAKS WITH BEGINUS President Barack Obama gave Netanyahu an

unusually frosty reception at White House talks lastweek, denying him the traditional photo opportunityor joint statement.

Begin’s misgivings about the Obama administra-tion have been echoed by others in the seven-mem-ber inner cabinet, which guides policy and is domi-nated by right-wingers including the premier. Begin,son of the late right-wing Prime Minister MenachemBegin, is on record as opposing a Palestinian state inthe West Bank, which Israel captured along withGaza in a 1967 war and peppered with Jewish settle-ments.

Israel quit Gaza in 2005 but vows to keep WestBank settlement blocs under any accord. DefenceMinister Ehud Barak, the lone left-winger in theinner cabinet, has taken a different tack on the USspat. “The US administration is looking for ananswer to the question of whether Israel is energeti-cally and seriously going along with it toward broadunderstandings in the diplomatic process,” he toldreporters on Sunday.

“In other words, direct talks on core questions,”he said. “This is the question bothering the USadministration more than the concrete requests ...that are still being discussed in the contacts betweenus.” Netanyahu has offered the Palestinians directnegotiations without preconditions. But, to Abbas’schagrin, he has made clear that Israel would onlyaccept a Palestinian state shorn of some sovereignpowers and which recognised Israel as a Jewishstate. —Reuters

Obama ‘boosting’ Arab hardliners

Israel to focus on key Iran’s nuclear targets JERUSALEM: Should Israelattack Iranian nuclear facilities, itwould probably carry out preci-sion strikes while making everyeffort not to hit the oil sector orother civilian sites. Past Israelioperations, such as the 1981bombing of Iraq’s Osirak atomicreactor and a similar sortieagainst Syria in 2007, suggest astrategy of one-off pinpoint raids,due both to military limitationsand a desire to avoid wider war.

A simulation at the BrookingsInstitution in Washington lastDecember theorised that Israel,intent on halting what the Westsuspects is Tehran’s covert questfor atomic arms, would launch asneak attack against half a dozennuclear facilities in Iran. Israelmight then argue the mission“had created a terrific opportuni-ty for the West to pressure Iran,weaken it, and possibly evenundermine the regime,”Brookings expert KennethPollack wrote in a summary of thewargame, though he saw little

chance of the Obama administra-tion looking kindly on this tack.

Israel’s advanced F-15 and F-16 warplanes have the range tobomb western Iran and strike fur-ther inland with air-to-air refu-elling and using stealth technolo-gy to pass through the air space ofintermediate hostile Arab nations.Israel could also launch Jericho

ballistic missiles with convention-al warheads, according to a 2009report by the Centre for Strategicand International Studies inWashington. Israel’s threeGerman-built Dolphin submarinesare believed to be capable of car-rying conventional and nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Theywould have to transit through

Egypt’s Suez Canal - as one didlast year - to reach the Gulf.Special forces might be deployedto spot targets and possibly launchsabotage attacks. Israel has alsobeen developing “cyber warfare”capabilities and could use thistogether with other activities byMossad secret service agents onthe ground, security sources say.

Israel would not want to riskdrawing in Iranian allies likeHezbollah, Hamas or Syria. Israelalso does not want to damage tieswith neutral Arab powers or theUnited States. And finally - speak-ing in favour of a short, sharpassault - its conventional forcesare designed for brief border wars,not prolonged action.-—Reuters

Abbas wantedHamas ‘toppled’in Gaza war JERUSALEM: Israeli ForeignMinister Avigdor Lieberman saidyesterday Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas urged Israel totopple Hamas in the Gaza war lastyear, then turned around andblamed Israel for war crimes.Lieberman said that raised ques-tions over Abbas’s fitness as aleader with whom Israel couldmake peace. “Over the past year,I witnessed (Abbas) at his best. InOperation Cast Lead, (he) calledus personally, applied pressureand demanded that we toppleHamas and remove it frompower,” he told Israel’s Maarivdaily.

“A month after the operationended, he filed a complaintagainst us with the InternationalCourt of Justice at The Hague forwar crimes. Is that a partner?” Anaide to Abbas vehemently deniedthe allegation, accusing the right-leaning Israeli government of try-ing to deepen the deadlock overUS-sponsored efforts to revivenegotiations. “This is not true. Itis a continuation of the (Israeli)campaign of defamation ... to cre-ate an atmosphere that woulddestroy any chance of salvagingthe peace process,” Abbas aideNabil Abu Rdainah said.

Israel launched its three-weekGaza offensive on Dec 27, 2008with the stated aim of stoppingrocket attacks by Hamas andother Palestinian factions. Suchattacks have tapered off since,though there has been sporadiccross-border violence.

The war’s Palestinian toll -1,400 dead, mostly non-combat-ants, while Israel lost 10 troopsand three civilians - drew fiercecensure abroad and stalled nego-tiations between Abbas and thenIsraeli Prime Minister EhudOlmert, a centrist. —Reuters

8 Tuesday, March 30, 2010INTERNATIONAL

ANKARA: Turkish Prime MinisterTayyip Erdogan said yesterday he didnot favour imposing economic sanctionsto pressure Iran into showing that it hasno covert nuclear weapons programme.Erdogan discussed different approacheswith visiting German Chancellor AngelaMerkel to international efforts to rein inIran’s nuclear ambitions, but made clearTurkey’s reluctance to back the use ofsanctions.

“We are of the view that sanctions isnot a healthy path and... that the bestroute is diplomacy,” he said at a jointnews conference with Merkel. Turkeyis a non-permanent member of the UN

Security Council and Erdogan said it hadnot yet reached a firm decision on how itwould vote on a US-backed sanctionsresolution. Merkel urged NATO allyAnkara to be ready to support the impo-sition of sanctions through the UnitedNations unless Iran shows transparencyto assure the international communitythat it has no ambitions for nuclearweapons.

“We would happy if Turkey votes inApril on the Iran issue together with theUnited States and the European Union,”she said. Turkey, frustrated by the slowprogress of its EU membership negotia-tions, doubts the effectiveness of sanc-

tions and its trade would inevitably suf-fer if sanctions were imposed on its fel-low Muslim neighbour. “Turkey sharesa 380 km border with Iran and it is an

important partner, especially in energy.When appraising our relations weshouldn’t ignore this,” Erdogan said.

He also raised doubts about theresults of three earlier rounds of mildersanctions against Iran. In an apparentlyveiled reference to Israel, the Turkishleader referred to another country in the

region that possessed nuclear weapons.The Jewish state is widely assumed tohave the bomb but has not declared itselfa nuclear-weapons state. “We are

against nuclear weapons in our region.But is there another country in ourregion that has nuclear weapons? Yes,there is. And have they been subjectedto sanctions? No,” Erdogan said.

Turkey is worried about the poten-tial for a nuclear arms race in the regionbetween Iran and Israel, though it does

not feel directly threatened by eithercountry. “If the world trusts us, wewould fine a middle path with Iran. Ihope that we will reach a result if we

continue to work,” Erdogan said.Despite good relations with Tehran,Erdogan’s own attempts to persuade theIranian leadership to make moves need-ed to allay international concerns haveso far come to naught.

Meanwhile, Turkey has urged theUnited States to block a bill branding the

World War I massacres of Armenians asgenocide, saying this was “critical” totheir relationship, the foreign ministrysaid yesterday. Turkish ForeignMinister Ahmet Davutoglu pressed hisUS counterpart Hillary Clinton in a tele-phone call Sunday to stop the resolutionfrom advancing to a full vote at theHouse of Representatives, a ministryspokesman said.

Davutoglu said that blocking the res-olution would be “of critical importanceto eliminate the negative impact it hashad” on Turkish-US ties and on peaceefforts between Turkey and Armenia,spokesman Burak Ozugergin said. The

US House’s Foreign Affairs Committeeapproved the resolution by a tiny marginin early March, prompting an infuriatedAnkara to recall its ambassador fromWashington. The non-binding text callson President Barack Obama to ensurethat US foreign policy reflects an under-standing of the “genocide” and to labelthe mass killings of Armenians underthe Ottoman Empire as such in his annu-al statement on the issue. Clinton hasurged the committee not to hold thevote for fear it might harm ties withTurkey, which is a prominent Muslimally, and Turkish-Armenian reconcilia-tion. —Agencies

Turkey makes case against sanctions on Iran

“The United States is thenumber one target for its oppres-sion and aggression againstMuslim nations particularly inIraq and Afghanistan and its blindsupport to Israel in its killings ofour Palestinian brethren,” Tankosaid, adjusting his starched bottlegreen kaftan. Thousands of BokoHaram Islamic sect militialaunched an armed insurrectionin July 2009 from their enclave inthe northern city of Maiduguriand several other cities in theregion in a doomed bid to estab-lish an Islamic state.

“We will launch fiercerattacks than Iraqi or AfghanMujahedeen (Islamic fighters)against our enemies throughoutthe world, particularly the US, ifthe chance avails itself within theconfines of what Islam prescribesbut for now our attention isfocused on Nigeria which is ourstarting point,” Tanko said, as heplaced a black file folder on hislap. Slim, dark, chin-bearded andsoft-spoken, Tanko, 30, betrayedno emotion as he spoke under adefoliated tree, intermittentlywiping sweat off his glisteningforehead with a white handker-chief, while his four colleaguesnodded in approval between paus-es.

The group draws its inspira-tion from the Afghan Taleban andsees Taleban spiritual leaderMullah Umar and the leader of AlQaeda, Osama bin Laden, as itschampions, Tanko said. “We seeMullah Umar and Osama binLaden as the true champions ofIslam who are fighting Allah’senemies and our allegiance andsupport go to them although wedon’t have any contact with themyet,” Tanko said. Tanko said thegroup was not daunted by thepolice’s extra-judicial killings ofits members by security forcesduring the July rebellion.Nigerian police and troopscrushed the uprising after a four-day street battle that claimedmore than 800 lives, mostly ofsect members. The killings, hesaid, “have made us more deter-mined and committed in ourstruggle. We are undeterred,”Tanko said in the local Hausadialect.

Former YugoslaviaIn another development,

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafihas suggested that Nigeria bebroken up into several statesalong ethnic lines like the formerYugoslavia, in comments likely toworsen a diplomatic spat withAfrica’s most populous nation.Nigeria recalled its ambassadorfrom Tripoli earlier this monthwhen Gaddafi proposed thatNigeria split into two countriesformed from the Muslim northand mainly Christian south.

His comment followed violentclashes between Muslim andChristian gangs that killed hun-dreds of people around the cen-tral Nigerian city of Jos andprompted Nigeria’s governmentto question whether Libya mightbe sponsoring the violence.Nigeria said Gaddafi’s commentswere insensitive and irresponsi-ble and “diminished his statusand credibility”. Responding tothe Nigerian government,Gaddafi repeated the idea of dis-mantling the country, but thistime suggested not two but sev-eral independent states for itsmultiple ethnic groups.

“The partition into Christianand Muslim states will notresolve Nigeria’s problemsbecause there are other peoplesclaiming independence despitethe religion issue,” official newsagency JANA cited Gaddafi assaying. He compared Nigeria tothe former Yugoslavia, whichcollapsed after the end of theSoviet Union and split into sev-eral independent states, spark-ing conflicts in Slovenia, Croatia,Bosnia-Herzegovina and thenKosovo.— Agencies

Nigeria ‘Taleban’ threatens to widen its terror activities

Gaddafi suggests Nigeria split along ethnic linesKANO: Nigeria’s self-styled Taleban militant Islamist sect, whose short-liveduprising was brutally put down by the security forces last year, has threat-ened to widen its activities beyond the borders. “Islam doesn’t recognise

international boundaries, we will carry out our operations anywhere in theworld if we can have the chance,” said Musa Tanko, spokesman of the BokoHaram sect, in a rare interview given to AFP on Sunday.

ROME: A man walks out of a polling box after casting his vote in downtown Rome. —AFP

ROME: Large numbers of Italians fed upwith bickering politicians shunned regionalelections on Sunday and yesterday, threat-ening a poor result for Prime Minister SilvioBerlusconi. With more than 41 million peo-ple eligible to vote for the governors of 13 ofItaly’s 20 regions, as well as the heads offour provinces and nearly 500 town halls,the ballot was seen as a gauge of support forBerlusconi two years into his third term.

The media tycoon campaigned exhaus-tively, urging supporters to avoid the lowturnout of this month’s French regionalelections which proved damaging forPresident Nicolas Sarkozy. But partial datafrom about 4,500 polling booths releasedjust after voting ended yesterday putturnout at 64.7 percent, down about 8 per-cent from the last regional vote in 2005.

“We are all a bit disgusted. I don’t havemuch of an opinion, but it’s clear they talkedlittle about content and a lot about politicalinfighting, which hasn’t pleased anyone,”said Rome voter Armando Rizzo.

Daniele Capezzone, spokesman forBerlusconi’s People of Freedom party(PDL), expressed concern about what hedescribed as “mass abstention” in the vote.Pollsters said voters were unhappy with the

failure of politicians to address their biggestworry-the threat of job losses-during a cam-paign focused on party infighting and a graftscandal involving a senior official close toBerlusconi.

After a turbulent 2009 for Berlusconimarked by a divorce, prostitution scandalsand legal battles to keep him out of court oncorruption charges, he is now being investi-gated for allegedly trying to shut down TVtalk shows critical of him.

If Berlusconi’s party fares badly in thevote he may be tempted to spend his wayback to favour. But his Economy MinisterGiulio Tremonti enjoys the support of theNorthern League, whose expected gainscould underpin his role as guardian of astrict line on spending that has stoppedItaly’s fiscal position deteriorating as badlyas its neighbours in the crisis.

PEOPLE ‘FED UP’ WITH POLITICS

Pollsters say mass abstentions are likelyto harm the government more than the cen-tre-left opposition, which was defeated byBerlusconi in the 2008 national election.Asked why he believed turnout was so low,another Rome voter, Marco Stella, toldReuters: “It’s clear that people are fed up

with all these political games.” Pollstersexpect the centre-right to keep control ofthe Lombardy and Veneto regions in theindustrial north and win Calabria and possi-bly Campania in the poorer south.

The centre left should hold on to at leastfive regions, four of them in its traditionalcentral heartland-Emilia Romagna,Tuscany, Umbria and Marche-and Basilicatain the south. Four other regions, includingPiedmont and the Lazio region whichincludes Rome, are too close to call.Berlusconi’s party suffered a serious set-back by missing a deadline for registering itslist of candidates for Rome, handicapping itscontender for governor of Lazio, RenataPolverini, against former EuropeanCommissioner Emma Bonino.

Besides the low turnout, the 73-year-oldprime minister also faced strong competi-tion for votes in the industrial north from hiscoalition partner, the anti-immigrantNorthern League. Polls point to the Leaguewinning in Veneto, neck-and-neck with thecentre left in Piedmont and performing sowell in Lombardy that League leaderUmberto Bossi talked openly this weekabout one day replacing the PDL’s currentmayor of Milan. — Reuters

Low turnout mars Italian vote

HOLLOKO: Hungarian girls dressed in traditional costume give paintedeggs to local boys after they try to pour water them in the main street oflocal village Holloko, about 100 kms north-east from Hungarian capitalBudapest during a presentation of traditional Easter celebrations in thisregion. Holloko, a World Heritage listed village, will celebrate Easter thisweekend with traditional ‘watering of the girls’ a fertility ritual rooted inHungarian tribes of pre-Christian past, going as far back as the second cen-tury after Christ. —AFP

OZD: The scenario is classic. Hungary’s economy isin crisis, its large Roma minority is an easy scape-goat, and a far-right party blaming “Gypsy crooks”and “welfare spongers” is set to be the big winner. Ifopinion polls are right, the nationalist Jobbik partyhas a chance of becoming the second biggest party inparliament after an election on April 11 and 25, deny-ing the centre-right favourites Fidesz a possible two-thirds majority.

“With its extreme populist rhetoric, Jobbik couldput the next government’s policy moves under pres-sure,” said political analyst Andras Giro-Szasz.“Jobbik can limit the popular mandate of the nextgovernment.” The Roma make up between 5 and 7percent of Hungary’s population and vilifying themhas proved Jobbik’s most successful tactic as an eco-nomic slump of more than 6 percent last year has leftmore than one in 10 Hungarians unemployed. Itsbiggest gains will be in places such as Ozd inHungary’s poor northeast, a steel town fallen on hardtimes, where it looks set to defeat the Socialists whohave held the seat for 16 years.

UNEMPLOYMENT HAS GROWNUnemployment has been above 20 percent in Ozd

for years, and one-third of the population is Roma.Jobbik (Movement For a Better Hungary) nearly beatFidesz there in the 2009 European Parliament elec-tion, and its popularity has only grown since. “Manyof us are sick of the way Gypsies think of welfare asa way of life,” said Andras Kemacs, a 27-year-oldmechanic in Ozd. “Jobbik impresses me with itsopenness about that.” Jobbik has also capitalised onpopular resentment towards the political elite,including Fidesz, which it calls corrupt. It hasdemonised the European Union and the InternationalMonetary Fund, which insisted on painful spendingcuts as a condition of bailing out Hungary’s publicfinances.

And it is media savvy, using the Internet so effec-tively that its appeal among young people, includingcollege students, surpasses that of any other partyexcept Fidesz. Polls show national support for Jobbik

nearing 20 percent among all decided voters. Thatputs it neck-and-neck with the ruling Socialists,while Fidesz has about 60 percent of the projectedvote. Those gains, splitting the right-wing vote aswell as stealing votes from the left, have erodedFidesz’s chances of winning the two-thirds majoritythat would be a platform for the broad reforms thateconomists say Hungary needs.

Hungary has struggled for years to streamline itsbloated government sector and trim public expendi-ture. The spending cuts have brought the budgetdeficit under control, but most public sector structur-al reform has lagged behind. The key reform requir-ing a two-thirds majority is a rationalisation ofHungary’s 3,200 local governments, which run hospi-tals and schools and are major drag on the state bud-get. Fidesz could also attempt a reform of notoriouslycorrupt party financing.

DECAY AND DESPAIRIn Ozd, the problems besetting Hungary, and

especially its Roma, are painfully evident. The col-lapse of communism after 1989 led to the closure ofOzd’s steel plant, the town’s number one employer,throwing 14,000 people out of work. Unskilled Romawere laid off first; most have not worked in the 20years since. Decay and despair in nearby villagesdrove thousands more to Ozd. Today, one-third ofthe 39,000 residents are Roma, says Lajos Berki,leader of the Gypsy Community Council. “About1,000 of us have more or less regular work,” Berkisaid.

“The rest live on welfare. There are problems,there is no denying that. A few thousand Gypsieshave caused real problems.” The Roma shantytownon the outskirts of Ozd, known as Hetes, bustles withactivity, but not paid work. Boys play soccer in thedirt outside the dilapidated homes, while adults chopillegally collected firewood or mill about idly. “I’mnot fixated on welfare,” said Gyula Budai, standingnear the only working tap that 500 Roma share.“Take it away, give us work, then you’ll see whowants to work and who doesn’t.”— Reuters

Far-right gains could put Hungary reforms at risk

Roma problem key to emerging radicalism

BELGRADE: Serbia will reopenone of the most painful chapters inits recent past this week whenparliament starts debatingwhether to apologise for thekilling of thousands of BosnianMuslims in Srebrenica in 1995.The debate comes after Serbiafirmly set its sights on joining theEuropean Union and will highlightBelgrade’s efforts to come toterms with the horrors carried outin the name of Serbs during the1990s wars-which many in Serbiastill deny.

“The Srebrenica resolution isnecessary to discuss in parliamentbecause with this Serbia wants todemonstrate our desire to moveto regional reconciliation anddemonstrate good neighbourlyrelations among the countries inthe region,” Prime MinisterMirko Cvetkovic told Reuters lastweek. The draft resolutionexpresses sympathy for victimsand apologises for not doingenough to prevent the massacre,carried out by Bosnian Serbs andSerbian paramilitaries, although itdoes not call the killings genocide.

It will be debated today andvoting could be the same day. Thetext also urges other formerYugoslav countries to pass resolu-tions condemning crimes againstSerbs. A few months before theend of the war that followed thecollapse of Yugoslavia, BosnianSerb forces commanded by Gen.Ratko Mladic killed about 8,000Bosnian Muslim men and boysfrom the town of Srebrenica,

which had been besieged andoverrun. The EU has made thecapture and extradition of Mladicto the United Nations war crimestribunal a condition for progress inBelgrade’s accession bid. Manypeople believe he is hiding inSerbia. In 2009, a EuropeanParliament resolution condemnedthe Srebrenica massacre as geno-cide and called on the region tocommemorate its July anniver-sary. The Serbian text, likely topass as it is backed by the ruling

coalition, is important to someinvestors as well as the EU.“There are a good number ofinvestors who won’t care one wayor the other, but for someinvestors this resolution may wellbe a signal that the worst is clear-ly over and Serbia is willing tomove on,” said Daniel Serwer,who was a US special envoy toBosnia in 1995.

LITTLE COMFORTA Serbian apology would be lit-

tle comfort for Bosnian Muslims

like Ilijas Pilav, a Sarajevo sur-geon who survived the July 1995attack by escaping through thewoods. Along with thousands ofother Muslim men and boys, hehad trekked for six days andnights through wilderness beforereaching safety. “This was anexperience that no words candescribe,” he said. “It has leftdeep traces on the rest of my lifeand no amount of time and nopolitical declaration can easethose memories.” —Reuters

Serbia to debate Srebrenica apology

BELGRADE: A Serbian traveler holds her passport while waiting at acheck-in counter at Belgrade’s airport. Serbs are taking advantage of a newregime, which means they can visit countries in the EU’s Schengen zonewithout a visa. —AFP

Ankara presses US to stop ‘genocide’ resolution

NAIROBI: Pirates seized a roll-on roll-off shipnamed MV Iceberg 1 with 24 crew members offthe port of Aden yesterday, a maritime monitor-ing agency said. It was the third ship reported tohave been seized by pirates in the waters off eastAfrica since Saturday. “The owners reported toNATO that pirates boarded the ro-ro vessel MVIceberg 1 today just 10 miles outside Aden Portin the Gulf of Aden,” said the Kenyan-basedEcoterra.

“The vessel with her 24 member crew is nowcommandeered towards the Somali coast.”Ecoterra gave no more information on thehijacked vessel. Somali buccaneers are highlyactive off the coast of Somalia, increasing therange of their attacks, acquiring millions of dol-lars in ransoms and defying a flotilla of foreignwarships that is trying to monitor the region’ssea lanes. Somali pirates also seized a Seychellesfishing boat and its six crew 60 miles off the coastof the archipelago’s main island, a pirate sourceand the boat owner’s sister said.

“We’ve been informed by the (Seychelles)

authorities ... that Somalis have captured theboat. When they were captured they were about60 miles off the island of Mahe,” said KerryMathieu, sister of the owner of the fishing boatGalate. “We had six crew on board, allSeychellois. We’ve had no contact with the crewsince they were hijacked,” she said. TheSeychelles coastguard’s acting chief, MajorGeorge Adeline, said it had a vessel monitoringthe hijacked boat, now 200 miles off the archipel-ago’s capital Mahe. A pirate source said twoships were hijacked at the weekend. “Wehijacked two boats on Saturday night and Sundayin the Indian Ocean,” pirate Hussein toldReuters. “One is an Iranian tourist boat with 21crew, and the other is a Seychelles boat with sixcrew.” There was no independent confirmationthat the Iranian boat had been seized. Sea gangshave plagued the busy shipping lanes off Somaliafor years. As well as holding some ships for ran-som, pirates also hijack vessels to use as ‘moth-erships’ which ferry the gunmen and their speed-boats far out to sea. — Reuters

Pirates hijack ship off port of Aden Vessels from Iran, Seychelles also captured

INTERNATIONAL 9Tuesday, March 30, 2010

ADRIAN: A Christian militiagroup was a target of at leastone of a series of weekend raidsthe FBI conducted in the statesof Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, aMichigan militia leader says.The FBI said that it had con-ducted raids in thoseMidwestern states, resulting inat least three arrests. Federalwarrants were sealed, but a fed-eral law enforcement officialspeaking on condition ofanonymity said some of thosearrested face gun charges andofficials are pursuing other sus-pects. Some of the suspects areexpected in court today.

It wasn’t clear what prompt-ed the raids, but MichaelLackomar, a spokesman for theSoutheast Michigan VolunteerMilitia, said one of his teamleaders got a frantic phone callSaturday evening from mem-bers of Hutaree, a Christianmilitia group. They said theirproperty in southeast Michiganwas being raided by the Bureauof Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearmsand Explosives, Lackomar said.“They said they were underattack by the ATF and wanted aplace to hide,” he said. “Myteam leader said, ‘No thanks.”’FBI spokeswoman SandraBerchtold confirmed the FBIhad been working in two south-east Michigan counties near theOhio state line but wouldn’t saywhether the raids were con-

SHANNON: US President Barack Obama’s strat-egy in Afghanistan is doomed to fail if AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai does not help rein in cor-ruption and improve governance in the battle-ground city of Kandahar, the senior US militaryofficer said yesterday. Admiral Mike Mullen’swarning about Kandahar increased pressure onKarzai and raised the stakes for what he cast as amake-or-break campaign that will determinewhether the US-led counterinsurgency can suc-ceed in reversing Taleban momentum. Speakingto reporters as he flew to Kabul for talks, Mullen,who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, alsosaid it was up to Karzai to decide whether to seekreconciliation with insurgent groups like Hezb-i-Islami, one of three factions fighting against for-eign troops in Afghanistan.

Mullen played down their chances until thewar shifts more decisively in Washington’s favor.“There’s a lot of activity. But I don’t see it asdeterminative, decisive activity at this point,”Mullen said. “I think it is premature. There’s noone that I’ve spoken to, at least on the Americanside, or actually, on the coalition side, that doesn’tthink we need to proceed from a position ofstrength... In my judgment, we’re not there yet.”Obama pressed the corruption issue when he vis-ited Afghanistan on Sunday, underlining U.S. con-cerns that Karzai has not done enough.

“We will be unable to succeed in Kandahar ifwe cannot eliminate a vast majority of corruptionthere and set up a legitimate governance struc-ture,” Mullen said. “If we can’t do that there, thenwe will not be able to succeed. We can succeedmilitarily, but it’s not going to work. That’s just afact.” A particular concern for Pentagon war plan-ners is Karzai’s reluctance to curtail the role ofhis half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, who headsKandahar’s provincial council and is considered

one of the most powerful figures in the south.Ahmad Wali Karzai has long been under

scrutiny because of reports linking him toAfghanistan’s heroin and opium trade, charges hedenies. He also has reported CIA ties-somethingthe US spy agency has neither confirmed nordenied. Mullen said Kandahar was Afghanistan’s“center of gravity” and the key to reversing theTaleban’s momentum this year, Obama’s goalwhen he ordered the deployment of 30,000 moretroops to lay the ground for a gradual withdrawalfrom mid-2011.

SECURITY AND GOVERNANCEMullen said Karzai must address questions

about corruption and governance in Kandahar,Afghanistan’s second-largest city. Asked if AhmadWali Karzai should be sidelined, Mullen said: “Ithink that’s something that President Karzai’sgoing to have to figure out... addressing the cor-ruption and governance issues in Kandahar. It’snot for us to figure out.” President Karzai haslong been dogged by accusations that members ofhis family are involved in drugs, but he says hehas seen no evidence of wrongdoing by his broth-er.

General Stanley McChrystal, the commanderof US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, envisionsa gradual campaign in Kandahar, known as thebirthplace of the Taleban, aimed at deliveringsecurity and governance, as opposed to one bigmilitary assault. McChrystal has told reportersthat troops will be at full force for Kandahar oper-ations by the early summer. “The only way tosucceed is to win back the confidence and supportof the population,” he told French daily Le Mondein an interview published on yesterday. “We haveto show that we’re working to protect and respectthe population, that we’re not trying to imposeour values.” — Reuters

Pentagon tells Karzai to rein in corruption

FBI hunts Xtian militia

MICHIGAN: Michigan State Police guard a home (center rear) on Tomer Street in Clayton, Mich afteran FBI raid of a home of a suspected militia leader. — AP

nected to Hutaree.FBI spokesman Scott Wilson

in Cleveland said agents arrest-ed two people Saturday afterraids in two Ohio towns. A thirdarrest made in northeast Illinoison Sunday stemmed from a raidSaturday just over the border innorthwest Indiana, both part ofan ongoing investigation led bythe FBI in Michigan, accordingto a statement from agents inIllinois.

Lackomar said his groupwasn’t affiliated with Hutareebut that a handful of that group’s

members twice attended train-ing sessions with the SoutheastMichigan Volunteer Militia thatfocused on survival training andshooting practice. On its web-site, Hutaree quotes severalBible passages and states: “Webelieve that one day, as prophe-cy says, there will be an Anti-Christ. ... Jesus wanted us to beready to defend ourselves usingthe sword and stay alive usingequipment.” The group didn’treturn an e-mail sent by TheAssociated Press and phonenumbers for the group’s leader-

ship were not immediatelyavailable.

Law enforcement swarmed arural, wooded property Saturdayevening near Adrian, about 70miles southwest of Detroit. Tworamshackle trailers sat side-by-side on the property, the door toone slightly ajar late Sunday asif it had been forced open.Phyllis Brugger, who has livedin the area for more than 30years, said some people wholived there were known as hav-ing ties to militia. They wouldshoot guns and often wore cam-

ouflage, according to Bruggerand her daughter, Heidi Wood.

“Everybody knew they weremilitia,” Brugger said. “Youdon’t mess with them.” InHammond, Indiana, 18-year-oldGeorge Ponce, who works at apizzeria next door to a homethat was raided, said he and afew co-workers stepped outsidefor a break Saturday night andsaw a swarm of law enforce-ment. “I heard a yell, ‘Get backinside!’ and saw a squad mem-ber pointing a rifle at us,” Poncesaid. — AP

Three netted in Midwest raidUS may send more trainers to fill gap left by NATO

KABUL: Any trip by a US presidentrequires careful planning, but sneakinghim into Afghanistan- a country in themidst of an eight-year war with Islamicmilitants-is a special case. Under the coverof darkness, President Barack Obamamade his first visit to Kabul on Sundaysince taking office nearly 15 months ago,finally putting his foot in a nation that, atleast in the foreign policy arena, has thepotential to define his presidency. Forsecurity reasons, the trip was cloaked insecrecy. He arrived at night and left whileit was still dark.

Reporters were barred from tellinganyone where they were going onSaturday evening as they made their wayto Andrews Air Force Base, where thepresidential aircraft is housed. Uponarrival, staff and members of the mediawere bussed to the hangar where a gleam-

ing Air Force One awaited. Normally theaircraft is positioned outside for the presi-dent’s arrival. But that night it stayedunder cover, taxiing out in darkness onceObama was on board to avoid alerting unin-volved military members at the base of itsdeparture.

Obama himself snuck into Andrews.After leaving the White House on Fridayafternoon with the “cover” of spending theweekend at Camp David, the presidentialretreat, he flew from there by helicopter tothe base on Saturday night to make thesecret trip. The president, a Democrat, hadbeen expected to come to Kabul for sometime since his inauguration in January2009. White House officials said weatherand logistical reasons thwarted previousattempts to make the trip.

Then, just over a week ago, they founda window. Obama canceled his visit to

Indonesia and Australia so he could stay inWashington while the House ofRepresentatives voted on, and ultimatelyapproved, his signature domestic policypriority, healthcare reform. That createdtime-not to mention political space-to visitthe country that will, by the end of thisyear, host nearly 100,000 US troops, amajority of whom will have come toAfghanistan under Obama’s watch.

NIGHT FLIGHTThe more than 12-hour flight to

Afghanistan passed quickly. Most peopleslept for the first part of the trip. Imaginewearing sweatshirts and jeans in whatwould be considered business class roomi-ness on one of the most famous planes inthe world to snooze in your seat. WhiteHouse national security staff briefedreporters in a conference room. Windowshades remained closed throughout the

flight. Around 7:30 p.m. local time, AirForce One landed at Bagram airfield,smoothly and without incident, in dark-ness.

Obama exited the aircraft, shook handswith the waiting greeters, and proceededto a helicopter to fly to President HamidKarzai’s palace in the city. The 14reporters accompanying the president andsome staff flew on a separate military heli-copter, sweeping over Kabul with windblowing through the open back end. A gun-ner stood at the window, scanning the darklandscape during flight. After landing, thereporters waited for word from PressSecretary Robert Gibbs that they couldannounce to the world that Obama was inAfghanistan. The journalists got their cellphones and blackberries back on the pres-ident’s plane after surrendering thembeforehand at Andrews. — Reuters

Surprise, secrecy: Anatomy of Obama’s Afghanistan trip

MONTERREY: Five people were killed in ashootout with soldiers near Monterrey, officialssaid, shortly after thousands held a protest marchin the northern Mexican city against the growingdrug-related violence in their region. “The deathtoll directly reported to us was of five people dead,three of whom were men who opened fire againstthe military, and two were women presumablyaccompanying the same men,” Nuevo Leon statesecurity chief Luis Carlos Trevino said. He saidtroops in Monterrey on Sunday were tipped off tothe presence of gunmen in a hotel in nearby SantaCatarina. When they got there, Trevino added, the

troops were met with a hail of gunfire.The shootout occurred shortly after some

8,000 people demonstrated peacefully in down-town Monterrey against the alarming violence inthe city of two million and surroundings. Trevinosaid gang warfare in the area this past weekbetween the Golfo drug cartel and its former hitsquad, the Zetas-mostly made up of former sol-diers-left almost 50 people dead.

More than 15,000 have died in suspected drugviolence in the past three years in Mexico despitethe deployment of some 50,000 soldiers acrossthe country. — AFP

5 killed in shootouts Mexicans march against violence

10 Tuesday, March 30, 2010INTERNATIONAL

TOKYO: Breakfast for parents at day-carecentres, laundry and nail-clipping done atschool, a pick-up service by teachers-theseare some of the requests from Japan’s so-called “monster parents”. The increasinglyoutrageous demands have driven teachers’stress levels to record heights and led theTokyo city government to publish a hand-book on tips to cope with them. More than60,000 teachers and other workers atTokyo’s public schools will get a copy bythe end of this month in a 10-million-yen(110,000-dollar) project.

“There are so many,” a Tokyo teachersaid as she recalled complaints her elemen-tary school has received. “A mother ringsus at 7:30 am and keeps nagging for twohours... One morning she was saying ‘Whydid you make my child speak before otherchildren? My child doesn’t like to make aspeech...’,” said the teacher. “They are

looking at their children alone and demandteachers attach special importance tothem,” she said, asking for anonymity.

Education critic Naoki Ogi, who has con-ducted a survey on “monster parents”-asthey have been dubbed by the media-saidthat behind the problem was the introduc-tion in the early 2000s of commercial prin-ciples in education. Many municipalitiesnow let parents choose which school theirchildren attend rather than allocating onedepending on the district they live in-mak-ing schools compete to woo students.

In a nation with one of the world’s low-est birthrates, the consequence was that“education has become a merchandise,”Ogi said. “Customers are ‘god’ at depart-ment stores with buyers having absolutesuperiority over sellers-and (in schools)parents are the buyers.” Even the royalfamily came under scrutiny this month after

the palace announced the crown princess’sonly child had skipped school after sufferingfrom anxiety due to “raucous” boys. “IsPrincess Masako a monster mother?” amagazine headline asked, amid a controver-sy over whether it was excessive to dis-close a school problem through a palacespokesman.

Ogi collected more than 700 examples ofmonster parents through educators andparents across the nation. His survey foundthat one teacher was asked to visit a pupil’shome every morning to pick the child up.Another teacher was urged to check weath-er forecasts and instruct children if theyneeded to carry umbrellas the next day.Schools had faced demands that they washchildren’s gym outfits, clip their nails-orredo a yearbook because a particular childwas not in many photos.

One mother argued that her child broke

a school window because the stone he usedshould not have been where he found it.She demanded compensation for the wagesshe missed through taking time off work tovisit the school over the issue. Ogi also saidhe had talked to an elementary schoolteacher who was asked by a mother to bringlunch for her child on an excursion day.

The teacher did because she was afraidthe child would not be able to join theexcursion otherwise-an example of mon-strous parents using their own children as“hostages” to make teachers do what theywant, Ogi said.

Government data show the number ofteachers absent from school due to mentalstress has more than tripled over the pastdecade, accounting for 63 percent of teach-ers on sick leave. And more than 26,000teachers and other school workers inTokyo have insured themselves against

lawsuits, up from only 1,300 a decade ago.Some stressed-out teachers have killedthemselves. A veteran caregiver set herselfon fire at a nursery in 2002 after receivingpersistent complaints for four months fromthe parents of a boy who had scratches afterscrambling for a book with other children.

She left a suicide note on her desk,according to her bereaved family’s lawyer,Toru Yamazaki. “I’m sorry. Please let mebe forgiven. I couldn’t keep my pride inthese four months,” the 10-page note read.The Tokyo handbook says the initialresponse by a school to a complaint isimportant to prevent it from escalating, not-ing that “an appropriate apology” shouldshow sympathy without necessarily accept-ing the complaint’s validity.

An example would be to say: “I’m sorryfor causing worries. I’ll talk to you againafter investigating what happened”, rather

than “I’m sorry for causing trouble, for ourinsufficiencies.” Shinichi Sekine, a com-plaint management advisor who oversawthe production of the handbook, said itwould “help teachers act appropriately ifthey have examples of incidents and theirpossible solutions in mind beforehand.”

Toyama City in central Japan made acase-study brochure for day-care workerslisting past issues, ranging from a requestfor breakfast for parents to a mother’s com-plaint that her short son was placed next toa tall boy in a class photograph. Educatorssuggest some “monster parents” lead iso-lated lives, having nobody in the neighbour-hood to consult on child-rearing. TheToyama City booklet says receiving com-plaints could be “an opportunity” to rescuetroubled parents who are seeking an outletfor their built-up stress. “Complaints can bea distress signal,” it says. —AFP

‘Monster parents’ plague Japan’s schools

A mystery explosion tore the1,200-tonne corvette in half inthe Yellow Sea Friday night nearthe tense disputed border withNorth Korea, in one of the coun-try’s worst sea disasters. Seoulofficials say there is no evidenceso far Pyongyang attacked theCheonan. However, DefenceMinister Kim Tae-Young said adrifting North Korean mine dat-ing back to the 1950-53 warmight have caused the blast, orthe North might have intentional-ly sent a mine floating towardsthe ship.

High waves, poor visibilityand strong currents thwartedefforts over the weekend to diveon the separate sections of the88-metre ship. Divers reachedboth sections yesterday andknocked on the hull but defenceofficials said no answeringsounds were heard. Rescuerssaid most of the missing crewmembers would have been in thestern section. There had beenspeculation some may have sur-vived in air pockets in watertightcompartments.

A total of 58 crewmen weresaved soon after the ship wentdown in near-freezing waters offBaengnyeong island near the dis-puted border, scene of deadlynaval clashes in 1999 and 2002and of a firefight last November.No-one has been rescued sincethen despite a major air and seasearch. Fourteen navy craft andsix coastguard ships backed up byaircraft were involved yesterday,plus a 3,200-tonne US salvageship with 15 divers.

Anguished family members,some weeping, demanded afaster rescue operation during abriefing at a navy command inPyeongtaek, south of Seoul. “Weare running out of time,” said adespairing woman in her 40s.Another woman collapsed duringthe briefing and was taken to hos-pital. There was a brief scufflewhen soldiers stopped angry rel-atives from breaking into anoffice. President Lee Myung-Bakhas called four emergency secu-rity meetings since the sinkingbut cautioned against jumping toconclusions about the cause.

“Do not give up hope thatthere could be survivors,” he toldsearchers earlier yesterday in astatement. “Look into the causesof the incident thoroughly andleave no single piece of doubtbehind.” Theories about thecause range from an explosioninside the corvette, which wasreportedly carrying torpedoes,depth charges, missiles and otherweaponry; a drifting mine possi-bly dating back to the war; or atorpedo attack from the North.US and South Korean militaryofficials say no unusual move-ments have been detected by theNorth, which has made no men-tion of the incident.

Defence Minister Kim toldparliament’s defence committeethere were no signs of a torpedoattack before the explosion, cit-ing accounts of rescued sailorswho were operating the ship’sradar. “It is possible that a NorthKorean sea mine could havedrifted into our area,” he said.The North brought in about 4,000mines from the Soviet Union dur-ing the war and placed about3,000 of them in the Yellow Seaand the Sea of Japan (East Sea),he said. — AFP

No sounds of life in sunken warship

Anguished families weep as hope fadesBAENGNYEONG ISLAND: Divers reached a sunken South Korean war-ship yesterday but heard no sounds of life from within the hull, dimminghopes that some of the 46 missing crewmen may have survived. “Our

navy divers knocked on the stern with hammers in the afternoon, but sofar there is no response from the inside,” said defence ministryspokesman Won Tae-Jae.

BAENGNYEONG ISLAND: South Korean Navy’s ship salvage unit members return to South KoreanNavy’s Landing Ship Tank transport vessel Seonginbong after their search for survivors from a sunkennavy ship yesterday. — AP

OKINAWA: Photo shows US helicopters and planes parked at Futenma USMarine Base in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. —AFP

TOKYO: US-Japan relations have been rattled bya row over an American military base since a cen-tre-left government took power in Tokyo morethan six months ago, ending a half-century of con-servative reign. The dispute centres on the con-troversial US Marine Corps Futenma Air Stationon the southern island of Okinawa, where localshave long complained of the heavy US militarypresence that started with the end of World WarII.

The air operations of Futenma, located in theurban area of Ginowan, had been due to be trans-ferred to Nago on the coast by 2014 under a pactstruck in 2006, when conservative governmentswere in power in Washington and Tokyo. Underthe deal, which was a decade in the making, about8,000 Marines and their dependants were also tobe transferred to the US territory of Guam, andthe land area of several US military facilitieswould be returned to Japan.

However, the government of Prime MinisterYukio Hatoyama and his left-leaning allieslaunched a review of the deal and said the unpop-ular base may have to be moved off Okinawa oreven outside Japan altogether. The idea has beenwelcomed in Okinawa, where anger has long sim-mered over aircraft noise and pollution from USbases, the risk of accidents, and crimes committedby US troops, especially the 1995 gang-rape of aschoolgirl.

Local opponents also say that building thereplacement base at Nago near the US CampSchwab, including new V-shaped offshore run-ways, would destroy a fragile marine habitat,home to corals and the rare sea mammal thedugong. The administration of US President

Barack Obama has repeatedly urged Tokyo tostick with the original agreement, arguing that itsbases on Okinawa are key to ensuring Japan’ssecurity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hatoyama, who has voiced admiration forObama but also pledged a more assertive Japaneseforeign policy, has been criticised for letting thedispute fester for months and has set himself anend-of-May deadline to resolve it. The presence ofUS military bases in Japan dates from the end ofWorld War II, when US forces under GeneralDouglas McArthur occupied the country. Theshattered country remained under US occupationuntil 1952, when it regained its independenceunder a war-renouncing constitution, and now itsformer enemy and occupier is Japan’s key securityally.

Many US bases in Japan have stirred angeramong local residents, among them also theMarine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchiprefecture and Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, thehub for the US air force in East Asia. Okinawa-which saw some of the bloodiest battles of WWII,and which was not returned to Japan until 1972 -has been the biggest flashpoint because it has byfar the heaviest US military presence in Japan.

The island hosts more than half of the 47,000US forces in Japan. Of the 85 US military facilitiesin the country, 33 are on Okinawa or tiny neigh-bouring islands. In terms of Japanese land provid-ed to US forces, 74 percent is on Okinawa.Futenma has been a particular focus of complaints,in part because it sits in the middle of a denselypopulated area where residents have to live withthe noise of military aircraft take-offs and land-ings. — AFP

Okinawa at the centre of US-Japan dispute

BEIJING: Rainfall in southernChina provided little respite formillions of residents sufferingfrom the worst drought in a centu-ry, a local official said yesterday.The army, meanwhile, begandelivering water to some of theworst-affected areas. Teams ofworkers in China’s southernprovince of Yunnan, whichreceived as much as 1.5 inches ofwater in some areas over theweekend, continued to dig anddrill for wells to ease water short-age needs, according to a directorat the Yunnan Land ResourcesBureau, who would give only hissurname Ma.

“It has been the worst droughtin 100 years, so it will take a lotmore than a few rainstorms toease it,” said Ma. “It has severelydried up our land.” In neighboringGuangxi, which is also seeing itsworst drought in a century, twomore cities, Liuzhou and Laibin,were added to the list of areasaffected by the drought as waterlevels dropped by as much as 90percent in some areas, accordingto the official Xinhua NewsAgency. About 61 million peoplehave been affected by the droughtand 12 million acres left barrensince last year in Guizhou,

Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing andGuangxi, Xinhua said. China’shuge land mass means droughtscan occur in one region whileother parts of the country experi-ence severe storms that can causefloods. “There has only been

enough rain to plant certain cropslike corn, but not enough to growrice or provide adequate drinkingwater,” Ma said. Authorities planto fire 520 cloud-seeding shells inthe drought-hit areas to createartificial precipitation, according

to Xinhua. It did not say when thatwould happen. China has experi-mented for decades with cloudseeding to induce rainfall.International scientists say therehas never been proof that suchmethods produce results.— AP

SEOUL: North Korea warned the US andSouth Korea yesterday of deadly conse-quences for engaging in “psychological war-fare” by allowing journalists into the heavilyfortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the twoKoreas. The stern statement was the firstfrom North Korea’s military since a SouthKorean naval ship sank in the tense watersnear the Koreas’ maritime border underunclear circumstances. It made no mention ofthe ship, submerged off the South Koreanisland of Baengnyeong as the mission to res-cue 46 missing seamen continued.

The area, just south of the disputed seaborder, has been the site of three bloody skir-mishes between the foes. However, SouthKorean and US officials say nothing suggestsNorth Korean involvement in Saturday’s sink-ing. The exact cause of the explosion that torea hole into the Cheonan and split it apart may

not be clear until the ship is salvaged after therescue operation, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the KoreanPeople’s Army accused South Korea of engag-ing in “psychological warfare” inside the DMZ,saying that allowing journalists into the zoneviolates the armistice agreement signed tostop the three-year Korean War in 1953. Thetwo Koreas remain in a state of war becausethey have never signed a formal peace treaty.Hundreds of thousands of troops on both sidesguard the 2.5-mile-wide DMZ. Security is tightand special permission is required to enter.Journalists and foreign tourists are allowed tovisit the truce village of Panmunjom. SouthKorea’s Defense Ministry, however, hasallowed some media organizations to enter theDMZ this year, the 60th anniversary of theoutbreak of the Korean War. “If the US and theSouth Korean authorities persist in their

wrong acts to misuse the DMZ for the inter-Korean confrontation despite our warnings,these will entail unpredictable incidentsincluding the loss of human lives in this areafor which the US side will be wholly to blame,”North Korea’s military warned in a statementcarried by the state-run Korean Central NewsAgency.

North Korea routinely issues such warn-ings to South Korea and the US, which has28,500 troops in the country. On Friday morn-ing, the military warned of “unprecedentednuclear strikes” if the foes sought to destabi-lize the communist nation. The threats havebeen more frequent since the US and SouthKorea embarked on routine joint military drillstaking place in March and April. North Koreacites the US troops’ presence on South Koreansoil as a reason for building up its nuclearweapons program. — AP

North Korea warns South on psychological warfare

Drought expands in China despite rain

LIUPANSHUI CITY: Children climb a mountain carrying bottles of water ontheir way home at Guoditang village in Liupanshui city, in southwest China’sdrought-hit Guizhou province. — AP

LONDON: Amnesty International called on Chinayesterday to say publicly how many people it exe-cutes each year, as the rights group published anannual report on the use of the death penaltyworldwide. More people are put to death in Chinathan in the rest of world altogether, and estimatesbased on the publicly available statistics “grosslyunder-represent” the actual numbers, said thereport. The true figure is likely to be “in the thou-sands,” said the London-based human rightsgroup, which also highlighted executions in Iran,Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

“The Chinese authorities claim that fewer exe-cutions are taking place. If this is true, why won’tthey tell the world how many people the state putto death?” said Claudio Cordone, Amnesty’s inter-im secretary general. “The death penalty is crueland degrading, and an affront to human dignity...No-one who is sentenced to death in Chinareceives a fair trial in accordance with internation-al human rights standards,” he added.

The report said that at least 714 people wereexecuted in 18 countries in 2009, while at least2,001 people were sentenced to death in 56 states.Besides China, the countries that executed themost people last year were Iran (at least 388); Iraq(at least 120); Saudi Arabia (at least 69); and theUnited States (52). “The past year saw capitalpunishment applied extensively to send politicalmessages, to silence opponents or to promotepolitical agendas in China, Iran and Sudan,”Amnesty said.

It said Iran executed 112 people in the eightweeks between President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in June andhis inauguration in August. Burundi and Togoabolished the death penalty for all crimes, takingto 95 the number of countries to have done this bythe end of 2009. Nine further countries have abol-ished it for ordinary crimes. Some 35 countriesretain the death penalty but are considered aboli-tionist in practice as they have not executed any-one in the past 10 years. That leaves 58 countriesthat retain the sentence for ordinary crimes.Methods used included beheading, electrocution,hanging, lethal injection, shooting and stoning.“Secrecy surrounds the use of the death penaltyin countries such as China, Belarus, Iran,Mongolia, North Korea and Vietnam. Such secre-cy is indefensible,” the report said. “If capital pun-ishment is a legitimate act of government as thesenations claim, there is no reason for its use to behidden from the public and international scrutiny.”The majority of the world’s executions took placein Asia, the Middle East and north Africa, the 41-page report said. In Asia, there were no execu-tions in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mongolia andPakistan last year, the first execution-free year inthose countries in recent times, it said. Thailandconducted its first two executions since 2003. Andfor the first time since Amnesty began keepingrecords, there were no executions in Europe in2009 - though Belarus killed two people in Marchthis year, it said. The report accused Iran andSaudi Arabia of violating international law by exe-cuting people at least seven people between themfor crimes commited whilst they were aged under18.— AFP

Amnesty blasts Beijingin death penalty report

INTERNATIONAL 11Tuesday, March 30, 2010

HELMAND: Tribal leaders listen to US Marine Brian Christmas (right),commander of 3rd Battalion as they gather in the desert for a meeting inSistani, Helmand province. The meeting or ‘shura’ took place between USMarines and some twenty Afghan tribal leaders from the restive areabetween Sistani and Marjah. — AFP

HYDERABAD: An Indian police officer approaches a bloodied man injured bypelting stones lying unconscious at the scene of clashes between two commu-nities in the Sha Ali Banda area of the old city of Hyderabad yesterday. — AFP

NEW DELHI: Disquiet is grow-ing in India that Pakistan is gain-ing the upper hand in a “proxywar” in Afghanistan as the twojuggle for influence in an end-game that risks a political vacuumif the US-led war winds down.Escalating distrust overAfghanistan may threaten tenta-tive India-Pakistan peace talksand herald more militant attackson Indian soil, experts say. Thereare also signs it is all gnawing atNew Delhi’s once strengtheningties with the United States.

Last week’s high level strate-gic dialogue between Pakistan’smilitary and US politicians inWashington, praise for Pakistan’scrackdown on Taleban command-ers and promises of swifter USaid have added to India’s sense ofplaying second fiddle. Underlyingthis is a perception that Westernpowers need Pakistan more thanIndia to broker any deal with theTaleban if there is any US troopswithdrawal, creating a potentialflashpoint in relations betweenthe emerging Asian economicpower and the West.

“There is a sense in India thatPakistan is increasingly cocky,”said Indian former secretary LalitMansingh. “Pakistan has a lotmore self-confidence they willhave a major role in Afghanistan,and America will be dependent onthem to deliver. New Delhi saw amilitant attack on a Kabul guesthouse that killed six Indians inFebruary as a signal of increasedPakistan assertiveness. It was thethird major attack against Indianinterests in two years.

Islamabad denies Pakistan-based militants were involved. Ina sign of what is often labelled aproxy war between the two overAfghanistan, Pakistan media has

accused India of being behind thekilling of some Pakistani workersin Kandahar in March. Pakistan’sofficials have long accused Indiaover covertly helping Baluch sep-aratists and claims several newIndian consulates in Afghanistanare spy centres. “India has to bemarginalised. India has no role inAfghanistan,” said formerPakistan foreign secretaryShamshad Ahmed Khan.“Americans ... also have recog-nised that Pakistan’s role in anyfuture Afghan settlement is cru-cial.

SECURING THE CROSS ROADS

Both India and Pakistan havefor decades sought to secureinfluence in this Central Asiangeopolitical crossroads andPresident Barack Obama’s public,if vague, time-table to start towithdraw military forces hasadded to an urgency to gain lever-

age. With the Taleban in powerduring the 1990s, India lost swayin Afghanistan. Under AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai, Indiaused economic clout, some $1.3billion in aid, to up it presencewith new consulates and the con-struction of power lines and high-ways. For New Delhi, it helpedguarantee Afghanistan would notbecome a harbour of militantswho could cross over to Kashmir.But the London conference onAfghanistan in January was aturning point for many in India. Itushered in the idea that Europeand the United States couldaccept getting certain Talebancommanders involved in a deal tobring stability to Afghanistan.

“There is a genuine sense ofdisappointment - even disbelief -that the US perspective on recon-ciling the Taleban evolved all tooabruptly, contrary to what Delhiwas given to understand,” said M

K Bhadrakumar, a former Indiandiplomat who has worked inIslamabad and Kabul. While a sig-nificant number of otherAfghanistan watchers say theeuphoria over London was over-done, and question especiallywhether Washington significantlysoftened its position on reconcili-ation with the Taeiban,Bhadrakumar’s view is commonin India. Karzai also hinted he wasnow focused more on Pakistan.

“India is a close friend ofAfghanistan but Pakistan is abrother of Afghanistan. Pakistanis a twin brother,” Karzai saidafter meeting Pakistan PrimeMinister Yusuf Raza Gilani inMarch. It wasn’t always like this.After the 2008 Mumbai attacks,the United States pressurisedIslamabad to rein in militants.Prime Minister Manmohan Singhwas feted in Washington monthsafter Hillary Clinton visited New

Delhi in 2009. Now many Indianscriticised what they saw as a tepidresponse by Washington to whatthey saw as a clear Pakistani linkto the attack on the Kabul guesthouse. “It is unfortunate that theObama administration has forgot-ten its fine rhetoric aboutstrengthening the forces ofdemocracy in Pakistan,” saidBhadrakumar. “The US hasreverted to good old-fashionedgeopolitics. The US currentAfPak approach has begun castingshadows on US-India ties.” It maynot all go Pakistan’s way.“Islamabad believes that thisstepped-up cooperation willenable it to win long-term conces-sions from the US, which wouldgive Pakistan a geopolitical bal-ance against India,” Eurasia ana-lyst Maria Kuusisto wrote in areport. “The US is likely to adopta highly cautious approach tothese Pakistani requests.”

MANOEUVREIndian officials believe that

while Islamabad is winning thePR war, India has room formanoeuvre-and the IndianExpress reported yesterday thatNew Delhi may be willing toreach out to some Taleban ele-ments to counter Pakistan.

“Of course Pakistan is bet-ter at shouting from therooftops,” said one Indian seniorgovernment official. “But weare not on the defensive. Theywill not get what they want.

But tension with Washingtonhas surfaced, with India mullinglegal action to force the UnitedStates to grant it access toDavid Headley, who admitted ina US court this month that hescouted targets for the Mumbaiattacks, which killed 166 peo-ple.— Reuters

Afghan end-game: India gets that sinking feeling

India ‘looking for room to manoeuvre’

KABUL: Afghan women are seen at a cemetery in Kabul. — AP

Pakistan’s plans to strip President Asif AliZardari of his sweeping powers hit a roadblock thismonth after opposition leader Nawaz Sharif raisedobjections to some elements of a constitutionreform package. Here’s how the future politicallandscape of the nuclear-armed ally of the UnitedStates might look if the reforms are passed by par-liament.

WHAT ARE THE REFORMS?A parliamentary committee consisting of mem-

bers from political parties has prepared a reformpackage proposing changes to about 100 clauses ofthe constitution, ranging from presidential powersto provincial autonomy to the renaming of theNorth West Frontier Province. Many of theseclauses were introduced in the constitution byPakistan’s past military rulers to maintain their gripon power. Pakistan’s two major political parties ledby Zardari and Sharif had vowed during the cam-paign for the 2008 elections to purge the constitu-tion of the changes, particularly the president’s vastpowers.

WHAT POWERS WILL THE PRESIDENT LOSE?

The clipping of the president’s powers willeffectively turn Zardari into a figurehead. The mostimportant powers to be taken from Zardari are hisauthority to dissolve the National Assembly, parlia-ment’s lower house. He will also lose the authorityto appoint the heads of the army, navy and air force.The proposed constitutional changes will alsorestrict the president’s role in the appointment ofjudges, the chief election commissioner and thenaming of a caretaker government before callinggeneral elections. The reforms also reduceZardari’s power to impose emergency rule in thecountry. The changes also call for the lifting of a baron becoming prime minister for a third time. Thismight allow Zardari’s top rival and two-time formerprime minister Nawaz Sharif to return to the corri-dors of powers after general elections due by 2013.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ZARDARI?After being reduced to a ceremonial head of

state, Zardari’s strength will lie with his rulingPakistan People’s Party (PPP). Zardari becamehead of the PPP after a suicide bombing killed hiswife and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto inDecember 2007. Though Zardari lacks his wife’scharisma and has been dogged by accusations ofcorruption, the PPP has remained largely intact. Itstood by him during the several political crises hefaced since becoming president in September 2008.Whether Zardari can retain his grip on the party

with the loss of his powers remains to be seen.WHO GAINS?

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani will emergeas the powerful head of government as most ofZardari’s powers transfer to him. Gilani had beenstaunchly loyal to Bhutto, though he did at timesdefy her during his stint as speaker of the NationalAssembly in the 1990s. Though there has beenmedia speculation of differences between Zardariand Gilani, the soft-spoken prime minister hasremained loyal to his leader and strongly defendedhim during a recent row between Zardari and judi-ciary over the appointment of judges. Look forGilani’s role to come under increased scrutiny afterthe major powers of the presidency pass to him.

WHERE ARE DIFFERENCES?While the committee has reached a consensus

on the powers of the president, prime ministerand the parliament, there are differences betweenSharif’s party, which is second biggest party inthe parliament, and rest of the parties overrenaming the mainly ethnic Pashtun North WestFrontier Province (NWFP) and the method ofjudicial appointments.

While Pashtun nationalists want a new namehighlighting the dominant ethnicity of theprovince, Sharif’s party fears such a move maydent its support among non-Pashtun ethnicgroups there. Sharif, who spearheaded a popu-lar campaign for the restoration of judges sackedby former military President Pervez Musharrafand who forced Zardari into reinstating ChiefJustice Iftikhar Chaudhry and his fellow judgeslast year, also raised objections over the methodof appointing judges to the superior court. Hewants the chief justice to have more say than thegovernment in the appointment of judges.

WHAT ABOUT THE MILITARY?Although the army has ruled Pakistan for

more than half of its 61 history of independence,the chances of another military coup are negligi-ble. Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani hasvowed to keep the military out of politics.However, analysts say the army is expected toretain its dominant role in political affairs, just asit did when it played a behind the scenes role lastyear to end a confrontation between Zardari andSharif over the restoration of judges. The armywould also maintain its influence in other keyspheres such as Afghan policy, the fight againstIslamist militants and relations with old rivalIndia, analysts say. — Reuters

HYDERABAD: Authorities fired tear gas andwarning shots and swung batons yesterday todisperse crowds of angry Hindus and Muslimswho attacked each other with stones and clubsin southern India, where more than 75 peoplehave been injured. Communal rioting broke outSaturday in Hyderabad, capital of southernAndhra Pradesh state, and about 1,600 paramili-tary soldiers and police have been deployed tocalm the situation, AK Khan, city police com-missioner, told reporters.

Hyderabad has a population of 8 million,nearly 40 percent Muslims. The last majorHindu-Muslim rioting in Hyderabad took placein 1990, killing 200 people. The city had beenmostly peaceful since then. Trouble started afterMuslims hoisted green flags as part of celebra-tions of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH)birthday a month ago but never removed them.Clashes erupted Saturday between the two com-munities after Hindus attempted to replace thegreen flags with saffron ones to celebrate aHindu festival.

Violence continued Sunday with dozens ofvehicles torched and half a dozen mosques andtemples damaged, Khan said. More than 75 peo-ple have been injured since Saturday, he said.Hostilities persisted yesterday despite policebanning the assembly of more than five peoplein one place and closing markets and schools forthe day, he said. Police fired warning shots intothe air to control crowds and imposed an indefi-nite curfew in parts of India’s key informationtechnology hub - a base for Google, Microsoft,and IBM. Eighty-six people from both communi-ties have been arrested.

Hindus make up more than 80 percent ofIndia’s population, and Muslims comprise nearly14 percent. Tensions remain between Hindusand Muslims since the bloody partition of thesubcontinent into India and Pakistan after gain-ing independence from Britain in 1947. InIndia’s Gujarat state, Hindu mobs rampagedthrough Muslim neighborhoods, towns and vil-lages between February-April 2002, leavingabout 1,000 people dead. — AP

Pakistan constitution reform plan drags on

Hindu-Muslim clashes injure scores in India

FORT CARSON: Two young American soldiers incombat gear sit at a small table in a concrete blockbuilding, politely but insistently questioning a 66-year-old Afghan actor playing the role of a villageelder. Outside, in the thick red mud of a remote FortCarson valley, other soldiers crouch in defensivepositions, peering into their rifle sights in the coldmorning.

But inside, the soldiers are learning to negotiate,rather than shoot, trying to coax information from theAfghan elder about bomb-makers in a nearby village.The soldiers are among about 4,000 members of FortCarson’s 1st Brigade Combat Team and supportingunits who will deploy to Afghanistan this summer.They’re practicing counterinsurgency tactics, culti-vating trust and cooperation with the Afghan peopleat the same time they wage war on the insurgents.

The Army’s top commanders and planners saythat strategy is the key to success in Afghanistan.“Understanding the culture, and the impact of youractions on the cultures, is so essential to mission suc-cess that you won’t succeed without it,” Gen GeorgeW Casey, the Army chief of staff, said during a visit toFort Carson this month. The strategy, detailed in a2006 Army manual, is a dramatic change in US coun-terinsurgency doctrine, shifting the focus from theenemy to the population, said Conrad Crane, directorof the Army Military History Institute at the ArmyWar College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

“If you work with the people, the people are goingto give you the intelligence you need for the nextoperation,” said Crane, the lead author of the newdoctrine. “It’s a revolutionary type of intelligence.”The success of the approach will be measured by howmuch support and information the soldiers get, hesaid. “Are they telling you where the explosives are,are they telling you where the bad guys are?” Thestrategy is getting its first major test in Afghanistanin Helmand province, where 10,000 US, NATO andAfghan troops pushed the Taleban out of the town ofMarjah in February.

The allies are now trying to win over the towns-people with good governance, public services and aid.Making it work in the long run will be tough, said

Rick “Ozzie” Nelson, a counterterrorism expert atthe Center for Strategic and International Studies.The basic level of cultural knowledge and languageskills the soldiers are getting might not be enough tonavigate through Afghanistan’s intricate web of eth-nic and tribal groups, he said.

But any level of skills will help, Nelson said, not-ing, “There didn’t used to be any cultural training.”At Fort Carson, several hundred soldiers from the 1stBrigade are being schooled in the details of Afghanreligion, history, geography and tribal structure andtaking lessons in Dari, one of Afghanistan’s lan-guages. They’ll learn between 600 and 1,500 Dariwords, including basic greetings, requests for IDs andfriendly questions like “How are you doing” and“How is your family,” said Mowafiq Al-Anazi, anassociate dean at the Defense Language Institute inMonterey, California. “We see language and culturevery inextricably intertwined,” said Army Col SueAnn Sandusky, commandant at the institute.

“You’re learning a language in order to be able tocommucate and understand communication, and todo that you have to be able to place the words and lan-guage in the cultural context.” The soldiers still trainfor combat, too. After meeting with the village elderin the Fort Carson exercise, the platoon wasambushed a few miles away by other soldiers playingthe role of Taleban fighters. In a chaotic gunbattlewaged with blanks, the shouting and cursing platoonovercame the attackers and summoned a BlackHawk helicopter to evacuate a soldier with a make-believe wound.

The next day, another platoon attacked targets ina live-fire exercise, unleashing an ear-splitting bar-rage with automatic rifles, machine guns and anti-tank weapons and calling in Apache helicopters toblast the target with missiles and cannons. Veteransand relative newcomers in the 1st Brigade say bothcombat training and cultural training will help whenthey get to Afghanistan. “If you get the people onyour side, the enemy will go away,” said CommandSgt Maj Martin Kelley, a 24-year Army veteran whohas served three deployments to Iraq as well as pre-vious stints in Bosnia and Kuwait. — AP

US troops training for both combat and conversation

WASHINGTON: The United States and India have reached anagreement on reprocessing nuclear material, clearing a major hur-dle in putting into practice a landmark atomic energy pact, officialssaid yesterday. The agreement, reached after months of painstak-ing negotiations, would allow India to reprocess spent nuclear fuelfrom the United States for civilian energy purposes. “Completionof these arrangements will facilitate participation by US firms inIndia’s rapidly expanding civil nuclear energy sector,” the StateDepartment said in a statement.

The United States and India signed their nuclear agreement in2008, a signature part of the deepening relationship between theworld’s two largest democracies. India had been in the nuclearwilderness for decades due to its nuclear weapons program andrefusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But US com-panies have yet to benefit from the 2008 agreement because of lin-gering technicalities needed to operationalize the deal. While theprocessing deal clears the last major hurdle between the twonations, the United States also wants India to sort out severaladditional issues, including limiting the liability of companies inthe case of an accident. — AFP

LAHORE: A Pakistani courtyesterday rejected a petitionby disgraced nuclear scientistAbdul Qadeer Khan challeng-ing restrictions on his move-ments, a government lawyersaid. The father of Pakistan’snuclear programme, Khan wasat the centre of the world’sbiggest nuclear proliferationscandal in 2004 when he con-fessed to selling nuclearsecrets to Iran, North Koreaand Libya.

Last year, the governmentrelaxed restrictions on thenuclear scientist after fiveyears of house arrest follow-ing revelations about his rolein the nuclear smuggling. Hewas still barred him from talk-ing to the media and requiredto travel with security guards.“The court maintained theoriginal order (on restrictionson Khan’s movement),” saidAttorney General AnwarMasoor. Khan had filed a peti-tion challenging the govern-ment’s stand that the restric-tions had been placed for hisown safety.

Khan was earlier alsorequired to give 24 hours’notice to authorities beforeleaving his home. In a smallconcession, the Lahore HighCourt yesterday reduced thereporting requirement to 30minutes but kept the restric-tions on talking to the mediaabout nuclear proliferation orthe Pakistani weapons pro-gramme.

Khan’s lawyer, Ali Zafar,said his client would be a “free

man” as long as he informedthe government about hismovement.

In a related ruling, thecourt rejected a governmentpetition filed earlier thismonth seeking to open aninvestigation on charges thatKhan tried to sell nuclearsecrets and equipment to Iraqand Iran in the 1990s. “Thejudge said it’s up the govern-ment,” said Soofi Amar Bilal,another government lawyer“If they want to do it, it’s anexecutive decision.”

The petition by thePakistan government for courtpermission to investigateKhan came days before strate-gic talks between the UnitedStates and Pakistan last week,where Islamabad asked for acivilian nuclear deal similar tothe one between India andWashington.

Islamabad has faced callsin the past to fully crack downon the nuclear smuggling net-work. Pakistani authoritiesdeny any connection toKhan’s smuggling ring buthave never let foreign investi-gators question him. There iswidespread belief in Pakistanthat Khan was the scapegoatfor an international conspira-cy against the country’snuclear programme. Pakistan,which has not signed theNuclear Non-ProliferationTreaty, conducted severalnuclear tests in 1998 but isthought to have had the capa-bility to produce bombs fromas early as 1986. — Reuters

US, India seal key part of nuke deal

Court keeps curbs on Pakistan nuke scientist

OPINION12 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULFESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher YOUSUF S. ALYAN

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By Anna Smolchenko

Attacks yesterday in theheart of Moscowexposed strongman

Vladimir Putin’s failure after adecade of effort to resolve sepa-ratist violence entrenched inRussia’s North Caucasus, ana-lysts said. As a result, the rela-tively progressive agenda ofPutin’s protege and successorin the Kremlin, PresidentDmitry Medvedev, may bepushed to the back burner asthe leadership refocuses on theCaucasus, they said. “This is afailure of Putin’s policies in theNorth Caucasus,” saidAlexander Golts, an indepen-dent security analyst. “Any actof terror is a failure of the spe-cial services. And the specialservices are the Kremlin’sbeloved child.”

One of the two suicide bombattacks Monday occurred underthe nose of Russia’s FSB secu-rity service, successor to theSoviet KGB once led by Putinthat has been key in counteringmilitants in Chechnya and else-where. The blasts that killed 37during morning rush hour incentral Moscow came after theKremlin with much fanfareended its decade-long militarycrackdown in Chechnya last

April, claiming stability hadreturned to the volatile region.

Since then however attackson federal personnel inChechnya and neighbouringDagestan and Ingushetia have

only intensified and Medvedevin November said instability inthe region remains Russia’ssingle biggest problem. By abol-ishing the anti-terror operation,the Kremlin essentially handed

Chechnya’s youthful leaderRamzan Kadyrov, a controver-sial figure detested by rightsactivists, carte blanche to runthe republic as he deems fit.

In January, Medvedev

appointed a new envoy,Alexander Khloponin, taskinghim with economic develop-ment of the region where abjectpoverty and chronic unemploy-ment provide fertile recruitingground for militants.

Many say the situation isunlikely to improve anytimesoon and some complain thatthe FSB is more interested inkeeping a lid on political dissentthan on the daily grind of track-ing down militants and prevent-ing attacks. Keeping dissidentsin check “is less dangerouswork,” Golts said sarcastically.

Putin rose to power in 1999on famous pledges to “wipe outthem out in the outhouse” and,in a similar comment after yes-terday’s attacks, said: “The ter-rorists will be destroyed.”Aides said Putin was rushingback to Moscow from a visit toSiberia, an indication of theseriousness with which heviewed yesterday’s attacks.

Medvedev, whose two yearsin office have centred so far onpromoting a few liberal reforms,has also recently ramped up hisrhetoric against militants in theNorth Caucasus. “This is a chal-lenge for the country’s politicalleadership,” acknowledgedMikhail Grishankov, firstdeputy chairman of the State

Duma security committee withthe rank of FSB colonel.

Gleb Pavlovsky, anotherpolitical analyst known for hisclose links to the Kremlin, saidMonday’s suicide attacks woulddivert its attention from its cur-rent drive to moderniseRussian society and forece it toadopt a more muscular stance.“This will reduce attention tothe modernization. The currentpolitical agenda will becomesomewhat militarised,”Pavlovsky told AFP. “Publicopinion will change and this isexactly what the terrorists areafter.”

The most important issuefor the security services in thedays ahead will be to seewhether the bombings herald awider terror campaign like thatwhich led up to the Beslanhostage crisis in 2004,Pavlovsky said. But will thebombings be a major blow to theimage of the country’s rulingtandem, leading people to taketo the streets or pressureauthorities into changing theirCaucasus policies? Not inRussia, say analysts, wheresociety remains highly apoliti-cal. “The public logic is simple,”said Golts. “‘I survived, myfamily survived,’ they will crossthemselves and go on.” — AFP

Attacks lay bare Putin failure in Caucasus

In this image made from television, blast victims lie in a subway train hitby an explosion at Moscow’s Lubyanka station yesterday shortly afterthe blast. – AP

By Gavin Jones

If Italy has so far avoidedthe drastic publicfinance deterioration,

ratings downgrades andsharply rising bond yields ofmany of its neighbours, themerit lies firmly withEconomy Minister GiulioTremonti. Tremonti’sstanding has risen more forwhat he hasn’t done thanwhat he has: the 62-year-oldformer tax lawyer hasresisted pressure to cuttaxes or present any majoreconomic stimulus of thekind adopted by most of hisEuropean peers.

In many ways he is anunlikely champion of fiscalvirtue and his past recordmeant many economistswinced when he took overin 2008 from the highlyrespected former centralbanker Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa after the centre-right’s resounding electionwin. Yet he has undergonesuch a remarkable transfor-mation in markets’ consid-eration that any hint hecould lose his post is nowprobably the highest ofItaly’s political risks.

“Tremonti was right toinsist that Italy, with itshuge stock of debt, couldn’tafford the kind of sweepingstimulus measures we sawin places like Spain andBritain,” said Raj Badiani ofIHS Global Insight. “Italyneeds to deflect any conta-gion from what is happeningin Greece and to a lesserextent Portugal and it’s cru-cial for its credibility thatTremonti stays where heis.”

While Greece’s publicdebt, at an estimated 113.4percent of gross domesticproduct last year, was mar-ginally below Italy’s 115.8percent, the Greek annualbudget deficit, at 12.7 per-cent, was more than doubleItaly’s 5.3 percent.Tremonti has staunchlyrejected cabinet calls forexpansionary policies andmarkets will hope he canhold the line if the results ofregional elections onSunday and Monday temptPrime Minister SilvioBerlusconi to raise spend-ing.

“We haven’t been immo-bile on the things that couldbe done, we have beenimmovable on the thingsthat couldn’t be done,”Tremonti told parliamentthis month. “If we had cho-sen to raise the deficit anddebt we would have hadmore crisis, not less.”Tremonti, who is close toand defended by the pro-autonomy Northern Leagueparty, does not appear inany immediate danger.However he has many ene-mies in the centre-right blocand was briefly ousted bycoalition infighting in 2004,during Berlusconi’s previ-

ous administration.There have been recent

reports of frictions withBerlusconi himself asTremonti has appeared tobe manoeuvring as a possi-ble successor to the 73-year-old media tycoon.Tremonti was widely criti-cised for inertia as the glob-al financial crisis unfoldedfrom the summer of 2008and his partners around theeuro zone unveiledgrandiose stimulus pro-grams aimed at avoidingrecession.

Tremonti bucked thetrend by maintaining a vir-tually neutral budget stancewhile adopting some minorbut headline grabbing mea-sures to help firms and poorfamilies which hardlyweighed on the publicpurse. The euro zone’s thirdlargest economy wentthrough its deepest post-war recession, but so didvirtually the whole of the 16nation currency bloc. AndItaly, unlike Greece, Spain,Portugal, Ireland, Britainand others, did not let itsbudget deficit sky-rocket byfour- or five-fold.

Italy’s deficit nearly dou-bled in 2009 as a proportionof gross domestic product,but that deterioration wasdue almost entirely to therecord 5 percent contractionin GDP rather than a rise indiscretionary spending ortax cuts. Tremonti’s stockbegan to rise as his cau-tious, “do-nothing” stancereceived plaudits from theInternational MonetaryFund, ratings agencies andmarket economists. Aseconomy minister between2001 and 2006 he was farfrom a model of fiscal rigouras he oversaw high deficitsand was frowned on for hissecuritisation operationsand tax amnesties.

Tremonti, who lacks aneconomic background andspeaks little English, hasnever been a big-hitter inEuropean decision makingand Italian proposals for himto replace Jean-ClaudeJuncker this year as presi-dent of euro zone financeministers were brusquelydismissed by most policy-makers.

Often lampooned domes-tically for a bookish manner,a speech defect and a habit ofpeppering his language withLatin, Tremonti hasnonetheless come to be seenas the anchor of Italy’s finan-cial stability. “Tremontidoesn’t speak English, henever says anything atmeetings and no-one listensto him when he does speak,”one European insider toldReuters on condition he notbe named. Yet the same offi-cial acknowledged Tremontihad performed a “miracle”by keeping at bay Italiancabinet colleagues clamour-ing for an increase in spend-ing. — Reuters

issues

Tremonti hailedfor doing nothing

Iran strike would test resilient Israeli marketsBy Douglas Hamilton

Astrike by Israel on Iran’snuclear facilities could triggerwar with unforeseen conse-

quences, testing the remarkableresilience displayed by Israeli marketsduring previous conflicts. Israel’s high-tech economy was unfazed by the 2003invasion of Iraq, the 2006 war withLebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah militia andlast winter’s war on Hamas Islamists inthe Gaza Strip. “As long as we’re look-ing at something short term ... thatdoes not impact the economy as awhole from the long-term perspective,I think the markets factor it in and arealready looking at the day after,” saidJonathan Katz, macro-economic strate-gist at HSBC Tel Aviv.

The uncertainties are huge. A clashwith Iran, which sponsors Arab andPalestinian forces north and south ofIsrael, might be limited in duration orset off violence lasting years. The longPalestinian Intifada (uprising) of 2000-2005, when Israel was attacked byPalestinian suicide bombers and manydied on both sides, had a “crushing”impact on growth, says Katz.Unemployment in Israel rose to dou-ble-digits and the ratings agencies putIsrael’s debt on negative watch.

The picture over the past threeyears was far brighter. Israel’s $203 bil-lion economy grew by 4.4 percent inthe last quarter of 2009 its fastest innearly 2 years. Israel forecasts 3.5 per-cent overall growth in 2010 - a rate ana-lysts say is partly as a result of theIntifada dying out. The calm has alsobenefited Palestinians in the occupiedWest Bank, where growth is estimatedat 7-8 percent a year. Katz saysfinanciers aware of the Iran risk con-stantly ask him: “How long might itlast? How far might it spread? It’s real-ly a tough call to make,” he says. “If it’sa short-term conflict, let’s say up to amonth ... and the outcome is positive

for Israel, if we can postpone thenuclear threat from Iran, then I thinkwhat we’ll have at the end of the day,probably, is the markets moving high-er”. Investors looking at recent con-flicts find some reassurance. The lasttime Israel was hit by long-range mis-siles was in the Gulf War of 1991, whena US-led coalition acted after Iraq’sinvasion of Kuwait. There was an overt,six-month military build-up ahead ofthe six-week conflict. Gas-masks weredistributed in Israel and the agitationprecipitated a Tel Aviv market sell-off.But Israel kept out of the war andalthough its cities were targeted by 39Iraqi Scud missiles, Saddam had nomass-destruction warheads and onlyone Israeli was killed. Markets rapidlyrecovered.

In 2003, investors held on as USforces toppled Saddam Hussein,removing his government in fiveweeks, ultimately at a huge cost to Iraqitself and to Washington’s coffers. TheTA-25 climbed from 340 to 384, theshekel from 4.747 to 4.52 against thedollar on the day then PresidentGeorge W Bush declared “MissionAccomplished”. With Lebanon andGaza, the shekel was barely affected.The bills for both, in infrastructure andenvironmental damage, were heavy -some $3.5 billion for Israel in 2006 and$5.0 billion for Lebanon. Gaza rebuild-ing will cost at least $2 billion. The billfor Israel’s offensive is about $1.5 bil-lion.

The Lebanon war brought a 34-dayshutdown of industry in the north,depressing GDP by 0.9 percent. TheGaza war hit farming in the south, butnever seriously threatened industry.There was no significant flight of capi-tal from Israel and no shekel currencycollapse during either conflict. Threelife science companies were bought upfor about $1 billion total in the twomonths after the Gaza war ended.

Israel’s innovative technology and

bioscience sectors are a magnet forglobal companies such as Intel,Microsoft, Motorola, Google, AppliedMaterials, HP, Deutsche Telekom andSamsung. Corporations investing inIsrael know “it’s the Middle East”, saysKatz. “No one is bolting for the door.”

Nevertheless, the political and securityunpredictability around Israel doesdrive up the cost of doing businessthere, as well as its own credit ratingand borrowing costs. “One of the rea-sons Israel is rated where it is, in themiddle of the A category, is geopolitical

risk,” says Richard Fox, head of MiddleEast and Africa Sovereign Ratings atFitch. “It’s a fact that volatility hascosts on the fiscal side. The problemwith Iran is that it is uncharted territo-ry. There are lots of scenarios you canenvisage.” — Reuters

By Cam McGrath

Fleets of “pink” taxis, driven by women, are cruisingthe streets of Middle East cities, providing a safe andcomfortable ride for women wary of getting into taxis

driven by men. “Many times I had problems with (male) dri-vers acting indecently,” said Noha Mohammed, a veiledEgyptian housewife. “When I told my husband, he refusedto let me take taxis, but he wasn’t always available to driveme places, and so I stayed home. When I heard that therewere taxis with women drivers, I was excited.”

Iran rolled out its first women-only taxis in late 2006.The United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait andEgypt have also added such services. Proponents say theseservices improve the mobility of women in conservativeMiddle East societies and reduce the risk of sexual harass-ment. But critics warn they may reinforce the segregationof women and undermine hard-won advances in genderequality.

Nawal Yaghi Fakhri, owner of Banet Taxi, said shelaunched her women-only taxi service in Beirut in March2009 as a safe and convenient alternative to regular taxis.The company’s 10 signature hot-pink Peugeots servewomen traveling alone or with their family. “Women takemore care in driving than men,” Fakhri told dpa. “And ourfemale clients may feel more comfortable for other rea-sons.”

Those other reasons may include fear of sexual harass-ment and rape, amid a large number of reported casesinvolve taxis and public transport. Police have advisedwomen to avoid traveling unaccompanied, especially atnight. Some Middle East countries have also designatedsections on buses and trains exclusively for female passen-gers.

Nihad Abu Al-Komsan, head of the Egyptian Center forWomen’s Rights (ECWR), says that while more needs to bedone to protect women from sexual harassment and assault,women-only transportation is a “naive solution” to a com-

plex problem. “These services represent a setback to move-ments for the equality of men and women,” she said. “Theyisolate women from society without addressing the (rootcauses of) problems such as sexual harassment ... and theyreduce women’s participation in public life.”

Some argue, however, that women-only transportationservices respect cultural values while enabling women toparticipate more freely and independently. “This is a tradi-tional Arab country and it is not easy for ladies to take a reg-ular taxi,” said Mohamed Hassan, an agent at Dubai’s Roadand Transport Authority (RTA), which supervises the city’swomen-only taxi dispatch service. “The pink taxis make iteasier for ladies to go to work or activities, and this helpsthem (integrate with) society.”

City Cab, which runs a fleet of metered taxis in Cairo,launched its women-only service last month in response tohigh customer demand. “More than 60 per cent of ourclients are women asking for female drivers,” said Imad Al-Din Abdel-Rahman, the company’s assistant manager. “Wehave eight female drivers now and will hire more soon.”

City Cab’s “pink” taxis are glossy yellow, like the rest ofits fleet. Abdel-Rahman hopes Cairo’s governor will recon-sider the firm’s request to paint the cars a distinguishingshade of lavender. “The color causes confusion,” he said.“The service is just for women. Of course if a woman comeswith her husband we cannot refuse.”

Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, hasendorsed the concept of women-driven taxis, provided theyserve only female clientele. In a fatwa it urged authorities topass legislation to ensure the safety of women who work inthis field. Most pink services in the region provide safetytraining for their female drivers and some operate only dur-ing daylight hours. While the restricted hours are intendedto protect the drivers, it means the service is not availablewhen needed most. “Most problems happen at night,” saidDina Adil, an Egyptian university student. “(Male) taxi dri-vers eye you up in the rear-view mirror and make lewdcomments or sexual advances. — dpa

Women feel safer in ‘pink taxis’

13Tuesday, March 30, 2010 ANALYSIS

By Zeeshan Haider and Robert Birsel

Buoyant US-Pakistanirelations are beingunderpinned by converg-

ing interests over Afghanistanbut strains could emerge ifPakistan’s expectations for UShelp are not met and it feels it isbeing used. Pakistani ForeignMinister Shah MehmoodQureshi and US Secretary ofState Hillary Clinton were allsmiles after their recent high-level talks in Washington aimedat reversing tempestuous tiesbetween the allies. The talkscovered issues from security toenergy and water projects, andwhile little in the way of new UShelp emerged, a heady tone wasset, largely because of somecommon Afghan aims, analystssaid. “There is this over-archingconvergence, we’re on the sametrack, the same page,” said AyazAmir, a political analyst andopposition party member of par-liament. Pakistan sees theUnited States as desperate toget out of Afghanistan and soon-er or later bound to have toenter some sort of peace dealwith the Taleban. Pakistan, bat-tling its homegrown Taleban, isalso looking for a negotiatedAfghan settlement and wants tooversee any peace process toensure a friendly government in

Kabul and to minimise the influ-ence of old rival India. Not onlyis Pakistan the main conduit forUS military supplies toAfghanistan, its sway over theTaleban could be key in nudgingtheir old allies to talk.

The announcement lastmonth of the arrest of a seniorTaleban commander, Mullah

Abdul Ghani Baradar, in a jointoperation with US agents in thecity of Karachi, has illustratedthe crucial role Pakistan canplay. “Pakistan feels it is key tothe entire situation, that withoutthe role which the Pakistaniarmy is playing, the wholeAmerican military presence inAfghanistan is undermined,”

Amir said. Many Pakistanis believe that

the United States has usedPakistan as a tool to promote itsinterests and left the country inthe lurch once those interestswere served. Bitter memoriesof the United States walkingaway from Afghanistan after theSoviet withdrawal in 1989 and

leaving the country in chaos arestill raw in Pakistan. The UnitedStates has stressed long-termcommitment, underscored by a$7.5 billion aid package.

As well as aid for its invest-ment-starved economy,nuclear-armed Pakistan wantscivilian nuclear cooperation withthe United States and is pushingfor the same kind of deal thatIndia negotiated. But the UnitedStates is reluctant to discusssuch cooperation. Pakistan alsowants the United States topress India to resume a peaceprocess suspended afterPakistan-based militantsattacked the Indian city ofMumbai in Nov 2008.

While Pakistan realises USinvolvement in the dispute overthe Kashmir region is unlikelybecause of Indian objections,Pakistan hopes US pressure willbring India to talk on other dis-putes including the sharing ofcross-border river waters. Tiesbetween Pakistan and theUnited States should develop aslong as both sides feel they aregetting what they want, saidanalyst and former governmentminister Shafqat Mahmood.“The relationship is likely togrow but the devil is in thedetail,” Mahmood said, referringto upcoming talks at which USaid plans help will be fleshedout. “I would only call it a good

beginning.”While U.S. attention is

focused on Afghanistan, it is alsoworried about militants inPakistan and will want to seeaction. In particular, the UnitedStates wants Pakistan to rein inthe Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), thePakistan-based faction responsi-ble for the Mumbai attacks. TheLeT, one of the largest and best-funded militant groups in SouthAsia, was nurtured byPakistan’s main Inter-ServicesIntelligence spy agency to fightIndia in Kashmir.

There’s suspicion the power-ful Pakistani military, whichsets security and regional poli-cy, still sees the militants as“strategic assets” in the eventof war with India. “Pakistan willhave to make up its mind, that itcan’t use jihadi groups as prox-ies anymore,” said security ana-lyst Hasan Askari Rizvi.

Pakistanis are looking anx-iously at the July 2011 deadlineset by US President BarackObama for US forces to startpulling out of Afghanistan, fear-ing that will result in waninginterest in them.

“There is this underlyingunease that after all we are doing,after all the key role vis a visAfghanistan, that the Americansare really not giving enough andwe’ll again be left high and dry,”said Amir. — Reuters

Better Pak-US ties underpinned by Afghan aims

By Hamza Hendawi

The challenge by Iraq’s Shiiteprime minister to electionresults that showed him coming

in a close second to his chief rival -Sunni-backed Ayad Allawi - is a riskytactic. If Nouri al-Maliki succeeds in hisattempt to block the secular ShiiteAllawi from forming a coalition govern-ment, it would leave the minority SunniArabs seething. That could underminethe credibility of Iraq’s nascent democ-racy and unleash a new bout of sectari-an violence just as the US is preparingto pull all its troops out of the country.

Final results of the March 7 electionreleased Friday showed Allawi’sIraqiya coalition winning 91 parliamen-tary seats thanks to heavy support bySunnis and Al-Maliki’s Shiite-led blocwith 89. Neither won an outright major-ity in the 325-seat parliament butAllawi is entitled to the first shot atforging a ruling coalition. Al-Maliki,who has led a government dominatedby religious Shiites for the past fouryears, quickly demanded a handrecount of all ballots and adamantlyrefused to accept the results, eventhough international observers said thevote was fair and transparent.

“The prime minister must acceptthe election results and leave his officepeacefully,” said Mishaan Al-Siaidi, asenior Iraqiya candidate. “His rejectionof the election results is a rejection ofthe votes cast by Iraqis and his maneu-vering is a maneuver around the will ofIraqis.” Allawi said Saturday he wasworried about the growing sectarianrhetoric in Iraq since the election. Andin a sign that the tensions may already

be spilling over into sectarian violence,several bombs exploded Sunday near ahouse linked to a prominent Sunni fig-ure who ran for election as part ofAllawi’s coalition. Five people werekilled but the politician survived thebombings in the town of Qaim in west-ern Iraq.

Allawi’s victory at the head of agroup supported by both Sunnis andShiites suggested millions of Iraqis arelooking for a change from the politicsthat have been dominated by the twomajor Islamic sects. It also showedmany are suspicious of Iranian influ-ence. Allawi was widely seen as closer

to the region’s Arab governments thanto neighboring Shiite Iran. Al-Malikifollowed his challenge of the results byseeking court rulings and other maneu-vers aimed at securing a second termfor himself and maintaining the politicaldominance of religious Shiite parties.However, those moves could put Iraqat risk of plunging back into the blood-baths of 2006 and 2007, when thou-sands of Shiites and Sunnis lost theirlives in tit-for-tat attacks.

Most importantly, Al-Maliki is nowbelieved to be seeking a merger withthe other major Shiite-led bloc - theIraqi National Alliance with 70 seats -

to form the nucleus of a potential coali-tion government. It is a move thatappears designed to perpetuate sectar-ian politics with the Shiites continuingto dominate the political landscape andthe Sunnis left powerless or with tokenrepresentation. The INA is dominatedby hardline Shiites with close links toIran. Foremost among them are sup-porters of Muqtada Al-Sadr, a fiery anti-American cleric whose Mahdi Armymilitia is blamed for much of the sec-tarian killings in 2006 and 2007.

The alliance between the two majorShiite blocs would be potentially explo-sive, replicating the makeup of Al-Maliki’s government and that of hispredecessor, the Shiite Ibrahim Al-Jaafari. Both men oversaw Iraq duringits worst violence since the 2003 US-led invasion. Iraqi analyst Kadhum Al-Muqdadi said such a partnership woulddisappoint Iraqis who wanted to seechange through Allawi. “It will meanfour more years of the same faces,same political situation and sameapproach,” he said.

Al-Maliki also appears to be tryingto change the rules of the game in hisfavor. According to the constitution,the president asks the bloc with themost seats in parliament to form a gov-ernment. But before the final resultswere announced, Al-Maliki asked theSupreme Court to define what thelargest bloc means. The ruling, madepublic the day final results werereleased, allows a coalition formed afterthe election through negotiations withother blocs to qualify as the largestbloc. That would appear to give Al-Maliki room to nudge out Allawi and iswidely seen in Iraq as biased in favor of

Al-Maliki.The prime minister also said he

would demand that several Iraqiya can-didates elected to parliament be dis-qualified for their suspected ties toSaddam Hussein’s Baathist regime,another move that raised the sectariantensions. Hundreds of candidates,many of them Sunni and includingsenior Iraqiya politicians, had alreadybeen barred by a Shiite-led committeefrom running because of their allegedlinks to Saddam’s regime. The moveangered the Sunnis who saw it as anattempt to undermine their electionprospects. Iraq’s Sunni militants havein the past responded to their commu-nity’s perceived marginalization bystepping up attacks against Iraqi andUS forces as well as Shiite civilians.

With the Americans now busy plan-ning the withdrawal of all combat forcesby late summer and the remainder of thecurrent 95,000 troops by the end of 2011,there will be no buffer between the twosides. Ahmad Chalabi, a senior Shiitepolitician who has been mentioned as apossible compromise candidate for primeminister, predicted Sunday that the twomain Shiite blocs would eventually agreeon forming a government, though theyhave deep differences. “They weretogether for a long time in opposition andthey were together in government,”Chalabi told AP in an interview. “It’s awinning combination.” He said Al-Malikiwould not necessarily be the prime min-ister if the merger went ahead. “I don’tthink he will jeopardize the entirealliance for personal ambitions.” Such adeal would significantly eat into Allawi’sroom for maneuver to form the govern-ment.—AP

Iraqi PM takes risks by challenging vote focus

By Michel Moutot

Stung by a US-Pakistanicrackdown and dwindlingmanpower, Al-Qaeda is

not staging stunning 9/11-styleattacks but claiming responsi-bility for stray strikes on mainlyWestern targets, analysts say.Although this is a sign of weak-ness, the new policy shows anability to adapt which may posea new danger, they warn.Washington has stepped updrone raids in Pakistan againstIslamist militants, who are alsofacing the heat of a Pakistanimilitary offensive.

In the past year USPresident Barack Obama hasput Pakistan at the centre of hisfight against Al-Qaeda. OsamaBin Laden’s network is now toobusy struggling to survive toorganise coordinated attacks inhis campaign for a global jihad,or holy war. “Although they areprotected by some elements inthe Pakistani services, theyhave a real problem with man-power and means,” said AlainChouet, the former head of thesecurity wing of France’s exter-nal intelligence agency DGSE.“They don’t have enough men,adequate means of communica-tion ... and whenever there isan attack, never mind where,who or when, there are two orthree jokers from Pakistan whoclaim responsibility without anypossibility of anyone establish-ing a clear link,” he said.

Although he failed to down aUS airliner on Christmas Eve,failed Nigerian suicide bomberUmar Farouk Abdulmutalab washailed as a “hero” by Bin Ladenwho said his action carried amessage. This was that“America should not dream of

security until we enjoy it as areality in Palestine,” he added.And Palestinian-born majorNidal Hasan, who massacred 13soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, inNovember last year, is held upas an example by the Al-Qaedaand other Islamist groups forothers to follow.

French researcher Jean-Pierre Filiu, whose booksinclude “The Nine Lives of Al-Qaeda”, said the group wasclaiming responsibility forattacks staged by individuals “tomagnify its toll of victims and itsnuisance value”. He saidregardless of the extent of theindividual’s links to the jihadistmovement, there was a tenden-cy to interpret the strike as evi-dence of a growing “global men-ace”. Chouet said by systemati-cally claiming responsibility, thegroup was able to “maintain acertain importance, keep somegenerous donors and continueto exercise a certain influencewhile waiting for better times.”

The media and Western offi-cials, ready to label any attacklinked to radical Islamists as anAl-Qaeda act, were actuallyhelping the group, the twoexperts said. Isolated opera-tives were now making the taskof intelligence agenciestougher, Filiu said. “It’s whenthey make contact with anorganisation, make trips orestablish communication thatthey can be spotted,” he said.“The real nightmare is the lonewolf because there is nothing toalert.” US director of NationalIntelligence Dennis Blair hascited the Fort Hood massacre asan example of the damage anindividual or a small group caninflict if they had the will andthe access. — AFP

By Jim Loney

Iraq’s election winner Iyad Allawi,the leader of a successful cross-sectarian coalition that wooed

Shiites and Sunnis, also wants to courtArab neighbours and reach out to Iran.It is far from certain he will get thatchance. The secularist Allawi’s loose-knit Iraqiya alliance won Iraq’s March 7parliamentary election by a whisker.The result is widely interpreted tomean Iraqis are weary of religious poli-tics and ready to embrace a govern-ment that can supply electricity andjobs.

The British-trained physician whowants to return to the prime minister’soffice he held in a 2004-5 transitionalgovernment won the popular vote andgot two seats more than PrimeMinister Nouri Al-Maliki in the newparliament. He said on Saturday thatthe path to a new government ranthrough Iraqiya. But officials withMaliki’s State of Law bloc and a fellowShiite coalition, the Iraqi NationalAlliance, say they are talking about amerger that would make anti-AmericanShiite Moqtada Al-Sadr, whose MehdiArmy fought fiercely against UStroops, a power player in Iraq’s newpolitical landscape.

“The government will not form(from other than) State of Law and INAbecause the kingmaker now is MoqtadaAl-Sadr,” Iraqi political analyst IbrahimAl-Sumaidaie said. “Moqtada will notstand in front of the Shiites and Iran andtell them ‘I got you a mainly Sunni gov-ernment with Baathist links.’” An erst-while member of Saddam Hussein’sBaath Party who spent decades in exilefrom Saddam’s Iraq, Allawi says he sur-vived an assassination attempt byBaathist agents in 1987.

But lingering doubts about his alle-

giances were fuelled by his electionunion with perceived Baathist sympa-thisers, including prominent Sunnipolitician Saleh Al-Mutlaq. Mutlaq wasbarred from running due to allegedBaathist ties. Allawi has said he is opento alliances with anyone. Iraqiya is talk-ing with INA and its major component,the Sadrists, as well as the Kurds. Healso said in a television interview onSaturday he is talking to some mem-bers of Maliki’s party, Dawa.

“Shiite parties have raised objec-tions to some of the characters in theIraqiya list who they say are loyal to theBaath Party,” Baghdad university pro-fessor Haider Hameed said. “Kurdsalso have objections and disagreements... and competing parties disagree withtheir approach and thinking, and con-sider a coalition deal with Iraqiya is animpossible task.” Maliki himself hasindicated he would not give up his postwithout a fight, possibly in court. Stateof Law has lots of potential partners.

A union with Allawi appears unlike-ly but Maliki may try to pick off parts ofhis rival’s coalition. “We intend to forma coalition sufficient to form the nextgovernment and we have other bigoptions in this realm that we are satis-fied with,” he said, “But if some blocsbelonging to the Iraqiya list want to joinus, we welcome them.” There’s noguarantee Allawi will even get firstcrack at forming a government. Under acourt ruling issued last week, thatcould go to the bloc with the largestnumber of seats not from the election,but after parliament is seated.

That means any coalition that canpersuade another bloc to join it whenparliament convenes can count the for-mer rival’s numbers in its total, anopportunity for Maliki to make up histwo-seat election deficit. Despite theformidable task ahead - bringing Kurds,

Sunnis and fellow Shiites togetherunder his banner - Allawi has the bene-fit of being able to claim a mandate fromwar-weary Iraqis. And those who abhoroutside interference in their nation’saffairs may view him as a moderatealternative to Maliki and his possible

allies, who are all tied to Iran, a neigh-bour perceived as meddlesome, withmemories of an eight-year war stillfresh. “Should Allawi succeed in his bidto form a government, Iraq’s relationswith Iran would shift to a more ‘correct’posture, with Allawi offering coopera-

tion, but warning Tehran against inter-ference,” said Wayne White, a scholarat the Middle East Institute.

Iran has more influence in Iraq thaneven the United States, which has96,000 troops here, according to someanalysts. — Reuters

Allawi has uphill road to turn Iraq win into power

By Steven R Hurst

Fresh from a bruising victory on health care and anuclear arms deal with Russia, President BarackObama turned to a third campaign promise - victory

and an honorable exit from Afghanistan. That could provetougher than any challenge overcome so far, and the presi-dent appears to know it. Seldom does a US leader devotemore than 24 hours flying to and from a war zone to spendonly 6 hours on the ground. But the stakes are enormous.

Since taking office, Obama has nearly tripled the numberof US forces committed to Afghanistan, which hasn’t knownpeace in at least three decades. After eight years of war, theUS military says it now is blunting advances by Taleban mil-itants, but Afghan President Hamid Karzai still has littlepower outside Kabul, the capital, and his government is rid-dled with corruption. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden,key lieutenants and foot soldiers still hide across the moun-tainous border in Pakistan even though US drone strikeshave killed dozens of the terrorist group responsible for theSept 11 attacks on the United States. Al-Qaeda enjoyedsanctuary from Taleban militants who ruled Afghanistan,before they were driven out in the US-led invasion at theend of 2001. Obama campaigned on a pledge to focus on theAfghan war, which he said - unlike the fight in Iraq - wascritical to American security and being overlooked andpoorly resourced by the Bush administration.

Despite the highly charged partisan atmosphere, whereno Republican voted for the health care legislation in eitherhouse of Congress, the president enjoys broad Republicansupport for his intensification of the Afghan war. Thereappears, as well, growing support among the public forObama’s Afghan policy. The latest Associated Press-GfKpoll at the beginning of March found that 57 percent of

those surveyed approved his handling of the war comparedwith 49 percent two months earlier.

The Obama-Karzai meeting lasted about 30 minutes,and Obama told the Afghan leader he saw some progresssince they last talked in video conference two weeks ago.They discussed good governance, merit-based appoint-ments of Afghan officials and corruption. The administra-tion has routinely chastised Karzai for failing to makeprogress on those issues.

National security adviser James Jones said after themeetings that Karzai “needs to be seized with how impor-tant that is.” The long journey, Jones said, was “somethingthat simply has to be done. We have to have the strategicrapport with President Karzai and his Cabinet to under-stand how we are going to succeed this year in reversingthe momentum of the Taleban.”

Karzai spokesman Waheed Omar, however, said reportsthat Obama was in Kabul to order a recalcitrant Karzai toget his government in line were inaccurate. “This was anextremely friendly discussion,” Omar said. “It was a dis-cussion between partners.” He said Obama pledged not toabandon Afghanistan. “President Obama assured PresidentKarzai and the Afghan people of America’s long-term com-mitment to Afghanistan,” Omar said.

Obama’s surprise visit underscores the political stakesfor him. As he dispatched the most recent installment of his30,000-troop increase to Afghanistan, the president pledgedto begin withdrawing US forces in July 2011, when his cam-paign for a second term would be well under way. That willbe a difficult pledge to keep if Karzai doesn’t intensify a cor-ruption purge. Karzai pledged after the fraud-marredAugust election to mop up the stain of corruption by mak-ing officials declare assets and giving the country’s anti-cor-ruption watchdog more power.— AP

Next Obama test is Afghanistan

By Jean-Marc Mojon

In March 2008, Kenya’s rec-onciled foes were trumpet-ing ambitious reforms and

the international communitywas basking in the glory of arare African crisis-resolutionsuccess. Two years later, theeuphoria has long been extin-guished. “It looks less perfectnow,” said activist MwalimuMati, referring to the February28 power-sharing deal signed byelection rivals Mwai Kibaki andRaila Odinga that ended a cycleof deadly violence and tarnishedthe country’s image.“Something had to be done toend the conflict but perhaps itcould have been better thoughtthrough,” said Mati, who headsthe Mars Kenya Group politicalwatchdog.

Kenyans’ faith in their rulersis at its lowest, the pledgedreforms are nowhere to be seenand many argue that, as the gov-ernment doubled in size toaccommodate feuding parties,so did corruption. Former UNchief Kofi Annan, the chiefmediator two years ago, and theWestern powers that helpedhim broker the accord are con-stantly reminding Kenya of itspledges and sounding alarmbells over impunity and resur-gent tribalism.

On at least his fifth visit toKenya since the signing, Annanon Friday again spoke of “con-cerns and frustrations”. “Theinternational community andthe mediation team believed inthis agreement more than theKenyans did,” argued TomWolf, a Kenya-based gover-nance consultant and pollster.The incumbent PresidentKibaki was behind then opposi-tion leader Odinga in opinionpolls but surged past his rival inthe final stages of a delayed andconfused vote-countingprocess.

The internationally-backedcommission probing the ballotclaimed it could not determine avictor, Annan urged Kenyansnot to dwell on the past andsome Western diplomats admit-ted that knowing who won wasthe last of their concerns. Thefeuding camps “were forcedinto marriage without openingthe pandora’s box of the elec-tion’s real outcome,” Wolf said.A US government-paid exit pollby the International RepublicanInstitute gave Odinga the edge

but was kept secret and a Galluppoll nine months later showedthat only 25 percent of Kenyansthought Kibaki had won.

As a result, the basis of thepower-sharing deal was per-ceived as being quite differentby either side. What was toutedat the time as a 50-50 dealPrime Minister Odinga himselfnow bemoans as a raw deal,with Kibaki’s people holding theinterior, justice, finance and for-eign affairs portfolios. The dys-functions of the coalition havebeen plain to observe since, cul-minating in Odinga sacking twoministers implicated in graftscandals last month only to seehis move vetoed by Kibaki.

Wolf argued that the colossalreform wishlist the Westslapped on the newly-formedcoalition would be “overwhelm-ing for any government, howev-er unified and well-inten-tioned”. “It was as if Westerndiplomats were trying to provethey were still relevant. Thecrisis made them look incompe-tent because they didn’t predictit,” he said. One of them admit-ted to shortcomings and alsohighlighted an undesired side-effect.

“Given other instances inAfrica since Kenya, I think weneed to look at the message wesent,” said the diplomat on con-dition of anonymity, referring topolitical unrest in Zimbabwe andMadagascar. “I think manyauthoritarian regimes could seethe scenario as rather attrac-tive: you want to stay in powerso you rig the election, raise thespectre of ethnic violence andwait for a panicked internationalcommunity to broker a power-sharing deal,” the diplomatargued.

Despite its poor perfor-mance over the past two years,the prospect of the coalition’scollapse following recent skir-mishes is met with fear thatethnic strife could be re-ignited.But Mati argued that while theymay not manage to agree onsubstance, Kenya’s foes werehappy to keep the shell as it is.“The truth is that Kibaki won’tend it because it would end hispresidency, Odinga won’t end itbecause it’s as prime ministerhe gets attention and the minis-ters won’t end it because theyhave ministries to run and loot,”he said. “It’s almost a perfectconspiracy against the Kenyanpeople.” — AFP

Kenya mediation success fails test

Al-Qaeda weakness becomes advantage

Supporters of US-detained Pakistani woman Aafia Siddiqui shout anti-USjudiciary slogans during a protest in Karachi on Sunday. – AFP

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki speaks to the press inBaghdad on March 26, 2010. – AP

NEWS14 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Continued from Page 1

Dagestan and Ingushetia, whereIslamist militancy overlaps with clan rival-ries, criminal gangs and widespread pover-ty.

HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Sabah sent a cable toRussian President Dmitriy Medvedev yes-terday expressing condolences. SheikhSabah stressed Kuwait’s condemnation ofall kinds of terror acts that kill and injureinnocent victims and compromise stabilityand peace in this and other friendlynations. HH the Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and HH thePrime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabahsent similar cables.

The chief of the FSB, the main succes-sor to the Soviet-era KGB, said: “Bodyparts belonging to two female suicidebombers were found ... and according toinitial data, these persons are linked to theNorth Caucasus.” Yesterday’s metroattacks are likely to turn the NorthCaucasus into a major political issue.Critics said the attacks demonstrated thefailure of Kremlin policy in Chechnya,where human rights groups accuseRussian forces of brutality.

“They are simply beasts,” RussianPresident Dmitry Medvedev said of thebombers after laying a bouquet of red ros-es on the platform of one of the metro sta-tions. “We will find and destroy them all.”

The first blast tore through a metrotrain just before 8 am as it stood at theLubyanka station, close to the headquar-ters of the FSB. It killed at least 23 people.A second blast, less than 40 minutes laterin a train waiting at the Park Kulturymetro station, opposite Gorky Park, killed12 more people, emergencies ministryofficials said. Another three people died inhospital.

Reuters photographers saw body bagsbeing brought out of both stations. Someof the wounded were airlifted to hospitalsin helicopters and central Moscow wasbrought to a standstill as police closed offmajor roads. “It was very scary. I saw adead body,” said Valentin Popov, a 19-year-old student travelling on a train to thePark Kultury station, told Reuters.

“Everyone was screaming. There was astampede at the doors. I saw one womanholding a child and pleading with people tolet her through, but it was impossible.”

US President Barack Obama con-demned the bombings as did EuropeanUnion leaders. “The American peoplestand united with the people of Russia inopposition to violent extremism andheinous terrorist attacks that demonstratesuch disregard for human life, and we con-demn these outrageous acts,” Obama said.The Russian rouble fell sharply on thebombings, but later regained ground, withtraders arguing the bombs were unlikelyto undermine the strength of the currency.“The Russian stock market is more thanstable, the rouble is stable,” said AnatolyDarakov, head of Russian equity trading atCiti in Moscow. “It’s not the first blast inMoscow.”

Eye witnesses spoke of panic after theblasts, which ripped through stations just afew kilometres from the Kremlin. “I was inthe middle of the train when somewhere inthe first or second carriage there was a loudblast. I felt the vibrations reverberatethrough my body,” an unidentified man whowas on a train at Park Kultury told RIAnews agency. Surveillance camera footageposted on the Internet showed severalmotionless bodies lying on the floor orslumped against the wall in Lubyanka sta-tion lobby and emergency workerscrouched over victims, trying to treat them.Alexandra Antonova, an editor for the RIA-Novosti news agency, said she was on atrain which had just pulled out of Lubyankawhen the blast went off. “The loud boomstuffed up my ears. But the train didn’tstop. Nobody had time to understand whathad happened,” Antonova said.

The current death toll makes it theworst attack on Moscow since Feb 2004,when a suicide bombing killed at least 39people and wounded more than 100 on ametro train. Chechen rebels were blamedfor that attack. Rebel leader Doku Umarov,fighting for an Islamic emirate embracingthe whole region, vowed last month to takethe war to Russian cities. “Blood will nolonger be limited to our (Caucasus) citiesand towns. The war is coming to theircities,” the Chechen rebel leader said in an

interview on an Islamist website.Jonathan Eyal, of London’s Royal United

Services Institute, saw a personal challengeto Putin, who remains the chief power inthe land. “This is a direct affront toVladimir Putin, whose entire rise to powerwas built on his pledge to crush the ene-mies of Russia ... It’s an affront to his mus-cular image,” Eyal said. The Chechenrebellion began in the 1990s as a largelyethnic nationalist movement, fired by asense of injustice over the 1940s trans-portation of Chechens to Central Asia, withenormous loss of life, by dictator JosefStalin. Largely since the second war,Russian officials say, Islamic militants fromoutside Russia have joined the campaign,lending it a new intensity.

Dozens of contributors to three web-sites affiliated with Al-Qaeda wrote com-ments in praise of Monday’s attacks. Onesite opened a special page to “receive con-gratulations” for the Chechen rebels who“started the dark tunnel attacks in theapostate countries,” and all wished for Godto accept the two sisters as martyrs.“Don’t forget Russia’s crimes of genocidein the Caucasus and Chechnya,” said onewriter. “The battle has been shifted to theheart of Moscow,” another wrote.

New York’s transit system beefed upsecurity as a precaution following theMoscow bombings. A spokesman for NewYork’s Metropolitan TransportationAuthority, Kevin Ortiz, said the agency hasa “heightened security presence,” butdeclined further comment. The agency isin charge of New York City buses and sub-ways, as well as suburban trains, andbridges and tunnels. In London and Madrid,two other cities that have suffered transitsystem terror attacks, officials said therewere no immediate plans to tighten securi-ty.

At 4 pm, the two Moscow subway sta-tions reopened and dozens boarded thewaiting trains. “It’s really terrifying,” saidVasily Vlastinin, 16. “It’s become danger-ous to ride the metro, but I’ll keep takingthe metro. You have to get to school, to col-lege, to work somehow.” Both stations hadbeen scrubbed clean. Holes left by shrapnelin the granite were the only reminder of theday’s tragic bombings. — Agencies

Moscow metro blasts kill 38

Continued from Page 1

Busairi told the National Assemblylast month that he formed a five-memberinvestigation committee to launch aprobe into the affairs of KAC, which isexpected to be transformed into a privatecompany within one year. The committeewas formed as the Assembly’s budgetscommittee refused to approve the clos-ing financial statements for the previousfour fiscal years for KAC, which indicatethat the state-owned carrier has postedaccumulated losses of between KD 150-200 million.

In another development, the financialand economic affairs committee yester-day delayed a decision on the projectsand financial allocations for the first ofthe four-year development plan.

Rapporteur of the committee MPAbdulrahman Al-Anjari said that the pan-el decided to meet with Deputy Premierand Housing and Development MinisterSheikh Ahmad Fahd Al-Sabah beforemaking its decision. Out of around KD 30billion in spending allocated for the nextfour years, the government has allocatedaround KD 4.7 billion for the first yearstarting April 1. A further KD 2.5 billionwill be raised by the private sector,according to the plan.

Also, the head of the educational com-mittee MP Salwa Al-Jassar said yester-day that Education Minister Modhi Al-Humoud told the committee that all min-istry officials suspected of leaking part ofthe questions of the higher secondaryexamination have been referred to thepublic prosecution. The minister also

said that the decision was taken afterforming an investigation committeewhich probed the matter, Jassar added.

Meanwhile, MPs Dhaifallah Buramiaand Adel Al-Saraawi issued contradictorystatements about the employment ofbedoons, or stateless Arabs, whosemothers are Kuwaiti, as teachers in theministry of education. Buramia warnedthe education minister against appointingexpatriates in positions that can be filledby bedoons and called on the minister tostop “playing with the feelings of thesebedoons and their mothers”. On his part,Saraawi warned the ministry againstemploying such bedoons, saying thatsuch action is a clear violation of thecountry’s laws and regulations becausebedoons are considered to be illegal resi-dents in the eyes of the law.

Barrak calls for firing KAC chief

Continued from Page 1

mortuary temple near Luxor in south-ern Egypt. User held the position ofvizier for 20 years, also acquiring thetitles of prince and mayor of the city,according to the inscriptions. He mayhave inherited his position from hisfather. Viziers in ancient Egypt were

powerful officials tasked with the day-to-day running of the kingdom’s complexbureaucracy.

As a testament to his importance,User had his own tomb on the west bankof the Nile in Luxor, where royal kingsand queens were also buried. A chapeldedicated to him has also been discov-ered further south in the hills near

Aswan. The stone itself was long wayfrom its tomb and had apparently beenremoved from the grave and then incor-porated into the wall of a Roman-erabuilding, more than a thousand years lat-er. False doors were placed in the westwalls of tombs and faced offering tableswhere food and drink were left for thespirit of the deceased. – AP

Door to afterlife dug up in Egypt

Continued from Page 1

Australian Foreign Minister StephenSmith protested over Hu’s bribery sen-tence and said there were “serious unan-swered questions” about the trial’s indus-trial spying portion, from which Australiandiplomats were shut out. While insistingthe ruling would not affect Australia’s tieswith China, its top trading partner, Smithtold reporters: “On any measure this was avery tough sentence. I feel very much forStern Hu and his family. Whilst we do notcondone bribery in any way I think thesentence, on any measure, is harsh.” JudgeLiu described the sentences as “light”.

The four appeared before the court incivilian rather than prison clothing, withHu wearing a dark blue windbreaker. His

normally dyed-black hair was white and heshowed no reaction as the judge deliveredhis sentence. The Rio employees werearrested last July during the contentiousiron ore contract talks between top miningcompanies and the steel industry in China,the world’s largest consumer of the rawmaterial.

Before the global financial crisis, smallprivate steel companies in China werelocked out of buying iron ore from Riobecause the mining giant prioritised largestate-run steel companies. When the crisishit in Sept 2008, demand for iron ore plum-meted and the smaller players paid bribes“to squeeze into the club and join the buy-ers”, Hu’s lawyer Jin Chunqing said. Thejudges ruled the four had stolen tradesecrets including the minutes of a China

Iron and Steel Association meeting andinformation on output cuts by Chinesesteel giant Shougang. The court namedSinochem International, Shougang andwealthy steel tycoon Du Shuanghua asamong those who had paid bribes.

Rio moved quickly to fire the four upontheir conviction, with iron ore chief execu-tive Sam Walsh describing their behaviouras “deplorable”. Rio chief executive TomAlbanese said he was “determined” not toallow the case to “prevent Rio Tinto fromcontinuing to build its important relation-ship with China”. Lawyers for Liu andWang said their clients were likely toappeal. The defence team for Hu - who wasfined 500,000 yuan by the court - said theyneeded to discuss the verdict with theirclient. — AFP

Rio four handed ‘harsh’ jail terms

Continued from Page 1

consuming alcohol, a fact theyacknowledged, but said in their defencethat they had only kissed on the cheek.Now they have had their passports con-fiscated and have to wait as their casemakes its way through the appeals proce-dure. They should find out in Aprilwhether their conviction has been upheldor they are free to leave.

It is understandable that many peoplein the UAE feel they are being swamped.Before the 1968 oil boom, nationals madeup some 62 percent of the federation’spopulation, but now account for just 16.5percent of an estimated population of sixmillion, officials say. In Dubai, the dispari-ties are even greater. Emiratis make uponly around five percent of the two mil-lion residents, estimates Chris Davidson,author of a book called “Dubai: TheVulnerability of Success”. “Many nation-als now contend that they feel unwel-come in certain parts of the city and oftencomplain that restaurant and hotel man-agers discriminate against nationaldress,” writes Davidson.

In Dubai, Emiratis entrench them-selves in neighbourhoods on the out-skirts of the city in order not to have tomingle more than necessary with foreign-ers, whose customs differ widely fromtheir own. “We are practically living inreservations, and if this abnormal growth

continues at the current rate, in 20 years’time we’ll end up like the AmericanIndians,” Ketbi says. “We were undergo-ing natural development until the proper-ty boom came along in the past 10 years,and in the attempt to encourage foreigninvestment, the city became open toeverything, including alcohol and prosti-tution.”

On radio talk shows, Emiratis oftencomplain of seeing scantily clad foreign-ers in public parks and shopping malls,and express concern about how easy it isto buy alcohol. Special permits arerequired for restaurants and clubs toserve alcohol, and individuals need a per-mit from the government. But alcohol isstill available in almost all hotels and inmany restaurants. Foreigners arerequired to be modestly dressed, but inreality this provision is neither observednor enforced either.

Nightclubs in Dubai can compare tothose in major cities around the world,alcohol flows freely at sporting eventsand restrictions on women’s clothing arealmost non-existent. The police do some-times intervene, however, as they did inthe case of a British couple arrested in2008 accused of having sex on a publicbeach - a story that made headlinesacross the globe. Expat Michelle Palmerand tourist Vince Acors were each givena three-month suspended sentence, finedand ordered to be deported. The Britons

denied having sex in public and publicindecency, but admitted to being underthe influence of alcohol when they werecaught on Dubai’s Jumeirah public beach.

Their case drew unwanted attention towhat has been a fine balancing act of pre-serving tradition while also allowing inoutside influences that can quickly comeinto open conflict with an ancient andproud culture. “Emiratis are starting tolose much of their identity, and the pres-ence of so many expats leads to unaccept-able behaviour that does not conform toour traditions,” says Emirati writer andacademic Abdel Khalek Abdullah. “Whatarouses UAE concern is the massiveinflux of foreigners due to very rapid eco-nomic growth. If officials do not take boldsteps, the social costs of this frantic eco-nomic development will be much greaterthan any economic benefits.”

Abdullah thinks that “the governmentmust review its development strategyand reduce the proportion of its ambi-tious growth,” which may have slowedin Dubai today but is still rampant in theUAE capital, Abu Dhabi. According toauthor Davidson, the worldwide eco-nomic crisis has caused anger over for-eigners’ customs and behaviour to bemore widely expressed. “The resent-ment nationals feel about foreigners isbecoming more public,” he believes.“Two or three years ago, no one reallycared.” — AFP

Expats bring gain, but challenges too

NEW YORK: France’sPresident Nicolas Sarkozycalled yesterday for US eco-nomic reforms, and in com-ments echoing Franco-American spats of the past,said Washington cannot “runthe world” alone. The Frenchleader used a visit to NewYork, where he met with stu-dents at Columbia University,to deliver what he called“home truths” to his hosts.Sarkozy, accompanied by hiswife Carla Bruni, a formersupermodel, was in New Yorka day before meetingPresident Barack Obama atthe White House inWashington yesterday.

With his popularity divingat home and his party reelingfrom defeat in regional elec-tions, the US visit is seen as achance for Sarkozy to regainmomentum. Sarkozy has gen-erally worked hard to rebuildties with Washington, but hiscomments to Columbia stu-dents recalled a more pricklypast. Saying “there is no sin-gle country in the 21st centu-ry that can run the worldalone,” he urged the UnitedStates to join Europe in“inventing the rules for theeconomy of tomorrow.”

Reiterating traditionalEuropean skepticism of USeconomic free markets, hesaid: “We need the greatAmerican people to under-stand that the absence of ruleskills liberty.” “The world eco-nomic regulations cannot goon as they are. We can’taccept a capitalist systemwithout rules any more,” headded. Lack of rules, he said,“will be the death of capital-ism.” Sarkozy said he woulddiscuss with Obama ways tostabilize commodities marketsand to define “a new interna-tional monetary order”. “Thedollar is not the only currencyin the world,” he said.

While he was careful tolavish praise on Obama, heappeared to have a less upbeatview of ordinary US citizens,pleading with them “not to lagbehind” behind theirDemocratic president onfinancial regulations, defenseand the environment. Evenhis congratulations forObama’s hard-fought victoryin pushing healthcare reformthrough a divided Congresscame laced with criticism.“Welcome to the club of coun-

tries that does not dump itssick people,” Sarkozy said.“But if you want me to be sin-cere, seen from Europe, whenwe see the US debate onhealthcare reform, we find ithard to believe.” France, henoted, had “resolved” thehealthcare problem half a cen-tury ago.

Meanwhile, Sarkozy urgedworldwide support for Russiafollowing the deaths of 38people in two suicide bomb-ings in the Moscow metro.The French president said theattacks were no different tothe terrorist attacks of Sept

11, 2001, which killed nearly3,000 people, most of them inNew York. “Do you thinkthere’s a fundamental differ-ence between the lunaticswho blew up innocent victimsin the Moscow metro and theinsane people who flew planesinto the Twin Towers of NewYork?” he asked. “When NewYork was attacked, all theworld’s democracies wereattacked. And when Moscowis attacked, we are allattacked,” Sarkozy said.

The direct comparisonbetween 9/11 and Monday’srush hour suicide bombings in

Moscow was unusual for aWestern leader. The West hasregularly condemned bomb-ings and other terroristattacks in Russia, many ofthem carried out by militantslinked to Chechen rebels.However, Western capitalshave also been deeply criticalof Russia’s anti-insurgencycampaigns in Chechnya andother areas of the mostlyMuslim North Caucasus overthe last 15 years, in whichtens of thousands of civilianshave been killed and thou-sands have disappeared orbeen tortured. — AFP

Sarkozy chides US on economy, dominance

French leader urges new world finance rules

NEW YORK: French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaks at the World LeadersForum at Columbia University yesterday. — AP

Egypt fought a war with Israel to regain con-trol of Sinai, but nearly 40 years later Cairohas an uneasy relationship with the people ofthe region it suspects is a haven for smugglingand militancy. The feeling of distant unease ismutual. The bedouin, who mostly scratch aliving from small plots of poor quality land,grumble about state neglect and say they nev-er reap the jobs or income from the thrivingtourist resorts lining Sinai’s coast. Some in theregion separated from rump Egypt by thestrategic Suez Canal have turned for cash tosmuggling goods, weapons and migrantsacross Sinai’s border with Israel and the block-aded Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

Others are turning to militant Islamist ide-ologies to show their anger with a state somesee as almost a foreign power. Authoritiesblamed a series of bombings several years agoat Red Sea tourist resorts on bedouin withIslamist beliefs. Scattered among the rows ofsimple sand-coloured houses that seep intothe desert surrounding Sheikh Zowayed, innorthern Sinai, are a handful of grand villasthat tower above them, painted in red and goldand with incongruous Pagoda-style roofs.

Bedouin say they are built from the pro-ceeds of smuggling. “It is more than 30 years,and we still have no water or agriculture.There are no jobs and no projects for theyouth. We have nothing,” said MahmoudSawarka, whose brother heads the Sawarkatribe, one of the biggest bedouin tribes inNorth Sinai. “That is why many reverted tosmuggling to provide a living for themselvesand their families.”

The government has toughened securityin the region to try to stop people from usingtunnels to supply Gaza or sneak migrants intoIsrael. But analysts say such steps are unlikelyto halt the smuggling as long as Bedouin feelsidelined and see development focus ontourism, which delivers 11.3 percent of

Egypt’s GDP and one in eight jobs, ratherbasic amenities in their communities.“Egyptian bureaucracy has looked at Sinai as aborder area with only one concern: to increasesecurity measures there. It does not see Sinaias part of Egypt,” said Nabil Abdel Fatah, fromthe Al-Ahram Centre for Political andStrategic Studies.

Relations between Bedouin and theEgyptian authorities have long been strained,but tension rose after police detained thou-sands of young men from Sinai after a seriesof Sinai resort bombings from 2004 to 2006.Most were freed without charge, but resent-ment simmers on. Dozens of bedouin womenprotested at a security office in Februarydemanding the release of relatives they saidwere still being held. Others protested inJanuary, accusing the government of neglectafter flash floods damaged their homes.

Roughly 600,000 bedouin from 12 maintribes live in Sinai. In conversation, theyexpress their loyalty to Egypt but then speakof the country as if it were foreign power gov-erning their territory, lost to Israel in 1967but won back by Egypt after a 1979 peacetreaty that followed a 1973 war. “We waitedfor the Egyptian government for 15 years andwhen Egypt won the war and regained Sinai,we told ourselves: welcome to the Egyptiangovernment,” said one bedouin whodescribed himself as a “partner” in a tunnel toGaza. “But what a shame the governmentdealt with us with the worst kind of treat-ment,” he said sitting outside his new three-storey villa, letting a handful of sand slipthrough his fingers to symbolise the state’sindifference.

Smuggling is not the only concern. Theauthorities accused those rounded up afterthe Sinai bombings of links to militant groupsand some bedouin elders say those behind the2006 bombings had adopted jihadist ideolo-

gies. “There is a deep invasion of the radicalIslamist ideology in Sinai, especially after the9/11 attacks on the United States, with thespread of the jihad ideology and the strongappearance of the Al-Qaeda militant group,”Abdel Fatah said.

He said its impact could spread the longerthe government turns to a blind eye to thecomplaints of the bedouin. “Leaving Sinaiwith many unsolved social problems, nodevelopment and in an almost complete politi-cal vacuum has only led to increase the prob-lems the government is now suffering.” Buthe acknowledges it is “still not a big threat”,and other analysts say the Bedouins’ ownsocial structures and character mitigateagainst a spread of militant thinking.

“Bedouin openness and a commitment totheir tribal values, that will always comebefore anything else, will stand against themfollowing a strict Islamist ideology,” AdelSoliman, head of International Centre forFuture and Strategic Studies, said. MohamedEl-Kiki, secretary-general of North Sinai gov-ernorate, the government’s representativesin the region, denies smuggling or militantIslamist beliefs are on the rise. “Those peopleare a minority implanted in the area with theaim to insult the reputation of Egypt and theregion in general,” he told Reuters.

He said the authorities were not neglect-ing Sinai, although he said investment for thepeople would not necessarily be fast. “Thegovernment and some Egyptian businessmenare working on some developmental and edu-cational projects in Sinai, but they will not bedone soon,” Kiki said. Such a statement maynot be enough to stem the anger. “There isabsolutely no work for citizens in Sinai. Andwhen you have children, what do you do? Thegovernment keeps us on the margin,” saidbedouin elder Aish Tarabin, head of theTarabin tribe. — Reuters

Egypt’s neglect of Sinai bedouins spurs smuggling

SPORTS 15Tuesday, March 30, 2010

SAN JOSE: Kevin Porter No. 32 of the Colorado Avalanche scores a goal against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion.— AFP

MELBOURNE: Renault Formula One driver Vitaly Petrov of Russia spins off the track during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. —AP

NHL results and standings on Sunday:Calgary 5, Washington 3; Pittsburgh 5,Toronto 4 (SO); St. Louis 2, Edmonton 1;Philadelphia 5, New Jersey 1; Columbus 4,Chicago 2; San Jose 4, Colorado 3.(So indicates shootout win)

Eastern ConferenceAtlantic Division

W L OTL GF GA PTSPittsburgh 44 25 7 237 217 95New Jersey 44 26 5 203 183 93Philadelphia 38 32 6 221 210 82NY Rangers 33 32 10 197 203 76NY Islanders 31 34 10 196 232 72

Northeast DivisionBuffalo 41 23 10 212 187 92Ottawa 41 30 5 205 216 87Montreal 37 31 8 204 208 82Boston 34 28 12 188 186 80Toronto 28 35 13 202 250 69

Southeast DivisionWashington 49 15 11 292 214 109Atlanta 33 30 12 223 236 78Tampa Bay 30 33 12 197 237 72Florida 30 33 11 193 217 71Carolina 31 35 9 206 235 71

Western ConferenceCentral Division

Chicago 46 21 7 241 191 99Nashville 43 27 6 211 210 92Detroit 39 23 13 207 197 91St. Louis 36 30 9 203 205 81Columbus 31 32 13 205 244 75

Northwest DivisionVancouver 45 26 4 244 195 94Colorado 41 27 7 225 207 89Calgary 38 29 9 194 193 85Minnesota 36 33 6 205 224 78Edmonton 24 44 7 190 255 55

Pacific DivisionSan Jose 47 19 10 247 198 104Phoenix 47 23 6 210 187 100Los Angeles 42 26 6 216 199 90Dallas 33 28 14 215 235 80Anaheim 35 31 8 208 226 78Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth onepoint in the standings and are not included inthe loss column (L).

NHL results/standings

WASHINGTON: The desperate CalgaryFlames posted one of their most impressivevictories of the season, scoring four goals inthe first period of a 5-3 win over theWashington Capitals on Sunday.

The Flames temporarily delayed theCapitals’ bid to secure the top seed in theEastern Conference playoffs. Washingtonsecured that, anyway, later in the day whenNew Jersey lost at Philadelphia.

Calgary, ninth in the WesternConference, salvaged a three-game road tripthat began with two losses. Ales Kotalik,Ian White, Jay Bouwmeester, NiklasHagman and Rene Bourque scored for the

Flames. Miikka Kiprusoff made 31 saves.Alex Ovechkin got his 46th goal for

Washington and added an assist to reach the100-point mark for the fourth time in a sea-son in his five-year NHL career.

Penguins 5, Leafs 4At Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby scored

twice and teammate Pascal Dupuis addedshootout tallies as the Penguins rallied tobeat Toronto.

The home team trailed 4-3 until MattCooke deflected defenseman BrooksOrpik’s slap shot from the right point with3:48 remaining in regulation. Orpik had his

first three-point game by also assisting onCrosby’s NHL-leading 46th and 47th goals.

Tyler Kennedy also scored as thePenguins moved ahead of New Jersey for theAtlantic Division lead and the likely No. 2seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Flyers 5, Devils 1At Philadelphia, Brian Boucher stopped

32 shots as slumping Philadelphia broke outwith a rout of New Jersey. Matt Carle, VilleLeino, Kimmo Timonen, Lukas Krajicek andSimon Gagne scored for Philadelphia, whichbeat the Devils for the fifth time in six meet-ings this season.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored the lone goal forNew Jersey, which dropped two pointsbehind Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division.Martin Brodeur allowed four goals on 19shots.

The Flyers had dropped five straight andseven of eight, putting their seeminglysecure playoff chances in jeopardy.Philadelphia scored more than three goalsfor the first time in 15 games. Philadelphiajumped from eighth in the EasternConference to sixth.

Blue Jackets 4, Blackhawks 2At Chicago, Jakub Voracek had two goals

and an assist, while Steve Mason made 33saves to lead Columbus over the hosts.

Andrew Murray and Mike Commodorealso scored for Columbus, which beatCentral Division-leading Chicago for thesecond time in four days.

Blues 2, Oilers 1At St. Louis, Keith Tkachuk scored the

winning goal on his 38th birthday, and theBlues maintained slim playoff hopes with avictory over Edmonton.

Tkachuk’s 13th goal of the season washis first in 15 games and broke a 1-1 dead-lock 7:36 into the third period.

Sharks 4, Avalanche 3At San Jose, Devin Setoguchi had two

goals as the Sharks won despite theabsence injured leading scorer JoeThornton.

Thornton, tops on the team with 66assists and 85 points, sat out Sunday afterbeing knocked out in the second period ofSaturday’s win over Vancouver. Thorntonhad played in 398 consecutive games.

San Jose has a four-point lead overPhoenix in the race for the Pacific Divisiontitle. Colorado, the eighth-place team in theWest, leads Calgary by four points at thepostseason cutoff line. —AP

Flames bring down Capitals

SINGAPORE: Like gladiators bat-tling in the blood and roar of theColosseum, Rafael dos Anjosbelieves mixed martial arts (MMA)makes compulsive viewing because ittaps into the human survival instinct.

Brazilian dos Anjos, who will fightTerry Etim in the Ultimate FightingChampionship’s April 10 event inAbu Dhabi, told Reuters in an inter-view that MMA’s rapid global growthcould see it become the biggest sportin the world within a few years.

The 25-year-old is putting the fin-ishing touches to his training at theEvolve MMA Academy in Singapore,where world champions in Brazilianjiujitsu, Muay Thai and boxing areintent on turning him into an unbeat-able human weapon.

“Fighting is something that everyhuman being can understand,” dosAnjos said. “Other sports are verycountry or region specific, but fight-ing is global-and it has been since thebeginning of time.

“The cavemen fought for leader-ship and food. The Roman gladiatorsfought for honour and glory. Fightingis genetically wired in every humanbeing because it is the survivalinstinct.”

Dos Anjos won his spot in thelucrative UFC after stringing togeth-er a nine-fight winning run in small-er organisations, inflicting defeat onJapanese and fellow Brazilian oppo-nents with a variety of vicious locksand chokes.

In search of a 10th consecutivewin, dos Anjos made his much-her-alded UFC debut against JeremyStephens in a fight still rememberedas having one of the most stunningknockouts in MMA history.

Dos Anjos, however, was the oneknocked out. “I was sad for aboutthree days after the Stephens fight,”he recalled. “And then it was busi-ness as usual for me. In the fightgame, you have to take the good withthe bad and not let it get to yourhead.”

A loss to Tyson Griffin in his sec-ond UFC fight prompted speculationhe would be cut from the organisa-

tion, but two impressive wins overRob Emerson and Kyle Bradley havethrust him back into the spotlight.

Beating Etim in Abu Dhabi wouldconfirm him as a genuine contenderand edge him closer to some of theleading names in the lightweightdivision such as BJ Penn and ShinyaAoki.

Dos Anjos, all tattoos and tough-ness with the misshapen, mangledears of a fighter, has no doubts hisdecision to finish his preparations inSingapore will pay dividends.

He goes to work on an unfortu-nate heavy bag, making it grunt andyelp and jerk backwards with a flurryof elbows, punches and cruel kicks.

In the cage, sparring partnerLeandro “Brodinho” Issa blocked,braced, ducked and dodged as a bar-rage of blows rained down. The airwhistles from his lungs as dos Anjosspikes him to the mat with a mightytakedown.

Slipping seamlessly from submis-sion to submission, dos Anjosrehearses the end game, how he willforce Etim’s surrender.

“I’ve been training so that thisfight doesn’t go to the third round,”he said. “We’ll probably fight stand-ing up but I’m hoping to bring thefight to the ground so I can use jiujit-su, which is my strength.”

Dos Anjos smiled as he spoke ofhis contentment with life as a fighter.The risk of serious injury did notseem to weigh heavily on his shoul-ders.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t dan-gerous. But I am a highly trained,professional athlete. So no, I don’treally think about the dangers of thesport,” he said.

The financial security of his con-tract had allowed him to focus fullyon fighting. “A while ago I had to sep-arate my life, I couldn’t really train, Ihad to do other jobs,” he added.

“Now I can dedicate myself tofighting 100 percent, which I love.Now I do what I like and I wake uphappy everyday to go to work, butit’s not really work because I have somuch fun doing it.”— Reuters

MELBOURNE: The Australian Grand Prixdelivered enough thrills and spills to quietendemands for more rule changes to FormulaOne, revving up a championship that seemedstuck in first gear at Bahrain’s dull season-opener.

While nature played a part, dousingAlbert Park’s tight and bumpy street circuitwith rain minutes before the start, hard-fought racing and brilliant strategy decidedthe outcome.

With Bahrain’s race turning into a pro-cession and largely decided at qualifying,some critics had called for a second manda-tory pitstop or less durable tyre compoundsto add spice and unpredictability.

“I’m glad that we haven’t really jumped totoo many conclusions or ideas because Ithink this race was a great race,” saidMcLaren’s Jenson Button, whose early deci-sion to change to slicks on the still-greasytrack proved a masterstroke. “Overtakingcars on the circuit and watching on thescreen with a lot of action going on is great.”

Formula One officials had hoped the banon refuelling might bring drama to the latterstage of races, with drivers on worn tyresforced to hold off those catching up on fresh-er ones.

Those hopes seemed to come to fruition

in a breathless climax in Melbourne, as aclutch of cars caught Renault driver RobertKubica and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in a last-ditch skirmish for podium places.

Whether the visual feast can continue inMalaysia this weekend, however, will be ofmajor interest to F1 officials.

Overtaking, virtually unseen at Sakhir inround one, remains no less difficult andanother lifeless procession at Sepang willinevitably re-open the debate.

“(With the new rules) you’ve got a muchsmaller front tyre so mechanically you haveless grip,” world champion Button added.

“So when you lose the downforce by fol-lowing other cars you have less grip, so Ithink (overtaking) is more difficult thisyear.”

Button’s 12-second victory elevated himto third in the championship behind leaderFernando Alonso, and lifted McLaren to sec-ond in the constructors standings 16 pointsbehind Ferrari.

However, the result should not be con-strued as a watershed, Button cautioned, theMcLaren car still lagging its main rivals forpace.

“Now we’ve just got to look at improvingthe car, because (pace) in qualifying is some-thing we’re lacking a little bit,” he said. “It’san area we desperately need to work on.

“So when you can get good points finish-es like (in Melbourne), it really does mean alot to you when you don’t have a car youthink is quick enough really to win racesevery weekend.”

With Red Bull’s pace in qualifying theenvy of their rivals, German driverSebastian Vettel’s second reliability failure intwo races is particularly galling.

After being robbed of a podium finish inBahrain due to a spark plug problem, a wheelmalfunction put the 22-year-old into thegravel in Melbourne.— Reuters

Dos Anjos hopes to strike a blow for MMA’s image

Australia GP thrills to silence F1 doubters

MELBOURNE: Red Bull Formula One driver Mark Webber ofAustralia pulls into pit lane during the Australian Formula OneGrand Prix. — AP

SPORTS16 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fred Couples in action at the Cap Cana Championship

BAY HILL: Ernie Els of South Africa turns away from sand spray after hitting from thebunker on the 13th fairway during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golftournament. — AP

CARLSBAD: Hee Kyung Seo of South Korea holds the tro-phy after the final round of the Kia Classic presented by JGolf at La Costa Resort and Spa. — AFP

NEW DELHI: Indian stalwart JyotiRandhawa hopes a return to one of hisfavourite hunting grounds will lead him tovictory at the SAIL Open which tees offtoday.

Randhawa, Asia’s number one in 2002,has won four Asian Tour titles at the venera-ble Delhi Golf Club and is confident of addingmore silverware here this week.

Among the other top players tipped tosparkle include defending champion

Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, Singapore’s LamChih Bing, Australian Marcus Both andIndian rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Such is the depth of the field thatRandhawa is one of 28 Asian Tour winnersfeaturing at the venerable golf club and hehopes to put his knowledge of the course togood use.

“I have played this golf course manytimes. I know how to play it and that certain-ly helps. I would say it will give me an advan-

tage over the others,” said Randhawa aheadof the unusual Tuesday start, which wasrequested by organisers.

Having successfully defended his HeroHonda Indian Open crown in 2007 on thesame course, Randhawa believes that astutecourse management will be key to victorythis week. “This is a unique golf course thatyou won’t find anywhere around the world,”he said.

“It is very penalizing if you don’t hit the

fairway. The fairways are wide but you’ve gotto plan your shots carefully. You can’t justtake out your driver and hit it everywhere. Itis going to be interesting.”

Big-hitting Chapchai, who set a newworld 72-hole scoring record of 32-under-par256 enroute to victory last year albeit on adifferent course, is upbeat about his defence.

“It will be down to irons and three woodsthis week. It will be very tough for golfersbut I’m confident of my chances,” said the

three-time Asian Tour winner. “My seasonstarted slowly earlier in the year but myform has improved.

“I tried to make some swing changesafter my victory at the SAIL Open last yearbut I couldn’t get use to it. My swing is feel-ing more comfortable now and I’m confidentof doing well,” he added.

Bhullar, 21, got his year off to a flyingstart when he won the season-opening AsianTour International in Bangkok and he hopes

to follow in the footsteps of Randhawa,whom he rates as one of India’s golfing leg-ends.

“This golf course is very prestigious forall Indian golfers and it gives us the opportu-nity to do well,” he said.

“It won’t be easy especially with Jyoti inthe field. He is a legend in India and has wonhere many times. But I’m in good shape andmy form is up there, so I’m looking forwardto this week.”— AFP

Randhawa eyes SAIL Open on favorite hunting ground

ORLANDO: Leader Ernie Elsfaces a tricky four-hole finish tothe weather-hit Arnold PalmerInvitational when play resumes onMonday after he dropped threestrokes just before a storm hit BayHill on Sunday.

“I’ll be thinking about it allnight. It won’t be a very peacefulnight I don’t think but I am goingto come out and get it done some-how,” Els told reporters.

The South African has a two-shot lead over Kevin Na and wason the 15th hole when the stormsmoved in and officials called theplayers off the course.

Play was abandoned for the dayaround three hours later at 1730local time and the tournament wasscheduled to resume late yester-day.

Els, looking for his secondstraight win on the PGA Tour, wasperfectly poised for a comfortablevictory after moving five shotsclear after a birdie at the 12th buton the next hole he went from fair-way bunker to water and doubledbogeyed the par-four 13th.

“I was maybe too aggressiveon my drive. I wanted to get itclose to the green and I got thebunker, I had a good lie but thebunkers are a little softer than weare used to and I caught a little toomuch sand,” said Els.

He found sand again on thepar-three 14th and had to two-puttfor another bogey after Na closedin with birdies on the 11th and12th.

“Not a very nice way to go intoa bit of a break. But I’ve got a two-shot lead. I started the day with aone-shot lead and I have two now.

“Obviously, I am not totally atease with myself right now, I’m alittle angry or disappointed butthere is still work to be done andI’ve got to get it done,” he added.

Organisers had brought teetimes forward and sent out theplayers in groups of three ratherthan pairs in a bid to finish thetournament before the stormarrived-but the thunder and light-ning came an hour earlier thanhoped.

Americans Chris Couch andBen Curtis, who were in the finalgroup with Els, had been on theSouth African’s tail at the start butCouch bogeyed the 11th and 13thand Curtis had bogeys at eight andnine.

The pair were joined on eightunder by Els’s compatriot RetiefGoosen while Italian EdoardoMolinari and American KevinStreelman were a further shotback.

World number three PhilMickelson had another disappoint-ing day after he triple-bogeyed thethird hole, taking two penalties forballs hit into the water. The left-hander was five over for the roundto finish two over for the tourna-ment. — Reuters

Els faces tricky finishafter Bay Hill storm

CARLSBAD: South Korea’s HeeKyung Seo won the inaugural KiaClassic for her first LPGA Tour titleSunday, closing with a 2-under 70 for asix-stroke victory in a final roundmarked by Michelle Wie’s latest rulesgaffe.

Seo received one of the threesponsor’s exemptions to get into thetournament, her sixth on the LPGATour. The 23-year-old Seo, an 11-timewinner on the Korean women’s tour,now has the option to become anLPGA Tour member this or next sea-son.

After opening with a 70 at LaCosta, Seo had rounds of 67, 69 and 70for a 12-under 276 total. SouthKoreans swept the top four spots,with Inbee Park (65) finishing second

at 6 under, and Jiyai Shin (70) and JeeYoung Lee (70) sharing third at 5under.

Seo said she’ll probably finish theseason on the Korean tour and thinkabout joining the LPGA Tour in theoffseason.

Regardless, she’s in the field forthe season’s first major, the KraftNabisco Championship next week inRancho Mirage, based on her spot onthe KLPGA money list last year.

Wie was penalized two strokes forgrounding her club in a hazard afterhitting out of the water near the 11thgreen, giving her a double-bogey 7.She was notified of the penalty byLPGA Tour rules official Doug Brechta few holes later. At the time, she wasfive strokes behind Seo. Wie ended up

with a 72 to tie for fifth at 4 under. “Itjust doesn’t seem right,” Wie toldBrecht on the course.

After her round, Wie went to a TVtruck to review video with officials.“They interpreted it differently thanwhat I felt,” Wie said. “I knew I didground the club. At the same time Iknew that I felt off-balance. I closedmy eyes and hit the shot and ground-ed my club so I wouldn’t fall into thewater while wearing a white skirt.

“I accept it,” she added, speakingwith reporters a few feet off the 18thgreen just as Seo was about to receiveher trophy. “I accept the fact that itwas a penalty stroke if you ground aclub. But the fact is I felt like I was offbalance.

That’s why I grounded the club.That’s a rule so there’s nothing I cando about it.” Wie has run up againstgolf’s rule book a number of times. Inher first pro tournament, the 2005Samsung World Championship, shetook a penalty drop for an unplayablelie during her third round. At the endof the tournament, officials ruled shemade her drop at the wrong place,should have taken a two-shot penaltyand disqualified her for signing anincorrect card.

“It’s always the kind of thing like,‘Oh, it always happens to me,”‘ Wiesaid Sunday, “but it’s Murphy’s Law, Iguess.” Asked about Wie’s troubles,Seo said: “No, I didn’t care aboutthat.” —AP

CAP CANA: Fred Couples won his third straightChampions Tour start, closing with a course-record 10-under 62 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over CoreyPavin in the Cap Cana Championship.

The 50-year-old Couples, the first player in ChampionsTour history to win three of his first four tournaments, hada 21-under 195 total on the Jack Nicklaus-designed PuntaEspada course.

Couples is the eighth Champions Tour player to winthree straight starts, leaving him one behind the tourrecord set by Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1987. “It was an unbe-lievable day,” said Couples, who made five consecutivebirdies from the second hole.

“The first six or seven holes, there was an eagle, birdiesand putts going in from everywhere.” Pavin shot a 66 andfinished second at 197, losing the lead after his second shothit a greenside sprinkler head and bounced 60 yards overthe 14th green.

Russ Cochran (67) finished in third at 202, a strokeahead of Nick Price, Bernhard Langer and Tom Pernice.When Couples joined the Champions Tour this year, mostpredicted success befitting a 15-time PGA Tour winner andMasters champion.

Judging from his first four events, those expectations

were right. Couples earned $240,000 here and raised hisyearly winnings to $931,000 in four events — leading themoney list by a margin of $431,000.

Couples began the day two strokes behind Pavin andone behind Nick Price. Pavin lost the lead for good after the14th hole. “I did a lot of things that were very good outthere today,” said Pavin, who made an eagle with a chip-inat the par-5 sixth hole to tie for the lead, five birdies andone bogey, “and one bad break does not make a tourna-ment, but it doesn’t help any.” Couples, Price and Pavin litup a defenseless course for the third day in a row. In theopening nine holes, they made 11 birdies and an eagle.

Couples ran off five more birdies in a row from the 11-15 and maintained a one-shot lead over Pavin when bothbirdied the par-5 15th. Of his birdies, only one came fromoutside 30 feet and eight came from inside 15 or less. Afinal birdie at the par-4 17th, coupled with three Pavin parsto end the round, signaled a two-stroke victory for Couples.

“I had a great stretch of golf in 1992,” said Couples, whowon three tournaments, including the Masters, in a twomonth period then. “But I must say that these four weekson the Champions Tour I’m not missing many shots.”Couples plays next week at the Shell Houston Open andthen the Masters the following week. — AP

Couples pulls away for Champions Tour win

PORTO VECCHIO: Twice Tour deFrance champion Alberto Contadormissed out on an opportunity tointimidate bitter rival and formerteam mate Lance Armstrong whenhe suffered a rare upset at theCriterium International.

The Spaniard cracked duringthe final ascent in Saturday’s hillyopening stage, citing allergy prob-lems, and although Armstrong stillfinished far behind, he was notimpressed.

“I was not going to competewith him,” said the American, whowas a member of the Astana teamlast season with Contador.

“I know that, he knows that, youknow that. There is no mysterythere, no surprise. Asked if theywere in speaking terms, Armstronglaughed: “Hmmm, I don’t know.”

Despite his frosty relationshipwith Contador, the seven-timesTour champion looked relaxed ashe soaked up the sun at the PortoVecchio bay after Sunday’s finaltime trial.

But after finishing 47th overallin the two-day race, Armstrongknew he was way off his peak formthree months before the start ofthe Tour de France in Rotterdam onJuly 3.

Contador, who started the com-petition saying he had no messagefor Armstrong, made up forSaturday’s mishap by taking secondplace in the final time trial, 17 sec-onds ahead of Armstrong.

“Seventeen seconds wasenough but we should not give toomuch importance to that,”Contador told Reuters. He hadexpected to deliver more onSaturday.

“Just before it was time for himto attack he felt his legs were notresponding,” Astana team managerYvon Sanquer told Reuters. “Hecould not breathe well, he had anallergy problem so he preferred tolet go.”

Armstrong was unsympatheticand felt Contador’s gamble to com-pete in the two-day Corsica race-

which also featured the American-instead of his usual stop at the Tourof Catalunya failed to pay off.

“If it was a provocation (againstme), then it backfired. If it was asimple schedule change becausethis race suited him better thenthat was his prerogative,” saidArmstrong.

“I expected him to be superyesterday,” the 38-year-old added,declining to elaborate onContador’s allergy problem. “Idon’t know the problem, but it didnot work out.”

The next showdown betweenArmstrong and Contador is likelyto be at the Tour unless they bothopt to compete at the one-weekraces in June.

“There are two options there,the Dauphine and the Tour ofSwitzerland, so it might be thatthere’s not another confrontationbefore July,” said Armstrong, whofinished more than five minutesbehind Contador in last year’s Tour.“The drama is good... but whatmatters is what starts inRotterdam.” — Reuters

Contador suffers rare upset

BAY HILL: Ernie Els of South Africa turns away fromsand spray after hitting from the bunker on the 13thfairway during the final round of the Arnold Palmer

Seo wins Kia Classic

ORLANDO: Louis Oosthuizen andK.J. Choi were among five playersto move into the top 50 in theworld rankings and earn a spot inthe Masters, which could have itslargest field in 44 years.

Oosthuizen, the 27-year-oldSouth African who lost a 54-holelead a week ago in Morocco, wonhis first European Tour eventSunday at the Andalucia Open inSpain. He earned enough points tomove into the top 50.

Choi closed with a 1-over 73and was tied for 17th in the ArnoldPalmer Invitational when the finalround was suspended by weather.Choi, who moved up to No. 48 withhis runner-up finish a week ago atInnisbrook, will stay in the top 50.

Augusta National takes the top50 players in the world ranking tobe published Monday. The onlyother way to qualify now is forsomeone not already eligible to

win the Houston Open next week.The other three players to

qualify for the Masters throughthe world ranking are CharlSchwartzel of South Africa, AlvaroQuiros of Spain and ThongchaiJaidee of Thailand. The invitationswill not be official until the ArnoldPalmer Invitational ends.

With the addition of five play-ers, the field is expected to be atleast 98 players. That does notinclude two-time Masters champi-on Jose Maria Olazabal, whosemanager said last week he wassuffering from rheumatism andwould not play this year. It wouldbe the largest field since 103 play-ers competed in the 1966 Masters.

Of the four majors, the Mastershas the smallest field. Only threetimes since it began in 1934 hasthe field topped 100 players, withthe largest coming in 1962 when109 players competed. — AP

Oosthuizen, Choi earnMasters spot

SPORTS 17Tuesday, March 30, 2010

NBA results and standings on Sunday.Cleveland 97, Sacramento 90; Milwaukee 108,Memphis 103 (OT); Atlanta 94, Indiana 84; Chicago110, Detroit 103; Miami 97, Toronto 94; Orlando103, Denver 97; Phoenix 111, Minnesota 105;Portland 92, Oklahoma City 87; San Antonio 94,Boston 73; Golden State 121, LA Clippers 103. (OTindicates overtime win)

Eastern ConferenceAtlantic Division

W L PCT GBBoston 47 26 .644 -Toronto 35 37 .486 11.5NY Knicks 26 46 .361 20.5Philadelphia 26 47 .356 21New Jersey 9 64 .123 38

Central DivisionCleveland 58 16 .784 -Milwaukee 40 32 .556 17Chicago 35 38 .479 22.5Indiana 27 47 .365 31Detroit 23 50 .315 34.5

Southeast DivisionOrlando 52 22 .703 -Atlanta 47 26 .644 4.5Miami 40 34 .541 12Charlotte 38 34 .528 13Washington 21 51 .292 30

Western ConferenceNorthwest Division

Denver 48 26 .649 -Utah 48 26 .649 -Oklahoma City 44 28 .611 3Portland 45 29 .608 3Minnesota 14 60 .189 34

Pacific DivisionLA Lakers 54 19 .740 -Phoenix 47 26 .644 7LA Clippers 27 46 .370 27Sacramento 24 50 .324 30.5Golden State 21 52 .288 33

Southwest DivisionDallas 48 25 .658 -San Antonio 44 28 .611 3.5Memphis 38 35 .521 10Houston 36 36 .500 11.5New Orleans 34 40 .459 14.5

NBA results/standings

LOS ANGELES: Golden State Warriors guard CJ Watson (left) reaches in on Los Angeles Clippers guard Rasual Butler during the first half of their NBA basketballgame. —AP

ORLANDO: JJ Redick had 23 points andcareer highs of eight assists and sevenrebounds in place of an injured Vince Carteras he helped the Orlando Magic beat theDenver Nuggets 103-97 on Sunday night.

Redick played a career-high 46 minutesafter Carter injured his right big toe. TheMagic also got a big boost with 19 pointsfrom reserve Ryan Anderson for their 13thwin in the last 15 games.

Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and eightrebounds, and Chauncey Billups finishedwith 18 points for the struggling Nuggets,who have lost four of their past five games.

Spurs 94, Celtics 73At Boston, Manu Ginobili scored 28

points, and Richard Jefferson had 16 pointsand 11 rebounds to lead San Antonio overthe Celtics.

Tim Duncan had eight points and ninerebounds, and DeJuan Blair added sevenpoints and 11 boards for the Spurs, whohave won 12 of 16 to move into a three-wayshare of sixth place with Portland and

Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.Paul Pierce scored 18 points, and Kevin

Garnett had 12 points and 10 rebounds forBoston. It was the Celtics’ lowest point totalof the season, their worst home loss of theyear and their third loss by 20 or more sinceFeb. 25.

T Blazers 92, Thunder 87At Oklahoma City, Andre Miller scored

26 points, Brandon Roy added 20 asPortland won to move into a share of sixthplace with the Thunder in the WesternConference. The Blazers have won 11 oftheir last 13 games to strengthen their posi-tion in the West playoff race and can clinch aspot in the postseason with three wins inthe last eight games.Durant finished with 29points for Oklahoma City, which was comingoff an impressive blowout win against theWest-leading Los Angeles Lakers only twonights earlier.

Cavaliers 97, Kings 90At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 23 of

his 34 points in the second half and AntawnJamison added 26 as the Cavs welcomedback center Zydrunas Ilgauskas with a victo-ry over Sacramento.

With Cleveland leading by four, Jamesmade a crucial 3-pointer with 2:02 left andthen had a rebound and steal to help seal it.Cleveland went 10-0 against the PacificDivision this season.

Beno Udrih had his first career triple-double (18 points, 15 assists and 10rebounds) for the Kings, who because ofinjuries dressed only eight players and thenlost forward Dominic McGuire in the firstquarter with a foot injury.

Bucks 108, Grizzlies 103At Milwaukee, John Salmons scored 10

of his 25 points in the fourth quarter andovertime as the Bucks rallied to avoid athird straight loss.

Rookie Brandon Jennings added 29points, eight assists and seven rebounds,and Andrew Bogut had 18 points and 11rebounds in his return after missing a game

with a sore back. Zach Randolph ledMemphis with 31 points and 15 rebounds.

Hawks 94, Pacers 84At Atlanta, Josh Smith had 21 points and

13 rebounds as the Hawks ended Indiana’sfive-game winning streak while increasingtheir own winning run at home to eightgames.

Troy Murphy scored 21 for Indiana,which was trying to win six straight gamesfor the first time since 2005. DannyGranger, who was coming off a career-high44 points in a home win Friday over Utah,finished with 18. He had averaged 31.9 overthe previous seven games.

Heat 97, Raptors 94At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 32

points as the Heat rallied from a 17-pointdeficit to beat Toronto. Miami outscoredToronto 19-7 in the final 6:12, taking thelead for good at 91-89 on Carlos Arroyo’sjumper with 59 seconds remaining.

Arroyo converted eight free throws inthe final 22 seconds and Udonis Haslem

scored 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quar-ter for the Heat, in sixth place in the EasternConference.

Bulls 110, Pistons 103At Auburn Hills, Flip Murray scored 23

points while Derrick Rose added 19 pointsand nine assists as Chicago beat haplessDetroit.

The Pistons have lost eight straight and15 of 17. The victory gave the Bulls theirfirst season sweep of Detroit since theMichael Jordan-led team that won 72 gamesin 1995-96. They have now beaten thePistons seven straight times.

Brad Miller added 17 points for Chicago,while Hakim Warrick scored 14 off thebench. Richard Hamilton led all scorers with29 points, while Rodney Stuckey overcamea twisted ankle to add 20.

Suns 111, T’wolves 105At Minneapolis, Amare Stoudemire had

30 points and 17 rebounds, helping Phoenixhold off Minnesota, which matched a clubrecord with its 16th loss in a row. Kevin

Love had 23 points and a career-high 22rebounds, and Al Jefferson put up 19 pointsand 16 rebounds, leading the Timberwolveson a startling second-half comeback afterfalling behind by 25 points in the secondquarter. Steve Nash finished with 14 pointsand 11 assists for the Suns, who have won aseason-high seven straight games and 21 oftheir last 26.

Warriors 121, Clippers 103At Los Angeles, Reggie Williams scored

25 points in his second NBA start as theGolden State Warriors beat the Clippers,putting Don Nelson within three victories ofovertaking Lenny Wilkens as the coach withthe most regular season wins in NBA histo-ry.

The Warriors have nine chances left onthe schedule to keep Nelson from having towait an entire summer before breakingWilkens’ record of 1,332 victories. RasualButler scored 21 points and Eric Gordonadded 20 for the Clippers, who have lost 11of their last 13. —AP

Magic pound Nuggets, Spurs see off Celtics

HOUSTON: Michigan State’sRaymar Morgan made a freethrow with two secondsremaining to give his team a70-69 victory overTennessee on Sunday to joinDuke in the national colle-giate basketball tournament’sFinal Four.

Durrell Summers scored21 points and Morgan added13 and 10 rebounds to leadthe fifth-seeded MichiganState Spartans to a showdownwith Butler in Indianapolis onApril 3.

The Spartans were beatenby North Carolina in thenational championship gamelast year and have made sixFinal Four appearances in thepast 12 years.

“I’m proud of these guys,”Michigan State coach TomIzzo told reporters. “I can’ttell you what these guys havebeen through. I’m proud torepresent Michigan State.”

Tennessee had tied thegame with 12 seconds left,but on the Spartans’ next pos-session Morgan took a passinside and drew a foul to setup the winning free throw.

Tennessee, who were ledby Wayne Chism’s 13 points,made one final hopeful heavefrom half court but it fellshort.

The Duke Blue Devilsadvanced to their 11th FinalFour appearance under coachMike Krzyzewski with a 78-71 win over Baylor inHouston.

Duke, the only remainingtop seed in the tournament,had trailed Baylor by threepoints with six minutesremaining before guardsNolan Smith and Jon Scheyercombined for 17 points in thelast five minutes in a 20-7run.

Smith finished with 29points and Scheyer 20points. LaceDarius Dunn ledBaylor with 22 points whileEkpe Udoh had 18 points, 10rebounds, six assists andfive blocks. Duke will now

MIAMI: Rafa Nadal kept alive hischances of ending his 11 month titledrought by taming tenaciousArgentine David Nalbandian 6-7 6-26-2 in the third round of the SonyEricsson Open on Sunday.

The fourth-seeded Nadal, whowon his last title at the RomeMasters in May 2009, was harassedby Nalbandian for almost 2-1/2hours before he finally secured hissecond win in four meetings againstthe South American.

“I had two very important lossesto him before so it didn’t surpriseme how he played,” Nadal said.“He’s a tough opponent for every-one.”

Nadal was troubled throughoutthe first set by the 161st-rankedwildcard, who is on a comeback trailafter undergoing hip surgery 10months ago. “I’m very happy to seehim back after important surgery,”

Nadal said.“When he’s playing at his best

level he makes you feel like you arenothing in the middle of the court.”The two baseliners traded breaks inthe set before wowing the crowdwith their breathtaking shot makingin the tiebreak.

After missing a set point at 8-7,Nadal blinked first and allowedNalbandian to secure the set after anintensely fought final point.

Nadal picked up the pace for thefinal two sets and frustrated hisopponent by unleashing some of thebrutal shots that helped him to winsix grand slam titles.

“I was a little bit unlucky in thefirst set,” Nadal said. “I feel goodphysically and I think he was a littlebit tired at the end.”

Women’s second seed CarolineWozniacki, who was sick with avirus, outlasted Maria Kirilenko of

Russia 1-6 6-1 6-4.At 4-1 in the first set, Wozniacki

felt dizzy and sought treatment withher blood pressure, pulse and heartrate monitored and her body wasrubbed down with ice.

The treatment appeared to haveworked and Wozniacki appearedrevived in the second set and wonall but the second game.

The third set was another strug-gle before Kirilenko double faultedat 30-40 in the ninth game to putWozniacki in position to close outthe match in the next game.

“Even though I didn’t feel 100percent, I still went out there andfought,” Wozniacki said. “The thirdset I started to feel better.”

Men’s sixth seed Andy Roddick,who had to wait until after Nadal andWozniacki had completed their vic-tories, then wasted little time indemolishing Ukraine’s Sergiy

Stakhovsky 6-2 6-1 in 55 minutes.“It’s rare that you kind of walk

off thinking everything kind of wentthe way that you wanted it to,”Roddick said. US Open championKim Clijsters faced little resistancefrom Shahar Peer as she wallopedthe Israeli 6-0 6-1.

The 14th seed never faced abreak point and led 6-0 3-0 beforePeer held serve for the only time inthe match. “I had the feeling outthere where your brain and yourarm is kind of connecting,” saidClijsters, explaining her focusedplay. “It’s a nice feeling to have.”

Ninth-seed Samantha Stosur ofAustralia defeated Virginie Razzanoof France 4-6 7-5 6-1 while 11thseed Vera Zvonareva of Russiadefeated Italy’s Sara Errani 6-2 6-3and Justine Henin took a 6-4 6-4 winover Dominika Cibulkova ofSlovakia. —Reuters

Nadal survives Nalbandian scareKEY BISCAYNE: Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to David Nalbandian of Argentina during the Sony EricssonOpen tennis tournament. —AP

Michigan State, Duke advance

meet West Virginia in Indianapolison April 3.

“We’re ecstatic,” Krzyzewski saidafter Duke made it back to the FinalFour for the first time since 2004. “I

thought our offensive rebounding keptus in it and was the key to gettingsome separation in the last four min-utes. “This was a great basketballgame.” —Reuters

HOUSTON: Duke’s Andre Dawkins (left) reacts in front ofBaylor’s Ekpe Udoh after Duke defeated Baylor 78-71 in an NCAASouth Regional college basketball championship game. —AP

SPORTS18 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

FRANCE: Lyon’s Michel Bastos celebrates after he scored a goal against Grenoble In this filephoto. — AP

MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s Martin Demichelis (back) and teammate Franck Ribery (front)warm up during the final training session ahead of the Champions League quarter final matchagainst Manchester United. — AP

LONDON: Arsenal’s Francesc Fabregas (right) speaks with match officialHoward Webb in this file photo. — AP

MUNICH: Manchester United travel toBayern Munich for todayís ChampionsLeague quarter-final first leg in buoyantmood after six straight wins, with theGermans smarting after back-to-backlosses.

Bayern coach Louis van Gaal admit-ted Saturdayís 2-1 home defeat byStuttgart had hurt his side, who losttheir place at the top of the Bundesligato Schalke, having also lost 2-1 atEintracht Frankfurt the week before.

While Bayern needed an away goal,and a good dose of luck, to squeeze pastFiorentina in the last 16, United had nosuch problems as they thumped ACMilan 7-2 on aggregate.

To make matters worse, Munich arewaiting on the fitness of influentialwinger Arjen Robben after theDutchman, who has scored 14 goals thisseason, strained a calf muscle onSaturday.

ìIt might not be too bad, but itíll bedifficult for him to be fit in time for theManchester United game,î said vanGaal after the Stuttgart game. ìWeírehoping he makes it.î Robben came onfor the second half, but finished thegame limping heavily.

ìLosing him for such an importantgame would be a bitter blow,î admittedBayernís Germany defender PhilippLahm.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson iden-tified Arjen Robben and French wingerFranck Ribery as the Bavarian sideískey dangermen.

ìRobben and Ribery are the ones whohave been carrying the banner forBayern,î Ferguson told British newspa-per The People.

ìThey have been behind in games somany times and one of those two hasalways rescued them, so they are obvi-ously the players to watch.

ìRibery is a fine player and I like hima lot. Iím not sure heís up with LionelMessi and Wayne Rooney, but heís agood player. As for Robben, heís onethat got away.

ìWe were close to signing him whenhe was at PSV Eindhoven, but Chelseahad that arrangement and some sort ofoperation with PSV because they putAlex there for a couple of years.î

United have no such injury worries,having rested striker Wayne Rooneyand centre-back Rio Ferdinand for the4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers onSaturday that put the three-timeEuropean champions back on top of thePremier League.

Rivals Chelsea had taken over topspot with a 7-1 thrashing of Aston Villaat Stamford Bridge and the westLondon outfit travel to Old Traffordnext week for what is being billed as atitle decider.

While United face a tough run, theyare riding a wave of confidence with sixwins from their last six games. ìIt wasan emphatic win in the circumstances,with Chelsea winning earlier in the day,îFerguson said after seeing strikerDimitar Berbatov score twice.

The Bulgaria international wasstanding in for Rooney, but both the for-mer Everton man and his England col-league Ferdinand will feature inMunich.

The English champions will be at fullstrength as Ryan Giggs has made a suc-cessful comeback from a month-longlay-off, playing a part in two of Unitedísgoals at Bolton.

ìRyan has so much experience ofthese types of situations. Itís great tohave him back,î said midfielder DarrenFletcher.

Meanwhile, Bayern look set to wel-come back Germany internationalMario Gomez after he returned fromthree weeks out with a ruptured calfmuscle in training on Sunday.

He is likely to begin on the benchagainst United, but may be an option forthe starting eleven. ìIím ready,î saidGomez, after staying out for extrashooting practice. The 24-year-old lastplayed for Bayern in the ChampionsLeague fixture away to Fiorentina onMarch 9.

Tuesdayís match re-unites theteams that contested the 1999Champions League final, in whichUnited prevailed 2-1 thanks to twoinjury-time goals to record their onlywin over Bayern in Europeís premierclub competition. — AFP

LONDON: The plot will be about reunions andrevenge when Barcelona starts the next steptoward its Champions League defense atArsenal in the quarterfinals tomorrow.

The first leg will pit Arsenal captain CescFabregas against the club that nurtured him aswell as former Barcelona youth team friendLionel Messi, while Thierry Henry shouldfinally come up against the Gunners threeyears after departing.

Henry was in the Arsenal side that lost toBarcelona in the 2006 final _ a 2-1 defeatwhich manager Arsene Wenger still harborsgrievances about because goalkeeper JensLehmann was sent off.

“This time I’m sure it will be different,”Wenger said. “It’s very frustrating for a man-ager not to win the title, but on the night weturned up with a decent performance andthat’s all you can do.”

This week also sees a rerun of the 1999 finalbetween Manchester United and BayernMunich. The all-French clash between Lyon andBordeaux and Inter Milan’s meeting with CSKAMoscow complete the quarterfinal lineup.

But the spotlight will be on north London,where Arsenal and Barcelona should producean attack-oriented match. Arsenal will havemuch to fear from Messi if the Argentinian

reproduces the recent devastating form thathas helped Barcelona — in coach PepGuardiola’s words — “steamroller” oppo-nents.

“Leo is very special,” said Henry, whoseside will be without injured midfielder AndresIniesta. “What Leo can do is difficult to find inany other player. The other day I had my headin my hands because I did not know how hedoes such things. I’ve received a load of mes-sages all asking me if Leo is human.

At times I ask myself that.” Messi missedthe 2006 final through injury, denying him achance to play against his former junior team-mate Fabregas, who had been lured from theBarcelona youth team three years earlier at 16.

“As much as it’s important not to speak toomuch about the individual players ofBarcelona, it’s important we don’t put toomuch pressure on Fabregas ... and expect himto make the difference,” Wenger said. “It willunfair and not realistic.”

While Barcelona enters the match onfive straight wins and only being kept offtop spot in Spain by Real Madrid on goaldifference, Arsenal’s Premier Leaguetitle hopes were rocked Saturday by adraw at Birmingham that kept theGunners third. — AP

MILAN: Inter Milan face the rare prospect ofusing tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against CSKA Moscow to boosttheir flagging domestic confidence rather thanthe other way round.

The Italian champions were imperious ineliminating Chelsea in the last 16 with a 1-0win in London but their recent Serie A formhas been poor by comparison.

Their lead at the top has been cut from ninepoints in mid-February to just a point followingSaturday’s 2-1 defeat at title rivals AS Roma,where Inter hit the woodwork three times butlooked much more nervous than usual.

It was all very different in the last threeyears when Inter were powering ahead in Italywhile really struggling to impose themselves inEurope.

“Playing every three days isn’t easy but ourdesire to win is stronger than the tiredness,”Inter’s leading scorer Diego Milito said aheadof the San Siro clash. “Every match is hard andwe mustn’t underestimate anyone. We justhave to think about ourselves.”

Inter, who have not reached the semi-finalssince 2003 and have an unbeaten home recordthis term, have Brazilian centre back Lucio andcompatriot midfielder Thiago Motta suspended.

Left back Davide Santon is injured while fel-low teenage striker Mario Balotelli has beenleft in the cold for the last month after anotherfalling out with coach Jose Mourinho.

CSKA have no worries about tiredness intheir first European Cup quarter-final in 17years with the Russian league in its earlystages.

They should be at full strength with Chilewinger Mark Gonzalez looking to shake off themuscle spasms which forced him to missFriday’s league win at Anzhi Makhachkala.

CSKA earned a hard-fought victory withgoals from Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda andCzech striker Tomas Necid to move into ashare of first place after three games of theseason.

Full back Vasily Berezutsky was hoping theItalians would underestimate his side, whoshocked many pundits by eliminating Spain’sSevilla in the previous round.

“Inter were probably very happy after beingdrawn to face us,” the Russian internationaltold Moscow media.

“I think they were already dreaming of aplace in the semi-finals. That should suit us

just fine. Sevilla also looked very confidentprior to our matches but where are they now?”Berezutsky also had a few words for Intercoach Mourinho, who travelled to Moscow lastweekend to watch CSKA in action against cityrivals Dynamo.

“We were told that Mourinho was in thestands so we tried to conceal our strengths onpurpose,” he said, referring to a drab 0-0 draw.

Probable teams:Inter Milan: 12-Julio Cesar; 13-Maicon, 2-

Ivan Cordoba, 25-Walter Samuel, 26-CristianChivu; 4-Javier Zanetti, 19-Esteban Cambiasso,5-Dejan Stankovic; 10-Wesley Sneijder; 9-Samuel Eto’o, 22-Diego Milito

CSKA Moscow: 35-Igor Akinfeyev; 24-Vasily Berezutsky, 4-Sergei Ignashevich, 6-Alexei Berezutsky, 42-Georgy Shchennikov; 2-Deividas Semberas, 22-Yevgeny Aldonin, 18-Keisuke Honda, 13-Mark Gonzalez, 17-MilosKrasic; 89-Tomas Necid. — Reuters

Ailing Bayern braced for in-form United

PARIS: Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanchas told his players to shrug off the dis-appointment of their League Cup finaldefeat and focus on today’s ChampionsLeague quarter-final first leg at Lyon.

Holders Bordeaux were defeated 3-1 by Marseille in Saturday’s final inParis and have also seen a nine-pointlead in the French first division whit-tled down to goal difference byMontpellier.

Defeat in a physical match toMarseille was far from ideal prepara-tion for their trip to domestic rivalsLyon and Blanc says the reigningFrench champions must get the lossout of their system as quickly as possi-ble.

“We’re lucky in a way because wehave an important match on Tuesday inthe quarter-finals of the ChampionsLeague,” said Blanc, whose side havenot reached this stage of Europe’s topclub tournament since 1988.

“We’ll have to bounce back quickly,get over this disappointment and throwourselves into this important match.

“If we had a week to prepare, we’dbe able to assess everything. Eventhough it’s always better to win beforea match like this, we haven’t got thetime. We have to get our heads in theright place.”

Blanc made his priorities clear dur-ing Saturday’s final by withdrawingplaymaker Yoann Gourcuff and striker

Marouane Chamakh with 20 minutesstill to play and the score 2-0.

“We had planned certain things, butnot necessarily in that way,” admittedBlanc, who guided Les Girondins to theleague title last season.

“I’d said it was the paradox of thefinal. We had to prepare for it whilepreparing for the next match at thesame time. “I had several options opento me. I chose one. We’ll find out onTuesday if I was right or not.”

Bordeaux skipper Alou Diarra miss-es Tuesday’s match at the StadeGerland through suspension, whilecentre-back Marc Planus remains side-lined with a knee ligament injury.

Lyon, who eliminated Real Madridin the previous round, geared up for thevisit of Bordeaux with a 2-0 win overbottom club Grenoble on Saturday.

It was a welcome fillip for ClaudePuel’s side, after a damaging 2-1 defeatto Marseille in the league the previousweekend and an unedifying spat withBordeaux over the scheduling of thematch with Grenoble, which was origi-nally due to take place on Friday.

“It’s always better to win the matchbefore the Champions League,” saidPuel. “Even though we want to prepareourselves well psychologically, yourhead can always be turned towardsTuesday’s match. “It’s for that reasonthat we had to deal with Saturday’smatch well.”

Lyon, seven-time French champi-ons from 2002 to 2008, will be compet-ing in their fourth Champions Leaguequarter-final but have never pro-gressed to the last four.

They are unbeaten at home in thecompetition this season, though, andBosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanicanticipates a tight first leg.

“It’s particularly important not toconcede any goals,” said the 19-year-old. “We know what happens to uswhen we don’t concede. It gives usconfidence.”

A late Chamakh header gaveBordeaux a 1-0 victory when the sideslast met in the league in December andPjanic concedes that his side are gun-ning for revenge.

“The game was very competitiveand very even,” he recalled. “We wouldhave deserved a draw. We want to get akind of revenge against them but wehave to remember that they are twovery different matches.”

Full-back Francois Clerc will notfeature for Lyon despite havingresumed training following surgery ona knee problem, but centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong could make the benchafter overcoming a calf injury.

The second leg in Bordeaux takesplace on April 7, with the winners ofthe quarter-final between BayernMunich and Manchester United await-ing the victors in the last four. — AFP

Blanc tells Bordeaux to forget League Cup failure

Inter seek salvation against CSKA

ROME: Inter Milan coach JoseMourinho, of Portugal, gestures inthis file photo. — AP

Arsenal-Barca clash pits Fabregas against Messi

UEFA Champions League

Lyon v Bordeaux ........................ 21:45Al Jazeera Sport +4

Bayern v Man United ................ 21:45Al Jazeera Sport +5

Matches on TV(local timings)

19Tuesday, March 30, 2010 SPORTS

SAO PAULO: Defending champi-on Corinthians got the benefit ofSao Paulo’s injury-time own goalfor a thrilling 4-3 win Sunday,keeping alive its chances ofadvancing to the semifinals of thestate championship.

In the Rio de Janeiro tourna-ment, strikers Adriano andVagner Love scored inFlamengo’s 2-1 win overAmerica, while Vasco beatFluminense 3-0.

Corinthians led 2-0 and 3-1before allowing Sao Paulo tocome back at Pacaembu stadium,but clinched the victory with anown goal by Sao Paulo defenderAlex Silva two minutes into stop-page time.

The goal came after formerBoca Juniors midfielder Yarleydribbled past two defenders onthe left edge of the box and sent apowerful cross toward Silva, whoheaded the ball into his own netwhile trying to clear it.

Midfielder Elias opened thescoring for Corinthians in the18th minute with a shot from thetop of the area after a set up fromstriker Ronaldo, and playmakerDanilo added to the lead in the34th with a well-placed right-foot-er from inside the box.

Defender Jean put Sao Pauloon the board in the 43rd with ashot from near the penalty spotbefore veteran left back RobertoCarlos made it 3-1 in the 53rdwith a booming, low free kick thatfooled Sao Paulo goalkeeperRogerio Ceni.

Midfielder Rodrigo Soutopulled Sao Paulo closer in the75th with a goal from close rangeafter Corinthians goalkeeperRafael Santos failed to hold on toa free kick. And Souto nettedagain with a header in the 83rdafter another mistake by Santos,who misplayed a cross from for-mer AS Roma right back Cicinho.

Both teams played a mandown from the 38th afterCorinthians striker Dentinho andSao Paulo forward Washingtongot into a scuffle following a heat-ed ball dispute and were sent off.

The win moved Corinthians tofifth place in the 20-team compe-tition with 29 points from 17matches, while Sao Paulodropped to fourth with 30 points.Gremio Prudente beatPortuguesa 2-1 in Sao Paulo tojump to third with 31 points. Thetop four will advance to the semi-final stage, which begins nextmonth.

Leader Santos, which alreadyhas secured a semifinal spot with41 points, routed Monte Azul 5-0at Vila Belmiro stadium with mid-fielder Paulo Henrique Gansoscoring twice. Santos, which hasscored 70 goals in 21 matchesthis season, played without strik-er Robinho because of a thighinjury.

Santo Andre, which also hasclinched a semifinal berth,remains second with 36 pointsdespite a 3-2 loss at Mogi Mirim.

On Saturday, 2008 championPalmeiras - 10th in the standings- drew Mirassol 1-1 at home tovirtually end its hopes of reachingthe semifinals. The result extend-ed Palmeiras’ winless streak inthe tournament to three matches.

Palmeiras president LuizGonzaga Belluzzo, a renownedeconomist who worked for theBrazilian government in the late1980s, said Saturday that he hasbeen receiving death threats inthe mail, with envelopes contain-ing bullets.

In Rio de Janeiro, Vascoscored three second-half goals tobeat rival Fluminense 3-0 andimprove its chances of reachingthe semifinals of the Rio Cup, thesecond stage of the Rio state title.

Defender Thiago Martinelliopened the scoring for Vasco atMaracana stadium in the 59th,substitute striker Dodo doubledthe lead in the 84th and right backFagner finished off in the 90th.

Fluminense played a mandown from the 79th after mid-fielder Leandro Euzebio receivedhis second yellow card for a hardfoul on Dodo.

Vasco moved to second placein Group B with 12 points fromseven matches, one point behindBotafogo. Fluminense, whichplayed without injured strikerFred, is second in Group A with16 points, three behindFlamengo, which beat America 2-1 at Engenhao stadium.

Vagner Love scored a 65th-minute winner for Flamengo aftermidfielder Jones had put Americaahead in the fifth and Adrianoequalized with a penalty kick inthe 24th. America, which hasRomario overseeing the team’sfootball operations, played a mandown from the 62nd after mid-fielder Jones was red carded for ahard foul. America also haddefender Gerson sent off in the84th.

The top two teams from eachgroup will reach the Rio Cupsemifinals after next Sunday’sfinal round. Botafogo, the defend-ing Guanabara Cup champion, willplay at Boavista on Monday. TheGuanabara Cup champion facesthe Rio Cup winner for the over-all state title.—AP

Corinthians edge Sao Paulo

Flamengo striker Adriano in action.

ABIDJAN: Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been appointed IvoryCoast coach for this year’s World Cup finals,the Ivory Coast Federation (FIF) said in astatement on its website (www.fif-ci.com)on Sunday.

The FIF said it had considered a few can-didates since Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic wassacked in February after failing to lead theteam to the African Nations Cup semi-finals.

“The executive committee analysed theprofile of several candidates before choosingSven-Goran Eriksson,” FIF said (www.fif-ci.com).

“His mission will be to guide our teamduring the World Cup and to make sure itfares honourably, which will be difficult in acompetition featuring the world’s best 32sides.”

No details were given about the terms ofEriksson’s contract.

The Ivory Coast, one of four AfricanWorld Cup qualifiers to change coaches inthe last nine months, have been drawn inGroup G at the tournament in South Africaalong with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.

The 62-year-old Eriksson managed clubsin his native Sweden, Portugal and Italy,

including AS Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio,before coaching the England national teamfrom 2001-2006.

Under Eriksson, England were knockedout at the quarter-final stage in three suc-cessive major tournaments, the 2002 WorldCup, Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

He joined Premier League ManchesterCity in 2007 and had an unsuccessful spell incharge of Mexico from 2008-09.

Eriksson was appointed director of foot-ball at English League Two (fourth division)club Notts County last year but steppeddown in February.—Reuters

Eriksson to coach Ivory Coast

BUENOS AIRES: Chacarita’s Emanuel Centurion (right) fights for the ballwith Boca Juniors’ Cristian Chavez during an Argentine soccer leaguematch.—AP

BUENOS AIRES: Three players were sent off asnine-man Independiente held on for a 1-1 draw atColon to open a three-point lead in Argentina’sClausura championship on Sunday.

Independiente, who have 24 points after 11matches, went ahead with a shot from 40 metresby Lionel Nunez in the ninth minute.

Colon’s veteran striker Esteban Fuertesequalised with a header in the 20th asIndependiente goalkeeper Adrian Gabbarini con-ceded his first goal in six matches.

Independiente centre back Leonel Galeanowas sent off after half an hour for bringing down anopponent on the edge of the box, leading to adefensive reshuffle by coach Americo Gallegowith striker Nunez coming off.

Colon’s Marcelo Goux was dismissed a minuteafter halftime and Independiente captain DarioGandin left his team with nine men in the 73rdwhen he was shown the red card after a secondbooking for pulling back an opponent by his shirt.

Second-placed Godoy Cruz were beaten 2-1 byEstudiantes, who are third a point further back, onFriday. Boca Juniors, three days after the joy ofbeating arch-rivals River Plate 2-0, were stunned4-1 by Chacarita Juniors.

Chacarita gave debutant coach Mauro Navas aperfect start after he replaced Fernando Gamboa,who was sacked last weekend following fourdefeats in a row.

They recovered from a first half deficit afterMatias Gimenez scored for Boca from Juan RomanRiquelme’s fine through ball into the middle of thebox.

Striker Facundo Parra scored twice, equalisingtwo minutes into the second half and making it 3-1 in the 81st when he deftly beat the offside trap

to race through and steer the ball past keeperJavier Garcia.

In between, Parra had a 56th-minute penaltysaved by Garcia only for Nicolas Ramirez to headin the rebound. Boca’s Ezequiel Munoz was sentoff for the foul that led to the penalty.

The icing on the cake for Chacarita, playingwith ever increasing confidence against a listlessBoca, came in the 87th minute with substituteSebastian Sciorilli’s superb lob from the edge ofthe box over Garcia and into the top far corner.

Sciorilli’s joy was tempered by a booking fortaking off his shirt to celebrate that led to a redcard in stoppage time for tripping an opponent.

Boca striker Martin Palermo did not disguisehis annoyance at being substituted 20 minutesfrom time by coach Abel Alves, whose respitefrom criticism with the win over River has quicklydissipated. “Why are you taking me off if we’relosing?” an angry Palermo was quoted as saying toAlves by the sports daily Ole on its website(www.ole.clarin.com).

Boca, who had not lost to Chacarita for 10years, have gone 11 away matches without win-ning and are the team with most goals conceded inthe championship, 22 in 11 matches. They are twofrom bottom with 11 points.

Title holders Banfield came from behind tobeat Gimnasia 3-2 in La Plata on Saturday withtwo goals from striker Ruben Ramirez and a 73rd-minute winner by Uruguay’s SebastianFernandez.

Racing Club recovered from two successivedefeats to beat Newell’s Old Boys 1-0 at home,while Rosario Central coach Ariel Cuffaro Russoresigned after Friday’s 2-0 defeat at home byHuracan.—Reuters

Independiente held by Colon

PARIS: Montpellier wasted the chance to movetop of Ligue 1 when they were thrashed 4-1 atLille on Sunday. Surprise packages Montpellier,back in the top flight this season after a long spellin the second division, stayed second on 56 pointsfrom 30 games, level with Girondins Bordeauxwho have a better goal difference and two gamesin hand.

Bordeaux were not in league action this week-end because they played the League Cup final onSaturday, losing 3-1 to Olympique Marseille atStade de France. Auxerre, in third position, will gotop if they win at Monaco late yesterday.

Ivory Coast forward Gervinho collected a fine

through ball from Belgium winger Eden Hazard toput Lille ahead on 17 minutes but the visitors lev-elled when forward Souleymane Camara fired intothe top corner from 20 metres early in the secondhalf. Midfielder Yohan Cabaye put Lille back infront from a penalty after he was fouled on 54 min-utes and forward Pierre-Alain Frau made it 3-1from a perfect Hazard pass. Substitute forwardLarsen Toure wrapped it up with an angled shotfrom inside the box 10 minutes from time.Northerners Lille, whose title chances were hit bya poor start to the season, climbed to fourth, twopoints off the pace, and have 56 goals, more thanany other Ligue 1 team this season.—Reuters

Montpellier crushed by Lille

MEXICO CITY: HerculezGomez fired a free kickthrough the hands of Mexicointernational goalkeeperGuillermo Ochoa to helpPuebla to a 2-1 win overAmerica on Sunday, endingthe club’s five-match winlessstreak and increasing itschances of advancing in theMexican Clausura champi-onship.

Guatemalan striker CarlosRuiz put Puebla ahead in the55th and Gomez doubled thelead with a powerful free kickin the 77th.

Ochoa, who started forMexico in World Cup quali-fiers, made a similar mistaketwo weeks ago in an interna-tional friendly match againstNorth Korea. Daniel Marquezscored in the 79th forAmerica, who are strugglingwith just two points in theirlast three matches.

Puebla now has 12 compe-tition points and retains a slimchance of reaching the play-offs from Group 2. Monterreyleads with 27 points, followedby Morelia (20) and America(18).

Earlier in Mexico City, thePumas wasted several scoringchances and were held to ascoreless draw by lowly SanLuis.

The Pumas had four winsin their last five matches, butwere unable to convert pres-sure into goals against theGladiators, who have just twowins this season. In otherweekend results, it was:Estudiantes 2, Cruz Azul 1;Jaguares 1, Monterrey 1;Queretaro 2, Atlas 1; Atlante3, Cd. Juarez 0; Tigres 0,Toluca 1; Pachuca 1, Morelia0; Chivas 6, Santos 2.—AP

Puebla defeat America

MEXICO: Pumas’ Luis Fuentes (right) fights forthe ball with San Luis’ Cesar Gonzalez at aMexican soccer league game.—AP

Hammers playersrally around Zola

LONDON: Egypt striker Mido has encouraged belea-guered West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola to stay in his jobby insisting that the entire squad have faith in his ability toguide the club to Premier League survival.

Six consecutive league defeats have left the Hammersteetering on the edge of the relegation zone and Zola hastaken a short break in his native Sardinia to ponderwhether he should carry on in his first managerial job.

Only goal difference is keeping Zola’s squad out of thebottom three and the side below them, Hull, who appear tohave been revitalised by the installation of Iain Dowie asmanager, have a game in hand. Mido believes the quality inWest Ham’s squad will ensure they are okay.

“Everyone is working so hard for the manager,” saidthe striker. “We’re behind that man. He is a top manager,in my opinion, and we’re all behind him.

“I think we have a very good chance of staying up. Ifyou look in the dressing room and you see the faces inthere, you don’t see a team that is going to get relegated.“By experience, by names and by people who want to workhard for this club, I don’t think this team is going down.”Anyone who watched Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke coulddispute Mido’s optimistic outlook however, and WestHam’s prospects of survival are not helped by a testingsequence of matches between now and the end of the sea-son.

A trip to Everton this weekend is followed by fixturesagainst Sunderland, Liverpool, Wigan, Fulham andManchester City, who could be playing for a ChampionsLeague place on the final day of the campaign. Mido added:“Everton are a very good team, but we’re definitely goingto go there to get at least a point. We’re going to workhard. It didn’t work for us on Saturday, but I hope that itwill work for us next week.”

Zola’s position has been undermined by public criticismfrom West Ham’s co-chairman David Sullivan, althoughthe oustpoken executive has insisted that the manager’sjob is not on the line.

Some sceptics have suggested Sullivan has been tryingto engineer a resignation from the manager that wouldensure the club did not have to pay up the remainder ofZola’s contract in the event of him leaving.

Asked after Saturday’s game if he would considerresigning, Zola acknowledged that he was thinking aboutit. “I have to find out what the problem is. If the problem isme then why not? The players are trying hard for us. Thebottom line is to see whether I can help them or not.

“I have no agendas other than doing a good job for thisclub so I will consider whether I am doing a good job. “Weare not performing as well as we should and I take respon-sibility for that.”

West Ham’s problems on the pitch are being played outagainst a background of severe financial difficulties whichwould mean relegation would have calamitous conse-quences for the east London club.—AFP

LISBON: Porto’s Gianildo Vieira Hulk (center) from Brazil,celebrates with teammates after scoring his team secondgoal during their Portuguese league soccer match withBelenenses. —AP

LISBON: Hulk returned from athree-month suspension to scorea goal and set up another in FCPorto’s 3-0 win over last-placeBelenenses on Sunday.

The Brazilian forward scoredfrom a well-taken left-foot shot inthe 51st minute to make it 2-0after Rolando had opened thescoring in the 41st. Hulk’s crossin the 83rd minute was met byRadamel Falcao, who scored his18th league goal.

Porto is demanding compensa-tion from Portuguese footballauthorities after Hulk’s suspen-sion for his part in a Decemberpost-match brawl was reduced tothree games after he had alreadysat out 17 matches.

The victory allowed four-time

defending champion Porto tomove within five points of secondplace — and the last ChampionsLeague qualifying place fromPortugal.

Benfica is moving closer to itsfirst title in five years followingSaturday’s 1-0 win over second-place Braga which gave it a six-point cushion with six games toplay. Sporting slipped 23 pointsbehind Benfica in fourth follow-ing Friday’s 3-2 defeat toMaritimo. In Sunday’s othergames, it was: Leixoes 1, Naval0; Rio Ave 1, Olhanense 5;Setubal 2, Nacional 1; and Leiria2, Pacos Ferreira 1. Guimaraesbeat Academica 1-0 on Saturdayand Maritimo was a 3-2 winnerover Sporting on Friday. —AP

Porto win over Belenenses

www.kuwaittimes.net

EPL results/standings

PARIS: Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt willcompete at the Paris meet of the IAAFDiamond League on July 16, organisers saidyesterday.

Bolt, the world and Olympic champion inthe 100 and 200m - in both of which he isalso world record holder (9.58 and 19.19secrespectively), will take part in the 100m.

The Jamaican won the event when heappeared at last year’s Golden Leaguemeeting at the Stade de France, clocking9.79sec despite cold and rainy conditions.

“His potential remains an enigma;nobody knows what he’s capable of,” saidParis meet organiser Laurent Boquillet.

“He is in a class of his own, but his pres-

ence should electrify the rest of the race.We may see other athletes benefit from thehigh pace to record some very good times.”

Bolt will be up against team-mate andformer world record holder Asafa Powell(9.77 in 2005, 9.74 in 2007). The Paris meetis the ninth of the 14-leg Diamond League,launched by the IAAF this season to replacethe Golden League series of six meetings ina bid to enhance the worldwide appeal ofathletics by going outside Europe for thefirst time.

The Qatari capital of Doha will be thelocation for the first event on May 14 withthe series concluding in Brussels on August27.

Meanwhile, newly crowned worldindoor 60m champion Veronica CampbellBrown is the latest marquee athlete report-edly hesitating over the CommonwealthGames in India in October.

In a report carried in the JamaicaObserver, the sprinter’s agent ClaudeBryan said she was leaning against compet-ing, although the decision wasn’t final.

“Well currently, I don’t think it will be ago,” Bryan was quoted as saying. “Wehaven’t sat down and made a final decision,but given the time of the year that it is, Ijust can’t see it happening with the WorldChampionships coming up next year.”

Campbell Brown, a two-time Olympic

200m champion who was also 100m worldchampion in 2007, won the silver medal inthe 200m and gold in the 4x100m relay atthe 2006 Commonwealth Games held inMelbourne.

Campbell Brown ran a personal best7.00sec to win the world indoor title inDoha earlier this month. A number ofJamaican athletes, including triple worldrecord-holder Usain Bolt and former men’s100m world record-holder Asafa Powell,have indicated they may not make the tripto India in October.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s dominating perfor-mance at the world cross country champi-onships in Poland grabbed the headlines in

all yesterday’s daily newspapers in a coun-try where political intrigue and scandalshave been the order of the day.

“Kenya is the world champion again,”wrote the Daily Nation, in its front pageheadline with two pictures of a triumphantJoseph Ebuya, who won Kenya’s first men’ssenior 12km title in 11 years and a barefootcompatriot Faith Kipyegon, setting the pacerunning in the women’s junior race.

“Even as politicians bickered backhome, heroes such as gold medallist JosephEbuya were bringing glory to their coun-try,” the mass-selling daily wrote in itsaccompanying caption.

All the dailies also reported how Kenyan

President Mwai Kibaki, breaking away fromhis official engagement, announcedSunday’s race results to a big crowd ofenthusiastic Kenyans at a golf tournamentin Nairobi.

Apart from reclaiming the men’s seniortitle, Kenyan athletes made a clean sweepof all the medals for the first time in thechampionship which is set to switch to atwo-yearly competition from 2012.

The Daily Nation, in its editorial,called for the handsome rewarding of theathletes as a motivation to do well atfuture events, including the African ath-letics championships which will held inKenya in July.—AFP

Bolt to compete in Paris Diamond League meet

Tevez hat-trick putsCity on Europe track

MANCHESTER: Carlos Tevezscored a hat-trick as ManchesterCity moved up to fifth in thePremier League table with a 3-0victory over 10-man Wigan atEastlands yesterday. The visitorsmatched City until they had GaryCaldwell sent off 10 minutes afterthe restart. And then Tevez rolledin three goals in just under a quar-ter of an hour to take his tally to 25for the season and 21 in 19 appear-ances. City are now two pointsbehind fourth-placed Tottenham,who still have to travel toEastlands but it was not a comfort-able evening for RobertoMancini’s side. But Wigan beganstrongly and started particularlywell defensively, with TitusBramble pulling off a fine blockfrom Emmanuel Adebayor afterTevez’s cross. But City carvedthem open thanks to MaynorFigueroa’s slip, which allowedShaun Wright-Phillips to breakinto the box and cross. Tevez’svolley was blocked at full stretchby Wigan’s goalkeeper VladimirStojkovic, filling in for the ill ChrisKirkland.

Wigan were finding it easy tocontain the hosts and threatenedthemselves when Hugo Rodallegabroke quickly and pulled back forPaul Scharner, whose shot flewwide from just outside the area.Rodallega also went close after hewas picked out by a cross-fieldpass from Mario Melchiot. TheColumbian striker cut in from theleft and hit a shot that was pushedwide by goalkeeper Shay Given.

Tevez almost broke the dead-lock after skipping past a weakchallenge from Melchiot and clip-ping a looping shot that landed justthe wrong side of the post.Scharner was first to react when afree kick from Wigan’s MarceloMoreno hit the wall but theAustrian’s low drive was tippedwide by Given. Moreno alsoscooped a shot over the bar asWigan broke quickly throughRodallega. Mohamed Diame setup another counter-attack for thevisitors, sending Rodallega intospace but Scharner shot well overthe bar.

Craig Bellamy replaced Wright-Phillips at the break and immedi-ately made a difference. And as thehosts played with greater intensity,Adebayor had the ball in the netafter Stojkovic could only fumblefrom Tevez’s powerful shot.Rodallega should have opened thescoring eight minutes after therestart. City failed to deal withCaldwell’s long, straight clearance,with the ball hitting the back ofPablo Zabaleta’s head, butRodallega dragged wide. Ten min-utes into the second period, Wigansaw Caldwell sent off for a chal-lenge on Tevez.

Still though it was Wigan press-ing, with Moreno curling a shotnarrowly wide and Rodallega justfailing to get a touch to MaynorFigueroa’s cross. Finally City wereable to exploit the extra space, withPatrick Vieira hooking over the topfor Tevez, whose shot was deflect-ed wide by Bramble. Vieira himselfhad a low strike held by Stojkovicas City increased the pressure.

But they finally made thebreakthrough thanks to poor goal-keeping from Stojkovic. Vieiraclipped the ball over the top and theSerb rushed out but failed to makeany challenge and Tevez rolled theball into the net. — AFP

Man City 3

Wigan 0

LAGOS: Nigeria were the biggest casualty as fellowfavourites Cameroon and DR Congo qualified forthe Championship of African Nations (CHAN) to behosted by Sudan next year.

For the second time running in the competitiondesigned by the Confederation of African Football(CAF) to expose players from the local leagues ofthe continent, Nigeria failed to qualify for the tour-nament proper after they were upset 2-0 on aggre-gate by Niger. Niger won the first leg 2-0 in Niameybefore they held the Nigerian home-based Eagles toa goalless draw at a packed Sani Abacha Stadium inthe northern city of Kano on Sunday to book theirticket to their first-ever full international competi-tion finals.

Nigeria paraded a much-changed team from thefirst encounter in Niger in a bid to win by a convinc-ing margin on Sunday, but Niger goalkeeperLousseni Doumbia Issah pulled off several heroicsincluding saving a 36th minute penalty taken byChibuzor Okonkwo as the visitors defended till thelast minute.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the inaugural tourna-ment in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last year when theywere eliminated by perennial rivals Ghana.

However, Cameroon, DR Congo and Ghanalived up to their billing by booking their places innext year’s tournament.

Cameroon, who failed to reach last year’s com-petition, were the first team besides hosts Sudan toqualify for the 2011 edition after a comfortable 3-0win over Congo in Yaounde.

The first leg ended 1-1 before Cameroon tookcommand in the second half of the return fixturewith goals from Eyenga Anicet, Julian and EdgarMomasso Saly to ensure qualification.

Congo will now play Gabon in May for a chanceto qualify for the tournament proper after defendingchampions DR Congo defeated Gabon 3-2 on aggre-gate at the weekend.

Ghana, who reached last year’s championshipgame against DR Congo, are also through to Sudan2011 courtesy of a 1-0 win in Accra.

The teams played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg,before Bismark Idan netted the match winner forGhana in the second leg match.

South Africa will now tackle Zambia in the nextround of the qualifiers after they defeated Botswana2-1 in Johannesburg with a brace from BloemfonteinCeltic striker Moses Spandeel.

Tony Odur grabbed a hat-trick as Ugandatrounced Burundi 4-0 in Kampala for a 5-1 aggre-gate victory.

“It was a difficult game but I’m happy with thedisplay. People shouldn’t expect miracles but if wecontinue playing well, we have a chance,” saidUganda coach, Bobby Williamson.

Tanzania recorded an even more convincing 6-0victory over the Ocean Stars of Somalia in Dar-es-Salaam in a one-off tie after war-torn Somalia couldnot host a second leg fixture.

The Cranes will now battle Rwanda for a spot inSudan. The fairy tale run of Seychelles continuedafter they were held to a 1-1 draw in Windhoek bybetter fancied hosts Namibia.

The islanders won the first game by a lone strikebefore they took the lead in the return leg throughDon Anacouza.

Namibia drew level a minute later and eventhough they had Rachim Padayachy sent off sevenminutes from the end, Seychelles held on toadvance to the next stage of the qualifying tourna-ment, where they face Zimbabwe.

Malawi were punished for a defensive blunderby hosts Mozambique, who won 1-0 in front of apacked June 25 Stadium in Nampula, but they stayalive in the championship after they won the firstleg 3-0 at home.

Togo fell 2-1 to last year’s tournament hostsIvory Coast in Lome. It was a first leg qualifier withthe return leg slated for April 11 in Abidjan. Angola,Mali, Senegal and Zimbabwe were the other teamswho this past weekend progressed in the CHANqualifying tournament, while matches involvingMorocco and Tunisia as well as Libya and Algeriahave been rescheduled till next month.—AFP

Nigeria exit in CHAN shocker

SOWETO: Fans parade with different national flags and play vuvuzela stadium horns at Soccer CityStadium in Soweto, the venue of the opening match and the last match of the FIFA World Cup to beheld in South Africa from June 11 to July 11.—AFP

LONDON: The New York Yankees, whowon their 27th World Series last year, arethe best paid team in global sport, accord-ing to a report to be published on Friday.

The report, which calculates salaries inpounds sterling, said the average annualpay of a player with the Yankees was4,674,644 pounds ($6.99m) a year, or89,897 pounds a week.

European soccer teams Real Madrid,Barcelona and Chelsea respectively arethe next highest paid teams followed by six

National Basketball Association sides,according to the report from thewww.sportingintelligence.com website.

The salaries are for first-team playersand do not include their commercial deals.The figures for the Yankees are based onthe 2009 season, the soccer clubs from2008 and the six NBA teams from 2008-9.

Nick Harris, the website editor and theauthor of the report, told Reuters theYankees’ total salary bill had exceeded theMajor League Baseball ceiling.

He said the strong showing by the NBAsides was due to their small playing rostersrelative to their total salary package.

“There will be only 12 to 13 individualson an NBA roster,” he said. “A NationalFootball League team will have 60 playerswho will all see first team action.

“The findings will come as a surpriseto anyone who thinks the PremierLeague is the best paid division in worldsport, because it’s far from it,” Harrisadded.—Reuters

Yankees best paid team — report

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain andworld record holder batsman MohammadYousuf yesterday announced he was to quitinternational cricket in protest against anindefinite ban.

Yousuf was banned earlier this month ina crackdown on players by the PakistanCricket Board (PCB) following a disastroustour of Australia. Pakistan lost all threeTests, five one-days and a Twenty20 match.

The dismal performance resulted in bansand fines on seven leading players-Yousufwas captain for most of the games.

“I received a letter from the PCB that mystaying in the team is harmful for the team,so I announce my retirement from interna-tional cricket,” he said in Pakistan’s finan-cial capital Karachi.

“I thank the fans around the world, allthe senior players and family members forsupporting me throughout my 12-yearcareer,” said an emotional Yousuf, 35,dressed in a religious white cap and tradi-tional dress.

“I always played for my country and if myplaying is harmful for the team then I don’twant to play,” he told the news conference,fielding a barrage of questions at the KarachiPress Club.

The son of a poor family, Yousuf rosethrough the ranks of cricket to reach dizzy-ing heights of success. He played 88 Tests,nine as captain and scored 7,431 runs at anaverage of 53.07, including 24 centuries. Healso scored 9,624 runs in 282 one-day inter-nationals.

Yousuf was third behind Javed Miandad(8,832 in 124) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (8,829 in119) in all time run-getters for Pakistan inTests and second behind Inzamam (11,701in 375 matches) in one-day cricket.

But his greatest achievement was 1,788Test runs in 2006 with nine hundreds-theworld record for most runs scored and hun-dreds in a calendar year, beating VivRichards’ 1976 record of 1,710 for the WestIndies.

He also won International CricketCouncil Test player of the year in 2007.Asked if he could rescind his decision,Yousuf said: “at the moment my playing inthe team is harmful so I am quitting”.

“If I get time, I would love to play firstclass cricket and private leagues,” he lateradded, admitting that his performance inAustralia had not been up to scratch.

“I accept that as a senior batsman I didn’tperform up to expectations, but I stillbelieve that I have cricket left in me,” saidYousuf, who made his debut against SouthAfrica at Durban in 1998.

In 2005, he converted from RomanCatholicism to Islam and started preachingin his spare time. “I am thankful to almightyAllah for blessing me with talent and I amvery happy that I helped Pakistan win lots ofmatches,” said Yousuf, who defected to

rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) after hewas dropped from the team in 2007.

On persuasion from the PCB, Yousufchanged his mind only to rejoin the ICL inNovember 2008 and was subsequentlybanned from playing for Pakistan.

Early last year, a stay order from aPakistani court paved his way back into theteam. He then accepted the captaincy afterregular captain Younus Khan withdrew fromthe twin tours of New Zealand and Australia.

The PCB banned Yousuf and Khan onMarch 10 indefinitely due to “infighting”,after an investigation into the disastrousAustralian tour. “I never had any fight withYounus, we both supplemented each otheron the tour of Australia so there was no rea-son for fighting,” said Yousuf. “I can stillappeal against the ban, but only if my (reli-gious) elders approve.”—AFP

Pakistan’s record holderYousuf quits over ban

KARACHI: Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Yousuf speaks during apress conference. Yousuf has retired from international cricket inresponse to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to ban him for anindefinite period.—AP

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez (right) celebrates with teammateEmmanuel Adebayor after scoring his third goal against Wigan during their EnglishPremier League football match at the City of Manchester Stadium yesterday. — AP

Manchester City climb to fifth place

Man Utd 32 23 3 6 76 25 72Chelsea 32 22 5 5 82 29 71Arsenal 32 21 5 6 74 34 68Tottenham 31 17 7 7 57 29 58Man City 31 15 11 5 58 39 56Liverpool 32 16 6 10 53 32 54Aston Villa 31 13 12 6 43 32 51Everton 32 13 10 9 50 42 49Birmingham 32 12 9 11 33 37 45Blackburn 32 11 8 13 35 50 41Stoke 31 9 12 10 30 35 39

Fulham 31 10 8 13 33 36 38Sunderland 32 8 11 13 41 50 35W’hampton 32 8 8 16 28 50 32Bolton 32 8 8 16 36 60 32Wigan 32 8 7 16 29 62 31West Ham 32 6 9 17 38 55 27Hull 31 6 9 16 31 64 27Burnley 32 6 6 20 31 65 24Portsmouth 32 6 4 22 28 60 13Note: Portsmouth deducted 9 points for enteringadministration

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goalsagainst, points):

Manchester City 3 (Carlos Tevez 72,75,84) Wigan Athletic 0Played on SundayLiverpool 3 (Fernando Torres 3,60, Glen Johnson 32) Sunderland 0; Burnley 0 Blackburn Rovers 1 (David Dunn20-pen)

Emirates NBD launches Islamic Money Market Fund

Global Finance names NBK ‘Best Emerging Market Bank in ME Tuesday, March 30, 201022 23

Toyota says global sales jump 13% in February 25

www.kuwaittimes.net

By Velina Nacheva

KUWAIT: Kuwait has becomethe seventh country in theworld where Visa, a leading pay-ment solutions provider,launched its newMyMoneySkills website featur-ing a free FIFA World Cupbranded educational video gamedesigned to help strengthenknowledge of personal finance.The announcement of thelaunch of the website(www.mymoneyskills.me) wasmade at a press conference heldin Marriott Courtyard Hotelyesterday.

Is the financial literacy pro-gram in sync with VISA’sCorporate Social Responsibilitystrategy to combine sports, edu-cation and financial literacy? Inresponse, Ihab Ayoub, Visa’sGeneral Manager for KSA,Kuwait, Oman and Yemen says:The plan for us is to bring forthfinancial literacy and inject somefun in it. Because it is a FIFAyear and the World Cup is com-ing up in June, Visa has adoptedthe concept to combine theseadding more life and fun to thefinancial turf, he observed.

Since the financial worldtends to be more dry, sports andsoccer in particular add interac-tivity and fun. We believe youngpeople will love it because theywould love MyMoneySkillsbecause they love the gameitself, hAyoub said stressing thatthis would make them go to thequestions and “gain moreknowledge” and what optionsthey have in terms of financing.

Moreover, as part of Visa’sCorporate Social Responsibilitystrategy, Visa has a decade-longcommitment to financial literacy.Visa’s dedicated FinancialLiteracy website in the MiddleEast is a core part of the compa-ny’s global commitment toreach 20 million people world-wide with Financial Literacy

information by May 2013, apress release said.

Providing fundamental per-sonal finance information inboth Arabic and English on top-ics such as learning how to plana budget, preparing for thefuture, using a credit card wiselyand spending responsibly,MyMoneySkills and FinancialFootball form an engaging plat-form for young people, familiesand schools to improve theirFinancial Literacy skills.

The Middle East is thefourth region in which Visa hasrolled out the game, followingBrazil, the U.S. and Mexico.

The game has already beenintroduced in Jordan andLebanon. “We have alreadyreceived a lot of positive feed-back from the markets we havelaunched it,” Ayoub said.

He further stressed thatwhat makes the program popu-lar is the excitement of thegame and the fact that now aredifficult times caused by thefinancial crisis. People are moreinterested in budgeting and inunderstanding their financesbetter,” he added.

In the coming months,Financial Football will be intro-duced in an additional 20 coun-

tries in the lead up 2010 FIFAWorld Cup, including Canada,China, Japan, Russia and SouthAfrica. The next destination fora launch after Kuwait is SaudiArabia.

Addressing the press confer-ence, Ayoub said: “Kuwait’syouthful population, combinedwith relatively high electronicpayment acceptance levels,makes Visa’s Financial Literacytools particularly relevant andimportant to the country.”Taking the point further hestressed thatMymoneyskills.me andFinancial Football will become

the cornerstone of Visa’s MiddleEast Financial Literacy effort.“The Middle East is a priorityfor Visa, which is why this isone of the first regions wherewe are launching FinancialFootball. In these challengingeconomic times, ensuring thatpeople have the skills they needto manage their money success-fully has never been moreimportant,” he said.

Harnessing the popularity offootball in the Middle East andworldwide, Visa has created theFIFA World Cup- themedFinancial Football, a free, educa-tional video game that tests

players’ knowledge of financialmanagement skills as theyadvance down field and try toscore goals, a press release said.

On her part, Lama Kabbani,Corporate CommunicationsManager for Visa in the MiddleEast, said: “Visa is very pleasedto launch its Financial Literacytools in Kuwait and allow morepeople to benefit from theadvantages of improving theirmoney management skills.Families, students, working pro-fessionals and teachers can allbenefit from the tools providedby MyMoneyskills.me and thefast paced football action onFinancialFootball.me.”

In a press release, VISA saidthat a recent Visa survey ofGCC educational professionalsrevealed that 95 percent ofrespondents expressed theirwish to see Financial Literacytaught in schools, with 73 per-cent of teachers polled admit-ting that schools do not current-ly teach basic money skills aspart of the curriculum.

Reflecting on the results,Kabbani said: “This responsefrom teachers indicates a gap inyoung people’s education at themoment.” She further addedthat FinancialFootball.me is agreat educational resource forteachers as it makes learningabout Financial Literacy, whichcan often be seen as a dull ordaunting subject, fun. “We hopeteachers will take advantage ofthe tools on MyMoneyskills.meand the Financial Football gameand use them in their class-rooms to encourage their stu-dents to learn life changingmoney management skills,” shesaid.

Kuwait Banking Associationwill be supporting Visa’s finan-cial literacy campaign in Kuwait.

For more information on theprogram you can visitwww.mymoneyskills.me andwww.financialfootball.me.

Visa introduces financial literacy program in Kuwait

Educational video game combines sports, fun and finances

KUWAIT: Ihab Ayoub, Visa’s General Manager for KSA, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen (right) and LamaKabbani, Corporate Communications Manager for Visa in the Middle East (left) during the press con-ference held in Marriott Courtyard yesterday. —Photo by Joseph Shagra

YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi: Iraq’sMajnoon oilfield is targeting pro-duction of 175,000 barrels of oilequivalent per day in 2012, asenior Royal Dutch Shell yester-day executive said yesterday.

Iraq’s largest field is currentlypumping at 45,000 boe/d, Shell’sMounir Bouaziz, Vice-PresidentNew Business LNG for theMiddle East and North Africa,told an industry event.

Shell and Malaysia’s Petronassigned a final contract earlier thisyear to develop the Majnoon oil-field, one of the world’s biggest.“We have already started work atMajnoon...we have already takenover operations,” Bouaziz toldReuters on the sidelines.

“The effective (start) date wason March 1.” The eventual pro-duction target for the field is 1.8million barrels per day (bpd).Shell and Petronas won the rightsin an auction held in Baghdad inDecember for the field in south-ern Iraq, estimated to hold 12.6billion barrels of oil. The 20-yeardevelopment contract is one ofseveral deals that Iraq has sealedto try to catapult the country tothird place from 11th in theleague of oil producing nations.

GASShell has not yet reached a

final agreement on a natural gasventure around the southern oilhub of Basra, Bouaziz said.Earlier this month Iraq’s oil min-ister Hussain Al-Sharistani saidthe OPEC member had extendeda memorandum of understandingwith Shell on the venture, but a

final deal would be left to the newgovernment.

Iraq has been working to final-ize a multi-billion-dollar joint ven-ture between its South GasCompany, Shell and Mitsubishi,that would capture huge amountsof gas now being wasted and useit in the domestic market or forexports. Bouaziz said that delaysin capturing the flared gas wascosting Iraq about $50 a second.Iraq is losing 1 billion cubic feetper day (cfd) of gas through flar-ing, mostly from the south,Bouaziz said. “What they are flar-ing now is sufficient to producepower generation for a countrylike Jordan, twice,” Bouaziz said.

“People are getting an aver-age of two hours of electricity aday, there are plans to add powergeneration but that needsfuel...gas is the natural solution.”

Bouaziz said that the basicinfrastructure was already inplace to start capturing the gasbeing burned.

“But the task to really get it towork, to improve it, to upgrade itand increase the capacity is hugebecause of a legacy of many, manyyears of lack of maintenance andunderdevelopment,” he said.

Bouaziz said Iraq could startexporting gas “very very quick-ly”. Bouaziz said the constructionof Shell’s Pearl gas-to-liquids(GTL) project in Qatar is expect-ed to be completed by the end of2010, with a ramp up in produc-tion expected to start in 2011.“This will take 12 months,” hesaid. — Reuters

Shell to boost Iraq Majnoon oil output

DETROIT: The United Auto Workers union is hoping to raise at least $1.3billion for its retiree health care trust fund by selling all of its 362 millionwarrants for Ford Motor Co stock.

The trust will auction the warrants, which were issued in December2009 as part of contract talks with the union, starting at 8 am today, Fordsaid yesterday in a statement. The automaker and union agreed to the trustto help Ford remove retiree health care costs from its books. The trustbegan paying health care costs for thousands of retirees and their spouseson Jan. 1, and the company said it is saving Ford roughly $500 million peryear. The trust set a minimum price for each warrant at $3.50. Each war-rant gives the holder the right to buy a Ford share at $9.20.

The combined $12.70 that a buyer would pay for both the warrant and ashare of Ford stock is 8 percent below Ford’s closing stock price on Fridayof $13.86 a share. Ford shares fell 19 cents to $13.67 in morning tradingyesterday.

Shelly Lombard, credit analyst at the New York bond research firmGimmeCredit, said the UAW trust is wise to sell the warrants now, sinceFord’s stock has been on the rise.

“The economy’s improving and Toyota’s on the ropes, so the sense isthat things will only go up from here,” she said. “But having said that, it justmakes perfect financial sense to take some money off the table. You neverknow what the market’s going to do.” Ford also said yesterday it will pay $3billion to a revolving credit line that is due in 2013. The credit line will havea $3.7 billion balance after the payment, which will be made April 6.

Ford continues to be saddled with high debt. After the $3 billion pay-ment, the company will still owe about $32 billion overall. Chief FinancialOfficer Lewis Booth said in January that the company has “an uncompeti-tive balance sheet” and will work on cutting debt this year, but he wouldn’tsay what steps it will take. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker mortgagedall its assets in 2006 and 2007 to secure a $23.4 billion credit line to coverits restructuring costs and losses. The money enabled Ford to avoid takinggovernment aid and entering bankruptcy protection like its crosstownrivals, General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC.

In January the company posted a $2.7 billion annual profit for 2009 andsaid it expects to stay in the black in 2010. It was the automaker’s firstannual profit in four years. — AP

DEARBORN: Assorted country’s flags fly outsideFord headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. TheUnited Auto Workers union said yesterday it ishoping to raise at least $1.3 billion for its retireehealth care trust fund by selling all of its 362 mil-lion warrants for Ford Motor Co stock.— AP

UAW trust to sell all Ford stock warrants

By Velina Nacheva

KUWAIT: The Kuwait-owned and UK-basedGatehouse Bank, which has a reach in Europe,Asian and GCC markets, eyes the Gulf as a regionwith potential. Our investment base is GCC, saysAngelena Lee, Head of CorporateCommunications at Gatehouse Bank - a fullySharia-compliant wholesale investment bank anda subsidiary of Kuwait-based ‘The SecuritiesHouse.’

Lee was talking to reporters at a press gather-ing in Kuwait City yesterday. During her visit toKuwait, she says, she aims to start building rela-tionships with journalists. In her words,Gatehouse will be engaging with many investorshere in Kuwait and has plans to hold events withinvestors in attendance.

Taking the point further, she stressed that theGulf in particular, has always been of interest tothem. Gatehouse is building a strategy of key pri-

ority markets, Kuwait being one of them. “Wewill be much more active here... it is more of apriority here than it is in terms of other markets.Sharia-compliant financing is much more easilyadopted here. It is second nature to a lot of theinvestors and it is something that they want,” shesays. Lee was quick to point out that GatehouseBank “has a good solid understanding of Sharia”in addition to a wide understanding of the conven-tional market because of the organization’s finan-cial expertise in London. “Our skill base is drawnfrom financial professionals who are world trainedand have solid experience in banking and financein London,” she said.

Many of the investors who have taken interestin the organization’s products are from Kuwaitand Gatehouse has already established stronglinks with them. “We addressed the Kuwaiti mar-ket because we already have strong relationshipshere and we just want to build on that,” Lee said.There is a also pool of people in the GCC markets

that we are interested in as well, she said. What makes Gatehouse Bank standout com-

pared to other regional players is starting fromthe fundamentals. “It is people (in Gatehouse)themselves who are experts and have the train-ing. They are fully-qualified in the areas offinance,” she said. She further stressed thatGatehouse Bank offers an international expertiseinto the region.

Asked about Gatehouse eyeing regions likeSouth-East Asia and the Gulf for expansion, Leeasserts, “We replicate what investors want. Oneof the things that came out of the crisis is thatinvestors don’t want to pool their assets into onearea, one region, one geographic market and onetype of investment either,” she said. Dwelling onthe subject she says that the investment shouldhave a long-term growth and a balance risk. “Inorder to do that you need to diversify; to diversifyalso means to explore other markets,” she saidhighlighting this as the reason for South East

Asia’s growing importance to Gatehouse. Gatehouse bank provides Shariah-compliant

wholesale investment banking services in sixareas: Capital Markets and Syndicated Financing,Institutional Wealth Management, Real Estate,Placement, Sharia Advisory Services andTreasury Products. At the moment, Lee says,Gatehouse is focusing a lot on the organization’sproperty side because of the strong opportunitiesthe bank can offer with UK-based assets. She fur-ther explained that currently, there are a few keyproperties that Gatehouse Bank is looking to pro-vide to Gulf investors as long-term opportunities.Because the market has been volatile, at themoment everyone is trying to find an opportunitywhere they can invest without getting caught upin the volatility of the market, she stated. Onhand for the occasion was Samah Al-Nughaimish,Assistant Vice President Public Relations andMarketing, Global Securities House, which is partof ‘The Securities House.

Gatehouse Bank seeks to enhance ties in Kuwait

WASHINGTON: US consumers spent modestly lastmonth, a sign that the economic recovery is proceedingat a decent — but not spectacular — pace. TheCommerce Department reported yesterday that con-sumers boosted their spending by 0.3 percent inFebruary. That was a tad slower than the 0.4 percentincrease registered in January and marked the smallestincrease since September. Still, the increase in spend-ing was considered a respectable showing, especiallygiven the snowstorms that slammed the East Coast andkept some people away from the malls. It marked thefifth straight month that consumer spending rose.

Americans’ incomes, however, didn’t budge.Incomes were flat in February, following a solid 0.3 per-cent gain in January. It marked the weakest showingsince July, when incomes actually shrank. Incomegrowth is the fuel for future spending. February’s flat-line reading suggests shoppers will be cautious in themonths ahead. Spending growth in February matchedeconomists’ expectations. The reading on income was abit weaker than forecast.

Both the spending and income figures in yesterday’sreport point to a modest economic recovery. Thatcheered Wall Street investors. The Dow Jones industri-

al average gained 40 points in morning trading. Manyanalysts predict the economy slowed in the first threemonths of this year after logging a big growth spurt atthe end of 2009.

The economy will expand at only a 2.5 percent to 3percent pace in the first quarter of this year, analystspredict. That’s roughly half the 5.6 percent pace seen inthe final quarter of last year.

In normal times, growth in the 3 percent rangewould be considered respectable. But the nation isemerging from the worst recession since the 1930s.Sizzling growth in the 5 percent range would be neededfor an entire year to drive down the unemploymentrate, now 9.7 percent, by just 1 percentage point.

Unlike past recoveries, where consumer spendingled the way, this one is hinging more on the spending ofbusinesses and foreigners. High unemployment, slug-gish wage gains, hard-to-get credit and record-highhome foreclosures are all expected to prevent con-sumers from going on a spending spree — one of themain reasons why the pace of the recovery will be moresubdued than in the past.

With spending outpacing income growth,Americans’ savings dipped in February. — AP

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Consumers wait for the opening of Costco in MountainView, California. Consumers spent modestly last month, a sign that the eco-nomic recovery is proceeding at a decent-but not spectacular-pace.—AP

US consumer spending up, sign of decent recovery

22 Tuesday, March 30, 2010BUSINESS

EXCHANGE RATES

Commercial Bank of Kuwait

US Dollar/KD .2840000 .2940000GB Pound/KD .4270000 .4370000Euro .384000 .3920000Swiss francs .2680000 .2770000Canadian Dollar .2780000 .2870000Australian DLR .2580000 .2660000Indian rupees .0045000 .0075000Sri Lanka Rupee .0020000 .0035000UAE dirhams .0782350 .0790210Bahraini dinars .7622180 .7698780Jordanian dinar .4020000 .4180000Saudi riyals .0750000 .0790000Omani riyals .7472220 .7547320Philippine peso .0045000 .0072000Egyptian pounds .0500000 .0580000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATESUS Dollar/KD .2882000 .2903000GB Pound/KD .4294390 .4324720Euro .3865460 .3892750Swiss francs .2705280 .2724440Canadian dollars .2805500 .2825370Danish Kroner .0519420 .0523090Swedish Kroner .0397010 .0399820Australian dlr .2602310 .2623700Hong Kong dlr .0371240 .0373870Singapore dlr .2052470 .2067010Japanese yen .0031150 .0031370Indian Rs/KD .0064040 .0064490Sri Lanka rupee .0025330 .0025510Pakistan rupee .0034610 .0034860Bangladesh taka .0042220 .0042520UAE dirhams .0785040 .0790050Bahraini dinars .7648380 .7697150Jordanian dinar .4075910 .4104770Saudi Riyal/KD .0768920 .0773820Omani riyals .7489420 .7537160Philippine Peso .0063680 .0064130

TRANSFER CHEQUES RATESUS Dollar .2903000Sterling pounds .4324720Swiss Francs .2724440Saudi Riyals .0773820

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

Al Mulla Exchange

Hongkong dollar 37.990 37.840Indian rupees 6.630 6.390Indonesia 0.035Iranian tuman 0.298Iraqi dinar 0.260Japanese yen 3.230Jordanian dinar 410.860 409.130Lebanese pound 0.195 0.194Malaysian ringgit 89.150 89.150Morocco dirham 47.600Nepalese Rupees 4.270 3.010New Zealand dollar 208.200 206.700Nigeria 2.183Norwegian krone 49.000Omani Riyal 751.860 751.000Pakistani rupees 3.520 3.400Philippine peso 6.560 6.355Qatari riyal 80.050 79.020Saudi riyal 77.280 77.280Singapore dollar 207.710 207.710South Africa 41.490 41.490Sri Lankan rupees 2.743 2.534Sterling pound 436.100 434.100Swedish krona 40.900Swiss franc 275.800 274.300Syrian pound 6.400Thai bhat 9.300 9.120Tunisian dollar 217.900UAE dirham 78.980 78.980U.S. dollars 289.900 289.400Yemeni Riyal 1.380

GOLD10 Tola 1,200.450

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUESterling Pound 434.100US Dollar 289.400

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 289.550Pak Rupees 3.460Indian Rupees 6.400Sri Lankan Rupees 2.545Bangladesh Taka 4.190Philippines Peso 6.395UAE Dirhams 78.895Saudi Riyals 77.380Bahraini Dinars 769.300Egyptian Pounds 52.625Pound Sterling 436.800Indonesian Rupiah 0.00003195Nepali rupee 3.980Yemeni Riyal 1.550Jordanian Dinars 411.100Syrian Pounds 5.750Euro 394.200Candaian Dollars 289.200

Sri Lankan Rupees 2.525Bangladesh Taka 4.180Philippines Pesso 6.344Japanese Yen 3.195Thai Bhat 8.917Syrian Pound 6.301Nepalese Rupees 3.969

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Canadian dollar 286.220Turkish lire 188.400Swiss Franc 275.900Australian dollar 261.700US Dollar Buying 287.500

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 3.183Indian Rupees 6.387Pakistani Rupees 3.458Srilankan Rupees 2.532Nepali Rupees 3.995Singapore Dollar 206.800Hongkong Dollar 37.231Bangladesh Taka 4.180Philippine Peso 6.361Thai Baht 8.953Irani Riyal - Transfer 0.301Irani Riyal - Cash 0.292

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 77.280Qatari Riyal 79.620Omani Riyal 752.830Bahraini Dinar 769.630UAE Dirham 78.920

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 55.750Egyptian Pound - 52.660Yemen Riyal 1.320Tunisian Dinar 207.630Jordanian Dinar 409.210Lebanese Lira 194.400Syrian Lier 6.356Morocco Dirham 35.410

GOLD20 Gram 215.00010 Gram 110.0005 Gram 57.000

Currency Transfer rateUS Dollar 289.200Euro 392.900Pound Sterling 435.900Canadian Dollar 284.300Japanese Yen 3.200Indian Rupee 6.427Egyptian Pound 52.650Sri Lankan Rupee 2.532Bangladesh Taka 4.180Philippines Peso 6.375Pakistan Rupee 3.455Bahraini Dinar 769.600UAE Dirham 78.875Saudi Riyal 77.150

*Rates are subject to change

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 289.650 Euro 392.910Sterling Pound 435.920

Bahrain Exchange CompanyUS Dollar 288.800Canadian Dollar 287.900Sterling Pound 440.640Euro 396.645Swiss Frank 272.235Cyprus Pound 707.865Bahrain Dinar 764.420UAE Dirhams 78.610Qatari Riyals 79.305Saudi Riyals 76.980Jordanian Dinar 407.535Egyptian Pound 52.629Indian Rupees 6.356Pakistani Rupees 3.428

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

COUNTRY SELL CASH SELL DRAFTAustralian dollar 265.800 264.300Bahraini dinar 769.710 769.710Bangladeshi taka 4.400 4.178Canadian dollar 286.000 284.500Cyprus pound 568.400Czek koruna 15.800Danish krone 52.900Deutsche Mark 167.800 207.700Egyptian pound 55.210 52.643Euro Cash 392.800 391.300

KUWAIT: The leading US- basedGlobal Finance has selected theNational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) as theBest Emerging Market Bank in theMiddle East for 2010. Global financestated that the remarkable and consis-tent growth achieved by NBK is a cleartestament to the Bank’s continuedstrength in the face of adversity as wellas NBK’s capacity to maintain its lead-ing franchise, consistent profitability,strong asset quality, conservative riskprofile and strong capitalization NBKalso boasts the largest local and over-seas branch network encompassing175 branches, subsidiaries and repre-sentative offices located in the maininternational and regional financialcenters.

Commenting on the occasion, NBKGroup CEO, Ibrahim Shukri Dabdoubsaid that it was deeply gratifying forNBK to be selected as the BestEmerging Market Bank in the MiddleEast for 2010. Dabdoub added that win-

ning such a prestigious ranking,despite the global financial crisis andits ramifications on both regional andinternational levels, provides furtheracknowledgment of the Bank’s finan-cial solid position and the soundness ofits policies and expansion strategies.

“Winning this distinctive rankingalso emphasizes the uniqueness of theservices and products we offer to ourclients and provides a clear indicationof NBK’s high professional standardsthat have won the admiration andrecognition of the leading internationalmedia and financial institutions”,Dabdoub concluded.

NBK was ranked by Global Financeas 38th in the list of the World’s 50Safest Banks in 2009 in addition tobeing selected amongst the World’sBest Banks for the same year. Despitethe adverse conditions in the globalfinancial system, NBK has also report-ed net profits of $925 million (KD265.2 million) for 2009.

Oman Air is surging aheadwith its HR initiatives torecruit more suitable Omanicandidates. Oman Air ranks asone of the topmost companiesthat is driven by a determinedOmanisation program.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said hasalways underlined the grow-ing need for the collectiveefforts to boost Omanisation,saying he would personallyfollow up the implementationof the recommendations of theNational ManpowerEmployment Forum. In one ofthe speeches, His Majestysaid that from the moment ofdawning of renaissance, Omanhas taken determined steps toopen the doors to develop-ment and progress in the dif-ferent spheres of modern lifewhile creating equal opportu-nities for all the citizens ofthis country without excep-tion, thereby enabling them toachieve their aspirations andambitions and see their hopes

translated into realities.Commenting on the com-

pany’s Omanisation policy,Sheikh Ahmed Al Nabhani,Chief Officer Support Servicessays:

“His Majesty SultanQaboos Bin Said’s directivesare our guiding beacon in thisregard. The Board ofDirectors at Oman Air hasdrawn ambitious plans torecruit more Omanis this yearas we move ahead with ourexpansion plans. 2010 hasstarted off well with theOmanisation measures put inplace. As part of recruiting andhoning the skills of our Omaniemployees, we would beOmanising completely thegrades 3 and 4 of our organiza-tion structure and design thenecessary training courses inEnglish language skills to thedrivers, porters, and trafficassistants. I would also like totake this opportunity to wel-come the first group of 22

Traffic Assistants who arenow in their final stages of jobtraining ready to join theirnew jobs. We will also be hav-ing on board soon, 15 pilots,12 engineering staff, 13 ramphandlers, and 22-cabin crew.This is apart from a furthergroup of 15 pilots, 20 TrafficAssistants, and 20-cabin crewthat will be joining Oman Airas well. “

The many motivationalmeasures and programs thatare put in place also act as anincentive to the Omani cadresworking at different levels inthe Company. Currently manysenior posts in Oman Air arehandled by efficient and profi-cient Omani cadres who havebeen serving the companytirelessly. The current per-centage of Omanisation atOman Air at 62.5% is expect-ed to go up further as moreeligible Omani candidateshave been shortlisted foremployment with Oman Air.

DUBAI: Dubai’s Union Properties is negotiatingfor a discount with at least five investors on out-standing payments for a delayed project, and is intalks with others, an executive told a televisionchannel yesterday.

“We met with some investors along with thelaw firm which represents them and we reachedthat a friendly settlement is the desired way,” thefirm’s general manager Khalid Al-Jarwan told alArabiya television, declining to give furtherdetails, but adding it was not considered a legalcase.

More than 30 investors filed a breach of con-tract case against the developer for the non-delivery of homes on its Index Tower project,which is under construction in the DubaiFinancial Centre, a local daily Emirates Businessreported earlier yesterday.

Jarwan said 99 percent of the tower’s struc-ture had been finished and that the project wouldbe handed over in August this year. The projectshould have been completed two years ago, thesuit claims, according to the newspaper.

“The respondents’ continuing failure to deliv-er the units and the failure of the respondent toissue SPA (sale and purchase agreement) in atimely manner is a breach of its contractual oblig-ations,” according to documents seen by thenewspaper.

Earlier yesterday, Union Properties’ chair-man Khalid bin Kalban told Reuters he wasunaware of the legal case. “There are complaintsof course but management is dealing directlywith them,” he said.

Earlier in March, the firm said it received“negotiable” offers for its Ritz Carlton hotel inDubai, which the debt-laden firm is hoping to sellfor about 1.5 billion dirhams ($408.5 million).

The developer has 6.5 billion dirhams ($1.77billion) of outstanding debt, of which 2.8 billionhad been rescheduled for payment to 2011 from2009, with the remainder maturing in the longterm. The firm’s shares closed 3.8 percent lowerat at 0.5 dirhams a share in earlier trading yes-terday, underperforming Dubai’s index whichslipped 2.5 percent. — Reuters

Global Finance names NBK ‘Best Emerging Market Bank in ME’

NBK Group CEO IbrahimShukri Dabdoub

Union Properties in talks with investors for discounts

Oman Air in sync with govt’s Omanization goals

FEB commemorates floating of MENAdrill’s first jack-up rig

MANAMA: First Energy Bank’s (FEB) inau-gural project in 2008 was the launch ofMENAdrill Investment Company(MENAdrill), a Cayman Islands entity spe-cialised in the offshore drilling industry. FEB,along with the other shareholders ofMENAdrill, is today celebrating the floatingof its first “Friede & Goldman Super M2”jackup rig which represents a major con-struction milestone. The rig is now in its finalstage of construction and will shortly beready for testing and commissioning withdelivery scheduled for September 30, 2010.

In September 2008, two construction con-tracts were signed with Maritime IndustrialServices Co Ltd Inc (MIS) Sharjah, UAE toconstruct the two Super M2 jackup rigsbased on a new design developed by Friede &Goldman, one of the oldest and most experi-enced US drilling rig design firms. The tworigs, named MENAdrill Hercules I & II, arecurrently under construction and on sched-ule, and will be ready for operations world-wide including operations in the Arabian Gulf,the Indian sub-continent and South East Asiathis year. They will be able to operate in

water depths of up to 300 feet with a drillingdepth capability of between 20,000 to 30,000feet. Additionally, in December of 2009, FEBin its capacity as project sponsor and devel-oper signed a Management Agreement withHercules Offshore Arabia, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Hercules Offshore Inc. a leadingprovider of offshore contract drilling, liftboatand inland barge services with extensiveoperations throughout the world.Headquartered in Houston, USA, Herculeshas a solid track record of operations in theMiddle East, West Africa and the Far East.Approved and licensed as a drilling contractorby all of the world’s leading oil and gas explo-ration companies, Hercules operates a fleetof jackup rigs across three continents and isthe fourth largest in the world and the largestin the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. They have a cur-rent fleet of 30 jackup rigs operating in vari-ous parts of the world including two of thembeing deployed on long term contracts withSaudi Aramco.

“MENAdrill, which closed its books at theend of last year, was launched directly beforethe global financial crisis came to a head.

Like many industry sectors, it underwentrestructuring to ensure its viability in thenew global environment. We are very proudof how efficient and effective that restructur-ing was, and the fruits of those initial laboursby the MENAdrill team can be seen with theMENAdrill Hercules I, and the MENAdrillHercules II, which is set to follow later onthis year,” said Mr. Esam Janahi Chairman ofFirst Energy Bank.

Commenting on the floating ceremony ofthe first of the new MENAdrill rigs, KevinHudson, MIS Managing Director said, “Thismilestone is significant both to MENAdrilland to MIS. Having delivered three offshorejack-up drilling rigs to our clients over thepast year, we are pleased to be progressingwith the construction work on MENAdrill’sfirst jackup rig. With this, we also look for-ward to building on the strong relationshipwith First Energy Bank and its partners.”

John Rynd, Chief Executive Officer andPresident of Hercules Offshore said, “We arepleased to offer our congratulations to theMENAdrill team on the accomplishment ofthe floating and naming of the MENAdrill

Hercules I. Achieving this milestone onschedule after one of the most challengingyears the industry and the financial marketshave experienced in a generation is a testa-ment to the dedication, skill and patience ofthe entire MENAdrill and MIS project teams.We are proud of our relationship withMENAdrill and we are pleased to have theopportunity to market and operate these newand highly capable rigs.”

Vahan Zanoyan, CEO of First EnergyBank concluded by saying, “In our industry,finding the right partners and forming theright partnerships is essential to our growthand development. It therefore made absolutesense to partner with both Hercules and MIS,as they have proven themselves time andagain to be solid performers committed tohelping develop and grow the offshoredrilling industry, which has typically laggedbehind onshore drilling throughout theregion. The two new MENAdrill rigs willhelp meet the rising demand, and need, forsolutions to tap the region’s more difficult toreach oil and gas fields, most of which haveyet to be fully explored..”

BUSINESS 23Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Awarded two contracts worth $227m in Abu Dhabi

Dubai builder Arabtec wins $143 million Qatar project

DUBAI: Dubai’s Arabtec saidyesterday its Qatar subsidiarywon a 524 million dirham($142.7 million) contract asthe builder continues toexpand abroad to weather adownturn in its home market.Qatar General Insurance andReinsurance Co awarded thecontract, which will last 26

months, to build The WorldTrade Centre project in Doha’sWest Bay neighborhood, theUnited Arab Emirates’ largestcontractor by market valuesaid in a statement on Dubai’sbourse website.

Arabtec’s unit is currentlyworking on Al Waab City, a 1.2million square meter mixed-

use project in Doha, it said.The builder said earlier yes-terday that another subsidiaryhad also won two constructionprojects in Abu Dhabi worth atotal of 835 million dirhams($227.3 million).

Arabtec’s $1.7 billion merg-er with Abu Dhabi’s AabarInvestments will be completed

in April and may pave the wayfor a revival of projects in AbuDhabi and help expansion inSaudi Arabia and Azerbaijan,Arabtec’s chief financial officertold Reuters earlier thismonth.

Al Mal Capital upgraded thefirm to “outperform”, sayingtrade creditors, including con-

tractors such as Arabtec, standto benefit the most after Dubaiannounced it would recapi-talise its Dubai World con-glomerate.

Arabtec’s shares closed1.5 percent lower earlier yes-terday, outperformingDubai’s bourse which fell 2.5percent. — Reuters

DUBAI: Emirates NBD, the largest bankinggroup in the Middle East in terms of assets,announced yesterday the launch of EmiratesIslamic Money Market Fund (the “Fund”), adaily dealing Sharia-compliant open ended funddomiciled in Jersey. The Fund aims to achievehigher profit return than comparative Sharia-compliant bank deposits, predominantly from adiversified portfolio of Sharia-compliant moneymarket instruments.

“The Fund is one of the first of its kind glob-ally and will look to access the growing rangeof Islamic cash or near cash investments. Itwill also seek to benefit from the yield pick-upin USD-pegged currencies and the current costof funding for corporates and banks,” said DeonVernooy Head - Asset Management, EmiratesNBD. “As Islamic investment draws increasinginterest from large financial institutions world-wide, Emirates NBD continues to stay ahead ofthe curve by developing and managing innova-tive and sophisticated investment vehicles thatadhere to the highest standards of Sharia-com-pliance,” he continued.

The Fund provides investors diversificationfrom traditional equity and real estate invest-ments and can form part of an investor’s port-folio irrespective of their investment horizon.Further, the Fund can also be used as a parkingfacility during periods of surplus liquidity.

The Fund will acquire a diversified portfo-lio, including but not limited to, Islamicdeposits, murabaha, sukuk and internationaltrade contracts. Assets will be diversifiedacross a range of durations and liquidity termsin order to optimise potential for higher profit,without unduly increasing volatility or hamper-ing daily liquidity. Investors may invest at adiscounted upfront fee during a special two

week offer period, which will start towards theend of this month.

The Fund will be managed by EmiratesNBD Asset Management, the same team thatmanaged the award winning “Emirates SukukFund No.1 Limited” and also won the “MENAAsset Manager of the Year 2009.” EmiratesNBD Asset Management is a fully-owned sub-sidiary of Emirates NBD Bank and is regulatedby the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

Emirates NBD launches Emirates Islamic Money Market Fund

Deon Vernooy, Head of EmiratesNBD Asset Management

LONDON: Britain’s credit ratingcould be lowered if the new gov-ernment fails to come up withconvincing plans to cut publicdebt after elections this year, rat-ings agency Standard & Poor’ssaid yesterday.

The agency affirmed Britainístop-grade AAA rating but said thecountry remained on ‘negativeoutlook,’ meaning its creditwor-thiness could be revised down-wards—a move that would causea major shockwave in the globaleconomy.

‘The outlook on the UnitedKingdom remains negative basedon our view that... the UKís net

general government debt burdenmay approach a level incompatiblewith a ‘AAA’ rating,’ the ratingsagency said in a statement.

‘We expect to review the long-term rating and outlook againonce medium-term fiscal policybecomes clearer following the2010 parliamentary elections,’thestatement said, referring to thegeneral election expected on May6.

‘The rating could be loweredit we conclude that the incominggovernment’s fiscal strategy isunlikely to put the UK debt bur-den on a secure downward trajec-tory over the medium term,’ it

added. S&P forecast that generalgovernment debt will rise to 77percent of gross domestic prod-uct (GDP) in 2010 and approach100 percent by 2014 — far higherthan official forecasts—becauseof weak growth and a hugedeficit.

The government forecastsdebt to peak at 89.2 percent ofGDP in 2013-2014. The ratingsagency also said that the budgetannounced last week did notmake any clearer how the gov-ernment planned to deal with thedebt in the medium-term, addingthat there was ‘substantial uncer-taintyî over policy. — AFP

S&P says it could lowercredit rating of Britain

As part of their 10th anniver-sary celebrations, BITS, Pilani-Dubai (BPD) recently hosted anetworking event for leadingbusiness enterprises associatedwith BPD. The event, chris-tened Interface 2010 -Celebrating IndustrialPartnerships, HonouringPractice School (PS) Partners,was held at the Institute’s cam-pus in Dubai InternationalAcademic City.

Interface 2010 was organ-ized to celebrate their long-standing partnerships with over360 blue-chip firms which offerinternships to the Institute’sgraduates and recruit them.The illustrious list of partneringcompanies has increased steadi-ly over the years - from justseven in 2001 to a whopping361 in 2010. The event wasattended by CEOs andManaging Directors of organi-sations of such repute asSiemens, FedEx, L&T, DetNorske Veritas (DNV),Cluttons, Steinweg Sharaf, ETAAscon, Microsol, Procal, DetNorske Veritas and Al FuttaimEngineering.

These industry captainswere appreciative of the calibreof BPD graduates and theirpotential talent which couldcontribute to their workforce,said S Ramanathan, Area

Manager-UAE, Kuwait andOman, Det Norske Veritas(DNV): “The PS Students inDNV contributed to processexcellence by reducing wasteand variation. Their contribu-tion is well recognized and thecompany has benefited throughtheir PS Program.”Partnerships like these havehelped more than 900 studentssince 2001. All of them havesuccessfully completed intern-ships and, in many cases even

found placements at their cho-sen firms.

Mudit Goel, ChiefExecutive, L&T Electrical &Automation FZE, had similarappreciation for the students:“We are pretty happy with BPDstudents, whom we haverecruiting for Practice Schoolfor the last two years. The qual-ity of students is very good,they are very confident andthey actively participate in theproject execution activities and

group discussions. We are alsolooking at recruiting manage-ment trainees from BPD as wesee significant potential in themto go up to management levelpretty fast and to become betterleaders of tomorrow.”

Interface 2010, which wasorganised by the Department ofPractice School, CareerCounselling and Placements atBPD, also received plaudits asstudents have been involved inseveral prestigious projects

such as the Dubai Metro, BurjKhalifa, Jebel Ali Airport, DubaiMall, Meydan and UptownMirdif.

According to Ravi Kashyap,General Manager, Steinweg-Sharaf FZCO, the company hada very pleasant association withstudents of BPD who did the PSProgram. “We value and cherishtheir contribution. We are proudto have helped in their develop-ment. We complement the col-lege team on their efforts increating such an esteemedinstitution in the region.”

BITS Pilani is the only insti-tution in India which has anindustrial internship pro-gramme of 7 1/2 months withinthe curriculum - the same hasbeen replicated in Dubai withthe support received from theindustry. “We would like tothank companies in Dubai fortheir unstinted support andencouragement. We also offerconsultancy services to conductcollaborative research. We areadept in providing technical andmanagerial know-how, besidesexecutive training,” said ProfDr M Ramachandran, Director,BITS, Pilani-Dubai.

BITS Pilani-Dubai alsoannounced PhD programmesand offered Masters pro-grammes in engineering andmanagement for working pro-fessionals during the event.

BITS, Pilani-Dubai’s Interface 2010 celebrates winning industry partnerships

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s international air-ports simplified passenger check-in andboarding and improved baggage handling withSITA’s state-of-the-art departure control, pas-senger check-in and baggage reconciliationservices. General Authority of Civil Aviation(GACA), Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has morecivil airports than any other country in theMiddle East. The General Authority of CivilAviation (GACA) manages all 26 airportsacross the Kingdom.

GACA’s mission is to build, manage, pro-vide and develop all major equipment andinfrastructure both for the civil airports andthe country’s air navigation systems, based onthe latest international systems and stan-dards. The organization is also responsible fordeveloping and applying procedures that guar-antee the safety and security of the country’sair transportation systems, controlling opera-tions and maintenance standards, encouraginginvestment opportunities and developing newrevenues at Saudi Arabia’s airports.

Since the late 1970s, Saudi Arabia hasachieved both unprecedented growth andgiant leaps in quality in the fields of civil avia-tion and general industry. This has generatedmajor developments in the country’s passen-ger, air cargo and air navigation and controlsystems.

The business challengeIn 2006, GACA was facing a number of

challenges in managing its international air-ports. This included improving and simplify-ing the passenger experience, reducing air-port queues and tightening flight security.GACA was looking for flexible and proven ITsystems that would enable it to integrate andautomate operations at the country’s airportsin a cost-effective manner - providing benefitsfor both airlines and passengers. “TheKingdom of Saudi Arabia has always aspired toachieve an excellent quality of life for its citi-zens,” said Mohammed Ali Alhaddad, DirectorBusiness Development & Properties - KAIA,GACA. “The aviation sector is an importantfocal point for us because it generates impor-tant benefits for the country as a whole.”

After investigating three potential solutionproviders, GACA chose SITA.

“SITA proposed a well-balanced solutionthat satisfied our technical aspirations, IATA’sregulations and recommendations and ourfinancial expectations,” said Mohammed AliAlhaddad, Director Business Development &Properties - KAIA, GACA. . “SITA’s world-wide experience, its local presence and itslarge international market share in ourregions of interest were also important factorsin our decision.”

“The way SITA handled this contract fromthe very beginning was based on a genuinepartnership.”

SITA’s solutionSince 2007, SITA has helped drive busi-

ness transformation at all of the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia’s international airports - KingAbdul-Aziz, Jeddah; King Khaled, Riyadh;King Fahd, Dammam; and Prince Mohamad,Medina - through a five-year, US$ 16.8 millionIT solution focused on departure control sys-tems, passenger check-in and baggage man-agement.

This includes SITA’s state-of-the-art air-port IT systems such as AirportConnect Openfor check-in, Maestro DCS (DepartureControl System) Local, and BagManager forautomated passenger and bag reconciliation.

SITA’s AirportConnect Open serves as anIT airport platform that enables airlines oper-ating from all four Saudi international airportsto have their own proprietary applicationsrunning on CUTE (common-use terminalequipment). The most popular airline check-in and boarding system in use today,AirportConnect Open helps reduce pressureon airport space and provides airlines withgreater flexibility in how they operate withinthe airport environment - particularly inmeeting seasonal traffic demands, such asHajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

SITA’s MaestroDCS (Departure ControlSystem) Local is a fully automated check-in,boarding control and weight and balance sys-tem for aircraft departure control. Designedfor airlines, airports, ground handlers andcharter companies, MaestroDCS Local pro-vides low-cost, easy-to-use check-in anddeparture control for the Saudi airports.

Finally, SITA’s BagManager, the industry’sleading baggage reconciliation system (BRS),provides Saudi international airports withtighter security, improved customer service,and better baggage control by tracking and

recording the location of every bag within anairport and across multiple airports. It alsoensures that passengers and their baggagetravel together. This enables the four Saudiairports to meet the International CivilAviation Organization’s (ICAO) security rec-ommendations.

“Our five-year agreement with SITA hastransformed the international airport envi-ronment here in Saudi Arabia through thesmart deployment of IT that automates andstreamlines the check-in process in order toavoid delays. Security is enhanced by ensur-ing passenger and bag reconciliation at alltimes,” said Abdullah Ruhaimy, President,GACA.

Business resultsUsing the new solution, Saudi internation-

al airports have streamlined and improved thepassenger travel experience, reduced waitingtimes and improved security. The solutionhas also benefitted the airlines serving SaudiArabia’s international airports.

“All the airlines using the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia’s airports now experience anumber of direct benefits including the use oftheir own departure control systems andimproved standards governing their baggageoperations,” said Hani El-Assaad, SITARegional Vice-President, Middle East &Turkey.

“Keeping the airports’ CUTE and BRSsystems constantly updated makes airlineoperations smoother and facilitates fastertraffic handling. As a result, all passengersusing the Saudi airports enjoy a more relax-ing experience,” said Mohammed AliAlhaddad, Director Business Development &Properties — KAIA, GACA.

Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, SITA tie up to improve baggage handling

NEW YORK: The TreasuryDepartment said yesterday itwill begin selling the stake itowns in Citigroup Inc, whichcould result in a profit of morethan $8 billion.

The government received7.7 billion shares of Citigroupin exchange for $25 billion itgave the bank during the 2008credit crisis. It said it will sellthe shares over the course ofthis year, depending on mar-ket conditions. Like anyinvestor, the government willlikely hold on to its shares ifprices fall steeply. However,Citi shares have steadily beenrising with the broader mar-ket in recent months, whichmeans the TreasuryDepartment stands to pocketa hefty profit.

Citi shares rose 8 cents to$4.39 in early trading yester-day. The government wouldmake about $8.8 billion inprofit on its stake in Citigroupif it sells the stock for $4.39 ashare.

The Treasury Departmentreceived its stock for a priceof $3.25 a share last year. Citiwas one of the hardest hitbanks during the credit crisisand recession. It received atotal of $45 billion in bailoutmoney. Citi repaid the other$20 billion it owed theTreasury in December. WhenCitigroup agreed to repay the$20 billion in loans it stillowed the TreasuryDepartment, the pair alsoagreed the Treasury wouldsell the common stock itowned in the New York bankthroughout 2010.

The Treasury owns about27 percent of Citigroup’s out-standing stock, based on thenumber of shares that wereoutstanding on Jan 31. Evenafter it sells its stake inCitigroup, the TreasuryDepartment will still holdwarrants to purchase futureshares in the bank.

The Treasury said MorganStanley will handle the sale ofthe shares. — AP

KHOBAR: South Korean companies havesubmitted the most competitive bids for theconstruction of three big units for the Yanburefinery state oil giant Saudi Aramco is build-ing with US ConocoPhillips. industry sourcessaid yesterday. SK Engineering andConstruction Co offered the lowest proposalfor a crude unit package. Daelim IndustrialCo’s bid was the lowest for a gasoline unit andGS Engineering and Construction for a hydro-cracker, sources said.

The 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) Yanbucrude refinery is among new plants SaudiArabia, the world’s top oil exporter, plans tobuild as it looks to boost domestic refining bymore than 1.7 million bpd from the currentlevel of around 2.1 million bpd. The biddingprocess was stopped due to uncertainties inglobal financial markets. Cost estimates forthe Yanbu refinery on the Red Sea coast dou-bled in 2008 to $12 billion from an initial $6billion when the project was announced in2006.

“I believe yes, this is the latest informa-tion, South Korean companies bid the lowestbut things may change, it is still not offi-cial...Yanbu is the first project this year...Inthat regard, all bidders were aggressive,” saidone source. Sources declined to disclose the

value of their proposals as the process of eval-uating the bids continued. “People are des-perate, prices were very low,” said a secondsource.

Aramco and Conoco were happy with theoutcome of bids and are unlikely to hold a sec-ond round of negotiations with companiescompeting for the engineering, procurementand construction (EPC) packages of the refin-ery, sources said. Although Aramco andConoco have not yet officially announced theoutcome of bids, sources expected both com-panies to make an announcement by the endof the month or mid-April. An award is seenin May.

Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas is likely to havesubmitted the lowest proposal for a cockerunit package, Egypt’s Engineering for thePetroleum and Process Industries (ENPPI)bid the lowest for a tank farm package.Indian Punj Lloyd is likely to be the front-runner for an offsites and pipelines package,sources said. Aramco is also building a refin-ery of the same size with France’s Total.Bidding for that refinery had also beendelayed sending contractors to the drawingboard to revise bids and chop the construc-tion costs to $9.6 billion from a highest esti-mate of $12 billion. — Reuters

US Treasury says it will begin selling Citi shares

S Korean firms bid for Yanbu refineryAramco-Conoco happy with the bids

Citigroup Center is seen in New York. The Treasury Department said yes-terday it will begin selling the stake it owns in Citigroup Inc, which couldresult in a profit of more than $8 billion. — AP

BUSINESS24 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

KUWAIT: The Kuwait StockExchange (KSE), GlobalGeneral Index (GGI) and majorindicators ended yesterday’strading session in the greenbacked by gains witnessed in amajority of the markets sec-tors. Furthermore, the KSEPrice Index ended yesterday’ssession with the highest levelsince October 22, 2009. GGIadded 1.03 points (+0.49 per-cent) during the session toreach 212.19 points. In addi-tion, the KSE Price Indexincreased by 55.10 points(+0.74 percent) and closed at7,523.80 points. Market capi-talization was up KD168.94mnyesterday to reach KD34.81bn.

Market breadth During the session, 144

companies were traded.Market breadth was skewedtowards gainers as 69 equitiesadvanced versus 40 thatretreated. A total of 101 stocksremained unchanged duringyesterday’s trading session.

Daily trading activity Trading activities ended on

a positive note yesterday asvolume of shares traded on theexchange increased by 41.29percent to reach 455.06mnshares. In addition, value ofshares traded gained by 3.73percent to stand atKD78.68mn. The InvestmentSector was the volume leader,accounting for 33.58 percent oftotal traded volume. While theServices Sector was the valueleader, with 36.40 percent oftotal market value. GulfFinance House saw 47.84mnshares changing hands, makingit the volume leader. Zain wasthe value leader, with a totaltraded value of KD7.91mn.

Top gainers and biggestdecliners in terms of top gain-ers, Kuwait Bahrain

International Exchange wasthe top gainer for the day,adding 9.80 percent and closedat KD0.280. On the otherhand, Al-Dar National RealEstate Company shed 7.69percent to close at KD0.030,making it the biggest declinerin the market.

Regarding Global’s sec-toral indices, they mainlyended the day on a positivenote with Global Non-KuwaitiIndex being the top gainer.The index ended the day witha gain of 1.62 percent backedby Ahli United Bank, the topgainer in the sector, endingthe day with a 5.62 percentincrease in value to close atKD0.188. In addition, Gulf

Finance House posted a 4.17percent gain, making it thesecond biggest gain in themarket and thus a contribut-ing factor in the index’ gain.

Global Services Indexposted a 1 percent increaseyesterday making it the sec-ond biggest gainer in the mar-ket. Heavyweights Agility andZain aided the sector by end-ing the day with gains of 1.72percent and 1.45 percent,respectively.

On the other hand, GlobalBanking Index was the topdecliner in the market. Theindex ended the trading sessionwith a drop of 0.30 percentbacked by heavyweightsNational Bank of Kuwait and

Kuwait Finance House whichended the day down 1.64 per-cent and 1.69 percent, respec-tively.

Regarding Global’s specialindices, they all ended in thegreen with Global Small CapIndex being the top gainer yes-terday. The index posted a 1.29percent increase backed byEquipment Holding Companyending the day up 6.67 percentand closed at KD0.79.

Oil newsThe price of OPEC basket of

twelve crudes stood at $76.80 abarrel on Friday, compared with$77.03 the previous day,according to OPEC Secretariatcalculations.

Market newsKuwait’s Gulf Bank yester-

day said it has received thecentral bank’s approval to buyback up to 10 percent of itsissued shares. The six-monthbuyback period ends October14, 2010, the lender said in astatement on the Kuwaitbourse website.

Kuwait Gazette reportedthe establishment of a newbusiness consultancy companyat a capital of KD1mn.” Ain Al-Mal” is a closed share-holdingcompany with 10mn shares at100 fils each. It is to provideSharia-compliant consultancyservices to Islamic and conven-tional banks and companies oninvestment, administrative,and economic aspects.

GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT

KSE stocks stage smart rallyDUBAI: Dubai’s index fell2.5 percent yesterday asinvestors booked profitsafter a report said DubaiHolding is consideringrestructuring $20 billion indebt, while banking stocksled Saudi Arabia lower.

Other markets weremixed with a late rally inZain helping Kuwait closehigher while Qatar’s indexfell as real estate stocksdropped. Abu Dhabi’sindex rose 0.1 percent asbanking stocks rose.

Dubai Holding, theinvestment conglomerateowned by the emirate’sruler, is consideringrestructuring up to $20billion in debt, theFinancial Times reportedyesterday, in what wouldbe another blow to theindebted emirate. “It’sdefinitely not over yet.The negative news fromDubai Holding is dampen-ing investor sentiment.Yesterday’s buyers aretoday’s sellers,” said VyasJayabhanu, head of invest-ments at Al DhafraFinancial Broker.

Dubai’s index fell 2.5percent to 1,833 points. Ithad gained 6.3 percent to a14-week high in the twotrading days after the gov-ernment said it wouldspend up to $9.5 billion torestructure its debt-ladenDubai World conglomer-ate.

Saudi Arabia’s index fellfor a second straight ses-sion, led by lender SambaFinancial Group which fell4.1 percent to touch a

four-week low.Other banking stocks

also fell as the markettested a key resistancelevel. The index dropped0.4 percent to 6,770points.

“The market is facingstrong resistance at 6,800levels and the weak buy-ing bids are forcing traderto booking profit at thislevels,” says MohammedIshaq Ali, a fund managerat Al Rajhi Capital.

“The selling pressuredragged down bankingsector, whereas petro-chemical sectors recov-ered losses, reacting to ajump in oil prices today atthe back of weaker dollarand subsequent increasein demand for fuel.”

In Kuwait, Zain sharesrebounded from Sunday’sfall to rise 1.5 percentafter Reuters reportedthat the telecom operatorwas likely to sign anagreement for its $9 bil-lion asset sale to India’sBharti Airtel today.

The index rose 0.7 per-cent to 7,524 points.“Market makers are tryingto push Zain stock higherbefore they finalize a dealwith Bharti. I think theywould want to push it to1.5 dinars,” said Naser Al-Nafisi, general managerfor Al Joman Center forEconomic Consultancy inKuwait.

Doha’s index fell for thefirst session in three asQatar Gas Transport Co(Nakilat) dropped 2.2 per-cent.

Property stocks alsodeclined, with Barwa RealEstate Co falling 1.5 per-cent and Qatar Real EstateCo dropping 1.4 percent.The benchmark fell 0.3percent to 7,440 points.Banking stocks weighedon Oman’s index. Theindex slipped 0.3 percentto 6,795 points.

Egypt’s main indexinched up 0.1 percent, bol-stered by gains by EzzSteel and OrascomConstruction Industries(OCI).

HIGHLIGHTSDUBAI

The index fell 2.5 per-cent to 1,833 points.

ABU DHABIThe benchmark

climbed 0.08 percent to2,932 points.

SAUDI ARABIAThe index fell 0.4 per-

cent to 6,770 points.

KUWAITThe measure rose 0.7

percent to 7,524 points.

QATARThe index fell 0.3 per-

cent to 7,440 points.

EGYPTThe index climbed 0.1

percent to 6,855 points.

OMANThe benchmark fell 0.3

percent to 6,795 points.

BAHRAIN The index rose 1 per-

cent to 1,525 points. — Reuters

Dubai stock rally stalls, banks lead Saudi lower

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

BUSINESS 25Tuesday, March 30, 2010

ATHENS/LONDON: Debt-stricken Greecereturned to capital markets yesterday forthe first time since euro-zone leadersagreed to give it a financial safety net, butthe foggy rescue plan did little to reduce itsborrowing costs.

The country’s Public Debt ManagementAgency (PDMA) mandated five banks for a7-year benchmark bond issue-the first mar-ket test after the 16-nation single currencyarea last week decided to establish aEuropean-IMF support mechanism as a lastresort.

The bond is expected to raise 5 billioneuros and one of the banks handling thedeal said the order book has reached thatlevel but was still open. The bond lookedset to be priced at around 6.0 percent ifmarket conditions remain stable-more than

twice the yield paid by Germany, Europe’sbiggest economy, on 7-year paper.

Analysts said it was in line with whatGreece paid on a longer 10-year bond onMar. 11, while euro zone partners were stillwrangling publicly over whether to helpAthens at all.

However, the rate might have been stillhigher if euro zone leaders had failed toreach any decision last week. “The deal didtighten spreads by a few basis points sothere is a quantifiable impact. But in termsof attracting investors I think it will havehelped enormously, as it removed a majorpiece of uncertainty,” said Peter Chatwell, abond analyst at Credit Agricole in London.

Greece needs to refinance some 23 bil-lion euros in maturing debt by the end ofMay, some of which may be met fromreserves. The premium investors chargeon holding Greek rather than German 10-year bonds rose to 311 bps from 304 afterthe launch.

The head of the International MonetaryFund, which has been virtually silent sinceit was assigned a subordinate role in anyrescue, said on Monday there was no imme-diate sign that Greece would need outsidehelp. “I hope that the EU strategy forGreece works,” Dominique Strauss-Kahnsaid on a visit to Poland.

“We are ready to help Greece as with

any of our members but it is not obvioustoday that help will be absolutely neces-sary.”

Under a compromise brokered by euroco-founders Germany and France lastThursday, Greece would qualify for assis-tance only if it were unable to borrow on themarkets and it would take a unanimous eurozone decision to trigger a rescue.

Euro zone states would provide themajority, some said two-thirds, of any helpin coordinated bilateral loans, on strict con-ditions proposed by the EuropeanCommission and the European CentralBank, while the IMF would provide therest.

However, many key details remain to beworked out, including the cost of emer-gency loans, what role the IMF would playand what would happen to its normal condi-tionality. The conspicuous silence fromWashington since the Europeans agreed toseek its involvement has prompted specula-tion that the IMF either does not knowwhat role it is supposed to play or is unhap-py at being expected to provide funds butnot set policy.

Greek officials have said that if Athenshas to borrow its total requirement of 53 bil-lion euros this year at current market rates,it would cost at least an extra 500 millioneuros a year in debt service charges. Thatwould make it even harder for the govern-ment to achieve a promised 4 percentagepoint cut in the budget deficit to 8.7 percent

of gross domestic product this year and getthe shortfall below the EU limit of 3 percentby the end of 2012.

“Beyond 2010 our economists are con-cerned that Greece remains on a sustain-able debt trajectory,” said Ciaran O’Hagan,bond strategist at Societe Generale in Paris.

“Debt service costs will continue to riseunless yields decline significantly. At thevery least this suggests that the currenttarget to reduce the deficit to 3 percent inthree years is unrealistic. So we’ll facetoday’s concerns next year and the yearafter,” he added.

The Economist magazine calculatedGreece would not reach the deficit targetuntil 2014, by which time its debt to GDPratio would have topped 150 percent, com-pared to 110 percent in 2009. — Reuters

Greece gets little market bounce from EU dealIMF chief says not clear Greece will need help

The group’s global produc-tion in the same period jumped69.2 percent to 734,631 units, ofwhich 655,180 were for Toyotain an 82.7 percent jump for thebrand.

Analysts said the figureswere unsurprising given theauto industry’s troubles a yearearlier as the economic down-turn eroded demand, and a lowbasis of comparison offsetToyota’s reduced output inresponse to a global recall.

“The robust figures werelargely due to a rebound from itssizeable slump a year earlier.There was no surprise. The fig-ures were within expectations,”said Mamoru Kato, auto analystat Tokai Tokyo Research Centre.

“It is too early to be opti-mistic about the fate of Toyota.”One of Japan’s most famed com-panies, Toyota has been batteredby both the global economicdownturn and by its massivesafety woes over faulty accelera-tor and brake systems.

In recent months, the world’slargest automaker has beenforced to recall more than eightmillion vehicles worldwidemostly due to problems withsudden acceleration, which havebeen blamed for 58 deaths in theUnited States.

Domestic sales continue torise however, surging 32.1 per-cent year-on-year to 210,767

units, with sales in the Toyotabrand alone up 49.9 percent.

The figures were largelyboosted by the success of thePrius hybrid model, the best-selling car in Japan for the ninthconsecutive month, according tostatistics released earlier by aprofessional body.

Vehicle exports from Japanmore than doubled to 161,533units, Toyota said in a statement.

However, “the negativeimpact of its mass recall is beingfelt in developed countriesexcept Japan,” said Kato. “Theprospect for Toyota’s businessactivities is still uncertain.”

The increases came even asthe company suspended someproduction lines at five NorthAmerican plants for five days inearly February following thedecision to halt sales of eightmodels due to accelerator pedalproblems.

Toyota decided to suspendother production operations inthe US and Europe in March andApril, and in Japan from thespring of this year.

It said last week that it aimsto finalise a plan to streamlineoutput operations in Japan bysummer.

In Tokyo trade, Toyota Motorshares closed 0.53 percent lowerat 3,740 yen yesterday.

“The impact of the recallswill emerge gradually,” Mizuno

Credit Authority analyst TatsuyaMizuno told Dow JonesNewswires. Earlier this month,the automaker said sales in theUnited States fell 8.7 percentyear-on-year in February to100,027 units.

The company last weekfaced its first US courtroomchallenge as lawyers pressedfor angry car owners to be

allowed to bring a multi-billion-dollar suit against the Japanesefirm.

It also announced a NorthAmerican “quality task force” asit struggles to repair its reputa-tion, that will answer to Toyotachief executive Akio Toyoda,the grandson of the company’sfounder. Other Japanese autogiants also reported yesterday

strong year-on-year increases inproduction and sales inFebruary as demand continuedto pick up. Japan’s secondbiggest automaker Honda saidproduction worldwide increased49.3 percent to 284,711 unitswhile Mazda production surged73.7 percent to 100,126. Nissansaw worldwide sales gain 21.7percent year-on-year. — AFP

Fallout from recalls to continue: Analysts

Toyota says global sales jump 13% in February

TOKYO: Crisis-hit Toyota said yesterday global sales rose 13 percentyear-on-year in February, but analysts warned that the fallout fromrecent mass safety recalls would continue to hang over the car giant. The

Toyota group, which includes brands Daihatsu and Hino trucks, sold613,845 vehicles worldwide last month, up from 543,435 a year earlier, aspokesman said.

ANHUI: An investor talks at a private securities company in Huaibei city, incentral China’s Anhui province, yesterday. Chinese shares hit a nine-weekhigh yesterday, led by blue chips on the introduction of long-awaited stockindex futures. — AP

MUMBAI: Swiss bank Credit Suisse said yester-day it had received preliminary approval from theIndian central bank to set up a branch in the SouthAsian country, the bank said.

The new branch, to be based in financial centreMumbai, will be able to accept deposits and pro-vide loans to clients, complementing CreditSuisse’s existing non-bank financial company inIndia, it said. The Zurich-based bank runs invest-ment banking, wealth management, a brokeragefirm and mutual fund operations in India, servingwealthy individuals and companies.

“India is a key strategic growth market for thebank globally,” Kai Nargolwala, chief executive ofCredit Suisse Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

“This is a key pillar of our Asia Pacific strategyof developing our on-shore presence in majormarkets throughout the region.”

In recent years, the Indian central bank has

allowed a host of foreign banks including Swissbank UBS, South Africa’s FirstRand Bank,Commonwealth Bank of Australia and ANZ tostart operations. Also, under a bilateral agreementbetween India and Singapore, India’s central bankhas granted eight branch licenses to DBS bank.

Foreign banks had been keen to set up opera-tions in India but kept plans on hold due to theglobal financial crisis.

India’s leading banks, including the State Bankof India and ICICI Bank have also been expandingabroad, setting up branches in southeast Asia, theMiddle East, South Africa, Europe and the UnitedStates in recent years.

“India and the Reserve Bank of India are opento allowing more foreign banks into the country ifreciprocity is maintained,” said Rupa RegeNitsure, chief economist with state-run Bank ofBaroda. — AFP

Credit Suisse to open first branch in India

TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada (left) andMazda Motor Corp Vice President Masaharu Yamaki shake hands duringtheir joint press conference in Tokyo yesterday. — AP

AMMAN: Jordan’s economy accelerated in thefourth quarter of 2009, growing 2.9 percent from ayear earlier as the impact of the global economicdownturn eased, data showed yesterday.

Gross domestic product in the third quarterrose 2.1 percent from a year earlier. The economyexpanded 2.8 percent in 2009 as a whole, the sta-tistics department said, slowing from 7.8 percentgrowth in 2008 and its worst performance since aneconomic crisis in 1989 when the country wasforced to seek help from the InternationalMonetary Fund.

The government had originally forecast growthof 3.8 percent last year. Finance MinisterMohammad Abu Hammour told Reuters this monththat the government was maintaining its forecast ofaround 4 percent growth in 2010 on the back ofstronger capital inflows and private investment.

That will still be below average annual growth of6-7 percent in recent years. While Jordan’s economyhas weathered the global economic downturn betterthan most Western economies, domestic demand,exports, tourism and remittances from abroad haveall been hit. The aid-dependent kingdom has close

business and economic ties to Gulf Arab govern-ments which have been hard hit by a drop in oilprices last year, their main source of state revenue.

Oil prices have since surged, which is positive forJordan.

However, analysts say that although Jordan’seconomy should see a pick-up in growth this year,uncertainties remain due to a continuing declinein direct foreign investment and foreign aid andweak domestic demand. GDP rose to 9.606 billiondinars ($13.5 billion) in 2009 against 9.349 billiondinars in 2008. — Reuters

CAIRO: HC Research down-graded its rating on theEgyptian equity market to“neutral” from “overweight”citing macro headwinds and anexpected asset allocation shiftby investors to dollar-denomi-nated assets and strong globalgovernments.

“The domestic economyhas yet to see return of keyexternal growth drivers,which, combined with infla-tionary pressures and govern-ment imbalances, will hold theequity market back,” the bro-kerage said. Foreign directinvestment (FDI), a main driv-er of domestic growth, hasbeen slow to recover and is

not likely to return to pre-cri-sis levels until 2011. Otherkey indicators such as Suezcanal revenue, exports andremittances are also yet toshow signs of sustainablerecovery, it said.

Because of the decline ingovernment revenue andincreased spending, which isexpected to continue during2009-10, the budget deficit isexpected to rise to 9 percentof GDP in 2009-10 from 6.7percent in 2008-09, HC said.

“This means that it willbecome more difficult to sup-port the domestic economyfurther.”

The Central Bank of Egypt

(CBE) cutting interest rates tohistoric lows, and expectedcurrency weakness will gener-ate higher inflation that theCBE will need to anchor tomaintain credibility.

“Once the central bankraises interest rates, due torising inflation and not areturn to robust economicgrowth, the equity market willreact very negatively,” HCsaid.

The brokerage highlightedTalaat Moustafa Group,National Societe GeneraleBank’s, Citadel Capital, SidiKerir Petrochemicals, EzzSteel and Al Ezz Dekheila Steelas focus stocks. — Reuters

COPENHAGEN: Danske Bank expects loan loss-es at its troubled Irish and Baltic units to shrinkthis year and plans for slow organic growth inEstonia and Ireland once the economies recover,a top executive said.

Unlike its Nordic peers, Danske-whose mainmarkets are Denmark, Sweden, Norway andFinland-also operates in the Republic of Irelandand Northern Ireland.

It is also exposed to the Baltic countries,though less than Swedish rivals Swedbank andSEB. Thomas Borgen, head of Danske’s opera-tions outside Denmark, said the near-term focusin Ireland was to finish a savings program at itsNational Irish Bank (NIB), and said Danske hasno plans to join in merger activity there in thenext few years. “Our ambition is to grow whenthe time is right ... That is when we’ve restruc-tured our current operation and when the econo-my is ready,” he said in an interview. “We thinkthat will be somewhere in 2011 or 2012.”

Danske is closing 25 of its 58 branches of NIB,a small player in Ireland.

In 2009, 5 billion crowns out of Danske’s total26 billion crowns worth of loan impairmentcharges stemmed from NIB, some 80 percent ofwhich related to a diving property market.

Borgen predicted the Irish property marketwould remain “challenging” in 2010. “In Dublinwe have probably seen the bottom. If you go out-side Dublin it could still fall,” he said.

The Irish government has created a “badloan” bank, NAMA, and is about to launch anoth-er bailout program for struggling banks.

Borgen expressed cautious optimism NAMA

would benefit the banking sector and the widereconomy. “It is probably the right thing that thegovernment is doing ... Let’s see now in practicehow it will work. Sitting on the outside, not beingpart of it, we think it’s a good thing. But time willshow.” He said NIB was refocusing towards smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and themass affluent retail market, steering away fromtraditional high street banking and real estate.

Looking forward to 2012, he said: “We canslowly and surely build a nice bank in Ireland, notfocusing on real estate but on SMEs.”

Borgen said the market environmentremained “very challenging” in Ireland while hewas “comfortable” with how the economy wasdeveloping in Northern Ireland. Danske’sNorthern Irish unit Northern Bank booked 1.4billion Danish crowns ($252.9 million) in loanlosses last year.

Referring to 2010 in Ireland and NorthernIreland, he said: “We will have lower impairmentcharges than in 2009, but still at the higher level... We cannot rule out certain bumps but we hopeand think it is going to be a falling trend.” He saidthe property market would account for roughlythe same share of impairments as in 2009. Hesaid the group’s aim was to grow slowly inNorthern Ireland too.

Danske’s business in the Baltic region,where Latvia has been hit especially hard in theglobal crisis, could swing into the black in 2012,Borgen said. “If you ask me: ‘can we make aprofit after loan losses in one year, can we dothat in 2012?’ Yes. Do I say we will? Not neces-sarily, but we could.” — Reuters

LONDON/ISTANBUL: Astrengthening recovery inTurkey from last year’s steeprecession and tame inflation willsee the lira depreciate onlymodestly against the dollar overthe next 12 months, a Reuterspoll showed yesterday.

Turkey’s economy underper-formed its big emerging marketpeers last year with an estimat-ed 5.5 percent fall in output,hurt by a big fall in demand inkey European export markets.

The lira stabilized in 2009around the 1.50 mark againstthe dollar after losing a quarterof its value in 2008. It hasslipped slightly this year to itscurrent level around 1.53, dent-ed by uncertainty about consti-tutional reform and politicalwrangling.

Analysts expect this trend ofmild depreciation to continueover the next 12 months as astuttering recovery in WesternEurope slightly offsets animproving domestic economy,according to median forecastsfrom the poll of 27 forex strate-gists.

“Although the lira has beenlagging behind its peers recent-ly, this is mainly due to politicalfactors that will hopefully sub-side,” said Yarkin Cebeci at JP

Morgan Chase in Istanbul, whoexpects the lira to strengthen.

Turkey’s ruling AK Partyhopes to send a constitutionalreform package to parliamenttoday, which critics say is aimedat consolidating the party’spower ahead of elections nextyear. “In the medium to longrun, a positive technical picturealong with the strength in fun-damentals will support the cur-rency,” said Cebeci.

The poll showed the Turkisheconomy expanding 4.1 percentthis year-modest compared tothe high single-digit rates seenfor much of the last decade afterTurkey’s 2001 economic crisis.Similar growth of 4.2 percent isexpected in 2011.

Forecasts by quarter showedgrowth slowing through 2010from an estimated 8 percentyear-on-year in the first quarterto 2.8 percent in the fourthquarter, before picking up againin 2011.

“If we look at forward-lookingfactors such as capacity utilisa-tion, if we look at domesticdemand and unemployment,these indicators are suggestingthat the domestic recovery is stillpretty shallow,” said ManikNarain, economist at StandardChartered in London. — Reuters

Jordan economy accelerates, grows 2.9% yr/yr in Q4

KATHMANDU: A Nepali woman tends to a vegetable dye vat with yarn forcarpets at a workshop in Kathmandu. Carpets remain one of the mainexports of the Himalayan nation where agriculture and remittances are themainstay of the economy. — AFP

HC cuts Egyptian equity market to neutral

Danske sees 2010 Irish loan losses below 2009

Turkish lira seen slipping slightly in next 12 months

BUSINESS26 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani walks up a ladder in front of a mural advertisement for a gas station inRawalpindi yesterday. The United States pledged to work to improve market access for Pakistani goodsincluding through special economic zones, as the two nations sought to turn the page on years of dis-trust.—AFP

HONG KONG: Shulin Su, Chairman of Sinopec listens to a question at thecompany’s 2009 annual results announcement in Hong Kong yesterday.Shares in Sinopec rose after the Chinese refiner said net profit more thandoubled in 2009 on stronger demand and higher refined oil prices in thedomestic market.—AFP

MOSCOW: Russia’s Prime MinisterVladimir Putin runs the country froma plane and his journeys have a clearpattern: he strives to win back theeconomic growth Russia lost lastyear.

Russia was hit harder by the glob-al crisis than any other major emerg-ing economy, its gross domesticproduct shrinking by 7.9 percent in2009 compared with growth in China,India and Brazil, the other majoremerging economies in the BRICgroup.

Putin, rated as the world’s thirdmost powerful person by Forbesmagazine, promised to doubleRussia’s GDP within a decade whenhe first won power as the country’spresident in 2000. The crisis has lefthim barely halfway to that goal.

Now leading the nation as itsprime minister after completing themaximum two terms as president,Putin often plays a far more visiblerole than President DmitryMedvedev in telling Russia’s busi-ness leaders what they are expectedto contribute to the economy.

“I’m asking you for a third time,when are you going to sign this con-tract, do you not hear me?” Putinlashed out at deputy chief of gasmonopoly Gazprom AlexanderAnanenkov, an elderly man wearing ahearing aid, at a meeting lastDecember.

The deal was for Gazprom to buyRussian vessels and Ananenkovwanted to sign only a letter of intentinstead of a firm contract.

The meeting, held in the Pacific

port of Vladivostok, focused on theshipbuilding industry, one of the sec-tors identified by Putin as growth dri-vers. The sector, which suffered apost-Soviet collapse, grew by 68 per-cent last year.

Russia’s pre-crisis growth modelwas based on a rising oil price andcheap foreign loans. Putin’s new stickand carrot growth recipe includesstate financial aid, deals mediation,regulatory changes and outrightorders. Jim O’Neill, a Goldman Sachseconomist who invented the term“BRIC”, says Putin’s policy may payoff “if it is genuine and not just hype”.Russia is one of Goldman Sachs’favourite trades this year.

“Everyone assumes that Russiawill always be status quo but as withany supply side policies, desire cre-

ates the reality,” O’Neill toldReuters.

“So it is just a matter of peoplegetting correctly focused on the keyissues, and one of the key issues is tocreate an environment to encourageand help non-energy based ven-tures”. Russian industrialists, nostal-gic about Soviet industrial might, saythat monetarist policies in place sincethe collapse of the Soviet Unionignored industrial development andturned Russia into a petro-state.

Since becoming Prime Minister inMay 2008, Putin has turned his atten-tion to sectors where he sees poten-tial for growth such as nuclear power,defence and auto sectors, plane-mak-ing, petrochemicals, shipbuilding,utilities and agriculture.

The new industrial policy should

lead to the emergence of competitiveRussian-made products such as theSukhoi Superjet 100 medium-rangepassenger plane or a fifth generationfighter invisible to radar like the USF-22 Raptor stealth fighter.

Another of Putin’s projects is thediversification of Russia’s energyexport supply routes which, apartfrom their geopolitical role, will alsoswell the investment plans of statemonopolies such as Gazprom andTransneft. The multi-billion projectsserve as growth drivers as theytranslate into orders of pipes, tur-bines and other equipment.

“I was recently at a (Russian)electrical transformers factory. Aremarkable enterprise, new, verybeautiful, modern. So why are youimporting 70 percent of all transform-

ers?” Putin asked the head of theFederal Grid Company, OlegBudargin.

Most of Putin’s foreign visits arerelated either to energy diplomacy orthe lobbying of deals on behalf ofRussian defence or nuclear powerfirms.

During his March visit to India,Putin signed deals worth $10 billionincluding to build up to 16 nuclearreactors, saying Russia wants to con-trol a quarter of the global nuclearpower market.

Putin is also keen to support con-struction which achieved double-digitgrowth during the oil boom years andwhere asset price bubbles hadformed before the crisis hit.

“We need to heat up this sector alittle bit, although I am not talking

about overheating,” Putin said of theconstruction industry, where heplans to introduce a government-backed mortgage scheme with sub-sidised interest rates for home buy-ers. Growth sectors receive lavishfunding from state-controlled bankswhose chief executives accompanyPutin on his trips.

A risk for the growth revival is anew oil-fuelled rouble rally, whichundermines local industries’ compet-itiveness.

Still, Putin has repeatedly resistedre-imposing capital controls to solvethis problem, which should bringbenefits in the long-term for theinvestment climate.

“They’ve had a good start to theyear. I’m impressed,” Goldman’sO’Neill said. — Reuters

Putin circles Russia in search of elusive growth

DUBLIN: Shares in Bank of Ireland andAllied Irish Banks fell more than 10 per-cent yesterday as the government pre-pared to take control a much biggerchunk of the financial sector than initiallyplanned. The government is this weekmoving the first loans into a 54-billioneuro “bad bank” scheme and today it willannounce how much capital the bankswill need to make up for resulting writedowns. Local media reports said the statecould increase its stake in Allied Irish

Banks to 70 percent compared with itscurrent holding of 25 percent via prefer-ence shares, after the transfers to theNational Asset Management Agency(NAMA), the bad bank.

Shares in Allied Irish Banks weredown 17.3 percent by 1047 GMT at 1.4euros, having fallen as low as 1.32 euros,and Bank of Ireland dropped 6 percent. InBank of Ireland, in which the governmentalso has a 25 percent indirect stake plus16 percent in ordinary equity, Finance

Minister Brian Lenihan could take a 40-percent ordinary stake, according to areport in the Irish Times newspaper.

Lenihan has said he could not com-ment on market speculation ahead of theofficial announcements. “We expect theIrish government to be the largest singleequity investor in each institution, absentan unexpectedly strong economic recov-ery or material private-market sourcedequity capital,” Royal Bank of Canadasaid in a note.

The two top banks have said theywould try to raise capital privately firstbut authorities may impose tight dead-lines for replenishing their capital whichwould require fresh bailouts.

Anglo Irish Bank, which was fullynationalized last year, has said it wouldneed up to 9 billion euros of additionalstate funds. Building societies EBS andIrish Nationwide, also participants inNAMA, have also already requested statecapital. —Reuters

State could take majority stakes

Ireland poised for fresh bank bailout, shares fall

HONG KONG: Hong Kong announced plans yes-terday to start imposing penalties, including finesof up to one million US dollars, on listed firms thatfail to disclose price-sensitive information.

But the proposal fell short of calls to make abreach of the rules a criminal offence.

The Asian financial hub is keen to avoid arepeat of the Citic Pacific scandal, when the HongKong-listed conglomerate revealed in 2008 that itfaced a 18.6 billion Hong Kong dollar ($2.40 bil-lion) loss from rogue currency bets. The companysaid it kept the information secret for weeks inorder to unwind the trades, a revelation thatsparked a police investigation, drew public out-rage and forced regulators to review how compa-nies on the Hong Kong stock market disclosedinformation.

The government recommended a range of civilactions against companies and directors whobreach the laws, including a fine of up to 8 millionHong Kong dollars.

Chan Ka-keung, the city’s Secretary forFinancial Services and the Treasury, said the pro-posed regime would create a “disclosure culture”in the market and strengthen Hong Kong’s repu-tation.

“It would help demonstrate to the market ourcommitment to enhancing market transparencyand quality, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s posi-tion as an international financial centre and thepremier capital formation centre in the region.”

However, shareholder activist David Webb,who is also a former non-executive director ofHong Kong Stock Exchange, said the sanctionswere not strong enough.

“It represents a further watering down of theoriginal proposals in 2003,” he said, referring towhen the government began to consult the finan-cial sector about an overall revamp of the city’s

listing rules.Webb also criticized the proposal for exempt-

ing listed companies receiving liquidity supportfrom the government or central bank from the dis-closure requirements.

“I don’t see why that should be the case. Itwould be misleading to members of the public,who think they are investing in a solvent bankwhen it is in fact receiving government aid.”

Phillip Khan, vice-chairman of the Alliance forLehman Brothers’ Victims, a group consisting oftens of thousands of Hong Kong investors whobought structured products backed by the failedUS bank, said the proposal was “unacceptable.”“Without criminal sanctions, there won’t be a so-called disclosure culture.

The listed companies or bank staff will alwaysthink that they can cover up their misdeeds andget away with it,” he said.

Under the proposal, the Securities and FuturesCommission, the city’s financial watchdog, wouldbe given the power to investigate any suspectedbreach.

The Market Misconduct Tribunal, which cur-rently deals with insider dealing cases, wouldhave its jurisdiction extended to cover breaches ofthe proposed laws.

Apart from fines, the director or officer inbreach of the laws could be disqualified from officeand deprived of access to market facilities for upto five years.

Hong Kong’s disclosure practice is currentlyregulated by non-statutory listing rules adminis-trated by the stock exchange, which does not haveany investigatory power.

Citic Pacific was bailed out by its parent com-pany Citic Group, a state-run Chinese firm, andsparked a police investigation and the resignationof chairman Larry Yung in April last year. — AFP

Hong Kong proposes new market transparency laws

LILONGWE: Ghana’s target ofbringing inflation down to 10percent by the end of the year isachievable, deputy central bankgovernor Millison Narh saidyesterday, signalling moreinterest rate cuts.

“Our target is for 10 percentby year-end. It is achievable,”Narh told Reuters on the side-lines of an economic conferencein the Malawi capital, Lilongwe.

The West African nation is anet fuel-importer, making itseconomy highly susceptible toshifts in world oil prices,although if crude stayed around$85 a barrel-it is now just below$80 — there were no worries,he said. “Going forwards weexpect to ease monetary policyin order to speed up the devel-opment process,” he said.

Ghana has been under pres-sure to bring inflation downfrom 20 percent in 2009, but cutits prime interest rate by a sur-prise 200 basis points to 16.0percent in February.

In the same month, annualinflation fell for its eight consec-utive month to 14.23 percent,its lowest level in almost twoyears.

Ghana is due to start pump-ing oil in the final months of thisyear, generating an average$800 million in revenues forstate coffers from next year,according Finance Ministry pro-jections seen as relatively mod-est.

Narh said the Bank of Ghanawas being “a bit cautious” inassessing the impact of the oilwindfall, but said policies in thepipeline, such as an oil reservefund, should off-set the risk of“Dutch disease”-often typifiedas currency appreciation andgalloping inflation.

“We are putting forth mech-anisms to avoid what we call theDutch disease by managing ourpolicies in such a way that we’llbe able to maintain ourexchange rate at a reasonablelevel to encourage exports,” he

said.Even at its peak, the oil rev-

enues will only be a fraction ofgovernment spending, whichthis year is due to rise by 40percent to 12.1 billion cedis($8.6 billion) and push thedeficit to 7.5 percent of nationaloutput.

The Finance Ministry hascalculated that if hydrocarbonrevenues from the off-shoreJubilee field were distributedevenly, every citizen wouldreceive $20 next year, rising to$75 in 2017.

Buoyed by oil and cocoa-it isthe world’s biggest producerafter Ivory Coast-the economyis forecast to grow as much as15 percent next year.

The International MonetaryFund believes that if spentwisely, oil revenues could helpGhana join middle-income coun-tries such as Cameroon within10 years, requiring a doubling ofits per capita annual income to$1,000. — Reuters

Ghana inflation seen at 10% by year end: CB

Ericssonwins majorChina dealsSTOCKHOLM: Swedishtelecom giant Ericsson saidyesterday it had won con-tracts to provide equipment totwo of China’s largest opera-tors, China Mobile and ChinaUnicom, to the tune of $1.8billion (1.3 billion euros).

“With a potential customerbase of 1.3 billion, telecomoperators are now takingsteps to further expand andboost China’s communicationinfrastructure and related ser-vices,” Ericsson said in astatement, adding that it hadsigned “2G/3G frame agree-ments with China Mobile andChina Unicom.

The Swedish company saidit had won a one-billion-dollarcontract with China’s topoperator China Mobile to thisyear provide it with equip-ment to “dramatically boostthe capacity of the networkand evolve it into an IP net-work.”

Ericsson had also agreedto provide China Unicom witha faster 3G network, and tosupply IP routers, fiber accessand other technologies worth$800 million, also by the endof this year.

“A steadily rising numberof the Chinese population isgoing mobile.... Today, 99 per-cent of the population hasmobile coverage, thanks tooperators’ recent networkexpansion to rural areas,”Ericsson said.

In 2009, China counted747 million mobile subscrip-tions, an increase of 106 mil-lion from a year earlier,Ericsson said, adding that“there is no sign of the mar-ket cooling down.”

“We are confident that wewill do an even better job insupplying the latest technolo-gy and best-in-class servicesin time to support Chineseoperators in fulfilling thedemand of this tremendousmarket growth,” MatsOlsson, who heads upEricsson’s Greater Chinadivision, said in the state-ment.

The contracts announcedyesterday follow on the healsof Ericsson’s similar equip-ment deals with the sameoperators last July worth $1.7billion. Following theannouncement, Ericsson sawits share price jump 1.8 per-cent on the Stockholm stockexchange, which as a wholewas up 0.5 percent. — AFP

LONDON/NEW YORK: Expectations thatEuropean Union efforts will ease Greece’ssovereign debt crisis lifted the euro yesterdayand cleared a path for gains in global equities.

The European Union, European CentralBank and International Monetary Fund lastweek moved to create a safety net for Greece,seeking to persuade markets that the coun-try’s bonds and those of other peripheral eurozone economies would not default.

The euro, which has been battered by thecrisis, rose about a quarter percent againstthe dollar to $1.3446. It also gained againstthe Swiss franc, Swedish crown, Japanese yenand British pound.

“The EU agreement on Greece instilledsome confidence, and we are seeing a degreeof a relief rally although a modest one,” saidLee Hardman, economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

“Greek yields are still elevated, andGreece is not out of the woods yet by anystretch of the imagination.” Greece remainedin focus with the sale of seven-year debt seenas a barometer of demand for the country’sdebt.

The Greek bond was set to raise 5 billioneuros, a source at one of the banks chargedwith selling the debt said, but could price ataround 6 percent, more than twice the yieldthat Germany pays on its debt.

Benchmark euro zone government bondprices declined, with the yield on 10-yearBunds falling about 0.03 percentage point to3.12 percent. Greece yields rose 0.1 percent-age point to 6.32 percent.

US government debt prices declinedslightly as improvements in the US economyand brightening prospects for Greece less-ened the appeal of Treasuries as a haven from

risk. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yieldsrose 0.01 percentage point to 3.86 percent.The removal of immediate worries aboutGreece allowed global stock markets to focuselsewhere.

In the US, the Dow Jones industrial aver-age rose 31.59 points, or 0.29 percent, to10,881.95. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Indexgained 4.42 points, or 0.38 percent, to1,171.01 and the Nasdaq Composite Indexincreased 10.13 points, or 0.42 percent, to2,405.26.

European shares turned negative asbanks reversed gains and oil majors slipped,offsetting strength in miners as metals pricessupported those shares.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300index of top shares dropped 0.1 percent to1.076.20. Gains in the US and among emerg-ing markets lifted MSCI’s all-country worldindex 0.4 percent. Earlier, Japan’s Nikkeiaverage dipped 0.1 percent on Monday,backing off an 18-month high hit lastweek.— Reuters

Greece support bolsters euro; US equities firm

TOKYO: A Bic Camera sales clerk speaks in front of energy-savingair conditioners that can earn “eco-points” at the Japanese elec-tronics retail chain in Tokyo. Japan’s retail sales jumped for the sec-ond straight month in February, offering a sign the country’s eco-nomic recovery is broadening to households. —AP

27Tuesday, March 30, 2010 TECHNOLOGY

GlobalPost charts online future amid newspaper woesWASHINGTON: As US newspapers strug-gle for a business model for the digital age,the founders of a free online news site whichrecently celebrated its first birthday areoptimistic about its future.

“It’s been an extraordinary year for us,far beyond any reasonable expectations Icould have had,” said Philip Balboni, presi-dent and chief executive of GlobalPost.com,which launched in January 2009.

While Boston-based GlobalPost has yetto turn a profit, Balboni is heartened by howquickly the operation has been able to estab-lish itself as a destination for internationalnews.

“Internet time is faster than other timebut the speed with which we were able to

establish our brand and scale an audiencewas remarkable,” said the veteran televisionexecutive who founded the New EnglandCable News network.

“It’s somewhat amazing to me that froma standing start, with no site, no brand, noawareness, no nothing, we’ve arrived at thispoint,” he told AFP.

GlobalPost attracted more than 750,000unique visitors to its website last month andis on track to surpass 800,000 in March.“We’ve set a goal for 2010 of going over themillion mark,” Balboni said.

GlobalPost employs 70 correspondentsin 50 countries, including veterans of TheNew York Times, The Washington Post,CNN and other major news organizations

paying them a monthly retainer and sharesin the company.

While 70 percent of GlobalPost’s trafficwas from North America last year, Balbonisaid the site “had visits from 232 countriesand territories, literally every single placeon Earth with the exception of NorthKorea.”

“For any media company the mostimportant ultimate objective is to establish abrand that consumers see as credible andattractive and that begins to build an audi-ence that you can then monetize,” he said.

As for making money, the GlobalPostpresident and CEO said the site is countingon three revenue streams: advertising, syn-dication of GlobalPost content to newspa-

pers and other outlets and a paid member-ship service.

GlobalPost’s revenue last year was “nota million dollars but it was many hundreds ofthousands of dollars,” Balboni said. “It wasconsequential revenue even though it wasnot what we’d hoped for.”

“You have to remember we sailed rightinto the global economic recession and alsointo the worst media economy probably inmodern history,” he noted. “I was verypleased we did as well as we did given theoverall circumstances.”

Balboni said 70 percent of GlobalPost’s2009 earnings came from advertising withthe remaining 30 percent from syndicationand the membership service called

“Passport” which offers premium contentfor a 50-dollar annual fee.

“We ended the year with about 500(Passport) members, which was less thanwe’d hoped for but we really weren’t sur-prised,” Balboni said.

Next month, GlobalPost plans to becomeone of the first US news outlets to experi-ment with the services of JournalismOnline, a company founded last year to helpnews organizations make money on theWeb.

“We will relaunch our membership strat-egy in April using their technology,” Balbonisaid. “What this will allow us to do is to tar-get the most loyal and frequent users ofGlobalPost and deliver a message to them

asking them to join Passport and to supportour journalism.

“We’re hoping that this will allow for amuch more rapid expansion of member-ship,” he said. “We’ll also be bringing ourpricing down to create a level of member-ship that will be even more affordable formore people.

“We need and hope to be in the tens ofthousands of members.”

While a number of US newspapers arecontemplating charging readers for fullaccess to their websites, Balboni said that isnot the route GlobalPost will be taking.

“We’re not going to put up a pay wall,”he said. “We want to continue to be a freesite.” — AFP

KHAN YOUNIS: In this photo taken March 12, 2010, a Palestinian girl looks through a Telescope during a lecture delivered by Palestinian astrophysicistSuleiman Baraka, not seen, in a school in the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. The eldest of 14 children of a butcher, Baraka rose from humblebeginnings in violence-wracked Gaza to become an astrophysicist, space weather expert and researcher for NASA, the US space agency. Now he is backhome with a new mission to teach kids to look up from their blockaded, beaten-down surroundings and into the limitless beauty of the universe. — AP

KHAN YOUNIS: Suleiman Baraka’sjourney could be measured in lightyears: the eldest of 14 children of abutcher, he rose from humble begin-nings in violence-wracked Gaza tobecome an astrophysicist, space weath-er expert and researcher for NASA, theUS space agency.

Now, at 45, he is back home with anew mission: to teach kids to look upfrom their blockaded, beaten-down sur-roundings and into the limitless beautyof the universe. He has procured thefirst known telescope in Gaza, a dona-tion from the InternationalAstronomical Union, and plans to intro-duce astronomy in Gaza’s three univer-sities. He also dreams of building anobservatory and a geomagneticresearch station.

It seems very ambitious for a terri-tory that has been under lockdown byIsrael and Egypt for nearly four years,but Baraka is stubbornly optimistic. In aregion torn by political and religiousconflict, he looks at what people have incommon, not what sets them apart.“There is a beautiful universe for

everybody _ no borders, no fences, nowall,” he said in an interview. Barakakept his faith even after he lost his 11-year-old son, Ibrahim, during Israel’swar on Hamas more than a year ago.

Baraka was at Virginia Tech at thetime, two months into a yearlongresearch grant from NASA and theNational Science Foundation, while hiswife and four children stayed behind inhis hometown of Khan Younis in south-ern Gaza. On Dec. 29, 2008, an Israeliwarplane bombed the Baraka familyhome. Ibrahim was hospitalized inEgypt, his skull broken. Baraka flew toEgypt from the United States, praying.He cried at his son’s bedside. Ibrahimnever regained consciousness and dieda week after the bombing — one ofabout 1,400 Palestinians killed in athree-week offensive aimed at endingyears of rocket fire from Gaza on Israelitowns.

Baraka was barred from enteringGaza while the war was going on, andmissed his son’s funeral. With nowhereelse to go, he flew back to the UnitedStates to complete his research year.

In October he returned to Gaza witha new mission, to get children excitedabout space and to honor his son’smemory. On the evening of March 12he held his first “star party.” Wearing aNASA cap, he set up the telescope inthe courtyard of his son’s school in

Khan Younis and attracted three dozenpupils, mostly boys but also a few girlsin head scarves, and some parents andteachers.

A few adults demanded to knowwhether space science was compatiblewith Islam. Baraka won their trust byquoting from the Quran.

Then the children stepped up to thetelescope. “This is something beauti-ful,” said Abdullah Majaideh, 14, aftergazing heavenward. “I never expectedto look into the telescope and see theoutside world.” Baraka said he wasmoved to tears.

Experiencing the vastness of spaceis a rare treat for Gazans who face bar-riers wherever they turn. The 360-

square-kilometer (140-square-mile)strip is one of the world’s most denselypopulated areas with 1.5 million people,sealed by fences, walls and the Israelinavy. Contact with the outside world issporadic. Baraka invited a retiredNASA astronaut, Jeffrey Hoffman, and

the head of International AstronomicalUnion, Bob Williams, to Gaza, butbecause of the uncertainties of enteringthe territory they limited their Januaryvisit to the West Bank, the otherPalestinian territory.

Baraka’s fascination with spacebegan in middle school. He said hegrew up in a family that treasuredlearning, even though his parents hadlittle formal education. All but two ofhis siblings went to college.

After studying physics he went intopolitics, spent two years in an Israeliprison for belonging to a then-outlawedorganization, the mainstream Fatah,and later held Palestinian governmentpositions. But after peace efforts col-

lapsed in 2000, he returned to acade-mia. He earned his master’s in physicsfrom Gaza’s Islamic University, a doc-torate from the Paris Institute ofAstrophysics and, following a briefreturn to Gaza, was hired by VirginiaTech on a yearlong grant. Baraka, hiswife and three surviving children nowlive in a sparsely furnished apartmentpiled high with books, across the streetfrom their flattened home. He said heis not sure why the house was hit. Hisrelatives had left the building for safetybut Ibrahim and his grandmother werenear the house when the bomb struck,he said.

He tries to pursue his research butmisses the daily exchanges with hispeers and faces frequent blockade-related power outages.

Baraka said his greatest satisfactionwould be to inspire young people,including the university students in anastronomy class he hopes to teach nextfall.

“I will show them the way,” hesaid, “as I have been shown the waybefore.” — AP

Hope and a telescope enthrall Gaza stargazers

Limitless beauty of the universe

CANBERRA: The United States has raised concerns withAustralia about the impact of a proposed Internet filter that wouldplace restrictions on Web content, an official said yesterday.

The concerns of Australia’s most important security ally fur-ther undermine plans that would make Australia one of thestrictest Internet regulators among the world’s democracies.

“Our main message of course is that we remain committed toadvancing the free flow of information which we view as vital toeconomic prosperity and preserving open societies globally,” aUS State Department spokesman Michael Tran told TheAssociated Press by telephone from Washington. Tran declinedto say when or at what level the US State Department raised itsconcerns with Australia and declined to detail those concerns.

“We don’t discuss the details of specific diplomatic exchanges,but I can say that in the context of that ongoing relationship, wehave raised our concerns on this matter with Australian officials,”he added. Internet giants Google and Yahoo have condemned theproposal as a heavy-handed measure that could restrict access tolegal information.

The plan needs the support of Parliament to become law laterthis year.

Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy saysthe filter would block access to sites that include child pornogra-phy, sexual violence and detailed instructions in crime or druguse. The list of banned sites could be constantly updated based onpublic complaints. If adopted into law, the screening systemwould make Australia one of the strictest Internet regulatorsamong the world’s democracies.

Conroy declined to comment on the US concerns. “TheAustralian and U.S. governments liaise regularly on a broad rangeof issues. It would be inappropriate to discuss the details of theseconsultations,” said his spokeswoman, Suzie Brady.

Some critics of Australia’s filter have said it puts the nation inthe same censorship league as China. — AP

America raises concern with Australian Internet filter plan

Sweden raises Internet censorship issue with China STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt sayshe has stressed the merits of uncensored Internet access in a meet-ing with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. Reinfeldt says they dis-cussed human rights, democracy and the freedom of expression“and I especially emphasized ... the significance of the Internet inthat context.” Last week Google stopped censoring the Internet forChina by shifting its search engine off the mainland. The Chinesegovernment can still censor Web pages it deems sensitive with itsown filters. Reinfeldt declined to say how Xi responded to hisremarks yesterday and the Chinese vice president didn’t take ques-tions from reporters. Xi was visiting Sweden to celebrate the 60thanniversary of Swedish-Chinese diplomatic relations. —AP

NEW YORK: Apple Inc.’siPad tablet computer hitsUS shelves on Saturday, butfans who want the newtouch-screen gadgetshipped directly to themmust wait a week. Thecompany began taking pre-orders for the iPad onMarch 12, promising to getthe device to eager buyersby its store launch date ofApril 3rd. Customers whoplaced pre-orders by March27 will receive the deviceby that date, whereSaturday delivery is avail-able, but Apple said Sundaythat new pre-orders won’tbe shipped out until April12. The Cupertino,

California, companydeclined to give a reason forthe shipping delay, but saidwould-be customers canstill pre-order the iPad forin-store pickup on April 3,or purchase the device instores that day.

The iPads going on salewill connect to Wi-Fi net-works only and cost $499,$599 or $699, depending onthe data storage capacity.

Versions that also canconnect to “3G” cellularnetworks are expected togo on sale in late April for$629, $729 or $829.International releases alsoare planned for later inApril. —AP

Apple pushes backshipping of iPad tablet pre-orders

BEIJING: A shopper browses a display near abook called “Planet Google” in a book shop inBeijing yesterday. US Secretary of StateHillary Clinton, in a major speech on Internetfreedom two months ago, called on US technol-ogy firms not to support online censorship.Amid a host of trade disputes with China, how-ever, Google’s decision last week to halt cen-sorship there met with only a fairly mutedresponse from the State Department — andvirtual silence from other US technologygiants. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: Inthe file photo made

Jan. 27, 2010, the iPadis shown after it was

unveiled at theMoscone Center in SanFrancisco. Apple Inc.’s

iPad tablet computerhits US shelves on

April 3, 2010, but fanswho want the new

touch-screen gadgetshipped directly tothem must wait a

week. —AP

HEALTH & SCIENCE28 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

WASHINGTON: The decline in the USbee population, first observed in 2006, iscontinuing, a phenomenon that still bafflesresearchers and beekeepers.

Data from the US Department ofAgriculture show a 29 percent drop inbeehives in 2009, following a 36 percentdecline in 2008 and a 32 percent fall in2007.

This affects not only honey productionbut around 15 billion dollars worth ofcrops that depend on bees for pollination.

Scientists call the phenomenon“colony collapse disorder” that has led to

the disappearance of millions of adult beesand beehives and occurred elsewhere inthe world including in Europe.

Researchers have looked at viruses,parasites, insecticides, malnutrition andother environmental factors but havebeen unable to pinpoint a specific causefor the population decline.

The rough winter in many parts of theUnited States will likely accentuate theproblem, says Jeff Pettis, lead researcherat Department of Agriculture’s BeeResearch Laboratory in Beltsville,Maryland.

Winter figures will be published inApril. But preliminary estimates alreadyindicate losses of 30 to 50 percent, saidDavid Mendes, president of the AmericanBeekeeping Federation.

“There are a lot of beekeepers who arein trouble” he said.

“Under normal condition you have 10percent winter losses.. this year there are30, 40 to 50 percent losses.”

He said the phenomenon probablyresults from a combination of factors butthat the increased use of pesticidesappears to be a major cause.

“I don’t put my bees in Florida becausethe last couple of years there has beentremendous increase in pesticide use inthe orange crop to fight a disease,” hesaid. “It’s a bacterium and the only way tocontrol this disease is to use pesticide... afew years ago they did not use any pesti-cide at all.”

He said that pesticide use “haschanged dramatically” and has made bee-keeping “more challenging.”

Research conducted in 23 US statesand Canada and published in the PublicLibrary of Science journal found 121 dif-

ferent pesticides in 887 samples of bees,wax, pollen and other elements of hives,lending credence to the notion of pesti-cides as a key problem.

Pettis said the finding of pesticideresidue is “troubling.”

“It might not be the only factor but it’sa contributing factor,” he said.

The best thing to help bees, he said its“to try to limit habitat destruction,” leav-ing more natural areas in agriculture andin cities such so honey bees can have “adiverse natural environment.”

Ironically, he said the problem stems

from expansion of agriculture to feed theworld. But in destroying bee populations,that can hurt crop production.

“The world population growth is in asense the reason for pollinators’ decline,”he said.

“Because we need to produce moreand more food to feed the world and wegrow crops in larger fields. A growingworld means growing more food and todo that we need pollinators. And the factthat the world is continuing to grow isthe driving force behind the habitatdestruction.” — AFP

Scientists stumped as bee population declines further

Since then, stevia-basedsweeteners have been adoptedby big food and beveragegiants such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Danone,Unilever and others, and areon its way to becoming ahousehold name. “Reb-A sup-pliers report huge growth in amarket that is set to explode,”Mintel said in a recent report.“Reb-A and stevia is projectedto penetrate 20 to 25 percentof the global sugar and sweet-ener market, which is current-ly still growing.”

Others say the productcomes at the right time withconcerns growing in theUnited States and elsewhereabout obesity linked to sugarysoft drinks and other products.“In an era with serious politi-cal and social and health rami-fications of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, stevia’snew ‘natural’ label will give it aprime spot as the holy grail ofsweeteners,” says food policyconsultant and blogger NaomiStarkman.

The Reb-A extract fromstevia is an estimated 300times sweeter than sugar,which means it is generallymixed with other ingredientsfor bulk and to ensure propersweetening dosing. It is beingused in zero-calorie drinks orfoods or reduced calorie itemssuch as Coca-Cola’s Tropicanaunit’s Trop50, which replacessugar with a stevia extractcalled PureVia, produced byMalaysian-based PureCircleLimited. “There is no othersolution in the marketplacethat can do what stevia cando,” said Jason Hecker, groupmarketing director forPureCircle. “It has a lowglycemic index, so it can be

used by diabetics and in dietproducts... and the product isnatural.”

The largest producer ofstevia leaf is China, which haslong supplied extracts widelyused for sweeteners in Japan,where stevia has been used

since the 1970s. PureCirclebuys the leaf from small farm-ers in various locations aroundthe world, and operates itsown farms in Paraguay andKenya. “Stevia is a wonderfulsustainability story, it doeshelp small independent farm-

ers,” Hecker said.Another major stevia pro-

ducer is US-based Cargill,which gets supplies throughCanada’s GLG Life Tech andmarkets the Truvia brand ofReb-A called rebiana used inCoca-Cola’s Sprite Green,

Odwalla drinks and otherproducts including mostrecently, a yogurt mix fromBreyer’s. “Consumers aremore interested than ever inknowing where their foodcomes from and how it ismade, continuing to ask forbetter-tasting, low-calorie,natural products. Truvia brandis answering that demand,”said Zanna McFerson, aCargill assistant vice presi-dent.

Most European Unioncountries still prohibit stevia,with the exception of France,which last year authorized atwo-year trial period for cer-tain stevia extracts. Steviaproducers hope for a favorableruling this year from EU safe-ty officials, and note that it isapproved in many countriesincluding Australia, NewZealand and Switzerland. Yetstevia still has skeptics aswell. Some claim it was hasti-ly approved in the waningdays of the administration ofpresident George W. Bush as afavor to soft drink companies,after being banned for manyyears.

“It’s hard to know whetherstevia is safe or not, asresearch is minimal,” saysMarion Nestle, a professor ofnutrition at New YorkUniversity, who argues that itmay be a stretch to call steviaproducts “natural”. “We candebate whether a chemicalsweetener isolated from ste-via leaves is really ‘natural’but here’s another problem:stevia doesn’t taste likesugar,” she said. “Companieshave to fuss with it to coverup its ‘off’ taste. And theymust do so without detractingfrom the perceived benefits ofits natural status.” — AFP

Product comes at the right time

Stevia shaking up sweetener marketWASHINGTON: A sweetener derived from the South American herb stevia istaking the global marketplace by storm, promising a zero-calorie product thatalso has the appeal of being natural. The global market for stevia sweeteners hasalready hit $500 million following US regulatory approval and could reach $10

billion in a few years, according to market research firm Mintel. Stevia, whichoriginated in Paraguay but has been used for decades in Japan and other Asiannations, got a major boost when the US Food and Drug Administration clearedthe use of a stevia extract called rebaudioside A (Reb-A) in December 2008.

GENEVA: Japanese Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director General HealthSecurity and Environment of the World Health Organization (WHO), andSpecial Advisor on Pandemic Influenza of WHO, speaks during a briefing onthe general H1N1 pandemic situation and upcoming events during a newpress conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations inGeneva, Switzerland, yesterday. — AP

GENEVA: The World Health Organisation saidyesterday it would go ahead next month with anindependent review of the response to the swineflu pandemic, after criticism of its role in declaringa global alert.

The international response will be scrutinisedby a committee of 29 independent health expertsand scientists which is being formed by the UNhealth agency, Special Advisor on PandemicInfluenza Keiji Fukuda said.

“The first meeting will be on 12 to 14 April,”he told journalists, promising an “in depth andbroad” review into “the preparedness and theresponse to the current influenza pandemic.”

“The bottom line for doing this is to identifywhat we have to do to get better,” he added.

Fukuda acknowledged that with hindsight abetter response would have involved “less confu-sion”.

It would be up to the experts to determinewhat issues to deal with and who to question, withtheir final report due in time for the annual assem-bly of the WHO’s 193 member states in May 2011,Fukuda added.

In January WHO officials had responded togrowing criticism of its guidance by promising anindependent review, but only when the pandemic

was regarded as over.Fukuda stressed yesterday that A(H1N1)

influenza was continuing in parts of SoutheastAsia, West and central Africa, while there werereports of renewed cases in Central and SouthAmerica.

A British newspaper reported that a Council ofEurope probe scrutinising the WHO’s responsebelieved that the health agency had “gambledaway” public confidence by overstating the dan-gers of A(H1N1) flu.

“This decline in confidence could be risky inthe future,” The Guardian’s online edition Sundayquoted a draft report by Paul Flynn, vice-chair ofthe Council’s health committee, as saying.

Flynn reportedly warned that it could under-mine the response to a future pandemic, prompt-ing people to shun advice on vaccination andpotentially put their own health and lives at risk.

The WHO declared a global pandemic in June2009, weeks after putting the world on an emer-gency footing over the sudden discovery and swiftspread of the then unknown new swine flu virus inApril 2009 in Mexico and the United States.

The flu now reaches into 213 countries and over-seas territories, having left more than 16,900 peopledead, according to the agency’s data. — AFP

WHO sets up independent review of swine flu response

LONDON: British cancerspecialist Antisoma suffereda body blow yesterday as alung cancer drug beingdeveloped with Novartisfailed in a late-stage trial,sending its shares plunging70 percent.

Chief Executive GlynEdwards told ReutersAntisoma was now unlikelyto get any money fromASA404, which had been thecompany’s biggest drughope.

An interim analysis con-cluded that continuing withthe study would be futile, asthere was little or noprospect of demonstrating asurvival benefit in patientswith previously untreatednon-small cell lung cancer.

“Novartis will undoubted-ly do a full commercialappraisal based on this newevidence,” Edwards said inan interview.

“We have to say it’s quiteunlikely that we will get anyfuture cash flows from thisprogramme, although weweren’t expecting anythingin the short term.”

Novartis had been plan-ning to file ASA404 forapproval next year. TheSwiss drugmaker said it wasnow evaluating the overallclinical programme forASA404 in both lung cancerand other indications.

Antisoma shares nose-dived in early trade, losing asmuch as 72 percent to hit anall-time low of 9 pence. Theywere trading at 10.5 penceby 1050 GMT, valuing thecompany at around 60 mil-lion pounds ($90 million),

down from 200 million onFriday.

Andy Smith, a biotechnol-ogy fund manager at AXAFramlington, said the failurehighlighted shortfalls in ear-lier testing, noting Phase IIIstudies represented a higherbar because they includedmore diverse and often sick-er patients.

Novartis bought the glob-al rights to ASA404 threeyears ago, after the drug waspreviously rejected by rivalRoche.

It had been touted as thefirst in a new class of anti-cancer drugs designed todisrupt the flow of blood totumours, working in a differ-ent way to Roche’s estab-lished medicine Avastin,which also starves tumourcells of blood.

ASA404 was one of twokey products from Antisomain final Phase III trials, theother being leukaemia treat-ment AS1413, whichEdwards said would remainthe focus of investment,alongside another leukaemiadrug in Phase II calledAS1411.

“Those are the two prior-ity programmes. We willmake cost savings else-where, but we have enoughcash to get comfortablybeyond the Phase III resultsfor 1413 (in late 2010 orearly 2011) and Phase IIresults for 1411 (in early2011),” he said.

Antisoma had unauditedcash and short-term invest-ments of

45.1 million pounds($67.41 million) at the end of

February 2010, whichEdwards said was enough tofund it through 2011, provid-ed it made savings. Cutbackscould include job losses, headded.

Antisoma would also be“much more pragmatic”about striking fresh licensingdeals to bring in cash fromits unpartnered pro-grammes, including AS1413.

“All our remaining pro-grammes are not partneredat this point, so we haveplenty of time to talk to peo-ple,” Edwards said. “We’renot considering any equityfundraising.”

The failure of the so-called ATTRACT-1 studywas particularly disappoint-ing given the encouragingPhase II data reported in thesame setting, he said.

Samir Devani of NomuraCode, who reduced his ratingfor Antisoma to “neutral”from “buy”, said ASA404 hadrepresented approximately80 percent of his risk-adjust-ed net present value for thecompany. He now values thestock at 12 pence a share.

Novartis shares weredown 1 percent, only slightlyunderperforming theEuropean sector, reflectingthe relatively small role ofASA404 in its large drugpipeline.

“Novartis has a veryrobust pipeline in oncologyand we will continue todrive research and develop-ment in oncology and wehave plenty of other com-pounds in the pipeline,” saidNovartis spokesman EricAlthoff. — Reuters

GENEVA: Scientists at the CERN research centre willbegin trying today to make particles collide at ultra-high power and close to the speed of light to createmini-versions of the “Big Bang” that gave birth to theuniverse. “We are opening the door to New Physics, toa new period of discovery in the history of humankind,”said Rolf-Dieter Heuer, director-general of CERN, theEuropean Organisation for Nuclear Research on theFranco-Swiss border near Geneva.

Today, particle beams will start circulating in oppo-site directions around the 27-km (16.8 mile) oval tun-nel of the Large Hadron Collider, the LHC, at an ener-gy of 3.5 Tera- 3.5 billion billion-electron volts, or TeV.When particles smash into each other, each collisionwill create an explosion that will enable thousands ofscientists linked to the project around the world totrack and analyse just what happened a nano-fraction oftime after the real Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago.

The scientists hope their giant experiment willthrow light on key mysteries of the cosmos like the ori-gin of the stars and planets and what is dark matter.Over the years, especially from 2013 when beam ener-gy is raised to 7 TeV and an impact power of 14 TeV, theunderground LHC is set to see many billions of colli-sions providing vast amounts of data about the primor-dial blast and what came after. But it may well be hoursor even days before the first collisions happen in theworld’s biggest scientific experiment.

NEEDLES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC“Just lining the beams up is a challenge in itself; it’s

a bit like firing needles across the Atlantic and gettingthem to hit head-on half way,” said Steve Myers,CERN’s director for accelerators and technology. Thevast amount of information the collisions will producewill have to be processed, with findings checked andrechecked, which means it could be months or evenyears before CERN can firmly announce discoveries.Physicists are focusing on identifying the Higgs boson-the particle named after Scottish professor PeterHiggs, who over 3 decades ago suggested somethinglike it made possible the conversion of the matter cre-ated by the Big Bang into mass. Earlier bids have failedto find the boson-whose presence would have turnedthe blast’s gaseous debris into galaxies and their stars

CAACUPE: A stevia plant, known as ‘sweet herb’, or ‘ka´a he´e’ in thenative Guarani language, is seen on a plantation in Caacupe, 50 kms east ofAsuncion, Paraguay in this October 23, 2009 file photo. — AFP

Scientists seek dark matter in ‘Big Bang’ projectand planets and made possible the eventual emergence of lifeon Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the cosmos. CERN sci-entists also hope to find concrete evidence of the dark, orinvisible, matter that is believed to make up some 25 percentof the universe, of which only 5 percent of the total reflectslight and can therefore be seen.

They also hope that, further down the road in the 20 years

of the projected life of the LHC, real proof of the existence ofdark energy, which accounts for the remaining 70 percent ofthe stuff of the cosmos, will emerge. But it could also tap intoscience fiction, and the predictions of many cosmologists,about the existence of other, parallel, universes, of furtherdimensions beyond the five known to exist, and about whatwas before the Big Bang. — Reuters

ZWIJNDRECHT: A girl is getting a vaccine against cervical cancer in Zwijndrecht, yes-terday. The vaccinations are given to girls who turned 12. The vaccinations make 70 per-cent of all cases of the cervical cancer harmless. — AFP

Antisoma, Novartis lung cancer drug fails in study

30 Tuesday, March 30, 2010WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

EMBASSY OF UKRAINEThe Embassy ofUkraine in the Stateof Kuwait informsthat it has startedupdating the informa-tion about Ukrainian

citizens, who live and work in Kuwait. In thisconnection, we are asking you to refer to theEmbassy and update your file in consularregister in order not to be excluded from it.For additional information please call:25318507 ext.106 or visit the embassy ofUkraine in the State of Kuwait (address:Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str.6, house 5). Theconsular section of the Embassy open everyday from 09:30 till 14:30 except Friday andSaturday.

EMBASSY OF INDIAThe Embassy of Indiahas further revampedand improved itsLegal Advice Clinicat the Indian WorkersWelfare Center, and

made the free service available to Indiannationals on all five working days, i.e. fromSunday to Thursday every week. Kuwaitilawyers would be available at the LegalAdvice Clinic daily from Monday toThursday, while Indian lawyers would beavailable on Sundays. Following are the freewelfare services provided at the IndianWorkers Welfare Center located at theEmbassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline forDomestic Workers: Accessible by toll freetelephone no. 25674163 from anywhere inKuwait, it provides information and adviceexclusively to Indian domestic sector work-ers (Visa No. 20) as regards their griev-ances, immigration and other matters. [ii]Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indiannationals on routine immigration, employ-ment, legal, and other issues (Embassypremises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) LabourComplaints Desk: It registers labor com-plaints and provides grievance redressal ser-vice to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sundayto Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female andmale domestic workers in distress; (v) LegalAdvice Clinic: Provides free legal advice toIndian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaitilawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday;Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday);and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts:Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) con-tracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sectorworker (Visa No. 20) contracts are acceptedat Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices(KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, KurdRoundabout, Al-Abraj Complex, Office No 9,Mezzanine Floor; 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday toThursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday.

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINESThe Embassy of thePhilippines wishes toinform the Filipinocommunity in theState of Kuwait, thatthe recent supreme

court decision to extend the registration ofvoter’s applies only in local registration inthe Philippines under Republic Act no. 8189and does not apply to overseas voters whichis governed by Republic Act no. 9189, henceit has no impact on the plans and prepara-tions on the conduct of overseas absenteevoting. The overseas absentee voting forpresidential elections will start on 10 April2010 and will continue uninterrupted until 10May 2010 daily at the Philippine Embassy.Registered overseas absentee voters areadvised to schedule their days off in advanceto avoid complications in their schedules.Qualified voters are encouraged to get outand vote.

EMBASSY OF ITALYThe Embassy of Italyinforms the publicthat it will be closedfor festivities on thefollowing days ofApril: 2nd, 3rd, 4th,

5th & 25th and that the Consular/Visa sectionwill remain closed, for technical reasons, alsoon 1st & 6th of April 2010.

Embassy information

Send to What’s On

upcoming events,

birthdays or celebrations by

email: local@kuwaittimes.net

Fax: 24835619 / 20

The Palestinian Cultural Center, in co-ordination with the Women’s CulturalSociety invite you to an exhibition of

traditional Palestinian handmade embroi-dery including dresses, jackets, cushions,and ceramics in a variety of colors andsizes. The exhibition is open till ThursdayApril 1 from 10 - 1:30 pm and 4:30 - 8:30pm at Women’s Cultural Social Society,Khaldiya, Block 2, Al-Quroba Street. Forinformation, call 24843397 or 99376608.

TodayKPFA celebration: Kuwait PakistanFriendship Association (KPFA) will cele-brate jointly the National Days of Kuwaitand Pakistan on Tuesday 30th March2010 at Grand Banquet Hall, Souk Watiya- Kuwait city @ 7:30 pm. Invitation isopen to only valid KPFA members and incase those who have not renewed theirmembership, kindly do so immediately.Contact Saqib Aftab - 99697625 or KhalidAmin - 99005703.

Announcement

Palestinianhandicrafts expo

Congratulations to Roland Malvar, Aiyman Medhat Moh.Khattab and Tareq Moh Al Fadli for their graduation on March 25, 2010. Best wishes and good luck for thenext school year.

Graduation congratulations

Stress management in modern day life

As a part of the Silver Jubilee celebra-tions in the service of its customersand well-wishers, City International

Exchange Company, the PremierExchange Company in Kuwait, is arrang-ing a talk on “stress management in mod-ern life” by Dr K P Misra, MD, DSc., FR,CP, an eminent cardiologist and one of thefounding fathers of Apollo hospitals groupin India and a scholar who had alreadytaught more than 100,000 medical stu-dents and doctors world-wide. The venueis Indian Community School (senior girlsschool) Auditorium, Salmiya, on 01-04-2010, at 18:30hrs. All are welcome.

Students of classes 1, 2 and 3 atFahaheel Al Watanieh IndianPrivate School enthusiastically

participated in a plethora of excit-ing creative activities that triggeredtheir sense of imagination, think-ing, creativity and social skills!

A Music Competition was heldto enable students develop theirability to understand other culturesand perspectives and to broadentheir appreciation of the worldaround them.

The encouragement given byteachers, proved to be a greatsource of joy and pleasure thatfilled their hearts with passion andhappiness, they would carry intothe rest of their education as well.Students learnt the importance ofconnecting not only with them-selves, but also with others,through the world of music!

A Character Costume Day washeld for students to come dressedup as their favourite storybook

characters, and immerse them-selves in the thoughts and feelingsof fictional characters!

In order to encourage the spiritof doing something new and excit-ing, students celebrated “A Salad aDay” competition to understandthe merits of eating a healthy andnutritious diet. This activity gavechildren an ideal opportunity tofamiliarise themselves with a vari-ety of salad ingredients.

Their attractive display of arainbow of colourful salads made offruits and vegetables cut in a vari-ety of shapes and sizes, received alot of appreciation!!The activityencouraged healthy eating habitsand a good understanding aboutnutrition!

Students participated in the“Best out of Waste”, competition toappreciate the fact, that all that isconsidered waste is not actuallywaste, and that waste materialcould also be utilised and presented

in a creative way!The activity proved to be a sat-

isfying medium of creative expres-sion for all children, and taughtthem to utilize their time and intel-lect in a constructive way, by learn-ing to make the best use of simplewasted material.

A fun trip to Sabahiya Park wasorganised as an extra- curricularactivity, where students enjoyed avariety of thrilling and scintillatingamusement rides and all sorts ofgames. Children had a delightfultime in the company of theirfriends and teachers and returnedsafely back to school, after an excit-ing and pleasurable trip!

These creative activities provedto be a great way of helping chil-dren develop the confidence to per-form well and successfully meetthe challenges of new situations,and most importantly, inspiredthem to be creative thinkers in allwalks of life!

FAIPS’ plethora of creative activities

The Embassy of Japan in theState of Kuwait held areunion reception for the

Kuwaiti students who studiedor are currently studying inJapan on March 23, 2010 at theresidence of HE Mr MasatoshiMUTO, Ambassador of Japanto the State of Kuwait, andmany Kuwaiti students werepleased with their reunion.

The reception was attendedby Kuwaitis that had studied inJapan, professors in KuwaitUniversity, representativesfrom Center for CommunityService and ContinuingEducation, Japanese languagecourse students in KU, as wellas members of Japanese com-munity here.

Reception started with awelcome speech by H.EAmbassador MUTO in whichhe pointed out that the year2011 will witness the 50thanniversary of the establish-ment of diplomatic relationsbetween Kuwait and Japan,therefore the JapaneseEmbassy is planning to hold anumber of cultural events andactivities to celebrate thisoccasion. He expressed hiswish to deepen mutual under-standing between the twocountries through culturalexchange and scholarship pro-grams. A Kuwaiti student whois currently studying in Japansaid that it’s great to experi-ence new things in Japan andhoped that ex-Kuwaiti studentswould further bring Kuwait andJapan closer together.

During the reception, stu-dents in the Japanese languagecourse in KU performed a veryenthusiastic play in Japanese.Guests enjoyed the gatheringand refreshments laid on forthis occasion.

The Japanese GovernmentScholarship program for thecoming year is scheduled to beannounced soon in cooperationwith the Ministry of HigherEducation. Two types of schol-arships for undergraduate andpostgraduate students are opento Kuwaiti citizens every year.

Reunion reception held for Kuwaiti students

Bangladesh Awami LeagueKuwait chapter celebrated 90thBirthday of Father of the Nation

of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu SheikhMujibur Rahman. The celebrationtook place on 17th March 2010 atEkushe Hotel in Fahaheel. The eventwas Brilliantly presented BurhanUddin Faruq GS Bangladesh AwamiLeague Kuwait Branch and it waspresided over by Engineer Abdur RobThe president of Bangladesh AwamiLeague Kuwait Branch. Syed AliRezu Advisor of Bangladesh AwamiLeague Kuwait, Vice PresidentChunnu Babu, Mohammed Lak Miha

GS Awarni Seschsasebak LeagueKuwait, Vice president, Bahar Uddin,Hasan Ali GS Joy Bangla CulturalGroup Kuwait, Sayed Omar Faruq,Nasir Uddin, were the speaker’s atthe event. A large number of cheerfulregional leaders of the Awami Leaguehad cut the birthday cake. The atten-dees had hole heartedly prayer forthe father of the nation BangabandhuSheikh Mujibur Rahrnan. In thebeginning of celebration verses holyQuran was recited and one minutessilence was observed in honor of thefather of the nation BangabandhuSheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Bangladesh Awami League celebrates 90th birthday of Father of Nation

31Tuesday, March 30, 2010 WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

Al-Foudari celebrates son’s graduationNassir Al-Foudari recently held a dinner party at Al-Hajri Hall in Abdullah Al-Salem to celebrate the graduation of his son, Lt. Badr Al-Foudari, from the Ali Sabah

Al-Salem military academy. The event was attended by several friends and family members who were invited to the ceremony.

Lt Al-Foudari posing with his grandfathers. A family photo of Lt Al-Foudari, his father andgrandfathers.

Lt Al-Foudari in a group photo with his friends.Lt Badr Al-Foudari with his father;Nassir.

During Road Safety Week the students andteachers at The British School of Kuwaitlearned all about how to keep themselves,

and others, safe on the roads. As we all know,road safety is a big issue in Kuwait and aroundthe world and there are many ways we can avoidgetting into serious trouble on the roads.Firstly, the children were taught how to cross aroad safely. Easy! I hear you say, but then why

do so many people get knocked over? At BSK,the school nurse, Helen Smith, taught the stu-dents the Road Safety Code. From Reception toYear 5, the students were shown how to Stop!Look! Listen! and Think! before they started tocross the road. They discussed one of the mostimportant ways to keep safe when travelling in acar - WEAR A SEAT BELT! As one child said, ìIdidnít always put my seat belt on, especially if we

werenít going far, but now I know what couldhappen, Iíll always wear one and tell my mum anddad to wear theirs too!î The slogan ìClunk,Click, every trip!î became the BSK chant of theweek. They were also shown how to look at theroad from the driverís perspective. As they con-centrated on manoeuvering their mini Porschesaround the track at the BSK Campus, they werenot always aware of other students walking in

front of themÖÖÖor crossing behind them. Foodfor thought for students of such a young age, whowill become the drivers of tomorrow. Nearly1,000 students at BSK spent the week watchingroad safety adverts, learning the Highway Codeand becoming more aware of the dangers thatthey face every day. Knowledge is power andknowing how to keep safe is a step in the rightdirection for these students.

BSK holds Road Safety WeekT

he BritishAcademy ofInternational Arts

is pleased to announceit will be performing‘Around the World in80 days’ from 23 to 24April in theShakespeare Theatreat the British Schoolof Kuwait.

Around the Worldin 80 Days followsEnglish gentlemanPhyllis Fogg (SuryaButterworth, Cassio inOthello, the Moor ofVenice) and his bum-bling servant Passpartout (HassanRawas and Yousef AlNasser, Peter in theRailway Children) asthey endeavor to com-plete a trip around theworld in eighty days.Directed by PrincipalAlison Shan Price andHead of DanceMichelle Henly,Around the World in80 Days contains ahost of colorful char-acters and a variety ofmemorable songs thatwill entertain andamuse audiences of allages.

There will be fourproduction of the per-formance as follows:

Friday 23 April:14:00 (Matinee) &18:00 (Evening)

Saturday 24 April:14:00 (Matinee) &18:00 (Evening)

The BritishAcademy ofInternational Arts isaware of the disasterssuffered by the worldat the beginning ofthis year. All proceedsraised by this produc-tion will go towardsaiding Haiti and Chilerebuild and recover.

Tickets cost KD 5for all ages and arenow available from theBritish Academy ofInternational ArtsOffice (Salwa, Area 1,Street 1, opposite theBritish School ofKuwait) and theBritish Institute ofVocational Training(Salmiya, Area 3,Street 5, House 3.)Both offices are openfrom 09:00- 17:00 onweekdays. The BritishAcademy ofInternational Art isalso open onSaturdays from 08:00-16:00. As tickets arein high demand, bookearly to avoid disap-pointment.

For more informa-tion or if you wouldlike to reserve tickets,please contact us onadministrator@baia.com.kw.

German weekin Kuwait

Starting from yesterday, the GermanEmbassy in Kuwait together with theGerman National Tourist Board and sup-

ported by BMW, Lufthansa and Dean andDeluca organizes a German week in Kuwait.Events are open to the press (photo-op). Forfurther information, please contact Mrs ZeinaNseir at Tel. 22520827 Ext. 34.

Today12:30 - Opening of the German Tourism

Roadshow in the presence of the GermanAmbassador to Kuwait, Dr Michael Worbs, JWMarriott Hotel.

6 pm - Opening of the German Week at Deanand Deluca by the German Ambassador toKuwait, Dr Michael Worbs, and the Director ofthe German National Tourism Office Dubai, MsAntje Roeding. Venue: Dean and Deluca,Avenues Mall.

British Academy of

International Arts presents

Around the World in 80 Days

BMC observes 39th Bangladeshi Independence, National day

Bangladesh Military Contingent to Kuwait (BMC) observed the 39th inde-pendence and national day of Bangladesh here in Kuwait with profoundsolemnity and festivity on 26th March 2010. The day began with offeringprayer to the Almighty for the martyred souls. To mark the momentousoccasion BMC arranged cake cutting ceremony and a grand lunch.

His Excellency Sayed Shahed Reza, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwaitand the visiting Chief Whip of Bangladesh National Parliament Md Abdus Shahid,MP were present in the programme. On 26 March at 13:30 hours, a lunch washosted by Commander and Chief Liaison Officer, Bangladesh Military Contingentto Kuwait, Colonel Mushfiqur Rahman, ndc.

As a step to promote mutual understandingbetween Japan and other countries, theJapanese Embassy invited 23 students from

the British School of Kuwait to enjoy culturalactivities at the Embassy of Japan.

The event was organized by the JapaneseEmbassy and in cooperation with BSK. Theactivities started with a welcome speech by theJapanese DCM, Yukihiro Nikaido, who wel-comed the students, and hoped they will learnmore about Japan and the Japanese people sothey feel Japan is closer to them. He was alsoimpressed by the students’ information aboutthe Japanese animation such as Naruto,Pokemon and Doraemon, as well as videogames like Nintendo and Play Station 3. Heappreciated the students’ knowledge aboutJapan.

The students enjoyed ORIGAMI (paper fold-ing) and learnt how to make the Samurai helmetby using newspapers sheets. They were sur-prised with how they could make many designswith only one sheet of paper without using othermaterial such as glue or tapes. A memorial

photo was taken for the students while theywere wearing the helmets they had made.

DVD with basic information about Japan, theJapanese language and the Japanese people wasplayed. The DVD included information aboutnature and the sightseeing places, as well as theindustrial cities in Japan. It also showed thelifestyle of Japanese kids, as well as the cultureof the Japanese food. At the end, it showed theinternational contributions of Japan to othercountries. A short quiz about Japan was madeand the winners received simple Japanese sou-venirs.

The students enjoyed the origami lesson,eating Sushi. They also memorized newJapanese words such as Arigato (thank you),while some expressed their admiration of theJapanese nature, and said they will recommendtheir parents to visit Japan.

The Japanese Embassy is planning to holdsuch activity once a month, and would like toinvite both international and public schools stu-dents. Kindly contact the Japanese Embassy ifyou are interested.

BSK students visit Japanese Embassy in Kuwait

Orbit / Showtime Listings

TV PROGRAMS32 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Against The Current on Super Movies

Star Listings (UAE Timings)

00:00 ER01:00 The Unusuals02:00 Life03:00 Murdoch Mysteries04:00 The Unusuals05:00 Supernatural06:00 Demons07:00 ER08:00 Big Love09:00 Saving Grace10:00 Life11:00 Murdoch Mysteries12:00 Demons13:00 Supernatural14:00 Life15:00 The Unusuals16:00 Big Love17:00 Saving Grace18:00 ER19:00 Demons20:00 Dollhouse21:00 Flash Forward22:00 Burn Notice23:00 The Tudors

STAR Movies20:55 The Merry Gentleman22:35 I’m Reed Fish00:10 Moulin Rouge02:20 Overboard04:10 The Merry Gentleman05:50 I’m Reed Fish07:25 Moulin Rouge09:35 Overboard11:25 The Transporter13:00 Horton14:30 Bubble Boy15:55 Four Weddings And A Funeral17:30 Wrong Turn 2: Dead End19:00 Finding Amanda

STAR World20:00 October Road20:50 Married With Children21:00 Reaper21:50 Different Strokes22:00 Stone Undercover22:50 Married With Children23:00 Criminal Minds23:50 Married With Children00:00 Reaper00:50 Different Strokes01:00 Stone Undercover

01:50 Married With Children02:00 October Road03:00 [V] Tunes06:00 7th Heaven07:00 Scrubs07:30 The King Of Queens08:00 According To Jim09:00 Criminal Minds09:50 Married With Children10:00 Grey’s Anatomy10:50 Different Strokes11:00 October Road11:50 Married With Children12:00 Reaper12:50 Married With Children13:00 The King Of Queens13:30 The Bold And The Beautiful14:00 7th Heaven14:50 Different Strokes15:00 Grey’s Anatomy15:50 Married With Children16:00 [V] Tunes17:00 Criminal Minds18:00 Scrubs18:30 The King Of Queens19:00 According To Jim19:30 According To Jim

Granada TV20:30 Shampoo21:00 Young, Posh And Loaded21:30 The Sunshine Girls22:00 Emmerdale22:30 Coronation Street23:00 Young, Posh And Loaded23:30 The Sunshine Girls00:00 The Paul O’Grady Show01:00 Trinny And Susannah Undress (Series 2)02:00 Mystery Tuesday: Time Of Your Life(Double Bill)04:00 Cosmetic Surgery From Hell05:00 Emmerdale05:30 Coronation Street06:00 The Paul O’Grady Show07:00 Trinny And Susannah Undress (Series 2)08:00 Mystery Tuesday: Time Of Your Life(Double Bill)10:00 Flights From Hell11:00 Emmerdale11:30 Coronation Street12:00 The Paul O’Grady Show13:00 The Crunch14:00 Mystery Tuesday: Time Of Your Life(Double Bill)16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street

17:00 The Paul O’Grady Show18:00 The Crunch19:00 Mystery Tuesday: Time Of Your Life(Double Bill)

Channel [V]21:30 Campus Top 10 Ep 422:30 [V] Zabardast Hits22:40 Fresh [V] Deo 22:50 Music23:00 [V] Zabardast Hits23:50 Lola Tips from the Top Ep 3300:00 Latenight [V]03:50 Fresh [V] Deo 04:00 Latenight [V]06:00 [V] Zabardast Hits06:50 Fresh [V] Deo 07:00 [V] Mindblasting Mornings09:00 [V] Mindblasting Mornings11:00 [V] Zabardast Hits12:00 [V] Double Shot12:50 Lola One Question Ep 3313:00 Campus Top 10 Ep 413:50 Music14:00 [V] Zabardast Hits14:40 Fresh [V] Deo 14:50 Music15:00 Love Net Ep 01

15:30 Deadly Dus Ep 0215:50 Music16:00 [V] Zabardast Hits16:40 Fresh [V] Deo 16:50 Campus Blog Ep 4617:00 [V] Nach Le17:50 Bollywood Busters Ep 1118:00 [V] Zabardast Hits18:40 Fresh [V] Deo 18:50 Music19:00 Deadly Dus Ep 0319:30 Bollywood Nonsensex Ep 0719:50 Lola Who’s Smarter Ep 3320:00 [V] Zabardast Hits20:50 Bollywood Busters Ep 1121:00 [V] Zabardast Hits

Fox News20:00 Happening Now 22:00 The Live Desk 00:00 Studio B with Shepard Smith Live01:00 Your World with Neil Cavuto 02:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck03:00 Special Report with Bret Baier04:00 The FOX Report with Shepard Smith 05:00 The O’Reilly Factor 06:00 Hannity 07:00 On the Record with Greta Van Susteren

08:00 The O’Reilly Factor 09:00 Hannity 10:00 On the Record with Greta Van Susteren11:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck12:00 Fox Report13:00 Special Report with Bret Baier14:00 The O’Reilly Factor 15:00 FOX & Friends First Live 16:00 FOX & Friends Live 18:00 America’s Newsroom

National Geographic Channel20:00 Superhuman : Strongman21:00 Mega Factories -Tanks22:00 Naked Science -Bullets S2-923:00 Theme Week 30m -Is It Real? : Ghosts 123:30 Theme Week 30m -Is It Real? : CropCircles 200:00 Air Crash Investigation -Slammed To TheGround S501:00 ABOUT ASIA -NAT GEO FRONTLINEDIARIES : Honor Killings 302:00 Situation Critical -Russian Sub Rescue03:00 Animal Extractors -Triple Trash Bears S1-504:00 Monster Fish -Giant Stingray05:00 ABOUT ASIA -NAT GEO FRONTLINEDIARIES : Honor Killings 3

00:45 Animal Cops Phoenix01:40 Untamed And Uncut02:35 I’m Alive03:30 Animal Cops Phoenix04:25 Miami Animal Police05:20 Going Ape05:45 Planet Wild06:10 E-Vets: The Interns06:35 Aussie Animal Rescue07:00 Wildlife SOS07:25 Pet Rescue07:50 Return Of The PrimePredators08:45 Corwin’s Quest Specials09:40 Beverly Hills Groomer10:05 The Planet’s Funniest Animals10:30 The Planet’s Funniest Animals10:55 Going Ape11:20 Planet Wild11:50 Miami Animal Police12:45 E-Vets: The Interns13:10 Pet Rescue13:40 Animal Cops Phoenix14:35 Wildlife SOS15:00 Aussie Animal Rescue15:30 Return Of The PrimePredators16:25 The Planet’s Funniest Animals16:50 The Planet’s Funniest Animals17:20 Beverly Hills Groomer17:45 Deep Into The Wild With NickBaker18:15 Cell Dogs19:10 Shark Therapy20:10 Animal Cops Phoenix21:05 Untamed And Uncut22:00 Cell Dogs22:55 Animal Cops Phoenix23:50 Shark Therapy

00:30 Fbi Files01:20 A Haunting02:10 Forensic Justice03:05 Dr G: Medical Examiner04:00 Forensic Detectives04:55 Black Museum05:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner06:10 Ghosthunters06:35 Ghosthunters07:00 Forensic Detectives07:50 Fbi Files08:40 Extreme Forensics09:30 Diagnosis: Unknown10:20 Forensic Detectives11:10 Fbi Files12:00 Guilty Or Innocent?12:50 Diagnosis: Unknown13:40 Fugitive Strike Force14:30 Forensic Detectives15:20 Fbi Files16:10 Extreme Forensics17:00 Diagnosis: Unknown17:50 Forensic Detectives18:40 Fbi Files19:30 Guilty Or Innocent?20:20 Diagnosis: Unknown21:10 Fugitive Strike Force22:00 Deadly Women22:50 Undercover23:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:45 Deceit-1802:30 He Was A Quiet Man-PG1504:15 All She Wants For Christmas-PG1505:45 Brideshead Revisited-PG1508:00 Bolt-FAM10:00 Moondance Alexander-FAM12:00 Vantage Point-PG1514:00 Nights In Rodanthe-PG1516:00 Bolt-FAM18:00 Barbarossa-PG1520:30 Rush Hour 3-PG1522:00 Beyond A Reasonable Doubt-U

01:00 Walking Tall 3: Lone Justice-PG1503:00 Monster Ark-1805:00 Enough-PG1507:00 Road Of No Return-PG1509:00 The Last Winter-PG1511:00 Twin Daggers-PG1513:00 Urban Assault-1815:00 The Last Winter-PG1517:00 Room 6-PG1519:00 April Fool’s Day-1821:00 Blood Brothers-PG1523:00 Feast 3-18

00:15 Streets Of Hollywood00:40 Ths Investigates01:30 25 Most Stylish02:20 Sexiest03:15 Ths Investigates05:05 Dr 9021006:00 Cheating Death07:45 Style Star08:35 E! News09:00 The Daily 1009:25 Perfect Catch10:15 Ths12:00 E! News12:25 The Daily 1012:50 Wildest Tv Show Moments

01:05 The Chocolate War02:50 Married To It04:40 The Happy Hooker06:15 The Curse Of Inferno07:40 Man in the Moon09:20 The Hillside Strangler11:00 I Could Go on Singing12:40 Clifford14:10 Master Of The World15:50 Arena17:25 Access Code18:55 A Funny Thing Happened OnThe Way To The Forum20:30 Teen Wolf22:00 The Favorite23:45 Livin’ Large

00:00 Globe Trekker01:00 Angry Planet01:30 The Thirsty Traveler02:00 Planet Food03:00 Floyd Uncorked03:30 Travel Today04:00 Essential04:30 Chef Abroad05:00 Globe Trekker06:00 Great Scenic Railways - 175Years06:30 Great Scenic Railways - 175Years07:00 The Thirsty Traveler07:30 Angry Planet08:00 Globe Trekker09:00 Travel Today09:30 Dream Destinations10:00 Distant Shores10:30 Distant Shores11:00 Chef Abroad11:30 Entrada12:00 Planet Food13:00 Globe Trekker14:00 Chef Abroad14:30 The Thirsty Traveler15:00 Sophie Grigson In The Souk15:30 Entrada16:00 Planet Food17:00 Globe Trekker18:00 Essential18:30 Hollywood And Vines19:00 Chef Abroad19:30 The Thirsty Traveler20:00 Globe Trekker21:00 Floyd On Africa

00:00 Billable Hours00:30 The Office01:00 The Daily Show with JonStewart01:30 The Colbert Report02:00 Best of Late night with JimmyFallon03:00 Monday night Stand Up04:30 South park05:00 Billable Hours05:30 Best of Late night with JimmyFallon06:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne07:00 The Nannyt07:30 Malcolm in the Middle08:00 Yes dear08:30 The Daily Show with JonStewart09:00 The Colbert Report

00:00 The Martha Stewart Show01:00 10 Years younger S301:30 Turn Back Your Body Clock02:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show03:00 Moms Get Real / Now youknow / Amplified04:00 Never Trust A Skinny Cook04:30 Fresh05:00 GMA (repeat)07:00 GMA Health07:30 What’s the Buzz08:00 The Martha Stewart Show09:00 Never Trust A Skinny Cook09:30 Fresh10:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!11:00 Downsize Me S212:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show13:00 The Martha Stewart Show14:00 GMA Live16:00 GMA Health16:30 What’s the Buzz17:00 The Tonight Show with JayLeno18:00 Turn Back Your Body Clock18:30 10 Years younger S319:00 The View20:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show21:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!22:00 The Tonight Show with JayLeno23:00 The Monique Show

00:35 Holby City01:25 Egypt02:15 The Miracles Of Jesus03:05 Holby City03:55 Holby City04:50 Doctors05:25 Egypt06:30 Bargain Hunt07:20 Balamory07:40 Fimbles08:00 The Roly Mo Show08:15 Tikkabilla08:45 Yoho Ahoy08:50 Little Robots09:00 Balamory09:20 Fimbles09:40 The Roly Mo Show09:55 Tikkabilla10:25 Yoho Ahoy10:30 Little Robots10:40 Bargain Hunt11:25 The Ship12:15 The Miracles Of Jesus13:15 The Weakest Link14:00 Eastenders14:30 Doctors15:00 Bargain Hunt15:45 Cash In The Attic16:15 Red Dwarf16:45 Red Dwarf17:15 The Weakest Link18:00 Doctors18:30 Eastenders19:00 Holby City20:00 Holby City21:00 The Weakest Link21:45 Doctors22:15 Eastenders22:45 The Inspector LynleyMysteries23:45 After Thomas

00:00 Rampage!01:00 Miami Ink02:00 Street Customs 200802:55 Twist The Throttle03:50 Ultimate Biker Challenge04:15 Ultimate Biker Challenge04:45 Mythbusters05:40 How Stuff’s Made06:05 Dirty Jobs07:00 Man Made Marvels China07:55 Ultimate Biker Challenge08:20 Ultimate Biker Challenge08:50 Street Customs 200809:45 How Do They Do It?10:10 Mythbusters11:05 Ultimate Survival12:00 Twist The Throttle12:55 How Do They Do It?13:25 How Stuff’s Made13:50 American Chopper14:45 Miami Ink15:40 Mythbusters16:35 Dirty Jobs17:30 Verminators18:30 Street Customs 200819:30 Destroyed In Seconds20:00 How Do They Do It?20:30 How Stuff’s Made21:00 Street Customs Berlin22:00 Mega Engineering23:00 Extreme Explosions

00:00 My Friends Tigger And Pooh00:20 Handy Manny00:45 Special Agent Oso01:10 Imagination Movers01:35 Lazytown02:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse02:45 Handy Manny03:10 Special Agent Oso03:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers04:00 Fairly Odd Parents04:25 Hannah Montana04:45 I Got A Rocket05:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place05:35 Phineas & Ferb06:00 Higglytown Heroes06:10 My Friends Tigger And Pooh06:35 Handy Manny07:00 Special Agent Oso07:20 Imagination Movers07:45 Lazytown08:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse09:00 Handy Manny09:25 Special Agent Oso09:45 Brandy & Mr Whiskers10:10 Fairly Odd Parents10:35 Hannah Montana11:00 I Got A Rocket11:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place11:45 Phineas & Ferb12:10 Suite Life On Deck12:35 Replacements12:55 American Dragon13:20 Kim Possible13:40 I Got A Rocket14:05 Fairly Odd Parents14:30 Phineas & Ferb14:55 Replacements15:15 I Got A Rocket15:40 Wizards Of Waverly Place16:00 Hannah Montana16:25 Sonny With A Chance16:45 Fairly Odd Parents17:10 Phineas & Ferb17:35 Suite Life On Deck18:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place18:25 Hannah Montana18:45 The Replacements19:00 Jonas19:25 Suite Life On Deck19:50 Sonny With A Chance20:15 Hannah Montana20:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place21:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody21:45 The Replacements22:00 American Dragon22:25 Kim Possible22:50 I Got A Rocket23:15 Fairly Odd Parents23:35 Phineas & Ferb

00:45 Get Carter02:40 Anchors Aweigh05:00 Mutiny On The Bounty08:00 Where Were You When TheLights Went Out?09:30 Hearts Of The West11:10 The Honeymoon Machine12:35 Echoes Of A Summer14:15 Forbidden Planet15:50 Please Don’t Eat The Daisies17:40 Little Women19:40 Elvis: That’s The Way It Is21:15 Skyjacked23:00 The Collector

00:40 Battle 36001:30 Deep Sea Detectives02:20 Warriors03:10 Modern Marvels04:00 Deep Sea Salvage04:55 Ax Men05:50 Battle Stations06:40 Battle 36007:30 Deep Sea Detectives08:20 Warriors09:10 Modern Marvels10:00 Deep Sea Salvage10:55 Ax Men11:50 Battle Stations12:40 Battle 36013:30 Deep Sea Detectives14:20 Warriors15:10 Modern Marvels16:00 Deep Sea Salvage16:55 Ax Men17:50 Battle Stations18:40 Battle 36019:30 Deep Sea Detectives20:20 Warriors21:10 Modern Marvels

00:00 Peter Perfect01:00 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane01:30 The Dish02:00 How Do I Look?03:00 Split Ends04:00 Dr 9021005:00 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane05:30 Area06:00 How Do I Look?07:00 Style Star07:30 Style Her Famous08:00 My Celebrity Home09:00 Style Star09:30 Dress My Nest10:00 Peter Perfect11:00 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?12:00 Ruby12:30 Giuliana And Bill13:00 Clean House14:00 Clean House Comes Clean14:30 Dress My Nest15:00 What I Hate About Me16:00 Split Ends

00:20 Cash In The Attic Usa00:45 Hidden Potential01:15 Antiques Roadshow02:00 Antiques Roadshow02:30 Masterchef Goes Large03:00 Coleen’s Real Women03:45 Cash In The Attic Usa04:15 Cash In The Attic Usa04:45 Hidden Potential05:15 Living In The Sun06:00 Coleen’s Real Women07:10 Antiques Roadshow08:00 Cash In The Attic Usa08:25 Hidden Potential08:45 Gary Rhodes’ Local FoodHeroes

Urban Assault on Show Movies Action

09:30 Gary Rhodes’ Local FoodHeroes10:30 Living In The Sun11:20 Antiques Roadshow12:10 Coleen’s Real Women13:00 Gary Rhodes’ Local FoodHeroes13:50 Gary Rhodes’ Local FoodHeroes14:40 Daily Cooks Challenge15:30 Cash In The Attic Usa15:50 Hidden Potential16:15 Cash In The Attic Usa17:00 Coleen’s Real Women17:50 Antiques Roadshow18:45 Daily Cooks Challenge19:40 Masterchef Goes Large20:10 Big Chef Takes On Little Chef21:00 Bargain Hunt21:45 10 Years Younger22:45 Sweet Baby James23:05 Sweet Baby James23:30 Rhodes Across India

01:00 Big Night-PG1503:00 The Apostle-PG1506:00 The Firm-PG1509:00 Last Orders-PG11:00 Napoleon Part 4-PG13:00 Quand J’etais Chanteur-PG1515:00 Millions-PG1517:00 Cocoon-PG1519:00 Girl With A Pearl Earring-PG1521:00 Charlotte Gray-PG1523:00 Adventures Of Priscilla QueenOf The Desert-18

00:30 Nextworld01:20 Nyc: Inside Out02:10 Mega Builders03:00 Beyond Tomorrow03:50 Science Of Star Wars04:45 Cool Stuff And How It Works05:10 Green Wheels05:40 One Step Beyond06:10 Nextworld07:00 Junkyard Wars08:00 Sci-Fi Saved My Life09:00 Nyc: Inside Out09:55 Cool Stuff And How It Works10:20 Stunt Junkies10:50 Nextworld11:45 Green Wheels12:10 One Step Beyond

12:40 Sci-Fi Saved My Life13:35 Nyc: Inside Out14:30 Download: The True Story OfThe Internet15:25 Cool Stuff And How It Works15:55 Junkyard Wars16:50 Brainiac17:45 The Greatest Ever18:40 Ecopolis19:30 Green Wheels20:20 How It’s Made21:10 Mythbusters22:00 Ecopolis22:50 Green Wheels23:40 The Greatest Ever

00:00 Word Travels00:30 Pressure Cook01:00 Pressure Cook01:30 Cruise Ship Diaries02:30 Bondi Rescue - Bali03:00 Destination Extreme03:30 Surfer’s Journal04:00 Treks In A Wild World04:30 Madventures05:00 Chasing Time05:30 Word Travels06:00 Word Travels06:30 Pressure Cook07:00 Pressure Cook07:30 Cruise Ship Diaries08:30 Bondi Rescue - Bali09:00 Destination Extreme09:30 Surfer’s Journal10:00 Treks In A Wild World10:30 Madventures11:00 Chasing Time11:30 Don’t Tell My Mother...12:30 Lonely Planet13:30 Lonely Planet14:30 Bondi Rescue15:00 Destination Extreme15:30 Surfer’s Journal16:00 Treks In A Wild World16:30 Madventures17:00 Chasing Time17:30 Don’t Tell My Mother...18:30 Lonely Planet19:30 Lonely Planet20:30 Bondi Rescue21:00 Destination Extreme21:30 Surfer’s Journal22:00 Treks In A Wild World22:30 Madventures23:00 Chasing Time23:30 Don’t Tell My Mother...

00:00 Rat Race-PG1502:00 Sixteen Candles-PG1504:00 Be Kind Rewind-PG1506:00 The Utopian Society-PG1508:00 Twins-PG10:00 Orange County-PG1512:00 More Of Me-PG1514:00 The Mighty Ducks-FAM16:00 Rat Race-PG1518:00 Futurama: Bender’s Big Score-PG1520:00 Martha Meet Frank, DanielAnd Lawrence-PG1522:00 Walk Hard: The Dewey CoxStory-18

02:00 Never Ending Story 2: TheNext Chapter-FAM04:00 Flintstones: I Yabba DabbaDo!-FAM06:00 Hey Arnold! The Movie-PG08:00 Mucha Lucha! Return Of ElMalefico-FAM10:00 Flintstones: I Yabba DabbaDo!-FAM12:00 Dragonlance-PG14:00 Never Ending Story 2: TheNext Chapter-FAM16:00 Yogi’s Great Escape-PG18:00 House Arrest-FAM20:00 Leave It To Beaver-PG22:00 Dragonlance-PG

00:00 Ugly Betty01:00 Desperate Housewives02:00 Sex and the City02:30 Sex and the City03:00 Smallville04:00 Law & Order05:00 Frasier05:30 Coach06:00 Emmerdale06:30 Coronation Street07:00 “24”08:00 Frasier08:30 Coach09:00 Smallville10:00 (TBA)11:00 Law & Order12:00 Emmerdale12:30 Coronation Street13:00 Frasier13:30 Coach14:00 Ugly Betty15:00 Desperate Housewives16:00 “24”17:00 Smallville18:00 Emmerdale18:30 Coronation Street19:00 C.S.I: NY20:00 C.S.I: NY21:00 Law & Order22:00 “24”23:00 Sex and the City

00:00 Premier League Classics00:30 Barclays Premier League02:30 Barclays Premier LeagueReview04:00 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights04:30 Premier League Classics05:00 Premier League07:00 Barclays Premier LeagueReview08:30 Premier League12:30 Barclays Premier LeagueReview14:00 Premier League16:00 Premier League Classics17:00 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights17:30 Premier League World18:00 Premier League20:00 Portugol20:30 Fut Brasil21:00 Premier League Classics21:30 Premier League World22:00 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights22:30 Goals Goals Goals23:00 Premier League

00:00 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights00:30 Mobil 101:00 ICC Cricket World 01:30 European PGA TourHighlights02:30 Goals On Monday04:00 Super League06:00 Premier League World06:30 ICC Cricket World 07:00 Goals On Monday08:30 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights09:00 Super 1411:00 Weber Cup Bowling 12:00 World Hocky 12:30 Scottish Premier LeagueHighlights13:00 ICC Cricket World 13:30 Futbol Mundial14:00 Goals On Monday15:30 Super League17:00 European PGA Tour

00:00 ICC Cricket World00:30 World Sport01:00 NRL Premiership03:00 Scottish Premier League05:00 PGA European TourHighlights06:00 Mobil 106:30 Futbol Mundial07:00 NRL Premiership09:00 Premier League World09:30 Goals On Monday11:00 SPL Highlights11:30 Aussie Rules AFL14:00 Super League15:30 Scottish Premier League17:30 World Hockey18:00 NRL Premiership20:00 Super League22:00 Futbol Mundial22:30 Barclays Premier LeagueHighlights23:30 PGA European TourHighlights

01:04 RNB01:45 Playlist02:00 Urban Hit02:45 Playlist05:04 Guest Star05:18 Playlist08:04 New08:45 Playlist13:04 Urban Hit13:50 Playlist16:04 Hit US17:00 Playlist18:00 Urban Hit18:45 Playlist20:04 Latina20:45 Playlist21:00 Focus

00:00 Music For The Masses01:00 Mtv Live Snow Patrol AtOxegen01:30 Mtv Live Razorlight At Oxegen02:00 Vh1 Rocks02:30 Smells Like The 90s03:00 Greatest Hits04:00 Vh1 Music07:00 Chill Out09:00 Vh1 Hits11:00 Vh1 Music13:00 Aerobic14:00 Top 10  celine Dion15:00 Music For The Masses16:00 Vh1 Pop Chart17:00 Vh1 Music19:00 Music For The Masses20:00 Vh1 Music

17:00 Dallas Divas And Daughters17:30 The Dish18:00 Running In Heels18:30 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane19:00 Split Ends20:00 Clean House21:00 Dress My Nest21:30 Style Her Famous22:00 Ruby23:00 Clean House

00:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter01:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter03:00 Bushido04:00 UFC Vera vs. Jones07:00 WWE NXT08:00 FIM World Cup08:30 UAE National Race Day09:00 British Triathlon Series10:00 WW NXT11:00 NCAA Basketball13:00 Red Bull X-Fighters15:00 British Triathlon Series16:00 V8 Supercars18:00 LG Action Sport19:00 NCAA Basketball21:00 UFC 111

13:40 15 Remarkable Celebrity BodyBouncebacks15:25 Behind The Scenes16:15 Ths17:10 Keeping Up With TheKardashians18:00 E! News18:25 The Daily 1018:50 Streets Of Hollywood19:15 Battle Of The HollywoodHotties19:40 E!es20:30 E! Investigates21:20 Kendra22:10 E! News22:35 The Daily 1023:00 Dr 9021023:50 Wildest Tv Show Moments

09:30 Drew Carey10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond10:30 Frasier11:00 Just Shoot me11:30 Eight Simple Rules12:00 Best of The Late Late Showwith Craig Ferguson13:00 The Office13:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne14:00 The Nannyt14:30 Malcolm in the Middle15:00 Yes dear15:30 The Daily Show with JonStewart16:00 The Colbert Report16:30 Drew Carey17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond17:30 Frasier18:00 Eight Simple Rules18:30 Just Shoot me19:00 Scrubs19:30 The Office20:00 Best of Late night with JimmyFallon21:00 The Daily Show with JonStewart21:30 The Colbert Report22:00 Reno 91122:30 Weeds23:00 The Late Late Show with CraigFerguson

01:00 The Boy In The StripedPyjamas-PG1503:00 Genghis Khan-PG1505:00 Mama I Want To Sing-PG07:00 Dan In Real Life-PG1509:00 Against The Current-PG1511:00 Northern Lights-PG13:00 Broken Lines-PG1515:00 All Roads Lead Home-PG17:00 Against The Current-PG1519:00 Kit Kittredge: An AmericanGirl-PG21:00 Heart Of Fear-PG15

ACCOMMODATION

33

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sharing accommodationavailable for Indian workingladies or couples in a dou-ble bedroom flat in nearKhaitan police stationroundabout with all facilities.Call: 99480468. (C 2066)

30-3-2010

Sharing accommodationavailable for a Christianbachelor at Abbassiya nearNeethi store from 1st April.Rent KD 25. Contact:66063182. (C 2065)

Sharing available for one ortwo Indian bachelors in afurnished big mulhaq roomat Abrak Khaitan close tobus stop and Jamiya(kitchen and bathroomattached). Rent KD 95. Call:66036893. (C 2059)

Sharing accommodation inAbbassiya for workingladies or couple. Contact:97501647. (C 2060)

Salmiya furnished accom-modation available for a sin-gle executive bachelor in awindow air conditioned flatto share with a small family,hailing from Kerala, next toSalmiya church, behindWoodlands restaurant (from1 Apri l 2010). Contact:

MISCELLANEOUS

FOR SALE

SITUATION WANTED

Flight Schedule

FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161

SITUATION VACANT

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 30/03/2010Airlines Flt Route TimeRoyal Jordanian 802 Amman 00:05Wataniya Airways 188 Bahrain 00:30Wataniya Airways 306 Cairo 00:50Kuwait 544 Cairo 00:50Turkish A/L 772 Istanbul 01:15Gulf Air 211 Bahrain 01:35Ethiopian 620 Addis Ababa 01:45DHL 370 Bahrain 02:15Emirates 853 Dubai 02:25Etihad 305 Abu Dhabi 02:55Qatari 138 Doha 03:25Air France 6782 Paris 03:25Jazeera 503 Luxor 05:15Jazeera 637 Aleppo 05:45Jazeera 527 Alexandria 06:05Jazeera 529 Assiut 06:10Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15British 157 London 06:30Kuwait 416 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur 06:35Jazeera 481 Sabiha 06:40Falcon 201 Bahrain 07:00Kuwait 206 Islamabad 07:05Kuwait 382 Delhi 07:20Kuwait 302 Mumbai 07:50Kuwait 332 Trivandrum 07:55Kuwait 284 Dhaka 08:10Emirates 855 Dubai 08:25Air Arabia 121 Sharjah 08:40Fly Dubai 053 Dubai 08:50Iran Air 605 Isfahan 08:55Qatari 132 Doha 09:00Etihad 301 Abu Dhabi 09:25Jazeera 425 Bahrain 10:25Iran Air 619 Lar 10:40Gulf Air 213 Bahrain 10:45Wataniya Airways 182 Bahrain 10:45Wataniya Airways 102 Dubai 11:05Jazeera 165 Dubai 11:05Jazeera 447 Doha 11:10Jazeera 113 Abu Dhabi 11:20Airquarius 061 Baghdad/Basrah 12:00Egypt Air 610 Cairo 12:55Kuwait 672 Dubai 13:10Wataniya Airways 432 Damascus 13:35Royal Jordanian 800 Amman 13.35United Airlines 982 Washington DC Dulles 13:35Kuwait 512 Tehran 13:40Jazeera 257 Beirut 14:10Wataniya Airways 422 Amman 14:10Kuwait 562 Amman 14:20Saudi Arabian A/L 500 Jeddah 14:30

Kuwait 744 Dammam 14:40Syrian Arab A/L 341 Damascus 14:45Qatari 134 Doha 15:05Kuwait 548 Alexandria 15:30Mihin Lanka 403 Colombo/Dubai 16:40Etihad 303 Abu Dhabi 16:50Emirates 857 Dubai 16:55Wataniya Airways 402 Beirut 17:15Gulf Air 215 Bahrain 17:15Saudi Arabian A/L 510 Riyadh 17:20Jazeera 493 Jeddah 17:25Jazeera 239 Amman 17:35Jazeera 367 Deirezzor 17:40Arabia 125 Sharjah 17:40Jazeera 343 Sanaa/Bahrain 17:55Sri Lankan 227 Colombo/Dubai 18:00Kuwait 104 London 18:35Wataniya Airways 304 Cairo 18:35Kuwait 166 Paris/Rome 18:40Wataniya Airways 106 Dubai 18:45Kuwait 542 Cairo 18:50Kuwait 502 Beirut 18:50Kuwait 785 Jeddah 18:55Kuwait 618 Doha 18:55Jazeera 177 Dubai 19:05Kuwait 674 Dubai 19:20Kuwait 614 Bahrain 19:20Kuwait 774 Riyadh 19:25Singapore A/L 458 Singapore/Abu Dhabi 19:25Kuwait 552 Damascus 19:40Fly Dubai 061 Dubai 20:05Indian 993 Chennai/Mumbai 20:15Oman Air 647 Muscat 20:15Middle East 402 Beirut 20:20Wataniya Airways 612 Istanbul 20:20Egypt Air 618 Alexandria 20:35KLM 0443 Amsterdam 20:40Wataniya Airways 404 Beirut 20:50Jazeera 459 Damascus 20:55DHL 372 Bahrain 21:00Gulf Air 217 Bahrain 21:05Emirates 869 Dubai 21:15Qatari 136 Doha 21:35Jazeera 429 Bahrain 22:15Jazeera 449 Doha 22:25Jazeera 117 Abu Dhabi 22:25Lufthansa 636 Frankfurt 22:30Jazeera 185 Dubai 23:05India Express 389 Kozhikode/Mangalore 23:10Wataniya Airways 108 Dubai 23:55Jazeera 263 Beirut 23:55Pakistan 205 Lahore/Peshawar 23:55

Departure Flights on Tuesday 30/03/2010Airlines Flt Route TimeJazeera 528 Assiut 00:05Tunis Air 328 Dubai/Tunis 00:25Indian 576 Goa/Chennai 00:50Pakistan 240 Sialkot 01:10Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt 01:15Turkish A/L 773 Istanbul 02:15Ethiopian 620 Bahrain/Addis Ababa 02:30DHL 371 Bahrain 03:15Emirates 854 Dubai 03:45Etihad 306 Abu Dhabi 04:00Qatari 139 Doha 05:00Air France 6782 Dubai/Hong Kong 05:15Wataniya Airways 101 Dubai 06:50Royal Jordanian 803 Amman 07:00Jazeera 164 Dubai 07:00Jazeera 112 Abu Dhabi 07:15Jazeera 422 Bahrain 07:35Jazeera 446 Doha 07:40Gulf Air 212 Bahrain 07:45Wataniya Airways 181 Bahrain 07:50Wataniya Airways 431 Damascus 08:10British 156 London 08:25Jazeera 256 Beirut 08:35Kuwait 545 Alexandria 08:35Kuwait 671 Dubai 08:55Jazeera 342 Bahrain/Sanaa 09:00Wataniya Airways 421 Amman 09:10Kuwait 511 Tehran 09:10Kuwait 561 Amman 09:15Arabia 122 Sharjah 09:20Kuwait 101 London/New York 09:30Fly Dubai 054 Dubai 09:35Emirates 856 Dubai 09:40Iran Air 604 Isfahan 09:55Qatari 133 Doha 10:00Etihad 302 Abu Dhabi 10:10Gulf Air 214 Bahrain 11:35Wataniya Airways 401 Beirut 11:35Iran Air 618 Lar 11:40Kuwait 165 Rome/Paris 11:45Wataniya Airways 303 Cairo 11:50Kuwait 743 Dammam 11:55Kuwait 541 Cairo 12:00Wataniya Airways 611 Istanbul 12:05Jazeera 492 Jeddah 12:15Jazeera 366 Deirezzor 12:20Jazeera 238 Amman 12:30Kuwait 501 Beirut 13:00Kuwait 786 Jeddah 13:30Airquarius 060 Basrah/Baghdad 13:30Egypt Air 611 Cairo 13:55

Kuwait 551 Damascus 14:20Wataniya Airways 105 Dubai 14:30Royal Jordanian 801 Amman 14:30Jazeera 176 Dubai 14:55Wataniya Airways 403 Beirut 13:10Kuwait 673 Dubai 15:10Kuwait 617 Doha 15:35Saudi Arabian A/L 501 Jeddah 15:45Syrian Arab A/L 342 Damascus 15:45Jazeera 458 Damascus 15:50Kuwait 773 Riyadh 16:05Qatari 135 Doha 16:20Kuwait 613 Bahrain 16:20Etihad 304 Abu Dhabi 17:35Mihin Lanka 404 Dubai/Colombo 17:40Wataniya Airways 305 Cairo 18:05Gulf Air 216 Bahrain 18:05Emirates 858 Dubai 18:05Jazeera 262 Beirut 18:15Arabia 126 Sharjah 18:20Saudi Arabian A/L 511 Riyadh 18:35Jazeera 116 Abu Dhabi 18:40Jazeera 448 Doha 18:55Jazeera 184 Dubai 19:00Jazeera 428 Bahrain 19:10Sri Lankan 228 Dubai/Colombo 19:10Wataniya Airways 107 Dubai 19:40Kuwait 283 Dhaka 20:00Kuwait 361 Colombo 20:20Singapore Airlines 457 Abu Dhabi/Singapore 20:45Fly Dubai 062 Dubai 20:50Kuwait 343 Chennai 21:00Kuwait 351 Cochin 21:05Oman Air 648 Muscat 21:15Middle East 403 Beirut 21:20Wataniya Airways 187 Bahrain 21:35Egypt Air 619 Alexandria 21:35KLM 0443 Bahrain/Amsterdam 21:40Gulf Air 218 Bahrain 21:55DHL 373 Bahrain 22:00Kuwait 801 Cairo 22:00Kuwait 675 Dubai 22:10Emirates 860 Dubai 22:25Falcon 102 Bahrain 22:30Kuwait 381 Delhi 22:30Qatari 137 Doha 22:35Kuwait 301 Mumbai 22:45Jazeera 480 Sabiha 23:05Jazeera 526 Alexandria 23:20Jazeera 502 Luxor 23:30United A/L 981 Washington DC Dulles 23:40Kuwait 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:40

Pajero model 98, grey col-or, price KD 1250. Contact:67613250. (C 2064)

29-3-2010

Pentium 4, Intel, 40 GBHDD, 256 MB RAM, CDROM, 56K modem, soundcard, speakers, 17” CRTmonitor, ready for internet,KD 30. P4, Intel, 3 GHz,80GB, 512 MB, DVD combowith 17” CRT monitor, KD45. Contact: 66244192.

(C 2061)

Laptop Dell & IBM Centrinowith basic specifications inexcellent condit ion, fordetails call: 99322585.

(C 2062)28-3-2010

Mitsubishi L300 van, mod-el 2009, very low mileage,very good condition, install-

Indian female (MBA in HR),10 years experience inHR/Administration, special-izing in recruitments, PMS,MIS reports & overall Adminfunctions. Proficient in MSOffice. Good communicationskil ls. Please contact:66634322. (C 2049)

29-3-2010

Indian male pharmacy grad-uate passed license examMOH, seeking immediateplacement in companies orpharmacies or hospitals.Please call 66076805,66038171.

(C 2058)28-3-2010

MBA finance, B.Com, 6+years of experience, seekssuitable employment. Con-tact: 99919274, 99175928.(C 2053)

Available experienced,decent Srilankan girl (31years) for household/babysitting (full/part-time)with American/ European/Indian family only (not bach-elors) in Mangaf/

Required diesel generator40 KVA, 45 KVA or 60 KVA,used or new ones US, UK,or Japan made. Please con-tact: 97424362, 99165971,23719684, email:info@pentadinternational.com

(C 2055)28-3-2010

Full time Filipino l ive-inmaid required for a Euro-pean family with 2 children.Must speak good English,previous experience withyoung children and refer-ences required. Please con-tact: 65887206. (C 2067)

30-3-2010

ment remaining 137 KD x24 months, owner needscash 500 KD. Contact:22465365/66019580.

27-3-2010

99754537 or 25657681.(C 2063)

29-3-2010

Sharing accommodationavailable for working ladies,couple, or small family, nextto new Al Mulla Exchangebuilding Abbassiya with Ker-alite family in 2 bedroom 2bathroom CA/C flat. Con-tact: 66877073. (C 2054)

Fahaheel/Abu Halifa. Call:99292581, 66870113.

(C 20499)

Available experienced,decent, Srilankan lady (39years) for household/babysit-ting (full/part-time) withAmerican/European/Indianfamily only (not bachelors) inMangaf/Fahaheel/Abu Hali-fa. Call: 55714865.

(C 20500)27-3-2010

Leo (July 23-August 22) Others value you for yourunique qualities. There are new ways to view people andnew ways of understanding the things that are occurringin your life now—behind the illusions. Co-workers enjoyteaming up with you because you listen and are helpful.

You can take command of your life now and proceed with full speed ahead inany area you wish. In the work place there is an opportunity to take a chanceon a long shot—nothing ventured, nothing gained. This could be anythingfrom inviting a new friend to lunch or asking for a raise. This afternoon youcan enjoy some much deserved down time. Be consistent in your messageto young people this evening. This will help them to know what to expectfrom you and you will gain respect.

CROSSWORD 943

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Kuwait 00965Qatar 00974Abu Dhabi 009712Dubai 009714Raas Al Khayma 009717Al-Shareqa 009716Muscat 00968Jordan 009626Bahrain 00973Riyadh 009661Makkah - Jeddah 009662Cairo 00202Alexandria 00203Beirut 009611Damascus 0096311Allepo 0096321

Tunisia 0021610Rabat 002127Washington 001212New York 001718Paris 00331London 004471Madrid 00341Zurich 00411Geneva 004122Monaco 0033Rome 00396Bangkok 00662Hong Kong 00852Pakistan 0092Taiwan 00886Bonn 0049228

Calvin

Pooch Cafe

Non Sequitur

Zits

Mother Goose and Grimm

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS1. A syndrome that occurs in many women from 2 to 14 days before theonset of menstruation.4. Law intended to eradicate organized crime by establishing strongsanctions and forfeiture provisions.8. 100 pyas equal 1 kyat.11. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.12. Common Indian weaverbird.13. The basic unit of money in Albania.14. Title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran.15. The rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces aflow of electricity in a circuit.16. Consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree.17. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.20. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.21. Extremely pleasing.24. Rare (usually fatal) brain disease (usually in middle age) caused byan unidentified slow virus.26. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluish-green body.28. By bad luck.31. A radioactive element of the actinide series.32. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.35. Offering fun and gaiety.39. A colorless and odorless inert gas.40. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.41. The capital and chief port of Qatar.44. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on land.46. An international organization of European countries formed afterWorld War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation amongits members.48. A light touch or stroke.49. (law) A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of lawwhereby an individual seeks a legal remedy.50. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral andlearning disorders.51. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).52. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

DOWN1. An anxiety disorder associated with serious traumatic events andcharacterized by such symptoms as guilt about surviving or reliving thetrauma in dreams or numbness and lack of involvement with reality orrecurrent thoughts and images.2. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri rivervalley in NE Nebraska.3. The granite-like rocks that form the outermost layer of the earth'scrust.4. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.5. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.6. Any of various plants of the genus Cymbidium having narrow leavesand a long drooping cluster of numerous showy and variously coloredboat-shaped flowers.7. An awkward stupid person.8. The noise of a rounded object dropping into a liquid without a splashadv.9. Not only so, but.10. A town and port in northwestern Israel in the easternMediterranean.18. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.19. Tropical starchy tuberous root.22. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.23. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped byancient Semitic peoples.25. 35th President of the United States.27. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.29. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.30. Counting the number of white and red blood cells and the numberof platelets in 1 cubic millimeter of blood.33. East Indian tart yellow berrylike fruit.34. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt.36. In bed.37. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.38. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.39. Cut off from a whole.42. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.43. 10 grams.45. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into theRhine.47. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your mind is ready toattend to any situation that may occur today. Schedulemore than enough time to get to and from yourdestination. Do everything you can to eliminate theunnecessary items on your to-do list so that you are not

under such a tight time schedule. If you cannot adjust your work hours, sothat you are not driving at stressful times, get a book on tape or someincentive recording and listen while you drive. If you are ready to grabthose books and head for the nearest university, now is the time. If this issomething you feel you need to do in order to widen your scope ofknowledge, start making your plans. You could find out about applying forthe May or June class. Your loved one shows you attention this evening.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Sometimes people maycut you off from speaking or make it difficult for you toexpress yourself. You could find that you lack some abilityto move or communicate with others. A business classcould be considered but get some good advice from the

university or junior college before you sign up for the class; an acting classmay be all you need. Your ideas may need special tweaking. Most of thetime, you reign as the most obvious one to go to when someone needs helpwith creative things. Today, you may want to do some meditation on yourgoals and gain a focus for you. There is also an interest in some spiritualdevelopment. This time can be the beginning phase of sublime spiritualdevelopment, to be sure. Tonight is perfect for soft and lovely things.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is your luckyday! Schedule that conference; give that party and plan forthe future. Whatever you do today, your ability to makethings run smoothly should produce excellent results.Teamwork and understanding are your best guarantee forpeaceful negotiations at work and at home. Some idearunning around in your head has an opportunity to actually

be verbalized and perhaps viewed by others. You will be pleased at theresponse from higher ups regarding your ideas. There is not onlyfinancial growth now, but also increased intimacy in your personalrelationships. You will want to be showing your gratitude andappreciation for others who share your life. Young people have yourattention this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Eliminate theelements in your life that slow you and keep you fromaccomplishing your goals. You are to be congratulated foryour ability to rise above difficult situations so use thesetalents in your everyday situation. Communal activitiesthat take place now should be well-attended and

successful. The need for emotional security is accented now, thoughyou should not pressure a partner into doing things just to please you.Your creativity is strong; as usual. With your love of antiques, you couldtake a class in refinishing furniture. This or any creative hobby will helpyou to get a better focus on your emotional progress and will mostcertainly balance any frustrating energies. Perhaps a friend will join youin this class.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)Someone unexpected may test your ability to remaincalm. This is a great opportunity to check out yourpatience. You may not appreciate their very differentperspective but everyone has the right to an opinion.

With patience you will have your turn to be expressive. Your ownconfidence is good and you accept other people’s differences. Teachingthrough example may have you teaching the importance of looking for thegood in all things—negative situations will dissipate. Other people tend tobe lucky for you today. You may be able to enjoy and value your own lifesituation today or feel especially kind toward a friend or loved one.Someone may compliment you on your belongings. Harmony with lovedones makes this a happy time.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You could find itdifficult to be appreciative of others. This also may notbe the best time to shop, choose colors, etc. The qualityof your patience may be a bit thin. There is a yearningfor the stimulation of new ideas and ideals now. Since

you will not have yet reached your long-term goals this year, it might befun to create some short-term goals. You look forward to planningfamily outings to encourage bonding and fun memories. Camping, tolearn some survival techniques or as a pathway to a new hobby.Although this may not be a good time to become involved in extra-curricular activities, it is a good time to discuss the idea of the familyvolunteering in some activity that will benefit many-perhaps a shelter.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Avoidburnout by scheduling time out for a littleexercise each day, even if it means a couple ofwalks up and down stairs. Make it a point to tellonly one joke or give one positive insight today;for your own enjoyment! You will help lighten the

atmosphere and create a balance in your life for a good emotionalhealth. You face tremendous responsibilities in your relationships withloved ones this afternoon and may find it difficult to express your ownwants and desires. You should try to loosen up and enjoy yourcompanions without being afraid to voice your true feelings. You arecompassionate and giving to all around you. Your devotion andselflessness will reap unexpected rewards. Being appreciated andadmired is a powerful need.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Today is a greattime to be with others and to work together. You may besought after as just the person for a particular job. You mayenjoy showing off your management skills today. You drawemotional nourishment and a sense of security from ideals,friends and social involvement. A personal and close friendwill be asking your advice regarding a love relationship. You

will be able to be understanding and handle this sensitive material. One ofthe special things about you that interest your lover is your willingness tobe surprised, adventurous and unconventional in your life. You want yourlover to be your best friend. A take home dinner and a movie might be anenjoyable thing to do this evening . . . or perhaps you will cook dinner.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Some uniqueand wonderful ideas are passed around among yourpeers and associates. Listen carefully—don’t intimidatean innocent bystander. The financial aspects of abusiness deal lacks clarity—go back to the drawing

board. You are particularly witty and can be wonderful company for someoneafter work. You enjoy relaxing with your friends. A surprise gift will come toyou today from an admirer. Study the gift box and you will know the sender.This evening is an excellent time for rest and relaxation. Close relationshipsare more positive and confirming of one another; encouraging. You may befeeling more like sharing some time with your lover or with close friends thisevening; perhaps a party or event is in the making for this weekend.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Understanding and clarityare easy to come by just now. Any confusing issuescan be cleared away. Your activity level is high andyour expressiveness works in your favor. You canmake your goals materialize through the sheer

determination of your will. Reward yourself for progress rather thanpunish yourself for any imperfections. Choose an activity that youconsider fun this afternoon-soothing like going to an amusement park,bicycling, skating, etc. You may be sought after for your advice andcounsel regarding some very personal and emotional issues. You will behelpful to others. Communicating in clear, precise messages is importantto you and you do it well. Your timing should be perfect. You have apositive attitude about life.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Allow your creativeside to blossom by categorizing your activities. Themore you increase this creative side, the easier youwill find problem solving situations end. You have anexciting time ahead of you now as you discover waysin which to increase your sense of abundance and

personal prosperity. Quick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights andsolutions are at hand from which you can choose. This is a good time towrite and communicate with real originality. Inventions andbreakthroughs are possible. A domestic challenge can be ended later todayand will free you for a more enjoyable home life. Your tact is improving. Inlearning more about your real self, you learn more about humanity. Enjoysome creative activity this evening.

Word SleuthSolution

SPECTRUM

Yesterday’s Solution

yester

to

34 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

POLICE STATION

HOSPITALS

Al-Madena Police Station 22434064Al-Murqab Police Station 22435865Al-Daiya Police Station 22544200Al-Fayhaʼa Police Station 22547133Al-Qadissiya Police Station 22515277Al-Nugra Police Station 22616662Al-Salmiya Police Station 25714406Al-Dasma Police Station 22530801

PHARMACIES ON 24 HRS DUTY

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONEAhmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883

Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

CLINICS

Roudha 22517733

Adhaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Keifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salim 22549134

Al-Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Al-Khadissiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar 22531908

Al-Shaab 22518752

Al-Kibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla 22451082

Al-Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W.Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Al-Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 4892674

Al-Omariya 4719048

N.Kheitan 4710044

Rabiya 4732263

Fintas 3900322

FIRE BRIGADEOperation Room 777

Al-Madena 22418714Al-Shohadaʼa 22545171Al-Shuwaikh 24810598Al-Nuzha 22545171Sabhan 24742838Al-Helaly 22434853Al-Fayhaa 22545051Al-Farwaniya 24711433Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983Al-Fahaheel 23927002Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983Ahmadi 23980088Al-Mangaf 23711183Al-Shuaiba 23262845Al-Jahra 25610011Al-Salmiya 25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Afghanistan 0093Albania 00355Algeria 00213Andorra 00376Angola 00244Anguilla 001264Antiga 001268Argentina 0054Armenia 00374Australia 0061Austria 0043Bahamas 001242Bahrain 00973Bangladesh 00880Barbados 001246Belarus 00375Belgium 0032Belize 00501Benin 00229Bermuda 001441Bhutan 00975Bolivia 00591Bosnia 00387Botswana 00267Brazil 0055Brunei 00673Bulgaria 00359Burkina 00226Burundi 00257Cambodia 00855Cameroon 00237Canada 001Cape Verde 00238Cayman Islands 001345Central African Republic 00236Chad 00235Chile 0056China 0086Colombia 0057Comoros 00269Congo 00242Cook Islands 00682Costa Rica 00506Croatia 00385Cuba 0053Cyprus 00357Cyprus (Northern) 0090392Czech Republic 00420Denmark 0045Diego Garcia 00246Djibouti 00253Dominica 001767Dominican Republic 001809Ecuador 00593Egypt 0020El Salvador 00503England (UK) 0044

Equatorial Guinea 00240Eritrea 00291Estonia 00372Ethiopia 00251Falkland Islands 00500Faroe Islands 00298Fiji 00679Finland 00358France 0033French Guiana 00594French Polynesia 00689Gabon 00241Gambia 00220Georgia 00995Germany 0049Ghana 00233Gibraltar 00350Greece 0030Greenland 00299Grenada 001473Guadeloupe 00590Guam 001671Guatemala 00502Guinea 00224Guyana 00592Haiti 00509Holland (Netherlands) 0031Honduras 00504Hong Kong 00852Hungary 0036Ibiza (Spain) 0034Iceland 00354India 0091Indian Ocean 00873Indonesia 0062Iran 0098Iraq 00964Ireland 00353Italy 0039Ivory Coast 00225Jamaica 001876Japan 0081Jordan 00962Kazakhstan 007Kenya 00254Kiribati 00686Kuwait 00965Kyrgyzstan 00996Laos 00856Latvia 00371Lebanon 00961Liberia 00231Libya 00218Lithuania 00370Luxembourg 00352Macau 00853Macedonia 00389

Kuwait Airways 22433377Wataniya Airways 24379900Jazeera Airways 177Jet Airways 22477631Qatar Airways 22423888KLM 22425747Air Slovakia 22434940Olympic Airways 22420002/9Royal Jordanian 22418064/5/6Reservation 22433388British Airways 22425635Air France 22430224Emirates 22425566Air India 22438184Sri Lanka Airlines 22424444Egypt Air 22421578Swiss Air 22421516Saudia 22426306Middle East Airlines 22423073Lufthansa 22422493PIA 22421044Alitalia 22414427Balkan Airlines 22416474Bangladesh Airlines 22452977/8Czech Airlines 22417901/2433141Indian Airlines 22456700Oman Air 22412284/5Turkish Airlines 22453820/1

AIRLINES

EMERGENCY 112

INFORMATION 35Tuesday, March 30, 2010

PRIVATE CLINICS

Ophthalmologists:

Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT):Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General Practitioners:Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

Urologists:Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C)25313120

Plastic Surgeons:Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor:Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

PsychiatristsDr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians:Dr Adrian Harbe 23729596/23729581Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons:

Dr. Abidallah Behbahani 25717111Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart:Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians:Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat

(2) Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar,

FRCS (Canada) 25655535

Dentists:

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists:

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist:

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD:Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart:DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210Dr. Mohammad ZubaidMB, ChB, FRCPC, PACCAssistant Professor Of MedicineHead, Division of CardiologyMubarak Al-Kabeer HospitalTel: 25339667

Dr. Farida Al-HabibMD, PH.D, FACCConsultant CardiologistTel: 2611555-2622555

Inaya German Medical CenterTe: 2575077

Fax: 25723123

Psychologists/PsychotherapistsSoor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688info@soorcenter.comwww.soorcenter.com

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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Call MSAL hotline 128

Kelly Osbourne hates people who picktheir teeth. The TV star can’t standpeople with poor personal hygiene, and

admits she had a torturous taxi ride with adriver with bad habits. She tweeted: “In ataxi and the driver keeps licking and suck-ing his teeth and it’s making me SICK andputting me in the worst mood.” The 25-year-oldblonde -who mainlylives in LosAngeles -is currentlyin Londonand admitsit’s great tobe back inher nativecountry.Kelly - whowas born inLondon,but trav-elledaround as achild ontour withher rocker father Ozzy Osbourne and moth-er Sharon, who worked as Ozzy’s manager -revealed in other twitter posts: “I am hav-ing the best time in London I really don’twant to go back to LA next week!

“I’m so happy to be back. even with thebad weather. there is no place like home!!!!(sic)”

ElizabethHurley claimswomen like her because

she’s had her heart broken. The actress-and-model -who is now married to businessman Arun Nayar - believes

she has a lot of female fans because they feel sympathetic afterhearing about her previous relationship woes. Elizabeth - whose pre-

vious partners include Hugh Grant who was caught with a prosti-tute when they were together, and Steve Bing who called for a

paternity test for their son Damien - said: “Most well knownwomen, if they are glamour pusses, have a male audience. I’vealways had a much, much bigger female fan base than male. Itprobably seems like I’ve had so many knocks, as well as goodluck, that it means women are friendly to me.” The 44-year-old British star - who now runs a 400-acre farm in the UK withher husband and has brought out a range of health snacks - alsoadmits she is often difficult to work with because she thrivesbest under pressure. She told The Sunday Times Style maga-zine: “I’m probably not the best person to have shrinking vio-

lets around me. We all have to work extremely hard. It’shopeless if someone can’t take it. I thrive under pres-

sure and am less good if it’s calm. I don’t like sereneatmospheres and go demented if I’m in a spa for

too long where everyone whispers.” Despitethis, Elizabeth says Arun manages to put upwith her because he is successful in hisown right. She said: “Arun is astonish-

ingly good-natured and would be the lastman on earth to feel overshadowed by me. He’s

thoroughly comfortable in his own skin and Idon’t think he’d swap places with

anyone.”

SPECTRUM36 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Drew Barrymore

feels like a boyT

he actress - who made her directorial debut in the newmovie ‘Whip It’, a story about a teenager who is pushedinto beauty pageants by her mother before becoming a

roller derby player - doesn’t like being girly and often feelsquite “androgynous”. She said: “I’m like a 13 or 14-year-oldboy who loves fun music and hot chicks and sport, and I likeempowerment and women who are capable and humorous. Ithink I am extremely androgynous. I love comedy and jokes.

I am always the person who is fighting in marketing meet-ings, ‘Please don’t forget the boys, remember them too.’“Whenever people get too girly, I am, like, ‘No, no.’ I justappreciate women and whenever I fall in love with theirminds and their talents, that is really what gets me hot.”The 35-year-old star also claims her life is easier now she isolder because nothing overwhelms her. She told TheSunday Times Culture magazine: “I think you start to feel

more secure. You feel so overwhelmed in your 20s, and yousit around going, ‘Oh my god!’ “You find yourself talking tofriends about work and your life, and you wonder if it is allgoing to be OK - ‘Is this going to work out, what is going tohappen?’ Now, I don’t feel as if I know it’s going to be OK,but I don’t feel it is going to kill me. I’ve got a good per-spective on life now. It’s like, ‘We are going to get throughthis.’ “

Hurley’s

broken heart Hurley’s

broken heart

Shakira has therapy to deal with her bodyissues. The sexy singer - who wore arevealing nude-effect leotard in her ‘She

Wolf’ music video - has poor self-esteemregarding her figure and she started going tosee a therapist in 2001 to overcome her nega-tive feelings. She said: “It helped me so muchwith every aspect of my life, from body image torelationships. My therapist told me why Ibehaved in certain ways and not to feel so pres-sured. It’s incredibly liberating to spend an hourtalking to someone and not caring about whatyou sound like. It’s about understanding myself.Sometimes I’ll speak to my therapist for anhour a day. It’s become part of my routine.” TheColombian-born beauty says therapy helps heron the inside, but it takes a lot of hard work at

the gym to give her the figure, which is theenvy of women all over the world. She toldFabulous magazine: “All through my 20s I spentmore time worrying about what I didn’t havethan thinking about what I did have. I wished Iwas taller, had longer legs, slimmer hips, asmaller bottom, even straighter hair. I’m justlike all women - we’re born to criticize our-selves. “I’ve worked my butt off to look likethis. I’ve achieved the body I have now throughhard work and careful eating. I’ve worked outevery day, either running, doing gym work ordancing. Nowadays, the 33-year-old pop starlooks at just her body shape, and not the bath-room scales. She said: “I haven’t been on thescales for a year but I know I’ve made my bodyleaner, trimming my hips and bottom.”

Shakira body therapy

Kylie Minogue is the new face of a breast cancer charity cam-

paign. The 41-year-old pop star - who was diagnosed with

the disease during her ‘Showgirl’ world tour in May 2005 -

poses in just a silk sheet for the pictures taken by acclaimed pho-

tographer Mario Testino, for the launch of the new Fashion

Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) campaign for Breakthrough

Breast Cancer. The campaign will see a range of specially creat-

ed clothing sold in high street stories, including Marks and

Spencer and Topshop, online and in designer collections over the

next six weeks. Speaking of her work for the charity, Kylie said:

“It means so much to be part of this year’s campaign for Fashion

Targets Breast Cancer. I wholeheartedly support their efforts to

raise funds for the vital work undertaken by Breakthrough Breast

Cancer.” The Australian singer needed a partial mastectomy to

remove a malignant tumor five years ago and then received eight

months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before finally being

given the all clear from cancer in 2006. She has previously spo-

ken about how the potentially fatal illness changed her life forev-

er. She said: “I learned that you never go back to a normal state,

instead you have to create a new normal state. I have to accept

my life for its triumphs and its other sides, take the good with the

bad. “I experienced a world of illness and positive attitudes.

These experiences contributed to making me a more mature per-

son.” Other stars to give their backing to the campaign include

actress Sienna Miller and supermodel Claudia Schiffer.

Minogue fronts

cancer campaign

Matt Damon has bad breath, according to SarahSilverman. The American comedienne - whofamously created a video entitled ‘I’m F***ing Matt

Damon’ for her TV host boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel in 2008- joked the actor’s breath was not the freshest she’d eversmelt, while honoring him with an award on Saturdaynight . Sarah claimed she’d given Matt “his first really bigbreak” in the video, which was aired on US TV beforebecoming an instant YouTube hit, and added: “The worstthing I could say is, you know, Matt Damon is, like, a per-fectionist. And his breath is like, Jesus! And his hair plugsare really obvious. Besides that, there’s, like, nothing.”The 39-year-old actor - who was honored in Beverly Hillswith the 24th American Cinematheque Award - was con-tinually ridiculed all night by several of his celebrityfriends. Actress Charlize Theron joked the Hollywoodheartthrob was to blame for one of Will Smith’s box office

flops. She said: “In 2000, Matt and I starred in ‘TheLegend of Bagger Vance’ along with Will Smith, the onlyWill Smith movie that didn’t make, like, a million dollars. Ireunited with Will in ‘Hancock’, which did great. So Iguess it’s you, Matt.” Referring to his 1997 Oscar winwith Ben Affleck for Best Original Screenplay for ‘GoodWill Hunting’, she added: “That’s not the only thing Mattand I have in common. We’re both Academy Awards win-ners. Of course, I won mine in a real category and Matt’swas just for typing up Ben Affleck’s thoughts.” GeorgeClooney also starred in a strange video shown during thecelebrations at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, which featuredhim making a speech while undergoing a mock proctologyexam. Afterwards, Matt said: “That was particularlyenjoyable - and strange!” The tribute for the star will beshown on US TV network ABC next month.

— BangShowbiz

Damon?s badbreath

Osbo

urne

has

teet

h tro

uble

Sandra Bullock has moved back to her pre-maritalhome. The Oscar-winning actress - who has beenleft devastated by allegations husband Jesse Jamescheated on her with at least four other women - left thehouse she shared with her spouse of almost five yearsearlier this month and is now hiding out at theHollywood Hills property she purchased in 2001. A

friend said: “She is here.” Since returning to theproperty, Sandra has been inundated with visitorswho want to show her their support. A neighbor said:“There has been a lot of activity at the house. “Therehave been a few cars going in and out of her gate andpeople going in there in the last few days. There hasbeen more activity here in the last week than in thelast year. It’s usually very quiet here.” Sandra, 45,bought the property for around $1.48 million andalthough she moved in with Jesse in nearby SunsetBeach, she kept the house. A source toldRadarOnline.com: “She loves the house. That’s whyshe never sold it. It’s a pretty big property and it’sprivate.” Until last week, Sandra had been in herhometown of Austin, Texas, where she was beingcomforted by friends and family. Friends don’t thinkher marriage to Jesse - who allegedly had flings withtattoo model Michelle ‘Bombshell’ McGee, stripperMelissa Smith, photographer Brigitte Daguerre andan unnamed mistress who is represented by high-powered lawyer Gloria Allred - will now be able tosurvive. One pal said: “She’s beyond upset... and shehas every right to be. She was on top of the worldwith her Oscar victory and now this. It’s such a diffi-cult thing to deal with. How can their marriage sur-vive this?”

Bullock back at pre-marital home

SPECTRUM 37Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Music & Movies

When Greg Kurstin, half of eso-teric Los Angeles pop duo theBird and the Bee, speaks of Hall

& Oates, it’s in a reverent tone usuallyreserved for devout believers meeting amajor religious figure. “‘One on One’ isthe perfect song with the perfect produc-tion,” he says with unblinking earnest-ness. “I strive for that level of greatnessevery day.” On March 23, Kurstin andbandmate Inara George released theirhomage to the pair, “Interpreting theMasters Volume I: A Tribute to DarylHall and John Oates,” on Blue Note. It’sthe latest example of the unlikely pop-culture resurgence for the fourth-best-selling duo of all time (13 million albumsshipped, according to the RecordingIndustry Association of America).

In the past two years, Hall & Oates’music, which peaked chart-wise duringthe first term of the Reagan WhiteHouse, has been featured in everythingfrom taste making films like “(500) Daysof Summer” to taste-questionable outletslike QVC. The driving force behind theresurgence is twofold: the giddiness of30-something nostalgic like George andKurstin, and the willingness of Daryl

Hall, 63, and John Oates, 61, to connectwith these fans in the free-flowing back-and-forth of today’s media world.

Jonathan Wolfson has been the band’spublicist for five years; he took over astheir manager in 2009. He remembersbeing a teenager in New York, sitting inthe nosebleed seats and thrilling to Hall& Oates performing “Maneater” live.Now, Hall & Oates are his sole clients,and he navigates opportunities for expo-sure for the act from a two-story, peach-colored strip mall in the west SanFernando Valley. “Daryl and John allowedme to push on their behalf,” he says. “Alot of the bands get in the way of them-selves. I feel like I work with them-obvi-ously, I work for them-but I feel like Iwork with them.”

Not press darlingsOates, for one, is appreciative of how

the duo’s music is branching out intoeverything from film to online animation;it stands as a comeuppance to those whoonce questioned the relevance of theirmusic. “We were not in the cool club withthe rock press,” he says. “But in the end,it’s the songs that stand the test of time-

they’ve been covered, sampled, andthere’s a generation of creative peoplewho grew up with our music.”

This younger generation of fan appre-ciates the commercial artistry of theirtechno-savvy blue-eyed soul and takeskitschy pleasure in the decadent, shoul-der-padded extravagance of the surround-ing era. This gives Wolfson a large play-ing field to hype the band: It can performon the hipper-than-thou “Daily Show”even as middlebrow TV chef Rachael Raypushes for their entry into the Rock andRoll Hall of Fame.

“When I started doing press for them,it was the same cliched rock critics say-ing, ‘Well, you didn’t play CBGB’s in ‘78...’ It was kind of bulls-t actually,” Wolfsonsays. “I hate to be an ageist, but when Istarted going to people who were con-temporaries, it was a way different con-versation than it was with the RobertHilburns of the world, who basicallycalled them the Thompson Twins andsaid, ‘I’ll never write about these guys.’It’s one of those things-if they don’t letyou in the party, you create your own.And the party got bigger and bigger andbigger.”

Ever since the single “Sara Smile”was certified gold by the RIAA in 1976,Hall & Oates have always been just onthe wrong side of cool with the rockestablishment. Despite seven platinumalbums-three of which went double-plat-inum: 1982’s “H2O,” 1983’s “Rock ‘nSoul, Part 1” and 1984’s “Big BamBoom”-the Philadelphia duo has neverwon a Grammy Award. (“Always thebridesmaid, never the bride,” Hall muses;the pair was nominated this year for bestperformance by a duo or group withvocals for a version of “Sara Smile” on“Live at the Troubadour.”) Pop fans havelong embraced Hall & Oates-leading tosix No 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100— but critics derided their music as“yacht rock,” slick ‘80s smarm designedto lure radio programmers across a vari-ety of genres.

Boosts from web, sternWith the resurgence of Hall & Oates

among hipsters, that attitude haschanged, and in a very public manner.“They were hated, they really were,”Wolfson says. “But the Internet has reallybeen their friend. The fact that the

Internet has no gatekeepers and bloggerscan write whatever they want-if some-thing’s good, people respond.”

Sales have been on the increase: In2009, they sold 177,000 albums, up from161,000 in 2008. In that same time peri-od, digital song downloads were up 19percent to 547,000. The recent Hall &Oates revival seemingly started with theharmonic convergence of Howard Sternand a series of Google Alerts.

In November 2007, Hall appeared onStern’s show on Sirius Satellite Radio topromote his Web-only series, “Live FromDaryl’s House.” It’s a monthly perform-ance program where Hall and a visitingmusician jam in his farmhouse in NewYork state, playing Hall & Oates stan-dards and songs by the accompanyingartist. But as usual on Stern, things gotweird. The recap on HowardStern.comsummed it up as such: “Daryl thenopened up about his Lyme disease andthe debilitating effect it has had on hislife, adding that we should ‘kill all thef’ing deer. They’re like giant rats’ ...Howard told Daryl that he might havehim cut some public service announce-ments about the ‘f’ing deer,’ but Daryl

insisted that he’d rather just be given amachine gun. Daryl then treated the crewto a live performance of ‘Sara Smile.”“With a later mention that he and Oateshave had sex in the same room-not witheach other but apparently close enough tonotice that Oates was a “German shep-herd in a chihuahua’s pants”-Hall &Oates earned something that largelyeluded them during their heyday: streetcred.

“I’ve booked everyone from Yanni toSuge Knight onto Howard Stern, and thiswas the craziest interview,” Wolfsonsays. “That really generated a lot of hits(for “Live From Daryl’s House”). It was agood way to break it out.”

Around that same time, Wolfsonnoticed something every time he openedhis e-mail: Google Alerts detailing howvarious bands were paying tribute to Hall& Oates. In 2007, Gym Class Heroesnamed its summer trek the Daryl Hallfor President Tour 2007. BrandonFlowers of the Killers said “Rich Girl”was a perfect pop song. Ben Gibbard ofDeath Cab for Cutie wrote an exegesis ofhis 10 favorite Hall & Oates songs onPitchfork. —Reuters

‘80s stars Hall & Oates back in spotlight

ARTIST: DAVID BYRNE & FATBOY SLIMALBUM: HERE LIES LOVE

Part art project, part all-starindie gathering, “Here LiesLove” is David Byrne and

Fatboy Slim’s unusual collabora-tive song cycle about the life ofImelda Marcos, the former firstlady of the Philippines. With alineup of guests includingFlorence & the Machine’sFlorence Welch, Tori Amos, SteveEarle and Santigold, the 22-track

tribute features a diverse mix of thoughtful ballads and disco-influenced dance numbers. Cyndi Lauper’s giddy vocals on“Eleven Days” and Roisin Murphy’s horn-driven “Don’t YouAgree?” offer the most lasting thrills on the album. And win-ning duets include Candie Payne and St. Vincent on thebreezy “Every Drop of Rain” and Byrne’s emotional collabo-ration with My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden on “SevenYears.” At times, “Here Lies Love” wobbles as a conceptalbum, and listeners unfamiliar with Marcos’ story may notinitially understand the lyrical conceits. But it containsenough solid material to justify repeated listens.

ARTIST: MADLIBALBUM: MADLIB MEDICINE SHOW NO 3:BEAT KONDUCTA IN AFRICA

Veteran rapper Madlib’snewest album, “MadlibMedicine Show No 3: Beat

Konducta in Africa,” is the artist’slatest instrumental opus in aseries of 12 albums dubbed “TheMadlib Medicine Show.” In thisepisode, Madlib restricts himselfto sampling African vinyl soundsfrom the early ‘70s-and in compli-ance with orthodox hip-hop doc-trine, each sample is buried in sacred obscurity. But thediversity of “Beat Konducta in Africa” borders on over-whelming, with about 78 minutes of African funk, rock, souland Afrobeat. On “Red, Black and Green Showcase,” injec-tions of half-second hip-hop vocals play over a regal, echoinghorn loop. “Jungle Sounds Pt 2” makes use of an electric gui-tar, while “African Map Watch” is more disco-flavored.“Blackfire” begins with an interlude championing Nigerianmusicians for prohibiting “the musical masturbation of theWestern World” from curtailing their creativity. The album isa collage of African sounds and rhythms that avoids coher-ence, and its greatest strength lies in its authenticity.

ARTIST: ALBERTA CROSSALBUM: BROKEN SIDE OF TIME

British transplant AlbertaCross’ full-length debut,“Broken Side of Time,” is a

step forward in cementing theBrooklyn-based band’s place inAmerican blues-rock. Taking cuesfrom the folk and alternativemusic scenes of the ‘90s, withundertones of American roots anda British blues infusion, singerPetter Ericson Stakee’s expres-

siveness lends a spectral quality to the group’s brooding alt-rock sound. With the quivering emotion of Neil Young in thestrangled tenor of Jim James, Stakee laments on “Song ThreeBlues,” “I just wanna live is that a cry.” A fuming reinventionof Alberta Cross’ folky roots (as heard on its 2007 EP “TheThief & the Heartbreaker”), “ATX” features slide guitar overheavy instrumentation. And the title track’s wistful chorusbreaks from distorted chaos, as if manifesting from the eye ofa storm. Tempering heavier blues-alternative influences witha softer folk-rock feel, “Broken Side of Time” leaves anunmistakable mark.

ARTIST: LOVE IS ALLALBUM: TWO THOUSAND AND TEN INJURIES

If Quentin Tarantino ever sets a movie in Scandinavia(“Kill Bjorn?” “Reservoir Huskies?”), then Sweden’sLove Is All should be a shoo-in for the soundtrack. The

band’s third album, “Two Thousand and Ten Injuries,” com-bines garage rock rawness with cute indie smarts in a man-ner not heard since the all-female Japanese rockers 5.6.7.8’store up a “Kill Bill” restaurant scene. Every song comes andgoes in less than three and a half minutes (and most in a lotless) as the band makes up in ramshackle charm what it lacksin glossy production. The song “Kungen” has a gloriouslysunny ‘60s “ba-ba-ba” chorus over a new wave riff, “FalsePretense” is a punky reggae party featuring some gloriouslyunruly vocals from frontwoman Josephine Olausson, and“Never Now” throws some Blondie-esque pop sass into theindier-than-thou mix. This should be more than enough torecapture the blog buzz that followed the group’s 2006 debut,“Nine Times That Same Song.”—Reuters

illboard CD reviews

In a front-runner for the title ofloudest film of the year so far,“Fire of Conscience” tackles the

heady subject of police corruption atstreet and institutional levels on thesurface, but is really just an old-schoolcops and robbers shoot-’em-up mostnotable for a pair of highly inventivedeaths. Director Dante Lam throws ineverything but the kitchen sink in astory that somehow works in SouthAsian arms dealers, a Mainlandbomber and drug-dealing copkillers. Any real thought aboutthe nature of duty and the lawis swept aside for action,action, and more action-whichis average for Lam but stillsuperior to most.

Lam is making a case forhimself as the Michael Mannof Hong Kong with his secondhigh-octane, noisy bit of lawenforcement pornography inas many years. “Fire ofConscience,” which screenedrecently at the Hong KongInternational Film Festival,should attract the same dis-tributors and specialty festi-vals that 2009’s “Sniper” did,but it lacks the earlier film’ssense of retro fun. Stars LeonLai and Richie Jen could gen-erate interest in theatricalrelease in Asia, but the film’sprospects beyond that are lim-ited.

Man (a hirsute Lai) is a garden-variety detective with a dead wife anda penchant for brutalizing suspects.While looking into the murder of aprostitute, he hooks up with formernarcotics investigator Kee (Jen), whoneeds his help finding a petty thugwho stole a cell phone from his part-ner- right before he got pulverized bya car.

Once he finds the thug it becomesapparent that Kee has his own sus-pect-relations problems, and may notbe the force’s poster boy everyonethinks he is. Meanwhile, Man’s part-ner Cheung-on becomes a suspect inthe prostitute’s death and eventuallydrags Man into a conspiracy to cover

up the fact that he saw the woman thenight she died. Somehow this allpoints to a crew of thieves and aChinese bomb specialist- whose wifeis being held hostage-with designs onpulling off an evidence-van heist inthe middle of the day in crowded,downtown Hong Kong.

That’s the tip of the narrative ice-berg, and everything else strains cred-ibility; hard as it may be to believe,the convoluted story does clarify itself

by the final reel. But Lam and writerJack Ng heap more misfortune on theleads than is probably necessary anddraw attention away from “Fire’s”strongest elements, which are thegunplay and Jen as the heavy.

Jen is quickly becoming HongKong’s go-to guy for ambiguousheroes, after breaking into the indus-try as a romantic comedy lead. Whilefar from nuanced, Jen manages toinfuse Kee with some of the shadinessof the film’s visuals. “Fire ofConscience” is technically strong (anddid we mention loud?) and its saturat-ed, garishly hued images add a certaingritty finish that gives the unsavorystory a suitably skeevy tone.—Reuters

ActressJenniferAniston, right,and actorGerard Butler,left, pose dur-ing a photo callfor the movie‘The BountyHunter’,German title‘Der Kautions-Cop’,in Berlin, yesterday. —AP

Cop drama ‘Conscience’ favors loud, gruesome action

Jessica Alba is bringing hercelebrity fashion sense to“Project Runway.” Lifetime

spokeswoman Kannie Yu LaPacksays Alba will serve as a guestjudge on Thursday’s episode of

the popular clothing-design com-petition show.

The 28-year-old actress willhelp judge a challenge in whichthe remaining six contestantsmust create an outfit for an “opin-

ionated celebrity,” who they willlater discover is show host HeidiKlum. Other guest judges thisseason have included NicoleRichie, Molly Sims and LaurenHutton. —AP

Alba to join judgeson ‘Project Runway’

Two German productioncompanies are preparing tomake the first feature-

length film about the life ofSweden’s most popular children’sbook author, Pippi Longstockingcreator Astrid Lindgren, herdaughter told AFP. German pro-duction companies Ogglies FilmProduction and TV 60 Film areplanning to make the film aboutLindgren’s early years, up untilher breakthrough with PippiLongstocking in 1946, KarinNyman said.

“They were the first film pro-ducers to contact me wanting tomake a film about my mother’slife, and I immediately said yes toworking with them,” she said.Lindgren, who died in 2002, isfamous for creating such charac-ters as Emil of Maple Hill,Madicken, Karlsson-on-the-Roof,Ronia the Robber’s Daughter, andespecially Pippi. Her books about“the strongest girl in the world”,an impish, cheeky nine-year-oldwho wears fire-red pigtails braid-ed so tight they stick straight outand who lives with her horse andher monkey, Mr. Nilsson, havebeen translated into 95 languages.

The planned two-part televi-sion film about her life will how-ever focus on the difficult yearsbefore she rose to fame, with themain focus likely to be on herunplanned pregnancy at the age of

18. Lindgren, who had been work-ing as a reporter for a local news-paper in the southern Swedishtown of Vimmerby when she gotpregnant with her married chiefeditor, often talked about howbecoming a single mother early inlife had affected her as a personand as a writer.

Nyman said she would beinvolved in the first part of thefilm-making process as a consult-ant, and that she was in theprocess of reading and comment-ing on manuscript drafts writtenby acclaimed German scriptwriter Benedickt Roeskau. “It isactually kind of nice thatGermans rather than Swedes aremaking the film, because that waythe story will be a bit more dis-tanced. —AFP

Pippi Longstocking author’s life becomes filmMills in court battle with former employee

Aformer employee of PaulMcCartney’s ex-wife HeatherMills is suing her for sex discrim-

ination. Sara Trumble wants compensa-tion after allegedly being unfairly dis-

missed fromher job as ananny aftershe becamepregnant.Mills’ splitfrom the for-mer Beatle in2006 was fol-lowed by amessy divorcein which shewon 24 millionpounds-some

of it intended to pay for a nanny for theirdaughter, Beatrice. Mills was criticizedin the divorce judgment, which calledher “less than candid.” The lawyer for25-year-old Trumble, Nick Fairweather,argues that the judgment should beintroduced as evidence of Mills’ dishon-esty. Mills’ lawyer argues that wouldprejudice the trial. The hearing wasadjourned Monday while a judge consid-ered Fairweather’s request. —AP

Astrid Lindgren

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SPECTRUM38 Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fashion

Demand for Indian couture hassurged in the Middle East andEast Asia in the last five years but

the West remains out of bounds due tolack of exposure, designers and buyerssaid at India’s largest fashion event. MostIndian designers focus on a burgeoningmarket at home, where a rapidly growingmiddle class is consuming high fashionlike never before, but a significant num-ber are expanding abroad. “Buyers fromJapan, Arab countries are growing byleaps and bounds,” designer KavitaBhartia told Reuters at the Wills LifestyleIndia Fashion Week, where 130 designersare vying for the attention of 150 domes-tic and international buyers.

Bhartia, whose skirts and tunics aremajor sellers in the Middle East andwarmer regions such Ibiza, said foreignclients look for something unusual butmodern, and Indian designers can addressall these issues. Vineet Bahl, whose over-seas clients account for 90 percent of hissales, agrees. “Four years ago, you had tohunt them (buyers) down, but now theyhunt you down.”

High fashion in India, which emergedafter the country’s liberalization in theearly 90s, is still comparatively smallaccounting for barely 0.3 percent of theinternational industry’s net worth,according to a 2008 estimate by industrybody the Associated Chambers of

Commerce and Industry of India(ASSOCHAM). The ASSOCHAM reportsaid the industry was expected to touch7.5 billion rupees ($166 million) by 2012from the 2008 estimated level of less than2.9 billion rupees ($64 million).

The majority foreign buyers of Indiancouture are from Dubai and Riyadh,drawn to India’s elaborate embroideriesand handmade prints.

“It’s amazing, the numbers speak forthemselves. We’ve gone from just one(Indian) designer to 10 in just 4-5 yearsas the sales are very good,” said WasimAl Sadat from Harvey Nichols, Riyadh,was looking to buy kaftans, tunics andlong skirts at the event.

Cultural affinityNirupama Singh, a fashion trend analyst,

says Indian designers were strong in theMiddle East because the two regionsshared a cultural affinity. “The embroi-deries, embellishment...a Westerner mightlook at it as too over-the-top, but it appealsto eastern sensibility. Also, the amount ofskin they reveal and the drapings...youdon’t need a perfect body, which increasesthe number of clients you can cater to,”Singh said. Interest is also growing in EastAsia, which usually shuns ethnic Indiandesigns, said Song Haldeman from HongKong, who was looking for high-end designswith an Indian touch. “The novelty andembroidery... and also the textile here is

very well done, this is what we are lookingfor,” she said. Haldeman, who representsAux Laines Ecossaises in Paris and HarveyNichols in Hong Kong, feels there are someinteresting Indian designers to be followed,and they need more exposure as most biginternational buyers focus on the majorfashion events in Paris and London.

Veteran designers such as Manish Arora,Kavita Bhartia, Vineet Bahl and the duo ofRohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna alreadyenjoy a buzz in Japan. But the Western mar-ket is still virgin territory, with only a fewdesigners such as Manish Arora and RituBeri, who see their designs as more globalthan traditional, making their presence feltin the Paris Fashion Week. European buy-

ers at the India fashion week, who werelooking to buy mostly young and contempo-rary designs with geometric prints, saidawareness of Indian fashion was still in thenascent stage.

“There is not much of a buzz yet (onIndian designers), except for ManishArora,” said a buyer from Paris who did notwant to be named. Also, several interna-tional buyers are not even aware of theIndian fashion week. Designer CharuParashar, whose foreign clientele makes upfor 40 percent of her sales, said Indiandesigners needed to make “a big hoopla”out of the fashion industry so that Westernnations “finally realize how big Indian fash-ion is”. —Reuters

Indian couture Asia-bound, but eyeing West

Childrenwalk on the

catwalk displaying

creations byFoshan

Children during China

FashionWeek in

Beijing. —AP

Models presentcreations by

Indian designlabel

Littleshilpa atthe Wills

Lifestyle IndiaFashion Week

Autumn Winter2010 in NewDelhi, India,

yesterday. —AP

Wills Fashion Week

Models present creationsby Indian designer Nida

Mahmood

What do British 1980sgroups Madness andthe Cure have in

common with current teenheart-throb actor RobertPattinson, Pope John Paul IIand the Dalai Lama? Believe itor not, Dr Martens’ boots andshoes. And as the footwearfirm turns 50, it is looking backon a remarkable transforma-tion from tiny German compa-ny making orthopedic boots toBritish fashion icon, whoseshoes are worn by trendyartists and world leaders alike.The key turning point came in1959, when two German

medics sought to market ashoe with an air-cushion sole,developed by one of them-Klaus Maertens-to help himconvalesce after a skiing acci-dent.

“The magic moment hap-pened when, through an advertin a British professional maga-zine, the Griggs family-work-ing boots makers-met theGerman doctors Maertens andFunck,” said Martin Roach,who has written a history ofthe firm. “At that time it wasan orthopedic boot sold 80 per-cent to German women overthe age of 40. They felt therewas a bigger market but theyneeded a partner, hence thead,” said Roach, author of “DrMartens, the story of an icon”.

On April 1, 1960 the firstpair of Dr Martens-the namewas anglicized, for ease of pro-nunciation-was produced by

the Griggs factory in the vil-lage of Wollaston in centralEngland. Eight eyelets, oxblood red with distinctive yel-low stitching, the new designwas dubbed “1460” after thedate of its creation. And ratherthan hobbling middle-agedGermans, the target market forthe new boot was aimedsquarely at working-classBritons seeking a more com-fortable and cheaper alterna-tive to other footwear firms’rigid-soled leather offerings.

“My grandfather was thefirst one to sell Dr. Martens inthe world. We’ve sold thebrand for the longest,” saidNick Romona, owner of theBritish Boot Company in thetrendy north London boroughof Camden. “It was a good,strong, comfortable, affordablework wear for the averageworking men in Britain... for alot of (those) that picked up onthem, like the punks and theskinheads, they were a goodpair of solid, decent boots.”

Within a few years the“1460” became an essentialaccessory for musicians want-ing to play up their working-class links, including TheWho’s Pete Townshend, whowas followed by dozens of oth-er stars. “Usually when a newsubculture appears, it gets ridof the symbols of the previous

sub-culture. But not the DocMartens. It stayed with theskinheads, the punks, themods, the grunges and so on,”said Roach. Their status as astyle icon remains to this day,he says: “The Doc Martens’DNA is the same as youthfashion so it will never goaway.”

Romona adds: “They appealto everybody-whether a post-man, a schoolboy, a nurse or ajudge.” Michael is a doctor,buying his first pair. “I do a lotof walking in my work and Ioften wear through shoes,probably about every year. I

just wanted a pair that would-n’t wear out on me and thatwould last a very long time,and the DMs do,” he said.

German 40-somethingSabina Muller adds: “I had myfirst Doc Martens when I was a16-year-old girl and they arestill all right ... I love them.”More than 100 million pairs ofDr Martens have been soldsince that first pair wasunveiled 50 years ago-althoughthere are now some 250 differ-ent models, from golden to fus-cia, flowered to custompatterned.

But, in a sign of thetimes, almost all of them havebeen made in Asia since 2002:only about 50 leave the factoryin Wollaston every day, includ-ing the vintage 1460 model,made by 10 or so workers onold machines. The shop inCamden has also become anicon for the Doc Martens’ faith-ful internationally. “It’s a veryfamous destination, we get cus-tomers from all over the world,”said Romona. “They want tocome here to see where it allstarted. They come from fatherto son... especially from Europe.Their fathers will have boughttheir first DM boots in thisstore in the 70s and 80s. “I ampersonally very proud to be thegrandson of the guy who firstsold them.” —AFP

SPECTRUM 39Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fashion

Fashionphotographer Peter Gowland dies at 93

Peter Gowland, aninnovative fashionphotographer who

invented elite camerasand equipment that heused to shoot pinups andmagazine covers for sixdecades, has died at 93.Gowland’s wife of 68years, Alice, tells theLos Angeles Times in aSunday story thatGowland died March 17at his Los Angeles homeof complications fromhip surgery.

Gowland shot morethan 1,000 magazinecovers, mostly glamourshots of female modelsbut also portraits ofcelebrities like RockHudson and RobertWagner. Magazines hetook photos for includedRolling Stone andPlayboy. Gowland alsoinvented the twin-lensGowlandflex camera,which used 4-by-5 inchfilm for high-quality pic-tures and has sincebeen used by photogra-phers like AnnieLeibovitz. —AP

Peter Gowland

Models displaycreations during theESCADA 2010spring/summercollection tocommemoratethe opening ofthe Germanfashion brandshop at theMituskoshidepartmentStore in Tokyoyesterday. —AFP photos

Shoes shine: Dr Martenscelebrates 50th birthday

Dr Martens boots andshoes are pictured inthe Dr Martens factory inWellingborough,Northamptonshire, incentral England, onMarch 18, 2010. —AFP C

hina Fashion W

eek

Models present creations by Marisfrolg Summer/Spring2010 Collection during China Fashion Week in Beijing. The

bi-annual fashion event highlights the latest designs bydomestic and international designers.—AFP

www.kuwaittimes.net

In a tiny workshop on the roof of hishome in a Baghdad slum, Farhan Hassanworks in secret, lovingly carving wood

and tightening strings to make ouds, a tradi-tional musical instrument whose mutedsounds are dear to Arabs. Only close familyand friends know what he is doing, becausethe militiamen in his neighborhood frown onsuch frivolities. The oud’s angst-filled tunesdefine Iraq’s music, the way the Tigris andEuphrates rivers define its landscape. Butnowadays few in the country play or makethe oud, a pear-shaped, deep-voiced cousinof the lute.

Hundreds of artists fled Iraq during theviolence in recent years, and continuedinstability and the power of religious hard-liners give them little desire to return. SoHassan’s ouds have come to symbolize a lostIraq, or maybe the country it could becomeone day. What they don’t speak of is today’sIraq. “My country has no flowers, love orbeauty,” said Hassan, “I want to leave Iraqand go some place where I can have a nor-mal life.”

A gentle, soft-spoken man with unkempthair and several front teeth missing, Hassanships his ouds to buyers abroad-Iraqi musi-cians who fled Iraq over the years to escapethe oppression of Saddam Hussein or theviolence that followed Saddam’s overthrowin 2003. Among these are childhood friend

Rahim al-Haj, a Grammy-nominated oudplayer and composer now living in theUnited States. Al-Haj urges Hassan to mailas many ouds as possible to be sold on hisbehalf. Al-Haj tours the United States, play-ing his three Hassan ouds in concerts tobenefit Iraqi children.

Al-Haj himself was separated from hisfirst oud when a customs officer on the Iraq-Jordan border crossing insisted that he couldnot take it outside the country without a per-mit. He had a choice to make back then on acloudy January day in 1991. “I chose myfreedom at the end, but I was sick for a longtime afterward because of the loss of myoud,” he said. He tried to go home to Iraq in2004, but instead went back to the UnitedStates, horrified.

“I felt that the pain was far too great forme to handle,” al-Haj said from his home inAlbuquerque, New Mexico. “I discoveredthat my father died in 1997 while I was stillin Syria. My mother died a month after Ileft.” Now Hassan is also hoping to leaveIraq. Like many of the estimated 2.5 millionShiites who live in Sadr City, he has to copewith some of the city’s worst living condi-tions. Militiamen have closed music stores,prohibited the mixing of the sexes, bannedwedding parties, imposed the Islamic hijabon women and murdered homosexuals-allwhile making a living as hired guns.

During the dark days of militia rule upuntil two years ago, Hassan took his oudsand anything else in his workshop that wouldgive away his profession to a brother’s homein a safer Baghdad neighborhood. The militi-amen came to the house twice in 2005, he

recalled — “in the middle of the night andwearing masks like highway robbers” — butleft empty-handed.

“I could have gone out on the streets car-rying an RPG or a machine-gun and peoplewould either take no notice or commend me

on my courage,” he mused. “But I wouldhave probably been killed if I had gone outwith an oud in my hand,” he said with alaugh tinged with bitterness. Even now, thesign on a leaf-shaped piece of wood - “FarhanHassan oud workshop” — is covered withcloth of a fading floral design. On the wall is aballerina’s fading picture that Hassan rippedout of a German magazine he found when hewas a teenager, along with an image of ayoung Charlie Chaplin and of Michelangelo’sPieta, a sculpture of a grief-stricken VirginMary with Jesus sprawled dead Jesus on herlap. There also is a copy of a famous Iraqipainting of female gypsy dancers, and maga-zine pictures of two of Iraq’s most renownedoud musicians, the late brothers Mounir andGameel Bashir.

Hassan was born to a poor family thatmigrated to Baghdad from Iraq’s impover-ished south in the 1950s. Two of his brothersdisappeared in the early 1980s. For years,the family suspected they had been executedfor their communist party membership, butconfirmation of their death came only fromrecords uncovered after the U.S.-led inva-sion that removed Saddam. “Fayadh gave memy first oud,” said Hassan, his eyes wellingup as he spoke of the older of his two sib-lings. “He encouraged me to play music.”

The overthrow of Saddam deliveredIraq’s majority Shiites from years of oppres-

sion, but Hassan says the empowerment ofhis community did nothing to alleviate thepain over his lost siblings. “Fayadh was like afather to me,” he recalled, seated on thefloor of a living room whose bare walls areadorned by an image of Imam Hussein, aseventh-century saint whose martyrdom inbattle cemented the Shiite-Sunni divide.With Iraq’s best-known oud players goneabroad, little market remains for the instru-ment in Iraq. Consider the plight of Ali al-abdaly, an oud maker whose workshop is inBaghdad’s old quarter.

“I have not sold a single oud in threemonths, so I work part-time as an electricianand an upholsterer,” he said. “I have a wife,a boy and two girls to feed. If the oud indus-try is to prosper again, there must be securi-ty again,” he said, as he carved his name on apiece of wood that is going on the front of anew oud. Hassan meticulously carves hisouds, devoting a month or longer to eachone. Most are sent abroad and sell for $500to $1,000 each. “Farhan is one of the bestoud makers in Iraq,” said al-Haj. “But he hasa problem. It takes him a long time before hecan bring himself to part with the ouds. Hefalls in love with them.” In the meantime,Hassan is begging for help to leave Iraq.“Please tell Rahim that I want to leave,” hesaid. “Ask him to find out for me if I canstudy abroad.” —AP

Oud maker labors in secret on Baghdad rooftop

In this photo taken March 1, 2010, Farhan Hassan makes anoud at his workshop Baghdad, Iraq. —AP

Spa Aquatonic, LesThermes de Saint MaloSpa in Bali (Indonesia)

was awarded the best spa inthe world by Conde NastTraveler readers. SpaAquatonic is a unique interna-tional spa located at theCrowne Plaza Hotel whichcombines 2 great names inthe field of Spa treatmentsand beauty. Spa Aquatonicholds within its premises LesThermes de Saint Malo spaand Franck Provost beautysalon. Thermes Marins BaliSpa has been awarded theWorld’s no 1 Spa at the CondeNast Traveler Readers’ SpaAwards 2010, in the latestaccolade bestowed uponAYANA Resort and Spa -Bali.

AYANA’s Director of Spaand Business Development(Japan) said “It’s a great hon-or to win Conde Nast’s high-est award in this prestigioussurvey of international trav-elers. The spa industryworldwide has undergonesignificant change in recentyears as modern travelersseek the type of holidaywhere they can completelyre-balance and revive theirsenses, to ease the stress oftheir increasingly hecticlives. This award recognizesour position as a world leaderin both Thalassotherapy andtraditional Indonesian reme-

dies, and nothing gives usmore pleasure than sharingthe benefits of our wellbeingphilosophy with our guests.”

Spa Aquatonic offers youan exotic leisure experiencewith special water massagetreatments and exercises forall parts of the body. Thesetreatments concentrate onrelaxing stretched muscles,giving a total feeling of well-being. Other exercisesinclude water running andwater relaxing which help inbalancing the body, therebyreactivating the blood circula-

tion for better body functionsand profile.

Spa Aquatonic fromThermes De Saint Malotakes you on a journey ofrelaxation and comfortthrough massages at thehands of experienced thera-pists, designed to renovatebody and soul. It alsoincludes Sauna, Jacuzzis, andface and body exfoliation totake care of your face andbody. Spa Aquatonic invitesyou to try Les Thermes deSaint Malo treatments; theworlds best!

By Rawan Khalid

KUWAIT: Yesterday at BeitLouthan, SLEYSLA hosted ahandicraft exhibition with thesupport of NationalCommercial Bank (NCB) andthe Al-Waleed Bin TalalFoundation.

“Our SLEYSLA exhibitionstarted seven years ago,”said Princess Fahda Bin SoudBin Abdulaziz in an exclusiveinterview with Kuwait Times.“The center helps preventpoverty and unemploymentand encourages the purchaseof local products,” the chair-woman of Al-Faislya WelfareSociety added. “TheSLEYSLA center helps toimprove the economic condi-tion of young Saudi ladieswith limited education withdressmaking, embroidery andother modernized Saudihandicrafts.”

She explained that theSLEYSLA center providestraining courses in sewing,manual embroidery, designand several other manualcrafts such as ceramics, col-oring, textiles and drawing onskins. “It’s an attempt to linkthe products of past genera-tions to current and futureones by purchasing palm

leaves from old ladies andusing them in a new modernmethod,” she added.

She said that the goal ofthe exhibit ion is to “con-tribute to limiting povertyand unemployment, encour-aging the purchase of local

products made by Saudihands, restoring the Sauditradition of developing rawmaterials using local designsand reproducing them inartistic modern forms. Wealso hope to improve the eco-nomic status of young women

from families with limitedincomes and with specialneeds by organizing and par-ticipating in national andinternational exhibitions. Wemarket the center’s productsand provide chances to deafand mute girls to contribute

to the production of the craftsin order to help them feel likeeffective members of socie-ty,” she said.

The exhibition was hostedunder the patronage ofSheikha Fariha Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

AYANA voted world’s no.1 spaby Conde Nast traveler readers

SLEYSLA hosts exhibition at Beit Louthan

Handicrafts are exhibited at the event.

By Hussain Al-Qatari

KUWAIT: Palestinian art andheritage lovers flocked to theKuwait Women Cultural SocialSociety (KWCSS) in Khaldiyaas the Palestinian CultureExhibition, a joint effortbetween the PalestinianCulture Center and the WCSS,opened its doors yesterdaymorning to receive visitors.

Despite the turbulence thatthe Palestinian people contin-ue to go through, the exhibi-tion, inaugurated by the Headof the WCSS Shaikah Al-Nisf,had an optimistic spirit. FatenAbu Ghazaleh, Head of thePalestinian Culture Center,said that it is crucial to showsupport to the people ofPalestine and to celebrate theculture’s beauty today.

Adorned with colorful pot-tery, handmade cross-stitchpieces, books and postersabout Palestine and thePalestinian heritage in Arabicand English, the exhibitioncaptivated the essence of theart crafted by Palestinians inthe refugees and the diaspora.Despite the violent Israeliattacks on the Palestinian peo-ple in the occupied territory,the Palestinian Culture Center(PCC) founded originally inKuwait before the 1990 inva-sion, still provides women inthe occupied territory withfinancial aid, food and healthcare.

The Palestinian CultureCenter (PCC) is a non-profitorganization that aims to pre-serve the rich heritage andculture of Palestine, helpempower women and theirfamilies in the Palestinianrefugee camps become eco-

nomically independent, andsustain needy Palestinians intheir homeland and across theworld. After the recent Israeliattacks on Palestinian people,the Palestinian Culture Center(PCC) raised the income of thewomen who make the embroi-deries and artwork, about 500or so.

The event featured numer-ous hand-made products bywomen living in refugeecamps. They include tradition-al cross-stitch embroidery ofdresses, linens, shawls, cush-

ions, table runners, cards,belts, purses, bookmarks,handmade ceramics fromHebron, books, posters, cards,and keychains. Other productsincluded in the exhibition arekaffiyehs and DVDs about thehistory and heritage of

Palestine.On the periphery of the

event, a traditional food sale isorganized featuring a numberof foods such as thyme, sumac,baked traditional goods anddishes. What rendersPalestinian embroidery uniqueis the use of needle and silkthread, which is a manifesta-tion of the Palestinian identityas it has evolved over theages. An age old art, allPalestinian ladies, young andold would, spend hoursembroidering their trousseau,

dresses, shawls and cushions.Palestinian art is known for itsuse of geometric shapes, anddepicting images from theimmediate surroundings. Thedresses are famous for theirflowery designs and bold natu-ral colors of indigo and red.Symbols of the ubiquitousCypress trees surrounding theorange groves, roses, jasmineand the famous olive tree andtypical motifs in Palestiniandresses.

The exhibition is a four-dayevent taking place from 10 amto 1:30 pm, and then againfrom 4:30 to 8:30 pm.

Palestinian Cultural Exhibition launched at the WCSS

A volunteer at the Palestinian Cultural Exhibitiondisplays a collection of painterd pottery.

Exhibition goers look through the merchandise atone of the booths.

A framedmap ofPalestineand itsneighboringcountries.

A volunteer at the Palestinian Culture Exhibitionstands by a traditional Palestinian dress.

A collection of coloredpottery showcased atthe Palestinian CultureExhibition. —Photosby Yasser Al-Zayyat

Mannequinsdressed intraditionalPalestinianclothing.